#another goal this year was to decrease spending

drew this to fight the urge to buy the Takara UFO Young Link plush I saw on ebay, but after a bit of research, I learned the one listed is missing Navi so my desire for it has dropped yay!!

You may have been linked this blog because you were looking for an explanation of the event that your friends keep talking about, or you may have stumbled upon us in the tags. Either way— welcome! We'd love to have you play battleship with us!

And what is Battleship? What does it look like to play?

Battleship is a team-based fan creation game that runs through Ao3, Google Sheets, and Discord, with five rounds. You can play as a fic writer, an artist, a web weaver, or a podficcer. In the first round teams are issued a bingo-style board of tags and they mark off their squares by posting fanwork gifts for people that use those tags. There are things hidden under each square, and that helps your team get closer to finishing the round!

The bingo board might look something like this! (Tags from last year.)

To participate in the game, you might post a gift that features the tags "Whump", "Beach Holiday", "Language of Flowers", and "AU - Hanahaki", scoring a hit on each. That would drop the number in each square one lower, closer to 0. When a square hits zero, your team gets to find out what your square contains! Is it just going to be bonus XP, or is it going to be one of the hidden goal squares you're looking for? In this round, people often do crazy tag mashups to hit as many tags as possible. Can you think of a story idea that uses "Poison", "AU - Dystopia", "Tattoos," "Winter", and "Wings", for example?

Once your team has finished round one, you go on to a word count boss!

In this round, it's all about word count and complexity of work. You post gifts and gain points for word count of fic or podfic, or complexity of work for art or web weaves. Those points come off your boss's hit points, and decreases your boss's health bar. Your team is between 30-60 people, so all of you working together can drop that health bar pretty fast. When you've entirely defeated your boss, you go to the next round!

This round is another tag board, but with different tags in play!

You're still trying to hit tags with your work, but this time there's a new mechanic for what is under your squares where you clear them. Your team works together to find all your hidden goal squares by posting enough gifts featuring the new tags. It's time to come up with new crazy tag combinations— how does "bad at feelings", "cannibalism", "miscommunication", "memory loss", and "corruption" sound for a work idea?

And then it's time for round four— another word count boss!

Often in gameplay some people find they're not as interested in the tag mashup idea of board rounds, so they save all their work for bosses. Letting your teammates clear the tags and just focusing on longer works that you unleash in boss rounds is an entirely valid way to play, and can really help your team crush those bosses.

And once the boss has been dropped to zero, it's time for the final round. In the third board, all the tags from previous boards come back!

If you have any works that you started earlier in any of the other rounds, you can finish them up here and they'll help your team. Sometimes we find there are people who spend the whole event writing a work so that they can unleash a 10k nuke that hits 100 tags and utterly decimate their boards. There's a new set of goal squares hidden on your board, and how fast can your team clear those tags and find all of them?

Once official gameplay ends (once at least one team has finished board three), there's a short editing period for people to polish up their works. Then we works are released and we enter the anon reading period, where everyone can appreciate and comment on everybody else's works! There are also bonus mechanics to help unfinished teams finish their boards, so that everybody gets to finish their team's story and game. Battleship takes about three weeks to play, and then we comment on each other's works for two weeks before authors are revealed!

And how do you know what tags to hit, or what is needed for a boss, or what the plan is? That is where discord comes in! You'll be coordinating in team-specific channels in the discord, with team captains to help guide strategy and answer questions. Whether you want to help plan out which squares to hit, or if you just want to be told "we need these 8 tags to be hit" and you open a document, or if you want to lock in on dropping knock-out punches on the boss with longer works, or if you know you're gonna be busy but you want to help by making one work that you're saving for the final round— there are many ways to help your team! Short triple drabbles, detailed comics, longer fics, bite-sized podfics, complicated web weaves— there's a place for all kinds of creation in the event.

Signups open: February 25th

Signups Close: March 3rd

Gameplay Starts: March 8th.

As some of you know, this Saturday is Mabon, the celebration of the Autumn Equinox. Some also refer to it as the "Pagan Thanksgiving", as you celebrate the bountiful harvest and are thankful for the earth and its many gifts.

