#network problems

[inkedinserendipity]

"i am not having an emotion," says murderbot, through gritted teeth, taking out two targets with seven whole drones

[oat-pup]

ewww wtf is he doing here

[glowettee]

✧・゜ how to radiate confidence in social situations (even when you're screaming inside) ゜✧:・゜✧

hey lovelies! ✧

let's be honest - we've all been there. standing in a room full of people, smile plastered on, while our internal monologue is having a complete meltdown. that was literally me last weekend at this networking event where i knew absolutely no one and spent the first 15 minutes hiding in the bathroom (classic me behavior).

but over time i've collected some little tricks that help me appear confident even when my insides are doing gymnastics. thought i'd share in case any of you are fellow social anxiety girlies too!

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ the body language hack ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

our bodies can actually trick our minds into feeling confident. before entering any intimidating social situation, i find a private spot (usually the bathroom, let's be real) and stand in a "power pose" for two minutes. arms on hips, shoulders back, chin up. it feels silly but it genuinely changes my nervous system.

another tiny thing: keep your hands visible, not crossed or hidden in pockets. something about this signals confidence to others and eventually to yourself.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ prepare your conversation toolkit ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

nothing makes me panic more than awkward silence, so i always have a mental list of conversation starters ready. not just "what do you do?" but questions that actually lead somewhere interesting:

"what's been keeping you busy outside of work lately?"

"have you read/watched anything good recently?"

"what's something you're looking forward to this year?"

the secret is asking questions that you genuinely want to hear answers to. people can sense authentic curiosity, and it takes pressure off you to be "interesting" when you're focused on being interested.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ the "i belong here" mindset shift ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

this one changed everything for me. i used to walk into rooms thinking "i hope they like me" which immediately put me in a position of seeking approval. now i try to shift to "i wonder if i'll like them."

it's such a subtle change but it puts you in the position of the observer rather than the observed. suddenly you're not auditioning for acceptance - you're just seeing if this person/group is your vibe.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ embrace the awkward ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

the biggest confidence killer is trying to be perfect. there's actually something magnetic about someone who can laugh at themselves when they trip over a word or spill their drink.

i've started just naming the awkwardness when it happens: "well that came out completely wrong, let me try again!" people actually connect more with your humanity than your perfection.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ the 5-second reset ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

when i feel myself spiraling into overthinking, i use this tiny reset: i take a deep breath, count to 5, and remind myself that most people are too worried about themselves to be analyzing me.

seriously, the same insecurity that makes you worry about what others think is the exact thing that prevents others from thinking about you as much as you fear!

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ aftercare is essential ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

confidence isn't just about how you act in the moment - it's also about how you treat yourself after. i used to dissect every interaction, cringing at everything i said.

now i have a rule: no social autopsies. instead, i celebrate that i showed up at all. sometimes i'll even buy myself a little treat on the way home as a "well done for being brave" gift.

remember, true confidence isn't the absence of fear - it's just the decision that something else is more important than that fear. and with practice, those screaming-inside moments get quieter and less frequent.

what about you? any confidence hacks that help you in social situations?

xoxo, mindy 🤍

[miaw-myaw-miaw]

The most scrumptious baby in a world :3

I want to pinch it's cheeks (lovingly). Bebe design and idea: @fricc-darn

[trans-axolotl]

i think i recall some info you've posted about suicide hotlines, sorry if i've mixed you up with someone else. with the lgbt youth silo being disbanded under 988 next month, do you think it'll have an impact on people? part of me wants to believe if 988 sucks then who cares. but if lgbt youth have been helped by this subservice then it's another kick in the teeth.

Yeah probably was me you were thinking of, I've posted quite a bit about the problems with 988 in terms of all the ways they collaborate with cops, do "nonconsensual active rescue" and involuntarily hospitalize people.

And honestly this is one of the reasons I said from the beginning that I didn't think hotlines such as the Trevor Project and other independent hotlines should have became part of the 988 network. Mostly because I think that 988 is a deeply unethical hotline and I don't think that other hotlines should have agreed to uphold the mandatory nonconsensual rescue policies that are required to become part of the 988 network, but also because then their operation becomes even more closely tied to federal funding and federal policy changes, and it opened the door to something like this happening.

