#How to Human

[angrylittlesliceofpizza]

… reblobbing for discussion, and also…

… i knew the xkcd, but even tho i might've seen the comic before, i still was not ready for the conclusion XD

im american and i knew that like in kindergarten so i think some of you are just stupid sorry

[goodluckclove]

Realized my vibe since the afternoon has been rather Intense. Determined it was likely due to skipping my second daily stimulants dose. Unfortunately, by the time I took it and it kicked in, I was already midway into making Little Pizzas for me and my wife and had to finish oops oops oopsie.

Anyways I'd like to add some information on cooking and food-making for my How to Human. I imagine it'll probably be a two-part thing depending on the relationship people here have with cooking.

So...

[sailor-hufflepuff]

To tell the truth, for me the appeal of the Regency Romance Genre is something like:

-5% a single man in possession of a good fortune

-35% pretty dresses and bonnets and parasols

-60% a society with actual codified rules, that everyone knows and is taught, and never having to guess what the appropriate thing to say or do to not get labeled a Weirdo Who Can’t Have Normal Conversation. I would ROCK an interaction where I had a specific list of topics and duration of time, underpinned by how much I am allowed to share or not share about my personal life based on our relationship.

[humandrift]

“Are you lonely?” “Yes.” “Did you make the right decision?” “Yes.”

[tar-thelien]

Annon!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!

I don´t know how to respond.

HOLY FUCK I´VE GOT A CHEKMARK! I´M VALID!!! I´M A REAL PERSON!!!!!!!!!!

Annon, for real, you´re my hero♡ of all time♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Now it can´t be a bad start for school!

[trichorats]

does anyone have advice/ ressources on structuring/ planning day to day life (in and out of university)? i kind of haven´t taken part in normal life for awhile and dont have a reference for humaning correctly

i do enjoy the structure that my lectures give me but tbh i struggle a little structuring my day around them lol (yea also that work/life balance uhh) but especially when lectures end i get a little lost and overwhelmed. any tips would be appreciated. :D

[daniel-nerd]

how to human when you’re home alone?

[macksting]

So you want to joke with a cashier

First off, consider why you're doing this. I'm not saying don't do it, I'm just saying you need to know what your expectations are, and consider whether it's a good idea. Second off, don't do so in a way that makes things slow down. They're trying to get through their day, and things that break flow can make that worse. On that note, be conscious of how long the line is; if nobody's waiting, they might be less harried and your humor may land or be served accordingly. Third off, and relatedly, don't joke in a way that you require they acknowledge it. Throw that joke out while sliding the card or while bagging, don't meet their eyes, just say something you think they might find funny and if they like it they like it, and if they don't they don't. (Obviously if you strike out a lot, maybe consider why.) Fourth, don't joke about something that a customer might benefit from, generally, or that would be distressing for a customer to believe or say. "So I guess it's free" is the obvious example and will read as a joke that simply isn't at all funny, but please understand, even if it's known to be a joke, retail workers have to deal with so many people who have such warped expectations all the time. They may have cause to think you're serious. There may be precedent. They don't need that stress. Customers are barely people sometimes.

Fifth, don't take it personally if they don't find it humorous. God only knows what they've been through today. Their brains might be oatmeal and milk and unable to think more today. They have coworkers, bosses, boss's bosses, quotas, and customers and random BS, and it's exhausting. If they laugh, good. If they don't, that's neutral. If they are annoyed, that's feedback. Speaking of feedback, I am open to suggestions, critique, and replies. I've just been putting off writing this for a while. I don't even work retail, I worked in a call center. But I do joke with cashiers a lot because I want to improve their day, and I wanted to talk about how to go about it and the mindset to have going in and coming out of it.

[goodluckclove]

Ow Oof My Bones: Stocking a Home Pharmacy (A Guide)

Growing up my mom had a drawer she called “the pharmacy”. It was like a more buffed out first aid kit where we kept odds and ends for most forms of sickness and injury. I don’t know if this is a universal standard for all households, but it should be. Even from a practical standpoint, if you have a killer migraine, muscle pain, nausea, or even just a headache – the last thing you’ll want to do is stagger into a drug store.

I have been in that position a few times living on my own, and it sucks. Navigating a pharmacy is confusing enough without the added debuff of some kind of physical illness or disorientation. It can be costly to buy everything you might need all at once.

