Latest Posts by shiftuu - Page 4

I was rambling on the issue of museums and human remains and how certain populations are more likely to have their bodies put on display to be gawked at and then went "well I guess the Pompeii casts were of Europeans. there are bones in there right?" and Googled it to make sure, at which point I confirmed that yes there are bones in there, but more interestingly DNA testing revealed that a cast of an adult holding a child everyone assumed was a mother and child were, in fact, a man and a kid entirely unrelated to him. Honestly that's more moving to me. Maybe they were connected in a way other than blood, but maybe a stranger saw a child when the world was ending and thought the one thing he could do was hold them.

Which smile is the best?

i love you, get up, keep going.

posted a month ago on my Patreon and Ko-fi, original text by @inkskinned can be found here 💗

✅ you are welcome to: crop the images for banners/pfps (with credit); create voice overs w/o AI

❌ you may not: repost to other platforms w/o permission; create voice overs with AI; create NFTs

get early access to new comics: patreon, ko-fi || get your fursona assigned by me || browse older Tumblr Comicscs

Tips for Defying the End of the World.

squeak saturday: she CAN haz cheezburger

In the dark, the deer mistook my headlights for stars

I am such a huge horse nerd and I apologize. :( But I’m really tired of seeing girths that are halfway down a horse’s stomach. This may not be interesting to anyone who is not me, but I like to draw fancy saddles and ridiculously long shanks on bits. Also, horses are the only animal I can draw, so I take advantage of that.

I hope this helps some frustrated non-horsey artists in at least some small way. Remember, when in doubt, add some buckles and some rings. :)

In a monumental discovery for paleontology and the first of its kind "Mummy of a juvenile sabre-toothed cat Homotherium latidens from the Upper Pleistocene of Siberia"

Abstract The frozen mummy of the large felid cub was found in the Upper Pleistocene permafrost on the Badyarikha River (Indigirka River basin) in the northeast of Yakutia, Russia. The study of the specimen appearance showed its significant differences from a modern lion cub of similar age (three weeks) in the unusual shape of the muzzle with a large mouth opening and small ears, the very massive neck region, the elongated forelimbs, and the dark coat color. Tomographic analysis of the mummy skull revealed the features characteristic of Machairodontinae and of the genus Homotherium. For the first time in the history of paleontology, the appearance of an extinct mammal that has no analogues in the modern fauna has been studied. For more read here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-79546-1

gotta teach the youth of the hardships in life

This is going to fucking suck but I will not do my enemies’ work for them. I will not just roll over and fucking die.

it’s just one of those croissant days

Hey Aussies, do you want your real name and ID slapped on your tumblr account? If the answer is fuck no, our gov’s got a upcoming legislation for banning 16 year olds and under from social media even WITH parental consent. And by “Social Media”…

The code defines social media as electronic services that meet the following conditions:

The sole or primary purpose of the service is to enable online social interaction between two or more end users

The service allows end users to link to, or interact with, some or all other end users

The service allows end users to post material on the service

Such other conditions (if any) as are set out in the legislative rules.

So. You know. Just the entire fucking internet. They even named youtube as banned, god forbid kids out in the bush get access to LGBTQ+ communities online when they could be watching adds for sportsbet.

I am 100 per cent supportive of eliminating bullying and fake information from online platforms. The easiest way to do that is to be able to utilise existing laws, and the easiest way to do that is to ensure there are no fake accounts. Your digital, online life is your real life. If you want to make comments, that's fine, but it should be as you, as a verified account. This means everyone knows who it is that makes those comments, that you can be found and prosecuted under existing laws, just as you would if you express those opinions in a newspaper, for example, or you went on to a television station and said something similar.

Contact an Aussie senator about this shit. They’re trying to slide it under all the USpol news.

[Image: ‘Using Sex as self harm?]

While some survivors shy away from sex completely after the fact, other still are able to have healthy sex lives, there is another subset of the survivor+sex possibilities- those who use sex as a form of self harm.

