Alpestrine - growing at high elevations but not above the timber line
Breloque - a seal or charm for a watch chain
Cairngorm - a light-colored, usually yellowish smoky quartz that is used as a gemstone
Dactylogram - an impression taken from a finger
Electuary - confection
Fiduciary - held or founded in trust or confidence
Gasconade - bravado, boasting
Heliacal - relating to or near the sun—used especially of the last setting of a star before and its first rising after invisibility due to conjunction with the sun
Intenerate - to make tender; soften
Interamnian - situated between or enclosed by rivers
Jactance - vainglorious boasting
Kermesse - a fair held usually for charitable purposes
Latria - the supreme homage that is given to God alone
Melopoeia - melody
Nepenthe - a potion used by the ancients to induce forgetfulness of pain or sorrow; something capable of causing oblivion of grief or suffering
Obtenebrate - to darken by or as if by shadowing
Phaeism - incomplete melanism in a butterfly
Retroussé - turned up
Serein - mist or fine rain falling from an apparently clear sky
Ustulation - the action of burning or searing
More: Lists of Beautiful Words ⚜ Word Lists ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs
unironically i think we need to bring back computer labs because APPARENTLY some people WERENT taught basic computer literacy and internet safety in school
things about computers/the internet i think kids should be formally taught in schools because theyre important to know and the amount of soon to be grown adults i know who know NOTHING about any of these is quite frankly almost all of them (and resources to learn if you dont know these things, because its never to late to get better with computers)
how to troubleshoot by yourself when you have a technical problem
what common file types are
some very basics on how to use ""developer tools"" on your computer (because i cant think of a better way to refer to them) like task manager and command prompt (and their mac equivalents, terminal and activity monitor ofc)
how to read and understand a privacy policy and what your personal data is, as well as what it being collected actually means and steps you can take to keep it private
how to understand terms of service
(hey. if you have trouble with reading legalese and worry about being able to understand these policies anyways, here's a site that gives basic summaries of privacy policies and ToS)
what a cookie actually is
internet privacy and your digital footprint!! seriously i dont know why we stopped teaching people that they shouldnt be putting their entire real identity online in a world where your online actions can ruin you irl
basic safety measures like antivirus software (and why you should use it or if the built in one on windows or mac is enough for you) and backing up your computer (also a mac guide)
common keyboard shortcuts (and on mac)
as an additional note: things i think everyone should know on computers and the internet but schools may bit hesitant to teach about for whatever moral/legal standards schools pretend to operate on
vpns and adblockers! (btw for most of these where you can pay for things im purposefully not recommending any specific software but seriously just use ublock origin for an adblocker)
how to not get a virus while pirating something
what a temporary email is and when to use one
red flags that you shouldn't trust a website (and how to quickly check the security of a site)
what javascript on a website does and how to disable it to get around paywalls
ok one last addition! if you want to take it one level higher, i think learning the very basics of at least one programming language is good for people. it makes computers less scary and it makes you feel very cool, and a lot of people get discouraged about it because it seems overly complicated and hard to learn outside a formal classroom setting, so heres some resources for learning the very basics of python (because i consider it the easiest language to learn and knowing one language will make it easier to learn others)
an online compiler so you dont need to download anything or worry about running code directly on your computer if that makes you nervous
a basic video guide to introduce you to python and walk you through beginner steps
a guide to some syntax and commands you should know (this was literally my lifeline in my first CS class)
some performance tasks to give you things to code to practice and assess yourself
When you circulate the frustrating, scary news about the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on the manufacturers of chest binders, include a link or two to charities that provide free chest binders for those who cannot afford them or cannot safely purchase them.
News about governmental attempts to restrict trans people’s autonomy has a tendency to hit the most vulnerable members of our community hard. Pairing that news with options for self-determination is protective.
