#i am kind of stuck reading about kings etc because i don't feel up to anything else but at least a lot of it's entertaingly gossipy

[nostalgia-tblr]

last book, current book, next book

tagged by @grassangel

Last Book: Death and the Virgin: Elizabeth, Dudley and the Mysterious Fate of Amy Robsart, by a Tory MP (I DIDN'T KNOW). This one was okay overall but I was confused about who the target audience was supposed to be, and part of that is that most of the book isn't actually about Amy Robsart (RIP) so if she's what you picked it up for you'll have to get through a lot of stuff you already know about the Elizabeth/Leicester pairing, and it seemingly dimisses the murder idea about halfway through (she doesn't die until about page 150 or something) only to suddenly decide "well actually" in the final chapter which is too little too late for me - if I pick up a book that promises SCANDAL and MURDER then I want that to be more prominent. (I suppose this book suffers from what plagues many of those Liz/Rob OTP novels, which is that their SCANDALOUS behaviour mostly just isn't by modern standards. OH MY GOD HE TOUCHED HER HAND?! IN FRONT OF THE SPANISH AMBASSADOR?!?! *FAINTS*)

So I wouldn't really recommend that one, and not just because it was written by a Tory MP (don't worry my copy was secondhand).

Current Book(s): Current paper book is Isabella and the Strange Death of Edward II by Paul Doherty, which is full of exciting plot twists that I discussed recently, and the bit I am up to is after Hugh de Spense's been horribly killed but before Edward dies (this is not a spoiler because a) it's in the title of the book and b) this all happened in the 14th century of course he's dead by now), and currently Queen Isabella's shacked up with Roger Mortimer and ruling via her son (which is one of my favourite scheming queen tropes, yay!!) and Edward's in a castle, possibly in poor conditions, and yeah I assume he's about to get murdered and then we'll probably spend a chapter or two discussing whether or not this was Isabella's fault. OH NO, WHO HATH WROUGHT THIS TRAGIC TURN OF EVENTS?

Current Kindle book (main one, as I dip in and out of things a bit) is something about the six wives of Henry VIII by Antonia 'I'm Very Posh BTW' Fraser. Quite enjoying this one despite knowing what's going to happen to all of them. I'm only up to Anne Boleyn though and she's not even queen yet, we're still in The Interminable Divorce Proceedings which I feel is often the hardest part for a writer dealing with The Wives because it involves not much actually happening for ages and everyone gets increasingly depressed about Katherine of Aragon and then as soon as you're past THAT it's time to get depressed about Anne Boleyn. Anyway at the moment it's very awkward because Henry keeps frothing about Leviticus and how he is CURSED BY GOD because sure he has one legitimate child but she's THE WRONG SEX and this sort of thing is the reason Henry is always the least sympathetic character in any fictional version, even when they do a Bitch Anne Boleyn (oh, how edgy!). So there's a good chance I won't get to the end of this one because it's a big book with a complete shit as the 'protagonist' (it's non-fiction but u kno wot I mean) BUT in terms of the writing I'm enjoying it and it's a nice mix of Facts and Commentary so if you want a long book on this topic you could do a lot worse.

Next book(s): for paper book I plan on reading something fairly thin (because ow hand) which has maybe a 90% of being about a dead queen of England, and the next Kindle choice is further away (maybe) and will possibly depend on which Richard III biography is next to get a deep discount on Amazon.

I tag everyone, because why not?

[tarotreaderbabe]

A message from Persephone.

The Greek myth of Hades and Persephone is my absolute favourite. There's just so much misinformation about a beautiful love story. Queen of the underworld, forever my Mother Goddess 🥺 Anyway, let's pick a pile together.

Pile one, two, and three respectively.

Pile one

You want to go on a journey, but to you, it would feel like you are abandoning your mother. The specific card that represents Persephone in this reading is a very youthful Page of Pentacles, and is peacefully surrounded by flowers. This makes me think of Kore, moments before her "abduction".

All the cards where pointing towards a journey that you really wanted to go on, but you feel stuck between your own life and your mother's. Persephone is saying that no matter what you do, your heart will always draw you towards where you're meant to be. Persephone wanted to be with Hades, truly. And she gave in to that wish, and ate the pomegranate, even if it meant to be apart of her mom, Demeter.

Her advice is that nothing needs to be permanent. life is made up of cycles, and you can always pay a visit, just like Persephone did herself.

