#may have solved some life mysteries (autism)

[senseiwu]

I have been living out of my parents house for over a year now :)

[insipid-drivel]

Endometriosis, Fat Doctors, And Bellybuttons: What They Don't Teach You In Health Class

Woo another rambling TED talk, but I just got home from a meeting with a doctor specializing in wound care that I really feel a lot of you should hear:

Firstly, I've been having mysterious pains in my bellybutton area since... probably last Autumn? But I've had menorrhagia (extremely heavy, painful, and even dangerous periods that can cause spontaneous hemorrhaging) since I was 13 years old. Since my menorrhagia became active, I've been begging for a hysterectomy. I'm moving into my 20 year anniversary of Living With A Uterus That Hates Me As Much As I Hate It.

Being trans (agender) also really incentivizes the whole "yeet the uterus" thing, too, but that doesn't really have anything to do with why I wanna talk to y'all about endometriosis and bellybuttons.

Anyway, as of this year, I've had a lot of issues with my bellybutton region. Random infections, inflammation, pain, trips in and out of the ER; the works. My doctor has been so confused by my bizarre constellation of symptoms that he hasn't been sure of what's going on or what the best course of action is, aside from referring me for more tests and prescribing comfort measures in the meantime.

Until today. My desperate track for a diagnosis began over a week ago when my symptoms became alarmingly sepsis-like, but my test results came back with nothing but signs of an elevated white blood cell count. My doctor has been rushing me from specialist to specialist, and today was a wound care doctor that specializes in treating bariatric, hospice, and disabled patients that can't necessarily follow conventional wound-care advice meant for young, abled, and thin people.

I didn't expect much. Maybe some magnifiers, swabs, and a biopsy at worst, followed by antibiotics and whatever else, but definitely nothing that would help me solve this latest scary health mystery. While the worst of the pain I had that landed me in the ER went away on its own enough that I can get by with mobility aids, I still haven't had a diagnosis.

Until Awesome Fat Doctor.

Awesome Fat Doctor I celebrate. I live for this man. He literally gave me a reason to keep on trying and not give up. I was so scared of the appointment I'd gone nonverbal (not weird for me these days), but I got my voice back after I spent a while with him and his nurse (who was also fantastic). Even though I only met him for a few minutes and he forgot to introduce himself so I can't remember his name right now, Awesome Fat Doctor was a rock star. He was in his later middle age, scruffy, unshaven, and fat - enough that I could imagine the reason he specializes as a wound care doctor is because he may have gotten fed up of other doctors blaming his own health problems on his weight and life choices.

AFD gave no fucks. Along with being a big guy, he carried himself with the gruff no-nonsense of a man that's probably beaten up his ableist colleagues overdiagnosing fibromyalgia in the back of a Wendy's parking lot. He had been informed of my autism and my own needs for a wheelchair due to my own long-term chronic pain and other health issues, as well as my troubles speaking, and treated me like a little cousin that was having a rough go of things like he'd had.

He was compassionate and a straight-shooter with me. He was respectful of my boundaries, talked to me as casually as if I could respond like anybody else with working vocal cords (which I was eventually able to), and generally had all the bedside manner of someone that has worked with patients with special needs of all kinds. He looked at the trouble area and my records and history, told me that he was gonna do his best to get things straightened out, and then went quiet as he studied the timeline of my issues.

"Do you have endometriosis?" he asked, while studying a photo my mom had taken of a... skin infection over my lower abdomen, which had spread from my bellybutton.

I was confused.

"Not that I know of," I answered. I'd found my voice already when he and his nurse both helped put me at ease and showed me I was respected, safe, and seen. I've been tested a few times in my life for endometriosis and had my fair share of ultrasounds (the most common way to diagnose endo), and nobody had found anything unusual. But I have menorrhagia, am always in pain from my reproductive organs, and am desperate to get them removed. I'm on a 24/7 regimen of 2x normal birth control pills just to keep me from menstruating for my own safety. It sucks.

"My wife once had to get emergency surgery for what we thought was appendicitis. Do you know what it turned out she had?" he asked me, very suddenly, and like he had an idea.

"Ectopic pregnancy?" was my first guess, because women have died in the past to ectopic pregnancies that were mistaken for appendicitis.

AFD shook his head. "It was her menstrual cycle, and she had endometrial tissue bleeding into the space beside her appendix. I think you may have endometrial tissue in your bellybutton, and every time your hormones try to cycle in spite of your birth control pills, it bleeds and infects."

I was gobsmacked. Endometriosis and PCOS run in my family as reliably as eye and hair color, but I'd never really thought of how pernicious endometrial tissue could actually be. When I picture endometrial tissue, I picture overgrowths inside of reproductive tissue, or clinging to the outside; not growing randomly within the abdominal cavity or emerging out of my fucking skin like a turkey pop-up timer of doom.

AFD slowly nodded. "And the only way we'd be able to see the endometrial tissue is if you had it tested while you were menstruating and the tissue itself was inflamed and bleeding. Otherwise, it won't show up as anything different to the normal, healthy tissues surrounding it. A biopsy isn't reliable, either, because we have to know exactly where the tissue is before we test it. You have to have your hormones triggering the tissue to inflame and behave differently so it can be diagnosed if there are no big deposits of tissue to see."

After a long time of my ears ringing, I asked him, "Do you think it's possible that the ultrasounds were showing false negatives? Like, I have endometriosis and had it all along, but the tissue is too small to see or were being looked at at the wrong time?"

As it turns out, that's exactly what may be going on.

I see my doctor tomorrow, and meet with my surgeon at the beginning of next month.

Listen to your bodies, y'all. I am so thankful to that doctor, who wound up diverting into a very colorfully-worded rant about how much he hates the American medical system immediately after that. He gave me hope that I was just having new issues with old problems and was right all along about what my body really needed, and that my symptoms now are just showing what happens when doctors neglect their patients' needs.

I did wind up asking if he specialized with wound care because of how other doctors responded to his weight, and he said that it was a mix of reasons beginning with Yes: Both so he could have a safe space from fatphobia and ableism for himself and his patients, but also so his wife - who, while I hadn't seen her, he explained was about as big as he was - would have her own pain taken more seriously, being both fat and female. As he'd already explained, she hadn't been successfully diagnosed with endometriosis until she was symptomatic of full-blown appendicitis-levels of pain as an adult and her doctors were forced to stop blaming her pain on her weight.

Now, as I sit here reflecting... It's hard to believe that, thanks to this doctor's theory, I may finally be free from pain and dysphoria sooner than I imagined. It just took a doctor who could empathize with me to see me, and choose to take the scarier hill to fight on with me.

[harkermylee]

since you mentioned angst, how about some speculation about the many issues that plague Lee Harker's psyche?

to expand on the implication of her being on the spectrum: she might have just been the 'weird kid' growing up but when puberty hit one could imagine the deep-seated feeling of being different growing more apparent (after leaving childhood, the brief period in our lives when we are still allowed to be ourselves without those many emotional facades)

adding to the above, Lee was irrevocably 'touched' by satan when Ruth made a faustian bargain with Longlegs/the devil to save Lee's life. in the film it's shown that the devil's presence is like a dark specter over her up until the very moment the doll is destroyed, and one can imagine that that unanswered presence + the buried trauma of her 9th birthday incident + her aforementioned undiagnosed autism + a few more things mentioned below would compound into a deep-rooted wound that became a core part of her psyche.

to make it worse: repressed lesbianism, in a time and place when you would quite become a social pariah, get fired or even be in physical harm's way if you didn't hide it. when all her peers, even the ones that didn't think she was a weird girl and a prime target for bullying were talking about boys and marriage and makeup, the gulf grew wider and she may have shrunk into her own habits, spending most of her time studying, learning and researching and staying up late in the library instead of going back home, where it wasn't much better than school either:

to finish off her tumultuous upbringing: longlegs's continual residence in her own house. Ruth may have tried her best to hide it from her but Lee's not stupid, deep down she knew something was always lurking in the corner of her vision, hiding yet invisible to apparently everyone else. she probably compartmentalized this too and shut it out (with help from the doll's influence).

we can assume that (not detailing the shit Ruth's dealing with and how the strain of those terrible deeds wore on her over the years, most likely affecting her and lee's relationship), that this made Lee's own house, a physical representation of the degeneration of said relationship, uncomfortable to live in and that she wanted out.

so, at the end of high school and with nothing there for Lee in her Oregon backwater hometown (and unpleasant childhood home), it's safe to say she left without much deliberation, for a chance to find something better out in the world, fixed on a career path related to the knowledge she spent time cultivating instead of forming meaningful connections.

Lee might have tried to distance herself from her mom after that, going to university and spending four years earning a bachelors' (on a scholarship most likely, with maybe the occasional fragmented set of friendly acquaintances) before spending another two or three joining the FBI, but the immense sense that she owed a great debt to Ruth, for all that she did to raise her, would still keep her coming back to that wretched house at least once a year (for her own birthday)

Lee joining the FBI could be seen as a way of her trying to fulfill an unspoken and neglected need to be respected, appreciated and seen as the moral paragon that she believes she is not (both metaphorically and literally) and solve those dark mysteries that torment others to bring relief and catharsis, as she could not for her own.

there's definitely something to be examined about Lee's past wish to become an actress (emphasis on past) but I'm afraid this ask became way, way too long (sorry about that!), so i leave with a question:

when do you think Lee started smoking? it's an antisocial activity and stress reliever which suits our messed up girl, unlike drinking which I can imagine lee doesn't like partly because of the 'loss of control' it imparts, subconsciously referencing the doll.

i genuinely love all my anons you guys are so awesome and reading this was so entertaining. PLEASE send long things like this i honestly don’t mind it at all i genuinely love reading what you all have to say.

i dunno honestly, haven’t gave it much thought. i know she didn’t start smoking when she was young young for sure! i genuinely need to think about it more haha😭😭.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Miriam Grossman, M.D.

Published: July 11, 2023

An extract from her new book Lost in Trans Nation: A Child Psychiatrist’s Guide Out of the Madness

James is sporting a scruffy beard. Sarah wears skirts and doesn’t care about pronouns. Taylor wants to talk about college, not testosterone.

These small changes—all seen or reported to me recently by patients or their parents—are big.

In my book I’ve described monumental struggles and grief, but I want you to know there’s hope. Young people and their families can be helped with therapy.

They can slow their pace on the assembly line that leads to harm; some even step off. They can accept, even enjoy their bodies. It’s far from guaranteed and not always an easy road, but it’s possible.

How do I treat my gender-distressed patients? The same way I treat any other: with respect, empathy, curiosity, honesty, and with their lifelong happiness and well-being foremost in my mind.

I begin with, Tell me about yourself. I want to know who you are.

My patients have been led to believe they face a simple issue with a simple solution. I explain that it isn’t so. They are, like all people, a huge, complex tapestry, of which gender occupies just a small corner. The entire tapestry interests me, not only the one corner.

We’ll talk about gender, of course, but instead of automatic affirmation, we will look deeper.

