Bites and Bobs๐ง
Aug. 14th, 2025 05:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
peasinaSome bitesize thoughts, pics, life updates, and general bits and bobs I wanted to share that probably wouldn't have made for an interesting blog post on their own. Feel free, of course, to only read the bits you care about :P
Collages I made recently
A racing pigeon landed in my garden a few days ago. It also wandered into the kitchen and let me stroke it. Google tells me that they do this sometimes when they're tired and just want a break and something to eat. It was so cute. I managed to read the telephone number on one of its leg tags (it also said to phone the number above the number) but the number didn't exist when I called! It left after a few hours, but it made me realise it was time to make the pigeon collage I've been meaning to.
This next one is inspired by a character in Date Everything! - if you know you know. However, I think if I don't give context, it has a kind of hermit/shut-in vibe that is sad and spooky and I'm kind of into it.
Beaded phone strap progress
My latest hobby of making beaded phone straps is starting to get out of control! In one way, I don't mind at all because I've found something I find extremely relaxing that keeps my hands busy while I'm editing podfic, rewatching comfort shows, or listening to podcasts that is quick and satisfying.
However, what am I going to do with these? I'm thinking I could perhaps offer them for charitable donations for the next![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomtrumpshate craft bazaar, but they're not fandom themed, hmm. An idea I had is giving them little nametags that are fandom related, and I still might do that. I have no desire to sell anything online, as that's way too much admin, and in my experience as soon as I make money from doing something, it becomes a chore.
They're so hard to photograph, gah. Anyways, here's my current hoard. I really hope they can go to good homes one day.
New beloved Pokemon + icons!
I fell in love with a new Pokemon, ahhh! It's Meltan ๐ฉ and they are, surprise surprise, another blob of metal. I think I finally know what kind of gym leader or Pokemon researcher I'd be if Pokemon were real: steel type. Yes, I probably should've realised this earlier.
This happened by accident during Battleship. A few people were asking for Meltan and I thought, hey I don't actually know much about them other than โจ shiny blob โจ, so I watched the anime episodes featuring them and oh my freaking goodness, they are ADORABLE. I also love how expressive they can be with just that one little black blob for an eye.
I ended up writing and illustrating a fic about them for Battleship, which I also podded if you like being read stories. I think it's the work I'm most proud of from the event and it by far took the longest.
Here are some Meltan icons you're welcome to use if you too like this sweet lil mon.
001.
002. 
003. 
004.
005. 
006. 
Jigsaw puzzles I've done recently
This one called to me because screws (Magnemite) and nuts (Meltan.) It was pretty hard.
I completed this one during Battleship whenever I needed to get into a less frantic headspace. I liked that it was related to the fruit team theme yet didn't focus on any of the actual team fruits from this year. This one was insanely hard because so many of the colours were similar, but I really enjoyed it.
I'm naturally drawn to anything that says "illusion" on it, but I realised as I was making this one that it isn't really an illusion, just a cool picture. It was okay.
I started watching What We Do in the Shadows
In the post-Battleship crash, I rewatched Our Flag Means Death on BBC iPlayer, which was lovely, oh my goodness (Battleship got me back into it big time.) But at the end of the last episode, iPlayer started autoplaying What We Do in the Shadows and I was feeling lazy, so I let it. And thank god, because I love this show!!
They only have series 1 - 5 on iPlayer, so I'm going to have to get a month's subscription to Disney+ this evening to watch the sixth and final series (*grumbling noises*) but I'll do it, damn it XD I ship Guillermo and Nandor SO HARD oh my goodness, I can't stop thinking about them. I want to be able to look in the WWDITS tag on Tumblr and AO3 so so so so so bad but I can't because spoilers. As soon as I've finished it, that's exactly where I'm headed and probably won't come out for days haha. I don't know if they're a popular ship (and I always fall for rarepairs so I wouldn't be surprised) but come on, they must be??
I now have a hearing aid
Yesterday I went to a hearing device fitting. It's supposed to help with my tinnitus, so while it's basically identical to a traditional hearing aid, it doesn't amplify sounds and instead sticks to the setting of playing noise to help mask and distract me from the tinnitus.
I'd been on the waiting list for over a year. Now that I have it... I'm kind of meh about it? I don't really like it, because I can hear hissy static in the background of the waves hitting a beach soundtrack I selected, which is annoying. I'd expected it to be tailored to the tone(s) I'm bothered with, but there were only six white noise selections I could choose from at the appointment. The actual white noise choices were horrendous and I got upset at the fitting because white noise doesn't work for me. Whenever I researched these devices, it was always described as a process where the audiologist would try to find the exact frequency of your tinnitus, then find a tone that masked/eased it. I'd waited so long and been promised so much, so it was deflating to realise it's essentially a bluetooth speaker for white noise that goes in your ear.