If you need confirmation, this is it. Follow your heart. Be with who you want to be with, travel to that place you want to go to, move out, become independent just like you want to. You deserve a life of your own.

Pile two

You are a sensitive soul, in deed, but so brave. Never look down on yourself. The card that represents Persephone in this card is the King of Swords, representing her as an authority, a Queen. She says that you are such a gentle, kind individual, but with extreme strength and resistance inside of you. You feel sad over the state of the world, you wish for the world to be truly a better place. A part of you believes you are just too weak to change anything, specially when the justice system turns a blind eye to things that should be punished.

She's not saying it's your job to fix the world, but you can make a difference. You do.

You are being represented as the Queen of swords, with the Hierophant to clarify, and the hierophant in this card looks super weird, as if he is evil, but the queen is not afraid of him at all. She speaks, and she speaks bluntly, that is the queen of swords. She is unbelievably and brutally honest no matter who she is speaking to. Persephone became queen, and she created a paradise for the goodhearted inside the underworld.

You can make a difference, even if not in the entire world, but in your own world, the world around you. Stand up for yourself, stand up for others with that brilliant mind and sharp tongue of yours. Question authority and educate yourself. If you wish to, Persephone is saying that if you work with the Law or social work of some kind, you will feel amazing even though it is a difficult job. Also, don't forget this: it's not your job to save the entire world, but if your heart burns with a desire for justice, you can make a difference if you want to.

Pile Three

Don't give your own life away for someone else to handle, but also, learn how to listen to other's advice.

In this pile, Kore is missing, and only Hecate knows where she is. Yet, she doesn't say a word to Kore's mother, because she knows that everything is working out for her in her greatest good. You might be facing a very difficult issue that no one is willing to help. Some really don't give a fuck, but some are putting all their faith in you. They believe you can make it out of this, so they are letting you handle it. Understand that I'm not going to say this shitty situation you're in is for your highest good, even if it is. My point is, don't count on anyone to save you. Just listen carefully to their warnings. Everything will be fine. But please, listen. Be very discerning of this pile, as I am not saying for you to listen to your family's bs about the new great person you just met. This pile is for those in abusive relationships, toxic households, bullying at school, etc. You won't receive any help, the ball is in your hands. It's your choice to stay or go, but don't be so blind and in denial that you ignore every possible warning, red flag, tarot advice, etc. This message is for your own good.

You will be fine. You can do this. I am here for any of you if you need to talk to someone.

[maiji]

Fortune Lenormand oracle/art deck - new edition + limited time free readings!

I'm excited to announce my Fortune Lenormand oracle/art deck is available again in a new edition (the biggest change: it now has a custom box!) yay!!

To celebrate, I thought it'd be fun to offer some free readings, the kind I used to do back when I was tabling at events! I personally find the 36-card Lenormand system accessible and enjoyable for both personal and creative prompt-type purposes. These readings will use the 2-card spread, which is easy to do!

How this works

To submit a request for a free reading, send it through my ask box between now (Fri Oct 27) and Sun October 29, 2023 midnight EST.

Optional: Along with your request, include your question and two numbers of your choice from 1-36.

I'll do as many readings as I can before the end of October. 

One question per person please!

I am not taking anonymous requests and these readings will be posted publicly. So don't share anything you're not comfortable with strangers on the Internet seeing!

I reserve the right to turn down a reading for any reason (the most likely reasons are if a question is rude/tasteless/inappropriate etc. or if I get too busy and can't do all the requests I get).

Asking your question

Your question must be an open-ended one, and not a question that can be answered with "yes" or "no".

Ironically, even though this deck is called "Fortune", I use them as tools for self-reflection and creative stuff, not fortune telling. It is an opportunity to open a dialogue with your self/subconscious!

For example, instead of "Should I [go to this event, do this thing, ___" or "Am I/Is someone/something else going to ___, try something like "What should I consider if I were to ___?" "Why do I want ___?" "What am I afraid of/hopeful for with regards to ___?" "How might I approach ___?" and so on.

You can learn more about this philosophy, and also get ideas for phrasing your question, on my site - check out the section that starts with "Framing your question" and up to/including "Reading Examples".

Also, you can have fun! Ask a question for your OC or a character you're writing! Ask questions for creative prompts! "I'm stuck in a fanfic I'm writing about X, Y and Z doing [whatever they're doing] and need an idea!" "I'm designing a new character, what could I incorporate into their personality or backstory?" "I want to draw a picture of my OTP and would like a prompt for inspiration!" and so on.