Go deeper

We will try to determine what living as the opposite sex accomplishes. How will it make life better or easier? Is the new identity about becoming someone new, or fleeing who they are? Granted, some of my questions may make patients uncomfortable, but this is the biggest decision of their lives, and it deserves a close, careful look.

I look at my patient’s family. Is there conflict in her home, an ill parent or sibling? I determine if she has a psychiatric condition such as anxiety, depression, OCD, ADD, psychosis, or if she’s on the autism spectrum or has some other form of neurodiversity.

Is there a history of adoption, trauma or abuse? Social awkwardness or bullying? Attraction to the same sex? Is the trans identity a way of exploring themselves separate from their family, a normal task of adolescence, taken to an extreme?

There may be stereotypical beliefs about men and women that are mistaken. He may think he’s not “manly” and won’t find love or acceptance as he is. Maybe she or someone she loves was harmed, she feels helpless against male aggression, and for that reason seeks to flee femininity. Perhaps he or she fears growing up.

The point is: being “trans” is a solution—a coping mechanism—but to which problem? That’s the mystery we solve together.

One of my primary responsibilities is education. I am older and wiser, and that benefits my patients. One line that’s effective with know-it-all-adolescents: “Your sixteen? I’m 116.” Over my decades of practice, I learned many things, one of which is that people change. A leftist turns around and votes conservative. Couples once madly in love, certain about marriage, now are at each other’s throats. A woman who couldn’t have been more certain about aborting, twenty years later she’s childless and rethinking that decision.

People change, I tell my patients. You’re going to change too.

Another wisdom I share is that being human means struggling. It means living with limitations and weaknesses. You’re not the first person to hate your body, feel disconnected from your parents, and lack a place of belonging. You’re not the first human being to experience confusion, pain and loneliness.

Under some circumstances I might share a hardship of my own. Even more important is to reveal difficulties to a patient, at the moment. In doing so, she or he learns I have tough moments too, but they can be managed.

For example, if I fear a patient’s response, I might say: “I must tell you something, but I have mixed feelings about it, because of how you may react.” The patient learns I too have fear of conflict; I feel unsure just like she does. I’ve demonstrated how I tolerate those emotions.

A patient needs to feel safe and understood. It’s in that trusting and honest space between us that healing begins.

I try to model thoughtfulness, humility, and especially compassion. We must have compassion for ourselves and others—including our parents. They too are human, with limitations and struggles. They’re doing, or did the best they could, and it wasn’t all bad.

Ultimately the choice is theirs, I tell my patients, their identity is in their hands. At the same time, whether they’re requesting new pronouns or surgery, there are risks. I’m obligated to point out what they are doing has massive implications. What will their lives be like in ten, twenty, fifty years? There may be a high price to pay.

[ Video: Dr. Grossman charts Europe’s shift to caution on youth gender medicine ]

Red flags aflutter

I remind patients that as a physician, I have a profound appreciation for the body’s wisdom. They may think they have all the information they need, they may be convinced they’re knowledgeable about social and medical interventions, but I know they don’t and they’re not. From new names to mastectomies and vaginoplasties, they must understand the risks and the controversy.

If I neglect to delineate those risks and the current debate, I’m not doing my job. What if he or she comes back crying, Look what I’ve done to myself, why didn’t you warn me? Speaking of risks, that’s one I am unwilling to take.

I strongly encourage gender-distressed patients to at some point read detransitioners’ stories or watch their videos. When patients are unwilling to do so, or are unable to hear about the dangers of medicalizing, or if they claim to be unconcerned and confident, those are red flags. All of us have some degree of doubt when we face major decisions. Every decision has plusses and minuses. To be confident and wrong is dangerous.

It’s also my job to gently challenge and plant seeds. Being from an older generation, I ask my young patients to define the new language and explain their beliefs. I am curious. I want to learn from them. If their definitions or explanations don’t satisfy me, I’ll say so.

The goal is to recognise everyone is a mosaic of male and female. Honour the mosaic and leave the body alone. And to parents: You must respect your child’s mosaic, too. He or she may not match your ideas about masculinity and femininity.

When I said earlier my approach to transgender-identifying patients is just like with any other patient, I omitted a salient point. There is one huge difference. After their brief weekly sessions, my patients return to their friends, schools, and social media—a world bound to the Articles of Faith, which enshrine Gender Identity as sacred and forbid any questioning.

It’s daunting, to say the least, to build a connection with heavily indoctrinated patients. They’ve heard over and over there’s one answer to their predicament—transition. They cannot tolerate the doubts I plant.

The hurdle may be insurmountable. Zoe was an eleventh grader attending a Boston school where the cost of tuition was higher than the median yearly household income. Her mother informed me that in middle school, Zoe and her friends all declared themselves LGBT, they just hadn’t decided which letter.

Once I tried to inform Zoe that due to safety concerns, a minor like herself living in Sweden or Finland would not have access to puberty blockers. She placed her hands over her ears and hollered: “Don’t tell me about trans kids who can’t get medical care! Don’t you know fifty per cent of us try to commit suicide?”

To her accusation of being transphobic, I responded “I’m anti-suffering, not anti-trans.” I could almost sense her friends and influencers in the room with us, scowling at me. She refused to meet again.

In my many years as a physician, I’ve had patients with severe schizophrenia, untreatable cancer, and other serious conditions. No one ever fired me. Do you see why I say fighting dangerous ideas has been harder than fighting dangerous diseases?

When the young person has pledged allegiance to the Articles of Faith, the challenge facing parents and therapists is brutal. Parents who’ve yet to face the predicament, please listen to the mothers and fathers of kids with Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria.

Many of them say flat-out: they are living in hell, and they want to warn and teach you before you’re in their shoes. They are reaching out to save you from the impossible position they’re in—a child announcing that in order for me to stay in this family, you must support my self-harm.

These are the parents who—when they catch a glimpse of you at a park or shopping mall holding the hands of your toddler or school-age sons and daughters who are still attached to you, still trusting you—feel a stab in their hearts: If only you knew what may be ahead.

Your children are like a sponge, ready to absorb whatever comes their way. They are a work in progress, and you are their scaffolding, providing support and structure. If you don’t provide a belief system, a compass, or some meaningful foundation from which to understand the world, identify truth and lies, and know right and wrong, trust me—others are waiting eagerly to do just that. Before you know it, your child is a pawn, a foot soldier in a foreign crusade of dark and dangerous ideas, and you’re the toxic parent with a home that’s unsafe.

[noisycowboyglitter]

The Heartfelt Connection: Someone With Autism Has A Piece Of My Heart

Living with or loving someone with autism can be a profound and transformative experience. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that affects individuals in unique ways, often influencing their social interactions, communication patterns, and behaviors.

Buy now:19.95$

Those who have a piece of their heart dedicated to someone with autism understand the depth of connection that can be forged through patience, empathy, and unconditional acceptance. They recognize the beauty in different ways of perceiving and interacting with the world, appreciating the honesty, loyalty, and unique perspectives that often accompany autism.

This relationship may involve challenges, such as navigating communication barriers or managing sensory sensitivities. However, it also brings immeasurable rewards. Witnessing moments of breakthrough, celebrating small victories, and experiencing the pure, unfiltered joy that many individuals with autism express can be incredibly heartwarming.

Buy now

For many, having someone with autism in their life has opened their eyes to new ways of thinking and problem-solving. It has taught them the value of clear communication, the importance of routine, and the power of embracing neurodiversity.

This connection goes beyond mere companionship; it's about advocacy, understanding, and fostering a world that recognizes and appreciates the strengths and contributions of those on the autism spectrum. It's a commitment to seeing the person, not just the diagnosis, and cherishing the unique bond that forms when you open your heart to someone with autism.

Buy now

The puzzle piece has become a widely recognized symbol associated with autism awareness, though its use is not without controversy. Originally introduced in 1963 by the National Autistic Society in the UK, it was meant to represent the complexity and mystery of autism.

For some, the puzzle piece symbolizes the challenges and unique perspectives of individuals with autism, as well as the ongoing search for understanding and support. It can represent the idea that each person with autism is a unique piece of the larger human puzzle.

Buy now

However, critics argue that the puzzle piece implies something is missing or incomplete about autistic individuals. Many autistic self-advocates prefer alternative symbols, such as a rainbow infinity loop, which represents neurodiversity and acceptance.

The debate surrounding the puzzle piece highlights the importance of listening to autistic voices in shaping autism awareness and advocacy efforts.

[nurlet]

who are your robot ocs? please introduce us to them!!

wa!!!! i have two currently cooking, for applicable purposes they're all warforged druids. Here's Sahim, i got this commisioned from @lil-tachyon

they're a metal guy who was a tutor of a young noble familial figure/mentee/ technically adopted brother because the noble mom commisioned them to be a an astrological scribe, like a very fancy horoscope newspaper reel except astrology is a real thing and the horoscopes predict pertinent, short term futures. but they got disowned when their brother decided to run away to escape the mom's adamant decision to send them away to a shitty paladin school so sahim got thrown in the garbage. Their story never reached a conclusion but they got herded into a destiny that eventually stripped away what (humanity?) they had left and turned them into a magical mcguffin. they're my favorite looking robut

Here's Idris, drawn by mee

he's my scrunkly neurotic yet naive wood basket who has magical orthotic jewelry and a cane that can let him talk to animals. he's my autism boy. he's my sweet cheese, he's so ugly because he's an unfinished experiment in soul augmentation magic which ultimately ended up succeeding but his care team of researchers who really loved him ended up dying in a freak accident in which some soul merging may have occurred 🙈. He has a -10 to insight and deception. he loves talking stimming and ticcing, because no one he grew up with was neurotypical so he imprinted on them <3 strange little wooden boy whose scripts can never predict how people actually act in real life even though he LOVES people. people are like his great mystery to solve. He often just dresses in furs so to not bother people too much (not too many robuts in the world) so they look like a strange lumpy old grandpa on a cane (strange but nonthreatening). He loves every field under STEM and has loads and loads of useless trivia about the mind-body-soul dynamic and his favorite numbers are 2 and 3 : )

[bbloggingboutbooks]

The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Nighttime Review

For our first book review entry of this blog, I will be reviewing

Title: The Curious Incident Of the Dog In The Nighttime

Author: Mark Hadden

Publication Date: May 1, 2003

Genre: Mystery

B’s Rating: 4 out of 5 Poodles

This book had been on my to-read list for a while. I remember seeing the book cover and just the image of the upside down poodle really interested me. I also remember seeing an ad for the play version of this novel (which I know I really want to go and see).

The story follows a fifteen-year-old boy named Chris and his father living in their quaint neighborhood still struggling after the death of Chris’ mother years ago. The story is narrated by Chris as he goes through his daily life while dealing with his autism: he goes to school, counts different color cars, comes home, feeds his rat Toby, reads about rockets, eats dinner with his dad, then goes to bed and repeats. Things change when Chris discovers his neighbor’s dog dead in the garden, stabbed with a pitchfork. Chris then decides to solve the mystery of the dead dog but along the way he discovers secrets about his family that were meant to be hidden forever.