If I were to outline my own baseline for an at-home pharmacy, it would be the following:

Cough syrup (Day and Night)

Painkiller of some kind

Bandages (Varying sizes)

Alcohol pads (For cleaning certain medical equipment and wounds)

Ice pack/Heat Pack (Easy to DIY)

Antacids (For indigestion, nausea, and acid reflux)

Thermometer (Forehead is fairly accurate if you can’t do oral or ear)

That’s a reasonably sparse collection of supplies that I think can treat a variety of things. This guide is going to break down the specifics of these things and more, give some alternatives that can help you save money and tips to prevent you from hurting yourself in an effort to ease a symptom. Before we start, though, I need to address something you might be thinking if you’re anything like my wife.

Clove, cold medicine doesn’t actually cure the common cold. It just cures symptoms! So what’s the point?

Hey. I’m going to be kind here, but I’m also going to take your head in between both hands and hold it tightly in place. I’m aware something like DayQuil doesn’t cure the common cold. Rest helps though, doesn’t it? And it’s kind of hard to rest when you’re constantly leaking and coughing and sniffling, isn’t it? So you’re should probably take the medicine, my darling wife.

Okay. I'm getting distracted. Let’s get into it.

Choosing a Cold Medicine

Take one look at the shelf in the cold and flu section of your local drug store, and you’ll be hit with a variety of brands and chemicals. Some are familiar brands and some are generic. Different products have different claims. Where the fuck do you even start?

Do you have allergy-like symptoms? Itchy and irritated eyes, sneezing and coughing, nasal congestion, or some terrifying combination of any of the above? You want an antihistamine, or something that contains an antihistamine. Be aware that some antihistamines will cause brief fatigue. If that’s an issue, look for something that says non-drowsy.

Are you a little cough-guy (gender-neutral) that won’t stop coughing? You want a cough-suppressant, likely one with an active ingredient of dextromethorphan. Be wary: cough suppressants vary in effectiveness.

Specifically congested? Try a decongestant, or something that contains a decongestant! I would personally avoid nasal sprays like Afrin, as they’re weirdly addictive and can actually make inflammation worse if overused. If congestion is your main issue, consider relying more on humidity and maybe saline washes. Although saline washes suck in my personal opinion.

Are YOU the Goo Man with mucus All Up In There? An Expectorant can help loosen mucus and clear your airways. Look for something with an active ingredient of guaifenesin.

EVERYTHING HURTS HELP. Oh god get a pain reliever dude. They’re also called analgesics, and can include acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or Naproxen.

Cold medicines will often contain a mixture of the fancy science names listed above. If you’re looking to save money, you can compare the ingredients in a brand-name medicine with it’s generic equivalent.

Goo or Capsule?

Honestly, the difference is sort of negligible. Liquid absorbs slightly faster, and sometimes I don’t feel like swallowing a horse pill. You might feel differently though.

Important Note: Follow the instructions on the bottle. I’m not being a bootlicker for Big Pharma here. A regular amount of Tylenol can help with a headache. Get weird with and you’re riding the express train to liver failure.

What’s the deal with Painkillers?

I know man. Here’s the deal. With over-the-counter (or OTC) medicine, you’re mainly going to find ibuprofen (Advil) and acetaminophen (Tylenol). Both can provide relief for pain and even reduce a fever, but ibuprofen can also reduce inflammation. Naproxen (Aleve) is a stronger anti-inflammatory than ibuprofen, but usually requires a prescription.

Pain Cocktails for Special Occasions

There are some pain relievers you might notice I haven’t mentioned yet. That’s mainly because if you take a medication like Excedrin or Midol, you’ll find they’re actually a combination of many things I already listed.

Excedrin, for instance depends on acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine. A small amount of caffeine can actually help a lot with certain headaches!

*A Note on Burns*

If you have get a scald or burn of some kind, avoid treating with direct cold. Ice and cold water will actually increase the chance of blistering. The best way to treat a new, minor burn is to immediately hold it under cool or lukewarm running water for around ten minutes (Or at least until it stops hurting). After that consider taking an anti-inflammatory painkiller, and applying something like aloe vera or petroleum jelly before covering it with a bandage.

Other Ways to Treat Pain

DIY Cold Pack: Cold treatment can be very useful for acute pain and recent injuries. If you don’t have access to a dedicated ice pack, you can make a reusable gel pack by using 2 cups of water, 1 cup rubbing alcohol, and a dash of dish soap in a secure zip-top bag. You can also just use a bag of veggies from the freezer or wrap a bag of ice in a few paper towels.

