#...what is noticed are patterns but patterns do not a defining characteristic make

[uncanny-tranny]

Socialization theory with regards to trans people might have been an interesting conversation if people hadn't ever used it to mean, "you will always be [gender] no matter what, and my assumptions about how you were socialized mean more and are more true than whatever you say you went through as a child. Your account of your life is untrustworthy because it doesn't align with what I say is [male/female] socialization."

I'm not sure this theory wouldn't have been picked up by transphobes, but it's infuriating how you can't even discuss your thoughts about your own transness or growing up trans without being called a liar.

[brujamala-aka-gigi]

emotional attachment and distorted perceptions...

although embracing emotions and giving ourselves time to experience them fully is highly necessary, we owe it to ourselves to be responsible, and make sure those same emotions are not blocking our ability to have a clear vision of our lives. this tarot reading is aimed to give you some guidance if you feel like something about the past is still impacting your thoughts negatively.

pile one pile two pile three

images from pinterest and dividers by @pommecita

꒰ঌ ✦ scroll down for the results ໒꒱ ༘*.ﾟ

-ˋˏ ༻ ❁ Masterpost and Tarot Menu ❁༺ ˎˊ-

PILE NUMBER ONE

Soon, you will face situations where you are not expected to put your emotions first, as you are now too compromised by ruminating thoughts regarding your past. You need to understand that part of your healing journey involves moving forward when it comes to more material and seemingly superficial notions of success. You must begin allowing yourself to experience the joy simpler things can bring into your life, as they will signify deeper manifestations of emotional and spiritual growth. It is understandable to feel disappointed and disenchanted by apparently mundane things, but you have the mental strength to think more positively about the little things you miss out on enjoying from your daily routine.

It’ll become more noticeable to you that many things have already fallen into place once you get yourself out of toxic thought patterns influenced by emotional scars that you are not allowing to heal properly. Be kinder to yourself and be patient, stop expecting certain things to move faster and enjoy the actual process of healing. Anxiety won’t produce any helpful thoughts, so it’s better to be aware on how those ideas are affecting your wellbeing and sabotaging your growth before allowing them to take so much space.  

PILE NUMBER TWO

Major turning points in your life might be accompanied by long periods of introspection, but it’s also key that you develop better abilities to understand the emotional depth of others around you, especially when dealing with the consequences of other’s impulsive emotional decisions. You might not be taking into consideration that even if you are great at solving problems and creating new ways of dealing with them, other’s are too reliant on your strength, which is making you tired due to rightfully not being willing or able to provide support or company for everyone.

Being someone who is naturally generous and nurturing is amazing, and valuable. But this shouldn’t be taken as a defining characteristic of yours, you don’t owe the same level of care to everyone, even if it’s natural to you, it doesn’t mean that is not affecting you negatively. It is completely normal to want to walk away or to not know how to process absolutely all of your emotions as long as you don’t hurt anyone on the process. Stop allowing yourself to be carried away by the emotional immaturity of others.

PILE NUMBER THREE

During this moment of your life, the independence you might have fought for in the past is not giving you the freedom of choice you expected. This disappointment might get you in an overly defensive state where you are in denial of actually wanting and needing some help, especially when it comes to situations that involve conflictive ways of dealing with them. The need to advance in your life path is heavily influenced by fear of being stuck, instead of ambition to grow further.

Expect your problems to be solved in rather explosive ways soon. Many things in your life will begin to happen in order for you to move past the anxiety of loosing what you already have. You do have control over what happens and how it happens, yet this power won’t manifest unless you become more confident when dealing with mistakes, the ones you made and the ones from others, as it’s not healthy to remain resentful if you are not willing to learn from the experience.  You might not realize it, but any kind of abundance you have in your life, won’t be taken away by others, but will rotten if you are not transcending the fear of loss and abandonment.

[crystalsenergy]

the development of personality according to astrological houses which part of you remains to be developed, to evolve? | Past Lives & Astrology

Which part of you remains to be developed, to evolve? | Past Lives & Astrology

I understand a person's natal chart from various perspectives, and one of them is the idea that:

what we are now is the result of past choices and actions (thinking in terms of past lives and the idea of reincarnation).

And indeed, in my experience, this makes sense, as I have encountered many people whose charts already indicated certain patterns brought from past lives.

I could see this, and only later what these people did and were in past life/lives emerge, through holistic therapies the person did with me, with other therapists or on their own - in the case of therapists - (depending on the relevance, this appears in sessions, especially in Multidimensional therapy sessions).

Based on this, I brought some information that I had typed about 3 or 4 years ago regarding our natal chart.

Below, I will speak only of one of the possible points of analyzing a person's evolution from an astrological perspective:

the astro houses.

I believe I posted it on the blog but couldn't find it, and anyway, since I added this past life information above and added more things below, it makes sense for a new post with more additions:

SOME ASTROLOGICAL HOUSES & MEANINGS IN TERMS OF EVOLUTION

(main ones)

1st House ✨💫

From an evolutionary perspective, it represents early childhood, the notion of "I and I," our first steps in creating our conception of the world and ourselves. Here, the ego as the center of self-consciousness is barely formed. It represents identity in constant construction, but always focused on the internal, not on external exchange. The sense that there is only you. In excess, it will signify the inability to see the other, to deal well with otherness.

You may notice that despite seeming exaggerated, this is exactly what happens in people with this type of choice - which the chart is not defining but merely representing.

People with a strong 1st house in the chart,

or with personal planets in the 1st house, especially if there is a notable absence of Libra or 7th house, need to develop their personality beyond just themselves; they need to learn to look less at their own navel and more at others. Learning from people is also important.

4th House ✨💫

Strong influences from home and the internal environment that already begin to shape the personality. The superego and ideas of what is right and wrong can be quite strong, especially those learned from the family. You may notice that your interaction with the world is almost a reflection of your relationship and roots with your family.

People with a strong 4th house in the chart,

especially if there is a notable absence of Capricorn and the 10th house, or who have personal planets strongly marking their personality in the 4th house, need to learn not to be solely tied to what their family said/says you have to be, live, and do or not do.

Learn to develop your personality outside of home too. Roots are important, but so is independence. Our Ancestors, when loving, recognize the importance of seeking our own path. This is not dishonor. It is independence, self-choice, and self-love.

5th House ✨💫

Here we can talk about the formed ego. The ego, the center of personality, with strong characteristics that mark who you are. Individuality. Your main personality, what you tend to show to the world with a certain solidity. In terms of development and evolution, it represents someone with a strong connection to their ego (center of consciousness, personality). Whether it will fall into negative ego or the ego as a catalyst for evolution, your choices will define.

People with a strong 5th house in the chart,

especially if there is a notable absence of Aquarius or the 11th house, or who have personal planets strongly marking their personality in the 5th house, need to learn not to live solely for their desires, their wants, learning to look at others' needs and what others have to say (and perhaps teach you).

In other words, despite the joy in developing and recognizing your personality, see if there is indeed self-love or just a need for "Hey, look at me!" as an exact effect of this self-recognition situation. See if your self-recognition is as healthy as it seems or if there are still steps to be taken. Furthermore, such people may need to learn not to be solely attached to what their ego says.

7th House ✨💫

This house represents a personality very based on exchanges. It is a being above the ego's desire to focus only on itself but may still have challenges in valuing its own intentions, as deep down, the ego may still seek approval.

Therefore, it is a house that represents relationships with others.

It represents the other, exchanges, relationships. A slightly deeper level of self-development, one that takes human exchanges into account.

People with a strong 7th house in the chart,

especially if there is a notable absence of Aries or the 1st house, or who have personal planets strongly marking their personality in the 7th house, need to learn not to follow only what others want, need to know how to follow their own internal desires, know how to be less influenced by others.

It is important to pay attention to how much people have defined your behaviors, as you may be diving too deeply into the idea of learning from the external. Learn through exchanges, experiences, but PAY ATTENTION to how much you absorb others' ideas and environments. Always connect to who you are.

10th House ✨💫

This house represents the construction of life's purpose, the way you want to present yourself to the world in a more stable and concrete way, where you will be developing your personality potential and contributing to the external world.

Represents a more mature ego, but which can still be tied to a negative binding: that of control, appearance and the "unique way of living, doing, and being".

People with a strong 10th house in the chart,

especially if there is a notable absence of Cancer or the 4th house, or who have personal planets marking their personality in the 10th house,

need to be less focused only on building a future, stability, and an image to be shown to the world, also knowing that they need to develop their internal world and see what is inside, not just what people will tend to see.

