I've recently started reading heavily again and want to keep up the habit but... I have ADHD and I'm a life long skin picker (gross, I know). When I get really into a book I can't help but pick at my cuticles or chew at my lips and I really need to figure out how to displace this energy. I could buy a fidget toy but I'm almost in my late 20s and I don't know why it feels embarrassing to have one.

Does anyone else struggle with this? If so, what has helped you?

Edit: Thank you to everyone who has commented! I've always been a bit ashamed about this but it feels really comforting to know that other people struggle with this too. There are so many really good suggestions here and I'm genuinely going to give them all a try, even picking up some fidget toys as well!

I keep falling for a trap - as I’m sure you’ll be able to tell from the post title - I see a book, a romance or fantasy or anything in that vibe, and see what looks like sapphic characters [as implied by the genre choice] and upon closer inspection, I find out its a straight romance.

For example, I keep seeing The Princess Knight by Cait Jacobs and despite reading the synopsis I keep thinking the cover is femme/masc sapphic characters and get very disappointed when I remember it’s not gay 😔

I have two questions for you all:

1. Please tell me this happens to other people and it’s not just me seeing/hoping for sapphic love where it isn’t

2. Does anyone have any sapphic book recommendations where from the cover it’s obvious?

[EDIT: For clarity, upon further research The Princess Knight is intended as bi4bi m/f and the author has said that they intend for everyone in this world to be ‘queer until proven straight’ with room for interpretation]

It actually makes me so sad that so many people turned away from religion entirely and felt that it was God that they weren’t welcomed by, that Jesus wouldn’t accept them. Even in my own experiences I couldn’t reconcile the teachings of Jesus with the preachings of the church. And while I still have a complicated relationship myself, I feel like there is so much good that could be had if people could recognize that they are the people in charge of their own spiritual path. Not the church, not the priests. If you feel like you believe in God and Jesus and connect with the stories but can’t believe that God hates gay people, guess what. You don’t have to believe it. You can recognize that the authors of the Bible had their own political agendas and biases and saw opportunity to write laws and doctrines that could benefit them and oppress their enemies. You can recognize that preachers do the same thing. But you are in charge of your path. And anyone who tries to tell you otherwise? Is a sheep leading a sheep. They’re not God, so why are you listening to them? Like honestly. Listen to your heart. Find your own truth.