𐂂 gender ?? i hardly even know she/xyr !! 20s 𓃵 i like disco elysium + twin peaks + worlds beyond number + dimension 20 + legendlark + wtnv + within the wires + maybe i read homestuck in middle school, so... what? if i follow you it means i love you mwah
This is my 1st attempt at writing a pinned post! Please bear with while I tinker with and edit it.
You may call me Spell, my pronouns are she/her/hers or xe/xyr/xyr's. I am white, trans*/non binary/gender fluid/not sure, autistic, and physically disabled, blogging from a country in the imperial core. I'm only human so can make mistakes or have bad takes. If and when I do - or if I express a thought or idea with less nuance than you would consider necessary or important - please have patience with me, that's really all I can ask for.
Personal tags:
#spell text: I haven't used this tag in a while but this is for any shitposts or streams of consciousness or anything else I've made or written myself.
#d20 brainrot: I think this one is self explanatory lol. I have Dimension 20 and Brennan Lee Mulligan brainrot in the extreme. This is because I see a lot of myself in him and the way he talks :+)
#the corrections: When a previously held view is challenged or shown to have more nuance, I tend to use this. It's borrowed from the title of a book by Jonathan Franzen.
#imperial core privilege (and variations thereupon): Self explanatory, I use this tag (and tags like this) to highlight experiences on the imperial periphery and margins.
#posts that made me squawk: Self explanatory. Ijbol, lmao, etc.
#official linguistics post: Self explanatory, I follow tumblr user official-linguistics-post.
#the eroticism of the machine: I think I picked this up from following tumblr user foone? I think it's fun to tag things about robots and cyborgs with this :+P also computerfucking.
#world building: Not really a personal tag by itself but I usually preface it with "#now that's what i call" or even "#now THAT'S what i call" because I think I'm hilarious for that.
I reblog for posterity so I basically use tags as a way to take notes and, if it hasn't already been tagged on that post, I like to tag full names of characters/places/organisations/institutions for ease of access later.
Ok enjoy my blog I guess! Trans & disabled love & joy x
If I'm really going off on one in your tags or not really making sense and then I delete it later, please be considerate that my brain is usually running faster than I can keep up with it. This is because of all the information I have to process by existing on social media.
I am getting better at pacing myself and being more mindful of how I consume and interact with media, but usually I am very rapidly absorbing information about my special interests/comfort media/study topics, which include but are not limited to:
Worlds Beyond Number (WWWO; Summer Remix Competition), Dimension 20 (especially Misfits and Magic, Coffin Run, Mentopolis, and NSBU, as well as the Intrepid Heroes' seasons), Wanderhome by Jay Dragon at Possom Creek Games, Legendlark (Dames and Dragons; Hrose Camp), Zac Oyama's Animal Crossing streams from 2020, other Dropout shows (Total Forgiveness; Monét's Slumber Party; Paranoia; Cartoon Hell; Ultramechatron Team Go!)
Twin Peaks (all seasons; the soundtrack and everything adjacent to it; the Autobiography of FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper: My Life, My Tapes), Disco Elysium, Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated, Waking Life (film, 1999; the Tosca Tango Orchestra).
Welcome to Night Vale (up to episode 130; the weather), Within the Wires (up to and including Season 3), I'm a Virgo (and Tune-Yards), Severance, Adventure Time (original series), Over The Garden Wall (and The Blasting Company), Scooby Doo (Scooby Doo Where Are You (and Hoyt Curtin's underscoring); The Scooby Doo Show; What's New Scooby Doo?).
Doctor Who (Classic seasons 7-10 and all series of Modern), House of the Dragon (I wanted to see Matt Smith in an explicity villainous role, and am excited to get to Abigail Thorn's season), Andor.
Poems by Liz Berry (The Dereliction) and Faye Chevalier (Keanu Reeves; the Matrix franchise; River's Edge, 1984; My Own Private Idaho, 1991).
YouTube video essays like StrucciMovies' Fake Friends series; Jenna Stoeber's Fiend Zone series on Polygon; Hbomberguy (not necessarily because I agree with him but because it passes the time); Action Button (ditto, but I love the Citizen Keanu section of his Cyberpunk 2077 review).
