#clark is a very attentive caregiver

[flannelshirtsandbatcowls]

Bruce being the world's worst at taking care of himself, worried about everyone but himself as per usual makes an enemy of Alfred for the last time and the older man calls Clark the next time Bruce comes down with pneumonia.

Clark carries a very disgruntled and pissed off bat wrapped in a very warm clothes to the Kent farm and under the stern yet loving hand of Martha Kent takes care of him.

[lexa-griffins]

Hello again 🥰 milf Lexa anon here

Can you talk about Lexa's struggles and insecurities with herself and her body after the divorce and when she started seeing Clarke?

Now this... this holds a special place in my heart. Because Lexa has a lot of struggles with her body. Which is something that she never had growing up. I mean she was the athletic type of kid, she never really had issues with stretch marks with too much fat where she didn't want it, she had abs and was head cheerleader.

Lexa looks like a mom. She's still a small woman but she does have all the signs of two pregnancies, stretch marks on her stomach, her legs, her hips, her butt and her boobs. Her stomach is definitely not flat, it has that pouch to it, it sticks out a bit and it rolls. Her boobs sag more now, her arms do a little flap and her thighs and butt will fight her in any jeans she buys. She's very soft looking, even her jaw isn't has sharp as it once once. She's not just a milf in name, she really does have the soft cuddly body to go with it 🥺

The first post-pregnancy, although leaving some insecurities in Lexa, was fine. She managed to go back into working out and her stretch marks were soft enough where they didn't bother her unless she really started to pick at them. It's after Delilah's birth and the longer recovery time after the c-section as well as doing most of the caregivers work for a toddler and a newborn that Lexa started paying so much attention to how she looked and started to feel unattractive, with Jenny's horrible comments really not helping her at all.

After the divorce, Lexa become a little depressed. She felt like it was her fault for not trying harder to keep them together and that maybe she had given up too soon, on both the marriage and herself. She felt like a horrible mother anytime Alex would ask her why mama wasn't with them anymore or why he had to wait so long to see her again. Afterwards she was far too focused on trying to give her kids a stable home and making the new apartment actually feel like the home they had before. Her relationship with her body become distant, she avoided mirrors when she could because she could still hear Jenny's words in her mind and the last thing she wants is to have to focus on something that is so minimal in the grand scheme of things. Her kids were what was important, not her issues with her body that did nothing but give her the two people she adores the most.

For the next decade Lexa hides herself as best as she can. She makes sure every "problem area" is hidden and goes for a looser style, jeans and a slightly bigger shirt so it won't cling to any little roll on her body, dresses that make her feel like she's trying to hard to stay young, with patterns that distract from what's underneath. She does it rather unconsciously, if she can not think about her body she will and will just go by instinct. She tries to join a few yoga and pirate classes with Anya but she feels out of place there, mostly single women who have lively social lives or new moms who seem to have their shit together better than Lexa has years into being a mom. She also never dates, one because she doesn't want to and two because she cannot even fathom someone being attracted to her, physically or even just with the live she lives where she barely has time for herself, much less a girlfriend.

Before they start actually seeing each other, Lexa is shocked by the fact Clarke seems so attracted to her. Clarke is... Clarke. She's a gorgeous late twenties woman with a great career and a future so full of opportunities, Lexa doesnt understand why she is so interested in a relationship with Lexa whose life is settling down and really set in Lexa's eyes. She's not having more kids, she doesn't see herself moving out of her apartment, moving jobs, traveling the world, nothing of that sort. But Clarke looks at her and flirts with her in a manner that makes Lexa actually feel desirable again and she forces Lexa to stare at the mirror to try and find what Clarke sees in her. On the other side, it does make Lexa a little more self conscious, particularly when she realizes she's very attracted to Clarke to. Suddenly her clothes feel to lazy but she still doesn't have the confidence to go an buy ones that show her off more, not that Clarke needs them to stare at Lexa likes she's anything other than a goddess. Although it's not what solves it completely, when her and Clarke start getting more intimate and Clarke seems to adore every inch of her body, Lexa really sees how much Jenny fucked up Lexa's relationship with herself and her body and that with Clarke, she might be on the track to fix it, something she never thought would happen.

😌✊️ when I tell you Clarke refuses to let this beautiful woman think of herself as anything other than fucking perfect!! A MILF lover like no other!!!

[kxllerblond]

↪ @dogxfiend​ ASKED;;   Favorite way to give affection?

Clark sort of gives what he expects. Even if sometimes he’s super awkward and doesn’t really know how to express things, every act of affection he tries to show is all very thought out and personal. Even if it’s something as ridiculous and buying you an entire building or whatever, it’s all done with you in mind.

He’ll fret over small things like dinner, like your health, your general well-being. Just like Clark can be that ‘Mom friend’, he’s also very much a caregiver in relationships. The biggest way he gives affection is by just dedicating his time and attention to you. 

But he also likes physical affection. Hair stroking, back rubs. Little fleeting (or lingering), affectionate touches. He’s hard to get to that level of trust and emotional comfort, but when you do he’s all about constantly physical affection.

☕ MEME // ACCEPTING

[simulacrahelps]

Characters with Autism masterlist

n this masterlist you’ll find comic/movie/videogame/tv show characters that have Autism (not the actor but only the character they play). Like/Reblog if you thought it was useful.

Comics

Hikaru Azuma(With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child) [x] Sachiko and Masato's firstborn, and the main character of the series. His autism showed up one and a half years after his birth.  Hikaru hated to be picked up and held as a baby and did not grow in step with children his age, leading Sachiko to seek a doctor for him.  He always has been wearing diapers for a long time. He even stays in his stroller even when he's too old for it.  Hikaru dislikes loud and painful noises such as crowds, Buddhist chanting, and babies crying. He likes trains and memorizes many of them, including ones no longer running. Like many autistic people, when something is changed in his routine without any warning, such as a show switching times or being canceled, it upsets him. However, as the story continues, he and his parents figure out how to handle the situation. Since elementary school, he starts to show some unique talents, including cooking and mixing colors.

Black Manta(Aquaman)[x] An alternative version was given in #8 of the 2003 Aquaman series. In this origin, the boy who would become Black Manta was an autistic orphan placed in Gotham City's Arkham Asylum. He felt comfortable in freezing cold water, but found cotton sheets excruciatingly painful. Because the attendants at Arkham did not know how to deal with autism, they would end up restraining him to the bed as he struggled and screamed whenever they tried putting him to bed. In this version, young Black Manta was also fascinated when he saw Aquaman on television.

Johnny Do(Psi-Force)[x] Johnny Do is highly autistic and was treated as a virtual animal in a Russian project investigating paranormals.  Boyd was able to forge a connection with him and became his caregiver. "Johnny Do" is the name given to him by Boyd—his real name and background prior to his capture by the Soviet government are unknown; Dehman Doosha (Demon Within) is what his captors called him.

Mark Shiffron(Postal)[x] Hawkins based the lead character on his college roommate, a smart man with Aspergers whose behavior was mocked by other students. To ensure he wrote the condition authentically without being offensive, Hill researched the condition and spoke with people who have dealt with it.

Mr Fantastic(Fantastic Four)[x] He was first speculated, and later confirmed that he had diagnosed himself to be on the autism spectrum.

 Movies

Eric Gibb(Played by Jay Underwood) The Boy Who Could Fly[x] Milly and Geneva observe Eric Gibb (Underwood), an autistic boy living next door with his alcoholic uncle Hugo (Gwynne). Eric has never spoken a word in his life, doesn't like to be around people and exhibits bizarre behavior related to flying.

Sally Matthews(Played by Asha Menina)House Of Card[x] Sally, is apparently traumatized by the experience and starts displaying unusual behavior. Ruth is later court mandated to see Jake Beerlander, an expert in child autism, to help Sally.

Randall Eberlin(Played by Jamie Harold) Family Pictures[x] Lainey (Anjelica Huston) and David (Sam Neill), learned that her younger brother Randall (Jamie Harrold) had autism, and how the stress that this placed on them eventually lead to the breakdown of their marriage.

Michael Barth(Played by Bradley Pierce) Cries from the Heart[x] a 7-year-old young autistic boy who is unable to speak or write. After an incident in which Michael wanders away from home to the local playground

David Goodson(Played by Michael Goorjian) David's Mother[x] Sally Goodson has always tried to do what is best for her autistic son David, always blaming herself for the way David is.

Henry & Verlin(Played by Gary Farmer & Keegan MacIntosh)Henry & Verlin[x] Henry an autistic adult with a childlike spirit, and his nine-year-old nephew Verlin (Keegan MacIntosh), who is also autistic. Henry helps Verlin to come out of his shell, but Verlin's mother mistrusts him, believing him to be dangerous. Henry's family eventually decides to institutionalize him and Verlin sinks back into himself at the sudden loss of his friend.

Tim Warden(Played by Ben Faulkner)Silent Fall[x] Tim Warden, a boy with autism, has supposedly witnessed his parents' double murder. Jake Rainer, a former child psychiatrist turned therapist, is called on to probe the child's mind in order to solve the case.

Gregory White(Played by Keegan MacIntosh)The Innocent[x] The only witness to the crime is a nine-year-old autistic boy named Gregory White

Rosetta Basilio(Played by Megan Follows)Under The Piano[x] Franny Basilio  is determined to help her musically gifted autistic sister Rosetta  have a life of her own.

Kazan(Played by Andrew Miller) Cube[x] Kazan is an autistic savant that was trapped in the Cube.

Simon Lynch(Played by Miko Hughes) Mercury Rising[x] Simon had autism his whole life up until February 1999, and was also considered an autistic savant, as he could - and still can - read MERCURY code (as easily as others can read their native language)

Meaghan Robinson(Played by     Laura Harling) Nightworld: Lost Souls[x] Victor's autistic 12-year-old daughter, Meaghan

Molly McKay(Played by Elisabeth Shue)Molly[x] A 28-year-old autistic woman named Molly McKay  has lived in an institution from a young age following her parents' death in a car accident. When the institution must close due to budget cuts, Molly is left in the care of her non-autistic older brother, Buck McKay, an advertising executive and perennial bachelor. Molly, who verbalizes very little and is obsessed with lining up her shoes in neat rows, throws Buck's life into a tailspin as she runs off her nurses and barges into a meeting at Buck's agency naked.

Cody O’Connor(Played by Holliston Coleman) Bless The Child [x] Cody is diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum, and is enrolled in a Catholic school for children with special needs in order to make her more aware of her surroundings (part of her condition).

Chloé(Played by Adèle Haenel) Les Diables[x] Joseph is a 12-year-old boy running from children's home to children's home with his autistic sister Chloé in tow. Chloé cannot bear to be touched, following only Joseph's commands as instruction.

Dewa(Played by Dicky Lebrianto)Biola Tak Berdawai[x] a tiny eight-year-old with autism and brain damage

Vernon Jackson(Played by Lucas Black)Killer Diller[x] an autistic piano player in need of a friend.

Jovana(Played by Jovana Mitic) Midwinter Night's Dream[x] A simple story of an ex-convict who comes home after 10 years, only to find two squatters in the form of a woman and her autistic daughter.

Steven & Philip Morgan(Played by Zac Efron & Thomas Lewis)Miracle Run[x] In a flashback, a single mother, Corrine Morgan-Thomas  drives her seven-year-old twin boys Steven and Philip to the doctor's office and learns that they have autism. Philip simply repeats what he hears others say, a condition known as echolalia, while Steven is completely nonverbal.