Decide what your question is before you make your request and don't forget what it is!

Seems obvious, but I'm reiterating this because you don't have to tell me your question when you make your request.

If you do tell me your question, it may help me give you more specific suggestions for how you can interpret the cards. If you're asking a creative prompt question, having details means I can suggest more relevant ideas for you to use as jumping off points.

If you don't tell me your question, please write it down somewhere or do something so that you don't forget it by the time I get around to your reading.

Obviously this is an honour system thing, but it doesn't really matter because if you sneak-change your answer, the only person it really affects (and potentially confuses) is yourself, haha.

If you wish to reveal what your question was afterwards, feel free to do so on the reading post!

Readings completed so far!

delphina2k: Creative prompt-type reading regarding Sydney from the webcomic Sombulus

lucylyall: Personal reading on changing habits/automatic ways of thinking

and-his-hands-were-24-crows: mystery reading!

blue-moonlight-sirens: Personal reading on what is coming in general

rootandbranchcomic: Personal reading on surviving a huge change

rawwrr04-blog: mystery reading!

crabbng: Creative prompt-type reading regarding Hana from the webcomic Kings of Sorts

supreme-sauteer: Personal reading on what's stopping me from putting myself out there

ancient-trees: Personal reading on sparking creative energy

[funkymbtifiction]

I have a couple of questions about the enneagram, if you don't mind.

1) Self-pres 9s gets stuck in secondary tasks of self pres (eating, sleeping, daydream, reading, collecting, gaming, being in the internet, watching tv or movies, and other hobbies). Are they satisfied with that little? Do they truly enjoy their little hobbie/routine and don't aspire to much more? Or are they frustrated but don't have the force to go to their true wishes?

Hmm. I would assume they are satisfied by those things, or don't know how to take up enough 'space' to get other things; but 9s are a bit like elephants. Slow to get moving, but unstoppable once they start -- so if they do eventually decide to do something, they are quite stubborn about getting it for themselves. It just takes them a awhile to get around to deciding that's what they want, since sometimes they aren't AWARE of what they want -- part of 9-ness is frequent unawareness of what oneself truly desires.

2) The gap (4 and 5) have the reputation to enjoy the morbid and grotesque of life. Is that intensify or truly real for 4w5s and 5w4s? I couple of days ago you posted about Miranda from the Devil wears Prada as a 4w3. A w3 doesn't seem that incline to enjoy that kind of topics. Also, what would be a couple of good examples of that morbid predisposition? I am thinking H. R. Giger art, for instance.

4 focuses on the negative and so does 5; 5 has a grotesque sense of the world and a dark imagination, so yes, combined, they lend themselves to a rather morbid personality (Edgar Allen Poe, Stephen King, etc). 3 being a positive, proactive, energetic wing brings a completely different, more extroverted and positive flavor to 4 -- there is still the brokenness and separation and elitism (even more pronounced because of the 3 wing's "I deserve/want the best") but they are more driven and less withdrawn. They are "pickier and bitchier" whereas 4w5 is "darker and less social." Tim Burton's films are a good example of the 4/5 space / aesthetic.

3) What's the difference between the sx-dom (It is life or death to feel the electricity, to attract, to feel desirable to my current object of attention) and the sexual attraction as a commodity for the sp/sx (It is essential to have my needs meet, sexual attraction is fun and easy, but when I don't get it, it feels threatening to my sp-needs like I am being denied some commodity). It is taking me a while to discern between the two, one is the main focus, while the other bleeds into the sp dominant instinct.

Sx-dom: I will die if I can't hook people/be sexually appealing, vs "hooking people and using attraction displays comes easily to me; if they don't want me, no biggie" (vs the soul-crushing defeat of an sx-dom being rejected by the person they want to hook). I assume. Being sx-blind, all of sx seems weird to me. ;)

4) Can you explain how the type 1 deals with being a superego type? The three compliant types are somehow thinking repressed because their action are somehow dictated by shoulds. I can see how 2 (oriented completely to others) and 6 (not separating too much from human race for security sake) may be at mercy of this thinking, but type 1 is quite independent, in my opinion, and it is answering only to themselves matching what they feel it is the ultimate way of existing. How is this fitting the tyranny of I should do this even when I don't want to? Maybe I am misunderstanding.