Also one of my IRLs got me into watching Grian's Hermitcraft and Second Life content.
My special interests also include, to a lesser extent, or have previously included:
Music by Andy Shauf (Judy; Norm), Big Thief, Blur (13), Car Seat Headrest, David Bowie (Heathen, stylised as uǝɥʇɐǝɥ), Shilpa Ray (Door Girl; Portrait of a Lady), Simon and Garfunkel, Sufjan Stevens, and Warmduscher (At The Hotspot).
Music videos for music by Aldous Harding, Blood Orange/Devonté Hynes, Christine and the Queens/Rahim C Redcar, Frankie Cosmos (One Year Stand), Perfume Genius, and Rina Sawayama (Cherry); as well as Hugs Not Drugs (or Both) and House of Air by Brendan MacLean, the first of which is sadly no longer available to watch online :+(
YouTubers like Brian David Gilbert and KickThePJ. Anime like Mob Psycho 100 and Dungeon Meshi.
Homestuck (The original; the Epilogues; I haven't started reading Homestuck^2 but plan to at some point, as well as a complete reread), Never Satisfied by Taylor Titmouse, and Paranatural by Zack Morrison.
Bryan Lee O'Malley comics (Lost at Sea; Scott Pilgrim; Seconds), Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid On Earth by Chris Ware, and Tintin books by Hergé.
If you notice anything being added or subtracted from this list, it's because I am happiest in a flow state of media absorption and analysis so, naturally, there are certain interests that will come and go. I will usually remember to update this post to reflect these changes.
I am currently reading (this list is semi aspirational):
Maybe, just spitballing here, maybe we don't have to do the "Women are from Venus, Men are from Mars" stuff at all. Maybe men and women aren't all that different, maybe the differences between individuals are far more important, maybe we just talk about good or bad behaviors directly instead of having to force everything into war of the sexes shit.
“average Doctor is really really cool” factoid actually just statistical error. average Doctor is very uncool. The ninth doctor who wore a leather jacket 24/7 and told a dalek to kill himself is an outlier and should not have been counted
i hate it when someone asks me what my favorite work of art is because i can't say "the one of the woman chilling on the rocks with a dragon lying in her lap and giving off powerful big dick energy" but how else am i supposed to describe it
Too many people are leaving Jasmine out of their comments about D20: On a Bus. She destroys the bus, she heightens the energy by yelling (like a little green army guy would), she knows what the bit is and rises to it. Like I get that lots of people love Brennan, Aabria, and Matt's work, I do too, but like Jasmine was there and she's also an amazing GM and player.
If you're like, I don't know Jasmine's work, try D20's Coffin Run for something short and Desiquest for something long. There's also a one-shot of her in thirsty sword lesbians on Dropouts Parlor Room
people seem to be forgetting that "you don't need to transition medically to be trans" was born out of a time when blair white was the most popular trans person online. when the overwhelming zeitgeist was "you need to have bottom surgery, top surgery, ffs/fms, you need to be skinny (and white) you need to xyz to be really trans. if you dont do all of these things you are a faker who just wants attention." I remember there was a whole scandal about non-binary people entering in a binder swap program were accused of "stealing resources of trans men" because "these theyfabs aren't even going to transition anyway why are they taking all of our binders"
"you don't need to transition medically to be trans" was and is a response to virulent exclusionary transmedicalism. and it is not in opposition to "we need to make HRT and surgery available to anyone who seeks it"
A general cane guide for writers and artists (from a cane user, writer, and artist!)
Disclaimer: Though I have been using a cane for 6 years, I am not a doctor, nor am I by any means an expert. This guide is true to my experience, but there are as many ways to use a cane as there are cane users!
This guide will not include: White canes for blindness, crutches, walkers, or wheelchairs as I have no personal experience with these.
This is meant to be a general guide to get you started and avoid some common mishaps/misconceptions, but you absolutely should continue to do your own research outside of this guide!
