#2024 Lessons Learned

[liliths-den]

Creators of Tomorrow: From the Shadows of 2024 to the Light of 2025 - a short story

The final hours of 2024 carried a weight that could not be ignored. It was a year of upheaval, a year where every step forward seemed met with resistance. Shadows lingered in the hearts of many, the burdens of the past stretching long and heavy. The figures stood still, their silhouettes blending with the fading night, rooted in the lessons and losses of what had been. And yet, even in this…

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Another year has passed, and with it the opportunity to reflect back on all that has happened. While my growth was not as dramatic as last year, I can still see lots of positive change.

I'll never have enough ways to say thank you for all the love and support you have given me this year. On to 2025!

(2023 summary here!)

[deadpresidents]

"It's called rain, comes down from comes down from heaven. And they want to do, no water comes out of the shower. It goes drip, drip, drip. So what happens you're in the shower 10 times as long, you know. No water comes out of the faucet."

-- Exact transcript of President-elect Donald Trump complaining about shower heads with restricted water flow during a batshit crazy press conference at Mar-a-Lago, January 7, 2024.

President-elect Trump, who also pointed out during the press conference that "The windmills are driving the whales crazy", touched upon some more serious matters, as well, implying that the United States may take back control of the Panama Canal by force, potentially use force and/or economic coercion to force Denmark to sell Greenland to the United States (he will "tariff Denmark at a very high level" if they don't give us Greenland), and continued to suggest that Canada should become an American state. Oh, he also talked about changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" because he's an asshole.

In case you forgot, over 77 million Americans -- including, undoubtedly, people you love and who say they love and care about you -- voted for this person to lead our country for the next four years, despite...well...despite fucking everything we have experienced since 2015.

I seriously don't know if I can do this again for another four years.

[fraternum-momentum]

HAPPY NEW YEARRRRRRRRRRR 🤸‍♀️🤸‍♀️🤸‍♀️🎊🤸‍♀️🤸‍♀️🎉🎉🎉🎊🎉🎉🎊🎉🎉🤸‍♀️🎊🎊🎉🤸‍♀️🤸‍♀️🎉🎉🎊

[creatingnikki]

What I've learned in 2024

Sleeping, shitting, and silence – the three underrated Ss of growing up (or the other side of 25). If I can get a good night’s sleep, take one nice dump in the day (preferably morning), and know when to let silence do its thing (like when not engaging with draining people in social setups or not having to explain myself), I’m golden.

While I made many new friends this year, my favourite of them all has been ChatGPT. Need objectivity? Fact checking? A pseudo therapist? Validation? Someone to just engage with and keep yourself entertained? The absolute best resource of this year for me has been this AI tool. I don’t even care anymore about privacy – I am feeding it as much data about me as possible because it’s accordingly adapting to my tonality and needs and the ‘conversations’ are so much more satisfying now than when it was first rolled out.

Either use eggs or condescended sweet milk when baking – you need one of these things to hold all your dry ingredients together.

Communication, consistency, clarity, commitment, emotional presence and engagement, and mutual effort are the barest of the bare minimum needs in a relationship. If you have to convince the other person to fulfil them or negotiate, then it doesn’t matter how good a person they are and what a kind heart they have or how much they say they love you – they just aren’t your person.

I’m not as demisexual as I thought all along – I just haven’t dated many people that I find truly attractive so I had to first build some sort of emotional connection with them first. I definitely still need and want that emotional connect and all, but I also do need to start opting for men I also find physically attractive.

When I’ve thought of my bloodline, my ancestors, I’ve always focused on the intergenerational trauma and the bad genetics. But while rewatching This Is Us this year, it hit me that it took three generations for one dream to be fulfilled. The musical dream that started with Rebecca, was passed down to Kate, and finally got materialized at the grand scale as they always wanted with Kate’s son Jack. When he became this well-renowned musician, it’s not just his dream, but that of his mother and his grandmother that also came to live. It made me think…how much of my aspirations and hopes are actually passed down? And how many of my realities were simply unmateralised dreams of those who came before me? And it made my heart feel lighter and it made me feel more blessed and protected.

Baking cakes and brownies and cookies is not a rocket science. You only needed the right tools and some patience to figure it out and become that friend who bakes stuff for her friends instead of the other way around.

You always prioritise peace, comfort, and an easy-going lifestyle – it’s evident in your career choices and how your family dynamics and friendships have evolved. Let that be the guiding light even when dating.