Cho-Won(Played by Cho Seung-woo)Marathon[x] A young man with autism, named Cho-won, finds release only in running. As a child, Cho-won regularly had meltdowns, bit himself, and struggled to communicate with others—finding solace only in zebras and the Korean snack, choco pie.

Rama Krishna(Played by Jeeva)Raam[x] In order to portray his character Ram, Jiiva had to remain blank and did a lot of Reiki and also met a person who had autism and observed his mannerisms.

Donald Morton and Isabelle Sorenson (Played by Josh Hartnett &  Radha Mitchell)Mozart and the Whale[x] two people with Asperger syndrome (a form of autism). Donald runs a small self-help group for people on the autism spectrum who are more affected by their autism than he is. Mozart and the Whale is a fictional account, using characters loosely based on the real-life relationship of Jerry Newport and Mary Meinel (now Mary Newport).

Bea(Played by Poppy Rogers) Breaking and Entering[x] Will Francis (Jude Law), a young Englishman, is a landscape architect living a detached, routine-based life in London with his Swedish-American girlfriend Liv (Robin Wright Penn) and her autistic daughter Bea. The 13-year-old girl's irregular sleeping and eating habits as well as her unsocial behaviour (she has trouble relating to people and seems only interested in doing somersaults and gymnastics) reach worrying proportions and start to put a lot of strain on Will and Liv's relationship.

Linda Freeman(Played by Sigourney Weaver)Snow Cake[x] Snow Cake is a drama about the relationship between autistic Linda, and a neurotypical British tourist Alex

Ben(played by Greg Timmermans)Ben X[x] Ben has been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, a form of autism.

Anna & Sarah Woodruff(Played by Nikki & Jessi Haddad)Imagination[x] Redheaded twins Anna and Sarah Woodruff, roughly 10 or 11 years old, both have Asperger, an autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

Charlie Mollison(Played by Luke Ford) The Black Balloon[x] Charlie is Thomas's older brother who lives with autism, as well as attention deficit disorder. Charlie enjoys dressing up like a monkey, playing computer games using a Commodore 64 and receiving gold stars for good behaviour. Charlie communicates with the rest of his family by using sign language.

Poppy(Played by Lizzy Clark)Dustbin Baby[x] The film also addressed the theme of Asperger syndrome through the character of Poppy.

Noah Connely(Played by Michael Worth)God’s Ears[x] The story is about an autistic boxer who falls in love with an exotic dancer

Sarah(Played by Skye Bennett)Dark Floors[x] A young, autistic girl at a hospital holds the key to defeating other-dimensional monsters that seek to kill everyone.

Zen(Played by Yanin Vismitananda)Chocolate[x] She has a daughter named Zen who is soon found to be autistic.

Charles(Played by Gabriel Gaudreault)Suzie[x] Suzie, a 58-year-old taxi driver suffering from depression, finds a 10-year-old autistic boy named Charles alone in the back seat of her cab one Halloween night.

Adam Raki(Played by Hugh Dancy)Adam[x] a young man with Asperger syndrome living alone in Manhattan after his father's recent death. He has a friend, Harlan Keyes, an old army friend of his father's, who is always there for him. Because of his condition, Adam has difficulty communicating and likes to escape into his love of space exploration.

Dafu( Played by Wen Zhang)Ocean Heaven[x] Ocean Heaven is about a terminally ill father, Sam Wong/Wang Xincheng (Jet Li) as he works his job in an aquarium and struggles to look after his 21-year-old son Dafu/David, who has autism

Rizwan Khan(played by Shahrukh Khan)My Name Is Khan[x] Haseena diagnoses Rizwan as having Asperger's syndrome.

Mandy (played by Ashley Rickards)Fly Away[x] Jeanne is awakened by crying from her autistic teenage daughter Mandy

Terry Marshall(Played by Rhett Giles) Quantum Apocalypse[x] Terry, Ben's autistic brother, refuses to let Samantha, Ben's daughter, take the school bus, which is having mechanical problems.

Tom Taylor(Played by Charlie Tahan) Burning Bright[x] Kelly is with her autistic brother, Tom, whom she has taken to a special hospital for him to be cared for while she is at college.

Alan Wheddon(Played by Braeden Reed & Luke Benward)Dear John[x] Savannah mentions to John that his father may have a form of high-functioning autism known as Asperger's syndrome like Tim's son, Alan. This upsets John, who storms off.

Simon(Played by Bill Skarsgård)Simple Simon[x] Simon is an 18-year-old man with Asperger Syndrome. Incapable of living independently, he is cared for by his endlessly loving and patient brother, Sam, and Sam's girlfriend, Frida. He lives by an unchanging daily routine and finds any change in his life very stressful.

Alfred Jones(Played by Ewan McGregor) Salmon Fishing in the Yemen[x] Alfred exhibits some symptoms associated with Asperger syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction, and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests.

Dana Minor(Played by Devon Graye) Exodus Fall[x] Marilyn commits Dana, who is autistic, to an institution, allowing doctors to perform medical experiments on him.

Yoav Pomerantz (Played by Michael Hanegbi) Dr. Pomerantz[x] The son, Yoav , who is now 30 years old, actually has Asperger syndrome. He works as a traffic inspector and more than anything else, loves to affix traffic tickets to car windshields.

Tomor Roshko(Played by Michael Moshonov)Mabul[x] Yoni's autistic older brother returns to the family home and challenges the family to reconcile and put an end to their dysfunctional ways in time for Yoni's Bar Mitzvah celebration.

Oskar Schell(Played by Thomas Horn) Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close[x] Nine-year-old Oskar Schell, who has Asperger syndrome, is the son of German American Thomas Schell

Mickey Tussler(Played by Luke Schroder) A Mile in His Shoes[x] The film centers on Mickey Tussler (Luke Schroder), an 18-year-old from Indiana with Autism, who joins the semi-professional baseball team "the River Rats" after being discovered by Arthur Murphy

Jhilmil Chatterjee (Played by Priyanka Chopra)Barfi![x] Barfi's autistic childhood friend and wealthy heiress of her grandfather's fortune

Walter Hill(Played by Dexter Darden)Joyful Noise[x] Vi Rose has a son, Walter, who has Asperger syndrome

Luke & Zack(Played by Lou Taylor Pucci and Seth Green) The Story of Luke[x] a young man with autism who embarks on a quest for a job and a girlfriend.

Duncan(Played by Chris Marquette) The Odd Way Home[x] a high-functioning autistic twenty-something.  Through a picaresque road-trip to Duncan's only-living relative, the two develop a friendship and an understanding of what family really is.

Haridas(Played by Prithviraj Das) Haridas[x] However he is forced to leave the force for a while to take care of his autistic son, Haridas

Rafer(Played by Grayson Russell) Season of Miracles[x] an underdog Little League team through their 1974 season with newcomer and autistic baseball savant, Rafer

Riley Morris(Riley Polanski) Alien Abduction[x] an autistic 11-year-old boy who records his ordeal as an alien abductee.

Adam(Played by Ty Simpkins) Meadowland[x] Sarah, who is a teacher, deals with her grief by obsessing over one of her students, Adam, who has Asperger's

Jane(Played by Louisa Krause)Jane Wants a Boyfriend[x] Jane is a young woman with autism spectrum disorder living with her parents in Queens, New York.

Mária(Played by Alexandra Borbély )On body and Soul[x] Mária is immediately unpopular at work for her autistic behaviour and uncompromising grading of the abattoir's meat quality. Though Endre tries to befriend her, she quickly becomes uncomfortable with the interaction and rudely comments on his lame left arm. However, she repeats the conversation to herself that night, analyzing where she made her mistakes.

Billy Cranston(Played by RJ Cyler)Power Rangers[x] an autistic and intelligent loner. Billy is the classic nerd who has become a bully magnet.

Wendy(Played by Dakota Fanning)Please Stand By [x] a brilliant and autistic young woman with a fixation on Star Trek—lives a routine life in an Oakland, California group home where she is monitored by her primary caregiver, Scottie

TV Shows

 Adam Kelvey(Played by Braeden Lemasters)House [x] The patient was diagnosed with autism and since that time his parents have left their job in order to care for him. He is very low-functioning, unable to speak or communicate and is usually unresponsive to external stimuli.

Mayuko Amemiya (Played by Rie Tomosaka)Kimi ga oshiete kureta     koto [x] A young autistic woman, Mayuko, who has difficulty understanding and processing human emotions, meets with a young former psychiatrist, Shinichi, who is still getting over the unexpected death of his longtime girlfriend. Shinichi begins to help her with her skills of human interaction, but as he gets to know Mayuko better, he finds that she may be helping him to remember the feelings of love that he has forgotten in his grief.

Gary Bell(Played by Ryan Cartwright)Alphas[x] Gary has been diagnosed with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (more commonly known as ASD). He has idiosyncratic and compulsive tendencies, echolalia, and has difficulty empathizing with others.

Karla Bentham(Played by Jessica Baglow)Waterloo Road[x] She’s a child who was badly let down by the system which failed to diagnose her Asperger’s syndrome, writing her off as a truculent troublemaker.

Kevin Blake(Played by Meschach Peters and Trevor Jackson)Eureka[x] Kevin was diagnosed with autism.

Rebecca Blithely (Played by Melissa Farman)Strange Empire[x] an autistic woman who was previously institutionalized and who now works as a doctor.

Max Braverman(Played by Max Burkholder)Parenthood[x] Max Braverman has Asperger’s syndrome.

Sonya Cross(Played by Diane Kruger) The Bridge (2013 TV series)[x] Detective Sonya Cross, is a member of the El Paso police department who has Asperger syndrome.

Connor DeLaurier (Played by A.J. Saudin) Degrassi: The Next Generation[x] Connor DeLaurier is a tenner at Degrassi, who has Aspergers Syndrome

Virginia Dixon (Played by Mary McDonnell)Grey’s Anatomy[x] she is autistic, having Asperger's syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder formerly considered separate from autism. Bailey characterizes this as "significant impairment during social situations," explaining her bluntness and lack of sarcasm comprehension. Another characteristic of autism is specific and repetitive behaviors and interests.

Jerry Espenson(Played by Christian Clemenson) Boston Legal[x] Jerry has Asperger's Syndrome, and possibly also Tourette's Syndrome, which interferes with his ability to interact socially with other people, but also makes him a masterful interpreter of the law and its language.

The parallel universe version of Astrid Farnsworth (Played By Jasika Nicole)Fringe[x] Her odd social behavior and unusually high proficiency with mathematics in general (and probability in particular) indicate that she has Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism, which she believes could be the cause of the tension between her and her father.

Micaela Gómez(Played by Monica Spear) La mujer perfecta (The Perfect Woman)[x] Micaela has a form of autism called Asperger syndrome, and as a result, people around her do not understand her and confuse her as a crazy person.

Gil Grissmon(Played by William Petersen) CSI: Crime Scene Investigation[x] In addition to being a genius and somewhat of a polymath beyond his career training, he exhibits Asperger-like traits. In "Caged", it is hinted that (in fact) he has Asperger's syndrom.

Shahir Hamza (Played by Husein Madhavji)Saving Hope[x] Chief of Neurosurgery,who is highly skilled but socially awkward due to his Asperger syndrome.

Fiona 'Mittens' Helbron(Played by Betty Gilpin)Elementary[x] Fiona Helbron is the lead computer programmer for Pentillion Edge. She dates Sherlock Holmes, is autistic or "nueroatypical" and likes cats.