This book was actually banned in many school districts for its unrealistic and somewhat harmful idea of autism. I do agree that Chris’s character sometimes fell flat and it felt like his whole being was centered around being autsitic. I myself am not on the spectrum, nor is anyone in my family so I myself can not decide if this book was harmful or not but I can understand how some people may think that this book paints autism in a poor light.

I really enjoyed this book. I read most of this book in one night, staying up until around two in the morning just to finish it. I thought the plot twists (plural) were very interesting and while seemingly out of the blue actually made sense. Chris was an interesting character though I do feel that his main characterization was having autism and I was invested and concerned for what happened to him. It was also written in a very interesting manner including graphs and charts drawn by Chris.

I would definitely recommend this book to someone looking for a different type of read or someone who enjoys mysteries. It has grown largely in popularity since it was released and is on it’s way to becoming a literary classic.

Posted On: August 23, 2021

[mydecoris]

CBD For Yoga Practitioners and Sportsmen

Although CBD and CBD based products might look like new kid on the block, its usage can be traced back to ancient times in India where it still can be found growing wildly in most parts of the northern mountains & plains.

It is true that there have been many misconceptions regarding Hemp and CBD mostly because they come from rather notorious Marijuana plant but after some recent researches it can be said with some authority today that most of them are unfounded. It is especially true in case of CBD because it doesn’t contain the properties of giving that ‘high’ to its consumer because that power belongs to its cousin called THC (Tetrahydrocannabinols).

CBD today is therefore legal to buy and sell in many countries around the world and that includes India too provided the THC content in the product is less than .3%. And Marijuana is one of the most versatile plant ever known, it can be used in several ways- from creating different psychoactive products from its flowers and leaves, to weaving clothes from the yarn obtained from its stem to building houses out of its sturdiness. Its cousin industrial hemp is already getting cultivated in large scale in different parts of the world.

Oil extracted from its seeds called hemp seed oil can be used in a variety of ways- from cooking to dressing of salads and what not. Same is true for CBD oil. In combination with other carrier oil such as MCT or coconut oil, a lot of CBD oil based products are being manufactured today that include various therapeutic oils, soaps, ointments, shampoos, bath essentials, skincare and various related and diverse products.

CBD is also available in raw or dewaxed form as tinctures and oils in diverse flavours and it is known to cure various ailments such as anxiety, depression, acute & chronic pains and inflammations, seizures, epilepsy, autism etc. among many others. In recent times, there is a lot of research that has taken place on the miraculous effects of CBD but there’s a lot more that needs to be done.

But still, going by anecdotal references and certain recent researches, it can prove to be very useful for people who lead an active life, people such as sportsmen and Yoga instructors and practitioners or those suffering from certain ailments.

So let us  delve a bit deeper in the mysterious world of CBD:

Basics Of CBD:

There are cannabinoids that are found in CBD. They are naturally occurring compounds found in the Cannabis Sativa plant. CBD or Cannabidiol is the phytocannabinoid found naturally in the plant and unlike THC that is also found in the same plant, is not psychoactive. And another fact is, cannabinoids also exist in our body.

Scientists have identified what they call the endocannibinoid system (ECS) that modulates the activity of neurons. Recent researches prove that

the consumption of CBD could increase the activity of our body’s existing endocannabinoid system.

The primary purpose of the ECS appears to be maintaining homeostasis, which it does by keeping neurotransmitter levels in check. Being a Yoga practitioner and an athlete we apply greater stress to our body and it sometimes lead to pain and inflammation greater than what our endocannabinoid system can handle. Adding exogenous CBD may help this overloaded system get our neurotransmitters back under control and help us in maintaining homeostasis.

6 Benefits of CBD for Athletes and Yoga Practitioners

It relieves Pain

Studies have shown that CBD is effective for reducing pain, including musculoskeletal pain from exercise or Yoga, as well as stiff joints.Though there is little research on CBD alone it does appear to relieve pain effectively for many active people.

It is an alternative to NSAIDs

Over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen have widely been used by athletes for decades, but researches have shown that they are not safe.So athletes are typically advised to avoid NSAIDs during sessions and events, as long-term or frequent use of NSAIDs may increase our risk for heart attack and stroke.

Some athletes have found the pain relieving effect of CBD can reduce or eliminate their use of NSAIDS for exercise-related pain, with minimal side effects.

It is an alternative to Opioids

Opioid pain medications (i.e. morphine, codeine, oxycontin) are highly effective for pain management, but carry a significant risk of addiction and death by overdose. Cannabinoids are not as effective as opioids for relieving acute, high-intensity pain, but may be effective for long-term pain management – either alone or in conjunction with other medications – with far less risk of dependence or accidental death.

It reduces inflammation

A little bit of inflammation can be good for athletes and help stimulate positive training adaptations. Too much inflammation hinders recovery and hurts performance. Researches have shown that there are CB2 receptors in both the brain and periphery, but they are more concentrated in immune tissues. Cannabinoids binding to CB2 receptors may have an anti-inflammatory effect by reducing cytokine (cell messengers) production. In other words, CBD bound to CB2 receptors help dial down the response when our immune system sounds the alarm after hard workouts.

It Settles our gut

Inflammation in the small and large intestines causes a lot of discomfort, and our gut problems can be enhanced during or after a session or training. Although CBD won’t solve our stomach problems that may arise from dehydration and overheating (two major causes in athletes and Yoga trainers), but if we have underlying inflammation issues that contribute to gut problems during or after exercise, CBD may be effective for reducing our symptoms.

It improves Sleep Quality

Getting more and better sleep is one of the most effective ways an athlete can achieve greater training gains. It is equally true for a Yoga practitioner. Anecdotally, those who consume CBD report greater ease going to sleep and a more restful night’s sleep. CBD is found to slow down brain activity, helping us feel calmer, and induce sleep.

Also,CBD may also have a potent anti-anxiety effect for some people, which can help them get to sleep and have more restful sleep.

How to use CBD

New CBD-containing products can be found all over the internet market these days. You can get CBD in the form of capsules, pills, or as an oil or tincture.  It has been infused into sports drinks, recovery drinks, and all manner of edibles. There are also topical creams and lotions that contain CBD oil, as well as oil drops that can be placed under your tongue.

How you consume CBD may affect how quickly you experience its effects. Capsules, oil, and edibles have to be digested, so they may take a bit longer. Topical creams are said to be quicker than edibles, and sublingual drops/tinctures are said to be the most rapid in showing any effect.

CBD is available as “full spectrum” or “isolate”. Full spectrum CBD products contain CBD and other compounds found in the original plant, which could include small amounts of THC. If the CBD was derived from industrial hemp, the THC content of the original plant is legally supposed to be less than .3%. Products that contain CBD isolate should only contain CBD. CBD isolate and CBD produced from hemp would be a better choice for those who want to play safe.

How much CBD to use

Actually, there is no standard dose that delivers a consistent effect for all people. CBD products are not well regulated, so there can be inconsistencies in how much CBD is in a product. And depending on how you consume CBD (oil, gummy bear, cookie, recovery drink, tincture), it can be difficult to be precise. The most precise way to consume CBD is probably through capsules, or by calculating how many milligrams of CBD are in a given volume (such as ml.) of a tincture or oil.

Companies that produce and sell CBD products recommend starting with a low dose and gradually increasing it based on the effects you experience.

Conclusion

The emergence of cannabidiol could mark a major turning point in how athletes and Yoga practitioners recover from training stress and manage both occasional and chronic pain. But still, there is a lot still to learn about how CBD works and how to best utilize for a physically active person. That is not unusual, though. Back when carbohydrate-rich sports drinks first came out, it was clear they were helping improve performance even if the formulas weren’t perfect and the mechanisms weren’t all known.

Although it is not a banned substance for athletes and people in general, if it actually contains a significant amount of THC or other prohibited substance, you are at risk for a doping violation. As with anything else, it will be up to you to research and find a reputable brand.

With what we know at this point, CBD offers good potential benefits and few risks. If it improves recovery as a pain reliever, anti-inflammatory, and sleep aid, then it has great potential to improve athletic performance and treat various elements.

On our part, we have a collection of CBD oils and CBD & hemp products that are produced by most reputable companies with good track record and most positive reviews. You can buy various CBD and Hemp products from HERE.

As some of the CBD oils also contain THC in various measures, you need to have a doctor’s prescription to buy the same. You can book a Doctor’s appointment on Decoris from HERE and go ahead to buy CBD as prescribed from HERE.

[modusmumbles]

Thing I didn't realise was autism #5 (sounds!)

So I may not be able to smell but I can hear real good!

This is a g i a n t realisation, so let me embark on a tale everyone!

When I first started college, something about my graphics class consistently set my anxiety off big time, and I couldn't work out for the life of me what it was. The week I realised you're allowed to wear headphones in lesson was revolutionary, primarily because my lessons were an hour and a half and I simply Do Not have the attention span for that, and listening to music/audiobooks kept me focused and stopped me dying of boredom! Yay!

In second year, we moved into the room next door, and I felt even more anxious in class than last year (both rooms were connected with a corridor, so sound traveled well between them, annoyingly), and now having headphones in class became more of a necessity, because in this room there was an air conditioning unit.

And it was loud.

For whatever reason, my teacher Absolutely Had to have the windows open (regardless of the weather), so not only was this air con loud, it was struggling: The pitch of it would constantly change and it annoyed the hell out of me!

That air con. I complained about it as much as I complained about graphics as a whole...

Fast forward to two weeks ago (College is over forever for me thank goodness) and I'm discussing the possibility of me being autistic and a friend mentions that folks like us aren't good at background noise and find it hard to filter out, which can be anxiety inducing. Then he starts to list off some typical things autistic people are more aware of, like PC fans, speaker hisses, lights and (you guessed it) air conditioning.

The air conditioning

The air conditioning

You mean to tell me...that for two entire years... The Thing setting my anxiety off.... Was the air conditioning!!???

The air conditioning. What. The. Hell.

--

As annoyed as I sound, it's very validating to have a mystery like this solved!

If I had known the air con was the thing making anxiety shake its maracas about this whole dang time then I wouldn't have been anxious about not knowing why I was anxious and therefore had a better time of it!

