Daydreams & Social Anxiety

Hey! Don’t know how you got here but I draw and do other stuff. I’m 20, I go by Ember and use any pronouns.

[kaijuno]

My morning glory doesn’t like the wind chime

[ikebanaka]

SHUT

[typhus-andronicus]

[spin-the-wheel-polls]

you are now a cat in the warrior cats universe! Spin these wheels for your name!

Do you like it?

YES!!!

yes

eh it's okay

no.

IM MOON MOON

results/other

Remaining time: 5 days 9 hours

note: I (the owner of this blog and maker of wheels) am not into warrior cats! I just thought this would be fun to make

(prefixes and suffixes from @yarrowleef)

[lemmmmmmmmmmonade]

HELP HELP HELP HELP HELP

[thefernhands]

If you're fifteen or older an still sleep with a stuffed animal please reblog this.

My friend is embarrassed and thinks she’s the only one and I said id prove her wrong.

[sleepyteaparty]

do you actually hate flowery or is it a joke

I actually love him

I hate him (affectionately)

I love-hate him

I hate him (but he's well written)

I actually hate him

Remaining time: 5 days 43 minutes

[serps-up]

so happy and free

[reachartwork]

this is going to be a silly reblog but i have kind of a fixation on animal qualia and the idea of an animal's umwelt, so i ended up wondering whether pudding was actually "enjoying" this.

which meant i went and read about snail brains.

here's the bad news, at least by human standards:

snails do not have anything like a centralized brain. their nervous system is made up of small clusters of neurons (ganglia) that mostly handle very local tasks. they don't have a cortex, they don't build big integrated models of the world, and they almost certainly don't experience things like appreciation, anticipation, or savoring.

pudding is not looking at the sky and thinking it's beautiful.

snail eyes are basically light sensors - they can tell bright from dark, but not form images. snail "taste" is done through chemoreceptors on their tentacles and around their mouth. those receptors don't produce flavor the way ours do; they just detect chemical compounds and sort them into "approach," "ignore," or "avoid."

so there's no evidence that snails enjoy food, or wind, or views, the way mammals do.

and that does sound kind of sad. but then i thought that maybe we are asking the wrong question.

snails do have valence. they detect aversive things (like salt or dryness) and withdraw from them. they detect non-aversive or beneficial conditions (like moisture) and stay extended. when pudding is stretched out like this, it means his nervous system is basically saying "this is safe; nothing is wrong."

if we define pleasure not as our human experience of dopamine and reward chemicals but instead as "the absence of aversion" - a state where the organism is open to its environment instead of defending itself - then this does count as something positive, even if it's extremely nothing like human enjoyment.

pudding isn't appreciating the wind. but his body is registering humidity, safety, and the ability to keep functioning, and that matters to him in the only way his nervous system can make things matter. he does not think "this is great, this is awesome, i love the weather", because he doesn't think in the way we do at all, but the neurological action in his ganglion tell his body that he is safe, that the moisture is an acceptable level, that it's not too dry or windy, and that there's nothing imminently threatening.

i think a lot of the sadness comes from assuming that a good life has to look like ours: full of enjoyment, meaning, and aesthetic experience. but a snail isn't missing those things. its world just isn't built to include them.

snails don't have a sense of flavor. they don't even have tastebuds. this seems like a gimme, right? but again that might be asking the wrong question about what "taste" is. biologically speaking, it's chemoreception. we taste sweet because it indicates high value, high calorie sugar molecules. we taste salty for salt, umami for proteins. so in what way does pudding's chemoreceptors differ from ours instrumentally? we can say "by our human perspective, pudding can't experience "preference" or "savoring" or "anticipation of delicious food"", but from pudding's perspective we have radically overengineered ourselves for the task at hand. pudding can tell what's salty, what's high value, what has the chemicals he needs. the functional outcome is that he can discriminate food souces based on their composition. is that not taste?

so maybe the point isn't "this is sad because he can't enjoy it," but "this is a reminder that minds come in radically different shapes, and value doesn't have to be rich to be real."