Mabon marks the time of equilibrium, where the days and nights are of equal length. During this time, it is good to set intentions that involve decrease, such as ending unhealthy habits, self-destructive behaviors, or bad relationships.

Decorating for Autumn

This a great time to decorate for the coming autumn and spooky seasons leading up to Samhain! I like to open the windows and then cleanse my space(usually a simmer pot and smoke cleanse) and after, i actually physically clean the house.I then close the windows and stir my simmer pot, while setting new intentions for the household until the spring equinox. I then collect the things I want to decorate with(the usual fall decor; pumpkins, pine cones, leaf garlands, gourds and an autumn wreath on the door) and then decorate to my hearts content!

Release and Move Forward

Another thing I usually spend time on is meditation, centering myself, letting go of past baggage from the year and setting new personal goals and intentions until spring.

Find a nice spot outside, where you feel connected to the world around you. Take a journal with you, and meditate. Write down what you want the next few months to bring into your life. Set those intentions in any way you choose.

Have a nice Hearty Meal

Who doesn't love a good meal with great people? You can make a roast, hold a potluck Mabon dinner ect, I usually host a bonfire night and everyone brings their own dishes to feel the group. During covid, I made a pot roast for my fiance and I! You could also do a picnic!

Fall Activities

Apple Picking, Corn Mazes, going to a Pumpkin Patch, all fall activities that are fun for the whole family, as a cute date, or great solo fun!

Honor Persephone and Demeter

If you are one to honor deities/spirits during the holidays, Persephone and Demeter are two that will definitely fall into Mabon.

According to the myth, Autumn is the time where Persephone must leave her beloved mother and travel to Hades, to fulfill her role as the Queen of the Underworld. Each year she lets go of the concerns of the upper world, and willingly descends to guide the souls of the dead over the threshold of Life and Death.

Creating an altar, and leaving offerings for them in honor of their sacrifice is an amazing way to celebrate.

Other

Other things you can do include cleansing ritual baths, Divination for the new few months, hiking, offerings for the local nature spirits, make a gratitude list for the last few months and thank the earth for her gifts

Mabon Symbols:

Cornucopia (horn of plenty), pinecones, seeds

Colors: Orange, red, yellow, brown, copper, dark yellow, dark green

Foods: Corn, beans, squash, apples, pumpkins, cider, root vegetables, pomegranate, wine

Herbs: Yarrow, rosemary, sage, mugwort, rosehips,

Stones: Amber, citrine, cat’s eye, aventurine, sapphire, jasper

Flowers: Sunflowers, thistle, marigolds

Deities: Mabon, Green Man, Demeter, Persephone, Morgan, Pomona, Inanna

Animals: Owl, stag, blackbird, salmon

I hope this gives you a few ideas! Add your own ideas to this list! These are just the ways I like to celebrate!

Other chapters

Chapter 11: Payback

I don't fault you for the broad question because I'd ask too, but I need you to know that as a non-smoker I've never felt so strongly the need for a cigarette as I did just now thinking about answering this question. But I'll do my best.

In November of last year, the country elected Javier Milei as president. He would swear into office the next month. Javier Milei is a self-identified anarcho-capitalist and libertarian, although he states he is a minarchist in the short term (meaning he thinks the only functions the State should serve are those of law enforcement: no public education, social development, market regulations, etc etc). Some of his most controversial campaign statements included projects to legalise the free and unregulated sale of organs, and, along with his vice-president Victoria Villarruel (who in her youth organised visits to Jorge Rafael Videla in prison), apologia for the 1976 military dictatorship by revindicating the theory of the two demons (fair warning that from what I skimmed that article is biased in favour of the theory) and casting into doubt the estimated 30.000 victims of state terrorism (torture, disappearance followed by death) (also warning that that article uses the name the military junta gave this process) during its duration.

Since he took over six months ago, the population's purchasing power has dropped by 38%, plunging millions of people below the line of poverty. In stark contrast to this, Milei has been travelling around the world using public funds to visit his ultraright idols; most notably, Trump, who is not the political leader of any country at the moment (making his trip to see him a personal visit and not a diplomatic one, thus invalidating his arguments for using our money to go there).