First, the thinking repression of the 1 is perfectionism. It does not exist, so wasting time thinking about how it could be better or more perfect or having standards that are too high is "unproductive thinking." Secondly, the 1 is most prone to the tyranny of should. "I should not eat this, I should be restricting my calories." "I should not waste my time doing X, and when all these things need done." "I should get my work done before I play." "I should smile and be polite to this person, even if they are a total asshole." Followed by anger and resentment that they feel duty-driven to do all these things, and not "slack around" while other people seem to be "having fun." This is the person who stays inside washing windows because it needs done, who gets angrier and angrier watching their family frolic on the lawn, because it doesn't occur to them that they could just... not do what needs to be done (right) and go enjoy themselves and leave stuff undone. 1s believe in stern self-discipline, for the most part, so they are hard on themselves and often 'rigid' with themselves.

5) 4s and 5s, are usually depicted as the unintentional weird or freaks of the enneagram. Is this happening at all levels? Or just in their ideas, interests, personalities...? Is it manifest external necessarily (clothes, hair, makeup)? A couple of days ago I read someone stating that 7, 6 and 9s are the types more prone to dress up weird on purpose (Lady Gaga, Bjork, Jaden Smith) would you agree?

They FEEL like the freaks, it doesn't mean they are the freaks. They feel like they were born wrong, born weird, don't understand people and/or are not understood, are different from others, etc. If I am going to be rejected anyway for being weird/an alien born in the wrong body/time/place/planet, then I may as well self-differentiate a lot and give people something to reject that isn't me, it's my persona (4) or my overall lack of caring about what others think (5). Some 5s are more "normal" than others (Sherlock Holmes is eccentric, but still likable). But yes, the 7 is the most inclined to want to provoke people for fun. The 4 is dressing up as an "Extension of my inner self/feelings." The 7 is just being an attention-grabber.

6) is it true that sexual 9 is consider to be the 'supermodel subtype' (hiding behind their sexual attraction)?

I.... have never heard this theory before? Might be true?

[sable-myers]

Nancy Thompson, Kristy Cotton, Dana Polk, Min Allen, Maddie Young, Tree Gelbman for the Final Girl asks!

3. Nancy Thompson - Creepiest dream you remember having?

I was sitting at a campfire in the woods, with my trailer set up next to me. I was completely alone, and reality felt shifted and off. It was dead silent and the light of my fire seemed to die far to soon. I had this horrible feeling of being watched and I wanted to run to my trailer for safety but I knew if I got up I would be noticed. I sat there like that for a long time and then suddenly felt hands slam down on my shoulders from behind and a distorted deep voice say "well well well, look what I found" and then I jerked awake.

5. Kirsty Cotton - Be honest…no shame…if you had to get kinky with a horror villain…who would it be?

Real answer? Michael of course, but you all already know that so thats a boring answer and I'll pick someone else. Hmm... Ghostface(any of them really). Would he probably kill me during? Yeah. But worth it. Also if he would maybe not rip me into a million little bloody pieces as painfully as possible then Pinhead.

12. Dana Polk - Realistically…are you the final girl/boy/person? If not, which character are you?

If we're going by the Horror Rules(TM) then no because I like to have sex and drink and sometimes go get things out of my car alone. But if we're being real then possibly? I'm sneaky, clever, and unlike almost every horror character ever for some reason - I have a gun and will use it and go for the head the moment they're down. I also have a ton of other kinds of weapons on my room, knives, swords, axes etc. There's pretty much nowhere in my house that I couldn't arm myself with something lethal. I've taken a few years of MMA, am brutally aggressive when something threatens me or something I care about, and perhaps most importantly I can run away fast without screaming my damn head off while I do it. If its a supernatural killer like Jason or Freddy then they'd probably still get me eventually, but if it was one thats just some guy like Ghostface or The Miner then I'm pretty sure I'd make it.

14. Mia Allen - Scariest book you’ve ever read?

Shit, um, I can't remember the name for some reason, but it was this book that was a collection of dark short stories - some horror, some sad, some dark fantasy, etc. One story was about some girl's descent into insanity culminating with her bashing I think it was her boyfriend(?)'s head in with a rock. Something about the description of how she started to loose herself and then also the disgusting grueling details as she killed the guy just stuck with me. I wish I could find the book again, it had some really great stories.

15. Maddie Young - Favourite horror author?

Probably a boring answer, but Stephen King. Tbh I don't read much horror, I prefer movies when it comes to this genre, but I really enjoyed The Sun Dog and The Shining.