[chaifootsteps]

You showed Pudding the world and they said "safe here, this is fine," and there's value and beauty in that.

[toadalled]

She is very lonely

[colemckenzies]

you can make nearly any object into a good insult if you put ‘you absolute’ in front of it

example: you absolute coat hanger

[ggiornojo]

as well u can just add ‘ed’ to any object and it’s sounds like you were really drunk

example: i was absolutely coat hangered last night

[colemckenzies]

#i was gazeboed mate #i was absolutely baubled

[animatedamerican]

Meanwhile, “utter” works for the first (e.g., “you utter floorboard”) but somehow “utterly” doesn’t seem to work as well for the second (“I was utterly floorboarded”).

[nentuaby]

Utterly doesn’t work for drunk because it’s the affix for turning random objects into terms for *shocked*, obviously.

[animatedamerican]

… huh.  I thought that might just be the similarity to “floored”, and yet “I was utterly coat hangered” does seem to convey something similar.

I have to tell you, I am utterly sandwiched at this discovery.

[thepioden]

Completely makes the phrase mean “super tired”.

“God, it’s been a long week, I am completely coat-hangered.”

[derinthescarletpescatarian]

Something is

Something is wrong with our language

[rooksandravens]

Is it a glitch or a feature?

[cranberrybogmummy]

Feature

[s-peak-in-tongue-s]

this neat feature is called collocative substitution, and it occurs when certain words are strongly linked to certain context and/or phrases. when you read/hear a pair of words that usually wouldn’t go together, your brain fills in the context with what would normally be inferred, given the originally phrased pairing. thus, finding out that there’s a term for this phenomenon may indeed leave you utterly sandwiched. lesser known or less strongly linked phrases and pairings may not be able to translate substituted words to appropriately fit the inferred context, so you were not utterly floorboarded at the club last night, but rather you were absolutely floorboarded, and as this explanation continues to drag on, you may by the end of it find yourself completely coathangered from read it all.

[lizawithazed]

I, like all linguists I have met or even heard of, have a deep intricate love-hate relationship with the English Language because of complete and total coathangering like this

[cupcakeshed]

What in the goddamn coathanger did I just read

[byjove]

I think about The Man of the Hole so often. 27 years alone. 27 years with no one to speak to but strangers to wave to. Survived a genocide, a massacre that killed everyone he had ever known and later, an assassination attempt. He still tried to warn researches about the traps he built. He was only about 60 when he died in 2022. The people who tormented him in life later desecrated his grave.

[byjove]

I do think it is important to share the stories of the Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island and Ishi and the countless other indigenous people who experienced the profound trauma of being the last survivor but it is important to remember that the last Aboriginal families in Australia to be contacted by Europeans were resettled in the 1980s and the Indian government has proposed a plan that will mean total genocide for the Shompen people. The total eradication of indigenous peoples, their cultures, their languages, their ways of life, is not something which occurred in a distant ugly past but an ongoing process.

[ess-jay-oh]

🚨Safety Alert Australia

If you rely on a hidden phone for your safety, be aware that Australia’s new emergency warning system, AusAlert, can send alerts that override silent and “Do Not Disturb” settings.

If safe to do so, turn off any hidden device before the scheduled test and only switch it back on after the test period has ended.

A national test alert will be sent at 2pm (AEST) on 27 July 2026.

[genderkoolaid]

ohhhh im reading an article about trans men's experiences in the US prison system and its making me see red

[genderkoolaid]

Here's the article, TW for trans(andro)phobia, sexual assault, forced detransitioning

Its an interview with multiple (mostly Black) trans men about their experiences in prison, starting with strip-searches:

The officer [at the men's prison] asked me to lie down on a table, then told me to spread my legs and hold them open,” Graham said, adding that he was then instructed to pull his genitalia back so the officer could “get a better look.” He said he could see that the officer was getting an erection. When the search was over, Graham said, he told a counselor at the facility what had happened.  [...] After having spent several weeks at an Austin jail, Graham was transferred to a women’s prison run by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. But rather than offer him greater safety and security, the women’s prison “was a million times worse,” he said. Upon his arrival, Graham said, he underwent a strip search in view of a large group of incarcerated women. “They forced me to bend over and open up my legs to make sure I didn’t have a hidden penis,” he said.