Gabrielle Jacobs(Played by Virginie Le Brun) Shortland Street[x] She seemed different and soon the staff realized that she had Asperger syndrome. Straight away Gabrielle proved to be an excellent surgeon but seemed to lack social ability. Her social disabiltiy annoyed some of the senior nurses including Tania Jeffries. A man came to Gabrielle requesting suregory, but she could not do it seeing as they once had an affair. But eventually she went through with the surgeory and saved his life. Gabrielle had a short relationship to Kip Denton. He was not aware of her Aspergers and did not understand her absurd behaviour. He was tired from her all sex, no talk attitude and once he found out she had Aspergers, he let her go much to Gabrielles confusion.

Jonah Jeremiah "JJ" Jones (Played by Ollie Barbieri) Skins[x] He has autism, for which his psychiatrist is no help, instead prescribing him dozens of prescription drugs. Thus, few people take him seriously in spite of his intelligence, and this often leads him to fits of rage or getting 'locked on'; this is especially true if the people are Freddie or Cook, as he says "they're pretty much the only friends that I've got."

Isidore Latham (Played by Ato Essandoh) Chicago Med[x] Dr Isidore Latham is a Orthodox Jew. His family history and background is almost unknow. We do know he has Aspergers which impairs his social abilities and empathy towards others.

Lily Montgomery(Played by Leven Rambin)All My Children[x] Lily is the autistic child of Laurel Banning and Denny Benton. Laurel had embezzled thousands of dollars from the Mason Foundation (which was a charity headed by Natalie Dillon to pay for the expensive care & schooling of her daughter).

Bob Melnikov (Played by Dmitry Chepovetsky) ReGenesis[x] Canadian. Biochemist at NorBAC, and a former student of David Sandström. He is deemed a genius, with an IQ score of 162 (Season 1, Episode 5) and has attained two PhD's (Season 1, episode 11). He has been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome.

Abed Nadir (Played by Danny Pudi)Community[x] It is hinted that Abed has Asperger's syndrome, reflected in his inability to pick up on social or emotional cues

Spencer Reid(Played by Matthew Gray Gubler)Criminal Minds[x] Reid is 36 years old with three PhDs and one cannot usually achieve that without some form of autism.".

Park Shi-on (Played by Joo Won) Good Doctor (2013 South Korean TV series)[x] A young man named Park Shi-On (Joo Won) has savant syndrome and a developmental disability. His mental age is that of a 10-year-old, but he becomes a paediatric surgeon.

Isadora Smackle(Played by Cecilia Balagot)Girl Meets World[x] that Isadora was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome at age 5. This makes it hard for her to understand emotions, and she is currently struggling to overcome it.

Wally Stevens(Played by Mark Linn-Baker) Law & Order: Criminal Intent[x] A high-functioning autistic, he spent years completely unaware that he had Asperger syndrome, but found that he had incredible difficulty relating to other people, a difficulty which cost him his relationship with his wife and children.

Shawn Murphy(Played by Freddie Highmore)The Good Doctor[x] he must learn the ropes of hospital work, while facing unique challenges and embracing his strengths due to his diagnoses of autism and savant syndrome.

Annie Wheaton(Played by Kimberly J. Brown) Rose Red[x] an autistic teenager with telekinetic powers

Tommy Westphall(Played by Chad Allen) St. Elsewhere[x] Westphall, who is autistic, played an increased role in St. Elsewhere's final episode, "The Last One", where one interpretation of the finale is that the entire St. Elsewhere storyline exists only within Westphall's imagination.

Minato Shindo (Played by Kento Yamazaki) Good Doctor (2018 Japanese TV series)[x] Minato Shindo (Kento Yamazaki) is autistic with savant syndrome. He has an amazing memory and keen spatial skills, but he finds it difficult to communicate with others.

Sam Gardner(Played by Keir Gilchrist)Atypical [x] an eighteen year old boy on the Autism Spectrum. He is obsessed with the South Pole, Antarctica and its Penguins.

Animated Tv Shows

Carl Gould(Arthur)[x] Carl has Asperger's syndrome, a form of Autism spectrum disorder which makes him have problems with social interaction when being around people.

Julia(Sesame Street )[x] Julia is a four-year-old girl on the children's television program Sesame Street who is autistic. She is a yellow Anything Muppet with a red bob cut hairstyle and green eyes (blue for green screen uses) who wears a dark dress shirt over light pink t-shirt and green pants with white flowers on them and black shoes. She premiered on the show on April 10, 2017, though she was introduced in “digital form” in 2015. Her debut marks a new phase of Sesame Workshop’s autism awareness initiative, “Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children”, which provides resources “designed to serve autistic children and their families”.The role of Julia is performed by puppeteer Stacey Gordon, whose son is autistic.

Video Games

Charlie Kane's unnamed son(Twisted Metal Black) [x] Autism (mechanical savant), Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Cassandra (Rage of The Dragons)[x] While they were staying with Elias, he noticed that she had a form of high-functioning autism, and he helped her control her energy in order to harness it better. She fights using close-ranged defensive attacks with an angelic motif.

Jade (The Indigo Child)[x] Jade is an autistic orphan whose parents are unknown and has presumably abandoned her as a young child as she ended up in the St. Thomas Orphanage.

[twelvedaysinaugust]

I will say though, the level of ambiguity that L allows to exist around this story is high - It's hard to reconcile.//

The thing is, with every time Louis mentions Freddie in whatever context he draws attention to his son, publicly. And no matter what, it should be the first priority (for everyone involved in F‘s life actually) to protect him from the public and from obsessive fans and conspiracy theorists. He already is object of so much speculation and theories without being able to defend himself or speaking up about it. That’s also thanks to his family that apparently has no problem to keep posting content with him although that makes everything worse, at least on the Larry side of the fandom. So I don’t think it’s weird or suspicious that Louis avoids that topic for the most part bc he’s aware what that would cause in his fanbase (unfortunately). It makes things worse regardless of what he’d do or say. It’s the same with Larry. They used to bring it up a lot in the first few years and it only added fuel to the fire every time they denied it. They wanted to put Larry rumors to rest and the opposite happend, every single time.

So i guess, making statements or acknowledging the babygate conspiracy in any way would it only make bigger than it already is. I just dont understand why all the other family members keep posting pictures of F every now and then, like Lottie did the other day. If I was Louis I would try everything to keep my child out of the virtual world and social media, even if bbg didn’t exist. An underage child should be protected from online presence until it’s old enough. Especially if your dad is a worldwide known superstar. It bothers me that in this fandom most people seem to ignore the fact that this is about a real existing child that is absolutely powerless in all of that and that had been used for publicity, they were using him with these cringey strollings through LA. It’s fucked up regardless and the question of him being Louis kid or not shouldn’t matter so much in my opinion (it is his kid ffs!!). Things are fucked up, regardless.

I don’t want to mince words because Louis did respond to the bbg speculation on the Dan Wootton podcast. But he really only addressed the idea of F being plastic as ridiculous. He even said he wasn’t offended by the speculation, but he found it disrespectful to F.

I just want to explain why the privacy argument doesn’t cut it for me, since I get so many anons about it.

Even if we leave 2016 in the past, there was a noticeable decline in “lad and dad” content after Louis reunited with Eleanor and moved back to the UK. The pictures his sisters posted were recycled. A lot of Louis’ comments about F in interviews were pretty minimal (if not generic). He got F’s Halloween costume wrong (he thought the one from the previous year was the most recent). I don’t track his every move, but I don’t think he was visiting F particularly frequently during that period. People said Louis was opting for privacy. And me being charitable, I was willing to entertain that idea.

And then Louis noticeably starts interacting with F more after Michael Straus’ comments and right before he begins touring. The optics are really bad. For years, Louis’ sisters have posted pictures of F right before they have something to promote, or seemingly used him for clicks and engagement. Whether that was the intent or not, that’s what it looks like. The Clarks have made mistakes, too. But especially now, the pictures and videos they post of Freddie just seems like a family sharing their life on social media (as many people do, even if I think it’s a little irresponsible in this case). They are F’s primary caregivers, after all. And the timing of everything in this regard on the Tomlinsons’ end always leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I literally can’t bear to talk about this anymore, I don’t care if people agree with me or not. That’s how I see the situation. I have a very, very low tolerance for Louis’ weird behavior when it comes to Freddie.

[vcg73]

Witch!Kurt #27: Good News

Time to give the non-magical part of Kurt’s life a little attention. 

As soon as the blizzard cleared up enough to let everyone get back to their daily routines, life shifted in high gear.  First thing Tuesday morning, after a lift to school from a willing Elliott, Kurt turned in the final draft of his Junior work-study to the Dean of Performance. 

Carmen Tibideaux took her time reading over the material, jotting down an occasional note or making a non-committal grunt over some bit that caught her attention. Unfortunately, neither her face nor her reactions told Kurt anything. She could have loved it, hated it, or found it the most mediocre project turned in this year. There would be no determining her reaction until she had finished every last page and pondered her overall impressions for a few moments.

It drove Kurt crazy, that opaque deliberation, but he knew better than to interrupt or to fidget in her presence. Carmen hated interruptions and she hated distractions. Every student learned the futility of trying to hurry this woman along, as well as the danger associated with saying more than one meant to in her presence. In a way it was fortunate that Kurt always had to fight the tendency to become tongue-tied around her. Kurt had witnessed more than one schoolmate dig themselves into an ever-deeper hole by saying too much while trying to anticipate their teacher’s opinion.  

Today patience really was a virtue. As she closed the back cover on the sturdy red binder Kurt had used to protect his beloved musical from the dangers of dripping icicles and drifting snowflakes after Elliott had dropped him off a couple of blocks from school, preserving the illusion of having commuted in the normal way. 

Carmen folded her hands over the book and looked at Kurt for a long nerve-wracking moment. “Congratulations Mister Hummel,” she said. “Your final script is hereby approved for production. The structure and dialogue have both improved noticeably from earlier drafts, as have the songs, which you may recall I deemed trite and uninteresting during your initial assessment.  The choice to move the ballad from Act One to the beginning of Act Two is a wise one. It feels more natural and effective after the sisters’ argument. Taking on a romantic comedy for your first solo project was a risk, but the humor flows in a natural way that should bring an appropriate amount of laughter from your audience.  Assuming your cast is up to the task.”

She paused and Kurt realized that he was expected to interject. “Yes, Madame. I’ve drafted seniors Clark Tidwell and Tonya Lowenstein, juniors Macy and Lisa Martin, sophomore Luis Hassan, and freshmen Laronda Williams and Antonio Garde, as well as myself, to play the housekeeper, children and grandchildren of the sisters and Ted the suitor. The actors at Lexington House have been practicing since Christmas and everything is going more smoothly since we switched two of the supporting roles.  I feel confident that everyone can be ready to perform on whatever date you choose for us.”

A hint of a smile flickered over Carmen’s lips.  Kurt was certain it had not escaped her notice that he had drafted all of his student actors from the Adam’s Apples. He had many friends around school, but it had occurred to him that that particular talent pool tended to go unused by the majority of NYADA’s elite. Kurt knew only too well what it felt like to yearn for a spotlight no one was ever willing to shine on you and he had wanted to give those deserving underdogs their chance. 

“Excellent,” the Dean said. “Then as you’ve managed to be the first of your class to turn in a completed project, I feel you should have the honor of the first performance slot. Since you’ve been rehearsing at your actors’ residence up to now, I take it you’ll need a couple of days to properly reblock the scenes onto the stage of the Shapiro.”

