A month or so ago, I was debating if I wanted to upgrade/build a new PC. I eventually decided that if I waited any longer, I'd not just be paying more but might also lose access to certain components I had my eye on- their Y70 Touch Infinite cases being one of those. Super happy I decided to go for it since everything has increased in price, and it seems like we'll be seeing less of many things from overseas.... also it turned out sooo beautiful!

Friendship...I so struggle balancing my feelings of loneliness and desire for companionship. I look to my friends for support, but don't want to be a burden or overwhelm them. I constantly think about how I can be the best friend I can for them and how I can support them while also being present for myself. I always end up neglecting my feelings, burning out, and sometimes even losing a friend as I crumble under my emotions. People are so hard sometimes 😢

10, and I literally can't stand it! Always shining, lighting up their spaces, seeing the world in such brilliant ways, and ahhhh, they are all so pretty 😭

Sooo excited for this!! Super enjoyed each season. I'm not really into power level or fighting/combat anime, but the series balanced mystery, drama, and SoL so well to me that it became a favorite.

Ahhh! I had a similar shift in mentality! Breast growth was probably the lowest thing on my list of desired changes. As my body, emotions, and mind started changing, my concerns/apprehension completely melted away. When they started to grow, it all just felt right and so normal. I think it also helped that I had a fairy built chest pre-transition, so as the muscle started to shrink and the fat started to redistribute, it wasn't super noticeable or jarring. Now I'm in a headspace where I'm just excited to see how they change; if they get bigger, I'd love that, and if they don't- that'll make buying the clothes I like easier 🤭

Late 20s to early 30s. It was during lockdowns when I wasn't interacting with irl society much - work was all remote, and all my interactions were online. I quickly realized that when I removed the pressure of having to conform to what I thought was expected of me, I was actually a completely different person. I started interacting with more queer people, especially trans individuals, and realized that there were a lot of parallels with how they felt about gender and all the other constructs of society which never really made sense to me. Honestly, I meant sooo many when I started FFXIV.

The idea that I could decide how I wanted to identify and be perceived by people never really occurred to me.

I had always disliked a lot of aspects about myself and tried to be as much of a ghost as possible. It rarely felt like I was living for me. As I slowly started to explore the things I truly liked - cute things, pink things, and soft things - I noticed my views of life started to brighten. I felt more excited about the things I was surrounding myself with, and I noticed people were interacting with me in a friendlier and warmer way. As I started to shine brighter, people around me started to shine brighter, too!

All that said - why didn’t I just lean into identifying as NB or just fully ignore gender as a whole? I did initially, but about those things which I didn’t like about myself - so many happened to be T driven. Thick body and facial hair- no thank you, thick/rough/acne prone skin- please go, body composition- wasn’t really liking how it fit in the dresses/skirts I wanted to wear, overall mindset and emotions (this changed a lot), etc. Obviously, all these things have taken time and additional effort, but it all feels so fulfilling.

I was initially worried about how people in my life would react/treat me, but I decided to start always putting my own feelings and desires first... no one else was going to. I will acknowledge that it's bit easier for me to do that- my circle is incredibly small, I’ve been single for 5-6 years, I was working remotely, and I kind of rarely leave my home.

My question to people - if you had an irl character creator, how would you design yourself? How would you choose to move in the world if there were no expectations?

Girls, is this the progesterone? So, last week I was having a pretty great week- I saw The Colors Within with a friend, got my nails done by an amazing tech, playing soo much of the new Infinity Nikki update- spending nights coordinating outfits with a friend and taking photos, and just overall shining...and then ouch! My heart turned into an absolute storm, yearning for a deeper, more romantic, connection with someone. Like, I've been single for sooo long, and while I don't love that, I was kind of used to my feelings; overnight, my emotions, and how they manifested completely shifted. My heart alternates between heavy with melancholy to fluttering when thinking about a connection with another person. I don't know what these feelings are, and they are so intense- ahhhh!

This game and Roboquest are two of my favorite roguelikes! They both have a different feel when using the weapons, but both are incredibly satisfying! The progression and unlocks feel rewarding, the coop is fun (only played them with friends, so idk how online‐strangers coop is), and I enjoy how the difficulty scales. Love the weapon, perk, and build variety!!

After an incredibly emotional and difficult couple weeks, this week was a relief. I was invited to a girl's night with pumpkin painting and nostalgic Halloween movies (Nightmare Before Christmas, Hocus Pocus, etc). Just soooo thankful to have some super supportive women in my life 🥹. I've started to feel oddly lonely around my normal friend group - queer men who are very supportive and who I love, but idk... there's just been this growing disconnect inside me lately. The way they talk, try to comfort, connect... I've been feeling guilty about it, but I feel worse ignoring my feelings and trying to force myself to be somewhere I don't want to be. Like, how does the girl at the coffee shop I visit throughout the week know exactly how to comfort me, pick me up, include me, and make me feel seen, but my long-time friends don't 😭

Oh! I've also been playing Infinity Nikki and losing it over how cute and cozy the story, world, and clothes are! Suuuper recommend it!!

There's a social spectrum. There are varying levels of asocial- one being demisocial. Demisocial people want interaction, but normally with a close few people that they have a strong bond with. Put someone who is on the asocial side in a large group and they'll get overstimulated and overwhelmed. It takes time to figure out your social tolerance and what pushes you over the edge. Some people will encourage asocial people to desensitize themselves by forcing themselves into social situations, but that can be extremely unhealthy for them and lead to burnout. There's nothing wrong with anyone who doesn't like huge social settings... Some people just don't like accommodating others so they make it a you problem. Finding your people can be hard and lonely, but it's far more fulfilling when you do.

It was my go to launcher for years, but this weekend I decided it was time to see what else there was. I ended up on Niagara Launcher and have been liking it! Took about a day to get used to it- it's definitely different. There's not really an app drawer, and as far as I can tell there's only one home screen and one place for widgets (you can have more than one, but you flip through them). I like how simple it is and how quickly I can get to everything.

Hmmm, Is the type of skirt you're looking for in this graphic?

https://www.topofstyle.com/blog/women/types-of-skirts-names-pictures/

Kind of sounds like a bustle of sarong.