[artpoint420]

Melvin and the Silent Diagnosis for a Brilliantly Broken Psyche

Hypothetical Diagnosis Insecurity masked with narcissistic tendencies characterized with compulsive obsessions driven by blatant autism, and no that is not an immature insult I test extremely highly for Asperger's myself Here's the Evidence: (I will state before hand that Melvin-borg is a completely separate character in my mind, and thus will not be included in this particular theory.  Melvin decided not to turn out like him, so they are canonically separate characters) He is obviously and frequently inspired by George and Harold, but his deeply embedded fear of rejection makes him dangerously bitter, and it doesn't help that everytime he breaks out of this protective shell, he is rejected or betrayed once again. It’s important to note that while he may be high-functioning (aka: Aspergers) he is still Autistic. That’s because Asperger’s is not a form of autism- it is autism. Period. And any kind of autism or mental attypicality left untreated can develop in to many, many other severe mental disorders, or, in general, make life a metric heck ton harder and complicated than it already is. I also need to confess that I test highly positively for autism myself as well as being an INTP female (Myers-Briggs Personality Test). Not to brag, but all that combined with my naturally creative nature makes me rare af, but it also means I can't communicate or handle stress #liketheothergirls, so that has lead me to being/feeling bullied and ostracized.  I also have anxiety and depression issue which run in my family, and mild insomnia, and may or may not be relapsing into an eating disorder. Paired with psychical problems like acid reflux and severe neck tension, health, whether psychical or mental is of uttermost importance to me.  It suffices to say, autism is not easy to deal with and if not taken care for properly a person, especially if not made at least aware of what autism truly is, it can truly ruin their life. Combined with the neglectful nature of his parents (at least in the books) I and many others in this fandom truly believe Melvin is at least autistically coded. Not only does this fit the archetype of his character but it also fits the theme of the books to a TEE. At its core, CU, of all things, is a children's book series, about living your best life despite not being “normal.” Even characters like the teachers or Mr Krupp who strive for “normality” are shown to actually have deeply repressed creativity, or, in some cases, deep trauma from their own childhoods. It suffices to say that I resonate deeply with Melvin. Say what you want about him or me, I was able to relate to him the second he spoke his first line in the second book. Sorry to turn this into a long vent, but I feel it is best to use myself to support this theory as well as harder evidence, even if it is mostly a means of self-therapy. To start, we both are obsessed with school even to a detrimental degree. Ever since head-start (Pre-K but a million times better), these "book-smarts" were the first thing I ever truly excelled at. When the other kids bullied (or as I now know as teasing) me, I would lose myself in a stack of homework or a book 2-3 grades past my grade level (this is before I drew or wrote as a main hobby). Similarly, Melvin is rarely seen without a book or gadget, just like me. We both over analyze things and hide our feelings. We both have intense crushes on others but are terrified to dare express them, or do but to nothing but awkwardness. We were both science kids, and fascinated by words and/or numbers alone (I still am just in a more artistic way). We both struggle to communicate and relate to others. We both have a unusual sense of humor and are highly observant of surroundings all the while missing what’s in front of our noses. We both have interests that quickly spiral into obsessions and dropping the obsession only when sick of it. We both practice similar forms of stimming. We both not only thrive but crave control and structure with the world around us, even to the point of being "control freaks" and creating odd habits, routines, and rituals regardless of whether they are necessary or make sense. We both have an intense fear of intimacy and rejection to the point of practicing self-isolation and in some cases self harm or other unhealthy coping methods (seen with Melvin over eating sweets or over working himself. For me it’s disordered eating or self flagellation, something I have all but completely dropped but still) We also both tend to see ourselves as inferior to others and attempt to mask those feelings with a superiority complex (I feel bad for my siblings but I didn’t know what I was doing, and no it was not abusive just sibling rivalry and I’m the oldest anyway, and we are country kids and understand “rough-housing” =/= using each other as a punching bag, but accidents happen I'm sorry) We both seem to become easily overstimulated and have explosive mental and emotional breakdowns when things just . . . become too much However the harsh divide between male and female and fictional and nonfictional means we both present certain traits differently. Whereas he presents a more linear line of thinking my mind is overwhelmingly sporadic. Also, I have over sensitivities to touch and light (and sometimes certain noises, but not anything not normal? Wfk.) But maybe he does have oversensitivity but I can't think of an example off the top of my head. Enough about me however. I know Melvin and autism has been done to death.  Hell, I just did it to death.  My actual theory is more on the inner mechanisms of his mind and predicting how he will develop should the series allow for full character development. Also, similar to my Krupp theory, I will be listing his crimes out and give him a proper sentence for his age and maturity level (which will be light as I am sympathetic to his plight).   This is already getting too long, so Imma try to finally get to the point.  Characters with autism are honestly a mixed bag, sometimes there as standardized as my mystery Daddy Sherlock Holmes and other times they are as subtle as Pearl or Peridot from Steven Universe (has Rebbaca Sugar confirmed this? sorry). Honestly, it does distress me that autism is almost always used to have an evil genius character or some weird side character for brownie/ diversity points. (this makes me a bit hypocritical I guess, considering my own stories. I guess tropes are tropes for a reason) And while Dav Pilky May not be subtle with his scholastic politics or humor his one spectacular tool in his writing books has always been, when it comes to his characters, showing instead of telling. This is something I latched on to even as a kid, and I was already thinking up theories on the characters before I even knew character theories were a thing.  Like what happened to Harold's Dad (hint, hint).  Why was Harold's sister rarely used?  Does Mr Krupp actually like their comics (a now accepted theory, but not just min? And many many others I'm probably never gonna write.  It took until how long in the books to reveal George and Harold have ADHD? Before that they were simply described as being as smart as Melvin but just in different ways. Personally I feel that autism is inverted ADHD. This is an opinion I’ve recently formed so if I’m wrong bloody attack me in the comments. Anyway, Melvin presenting autism makes him the perfect foil to George and Harolds’ more sporadic antics. The only true difference between autistic folks and ADHD folks is that those with autism tend to crave a structured environment full of rules, and set goals to achieve, while such an environment is HELL to children with ADHD (aka:George and Harold). (Even though if with adults they can trust, children with ADHD thrive in structured environments if they are surrounded by adults or authority figures they can trust.)  I know some will tell me ADHD is on the spectrum, but I just learned this like actually the other day and don’t fully understand it.  My prediction is that Melvin will eventually and naturally mellow out if just because staying so high strung all the time is a huge waste of mental energy.  I know good as hell I had to.  Also, he mellowed our in the books and went from a screeching revenge exacting lil narcissistic white boi prick to a person who simply wants to pursue his interests and even helping George and Harold (selfishly, but help nonetheless). He even went from enjoying the fame and attention of hero-ing to realizing it did not fufill him. Indeed quite the opposite.  His true passion lay in solving world problems through science, and I don't think the ending for him in the books could have been any more perfect considering his character.   In the Netflix show, similar to how I think Krupp's personalities are merging, I believe that Melvin will eventually become more like his Broski alter ego (which I calmly demand more of).  Overall, given that this show needs to go back to the status quo more often than not, I don't think his core character will ever change, and it doesn't need to.  Multiple times throughout the series he's been shown to crave friendship from George and Harold, despite audibly hating him . Textbook Tsundere, I know.  He will form a friendly rivalry with George and Harold, I have almost no doubt about that, taking the season 1 finale, season 2 finale, season 3 first episode, and halloween special into consideration. (Yeah, if someone will send me clips I will give them my eternal gratefulness) To conclude, because by god this is long, Melvin is, SHOCKER, just a little kid.  A little kid who likes muffins and dolls and has big hopes and dreams.  A little kid whose love for science and unrecognized creativity is channeled into making inventions that are even more impressive than those of Professor P (sorry P).  But he is a little kid with his own needs and stuggles which at this point remain unmet.  His parents are canonically neglectful, I cannot repeat that enough times.  The effects of neglect are a hell-hole of its own regardless of growing up with undiagnosed autism.  But that's just a theory- Alright, that was a banger, I guess next up is Melvin-borg since writing this has given me some interesting ideas for him.  Let’s see how long this hyperfocus train will go!

[jimmawww]

My Top 10 Video Games Of All Time (GOAT)

Since the decade is drawing to a close I thought I’d also list my top 10 games here. I’ve really been playing games all my life and I love them deeply but every once and a while I need to organize them into who I love best. So here is my GOAT on the eve of 2020.

10. Deus Ex

INFOWARS: the video game. If I had to show one game as a reason to play on PC this is it. A fascinating (and creepily realistic?) story about corrupt government, AI, and cybernetics that makes this game incomparable. My fave thing about the gameplay is that you approach a level any way want; you can hack all the turrets and keypads, stealth and sprint around, snipe the guards off the roofs, it really goes on how much.... freedom and fun this game gives you. An RPG with loads of guns from the golden age of PC gaming.

9. Dark Souls

I got into this game around 2015 because the ‘its so hard bro’ aspect never appealed to me, but I was pleasantly surprised to see there was much more behind the meme. Dark Souls takes an approach to telling stories through the environments and items in the game, in a way where the full story has been written but the developers only give you peeks from behind the curtain and you must piece it together. It also focuses on small parables through the characters you meet through the story which eventually create a feeling of a real world and lore. The best thing about this game are the environments because they help tell the story and are so well designed to give the player a sense of real discovery, the fact it also has no music adds to the effect of a lone warrior, an effect which reminded me of Zelda. Despite this game being punishingly hard the soul retrieval system and combat mechanics have been copied and recopied since it came out 10 years ago making it an essential classic.

8. Resident Evil 4

Survival Horror → Action Shooter. Possibly one of the most ported games ever this game is a perfect mix of fear and vulnerability with blockbuster action. Capcom figured out that once you overcome the fear of the enemy the best thing is to be able to go pwn them. This was a trademark shooter-action evolution of the series as drastic as going to 3D and defines the basics for resident evil games today (and other games like dead space).

7. Killer 7

If I had to choose 1 Suda51 game it would be this slightly over No More Heroes. If WTF was a category, here is your king. Being absolutely weird while having an engaging storyline and characters with dark messed up themes this game is an occult hit. I’d try explaining the story but I can’t, what you need to know is you’re a group of 7 legendary assassins (who may or may not be the same person) sent to kill a terrorist and that Suda51 is essentially Quentin Tarantino. A mixture of gunplay and puzzle solving this is an acid trip you won’t / can’t forget.

6. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

The metroid series is great but this one stand out to me for some reason. I love the environments and music and technological aesthetics and how the different upgrades and style of each gun is really cool; dark, light, and sound. It also debuts Dark Samus.

5. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

I know, I know this is the ‘worst’ MGS but its my fave. Mainly because of the themes it presents and how the game messes with the player by suggesting that the whole thing may have been a simulation since the 1st game was also a training sim for Raiden. It gets pretty screwy piecing together whats real and whats disinformation but the ideas in this game are more compelling than the others and has more of that blockbuster feel. Nobody liked that swimming escort mission though.

4. NieR: Gestalt

I love both Niers but I’ll take Weiss’s bants over 2B’s ass. I’ll be honest; its the music. This game has the best, bar none, best music I have ever heard and really pokes at my bias for good atmosphere. The characters have tragic stories and you just want to save your daughter from a disease, as things get worse the characters become closer and reveal a huge conspiracy. This is dark fantasy done right with a bit of humour between the characters. The whole reason the sequel got made was because an intern at Square loved this game so much he pitched it out of the blue and now we have android booty.

3. Halo: Combat Evolved

God, the music, the gameplay, this game is pretty much perfect and is soaked in atmosphere. Listening to Gregorian chants and huge orchestral scores while gunning down an advanced alien army is just the best. Not to mention some of the coolest sci-fi lore around, everything feels like its surrounded in mystery and the divine while maintaining feeling of a military shooter. The characters are also great despite the Chief being a silent giant the chemistry between him and his snarky AI is great. Amazing story, score, lore, I love Halo.