Kurt nearly squealed, but managed to hold himself back by sheer force of will. He had originally assumed he could stage the production at the Lexington House, but he had found out at the beginning of January that all student productions would be held at NYADA, to be graded by a panel of instructors.  He had immediately gone to the older actors and their caregivers to arrange permissions for a series of “field trips” via the bus company that serviced the elder care facility. To his relief, the cast had been very excited at the prospect of performing on a real stage and happy to invite an audience of relatives and friends. (Something Kurt had then had to obtain a second set of permissions from NYADA to allow.)  Still, even with all this negotiation he had not expected to be offered the biggest and grandest venue in the school. 

Doing his best to appear composed, Kurt channeled every acting lesson he had received at this school to say calmly, “Yes, I think a tech rehearsal and a dress rehearsal should be enough. The elder members of my cast are stage veterans, so I won’t have to simplify the directions for them.” He paused, frowning slightly as he ran the play through his mind at a rapid-fire pace. “Although with such a big stage I may have to reconsider the blocking of the scene where Eunice storms out after her fight with Constance. Mary Ellen is nearly eighty five and I’m not sure she’s capable of storming more than a few feet.”

At this, the dour Dean actually chuckled. “A fair point and I’m glad to see that you’re considering the physical capabilities of your cast as well as the professional. That shows insight as a director.” She checked her appointment book, as well as a couple of schedules on the computer screen to her left. “I’ll reserve the auditorium for you this coming Friday and Monday afternoons for rehearsal and schedule your graded performance for next Wednesday at 5pm. Can you have everything ready by then, Mister Hummel?”

Knowing perfectly well that the question was largely rhetorical; he would be graded on Wednesday if he was ready or not; Kurt nodded. “Yes, ma’am. Thank you for your time.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

“Adam!  Elliott!  You won’t believe it!” 

Kurt burst through the apartment door at 5pm, having taken the long way home just to give himself a few extra minutes to think and plan. He had been on Cloud 9 all day, making calls, meeting his fellow Apples, arranging transportation from Lexington House for the days his cast would be needed, talking to students in the props and set-design departments and slipping in to measure and carefully block out the stage of the Shapiro. 

When he had assumed he would be performing in a small venue, he had staged his play in two acts with everything to take place in the living room of the Atworthy home. It would be a small matter to move a few chairs, tables and set pieces from the well stocked prop building. Part of the overall education at NYADA was learning how to dress a stage on short notice and Kurt - without quite realizing how rare such a thing really was - had cultivated friendships with people from every creative Major in the school. He had served as a costumer, editor, background actor,  and supporting chorus member for half the productions in school over the past two and a half years and everyone he spoke with was happy to return the favor now.  

His fiance and Familiar had both leaped to their feet in reaction to Kurt’s dramatic entrance. “What? What’s happened?” they demanded.

“The Real Housewives of Albany’ is going to be performed next Wednesday evening on the stage of the Shapiro Auditorium!” he announced, doing a giddy little dance around the loft that Elliott happily joined when Kurt grabbed him by both hands and pranced him around the floor. 

Adam declined to dance, but happily hugged the stuffings out of his beloved. Unlike Elliott, Adam was a NYADA graduate and he knew exactly how much of an honor this was. “Darling, that’s amazing! Normally the Shapiro is strictly used for Senior projects and alumni events. For Dean Tibidieaux to give it to a third year student play is high praise indeed, and one that your fellow students will all recognize as such. I’m so proud of you.” He gripped Kurt’s cheeks and gave him an enthusiastic kiss on the mouth. “You’ll have a sold out show for certain.”

Kurt could not help preening at the praise. “I almost fell over when she told me. It adds a lot of pressure to make the final performance perfect, knowing the Dean will have raised expectations high by doing this, but I’m super- excited too. I’m not counting on a full house, but I did get permission to block off a section for the actors’ families, so I just hope we’ll at least pull in a decent sized crowd on top of that.”

“You will. Student musicals usually do very well,” Elliott said, parking his rear on the back of the sofa and pulling his feet up to sit cross-legged on the narrow surface, a huge grin lighting his face. With anyone else, Kurt would have been afraid they would fall from such a precarious perch, but Elliott always somehow maintained his balance. He had moved some of his belongings into the loft during the recent blizzard and for now the little couch was his. “NYU isn’t strictly a performing arts school, but original shows get lots of interest. And you’re still Winter Showcase recruit, Midnight Madness winner, last man standing from Lima, and guaranteed future Dean’s Award winner Kurt Hummel. Not to mention, one of your cast members won an Obie back in the ‘70s and another one was nominated for a Tony.  At a place like NYADA, you’ll probably get S.R.O. just for that!”

Kurt beamed at this assessment. It was so nice to be surrounded by people who believed in him after all those years with no true support from people he’d considered his best friends. “Well, thank you for that but we’ll have to wait until next year to find out who gets the Dean’s Award. That’s for graduating seniors and there are a number of candidates in other programs who would be completely deserving. I don’t want to get over-confident about anything and have it bite me in the ass, so I’ll just hope the show draws enough of an audience not to embarrass us. It’s a big venue, after all, and not everyone is as fascinated with theater history and musical-comedy as us.”

“Your modesty does you credit,” Adam decided. “But I am under no such obligation to control my optimism. You’ll be packing them in like sardines next Wednesday night. In fact, I should start knitting souvenir socks for the occasion. We can hand them out at intermission, since I’m positive that your play will have knocked them off of everyone by then.”

Kurt laughed. “Well, save me a pair if you do. That would be a hell of a keep-sake.” He grinned, hugging himself and spinning in a circle to express his excitement. “Oh, gosh. I have a million things to do before our first stage rehearsal on Friday. I know you’ve suffered through all the various drafts, but I can’t wait for you to see it on stage with a real . . . ”  Suddenly, his happiness dimmed and he looked at his fiance with wide eyes. “Oh, Adam, I forgot! The play is at NYADA. Will you be able to attend in such a large space, especially if we do get a full crowd?”

Adam had been sticking close to home since his nerve-wracking adventure in Lima, but his proud smile did not falter. “Yes, darling, I will. For your big night, I’ll manage even if I have to render myself invisible to do it.”

“You should disguise yourself as a prop and watch it from the stage,” Elliott suggested around the mouthful of the apple he had just plucked from a bowl on the coffee table as he rolled down the sofa to lounge on its cushions. “I think the Atworthy living room could use a coat rack, don’t you, Kurt? And doesn’t Constance have a wheelchair? Maybe you should suggest that she needs a lap cat, so I can have a close-up view too.”

Kurt relaxed again at their easy banter, Adam debating the merits of becoming a coat rack versus a flower vase and Elliott speculating that if Constance did get a cat then Lord Tubbington, who considered himself quite the thespian after starring in Brittany’s old “Fondue for Two” YouTube series, would probably make himself the feline understudy and find a reason to take over when show time came.  

Privately thinking that a cat would indeed be a nice touch for his show, Kurt said, “Well, don’t worry. I intend to reserve the coven seats in the front row, assuming you all want to come.  I’ve recruited half the Adam’s Apples already, so I’m sure the rest of them will show up to watch and they’ll probably invite people too. And some of my friends in in Stage Combat have been bugging me to let them know once I got a firm date from Carmen. I texted everyone on the way home, letting them know the venue and the rehearsal schedule.”

“See?” Adam said with a smile. “Everything is moving along and your audience is multiplying as we speak. You have nothing to worry about.”

Kurt sat down in his favorite chair, the one he had designed and built himself from an old Mercedes car seat he’d found in a junk yard, sagging back with exaggerated exhaustion. “Nothing at all. Except for finalizing the set, the costumes, the transportation, the props; wrangling a dozen actors, doing two run-throughs, and not having an aneurysm if anything goes wrong on performance day. Not to mention that I still have to practice for my mid-winter critique next Friday.” He flipped one hand and closed his eyes. “Oh, my god, give me a distraction before I start overthinking everything. Did anything happen to you today? I thought I detected some emotional roller-coastering today, but that could have just been me projecting.”

“As a matter of fact I did have some news today if you’d like to hear it.”

Kurt opened his eyes and leaned forward, eyes lighting up with interest when Adam nudged Elliott to sit up and took a seat on the sofa next to him. “Tell me!”

Adam smiled at his enthusiasm. “I heard back from Stewart Henderson after you left for school this morning.” He held up a forestalling hand when Kurt squeaked with excitement, both hands clasping as he lifted them to cover his lips, while his hips did an excited little chair-dance. “Unfortunately, he’s decided to go with another candidate for the assistant’s job. He was very kind about it and expressed his sincere regret, but he’s not a young man anymore and he needs someone who can be more hands-on, following him to productions and jet-setting about with him on a moment’s notice. Even if I wasn’t still battling post-traumatic stress and agoraphobia, I wouldn’t feel right committing myself to spending months at a time away from you and our life in New York.”

Kurt could not prevent a small pout. “I understand and I can absolutely appreciate both of those reasons, but it would have been such an amazing opportunity for you. I was sure that you were meant to have that job.” He cocked his head, realizing that Adam was still smiling in a rather smug fashion. “Why aren’t you disappointed?”

“Because Stewart also told me that he’d been impressed enough during our interview that he had put me up for a different job as a booking assistant with Hanover and Bradley. He forwarded my resume and arranged a phone interview, with his recommendation that they hire me on the spot. Which, as it turned out, they were quite willing to do after speaking with me. H&B handles a great many clients through online meetings and remote scheduling, so I can do the job from here, plus have the freedom to take on Mrs. Bui’s kind offer of part-time employment at the tea shop. The job at H&B should pay enough to be a real contribution to our finances, but I think it will do me good to also have a reason to go outdoors on the regular.” 

“Adam, that’s amazing,” Kurt said, shaking his head. “You’re amazing. Seriously. Here you are, having survived one of the worst experiences imaginable and still recovering from a massive scare just a few days ago, and yet you’re ready and willing to face your fears and get back out into the working world again. You’re just . . .”

He had no words, but he hopped out of his chair and into Adam’s arms, kissing him so thoroughly that Elliott started playfully fanning himself with a magazine.  “Should I leave you two alone?”

The couple parted, flushing at the reminder that they had an audience. Kurt laughed. “We’re done.” He gave Adam a saucy wink. “For now.”

The Familiar grinned. “Understood.  Maybe I’ll go see what Dani is up to tonight. “Meanwhile, if you two are up for a more prosaic diversion, I knew you’d want to celebrate Adam’s new job, so I’ve got a nice green salad in the fridge, a melt-in-your-mouth tuna casserole in the oven and a chocolate sponge cake with pudding for dessert.”

“Custard,” Adam said with a playfully long-suffering roll of the eyes. “Seriously mate, if you’re going to borrow dessert recipes from Gran’s cookbook, you might at least give the components their proper names.”

Elliott just smiled. “As long as it tastes good, I don’t care. Especially since now we have two things to celebrate.”

“Well whatever you call it, I want a big serving of everything.  I knew I smelled something yummy when I walked in,” Kurt said, sliding down into the corner of the sofa and draping his legs across Adam’s lap. “I’m ready for a good meal. I’ve been so busy today, I didn’t have time to stop for lunch.”

Adam made a scolding noise. “Then by all means let’s tuck in. Your Familiar has been tormenting me with cooking odors all afternoon and I’m fairly starved.”

Elliott happily jumped up and went to put out three place settings. 