They talk about being violently misgendered, denied hormones and surgeries, & forcibly detransitioned:

In addition to what he said was routine verbal and physical harassment from prison staff members, Graham also said he was prevented from dressing and grooming himself in a way that aligns with his gender. Correctional officers told Graham he would get written up unless he grew out his hair, and they forced him to shave his beard, which he had permission to maintain on religious grounds, he said. He also alleged that they told him he was required to wear women’s underwear and a bra, even though he had had his breasts removed. Several other trans men incarcerated in Texas and contacted by NBC News said they had encountered officers who required them to wear sports bras and women’s underwear, as well as to grow out their hair to longer than 2½ inches or risk “catching a case” — getting written up for breaking the rules. According to advocates and currently and formerly incarcerated people, trans men in the state have no routine access to boxer shorts and are unable to buy chest binders, which are used by those who have not yet had top surgery to flatten their breasts.  “I’ve tried to request boxers and chest binders and was denied, which made my depression worse,” Angel Ochoa, 49, another incarcerated trans man in the state, said in a letter. Asked to clarify the state’s position on clothing for transgender people, Hurst, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesperson, said, “Inmates are to dress according to the sex assigned to them at birth.”

It goes into the sexual assault experienced in women's prisons, and that trans men are "protected" through solitary confinement, which discourages them from reporting:

Graham said women on his unit would undress and climb into his bed at night saying they were going to have sex with him or would try to look at his body while he was showering, even though he was supposed to be permitted to shower alone.  Prison staff members did not take steps to keep him safe, he said. After staff members were alerted to one particular incident, he spent about 10 days in “safekeeping,” a form of isolation also known as protective custody. Incarcerated trans people often end up in protective custody for their purported protection, because they are uniquely vulnerable to sexual and physical assault when they are in the general population. But the conditions in protective custody generally mirror the conditions faced by those in disciplinary isolation. When he was in safekeeping, Graham said, he was fed through a door and had very limited access to showers or his property. After a third time in safekeeping, Graham said, he was fed up and vowed never to end up there again.

And it talks about how trans men are seen as violent and hypersexual, and that they are an easy target for blame:

Trans men may also be unfairly identified as threats to other inmates and punished, said El Sabrout, who said others “perceive them as threatening” and “dangerously sexual,” particularly when they begin taking testosterone.  Ochoa said he was once placed in solitary confinement after he was accused of having a sexual relationship with a correctional officer. “Anyone can say anything about you and it’s believed, especially if you’re a trans guy,” said Ochoa, whose prison records were not independently reviewed by NBC News.

So, in summation: "trans men have systemic privilege/power over cis women" shut the fuck up. Also, support prison abolition.

[genderkoolaid]

every person who brings up v-coding (real and serious systemic violence) on my posts as a gotcha for why anti-transmasculinity isn't real / isn't "as bad" needs to read this + about the Louisiana ICE forced labor and sexual abuse program for transmascs and butches, and then give me their next paycheck.

& BEFORE we piss on the poor im not saying the above is literally actually the same as v-coding. i am saying y'all throw around that violence like it's a fucking trump card that proves trans men have male privilege, as if trans men do not also experience transphobic misogynistic sexual violence in prisons.

[nixcraft]

[beesmygod]

also at the end when they ask you "any questions?" and you can't think of anything: ask about parking. even if you don't have a car.

[homeschooledangel]

I have an interview today in a couple hours, how did the algorithm know I needed this

[faunlord]

Btw when they ask if you have questions some actual good options are stuff like “what’s a typical day like in this role” or “is this job open because someone is leaving or is this a new position”

[sequintial]

Another good question I stole from a reddit post that has really impressed all interviewers (two job offers!) is: "let's say you hire me and in a year you're thinking you made a really great choice. What will I have done to make you think that?"

It gets them talking about what they're looking for in the role, thinking about how you could fit it, and lets you end the interview getting to reiterate how good you would be for the role and how enthusiastic you are for it.

