Poeaxtry's Prism

Spell. Stone. & Sparks that Ignite Change

Category: writing prompt responses

Responses are to either the daily prompts in Jetpack, prompts I create, or prompts from instsgram pinterest or elsewhere

  • Naturally Occurring Marbles: Ohio’s Multiple sized Spherical Rocks:

    Naturally Occurring Marbles: Ohio’s Multiple sized Spherical Rocks:

    Jot down the first thing that comes to your mind.

    Best for:

    Individuals planning to go rockhounding in Ohio , amateur paleontologists, those interested in naturally occurring anomalies, Ohio hikers, and creative minds seeking the intersection of geological history and ancient folklore.

    The Vault:

    • Huron Boulders & Serpent Eggs: Two more common names for the naturally occurring spherical rock formations, scientifically known as concretions, found throughout Ohio’s shale outcrops.
    • Geological Time Capsules: These iron-rich stones formed 300 million years ago in a prehistoric tropical sea, starting as organic nuclei like shells or fossils.
    • Red-Dog : Known for their distinct rusty orange and red hues, these concretions are often harder than the surrounding sandstone and shale.
    • Legend and Lore: Often incorrectly tied to Native American history, these spheres may have been historically used for pigments, tools, or associated with ancient spiritual “egg-stones.”

    Random Naturally Occurring Round Rocks Roll- Ohio:

    The first thing that came to my mind was how bad I would love to find some of Ohio’s Concretions. These are the small to gigantic-sized spherical shaped rocks; which oddly enough are naturally occurring.

    Thought the scientific name for these rock formations is “concretion,” they are more commonly referred to as Huron boulders, cannonballs, stone spheres, and petrified serpent eggs; some southern Ohio rockhounds, geologists, and miners even refer to them as red-dog due to their iron rich, red hue.

    These concretions and are found across the outcrop belt of the Devonian-age Ohio Shale, extending from the Ohio River’s banks in Adams county to the Northernmost banks of Lake Erie. This daily prompt response is a deep-dive into the “why” and “how” of these spherical stones.

    Today we aren’t just looking at rocks; we’re looking at time capsules. I want to map out where these spheres hide, the science that formed them, the Native American legends surrounding them, and our modern lore all of which has rolled alongside them for centuries. Whether you’re a technical gear-head or a lyrical wanderer, these stones have a story that demands an exploration

    The Mystery Rock Rolling in Ohio:

    Imagine walking through the dense, woods of Southern Ohio and stumbling upon a perfectly spherical rock the size of a, golf ball, baseball, bowling ball or even a small car.

    These surprises aren’t remnants of a forgotten civilization’s sports league; they are some of the most fascinating geological anomalies in the Midwest. Known locally as “Huron Rocks” and “petrified serpent eggs” among other.

    These ironstone concretions represent a approximately 300-million-year-old secret, that the sandstone cliffs and creek beds of our backyards have been keeping hidden.

    How Nature Carves a Sphere:

    To understand how a concretion forms, you have to think like the ocean. Long before Ohio was a part of the United States and full of State Preserves and Metro Parks, it was a tropical, shallow, and prehistoric sea.

    These round rock formations began as a tiny bit of organic matter like a shell, a leaf, or a fragment of a Devonian fish. As this matter decayed, it created a chemical reaction that drew minerals (specifically iron and carbonate) toward it, layering them like a pearl.  

    The result was a mass that is significantly harder than the surrounding shale or sandstone. Over millions of years, as the softer host rock erodes away, these iron-rich spheres are then formed on the forest floor.

    In Adams County, these ironstone concretions, often displaying a deep rusty orange, red, or brown hue due to high iron contents.

    Key Parts of Concretion Formation:

    • Nucleus: The organic matter or bit at the center, often a fossil.
    • Accretion: The process of mineral layers building outward in a spherical pattern.
    • Erosion: The natural wearing down of the host rock that eventually reveals concretions to hikers today.

    Where to Find Them:

    • Highbanks Metro Park (north of Columbus): This park is an excellent spot to find concretions. They are exposed along creek beds, banks, and within the shale rock walls. The Dripping Rock Trail near Lewis Center (9466 Columbus Pike) is particularly recommended for finding them. These concretions are often round or tubular; as well as having an orange, red, and brown hue from their iron content. While they may even contain ancient fossilized life forms.
    • Shale Hollow Park (Lewis Center, north of Columbus): Located at 6320 Artesian Run, this park features numerous concretions. These are described as round rock formations, visible in its 20- to 40-foot-tall shale cliffs and along the stream bed.
    • Milan-Monroeville Area: Large concretions, sometimes referred to as “Ohio Mystery Rocks,” have been found in the Monroeville-Milan area. Some of these can be quite massive, reaching the size of hot tubs or small cars. Septarian concretions, ranging from one to three feet in diameter, are also common about one mile west of Milan, where the Huron River cuts through the Ohio and Olentangy shales.
    • Metzger Preserve (Williamsport): This preserve harbors one of Ohio’s greatest concentrations of concretions, which can be found in Deer Creek.
    • Central Ohio Shale Outcrops: Generally, concretions are abundant in Ohio shale outcrops throughout central Ohio.
      Lancaster, Columbus, Bucyrus, and Heath: Concretions have also been discovered in these areas, often found underground, in yards, or in creeks.
    • Scioto Brush Creek, Paint A notable historical example is the “Footprint Rock” from Clinton County, which was believed to be a prehistoric artifact of the Mound Builders but was later identified by archaeologists as a natural concretion. This highlights a recurring theme where unusual natural formations are mistakenly attributed to human activity. belt of the Ohio Shale from Adams County north to Lake Erie, these rivers are good places to spot concretions.

    Native American Legends:

    What were at one time believed to be Native American grinding holes in Ohio, particularly in riverbeds, have been often times identified by geologists as natural weathered concretions.

    One notable historical example is the “A notable historical example is “Footprint Rock” from Clinton County. Originally this was believed to be a prehistoric artifact of the Mound Builders but, was later identified by archaeologists as a natural concretion.

    Though, some Native American legends, such as those surrounding Serpent Mound, suggest “egg-like stones” used to preserve spirits. These might be in reference to concretions. As well as the fact that concretions have also been found at ancient mound sites.

    Archaeological findings in places like Cuyahoga Valley, Ohio, include specific concretion artifacts that show signs of use, such as being processed for red pigment. Alluding to possible use for ceremonial purposes.

    Some concretions with concavities were also altered by Native Americans and found in fire pits, suggesting their use as tools or for other functions.

    Global Relatives:

    Ohio isn’t the only place where the earth decided to play with spheres. These concretions have cousins across the globe that prove how universal this natural process is:

    • Moeraki Boulders (New Zealand): Massive septarian concretions on a beach, tied to Maori legends of a wrecked voyaging canoe.
    • Koutu Boulders (New Zealand): Some of the largest concretions in the world, reaching up to 3 meters in diameter.
    • The Cannonball River (North Dakota): Giving the river its name due to the massive spherical stones lining the banks.

    Seeing these global connections reminds us that the “weird” rocks in a Adams County, Ohio’s creek are part of a planet-wide geological language.

    The Weight of What Remains:

    As we wrap up this hike through the geology and soul of Adams County, it’s clear that these spherical rocks are more than just obstacles on a trail. They are a testament to what happens when time, weather, and a little bit of “nucleus” come together to resist erosion.

    They are the survivors of the landscape , the parts of the mountain that refused to turn back into dust.

    We’ve covered the science of the Devonian sea, the specific trails of Southern Ohio, and the global family of spheres. These stones remind us that even the most “ordinary” hike can lead to a discovery that is millions of years in the making.

    Next time you’re out near Ohio’s Shale Outcrops, look for the orange-tinted curve of a sphere peeking through the mud. It may just be a piece of geological history waiting for you to notice it.

    TLDR:

    • Rockhounding Spots– I mapped out some of the best locations to find them, including Highbanks Metro Park and Shale Hollow.
    • Size & Scale: From golf ball-sized stones to massive “mystery rocks” the size of a small car.
    • Ancient Folklore: Investigating the legends of “Footprint Rock” and the “egg-like stones” used by the Mound Builders.
    • Global Connections: How Ohio’s boulders relate to famous formations like the Moeraki Boulders in New Zealand.
  • Writing Poetry that Non-Poetry Readers Love – The Ultimate Compliment:

    Writing Poetry that Non-Poetry Readers Love – The Ultimate Compliment:

    What was the best compliment you’ve received?

    Best for:

    Those reluctant to read poetry, those writing poetry, modern lyricists, indie publishers, & anyone who felt alienated by high-school English lit classes.

    THE VAULT:

    • Directness: Cutting through the pretentious sparkles to reach the honest bones of the issue.
    • Rhythmic Familiarity: Utilizing cadences that feel natural to modern ears, often blurring the line between prose, song, and verse.
    • Utility: Validating the reader’s feelings allowing them to feel included, and your writing to live in the hearts of the readers.

    Humbled by a Compliment:

    I have often found that the most profound validation doesn’t come from a textbook or a critic, but from the person who walks into the room claiming they never “got” the art form in the first place.