2. Sonic Adventure 2

Sonic never again reached this level of kino storytelling. The music, pacing, characters are amazing and activates my inner autism, I love it. Getting to choose between 2 different stories and finally coming together at the end, getting to play as 6 different characters and a soundtrack that gave each of them iconic themes, having a chao garden, the aesthetic and lines of this game are just classic and embodies the element of cool fun. It remains to be one of my favorites.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Classic. Its hard to put into words but this game feels; pure and whole, it embodies the hero story so well it stands out as quintessential. I’d say this is a darker one as things are great when you’re a kid but as an adult the world is destroyed and only you can set things right and save the people you knew as a child. Its not just about destroying evil but also loving who you were as a child and who you will become as an adult, how time is precious and can never be taken back, how pure love can heal the world and with courage, win over evil, and even then not all victories come without sacrifice. This is Soul.

[strawberryamanita]

i have a confession to make.

i’m certain this is going to turn into some sort of meme or joke and make me a laughing-stock of the entire Internet. i know i may even get responses or inboxes for this, full of content intentionally sent to me to trigger or upset me. i know i’m going to come off as entitled, oversensitive, and out-of-line. i know that it’s incredibly laughable to react so dramatically to a work of fiction, and that even Mark himself would roll his eyes and make a joke out of this if he ended up reading it. i’m sure this is all going to be saved as a copypasta in itself to be echoed around the Internet, paving my legacy as a poster child for cringe comedy. i don’t expect any sympathy. in fact, i welcome the hatred this is going to earn me, because then the fandom and i can agree on something.

but Goddamnit, i have to get this off my chest before it eats me alive. i need to know once and for all if i truly am alone with these feelings.

the “Who Killed Markiplier?” series has traumatized me.

i don’t use that word lightly, because i don’t think i’m worthy of being diagnosed with any sort of trauma, despite being medicated for it (not this specifically, but past traumas); but i told my therapist about how badly i’ve reacted to it, and she said i may as well call it trauma. i’m well aware that i’m a unique case -- my plethora of mental illnesses make me exceptionally sensitive and emotional to the world around me. not only that, but having been recently diagnosed with Autism explains a lot of why i hyperfixate and obsess over things, even when i actively try to stop.

it’s all i think about. and it’s made me literally bleed for weeks straight from anxiety, like my body is flushing out all the poison in my mind.

i hate seeing “Who Killed Markiplier” stuff it all over the Markiplier tumblr tag. i know that the easy answer to this is to just not go into the tag, and i don’t; but it makes me feel even more distant from the fandom than i already am. i’ve blacklisted it, but people don’t tag their reblogs so i’m at risk for being triggered even by people i want to follow. i don’t want to leave the Markiplier fandom completely. i want to enjoy the skits just as much as anyone else.

i hate seeing Celine. i hate seeing Damien. i can’t even read/say their names out of context without having a wave of anxiety knock me down. i hate hearing about them, i hate hearing everyone connect everything Darkiplier does to memories of them, and i hate the idea that they’re an excuse to invalidate, infantilize, disrespect, push aside, replace, or mock Dark, even moreso after the animated video. they’re not a threat, they’re not dignified, they’re hardly anything anymore.

i know it’s Mark’s (interpretation of the) character at the end of the day, but for fuck’s sake, that character became a symbol for me of strength and perseverance despite who they used to be. people constantly tie Dark to the past, and now i’m deathly afraid of people doing that to me, afraid of people undoing all my hard work to move on and be someone new with simple words alone. 

i despise that infernal piano music that comes to me in the middle of the night and makes me relive those videos over and over and over. i keep getting dragged back into that house, no matter how much i distance myself from it.

i hate how much time i spent trying to solve a mystery that we were told doesn’t matter. i remember waiting on baited breath for more than three weeks (the countdown to the videos, the videos themselves, and the time between the last chapter and the explanation stream), not being able to think about school or any other part of my life because it occupied every crater of my brain.

i’m sick of being told that looking for details doesn’t matter, that caring about it doesn’t matter, and that a character that i invested so much interest in is nothing more than a stupid, harmless, whiny waste of space. i hate being made feel like an idiot for caring. because it was made to be so much more than that to me.

and now all this talk of these characters being who they are because it’s a role they play. like nothing is sincere, like it’s all just some hyper-meta “gotcha!” moment where the only thing that’s certain is that nothing is certain. i’m sure that should be grounds for me to find a way to interpret things how i want again, but everytime i do we’re told “no, that’s wrong, this is what’s going on”, and i’m just so disoriented by everything that i think i’m gonna have a coronary.

and before anyone says “Mark said he’s not a perfect writer” -- that’s perfectly okay that he isn’t. i just want something to make sense, and i don’t want to be told i’m stupid just because i’m ignorant.

i’m not gonna stop loving Darkiplier as a character. i’m gonna accept their origins, continue to enjoy the character and use them as a muse for fanfiction and roleplay, and i’m gonna get excited when they show up in videos and respect them whenever they pop in on tumblr. i just needed to get this out in the open, because i’ve been sitting on it for a year and a half, and it hasn’t gotten the slightest bit easier.

i need to know if i’m truly alone here.

[chriscdcase95]

Halloween: Why the Thorn Trilogy was as underrated as "Twenty Years Later" was overrated

So yeah, I said it. And now I’m gonna explain it.

This may be some nostalgia of mine talking but as a long time fan of the Halloween series - I am talking when I was ten years old, when I was first getting into horror genre- I grew up on the old Halloween sequels consisting of the Thorn trilogy and the Twenty Years Later story lines. I know they are considered separate continuities and timelines, but y'know broad strokes, Easter-eggs, and the fact early script drafts for Twenty Years Later (Or H-20) intended to tie them together before they were cut from the final film, you can make the case they are ostensibly canon to each other, but that’s about it.

The Thorn Trilogy isn’t considered the best of the series; many fans looking down on the fifth and sixth film as being the least popular of the films. I think the only reason they aren’t considered by fans the worse in the series is because Resurrection exists, and was that followed by Rob Zombie’s remake duology. On the flip side, H-20 and 2018 are considered the golden calves of the franchise, and for the life of me, I never saw the appeal of the formers popularity. Now I can see why people have problems with the Thorn trilogy - especially regarding the cult and curse plot element of the sixth film. Unpopular opinion, but the sixth film was my favourite of the series - maybe has to do with my autism appealing me with both world building and the familiar - or that it seemed to tie up one storyline, but at the same time set up so much that I was disappointed that it didn’t continue.

For context, this post is partially inspired by Schaffrillas Productions video about Shrek 2. In this I will be using the criteria of what he describes as a “Perfect Sequel” which I’ll apply to the Halloween series, and as his Shrek 2 video says, there’s no such thing as the perfect movie; there’s too many variables to cover in a single movie alone, while a movie can preform it’s functions as a sequel perfectly even that doesn’t mean the movie itself is perfect. The “Perfect Sequel” criteria goes as such; expanding the universe; continue the story; introduce new themes or expand on old themes; leave an impact on the franchise.

Like Schaffrillas Productions, I will use this criteria to determine what the Thorn trilogy did right over H-20. Now am I gonna throw the 2018 sequel into the equation ? Maybe for compare and contrast purposes, but the 2018 sequel hits those same beats. There really is no competition between H-20 and 2018, I don’t question why the latter is considered a fan favorite. What I am primarily doing here is comparing the old sequels, and 2018 barely comes into the equation.

Does the Thorn Trilogy expand the films universe ? Does is continue the story ? As far as continuing the story goes ? Well that’s a no brainier; Halloween II begins where the original film ends; Return of Michael Myers picks up ten years later with Michael waking up from a coma after his seeming death in the second; Revenge follows Return and that leads to Curse. You get the picture, there’s an overarching story here.

“But does it introduce new themes that impact the franchise ?” You ask. Not the Thorn trilogy itself, but the second film does. Halloween II kinda sorta introduces a supernatural element to Michael by hinting a connection to the an ancient element of Halloween - more specifically the lord of the dead Samhain-  but more importantly revealing that Michael and Laurie are brother and sister. The supernatural stuff is explored exclusively throughout Return to Curse, but ever since it was revealed the entire Halloween series hinged off of Michael and Laurie’s familial connection. Even in 2018 where they discontinue the sibling aspect, the theme of family permeates the plot, with the focus hear being on Laurie, her family drama, her need to protect them and how Michael not only affected her but her family.  

In what’s relevant here is Michael and Laurie’s family connection is the focal point of the Thorn Trilogy, albeit not through Laurie herself; our lead character in Return and Revenge is Jamie Lloyd, the orphaned daughter of Laurie Strode and niece of Michael Myers, and she is what made their relationship the most plot relevant. Before Michael even wakes up from his coma, we are introduced to Jamie being haunted and even bullied over the fact that she’s and orphan and how her uncle is the infamous boogeyman. Her mother is gone, and she never even met her uncle, and yet both their shadows hang over her. Once Michael learns he has a niece that’s still alive, that’s all he needs to get up and at ‘em and nothings gonna stop him from getting his hands on her. And once he does in Curse ? It’s their baby he’s after next!  Yes, their baby. Michael is the biological father of Jamie’s son Steven, who becomes his new target and finds an adoptive family in Tommy Doyle, Karla Strode, and her son Danny, who take the responsibility to protect Steven from not only Michael, but an evil cult that will no doubt be following them for some time. So we have something set up; a possible future confrontation between Michael and his vengeful son, and defeat the cult that has been mentoring Michael and orchestrating his rampages from behind the scenes.

So what comes next ? H-20 gives us Dawson’s Creek with a serial killer. One of the things I mark against H-20 was I felt it lacked the same kind of substance as the previous trilogy. For something that was conceived as the finale of the Halloween saga, I just couldn’t get emotionally invested, and maybe it had to do with the later release of Resurrection and the knowledge of what comes next. Maybe I was deflated that Jamie wouldn’t get justice, or that we wouldn’t find out what became of Little Baby Steven. Sure we got a plot about Laurie being a protective mother towards her son John, but for some reason I couldn’t really empathize with John in comparison to Jamie - not helping his case is that 2018 Laurie has a new daughter in Karen who has the same kind of baggage John had with Laurie, was a more interesting in characterization. John was a just a Dawson’s Creek student who serves as someone Laurie needs to fight for, only to be forgotten in Resurrection. Unlike Jamie or Karen, John was more of a plot device than a character.

As far as expanding on the previous films themes go, H-20 doesn’t really do this. It’s focus is on Laurie and her incoming “final” confrontation with her brother…but it doesn’t feel like it has the same weight. Laurie’s having her nightmares, she’s living in paranoia and the constant fear of her brother inevitably coming after her again, and how it took a toll on her relationship with her son. That’s all well and good, but the problem is the emotions feel underwhelming here. I’m not bashing the acting or anything, but I think I was supposed to take Laurie and John’s screaming match when they argue about Michael more seriously than I actually did (their second scene together by the way). Maybe they should have focused more on Laurie’s angst, and her relationship with her son, but it all felt rushed and emotionally underdeveloped in comparison to Laurie’s emotional scars shown in 2018, which felt like they had a little more weight here. 2018 gave us a slow burn with them, H-20 gave us the last three episodes of Game of Thrones.