I certainly don't think it's good that the fed government specifically cut this service and are signaling that they don't care about supporting suicide prevention for LGBTQ and specifically trans youth, but I also don't think the solution to that is pouring more money into unethical hotlines or lobbying into getting this service back into 988. I think the solution is supporting independent hotlines like the trans lifeline or thrive lifeline that don't collaborate with cops, trying to direct more funding to them so that they can support an increased influx of calls, and sharing those hotline numbers so that more LGBTQ youth are aware there are other LGBTQ hotline services out there. I also think there should be more of an organized effort to get other hotlines to quit working with the cops, quit working with 988, and implement the crisis callers bill of rights.

[iguanastew]

Sticker designs based on my OC, DJ Jamsta Hamsta dressed as Cartoon Network characters.

[cusackswhitehair]

remember that deep down you’re a problem solver at heart… or are you a problem causer….hm

tried to use fan content and things all the way back to 2011, these moodboard are always so interesting to research, it’s not just pics and gifs i find, but all sorts of wack-a-doodle stuff, like that infamous Alfe cake or the Neon Knome promotional van, which both look absolutely rad F.Y.I.!!!

i am also in dire need of a pin maker at this point, seeing those scrump-diddily-umptious TPS pins made my mouth water up to the brim…

[theartingace]

Hello! I’ve seen your work over the years and every time I see it I always get a kick over it. I have a sociological question to ask you about centaurs. How do humans or other races fit into their lives? Both in a general sense of life, platonically, and romantically? Sorry if you’ve answered this before.

Thank you! It always blows my mind that I've been puttering away in my little corner of the internet with my horse people for this long!

I've covered a couple different specific situations in my cultures; re platonic and romantic? but for the most part is it boils down to that romantic would probably be rare and boil down to individual choices for how they approach it? But for platonic I have sort of covered a lot of platonic relationships just from the standpoint that basically all my centaur cultures have a deep societal tie to another race. At first it was a lot of convenience- a way to get around the difficulties of centaur bodies getting in the way of certain ways of life, but at this point I just do it cause it's lovely to me!

Like the merchants build their cities with the dwarves and they both benefit from the dwarves engineering and centaur's strength and mobility re:trade. The centaurs easily manage huge farms, trade networks, and logging infrastructure on their strength and speed but benefit from dwarves (and a small portion of other bipeds) being better set up for building (try to imagine a centaur making a roof, it's vexed me for a year now..) and generally engineering wizzes so it's a mutually beneficial relationship to entwine their cultures in the main Merchant City

Obviously my Riders are wholly entwined with their biped family as I've talked extensively about in.. too many posts probably haha

but then my very lightly covered Mountain folk have a different, almost religious relationship with the Forest Giants in which the relationship between their two cultures is separate other than the spiritual importance they hold with each other. The giants live approximately 300 years but are very slow, sedate creatures who prize a life of peace and telling stories over all else. So the centaurs almost view them as minor deities and the giants keep and love the stories their fiery little companions entrust to them.

As you can tell, I really love building all these races and cultures and then mashing them together and see what comes out! I find it makes the world feel more real and lived in when I'm not only thinking about how a culture would work and operate, but also how they interact with their neighbors! What's their main export and how does that shape their life and relations?? These are the questions I get LOST in so thank you for asking :D

[han-ban-bam]

Aloy Tech Support. How can I help you.

[thescreenking]

A truly underrated Ben 10 moment

[oat-pup]

self indulgent doodles of my two favorite twins

[ambassadorquark]

i love rubbernecking on other people's low stakes discourse so much that back when a lot of callout google docs would cross my dash regularly (which was the style at the time) i would always click them even or especially if i had no clue who anyone involved was. and i still have a couple of them sitting in my drive so i can always relive some random petty friendgroup beef that has nothing to do with me if i ever get really bored

[werewolff4rt]

im rewatching all problem solverz just for fun!! I really love this episode

[cn100eg]

Here's a crossover that no one has ever tried to make:

Alfe and Meatwad would definitely become friends. Especially since they both love dancing.

It might not be surprising if Alfe and Master Shake get into fights a lot. Whether it's over their entitlement or insulting each other's appearances.

As for Frylock... he would get into normal conversations with Horace. Such as discussing about putting up with their roommates' shenanigans and mishaps. Fitting since they both are the voice of reason.

At one point, Frylock would comfort Roba whatever he feels lonely or get bullied by Master Shake. Both having high intelligence and being called trans, the two would get along.

Aqua Teen Hunger Force and The Problem Solverz is a perfect crossover. Somehow, they share the similar humor and dynamic. What are your thoughts?

[metalatias5]

Wi-Fi's down at the Vee Tower

Edit 24th October 2024: Added my current watermark