[nessataleweaver]

If you get the 'tell me about yourself' I've actually had at least one interview where they want to know about you as a person.

It might be worth asking them "Do you mean professionally, to get an idea of my work, or personally to see how I'll fit into the workplace culture?"

[centaurianthropology]

I love how clearly the despair and deprivation of the world of ‘Iron Lung’ is communicated through two small and, I think, often misunderstood actions that Simon takes throughout the film.  I’ve seen quite a few people laughing about how ‘silly’ it is that he gets a small cup of isopropyl alcohol and then just drinks it, or immediately bolts the entire canteen of water he finds.  But to me, that is a wordless means of communicating the world that he lives in and the exact state of mind he’s in.

Simon lives at the end of everything.  There are only a few thousand people left alive, and both humans and everything else are dwindling resources.  EVERYTHING is running out, including time.

Simon has likely never lived in a world where he had time, or was guaranteed his next meal, his next breath, his next moment.  Drinking all the water as soon as he finds it not only speaks to how long he’s likely gone without water (because why would you waste more precious food or water on a convict that is almost certain to die at the bottom of a blood ocean beyond what is base-line necessary to keep him functional?), but it also shows a survival strategy.  If everything is scarce, then trying to ration resources opens you up to having someone else take them away.  It’s likely to be an instinct at this point: if he gets something, he consumes it immediately before someone else can take it from him.  And that instinct is so ingrained that he does it right away, and then recriminates himself afterward.  He has these mechanisms for survival that are betraying him, but the instinct is hard to overcome.

The rubbing alcohol moment is another great moment of world-building (and also a great moment of levity in a very grim film).  Here is this tiny cup of alcohol, part of a barely-there first aid kit.  He’s got bandages, and he’s got alcohol.

And he drinks the alcohol rather than using it on his injuries.  Simon exists in a world of despair, in a near-hopeless situation after a string of near-hopeless situations, after being raised in a damn death cult.  Why would he use that alcohol to prevent an infection he is almost certainly never going to have time to develop?  Why would he care about a hypothetical maybe-future when he had to deal with isopropyl poisoning?  He is staring down death.

Why not indulge in a moment of chemical escape?  Why not give yourself that moment of oblivion?  If there is no future, there are no consequences.  So he drinks the alcohol, and it’s both funny and this exquisitely human moment of relief for him. 

I feel like so many people aren’t engaging with the layers of despair and loss and hopelessness that even Simon—who is noticeably a defiantly hopeful person even in the face of everything—cannot escape and is thoroughly steeped in.  His every action speaks to the world he lives in, and how he fights against it but is still defined by it.  And I’m hoping that, now that the film is readily available for rent or purchase, people can really dive into the world and the story and everything created in this film.  I am really hoping for a new surge of meta and dissection as people start seeing all the subtleties put in, and the care it took to tell you a story with very little dialogue.

[betweenthescarletmoon]

two amazing points i never gave too much thought. you've opened my eyes!!!

[tgirlmaomao]

the turbines turn into the wind… is this not clear?

[tgirlmaomao]

okay maybe people know less than i think…

i have seen some worrying ignorances from certain users here as of late regarding treating wind turbines. even some of you whom i otherwise respect are guilty of these. i prefer to keep quiet on these matters so as to not bring unnecessary attention to me, but I worry this trend will bring needless suffering if, say, some misguided young thing brings harm to her under such influences. this is not meant to shame any of you, but if you go on perpetuating these lies and misconceptions even after you are educated it is difficult to regard you with respect

first, she is called wind turbines. she used to go by windmills but no longer, okay? windmills mills grain or pumps water and that is not her. she is generating electricity. understand?