In summary, they need to be less attached to appearances to develop something more solid with themselves.

Furthermore, they need to see the world beyond the four concrete walls, beyond objectivity, connecting with the surroundings in a more supportive, sensitive, empathetic way.

You built solid foundations, but now you need to learn to share, let go, release control and attachment, be less rigid. Let go of the belief you hold, under your arms, the absolute truth of everyone's life if this is your case.

11th House ✨💫

11th house represents another type of exchange and human relationships, like the 7th house, but on the other hand, it does not mean being easily influenced, as the 11th house means much more being attentive and open to everything, having contact with many things, with collectivity, social groups, but not always allowing this to alter your personality.

In fact, this is where the balance and imbalance possibilities lie:

Balance: being open, listening to ideas, positions, and, depending, even seeking to understand the dynamics of larger groups and things, but not necessarily getting involved in everything, it's like: always being in, but being out.

Imbalance: falling into intellectual arrogance, mental arrogance, emptiness of meaning and significance, due to always being skeptical and detached from everything, and also falling into inflexibility, the impossibility of accepting help, and so on.

The 11th house means transforming the world with what is already inside you. It is seeing others, their desires, and needs, and giving them something they need.

People with notable 11th house in their charts,

especially if there is a notable absence of the 5th house and Leonine traits, or who have personal planets marking their personality in the 11th house,

may need to learn about opening their minds not just to listen but also to truly learn (avoiding mental inflexibility);

learning to leave the field of impersonality and skepticism all the time and, moreover, allowing their individuality to shine, learning to receive things too, recognizing their value and letting their personality shine.

[doumadono]

hii it’s the twice & dabi anon again.

i’m sorry to ask for another emergency request but i’ve been having so much difficulty with my mom over the past year and a half, maybe two. it’s only been getting worse and now she doesn’t even talk to me. i only get updates from my little sisters and— oh my god it’s just horrible. i feel so bad that i had to leave them. but, i just couldn’t stay, you know?

could you maybe write something about twice & dabi comforting their partner/gf about the situation??

you don’t have to write for both!! either or is perfect!!

i just love the comfort you’re willing and able to provide. (even though you don’t have to. it’s truly heartwarming seeing you do this all. i really appreciate what you do.)

i really hope you’re doing well and taking good care of yourself. please be sure to eat properly and drink water!!

A/N: I'm really sorry to hear that you're going through such a difficult time. It's important to prioritize your well-being, and I hope things get better for you soon. Also, thank you so much for your kind words! Your appreciation means a lot. Even though I'm not doing well lately, I'll make sure to take care of myself. Wishing you all the best too! 🌟

EMERGENCY REQS MASTERLIST

Twice

Amid the chaos that permeated your mind, Jin Bubaigawara appeared with a boisterous greeting that momentarily broke the heavy silence that surrounded you. "Hey, babe! Twice is here to lift your spirits!" he declared with his characteristic energy, though his eyes held a genuine concern as he noticed the weight on your shoulders.

As you poured out the complexities of your strained relationship with your mom, Twice listened attentively, his empathy shining through. "Dang, that sounds tough. But you know what? You're strong for facing it head-on, I admire that," he remarked, his voice carrying a mix of reassurance and admiration.

He enveloped you in a tight hug, and his voice softened, "You did what you had to do for your own well-being. Don't beat yourself up about it." He pulled back, looking into your eyes. "You're not alone, okay? The League's got your back, and so do I."

Twice pondered, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps you'd like to engage in something? Not sure what exactly. Toga mentioned once that staying busy is beneficial - it keeps your mind from wandering into overthinking territory. And hey, if you ever need a clone to handle some mom-related drama, I got you covered. Double the trouble, double the fun!"

Dabi

The faint glow of Dabi's cigarette illuminated his face as he leaned against the wall, his stoic demeanor unwavering. "Come here, doll," he said, gesturing to the spot next to him.

As you recounted the painful saga of your relationship with your mom, Dabi listened in silence. When you finished, he took a slow drag of his cigarette before speaking. "Family can be a real mess, I know that. Sometimes, you gotta step back to save yourself."

He placed a comforting hand on your shoulder. "Leaving doesn't make you weak, ya know? It takes strength to break away from toxicity, in fact." His voice was low, carrying a raw honesty that resonated with your own emotions.

His long fingers traced soothing patterns on your back as he continued, "You're not alone in this. The past doesn't define you, and you're building a future for yourself, not for them, yeah?"

Dabi's lips curled into a smirk. "We're both well aware of the hell it is to deal with toxic nonsense within our own families. Parents messing up their own kids? That's a special kind of mess."

He lightly tapped your nose. "Take it easy, and find ways to keep that beautiful head of yours focused on other things. Overthinking is just a slow way to kill your own self. Don't let it consume you."

He extinguished the cigarette and looked directly into your eyes. "Just so ya know, if you ever need someone to lean on, I'm here. We're in this together."

[cinnamonest]

(Based on my previous ask, sorry) Yanderes of your choosing finding their darling’s type listed on their device and it being nothing like them? Though… they might have to be yanderes that want their darling to love them. - 🍪

Bro imagine any of the Short Kings™ finding darling's tinder profile and discovering she's a "I don't date men under 6 feet!" type of girl omg. The absolute destruction of self-confidence, the bitter silent treatment for weeks on end, the subtle attempts to stand up straighter and take any opportunity to stand on a surface that puts them a few inches higher than you, the poor things

Anyway, there's the overconfident bastards that honestly wouldn't let it affect them because they're cocky and think it doesn't matter, that they can change your mind and override your preferences (Childe, Kaeya, Ayato, Zhongli, Venti even) and while it might irk them a bit if it seems like you're taking time to "come around," ultimately they're not going to be very bothered by it. If you were to be more outright and blatant about it, though, then they can become outwardly irritated.

Then there's an overlap between the ones that would take it the hardest and which ones would react the worst, although not necessarily always the same. Like, Diluc/Xiao would take it badly, would be really bitter and insecure about it, but would internalize it. Both are quiet by nature and already don't say much, so you won't really notice the pouting and silent treatment until it becomes too obvious to ignore, and even then they're both the type to pull a blunt "nothing" when you ask what's wrong. Even if you keep pushing it, they're too embarrassed to tell you what they saw and why they're really upset, so they just end up sort of indirectly seeking reassurance. If the relationship was consensual, you may get a mumbled you still like me, don't you? or something like that (of course, they'll backtrack and defensively say "nevermind" soon after, but still really want reassurance). They also would be really uncomfortable trying to change themselves, so they'll just kind of have to learn to live with the information and hope you somehow change your feelings on the matter.

Others, though, namely some of the softer and more sensitive boys like Thoma, Bennett, and Chongyun, would take it pretty badly, but their reactions wouldn't be quite as bad as they don't want to make things worse by being observably upset. You'll just notice little... changes. Attempts to change their behaviors and mannerisms and speech patterns, trying to re-mould their personality for you. If you had something to indicate you like tougher, more solemn guys, they talk less, try to sound firmer, and stop themselves from getting bubbly and excited over things as their natural tendencies would otherwise often have them do. They're all actually pretty bad at being subtle, so it becomes very obvious that they somehow saw whatever it was that contained the information that you like this or that and not whatever characteristics define them.

They'll still deny it if you confront them, at least at first, but with enough pushing can be convinced to come clean about the matter... and if you provide them with some kind of reassurance, be it true or not, that it was from a long time ago or that it was just a fictional thing or the like, they'll sort of calm down and let it go, although they might hesitate to believe you and still keep trying to act "different" for at least a little while.

