Souppooppie - Soup

If there was one thing I could get neurotypicals to understand it would be this:

The thing that is frustrating you about me is frustrating me far more than it could ever frustrate you. I know when I’m not functioning. I know when I’m falling short. I know when I’m falling apart. I also know that it takes a lot to regain the confidence of someone else once it has been lost, so I know I’m going to have to work harder than ever, and that is an exhausting thought for me, more than you could possibly imagine. It’s not your problem. I know that, and I don’t expect any special treatment. I’m not stupid. Just know that I know.

have me as a guest on your podcast. im not an expert in anything. i dont work in an interesting industry. i have very few skills. i don’t have anything i want to talk about. my voice is weak and i can’t project it well. im not funny. im the perfect guest for your podcast.

Chrome extensions I actually use as a mentally ill university student

Making websites easier to digest:

Dark Reader - Changes any webpage to dark mode.

Mercury Reader - Simplifies the layout of any webpage to eliminate distractions and irritating formatting.

Podcastle AI - Turns any article into a podcast. This is a lifesaver for being able to process what I’m reading, to be honest.

Spelling/grammar:

LanguageTool - Spelling and grammar check for those of us who regularly type in more than one language.

Grammarly - Spelling and grammar check for those of us who only type in English. Can be used with LanguageTool installed, which is what I do.

Google Dictionary - Define any word on the webpage with a double-click.

Google Translate - Translate an entire webpage or even just a short segment.

Misc:

AdGuard Adblocker - After trying quite a few adblocker options, this is the one I find the best.

The Great Suspender - Automatically suspend inactive tabs to help with performance. <- as an edit, I don’t believe this is available anymore

Honey - Try coupon codes automatically to save money on online purchases.

Built-in Chrome tab grouping - Group your tabs to keep organized and minimize distracting clutter.

ZOMAK

a collection

what exactly am I suppose to do when I feel under stimulated but can't do anything about it cause executive dysfunction and old fixation doesn't give me the good juices anymorrr

Places to read stuff in Norwegian!

Klar tale -> Simply written news articles designed to help people still learning Norwegian

NRK.no -> The national broadcaster, they have a wide variety of articles both on current affairs and topic pieces

Dagbladet.no -> A Norwegian newspaper, as far as u could tell they didn't ask you to subscribe

Forsking.no -> All sorts or articles about all fields of science. These are really interesting and will help you find specialist vocabulary.

Historie.no -> Articles about history, also very interesting

jus24.no -> I came across this one but don't actually read it that much, but it's about legal happenings.

Store Norske Leksikon -> A bit like Wikipedia in a way, lots of articles about things both do with Norway and things not to do with Norway. (How the hell do explain this)

Wikipedia -> I've talked about this one before but I'll never stop recommending it. You can find anything here and it's brilliant for both practicing reading by reading something your familiar with, and for learning new vocabulary.

Dealing With Executive Dysfunction - A Masterpost

The “getting it done in an unconventional way” method.

The “it’s not cheating to do it the easy way” method.

The “fuck what you’re supposed to do” method.

The “get stuff done while you wait” method.

The “you don’t have to do everything at once” method.

The “it doesn’t have to be permanent to be helpful” method.

The “break the task into smaller steps” method.

The “treat yourself like a pet” method.

The “it doesn’t have to be all or nothing” method.

The “put on a persona” method.

The “act like you’re filming a tutorial” method.

The “you don’t have to do it perfectly” method.

The “wait for a trigger” method.

The “do it for your future self” method.

The “might as well” method.

The “when self discipline doesn’t cut it” method.

The “taking care of yourself to take care of your pet” method.

The “make it easy” method.

The “junebugging” method.

The “just show up” method.

The “accept when you need help” method.

The “make it into a game” method.

The “everything worth doing is worth doing poorly” method.

The “trick yourself” method.

The “break it into even smaller steps” method.

The “let go of should” method.

The “your body is an animal you have to take care of” method.

The “fork theory” method.

The “effectivity over aesthetics” method.

What can Magical Girl Shoujo and Action Hero Shounen manga/anime tell us about perceptions of womanhood and manhood? And how different priorities for genders get expressed in media

Let’s imagine a typical Magical Girl Shoujo anime. It usually starts with a normal girl, on the cusp of puberty or a teenager, who suddenly discovers some magical artifact or innate part of herself that connects her to a magical destiny. There is usually no choice in the matter; she is (along with some select friends) the only one who can do the magical move that prevents demons/aliens/enemies from destroying her home (or even the whole earth). Her status as a magical hero is not one that’s earned, but rather a responsibility thrust upon her.