    When I am told that I write poems for people who don’t like poetry, it isn’t just a kind remark; it is a mission statement I never knew I needed. The compliment is about tearing down the walls that make literature feel like an exclusive club and replacing them with a front porch where the welcome mat is loudly announcing a greeting for everyone’s arrival.

    Redefining the Gateway to Verse:

    The statement “Axton writes poetry for people who claim to not like poetry” was more than a typical kind remark to me; it is a testament to a writer’s ability to dismantle the ivory tower of traditional literature.

    For many, the word poetry conjures images of dusty textbooks and impenetrable metaphors that require a secret decoder ring to understand. When a creative individual is identified as the bridge between that perceived elitism and the honest human experiences, they are no longer just a writer; they are a translator of the soul.

    This daily prompt response explores the structural and emotional layers of this compliment, detailing how accessible poetry for non-poets functions as a vital tool for community building.

    We will look at the mechanics of relatability, the subversion of academic expectations, and the specific ways this approach mirrors the impact of modern lyrical storytelling when it comes to writing poetry.

    Where Poetry tumbles like water through wild stone and silence in white text over green background and a man with blue flowers for a head- writing poetry

    The Power of Demystifying the Art Form of Writing Poetry:

    To demystify means to eliminate the mystifying features of something; To be the gateway poet means you have successfully stripped away the pretension that often gatekeeps the literary world.

    Instead of hiding behind archaic syntax, the individual’s creative work prioritizes the honesty of the emotion. This approach treats a poem like a conversation or a gut punch the reader actually feels, rather than an intellectual puzzle.

    By focusing on accessible poetry for non-poetry readers a writer validates the reader’s feelings without making readers feel uneducated for not spotting an obscure 18th-century reference.

    Why This Resonates as a Top Compliment When Writing Poetry:

    • Validation of Utility: It proves the work is being used by people as a survival tool, not just observed as an ornament.
    • Breaking the Barrier: It confirms that the writing is powerful enough to overcome deep-seated prejudices against the medium.

    Subverting Expectations Through Lyrical Grit:

    Most people who claim they hate poetry actually just hate feeling excluded and sometimes even uneducated. When they encounter work from those of us that are writing poetry that is irreverent, conversational, or even blunt, it shocks their system.

    This style of accessible poetry for non-poetry readers often shares its DNA with modern spoken word and real musical lyricism. This brings to mind the visceral storytelling found when we listen to artists like Ren or NF. It’s about the “lullaby and the riot” existing in the same space, making the reader realize that poetry can actually sound like them.

    Bridging the Gap to Build Community for those Writing Poetry & those Who Wish to Resonate:

    At its core, this compliment suggests that the poet is an architect of inclusion. By using direct language to tackle complex trauma, joy, or daily observation, the insider to writing poetry invites the “outsider” back into the artistic fold. This creates a shared vocabulary for those who previously felt they didn’t have the “right” to speak on art.

    Core Strengths of This Writing Style:

    • Directness: Cutting through the pretentious sparkles to reach the honest bones of the issue.
    • Rhythmic Familiarity: Utilizing cadences that feel natural to modern ears, often blurs the line between prose, song, and verse.

    The Impact of an Open Door:

    Writing accessible poetry for non-typical poetry readers is ultimately an act of creative advocacy. It turns a solitary, often exclusionary craft into a public square where everyone is welcome, regardless of their literary background.

    This philosophy doesn’t just change how people read, it changes how they view their own stories. This works at proving that the “complex human condition” doesn’t require complex jargon to be profoundly felt. By leaning into relatability and subverting the “boring” stereotype, a poet ensures their work lives in the hearts of the many rather than the libraries of the few.

    The Shared Goal:

    The ultimate goal of any creative person you would think, would be to resonate beyond the boundaries of their own niche.

    I work at this goal personally in my own craft by stripping away the academic barriers. In doing this I am able to connect with readers on an honest, authentic level that transcends the feelings of dread brought on by an English lit classroom .

    The compliment that my work is for the non-poetry reader is the highest honor I can receive because it means the message is louder than the medium.

    It confirms that when I write, I am not just creating art; I am creating a doorway for anyone who has ever felt left out of the conversation.

    TLDR:

    • Inclusivity: Accessible poetry dismantles the “ivory tower” and invites everyone to participate.
    • Lyrical Influence: The style mirrors the experience and honesty of modern musical storytelling that Ren & NF both use frequently.
    • Emotional Honesty: Using direct language turns poetry from an intellectual puzzle into a survival tool for the everyday person.

    Check out Some Poems:

    The Cost of Amber Forgiveness & the Stain
    Etsy Gumroad Payhip

  • What’s the point? A Hot Take on USA’s Broken Election System:

    What’s the point? A Hot Take on USA’s Broken Election System:

    Do you vote in political elections?

    Best for:

    Political citizens who have had enough, skeptical voters, independent researchers, and civics educators studying low voter turnout.

    The Vault:

    • The primary system empowers a tiny, radical minority over the general electorate.
    • The Electoral College mathematically dilutes individual votes, creating “safe seats” and swing-state supremacy.
    • Structural barriers like gerrymandering and voter ID laws are eroding the Voting Rights Act’s protections.
    • Non-citizen voting fraud is statistically rare; the focus on it adds friction for legitimate voters.

    Federal Elections:

    The decision to abstain from federal elections is rarely an indication of laziness, lack of information, or done because the individual just doesn’t care. For many US citizens, it is a calculated, rational response to our broken election system. When the fabric of our democracy no longer acts to warm the policies to meet with the will of the people, our participation begins to feel less like civic duty and more like a performance review.

    Why bother with completing a review if the administration disregards the ratings that aren’t showing them in a good-light. My reflection today expands on these feelings . I will focus on moving past the typical generic “go vote” platitudes to explore the fabric of the Electoral College and gerrymandering, both of which act at validating the desire to sit out the big game.

    The Illusion of Choice-

    How Primaries Rig the Game:

    Before a general election even begins, the outcome is often already determined. We are told that November is the main event, but in reality, the broken election system has already decided the winner months earlier. Currently, an estimated 80% of Senate races and 90% of House races are effectively decided during the party primaries.

    Here is the math that breaks democracy:

    • Low Turnout: Primaries draw a fraction of general election voters.
    • Extreme Ideologies: The voters who do show up tend to be the most radical partisans.
    • Exclusion: Millions of independent voters are locked out of these closed contests entirely.

    Consequently, the politicians chosen to run typically do not need to or even try to appeal to the majority of Americans. They only need to survive a challenge from their extreme flank. Ask yourself why we often see representatives who refuse to hold town halls?

    Your answer is found in a safe seat. Did you know 91% of districts are non-competitive? This means that there is zero political risk for ignoring the general public and a total risk citizens who chose to defying the party base. This is a system that rewards obstruction and punishes compromise, leaving the average voter without a meaningful candidate to support in the fall.

    Your Vote Might Not Count-

    Here is why:

    Beyond the primary problem lies the mathematical reality of the Electoral College. Proponents argue it protects small states, but the data actually suggests the opposite. This “protection” turns most of the country into political flyover territory. Meaning that under our current broken election system, a voter in Wyoming has roughly four times the mathematical power of a voter in California.

    Of course the candidates do not campaign for votes; they campaign for electoral college math. This leads to a scenario where a candidate can lose the national popular vote, the aggregate will of the people and, yet they can still somehow win the presidency. This has been seen in two of the last seven elections.

    Even more disheartening is the research that suggests a coordinated group of roughly 10,000 people relocating across state lines could sway a 1% probability in a national election. If the system is so sensitive to small manipulation and blind to the majority, does this not make the rational citizen ask“Why bother?”

    Administrative Burdens-

    Death by a Thousand Cuts:

    Which leads us to the next issue we need to address, the physical act of voting. As if to prove that our election system is broken by design, the United States has achieved its goal of making voting harder than almost any other democracy. Ask yourself why have we moved backward from the protections of the Voting Rights Act?

    The Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder opened the floodgates for states to implement restrictive measures. These aren’t just theories; they are documented tactics;

    • Voter Roll Purges: Remove registered voters for minor administrative issues.
    • Polling Place Closures: Specifically in minority and lower-income neighborhoods, creating “food deserts” of democracy.
    • Burdensome ID Laws: While the specter of widespread non-citizen voting is frequently cited to justify these laws, the data shows it is extremely rare. Instead, these laws disenfranchise the 21 million Americans who are disproportionately poor, young, and rural that lack easy access to a birth certificate or passport.
    • The April 2026 ruling in Merrill v. Milligan II, further weakened the Voting Rights Act by allowing states to keep maps that split minority communities unless intentional malice is proven. This makes it nearly impossible to challenge gerrymandered districts.

    When you combine all the threads of democracy in USA you get to see a system that ignores its citizens political voice (also known as gerrymandering), while it works to diminishes our vote (Electoral College), and physically obstructs our access (voter ID). At the end of this we are left with nothing more than a product that is failing its consumers.