I have also seen you draw her with two blades not three. this is fine, she likes two blades sometimes, but really she is most comfortable with three and you will see her this way most often. more than three makes her sad tired and she does not like to see herself in such a state…

the thick-minded among you may think that because she is very large and strong in the body she must also be so with emotions. this is not true. she frightens very easily, especially with tallness nearby. you may not be able to tell because she has learned composure but this does not mean it doesn’t hurt. keep her far far from any tall buildings. even nearby trees will scare. tall grasses and such can also give fear but this is the manageable level.

no rolling hills. you are hurting her with your rolling hills. your sick fucking… urghhh. flat. flat open field, okay? okay? yes. mountain pass? fine. oceanside? okay beach day. fun. yay. rolling hills? moron. idiot. sorry.

some of you maybe see on the news that wind turbines likes to be vertical. sometimes where it is very loud and noisy like the city she is vertical but this means she feels discomfort. horizontal when she is happy. big arms and open wide happy. this is good.

there are also few studies out there who try to prove that she is happier if she looks away from the wind instead of into it? if you see such writings please disregard. they are not minding her interests.

finally many of you say wind turbines always has gearbox. this used to be true but no longer. she can have no gearbox thanks to new science. soon she will never have gearbox. this is very good for her as she can be in repair much less often now and the nacelle is much lighter and you should be happy for her.

thank you for reading. i know it can be hard to understand if you do not know her, so thank you for trying. if i see anymore abuses i will let you all know. i just hope to see her safe and happy and it hurts so much… that is all

[orcboxer]

excuse me

[thewitchoftheweast]

[avaricevinegar]

no pants im afraid

[estrogenpatchnotes]

I don't think there's ever been a funnier piece of lore in a video game then the etymology of the word "gun" in FFXIV

[estrogenpatchnotes]

@wibbley-wobble So in XIV lore there was a queen named Gunhilder who ruled a country that was conquered by the big bad guy nation, galemald, and she had a royal guard called “gunhilder’s blades” who fought with swords that had triggers on them and were used for channeling magic, and these were called gunblades after the royal guard, When garlemald conquered bozja they copied the design of their swords but garleans can’t use magic so to adopt their fighting style they switched to a mechanical design that used black powder. Later on firearms were developed off of this concept and since they were “gunblades without the blade” people started calling them guns.

[bogleech]

masterpiece world building actually

[paranoir-antares]

you know what's even better? that lore is a magicalized remix of the word's irl etymology and i think that's brilliant

[bogleech]

Oh. it’s just real. It was really that silly.

[estrogenpatchnotes]

Seeing this going around again for the umpteenth time I’d like to reiterate that I know about the real world gunhilder and about allagan siege weapons. To me the funny part is that in eorzea, gunblades were invented before muskets

[badaxefamily]

Given how many weird things in FFXIV are based on real world crazyness, I imagine the Gunhildr thing was intentional. The lore team are big nerds and do that all the time.

Except for cellphones being thousands of years old technology that nobody uses anymore. I think they did that one on their own.

[badaxefamily]

I think it's because the lion furries are kinda the most normal thing going on here. Like, most of the time a character's race won't ever be mentioned by other characters unless it's relevant, and it's very rarely relevant. The mysterious hypercapitalist that actually isn't that evil and funds a lot of important stuff is a lawn gnome and everyone respects him, at least to his face. The Aztec king has three kids, of which two are different species from him (and each other) and the only one anybody says anything about is the trueborn because the king was supposedly sterile. All three kids have equal claim to the throne and no one ever questions that. There are multiple times that literal aliens from outer space come down and everybody is just like Oh hi, nice to meet you.

[drdaanvondutch]

in law school, my mom took me to this stress retreat because my family was vaguely aware i was a suicide risk. and they didnt allow phones, so i brought this huge bag of books. and one of the options for "destressing" was this fake cave grotto thing, where they'd decorated a room to make it look exactly like an underground cave and the air was like -10 degrees, but there was a like 4ft deep pool in the middle that was kept super super hot, so you would just switch between the hot and cold. and they would bring you an endless supply of this weird syrupy drink thing that was like super caffeinated and tasted like sugar and mint. and so i spent multiple days sitting half submerged in this fake grotto drinking mystery liquid and reading. and i have to be honest i really did feel less stressed

[batsandbutch]

[messsssmer]

"Whimsy" is truly a wretched term. What maketh thee so carefree?

[fireknightqueelign]

thy mother

[messsssmer]

Art thou for fucking real