u/Salty_Trust6353

I’m inches away from putting down way too much money to buy my dream bags: Ortlieb Back Roller Plus XL (the huge 70L pair) and the thru-axle rack to support it. I’ve been saving up all summer for them. I love hauling and besides bike packing, I do most of my groceries and such with panniers. I love the idea of HUGE bags and my current ones are def big but very much not waterproof.

I’d really love to hear some honest opinions from anyone who rides with them or similar bags from Ortlieb or uses the quick lock system. Your good, bad, and ugly please.

(If it helps, bike is Giant Revolt Advanced 3 from 2024)

Hi there. I recently had a client at a shop I work at who preferred to speak in ASL. I signed that I could help and got through the interaction okay but realized I’ve become SO rusty at ASL and I’m frankly a bit embarrassed/ashamed of it. When I lived in Belleville there was lots of opportunities to sign thanks to the large deaf/nonverbal community there.

Is there a community of people in Kingston that like to sign with each other? I’d like to refresh my signing skills and also have an opportunity to talk with people of various backgrounds who can sign as well.

Please let me know if you know of anything! Thank you and have a great day. :)

That’s it. That’s the post. I’m not thinking about implications or eugenics or exclusions or anything. I just want a nice island where my autistic friends and I can work and play and relax and all of our systems work really well and efficiently. We all naturally become more conditioned into feeling safer and more free to be direct. We focus on everyone getting their needs met instead of making more money than the next guy. We don’t hoard resources when others are going without. We take care of those who have less capabilities. Everything is built to be sensory friendly and adaptive instead of constantly having to mask and adapt to the environment around us so much.
We have a national holiday week for Sonic The Hedgehog.
Not seriously, just playful escapist thought. What would Autism Island look like for you?

After doing a lot of groundbreaking work in trauma therapy after a lifetime of emotional neglect turned into low self esteem and people pleasing tendencies, I’ve started to stick up for myself in a healthy and assertive way. I’ve called bad behaviour out for what it is and been firm with boundaries and communicating what I won’t tolerate. I finally feel like I’m on an even playing field when conflict arises because I’m less afraid of abandonment or a poor outcome. I don’t blame others poor behaviour or defensive responses on myself and I don’t take responsibility for the emotional state of others. I respond firmly and clearly but not in an emotionally charged way and I’m more comfortable stepping away when someone responds that way to me.

And I’m really proud of that!!

So I wanted to ask: have you had any moments in conflict resolution lately where you feel quite proud of the way you responded?
Essentially, let’s just celebrate the wins! Let’s celebrate instances of positive growth :)

Something a bit more lighthearted, but sometimes I get really emotional and cry all over my cat and give her hugs and pets and tell her how much I love her.
I’ve had her since I was 18 and I’m 30 now. She spent her first 2 years in a cage because no one would adopt her because she was too skittish.
She’s been through so much shit with me. So many abusive relationships, so much tension she shouldn’t have been around, but she’s always stuck by my side. I try and give her the world because to me, she’s kept the world spinning for me countless times when I thought I would end things but it never felt right to abandon her when so many people have abandoned me. She’s my best friend. I love her more than quite literally anything in the world. And sometimes I just feel so thankful and grateful for her presence in my life that I start crying and I can’t hold it back. She looks so confused but knows the cuddles are helping. I spoil her so much nowadays because she deserves everything I could possibly give her.

So if you have or have had pets that have been with you through the hard stuff, give them some love. Whether it be through hugs and affection or through saying a word for them before bed tonight. I wouldn’t be the same person without Foxy, and I’m so terribly thankful to have her.

Good night everyone! 💗

I got a new desk for my sewing table (the IKEA Micke, if anyone is wondering) and it’s now triggered me wanting to make some larger changes in my small apartment to make it more accommodating.

The only thing is that I instantly get so overwhelmed by choices and decisions and thinking about it and oh god when things CHANGE or my routine changes because of the switched up furniture… horrifying! I want my place to be efficient and functional but also look aesthetically matchy matchy.

Does anyone else get really stressed about this? I’ve taken a break because I don’t want to get overwhelmed or have a meltdown but I assume NT people don’t get so bothered about this.