•it's okay•

so every dot on this map is basically someone’s queer experience: coming out, meeting their future wife, seeing another gay man in public for the first time, anything you can think of that truly left a mark on them

It’s no secret to the Japanese that Shinjuku nichome is the gay district of Tokyo but about half the pins left there are for the same club in that area named gold finger. Definitely a place to check out if you’re looking to get involved in the Japanese queer community for whatever reason, it seems.

I have a sneaking suspicion this submission is a haiku when written in Japanese…

This guy got the scenic view I guess

Is this how people feel while reading deep romantic poetry because wow I’m moved.

Honestly the best feeling is learning we’re not as alone as we’ve been led to believe

small town australia vibes

- get dressed and style your hair as if you’re going to school/work - even use the same perfume/ cologne as you normally do  (trick your mind into being motivated)

- plan things out - everything (plan out your week, day, meal, etc. you can make these as specific as you’d like. this will help you stay on top of your work as well as stay healthy, especially if you live alone.)

- make studying/ working the first thing you do each day - best if you can start in the morning (minimize the tendency to procrastinate)

- just start - don’t worry too much about perfecting or finishing anything yet (if you don’t start then there’s nothing for you to perfect or get done. and it will never get done)

- listen to old and simple (aka non-distracting) podcasts, Youtube videos, or café/ chattering white-noise, etc. simply leave them as background noise to create an illusion of being outside your room (bring the presence of people to you. my favorites lately have been slam poems from 2016, Mae Martin’s stages, and Awsten Knight’s crackhead podcasts)

- set timers, for both study sessions and breaks (so that you don’t overwork, burn out, or procrastinate. the Pomodoro technique works great here)

- take advantage of the comfort of your own home (light a candle, have crunchy snacks, play loud music, review notes out loud while pacing around, wrap yourself in a blanket burrito, study on your bed if you can focus there like me, etc. basically anything you can’t do in a classroom, office, or the library)

- if you miss your friends, call/ text/ facetime them, make a study group chat with them, etc. (that is what technology is for)

- choose recreational activities/ self-care for your breaks instead of going on social media (go on walks, make small art, play an instrument, stretch, take a nap, etc. I usually reach for my guitar, brainstorm writing ideas, or sketch very simple line art.)

- if you want to go on social media, do it during meal times - or the 15 minutes after your meals that you can’t work just yet (it also doesn’t make you feel like you’re wasting time)

- study in different rooms for a change of scenery (dining room, living room, the patio, etc. I have an armchair next to the window that I study in whenever I need some sunlight and don’t have to write anything down. however, if you need a designated place to focus on your work, you can also use these alternative spaces as designated “relax” or “creative” place for your breaks)

- use this as an opportunity to take care of yourself (get enough sleep, drink water, exercise, talk to your family, take your meds, be mindful of your mental health, etc.)

Feel free to add your tips. The current situation sure is unpleasant but it is unavoidable. All we can really do now is take care of ourselves, others, and try to make the best out of this.

Last year I wrote two blog posts on book recommendations, the first was about girl power books, which you can read HERE and the second one was for psychology book recommendations, HERE. Since I have received requests to share some recommendations for Neuroscience books, I decided to compile a separate list. I’m including books written by scientists, as well as neurologists covering different topics within Neuroscience. I think this list will be useful for those of you who are interested in the field of Neuroscience but aren’t sure which books would be suitable to start with! 

NON-FICTION:

Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks

Migraine by Oliver Sacks

The River of Consciousness by Oliver Sacks

The Man With a Shattered World: The History of a Brain Wound by Alexander Luria

The Brain That Changes Itself: Plasticity by Norman Doidge

The Hidden Brain by Shankar Vedantam 

He also hosts The Hidden Brain podcast, which I highly recommend to check out!

The Brain: The Story of You by David Eagleman

Also check out his BBC mini-series, HERE’s the link to the playlist!

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman (decision making)

The Human Brain Coloring Book by Diamond, Scheibel and Elson (direct shopping link)

FICTION:

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan (memoir)

Still Alice by Lisa Genova 

Both of these books have movie adaptations!

Not all of these were a 5 star read for me; however, I’m still including them on the list (because the ratings are based on my opinions, which could be different from yours). I have linked Goodreads pages for book descriptions! I’m not including personal reviews because I would like this to be a reference list, rather than a book review blog post, but if you would like to discuss a particular book with me you can send me a private message (I always respond!).

I also have a GoodReads account, which you can follow to know what I’m currently reading HERE. 

Energy Management

A human-based organization method

click on images for better resolution; images also available here (link to google drive)

Other posts that may be of interest:

Getting stuff done: How to deal with a lack of motivation

Flexible time-blocking: A more breathable way to get things done

What’s NOT okay to say: I’m a fuck up. 

do things you know would be better for you than other possibilities

don’t rush progress and also don’t give up on it if it feels slow

do things your future self will thank you for

don’t measure your success in comparison with others who have different abilities and circumstances

believe things can and will get better

reward yourself for growth and don’t beat yourself up when you don’t get it right

i will get it.