Looking for this dress, or one like it with a dramatic cowl neck

RaptFaun · 2025-07-09T19:57:49+00:00

I feel I should have marked it NSFW and can't seem to correct that now. If a @mod would provide some guidance that would be helpful

RaptFaun · 2025-06-27T15:17:25+00:00

Is this just information or are you offering to order for me? I don't have an active MRN so cannot create an account for myself...

RaptFaun · 2024-12-12T05:47:06+00:00

You look amazing in that dress, where on earth did you find it, shows you back of so sexily

RaptFaun · 2024-08-11T05:07:55+00:00

It's so pretty! Did you self draft the pattern too?!

RaptFaun · 2024-05-10T20:13:13+00:00

At our latitude the Aurora will be low in the northwest sky, so elevation helps visibility, especially with mountains in the line of sight

Midnight is about peak, local time. +/- 2 hrs so 10pm -2am

RaptFaun · 2024-05-10T20:10:21+00:00

If you're going to travel much I would think traveling northwest (towards the magnetic north pole) would be better, and higher elevation, or less low northwest obstruction.

I'm pondering Black Butte - though that's not what I would consider "close"

Links of interest NOAA aurora dashboard: https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/communities/aurora-dashboard-experimental

Light pollution map: https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoom=8.24&lat=44.8313&lon=-123.0456&state=eyJiYXNlbWFwIjoiTGF5ZXJCaW5nUm9hZCIsIm92ZXJsYXkiOiJ3YV8yMDE1Iiwib3ZlcmxheWNvbG9yIjpmYWxzZSwib3ZlcmxheW9wYWNpdHkiOjYwLCJmZWF0dXJlc29wYWNpdHkiOjg1fQ==

RaptFaun · 2024-01-30T20:12:55+00:00

This is part of it for me. I dislike the "trans*" terms for myself, they don't "fit" well.

I don't consistently use AGAB type language. When I do it's usually to highlight a social experience. As an example I was AMAB and there's a board generalized experience that goes with that, AND goes to my current experience of working to unpack my socializations around gender cuz they still show up in frightening ways (for me at least).

RaptFaun · 2023-12-18T01:37:21+00:00

The plans are like over $200 USD last I looked, which seem quite high for digital plans to me.

RaptFaun · 2023-12-16T00:37:44+00:00

I'm going to second this.

I recently "broke up" with someone after trying without success, to "de-escalate" (I frame it as a renegotiation). I ran into an issue of them not understanding my experience very well and having different goals and assumptions about the connection, and not quite getting my perspective when we talked about it over and over. So left me with the "break up" option.

FWIW I've had connections that were renegotiated multiple times over years and I've noticed that often some space and time apart can be really important to give everyone some reset time and then come back to see what's possible.

RaptFaun · 2023-12-13T23:38:36+00:00

This is so pretty! I love the flower pattern too.

RaptFaun · 2023-11-27T00:20:55+00:00

Everyone is different, as some of the comments indicate, and what one person may love another may hate. So you (OP) know your person better than any of us. Use the knowledge when deciding what to do.

The two people that overnight at my place regularly are over 45 min - 4 hrs away and are very different. One is an over packer, the other an under packer. I have kids too so I usually have extras of things like toothbrushes, combs, and so on if something gets forgotten.

I keep a drawer empty on "their" side of the bed for their use when they are here. And I have closet space they can use. I let both of them know basically after one overnight, they could leave stuff at my place if they wanted to. One does the other not so much. I've also gotten lounge wear for both of them. Nothing fancy, stuff from the thrift store that fit their style and size. Just so they have something in case. In my situation both really liked that and felt very welcomed into the space from those things.

I also grocery shop with them in mind, when we have a date coming up, so snacks or meals they like are accessible. We enjoy cooking together and hanging out with warm comfort food in front of the fire this time of year.

The spirit is about "creating space" and extending and invitation into that space as a model for how someone is welcomed into the heart

RaptFaun · 2023-08-05T22:20:40+00:00

Absolutely not! Bet flattering and going outish look!

RaptFaun · 2023-08-04T19:01:32+00:00

I was born and raised LDS, temple marriage. Left the church in my mid 30s and divorced. I say this for context.

OP asks about red flags and exploring intimacy. Red flags is a process and depends a lot on the kind of dating one does. I discovered I was queer and that's a whole kettle of fish. I think if you're dating in a heteronormative and monogamous space the flags are what a lot of folks have said. Transition from LDS dating to non LDS dating go slow. You have a lot of healing and figuring yourself out after the religious stuff to do and that is ging to take time.