“What about you?” Kurt said a few minutes later when the three of them gathered around the table and began filling their plates. At Elliott’s inquiring look, Kurt said, “Adam and I both have things to celebrate, but I’ve been so caught up in my own stuff lately that I feel like a horrible friend. Here you are, giving up your privacy for an undetermined length of time to teach me and look after us both, not to mention being my on-call magical taxi service and I barely even know what’s going on in your life. Did you ever get to do that lab time you were trying to arrange when the blizzard hit? Did you get your grades back from winter Finals yet? Have you applied for that internship you want at that Animal Wellness Center in Long Island yet? Are you writing any songs?  Any new men in your life? I need dish!”

Elliott laughed as Kurt ticked off each question. “Well, let’s see. No time for song-writing lately, but when we had band practice on Monday night Johnny gave me an idea for one that we might work on together.”

“Rock song?” Kurt guessed. Being a drummer, Johnny had a natural draw toward songs with a beat and a strong lyrical hook. Kurt had developed a better appreciation for such music since starting up his band. The original idea of a Madonna cover band had quickly given way to an eclectic mixture of genres and artists that appealed to all of its members and eventually led them to weave a few original tunes into the mix. That variety had given Pamela Lansbury/One Three Hill a niche with local audiences and proved a winning formula for the band itself.

“Actually more of a ballad,” Elliott said, surprising him. “At least for now. I’ll let you know when it’s developed more. Right now I’m a little busy with school, both NYU and Coven 101. I did pass all my exams last term, though I could’ve done better at cellular biology. I aced bio-chem and that might be enough to get me the internship come spring, but they won’t made a final decision until March and it’s a pretty competitive slot. I’ll need to bump up my lab time and slam-dunk the immunology course if I’m gonna have a shot at it.”

“If you need any help studying, we’ll be glad to help,” Kurt offered, feeling it was the least he could do after all the help Elliott had been giving him lately. “Just don’t make me look at any pictures of sick or wounded animals.”

“Deal,” he said. "I don’t like seeing animals hurting either, but I need to learn how to alleviate their suffering in order to get them healthy and happy again. It’s what I’ve wanted since before I even figured out where my Potential was headed. I think I’d be studying to become a veterinarian even if I was a Standard.”

Kurt nodded thoughtfully. “That’s interesting. Carole said something similar to me when she was here over the holidays. About how our powers seemed to go in line with our personal interests. Like how so many witches are also singers or musicians, when music lends itself so well to spell-casting. Or the way Adam and I have both always liked to cook and we each developed a Talent for potions, minor in my case, primary in his. It’s just a theory, but it makes a lot of sense. I mean, I have some old pictures of my mom puttering around in her grandparents’ garden when she was a little girl and her Talent was apparently in plant based magic.” 

“What an interesting theory,” Adam said. “There may be something to that. Your step-mum went into nursing and she’s an Empath.  I’ve wanted to be an actor since I was just a tiny lad and my other major Talent is Transmogrification. Johnny’s is as well and told me he was painfully shy as a child, wanting anything other than to be noticed.”

Seeing that Adam’s attention was drifting, no doubt mentally adding a chapter to his future tome on the definitive study of magical powers, Kurt just patted his arm and turned back to his conversation with Elliott. “What about guys?” he asked in a teasing tone. “I noticed you and Sebastian seemed to be doing some pretty serious flirting last week.”

Casually stretching his arms overhead, Elliott folded his hands behind his head and pretended nonchalance. “Aw, that was just in fun. I suspect we both have too much going on right now to start up a long distance thing. Though if the signals he was throwing were accurate, that could change.”

“From what I saw, those signals read, ‘let’s go find a dark corner and drop our trousers’, so I’m quite certain he would be happy to have them picked up at any time,” Adam said dryly.

The Familiar chuckled. “Yep, that’s about what I got too.”

“And would you?” Kurt said curiously.  “Sebastian’s good looking and all, but as far as I know he’s always been a wham-bam and forget your name the next day man. While you strike me as more of the long-term relationship sort.”

“I am, mostly, but I’ve been known to do a walk of shame or two in my time,” Elliott admitted, contrarily looking rather proud of that admission. “And considering what you told me about his attitude toward non purebreds, he could just be intrigued by the notion of slumming with an Animagus. Still, it might be worth it. I could show him what he’s been missing.” He smiled and took another bite of tuna casserole, all but wrapping his tongue around the bit of pasta before putting the fork in his mouth and then pulling it back out with exaggerated slowness, giving his eyebrows a suggestive hitch.  

Kurt stared at him for a moment, then laughed. “Why, you dog! No offense.”

“Speaking of Sebastian,” Adam said, pushing away his empty plate and settling back in his chair with a satisfied burp. “Pardon me. I’ve been meaning to ask; did either of you happen to notice that Carole’s new Familiar looked rather constipated every time someone mentioned her son?”

Kurt nodded. “Particularly in connection with Blaine. He didn’t seem to want to talk about either of them. I decided to leave it alone for now since I was more concerned about Carole getting some help with her magic, but if Sebastian thinks he can steer her away from talking about anything she’s set her mind on, he’s sadly mistaken. Dad is a lot more concerned about eliminating the threat to all of us than he is about sparing any tender feelings from the new kid and having two of her sons’ peers living in the house, one of whom was a good friend, there’s no way Carole won’t be eager to talk about Finn. I figured I’d give them a few more days to get used to each other before I go in demanding answers.”

“Maybe you should grill your dad. Burt will be in the audience for your play next week,” Elliott pointed out. “He told me to just come get him on whatever night you ended up performing it.”

Kurt stared at him, surprised. “He did? I didn’t know that. I assumed he wouldn’t be able to come, considering he and Carole just spent two whole weeks out here. Did he really ask you to transport him?”

“Yep. And sorry if I just spoiled a surprise,” Elliott said, looking sheepish. “I assumed you’d talked, since he didn’t seem too keen on magical travel the last time I saw him.”

Kurt laughed. “He still isn’t, but he likes to spring surprises on me, so I should have guessed. I kind of assumed he’d never want to actually do it unless there was some kind of emergency, though.”

“Burt has seen us Teleport enough by now that I think his curiosity has begun to overcome his nerves,” Adam suggested. “You know what an effort he’s been making to accept your new status and to pretend that he isn’t still gobsmacked every time he sees you perform an act of magic. Now that he knows he’s also married to a witch, and for the second time to boot, I rather imagine his need to become comfortable with magic has indeed reached critical status in his mind.”

Kurt nodded. “I hadn’t thought of it that way, but diving head-first into things once he’s made up his mind is very much my dad’s M.O.” He smiled again. “And now that you’ve spilled the beans, I can save him the best seat in the house for Wednesday night!”

“Excellent. Then after the show, once you’ve finished receiving your no-doubt glowing assessment from the Dean’s committee and seen all of your cast off home, I really think you and Burt should go out and have a good chat over a nice meal. Just the two of you.”

Surprised, he said, “You don’t want to come?”

“Not just then,” Adam said, a reassuring smile on his face. “Elliott can pop me on home, if he doesn’t mind.”

“I don’t mind,” Elliott interjected, standing up as he began to clear away the remains of their dinner in preparation for serving dessert. “Any time.”

Adam nodded thanks to him. Seeing Kurt’s still concerned expression, he reached out and squeezed his hand. “Even at the holidays you and Burt never had much opportunity for a one-on-one. Oh, a few minutes here and there, but there was always something needing to be done, or some of us hanging about sharing attention, or some other pull on your time. Not to mention all the tension that stood between you before you cleared the air at the holiday party. You and Burt share something special; a bond that existed long before any of us came along and that that bond was badly damaged during and after your time with Blaine. I think you need a chance here and there to firm up that connection and I want to make sure that you both to have the opportunity to do so. You need to spend a little private time together, to chat and catch up; rediscover the closeness you used to share.”

Kurt put a hand over his heart, imagining that he could actually feel it swelling with the pride and love he felt for this man. When, in the entire span of his relationship with Blaine, had his ex ever behaved with such simple loving selflessness; seeing what Kurt needed and providing him with an opportunity to get it with no thought of himself? 

“Thank you,” he said softly. “And that goes for you too. Any time you want to invite Henry or the rest of your family for private Crawford bonding time, don’t be afraid to say the word. They’ve been nothing but sweet and welcoming to me, but you’re their family and they haven’t had much time to be alone with you either. After two years without you, thinking you’d never have that chance again, I’m sure you could all use more time to catch up.”

“Thank you, Kurt. I promise you I will, just as I’ll eventually end up spending time alone with your dad, I’m sure. Just not this time. And don’t think for a moment that you’ll escape all my family’s mad plans to sweep you into the fold,” Adam said, squeezing his hand. “As long as you aren’t still afraid of Gran.”

He grinned. “I’m not. June is surprisingly awesome once she stops looking at you like you’re an ant on her picnic table. So thumbs-up to all forms of family bonding.”

“I vote for friend-bonding too,” Elliott said, raising his hand. “Adam and the Apples. Kurt and One-Three-Hill. Coven Time. Non-magic time. The works! Sorry, bud, but you may never have a moment alone again.” The twinkle in his lovely blue eyes proved that he was only teasing. 

Kurt inhaled a whiff of rich chocolate from the plate of warmed sponge cake, resting in a generous serving of vanilla custard, that his friend had just set in front of him. “Mmm, if it comes with benefits like this, who needs privacy!”

As the three of them dug in, Kurt felt a set of strong toes slide up under the cuff of his trousers - thankfully he had worn straight-leg pants today to better show off the designer argyle socks that complemented his blue and gold sweater - and caress his ankle. He glanced at Adam, who gave him a subtle wink. 

Perhaps a little privacy would be needed tonight, after all. There would be a million things to do over the next week, for both of them, but for tonight they still had some celebrating to do.

Elliott must have sensed something, for he suddenly looked up. His eyes darted between the two of them and he smiled, spooning up one last taste of the rich dessert before standing up and wiping his mouth on a napkin. “Since I cooked, you two can do the dishes. I’m heading over to Dani’s.” 

With a wink, he grabbed his guitar and leather jacket and vanished. 

THE END

[aeide-thea]

Ambivalent/Anxious Attachment

Many parents and/or caregivers are inconsistently attuned to their children. Attachment researchers describe the behavior of these adults, noting how at times they are nurturing, attuned and respond effectively to their child’s distress, while at other times they are intrusive, insensitive or emotionally unavailable. When parents vacillate between these two very different responses, their children become confused and insecure, not knowing what kind of treatment to expect. These children often feel distrustful or suspicious of their parent, but they act clingy and desperate. These children have an ambivalent/anxious attachment with their unpredictable parent. 

Children who have an ambivalent/anxious attachment often grow up to have preoccupied attachment patterns. As adults, they tend to be self-critical and insecure. They seek approval and reassurance from others, yet this never relieves their self-doubt. In their relationships, deep-seated feelings that they are going to be rejected make them worried and not trusting. This drives them to act clingy and feel overly dependent on their partner. These people’s lives are not balanced: their insecurity leaves them turned against themselves and emotionally desperate in their relationships.

Adults with preoccupied attachment patterns often feel desperate and assume the role of the “pursuer” in a relationship. They often have positive views of other people, especially their parents and their partner, and generally have a negative view of themselves. They rely heavily on their partner to validate their self-worth. Because they grew up insecure based on the inconsistent availability of their caregivers, they are “rejection-sensitive.” They anticipate rejection or abandonment and look for signs that their partner is losing interest. 

