u/Spiritual-Argument28

I'm visiting New York from Florida.

I was only 2 months old on 9/11/01, my mom was holding me while watching the tragedy take place on TV. Growing up and learning about 9/11, it felt like just another part of history. We would watch videos and accounts in high school, and while it was sad, I feel like there's something in my brain that processes it as information solely— after all, I wasn't there that day.

Recently, in my 20's, I've revisited the WTC and the attack on my own, and have truly come to understand the horror and heartbreak experienced by so many that day. I cannot imagine the suffering inflicted upon native New Yorkers as well, especially upon victims, survivors, and witnesses. I've wanted to visit for so long to pay my respects, and was now able to.

I do not have words to describe what I felt both in the museum and at the memorial. I felt like I wanted to hold onto every name and face I saw of every victim. It was deeply moving and intense. It was difficult to take it all in, but we continued to go through the museum.

I won't forget the time I spent here, ever. It will stay with me forever.

The photos included depict: the One World Trade Center; the South tower pool; the North tower pool; two views of New York from the One World Trade Center observation deck.

I look forward to going into environmental biology so I can stay in them for a while longer. Truly nothing compares to Florida's ecosystem. It's so wonderfully unique.

These pics were taken near Goethe State Forest.

Sometimes the idea for things like this just... pop into my brain and Do Not Leave until they come to fruition lol. Can't guarantee I'll keep making them for that reason, but then again, who's to say I won't! :)

I'm literally stunned rn this is the first time I got a lethal?? And she's Dinar????? I don't know if I should sell her or keep her lol but she's so cute!! I'm thinking about using the canopic jar option over the jellyfish since the jar is cheaper.

I LOVE wasps. I live in Florida and there are so many different wasps here!!

My mom is allergic to wasp stings. Not in a severe way, but in a huge-red-swollen-area-on-your-arm- way. I'm 25 and since I was a kid I love picking up bugs (that I am familiar with of course— "look but don't touch" is one of my mottos for most bugs). This includes wasps, which my family and coworkers have recoiled in horror upon witnessing.

I am a huge advocate for showing people how gentle wasps can be when they aren't threatened. I even have a method of convincing my brain that wasps will not sting me so that my nerves don't scare them. I have successfully relocated many wasps back outside that had somehow drifted their way inside and scared the daylights out of anyone that saw them and sent them running for disgusting wasp spray.

Well, last summer, I was stung by a red paper wasp by accident while I was at work one day. I had never been stung by a wasp before— holy cow does it hurt. The venom is so painful especially when it travels through your arm (so freaking cool!!). IMMEDIATELY my arm swelled at the site of the sting and became red-hot, which had spread over the following days. I eventually went to urgent care and got a script for a steroid and was advised to take Benadryl, which totally reversed whatever reaction was happening.

But I am so distraught. Never in a million years would I ever expect to be allergic to these beautiful creatures, as I have no other allergies to things my mom tends to be allergic to. I want to keep holding them, but I know my limits now. I also find that I have weird reactions to other bug bites since then, as if it just stirred up allergies that I didn't have before— especially tick bites or ant bites (I'm in the woods a lot).

I now pick up bugs with thick gloves on instead of my bare hands, but it hurts my soul. I can't feel their little feet on my hands anymore or their antennae sensing me out.

Does anyone else have this curse? If you do, how do you cope with not touching wasps in need, if you do avoid it??

TL;DR: I love wasps and woefully have discovered that I am allergic to them. I wanted to vent about my horrible fate and perhaps find kindred spirits who share my plight.

Here is a lovely wasp pic as a token for reading this!! Have a good day/night!!

Got SUCH a close clone of the 8.22 maneater! Just replaced my king and will be stat/mutie replacing him again in about a month! This guy has all the maneater markings and eyes, only missing the base, skin, mane, and mane color. I'm keeping my other luckier cubs to try and breed for an even closer match in the future. But I'm so stoked!!

This is my king Justinian!

I worked so hard getting him to where I wanted him, and I dreamt of Wicked patches for so long... but now I'm thinking Vernal patches and wavy mane really drive home that rising-from-the-muck look that I want for him! I thought crested mane would be good for a chance at a dorsal cub, but now it's like... wavy mane captivates my mind.

I'm hoping I can get an MoD for Vernal during this year's Black Friday, but if anyone here would be up for a trade for one in the future, I'm totally game!

Right now I'm trying to breed Plague cubs, so I'm riding on next month to support that as my main project. But as soon as I can retire my man, he will be adopting this look. I'm obsessed. 😭

(Technically dinner because I work overnight shifts)

I got a new job about a month ago and I'm finally able to not only pay off debts and take care of myself, but also start squirreling some money aside for savings.

I was stuck in a hole with money for so long. It felt like once I managed to hold on to some money, SOMETHING happened that needed it. At one point I needed to borrow money from my mom, which is something I absolutely abhorred and never dreamed of doing. I am so grateful to her, and I'm especially grateful that she's letting me pay her back. (Usually she tells me not to worry about it and just save it, but this was a large amount.)

Now I'm getting paid more than my previous job and it is so nice to just have my head above the water. Not rich by any means nor making six figures, but I'm just so excited about being able to afford groceries and live willingly below my means. I feel like I'm finally getting somewhere.

I went from retail inventory to overnight hospital security lol. Huge jump, but I love it so much. I may get hit or yelled at by patients, but I have so much more dignity with this job than having to be slave to some stupid mega corporation. The organization that hired me actually treats me like a human being.

I'm just so happy now. There's still stressors in my life, but this was a HUGE stressor and it's slowly shrinking.

Happy girl treat to celebrate!! Gourmet donuts from a local business!! :D

Hello! Currently in the process of UFing my room/bathroom.

I currently rent a room so I only have this small space to keep most of my stuff in. I have held on to (and admittedly purchased) so many items that I told myself I could use in a future house someday. But currently getting a house is crazy expensive on my own and I'm in a very good place living with my housemate!

My problem is that I keep looking at what needs to be done and instantly getting overwhelmed. I try to tackle one area at a time and just purging. For example, I already tackled most of my closet and clothing, donating 80-90% of it.

I just got a new mattress but I still need to actually replace the old one. Recently been adjusting to overnight shift schedule so I have no motivation at night without the sunlight, but it's admittedly the perfect time to UF because I can't exactly go anywhere or get distracted talking to anyone, lol.

I also want to build the habit of doing a 5-to-10-minute clean up every day to maintain it. I never built good cleaning habits but I really want to do it.

I told myself that I would get new furniture and shelves as a treat when I'm done, but I need to hold myself accountable. I have so much determination but I need to actually DO IT!! 😩😤

After finishing The Empty Grave the other day and gutting my room in a deep clean, I realized I had both an empty jar and a plastic skull in my possession and no purpose for either of them besides making my own Type-Three-in-a-jar!

Currently waiting for some craft foam to come in, then I plan to make a new lid, bottom rim, and maybe some brackets to imitate the show's silver-glass jar design.

So far, this is awesome. It looks so much better in person. All I've used for this includes green tulle, fairy lights, some green tinsel, paint, a plastic skull, and a glass jar. Keeps it light in case I ever feel like carrying it in a backpack. 😋

I'm planning to collect the hardcover editions of the books, and I will be keeping the skull on the shelf with them.