Also the fact its Halloween night is barely a factor in this movie. There’s more focus on a trip to Yosemite Park than the actual holiday, and none of the characters don’t even go on the trip itself. Hell, this movie and it’s sequel were released in the summer.

“What about expanding the films universe ?” As I said above, I think the main thing I liked about the Thorn trilogy was it’s world building. It is next to 2018 with the most lore filled storylines in the series, (and I expect more to come from 2018’s sequels). And the Thorn trilogy not only captured the atmosphere, but tied the lore of the actual holiday of Halloween much better than H-20. And for better or worse, we dig in a little more into the mystery that is Michael Myers and his family. Or do we ?

Short answer is “Depends on what version of the sixth movie you watch.” Yeah I know the sixth movie introduces the Thorn cult and curse, but there is are differences between the Theatrical Cut and the Producers Cut on account of things that have been added, cut or changed outright between the two versions. The Producers Cut is the only version Michael being a puppet of the Thorn Curse and tool to this cult. The Theatrical Cut plays around with this idea but doesn’t explore it beyond a theory Tommy has, but isn’t verified in the cut itself. As far as the Theatrical Cut is concerned, Michael is just a rage driven psychopath.

And honestly I get that one of the supposed appeals to Michael Myers is the mystery of his character. Everyone goes off about how he was such a cool villain in the first movie was because of his mysteriousness and the questions left unanswered and go on and on about it. But here’s the thing, the point of a mystery is the need to solve it, the need to explore and find out more about this mysterious figure. Michael being a mysterious figure can work in one or two movies before it gets boring and he just becomes a blank slate, a carboard cut-out. And really that was one of the problems Michael had in H-20. The Thorn Trilogy gives three movies to find out more about Michael, and his familial connection to Laurie Strode is the focus, even with Laurie out of the picture. Some would say because we find out more about Michael, his status as a villain is cheapened, but I always thought he becomes more interesting the more we find out about him.

In H-20, we got nothing with Michael. We don’t find out anything really new or interesting, or anything that really makes him that much of a threat. The whole movie was about a showdown he was going to have with Laurie twenty years after his first rampage, but there’s no real substance with Michael this time around. And this isn’t the same as 2018 going back to basics by following only the first movie - H-20 explicitly follows the second movie so this is the same Michael who hints at a supernatural element, the same Michael who is revealed to be Laurie’s brother, but none of that is really important here. The brother and sister element - the crux of these two characters, isn’t of importance here as it was for the Thorn trilogy; the closest we get to that is the scene where Laurie kills someone she thinks is Michael, which leads to Resurrection.

Michael and Laurie felt more related in 2018 than they ever did in H-20. And speaking of 2018, I know they brought Michael back to his original form, but considering there’s two sequels to that movie in the works, there is only so much you can do before Michael becomes “cheapened” by finding out more about him or become boring by keeping him a blank slate. Like I said, Michael can only really get away with being enigmatic for one or two movies before it just becomes a crutch and excuse which would result in him becoming boring.

As far as world building goes, the H-20 storyline doesn’t really expand the universe besides taking us to a boarding school in California, but I can give it leniency since it was gonna originally be a follow up on the previous trilogy. Now onto comparing characters.

Laurie Strode as a Protagonist

While it goes with out saying that Laurie Strode is a runner up when it comes to being the OG Final Girl. In the same way Michael helped define the slasher villain, Laurie is helped define what the final girl is. In just about every timeline and storyline in the Halloween series, all it took was one night to shape Laurie as her fateful encounter with Michael. In the first two movies, Laurie was a great protagonist, she was the naive, inexperienced teenage girl, and even a sisterly figure to Tommy Doyle. She was a protective babysitter who risks her neck to not just survive the night against a psychotic stalker, but protect the kids that are in her care. And that was just the first movie.

The second movie (which takes place on the same night mind you) things get personal with the brother/sister relationship. In this movie, the family aspect did impact Laurie; Laurie was the first person who finds out the truth and has a dream induced flashback of when she met Michael when she was younger shortly after her mother told her she was adopted. Laurie wakes up and the revelation that the seeming stranger that just murdered her friends is her brother, it puts her into a brief catatonic shock…although she might have been faking it while planning an escape. Point is the brother revelation had an effect on her.

But watching II and Twenty Years Later back to back, I just didn’t feel that it the same impact as it did in the previous movie. Michael’s relation to Laurie wasn’t as important in this film as it did the previous films. If it wasn’t for the fact that the brother-sister thing was mentioned a few times, it didn’t feel like it had that much of a weight to it. It didn’t feel like Laurie was afraid of her brother here, but rather just the guy who terrorized her. Like I said, above, Laurie and Michael felt more “related” in 2018 than they did in H-20, despite that aspect being cut out. The closest we get to Laurie having a moment of “this is my brother” is the scene where she kills some poor sap she thinks is Michael.

The focus in both H-20 and 2018 is about Laurie’s trauma and paranoia about Michael coming after her and her children. But overall I felt 2018!Laurie was the better take on the character, especially in that aspect; we see how strained her relationship with her daughter is and how close she is with her granddaughter. 2018!Laurie’s life effectively went down the tubes and Michael never stopped haunting her, and has burned himself into her very soul, that it would be irrelevant whether or not they are blood related. It’s gotten to the point where her daughter barely has a relationship with her. Despite this and having little to lose, 2018!Laurie has spent forty years preparing for a showdown with Michael, and is just itching for him to come loose again, arming herself, fortifying her house, keeping herself in shape the whole nine yards. Because it makes her that much stronger, makes her a little bit harder, makes her that much wiser, so thanks for making her a fighter.

H-20!Laurie spent twenty years just living in fear of Michael that at some point to the point that she faked her death, but doesn’t do much of else. And honestly despite her trauma and paranoia in this movie, I was less sympathetic to this take on Laurie, because she has a lot more to lose. She hasn’t had her life ruined by Michael in the same way 2018!Laurie has, in fact she lived a more comfortable (dare I say) privileged life, as the headmistress of a boarding school in sunny California, and still has a considerably more positive relationship with her son, and it’s only after Michael catches up to her, she’s ready to confront him and (seemingly) kill him. And I just couldn’t feel the same emotions with H-20!Laurie as I did with the 2018 counterpart.

I thought that H-20 was a little rushed with her character development and arc. But I think what made me unsympathetic is because Resurrection made it hard for me to root for in retrospect, and the fact H-20 was originally going to be directly tied with the Thorn trilogy; keep in mind as far as the Thorn trilogy goes, Laurie was killed in a car accident, which left her daughter Jamie virtually alone, with her mothers death taking an obvious toll on her, which dear old uncle Michael is out to kill her. H-20 reveals Laurie faked her death, and considering the original plans to tie the two stories, this effectively means that Laurie faked her death, abandoned Jamie with seemingly no regard for her, and let Jamie go through Hell alone. And I’m supposed to feel sorry for Laurie because of twenty years of nightmares ? Yeah, 2018!Laurie is the mother that Jamie deserves.

Which leads us too…

Jamie Lloyd as a protagonist

Now Jamie was considered a fan favorite upon her introduction, and in my opinion is one of the most thematically important characters in the series. As I explained above, Jamie is the linchpin of Michael and Laurie’s relationship, being both Laurie’s daughter and Michael’s niece. From such, both characters shadows hang over Jamie, despite and because of Laurie being out of the picture. Despite being a child, Jamie is subjected to the trauma of her mothers passing and her relationship with the boogeyman being public knowledge (and other children bully her over it, I can’t get over that).

Now there’s two kind of protagonist dynamics that Laurie and Jamie fill that contrast each other; Laurie is the protector of the cute, Jamie is the cute. But Laurie’s not around, and Jamie would be completely alone if it where not for her foster sister Rachel, Rachel’s friends, the local and state police and a mob of vigilantes. Well unfortunately, the Jamie Lloyd Protection Squad are a non issue to Michael who had squad of his own in the form of the Thorn cult, and these fuckers don’t play around. The world will stop at nothing at kicking Jamie down, and kicking her while she’s down, just for existing. If that’s not enough, she is held captive for years by a cult, forcibly impregnated by Michael and disemboweled in the sixth movie.

Did I mention Jamie was an eight to nine year old kid in the fourth and fifth movie ? I can see why Danielle Harris is disgruntled that she couldn’t return. Fun fact, Danielle Harris wanted the sixth film to have Jamie die killing Michael once and for all to save her baby. But because this is Jamie Lloyd we are talking about, she’s not allowed to get justice. You could make the argument that Jamie gets points dying to save her baby in the actual movie…but it wasn’t Danielle Harris playing, so whatevs I guess.

As I already said, what made Jamie a little more interesting for me than H-20!Laurie is that her connection to Michael being more emphasized here than with Laurie. This was first shown in the fourth movie and expanded upon in the fifth, which implies Michael has some sort of psychic and emotional link with Jamie. Under Michael’s influence, Jamie attacks her foster mother, and is subsequently institutionalized, and is still terrorized by Michael through nightmares, visions and seizures, as Michael continuously taunts Jamie with the murders of her protection squad. That’s when it hit me; Jamie and Michael are Ying and Yang, and that’s why it worked. Where Jamie was innocence, Michael was purely evil.

Michael is the human personification of evil, it only makes sense he be connected to someone who is pure and simply innocent. These two effect each other, and compliment each other. I’m honestly curious how this connection played out during Jamie’s captivity, because despite everything she’s been through, she was still innocent enough to try to reach out to Michael a final time. In the fifth film Michael has a bizarre moment of humanity and feels brief remorse due to Jamie’s influence and on the flip side, Jamie has a brief moment of darkness due to Michael’s influence. So of course I’m going to avoid a certain Mad Titan’s quote about perfect balance, because the meme is too easy. It dawns on me that I may be reading into something that isn’t there, but dear reader is what all theorists and analysts such as myself do ?

And speaking of perfect balance, that is another reason why I think a storyline about baby Steven introduced in the sixth film is a wasted chance. Not only is his *ahem* “origin” anti-hero backstory material, but think about what Steve represents; he’s a living combination of Jamie’s innocence and Michael’s evil. He is someone who not only carries Laurie and Jamie’s legacy on his back, but Michael’s legacy as well. Thematically speaking, he is prime material to be the one to one day kill Michael once and for all. But we got more of Michael fighting Laurie, so I guess that’s cool.