Two of my favorite free binder charities are Point of Pride and the Brother 2 Brother Binder Program.
matthew olzmann mountain dew commercial disguised as a love poem
ghazal (@dobaara) my anger and loneliness are lovers
nikki allen search party: names for my mother
ellora sutton (newborn)
emily skaja letter to s, hospital
benjamín naka-hasebe kingsley born year of the uma
hieu minh nguyen litany for the animals who run from me
brandy nālani mcdougall he mele aloha no ka niu
ai vice: new and selected poems: “cuba, 1962″
gig ryan civil twilight
troy osaki o heat we protest
nick carbó andalusian dawn: “directions to my imaginary childhood”
chen chen i’m not a religious person but
sally wen mao oculus: “anna may wong stars as cyborg #86″
srikanth reddy voyager: “book three: 19″
golden & when they come for me (reprise)
natalie scenters-zapico notes on my present: a contrapuntal
evan knoll blood makes the blade holy
jesús papolete meléndez hey yo! yo soy!: 40 years of nuyorician street poetry a bilinguial edition: “of a butterfly in el barrio or a stranger in paradise”
I lost the ability to move my legs because of anemia. Doctors say there is no treatment available in Gaza. Ignoring this and refusing to share means accepting this crime.
in my latest foray into quiz-making i found a house. a manor, really. it's all rotted and full of cobwebs but there's something about it... idk. i think my eyes might be playing tricks. you could take a tour if you don't mind descending into madness with me
white people please just purchase native artwork and jewelry from native people i keep seeing idiot white people be like “waaah i wish i could support native creators but its cultural appropriation” girl why would beaders sell you their earrings then. just dont get a medicine wheel or a thunderbird then like damn it is that easy
If Native folks are making it to sell to white people with the approval of their tribe, it’s not “appropriation”–its support and appreciation! So yes, buy that native-made dream catcher, but not the mass produced fakes made by white people. Like, you can go to a pow wow and buy native crafts there, too.
this is a great time of year to buy from native stores or donate to native organizations. you can figure out who's land you're on here, and below i've listed some (of many) businesses you can support ♡
B.Yellowtail --- jewlery, clothing, and home goods designed by Bethany Yellowtail, citizen of the Northern Cheyenne Nation and from the Apsáalooke (Crow) Nation
Cheekbone Beauty --- sustainable, low-waste beauty products from Jenn Harper, an Anishinaabe artist based in Canada
Trickster --- atheletic products from Tlingit and Deg Hit’an Athabascan siblings (Alaska)
NativeHumboldt on Etsy --- the artist, Shayna McCullough, and their fiancé make designs inspired by traditional designs from their culture; she is from the Yurok tribe and descended from the Hupa, Karuk, Redwood Creek, Pit River, Yuki, Wintun, Pomo (tribes in California), and Chetco tribe (in Oregon)
OklahomaThirtyNine on Etsy --- they mostly sell beaded work, particularly earrings, as well as some necklaces
xBeadsByMandyx on Etsy --- handmade beaded earrings, from a Cherokee veteran
food products, from wine to sauces to teas to mixes to fish to jerky and nuts, sorted by store with details beside each store
My favorite shoes in the winter are my Manitobah mukluks, which are Metis-owned and participate heavily in community initiatives with other indigenous nations to train and support artists. They also partner regularly with artists from other nations on their shoes to create custom editions. Currently they are collaborating with Rosa Scribe (Cree), Janae Grass (Sac & Fox), Atheana Picha (Salish), and Melissa Peter-Paul (Mi'kmaw). They also host an indigenous market that showcases and promotes indigenous artists.
Plus they're warm as hell and the sheepskin lining means I don't have to wear socks, which is extremely nice sensory comfort. So that's nice as well.
