⛤ May Q&A (Patreon)

Finally, a moment to sit down and write. As of right now, I am waiting for Ozark Tales 3 to finish rendering, after weeks of relentless hours of work and erratic sleep patterns getting everything up to the [Esc] reality industry standard quality you are used to. It will go through a third round of quality control when it's rendered and uploaded, but given all the changes I've made, it should be the final version. I don't even have anything else to talk about because that's about all I've been doing. Today is my day for catching up with chores that have undoubtedly gone neglected while the video consumed my very soul. So, with a freshly cleaned couch and a glass of homemade lavender lemonade, let's answer all the questions you have submitted over the course of the month.

Are you interested in Native American history? Of course. In fact, no part of history fascinates me more than pre-white settlement America. I would love to have seen for myself the indigenous peoples' understanding of life, nature and spirituality. The folktales I've been reading about offer but a miniscule glimpse into an alternate way of life that is so close not only to the land and the animal kingdom, but also to the roots and nature of our humanity. Though it seems much too late, the way that technology and society are progressing further and further away from a natural way of living, but I hope that one day we can regrow the roots from the cuts that severed man from his origin. 

Have you ever dreamt the same dream two nights in a row? It is rare for me to dream the exact same dream twice, but I deal a lot with recurring themes and progressing storylines. Often I am quite aware of the house I live in in my dreamscape, and though it is different every time and in no way limited by the laws of physics, I pay special attention to my surroundings in my dreams and ways to improve them. Even though the house is never the main theme in the dream, it's the part that matters most to me. It is usually much more spacious than our current living arrangement which has me daydreaming about living in a beautiful spacious house with ample room to play and entertain. 

How much do you know about lucid dreams? How much is there to know about lucid dreams? We all know what they are, most of us have experienced them at one point in our lives. I rarely have them myself - though it would be a fun outlet to control my dreamscape, most of the lucid dreams I've had have been tainted by paranoia the second I became conscious of them. It's as if, because I know I am dreaming and realize how much power I hold, bad things must now happen to me. As though power and freedom are things I'm not allowed to experience and will not go unpunished. 

Do you like Amy Winehouse? No.

You have videos with chocolate, sweets, baileys, etc. but what do you snack on while editing? What gives you creative energy? When it comes to editing, there is one vital thing I cannot function without: protein. I mostly snack on protein rich foods to keep me focused on the task at hand. I will routinely boil a dozen eggs just to have an easy snack ready whenever I run out of brain fuel. It has been observed that a protein rich diet has positive effects on individuals diagnosed with ADHD and I very much confirm that. Some of my other favorite snacks include cheese, fruit, greek yogurt, imitation crab, crackers, olives and cocktail sausages. Beef jerky is another delicious and effective snack, but costs and arm and a leg. I try to keep a few different options on hand most times.

Have you ever seen a shooting star? Yes, and they are not as rare as most people think. You just have to look up from time to time. Back when I lived in Germany and would go on my nightly walks, I would see at least one almost every night. One time I caught a random meteorite shower. I don't know who propagated the myth that shooting stars are a rare sight. 

Do you like orange juice? I think orange juice is ok, but prefer most any other kind of juice. Something about the orange flavor just tastes so fake and weird, not like any orange I've ever eaten. And please, for the love of god, strain out the pulp.

Are you interested in fashion? No. Clothes are just clothes to me. I know what kind of clothes I like and what kind of clothes suit me, but I definitely don't keep up with trends or care much about high fashion. My clothes have to be both functional and aesthetic and that's all I care about.

Do you like close-up magic? Yes, it's quite entertaining to watch. I met a dancer once who was also a rookie magician, best combo imo. 

Are you interested in psychology? Yes, always have been. Over the years, it has given me answers to why people treated me the way they did. For example, learning about narcissistic personality disorder suddenly made every interaction I've had with my mother make sense. Now, it is a fun pastime to observe the behavior of people and try to understand why they're like this. The person who was bullied growing up always expects people to dislike them and to be judged harshly for perfectly human thoughts and emotions. The person who was loved and supported growing up has little empathy for and understanding of this subtle underdog behavior. It is especially interesting to watch the dynamic between the two. 

Ally I’m curious, do you have a theory why introverts often get asked if they’re angry or annoyed when they’re being quiet? Because extroverts don't know what to do with silence. It makes them uncomfortable and seeing that your lack of willingness to participate in superfluous chitchat is the source of their discomfort, they will make the wrong connection and assume you are feeling negatively (about them or otherwise) and jump to the false conclusion that this must be the reason why you are less than eager to engage with them. I met an extrovert once while shooting hoops in the park. It was very interesting to see how they responded to my introversion. I didn't mind them being there and even responded to their questions and made some conversation. Though I was trying to figure out what on god's green earth made them want to talk to me, clearly minding my business in the evening hours. (I later learned they thought I was their age and wanted to make friends.) They seemed to interpret differences in interests negatively and silence made them uncomfortable, causing them to want to break it by pointing out the awkward silence. I told them I didn't think it was awkward and I like silence and they looked at me like that's the first time they ever heard someone say that. I found it quite intriguing to watch someone struggle to relate to things that come so naturally to me and at the same time couldn't figure out how to convey to them that I do not dislike them, but also did not prepare for social interaction beforehand and was caught off guard by their approach, so feeling a little disturbed in my solitude. At the same time I did not ask them to leave because I was curious how this interaction between obvious opposite temperaments would pan out. We ended up bouncing back and forth on each other's differences until they had to leave shortly after. A friend once said that every introvert needs to be adopted by an extrovert. This can only happen if an extrovert has knowledge of introversion and a basic understand of their own temperament, however. If an extrovert lacks this understanding, they will see an introvert as ill-tempered or standoffish. 

Have you ever been to Disneyland? No and at this point, I'm too scared and broke to find out what it's like.

Do you like to doodle? No. I used to doodle a lot in school, but that was because I wasn't allowed to get up and pace. Now I just get up and pace to my heart's content. 

Do you like to wear rings? I love the idea and aesthetics of rings, but for my lifestyle, it would be hardly practical to wear them. Because I work all day with my hands, be it cooking, cleaning, gardening or crafting, I doubt I would be able to keep up with rings as accessories. I basically jump from task to task multiple times an hour, being easily distracted and all, plus hydrating like I do usually has me washing my hands about 25 times a day alone. Not to mention digging my hands into dough or dirt almost every day - can't see myself doing that with beautiful shiny rings on my tiny baby fingers. Though when I see some of the beautiful and unique designs creators come up with, I am sorely tempted. 

I hope this month's answers were as satisfactory as your questions have been delightful. There will be a new post here shortly where you can submit follow up questions if you have any or otherwise inspired inquiries. Have a wonderful day and may June treat you beautifully! ⛥