DIY Heat Pack: Heat is very soothing for relief from chronic and muscular pain. If you don’t have a heat pad or access to a hot bath, you can make a reusable heat pad by filling a clean sock with uncooked rice or oatmeal and sealing the end. Microwave it at no more than a minute at a time, testing it until it’s at a good temperature.

IMPORTANT: For heat and cold packs, avoid treating the area for more than 20 minutes at a time, or you run the risk of heat or cold burn.

Cannabinoids: How to Tell Them Apart

This isn’t where I explain why it’s worth keeping a pack of edibles in your pharmacy. There’s definite medicinal benefits to THC, but I’m going to let you decide for yourself if that’s something you want to keep on hand. For this section I’m specifically focusing on cannabinoids other than THC. A lot of grocery stores (Especially hippy-ish stores) carry these now, and certain cities have dedicated dispensaries that carry non-psychoactive hemp products.

I do add that you might want to consider your own judgment here. Some people benefit from having these on hand, some don’t. If you have no experience with cannabis, these are essentially the parts of weed that – on their own – don’t get you high. But the long-term effects haven’t really been studied, regulations can be iffy, and they can definitely interfere with other medications. I’m really only including this for people to be able to have an awareness of what they’re evidenced to do.

You can buy them on your own – but keep in mind that you can also buy vitamins on your own, and you might not actually need those either. I highly suggest talking to your doctor before adding more stuff like that into your body.

Below are the basics of the main cannabanoids I’ve come across.

CBD: Mainly helps with stress and anxiety.

CBG: More focused on pain and inflammation.

CBN: Sleep aid and sedative.

All three of these have been found in some to help with nausea and inflammation.

Other Sickness Remedies

I think a lot of home remedies for sickness are pretty useful, even if it's just for the comfort they can provide. Plus, a lot of cures that don’t seem medically accurate do have traits of medicinal things. That bowl of hot soup can relieve inflammation and clear sinuses. Ginger ale can help with nausea – but you’ll want to make sure you pick one with actual ginger in it. If you’re nauseous, a carbonated drink with low or no sugar content can be very helpful.

You may have seen or heard of Theraflu. Is it useful? Sort of! Look at the ingredients and you’ll see a lot of the medicines I’ve listed above. It has to be made hot – at least while the powder dissolves – and some find it can aid in sore throats, coughs, fevers and body aches. It might have side effects though.

Emergen-C and Airborne are also hotly contested remedies. I’ll straight up say Airbone has gotten into legal troubles for their effectiveness claims. Emergen-C is debatably more useful, because it can help a lot of people to raise their Vitamin C and Zinc levels – but a blood test will tell you if that’s actually something you need. You don’t want too much Vitamin C in your system, especially if you take stimulants. And if you need more, it’ll likely be cheaper coming from a vitamin.

Vapor Rub has been used in a variety of ways. Some grew up having the goo rubbed under their nose as a decongestant – which technically works, but mainly thorough tricking the brain. A solution is a solution, though. And I remember it mainly being used on me before I went to sleep, so I stand by it being useful in that case if feeling stuffed up will keep you awake. It is mainly used to provide temporary relief for muscle and joint pain, similar to Tiger’s Balm.

Homemade Humidifiers

A humidifier can help a lot for congestion. If you don't have a specific humidifier, there are two DIY options that I've tried myself to moderate success. Boiling a large pot of water can help for a smaller space. If you have an electric kettle, I've kept mine cycling with the lid open to fill an enclosed room. The best I've found is also the weirdest. You fully dampen a towel and hang it over a chair, with one end dipped in a container of water. Then you leave a fan pointed at it. It sounds and looks crazy, but it works. 

Stock for What You Need

There are things at any pharmacy that you will likely never need. Over enough time you’ll collects bits of medicine for an issue you had once and never again. If you don’t wind up with a lingering cough every time you get a cold, you probably don’t need to stock up on cough medicine. If you aren’t in a constant battle with your toilet, you might not need to always have stool softeners or Pesto-Bismal on hand. The goal is to determine the type of pain you’re most likely to experience, and try and make sure you have something to take care of that oopsie when it happens.

If you require soup or chocolate when you're sick, see if you can keep some on hand. They're fairly shelf-stable. Sometimes I need a Little Treat when I'm upset. This is not a silly thing. This is what we do to stay alive.

Everything above are just things I’ve had to work out in my own personal experience. I’ve absolutely missed some things – both from being relatively able-bodied, and for my specific issues being niche enough that I don’t find them relevant for what’s supposed to be a fairly general overview. Hopefully with this you’ll be able to be a little more confident for the next time circumstances nerf you into a revere of pain.