[collapsedsquid]

In the early days of the post-war corporation, the question of purpose hardly arose. Companies like DuPont had been given an obvious reason to invest in the production of smokeless gunpowder by the Second World War, and at its end they found themselves in possession of a lot of capital equipment and chemical know-how. They went out looking for new things to do with cellulose and petrochemicals because it would have been strange not to. As they grew more complicated, they had to reorganise their corporate forms and management structures; academic writing on management was really just catching up with the things that engineers and accountants were inventing out of necessity. As the 1950s turned into the 1960s, writers like Peter Drucker started to look at the role of the corporation in society. And this wasn’t just the purview of business thinkers either; the development of the ‘Organisation Man’ and the rise of the professional and managerial class as an entity was a big thing, the novelty of which is hard to understand today. Novels like Sloan Wilson’s The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit were bestsellers. People really regarded the new life pattern of university, office work and suburban living as something new. They also started to worry about the ways in which decision-making was changing – the word ‘groupthink’ was coined in 1952. One consequence of the post-war baby boom was a corresponding explosion in the variety of ideas and priorities in the economic and political environment when those children reached adulthood. Throughout the Sixties, people began to notice that the climate was changing. Theodore Roszak coined the word ‘counterculture’ in 1969, but his book The Making of a Counter Culture is remarkable for the extent to which it’s based on contemporary magazine articles, news reports and panel discussions. Everyone knew that something was going on. American business felt that it had to adapt to the values of the new generation. However, there was no mailing address to write to if you wanted to find out what those values were; the defining characteristic of youth culture was its variety. Trying to navigate and understand how the world was changing was an almost impossible task. In order to restore balance, the system needed to find some way of reducing the variety. It needed to find out who to listen to, yes, but it also needed to be given guidance on who to ignore. Eventually, the nation turned to Milton Friedman.

[sincerely-minah]

Gendered Clothing

What exactly is gendered clothing and how is it established before we are even born? Gendered clothing means the clothing that is defined for both men and women through various cultures. Planned Parenthood explains the why aspect: “Different cultures make different gender ‘assignments’ for colors, fabrics, patterns, and cuts of clothing.” We see the notion of gender begin to manifest in clothing stores the moment we shop for baby clothes. Color is one of the prominent factors in fashion– pink for girls, blue for boys. 

Before delving into gendered fashion, it is pertinent to shed light on the fashion industry. Despite fashion being one of the few fields that are female-dominated, the moment a man enters this industry, they gain recognition and receive more pay. Already with the development of clothing, there is gender inequality present. I wanted to highlight this aspect before addressing additional information because this is the foundation! The foundation for designs to transition to physical garments that sell in stores. This idea applies to my further points, so it is important to keep this in mind. 

Fashion is versatile because of the usage of various textiles, but how does gender interplay? When we visualize a little girl’s closet versus a boy's, what do we conceptualize? Typically uncomfortable fabrics like sequins and tulles are worn by girls whereas boys are seen wearing durable, comfier clothing that supports rough, outdoor play. Girl clothes are often restricted and tight, limiting the comfort for strenuous play that boys do not have to face. The phrase “beauty is pain” is repeated in my mind continuously when researching textiles. Notice how this saying emulates female clothing specifically, which further establishes the belief that girls are meant to be uncomfortable– that girls are required to be restrained in order to be considered socially beautiful. Another fabric that holds quite a bit of significance is anything soft and fuzzy. Starting at a young age, girls are more likely to encounter situations where they are caressed and touched due to the soft fabric. This raises an issue that exhibits itself in the future because the message comes across that little girls are meant to be passive and conditioned to be touched often. “It isn’t so far-fetched to recognize that seemingly innocent design choices might have harmful impacts on much more severe issues, such as the paralysis that girls who are victims of physical abuse can adopt and the shameful feelings towards their perpetrators and themselves might feel as a result” (Agustoni).

Another crucial factor in clothing is “defining abilities through words.” Phrases and words are often seen in young children's garments; however, this is one of the main characteristics that heavily intertwines gender stereotypes into clothing. The words written cater to the preconceptions that define what a little boy or girl is meant to be. Beauty-related slogans like “simply adorable” imply that girls “are not encouraged to have their original personality but rather to be kind and cute and adopt a passive attitude…relates to the sexist idea” (Agustoni). Whereas active, self-centered slogans are particularly seen on boy clothes: “with messages such as ‘veggies, no thanks’ reminding them to be rebellious or ‘let’s go’ encouraging them to be active” (Agustoni). Gender-biased messages continue to have a deep separation between boys and girls because of the active distinction of normative descriptions. This is destructive as children get older due to the fact that they are categorized based on what they believe they are capable of with the help of societal norms. These phrases establish how children will begin to perceive themselves without being able to find their identity through their own means.  This past summer, I volunteered at a non-profit program called Little Hands Little Feet, where we packed clothing bundles for children in need, with direct contact with social workers. Every week, I went through gigantic bags of baby clothes and separated them by gender and age. Oftentimes there were clothes with no label and I had to decipher the gender “it belonged.” Reflecting back, I pondered on the questions of how we determine clothes, how gender has been institutionalized in the way we see clothing, and what affects the normality of defining clothes. Clothing can limit opportunities for young children, as it has effects on self-awareness and how they will present themselves. Beyond gender and gender roles, there can also be prevention of “any new non-binary vision” (Agustoni).

Sources:

https://www.plannedparenthood.org/blog/why-is-clothing-gendered

[khapaleaf]

In a way, you're almost proud that you've lasted this long. That you're still here. Still alive. Points for persistence, if nothing else.

Just some guy / Ian

(his stats by the end of rebirth)

Due to the uniqueness of his "upbringing", the strict routine and training, as well as his eventual escape and a life on the run, Ian did not have a life that could afford him to experience a wide range of common and anticipated milestones. He is sheltered and naïve in a lot of ways while remaining cynical in others, and the limitations set around him turned him secretive and observant. To the casual observer, he likely appears bland and unremarkable, dressed in muted colours and trying draw as little attention to himself as possible, and with a lot of his energy going into quiet planning without interference.

The most defining and notable (though not necessarily noticeable to those who do not know what to look for) thing about him is the fact that he is still largely affected by the Heartbreak incident on a personal level which manifests in a lot of emotional detachment and disconnect in an attempt to protect himself from further harm, either real or imagined. As a result, when he does experience an emotional response to certain situations, he is not always able to tell if the emotions he is experiencing truly belong to him, or if he is simply following a kind of social script and ticking off whatever response is most appropriate. He often finds himself looking back on his past experiences as Sidestep in an attempt to recall previous patterns of behaviour, though both the mindset and the motivations of his past self seem far too foreign and puzzling to him now.

Although there is a degree of difficulty in trying to piece himself back together and understand the fundamentals of his own character, certain traits and characteristics remain a constant in his life whether he likes to admit it or not. Because he is able to feel the emotions of others deeply, it takes a conscious effort to not affect or be affected by those around him, thus forcing him to keep himself on a short leash, and watch over himself in an almost hawk-like manner. Yet some things are sure to get a strong reaction out of him and make him loosen his grip on the leash. For example, the harsh and unjust treatment of those he perceives as either oppressed or incapable of defending themselves. He does not require a lifelong bond to another to feel the need to protect them, and is known to put himself in difficult or dangerous situations if that means he might get a chance to alleviate someone else's trouble.

While he finds altruism to be an admirable quality, he is not used to seeing it directed toward himself, and usually responds to it by giving sarcastic quips, attempting to casually shrug off the concern of others, and shutting people out entirely when not in the mood to deal with their worries. That being said, he is sentimental enough that attention and gifts, even in the form of simply spending time together, become instant treasures. He greatly appreciates Marcia making meals for him, the companionship of the Rat King, the shelf with his name at the Rangers' Hq… But he also feels like he does not deserve it, and struggles to understand why anyone would bother with him at all.

He would rather deal with his problems by himself than ask for help, bottling up feelings and downplaying his negative emotions and distressed state despite understanding that having a better set of coping skills would do him some good. While he tends to avoid direct confrontation, when he is physically threatened or put into a situation that triggers his past trauma, he can retaliate violently and oftentimes disproportionately. He is slowly working on putting himself through the process of healing by talking with Dr. Finch, understanding his trauma and making an attempt to separate foreign imprints and false beliefs from what is actually true to his character. On the whole, he is definitely a lot more mellow and accepting of his circumstances these days, even though his relationship with himself is not yet entirely steady, and there are still many emotions that feel entirely foreign to him. He does snap back into dissociative episodes at times, but he has also been gaining more confidence in himself without compromising his morals.

(...and his stats by the end of retribution, pretty consistent)

The puppet / Nia

He chose the name Nia for the puppet – an anagram of his own name, though the exact reason for doing so continues to elude him. Perhaps it was done as a way of claiming the puppet as his own while at the same time distancing himself from her in order to remember the fact that they are not one and the same despite their unusual circumstances. He believes that women are allowed to be more versatile in both their appearance and behaviour, and thus finds it easier to mould the puppet into a kind of social chameleon. Using his own observations, he is able to construct a fitting persona for Nia depending on the situation or the people involved, adopting and dropping personality traits if required. Nia's base personality is in many ways the opposite of his own – sociable, charming and always glad to provide good company. Nia treats people with a general sense of interest and curiosity, and makes for an attentive listener and a pleasant conversationalist as long as the topic stays somewhat superficial, or strictly business-related.

