Life – Tiger's Daydream

Gerascophobia – Fear of Growing Up

Here are some great tips from people who learned adulting the hard way! This is mainly for you younger folks who are entering adulthood soon, but it might contain some helpful info for y’all who have been adulting for a while now! Enjoy!

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Even if you get along great with your family now, the connection/relationship will be better once you move out
Generic brands are almost always just as good as name brand but there are some things you never buy generic: peanut butter, ketchup, liquid NyQuil, Chips-Ahoy chewy chocolate chip cookies
Most people hate talking on the phone, so be patient and respectful
Thrift stores are EVERYTHING!!!
Everyone else is too busy panicking about everyone else noticing every tiny thing that could possibly be wrong about themselves that they don’t notice any tiny thing that could possibly be wrong with you
You will screw up… a lot. You live and learn when you start to think too hard about that embarrassing thing that happened (and how you wish you could change it) just tell yourself it’s done. There’s no changing it, just move on and forgive yourself. It’s the only way to stay sane
NEVER PUT DAWN IN THE DISHWASHER.
If you do put dawn in the dishwasher, run it on empty and put hair conditioner where the detergent goes
Don’t be afraid to cart-surf down the grocery aisle
Sometimes life sucks, and knowing that it will get better doesn’t make it suck less, but you’ll never get non-sucky days without enduring the suckiness
Dollar store batteries work just as well as store-brand
Reward yourself from time to time when you do things that you needed to get done – it’s a good way to remind yourself to do them
Rice, pasta, flour, sugar, cheese, eggs, milk, a pack of chicken, frozen veggies, and a spice cabinet go a long way food-wise. They all make multiple meals
Keep a calendar of when all your bills are due – you can call the company to switch the due dates
There’s no shame in calling for an extension of a bill. Let them know the amount you can pay, then arrange when you can pay the rest
Take time to eat, even if you don’t feel like it. Your body needs energy to live.
Magic erasers work on everything – don’t scrub hard
Never take meds with alcohol (keep it to water)
Check dosages for bottled pills and drugs. No one wants to overdose on cough syrup or ibuprofen
Ginger tea does wonders for nausea
Keep antibiotic ointment
Fruits, milk, and sunshine are great for you!
If you live off ramen noodles, only add half the flavor packet and add veggies and spices
Potatoes are done when you can easily stab a fork through them
Buy meat and veggies on sale and freeze them. You can defrost them for a later day (as far as 6 months later)
Soak ink stains in milk to get them out
Use cold water for bloodstains
Acetone, found in most nail polish removers, dissolves super glue
Keep a flashlight in your car in case your car breaks down and your phone is dead
Put jumper cables, water, non-perishable food, extra pair of clothes, blanket, tools in your car for whenever
Know how to change a tire
Bake your own bread if normal bread gets too expensive
If you use a baseball bat for a defense weapon in your home, put a sock on the end of it so the attacker can’t disarm the weapon at first
Go back to bed if you’re really sick
Treat yourself at the main character – everyone else is a supporting character in YOUR story

Medication Lesson

Acetaminophen = Tylenol
- Used to treat pain and reduce fever. Don’t take with ibuprofen
Ibuprofen = Advil, Midol, Motrin
- Used for pain, fever, anti-inflammatory – good for period cramps
Naproxen = Aleve, Naprosyn
- Used for fever, pain, arthritis, gout, period cramps, tendinitis, headache, backache, toothache
Asprin = Bayer
- Used for pain, fever, arthritis, inflammation. Makes you bleed easily. Might reduce risk of heart attack
Triple Antibiotic Ointment = Neosporin
- Used on cuts, sores, and scrapes to reduce risk of infection and promote healing

Writing Utensils

You are the author of your own life. You started writing in pencil, able to erase whatever you wanted. There were a couple of smudge marks left on the paper and the side of your hand. Sometimes you ripped the page when you tried to erase uncaringly. But as you got older, you wrote in pen. The ink still smeared, making it messy and unclear to read. There were stories you wish you could erase but you could only scribble them out. They aren’t legible anymore, but they are still there. They will always be there, indented in the page.

Poetry Pens

She was born
A few countries away from Rome,
Far from the Mile high state
She now calls her home.
With a young married couple
Traveling hours on a plane
She was adopted in the year 2000
And given a different name.
Coming to her new house
She had a love for climbing trees.
She enjoyed life’s little moments,
They came as they pleased.

With a loud family of six,
There was always time for fun-
Skiing, hiking, and camping-
With occasional burns from the sun.
She had two brothers, one sister,
But no pets to be found.
Her siblings loved to wrestle,
They would tackle her to the ground
Who doesn’t love a little family bonding?
They meant the world to her.
They meant the world to her,
Until something stopped corresponding.