    TLDR:

    The broken election system doesn’t need more voters; it needs a hard reset. Until structural fixes are implemented for things like the National Popular Vote, Gerrymandering, and Voter Id laws abstaining isn’t laziness. This is the only logical response to the illusion of choice USA’s government paints where politicians pick their voters, not the other way around.

    Some Deeper Reading:

    Letters from a Fragmented Democracy– The California Review

    Dismantling the Myth of Voter Apathy– The Hill

    Electoral College Opinion Piece– NewsWeek

    Increase in safe seats brings a decrease in effective democracy– Overby Center

    Compliance– Transgender Legislation forecast for 2026

    Let Me Know:

    Feedback?

    Comments, Questions, Concerns?

  • The Cost of Survival- Seeking Love Over Education:

    The Cost of Survival- Seeking Love Over Education:

    Write about a time when you didn’t take action but wish you had. What would you do differently?

    Best for:

    Creative writers, people healing from a lack of self-worth, readers enjoy writers who share vulnerable personal histories, and anyone feeling “behind” in their life’s timeline.

    The Vault:

    • The Survival Paradox: Why living in “survival mode” sidelines long-term investments like education in favor of immediate emotional rewards and external validation.
    • The Biological Shield: Understanding how a perceived lack of future leads to “triaging pain” rather than building a career, fueled by the hope that love would resolve an internal identity crisis.
    • Sequential Growth: Why the “lost years” were a mandatory period of preparation, proving that we weren’t ready for the stability of 2021 until we survived the 20 years of longing that preceded it.
    • The Butterfly Effect of Regret: Acknowledging that “correcting” the past would erase the foundation of your present happiness, making self-forgiveness a logical necessity for healing.

    The Weight of the Unwritten Future:

    Looking back at our lives through the lens of a 19-plus years can be a jarring experience. When we are young, we are often told that the world is our oyster, yet for many, the world feels more like a storm to be weathered.

    Almost 20 years ago, I didn’t take action on my education or my career trajectory. To put it quite simply, I didn’t think I would have a future to use them in. My focus wasn’t on a GPA; it was on a desperate, singular search for someone to love me.

    At the time, I viewed this as a failure of ambition. I felt like I was drifting while others were docking. However, looking back from the vantage point of the life I began building in 2021, I realize that my lack of action wasn’t laziness; it was a biological response to a perceived lack of time. I also was under the impression I would somehow magically become someone who liked being a woman, or better yet even, felt like a woman, and my whole life would fall in line the moment I found someone to love me.

    In this deep-dive, we’re going to deconstruct the survival mode and future planning paradox, exploring how the search for external love is often a shield for internal instability, and why our “lost years” might have actually saved us.

    Understanding Survival Mode and Future Planning:

    When we don’t see a future for ourselves, we stop building for one. There is a specific psychological exhaustion that comes from living without a long-term map.

    Psychology suggests that when an individual operates in a state of chronic stress or hopelessness, their brain’s prefrontal cortex, known to be the area responsible for executive function, is effectively sidelined by the amygdala.

    This state, often referred to as survival mode, narrows our vision to the immediate now.

    Education and career goals are long-term investments; they require a belief that we will be around to collect the interest. Conversely, love and validation are immediate emotional rewards. Nineteen years ago, chasing love wasn’t a distraction… it was a survival tactic to make the present moment endurable, and a delusion that my purpose would follow.

    We weren’t ignoring our potentials; we were triaging our pain.

    The Paradox of the Timeline:

    There is a profound irony in wishing we knew of our current peace sooner. We often think, “If I had only known then what I know now,” but the truth is that we weren’t the people yet who could hold that knowledge. The timeline of our lives isn’t a straight line; it’s a series of layers.

    • Growth is Sequential: The love and stability I finally established in 2021 required the almost perfect 20 years of trial, error, and longing that preceded it.
    • The Readiness Factor: If I had found “the one” or the “perfect career” back then, I likely would have been too unformed to sustain it. The delay wasn’t just a loss of time; it was a period of mandatory preparation.

    As we move from the “why” of our past choices to the “what now,” we have to look at how these choices ripple outward into our current reality.

    The Butterfly Effect of Regret:

    The concept of the Butterfly Effect implies that small changes in initial conditions can lead to vast differences in later outcomes. If we had taken action on our education, and futures the “us” of today would be a stranger.

    • The Alternate Version: I might be a different person altogether, in a different city, but I would also have a different soul.
    • The Present Value: By wishing away the “distractions” or the “wasted years” of our past, we inadvertently wish away the foundations of our present happiness.

    Forgiving your younger self isn’t just a nice sentiment; it’s a logical necessity. That version of ourselves was a pioneer walking through a dark, unknown forest without a map. We chose the path that kept us moving, even if it wasn’t the most efficient route to the sandstone mansions of the future.

    Integrating the Past into the Present:

    Moving forward doesn’t mean ignoring the time we think we “wasted.” Instead, it means integrating those experiences into a narrative of resilience.

    We didn’t just “fail to take action” on our education; we successfully navigated a period of life where we didn’t think we would survive. That is an achievement in itself.

    The “future” we couldn’t see years ago is the very air we are breathing right now.

    While it’s tempting to mourn the degrees not earned or the time spent chasing the wrong hearts, those detours were the very things that kept us on the road long enough to reach the present.

    You are not “behind” in life; We are exactly where our survival required us to be.

    TLDR:

    The Cost of Survival explores the heavy weight of the “unwritten future” and why choosing love over education wasn’t a failure of ambition, but a survival tactic.

    When you don’t believe you’ll be around to see a future, you stop building for one.

    Looking back from the peace found in 2021, it’s clear those “wasted” years were actually spent navigating a forest without a map. You aren’t behind in life; you are simply breathing in the very future you once thought was impossible to reach.

    See for Yourself:

    The London Psychiatry Center: Survival Mode

    The Decision Lab: The Butterfly Effect

    National Institute of Health: Hopelessness & Future Thinking

    Let me know:

    Comments, questions, or concerns?

    Feedback?

  • Escaping Toxicity- My Risky Move & New Life After Abuse:

    Escaping Toxicity- My Risky Move & New Life After Abuse:

    Describe a risk you took that you do not regret.

    Best for:

    Men seeking experiences like their own after domestic violence, individuals navigating grief during major life pivots, and those looking for the courage to leave a toxic environment.

    The Vault:

    • The Anatomy of a Life-Saving Risk: Why leaving a toxic environment is a high-stakes gamble that requires choosing a terrifying unknown over a familiar, violent hell.
    • The Unspoken Struggle: Breaking the silence on domestic violence against men, addressing the isolation, “provider guilt,” and physical warfare that society often ignores.
    • Converging Crises: Navigating the “fog-clearing” moment when grief for a dying parent intersects with the realization that a partner’s lack of support is the final breaking point.
    • The Rebuilding Gamble: Moving two hours away into a clean slate, not to hide, but to prove you can exist, pay bills, and find peace without the constant threat of violence.

    Choosing the Unknown Over a Familiar Hell:

    The Anatomy of a Life-Saving Risk

    When we talk about taking a risk, we usually think of a career change or a financial investment. We rarely frame the act of leaving a relationship or your hometown as a high-stakes gamble. However, when that relationship has become a space of physical and emotional warfare, and you’re reminded of your deceased mother everywhere you look in town, walking away is the most self-preserving risk a person can take.

    A close-up selfie of Kelsey and Axton tucked closely together, smiling warmly at the camera. Kelsey wears glasses and a black t-shirt, leaning their head against him. Behind them, several framed pieces of traditional American tattoo art hang on a grey wall. Both appear at ease, capturing the "light at the end of the tunnel" during the intense transition period of October 2021.
    Kelsey and I, Our first photo in 2021.

    Deciding to leave a long-term relationship is never as simple as just walking out the door, especially if that door is being used as a weapon against you.

    This post isn’t just a recount of trauma; it’s an exploration of the terrifying moment I decided to gamble on a new life while my world was actively falling apart.

    Let’s take an honest look at my journey through a toxic relationship, where I existed in a loop of physical violence and emotional manipulation, fueled by a partner who knew exactly which buttons to press to keep me from leaving. Life coupled that with the crushing weight of losing my mother in the aftermath of it, and also gave me the terrifying decision to move two hours away into the unknown.

    I am sharing this because the narrative of domestic violence often excludes men, and that silence keeps people trapped in rooms where they are being systematically broken.

    The Weight of the “Unspoken” Struggle:

    Domestic abuse is frequently painted with a single brush.

    The reality is that being a man in an abusive relationship is often buried under layers of societal expectation and provider guilt.

    low-angle photo taken in a bathroom during one of the early dates. In the background, Kelsey sits cross-legged on the floor, making a playful, scrunch-faced expression with their hair styled in two small buns. In the foreground, the author leans toward the camera with a slight smile, his tattooed arm extended toward the lens. The background shelves hold personal care items, grounding the high-stakes emotion of the time in a quiet, domestic moment.
    The first time we colored Kelsey’s hair together.

    This narrative led to three years of me working multiple full-time jobs to support a woman and her children. My repayment, her relentless infidelity, isolation from my family, and physical violence.

