#SubStack

[schoolhater]

link to the article

siraj's tumblr blog

siraj's gofundme

[rthwrms]

just put a new substack up <3

[mimimarvelingmarvel]

Some men wield feminism and emotional intelligence the way a magician flourishes a deck of cards, flashy, convincing, designed to distract. They’re not interested in the difficult, daily work of decentering themselves; they’re interested in image management. Whether that sleight of hand is conscious or not, I can’t always say. What I can say is I’ve seen how the show begins and how it collapses…

Read more on my Substack!!

[heavenlyyshecomes]

there is a level of seduction that exists beyond the body. something less tangible, and perhaps more potent. anais nin understood this idea about how desire does not begin with touch but with language, perception, and the sharp electric pull of a mind that challenges and excites you. in her journals, desire is not just a physical hunger but a hunger of the intellect, an unraveling of thought before an unraveling of the body. to be drawn into someone’s mind, to feel their thoughts press against your own, can be more intoxicating than any physical closeness.

—Caitlyn Richardson, 'can intellectual intimacy replace physical desire?', in milk fed

[processes]

common origins of suffering, euphoria, and ferret

substack

[yearningheart]

more on my substack <3

[malusokay]

What's the point of a diary if you're not lying in it?

On Anaïs Nin, literary self-mythologizing, and why personal writing should always be slightly dishonest. (from my substack)

If you’re not lying in your diary, you’re just journaling, and journaling is for people who don’t know how to edit.

A diary is not a record of events; it is an act of creation. The best diarists know this instinctively. Anaïs Nin knew it better than anyone. Her diaries were not mere confessions but performances, half-lit mirrors where the truth shimmered, distorted but no less real.

Nin understood that life is not lived in a single register. Her diaries are a study in contradiction—one moment, she is in love; the next, repulsed. She is independent yet wholly consumed by those around her. But contradiction isn’t falsehood; it’s literature. She rewrote and edited her diaries, sculpting herself into the character she wanted to be. And is that really so dishonest?

People love to be outraged by the idea of a diary that is not entirely factual. But fact is not the same as truth. Diaries, at their best, are emotional truths, shaped by mood, by desire, by the need to impose a narrative on the chaos of daily life. Nin was not interested in being objective—she was interested in being immortal. She once wrote, “We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection.” But why stop at tasting? Why not rewrite, reshape, embellish? If we can curate the lives we present to others, why should we not do the same for the versions of ourselves we leave behind?

Nin herself was a master of this. She edited her diaries before publication, removing, refining, turning herself into a protagonist. She blurred lines, shifted timelines, made herself more alluring. She called it shaping reality. Others call it lying. The truth, of course, is that all personal writing is selective. Even in confession, there is curation.

The danger, of course, is that history will take the performance at face value. That the diary, once private, will harden into biography. But this, too, is a kind of truth. A diary is not a static object. It lives, it breathes, it deceives, but always in service of something larger than the mundane details of existence.

[suhmanthuh]

[fullcravings]

Hazelnut-ty Chocolate Chip Cookies

[doctorbeth]

Doctor Beth's Patient Log --- A new newsletter!

This one isn’t a story…

This post isn’t about a teddy bear or a lamb, or a cloth doll.  

I wanted to let you all know that I have started a Substack, Doctor Beth’s Patient Log.  It will be just like the stories here, but if you subscribe (which is free) you can get the stories straight to your email.  

I’m still going to tell the stories here…. You all are my original audience and I wouldn’t dream of stopping.  But a bunch of you have had trouble with recent posts being inaccurately labelled mature (why is Felicia the frog or a Berenstain Bear mature?), and this way, if you want, you shouldn’t have to worry about that again.  I have contacted Tumblr (three times!) about the mislabelling and have not heard back.  And when I or my family have looked at the posts, they don’t have that label, so I’m assuming it’s corrected quickly, but I know it can still be aggravating.

Which is why I went and did some research on Substack (where I subscribe to a bunch of newsletters) and figured out how to duplicate my posts there for those who want (or if you have friends who aren’t on Tumblr but might be interested, they can always try the Substack).

The first newsletter comes out later this week.  It’s a retro story, Baby Bunny’s tale.  If you remember the Bunny with the samurai costume, it’s their story.  Then, starting with my Memorial Day post here, the same story will come out on the Substack newsletter too. If you’d like to subscribe, you can click here.

So, I hope you keep an eye out for that Memorial Day tale, about Navy Goat.  I’ve been saving his story for the holiday.  And if you’d like, or if you have friends who might be interested, you’ll also be able to see him on my new Doctor Beth’s Patient Log Newsletter.

More stories soon!

beth

[and-her-saints]

This is ‘Un-alived J3sus.’ Full reflection titled: "we ought to not look away: a small reflection on suffering, witness, censorship and the Crucifixion" up on my (free) substack

[lettersxcaffeine]

Life doesn't get easier, but you get stronger.

[chuwenjie]

Kat’s Canvas is a newsletter/blog I’ve created to document my work and career! I’m currently in the process of adding entries on everything I’ve done since 2017, as an archive of information for other artists and fans of animation.

It contains retrospective journal entries about my animation industry work and life as an independent creative, as well as convention & gallery show recaps. As I work on writing more posts, I hope to add end-of-year reviews, film/graphic novel/game recommendations and more!

With the way social media platforms have also been openly embracing harmful policies and rhetoric, I’m also hoping for this to be an alternative space for people to keep up with me and get updates on what I’ve been doing.

It’s available to read and subscribe now - here's the link!

[somerabbitholes]

a reading update from april

[malusokay]

How to Dress Without Caring (and Look Like Yourself)

I didn’t stop caring to be cool. I stopped caring because I moved so often I never had time to catch up. every city had a new code, a new uniform, and I never had the instructions. so eventually, I gave up trying to follow them and realised I didn’t need them in the first place.

If you’re trying to let go of other people’s expectations, but still want to feel like you when you get dressed, here’s what actually helps:

How to Stop Caring (In a Healthy Way)

get used to being slightly misunderstood. people might not get your outfit, but that’s fine, you’re not dressing for explanation.

stop dressing for the ‘idea’ of yourself. dress for how you feel that day, not for the version of you you think other people expect.

notice what you reach for on bad days. that’s probably your real style. or at least a hint to what comforts you.

don’t justify your choices. Someone asks why you’re dressed like that? shrug. “I felt like it.” that’s enough.

realise the outfit you regret least is usually the one you felt most like yourself in. not the one you dressed up to impress.

accept that some days you’ll look weird. that’s part of it. style evolves through mistakes.

How to Find Your Style (When You’ve Stopped Performing)

start with colour. what colours do you feel good in? build around those. for me its cool toned pinks, light blue, cream, white, black, and deep red. I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about greys.

find a silhouette you love and wear it to death. long skirt girl. giant blazer guy. little shirt and big trousers combo. repeat it. no shame.

save outfit photos, not of others, of yourself. catch the ones where you look like you.

notice the textures you love touching. soft cotton, linen, leather, fleece, silk. let that guide your wardrobe.

make uniforms. you’re not boring for repeating things. you’re iconic. my uniform will always be the black skirt, tights, loafers, and some top combo. its my safe option.

shop like you have amnesia. ignore what’s trendy. If you saw this in a thrift store and had never scrolled Pinterest, would you still want it?

let your clothes be a memory map. what you wore when you felt beautiful, or strong, or invisible in a good way. Keep those pieces close.

you don’t need to be a minimalist or a maximalist. you just need to feel okay walking out the door.

that’s all style really is: the quiet confidence that you dressed for yourself. and no one else. <3

my insta -> malusokay

[orpheuslament]

x