Eighth Generation (Snoqualmie Tribe) has some beautiful stuff - I've bought a huge beautiful beach towel and cool socks from them personally, but they have jewelry, art, housewares, lots of great work.
image is one of my favourite blankets from Eighth Generation
Beam Paints --- watercolour paints by Anong Migwans Bean, M'Chigeeng First Nation (located in Ontario), who was taught to harvest pigments by their parents ((recommended by @airbenderinalbion))
Beyond Buckskin --- created by Jessica Metcalfe, who is Turtle Mountian Chippewa, they feature and sell works such as moccasins, jewelry, clothing, and blankets from over 40 artists --- featured is a beaded Yakima Plateau bag ((recommended by @sassytail))
Haipažaža Pĥežuta --- a couple, Lakota and Dakota, from Ocheti Sakowin Tha Makhoche (Sioux Nation) who make soaps, shampoo bars, bath and body products, salves, & more herbal products, incorporating traditional knowledge and using minimal packaging + natural ingredients ((recommended by @wittywallflower))
Sequoia Soaps --- soaps, candles, lotions, body mists and body scrubs, founded by Michaelee Lazore, who is Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) from Akwesáhsne and Northern Paiute (in Nevada) ((recommended by @trialofasphodel))
Only Child Handicrafts --- beadwork created by a 30-year-old beadworker, which they learned while growing up near the Great Lakes from the Anishinaabe; their paternal family is Ojibwe from Fort William First Nation & their patterns are both based on traditional patterns & contemporary ((recommended by @fruityshirts))
Sage & Oats Trading Post --- based in Montana, but selling products from native artists across the country, including beadwork, candles, foodstuffs, books, textiles, jewelry, & so much more ((recommended by @samwisegamgeeee))
Sea Wisdom Design --- jewelry by łlilawikw ("gatherer of the people"), who is Kwakwaka’wakw, from the Pacific Northwest, whose beautiful historical designs are featured in her art ((recommended by @fruityshirts))
middle picture: blanket made by Rachel Twoteeth Pichardo, a Little Shell artist from North Carolina
It's not a small creator, but Prados Beauty is indigenous-owned and partners with indigenous designers. They're pretty mainstream now but I've only heard good things about their corporate practices.
Discover Prados Beauty, featuring high-quality cosmetics at affordable prices. Embrace all of your beauty with ethically made cosmetics, too
Thunderbird Skin --- skincare made Mooretown Rancheria Maidu women from Northern California, who now live in the UK. they also make products specifically for eczema & psoriasis & have trial sizes of nearly all their products ((recommended by @a-wild-haggis))
Mistahiminis Beadwork --- beautiful art, beaded earrings & embroidery works & sewn bags, made by a nonbinary Nehiyawak (Cree) beadworker in Canada ((recommended by @thymeforeverything))
Choke Cherry Creek --- clothing created by Angela Ikūalasaash ("persistence"), a Apsáalooke (Crow) & Pikuni (Blackfeet) woman who incorporates symbols from her heritage into her work ((recommended by @alcidesire))
Good Medicine Clothing --- an Apsáalooke-owned (Crow Nation) clothing store, founded by a Native American dancer & hip hop artist (his music links here) ((recommended by @alcidesire))
The Wandering Bull --- they carry a huge variety of pow-wow supplies & whatever anyone might need to make their own pieces ((recommended by @lugarn))
Medicine Man Crafts --- goods made by people on/near the Eastern band Tsalagi Nation (Cherokee), such as traditional baskets & jewelry, craft supplies, masks & pottery, & so much more ((recommended by @lugarn))
this list is going to be some recommended reading when it relates to literary teratology or monster theory. some of these works predate 'monster theory' as a concept (which was coined in 1996 by jeffrey jerome cohen) but are foundational to that work regardless.
i'll try to include links to any readings that are freely available online and links to doi etc but if something isn't and you're really keen, hit me up and y'know we'll see what i can do.
monster theory: reading culture (1996) by jeffrey jerome cohen - the original and defining text on monster theory by the man himself. here is a link to a pdf of the first chapter, which i spoke about at length in another post.
