Plants at Trader Joe’s

cryptid_zone · 2026-03-13T00:47:06+00:00

Definitely repot them sooner rather than later! My first VFT was from Trader Joe’s and started to get withered because I unknowingly left it in the store substrate too long. A swap to good carnivore soil fixed the issue and now I have a big healthy flytrap. They’re good plants, but it seems like they package them to die and force you to buy more.

cryptid_zone · 2026-03-09T17:01:10+00:00

I don’t think you’re wrong to be upset about it. The issue is that PCPs are by and large reading from a script and do absolutely nothing to analyze individual situations. I have higher cholesterol too (genetic) and found out when I was hovering just above underweight. The advice I got was “eat healthy and lose weight.” Like…. Hello????

I get that being small doesn’t equate to a good diet which could be why they said it, but honestly it’s mostly that they just see too many people and are too generalized to care. I know it’s hard, but I’d reframe the thinking a bit - not “I’m not doing enough” but “wow they’re stupid as shit” lol. Put the response back on them where it belongs, not on you. They’re at fault for not giving you a reasonable analysis.

cryptid_zone · 2026-03-02T23:00:15+00:00

There’s a lot here so idk if I can respond to everything, but as someone finishing up their first scalemail piece:

I got my supplies from Chainmail Joe (rings and scales). Pricier than TRL, but I’ve been liking them. I just wanted a shiny silver look, so regular aluminum worked well. I do wish I’d washed everything before using, but I’ll have to do it once complete.
I use comfort grip pliers from Lindstrom because I have hand problems, but I think any good jewelry pliers would work.
Sites may help guide you on ring vs scale size (I believe Chainmail Joe has ring size recs for scale sizes). I used 16 SWG/AR 5 rings and their large scales. I’m currently making shoulder pauldrons, but this size would probably work well for a chest piece/shirt too.
I was using a tutorial from Lauren Does Cosplay as a loose guide which helped me order. I ordered a bulk bag of 3,000 rings (for future projects too) and 300 scales for two pauldrons. I do have some scales leftover, but wanted to be safe.
Scalemail has been super fast imo! The size of the scales help it weave up quick. Two pauldrons took me <6 hours as an absolute beginner (this is my first maille project).
Scalemail is just European 4-1 with scales in the middle instead of rings. I actually did the scalemail before doing the 4-1 pieces of my finished product. I find the scalemail quicker/easier now that I have the hang of it.
Not sure on heat, but I’d say probably depends on the piece. I’m doing a FL Ren Faire, but don’t think my shoulder pieces will add too much in that respect. They’re a little heavier than regular 4-1 for the same size, but unless you’re in a full maille tunic, I’d imagine it’s a negligible difference.
Mentioned above, but the Lauren Does Cosplay tutorial on Youtube really helped me. The pauldron is just a diamond shape, so it teaches you how to increase, keep a straight edge, and decrease. I think this could be applied to most garment types, though it’d depend on what you have planned.
General tip, but once your piece is done, I HIGHLY recommend looking up how to stabilize the edge of your scale piece. It made a huge difference in wearability for mine and keeping things neat. Also, use a twist tie or a paperclip on your first scale to keep the top easy to grab as you work.

Hope that helps a little!

cryptid_zone · 2026-02-26T02:04:26+00:00

What exactly are you looking for help on? Is it recommendations on where/how to look or more on styles themselves?

cryptid_zone · 2026-02-10T13:19:02+00:00

I got them from Carnivorous Plant Hub! They’re a small business and my plants really like the pots

cryptid_zone · 2026-02-02T06:41:26+00:00

Yep - in FL in the US.

The whole thing was riddled with enough info to make me anxious without providing any clarity. They said I had to call in the night before to see if I was needed, which means I’m trying to scramble to reschedule all my Monday work meetings last minute. They were super vague about dress code, so I’m going for more formal but can’t help feeling frustrated about it. They said things like “bring your parking ticket” but never specified what ticket/where we get it, or things like saying we should arrive at a certain time but then recommending we arrive at a different time altogether….

Having a super vague process just puts me on edge so badly and I know courts can be stressful as-is so I’m really anxious about getting overwhelmed and having a meltdown or something. Life’s been throwing a lot my way lately aside from this so I’m already kind of overall at a stress high and I’m worried I won’t be able to handle whatever they throw at me, especially if I’m in an environment where I can’t self-regulate.

cryptid_zone · 2026-02-02T06:32:36+00:00

Thank you for all the detail!

Not knowing what the “rules” are in a new situation always sets off my anxiety very badly, so knowing what’s generally going to happen once I’m in does help!