16. Tree Gelbman - What horror movies can you watch over and over again?

Any of the Halloween movies but especially the original one, the first Scream, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre are probably my most rewatched

[nad-zeta]

iT'S YA BOI !! i read your foreign mc headcanons and i stan 💕💓 which had me thinking, how would warlords ( mitsuhide, nobunaga, and whoever else you'd like ? ) react to their s/o being kind of homesick and singing some soft songs in their native language? ( me being me i don't have that good of a voice so maybe mc isn't the best singer out there, but the songs are soft, slow, about love, about heartbreak, etc etc ) gotta love them ballads. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK! you posts make my mornings.

Hi, there dear! Thank you so much for the request, is always much appreciated! <3 You are so freaked sweet thanx for ya kind words! I hope ya like it! And I hope you are staying safe and well! So these are probs the songs that you would find me singing if I were stuck in the past lol! 🔥🦊❤

HEADCANON: MC Singing in her native language

feat; Nobunaga, Mitsuhide and Kenshin  

Nobunaga

One night you and Nobunaga were relaxing in your shared room

Nobunaga had, had a long week and now had dark rings under his eyes

You had dragged him away from the important document to rest his head on your lap. You soothingly caressed his hence and hair, trying to coax him to sleep.

He looked up at you with pleading eyes

“Entertain me, fireball.”

He had heard you singing softly a few days ago. You were hanging out the washing and wind seemed to carry your voice to his room, giving him a renewed sense of energy for the day

“I am entertaining you, or would you rather I tickle your ears.”

Nobunaga’s eyes went wide, and he cupped his ear, narrowing his eyes at you. He had a cute little pout on his face

“Careful fireball, if you tickle me, it will be seen as a declaration of war.”

You smiled challenging at him, Nobunaga didn’t want to take any chances with you. He uncovered his ears and took your hands in his. He then intertwined his fingers with yours. He smiled triumphantly

“Okay, okay I accept defeat, how do you want me to entertain you.”

Ruby eyes stared excitingly up at yours, he gave you his signature smirk, and he asked you to sing for him

“Fine then, but it’s not going to be any good,” you rolled your eyes and started singing

“Ek sal jou nooit los nie en ek sal jou nooit vergeet

Waarvandaan ek kom en al's wat ek nou weet

In 'n wêreld vol bakleiery het jou vrede my nou beet

Want jy gee vir my 'n rede, 'n rede om te glo”

He looked into your eyes as you sang, he could tell it was some sort of a love song, he smiled up at you and closed his eyes to savor every soft sound of your beautiful voice

He had often forgotten that you had come from a completely different place and that your customs and languages were so different from his.

You would often sing these songs in your native language when you were feeling homesick

And every time you did, he would envelop you in his warm and ask you about your life, childhood, and favorite memories. Sometimes there would be a few tears, but Nobunaga would always be there to kiss them away.

He loved to hear about your life before; he would shower you with love and kisses, he knew that you had sacrificed so much to stay with him

He loved to listen to you sing, and you were only to sing to him and no one else.

He loves to rest in your lap as you softly sing. Sometimes If you are feeling particularly homesick, the roles would be revered, and Nobunaga would now be the one gently playing with your hair and singing some of his native songs to you, to ease your homesickness a bit 

Mitsuhide

You were busy cleaning up your and Mitsuhide’s shared room

Little knew how sentimental the sneaky snek was; he kept a box in his cupboard filled with precious trinkets for his past

In the box was a small trinket that Nobunaga had gifted him the first time, they met. You looked at it and was flooded with memories from your past and stories your parents and grandparents used to tell you

You parents were also sentimental creatures and kept a similar box in their cupboard and as a child, you would also always open it up and gaze in wonder at the contents inside

You remembered a particular item that was hidden in the box that you stole for yourself.

It was your dad’s army jacket embroidered with your family’s surname.

You used to wear that jacket everywhere you went. You remembered how you would even wear it when you and your brother would play war games. You smiled at the memory and couldn’t help but remember your dad’s favorite song, well, to be honest, it’s one of those songs that every Afrikaans person knows

“Op 'n berg in die nag

Lê ons in donker en wag

In die modder en bloed lê ek koud,

Streepsak en reën kleef teen my

En my huis en my plaas tot kole verbrand

Sodat hulle ons kan vang,

Maar daai vlamme en vuur

Brand nou diep, diep binne my”

Mitsuhide smiled as he walked into the room hearing his sweet mouse singing what sounded like a very passionate song in her soft voice

Once the song was done, he snuck up behind you and frightened you. He sat down, pecked you on the cheek, and looked over your shoulder to see what you were up to.

