what are you doing um with those ants ;)

As a former music teacher, I can also say that "learn the fundamentals first" is the death knell for a vast percentage of beginners, especially adult learners.

I've run into this with drawing several times, where some well-meaning artist has lectured me on needing to study anatomy properly or not use shortcuts like CSP brushes. And oh, believe me, I know. I know exactly how to learn an artistic discipline in a structured way. I just...don't want to!

The thing is, I'm not aiming to be a professional artist. I want to draw my gay little anime guys. I would undoubtedly improve at art much faster if I approached every gay little anime guy drawing as a study exercise. But I would also have quit drawing a decade ago if I couldn't just let myself enjoy drawing imperfect fucked-up little guys with whatever shortcuts I needed to body myself across the finish line.

With my adult piano students, my approach was always "What's your goal?" If their goal was to learn exactly one Elton John songbook to play at parties, then...that's what we did. We'd put tape on the keys to label the notes, and just fuckin go for it. Learning exactly one Elton John songbook is a good and noble musical goal, full stop.

Some of my students needed and enjoyed a more structured approach to learning; if they wanted to be able to play classical music, then yes, scales were going to have to enter the equation at some point. And yet others would learn the Elton John songbook, catch their white whale, and realize they wanted to explore more of the ocean. The scales were still there for them to learn!

Often the choice isn't between "learn art well" and "learn art imperfectly" - the choice is between "learn art imperfectly" and "don't do art at all." To which I say, learn imperfectly! Or, what the hell, don't 'learn' art. Just do, and enjoy the doing of it.

therapist, through gritted teeth: and once again, that's the end of your time. please put that 20 dollar bill away. i already told you you can't extend the meter. it doesn't work like parking.

me: i PROMISE i'm almost at the part where i intend to harm myself or others

[ID: a tag reading, “#don’t eat citrus if you have any mental health problems #the vitamin C is so bad for you” end ID]

that specifically grapefruit can have negative interactions with certain blood pressure drugs, certain cholesterol controlling medications, and certain anti-depressants.

This is usually less about making the drugs ineffective, and more about changing how your body absorbs it such that it can enter your blood all of a sudden instead of over time, and could intensify negative side effects or even cause an overdose. Which is important to know. Because you don't want the medication that keeps your blood pressure down by slowing your heart a little to suddenly slow it to almost no heartbeat at all. That's bad.