These people are often driven to engage in pre-emptive strategies in an attempt to avoid being rejected. However, their excessive dependency, demands and possessiveness tend to backfire and precipitate the very abandonment that they fear. Attachment theorists and researchers Shaver and Clark have observed that “preoccupied” partners appear to be “perpetually vigilant and somewhat histrionic.” They feel resentful and angry when their partner doesn’t provide the attention and reassurance they feel they need. They often believe that unless they dramatically express their anxiety and anger, it is unlikely that the other person will respond to them. Many of those with preoccupied attachments are reluctant to express their angry feelings toward a partner for fear of potential loss or rejection. When they try to suppress their anger, their behavior tends to vacillate between outbursts of anger and pleas for forgiveness and support.

[wikitopx]

The sky is big, the bridge is long, the river is wide, and the ships are massive.

Come get lost in the moment. There are lots to see, do, eat, and drink. But if that's not enough, there are dozens of getaway ideas. Take your pick. The light here paints this majestic setting in breathtakingly dramatic tones.

[toc]

1. Holiday Inn Express and Suites Astoria

Enjoy the charming historic riverfront views at Holiday Inn Express and Suites Astoria In Astoria, Oregon, history and culture highlights from the banks of the Columbia River. The Astoria Column welcomes you to stop in at America's oldest settlement west of the Rockies.

It is tucked above Astoria-Megler Bridge. Close the crossroads of Highways 101, 30 and 26, the riverside Holiday Inn Express® Astoria hotel is for folks traveling between Portland and Seattle. Astoria Regional Airport nears seven miles away, as well.

Business people are interested in the Holiday Inn Express® Astoria hotel's location because it's easy to get to several Astoria, Oregon area companies like Georgia Pacific's Wauna Mill, Port of Astoria, and even the state offices downtown.

Besides, their practical amenities and services are huge hits with travelers, as is our River View room event space.

For leisure guests, it's hard to resist charming coastal towns. This hotel in Astoria, Oregon helps you near to join great activities like touring aboard the 1913 riverfront trolley, visiting Victorian houses nestled in the hillside and uncovering the path of Lewis and Clark at Fort Clatsop. Additionally, we feature an indoor pool and a spa.

Staying in their non-smoking, pet-friendly Holiday Inn Express® Astoria will bring to you to experience the bold spirit of the Columbia River. When you do, be sure you stay with a name you can trust at a price you can afford. Call and reserve your getaway today.

2. Astoria Riverwalk Inn

  Here at Astoria’s largest and most iconic waterfront hotel, they’re committed to doing everything possible to ensure that your stay with them is a memorable one. Built-in 1968 and officially known as the Red Lion-Thunderbird Motel Inn, they were the first waterfront hotel in Astoria.

Cook your salmon on one of our barbecues, or simply relax and borrow a free movie from our extensive DVD library after check-in gathers around the Inn’s parochial fire pits. Every one of the Inn’s 115 spacious rooms offers its deck with commanding views of the active marina, Astoria-Meglar Bridge, and the majestic Columbia River.

In the morning, start your holiday best with a hot breakfast served in their recently expanded riverside dining room, then rent a Beach Bike to explore Astoria’s famed Riverwalk; along the way immerse yourself in the local history, culture and burgeoning brewpub and culinary scene.

We embrace the notion that when you travel, the experience is more than where you are, it’s also about what you do. With that in mind, we’re happy to set you up with a sunset cruise embarking right from the marina or the many historical stops the area has to offer.

Here at the Astoria Riverwalk Inn, they are passionate about creating meaningful memories and a lasting experience you won’t soon forget.

3. Cannery Pier Hotel

The most romantic getaway on the Oregon Coast.

Experience the giant of the mighty Columbia River from the comfort of your hotel room. The Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa was built on the site of the former Union Fish Cannery, 600 feet into the river.

They offer guests the best views of a real working river, as well as views of Cape Disappointment Lighthouse and nearby Washington. Each room has a private balcony and is lavishly well-appointed with a fireplace, hardwood floors, and luxurious amenities.

Enjoy their full-service Day Spa with an accuracy Finnish sauna and fitness room, or learn more about Astoria's heyday as the Cannery Capital of the World on our Museum Walk. For the newest in comfort and luxury and uniquely historic Astorian experience, think of the Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa.

4. Best Western Astoria Bayfront Hotel

Best Western Astoria Bayfront Hotel welcomes two dogs up to 80 lbs for an additional fee of $25 per pet, per night. Guests traveling with dogs must book rooms with "Pet-Friendly" in the description or risk not being able to check in with a dog and/or incurring any associated cancellation penalties.

Dogs may not be left that no caregivers in rooms Treats and waste bags are available at the front desk, and there is a grassy area for pet relief on the property. Additional walking areas can be found along a river path behind the hotel that leads into town.

Cats and aggressive breeds are not accepted. For same-day arrivals, please call 877-411-3436 to confirm the availability of a pet-friendly room.

5. Comfort Suites Columbia River

If you’re looking for a bounteous suite hotel in Astoria, OR, remember you can get a great night’s rest at our Comfort Suites® Columbia River.

Amenities include Free WiFi, Free hot breakfast, Meeting space, Fitness center, 24-hour pool, spa, and sauna.

Guest rooms feature: Microwave and refrigerator, Premium bedding, USB ports, Flat-screen TV, Coffee maker T

heir relaxing hotel with suites is located near attractions like the Riverwalk, Fort Astoria, Astoria Riverfront Trolley, Sea Lions of Astoria, Liberty Theater, Astoria Column, Astoria-Megler Bridge and the coastal town of Seaside, plus: Lewis and Clark National Historic Park, Fort Stevens State Park, Fort Clatsop Visitor Center, Columbia River Maritime Museum Oregon Film Museum

Get a great start to the day—which includes our famous waffles—at our hotel in Astoria, OR. Plus, we’re pet-friendly. And don’t forget that you can obtain rewards, including free nights and gift cards, with our Choice Privileges® Rewards program.

6. Hampton Inn & Suites Astoria

Hampton Inn & Suites Astoria is next to Highway 30, surrounded by Oregon forest overlooking the Columbia River. Waterfront dining is steps away – and beaches, cafés, and shops in downtown Astoria are a 10-minute ride on the Astoria Riverfront Trolley. Enjoy our indoor pool, and free daily hot breakfast and WiFi.

7. Columbia Inn

If you’re just here for a night as you travel the coast, or explore the rich history of the oldest American arrangement west of the Rockies, Astoria has much to offer.

Astoria is famous for its 5-mile bridge, the longest continuous three-span through-truss in the world. This landmark is less than a mile from them here at the Columbia Inn.

The Columbia Inn is near downtown Astoria, walking distance to restaurants, trolley, and the Lewis & Clark shuttle.

Newly mutated rooms, new bathrooms, new sinks with granite tops, all A/C units, and Free Wi-Fi. Enjoy fugitive parking, in-room coffee and refrigerator, touch-tone phones and color TV with HBO. Sorry, we are unable to accept pets.

They offer 22 units: 1 room 1 King Bed Nonsmoking; 11 rooms 1 queen bed nonsmoking; 3 rooms 1-bed smoking; 1 room; 2 double beds smoking; 2 room 2 double beds nonsmoking; 4 rooms 2 queen beds nonsmoking.

8. Commodore Hotel

The Commodore Hotel in Astoria, Oregon's premier boutique hotel. Occupy a commanding position in historic downtown, the Commodore sets you up for a unique experience in this intriguing city. Whether you are staying in one of our suites or cabins, the Commodore provides you with an inviting refuge.

The Commodore experience is centered around our crisp, modernist rooms. They offer two basic classes of accommodation: Cabins—elegant, yet minimal European-style sleeping rooms with shared bathroom facilities; and Suites—more spacious chambers with full en-suite baths and lounging areas.

All rooms are provided with a flat-screen LCD/DVD combo, radiant heat, and premium bathrobes.

For guests in cabins and deluxe cabins, they offer luxurious restrooms and showers at the end of each hallway―ample size, appointed with modern touches.

They offer several rooms that accommodate pets. Ask about pet rates when you make your reservation.

The Commodore is an interesting jumping-off point for adventures in Astoria and along the Pacific coast. It's also the perfect spot to hide out for a few days to read a good book or watch a stack of classic movies. This city is full of surprises and they put you at the center of everything Astoria has to offer.

9. Norblad Hotel

A.C. Miller and J.H. Jeffers, possessors of the Sunflower Diary, hired architect John E. Wicks to design a two-story business block. In November 1923, a ten-year lease on the second floor was signed with George F. Norblad and, in January, the Norblad Hotel was opened.

The Bank of Commerce moved its new headquarters into the building and opened on February 28, 1924. This building is meaningful for its connection to architect John E. Wicks and its contribution to the historic streetscape through its quality of design and attention to detail.

This building is scarce in that it has two doorways with terra cotta surrounds. The glass and pressed tin awning were considered the finest in the area. The building is also significant for its incorporation of a hotel, a common trend during the period.

The Ruins is the Norblad Hotel's sister property. It is located just across the street from the hotel and is one of the most unique event spaces on the Oregon Coast. It is located within the historic Astor Building. From weddings to all-occasion celebrations, the Ruins at the Astor is an ideal, expansive space for your special event.

10. Astoria Crest Motel

The Astoria Crest Motel tucked on nearly three acres, overlooking the mighty Columbia River, Astoria cityscape and the Astoria Bridge. A lot of locals and visitors alike believe this is the best view from any hotel/motel in the area.

This local, veteran-owned, 39 room motel is located less than three miles east of the city center on HWY 30. This property offers easy access to everything while offering a very quiet, peaceful setting that is not available with any other property.

The relaxing setting, epic views, and well-maintained rooms are delivered with the utmost attention to detail by the local owners and caring staff. Your experience while staying at The Astoria Crest Motel will rival those of much higher-end hotels at an good price.

More ideals for you: Top 10 things to do in England

From : https://wikitopx.com/hotels/top-10-cheap-hotels-in-astoria-701958.html

[mredwinsmith]

How to Use Texture in Portraiture For Powerful Results

Why You Should Add Texture to Your Portraiture

To an artist, texture means so much more than a sensation brought on by touching something physical. It can tell a story and make something two-dimensional appear three-dimensional. It can be applied, established through paper choice, scratched into a surface and built upon, layer after layer. The possibilities of texture in art are practically limitless.

What’s more, texture can also be used as a tool to spark a certain emotion from the viewer. This is especially true when used in an art genre like portraiture. Texture can help to capture a glimpse into the mood, personality and thoughts of the subject while also assisting in making the viewer feel a certain way.

To inspire you to incorporate more texture into your art, here are 10 remarkable portraits with brilliant textural elements from artists featured in Strokes of Genius 8. Enjoy!

Caught in the Moment

Adolescence by Veronica Winters, colored pencils on Canson pastel paper

  On a family vacation, I took a picture of my son. It was a lucky moment: His eyes were a lot more telling than posed smiles. I aimed to depict the intensity of his gaze, the look of adolescence seen in the thoughtfulness and contemplation of that moment.

Colored pencil drawing requires the use of smooth paper. Here I deviate from the norm and draw on pastel paper instead. The unfilled spaces of the colored, slightly textured paper mix optically with the colored pencils, revealing the texture of skin and hair.

I work on details with very sharp Caran d’Ache Pablo pencils and shade everything else using soft, permanent Caran d’Ache Luminance and some Lightfast Premier Prismacolors. 

— Veronica Winters

Hard Lines, Hard Times

The Patriot by Clark Louis Gussin, Mars pencils on Strathmore bristol

  The more I got to know my son-in-law, a career combat soldier, the more I was compelled to make his portrait. I traveled to Texas for a formal sitting where I was able to control the pose, the lighting and the mood.

After choosing the desired pose from the photography session, I was excited by the challenge to render the textures and crypsis (i.e., camouflage pattern) of his uniform, and hopefully capture the hard years etched on his face and resonating from his gaze. It took me three months to complete rendering and modeling.