He could see you were feeling a bit homesick. He asked if you would sing him another song from your homeland.

You beamed up at him; you were feeling a little shy. “only if you don’t tease my terrible singing voice.”

“But my love, I love it when you sing so out of tune.”

You rolled your eyes and hit his chest

You softly started to sing another song from your homeland

“Well honey you're the reason

For the poet-inspired love affair

Honey this is treason

The king is gone, Rapunzel let down your hair.”

You smiled as this one was more of a love song to help lighten the mood a little

You spent the afternoon singing to Mitsuhide and reminiscing about the past

He would just sit and listen to your beautiful singing, occasionally giving you a flurry of kisses while gently stroking your soft, smooth hair.

He loved hearing stories of your childhood and family

Every so often, you would get a little homesick, but Mitsuhide would always be there listening to your stories and singing. He would hold you in his arms and remind you just how much he loves you. 

TBH he has heard you sing a few songs so many times that he will join in on softly singing with you.

Kenshin

You were playing with the bunnies in the garden

The rabbit you were now petting in your lap was white with black ears and legs. The cutie reminded you of the bunnies you used to have back at home

You suddenly started thinking about home and your sweet buns

You used to sing to them all the time because they were an energetic bunch and would only come to you for a cuddle if you sang to them

Your family would often joke about how spoilt your bunnies were back at home

Feeling a bit nostalgic you decided to sing, to the bunny on your lap, hoping that the wind would somehow carry your voice to the ears of your bunnies back home (even if they were 500 years away)

“We leave to their goodbyes

I've come to depend on the look in their eyes

My blood's sweet for pain

The wind and the rain bring back words of a song

And they say wave goodbye….”

You softly sang a song heavy with sentimental memories

Kenshin walked in the garden hearing the wind carrying a soft whisper of a voice singing

He instantly recognized your voice

He stood and listened for a minute, not realizing a tear managed to escape and was now rolling down his cheek

He could hear the song sung carried so much emotion; he softly walked over to you

Plonked himself behind you and rested his chin on your shoulder while wrapping his arms around your waist

Kenshin wasn’t the only crowed you manage to attract with your singing as it seemed like the full army of fur balls was now at your feet, nudging your legs as if to say “don’t stop now, keep singing.”

You felt a little bashful; you had only ever really sung to your sweet bunnies, and with your mom in the car

Kenshin was now nudging your neck with his nose, like the rabbits.

You couldn’t help but smile, Kenshin is the bunny lord, after all, so singing to him would be like singing to your rabbits.

You continued to sing the whole afternoon, Kenshin love the sound of your soft voice

Since that day, Kenshin would often try and convince you to sing to him when his head rested on your lap. He would usually hum along to the tune of the songs

And every time you sang to him, the army of bunnies would gather and listen to your sweet singing while nuzzling you lovingly. It's hard to feel homesick when your new home is filled with so much love 

I hope you enjoyed it dear! and once again thanx for the request friend❤!

Hehe so the songs in here are: 

ELVIS BLUE - REDE OM TE GLO

Bok van Blerk - De la Rey

Parlotones - Colourful

a-ha - Manhattan Skyline  (hehe so this one is actually a Norwegian band, but omw they are so good and they are legit my mom and I favorite band! We have lots of memories attached to these songs so I felt like I just had to add it)

[michael-radi-the-glamorous-life]

No, You Don't Have To

You’re stuck at home.

Well really, we’re all stuck at home. And if you’re not, you need to be (this you do have to do)!

Life already looks a lot different than it did one week ago, and it’s only going to change more the further along into this crisis we go. And - not to be alarmist - we do have quite a ways to go.

(Side Note: “Quite a ways” is such a delightfully odd phrase!)

And since we’re stuck home trying to cope, deal, and learn a new way of life, as the whole world is trying to adjust - all whilst the capitalist system tries to figure out how to retain its workforce and productivity - we’re being bombarded with ideas and advice.

Some of it is meant to be helpful.

Some is not.

Intentions aside, let’s dive into a few of these messages.

Go-Getter!

“Well this is it! Now’s the time! You’re stuck at home, so now you have the time to…[put together that business/try out that vocation/do that research/quit that day job/create that masterpiece/etc.]…that you always said you wanted to!”

