@deerrdarling Abigail And I Recently Watched ‘Carol‘ Together.

The rings of Saturn aren’t actually solid, just countless individual particles.

The beautiful planet Saturn taken by the James Webb Space Telescope!

James Webb Space Telescope Discoveries

hi adam! i hope you’re well :) i just got a late diagnosis of autism (i’m 23!) and i was wondering if you had any advice for self care and such after a diagnosis? i’m totally comfortable with who i am and how my brain works, it’s still just lots to process !!

Hello. First of all, congratulations on your diagnosis. I assume that might seem like an odd thing to say, but I mean it sincerely—understanding yourself better is always a good thing, even if it takes time to process.

I know it did for me.

I was diagnosed early in childhood, so I can’t speak to the exact experience of learning this about yourself as an adult. But I do understand what it’s like to examine yourself through a new lens and to realize that the way you interact with the world—things you may have once thought were simply personal quirks or unexplained difficulties—actually has a name. It can be both validating and overwhelming.

You say you’re comfortable with who you are, which is already more than many people can say. But if I had any advice, it would be this: be patient with yourself. It’s easy to look back on past experiences and wonder how differently things could have gone had you known then what you know now. But you were always you, diagnosis or not. That hasn’t changed—only your understanding has. The most important thing is using that understanding to advocate for yourself, to make your life easier where possible rather than forcing yourself into spaces or habits that were never designed for you in the first place.

Practically speaking, self-care depends on what you need. If sensory issues are something you struggle with, don’t ignore them—accommodate them in whatever ways you can. If you experience burnout, learn to recognize the signs before it happens and give yourself time to recover. If you mask heavily in social situations, make sure you also allow yourself environments where you don’t have to. The world doesn’t always adapt to us, so we have to be intentional about carving out spaces where we can exist comfortably as ourselves.

Most of all, remember that there is no ‘correct’ way to process something like this. No rush, no expectation—just time. I hope that time is kind to you.

My father once told me that understanding yourself is like learning a language—you’ll always be discovering new words, new meanings, new ways to express things you never quite knew how to before. I think he was right.

Do you have a favorite planet Adam? I feel like nobody asks you about your interests anymore

I am always happy when I can answer questions that relate to my life or interests!. Maybe even more these days than ever, it sort of calms me down, talking about things I know.

If we’re being technical, Pluto doesn’t qualify as an answer. It was reclassified as a ‘dwarf planet’ in 2006, which means it no longer holds planetary status. That being said, when I was younger, it was my favorite—small, distant, and debated over by scientists who couldn’t quite decide where it belonged. It might be irrational but i always thought there was something unfair about that. If something existed, if it mattered for years, how could people just decide it didn’t count anymore?

Neptune is my usual answer. Its winds are the fastest in the solar system, yet it remains so far away that people rarely think about it. It exists in quiet extremes.

Venus also comes to mind… It’s hostile to life, and most people don’t think much of it beyond its brightness in the sky. But I’ve learned that brightness can be deceptive. Just because something appears beautiful doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous, and just because something is dangerous doesn’t mean it isn’t worth understanding.

I’m not sure if there’s anything being hidden. I’d like to think there isn’t. I trust Abigail—she’s my friend.

I don’t feel strongly one way or the other about Dr. Lecter. He’s a good psychiatrist. My feelings don’t really change what’s real, though. Maybe you should ask Dr. Lecter about it yourself. You seem like you’d be good at that.

Also I’m not sure what you mean by ‘delicate elegance.’..I don’t focus on appearance, just the practical aspects of things. I suppose if you’re referring to my manner?, I do try my best to remain composed.

I like Botticelli‘s art though.

Thank you for the compliment, Nigel

Ți-e drag rău Will, nu-i așa? Ai grijă pe lângă pe lângă psihiatrul ăla, totuși. Trec multe zvonuri despre el

(Ooc: translation because most services don't do it well: Will's dear to you, eh? Be careful around that psychiatrist, though. Many rumours flying around him)

Știu foarte bine... Dar îți mulțumesc.

I have Dr Lecter as my psychiatrist too!

Honestly I think I might ask for a referral to another psychiatrist. He speaks in prose, and I just cannot decode all his metaphors.

He's generally nice though.

I think I understand how you feel. Dr. Lecter does speak in a way that can be difficult to interpret. I ask him to clarify when I don’t understand, but he doesn’t always give a direct answer. He is very intelligent though. If the way he speaks makes things harder for you, then asking for a referral makes sense. The most important thing is having a psychiatrist who helps you the way you need.

Personally, Dr. Lecter and I understand things differently. He isn’t always direct, and I prefer clarity, but he doesn’t mind when I ask him to explain. He listens carefully and helps me notice patterns in my thoughts I hadn’t seen before. Even if I don’t always understand his metaphors, he makes me think in new ways, which is helpful.

Good luck with your therapy!

I’ll take that as a compliment, however, I think you might’ve phrased that unconventionally..

You’re like.. crazy pretty

Errr the name’s Tonny btw.

-@coke-n-dope

That is very direct. Hello, Tonny

whats your favorite constellation? mine is boötes!

Lyra. It’s small, but distinct. The brightest star in it—Vega—was once the North Star, and it will be again in about 12,000 years. The sky shifts in ways we barely notice.

It’s named for Orpheus’ lyre. After his death, the gods sent it to the stars. A consolation prize. A memorial. I like that—how something once full of music is now silent, but still luminous. Still present.

Boötes is a good choice. The herdsman, always watching over the bears as they circle the pole. There’s something steady about it. Something patient. If Lyra is a lingering echo, then Boötes is the figure who listens to it, night after night.

Really? In what aspects?

Hello, Adam. I was wondering if you have a favorite flower or plant or a favorite animal?

-Duncan.

Good evening Duncan!.

I do have a favorite animal.

Raccoons. Definitely raccoons. They’re highly intelligent, their problem-solving skills are impressive, and they have these incredibly dexterous little hands. Did you know that they can remember solutions to tasks for years? And they wash their food before eating it, which is both practical and oddly endearing. I often go to watch a family of raccoons at a park near me. They bring me joy.

As for plants, I think carnivorous plants are fascinating. They literally evolved to defy the usual order of things—plants aren’t supposed to consume animals, and yet, here they are. The Venus flytrap, for example, counts the number of times its trigger hairs are touched before closing, like it’s verifying the presence of prey. That kind of adaptation is remarkable. If find that they have a philosophical aspect to them.

Beth always hated the idea of this blog. She didn’t want me posting as much so I didn’t.

All this time I tried so hard to make her happy. I stopped interacting with people I like because it made her uncomfortable, I stopped talking as much because it made her uncomfortable, I stopped behaving like myself because it made her uncomfortable.

I hate her and I hate myself.

Adam, have you ever seen Cosmos with Carl Sagan? I've always wanted to watch the original but I've only seen the reboot with Neil DeGrasse Tyson.

- 🧷 (safetypin-non)

Yes, I watched it many times. More than I can count. It’s my favorite show.

You should watch it, I can only recommend it.