The value transitions of the surface textures were achieved using General’s charcoal pencils and charcoal powder applied with stumps and tortillons.

— Clark Louis Gussin

Bringing an Idea to Life

Wileman by David Sandell, Derwent Studio and Caran D’Ache Luminance pencils on PastelMat

  This drawing started life as an idea for an oil painting, then it developed its own credibility so I ran with it. The subject is an old friend and renowned painter, Peter Wileman. I felt it was important to reflect his character through the texture and landscape of his face as affected by light from a nearby window.

I developed the basic drawing from my own photographic studies, drawing with Derwent Burnt Carmine and white, then bringing in the warm and cool halftones on either side of his face with Luminance Burnt Sienna, along with pinks and grays.

— David Sandell 

Erasing Unease

Out of the Blue by Jennifer Rowe, pastel on Canson paper

  Using reference photos allowed me ample time for experimentation with this portrait. Feeling dissatisfied with my initial results, I grabbed a Prismacolor Magic Rub eraser and made random strokes with its edge.

When I stepped back I saw that the eraser marks had serendipitously framed the face, which I was then inspired to further refine. The juxtaposition of the loose textural background and the tightly rendered visage brings a heightened emotional quality to this piece and leaves room for the viewer’s imagination.

— Jennifer Rowe

Creative Experimentation

Kevin by Chris Page, Black PanPastel and General’s black and white charcoal pencils on Strathmore gray-toned paper

  I did this portrait of New York model Kevin as a kind of creative experiment. First, I painted Kevin from life, using a monochromatic palette of Terra Rosa and Venetian Red, both by Vasari, on a gray-toned panel.

Next, I photographed both the painting and Kevin in black and white. And, finally, I created this drawing from those sources. My primary intention was to first gain a solid structural understanding of my subject, and then hope that it translated into a solid piece.

–Chris Page

Lost in Thought

Thoughts by Catherine Creaney, Soft pastel and pastel pencil on Fabriano Tiziano paper

  Thoughts portrays my mother’s partner and caregiver for more than 20 years. His appearance often reminds me of philosophers or biblical characters, and that is how I wanted to depict him in this portrait.

Working from photography, I can capture fleeting moments and expressions. I used a combination of soft pastel and pencil in both the underdrawing and final drawing stages, adding highlights and hair and skin texture with putty rubber, an eraser stick and a few touches of white pastel pencil. I merely hinted at certain areas so as not to overwork it and lose the vitality.

— Catherine Creaney

Paper Power

Laurie in Profile by Marnie White, charcoal on paper

  This is part of a drawing series of my friends and acquaintances. The background noise has been stripped away to draw attention to form and texture. In these quiet drawings, I focus on my subjects and investigate the poignant humanity of daily life.

The texture of the paper accentuates the drawn texture. Smooth areas like Laurie’s skin are juxtaposed with looser strokes in the hair and sweater. I prefer to work from life but also use reference photographs. I find preliminary sketches from life essential to keeping my work looking fresh.

— Marnie White

Taking a Walk in Someone Else’s Shoes

Hard Times by Wendy Layne, Polychromos colored pencils and white gel pen on cream Stonehenge paper

  Walking in downtown Houston, Texas, I came across a man with tattered clothing perched on a concrete bench with a large duffle bag beside him. The lines in his face told a thousand stories. He gazed at me with gentle eyes, so I approached him. After a long conversation about his life, I asked permission to photograph him for my Faces of Humanity series.

I started the drawing with the eyes — the single most important detail to convey emotion. The gel pen added a depth to the beard and highlights to the thread in his knitted hat. I left the background simple to represent how his surroundings were insignificant compared to his own physical requirements to merely survive.

— Wendy Layne

Thinking Outside the Box

Defense Mechanisms by Mark A. Hanavan, charcoal and acrylic on Canford cardstock

  Defense Mechanisms is from a recent series where I turned my focus toward my animation students. This unique subculture contrasts with traditional societal norms. Contrasting textures, then, become a visual metaphor for this feature of the sitter.

The oval format unifies as it repeats the ovals in the image, but contrasts by the fact that the sitter is not the customary subject of an oval format. Even the space above the figure was intentional, suggesting that the subject is not fitting into our frame of reference.

— Mark A Hanavan

Seeing the Soul

Good Place for a Handout by Nina Ashraf Asmi, Conté crayon on Mylar

  Drawing portraits from life, I seek to portray our shared humanity. I start with no preconceived notion of the finished portrait.

An interplay of random marks, textural strokes and empty spaces lets the viewer inside — with the intention of revealing a glimpse of the soul. I like Mylar because it is receptive to different kinds of strokes without dictating any textures of its own.

— Nina Ashraf Asmi

How do you add texture to your art? Tell us in the comments!

And, if you are looking forward to the release of Strokes of Genius 9, which is all about creative discoveries, pre-order your copy here.

The post How to Use Texture in Portraiture For Powerful Results appeared first on Artist's Network.

from Artist's Network http://ift.tt/2fYqmRO

[ehtrym]

Patterns

Over the past few months I’ve noticed that I always feel SO painfully rejected and abandoned over the tiniest little things. I never realised how much of a problem this was in my day to day life but hoooo boy it sure fucking is. My overreactions are not normal or healthy. They always lead me straight to my endless ‘hello death i welcome you with open arms’ defeatist thoughts. Makes sense right?!?!?

The way I behaved when the bf and I broke up, for instance. I kept a journal in those days and it is badddd. I was completely obsessed with getting him back. Not... ordinary heartbroken person amount obsessed but way, way worse than that. Even now I can honestly say that I would see no point in being alive if without our relationship. Because it IS my life.

More common examples: a friend doesn’t reply to a message I sent on whatsapp, a customer doesn’t reciprocate my friendliness, [close family member] hasn’t replied to something I sent but responded instantly in the group chat, my parents haven’t thought to contact me FIRST, my boyfriend didn’t hug and console me enough (to my liking) when I had a scooter accident, etc etc.

Well. Someone mentioned anxious-preoccupied attachment and.... This is absolutely 100% me:

Adults with preoccupied attachment patterns are often feel desperate and assume the role of the “pursuer” in a relationship. They often have positive views of other people, especially their parents and their partner, and generally have a negative view of themselves. They rely heavily on their partner to validate their self-worth. Because they grew up insecure based on the inconsistent availability of their caregivers, they are “rejection-sensitive.” They anticipate rejection or abandonment and look for signs that their partner is losing interest.

These people are often driven to engage in pre-emptive strategies in an attempt to avoid being rejected. However, their excessive dependency, demands and possessiveness tend to backfire and precipitate the very abandonment that they fear. Attachment theorists and researchers Shaver and Clark, (1994), have observed that “preoccupied” partners appear to be “perpetually vigilant and somewhat histrionic.”  They feel resentful and angry when their partner doesn’t provide the attention and reassurance they feel they need. They often believe that unless they dramatically express their anxiety and anger, it is unlikely that the other person will respond to them. Many of those with preoccupied attachments are reluctant to express their angry feelings toward a partner for fear of potential loss or rejection. When they try to suppress their anger, their behavior tends to vacillate between outbursts of anger and pleas for forgiveness and support. In some cases, the fears and anxieties can lead to more serious emotional disturbances, such as depression.

How are patterns of attachment supported by the critical inner voice?

The pessimistic beliefs and expectations associated with adult attachment patterns are reinforced by destructive thoughts or critical inner voices about oneself, others, and the world in general. These critical voices strongly influence a person’s style of relating in an intimate relationship. People with a preoccupied adult attachment have “voices” that support their beliefs that the world is an emotionally unreliable place filled with uncertainty and the potential loss of those they love. Examples of their voice attacks are, “It’s obvious that he/she is losing interest in you.” “Why isn’t he/she more affectionate?”  “He/she always has an excuse for not wanting to make love.” “You’re so needy and dependent. No wonder she(he) doesn’t like you.” “He/she doesn’t love you as much as you love him/her.”

The funny thing is that I probably won’t bother going back to a psychologist with all this. Because....... the last time I went I FELT REJECTED BY MY PSYCHOLOGIST :D:D

[emarawork2015]

Guiding Tips To Choosing An Appropriate Daycare Sunset District San Francisco

By Maria Clark

Daycare is the day time supervision for people who cannot fully take care of themselves. It is typically given to the elderly, physically or mentally challenged and more so young children. So as to get the best services going to a daycare Sunset District San Francisco can be a wise move. They have staffs who can take care of their loved ones in a suitable manner. The following are characteristics that one needs to consider when finding a day care center. A good center in San Francisco should get situated close to your proximity. When deciding on the right area to leave your loved ones to get taken care of during the day, it is always wise to consider the distance. It should be a place near you where you can be able to visit them anytime you want without struggles. Through this, efficiency in this sector will get enhanced. Reliable centers should have a team of trained and educated caretakers who have specialized in the unique needs of such people. It takes a well trained caregiver to understand every individual special need and correct him as supposed. It is important for such caretakers to attend training sessions so as to gain sufficient expertise in this field. Find a place with a clean and neat environment. A great center must have workers maintaining the hygiene of the site. The children or mentally challenged people in these areas ought to be taught proper hygienic skills and its starts by the neatness of the place. Good hygiene is very crucial to avoid infection of diseases. Find a daycare center in San Francisco that prioritizes on the safety of their clients by ensuring maximum security. Every individual in the facility is entitled to safety and wellness at all time to make their time there comfortable. The directors and caretakers should make sure to notice cruel traits of individuals in there that tend to make others uncomfortable and punish them accordingly. The state should license any day care center. Before enrolling your kids or relatives to supervised attention, it is always wise to make sure the facility has undergone all the applicable laws that qualify it for the job. If the facility has no legal license, you should consider finding another option. A good center in San Francisco must have a prior experience and an educated director. No guardian or parent can trust their loved ones in a facility with no experience at what they do. The managing director of the establishment should have management skills to be able to manage the place having the people there acquiring the right type of care they deserve by experienced employees. An efficient establishment should have a good ratio of individuals and care takers. A center with a small sized population and enough caretakers is more preferred as this shows that every person in the facility will have the sufficient and maximum attention he deserves to make his life comfortable.

About the Author:

Get a list of important things to keep in mind when choosing a daycare Sunset District San Francisco facility and more information about a great facility at http://ift.tt/2qCWpN4 now.

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[etherealediting-blog]

Upcoming Release+Excerpt: Women Within by Anne Leigh Parrish Available Sep 4, 2017

 Available Sep 4, 2017

✦ Pre-order: Amazon | Black Rose Writing ✦

About Women Within

With themes of reproductive rights and feminism, this multi-generational novel presents three women whose paths cross at the Lindell Retirement Home. Constance Maynard, fierce, independent and proud, reflects on her long life promoting women’s rights through her career as a professor of history. Eunice Fitch, the perfect caregiver, is often unlucky in love, yet even in middle age refuses to give up searching for the perfect man. Sam Clark is a young aide with a passion for poetry and, small beautiful things, but at war with her own large, ungainly physique. All together they weave a tapestry as rich and complex as the female experience itself.

Excerpt

The Lindell Retirement Home was lovely. Wide lawns could be reached through automatic glass doors at the end of every hall. Secluded patios with benches and flowering plants made for pleasant sitting in the warm months. The common areas were full of natural light and good quality art, often by a resident’s own hand. Some wings had an aquarium or well-populated birdcage, and one, Skilled Nursing, offered a very large stuffed dog that on occasion brought a smile to the faces of the dementia patients. The overall impression was one of calm, poise, and comfort. Within the rooms themselves, there was less comfort. Aging wasn’t easy. Memory was unsure, especially with the help of certain frequently prescribed drugs. Physical discomfort was quite prevalent, for which, ironically, fewer drugs were prescribed.