The biggest recurring problem I've seen is using the cane on the wrong side. The cane goes on the opposite side of the pain! If your character has even-sided pain or needs it for balance/weakness, then use the cane in the non-dominant hand to keep the dominant hand free. Some cane users also switch sides to give their arm a rest!
A cane takes about 20% of your weight off the opposite leg. It should fit within your natural gait and become something of an extension of your body. If you need more weight off than 20%, then crutches, a walker, or a wheelchair is needed.
Putting more pressure on the cane, using it on the wrong side, or having it at the wrong height will make it less effective, and can cause long term damage to your body from improper pressure and posture. (Hugh Laurie genuinely hurt his body from years of using a cane wrong on House!)
(an animated GIF of a cane matching the natural walking gait. It turns red when pressure is placed on it.)
When going up and down stairs, there is an ideal standard: You want to use the handrail and the cane at the same time, or prioritize the handrail if it's only on one side. When going up stairs you lead with your good leg and follow with the cane and hurt leg together. When going down stairs you lead with the cane, then the good leg, and THEN the leg that needs help.
Realistically though, many people don't move out of the way for cane users to access the railing, many stairs don't have railings, and many are wet, rusty, or generally not ideal to grip.
In these cases, if you have a friend nearby, holding on to them is a good idea. Or, take it one step at a time carefully if you're alone.
Now we come to a very common mistake I see... Using fashion canes for medical use!
(These are 4 broad shapes, but there is INCREDIBLE variation in cane handles. Research heavily what will be best for your character's specific needs!)
The handle is the contact point for all the weight you're putting on your cane, and that pressure is being put onto your hand, wrist, and shoulder. So the shape is very important for long term use!
Knob handles (and very decorative handles) are not used for medical use for this reason. It adds extra stress to the body and can damage your hand to put constant pressure onto these painful shapes.
The weight of a cane is also incredibly important, as a heavier cane will cause wear on your body much faster. When you're using it all day, it gets heavy fast! If your character struggles with weakness, then they won't want a heavy cane if they can help it!
This is also part of why sword canes aren't usually very viable for medical use (along with them usually being knob handles) is that swords are extra weight!
However, a small knife or perhaps a retractable blade hidden within the base might be viable even for weak characters.
Bases have a lot of variability as well, and the modern standard is generally adjustable bases. Adjustable canes are very handy if your character regularly changes shoe height, for instance (gotta keep the height at your hip!)
Canes help on most terrain with their standard base and structure. But for some terrain, you might want a different base, or to forego the cane entirely! This article covers it pretty well.
Many cane users decorate their canes! Stickers are incredibly common, and painting canes is relatively common as well! You'll also see people replacing the standard wrist strap with a personalized one, or even adding a small charm to the ring the strap connects to. (nothing too large, or it gets annoying as the cane is swinging around everywhere)
(my canes, for reference)
If your character uses a cane full time, then they might also have multiple canes that look different aesthetically to match their outfits!
When it comes to practical things outside of the cane, you reasonably only have one hand available while it's being used. Many people will hook their cane onto their arm or let it dangle on the strap (if they have one) while using their cane arm, but it's often significantly less convenient than 2 hands. But, if you need 2 hands, then it's either setting the cane down or letting it hang!
For this reason, optimizing one handed use is ideal! Keeping bags/items on the side of your free hand helps keep your items accessible.
When sitting, the cane either leans against a wall or table, goes under the chair, or hooks onto the back of the chair. (It often falls when hanging off of a chair, in my experience)
When getting up, the user will either use their cane to help them balance/support as they stand, or get up and then grab their cane. This depends on what it's being used for (balance vs pain when walking, for instance!)
That's everything I can think of for now. Thank you for reading my long-but-absolutely-not-comprehensive list of things to keep in mind when writing or drawing a cane user!
Happy disability pride month! Go forth and make more characters use canes!!!
They call me Johnny Six-Bowls. No, I don't smoke weed, it's - yeah, I know. It's cause when I cook I need a buncha those little bowls to put my stuff in. You know, cut up veggies and stuff. What's the word. Mise en place. Yeah. So I gotta have a bunch of em with stuff all prepped before I start. Elsewise it's all chaos. Anyway. You here to duel? Or should I give you head