    The details are blunt and heavy. The highlights are: an oak door slammed on my arm repeatedly to keep me from my keys, blunts extinguished on the backs of my hands as if I were the ashtray, and even a microwave thrown down a flight of stairs at the back of my head.

    Violence doesn’t have a gender, and the stigma attached to men being abused or controlled often prevents us from seeking help. I am living proof of this.

    In 2026, we are finally seeing more data (such as the recent FBI UCR reports) acknowledging that while statistics lean toward female victims, that doesn’t erase the hundreds of thousands of men who are subjected to domestic violence every year.

    • The Isolation Tactic: I was forbidden from speaking to my own sisters under the guise of jealousy.
    • The Financial Cage: Using her kids as leverage to ensure I would return after every attempt to leave.

    From having blunts extinguished on my skin to having a microwave thrown at my head, the violence was constant.

    A vertical selfie with a soft filter, captioned with the text "good things come to those who wait" in colorful letters. The author is shirtless, showing script tattoos across his chest and a dark beard, looking down at the camera with a weary but peaceful expression. Kelsey is nestled against his shoulder, wearing their glasses and making a slight "duck face" pout. This photo captures the intimate support Kelsey provided during the heavy season of his mother’s passing in November 2021.
    My stinky.

    However, the risk wasn’t just the physical danger of staying, it was the mental toll of being told that my female friends or even my own sisters had ulterior motives. This level of control is designed to make the outside world feel like a threat, making the prospect of leaving feel like jumping off a cliff without a parachute.

    The Convergence of Grief & Escape:

    The “straw that broke the camel’s back” so to speak happened in October 2021. While I was planning a benefit for my mother, who was desperately in need of a liver transplant, my partner refused to attend. She claimed benefits “weren’t her thing.”

    While she continued to isolate me from my support system at my lowest point. That refusal was the moment the fog cleared; I realized I was pouring my life into a person who wouldn’t even stand by me while my mother was dying.

    The ability to leave escalated almost immediately. Just days after the benefit, the legal landscape shifted when she lost custody of her son. I was much closer to him than anyone else in the house, because of this I no longer felt I had to be there.

    A grainy, dimly lit selfie taken inside a car at night. The author is in the foreground with a backwards cap and nose ring, looking directly at the camera. Kelsey sits in the passenger seat, their face illuminated by the car’s interior light and the glow of streetlights outside. Her arm is wrapped in protective plastic, covering a fresh tattoo. The image reflects the "on the road" feeling of their early relationship and the move toward a new town.
    The beginning of the rest of our lives,

    In the middle of all of this trauma, I met Kelsey. People often say you shouldn’t start a relationship during a crisis, I say to hell with people. Kelsey was the light at the end of a very dark tunnel.

    The Breaking Point: When Reality Hits Home-

    • The Ultimate Betrayal: Realizing my partner wouldn’t support me during my mother’s liver transplant benefit because it “wasn’t her thing.”
    • The Legal Shift: The moment she lost custody of her son, which severed my last emotional tether to that household.

    My Risky Leap During the Season of Grief:

    Leaving the chaos and transitioning into a new non-toxic life didn’t happen in a vacuum. It happened during the most painful season of my life.

    I met Kelsey while I was still entrenched in the fact that my mom was not getting any better. While I know the connection was immediate, the timing was risky by anyone’s standards. Two weeks after we started dating, my mother passed away.

    A stark, black-and-white close-up of two hands intertwined. One hand has a small dark mark nail polish chipped area on the fingernails. The focus is on the skin and the tight grip of the hold, symbolizing both the physical trauma mentioned in the narrative, and the grounding, healing presence of a partner who holds on through the healing process.
    The only hand I want to hold.

    In February 2022, I took the ultimate gamble: I moved two hours away to Kelsey’s town. No, I didn’t move in with her; I got my own apartment to ensure I was standing on my own two feet and working on myself.

    Moving to a place where I knew no one, while grieving my mother and healing from three years of battery, was scary as hell. It was a blunt, real struggle to redefine who I was outside of a provider for someone who mistreated me. Along with that I also struggled and still do with what a relationship is supposed to look like.

    Navigating the Transition:

    • October 14, 2021: Our first date, just three days after my mom’s benefit.
    • November 8, 2021: My mother passed away.
    • February 2022: I moved two hours away to a town where I knew next to no one, to give myself a chance at a clean slate.

    I wasn’t just moving to a new city; I was moving away from a version of myself that had been conditioned to accept abuse. I needed to know I could exist, pay my bills, and be at peace in my own space without a microwave being thrown at my head.

    A bright, wide-angle group photo in a living room decorated for Christmas. A large, flocked Christmas tree stands in the center. Ten people of various ages and a baby are gathered, smiling for a holiday portrait. Axton stands toward the right in a green striped sweater, next to Kelsey, who is wearing a red "Grumpy Cat" Christmas sweater. This image represents the contrast to the author's previous isolation, showing him surrounded by a supportive family.
    My first Christmas with the Family.

    This period of reflective struggle is where the real triumph happened. It wasn’t about escaping the physical blows it was about rebuilding the mental fortitude that three years of manipulation had stripped away.

    The Reward – Building a Future on Solid Ground:

    The aftermath of a risk like this isn’t always sunshine and rainbows immediately if ever; it’s a slow process of realizing you no longer have to flinch when someone moves too fast.

    The reward in my story is my peace. The peace I found in my own apartment and in a relationship built on mutual respect rather than fear and control.

    Looking back from where I am now, that risk saved my life in more ways than I could have imagined.

    Kelsey and I aren’t just a rebound story; we are a partnership that survived the hardest test possible right out of the gate. That journey of escaping and relocating has led us to a place where we are now planning a future together, with our wedding set for October 2026.

    Axton in a black t-shirt and sunglasses stands next to a tattooed Kelsey in a black tank top with squinty eyes and a double peace sign on the Dublin link in 2026.
    Us Currently.

    My journey proves that the most dangerous risks are often the ones that lead to the most profound peace. 

    Reclaiming my Narrative:

    Choosing Myself Over Chaos:

    Reclaiming your life after abuse is not a linear process. It is a messy, blunt, and often painful transition that requires you to be your own hero when you feel the least capable

    Stepping away from everything you know, even when what you know is killing you, is the most profound risk a person can take. This risk requires a level of blunt honesty with yourself that most people never have to face.

    While the move was physically and emotionally taxing, it allowed me to break the silence surrounding men who go through domestic violence. It is okay to admit you were hurt, and it is even more important to realize you deserve a life free from that pain.

    A medium shot from 2026, showing the couple standing face-to-face, nearly touching. Outdoors in front of a natural rock alcove, where a rough, brown stone wall is heavily covered in patches of green moss. The wall looms behind them, creating a wild backdrop. Kelsey is on the left, wearing a brown headband over their dark bun and glasses, looking into his eyes. Kelsey’s visible left arm is heavily covered in a colorful, traditional American-style sleeve tattoo. Axton (the author) is on the right, shirtless, showing his distinct chest and arm tattoos. His short hair is styled in a bright pink mullet, and he looks tenderly back at kelsey. The moment is quiet, intimate, and a powerful visual representation of the peace they have built together, contrasting sharply with the violence of the past.
    I never want to annoy anyone else but you, Kelso.

    I wasn’t running away; I was running toward a version of the future that included safety and love. The scars… both the physical ones on my hands and the emotional ones from the loss of my mother, remind me of what I survived, but they no longer define where I’m going.

    By prioritizing my own safety and peace over a toxic sense of loyalty, I didn’t just escape a bad relationship; I built a foundation for a marriage that represents everything the past three years weren’t. Now, as we approach our wedding day, I look back at that move in February 2022 not as an act of desperation, but as the most successful gamble I ever made.

    TLDR:

    Escaping Toxicity is a deep-dive into my high-stakes gamble for a new life. In the midst of losing my mother and enduring years of physical and emotional battery, I chose to move two hours away to reclaim my peace.

    This wasn’t about escaping a partner who used violence as a weapon; it was about dismantling the pattern of abuse and rebuilding a future on solid ground.

    Now, as I plan my wedding for October 2026, it’s clear that stepping into the unknown was the most successful risk I’ve ever taken.

    See for Yourself:

    National Domestic Violence Hotline- Stats

    Help guide- Details the unique barriers men face

  • Healing and Mindfulness Through Journaling & Cannabis

    Healing and Mindfulness Through Journaling & Cannabis

    How do you unwind after a demanding day?

    Best for:

    Overtime shift workers, indie creatives managing burnout, cannabis connoisseurs sick of the lazy stoner trope, advocates of legal weed, natural plant-based medicine users, and practitioners of lyrical advocacy seeking mental clarity.

    The Vault

    • Terpene Synergy: Moving beyond Sativa vs. Indica to understand how Myrcene and Linalool act as a physiological “mute button” for high-cortisol workdays.
    • Digital Sanctuaries: A breakdown of why the Storia app functions as a “Spotify meets Duolingo” for mental health, making introspection tractable and mobile.
    • The Brain-Dump Loop: How pairing plant medicine with dictation or prompt-free writing creates a flow state that effectively “closes the tabs” in your mind.
    • Alternative Decompression: Non-smoker rituals utilizing Kava Kava and Mugwort “tea versions” of heavy Indicas to achieve the same hand-to-mouth soothing action.