On the subject of diplomacy, his government has been swinging quite a lot of bats at hornets' nests, accusing China and Brazil of communism and insulting the wife of the president of Spain. All of this is an international relations nightmare that will take endless apologies to undo.

Another interesting resolution deregulates the operations of foreign companies, SPVs, and offshore companies (article in Spanish), with the stated goal of attracting investments. Those types of companies have historically been used to conceal illicit activity, so resolutions in that vein pave the way to effectively turn Argentina into a fiscal paradise. This isn't the only problem they pose (offshore companies don't pay taxes, so there'd be a loss in the public sector, for example), but it is the most worrying to me because they also eliminated restrictions for Sociedades de Acciones Simplificadas (simplified stock companies), most of which have historically been used to commit crimes among which is the drug trade. Once you have narcos in your country, there's no taking it back--Argentina would be at real risk of ceasing to exist as we know it.

This administration is also slashing public spending, resulting in some universities suspending their activities temporarily. They also failed to deliver oncological medicine, depriving cancer patients of assistance the state is obligated to provide. As a result of this, several people have died already. In this climate of extreme poverty, soup kitchens have been shutting down en masse due to the withdrawal of state funding, and laws that protected tenants' rights and regulated rent prices have been severely modified to the detriment of the tenants.

The violent decrease in public spending also resulted in thousands of state workers being fired overnight. The attack is especially centred on state organisations that promote the arts or whose purpose is to fight discrimination. On this subject, 10% of the transgender and travesti workers who had their positions guaranteed by the law were fired illegally, and government members are outspoken about their opposition to this law--which isn't surprising. Diana Mondino, the current chancellor, has compared same-sex marriage to "the right to having lice" while she held a position in Congress. Ricardo Bussi, a current legislator, compared homosexuality to disability in October 2023. Coming to this year, Francisco Sánchez, the Secretary of Religion, said that the laws protecting the right to abortions, divorce, and same-sex marriage "seek to pervert our children and damage society". Milei is also on record describing abortion as "homicide aggravated by the bond".

Also recently, Milei's biographer, Nicolás Márquez, gave a one-hour interview in which he characterised homosexuality as a disease, claiming that when the State "promotes homosexuality" (as it allegedly did before Milei came to power), it is aiding a "self-destructive" conduct, supporting these claims with unfounded statistics about the correlation between STIs and homosexuality; he also denied the existence of homophobia and described lesbians and gays as being "against nature". For the sake of full disclosure, I will say he explicitly freed Milei and his government of responsibility for his declarations--but I think it's really important to point out the kind of people and rhetorics this government is giving a platform to; after all, nobody knew Nicolás Márquez before he started writing for Milei. In approximately the same time frame, and in response to a horrific hate crime that resulted in the death of three lesbians, Manuel Adorni, the presidential spokesman, said that he "doesn't like" to talk about a hate crime because men suffer violence too--and he said this in a press conference.

I successfully graduated and finished my bachelors degree at the beginning of May (yay!). I didn't go to the ceremony, and I've vowed to get pro photos done with my diploma. It hasn't happened but it's still something I want.

My degree was interdisciplinary. I'd started pursuing a Social Work degree, but the more I learned about the profession the less I wanted to trap myself inside of it. Turns out: it was a great call.

My area of expertise is where social work and formal emergency management (think: FEMA, Red Cross, etc) intersect. Long story short: they don't intersect very well, and the slightest bit of effort would significantly improve things. But that effort would have to be carried by the emergency management side. And from what I've seen and experienced, it has no interest.

Looking for work has been stressful. Jobs are getting eliminated due to lost funding (thanks trump), and the competition has been high as those with experience AND education are also having to throw their hats in for whatever positions are allegedly available.

My hope was to do liaison work. Translate jargon between the two and hold some common ground. Obviously, that just not a possibility in the US at this point in time. Moving abroad for work is challenging because my husband is one of the lucky few who has yet to have his student loan repayment funding cut. With another couple hundred thousand to go, walking away from having 60% relieved is not an easy or simple decision.

