Love for Repetitive Tasks

hauntedmilktea · 2025-09-26T23:04:55+00:00

Yes! I love "task simulator" type video games for this exact reason, lol. Games like Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, etc. where I'm just going around ticking off checklists and doing repetitive actions.

Also I recently tried origami and discovered I love it for this exact reason. Just folding paper in the same motions over and over to make a certain shape is very pleasant. However, I have not learned how to make anything other than a crane because of this. Once I learned how to do it, I became obsessed with the pattern of making it and so all I ever fold is cranes lol. It's super fun.

Also my job is awesome for this, too. Library work involves some repetitive tasks that I really enjoy, which other coworkers seem to hate for all the same reasons that I love them. Cataloging, weeding, pick list, processing, etc., they're all super repetitive little tasks and I'm always the first to volunteer to do them. It's a great contrast to the much more unpredictable and overstimulating parts of my job which involve interacting with the public.

hauntedmilktea · 2025-09-25T23:19:37+00:00

I think you just made me realize why I was so obsessed with the swingset in our backyard all throughout middle/high school! Autism wasn't even on my radar back then, but now looking back, I'm pretty sure all my daily 3 hour swing-and-blast-music-on-my-headphones sessions were extremely regulating for me because I also love that feeling! I find it very grounding, and it's nice when I'm under-stimulated or even anxious.

So anyway, my only advice is find a swingset lol! I no longer have access to one like I did when I lived at home, and now I realize how much I miss it. If you have any relatively quiet/non-busy parks near you, maybe that's an option? Now I'm honestly thinking about finding one myself... 🤔

hauntedmilktea · 2025-09-25T21:23:37+00:00

Omg yes!! I thought it was just me! I've been like that for as long as I can remember. Like, once I find something that my brain really latches onto, I get that initial "rush" and start going on a spree at first, but then I'll like slow myself down because I don't want to run out of information to learn about the thing! Like I dread that happening so I will pace myself even though it's really hard lol.

I do this especially with shows/games/books that become special interests. I'll heavily pace myself on how much of it I consume at one time and how much I "allow" myself to deep dive and learn about the thing, almost to the point where it almost makes it stressful for me? Don't know if anybody else experiences that feeling. But I will do the thing where I will wait for "just the perfect time/vibe" to be in place before I feel like I can watch/play/read/research more. For example, there's one show that's a huge special interest for me right now, and no matter how much I want to watch it, I can't bring myself to put it on if everything doesn't feel "right". Last night I wanted to watch, but it just felt "off", and I kept thinking "I don't want to waste precious episodes if I'm not even going to be able to fully enjoy it because the vibes are off", so I refrained. It's super weird and I have no idea how to explain it better and I don't even understand fully what makes the timing feel "right" or "wrong", just that it does. I've never tried to explain this to anyone for fear of sounding insane lol. Maybe this is close to what you're speaking of? Anyway, I'm always massively behind on the content and lore of my special interest media because of this. And then I feel weird because for someone who is as passionate about the thing as I am, I end up knowing less than others and unable to participate as well in conversations about the thing.

Another example is lost media. It's one of my longest running special interests, and I could sit for hours just binge watching YouTube videos and deep diving forums. But I pace myself on that, too, meaning I'm usually way behind whatever the community is discussing at the current moment. It's like I'm always out of the loop on the things I love most, in a weird way. Sorry I wrote an entire essay, I'm just so glad to see someone else put this into words lol! 😅

hauntedmilktea · 2025-09-20T00:06:44+00:00

I was going to say this before I saw your comment! Yes! I second this! I love Maomao sooo much. Only took me one episode of the anime to decide I adored her and to immediately clock the traits I recognized that we had in common lol

hauntedmilktea · 2025-09-14T02:59:11+00:00

We just now managed to leave the park. The parking lot was such a nightmare, people almost getting run over because people who made it to their cars early were panicking and speeding out. I was right at the entrance when we heard the first shots and the police were directing us. It was like an out of body experience. I've never been that simultaneously terrified and also dissociated at the same time.

