Happy International Women’s Day!

Some Basic Friendship Skills

Dos

1. Talk about things that interest others, and not just things that interest you.

2. Share the conversation. Don’t talk over others, interrupt others, or seek to be the centre of attention.

3. Be interested in what other people have to say. Ask open questions, and try to find out more.

4. Notice when people do well, and make the effort to praise them for it. Try to be an affirming, and encouraging, friend.

5. Be respectful, considerate and polite. Be sensitive to the feelings of others.

6. Think before you speak. (Sometimes it’s better to say nothing than to speak your mind and upset or offend).

7. Learn how to ask for what you want and need in a non-threatening, and non-defensive way. Don’t react; and don’t pick needless arguments.

8. Try to understand the perspective of others – and don’t just assume that you are right and they are wrong.

9. Look out for others – and be a trusted friend

10. Back off, don’t dominate, and give your friends some space.

Don’ts

1. Don’t brag about what you’ve done or what you’ve got.

2. Don’t put others down.

3. Don’t judge and stereotype people.

4. Don’t take over the conversation. Let others tell their jokes, and have their say.

5. Don’t try to control other people, or to make them do what you want them to do.

6. Don’t talk, or gossip, about others.

7. Don’t make jokes at others’ expense.

8. Don’t demand perfection – allow your friends to be human, and to sometimes make mistakes.

9. Don’t be sensitive and quick to take offense.

10. Don’t be mean or stab others in the back.

For the YoI anniversary, and for @lazulisong who has had a hellish week, I present to you: Yuuri Katsuki trying on a sample costume without realizing it’s totally backless all the way past the waist.  He takes a picture and sends it to Phichit as a joke - idk, do you think this is regulation? - but because Phichit is the best bro anyone could ask for, he immediately texts back You need that.

Phichit is not swayed by the fact that Yuuri would never be able to wear this in competition without a deduction. Get it for an ice show, he replies. I can’t buy this just for an ice show, Yuuri says. Victor would buy him a costume just for an ice show. Victor would buy him a costume just to cook dinner in if it was flattering enough. But Victor is away and Yuuri is shopping alone, so his frugal upbringing is winning out. Okay, then, Phichit says, punctuating the text with an eyebrows kaomoji. Just think of (eyebrows) what else (eyebrows eyebrows) you might use it for (eyebrows all the way down.) And this is how Yuuri stepped to the rink side at the second annual Victor and Friends ice show, wrapped in Victor’s longest coat (stolen that morning under the guise of the rink feeling chillier than usual), and let it slide off his shoulders before blithely handing it to Victor, smiling, and taking the ice, letting Victor take a long look at the slope of his back as he waves to the crowd. “How’re you doing, darling,” Chris murmurs to Victor halfway through Yuuri’s routine. The show doesn’t end for another hour, Victor wants to keen to the heavens. He takes the next of several deep breaths through his nose instead. 

Giveaway Contest: We’re giving away ten vintage paperback classics by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jane Austen, Harper Lee, Walt Whitman, George Orwell, and others. Won’t these look lovely on your shelf? :D To win these classics, you must: 1) be following macrolit on Tumblr (yes, we will check. :P), and 2) reblog this post. We will randomly choose a winner on April 22, at which time we’ll start a new giveaway. And yes, we’ll ship to any country. Easy, right? Good luck!

do you ever think about how fucking wild the premise of hetalia even is though like there are these (alarmingly) consistently attractive immortal beings that represent the soul and state of a country and they’re gifted with weird abilities like magic or hella strength and then they just spend their days having petty playground arguments with each other

March 2017 Book Discussion Challenge, day 9

Guilty Pleasure

I was well into typing this post about my consumption of Sophie Kinsella books in my teens, when I realised two things:

First, it’s been years since I read those books, so they’re not really my guilty pleasure, or any kind of pleasure for that matter.

Second, I don’t think chick lit as a genre really needs any more hate, even if a good portion of these books perpetuate heteronormative gender roles and idealised fantasies of what romance is.

Consequently, my question is this: why should anything you read be considered a guilty pleasure? If you enjoy it, why should you feel guilty? And if you feel guilty for reading it, maybe you shouldn’t be reading it at all?

Giveaway Contest: Thanks to the generosity of @harperperennial, we’re giving away all eight of the brand new, limited edition 2017-18 Harper Perennial Olive Editions! Won’t these look lovely on your shelf? :D To win these books, you must: 1) be following macrolit on Tumblr (yes, we will check. :P), and 2) reblog this post. We will randomly choose a winner on November 18, at which time we’ll start a new giveaway. And yes, Harper Perennial has agreed to make this an International giveaway! Easy, right? Good luck!