Initially, he viewed the puppet as nothing more than a tool to use for certain tasks, but their "relationship" became difficult after a while. The idea that Nia could provide a way to explore the world around him was off the table from the start, and he later found much easier comfort in living vicariously by going through other people's phone galleries, or computer files whenever a rare customer brought their tech to be repaired at his store. Looking at a photo that captured a good moment in someone's life has proven to be a sure way to distract him from the struggles of reality, whereas being Nia makes him severely uncomfortable and reminds him of his past training – say the right words in the right sequence, articulate them a certain way, pretend to be interested and interesting, modify your vocabulary when necessary, and so on.

After the gala he strives to rely less on the puppet, especially given the amount of scripts of social interaction he has to keep track of inside of his head. Although, begrudgingly, he admits that the puppet offers an aspect much needed confidence and so he continues to take care of her and tries to avoid putting her into situations that might escalate into violence; though admittedly he cannot always predict how people will react to her, foolishly believing that a woman with a pretty face will always attract a white knight to her rescue or will be treated in a more gentle manner, thus inadvertently putting her through the wringer on her last venture.

Villain persona / Demiurge

The decision to step on the path of villainy did not come easy to him and was fraught with much uncertainty and frustration, but he felt that any other alternative (such constantly living on the run) would have only led to his capture or worse. Initially, while he did not have a specific goal in mind, and most of the planning happened in a kind of autopilot mode, with the main driving force of his journey being the feeling of inevitability about ending up on this path one way or another.

Over time, his perspective shifted and he is now fully aware of what he wishes to achieve by standing on the other side of law and order – to tear down the system and get the truth out. Truthfully, he does not really consider himself to be a villain, but the mere fact that his enemies have the law to back them up and protect them means that he is the bad guy by virtue of being on the opposite side of order.

Due to his cautious nature, he refrains from inflicting heavy casualties, and is not interested in wreaking havoc just for the fun of it. He is still largely anonymous and typically employs subtle methods of achieving his goals, which means choosing and settling on an alternative that may not necessarily bring instant results, but will display its effectiveness in the long run (hopefully). When interacting with people as his villain persona either directly or indirectly, he usually works the mystery angle – his true intentions are never fully revealed, but merely hinted at, but that in itself offers much promise. He has a bit of a fanbase growing – people who see value in the gift of discovering something hidden, placing the pieces of the puzzle together, searching for more layers of meaning, and being able to have a greater understanding of the world around them. Thus far not a single person is aware of his extracurricular activities, however, Regina is interested in contacting Demiurge for what could only be nefarious purposes due to his open use of telepathy.

In terms of appearance the armour is largely functional, with enhancements geared toward enhancing speed and telepathy. He follows the Edna Mode school of armour design, which means that he is a huge proponent of the "no capes" principle.

Romance (?)

He is slowly but surely beginning to develop feelings for Marshall Steel. Initially, given the fact that he has never experienced romantic feelings before, he mistakes them for strong platonic feelings of friendship – he enjoys being able to simply chill together, and spend the minutes away by staying silent in each other's presence without any feeling of discomfort, he likes the jokes they share, and he likes watching Spoon together. The realisation that his feeling go a lot deeper hits him very suddenly when he catches a glimpse of what Steel feels during one of their outings together, and sees that his own feelings are similar. They are however very confusing and cause him to feel conflicted to the point of running away. Currently, he is not convinced that their mutual attraction warrants building some kind of relationship together. A big part of his uncertainty comes from the fact that there are secrets both of them keep from one another, but another thing that contributes to this wariness is the issue of him being entirely unmotivated by sex and not wanting it in any capacity. There is more to relationships than sex, certainly, but he does not have any solid reference point of what that might look like. A part of him wants Steel to simply get over himself and talk to Ortega about the former's long-kept crush because their friendship is solid enough to withstand any awkwardness if it does not work out, whereas there is no such foundation to fall back on in his case. However, a more selfish part of him is hoping to experience a deeper and unconditional connection, however that may look like. Either way, there are conversations yet to be had in the future.

[feministskeptic]

what are your thoughts on intersex people?

I’m guessing this question is a response to this post, which is really a post about trans activism and gender criticism.

Sex is the naturally occurring pattern of reproductive anatomy in a species. In humans, there is a pattern where roughly half the species naturally has one distinct pattern of reproductive anatomy and the other half naturally has a second distinct pattern of reproductive anatomy. The principal determinant of which pattern a person has is what's between their legs.

Reproductive anatomy occurs in a pattern because it’s causally linked: people don’t coincidentally have a penis and testicles, and people don’t coincidentally have a vagina and a uterus and ovaries and a clitoris instead of a penis.

In addition to our reproductive anatomy, there’s a wide range of secondary and tertiary characteristics that are causally linked to sex, but, as inferred by the term "secondary," these aren’t as important as our primary sex traits, our anatomy. They include easily perceptible traits like skeletal structure, facial hair, vocal pitch, etc, and difficult to perceive traits, like chromosomes, hormones, etcetera.

As you might have noticed, I used the word "pattern" to define sex. Patterns are widely known to include outliers. For example, sometimes people are born with sex characteristics that fall under the male pattern except for one or a couple sex characteristics that are uncommon in the male pattern of biology, but common in the female pattern of biology (or vice versa).

My impression is that activists tend to call people like this intersex, and scientists tend to say people like this have differences of sexual development (DSDs) and reserve the term intersex for people with anatomy uncommon for their sex. I've seen passionate arguments that both terms are insulting.

Rareness is a morally neutral quality. There's nothing inherently good about being uncommon; there's nothing inherently bad about being uncommon. Rareness is just rare.

And obviously, I'm gender critical, so I think cosmetic genital surgery on minors should be banned. Surgery to fix urinary issues and other physical/sexual health hazards would not qualify as cosmetic.

If that covers your question, then you're good. Below the cut I give my thoughts on the “sex is a spectrum” concept.

There are three competing ideas for how to model sex.

The "sex is dimorphic" pattern, which models sex using two patterns.

The "sex is a spectrum" pattern, which models sex as an infinite biological gradient ranging from perfectly male to perfectly female.

And the "sex is gender" model, which states sex is how you feel on the inside and has nothing to do with biology.

Let's reject #3 right away, which leaves us with dimorphic sex and spectrum sex. Let’s compare and contrast them.

The first difference is that the definition of what constitutes a person of a certain sex is much stricter in the spectrum model and much broader in the dimorphic model. Trans activists love to cite the statistic that “1.7% of people are intersex! Intersex is as common as red hair!” but that stat was debunked in 2002 by the researcher Leonard Sax. (The number of people with ambiguous genitals and rare combinations of reproductive anatomy is actually estimated to be 0.018%.) Turns out the debunked researcher, Anne Fausto-Sterling, included a bunch of people who don’t actually have ambiguous sexes in her counting of intersex. Why? Because (to quote her own words) she defined intersex to mean “any deviation from the Platonic ideal.”

When you impose rigid constraints on what constitutes the Platonic Ideal of the Male Sex and the Platonic Ideal of the Female Sex, then obviously you can rig how many people wind up qualifying as intersex. This is why some trans activists will make claims like “Everyone is a little bit intersex”: because they have an extremely narrow concept of what each sex is.

For example, take this woman.

Under the dimorphic model, her sex is her naturally occurring pattern of reproductive anatomy, so it doesn’t matter what surgery she gets, she’s female no matter what. This model of sex is broad enough that it can shrug off things like C-sections and missing uteruses.

Under the sex is a spectrum model, this woman’s sex began as female, became intersex when the uterus was lifted out of her body, and then returned to female when the uterus was returned. The spectrum model is too inflexible for her sex to stay consistent through the procedure. Instead, it’s obliged to constantly recategorize her.

and yes the irony here is that the woman in this tweet got confused and accused the gender critics of believing what transgender activists actually believe. those dumb terfs! how could they believe something so preposterous! and 84,000 people also missed the contradiction! but it seems like her delivery went fine, so that’s what matters.

The strictness of sex in the spectrum model is well-illustrated in this diagram from the magazine Scientific American.

This looks fancy. It’s sexist bullshit.

Take a moment to examine it. The top two rows are genetic, the rainbow row is the name of the condition, the blue row is the anatomy present at birth, the orange row is what develops at puberty, and the bottom row is what medical alterations are made after puberty to make a person “more male” or “more female.” The arrows denote the “pathways” people travel along to become “more male” or “more female.”