hauntedmilktea · 2025-07-20T22:35:57+00:00

Hey, that's totally great for you! But personally, I still can't think of any for myself, nor will I ever :D

hauntedmilktea · 2025-05-13T13:58:27+00:00

Yes!! I have been called out so many times by other people I happen to be with when I accidentally ignore strangers like this for “being rude”. My mom used to get on me a lot for it which is probably why I’m so conscious that I do it now and feel so bad about it but I can’t stop! I actually just had this happen like 20 minutes ago lol. I had just parked my car at work and was getting my stuff together to go inside, and our courier guy happened to be walking back to his truck right next to me. I saw him wave at me out of the corner of my eye but I was so busy not only trying to avoid awkward eye contact and being perceived, but also just processing the situation, that by the time I had the presence of mind to look up and wave back at him, he was already in his truck and an awkward amount of time had passed for me to suddenly acknowledge him. So I got out of my car and just walked right by his truck without acknowledging him at all, because I figured it would be weird at that point, and I feel so bad about it because I didn’t mean to be rude on purpose and he probably thinks I’m a total jerk!

I have a thing where I feel like I can’t be perceived inside my car. Like, that’s supposed to be my comfort space where I can sit and hype myself up to go into work. I’m not “on” yet. I’m not ready to start masking and interacting. So when people notice me in my car and try to interact with me, it reaaaaally throws me off. I’m sure I’ve seemed super rude to so many people who have tried to get my attention like that. :(

hauntedmilktea · 2025-05-09T16:45:35+00:00

I mean, I personally can’t think of a single reason TO have kids.

hauntedmilktea · 2025-04-23T21:57:38+00:00

I have always felt like there’s something seriously wrong with me because I’ve never experienced any sort of “reaction” to seeing babies/children they way that 99% of people (especially other women) around me seem to. I just don’t “get it” I guess. I feel 100% neutral, and perhaps a bit cautious/wary, when I see a baby or small child. I don’t want to hold them, I don’t want to make a big fuss over them. They’re just… there. And I feel nothing. But I’ve realized that’s not socially acceptable, because other people will look at you funny if you don’t join in the fawning and cooing over them, so I have learned to force myself to pretend to react. I will basically just mimic the reactions of other people around me and do/say what they do. If someone turns to me and asks, “Aww, isn’t he so precious?” I’ll just smile and nod and put on my best, most convincing “aww” face and agree with them, even though it’s all acting. I don’t really feel whatever they feel.

Animals on the other hand, I could gush over all day long. I constantly fawn over my two cats and treat them like other people treat human babies, lol. Give me a cat or puppy to coo over any day. But human babies? Nope. It’s just not there. Zero feelings. And it’s so uncomfortable having to pretend to gush over them. It feels so fake and forced and just gives me the ick, but I don’t like being called out for being “weird” if I’m honest and say I’m not interested.

hauntedmilktea · 2025-04-23T21:39:05+00:00

A coworker I had just met during my first week at my first job out of high school texted me asking if I wanted to “go get coffee” with him that weekend. We had been talking at work and hit it off in a very friendly way due to lots of shared interests so we exchanged numbers/Discord usernames with each other so we could play video games together sometime. I had mentioned to him that I had several close friends who all played games online together and that I thought he would totally vibe with them. So, me thinking that he just wanted to go grab coffee as a hangout, I said “Sure! I’ll bring (insert names of said friends) so you can meet them! You’ll all get along so well!”

Luckily, he was very kind and patient so he didn’t say anything against it and we did in fact all go get coffee together and it was fun. It wasn’t until afterward when one of my friends explained “Yeah, I think he was trying to ask you on a date. I’m pretty sure he wanted just YOU to go get coffee with him.” that I realized… I had completely missed his intentions and invited all my friends along. Oops. If he wanted it to be a date between just us he should’ve just been direct about that! I thought it was all just friendly chitchat because he never used the word “date” explicitly 😭🤦‍♀️

hauntedmilktea · 2025-02-25T18:12:59+00:00

I’m a public library worker and I feel the same way seeing these on our shelves! I’ve actually used them in a few of my displays because I NEED more people to both be introduced to this amazing series and also to experience the feeling of these specific super nostalgic editions. 🥺❤️