How can you tell if you’re using sex as a self harm mechanism?

Does sex usually make you feel bad?

Do you seek out sex when you feel bad about yourself?*

*and not as in ‘my partner makes me feel loved when we have sex, so I go to them. kind of seek out.

Do you think that it’s all you’re worth?

Do you often find yourself dissociating during sex?

Do you often find yourself going into situations you feel are risky and then being upset with yourself afterwards?

If you answered yes to any of the above, you might be using sex as self harm.

What can you do if you’re using sex as self harm?

First, it’s important to remember that shaming yourself will not actually make you stop. Sometimes we beat up on ourselves over these things and call ourselves horrible names- and we justify it by saying 'it’ll make me stop’ or 'it’s what I deserve for doing this’.

It won’t make you stop, it may even drive you to doing it again. And you don’t deserve to be hurt anymore.

No longer using sex as a self harm mechanism comes in three to four parts.

What will you do when you do use sex as self harm?

Even once you’ve recognized that this is a behavior that you want to stop- most survivors will slip up a few times.

Create a self care plan. Figure out what you need to do to reduce the damage. Both in terms of during and after. Birth control and 'afterwards I will call my friend instead of beating myself up for this.' 

What will you do when you want to use sex as a self harm mechanism?

When you find yourself wanting to self harm- what will you do? How will you distract yourself?

A lot of people do the….'if I still want to do this in an hour I can re-examine the urge again.’ game. 'I’m going to watch an episode of HTGWM and then maybe’  'I’m going to go take a shower and brush my hair and do my makeup and then we’ll think about it again’ 'If I still want to do this tomorrow- then maybe.’

Have a plan of things you can do in the mean time. Have things that are both straight up distractions and ways to vent, express yourself, deal with the feelings that are driving here.

Maybe ways that you can be validated. Maybe 'instead of going to the bar or calling that boy I’m going to call my friend _____ and see if she’ll come over and we’ll lay on the couch and watch netflix' 

Whatever it is that you need to do to keep yourself from self harming.

Figuring out why you want to use sex as a self harm mechanism- and attacking that at the root.

Maybe it’s because you think that this is all you’re worth. If so- find other ways to validate your worth, if you can’t find worth in who you already are- ask someone else you trust to help you see it. maybe help you write a list. or figure out ways you can help build your sense of worth- volunteering, or by being a good friend, or whatever it is you think makes a person worth while.

Maybe it’s because you think this is what you deserve. If so- when you’re feeling okay I want you to write down that you don’t. that you don’t deserve to be touched when you don’t want to be. That you deserve better things. That trauma has not marked you for life as undeserving of intimacy. You deserve to come to it on your own terms though. You did not deserve what happened to you. and you do not 'deserve’ self harm, you deserve so much better.

Maybe it’s because you’re trying to process what happened. and if so- it’s a sign processing needs to happen about the trauma. Try to find healthier ways to process. Talk to a friend or a group or therapist. Read articles or watch poetry or whatever it is that you think is a healthy way to process what happened. make art, whatever it is you need to do.

Find ways to directly deal with the root of why you self harm.

and lastly- this is only if you /want/ to. Nobody is required to have sex ever again.

Find out ways to have a healthy sex life again. 

Maybe you’ll still need to do the waiting period at first- to make sure it isn’t a self harming urge. 'If I still want to have sex with you in a few days, maybe. but right now- I need to wait.’

Maybe you’ll need to have sex a certain way. Soft and slow. In a certain environment. With certain conditions.

Whatever it is that makes you feel safe and comfortable. The important thing is finding something that works for you.

—–

Remember, you have nothing to be ashamed of. You are trying to heal the best way that you know possible, but I want you to know, that you don’t deserve to hurt and that there are other ways to go about things. that you have options.

and that you deserve better.

Take care of yourself today, okay?