If you look closer, you might notice a few red flags. Let’s start on the male side of the spectrum, in the orange puberty row. According to this diagram, if a man has a low sperm count, he’s not fully male. He’s intersex.

Uh.

That’s bonkers.

Sperm count is not a measure of maleness. The advertising industry loves to pretend it is and tell men to buy their product to reach the ~Platonic Ideal of the Male Sex~! But it’s a regressive, sexist belief to say that men with lower sperm are “less male” than men with higher sperm.

Now let’s look at the female mirror opposite, puberty row. Women are less female if they have elevated levels of “male hormones,” if they have “irregular menstrual periods,” if they have “decreased fertility,” or if they have “increased body hair.”

FERTILITY? BODY HAIR?

Jfc they’re saying a woman who can’t get pregnant is less female than a woman who can? They’re saying a woman with more body hair is less female? Can you see the sexism yet?

You can go through this and realize the majority of it is just…not ambiguously male or ambiguously female. They’re just men and women who have some traits that aren’t really common for their sex. The only way you can define it as intersex is if you impose an extremely rigid idea of what the male sex is “supposed” to be like, and what the female sex is “supposed” to be like.

The real kicker of the diagram is how they chickened out about micropenises. They readily listed “enlarged clitoris” as an intersex feature (which, to be clear, I don’t consider it to be one). But that would mean a tiny penis is an intersex feature too, right? They sure included the size of a man’s testicles as a measure of his maleness.

But they weren’t stupid enough to include penis size, because the second you start arguing that a man with a smaller penis and a man with a larger penis are different sexes, everyone realizes your argument is incredibly regressive and not intelligent in the slightest.

If someone wants to defend this diagram by claiming it’s not the outcome that makes a person intersex, it’s the genetics, the diagram lists five chromosome combinations besides XX and XY and ≈5 more genetic mutations. Claiming that there are 7 sexes, or 12 sexes, is very different from claiming there is an infinite spectrum of sexes. You can also see how much value they place on the physical outcomes by looking at how they classified men and women with “typical biology” as atypical the moment their sperm count drops or their testosterone rises.

Under the dimorphic model, everybody who’s male is equally male, everybody who’s female is equally female, and yes that includes people who have sex characteristics rare for their sex. Everybody can check one of those two boxes. The only thing that matters is the overall naturally-occurring pattern of reproductive anatomy.

The second difference between the dimorphic model and the spectrum model is that only the dimorphic model conveys meaningful information. Imagine this. A woman goes into the doctor, she’s been having the symptoms of PCOS. The doctor can tell her two things:

1: Sure, let’s run a test and see if you have a hormone imbalance.

2: Actually, your hormone levels are beautiful just the way they are and there’s no such thing as an unusual hormone level for your sex because your hormone levels decide what sex you are in the first place.

Like…the spectrum model destroys one of the fundamental things that makes the dimorphic model useful: figuring out why people are having medical issues by comparing them to people who aren’t having the same problems. Is it perfect? Of course not. But pattern recognition and trial and error are key to what we’ve got.

The third difference is that the dimorphic model of sex is very accurate. As cited earlier, subtracting people who are unambiguously male and unambiguously female from the intersex pool shrinks the population of intersex people to 0.018%. That means the dimorphic model has a higher than 99% accuracy rate.

To put that 0.018% into context, you can google birth defects and compare the likelihoods. Spoiler: it’s rare.

Even if you assume it’s a lot higher, say, 2%, that’s a 98% accuracy rate. That’s not anything to sniff at.

In comparison, because sex is constantly fluctuating with your hormones or surgeries or whatever, the spectrum model is always in danger of getting it wrong because some variable was missed or changed. Oh, we didn’t notice this one little feature that changes your sex, you’re now sex #23123245, congratulations! Oh, onto menopause, time to change sex to sex #1324234!

But what if genitals are ambiguous?

The basic idea here is, when is a penis not a penis? Can’t penises just look unusual sometimes? Can’t a clitoris or a vagina or a testicle look unusual sometimes?

Because sex occurs as a causally-linked pattern, you can look at what traits co-occur together to determine what genital you’re probably looking at based on what other traits are present. It’s not perfect, but it is a pattern, and patterns include outliers.

Lastly, intersex conditions fail to constitute a different sex.

Intersex conditions have too much variety to constitute enough of a consistent pattern to be a sex. For example: people with the same intersex condition can have very different genitals. People with intersex conditions only make sense together as a pattern when you compare them to people who aren’t intersex. That’s when you can figure out what they have in common, which is that they have rare combinations of sex characteristics.

If 20% of the population had genitals shaped like starfish, you'd say, that's a third "type" of genital! But ambiguous genitals don't form a distinct type. They're not a pattern in the same sense that a penis is a pattern, a clitoris is a pattern, a vagina is a pattern, testicles are a pattern, or ovaries are a pattern. There’s no third “type.”

There’s also the question of causal links. When someone has both a vagina and testicles, the development of the two aren’t causally linked the way the development of a vagina and ovaries are. So I would question if it would be possible for intersex conditions to constitute an actual cause-and-effect pattern of reproductive anatomy comparable to the male and female sexes.

[devoqdesign]

The Art of Visual Hierarchy: Guiding User Attention on Your Landing Page

In the fast-paced digital world, capturing and retaining user attention is crucial for the success of any website. Your landing page serves as the first impression for visitors, making it essential to guide their focus effectively. This is where the art of visual hierarchy comes into play. By strategically organizing design elements, you can lead users through your content, emphasizing key messages and driving desired actions. Let's explore the principles and techniques of visual hierarchy to create compelling landing pages that convert.

Understanding Visual Hierarchy

Visual hierarchy is the arrangement and organization of design elements to guide users' attention in a specific order. It's based on the principle that certain visual characteristics naturally draw the eye more than others. By leveraging these principles, designers can create a clear path for users to follow, ensuring that the most important information is noticed first.

Key Elements of Visual Hierarchy

1. Size and Scale

Larger elements naturally attract more attention than smaller ones. Use size variations to emphasize important content or calls-to-action (CTAs). For example, make your main headline the largest text on the page, followed by subheadings and body text in descending order of size.

2. Color and Contrast

Bold, vibrant colors and high contrast can make elements stand out. Use color strategically to highlight key information or CTAs. For instance, a brightly colored button against a neutral background will naturally draw the eye.

3. Typography

Font choices, weights, and styles play a crucial role in guiding attention. Use bold or italic text for emphasis, and consider font pairings that create a clear distinction between headings and body text.

4. White Space

Also known as negative space, white space helps separate and frame content, making it easier for users to focus on specific elements. Generous use of white space can make your design feel clean and uncluttered, allowing key elements to shine.

5. Positioning

Elements placed at the top of the page or in the center typically receive more attention. Consider placing your most important content "above the fold" – the area visible without scrolling.

6. Directional Cues

Use visual elements like arrows, lines, or even the gaze direction of people in images to guide users' eyes towards important content or CTAs.

Applying Visual Hierarchy to Your Landing Page

Now that we've covered the key elements, let's look at how to apply them effectively to your landing page:

1. Define Your Goals

Before diving into design, clearly define what you want users to do on your landing page. Is it to sign up for a newsletter, make a purchase, or learn about a new product? Your primary goal should inform your visual hierarchy decisions.

2. Prioritize Content

List all the elements that need to appear on your landing page, then rank them in order of importance. This will help you determine which elements should be most prominent in your design.

3. Create a Clear Visual Path

Design your page layout to create a natural flow from one element to the next. This could be in a Z-pattern (following how Western cultures read) or an F-pattern (common for text-heavy pages).

4. Use the Rule of Thirds

Divide your layout into a 3x3 grid and place key elements along these lines or at their intersections. This creates a balanced, visually pleasing composition that naturally guides the eye.

5. Employ Gestalt Principles

Gestalt principles, such as proximity, similarity, and continuity, can help you group related elements together and create a sense of order and cohesion in your design.

6. Test and Refine

Use heat mapping tools and A/B testing to see how users actually interact with your page. Refine your design based on these insights to optimize user engagement and conversion rates.

Common Visual Hierarchy Mistakes to Avoid

1. Overloading the Page

Too many competing elements can overwhelm users and dilute your message. Focus on what's truly important and remove unnecessary clutter.

