Summer Language Plan

Ten core principles necessary for the remodeling of your brain to take place:

1. Change is mostly limited to those situations in which the brain is in the mood for it.

If you are alert, on the ball, engaged, motivated, ready for action, the brain releases the neurochemicals necessary to enable brain change. When disengaged, inattentive, distracted, or doing something without thinking that requires no real effort, your neuroplastic switches are “off.”

2. The harder you try, the more you’re motivated, the more alert you are, and the better (or worse) the potential outcome, the bigger the brain change.

If you’re intensely focused on the task and really trying to master something for an important reason, the change experienced will be greater.

3. What actually changes in the brain are the strengths of the connections of neurons that are engaged together, moment by moment, in time.

The more something is practiced, the more connections are changed and made to include all elements of the experience (sensory info, movement, cognitive patterns). You can think of it like a “master controller” being formed for that particular behavior which allows it to be performed with remarkable facility and reliability over time.

4. Learning-driven changes in connections increase cell-to-cell cooperation which is crucial for increasing reliability.

Merzenich explains this by asking you to imagine the sound of a football stadium full of fans all clapping at random versus the same people clapping in unison. He explains, “The more powerfully coordinated your [nerve cell] teams are, the more powerful and more reliable their behavioral productions.”

5. The brain also strengthens its connections between teams of neurons representing separate moments of successive things that reliably occur in serial time.

This allows your brain to predict what happens next and have a continuous “associative flow.” Without this ability, your stream of consciousness would be reduced to “a series of separate, stagnating puddles,” explains Merzenich.

6. Initial changes are temporary.

Your brain first records the change, then determines whether it should make the change permanent or not. It only becomes permanent if your brain judges the experience to be fascinating or novel enough or if the behavioral outcome is important, good or bad.

7. The brain is changed by internal mental rehearsal in the same ways and involving precisely the same processes that control changes achieved through interactions with the external world.

According to Merzenich, “You don’t have to move an inch to drive positive plastic change in your brain. Your internal representations of things recalled from memory work just fine for progressive brain plasticity-based learning.”

8. Memory guides and controls most learning.

As you learn a new skill, your brain takes note of and remembers the good attempts, while discarding the not-so-good trys. Then, it recalls the last good pass, makes incremental adjustments, and progressively improves.

9. Every movement of learning provides a moment of opportunity for the brain to stabilize – and reduce the disruptive power of – potentially interfering backgrounds or “noise.”

Each time your brain strengthens a connection to advance your mastery of a skill, it also weakens other connections of neurons that weren’t used at that precise moment. This negative plastic brain change erases some of the irrelevant or interfering activity in the brain.

10. Brain plasticity is a two-way street; it is just as easy to generate negative changes as it is positive ones.

You have a “use it or lose it” brain. It’s almost as easy to drive changes that impair memory and physical and mental abilities as it is to improve these things. Merzenich says that older people are absolute masters at encouraging plastic brain change in the wrong direction.

This really does sum up every damn thing that my family members have done and continue to do so and claim they are absolutely right and need to be respected cause they are older. It's amazing (being sarcastic) how they completely depend on me physically and financially but have the nerve to spew all sorts of nasty nonsense, and yet I sit here and take it. What in the world is wrong with me! 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Most popular fics of 2020

✔ subjectively sorted by Hits || alphabetically listed || as of 2021.10 (5868 works) ✔ 2020 in review : (daily) complete fics + (monthly) longest fics + list of all the fests ✔ most popular fics of other years

—

(Un)wanted by @aibidil [E, 36k]

Accidental Magic by @penguinanimagus [E, 34k]

Adventures in Truth and Texting by @fluxweeed [E, 11k]

Adventures of a Suicidal Gentleman by GallaPlacidia [?, 47k]

Aletheia by @lazywonderlvnd [E, 8k]

The Alpha’s precious treasure by @polly-weasley [E, 3k]

‘And The Forest Met The Sky’ by Silverhood [M, 87k]

Another Heart Whispers Back by @slytherco [E, 53k]

the best treasure is up Harry’s arse by @bafflinghaze [E, 2k]

A Big Black Sky by @alxmeg [M, 90k]

Bitter Transmutation : Cruel Transformation by @dorthyanndrarry [M, 103k]

The Blind & The Silent by darkpyroangel06 [E, 59k]

Bond Bright by @caedes12 [E, 36k]

A Brother to Basilisks by Lomonaaeren [M, 613k]

The Bucket List by GallaPlacidia [?, 32k]

Can’t Afford to Fall by @p1013 [E, 100k]

Can’t Fight The Moonlight by @magicalrocketships [M, 16k]

Can’t Fight This Feeling by @writcraft [E, 10k]

Cassiopeia Lily Malfoy by GallaPlacidia [?, 37k]

Caught by the Ferret Tail by Alien_Slushie [T, 4k]

The Changing Lights by @lazywonderlvnd [E, 142k]

Clouds That Veil the Midnight Moon by @drarrytrash [E, 36k]

The Courting by the Pureblood Who Only Has Five Milligrams of Romantic Intelligence and Thinks He’s Real Smooth by @cibeewastaken [T, 19k]