BE MAD BE SAD BUT DONT U DARE GIVE UP

People all over the world are thinking of you!

there is no place at my table for those who wish harm upon my family

Currently sitting in a pub with my husband and my friend Phil for the first time in ages and ages and I'm having the best time because Phil is exceptionally charmingly weird

He has opened the bidding as we discuss neurodiversity

"I just get distracted so easily," says Phil. "Like I meant to go to uni the other day. But I ended up playing Uno with some Mormons."

"... sorry?" says Steff.

"Yeah," says Phil. "In the park. No, wait..."

There is a pause

"Witnesses," he says. "Those ones. I told them if I lost I would convert with them, but if I won they had to go drinking with me. So that's what I mean, you know, I get distracted."

"PHIL," says Steff. "OBVIOUSLY, WHO WON."

"Oh yeah," says Phil. "Me. Sorry."

I am having the best time

everybody say happy birthday pumpkin

Unhappy Shadowsight..

..and flowers!

a comic I didn’t quite know how to make about love and hope at the end of the world

quick are you mythologizing sex again? are you making it seem like a special category of human behavior rather than just a thing people do? are you forgetting that it can be silly or fun or simply pedestrian? are you forgetting that it requires conversation and negotiation just like every other human activity that involves other people?

writing advice for characters with a missing eye: dear God does losing an eyes function fuck up your neck. Ever since mine crapped out I've been slowly and unconsciously shifting towards holding my head at an angle to put the good eye closer to the center. and human necks. are not meant to accommodate that sorta thing.

Make the most of the next two months

Get all your vaccines

Travel while we have a functioning DOT

Read and buy books on feminism, anti-racism, pro-lgbt

Attend drag shows

Don't skip any of your classes

Read and buy history books

Find your out-of-state networks

Learn to carry cash

Get birth control solutions

Support the Biden/Harris administration

Postpone large purchases and save money

Be careful of what you say online, like un-ambiguous attacks against the incoming administration, especially in spaces that contain your full name or personal information

Feel free to add on.

reasons.

I'm currently making a survival book, its going to inclue everything you need to run, how to cross borders (only if necessary), the safest states right now, the unsafest states, how to protect yourself in a red area, what places to stay at if your running, nearby jobs and other ways to get money, what foods are best to get, how to make certain foods, electronic related advice, the safest messaging apps, what not to say in messages, guide to doctors if you have a uterus or are a women, what plants are safe to eat, various poisons, how to deal with cops, a map of the local area and where cops hang out, how to survive in the woods, clothes you should bring, what to do about your period if your on the run, methods of birth control and what's the best, how to legally change your name and the amount of money it costs, how to a car if your in a non walkable area, first aid tips, how to get and use a burner phone, what type of weapons you might need and how to use them, a guide on how to use most commonplace guns, chargers to use for any devices you might bring.

All of it, I've got multiple notebooks to I'm spreading it across them.

I'm looking for other things to add too it, or if you see one or more subjects in here that you know a lot about/ can help with, feel free to reply or reblog with it, and if you don't want it attached to your profile, my asks are open and free to use. Anything is helpful, anything at all.

I'll be deleting this by January, you have until then to send.

Please, please please please, reblog this. don't just 'like' it

Yesterday was a long, painful day in a lot of ways. It was also a Wednesday, which means it was queer board game night at my local library. It was family night, which usually has less young adults even though everyone is welcome. I wasn't sure if *anyone* from my community would show up.

We live in a red southern state. I've been harrassed in this very town. I stood in front of my mirror for a long time debating whether I should wear conservative man passing clothes (camo shirt, trucker hat, work boots). I ended up wearing a bold neon pride shirt. Fuck 'em, right?