    The Art in a Decompression Ritual:

    After a demanding day where the weight of your workload and responsibilities feels heavy, the transition from work mode to person mode requires more than just sitting down or driving home for most of us.

    This mental transition requires a conscious effort to steer the mind away from the noise of the world and into a sanctuary of self. You need to be able to leave work and the world’s bullshit behind sometimes. While, healing those broken parts of the child inside each of us, never hurt anyone.

    Axton placed a heart shaped nugget of cannabis on a grey rock to prepare to roll
    Tiny heart nugget . Click the picture to see how creative flow usually hits for me. We can compare notes.

    For those navigating high-stress environments, or large amounts of overtime the goal isn’t just to stop working; it’s to intentionally process the day’s events.

    This prompt response acts as a deep-dive into what works for me and why. Please feel free to use it as a guide to try it out or build your own unwinding ritual.

    Come with me to trek the trail through the synergistic relationship between selective cannabis use and journaling. Let’s navigate the nuances that explain how this duo facilitates a deeper level of mindfulness and stillness to ensure your time off is truly restorative.

    Terpene Profiles & Physiological Calm with Cannabis:

    Let’s just say not all cannabis experiences are created equal. While many categorize effects by only strains like Indica or Sativa, the truth is a little more complex. The architectural powerhouse of the experience changer lies in the terpene profile.

    A Caucasian hand holds out a cigarillo pinched between two fingers mid shallow stream and woods
    Puff, puff, pass. Click this picture to check out the vibes, the hike, and join me and a pal for this cigarillo. No pressure.

    Terpenes like Myrcene and Linalool can shift the experience of a Sativa-dominant strain toward a more sedative, grounding effect. When I partake in most of my cannabis use selecting indica strains that behave normally or sativas with terpenes that cause it to behave more calmly, is crucial.

    These work towards lowering the cortisol spikes associated with a long workday or a stressful situation. This chemical shift prepares the brain for the state of mind where creativity and relaxation intersect.

    A cigarillo & some indica with the digital equivalent of a journal & a pen.

    – Axton N. O. Mitchell

    Digital Sanctuaries: Why Storia Matters

    The act of writing is a form of brain dumping that prevents professional stress from leaking into personal time. Using a Storia as a dedicated platform allows for a seamless transition from thought to text. Unlike traditional paper, a digital sanctuary in this app offers:

    Man in scream bed pants, red tshirt, tattoos showing, holds a cigarillo pinched between his fingers just pulling it out from inbetween his lips to exhale a large smoke cloud in a garage.
    Inhale the good shit exhale the bullshit. Click this picture to see how cannabis links the things I like to do from hiking through creativity and gaming.
    • Tractable Introspection: The ability to track mood trends and recurring themes over weeks of entries.
    • Dictation of entries: using talk to text and voice recording capabilities inside Storia allows for journaling even when on the go.
    • Zero-Cost Accessibility: As a free, ad-free platform, it removes the financial barrier to entry, making a professional-grade mental health and creative tool that’s available to anyone with an iOS device.
    • Gamified Daily Growth: The app utilizes a Spotify meets Duolingo styled approach to journal writing & mental health, allowing you to visualize progress and stay motivated through badges and interaction.
    • Shared Connections: Users can access journals made public by their friend, fostering an intimate community feel. As well as the “Friendship Audit” guided journal for personal reflection on friendships. Did you know
       journaling with a friend makes users 65% more likely to maintain their habit? Storia does.
    • Discover Journals: Storia offers a community tab where you can discover journals created by friends or like-minded individuals. This feature allows for a sense of shared experience, akin to sharing a story, without necessarily sharing your private journal entries.
    • Multi-Journal Organization & Customization: Unlike a single physical notebook, Storia allows you to maintain multiple distinct journals, with customizable covers along with the daily Storia, daily check-in, and gratitude journals it comes with. This enables you to separate journals by whatever you like.
    • Multimedia “Memory-Making”: The app allows you to integrate images and photos into your entries. The app also provides recaps of your recent journaling with pieces of minimalized content you can share.

    By moving these thoughts into a digital space, you effectively close the tabs in your mind, making room for genuine rest and engagement with your home life.

    Integrating the Practice for Lasting Peace:

    Transitioning from the biological effects of the plant to the intellectual act of writing creates a loop of relaxation.

    As the Indica or Sativa with specific terpenes begin to interact with your endocannabinoid system, the friction between your thoughts and the page decreases. This flow state is where the most profound self-discovery happens.

    Man in grey hat, black sunglasses that are square sit and driver seat wearing a tie-dye sweater that says Hershey hold a Cigarillo and exhale a small cloud of smoke
    It’s 4:20 somewhere? Click the picture to read more about how cannabis brings me joy.
    • Setting the Atmosphere: Dim the lights and minimize external noise to allow the terpenes to work without sensory interference.
    • Prompt-Free Writing: Some people find it easier to start by describing the physical sensations of the day before moving into emotional processing.

    This holistic approach ensures that your evening isn’t just a lapse in time, but a constructive period of healing.

    Healing and Mindfulness My Way:

    Navigating the complexities of a demanding career, extra stress, or living in a capitalistic hell requires a toolkit that addresses both the body and the spirit.

    By leaning into the science of terpenes and the structure of journaling, you create a robust barrier against burnout. While the cannabis provides the physiological off switch, the writing provides the emotional resolution.

    Embracing healing and mindfulness through journaling and cannabis doesn’t just help me survive a difficult schedule; it allows me to reclaim my early mornings as a space for growth, creativity, and profound, quiet stillness.

    Caucasian man: green shirt, with a brunette bushy beard and pursed lips starts to cough while exhaling smoke holding a orange bong
    Nice bong Zaddy… click the link to read about Ohio’s changed laws refusing voters their right regarding cannabis.

    Now Let’s Plan Yours:

    Don’t smoke?

    That’s chill too.

    Healing like everything else isn’t one-size-fits-all, we are all unique. If my specific routine isn’t your vibe, here are some ideas to help you build a ritual that caters to your senses.

    The goal is simply to bridge the gap between Work or Stressed You and Real You.

    Pick your elements:

    • The Beverage: If you aren’t partaking in cannabis, reach for a handcrafted loose leaf tea. A warm mug of tea to provide you the same hand-to-mouth soothing action. This sends signals to your nervous system that the grind is over. Some of my favorite loose leaf herbs to use for teas:
    • Total Relaxation & Body High – The Melt: A heavy base of Kava Kava root mixed with Skullcap and Oat Straw. This is the tea version of a heavy Indica. The herbs in action Kava numbs the physical tension of a long shift, Skullcap acts like a mute button for a racing mind, working to ensure you actually stay in your cozy place. ⚠️ Kava Disclaimer: ⚠️Kava is powerful plant medicine, but it isn’t for everyone. Skip it if you have liver issues, and never mix it with alcohol. It can also interact with antidepressants or anxiety meds, so check with a doctor if you’re at risk or taking prescriptions.
    • The Mental Decompression – Lucid Dreamer Blend: You will blend Mugwort with Passionflower and a hint of Peppermint. This mix is designed to thin the veil between your work stress and your inner self. Here the Passionflower forces a hard stop on circular thoughts, while the Mugwort encourages the kind of vivid, abstract thinking that makes for the best brain dump entries.
    • The Creative Outlet: Not everyone wants to or finds peace in venting with words. If sentences feel too heavy, try sketching, painting, digital art, sculpting, gaming, a sport, hiking, or really just something that brings you peace. Grab a pen, your cleats, a cozy blanket, honestly the options are endless. Just let peace take root; no pressure to create a masterpiece, there is no good or bad when it comes to journaling, and expressive creativity for release… this is just a way to move the energy out of your mind and hands.
    • The Atmosphere -Low Light: Kill the overhead big ceiling light. Get a few candles or turn on a salt lamp. Comforting clothes, linen, and space a must. Read a book, meditate, chant, or manifest if you want.
    • The Comfy Seats & Soft Tunes: Designate a “non-work” chair. If you work at a desk, do not unwind there. Sink into a beanbag, a recliner, or a pile of pillows on the floor. You can also try some light tunes, instrumentals, low-fi beats, ambient forest sounds, or jazz. Something without lyrics so your brain doesn’t have to process more speaking. These other things can be added to an array of other calming activities instead of using alone.

    The Bottom Line:

    Whether it’s a cigarillo and a deep-dive journal entry or a hot tea and a sketchbook. You can mix and match, try something by candlelight, do it with a set intention.

    Close your mind’s tabs. Dim the internal lights. Reclaim your slice of peace.

    White background nature photo in middle of image on journal background image is a screenshot of Storia journal
    Check out Storia if you are on iOS today. Click the photo to be redirected to Storia in the App Store.