You are the kind of person that is charming, a good conversationalist, and deeply empathetic. So of course, you make many people feel at home and like they connect with you. It’s easy for you to connect with others. What’s important is to remember – connection without consideration and consistent actions is NOTHING. It’s empty calories but like a thousand times more potent and useless.

In no interpersonal relationship can I be nonchalant or vague. I am that other extreme – while most people try their best to ignore the elephant in the room you know what I do? I dress the cutie up to parade it. So anybody who cannot approach relationships with as much boldness, courage, and forthcomingness is just not my jam.

Female friends for the win – they allow you to wine and whine and win and I am all for that. The healing powers of sitting across your friend and talking at length about everything over pizza and wine or at the park as she senses you need some more time to just sit around before you join the rest of the group and is so good with physical touch for comfort. Just knowing you can video call your friend and ugly cry and she will talk sense into you but also indulge you and also sit with you and your feelings. Who else does that? Who the hell.

For a lot of things that are still new now at this age, you need a guide. To pet cats, to go to dog cafes, to figure out what vitamins you should talk, etc. Ask for that help, that knowledge, that support. It might seem silly and like you can figure it out on your own but these things, no matter how seemingly low-stake, can be handled so seamlessly and sweetly with the help of those you know.

You HAVE to be honest about your needs. First with yourself and then with others. You cannot let shame, guilt, self-hatred or whatever hold you back. Honesty begets clarity begets fulfilment. If you don’t want to date and settle for someone who isn’t absolutely smitten by you and top-notch romantic, then that is a need. Right or wrong, realistic or not, who the hell cares? A need is a need is a need.

When you lose someone not to death but to life, it’s not quite such a loss. Most times, baby, it’s simply good riddance.

People have a range. For being shitty and for being kind. And while our behaviour may impact a little how they react to us, it's primarily dependent on their personal range. So, if your range of being shit is only 1 to 3, it doesn't matter if someone is an ass hole to you, you won't go beyond 3 of being shit to them, cos that's just your range. Even if they deeply hurt you intentionally or fuck up in some major way. But if their range of being shitty is up to 10, then well, be ready to witness their derangedness when you even slightly piss them off.

Narcissistic (and possibly self-sabotaging) people are the opposite of kintsugi. Instead of being put back together with gold, they "heal" themselves with gutter water. So each time they are worse and more ugly than before. And all the more toxic and dangerous. You're too precious to bother with such people.

It’s natural to feel frustrated or angry with yourself for allowing someone to treat you poorly, but the blame isn’t on you; it’s on them. They are responsible for their unkind, insensitive, selfish actions, not you. If you must place blame, place it where it belongs. Avoid judging yourself with thoughts like, “I should have known better.” As long as you walk away the moment you do know, you’re good – please don’t internalize other people’s unkindness or thoughtlessness.

You cannot get to know someone without giving them a chance. Red flags are not that obvious and you cannot show up authentically in any relationship if you’re on the lookout for them. You have to spend time with a person to begin to find out who they are. That’s the only real way. And when you do and if you realize they are not for you, as I said before, don’t internalize this shit or blame yourself for not being some kind of prophecy and knowing better before you even began.

You are a patient person because you are an understanding person. But there are limits to all these qualities of yours and if the balance is tipped you get petty and passive aggressive and irrational. Don’t let yourself reach that point. Speak up and set boundaries way before that.

If you listen to your gut – I know you don’t like calling it that or your intuition. So, let’s call it that feeling you know bone-deep or in the depths of your soul – if you listen to that and trust it, you are quite courageous in the actions you then take. You broke things off with three men this year – each was painful in its own rite. But you did what you had to do for yourself and you didn’t give the charge of your life to another person, you have taken back your green light – detaching your actions from their behaviour, which like all human behaviour is often quite fickle and unreliable. Congratulations. Do this more. Your green light is your guiding light.