Criminal by @the-sinking-ship [E, 83k]

Crown Witness by @slytherco [E, 70k]

The Curse of the Sea by @samyistrying [E, 62k]

Diffraction Patterns (I Don’t Know How to Forget You) by @yourdifferentoctober [E, 93k]

Doing love the right way by Linola [E, 2k]

Draco might not be a Weasley by blood, but he’s family by @mfingenius [M, 50k]

Evitative by @k-vichan [T, 222k]

Ex Nihilo (And Other Feats of An Untrained Veela) by Kandakicksass [M, 127k]

A Family of Our Own by @dwell-on-dreams [E, 2k]

The Ferret’s Nest by @l0vegl0wsinthedark [E, 9k]

Found Family by Doctor_Who_Cares [E, 148k]

The Four Doors by @fluxweeed [E, 48k]

freely, as men strive for right by @bixgirl1 [E, 17k]

Friends? Is That What We Are? by @l0vegl0wsinthedark [E, 33k]

Get Your Kinks Out by @cassiopeiasshadow [E, 38k]

The Gryffindor And His Slytherin by ridleyrey [E, 59k]

Heart Like Neon by @lqtraintracks [E, 41k]

Hogwarts a school for all kinds of creatures by UnicornPower1 [E, 254k]

I Was Held In Chains But Now I’m Free by gayshiit [E, 24k]

I’ll Tell You Mine (If You Tell Me Yours) by @drarryruinedme7 [E, 4k]

I’m So Tired by andrewminyardenthusiast & @brekkerenthusiast [T, 84k]

If an Injury Is to Be Inflicted by @shealwaysreads [E, 44k]

If It Takes All Night by @tackytigerfic [M, 10k]

In Another Life (I Would Make You Stay) by aboutmalfoy [T, 112k]

in heat by @bonesliketambourines [E, 4k]

Inside Your Mind by @lazywonderlvnd [E, 36k]

knickers in a twist by technicolourbeat [E, 86k]

Let Out the Beast by @acupforslytherin [E, 9k]

Licking a Path to You by @drarryruinedme7 [E, 18k]

Light up the Night by Saras_Girl [M, 98k]

Love and Other Unsafe Medical Practices by @tedahfromtayla [E, 116k]

Lucid by @dracoladon [E, 4k]

Luckiest Baby in the World by @mfingenius [M, 18k]

The Mirror of Ecidyrue by starbrigid [ series ]

Modern Love by @tackytigerfic [E, 61k]

Nero su bianco by @zuzallove [E, 40k]

Never Grow A Wishbone by @shanastoryteller [T, 123k]

The New Flight Instructor by @mxmaneater [E, 143k]

The Nobility of Ascent by Lomonaaeren [E, 27k]

Nothing Stays the Same by isabelbarret [E, 103k]

Nyctophilia by prolonged_autumn [E, 108k]

Of Custody and Guardianship by Ghostnic [T, 50k]

Omega’s Binding by @madriddler [E, 49k]

The One Where Draco Loses his Mind and Gains a Boyfriend by @dianacopland & @sassy-cissa [E, 18k]

Owl Was Well by @fencer-x [T, 66k]

A Perfectly Valid Dare by @ano-ka-ba & @kittymiaomeow [E, 5k]

Ruined Omega by @madriddler [E, 97k]

See It My Way by @queenofthyme [E, 26k]

Sententia by @anchanee [M, 313k]

The Sinner’s Redemption by @dianacopland [E, 55k]

Snowball Kisses by @eatamilkbone [E, 21k]

A Social Arrangement by @bitkahuna [E, 143k]

Something Good (The Second Time Around) by Ravenclaw626 [E, 99k]

Split by @pocketwatchangora [E, 41k]

Strawberries and Pajamas by @drarrysht [E, 3k]

Sucker by @ruinsplume-lefthandedbasilisk [E, 117k]

Synonyms For Pretend by Scarlett_Lucian [T, 33k]

There Will Be Time. by dracoseratonin [T, 62k]

There’s Too Many People (That Walk Alone) by huffinglepuff [T, 39k]

Time and Again by @manixzen [E, 68k]

To Be Out of Your Own (and consumed by another) by @cassiaratheslytherpuff [E, 18k]

True Children Still by @gracerene09 [E, 34k]

Two Trees by @eelwinks [E, 36k]

Under My Skin by @polly-weasley [E, 8k]

Vanished by @devilrising [E, 134k]

Vortex by @xanthippe74 [T, 20k]

The Wand That Chose Two Wizards by @talkingtravesties [T, 116k]

What Dreams May Come by @firethesound [E, 36k]

What’s Left Behind by ElvaDeath [T, 74k]

when evil blooms by thedoomofvalyria [E, 83k]

When The Smoke Clears by GoldFrostbite13 [M, 158k]

Where The Falcons Fly by MyNameIsThunder [M, 283k]

With Friends Like These by @bixgirl1 [E, 6k]

The Wrong Sort by @caffeinatedflumadiddle [T, 289k]

You Look the Way I Feel by @yourdifferentoctober [E, 108k]

You were made for me by @polly-weasley [E, 4k]

Your Daddy Knows (You’re A Flame) by @ladderofyears [E, 27k]

messy, stressy and a lil depressy

Okay, so I'm kinda loving the thought of the Batfam having their signature fighting style or preferred combat system.

