#helpful?

[gramarobin]

what do we think of this? 🤔 im curious, but unsettled at the same time 👀

[scribblewise]

[phoenixqueenwrites]

A Tidbit? I Guess. From the same fic I posted last night. I guess I'm really digging into the hurt/comfort of it all with this one. I might be projecting. But oh well. Writing is meant to be a reflection and an exploration and I do so love delving into the depths of complex emotional experiences.

"I can't be her, Doctor. I can't be her. And I don't want to be her. I loved her, and I love him, but I can't keep trying to pretend to be someone I'm not. And I can't keep hurting him every day just because I'm whole again."

Because things are not always kind in my little world. And marriage is hard. This is a 100% friendship fic, by the way and I'm proud of it for that.

[demented-tours]

ADHD/Autism/Neuro-spicy/Exec Function Issues/Burnout Life Hack

So listen, as the owner and sometime operator of a brain with medium to hot neurospicy wiring, I occasionally struggle with... well. Everything. But particularly making myself do Small Tasks That Require One More Spoon Than I Ever Have Thanks To Having to Exist in this Dumpster Fire World AND Never Being Taught Anything Useful About Myself Much Less How to ACTUALLY Recharge or Regulate My Nervous System Which Only Has an "Actively Being Mauled By a Bear" Setting. (TM)

It's been a long few decades.

Anyway, as such, I have tried so many little ways to motivate myself, and some of them are decent, but I also have days where just... nothing seems to work.

Except this one thing. Now, it's only working NOW, but it seems to be working semi consistently, so I'm hopeful. Ish. As hopeful as I get anyway.

And it's low cost, requires no bullshit medical professionals or meds and it appeals to my competitive spirit and inner gamer nerd.

I figured I'd share here, though it's likely a terribly unoriginal idea, but hell, sometimes it's just reframing crap that you knew to be true once but forgot about it in the current depression-inspired stew.

We're gonna call this one Warmie Magic.

Step 1: Acquire/make a warmie. Those are the things you heat up and apply to body parts for relaxation/pain relief. They come in all shapes, sizes, stuffed animals forms. Let your sensory needs go wild. I like THIS ONE because it can be used on hot or cold settings and it comes unscented. It's also made for neck/shoulders, which basically always hurt. But they make them cheaper and in whatever shape you like. It just matters that you can heat it up in the microwave.

Step 2: Figure out your temperature setting timing for your warmie. For me, that warmie thing takes 4 minutes in my microwave to acquire that perfect near-scalding-yet-still-soothing temperature. Bonus if it's over 2 minutes of time, but really, whatever works, here.

Step 3: Fixate on some mundane, small task that you Need To Do: dishes. Laundry. List making. Toilet cleaning. Whatever. Put the warmie in the microwave, set the timer... Then get ready... get set... PUSHBUTTONANDGO! Try not to let your lack of body sense knock you into too many objects on your trajectory to the Task at Hand.

Step 4: Do the tasks for the duration of the short timer. You would be AMAZED at what you can do in 4 freakin minutes. Single load of laundry in machine. Or most of one load folded. Or at least a few pans washed. One toilet insides scrubbed. Dishwasher loaded/unloaded. Whatever--do it until the timer goes off.

Step 5: Stop the task, retrieve the warmie, and enjoy the sensory snuggle reward. Fuck about for a while.

Step 6: When the warmie is less warm, get up and repeat the process. OPTIONAL: Set another timer without the warmie and do it again while enjoying the sensory snuggle reward.

What I like about this is that I can trick my brain shit with the, "Well, hell, it's JUST four minutes" line. Or the, "We have to wait for the damn thing to warm up anyway, and it'll take fucking forever if we just stand here." Usually some combo, there, works. And it gives you a positive reinforcement reward that the body feels that isn't food oriented or what have you.

Obviously, your mileage will vary. All neurospicy settings are unique. I'm just going to enjoy this method while it manages to be effective. This is how I've made myself do my stretching routine, laundry, and dishes for the past few weeks, so...

This could also work for all sorts of things in all sorts of applications. I also used to write like this, sometimes. I'd set a timer for 30 minutes and just GO. Whatever happened in 30 minutes was golden. Six words or six thousand.