I happened to stumble across a virtual community of folks who had previously been in the professional DEI space. Consultants, coaches, advocates. Many of whom lost their jobs or multiple contracts all of a sudden and at once. They've been supporting each other, and me, on many levels. It's honestly beautiful and I feel very lucky.

During the onset of COVID, I took an online life-coaching course. A few people I was close with at the time suggested that I try it out - completely unsolicited - so I got into it a bit. By the end, I'd already decided I wanted to use my education benefits from being in the army before they were taken away. At that point, I was already anticipating another trump term... and a worse one at that.

In a fucked up sort of serendipity, coaching is once again on the table. Which is a strange way to say that I'm launching a coaching service next week. I'm using what I've learned and experienced to inform my practice, and I'm sticking it to the man by baking in the aspect of building local social connections as an essential element.

I was very fortunate to have been able to learn from Indigenous Alaskan instructors, and instructors that were trained by Indigenous Alaskan and Hawaiian instructors and elders. Nearly every course I took required or encouraged me to learn about historically traditional ways of living and thinking from indigenous histories, as well as discover my own historical traditions from pre-colonial eras. Since graduating, I've had so much time on my hands that I just dove into whatever I could get my hands on along these lines.

And in the past three days, I've come up with an entire coaching concept that centers organic processes that don't commit to unrealistic and irresponsible timelines, expectations, or requirements. I've created a complete novel framework for goal setting and achievement. Like... trademarkable. (I don't know if I'd actually do that, but it's a very real option). I have programming that is designed to take as long as it takes while decreasing in cost over time. Because the reality is, if I'm coaching effectively? My clients will have less and less to gain from me because they are becoming more capable and confident the more time they spend with me.

I'm privileged in that I don't need to make more than $40K a year. My husband makes enough that a (relatively) small contribution from me will financially stabilize us enough to stabilize every other area of our lives. AND I'm privileged to be able to do EXACTLY what I've always wanted to.

Hello there! Welcome to another edition of ‘Feel Good Newsletter’. I'm so glad you're here. Every week, I scour the web for the most uplifting and heartwarming stories to bring you a little bit of joy and inspiration. So, sit back, relax, and let's dive in!

1. Minnesota House passes "universal" school meals, providing free breakfast, lunch to students

The Minnesota House of Representatives is considering a bill that would provide universal school meals to all students in the state, regardless of their families' ability to pay. The goal of the bill is to ensure that all students have access to nutritious meals and are better equipped to learn in the classroom.

If the bill is approved, Minnesota would become the second state in the country, after California, to offer universal school meals. The bill has the support of education and anti-hunger advocates, who argue that it would help to address food insecurity and improve student health and academic performance.

2. Ukraine succeeds in bringing back 128 children forcibly removed to Russia

Ukraine has succeeded in bringing back 128 children forcibly taken by the invaders to Russia.

Source: Yuliia Usenko, Head of the Department for the Protection of the Interests of Children and Combating Violence of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine, quoted by Ukrinform

Quote: "We have managed to bring 128 children back to Ukraine. More than 50 of them, together with their parents or guardians, are currently in EU countries.

3. Putting solar panels in grazing fields is good for sheep

A study found that installing solar panels in grazing fields is beneficial for sheep. The study was conducted in the UK and found that sheep were more likely to spend time in areas with solar panels than in areas without. This is because the panels provide shade and shelter from the sun, wind, and rain.

The researchers believe that this could help to improve the welfare of sheep, as they are more likely to seek out shade in hot weather, which can reduce the risk of heat stress. The study also found that the solar panels had little impact on the growth and health of the grass, which is important for the sheep's diet.

4. Dad takes toddler son for a manicure after teacher says it's 'only for girls'

The father and son were at a "Daddy and Me" event, where fathers were encouraged to spend time with their children doing various activities. The father chose to take his son to get a manicure, but was told by the teacher in charge of the activity that it was only for girls. The father was reportedly surprised and upset by the teacher's statement, as he felt that it was important for his son to be able to express himself however he wants, without gender stereotypes getting in the way.