I don't think I'll use it, but it's good to know that if I'm getting really stressed out by the sound, it's an option I can try. I am loathe to be negative about tinnitus anywhere online, because all I ever saw when I first got it was negativity and it was devastating, so I'll add that I think I've learned better ways to cope with it since I got it in Nov '23 that don't involve masking and everyone is different. This might change someone else's life, but it doesn't make much difference for me and that's okay. I just wanted to get this off my chest.
Collages I made recently
A racing pigeon landed in my garden a few days ago. It also wandered into the kitchen and let me stroke it. Google tells me that they do this sometimes when they're tired and just want a break and something to eat. It was so cute. I managed to read the telephone number on one of its leg tags (it also said to phone the number above the number) but the number didn't exist when I called! It left after a few hours, but it made me realise it was time to make the pigeon collage I've been meaning to.
This next one is inspired by a character in Date Everything! - if you know you know. However, I think if I don't give context, it has a kind of hermit/shut-in vibe that is sad and spooky and I'm kind of into it.
Beaded phone strap progress
My latest hobby of making beaded phone straps is starting to get out of control! In one way, I don't mind at all because I've found something I find extremely relaxing that keeps my hands busy while I'm editing podfic, rewatching comfort shows, or listening to podcasts that is quick and satisfying.
However, what am I going to do with these? I'm thinking I could perhaps offer them for charitable donations for the next
fandomtrumpshate craft bazaar, but they're not fandom themed, hmm. An idea I had is giving them little nametags that are fandom related, and I still might do that. I have no desire to sell anything online, as that's way too much admin, and in my experience as soon as I make money from doing something, it becomes a chore. 
They're so hard to photograph, gah. Anyways, here's my current hoard. I really hope they can go to good homes one day.
New beloved Pokemon + icons!
I fell in love with a new Pokemon, ahhh! It's Meltan ๐ฉ and they are, surprise surprise, another blob of metal. I think I finally know what kind of gym leader or Pokemon researcher I'd be if Pokemon were real: steel type. Yes, I probably should've realised this earlier.
This happened by accident during Battleship. A few people were asking for Meltan and I thought, hey I don't actually know much about them other than โจ shiny blob โจ, so I watched the anime episodes featuring them and oh my freaking goodness, they are ADORABLE. I also love how expressive they can be with just that one little black blob for an eye.
I ended up writing and illustrating a fic about them for Battleship, which I also podded if you like being read stories. I think it's the work I'm most proud of from the event and it by far took the longest.
Here are some Meltan icons you're welcome to use if you too like this sweet lil mon.
001.
002. 003. 004.
005. 006. Jigsaw puzzles I've done recently
This one called to me because screws (Magnemite) and nuts (Meltan.) It was pretty hard.
I completed this one during Battleship whenever I needed to get into a less frantic headspace. I liked that it was related to the fruit team theme yet didn't focus on any of the actual team fruits from this year. This one was insanely hard because so many of the colours were similar, but I really enjoyed it.
I'm naturally drawn to anything that says "illusion" on it, but I realised as I was making this one that it isn't really an illusion, just a cool picture. It was okay.
I started watching What We Do in the Shadows
In the post-Battleship crash, I rewatched Our Flag Means Death on BBC iPlayer, which was lovely, oh my goodness (Battleship got me back into it big time.) But at the end of the last episode, iPlayer started autoplaying What We Do in the Shadows and I was feeling lazy, so I let it. And thank god, because I love this show!!
They only have series 1 - 5 on iPlayer, so I'm going to have to get a month's subscription to Disney+ this evening to watch the sixth and final series (*grumbling noises*) but I'll do it, damn it XD I ship Guillermo and Nandor SO HARD oh my goodness, I can't stop thinking about them. I want to be able to look in the WWDITS tag on Tumblr and AO3 so so so so so bad but I can't because spoilers. As soon as I've finished it, that's exactly where I'm headed and probably won't come out for days haha. I don't know if they're a popular ship (and I always fall for rarepairs so I wouldn't be surprised) but come on, they must be??
I now have a hearing aid
Yesterday I went to a hearing device fitting. It's supposed to help with my tinnitus, so while it's basically identical to a traditional hearing aid, it doesn't amplify sounds and instead sticks to the setting of playing noise to help mask and distract me from the tinnitus.
I'd been on the waiting list for over a year. Now that I have it... I'm kind of meh about it? I don't really like it, because I can hear hissy static in the background of the waves hitting a beach soundtrack I selected, which is annoying. I'd expected it to be tailored to the tone(s) I'm bothered with, but there were only six white noise selections I could choose from at the appointment. The actual white noise choices were horrendous and I got upset at the fitting because white noise doesn't work for me. Whenever I researched these devices, it was always described as a process where the audiologist would try to find the exact frequency of your tinnitus, then find a tone that masked/eased it. I'd waited so long and been promised so much, so it was deflating to realise it's essentially a bluetooth speaker for white noise that goes in your ear.