Michael Myers as a villain

Okay, what can I say about Michael as a villain that hasn’t already been said ? I mean what movie does him best ? Many would say the first two. But what does a better job at “expanding” Michael. Many would also say the 2018 sequel, but that’s not primarily what I’m comparing here, so we are sticking with the old school sequels. Michael’s main appeal to the bulk of the fandom was the mystery aspect of him in the first movie. But “Michael is cool because he’s mysterious” can only work for one or two movies before it becomes a crutch and as a result turns Michael into blank slate. And considering that 2018 has two sequels in the work, Michael is likely to get some “expansion” to keep him interesting, and that’s because the appeal to a mystery is the inherent need to solve it. 

But that is beside the point. In my personal opinion, Michael’s appeal wasn’t that he was a mystery, but that he was the human personification of evil, and from such I think the only way Michael can really be cheapened is if he was given something to humanize him like love, empathy or sympathetic qualities. And no, the single tear in the fifth movie ultimately means nothing considering what happens down the line. So as long as Michael is evil and doing inherently evil deeds, I don’t see it as cheapening him.

So how does one expand on Michael and his evil correctly ? Make him a bigger threat with each passing sequel, and give him more heinous deeds under his belt.

In the second movie, he massacres a hospital to get to Laurie. The fourth movie has him slaughtering an entire police force and a vigilante mob just to get to Jamie. The fifth movie has Michael track down Jamie’s friends and foster sister, and display their corpses as a way to taunt Jamie. Sixth movie, he disembowels Jamie after she gives birth - mocking Jamie for trying reach out to him no less! - before seeking out and trying to kill their baby, and massacres a group of followers for thinking they can control him. There’s also Steven’s conception, which is universally regarded as too far even for Michael. 2018 has Michael kill a child onscreen, exceed the body count of the first movie before he even gets his mask back -and just to get his mask back- kills several people in different houses in a matter of minutes, and uses a cops severed head as a makeshift Jack-o-Lantern. You see that ? In almost each sequel, Michael was more of a threat, and was more “creative” when it came to his evil. He fulfilled a function as a villain and evil personified with no real humanity and no moral restraint.

What about H-20 ? Compared to those other movies, Michael was boring here. He kills three people at the beginning of H-20 and three more in the third act, but isn’t really creative or spectacular (except for using a skate for one kill). The bulk of the movie is Michael just traveling to the boarding school Laurie is hiding in, but doesn’t really do anything of substance. I wouldn’t mind too much, but back in the day this was billed as the final movie. The only creative thing Michael does is fake his death and that isn’t revealed until Resurrection which was near universally disowned by the fandom. Give Resurrection this, it adds more to Michael’s rap sheet. We do get a brief montage at the beginning of H-20 that implies that Michael has gone on a killing spree across the country, but the problem is it breaks the “show don’t tell rule”.

I’ll give them this, we do get a comic book miniseries called Nightdance set in the H-20 continuity, that expands on Michael’s evil and menace in ways I won’t spoil here because I recommend it, and it’s not as well known as Resurrection despite being considered by some to be the better follow up. It’s almost a shame this wasn’t made into a movie, because in the actual movies in that timeline Michael didn’t feel as threatening or menacing, took a lot of the edge off his character, and made him especially weak compared to the previous sequels. You could make the argument that the movie was mainly focused on Laurie’s facing her demons, the problem was that everything was rushed and undeveloped in that department, so Laurie’s character arc doesn’t really make up for it.

Compare and contrast this with 2018, which gave us a slow burn focus on how Michael effected Laurie, Laurie’s relationship with her family and quickly shown us the stakes Michael’s threat poses. It really makes me question why H-20 was seen as such a golden calf back in the day. It seems to me that is was mostly because Jamie Lee Curtis made a comeback for that movie.

Conclusion

So that’s my reasoning for why the Thorn trilogy hits the “Perfect Sequel” beats over H-20; it had more lore and world building; had a greater focus on the themes introduced in the second film; a more sympathetic protagonist; Michael’s evil was empathized more; and an atmosphere closer related to the actual holiday of Halloween. 2018 had some of the same beats at the Thorn trilogy, but I’m not gonna a final decision until the 2018 sequels are finished. It’s a personal standard of mine to wait until the story is over before I make a final decision.

I will give 2018 points so far for building it’s new lore and developing it’s new characters in one movie, but I think it has it’s problems too. Mainly that 2018 felt more like a big “Fix It” fanfic brought to the cinema, and was a little heavy when it came to self referencing humor, call-backs and leaning on the fourth wall, and fandom wish fulfillment. 2018 isn’t a bad movie, it’s one of my favorite sequels, but even so I can’t get around the whole “fanfic-ish” feel I got from watching it.

Pretty much the one thing H-20 has over 2018 was that it didn’t try too hard to be Scream, which was a formula most late 90’s horror films followed. At most we were given a quick Scream cameo, that could possibly shatter the canon if I think of it too much. H-20 went out of its way by not copying Scream during the writing process. Little known fact, but while H-20 was intended to be the last Halloween film, the studio had this rule was that Michael Myers wasn’t allowed to actually be killed off, so a sequel was planned in advance to clarify he was still alive; the original plan was that “Michael” would be a obsessed fan and copycat; that idea was scrapped possibly for following the “Scream formula” too much, and what we got instead was the infamous paramedic twist in Resurrection.

[drummergirl231-2]

Della Duck - Possible ADHD

Update: Added a thing I forgot and fixed a typo in a gif Should we call this Part II after my “Fethry Duck - Possible Autism” post?

I know that just like before, I’m not in a place to diagnose someone else’s fictional character. That’s up to the writers. This is speculative. And I’m not wildly throwing around neurodiversity diagnoses for fun. If I see a lot of evidence a character could be neurodivergent though, I want to talk about it in a respectful way to raise awareness and acceptance. 

I feel it’s important to stop looking at neurodivergent people like they’re defective, like they have something wrong with them that needs to be cured, instead of seeing them as people with rare brain types that are equally valuable to humankind. 

Here’s the thing: I don’t have Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. I have Autism. I have several friends who have Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Last year I interviewed four of them about it, asking them what their struggles and strengths are, what some mistaken beliefs are that others have about ADHD they’d like to clear up, and what else they would like people to know about it. 

So while I don’t know what having it is like firsthand (for the most part, because there are some commonalities between ADHD and Autism), I’m going to use information I got from friends who do have it. 

Now let’s talk about this wonderful ducky. 

Wait actually let’s talk about Dewey for a second. 

Early on in the series, fans speculated that Dewey could have ADHD. From the pilot episode alone, we learned that he is hyperactive, he has trouble with impulses, his attention shifts from one topic to another quickly (“Scrooge was trying to keep me out of trouble! But I was so caught up in why is there a lamp on the floor?”), and he’s genuinely miserable if he has to sit still for a long period of time.

Some experts speculate that ADHD could be genetic, or genetics could be one of several factors that contribute to ADHD. And since Season 1 hinted at a lot of parallels between Dewey and Della, I started to headcanon that she could have ADHD. But I needed more evidence. 

“What Ever Happened to Della Duck?!” certainly delivered. Not only does Della exhibit many traits of ADHD, but she also has the unfair negative reputation amongst other characters and fans that my friends said they often struggle with. More on that in a bit.

I forgot to add this when I first made the post, but Della is ambidextrous.

Ambidextrous people have higher rates of ADHD than righties or lefties. 

Also, “What Ever Happened to Della Duck?!” hinted at Della having an attention deficit. 

Of course, scolding herself to pay attention isn’t enough on its own, but in conjunction with the other traits, it does point to possible ADHD. 

As for hyperactivity... well, Della’s pretty hyper, too. 

And she’s talkative. She won’t use a sentence when a paragraph would do (I know them feels).

We don’t see her sitting still much in the episode. She’s always spinning, hopping, leaping, running, and talking, humming, or singing to herself or anyone who might be listening. She’s like a little Energizer bunny, always going and going and going.

People with ADHD need to move. One of my former roommates said that sometimes in class she felt like she was almost shaking with the need to do something. 

^How much do you wanna bet this gif sums up Della’s school experience?

But people with ADHD adapt. They learn what helps them get things done. As I listened to my friends’ stories, I could see how resilient and determined they are.

Della is extremely resilient and determined. 

I can definitely see how Della possibly struggling with ADHD could have shaped her into the unstoppable person she is. She would have learned from a young age that if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. 

Still, not all struggles people with ADHD face come from ADHD itself, but from other people’s perceptions of them. 

One of the things I heard from multiple friends when I asked “What’s something people get wrong about those with ADHD?” was, “People think we’re dumb, and we’re not.”

And a lot of people think Della is dumb, both in the show and in the fandom.  Her childhood nickname was Dumbella for goodness sake (a fun little reference to the old comics). 

If Della has ADHD, she may have struggled in school as a kid. As one of my friends said, sitting in class can be really hard because it feels like her brain is louder than the teacher. This, coupled with Della’s impulsiveness, could have led young Donald, and later others, to believe she’s not very smart. 

Low impulse control is another symptom of ADHD that Della has.

I mean, I can see some logic in her attempt to jump off the Moon... if she could survive on chewing gum, who’s to say what is and isn’t possible anymore? And she was desperate to try anything she could think of to get home to her babies. Aaaaand... she thought of this. But as far as we can tell, she didn’t really think the thought through.

Now I’m not including her taking the Spear of Selene in the first place as an impulse, because we already know she chose the date of her departure before she even pitched the idea for space travel to Team Uncle, but there were several other moments in the episode when she was impulsive, usually when her emotions were running high.  

She ripped up the owner’s manual, punched the control panel, threw a little tantrum off-screen...

...charged a giant moon mite, and hugged an alien that had threatened her life multiple times. 

That little inaudible voice in our heads that tells us not to do the thing? People with ADHD don’t have that as much. One of my friends with ADHD is highly intelligent - got two Bachelor’s degrees in four years - and still needs to battle impulses like eating a whole pie in one sitting, biting into a whole orange, and attempting matrix wall flips in an apartment. He’s gotten better as he’s gotten older (it’s low impulse control after all, not no impulse control), but he’ll always struggle with it more than neurotypicals his age. That doesn’t make him dumb, and it doesn’t make Della dumb.

It does give Della the reputation of a dummy that people with ADHD are unfortunately so familiar with. 

(Though heck, everyone has a reputation as a dummy with Gyro; even Fenton.)

I think a lot of this “Della is dumb,” talk is uncalled for.

Especially from Penumbra! My gosh Penny, you’re calling Della dumb for not knowing there was a city on the Moon when your people purposefully hid it so that no one could find it? Really???

But Della is smart. She was an ace Junior Woodchuck. She’s sharper than the sharpies. She was able to follow the directions in the owner’s manual and rebuild the rocket herself.

And that was after she was able to piece the owner’s manual back together again (honestly I’m more impressed with that than her rebuilding the rocket... that’s like some freaky 3D jigsaw puzzle of death).  

She was good at sniffing out surprises. She loved solving mysteries. She could “see the angles,” of a situation and predict the shortcuts and possibilities. She was an accomplished pilot, and could be a decent mechanic in a pinch. Issue #2 of the comics showed her to be good at puzzle games. And she was great at pattern recognition. 

Like my friends, getting distracted by the little details helps Della notice what neurotypicals don’t.