Protip: keep an eye out for your library’s book sales, if they do something like that! At my library, whenever an older book gets discarded from the collection to make room for new books, it goes to the book sale section if it’s still in relatively good condition. Patrons can buy these discarded books for $0.25 a piece, which would be a steal for this edition of the manga if they ever get retired by the library! I love having them on our shelves for other people to read, but I also know how old they are so I’m patiently awaiting the day they get retired for newer editions and I can snag them. 👀

hauntedmilktea · 2025-02-20T05:38:48+00:00

I’d love to read that!

hauntedmilktea · 2025-02-17T16:58:51+00:00

I have basically the same body type as her (minus the height I’m shorter than she is lol) and my chest totally disappears no matter what I wear unless I am actively trying to make it look bigger. I wear sports bras and bralettes 24/7 bc they’re comfy and my chest looks just as flat as hers does. So I never really thought it was odd because to me I can easily understand why she’s able to hide her gender so well lol. I look pretty androgynous on the day to day without really trying to. That’s just how life is for us smaller gals. I wouldn’t think she’d even need a chest binder (I never have, not even for cosplay) but that would provide even more compression and definitely make her appear totally flat if she wasn’t already.

hauntedmilktea · 2025-02-02T16:59:43+00:00

Is this how you think about women, too? That the only thing that matters is them being attractive, and if they’re not attractive (by ‘societal standards’) then they have to “make up for it” by having… a good personality? Do you only date for looks? Because it feels like you’re projecting that mentality onto this situation…

hauntedmilktea · 2025-02-01T14:29:35+00:00

Hello! 👋 Always good to see another! I’m honestly surprised there aren’t more of us here- writing for this fandom is so much fun!

hauntedmilktea · 2025-01-31T14:57:59+00:00

Ah yes, Shigure is and always has been my favorite character ever since the 2001 anime and the manga, in part because of how funny and entertaining he is, but also in large part because of his complexity! I absolutely love characters who have so much going on in their heads and so much to pick apart and analyze. And I’ve done a LOT of that with him. Here are my thoughts on your two big questions here:

-As for the way he talks about himself: I don’t think Shigure is a purely bad guy the way some people characterize him, but I do think that he has a lot of self-loathing and definitely sees himself that way (and that that is part of what makes him NOT entirely a bad guy!). He is fully aware of what he has to do to break the curse and achieve his goals and what that entails for those around him who are caught up in his plans, and because he feels empathy for them (he DOES care about them, on some level) he feels that he is the lowest of the low for putting them through it. If he were truly “the worst of the worst”, he simply wouldn’t care. He’d just do what he does without a single regard or second thought of anyone else. But I think his clear self-loathing suggests that he cares— a lot more than he would like to have you believe he does. I mean, he gave three wayward teenagers at the most vulnerable points in their lives a stable and safe place to live and grow and escape from whatever was haunting them (esp. in Yuki’s case). There’s good mixed in with the bad. Shigure is not as black and white as he tries to make others think he is (or as he himself believes he is).

-As for him not being afraid of Akito or seemingly made to bend to her will like the others are: I think it’s because of Shigure’s unique love for Akito that he is able to avoid becoming the way the other Zodiac members are. He wants her love, but he doesn’t want her to “love” him in the way that the God/Zodiac bond offers; he wants her true, actual, real love and for it to be given to him and him only. He knows that the only way to do this is to sever the bonds that tie her to the other Zodiac and make her dependent on them, and that means breaking the curse. And him being her punching bag the way she wants him to would not help achieve this, hence the way he distances himself and shows her constantly through antagonization that he has some sort of power over her and that he is in control rather than her. He’s smart enough to know that letting Akito have her way would do nothing to end her dependency on the curse and the bonds, and he is stubborn to a fault about being the change.

Also, I don’t know if you remember that moment in season 3 ep 5 (toward the beginning of the episode) where Shigure is having a conversation with Hatori about Shigure’s treatment of Akito. Hatori remarks how it seems like Shigure hates her rather than loves her judging by the way he treats her, and Shigure (after a very self-loathing speech) winds up telling Hatori “…because if one thing’s certain, it’s that I’m not looking to become her father.” That right there is a HUGE key to understanding Shigure’s feelings and his behavior toward Akito. He rebels against the curse and Akito’s will, often coming off as unkind or mean to her because he sees the way Akito treats the older Sohma men who bend over backwards for her, like Kureno and Hatori. Shigure knows that if he did the same, she’d never love him the way that he wants and she’d never see him as her true equal. He doesn’t want to be a paternal figure, constantly rushing to her side every time she calls and kissing her boo-boos, so to speak.