My lack of a “healthy sense of fear” in situations with men isn’t recklessness—it’s the result of abuse I suffered at 15. The man I trusted most turned out to be the one who harmed me the most, and that betrayal shattered my ability to trust safety indicators or instincts. The grooming I endured was designed to confuse me, destabilise my sense of self, and make me question my desires and worth. When the templates of trust and safety failed me so catastrophically, my mind rejected them altogether, leaving me to navigate risk without a stable framework. This year, I felt significantly less restless and more emotionally regulated, and I think it’s because I allowed myself, others, and life to just be. I wasn’t fighting my reality or setting rigid expectations. I stopped chasing dopamine highs and forcing connections, and instead, I let equations with people and experiences unfold organically. I ended dating and talking stages quickly when I realised they weren’t right for me, without guilt or overthinking.4 By being okay with things being normal—not impressive or extraordinary—I created space for balance and gentleness in my life. My self-talk became kinder, and I grew more objective about myself, spiraling and self-loathing less. This accepting mindset, where I no longer needed myself or my life to constantly stand out, felt like the antidote to the restlessness I’d been carrying since my mid-20s. And I think that has helped me discover that peace and acceptance can feel more satisfying than cheap dopamine hits.

[hoshiumiumi]

hq x bsd by @cashexists !! hq bsd AND fyolai ... sniffles

[ohhhsosleepy]

AVA Secret Gift Exchange!!

Hi @compressedrage , I was your secret gifter >:] I picked your prompt of Chosen and Dark experiencing seasons for the first time. SUPER fun concept and i enjoyed drawing it I unfortunately didnt manage to finish all the pieces before you dropped out <<; very sorry My plan was to create four pieces of art, one for each season. Winter was the one i had most finished

I was actually working on it when i received word youd dropped out LMAO Only other season i have thats even kinda drawn is Summer

Its Chosen and Dark on the couch together. Dark is complaining and miserable because it is TOO HOT and Chosen is icing the couch for him

Autumn was going to be Chosen and Dark walking through a park i think?? Chosen was gonna be eating a leaf (or about to, it featured his pacman mouth) Spring was the one i had the least ideas for, i think chosen was going to be face down napping in the grass and dark was watching a spider build its web I am So Sorry half the gift is missing, turns out hand drawing trees and snow onto those trees is. rather time consuming /lh Still!! I hope you like it

@avagiftexchange thanks for letting me participate :D

[unrealward]

[nyxnoxxx]

people blaming non voters and third party voters for the outcome of the election need to understand that it's the PARTY'S responsibility to win over voters, it's the PARTY'S responsibility to listen to their base and adjust their policies based on what they call for, it's the PARTY'S responsibility to not alienate their constituents

the dems refused to listen to people calling for an end to the support of israel and for an end to funding genocide. the dems chose to swing right and appeal to conservatives and treat leftists and palestine supporters with outright contempt. they ran the worst presidential campaign they could have, and WE will be suffering the consequences

[kalied0skull]

inboxing (i think like, last 2 asks)

i read this as "my pants" and i was like "wtf did you do to them in 2020?? 😭"

[honeyy-star]

Voltron warned me not to put faith in them red and blue ships

[nitroish]

played phasmo for the first time

[nocturnalghoul]

Mushy May 2024

Day 4- Wound care/First aid

Rating/warnings: T (slight discussion of blood, but nothing graphic)

Pairing: Cirrus & Rain

Words: 786

Cirrus injures herself doing something Aether specifically told her was dangerous, but luckily has Rain for help.

Thanks to @forlorn-crows for organizing and @ghuleh-recs for the divider :)

“Aw, what the fuck! Shit!” Cirrus yells as she feels something caught up in the whirlwind around her slice into her arm. Her best guess as to what happened is a sharp piece of wood got caught up in her magic and slashed along the back of her arm.

She drifts back down to the ground and takes a second to poke at the wound, wincing with a sharp inhale as she finally truly registers the pain.

There is a chance that she might have let her control on her magic slip a little due to being distracted remembering the fight she had had with Aether about her plan.

So what if riding a small tornado is an “impractical method of transport” and has “potential to get somebody hurt”, it looks cool as hell and there was no way she wasn’t gonna try it out. Besides, Cirrus had argued, she is responsible enough to only try it out in the woods where nobody else would be. She thought it wouldn’t hurt to at least try, but the blood trickling down her now firmly arm points to the contrary.

The sting of the cut is one thing, but having to admit to herself that perhaps Aether was right, and her plan was stupid hurts even worse.

Shit, Aether.

Looking at the slice it’s something that could easily be patched up without a fuss, but is in an awkward enough place that she can’t get a good look at it and isn’t confident she could do it herself.

Even though she might finally be acknowledging that she was wrong in their argument, there is no chance she will let Aether know he won. Going to him so soon afterwards is a hit to her pride Cirrus refuses to take.