So rest up as much as you can. Rest and water are pretty great across the board. Any of the Muppets movies aren't TECHNICALLY medicine, but they don't hurt either.

Do you have any additions to this guide? Add them below! I'd love to hear them!

Any requests you'd like to know for How to Human? Let me know! It's always good to learn, and no subject is too obvious!

[ellegy42]

Queen

A few months ago at my cousin's wedding, the DJ she was a drag queen: six feet or taller with huge hair, lots of makeup, a short as fuck dress covered in glitter, and heels that are more accurately called stilts. I cannot stop staring at this woman and I know I'm being painfully obvious about it because I'm the most awkward human alive, but I'm also terrified of human interaction so it goes on longer than it really should.

Eventually, I manage to get up the courage to go over. I'm fully aware that this lady's clocked me and thinks I'm coming over to be a complete bitch because again, I suck at People Things and have the worst RBF ever even when I'm not trying to figure out a fucking puzzle way out of my comfort zone. She's watching me like she's trying to decide whether to punt my short ass across the venue or just verbally eviscerate me once I've made an ass of myself.

Now, I suck at interactions but I'm great at subverting expectations so I get there and crane my head back so I'm looking at her face when I blurt out, "Okay seriously, how the fuck are you standing right now?"

Queen takes a second to recalibrate because I've clearly thrown her but she still thinks I'm probably a little bitch and tells me she works at a drag bar, obviously expecting me to be disgusted because yeah, I've been staring and I haven't been at all subtle. I give zero shits.

"That's great but how are you standing in those heels?"

Queen's finished downgrading me to "socially incompetent" and is obviously amused now, and just tells me she's practiced a lot. I still can't comprehend it - seriously, Queen's shoes are bigger than my entire damn head - but I'm clearly not going to get it so eventually I just throw up my hands and stalk off, grumbling about how she's probably an Amazonian goddess or something.

[humandrift]

A weekend in April

[monstrouscrew]

what's the actual point of drawing fan art if whatever idea you have, either someone has already executed it better than you can do without burning yourself out, or however dear the unique result is to you, it goes to the void (too alien to be perceived lol). fans are a concept we may take into account, yet we cannot comprehend how it works. also drawing to entertain the fans... ugh no. abso-fucking-lutely no. i have ideas for fan art, then i just ask what's the point. badly, badly written neural network. generate without wasting your energy on this imitation of being self aware.

[macksting]

Complimenting others

So you wanna make someone's day. First off, choose something they clearly do on purpose. Cool clothes, cool hair, neat tattoos, etc. If it's a physical quality they have no choice in, it's weirder by nature. Note that this does have nuance; many trans folks may have worked hard for our appearance despite having little actual choice in many facets of it. But I still think the safer and better route is to compliment folks on something they do, not something they are. Obviously this includes weight. Never assume anybody can do or has done anything to change their weight. Besides, we don't want to be the kind of society that judges folks that way. That's where eating disorders come from (partially, sometimes.) Second off, if you do not know this person well, don't do it in a way that requires they acknowledge it. This applies to strangers on the street, cashiers, or anybody really. Sometimes people compliment others with an agenda beyond trying to make someone's day, and folks may feel they have to be wary of that. So as not to give them something to worry about, compliment them when you're about to part ways, such as when you're grabbing your grocery bag or when you're about to surrender their attention to the next person or when you're crossing different crosswalks or passing in opposite directions. It makes it less likely to them that you have an agenda, and actually genuinely just wanted to pay a compliment. Third off, if you see them again thereafter it can be mildly awkward, but your good faith will prolly show through. There's worse things than a little awkwardness. Fourth, don't take it personally if they don't notice or care. Everyone's got their own shit going on, who knows. They might even be hearing impaired or something like that. Remember you're doing this for them, and they can take or leave it. Sidenote: The great part about #1 in my experience is that, when I started thinking that way, a lot of other people became more attractive and cooler to me because I started seeing people differently.

[angrylittlesliceofpizza]

plus, these days it's SUPER COLD.

showering:

pros: you get to feel clean. you get non greasy hair, non oily feeling skin, it just in general makes you feel better, more energised, refreshed.

cons: there are so many steps. oh my god are there so many steps. before getting into the shower there are steps. during the shower there are steps. and once youve gotten out of the shower? guess what!!! more fucking steps!!!!!!!! UGHHHH

[humandrift]

January and photos of the sky. And I found a yoga studio!! Teaching yoga and Pilates and learning reformer and going on dates with a cute new man. Life life life all at once