The article notes that the incident highlights the ongoing issue of gender stereotypes and the importance of promoting gender equality and inclusivity, especially in children's activities.

4. More than half of new U.S. electric-generating capacity in 2023 will be solar, and only 14% will be using fossil fuels

Information Administration (EIA), energy production in the country increased for the fourth consecutive week. The EIA data showed that the output of oil, natural gas, and coal rose by 1.6%, 2.2%, and 3.2% respectively. The increase in energy production is due to a combination of factors, including improved drilling techniques, favorable weather conditions, and rising global demand for energy.

5. Deforestation in Brazil falls by 60% in first month under Lula

Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil fell for the first time this year, according to a report by Reuters. The decrease is attributed to increased enforcement of environmental regulations and increased monitoring of illegal logging activities. The Brazilian government has implemented several measures to reduce deforestation and preserve the Amazon rainforest, which is a critical component of the global ecosystem.

6. Cat returned to NJ shelter for being 'too affectionate' now happy in his new home

A cat named Bruno surrendered to a shelter in New Jersey and was eventually adopted by a new family. Bruno, who was described as a friendly and affectionate cat, is now happily settling into his new home. The story of Bruno's adoption serves as a reminder of the importance of animal shelters and the work they do to find loving homes for abandoned pets.

7. A doggy day care was on fire. Neighbors helped save all 115 dogs inside.

A fire broke out at a doggy daycare and resort in Seattle, causing significant damage to the building. No dogs or employees were injured in the fire, but several dogs had to be temporarily relocated to other facilities. The cause of the fire is under investigation, and the resort is working to make repairs and get back to serving the community's four-legged friends as soon as possible.

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📸: new year activities!

Phew! Yesterday I finished another challenge. This was so much harder than that mental healthcare challenge I did last year. I’ll summarize my thoughts here, so this post will be longer than usual.

Well, first things first: Happy New Year! How did you spend your New Year's Eve? I had a pretty quiet day, with no major activities other than finishing watching The Way of the Househusband and going for a walk. I spent New Year's Eve at a Buddhist temple meditating and reciting mantras for world peace. I spent the first day of the year with my aunt and uncle at my parents' house. We had lunch together, watched TV and played dominoes. I taught them how to play Uno and they loved it, we had a lot of fun. When I got home, I watched the second season of Spy X Family (which finally arrived on Netflix in my country). It wasn't a very productive end to a productivity challenge, but I planned to finish it at the end of the year, so I'm happy to have accomplished my initial goal.

Here are my thoughts on this challenge: I chose a productivity challenge because I needed to grow my candle company quickly, but I learned the hard way that there's no way to be productive if you're mentally ill. I only started my psychiatric treatment for anxiety, OCD and depression in mid-November, so the previous months were quite challenging. Considering that I've also had some side effects after starting my meds, I can say that the following months were also challenging lol, and that I wasn't able to do everything I wanted. I feel like I'm always demanding more of myself than I'm capable of doing. Maybe if I had rested more last year I wouldn't be feeling like a total failure now. In fact, my mental exhaustion was so bad that I had to take a vacation in the last few days (in theory, I'm on vacation until this Sunday. Pray for me. It's very hard to rest) and, although I did work a little, I focused more on playing games, reading, and watching anime. Here I confirm what I've said in the past: productivity challenges are not for me (at least not now).

I'm starting this year feeling quite discouraged and without any major goals. A few days ago I started to notice a decrease in the effect of my antidepressant, so I've been feeling sadder and more depressed than usual (it could also be my luteal phase). I want to think about a next challenge that's gentler and more focused on the present. I'll post my ideas here soon! And if you've made it this far, thanks for reading!

🥀: day 27/27

💧: 1 L

🧠: New Year’s Eve meditation (30 min)

🧘🏻‍♀️: 🚫

🏃🏻‍♀️: running (2 km)

🕯️: sold and delivered candles + office work (4 h)

📿: 🚫

🇰🇷: 🚫

📺: the way of the househusband + spy x family

🎮: the sims 4

🎧: kura kura - ado

📚: 🚫

💊: 🚫