I left early and I was one of the first people to arrive. The host said they didn't think anyone would show up. While we caught up, a man in a MAGA hat shuffled into the lobby across from us with a big walking stick. I kept my eye on him and prepared myself to jump in front of the doorway and de-escalate a situation. He sat down, and went through his stuff, and as I looked I realized he was probably homeless—our library is a safe haven for all kinds, thankfully. He was a member of my community. He might be wearing that hat out of fear, just like I'd considered dressing conservatively earlier. Or he might be an active Trump supporter. Either way, he's a member of my community and he was obviously leaving us alone. I relaxed minutely.

And then...people started trickling in. Many were my friends. Some were new faces. Someone brought a big bowl of leftover halloween candy and the mood skyrocketed. I played monopoly with a 9-year old kid, a member of the military, and a witch. It was a blast. Honestly it was one of the busiest game nights I've been at in a while, and family days are usually almost empty.

Afterward a group of us wanted to keep hanging out so we went to taco bell and then a park to chat and laugh and show off pocket knives and carabiners. At the taco bell, though, I noticed a trio of youths come in with colorful hair and bodies full of that tight apprehension I'd been feeling all day. One of them saw me and lit up and gave that sweet, familiar "I love your shirt!" I hope it made people feel safer. Reminded them we're still here and we're not giving up an inch of ground. We're not alone. You're not alone, I promise.

It was a long day, and a good night.

Please, spread this for those who might need it right now

U.S. suicide hotline: call or text 988 (available 24 hours)

U.S. trans lifeline: (877) 565-8860 (when you call, you’ll speak to a trans/nonbinary peer operator. full anonymity and confidentiality)

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) – provides 24/7 confidential support and referrals for individuals and families facing mental health and substance use disorders, including panic attacks and anxiety.

LGBT National Help Center: (888) 843-4564

Trevor Project: Call (866) 488-7386, text START to 678-678, or chat online.

Take care of yourself and each other. Please stay safe ♡

5 years ago, I was in Rehab.

10 years ago, I was watching my Potential and Opportunities dissolve and evaporate in an ocean of cheap gin and expensive whiskey.

But 5 years ago, I was in Rehab.

One of the exercises they had us perform was to imagine ourselves happy, 5 years in the future.

Many of us in that room had forgotten how to imagine nice things happening to them. A few snorted (well, I snorted), finding the notion that we’d even still be around in 5 years grimly humorous.

For about half of us, it was the last stop on the way down.

But I indulged the therapist. I was there, after all, because I did not want to die. So, I imagined myself, 5 years hence.

Happy.

It came to me all at once; an artistic remix on Norman Rockwell’s Freedom From Want, reframed with myself placing food at the table.

Sunday Dinner At My Place, I answered, when it came my turn to share my fantasy. I was asked what food I imagined eating.

It’s not the meal itself, I said, it’s the implications framed around it. Sunday Dinner At My Place means that I have a Place. It means that I have Family that will actually speak to me and friends who actually want to see me. It means money enough not just to feed myself but others too. It means having the time to spare to take the time preparing the meal.

A lot of nodding heads all around me. A struck chord. Many people with no Place, in that place. Nowhere that would lament their leaving.

5 years hence, as I lay down to sleep in my Home, with my Wife and my Son, surrounded by my Art and my Flowers, I reflect.

It was a long road. It was hard. We lost people. So many people. There were long days and long nights and hospital stays. Angry arguments with ghosts. I changed, in ways I never hoped for, or expected. Good ways, finally, for once. Slowly, against the backdrop of a world in chaos, I found my mind.

Sometimes, My Wife wondered aloud, what she did to deserve me. After some stumbling with my feelings, I eventually settled on an answer.

I’m a Rescue.

She gave me a Home.

And, so, I gave her a Family.

It seemed fair

This Sunday, my folks, which whom I have not had a shouting match in years, will come over for dinner. We will cook and eat together. My Friend became My Wife, and she took a piece of me and with it she made Our Son. There will be many hugs, and no violence. Good Things Happened.

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but you don’t know what the future holds.

don’t give up yet, ok?

It could get good, even.