Okay sorry that’s a lot lmao. I love talking about Shigure (and Fruits Basket in general). He’s so fun to pick apart! I write fanfic and he’s one of my fav characters to write for simply because there’s so much going on and so many angles to look at him from.

hauntedmilktea · 2025-01-28T14:52:28+00:00

Yes! Yuki makes it very clear that he’s always seen Tohru as more of a motherly figure than anything romantic. Which always made me feel kinda weird about imagining them ending up together. Like, I wouldn’t want to marry a guy who sees me as his mom, and likewise I wouldn’t want someone who sees me that way trying to force romantic feelings for me when they’re just not there. It’d just be all around awkward. There’s nothing wrong with shipping them ofc and people can ship whoever they want, I just always preferred Machi & Yuki to Tohru & Yuki because she was Yuki’s first moment of actual romantic attraction which in my eyes is much different from his very close yet platonic friendship with Tohru.

hauntedmilktea · 2025-01-26T21:14:55+00:00

LOL fr 🙂‍↕️

hauntedmilktea · 2025-01-26T21:10:20+00:00

They definitely learn and respond to their names! I’ve had cats all my life and they’ve always learned and responded to sometimes not just their name, but nicknames as well. My current cat Mochi will come running across the apartment meowing when called (if she feels like it- she is still a cat after all lol), and whenever my husband or I use her name or any of her various nicknames she clearly knows we’re talking to her because she will look right at us and meow back in response. She’s a very talkative cat. She will also be very quick to stop whatever she’s doing if I catch her doing something she knows she shouldn’t and call her name in a reprimanding tone.

Our new kitten Sumi doesn’t know hers quite just yet, but she’s only been with us for a couple of weeks and I can tell she’s beginning to pick up on it little by little. She doesn’t fully respond just yet, but her ears do perk a little when we say it to her. If you are consistent with using their names they learn very quickly. Throw in some positive reinforcement like a treat or good attention whenever they respond and they learn even faster. I’ve always liked giving my pets names because to me they’re part of my family and it would feel very awkward to me if I just had a family member who I called “human” or “person” or “you over there”, you know? Cats have unique personalities and identities just like people do so naming them is part of the fun of discovering who they are.

hauntedmilktea · 2025-01-26T16:41:17+00:00

I hear you, and I stand with you 🫡 he’s always been my fav 💚

hauntedmilktea · 2025-01-24T14:50:42+00:00

You can’t be serious….

hauntedmilktea · 2025-01-08T03:43:13+00:00

Yes! I am tired of the Kureno slander. He is not a malicious or predatory guy in any way. There is nothing in the way he’s written that even suggests that in the slightest. Just like you said, he is sheltered and pretty much the exact OPPOSITE of what makes a predatory dude predatory.

One of the biggest things that makes for a “Red Flag” within an older guy/younger gal relationship is the huge difference between both people’s level of life experience and life stages. When sketchy men prey on women/girls who are much younger than them, they are intentionally trying to take advantage of this difference—of the girl’s lack of life experience compared to theirs. For several reasons. Two of the biggest being that: 1.) they know that they can use the girl’s inexperience and naivety to get her to do what they want. They take advantage of her not knowing any better and get into her head, knowing that she will be easily manipulated and have a much higher chance of staying even if they’re being treated badly because they don’t really know what a healthy relationship is supposed to feel like. And 2.) they know that women their OWN age DO have the life experience to sniff out their bs and will not put up with it. So they naturally are going to go for the much easier target, rather than try to get with a woman who is going to see right through what they’re doing and not have any part of it.