More time passed
And her siblings moved out.
She would go to school
With so much self-doubt.
It was a time of struggle
But ended totally
When she discovered her talent
To naturally write poetry.

She began to think
Until her thoughts would rhyme
And that’s how it was created:
The words for every line.
The smallest things
Or the tune of an old song
Led her to grip the pencil
To write a poem that was too long.
But that’s the beauty that she later discovered:
This random talent got her through,
And even helped her recover.

She hasn’t stopped writing
She’s a poet undercover.
No one knew she could rhyme like this,
Not even her own mother!
Oh, wait… oops, I told a lie,
Some of that’s not true
Because her best friend read her poetry.
She was the only one who knew.
Well, now I must be a liar
I’ve committed a sin
But I can’t blow her cover!
People might turn her in.

Now you know
That poetry is my passion
It has been for nearly
Six years in action.
My life has been mellow
And I love all my friends,
I even love my crazy family
I love everything when I have my poetry pens.

Thanatophobia – Fear of Death

The game of our human lives is not a simple game. Here’s how it’s played:

There are three players.

A King.

A Prince.

A Human.

The human is faced with a certain situation. The King and the Prince have their own deck of cards that all have a suggestion on them. Both the King and the Prince put down one of their cards, showing them to the human. The human has to decide which card to choose in which they will apply to their situation. There are multiple paths the human can take, although, there are only two ending spaces where two different kingdoms lay. Both kingdoms are closed off by a giant gate. The game is played on a board with one main colored playing piece (chosen by the human). Only the King and Prince can touch that piece. Near the end of the game, the piece will land on one of the two ending spaces, in which the game will be finished. In addition, the King and Prince can put their own playing pieces down during any point in the game. The King’s piece is white while the Prince’s piece is black. The white and black pieces can lead the colored piece to a different path. The game is as simple as that… at least it sounds simple.

You see, the King and the Prince have been playing this game ever since the very beginning of humanity. In fact, they are playing at this very second. The human has been playing since birth but will stop playing once they turn to ash. There can only be one winner of the game. Sometimes, the King wins. Other times, the Prince wins. It all depends on the cards the human chooses.

There is something the human must know about the King and the Prince:

The King is the Ruler of the world and the creator of everything and everyone, including the Prince. He deeply adores every human He plays with. He remembers every one of the humans He has played with and knows all the humans He has yet to play. He rewards the human at the end of the game if they choose wisely and finish the game at His kingdom. Many believe ending at the King’s kingdom is more glorious and abundant. Many call it home. The King longs for every single one of His players to enter His gate. His kingdom is more divine and magnificent than the human mind could even comprehend. The King himself is perfect above anything else.

The Prince, however, is very different. Many call him the Prince of Darkness because he loathes the King and leads the humans on a path of destruction. The Prince is surreptitious and corrupt compared to the King. Many of his cards contain wealth, pleasures, and options of self-satisfaction. While it may seem like all his cards are full of euphoria, their core is full of selfishness. When the human chooses the Prince’s cards, they are choosing the easy way out and move one space closer to his kingdom. The Prince’s kingdom is macabre and agonizing. Many humans have entered his kingdom and never escaped.

The human’s final destination all depends on the cards they choose. The King’s cards usually contain the better choice but some of His cards are difficult to act upon. Some include giving up something valuable, giving away money, or even breaking apart an unhealthy relationship. On the other hand, the Prince’s cards can be the painless choice. These can include lying, cheating, sneaking, and opportunities to “have it your way” to stay out of altercations and serious consequences. It becomes a game of morality and what the human believes is right. Every single game is different due to the situations, cards, and decisions.

As previously stated, the King and Prince have their own playing piece that leads the colored piece on a different path. Usually, the King’s white piece is a blessing in the form of a person, event, or opportunity that lead the colored piece one space closer to the King’s kingdom. The Prince’s black piece comes in similar forms as the King’s except the black piece is considered a condemnation. Part of the challenge of the game is that the human must recognize if the piece is a blessing or condemnation, and if they feel they should follow it.

Every human is different in their playing strategy. Some play very diligently with a game plan to reach the King’s kingdom. Others get played by the Prince because they listen to all the false luxury he offers and they take part in his toxic temptations. Most games take decades to finish while some are only played for less than 20 years; sometimes the human decides when the game ends instead.

Now, let me tell you something you probably didn’t know: you are playing the game right now. You’ve been playing for a while and already encountered some white and black pieces. You’ve already chosen many cards from both decks. A word of advice: choose your cards wisely and you’ll be on the path to meet the King! Don’t be deceived by the Prince. His cards may sound more enjoyable, but in the end, choosing the King’s cards will earn you a reward beyond anything you could ever imagine.

Which card will you choose next?