#just because that company has borderline illegal practices in order to apply for leave

[lau-and-history]

(more new books arrived in the mail today)

Tranquil’s Studyblr Challenge - Days 23-25 / 07.11.2022

- What do you do when you need comfort? How can you ask for comfort from others? How can you give comfort to yourself?

At the moment, when I need comfort I cuddle a lot with my partner and it is no problem asking him. What I did when I lived alone was to put on a show that I knew would make me cry and let it all out. It helped a lot. Another thing that instantly lifts my mood is eating a mango mochi, lol. 

- What is the kindest thing you could do for yourself, right in this moment?

Quit my job. everytime I wanna take a day or two of leave there is always a problem and this time it does not seem like it might resolve itself and it might be the last bit to give me a mental breakdown

- Do you find the process of learning something new discouraging or uplifting? What advice would you give to others to appreciate this journey more?

Discouraging, I hate it. I wanna be perfect instantly. I know that this is not achievable, but I can’t resolve feeling this way, which only adds to the frustration. I got better at it tho, thanks to my therapist but I still don’t start something new often because I still don’t like it much. Advice? Don’t be like me, babes ✌🏻

[katoregama]

I write out full stories for all of my OC's. Since I've been asked about Terry's recently, I thought I'd share it, with a bit more detail here. The full synopsis is under the "Keep Reading" bar, because it's not a short story, lol.

Some things to know about some side characters:

 Beck Lawson - Runs the Paranormal Research Agency (PRA)

Zack Crimson - Co-Runs the PRA

Jamie Hendrickson - A 22 year old witch

Lucas O'Hara - An artifact-bound ghost of a Californian lifeguard.

 To start, my OC stories are grouped into either the Katoverse, or Enderverse. Katoverse stories are completely original. There is no Earth, no Earth Religions, no Mc Donalds, no Twitter, etc. Sort of like Star Wars. Enderverse however, takes place exclusively on Earth. While Katoverse has super sci-fi, magic, talking animals, and non-stop fantasy, Enderverse is a bit more grounded. That's not to say that the Enderverse lacks fantasy elements, but they're much more subdued.

 Terry lives in Detroit, Michigan in the "Enderverse". He's got problems with emotional retention. He has three older sisters who are all extremely successful. One's a doctor, one's an astronaut etc. Terry has felt pressured to live up to their examples, but his parents died before Terry could impress them. Of course, Terry's sisters' love their brother unconditionally, and support him no matter what. Terry knows this but also does not understand it. He feels he is not worthy of their affection, which only makes him frustrated. So, he turns to fighting as an outlet.

 As a wrestler, Terry was part of an unregulated independent circuit, which was borderline illegal. Terry was infamous for going too far in his matches, leaving other wrestlers with unnecessary injuries. During a Two on One handicap match against Bryan Soo, and Johnny Hendrix (wrestler name), Terry threw Bryan out of the ring where he hit his head and was knocked unconscious. Terry then beat Johnny down with his fists, giving Johnny a concussion, several cracked ribs, and other injuries. The injuries were severe enough that Johnny had to be hospitalized.

 After the match, Terry was confronted privately in an alleyway by Jamie Hendrickson, Johnny's younger sister. Jamie was a practicing witch with significant latent abilities. Angry at her brother's treatment, she accidentally cursed Terry with karmic retribution, and Terry was hit by a car moments later. The crash dislocated his spine, and Terry spent 5 1/2 months in a coma. Not so ironically, Johnny Hendrickson was discharged from the hospital on the same day Terry emerged from his coma.

 Since Jamie was at the same hospital to take her brother home, she met up with Terry to apologize for cursing him. She broke through enough of Terry's skepticism that he believed her but was in no physical condition to do anything about it. Jamie mentioned to Terry that she likely would never see him again as she was heading back to Redcliff University in Arizona to finish her 4-year degree. Much later, when Terry was well enough to function again, his wrestling career was over as long as his spine remained karmically cursed, so he pursued Jamie to Redcliff.

 - - - SIDE NOTE 1 - - - Terry's curse is localized. Anyone in close physical proximity is at risk of serious injury if they have been committing evil deeds. - - -

 Nearly a full year after his last meeting with Jamie, Terry was well enough to make it to Redliff University a week or so out from the Summer Session. He'd applied to the University online to take the Women's Studies course which he believed Jamie was guaranteed to be taking (she wasn't). On his first night staying in a dorm, he was attacked by a ghost and got tangled up with the Paranormal Research Agency (PRA) who were trying to catch the spirit. Terry's accidental interference got Zack Crimson, co-manager of the PRA thrown out of the dorm's 3rd story window by a ghostly scream. With Zack injured, Terry was forced to assist the PRA in capturing the ghost. With his dorm room demolished, the PRA offered Terry a room at their HQ.

 With Zack out of action due to an injury, Terry was coerced into being his substitute. Before Terry agreed, he joined the PRA at the local clinic mostly to apologize to Zack for accidentally getting him hurt. While there, Terry saw what he believed was his "nemesis" Jamie Hendrix. In truth, it was a supernatural creature called an Alp. The Alp got the upper hand and pinned Terry down, sharing with him a vision of an apocalyptic future. The Alp was captured and Terry was rescued by the real Jamie Hendrix who had just arrived with a mission for the PRA.

 As the Summer Session is about to start, Jamie brings up her concerns with the PRA over a known ghost that recently appeared to haunt the University Pool. The ghost is known to be violent, and the pool is extremely popular during the summer which makes it a high-risk phantom. The PRA is able to capture the pool ghost and, through the ability of one of the members to be possessed by ghosts at will, establish that the ghost was once Lucas O'Hara, a Californian lifeguard who drowned in 1992.

 - - - SIDE NOTE 2 - - - In the Enderverse, not all ghosts are bound by location. Some are bound to objects. Wherever the object goes, so too does the ghost. In Lucas's case, it's a necklace with a pendant that looks like a shark. Holding this necklace gives you control over Lucas. - - -

 With Terry's help, the PRA discover Lucas is one of many "Artifact Bound" spirits that have been imported into Redcliff. A different spirit tied to an old ceramic vase mentions "the coming of Zozo", which leads to the discovery of several arcane nodes charged with ghost energy in place with the intention to summon a demon. The leader of the PRA, Beck, believes Terry's vision was indeed a prophecy. To their fortune, Zack Crimson returns from the clinic, fully healed.

 While scouting another ghost attack Terry discovers Zack is a double agent working for STAR Corp, the mega-company who built Redcliff University in the first place. A demon cult (Children of Yan) within STAR corp intends to summon the demon Zozo to conquer/destroy the world. Zack was inserted into the PRA to keep them from discovering the cult's plans. However, Terry's wildcard presence put Zack out of commission long enough for the PRA's investigation to threaten the summoning.

 The demon cult decides to delay no longer and kidnap University students to act as human sacrifices to summon Zozo. Terry is able to beat Zack in a fight, and steals Lucas's artifact, a necklace, giving him control. With the PRA, Terry infiltrates the cult's sacrificial temple, but orders Lucas to kill cultists instead of students.

 The blood sacrifice of cultists is enough to summon Zozo anyway. Terry offers his body for Zozo to possess, but upon doing so, Jamie's curse immediately responds to Zozo's evil, temporarily paralyzing him. Terry fights Zozo for control, and through a force of extreme will forces Zozo out of his body and back into hell.

 Terry's good deed (saving the world) gives him a reprieve from his curse, though he decides he must quit wrestling entirely to avoid further injuries. He stays for the remainder of the summer session, during which he and Jamie begin dating. After the session is over he leaves Redcliff with Jamie, and ventures into a happy obscurity.