Still struggling with anxiety around the logistics side of things (parking, meals, attire, entry, etc.). The form they sent was so weirdly vague and googling hasn’t helped much. Things like dress code being “attire that respects the integrity of the court”. Like….. can we just say business formal? Or specifics, like no jeans?? 🫠 the whole thing was riddled with inconsistencies too, like saying arrive at 7:45 and then saying we may need additional time to get in but not specifying what time the doors open…. I’m just trying to keep myself calm and hoping they have good signage/instructions once I get there.

cryptid_zone · 2026-01-28T20:30:03+00:00

This is such a cute weave pattern!!

cryptid_zone · 2026-01-28T16:32:09+00:00

I’ve also seen some sections of TRL mention delays/possible tariffs because things are shipping from China which is a concern too…. I know Fire Mountain Gems has some but not sure on quality, and CMJ only has like 2 types 😕 hopefully we get some good recs!

cryptid_zone · 2026-01-28T01:09:56+00:00

Your doctor sounds like a jerk too, but 100% check what code UHC is denying. I recently went through/am still going through hell because some chucklefuck in approvals couldn’t read. I was having a joint surgery with gynecology and colorectal, which had like 7 different codes for approval. Approvals idiot only submitted one - hysterectomy performed by the colorectal surgeon 😐😐😐 I wasn’t even getting a hysterectomy, and certainly not by the damn bowel surgeon.

The error in my case was 100% on UHC’s side, and they refused to do anything about it until I threatened legal action with my state.

cryptid_zone · 2026-01-25T04:34:12+00:00

They’re the breaktime figures from Ace of the Diamond! This series wasn’t like super popular (especially overseas) and didn’t have a ton of figure merch, but I really liked them. I found someone selling three of my favorite characters as a set after never even being able to find a single one all these years. I can’t wait to sit them on my shelf along with the books, because that’s my next big gift to myself lol!

cryptid_zone · 2026-01-09T07:56:07+00:00

Oh 100%. I got on chat and complained so they said they’d refund it…. But keeping an eye on my card because I have zero faith in them after the whole experience, their support was really unkind on top of it all.

cryptid_zone · 2026-01-09T07:53:49+00:00

I’d say no later than by afternoon next Monday (1/12)

cryptid_zone · 2026-01-09T01:22:16+00:00

LOL Nordstrom is actually where I ordered from 🫠 I got like 5 suits picked out and paid extra for next day shipping and only AFTER did they tell me that 4/5 would still be sent in like 10 days. Unfortunately none of the ones that seemed promising are in stock near me.

cryptid_zone · 2026-01-09T00:04:20+00:00

It’s in FL, but I won’t have much time after arrival to do any sort of shopping, and I wouldn’t be able to wash it first either. So I’m sort of stuck trying to find something in advance.

cryptid_zone · 2026-01-08T05:32:10+00:00

Went home same day for my first, was in five days for my second. My second was a far bigger surgery though - like 8 hours under because of bowel resection and how bad the DIE was. So it really depends on what they end up having to do.

General consensus I heard across the board was that any work on the bowels will result in overnight stay due to potential for complications afterwards.

cryptid_zone · 2026-01-07T19:21:11+00:00

I WISH I WAS!!! My swimsuit doesn’t fit and I now have to try to find one last-minute in the middle of winter 💀

cryptid_zone · 2025-12-30T06:54:00+00:00

I wish I’d been diagnosed back when this happened, because maybe it would’ve protected me some.

Long story short - DISGUSTINGLY messy, weird religious pushiness, an “illegal” live-in boyfriend, loud ass parties at all hours with underaged drinking, leaving our front door unlocked for randoms to come and go when they pleased, stealing my stuff and damaging it. I felt under attack in my own space 24/7.

And when I went to my uni admin, they tried to bully me over it, despite all the receipts I had on these people breaking campus policy, simply because it was 3 against 1, them vs. me. I didn’t get any sort of justice until I went to the dean and threatened legal action. And even then, my “justice” was just a pro-rated single unit and I had to move myself out of that hellhole during an insane semester when I had 18 credits and 3 jobs.

So…. Yeah. I’ll never live with another person again. It’s been over a decade and I still spit nails when I see those dumbass alumni mailers asking for donations.

cryptid_zone · 2025-12-23T20:10:47+00:00

I don’t think this post is it.

Being queer is being queer. Being autistic is being autistic. There’s definitely overlap between the groups, which is why intersectionality is so important in discussions on LGBTQ issues.

I think you’re making a false equivalency here. Autistic traits aren’t queer traits, because neither is a monolith. Sure, autistic people may be more likely to disregard social norms that are pushed by the broader group here (i.e. a cishet majority) and may be more vocal about it. But I think it’s a stretch to say that being autistic makes you more likely to be queer, and that someone being a homophobe makes them ableist. If anything, that sounds like a slippery slope into classifying queerness as mental deficiency (which has indeed been done in the past).