     TLDR;

    Unwinding after a high-stress shift requires an intentional ritual to move the “bullshit” of the world out of your head. By pairing the physiological “off switch” of cannabis terpenes with the emotional resolution of digital journaling on Storia, you can effectively stop burnout in its tracks.

    Whether you partake in a cigarillo or a cup of Kava tea, the key is to create a sensory-driven sanctuary that allows you to exhale the grind and inhale genuine, restorative rest.

  • The Erasure of Transgender Adults – Beyond the Lie of Protecting Children:

    The Erasure of Transgender Adults – Beyond the Lie of Protecting Children:

    Daily writing prompt
    What makes you nervous?
    View all responses

    Best for:

    Transgender homies gender nonconforming individuals intersex peeps & drag performers navigating legal rollbacks, LGBTQ+ adults in red states, advocates of human rights, cis-allied voices, advocates of human rights, proponents of government overreach, and activists fighting for gender-affirming care.

    The vault:

    • The Identity Paradox: How 2026 state mandates create a “legal death” by forcing people with permanent medical transitions to carry documents that don’t match their physical reality.
    • The Kansas Blueprint: A look at the administrative violence of license suspensions and how it’s being used as a roadmap for national document reversion.
    • Weaponized Protection: Moving past the “protect the children” rhetoric to expose the infrastructure being built for adult de-transition and erasure.
    • Medical Torture: The looming crisis of cutting off life-sustaining maintenance care for adults who have already undergone surgery or long-term HRT.

    The Erasure of Transgender Adults:

    The Permanent Body in a Volatile State

    There is a terrifying disconnect between the permanence of the human body and the fragility of a plastic ID card. For many trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming adults, the year 2026 has become a collision course between medical history and legislative malice.

    The future for trans adults in the USA is currently being debated in statehouses by people who treat our lives like lesser than their own or as if we are experiments. However, for those of us who have undergone years of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and surgeries, there is no undo or reset button. These meat-sacks that carry our souls around, our bodies they are physical proof we exist.

    This post exists to bridge the gap between the protect the children rhetoric and the reality of state-sponsoring The Erasure of Transgender Adults. We are seeing a coordinated, staged attack that uses the guise of safeguarding minors to build the infrastructure for adult de-transition.

    By looking at the brutal precedents set in states like Kansas and the broader modern attack on our community, we have to ask: what happens when the law refuses to see the person standing right in front of it?

    This isn’t just about “nervousness,” it’s about the survival of a population that has already been left out to dry by the same government that pretends all of us are equal .

    The Kansas Precedent: Weaponizing the Paper Trail

    The situation in Kansas is equivalent to the canary in the coal mine concerning the future for trans adults in the US.

    In early 2026, the state moved beyond simply banning new gender marker changes; they sent letters to the homes of transgender people in their state after they reversed their gender marker changed and suspended their licenses until they got a “correct” document issued.

    This is a direct blow to transgender adults body autonomy. When the state demands you surrender a license, especially when it matches your appearance, it outs you, automatically. They are essentially placing a target on our backs during every traffic stop, every alcohol or nicotine purchase, every job interview, and so many other instances .

    • Forced Non-Compliance: The law creates a situation where a person who has been on hormones for a decade or more even who possesses a beard, a deep voice, and masculine features, is forced to carry a “Female” marker. As well as vice versa.
    • Administrative Violence: This isn’t a mistake; it is a clear planned out attack designed to make public life of transgender people so friction-filled that we are forced back into the shadows.

    The transition from Kansas to the national stage on a state by state shows a terrifying lead-in to a broader strategy of The Erasure of Transgender Adults.

    This isn’t just a Kansas problem; it’s a blueprint being shared in policy circles across the country to create a “legal death” for transitioned individuals.

    Protect the Children a Trojan Horse:

    We must be clear-eyed about the planned nature of these attacks on transgender American citizens.

    The regime has spent years obsessed with the forced transition of minors, a phenomenon that medical data shows is virtually non-existent. Though they still try to use it to justify the creation of the Sex-Based Rights acts.

    These acts, now appearing in over 20 states, define man and woman strictly by biological markers at birth.

    While the headlines focus on schools, the fine print of these bills targets the future for transgender adults in the US.

    If the state legally defines a woman only as someone with the capacity to produce ova, they are not just protecting kids; they are legally erasing every transgender and gender non conforming individual in the country.

    This is the groundwork for denial of employment, housing, loans and standard medical care for transitioning in an attempt to lead to The Erasure of Transgender Adults.

    The Psychological Toll of Staged Panic:

    The continued noise about protecting children serves a dual purpose.

    First, it alienates the general public from the reality of trans lives.

    Second, it creates a state of perpetual hyper-vigilance for transgender adults.

    When your entire existence is framed as a threat to children, immoral, and inherently dangerous the psychological burden, is immense. This is a form of gaslighting on a national scale.

    The Horror of Medical Permanence:

    For those of us who have had a surgery or more or been on hormones long enough that we won’t resemble the sex assigned to us at birth, the anxiety is real and warranted.

    I wouldn’t regardless, but we cannot, easily reverse a voice box that has thickened chords or the results of a double mastectomy. Death before detransition.

    When the state attempts to legislatively revert your identity, they are creating a class of citizens who are physically & emotionally one thing and legally another.

    • Healthcare: As states move to ban state-funded insurance from covering HRT even for adults, those who are “permanently” transitioned face a terrifying medical cliff.
    • The Maintenance Crisis: Gender-affirming care for adults is often life-sustaining maintenance. Cutting off access to hormones for someone who has had a hysterectomy or orchiectomy is not protection, this is medical torture that can lead to bone loss, mental health collapse, and systemic organ stress.

    This points directly to the broader, fact-based reality of the modern attack on our identities. The regime is banking on the idea that if they can’t stop us from existing physically, they can make it impossible for us to exist legally or economically.

    The Modern Attack:

    The modern attack on transgender people and The Erasure of Transgender Adults in 2025 & 2026 is a multi-pronged offense. According to recent federal court filings and legislative trackers, the attack follows a specific roadmap:

    • Defining Us Out of Existence: Using 14th Amendment workarounds to claim that transgender is not a protected class. This removes the small legal shield that has prevented discriminatory hiring and housing practices in some states.
    • Surveillance and Registries: Recent attempts in states like Florida and Texas to create registries of people who have changed their gender markers. This is the definition of a regime preparing for further, more targeted strikes.
    • The Digital Battlefield: The use of targeted misinformation to drown out actual medical consensus. The future for trans adults in the US is being fought not just in courtrooms, but in the algorithms that decide what information the average person sees.

    Existence as Resistance – The Erasure of Transgender Adults

    To be nervous is a logical reaction, to say the least, when the country you live in is trying to write you out of existence legally by The Erasure of Transgender Adults.

    We are facing a regime that wants to pretend our lives aren’t real.

    But we know, the body doesn’t lie even when the paper does.

    To wrap up the reality of our current landscape:

    • The Kansas license situation is a blueprint for national document reversion, state by state.
    • Adult healthcare is the new primary target of the protection rhetoric.
    • The disconnect between our permanent physical selves and our legal status is a tool of state control.

    We are entering a period where our very existence is an act of defiance. If the future means living in the tension between who we are and what the law says, then we must be as permanent in our resolve as we are in our bodies.

    The attack is real, the factual evidence is overwhelming, and the fear is valid, but we are still here. We will remain here as we always have been.

    TL;DR:

    The current legislative attack isn’t about children; it’s a coordinated attempt at the Erasure of Transgender Adults. By using “Sex-Based Rights” acts to redefine biology and weaponizing the paper trail (like the Kansas license reversals), the state is trying to make public life impossible for those of us whose bodies are a permanent testament to our truth. We are living in the tension between who we are and what the law says, making our continued existence the ultimate act of defiance.

  • CBT & Rewiring the Mind; Borderline Personality Disorder

    CBT & Rewiring the Mind; Borderline Personality Disorder

    Describe one positive change you have made in your life.

    Best for:

    Creative professionals navigating reactive personalities, individuals with BPD, and mental health advocates seeking evidence-based coping strategies.

    CBT & Rewiring the Mind: A Unique Guide to living with BPD –

    Navigating the Storm:

    Living with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) often feels like navigating a high-seas storm without a compass, on a driftwood raft, with no paddle, and you can’t see the shore. The emotional switches can be instantaneous, transforming a calm afternoon into a chaotic internal or external battle.

    For many, this diagnosis brings a name to chaos that has been inside their mind, but the real work begins with finding a structured way to handle the intensity of those moments.

    This post explores the effects of CBT for Borderline Personality Disorder, a method that focuses on the here and now. Instead of getting lost in the why’s of the past, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy provides the how for you to manually change the way you think in the future.

    By examining the mechanics of cognitive restructuring and comparing it to other systems like DBT and Schema Therapy, we can better understand how to identify triggers and choose a logical response over a reactive out of character moment.

    Understanding the Mechanics of CBT for BPD:

    At its core, CBT for Borderline Personality Disorder is about interrupting the automated transmission between a feeling and an action. When a person with BPD experiences a trigger, the brain often defaults to overdeveloped behavioral patterns, such as defense mechanisms. While these behavioral patterns might have been necessary before, now they usually hinder healthy functioning.