People with ADHD may have their challenges living in a world that favors neurotypicals, but they also have many strengths because of ADHD, and Della encompasses both strengths and weaknesses associated with it without being a forced caricature of someone with it. 

Again, I don’t have the authority to say for sure if someone else’s character has ADHD or not, but if Della does, she’s totally rockin’ it. 

[noisycowboyglitter]

Autism and Dinosaurs: How One Teacher Connects with Special Needs Students

The "Autism Teacher Dinosaur" is a playful and endearing concept that combines the worlds of education, autism awareness, and prehistoric fascination. This imaginative character serves as a symbol for educators who specialize in working with autistic students, embodying the patience, adaptability, and unique approach required in this field.

Buy now:19.95$

Like a dinosaur, these teachers are strong and resilient, facing challenges with determination. They possess a wealth of knowledge and experience, much like the ancient wisdom associated with dinosaurs. The dinosaur aspect also appeals to many autistic children who may have a special interest in prehistoric life, creating an instant connection.

This character might be depicted as a friendly, colorful dinosaur wearing teacher attire, perhaps with puzzle pieces (a symbol often associated with autism) incorporated into its design. The Autism Teacher Dinosaur could be used in educational materials, classroom decorations, or as a mascot for autism education programs.

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The concept celebrates the unique skills of autism educators, including their ability to adapt teaching methods, create structured environments, and communicate effectively with students who have diverse needs. It also highlights the importance of making learning engaging and relatable for autistic students.

By combining education, autism awareness, and a beloved childhood interest, the Autism Teacher Dinosaur serves as a powerful and memorable symbol in the field of special education.

Buy now

When considering gift ideas for daycare teachers, focus on items that show appreciation for their hard work and dedication. Practical gifts such as personalized tote bags, insulated water bottles, or high-quality pens can be useful in their daily routines. Comfort items like cozy socks, scented hand lotions, or relaxing teas are thoughtful ways to help them unwind after busy days.

Personalized gifts, such as custom photo frames with class pictures or engraved keychains, add a special touch. Gift cards to local coffee shops, bookstores, or teaching supply stores are always appreciated. Handmade items from the children, like a collaborative art project or a book of drawings, can be heartwarming keepsakes.

Consider classroom supplies or educational materials they might need. Ultimately, the most meaningful gifts often combine practicality with a personal touch, showing genuine appreciation for their important role.

Buy now

The autism puzzle piece has been a widely recognized symbol for autism awareness since the 1960s. It represents the complexity and diversity of the autism spectrum, suggesting that each individual with autism is unique and fits into the broader picture of society in their own way. The puzzle imagery also alludes to the mystery and ongoing research surrounding autism.

However, the symbol has become controversial in recent years. Some autistic self-advocates argue that it implies incompleteness or that autistic individuals are a "puzzle to be solved." As a result, alternative symbols like the rainbow infinity loop have gained popularity, representing neurodiversity and acceptance rather than a need for a "cure" or solution.

[ladyherenya]

Books read in September

I fell down a couple of rabbit holes -- that’s my metaphor of choice for when I ignore my TBR list and get distracted reading other things, usually in a search for comfort reading.

Also, I clicked the wrong thing in the Kindle app at 1am and now I have a free trial of Kindle Unlimited so I decided I might as well make use of it.

Favourite cover: A Conspiracy in Belgravia.

Reread: Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, Penric’s Mission and Mira’s Last Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold and Exit Strategy by Martha Wells.

Still reading: The Princess Who Flew with Dragons by Stephanie Burgis.

Next up: Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks.

(Longer reviews and ratings are on LibraryThing. And also Dreamwidth.)

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang: Khai hasn’t found a girlfriend, so his mother arranges for a young woman from Vietnam to come to California for the summer, to see if she and Khai will suit each other. This is romance, a genre which doesn’t always share my narrative priorities -- some things are resolved too neatly, and I’d have liked more of Esme’s relationship with her daughter and of her adult education classes -- but I enjoyed reading this, so I’m not complaining. I liked how Hoang portrays Khai’s autism. He has a greater capacity for love than he realises, he just needs support to understand his feelings.

Secrets of a Sun King by Emma Carroll (narrated by Victoria Fox): I read this because I love the narrator and really liked Carroll’s Letters From the Lighthouse. This book is set post-WWI, and involves friendship, family secrets and the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. Lil’s grandfather is in hospital and she becomes convinced that his recovery depends upon her solving the mystery surrounding the package sent to him by a famous and now-deceased Egyptologist. I predicted the twists, but I can see how this would strongly appeal to children who want a blend of history, adventure and mystery with a hint of fantasy. (Where was this when I was twelve?)

The Spirit Ring by Lois McMaster Bujold: Fantasy set in Renaissance Italy. Fiametta, daughter of a master mage and goldsmith, witnesses a violent coup. She flees -- and meets Thur, a guardsmen’s younger brother coming to Montefolgia for an apprenticeship. This was published in 1992, after Bujold had published several Vorkosigan books and won a few Hugos, so I wasn’t expecting it to feel so, well, rough by comparison. That said, bits of it still shine! The plot makes every detail count, the final confrontation is memorable and I liked the characters. And it’s interesting to consider this as a precursor to Bujold’s World of the Five Gods.

A Royal Pain by Meg Mulry: This turned up when I was searching Overdrive for something else (Goodness knows why, none of my search words are its title or description). It sounded like it might be entertaining, maybe a bit like The Princess Diaries. It isn’t, at least not enough for me. Two-thirds through I decided to abandon it -- and then a bit later I decided I might as well skim read to the end and see how everything turned out. I don’t feel qualified to say anything insightful, I just wandered in here by mistake...

The Enchanted April (1922) by Elizabeth von Armin (narrated by Nadia May): Four women respond to a newspaper advertisement and rent a house in Italy for the month of April. This is delightfully funny and observant, with idyllic descriptions of spring in Italy. I liked the friendships which develop between four very different women, and the way they are challenged -- or inspired -- to reconsider their opinions about others. The ending is, unsurprisingly, very tidy and conventional. (Not many options for happy endings a 1920s novelist could easily give to unhappily married women.) Reading nothing but sunshine and fairytale endings would become unsatisfying, no matter how wonderful the prose, but sometimes it’s just want one wants.

The “Lady Sherlock” series by Sherry Thomas:

A Conspiracy in Belgravia: Disgraced Charlotte Holmes has found a home with the widowed Mrs Watson and an income under the persona of “Sherlock Holmes”. Her latest case sounds simple but is complicated by connections to the wife of Charlotte’s closest friend and Charlotte’s half-brother. Meanwhile, Charlotte has a marriage proposal to consider, ciphers to crack, and a murder victim to identify. I like the way certain qualities of Doyle’s characters are assigned to different characters -- so Charlotte’s sister Livia is writing stories about Sherlock, and Mrs Watson’s niece has medical training. I enjoyed reading this and immediately embarked on the next book.

The Hollow of Fear: I could not put this book down -- the stakes are so high and personal! But in the end I didn’t find this a wholly satisfying mystery because much of the tension is the result of Charlotte concealing a lot about her suspicions and plans. It’s fun watching Charlotte in disguise, and I don’t mind some misdirection, nor Charlotte keeping thoughts to herself. That fits with her character. But the extent of it felt contrived. Disappointment aside, I liked the journey, thought one of the twists was handled with particular deftness, and I am eager to read the sequel.

The Huntress by Kate Quinn (narrated by Saskia Maarlveld): A long, complex, powerful three-stranded story about war and its aftermath. In Boston in 1946, Jordan, a teenager passionate about photography, is suspicious of her new stepmother. In Germany in 1950, war correspondent Ian now hunts war criminals. And in Siberia before the war, Nina becomes a pilot. From the beginning, this was interesting, with tense scenes. But I wasn’t strongly invested, and I was unsure of the narrative’s structure. As the story continued, I discovered that it is richer and more nuanced because of its structure --  and that I was becoming very attached to these characters. Surprisingly so.

The “Dear Professor” series by Penny Reid

Kissing Galileo: The description made me curious, so I looked at the sample chapters... and, unexpectedly, was convinced I should read this book. Because it’s smart and funny! And I liked how the characters deal with an awkward and potentially very problematic situation. (Emily works as a lingerie model, and when her professor visits the store, he doesn’t recognise her.) I really enjoyed the progression of their relationship -- how obviously they like each other’s company and care about each other, how they have an intellectual connection that goes hand-in-hand physical attraction, how they learn to understand each other better.

Kissing Tolstoy: The first book is about Emily’s friend Anna, who signs up for a Russian literature class, unaware that the professor is someone she accidentally had an almost-date with. This is a shorter than Kissing Galileo, nearly novella-length, and because I read them back-to-back, suffered somewhat in comparison -- it’s less complex, and features a professor who doesn’t deal quite so well with being attracted to one of his students. I wasn’t so convinced their relationship was a good idea. But there’s some entertaining awkwardness and people being opinionated about Russian literature. I liked Anna’s nerdy interests and her friendship with Emily.

Marriage of Inconvenience by Penny Reid: I was curious what else Reid has written and sometimes I like fake relationships stories.  This book makes a convoluted set-up feel plausible. I liked how Kat and Dan’s relationship developed, I liked the ratio of romance to plot, and I liked how involved and supportive all their friends were. But my enjoyment ebbed as I read, which is probably a reflection on what I want from this sort of story rather than on this book’s merits. I don’t find the corporate city setting very interesting or appealing.

Dr. Strange Beard by Penny Reid: I enjoy stories where characters are passionate about their interests.  In this, one of the characters is a vet but his job had no real presence in the story. What a waste.

A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley: Sara accepts a job decoding a ciphered diary from 1732. The diary is written by Mary, a half-Scottish woman raised in France, who agrees to disguise an Englishman by pretending to be his sister. I like how these two stories sit together. There’s a gentleness to Sara’s, as she discovers things she likes, including the sensory delights of winter in France and people who accept her. In contrast, Mary’s is full of danger, deception and the discomfort of travel. But there’s also subtle, common threads running throughout: life-changing choices and trusting people. I liked so many things in this book.

Echo in Onyx by Sharon Shinn: Brianna becomes the maid for the governor’s daughter, who has three “echoes”. When one of Marguerite's echoes is killed defending Marguerite, Brianna disguises herself as the echo so that they can conceal the incident. The concept of echoes is unusual and Shinn has clearly given careful thought to how they would affect society and daily life for those who have them, as well as reasons for their existence.  I wasn’t surprised by the final twists, because I know how Shinn usually deals with injustice, but parts were still quite tense. And I liked Brianna’s attitude -- so sunny and resourceful and loyal.

A House of Rage and Sorrow by Sangu Mandanna: I really liked A Spark of White Fire so I was surprised by my reaction to this sequel. Halfway through, I was pushing myself to stay focused and just wanted to cross it off the list. So I left it there. I don’t know if there was something in the pacing or the first book’s ending which stopped me from caring -- or if I just wasn’t in the mood to read about rage and sorrow and things going to hell in a handbasket. I might try again one day. I did like the first one.