I've also done something like this with a snack pack of fruit snacks and I get one per tiny item completed because, yeah, my brain sometimes operates with a psychotic toddler's reward system setting. But it got the damn Wal Mart delivery unpacked.

Oh, and one last thing that's helped me... Do your breathing exercises to slow yea olde burnt out nervous system right after you pee. I can do a solid round of box breathing (5 seconds breathe in, 5 seconds hold, 5 seconds out, 5 seconds pause, rinse and repeat) while washing my hands. And sooner or later you have to pee so might as well use that as a functional reminder. Not that I remember to do this more than one time out of seventy, but in THEORY, it'd be great.

And now let's get back to our usual soft-porn-funny-shit-pretty-shinies programming around here.

<3Dee

[theresthesnitch]

The next chapter is called betrayal?? BETRAYAL????

I’m broken, you’ve broken me 😂

Oh, caught that did you? Yes, I think a few people noticed that. Wonder what that could mean. 👀

[eyydhyeet]

doom?? a guide to staying alive

"An atmospheric river is a newer name for a familiar weather pattern called the “Pineapple Express.” Meteorologists use the term to describe a flow of moisture from areas just north of Hawaii directly into the Pacific Northwest that is usually accompanied by heavy rainfall and high snow levels."

So we're here just south of the Bay Area in NorCal, certain we're safe from hurricanes, as Hawaii exists—right?

Wrong!

This ✨beautiful phenomenon✨ is a rare occurrence reported to be rolling in all over the Central Coast sometime later tonight, bringing with it mudslides, heavy wind and rainfall, flash flooding, and maybe most concerning, a week-long power outage all over the county.

Well I have 6 younger siblings I couldn't keep infecting with my anxiety, so I had to do something. What better to do than to gather my knowledge so we can prepare?

FIRST: keep your devices updated with all the alerts and news in your area, as well as communications with your family and friends.

SECOND, WARMTH: your heater ain't gon be working, unless you have a wood-fueled fireplace. In which case, I got nothing more for you. Otherwise: Blankets. Blankets, blankets, blankets. If you're not out of electricity yet, use this opportunity to wash any that need it, and break out extra. Your beds will need plenty ofc, maybe some on couches and other comfy places too. Use tents and blankets as tents around small areas you need warmest, covering windows while not in use will help too.

THIRD, LIGHTING: candles are the obvious, but also a fire hazard. The windows remaining in use will be great during the day, and for the night: flashlights. If you use an empty milk jug (washed out, for the love) and tape its mouth to the flashlight's head, it'll be a great lantern, completely safe, too. Candles are still a great option, we mainly use them in the bathroom and kitchen tho, as water is nearby and the counters won't catch. If you're desperate, crayons (Crayola, atl) will burn for 30 min each.

FOURTH, FOOD: ok ngl there isn't a whole ton to be said here when a power outage is already approaching. Shelf-stable food is the way to go, and a gas stove will still work, even if your microwave and oven don't. In advance, keep a storage of 3 months worth for each person in your household, we keep ours in the garage. Cans of fruit, beans, veggies, etc; boxes of pasta, cereal, dried food, as long as you don't have a pest problem these are safe.

LAST, WATER: soooo most power outages aren't gonna bother the water. Problem is, the causes can: the flash flooding brought on by the storm is likely to infect the water supply, and as my dad says, "we may actually need to boil the literal crap out of it". So, there's that, and mostly along the same lines as the food you'll need it in storage. We use empty milk gallons (also washed, plz don't be nasty) and fill them up, clean tap water will be fine. These are used for flushing, washing hands, cooking, drinking, everything short of bathing. We personally have large water storage containers, but it's not uncommon to lack the room (these are also kept in the garage). In addition to that, ig prep once you know contamination is on the way. We're running laundry, washing produce, showering, and securing the perimeter so we don't have water damage inside.

Aaaaand that's it! Hope this helps somebody~

[princessanneftw]

In this moment I'm very glad I don't have twitter account 🥴

Yeah I would recommend keeping it that way anon lol