    Cognitive restructuring is the engine behind this process.

    Think of it like editing a rough draft of your own life. When you’ve spent years dealing with people who lied to you or left you on the porch, your brain gets used to writing worst-case scenarios… just to keep you safe.

    CBT is the tool that lets you step back and say, “Wait, is this actually true, or is this just an old habit?”

    • Check your projection

    Your brain might throw out a projected thought aimed at someone innocent because of something similar in your past. Edit it like you would your digital files.

    The “All-or-Nothing” Mindset: Thinking that because one thing went wrong, the whole day (or your whole life) is trashed.

    The Catastrophe: Assuming that a small mistake is going to lead to everything falling apart.

    • Checking the Receipts

    Instead of just believing the projection, you act like a researcher. If your brain says, “Everyone hates me,” you stop and look for the digital evidence.

    You look at your actual relationships, your wins, and the people who show up.

    When you see that the projection isn’t backed up by the facts, the thought loses its power over you.

    • Hitting the “Mental Pause”

    By doing this, you create a split second of space,a physical pause button.

    Instead of reacting in a chaotic or rowdy manner or letting the switch flip immediately, you give yourself enough time to see the situation for what it really is.

    You treat a bad moment like a rock that isn’t worth keeping. You don’t abandon the whole riverbed just because you picked up one piece of limestone instead of a hag stone. You toss it back and keep looking for the crinoids. One ordinary find doesn’t mean the ground is empty.

    This helps to lower the volume on the panic so you can have a response or reaction that isn’t unwarranted.

    The Toolkit: Skill Training and Emotional Regulation:

    One of the most vital components of CBT for Borderline Personality Disorder is the active development of new skills. It isn’t enough to simply know a thought is distorted; you must have a replacement behavior ready to take its place.

    • Mindfulness: Learning to stay present in your mind to catch your switch before it reaches a point of no return.
    • Distress Tolerance: Building the capacity to sit with uncomfortable emotions without needing to immediately fix them through chaotic or rowdy behavior through lashing out.
    • Interpersonal Effectiveness: Developing tools to communicate your needs and boundaries clearly, which reduces the frequency of social triggers.

    These skills are not about achieving perfection. As many practitioners find, the goal is to assess the size of the situation logically.

    If a situation warrants a reaction, CBT helps determine what size that reaction should be and whether the response is truly about the present moment or a shadow of your past triggering you.

    Expanding the Horizon: DBT and Schema-Focused Therapy:

    While CBT is a powerhouse for logic-based restructuring, it often works in tandem with other specialized therapies. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), for instance which was specifically built from CBT to treat BPD.

    While CBT for Borderline Personality Disorder focuses heavily on the cognitive aspect, DBT introduces the concept of dialectics, or holding two seemingly opposite truths at once, such as “I am doing the best I can” and “I need to do better.”

    Schema-Focused Therapy (SFT) takes it a step further by addressing the schemas or deep-rooted patterns that formed during your childhood. If CBT is the tool for managing today’s fire, then Schema Therapy is the investigation into why the house is prone to catching fire in the first place. It targets the core beliefs that make an individual feel chronically abandoned or inadequate.

    The Reality of BPD: Causes and Classifications

    Borderline Personality Disorder is a complex condition with a variety of sub-types, though these are often used informally to describe how the symptoms manifest. Take quiet BPD, for example, which typically involves internalizing the chaos and directing the anger or devaluation inward rather than toward others.

    The causes of BPD are typically a trifecta of factors:

    • Genetics: A predisposition to emotional high-sensitivity.
    • Brain Structure: Variations in the areas of the brain that control impulses and emotional regulation (the amygdala and prefrontal cortex).
    • Environment: Often, BPD is linked to childhood trauma or an invalidating environment where emotional needs were consistently ignored or punished.

    Forging a Path Toward Functional Stability

    The journey of self-teaching or professional therapy is rarely linear. Using CBT for Borderline Personality Disorder means accepting that there will be days when the freak out wins, but the frequency of those wins begins to dwindle.

    By focusing on present patterns and behavioral modification, it becomes possible to build self-esteem that isn’t dependent on the fluctuating opinions of others.

    Managing BPD is an ongoing process of auditing one’s own mind. We looked at how cognitive restructuring acts as a filter for distorted thoughts and how skill training provides a safety net during emotional switches.

    By integrating the logic of CBT with the acceptance found in DBT and the deep-dive work of Schema Therapy, individuals can move from a state of constant survival to one of emotional functioning and interpersonal stability.

    It isn’t about being cured; it’s about being in control.

    Check the trail markers. Just because the path gets thin for a few hundred yards doesn’t mean you’re lost in the woods. You look at the map of where you’ve actually been and realize the ending you’re imagining isn’t supported by the terrain you’ve already covered.

  • Trans masc Visibility & Fear in Public 1 Social Situation that Shows the Truth:

    Trans masc Visibility & Fear in Public 1 Social Situation that Shows the Truth:

    Describe a random encounter with a stranger that stuck out positively to you.

    Best for:

    Transgender & non-binary individuals, LGBTQ+ individuals & allies, community builders, and, anyone cis wishing for deeper understanding of transgender experiences, advocates for inclusive social environments.

    The Weight of the First Impression:

    Navigating the world as a trans masc person, speaking for myself and my experiences alone, can often involve a constant, internal “vibe check” of our surroundings.

    I have written quite a few pieces of poetry that directly reflect my experiences when some cis people find out I am trans masc, Fight Me, for instance.

    axton as a child with red colored dog laying in bed smiling Trans Masc AFAB child in the late 1990'sPink haired bearded AFAB trans masc in a braided necklace and green sweater stands on top of a cave the background shows a grey car and brown dirt with trees

    We look for signals:

    a rainbow sticker

    specific pin

    or maybe even certain style to determine if a space is person is safe.

    This post explores a specific, high-stakes moment of trans masc visibility in a public space. In this small social interactions reflection a simple compliment paid to a barista for an apron pin turned into a profound shared instance of mutual recognition.

    Let’s dive into the nuances of passing, the defensiveness born from political tension, and the beautiful, if brief, connections that happen when we stop being strangers.

    A Flash of Color in the Drive-Thru:

    Coffee shops whether a small businesses or a corporation have long served as unofficial hubs for counter-cultures, mutual aid, and community.

    On this particular day, the atmosphere was already charged with the heavy air of the upcoming election cycle. The third Trump campaign made every interaction easily feel more loaded than usual.

    I was sitting in the backseat of a friend’s car when we pulled up to the window, and I immediately noticed the barista.

    This individual was masculine-presenting with vibrant, colored hair, tattoos, and facial piercings. Almost as if I held a mirror to the parts of me I got to choose. The barista topped off the work uniform bore with tons of cool ass pins on the apron, that was typically plain.

    As someone who also uses pins to spice up a lot of things… ukulele cases, book bags, hats, and whatever else, I felt that immediate pull of familiarity.

    The Icebreaker- Epic Fail-

    From Suspicion to Solidarity:

    Complimenting a specific piece of flair is the universal language of appreciation in the community. However, nuance, place, and familiarity may matter to your specific social situation as I learned pretty quickly.

    When I told the barista, “I like your pins,” the response back was a nonchalant “Which one?” When I fumbled and spat “the trans one” the energy shifted. I had not planned on being asked that, and I honestly just liked most of them.

    Still though, you could quite literally feel the tension lay in on the group of us as I finished my statement. This individual turned looked at me, head held at an askew angle and didn’t miss a beat.

    The barista once more took a look at me m. Despite my at the time green hair, tattoos and such I still had full beard, semi-athletic build, deep-voice, and traditionally masculine appearance and asked, straight faced “Why?”

    In a political climate where transgender visibility in public spaces can sometimes attract bad-faith trolling, his defensiveness was understandable.

    He likely expected a joke or a confrontation. However, the tension evaporated the moment I simply said, “I’m trans.”

    The transformation in his expression was immediate; the “customer service mask” and the defensive wall dropped simultaneously to reveal a moment of pure, priceless shock, understanding, and joy.

    The shift from being perceived as a potential threat to being recognized as a brother is one of the most powerful experiences in the transmasculine community.

    The Fleeting Nature of Community Connections:

    Unfortunately, the efficiency of a good drive-thru is the enemy of blossoming a further connection of any kind. The drinks arrived, we paid, and the opportunity to exchange contact info or build any form of connection to share resources or anything vanished.

    This encounter serves as a reminder of how vital these split-second interactions can be. Sadly, I haven’t seen him working since, but the moment of trans masc visibility validated both of us in a time of high political anxiety.

    Why These Interactions Matter:

    • Combats Isolation: Seeing someone like yourself in the wild reinforces that you aren’t alone.
    • Safety Reinforcement: It transforms a standard business transaction into a confirmed safe space.

    The Lasting Impact of “Being Seen”:

    While the interaction was short, its impact lingered long after the coffee was gone. It highlights the importance of reclaiming our narratives and standing our ground, even when we expect the worst from a situation.