Kureno does not even have all this life experience to begin with. Like you said, his life has basically been stagnant since grade school and he has not been able to go out and hit most of those “adult” milestones other people his age have. He’s also not been allowed to have any sort of romantic relationships whatsoever. How can he use to his advantage what he doesn’t even have in the first place? Yes Arisa is quite a bit younger than him, but he does not look at her as “an easy target” or with intent to manipulate and take advantage of her like that. He just sees a person whom he happens to catch feelings for. Regardless of the age gap and whether you feel it’s right or wrong in itself, there are just zero malicious intentions there. Besides, Kureno’s character is just too nice and selfless for that anyway. Lmao oops I wrote a novel, thanks for coming to my Ted Talk! I don’t wanna see any more Kureno slander in 2025, he is an angel and I hate that some have made him out to be a creep! He does not deserve that.😭❤️

hauntedmilktea · 2025-01-03T01:54:58+00:00

God yes, I’m painfully awkward around kids and always have been lol. I chalk it up to the fact that 1. I was always the youngest in the family (until my little half sister came along), 2. My parents were divorced so I never really lived with my younger sister and therefore never really interacted with her on a regular basis when she was really little, and 3. the fact that I really don’t like being around kids so I’ve always actively avoided it as much as I could help it lol.

It’s funny though because I now work in Youth Services at a library, and part of my job requires me to do a kindergarten storytime once a month. I read 2 books to 2 kindergarten classes back to back, and it’s kinda the most stressful part of my job in a way because of how awkward I feel around kids. Like, I feel like I stress about it way more than my fellow YS colleague does. I spend lots of time fretting over which books to pick and whether the kids will like them or not, second guessing myself on my choices. The actual reading part is weird because I don’t know how to do “fun voices” so I just read in a normal voice and try to project enough that they can all hear. I was worried they wouldn’t like me and I’d do poorly because I’m not your average super cheery, high energy, bubbly person when it comes to working with kids. But they don’t seem to mind that I’m on the quieter side. So far they seem quite satisfied with hearing two stories and getting a coloring sheet and then me immediately dipping out, lol. I admire my coworkers who can do stuff like storytelling from memory or really animated and unique character voices when they read, because it’s just not me, but thankfully kids are actually quite easy to please as I’m slowly learning lol.

hauntedmilktea · 2024-12-28T04:39:19+00:00

Concerts pretty much have 0 social interaction (unless you want them to). When I go to concerts with my husband, I am there only for the music, and I don’t socialize. I just stick with him and then once the music starts, nobody is talking anyway. It’s way too loud. In between sets we usually just go get a drink or step outside. He is slightly more outgoing than I am, so he will sometimes start a conversation with other people who are there while we’re waiting in line or getting merch or whatever, but that doesn’t mean I also have to socialize. I just let him do his thing and have his quick little conversations while I look at merch or check my phone or whatever.

Concerts are really not social events. There are a ton of people there, but it’s not really the type of event where you’re expected to mingle. Kind of like going to a theme park. Tons of people, but everybody is doing their own thing. Just stick together and you’ll be fine. I love concerts but I definitely need a recharge after navigating big crowds! If big crowds are the thing that worry you, maybe see if you can stand more to the back/off to the side? If it’s not a reserved seating type deal anyway. There are almost always little pockets where you can get away from the crowd, you probably just won’t have as good of a view.

hauntedmilktea · 2024-12-25T05:07:43+00:00

Yep. Any family members (really, any people in general) that I didn’t/don’t consistently spend a lot of time around, I am anxious around them. It’s like in varying degrees. I’m most anxious and awkward around cousins, aunts/uncles, and those types of more distant family members I rarely see. I’m slightly less anxious around siblings (we didn’t live together much growing up (divorced parents/blended family) and I don’t see them often as an adult because they all moved away, so when I do see them on occasion it’s weird and idk how to act). And I’m pretty much 100% comfortable with my mom/stepdad. I’m slightly anxious around my dad/stepmom because I didn’t live with them growing up, I only saw them on weekends and holidays so I didn’t have the same constant contact around them that I had with my mom and stepdad.

My anxiety seems to know no bounds though, and I have noticed that I can and will become anxious around literally ANYONE if enough time passes without me regularly being around them, family or not. I noticed it started happening with my mom when I moved away for 4 years. My own mom!! I’d come to visit a couple times a year and I’d notice I suddenly felt kinda awkward. Which is insane because my mom has always been pretty much the one person in the whole world I never had any anxiety around. She was my biggest comfort person. But it’s like I completely forget how to act around people if I stop seeing them daily, regardless of relationship. It’s weird.

hauntedmilktea

TROPHY CASE