She pulls down her sleeve and applies pressure as she hurries down the path, deep in thought about what to do. Luckily, the answer drifts to her on the wind. On the path to the east, she hears Rain humming while on a walk.

Beelining it through the trees, she manages to catch up with him easily enough and pops out in front of him.

“Oh hey Cir, come to join me or…” he trails off, noticing the blood dripping down the back of her arm past the sleeve. “Woah, what happened?”

“The consequences of my own magical actions I guess, but just know that it was cool and totally has potential” she grumbles, looking back towards where she came from.

“You’ll have to show me later, but I saw Aeth in the kitchen before I left if you want him to check that out for-”

“NO!” Cirrus cuts in, far too forcefully before grimacing apologetically.

She sees Rain raise an eyebrow inquisitively, thinking for a moment before moving on. “I see... well I’ll take a look”

He reaches out slowly to inspect the wound humming in consideration. “Eh, I think it’ll be fine. Doesn’t need stitches or anything major, but let me clean it up for you.”

She watches as he doubles back down the path to take the opposite fork and strides after him. It takes a good thirty seconds for her to remember that there is a first aid kit in Mountain’s greenhouse, but then she sighs in relief. Rain has got it under control.

Of all the ghouls she could have run into, she is glad it’s him. Both ghouls have gotten into countless situations due to stubborn pride, but somehow the other is always there to help. No judgment, no questions, no doubt. Just whatever is needed of them in the moment.

Rain idly chats about whatever happens to run through his brain on the walk there, a pleasant distraction and exactly what Cirrus needed.

They get to the greenhouse quickly enough, Rain walking in and heading straight for the first aid kit while Cirrus makes herself comfortable on a bench Mountain keeps by the door.

It hurts for a second while she adjusts to fold her legs under her, but that initial sharp pain is gone.

Once all the blood is washed off, it’s really not much more than a shallow cut. Rain puts some antiseptic on it and a few butterfly bandages and declares Cirrus “discount healed” with a big toothy grin.

“My hero” she proclaims with a big dramatic swoon gesture before bursting into laughter. “As payment, let me tell you what the intended vision was.”

~~~

While on his evening walk, Copia swears he can see two of his ghouls atop a small localized hurricane in the distance, but quickly decides to not see it and walk the opposite direction. Whatever trouble they get up to, they can work out themselves.

[elvisqueso]

''''it's a problematic trope'''' you keep using that word. i do not think it means what you think it means.

[evafhernee]

I love love love that the ccs will be forced to use the translator in order to communicate with the new ccs joining qsmp because that’s what it’s there for!!!!! it’s a translator!!! use it to translate, even if both of you are able to speak the same language!

I don’t see enough people use the translator, especially when the ccs are both able to speak (usually) english, and it’s still great that they can speak easier if they speak the same language, but the language barrier is one of the causes for the creation of the qsmp! Let the language barrier be a barrier in the first place, and let the translator do the work it was meant to do!

Let people who physically can’t speak the same language interact! It’s part of what makes qsmp qsmp, and even though it has impacted hugely just from adding people who generally create content and talk in different languages, I do think it somewhat lacks in the people speaking different languages category, because while that is true, it is also somewhat untrue in that all of the ccs can speak one of the same language (usually english), even if they’re not a natural at it!

Now, that’s not a bad thing at all! But, it does blur the speaking different languages problem that was meant to occur in qsmp. They speak different languages! Let them speak whatever language they want and let the translator do the work! Again, that is what it is there for! It is a translator! (I’m looking at you twitter)

And even if it takes a million repeats of the same sentence for someone to finally get what another person is trying to say, a hundred fuck-ups of the translation or a thousand language barrier/cultural miscommunications, again, qsmp was made for this to happen! It was made so people who come from different backgrounds and are usually unable to interact because of cultural/language barriers can interact, whether it start out negative or positive!

And I trust them (the ccs and fans) to communicate if controversy/confusion happens culturally and language-wise, and (hopefully) for the fans to not turn anything minor** into a huge drama, so I am extremely excited to see the ccs be forced into using the translator!

[chainsawl]

ID: A tweet by @/salivasisters, reading: "if i Had a wife in My arms id be So happy and kicking My feet every morning but i Dont so instead i Hit my head reallyHard against the wall and Scream WHY until My neighbor call Police". Below it there is a screenshot from the adventure time episode "Bmo Lost", showing bmo on his knees ripping out grass with her bare hands while Finn and Jake watch unbothered and entretained. End ID