2. Lack of Contrast

If everything on your page has equal visual weight, users won't know where to focus. Ensure there's enough contrast between primary and secondary elements.

3. Ignoring Mobile Users

With the majority of web traffic coming from mobile devices, it's crucial to consider how your visual hierarchy translates to smaller screens. Prioritize mobile-first design to ensure a seamless experience across all devices.

4. Neglecting Accessibility

While creating an visually appealing hierarchy, don't forget about accessibility. Ensure that your design choices don't hinder readability or usability for users with disabilities.

5. Inconsistent Styling

Maintain consistency in your use of colors, fonts, and other design elements throughout your landing page and across your website. This helps reinforce your brand and creates a cohesive user experience.

Conclusion

Mastering the art of visual hierarchy is essential for creating effective landing pages that capture and retain user attention. By understanding and applying key principles of size, color, typography, white space, positioning, and directional cues, you can guide your visitors' focus to the most important elements of your page. Remember to prioritize your content, create a clear visual path, and continually test and refine your design based on user behavior.

As you implement these strategies, keep in mind that visual hierarchy should always serve your overall goals and enhance the user experience. A well-designed landing page not only looks attractive but also effectively communicates your message and drives conversions. With practice and attention to detail, you can create landing pages that not only catch the eye but also engage and convert your target audience.

My Fiver link for :  Figma Landing Page Design Service

[lovehealgrow]

Signs You’re in a Codependent Relationship

Do you find yourself continually making excuses for your partner’s irresponsible behavior and taking on the role of their primary caretaker, neglecting your own needs and aspirations in the process? Meanwhile, your partner relies heavily on you for emotional support and validation, often manipulating you into fulfilling their needs while disregarding your boundaries and autonomy. If that sounds familiar, you might be in a codependent relationship. Relationships can be tricky, and it’s important to recognize when our dynamics may be veering into unhealthy territory. Understanding codependency and its signs can be the first step toward building healthier relationships and personal growth.

So, what exactly is a codependent relationship?

Codependency in Relationships

A codependent relationship is a relationship dynamic where one or both partners exhibit excessive reliance on the other for their sense of identity, self-worth, and emotional fulfillment. This dependency usually manifests as a power imbalance, with one partner taking on a caretaking or enabling role while the other becomes increasingly dependent on their support. In codependent relationships, boundaries between individuals are blurred, leading to a loss of autonomy and individuality as the couple becomes enmeshed in each other’s lives. This can create a cycle of dysfunction characterized by a fear of abandonment and a pattern of enabling destructive behaviors. Despite the desire for closeness and connection, codependent relationships often lead to emotional exhaustion, strong negative emotions like resentment and anger, broken relationships with friends and loved ones outside of the codependent relationship, and a feeling of being trapped in a cycle of dysfunction. Recognizing and addressing codependent patterns is essential for fostering healthier, balanced relationships.

Common Signs of a Codependent Relationship

While no two codependent relationships are exactly the same, they do have some common characteristics. The important part is that these behaviors form a pattern. For example, one of the behaviors we’re going to talk about is caretaking. Being a caretaker for your partner is a normal part of healthy relationships every now and again. When your partner’s sick or stressed, it’s good to take care of them! But if you’re constantly taking care of your partner at the expense of their autonomy, that’s a red flag. If you notice that these behaviors are occurring over and over, you might be in a codependent relationship.

Excessive People-Pleasing

Do you find yourself constantly prioritizing your partner’s needs over your own, even at the expense of your well-being? This could be a sign of codependency. While compromise is essential in any relationship, constantly sacrificing your own needs can lead to resentment and emotional exhaustion.

Difficulty Setting Boundaries

Healthy relationshipsthrive on clear boundaries that respect each individual’s autonomy and well-being. In codependent relationships, however, boundaries become blurred or nonexistent. You may find it challenging to assert your own needs or express discomfort with certain behaviors, fearing that doing so will jeopardize the relationship. You may also find that you feel upset when your partner expresses a boundary because you don’t understand why they would need to keep you out.

Low Self-Esteem

Codependency often stems from underlying issues of low self-worth and insecurity. If you find yourself seeking validation and approval from your partner to feel worthy or lovable, it may indicate a dependency on external sources for self-esteem.

Fear of Abandonment

One of the defining features of codependency is an intense fear of being alone or abandoned. This fear can drive you to cling to the relationship even when it’s unhealthy or harmful, leading to a cycle of dependency and emotional turmoil. The fear of abandonment can also arise alongside a fear of intimacy and autonomy. Despite the desire for closeness, codependent individuals may struggle with true intimacy and autonomy. Fear of vulnerability or abandonment can lead to emotional distancing or a reluctance to pursue personal interests outside of the relationship. Both people feel trapped, but these fears can drive them to stay in the relationship, even at the expense of their happiness.

Caretaking at the Expense of Self-Care

While caring for your partner’s needs is natural in a healthy relationship, codependency involves prioritizing their well-being to the detriment of your own. You may neglect self-care or ignore your own needs in favor of tending to theirs, leading to burnout and resentment.

Lack of Personal Identity

In codependent relationships, individual identities can become enmeshed, making it difficult to distinguish where one person ends and the other begins. You may find yourself losing touch with your own interests, goals, and values as you prioritize the needs of your partner above your own. This can impact more than just the relationship itself; in codependent relationships, there may be a tendency to merge finances or identities to an unhealthy degree. This can manifest as joint bank accounts, shared credit cards, or a loss of individual identity in favor of a couple-centric identity. If the relationship ends, these financial issues can be extremely complicated to sort out.

Resentment and Anger

Over time, the imbalance of giving and receiving in a codependent relationship can breed resentment and frustration. You may feel trapped in a cycle of caretaking and martyrdom, leading to feelings of anger and disillusionment. And this cycle is self-perpetuating– the highs that follow the lows often make continuing the relationship feel worthwhile. Codependent relationships typically cycle between periods of intense drama and chaos followed by brief moments of calm. This rollercoaster dynamic can become addictive, leading to a pattern of seeking out drama or creating unnecessary conflict to feel validated.

Enabling Destructive Behaviors

Codependency often involves enabling behaviors that perpetuate the other person’s unhealthy habits or addictions. You may make excuses for their actions, cover up their mistakes, or rescue them from the consequences of their behavior, ultimately hindering their growth and recovery.

Can You Fix A Codependent Relationship?

While it’s possible for individuals in a codependent relationship to work towards healthier dynamics, it requires serious effort from both parties. Here are some steps that can help in the process of healing a codependent relationship:

Acknowledge the Problem: The first step is to recognize and acknowledge the presence of codependent patterns in the relationship. This requires honest self-reflection from both partners.

Set Boundaries: Establishing clear boundaries is essential for breaking free from codependency. Both partners need to define and respect each other’s boundaries, allowing for autonomy and individual growth.

Seek Therapy: Both individual and couples therapy can provide a safe space to address codependent dynamics within the relationship. A skilled therapist can help facilitate open communication and identify unhealthy patterns.

Commit to Growth: Healing from codependency is a journey that requires ongoing commitment and effort from both partners. It’s important to approach the process with patience and a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths.

While it’s not easy to break free from codependent patterns,it is possible to cultivate healthier, more fulfilling relationships. Recognizing these signs is the first step towards breaking free from codependency. At Love Heal Grow, our team of experienced therapists specializes in helping individuals navigate the complexities of relationships and personal growth. Whether you’re struggling with codependency or any other challenges, we’re here to provide compassionate support. Schedule a session with one of our therapists today. You deserve to cultivate healthy, loving relationships!

[web1web]

Discover Yourself with this 5 Minute Personality Test

Have you ever wondered what makes you, you? Your personality is a unique combination of traits, behaviours, and characteristics that define who you are. Understanding your personality can help you navigate life's challenges, communicate effectively with others, and make the most of your strengths. In this article, we will explore a quick and easy way to discover more about yourself with a simple 5-minute personality test.

The Importance of Understanding Your Personality

Your personality plays a significant role in shaping how you interact with the world around you. Whether you are introverted or extroverted, analytical or creative, understanding your personality can help you make informed decisions, set meaningful goals, and build stronger relationships. By taking the time to explore your personality traits, you can gain valuable insights into your strengths and areas for growth.

What is a Personality Test?

A personality test is a tool used to assess various aspects of an individual's personality, such as their preferences, tendencies, and behavior patterns. These tests are designed to provide insight into how you perceive the world, process information, and interact with others. While there are many different types of personality tests available, the five-minute test we will be exploring today is a quick and easy way to gain a snapshot of your unique personality.