the horror reader (2000) by ken gelder (editor) - an incredibly insightful collected edition about the horror genre as a whole, however gelder's introduction to part three, as well as marie-hélene huet's chapter introduction to monstrous imagination were incredibly helpful to my work personally. very generously, gelder has allowed free access to the entire work in pdf form!
the monster theory reader (2020) by jeffrey andrew weinstock - an amazing collected edition featuring cohen, creed, kristeva and a number of others that provides a really good foundational background knowledge of what contributed to the creation of monster theory as well as some fantastic takes on it post cohen.
classic readings on monster theory (2018) by asa simon mittman & marcus hensel - similar to weinstock, this collected edition features a number of classical foundational essays and some more modern ones surrounding monster theory. a very helpful starting point! here is a link to the introductory chapter by mittman and hensel in pdf form!
the monstrous feminine: film, feminism, psychoanalysis (1993) by barbara creed - creed's idea of the monstrous feminine is one of the foundational underpinnings of monster theory and is key in comprehending the 'other' as monstrous, particularly as it relates to women in a patriarchal society. highly recommend! here is the entire book in pdf form!
powers of horror: an essay on abjection (1982) by julia kristeva - kristeva's idea of abjection is a precursor to a lot of theoretical frameworks regarding the horror genre, in particular as a direct precursor to creed's work, then to cohen's work. here is the entire book in pdf form!
this is definitely not an all encompassing list of sources, but it is a good starting point for anyone interested in this particular niche field of literary theory. these are texts that were crucial for me in understanding the basics when i was starting work on my thesis.
AI Psychosis and the implications of its existence
Actually as shitty as the existence of AI psychosis is, the implications of it are FUCKING MIND-BOGGLING in actually a really revolutionary way.
("WTF are you talking about?" / "What do we currently know about AI psychosis?": x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x)
People experiencing "ChatGPT psychosis" are being involuntarily committed to mental hospitals and jailed following AI mental health crises.
Paywall free, via Futurism, June 28, 2025
Like, as someone who works professionally editing mental health books, the existence of AI psychosis almost certainly completely upends our understandings of how mental health disorders work. And their causes.
There's a non-zero chance the discovery/existence of AI psychosis is like. going to be/lead to more or less the mental health equivalent of inventing germ theory.
Like, we went from only sort of beginning to suspect to having actual, literal, indisputable proof that you can go from not having a psychotic disorder to having a psychotic disorder literally just from talking too much to a very aggrandizing source and/or echo chamber
THAT SEVERELY UPENDS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND ORIGINS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS
**Note: I am using "psychotic" and "psychotic disorders" in their technical definition here, which is simply "involves experiencing breaks from reality." Because, contrary to all the stigma and misinformation, that's the literal/actual definition (x, x, x)
And like, obviously, in at least many cases, there would be/often are genetic, environmental, or trauma factors that are putting their thumbs on the scale there. But we know for a fact that a number of people who have developed AI psychosis do not have a previous record of mental health issues.
But the tipping factor for at least dozens of people, we now know for a fact, was talking to an AI chatbot. And we have a complete record of what was said for almost every single one of those cases, because, among other things, OpenAI / ChatGPT is now LEGALLY REQUIRED to preserve ALL CHAT TRANSCRIPTS, even if users delete them, until the court says otherwise (x, x, x).
(Which will be, by the way, years, at a minimum - that may have started with a copyright lawsuit, but there will be so many other AI lawsuits and investigations, including about AI psychosis, in the EU if not the US - this will go on for a while)
Anyway, yeah, good news in the long term for the understanding and treatment of mental health disorders
In the short term, seriously, please don't use chatbots for at least another couple of years, as a safety precaution
At least until they've sorted this shit out and (HOPEFULLY) figured out how to make this shit stop happening (and then, hopefully, actually implemented those changes).
Just call it a basic safety precaution - especially if you have any sort of neurodivergence and/or any history or family history of hallucinations, delusions, schizophrenia / schizo-spectrum, psychotic spectrum disorders, etc.