I don't think I'll use it, but it's good to know that if I'm getting really stressed out by the sound, it's an option I can try. I am loathe to be negative about tinnitus anywhere online, because all I ever saw when I first got it was negativity and it was devastating, so I'll add that I think I've learned better ways to cope with it since I got it in Nov '23 that don't involve masking and everyone is different. This might change someone else's life, but it doesn't make much difference for me and that's okay. I just wanted to get this off my chest.
no subject
Date: 2025-08-14 08:33 pm (UTC)What's Date Everything like? I'm always wary of jokey visual novels/dating sims because of bad past experiences, but I also trust you to have good opinions on things, so now I'm kind of curious about it...
I'm sorry the hearing aid didn't work out :( It sucks that you didn't even get something personalized to your specific issue. I'm glad to know you've learned to cope with tinnitus though, it seems really tough.
no subject
Date: 2025-08-15 08:19 am (UTC)Date Everything was really fun, though Iโve never played a dating sim before so bear that in mind! I started playing because a friend had started and wanted someone to talk to about it. It took a while to get into for me (probably because the format wasnโt something Iโm used to) but the characters were fun and the premise is perfectly bizarre and oddly touching at times. What bad experiences did you have? Iโd be happy to confirm if they happen ๐ซ
Thank you for the kind words about the hearing aid. I think if someone had told me a year ago that this is what the NHS offers I would have been completely devastated, but Iโm surprisingly okay about it and Iโm focusing on how that means Iโve come so far with my coping skills โบ๏ธ
no subject
Date: 2025-08-16 04:05 pm (UTC)It's more of a vibe, but I think if you've played the game you can probably clear it up for me haha.
Basically, in my experience, a lot of jokey dating sims in recent years have had this undertone of like... disdain? for the genre, that really puts me off. TBH the most egregious example that was actually pretty upsetting was the Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator devs basically coming out to say that if you enjoy playing dating sims you're a sociopath, and also if you're disappointed that you can't get a happy ending with (character they apparently wrote an interesting storyline for on accident since they seem to consider him to be an unredeemable bad person that nobody should want to date) then you're just stupid.
As a result I'm always kind of guarded when it comes to trying out new ones that come out, but at the same time I think it's possible to make a gimmicky/humorous dating sim that's also kind to the genre (for example, although it's not a funny game, I never got the impression that the dev behind Doki Doki Literature Club was condescending toward visual novels.)
Sorry for rambling a bit LMAO but yeah!!
no subject
Date: 2025-08-17 11:11 am (UTC)As a newb to dating sims, this game felt like it appreciated me as a player a lot. There's even a silly side-quest where you get to talk to the devs, and they're all really sweet. They seem to care a lot about us (from what I've seen on the official discord and from others who actually know them have said!) I like that they even added a way to include trigger warnings or remove upsetting storylines as part of the gameplay too. They want us to have fun dating furniture and appliances XD As for being disappointed that you can't get a particular ending with someone, there's a way to deal with that too, though it's limited. (I won't spoil it!)
I hope you enjoy it if you give it a go. The art is really pretty, it's so funny, and the voice acting is AMAZING. Also, there are opportunties to join existing poly relationships (even though I fucked them all up somehow XD) and the monsterfuckers get to have fun too. It's a great game!
no subject
Date: 2025-08-17 11:48 am (UTC)I'll put it in my Steam wishlist!
no subject
Date: 2025-08-14 11:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-08-15 08:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-08-15 12:24 pm (UTC)I'm sorry the hearing device didn't really help :( I hope a solution that isn't just 'have you tried coping better' crops up soon! <3
no subject
Date: 2025-08-16 07:54 am (UTC)LOL โhave you tried coping betterโ is literally what I hear from every angle all the time, it sucks. As I actually am coping better at the moment though, Iโll count myself lucky.
Thank you for your kind words!
no subject
Date: 2025-08-16 04:41 am (UTC)What We Do In The Shadows is so much fun! Did you watch the movie as well?
I'm sorry that the hearing aid isn't working out! On one hand, I'm glad you have it, because they are so expensive and hard to get, but on the other hand it's so frustrating that, after waiting for it, it doesn't seem to help. Did they give you the option to book another appointment to tailor it even more to your needs? Or maybe a workaround, like going into a hearing aid shop and asking them for personalised suggestions? I really hope there's a way to make it helpful for you! <3
no subject
Date: 2025-08-17 11:17 am (UTC)I hadn't thought about the phone straps being useful to elderly people! That's such a good idea. I've been thinking about it since I read your comment yesterday. There are also tonnes of donation boxes around my town for local kids. Presents around Christmas time but always food. I could put some in there too :) Thank you so much for the suggestions.