I can absolutely imagine Jason as a boxer; Heavy hitting, fast feet, quick movements, very deeply rooted in his street fighting? Yes, yes, just yes; Jason is a big guy, but he's fast like a mouse and punches like ten men. He learned to box from Catherine

I feel like Dick wanted to put his agility and acrobatic training to good use when he first started as Robin, so the best fighting style foe that would be Muay Thai; It's a precision based boxing style in Thailand. Lots of leg, arms, elbows, oh my! I think Hapkido would fit him well too

Gonna say Kung Fu for Tim simply because it's so inclusive that everyone can learn it, and I feel like maybe he felt a bit insecure about his height at first? But Alfred doesn't polish to be clean, he polishes to Sparkle. Cue Kung Fu Panda montage

Gotta go with Krav Maga for Damian; It's practically one big potluck of kicking ass techniques. It's also the first style he PICKS by himself, and it's very special to him

BRAZILIAN JIU JITSU FOR CASS. HANDS DOWN. ABSOLUTE UNIT. also best fighter in the family. Fight me. Most advantaged, too. Girl is a human Xerox

BE CONSISTENT.

that’s the key.

gotta stay focused.

Think about all the money you’re missing by NOT being consistent.

queen of expressions, nobara

This is a compiled list of some of my favorite pieces of short horror fiction, ranging from classics to modern-day horror, and includes links to where the full story can be read for free. Please be aware that any of these stories may contain subject matter you find disturbing, offensive, or otherwise distressing. Exercise caution when reading. Image art is from Scarecrow: Year One.

PSYCHOLOGICAL: tense, dread-inducing horror that preys upon the human psyche and aims to frighten on a mental or emotional level. 

“The Frolic” by Thomas Ligotti, 1989

“Button, Button” by Richard Matheson, 1970

“89.1 FM” by Jimmy Juliano, 2015

“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, 1892

“Death at 421 Stockholm Street“ by C.K. Walker, 2016

“The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin, 1973

“An Empty Prison” by Matt Dymerski, 2018

“A Suspicious Gift” by Algernon Blackwood, 1906

CURSED: stories concerning characters afflicted with a curse, either by procuring a plagued object or as punishment for their own nefarious actions.

“How Spoilers Bleed” by Clive Barker, 1991

“A Warning to the Curious” by M.R. James, 1925

“each thing i show you is a piece of my death” by Stephen J. Barringer and Gemma Files, 2010

“The Road Virus Heads North” by Stephen King, 1999

“Ring Once for Death” by Robert Arthur, 1954

“The Mary Hillenbrand Cassette“ by Jimmy Juliano, 2016

“The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs, 1902

MONSTERS: tales of ghouls, creeps, and everything in between.

“The Curse of Yig” by H.P. Lovecraft and Zealia Bishop, 1929 

“The Oddkids” by S.M. Piper, 2015

“Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” by Richard Matheson

“The Graveyard Rats” by Henry Kuttner, 1936

“Tall Man” by C.K. Walker, 2016 

“The Quest for Blank Claveringi“ by Patricia Highsmith, 1967

“The Showers” by Dylan Sindelar, 2012

CLASSICS: terrifying fiction written by innovators of literary horror. 

“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe, 1843

“The Interlopers” by Saki, 1919 

“The Statement of Randolph Carter“ by H.P. Lovecraft, 1920

“The Damned Thing” by Ambrose Pierce, 1893

“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving, 1820 

“August Heat” by W.F. Harvey, 1910

“The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe, 1843

SUPERNATURAL: stories varying from spooky to sober, featuring lurking specters, wandering souls, and those haunted by ghosts and grief. 

“Nora’s Visitor” by Russell R. James, 2011

“The Pale Man” by Julius Long, 1934

“A Collapse of Horses” by Brian Evenson, 2013

“The Jigsaw Puzzle” by J.B. Stamper, 1977 

“The Mayor Will Make A Brief Statement and then Take Questions” by David Nickle, 2013

“The Night Wire” by H.F. Arnold, 1926 

“Postcards from Natalie” by Carrie Laben, 2016

UNSETTLING: fiction that explores particularly disturbing topics, such as mutilation, violence, and body horror. Not recommended for readers who may be offended or upset by graphic content.  

“Survivor Type” by Stephen King, 1982

“I’m On My Deathbed So I’m Coming Clean…” by M.J. Pack, 2018

“In the Hills, the Cities” by Clive Barker, 1984

“The New Fish” by T.W. Grim, 2013

“The Screwfly Solution” by Racoona Sheldon, 1977

“In the Darkness of the Fields” by Ho_Jun, 2015 

“The October Game” by Ray Bradbury, 1948

“I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” by Harlan Ellison, 1967 

HAPPY READING, HORROR FANS!

I've started hitting the gym again

“Just keep showing up. Most people quit.”

— Unknown