Constance Maynard, age ninety-two, knew this well and would have shared her complaints, had she cared to. At the moment, she just wished Eunice and Sam would ease up a little. They were attempting to wash her feet by putting them in a plastic tub full of warm, soapy water. Constance thought the task should be simple enough. She didn’t see why it required four hands to manage it. They always teamed up when any sort of bathing or dressing was needed. Weren’t they the oddest pair? Fifty-something Eunice and twenty-something Sam. One, slight and wiry, the other, a linebacker. Big and Small. Short and Tall. Who’s the fairest of them all?

That was her sleep aid talking. The young doctor who came around told her rest was essential. Who was he kidding? Any moment now she would enter the realm of eternal rest. She should have the luxury of lying awake all night if she wanted to. Night was the traveling time. The time of seeing women within.

Eunice, the little one, knelt and lifted one gnarled foot out of the water, ran a scratchy washcloth between the toes, and lowered the foot back into the tub. The same was done to the other foot. Constance observed her feet with dismay. They certainly weren’t anything to brag about.. . .

. . .

They had been once, small and shapely, so pretty in heels, worn out by years of walking back and forth before a blackboard, teaching morons the lessons history had to offer. Years of dull faces; years of dull minds. Engineering students needing to fulfill their liberal arts credits; fools who had no idea what to study and who got assigned to her lecture by that toad, Harriet, in Registration. “Miss Maynard’s class is too hard for me,” whispered more than one curly-haired girl. Just there to get a husband and start cranking out imbecile children. The so-called research papers they wrote were scandalous. No matter how many times she went over proper footnoting procedure, their sources (if they were actual sources) went uncited. Her remarks were harsh and often caused tears. The Dean scolded her. She could be hard on the men, that was fine; they were serious, hoping for a bright future. The women, well, what could you expect? Constance fumed. And then, she was blessed when Angela Lowry signed up for her class. Angela had a first-rate mind and was eager to learn. She’d read everything on the War of the Roses. Her final paper was good enough to be published. When Constance checked one of her beautifully cited reference materials, she discovered that Angela had plagiarized a man writing two decades earlier, Dr. Harold Moss, at Harvard. She invited her to come to her office. “I think you know why you’re here,” Constance said. She had brewed a cup of tea, hoping it would soothe. “You caught me.” Just like that. Angela didn’t even blink. What color was her hair? Like the inside of a yam, a pale orange. Her blouse was white with small red buttons, and embroidered roses on the collar. She had big hands that looked raw, as if she washed them a lot in harsh soap. Angela had wanted to test her professor, to see how good she really was. Hence the intentional plagiarism. Constance knew that was nonsense. The girl got stuck for time and panicked. Then she tried to talk her way out of it. Constance admired her moxie.

Was that a word anyone used anymore, moxie?. . .

. . .

They were still fussing with her feet. Sam trimmed her nails. Eunice was talking. “He says I’m kind,” she said. Her hair was bushy, copper-streaked with gray. “Aren’t you?” Sam asked. She had a pleasant voice for such a big girl. “Never thought of myself that way before. Gullible, yes.” And then to Constance, “You’re all done, dear.” “Can’t you see I’ve still got the other one to do?” Sam asked. “Right.” Snip, snip, snip. Constance jerked her foot back. “You need to hold still,” Sam said. Sam clipped the last nail, on the little toe of Constance’s right foot, then wheeled her from her bathroom back into her bedroom. Eunice spread a blanket across her lap. The blanket didn’t quite cover her feet, which were now slippered, yet distinctly cold. She could never be comfortable when her feet were cold.

. . .

“You are, I can tell.” “I am what?” “Getting cold feet.” Constance held her cocktail and looked down. A smell of lilac came in on the breeze lifting the gauze curtains in the study. Lilac was her favorite flower. They might have made a pretty wedding bouquet. She could feel William watching her. She smoothed one sleeve of her dress with her free hand. She brought the glass to her lips, then lowered it. “William—” What had she told him on that long-ago afternoon? What reason did she give? There were too many to count. They rolled through her mind, as her gin and tonic warmed in her hand. The breeze was a comfort, then it died, the curtains stilled, and she found her voice. “I can’t.” Nothing more was ever said between them. Not even when she returned the ring. She thought he might remark on that, at least. Choosing it was probably their most intimate moment. What he had first presented her with was a thin band that had belonged to his mother. The look on her face— shock that he would take such a step at all—was misinterpreted. He chided himself for not understanding how badly she would want her own ring, not one someone else had worn, however happily, for over forty years. At the jeweler’s he talked her into a larger diamond than she thought appropriate, or which looked good on her hand. “Isn’t it rather … ?” “Tasteful and grand?” he’d asked. “Vulgar,” she wanted to say, but didn’t. Of course, it was beautiful. Diamonds always are, and this was quite a good one. E color, very, very small inclusions, round cut. Two point three carats. “It suits you, darling,” he whispered, under the jeweler’s approving gaze. They met at Brown. Her field was history, his, philosophy. He was impressed by her academic ambitions, that she’d attended Smith College, that she was petite and self-possessed. He was no doubt used to women who swooned over his attention and the prospect of marrying his money. William was rich in that quiet, understated way people tend to find so attractive. He never called attention to his wealth. He dressed modestly. It was the family home that gave it all away. Abundant opulence. The silent, invisible servants. His aunt’s cool assessment of Constance, and then her grudging acceptance. Since his mother’s death, his Aunt Helen had run the show. William’s father made himself scarce. Like Constance, William was an only child. He didn’t seem entirely surprised by her refusal. Her letters to him the summer before, written from London, had been cool and objective, unlike his, which were warm and intimate. In one, he’d even begged her to return early so they could be together. She said she couldn’t just yet because she still hadn’t found a good topic for her doctoral thesis. In truth, she’d already settled on the fifteenth century English queen, Anne Neville. That era’s military campaigns and shifting factions were interesting enough, she supposed, but they were the stuff of men. She wanted to study the women. Marriages were political and strategic. Love, if it came, was after the fact. Anne Neville was a perfect example. She was married off at fourteen to a French prince who was killed trying to invade England. Then the widow of a dead traitor, she threw herself on the English king’s mercy. For her trouble, she was placed under the king’s guardianship, shut away, and urged to join a convent so the king could retain control of her fortune. Her only recourse was to marry the king’s brother. Such a rotten deal, Constance always thought. Trading one prison for another.

. . .

Eunice straightened the sheets on Constance’s bed while Sam removed dirty clothes from the basket in the closet. She put the clothes in a bag marked with Constance’s name and pulled the drawstring tight. “Plans for the weekend?” Eunice asked her. “Going through old stuff in the attic with my mother.” Sam’s tone said it was really the last thing she wanted to do. “Hm. You could tell her you’re sick or helping out a friend. Use me as an excuse, if you want to.” “I can’t do that. She depends on seeing me. She’s—you know, needy.” Constance nodded. Sam noticed. “But you’ve never met her, Constance. You must be thinking of someone else,” Sam said.

. . .

Constance’s family fell apart when she was nine. They lived in Los Angeles. Her mother had dreams of stardom that never came true. Her father worked as a bookkeeper for a number of small businesses—a plumbing company, which Constance remembered him praising for paying their bills on time, also a small theater troupe where Constance’s mother had had several auditions, then one modest part, then poor reviews and a gentle invitation to leave the cast. It sat badly with her. She stayed home, a cigarette in her hand, circles below her eyes, stains on her bathrobe. Constance was in awe of her mother because she had attempted something brave that other mothers didn’t, which made her failure more acute. When her mother made a new career out of disappointment and sloth, she lost interest in Constance. Constance escaped the pain of her rejection through books, into the world of knights and ladies fair. All those lovelorn women left to worry and wait while the men had their fun fighting. What did they do to pass the time? They reveled in the quiet and calm, no doubt, and kept busy with embroidery and weaving. The noble women would have held fine linens and lace; the servants sat at looms crafting tapestries to soften and warm stone walls. Constance learned the art of needlework from her downstairs neighbor, Mrs. Pauline Lester. Her hands were gnarled terrors, yet quick and precise when wielding a needle. She sewed the most beautiful things! Fields of ornate flowers and birds, a young girl with flowing blond hair that made Constance despise her own raven curls, a small white dog sleeping on the threshold of a charming cottage in the woods. Constance began with a simple patterned canvas, following the outlines faithfully, crying when she erred and had to pull the tender thread from where it didn’t belong. The world of her imagination, populated with dreams and the fabric in her own hands kept her going, far from the sour mood of her mother and the stony silence of her father. It was decided that Constance’s mother suffered from a nervous condition and needed to be in the company of people better able to help her. Constance waited with Pauline while her father put her mother and her one suitcase into the car and drove away. He was gone a long time. When he returned, he stood visibly straighter. His voice had a lighter tone. Soon, though, the task of caring for his young daughter weighed him down again. Constance’s father had been raised by his stepmother, then widowed and living in upstate New York. The stepmother was notified of the change in circumstance, and Constance was packed off on a train across country, alone, with her name and destination typed on a piece of paper and attached to the lapel of her coat with a safety pin. Her shock at the upheaval of her world was deep. What occupied a still deeper space within her was the splendor of the passing landscape. The desert seemed a glorious and terrifying place! She’d seen it before, of course, in little excursions with her parents before her mother cracked up. Pauline used those very words to a neighbor in her kitchen when she thought Constance was still embroidering in the living room, out of earshot. It was as apt a term as any, Constance thought. The woman who received Constance into her Dunston home on a still spring night was as solid as a rock. Lois Maynard would brook no nonsense, she informed Constance as she led the way up the dim stairway. But she would reward good behavior. Constance could be sure of that. In the years that followed, Constance was seldom punished and seldom praised. She was surprised to find how little she minded it. She adored school and excelled in all her subjects. “A natural scholar,” more than one teacher said. When she wasn’t at her books, she embroidered. The owner of the yarn shop in town, Mrs. Lapp, smiled when she came in. “It’s not the same shade of red,” Constance said. Mrs. Lapp stared at her sympathetically. To her, Constance was an unfortunate case. The grandmother—stepgrandmother—was well known. Her house, a mansion, really, was clearly visible on its high hill, particularly in winter when the trees bared. Not much of a life for a child, living in a cold place like that, Mrs. Lapp thought, though Constance was nearly thirteen at that point. She was small for her age, and had given up hoping she would be taller. Mrs. Lapp checked the skein Constance had taken from the peg on the wall, then consulted her inventory book and assured Constance that the lot number was the same. Constance gave her what remained of the skein she’d used to embroider a row of roses. Mrs. Lapp took both skeins to the glasstopped door where the sunlight poured through. “How right you are! The new is slightly more brown, isn’t it?” Mrs. Lapp asked. Even so, there was nothing to be done. Mrs. Lapp suggested that Constance use the new wool in a corner, somewhere the eye wasn’t instantly drawn. Constance had already thought of that.

. . .

“It’s nice to see you smile,” Eunice said. Constance was not aware that she was smiling. She wanted a skein of that red wool—the proper color. She needed to finish her embroidery. She loved it so. She pointed to the table by her bed. The lower shelf had her rolled-up canvas. Eunice brought it to her, set it in her lap, and then she and Sam went on their way.

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