hello! i’ve always wanted to have a little blog for the creatures of the world, and after building up enough courage and getting some inspiration from others, here it is!
i’m not too sure what i’ll be posting on here, but i know that i think i want to do request-type things! maybe requests for kintype moodboards, creature-type activities, animal fashion, etc ? that’s always seemed fun. so, if you want moodboards, names/pronouns, activity or snack ideas, or anything else, feel free to ask about it. should probably do some more talking about the blog now…
here, every kind of nonhuman is accepted. kins, therians, funlinkers, otherhearted beings, regressors— if you’re any kind of alterhuman or nonhuman, you’ve come to the right place! i won’t stand for any sort of discrimination towards any of those things on my profile.
if you actively participate in heavy discourse, are any sort of -phobic or -ist towards marginalized communities, run an nsfw account, don’t stand with palestine, or have a general negative attitude about things, this is not the place for you!
now about me !! my name is serenade, but i also go by leo or sunny. nicknames and petnames are encouraged and allowed! i am a nonhuman being that identifies with numerous queer and alterhuman labels including aldernic terms, vesil and perspesque terms, queer presentation terms, and more! masc & nonhuman language is fine.
if you have any questions, comments, requests, or concerns, don’t hesitate to ask. i want this to be a safe and encouraging space where i get to know about you and you guys can learn about me !! farewell for now, then ^^
These are mask comms that I finished in February and never posted cuz I was still recovering from top surgery- super freaking happy with this mourning dove and how sweet looking their face came out-
I’ve been very very intensely bird shifty recently and I honestly kinda want to remake my crow mask. We’re in the midst of moving at the moment, but once we’re at the new place, I’m gonna start on some prototype wings, because the mask really doesn’t cut it with wing shifts. I miss having wing prosthetics that fit, but I’ve grown out of all mine and I NEED new ones.
FIRST CETACEAN!!! Figuring out how to make mask that maintains visibility while simultaneously still looking like a dolphin was complicated oh my gods- I am quite pleased with how it did turn out tho. If I do make others in the future, I think I am gonna try and find a different method of making the surface beyond using slightly smother fabric to cover it and putting five hundred layers of primer on it ;-;
I love this rat. So much. And this is the very first time I’d done whiskers; I just used fishing line, but I think they look pretty good and seemed to hold up alright!
(note: this is about my personal lived experiences.)
as a bit of background information, i am a full-time college student with a part-time job. i am semi-independent, as in i am in charge of my own medical care, grocery shopping, budgeting and generally most “adult” things. i am in a relationship of 4+ years at the time of writing this. i’m chronically ill and have multiple mental illnesses as well.
lately i’ve been having trouble with the integration of nonhumanity into my adult life. i live in quite an urban area, a tourist town to be exact, and i do not have the current means to drive to areas with denser nature. i am also busy, working on multiple projects and time commitments. i do not really have time for “dedicated” connection to my alterhumanity. even due to my mental disorders, there is a mental block that prevents me from eating more like my species. maybe i’m being too hard on myself, when comparing myself to other adult nonhumans who frequently eat like their ‘types or go to national parks regularly. i don’t want to wear gear either.. it’s just not my thing. and my major is related to fashion, not animals or nature like most alterhumans do. i can’t hunt or fish like i want to.
i also had to step away from nonhumanity because of how distressing it was for me, at times. i frequently questioned what i was, to the point of spiraling and shutting down. it wasn’t very healthy for me to ruminate like this. that, and the rampant racism in the community. it was also extremely distressing. i’m black, and i have to be careful how i refer to myself and how deeply i refer to myself as not a human. my ancestors didn’t get a choice like i do.
there are no people in real life who know about my alterhumanity. this isolation of sorts probably doesn’t help either.
i think my problem is that i need to look at things through a new lens, but.. it’s hard to look at human things from a nonhuman perspective. canines do not make budgets. maned wolves don’t do homework. i think all of these “human” things are also part of the reason why i don’t shift anymore, or at least i don’t notice it. i can’t exactly ignore these responsibilities either. i can’t say “well im not a human, so i wont do human things.” because with that logic… i wouldn’t even have this tumblr page. i wouldn’t be able to play video games, or eat chocolate, or go to school for a major i love.
it wasn’t always like this either. i used to be so much more in touch when i was younger. i’d shift, meditate, frequently go out into my backyard and roam, growl and claw at family members who upset me, the whole nine. i’m not sure what happened. the only “shifts” that occur are ones to scavenge, which.. isn’t possible.
i would very much like to feel more in touch with my nonhumanity. but for now… i’m not exactly sure what to do.
Yeahhh, it's tough sometimes. The brain can only focus on so many things at once, and it has to prioritize. I guess all I can say is just... be gentle with yourself, and don't feel like you need to pressure yourself to feel it more often or more vividly. It's very common for these things to go through cycles, especially in times of stress. Your life circumstances will shift and change over time, and with them will open up new gaps for you to breathe and just be in, and with that feeling the animal will become easier. It may take time - it may take a lot of time - but it will happen. You're no less animal just because you're an animal having to deal with a very busy human life right now; it just manifests differently and often much more quietly in order to survive, because survival is always the brain's first priority.
Which probably isn't helpful advice, but... well, it's what I've got, I'm afraid. Solidarity if nothing else, I suppose. Know you're not alone in experiencing this; many of us have been there with you. May things get easier as time passes for you.
Run! go for runs, or even just walks. moving and stretching your legs/body will make you feel so much better.
Eat more fruits + veggies! don’t limit yourself to just carrots or apples, i get fancy and make whole salads. i add tofu for extra protein.
Eat oats for breakfast! start your day off right with a nice bowl of oatmeal- doesn’t have to be plain, i like to add brown sugar and apple slices to mine.
Lay in the grass! just lay there. feel how nice it is to simply just exist, with nothing being expected of you in that moment. watch the clouds our birds, and just enjoy the fresh air.
Braid your hair! if it’s long enough. you could get fancy and braid yarn or charms in! i’ve used a strand of fake ivy before.
Wear boots! The chunkier soles make your feet more hoof-like. i wear doc marten knock-offs i got at walmart for $20 lol.
Lay a blanket on top of your bed! it acts like hay/bedding in a stall- something to fluff up and snuggle in.
Its official !!! I’m a horse kin, specifically a dappled palomino or pearl Irish cob :33
I’m gonna be honest with y’all I’m not the most educated on horses just yet, so I might get some stuff wrong :( but I’m happy that I’ve figured this out now !!! Get ready for some horse posting eheheee