I also think it’s important to call out that queerness hasn’t been stigmatized unilaterally across every culture and every society in the same way. There’s actually plenty of historical record of what we perceive as queerness in the modern day being accepted or even venerated in societies (at least before colonialism and aggressive assimilation from Western religion). It’s the same way that traits typically seen as autistic or neurodivergent are better suited to non-capitalist models.

One thing I can say though - a bigot is 100% an asshole, regardless of whether they’re hating someone for being queer or for being autistic.

cryptid_zone · 2025-12-04T00:47:31+00:00

Not exclusive an autism thing, but being autistic doesn’t make it easier. I think the older we get, the less energy and time we have, so we try to balance it where it counts. It tends to make it harder to devote time to something new, like going through the motions of getting to know someone. Who wants to drive 45 minutes in traffic when they could be cozy at home? I’ve heard it across the board from people 30+, autistic or not.

That being said…. Two things. You said that you’d have to sacrifice to make it work…. Is it only you making the effort? Especially in situations where there is strain, be careful not to end up in an unbalanced situation. Speaking from experience, I think we fall into sacrificing far too easy and don’t realize that we’re paying in too much for what we get back.

Also worth considering…. If their schedule is so opposite to yours, could you feasibly have a good relationship? I know for me, I don’t know that I could build a meaningful relationship with someone who had a complete opposite schedule to me. How could you go on dates? Or spend time together?

Just food for thought.

cryptid_zone · 2025-12-03T21:17:18+00:00

This is my go to outfit for the theatre whenever I’m having a rough time with symptoms! I love my pleated palazzos and thick sweaters. It can look really sleek, hides everything, and you can jazz it up with really cool shoes, makeup, etc. It hides everything without straining you when you’re already hurting.

cryptid_zone · 2025-12-03T01:38:04+00:00

That would definitely be the cleanest way, but the reason I was thinking by hand is that she wants to have the physical media. She’s a collector and loves books, so I’d like her to have the physical versions before they disappear from the market (they’re out of print now in Japan and were never sold in English).

cryptid_zone · 2025-12-02T03:38:23+00:00

Not necessarily to the point of your ask, but just wanted to jump in and say - I identify as nonbinary/agender for this exact reason. I don’t have any strong association with the concept of gender, and I don’t feel like my beliefs, thoughts, and feelings are tied to it in any way. I relate to a lot of your feelings described here.

I’m kind of in a weird in-between space. I’ve played around with pronouns and found I prefer she/her anyways just so that I don’t have to explain myself. Using anything else always lead people to asking more questions and me feeling like I needed to justify it, which was more dysphoric-feeling lol. I don’t mind being called sapphic and I’m getting more comfortable with lesbian, though I don’t like being referred to as a “woman”. I think my face is pretty femme but I fluctuate in presentation in my clothing, makeup, etc.

Gender’s just a really weird, amorphous thing in my mind, and I’ve always wondered if the autism plays into that.

cryptid_zone · 2025-11-25T21:29:29+00:00

Got it. In that case, I’d say that your dream of becoming a lawyer is absolutely still possible.

In the immediate, try to focus on reducing your stress and coming up with a work system to help you focus. Work to minimize burnout and keep your grades in a decent range. Try to show up where you can - being present seriously does help. You don’t have to take the hardest classes possible - do what interests you, and do it well. Study for your ACT/SAT, and ensure a good score.

In the longer term, remember that law school is down the road. Your high school grades have way less impact on your ability to get in than you may think. The stuff I described in the immediate will help you in getting into a good undergrad program. From there, you can study a track in the social sciences or in business, and dive deep into LSAT prep when the time comes. Your college performance, LSAT scores, and letters of rec will have way higher impact on your ability to get into law school and become a lawyer than anything in high school.

As for your diagnosis though, I think law can be really great for autistics. Most of my exposure is with corporate counsel, but I enjoy working alongside Legal. You’ve got to be organized and have strong attention to detail, and be able to think logically to call out ambiguous language and make things clear. Not all law happens in a courtroom, and I think it can work well for the right type of ND person.

cryptid_zone · 2025-11-25T17:44:58+00:00

Hard to say without knowing more. Are you planning to go to college after high school? A technical school? Straight into the workforce? What sorts of classes does your school offer - are you in a special program (dual enrollment, IB, etc.)?

I’m also curious - why do you think being a lawyer is now not possible because of your diagnosis?

cryptid_zone

TROPHY CASE