The 5 Minute Personality Test

To begin the 5-minute personality test, find a quiet and comfortable space where you can relax and focus. Grab a pen and paper or open a note-taking app on your phone to jot down your answers. Then, take a few moments to reflect on the following questions:

How do you typically react in stressful situations?

What are your top priorities in life?

Do you prefer spending time alone or with others?

How do you approach making decisions?

What energizes you and brings you joy? Once you have thought about your answers to these questions, take a moment to review your responses. Notice any patterns or themes that emerge, and consider how they align with your everyday behaviors and choices. This quick exercise can provide valuable insights into your personality and help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself.

Interpreting Your Results

After completing the 5-minute personality test, take some time to reflect on your responses and what they reveal about your personality. Consider how your answers align with common personality traits, such as introversion or extroversion, openness or conscientiousness, and agreeableness or assertiveness. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers – your unique combination of traits is what makes you, you!

Conclusion

Understanding your personality is a powerful tool for personal growth and self-discovery. By taking just 5 minutes to explore your unique traits and behaviors, you can gain valuable insights into what makes you tick. Use the results of this quick personality test to guide your decision-making, improve your relationships, and live a more fulfilling life. So, why not take a few minutes today to discover more about yourself with this simple and insightful personality test? https://confidentpersonality.com/

[abysshydra]

Hellooo... Wanted to reach because of your tags on post.

Honestly, asking your comfort character to help isn't sign of faking and just imagining it. Tho it can feel blurry, yes, since it all happens in your brain, and you're very used to think you're in control, even if you don't.

If it works for you, it's good! Defining him as imaginary may help you (have more control, less anxiety, etc), or not. Defining him as headmate may help too (with communication, connection, making him more separate, and communicating with your body or needs). Or not. Every person is unique! I know traumagenic systems (few even) where they got their most comfort character as a headmate, and it helped them to survive very rough, dark times. They didn't front, and wasn't typical alter.

And there is the fact, that, yeah, our brain can know, what to do, already. But it needs to get out there somehow. Brain is like a hardware - may need help with settings, data restoration, viruses, etc. And headmates can help with it, as other user would.

Even singlet, as a person, is created by brain to help body survive, and grow, they're mental construct of the brain. Headmates aren't less just because they aren't so different from the start, or don't front as much, etc. They may be here for same purpose, and help accomplish it. Sometimes one mental construct brain constructed (from birth) need help and don't accomplish as much, and brain creates new one, to help, and communicate things first one can't figure out. Using comfort character talking included. And it's helps many, to not belittle and trust them, because they, in some cases, not having all same memories and emotions as you, can notice patterns, other ways to solve problem you'd never be able to figure up yourself as fast, or without help. And you don't even need to go out of house or pay for it, just ask, trust them, and listen!

Wanna hear a funny thing about us? I have intrusive scenario thoughts, almost daily. Not like, distressing, related to my issues, fears, or insecurities. And i don't intentionally imagine it.

where i try to comfort some random person i can't even see in this scenario, about thing that stresses them (not me! Ex: i can comfort someone about being insecure about not getting gf almost for 10 minutes, while I already have long, happy relationships). It ain't someone who i know, or fav character. Probably somewhere in multiverse Tarn got this going on too. Who knows.

It feels so weird reading it when he's ominously watching from behind our back, as if he's gonna kick me (gently) if I let a single doubt into my mind, lol.

Honestly, our intrusive scenarios are usually random moments of arguing with someone, and at night I rarely make consciously something related to falling asleep or going unconscious, depending on my mood. Just asking someone for help, especially my comfort character wasn't something I did if ever. More than that, Tarn WASN'T my comfort character, I just kinda liked him, I would've expected anyone else but him.

And he usually appeared only to replace me in physical front to go through physical work like walking. Mind you, I assumed I was just taking his characteristics and something. Literally, no idea why and how I thought "I like his style" just out of nowhere, why I didn't question it before, lol.

I still don't remember when we came to a conclusion that he IS our headmate, it kinda just flew out of our radar. He kinda started joining to break us from front in conflicts or notify others about my absence in front, only then I started calling him, although I don't remember exact times when I did that.

He is very different from me as a person. Now if I try to think of him as imaginary I just get slapped with a feeling like I am insulting him. I mean, we were always hit with people ignoring everyone and focusing on host, so it is something that triggers us sometimes.

I completely missed the point of my rant, but, anyway, yeah, it wasn't a sign of faking us being a system, I just thought it was because I was (and sometimes still am) in a denial. You know... It kinda just shows how actually blurry the line between singlets and multiples is.

[604designresearchharriet]

Tutorial Worksheet | Task 2 

Student Name: Harriet 

Task 2: Individually [10-15 mins] 

Analyse your categories themselves.  

Reflect on and respond to the ideas and questions below. 

Typology 

Typology could be broadly defined as the study of types, or the systematic classification of the types of something according to their common characteristics. Typology involves acts of finding, counting and classifying facts (or elements, etc.) with the help of the eyes, other senses and logic. 

Write and/or draw your responses below and overleaf. 

As a designer/creative, you could also explore creative, visual and non-logical methods to create new typologies, if consistent with your strategy. E.g., do you notice half the elements are pink in colour or hand-crafted? Is this interesting, helpful, or offer opportunities or limitations worth considering? 

My creative practise tends to have a set of constraints and variables in the formula of my wider body of work. Colour is a predominant theme where I work with limited colour palettes, yet materials are a variable in which there are no limitations. I tend to lean towards pink and red and black and white colour constraints. Hand crafted is another typology, where all of my ideas are crafted in their infancy by hand, wether this be as a written idea or sketch. 

-tactile

-hand crafted

-colour palettes

-tools

-music

-literature 

-fashion

-heritage

-textiles

What do your current categories tell you about the elements contained in them? 

Your answer here. 

There is a common tactile theme. I tend to like things with a physicality and weight to them whether this be in themes or literal form. The relationship between fine motor skills and hand crafting something that is also a common theme that comes up in my categories.

These categories reveal the nature of my objects. Music dictates my creativity and allows me to stay productive and focused. Having these objects surrounding me allows me to get lost in my own world that I have built and collected both consciously and subconsciously. Collection momentos through out my life allows me to catergorise these and feel safe and supported and nurtured in my environment.  

What underpins your categorisations? Are the elements grouped by a key characteristic, material or medium – or something else? e.g. typography, fluid type, poster design, etc? 

Your answer here. 

At the heart of all my catergorisations is me as the creative. All my objects link to an area of me and my life that holds significance to my upbringing and growth as a person, as a daughter, as a sister, as a woman.

Feminist themes lie at the centre of all of my objects as theses ideals underpins my life style choices. 

What do you these categories tell you about your selection methods, influences and biases? 

Your answer here. 

My choices reveal a definite bias towards punk sub cultures and the aestethics that I identify with. As well as a bias towards feminist culture and influcnes in art and desing and music. 

Bias towards textiles methods, a pattern in the things I reach for when starting a creative project. This is something I could reflect on to potentially widen my scope and enrich my designs however I also like that I have a certain niche to work within. Finding a balance within this could be beneficial in order to allow myself to be a well rounded designer .

What might these categories tell you about you as an individual, and your design practice? 

Your answer here. 

My categories indicate that I am someone who is highly influenced by surroundings and all types of art, literature, music and visual. That my design poractice is not linear and takes many steps and uses tools to become an idea and eventuate into a piece of work.

Categories: music, textiles, fashion, tools, heritage.

Textures and phsyciallity are important for me. I need to be able to visualise a project along the way and stay engaged through manual making rather than fine tuning and slow burn process to get results. I need the tactiity to keep me motovated and interesting and engaged. 

When seen together, what story do these elements and their categorisation tell an audience? 

Your answer here. 

When placed together all my elements create an alamgatmation of a bedroom setting. This was my intention playing with scale to create a point of interesting rather than laying them out in a conventional way that they would normally be viewed. I wanted to use scale to play with perspective and create a herieachy. The story they piece together is one of my history and heritage and what I really identify with. The blanket background provides a sense of comfort that embraces the viewer and indicates that this is a home setting, truely a sanctuary and a space of grow and creative nurturing. 

[chalitavantayavart604]

Week 8: Theme

Task 1

Elements/Objects

Cultural/Religious

Cultural/Religious

Family

Friend

Cultural

Identity

Family

Polaroid camera

The Bd gift from my best friend

Objects

Symbolic

Origin

Origin

Past

Symbolic

Friend

Past

Identity

Media

Family

Thinking about our Objects to make and show as a Symbolic.