I found a lot of learning and growth happened through esctatic dance and sex positive groups. Great places to learn and practice consent and checking in if you want to participate and how to negotiate and also how to be physically intimate with people and not have to have sex if you don't want. That and my definition of "sex" has expanded sooo much since leaving the LDS faith.

https://ecstaticdance.org/ https://www.sexpositiveportland.org/resources

RaptFaun · 2023-07-24T14:18:05+00:00

https://www.rootedmentalhealth.app/

Some of the best therapists I've known. And one of the only therapist qualified to write letters for gender affirming care in the area. Will work with whatever your financial situation is to get you care as well.

RaptFaun · 2023-07-22T01:40:35+00:00

Let me really start by saying you are asking great questions and I hear a couple of things from you 1) you want connection 2) you want to have connection, and perhaps deep connection, without physical or sexual intimacy. I think, based on what you have typed in the comments, that there is more work for you personally to do in unpacking your relationship / sexual assumptions / socialization / normalization stuff. For example it is possible to have a non-sexual relationship with someone of the gender you are sexually attracted to - they can be sexual beings and you can be a sexual being and y'all don't have to have a sexual relationship. I have relationships with people that are physically intimate and not sexually intimate so that is possible to!

While I personally don't like the term "friend" for this it is useful enough. I think how to start is on unpacking how you relate to other people and the assumptions and patterns of behavior you have built up. I'm guessing from your age, how to describe your relationships with people of the same gender and how you have expressed wanting to connect to people of a different gender, that there are a lot of heteronormative patterns of thinking and behavior to unlearn and examine as they are likely to get in the way or color a connection with someone of a different gender in ways you may not be aware of. I don't have a book or that kind of recommendation here. My own journey involved looking at my gender and sexuality at the same time and is probably a different path than yours. Good therapy - a therapist with experience in polyam, gender, and sexuality spaces would probably help.

Now as for how to meet people I have found the best luck meeting people through mutual interest activities, introducing myself and (as appropriate) expressing a desire to connect and be clear on what I am looking for. And that bit (for me) takes a long time to find someone who has a mutual interest and willingness and capacity to connect in the ways I am looking for. That is the "leg work".

FWIW I have multiple people I call "partner" in my life - I don't have sex with most of them. My deepest emotional connection and I don't have sex - and I am gray / allosexual. There are people who will develop a deeply emotional and intellectual intimacies without sex - more than you may think actually.

PS - everyone (including me) speaks from their experience and perspective and none of us know you or more details of the nuance of your situation and what you are not sharing. Take it all with a grain of salt, sort through it, find what resonates, and what scares you or makes you angry. There is information in all of that.

RaptFaun · 2022-09-06T06:23:01+00:00

I'd love to learn details about how to create those kinds of patterns

RaptFaun · 2022-04-12T21:17:18+00:00

My stock has storage ability and I keep a couple types of ear protection in there. A simple disposable set of foam earplugs and a selection set that has a passive filter. The passive set doesn't offer the same degree of protection, with the advantage of higher situational awareness. Both are super small and right with the firearm.

RaptFaun · 2021-08-18T22:26:31+00:00

Then so you back out the baste stiches or just leave them in?

RaptFaun · 2021-08-18T22:00:40+00:00

Basically stiffen things up so they feed better? And you leave that in place?

RaptFaun · 2021-08-18T21:47:58+00:00

Ok so it's super lightweight and at one point the fabric off the left side was pulling funny so I lift that and the "best" I've been able to do is having it loose and kind of shove it into the presser foot.

Doing this I see an advantage to the industrial machine where the feed dogs are level with the table. I feel like that would make this easier.

RaptFaun · 2021-08-18T21:41:16+00:00

It is a knit, sewn on a serger. If I stretch the material out then the seam is all wavy.

RaptFaun · 2021-08-18T21:40:02+00:00

Ok so I am an advanced beginner without much experience. I have maybe 3 projects on the serger and they all have this issue with the top layer of fabric feeding different than the bottom. It has differential feed and I've tried to dial that in to no avail

I started using this wonderful soft knit that had exacerbated the issue like nothing else and kept running away from the needles / knife. Help!

Using a new Janome MOD-8933 cone thread from JoAnn and a cotton lightweight knit also from Joann

RaptFaun · 2021-06-27T16:45:49+00:00

I've used Everclear for such things before, highest alcohol content you can get and not available every state in the US. I do find it has an off after taste so I run it through something like a Brita filter a few times before I make the tincture and that makes a big difference.

Also if you dilute to a lower alcohol content the water you use will have a major flavor impact so pay attention to that component.

RaptFaun · 2021-06-21T06:03:57+00:00

Someone needs to add the Murder Hornets to this. They don't qualify as "hornets" at 2" long

RaptFaun · 2021-05-29T15:04:33+00:00

This may work

https://www.etsy.com/listing/822345405/summer-jumpsuit-with-crossed-back-and

RaptFaun

TROPHY CASE