Have you all seen a lot of this one?

It’s definitely been prevalent in the art world. The current meme/source of “encouragement” that has been floating around has been:

“After all, Shakespeare was quarantined when the theater shut down due to plague, and that’s when he wrote King Lear!”

…I mean, good for Shakespeare! That’s great for him!

He also likely wrote Macbeth and Antony and Cleopatra during that outbreak. Awesome. Neat. Cool.

You do not have to be Shakespeare.

Yes, we all suddenly have time on our hands to do things we’ve wanted to do, but you don’t have to.

I can guarantee you that there are reasons why you have not previously stopped your life to do these things (start the business, make the masterpiece, transform your living room, etc.) that still exist in your current moment. We’ll get to those in a moment.

Now, I’m not saying that if you want to finally do that thing, that you shouldn’t - if that’s what’s inspiring you right now then do it!! But this time of insecurity and uncertainty is not a prescription, calling, or assignment for you.

If now still isn’t the right time, then you simply don’t have to.

And there’s no reason to feel guilty about it either.

“Well, It’s Now or Never!”

I’m sure you’ve seen and heard this one coming from the media, online sources, and - quite possibly - the people you are quarantined with:

“You’ve always said you were going to do _______, so it looks like it’s now or never!”

Now, this is similar to the go-getter argument, but the key difference here is:

Go-Getter is about things you desire to do.

Now or Never is about things you feel you need/should do.

Often, these things take the form of chores, home improvement projects, deep cleaning rituals, new hobbies, or unfinished projects.

Things like:

Putting up that new shelving unit that’s sitting in the corner.

Updating your website.

Cleaning out the storage closet that’s overflowing.

Giving the kitchen that deep clean it’s been longing for.

Finishing that 1000 piece puzzle whose completed frame has just been sitting on the coffee table for months.

Decluttering your Inbox.

Reading that stack of books.

Etc.

These are often not fun things. And many times, these things give us anxiety, which is why we haven’t done them yet. So now, let me repeat:

Just because you currently have time stuck at home, does not mean you have to do these things right now.

You totally can, if that floats your boat or will help you/your family/your roommates/etc. I support you!

But if that’s not the way you feel about tackling these things, you do not have to.

But Why?

“But Michael, why don’t I have to? Shouldn’t I? I mean, I never get this kind of time at home…”

There are so many possible reasons why you don’t have to, dear reader

These reasons could be:

Time - Yes, time. Not everyone who is stuck at home is suddenly gifted with free time. Many people are quarantined with their families, including young or elderly people who need attention and care. And other people may be without a way to make any money right now, and are therefore dedicating all the time/attention they have to figuring it out. And there are other reasons that time may be scarce as well.

Anxiety - This is a big one. Recent studies have shown that upwards of half of the adult population in America may have some form of an anxiety disorder. Y’all - we are in the midst of a pandemic crisis being poorly and inconsistently handled, which is affecting every aspect of our normal, daily lives. This anxiety is real. And if that prevents you from doing anything other than sleeping and Netflix, that is totally valid.

Confusion - Anyone have a playbook for a pandemic crisis? …No? Precisely. There is no set timeframe for this thing, let alone a recipe for how best to get out of it or through it. We’re all making our best guesses, and the amount of information we do and do not know can be arresting. And right now, there’s no beacon of leadership or advice to follow.

Too Many Options - A lot of people suffer from something often referred to as “analysis paralysis.” Basically, you want to do things and you want to prioritize, but there are so many options and possible paths to take, that it becomes too difficult to actually do something. This is also valid.

…But the biggest reason of all, dear readers?

You do not owe your life to productivity.

Allow me to repeat that:

You do not owe your life to productivity.

You all know me at this point and you know that I love being productive. In fact, for the most part, I have been over the past five days of quarantine. I mean, good for me…? Sure.

But none of us owe productivity to anyone, when - for any reason - we just can’t.

Moving Forward

Is it likely that you will desire to do the things mentioned above during this shutdown?

Yes.

Is it likely that you will be able to do at least some of those things eventually?

Yes.

If you do start being productive, is that a good thing?

Yes, if that’s how you personally feel about it.

But we don’t have to. Certainly not right now.

All we have to do right now is make sure we have the essentials, reach out if we are in need, and be kind to ourselves and those around us.

These are difficult times, but I am confident that - even at a distance - we can and will get through this together.

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