Meanwhile Action Hero Shounen tends to be about a boy, also often on the cusp of puberty or a teenager, who goes on a deliberate journey to attain a particular status or power. In some cases he may get one advantageous power at the start, but it’s usually up to him to make it useful and achieve his dream. His story often involves trials, tournaments, and intense battles that slowly ramp up until he becomes the most powerful (or achieves whatever status he dreamed of). That status is one that is earned, not given.

Do these differences sound familiar? If so, you may know about the theory of Precarious Manhood (Vandello & Bosson 2013 has great coverage on the subject). The theory suggests that womanhood is secured (or forced) naturally as a girl grows up; she just is a woman, and that status is generally not called into question on a regular basis. Meanwhile manhood is something that must be earned and can be easily lost; a man must continually “prove” his masculinity to maintain that he is a man. We see this reflected in the two genres I described: The Magical Girl just is the hero, while the Action Hero must become the hero. These genres are targeted towards the demographic of their main characters, kids and teens, and they reflect the values, struggles, and anxieties those demographics carry.

The Magical Girl genre focuses on a lot of girls' fears about growing up—there’s a sense of power that comes with it, but it comes at a cost. The conflicts in these shows often aren’t centrally the monsters or battles, but rather interpersonal dramas and work-life balance. To a teenage girl, having a friend group falling out can feel catastrophic, reflected in how a Magical Girl may cause a literal catastrophe unless she can get everyone to work together to defeat an enemy. Another huge conflict is balancing saving the earth and maintaining friendships, romance, work, and grades. Lots of girls get pulled in many directions at this age, and if one is expected or needs to help out around the home she has yet another responsibility on her plate that makes time management a relevant issue.

Within the Action Hero genre the fears and issues are of a different variety. There’s a focus on continual growth, best friends, and achieving milestones. Conflicts generally come down to power struggles, though there’s often an emotional component as well. The deciding factor is often willpower, or how much effort (regardless of the danger to his own safety) a boy is willing to put in to beat an enemy. At this age friendships are often built on sports, games, and competition, and there’s many anxieties about being “manly” enough (or sometimes just not wanting to be feminine because of the mockery that entails).

The differences in the genres clearly reflect gender norms/anxieties regarding femininity and masculinity for their demographic… and also enforce them. Girls are taught that their job is not to reach out and take power, but instead to play a careful balancing game with whatever power/responsibilities they are given (though it's notable that in these magical stories, they happen to be given huge power to work with). Boys are taught that they must wear themselves out, constantly putting themselves in danger and forcing their limits if they want to feel like they have worth or to "be a man".

What would challenging or reversing these expectations be like? Hmm…

Sailor Moon, with Action Hero Conventions

Usagi is just a normal clumsy girl, but one day she sees a cat being harassed by some kids on the way to school. She saves the cat, discovers her name is Luna, and that she’s actually from another planet! There is a secret elite task force, known as the Sailor Scouts, who fight against aliens trying to take over the earth. Luna says that she came to Earth to look for a human who she could train to defeat the evil Queen Beryl, which will also earn the human the right to be the next ruler of the moon. Though Usagi finds it strange and a little scary, when some of Queen Beryl’s minions come down to earth and endanger her friends, she decides to begin her quest to become a Sailor Scout! She’ll have to learn to be more coordinated and pass the Sailor Scout exam first, then battle with other Sailor Scouts to convince them to join her party, but eventually she’ll build up the power and strength to take on Queen Beryl and to become the Queen of the Moon!

Hunter x Hunter, with Magical Girl Conventions

Gon is just a normal boy who loves nature. As he is walking through the woods one day, he meets a mysterious tall man, Kite. Kite says he recognizes him; he knew Gon’s father and knows that Gon has inherited something important: The blood of a Hunter, AKA someone fated to be a guardian of the island he lives on. He has also inherited a special move: “Rock”, a magical punch that can break through anything. There are a few other Hunters Gon must find, add to his party, and work together with to defeat the Phantom Troupe, an evil group with great powers who are trying to invade his peaceful island. Gon is excited to be a Hunter like his father, but right now he lives with his aunt who hates Hunters, so he has to sneak around when protecting his island so she doesn't find out! It’s hard to balance being a normal kid and protecting his island, but with his new friends he hopes to do it all!

These are obviously simplifications of the plots of Sailor Moon and HxH, but it’s an interesting thought experiment. How would girls feel about a plot where a girl has to build up her powers and train? How would boys feel about a plot where the power/rank is almost never in question, but relationships and balancing responsibilities is? If you know any anime/manga that fit or challenge these patterns, I’d love to know your examples.

dam…….. that website “you feel like shit” (it’s like a questionnaire / troubleshooting guide for when you feel like shit) really works………………….. im not even all the way thru it and i even half-assed a lot of the suggestions and i already feel loads better