Colorful and hopefully optimistic but maybe hateful occasionally

[littleoc]

I’ll answer y’all in a bit.

I just came here to say that a tiny ice storm showed up out of nowhere, and the power has been out for an hour and a half so far. I’m hoping my bird is warm. She’s still asleep so I’m going to leave her that way.

I held my snake to my belly for an hour until he complained he was too hot. Haha, poor guy. I’m glad corn snakes are so hardy. He won’t like it but he’ll be okay for hours.

The willow tree looks beautiful. It froze in place during strong wind!

 

[littleoc]

Oh, also to share an interesting article. I think I experienced this. Not sure though.

In Antarctica, Scientists Enter an Extreme State of 'Psychological Hibernation'

"Previous research has suggested that this is a protective mechanism against chronic stress, which makes sense – if conditions are uncontrollable, but you know that at some point in the future things will get better, you may choose to reduce coping efforts in order to preserve energy."

 

[Freida]

One of the things on my bucket list (that I didn't get to do) was to work in Antarctica!. I thought that would be an amazing experince. They did contact me about dispatching there but they wanted me for the winter over 10 month season and I only wanted to do the 3 month round. Reading this makes me think it was the right choice :laugh:

 

[littleoc]

You could take a tour there! They happen occasionally, are much safer, and won't leave you struggling!

So I hear. I haven't been on one. :p

-------

Found something else while studying that interested me.

Rule three [of YA fiction]: Adults may advise, but may never solve the problem

I feel very strongly about this; all of my characters have to figure it out for themselves. Otherwise it’s a boring book and deeply unsatisfying, but also smacks of what an adult might want real life to be, i.e. Adult sees kid struggling and offers advice, if kid follows it, the problem is resolved, both are happy.

Well, I think more often than not a kid has a problem, the adults rarely notice (often because the teen is hiding it), or offer advice but the kid is too enmeshed in the problem or distracted by other stuff to follow it and see the wisdom. So they struggle until they get there by themselves in the end, thereby learning a life lesson more effectively – and painfully. That’s how it was for me, anyway. And so that’s how it has to be for my characters too.

Bolded for emphasis.
Source: Five Rules of Young Adult Fiction | Em's place

 

[littleoc]

YA short story that includes being controlled by society, parents, and culture (was helpful to my inner adolescent, might be to yours?):

Clockwork by Alizah Pervaiz Hashmi. It took me like five-ten minutes to read the whole thing.
Clockwork | YARN

It's not violent. Some slaps. Being banned from dating. Helpless, insignificant feeling. Actually pretty optimistic considering these kids will be less accepting of this lifestyle and raise their kids better.

 

[littleoc]

Tonight’s dinner was exhausting.

Conversation consisted of poo, my dog’s vagina, and a five year old girl getting pregnant.

To be fair, my brother in law was feeling friendly today and redirected the conversation. And to be more fair, it was a medical discussion. And then a joke. And jokes are okay. It’s just exhausting.

I already lost my temper at my dog and she didn’t even do anything wrong. Ugh.

It was a great dinner, though. Don’t get me wrong. One day I’ll just frown at weird conversation choices my family makes and move on.

 

[littleoc]

Not judgement frown though. I don’t want to be judgmental.

 

[littleoc]

I do stuff like this. I literally took my car to a mechanic who broke a bunch of stuff and kept charging me to fix it - and was so overwhelmed by the stress of having to take the car to another mechanic who would think I was stupid for listening to the other guy that I didn't take it anywhere even for an oil change for 3 years. For me, it's fear and overwhelm and freak-out because you know someone's doing something wrong but can't handle the idea of coping with it.

This was really helpful to read, by the way. Do you think it’s anxiety?

 

[littleoc]

I really doubt my mom has processed any of her trauma. She basically had 58 years straight of trauma. Including kids almost dying like four times. And doesn’t have communication skills. Unless it’s a complete stranger. But she doesn’t seem to pick up on if the stranger is having fun or is uncomfortable. But that’s not exactly a character flaw. More like an endearing trait.

 

[littleoc]

I’ve thought about telling her to make an account here, and we could block each other. So we could even complain about each other with support in peace, lol.

She joined a breast cancer forum once and didn’t like it so hasn’t joined a forum since. She’s not good at getting resources honestly. That’s okay tho

 

[ILoveLife]

I don't think your mom having an account here is such a good idea :cautious:

 

[littleoc]

Probably not. I’m super recognizable lol