Flower Masterpost: If you ever have the specific emotion ...

(Updated whenever a new flower is used) - just use the “search” button or search through my tags by changing the url; I always tag my flowers / if it’s a flower of a specific color, eg: rose (pink), then search “pink rose” (or you can just look up the “rose” and see all the suggestions tagged with “rose”)

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Bad Emotions (pain, grief, apology…)

star of Bethlehem :   atonement for crime, reconciliation,  guilt and fear

lobelia : malevolent thoughts

snapdragon : deceit and concealment of identity , elegance

geranium : stupidity and folly

bluebell : humility

lily (orange) : hatred, intense abhorrence

columbine (red) : anxiety

hyacinth (purple) :forgiveness, repent

marigold : pain and grief

peony : shame and bashfulness

TULIP

tulip (white) : one-sided love

tulip (yellow) : hopeless love

CARNATION

carnation (yellow) : disdain, disappointment, rejection

carnation (striped) : Refusal, rejection ; sorry I can’t be with you, wish I could be with you

rue : regret and sorrow, lamentation

mallow : consumed by love and life, frazzled

ROSE

rose (dark red) : mourning

rose (yellow) : apologies, a broken heart, intense emotion, jealousy

rose (black) : death, mourning, rebirth

anemone : forsaken, fading hope

primrose (evening) : inconsistency

morning glory : love in vain

mint : suspicion, lack of trust

chrysanthemum (yellow) : slighted love 

petunia : resentment, anger

begonia : future misfortunes, dark distracting thoughts, fear

rhododendron : beware

acacia : concealed love

monkshood : the enemy is near, danger

fungus : stupidity, solitude, loneliness, resilience, disgust

weeping willow : love forsaken, lost of love

tuberose : risky pleasures, unsafe love

dead leaves : sadness, sorrow, hopelessness in life

coriander : lust

cactus flower : lust; maternal love

daffodil : uncertainty, unrequited love, new beginnings; love me back 

zephyr : illness, sickness, sincerity

Good Emotions (love, happiness, remembrance..)

iris : your friendship is precious, thank you for being a friend   

cosmos : peaceful bliss

gardenia : purity, sweetness, secret love

snowdrop : hope, consolation

poppy (yellow) : victory

zinnia (mixed) : in memory of an absent friend

columbine (purple) : driven to win

baby’s breath : innocence, pure at heart

azalea : take care of yourself for me, temperance, gentle passion

lily (white) : it’s heavenly to be with you; purity and majesty

lilac (purple) : the first emotion of love

rosemary : recollection of once-forgotten memories; remembrance

dandelion : coquetry and gentle flirtation, young love

sunflower : pure, lofty thoughts. confidence

hollyhock : ambition and drive

ROSE

rose (coral/orange) : desire, yearning, passion

rose (blue) : improbable odds, mystery, love at first sight

rose (light pink) : passion, youth, energy, desire

rose (lavender) : love at first sight 

rose (red) : ardent passion, relentless desire, true love

violet (white) : let’s take a chance 

camellia (pink) : longing for you in the future 

CARNATION

carnation (mauve) : dreaming of fantasy 

carnation (red) : my heart aches for you

pansy : thoughtfulness and caring

hydrangea : heartfelt gratitude and thankfulness

fern : magic, confidence, fascination

apple blossom : promise

daisy (white) : new beginnings, true love, purity, innocence, trust and secrecy

lily-of-the-valley : sweetness, return to happiness, you make my life complete

aster : patience, love of variety, elegance and daintiness

sweet pea : goodbye, departure, blissful pleasure, thank you for a good time

ivy : fidelity and loyalty, faith

forget me not : true love, undying certainty

bachelor’s button : celibacy, purity, single blessedness,hope in love, delicacy

statice : sympathy, success, remembrance

calla lily (white) : purity, innocence, magnificence and beauty

honeysuckle : bonds of love and friendship

birds of paradise : joy through challenges, faithfulness in relationships, gratitude, freedom, yearning to travel

lavender : healing, purity, devotion, royalty, feminine beauty

stephanotis : good luck in life and love

euphorbia : purification and protection

salvia : i am thinking of you, togetherness, hope

cactus flower : lust; maternal love

stargazer lily : i miss you, i wish you were here, i really do love you

ORCHID

orchid (green) : nature, longevity, health, healing

orchid (white) : humility, grace, beauty, innocence

narcissus : self-love, self-admiration

chrysanthemum (white) : loyal and devoted love, truth

fuchsia : intoxicating beauty, overflowing abundance, lovely, spread your wings in glorious freedom

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KNB+ Text Posts