I haven't watched the WWDITS movie yet. I wasn't sure what order I was supposed to watch them actually, though I suppose it doesn't really matter now. I finished the show though, and omg... I love it so much. I haven't been able to think of anything else for days haha.
I do have an option to have the hearing aid tweaked or tailored. I can also do that from the phone app I have linked to it too I think. I haven't tried it yet. I'm so so worried about damaging my hearing more by having something playing in my ear a lot. There are worries coming from everywhere I suppose. I think I just need to give myself time to be disappointed, then I'll get more curious I'm sure :) Thank you for your kind words and questions <3
no subject
Date: 2025-08-18 12:18 am (UTC)The WWDITS movie is pretty much independent from the show, so it doesn't matter if you watch it now you've finished it! The show is such a great watch,I'm glad you liked it and hope you'll like the movie too!
And I hope the tweaks work and your hearing aid becomes useful to you! Best of luck!!!! <3
no subject
Date: 2025-08-26 06:17 pm (UTC)Your artwork and other crafts are so lovely, thank you for sharing ๐๐๐
I'm sorry the hearing aid didn't work out for you๐ซTinnitus sure can be rough. I don't know how long you've had yours, but I've been living with mine for over 20 years now. Tinnitus is so very different from person to person, so I won't claim to know what yours is like or will be like in the future. All I can say is that I hope your tinnitus stops messing up your days like mine has stopped - I still very much have tinnitus, but at this point it's so part of my "normal" that I honestly forget I have it unless something reminds me. And that is something I wish for all my fellow tinnitus-havers ๐
no subject
Date: 2025-08-26 06:57 pm (UTC)Thank you so much for sharing that about your tinnitus, and for your kind words about mine. I'm so sorry you have it too. Mine started in Nov '23, then got worse in Feb '24, so I haven't had it long. You're so right about it being different for everyone, and everyone I've known with it (so many more people than I expected!) deals with it uniquely. I am so hopeful for that time to come for me when I can also forget I have it until something reminds me, and I really believe it will, it will just take time and effort from me to stay calm and think positively <3
no subject
Date: 2025-08-28 07:34 pm (UTC)I'm happy to hear my sharing was a positive experience for you ๐ I didn't want to come off as "bragging", but like you said, finding happy or hopeful stories about having tinnitus is pretty rare. Which is the case with many conditions and disabilities, in my experience. People who have A Thing but don't feel it really bothers them any more don't want to minimize the suffering of those who are dealing with a rougher and/or newer version of the same thing - creating a rather uneven look at things, however well-meant.
Tinnitus is crazy common! I got mine during junior high, due to a loud classroom environment (yay school), and I remember the first year with it being rough. But gradually, it sort of faded into the background, until I was taking a university course on hearing issues and it was mentioned. And then I went "Wait a minute... Don't I....?? OH!" ๐ Sounds pretty silly when I retell it, but that's honestly what happened.
I'm adding my hope to yours that your tinnitus will get less rough a-sap ๐ Other than the hearing aid, what 'treatments' have you tried? Personally, the few times my tinnitus has flared up, it's helped me to get a "headache trigger points"-face and jaw massage; but that of course doesn't work for everyone.
no subject
Date: 2025-10-12 12:49 pm (UTC)Wow a classroom environment, that's crazy. I do think about that a lot though with young people.. they're so LOUD. Please be careful ahh. People in general are so loud. I've noticed how unbearable it can be to be in restaurants because everyone has to talk loudly to be heard over nearby tables and I feel like an elderly woman wanting to be like, hey everyone, *taps glass to get their attention* if we all speak more softly then we don't need to shout, isn't that neat! haha.
I wasn't aware of headache trigger points massages, though I recently started getting other massages so I'll have to ask about that ^^ Thank you for the rec. As for "treatments", I tried stopping caffeine completely for over a month, did nothing. (Then I wanted my lovely caffeine back, hah.) I have those high fidelity earplugs for loud spaces like the train. They're great! I have a dehumidifier in my bedroom that makes a bit of noise that's actually really good at masking tinnitus at night for me - that was a nice discovery. I also listen to ASMR videos in bed, which I did before my tinnitus but it's been even more helpful since. I remember being desperate enough to take supplements at first, but of course they did nothing, it was all marketing. I had a hearing test, head MRI, and neck ultrasound, and everything was fine ๐ I had my hormone levels tested to see if my cycle was affecting it (as I have endometriosis pretty bad, ugh) and wildly they were normal haha, not imbalanced. I've also done a few meditation type exercises where I purposefully listen to it to try to stop my brain from wanting to run away from it. That's tough, but the more I remember that, the easier it gets :) I'm feeling extremely grateful at the moment that it's being more bearable :) Or, I suppose, that I've gotten stronger <3