Theme: Cultural Value Identity Media

Task 2: Individually [10-15 mins] Analyse your categories themselves. Reflect on and respond to the ideas and questions below.

Write and/or draw your responses below and overleaf.

As a designer/creative, you could also explore creative, visual and non-logical methods to create new typologies, if consistent with your strategy. E.g., do you notice half the elements are pink in colour or hand-crafted? Is this interesting, helpful, or offer opportunities or limitations worth considering?

Yellow, Red, Vintage, Photography, Collectibles, Pattern, Place, Hand draw

What do your current categories tell you about the elements contained in them?

Tell the Cultural, Family origin, Identity of myself, The past and Memories

What underpins your categorisations? Are the elements grouped by a key characteristic, material or medium – or something else? e.g. typography, fluid type, poster design, etc?

Sewing, Carving, DIY, Typography, Draw

Are some of your categories defined by author/maker, origin, use or idea? Or something else?

Origin

What do you these categories tell you about your selection methods, influences and biases?

Cultural, Family Origin

What might these categories tell you about you as an individual, and your design practice?

It’s tell my in Individual of my culture/My identity, 

When seen together, what story do these elements and their categorisation tell an audience?

tells the story of the family origin ,Tells about my collection, friends/family, Love, and the past

Task 3

Does your re-examination of typologies and approaches to classification suggest changes? Do all the elements fit in one category? Should they? Is this coherent or is it limiting?

Everything is consistent with Cultural Identity and my Identity

Does a category need be added? Or removed? 

Not necessarily, because I think all of this describes me.

Would a category operate more effectively with more, less or different elements?

I think the elements are perfect, because different categories can be divided up well and fit together.

Should some elements be reclassified?

There are certain categories of elements that need to be sorted, such as things received from friends. Things that tell me about myself and my culture background.

Are some elements a better fit for the category than the one you’ve selected? Or does the categorisation need adapting to foreground the unique importance of the element?

The elements is better fit

Are there blind spots in your selection, editing or approach?

No

Task 4

Is the graphic system coherent? Overall, would it make sense to someone with no knowledge of you, your design work and chosen elements?

The graphics system is inconsistent. because of my graphic work I love being able to draw on the powder and I like to make my graphics look bright and cheerful by drawing my own designs.

Is it effective?

Yes

Is it clear, concise and compelling?

Yes

Is it the most appropriate design solution for your selected elements, and categories or classifications systems? What other graphic systems could you research and experiment with?

I think I might try using Photoshop for photography or AI to make the lines that I drew sharper.

Does it speak to your preferences and strengths as a designer? 

I think this speaks to my strengths as a designer. In guessing the design of the poster using various images.

Does it take a unique approach to the assignment reflective of you as an individual?

My identity is reflected by my culture and family, friends.

How does it create appropriate connections with relevant creative communities? 

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[fittrrmy]

I Tried ‘Functional Range Conditioning’ for 3 Weeks, and It Was Like Boot Camp for My Mind-Body Connection

I may have stayed too long at the online yoga party. Gotta love how convenient it is, but without the guidance of an in-person teacher, I found myself skimping on strength, relying on my natural bendiness to get deep into poses… and tweaking my shoulder. My solution was to mind-over-matter it with some good ol’ strength training, so I joined my local gym. When I explained my situation to trainer Dylan Elgas, he suggested I try Functional Range Conditioning (FRC). He’s an FRC mobility specialist who swears by the system, both for fitness and, in the most inspiring thing you’ll read all day, as part of his toolkit for managing multiple sclerosis. FRC was developed by Andreo Spina, DC, a shade over a decade ago as an antidote to what he terms, with characteristic bluntness, “useless flexibility.” The program blends flexibility, strength, and nervous system training to develop mobility, strengthen joints, and enhance bodily control. Its proponents even say it may prevent injury and speed healing. Sure, I’ve heard that “motion is lotion” and “movement is medicine,” but how true is that, really? Mitch Broser, DC, a chiropractor and Functional Range Systems instructor, explains, “Cells called fibroblasts are responsible for the rebuilding and reorganizing of connective tissues,” he explains. “These fibroblasts need to be told how to repair an injury. We can ‘talk’ to them through movement.” Moving through wonky ranges of motion is like giving your fibroblasts a bad blueprint. “I guess this is how it’s supposed to work,” they shrug, and build a joint with a confined range of motion. Dr. Broser warns that this can lead to repetitive loading of tissues and, over time, joint degeneration. FRC works by sending the right message to fibroblasts—a carefully calibrated dewonkification of movement patterns. Sounds like it must be super-fancy right? Well… “Scrape your chin along your collarbone,” Elgas instructed during my first FRC class. “Now imagine you’re pouring water out of your ear onto your shoulder. Trace the sky with your chin. Ear to shoulder, chin to chest—get a good double-chin going. Now retrace your steps.” I gotta be honest, my first thought was, …these are just neck circles. Actually, they’re Controlled Articular Rotations (CARs), a standard part of mobility training. They’re also the foundation of FRC, a veritable Swiss Army knife with assessment, diagnostics, maintenance, training, and rehabilitation applications. A full-body CARs routine is a comprehensive exploration of each joint’s range of motion, from your cervical spine to your ankles. It’s one thing to do a couple neck circles; it’s quite another to do them mindfully for three straight minutes. After a while, I started to notice nuances in the movement, and once my time was up, I had a whole new understanding of my neck. We moved down my spine, and then it was time for shoulders and scapulas. I approached these CARs with cautious curiosity. Putting on a shirt or accidentally rolling onto my left side while sleeping was enough to make me yelp. How was I going to handle three straight minutes of CARs on my injured shoulder? Elgas was way ahead of me. He explained that CARs are intended to explore and define the pain-free range of motion. If it hurts, he told me, back off until it doesn’t. My left shoulder CAR looked less like a circle and more like a lumpy Pac-Man, but I couldn’t have felt more empowered: I can move my shoulder in a way that doesn’t hurt!  The fact that I could do FRC with an injury highlights its biggest strength: inclusivity. There’s no base level of fitness required to get something out of it, and the goal is pure function. Sure, the level I’m practicing at doesn’t quite satisfy my cardio and strength needs, but it’s easy enough to add FRC to an existing workout routine without burning out. After class ended, Elgas gave me my homework: Do CARs every day. He recommended a schedule of “breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with snacks;” I settled on “morning coffee and popcorn during a movie.” Daily CARs helped me cultivate awareness of all my joints, so that two or three times a week in class, we could focus on my shoulder. Elgas designed a program using the FRC toolkit, which consists of a bunch of intimidating names: Level I, II, and III CARs, PAILs/RAILs (Progressive/Regressive Angular Isometric Loading), PRH/PRLO (passive range hold/lift-off), and the positively scary-sounding “eccentric neural grooving.” I’ll spare you the physiology lesson—basically, they’re isometric exercises in strange positions that you hold for what feels like forever. “Ultimately, doing all these different training system protocols is going to lead to us carving out more of a joint capsule, layering in quality connective tissue, and then increasing muscular control, endurance, and strength in those positions,” Elgas explains. What the training protocol looks like depends on the needs of the student, the imagination of the trainer, and whatever tools are at hand. One session had me laying face down with my arm bent behind my back like I was being arrested, using internal shoulder rotation to push my fist into my tailbone. During another, I laid on a yoga mat with my arm at a 90-degree angle; Elgas gently pushed my arm toward the floor while I resisted, like a weirdly nurturing version of arm wrestling. The goal of FRC is bodily control, but there’s definitely a strong mentorship aspect as well. If the idea of someone intently scrutinizing your joint mobility freaks you out, FRC might not be for you. My favorite exercise involved leaning against a wall with my arm overhead like I was hitting on some invisible partygoer, sliding my scapula toward my spine and holding it at low effort. After seven or so minutes, my muscles were shaking, and I ran out of energy. When I stepped away from the wall, the most amazing sensation of relief rushed through my shoulder and down my arm. It’s been three weeks, and although my shoulder isn’t 100 percent, it’s a lot better. I have no doubt that the isometric loading has affected my muscle and connective tissue, but the biggest change, I’ve realized, is mental. Giving myself permission to utilize a pain-free range of motion in class made me realize there’s no reason to do things that hurt outside of class. Turns out mind-over-matter was the wrong attitude; mind is matter. Read the full article