    By being open about our identities when we are safely able to do so , we create ripples of safety for others who might be navigating the same fears. Though I still kick myself for not thinking to give the barista my contact information before we left, the memory remains a testament to the resilience and hidden threads of connection within the LGBTQ+ community.

    Continue to Learn:

    Complete guide: Trans Masc Identity

  • Scenic Train Rides: My Top 2 Mountain Peaks & Ocean Views-

    Scenic Train Rides: My Top 2 Mountain Peaks & Ocean Views-

    Best for:

    Cross-country adventurers, history buffs, Appalachian explorers, train travelers and rail enthusiasts.

    You’re going on a cross-country trip. Airplane, train, bus, car, or bike?

    Moving Beyond the Highway:

    The Power of the Rail-

    Scenic train rides will always win me over when compared to typical modern American travel.

    Whether you are staring out the window of a Greyhound bus from West Virginia to Las Vegas, flying over the farmlands that make up the patchwork quilt of America’s farms from 30,000 feet above, or navigating the white-knuckle traffic of a cross-country drive, the road can be a grind.

    The scenic rails in America offer a different kind of movement, one that feels much more intentional. Beautiful and wild, the rugged elevation of the Monongahela National Forest or the sun-drenched cliffs and ocean views of Cali; the rails allow you to witness the geography of the country instead of just passing through it carelessly on the I-40.

    The shift from a greyhound bus ride for 16-hours (not counting layovers) to a sleeper car isn’t just even really about luxury; it’s about the connection between the tracks and the history of the land we all share.

    The Appalachian Legacy: Cass Scenic Railroad-

    Before I ever headed west, I found the gold standard for historical rail right in Scenic Cass, West Virginia. The Cass Scenic Railroad is a living museum of industrial grit and history.

    As if the views were not enough the trains here use Shay locomotives. Which are geared steam engines originally designed in 1901. They were designed with the purpose of haul massive loads of timber up insane grades that would make a standard engine stall.

    The Climb to Bald Knob-

    The ride from the town of Cass to the Bald Knob overlook on Snowshoe Mountain is a masterclass in engineering. At an elevation of 4,842 feet, Bald Knob is the third-highest point in West Virginia.

    The steam engine train negotiates grades as steep as 11% using a “switchback” system, zigzagging up the mountain where the forest shifts from hardwoods to the dense spruce of the high country.

    The Engineer’s View:

    I loved this experience as a kids, and I just couldn’t get enough of it on our visits. My uncle Rex used to conduct this train. I remember when I had aunts, uncles, and cousins that made up a lot of the Cass population.

    During the 1990s-2000s, we’d visit a few times yearly, ride the train, catch up, and enjoy the old fashioned ice cream. Just from watching my uncle on this train as a young kid I knew driving these “Iron Mules” took more than just skill. You have to respect and understanding the mountain’s temperament.

    What You See:

    On a clear day at the summit, you can see across the valley to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Green Bank. And of course rolling hills, trees, and those iconic West Virginian Mountain View’s.

    Coastal Majesty: The Coast Starlight

    If you are looking for a more coastal trip that defines the West, the Coast Starlight is the ultimate answer. Running daily between Los Angeles and Seattle, this route is famous for a reason: it hugs the Pacific Ocean shoreline for over 100 miles.

    Navigating the West Coast

    The Ocean View:

    The most iconic stretch occurs between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. The tracks sit on the very edge of the cliffs, offering views of the Pacific that are completely inaccessible by car.

    Day Trips & Long Hauls:

    You can use the Pacific Surfliner for shorter day trips along the Southern California coast, but for the full experience, a Roomette on the Starlight is the way to go.

    Pricing:

    Coach seats can start around $100, while private Roomettes (which include meals and a bed) typically range from $400 to $900 depending on the season and how far in advance you book.

    Expanding the Horizon: Other Iconic Routes-

    While the Coast Starlight owns the Pacific, other scenic train rides in America dominate the interior:

    • The California Zephyr: Stretching from Chicago to San Francisco, this is the most beautiful way to see the Colorado Rockies and the Sierra Nevadas.
    • The Empire Builder: This route follows the northern border, cutting through Glacier National Park and the rugged beauty of the Pacific Northwest
    • The Crescent: For those heading east, this line connects New Orleans to New York, passing through thirteen states and offering a deep look at the American South.

    Pedal the Iron: The Expansion of Rail Biking in America-

    If you want to move beyond the passenger car and actually feel the track beneath you, rail biking in America is the ultimate outside the box expansion for any cross-country trip. These aren’t your standard mountain bikes; they are custom-built, four-wheeled pedal cars, equipped with the REX Propulsion System, or electric assistance.

    These sit directly on decommissioned railroad tracks. As of 2026, there are approximately 18 to 20 active rail biking locations across the United States, operated primarily by industry leaders like Rail Explorers and Revolution Rail Co., who have repurposed these ghost rails into interactive corridors where you are the engine.  

    Where to Ride and What it Costs-

    While the industry is growing, a few specific “divisions” offer the best mix of history and scenery:

    • The Bluegrass Division (Versailles, Kentucky): Operated by Rail Explorers, this 10-mile round trip cuts through heart of horse country and limestone cliffs, ending at a turnaround high above the Kentucky River near the Wild Turkey Distillery. A Tandem Explorer (2 riders) starts at $105, while a Quad Explorer (4 riders) starts at $199.  
    • The Elk River Division (Clay, West Virginia): This is the rugged Appalachian experience, following the Buffalo Creek & Gauley Railroad. You’ll pedal along the river and through dense forest over historic bridges. Prices are consistent with the national average, ranging from $50 to $60 per seat.  
    • The Adirondack & Cape May Divisions (New York/New Jersey): Revolution Rail Co. dominates the Northeast, offering rides through the Adirondack mountains and the salt marshes of Cape May. These trips focus on biodiversity and seasonal foliage, with prices starting around $90 per bike.  
    • The Cooperstown Division (New York): This ride follows the Susquehanna River, offering a lush, northern forest vibe that is a perfect contrast to the Southern and Western tracks.
    • The Boulder City Division (Nevada): For a complete shift in geography, this 8-mile Mojave Desert trip offers a stark, sun-drenched landscape. They even offer “Lantern Tours” for riding under the desert stars.

    The Experience: Effort Without the Exhaustion

    The beauty of these “pedal cars” is that you get the physical connection to the rails without the burnout. The electric motors kick in on inclines, allowing you to focus on the “click-clack” of the steel and the environment. Because there is no steering required, you can spend the entire trip looking at the gorge or the treeline, making it a rare way to actually be in the environment rather than just passing through it at 60 mph.

    It’s a quiet, immersive, and increasingly popular way to reclaim the American rail legacy for yourself.

    The Subterranean Rail Experience: Mine Trains

    If you want to understand the grit that built the tracks, you have to go beneath them. Scenic train rides in America aren’t always about the horizon; sometimes they are about the deep-earth history of the regions they traverse.

    In places like the Colorado Rockies or the coal country of Pennsylvania, the rail experience is literally carved into the stone. These subterranean tours connect the “scenic” beauty of the mountain peaks to the raw, geological reality of the mines that once fueled the nation’s expansion.

    • The Georgetown Loop Railroad (Silver Plume, CO): This is a rare “Train & Mine” combo. You take a historic narrow-gauge train through the Clear Creek Canyon and disembark at a remote station only accessible by rail. From there, you go 500 feet into the Everett Silver Mine. It is a 44°F (\bm{6.6}°C) environment year-round, requiring hard hats and closed-toe shoes.  
    • Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour (Scranton, PA): Here, you board a mine car, a specialized piece of rail equipment, and descend 300 feet vertically into the Clark Vein. It is an immersive look at the anthracite coal industry, connecting the “black diamond” history of the East to the modern rail lines that still carry freight through the valley today.

    What it Costs:

    These tours are generally affordable, ranging from $25 to $40 for the mine entry, or around $60 to $70 for a bundled train-and-mine ticket.

    The “Private Varnish”: The Apex of Rail Luxury

    For the traveler who wants a legacy experience that rivals a private jet, there is “Private Varnish.” This is the industry term for Private Rail Car Charters. These are privately owned, vintage luxury cars. They are often from the golden age of rail in the 1940s and 50s. These can be legally “hooked” to the back of scheduled Amtrak trains. It is the most exclusive way to see the West Coast or the cross-country routes, offering a view from the very last window of the train.  

    The Experience:

    You aren’t just a passenger; you are the owner of the space. These cars come with master bedrooms, full kitchens, mahogany-lined dining rooms, and a dedicated onboard chef and steward. It is the ultimate flex for a milestone anniversary or a “once-in-a-lifetime” family trip.

    The Logistics:

    You choose the route… whether it’s the Coast Starlight along the Pacific or the California Zephyr through the Rockies. Then the car is attached to the manifest.

    What it Costs:

    This is the highest-end rail experience available. Charters typically start at $15,000 per day, which includes the “haulage” fees paid to Amtrak and the full service of the onboard staff. While expensive, it is the only way to experience the American landscape in total, uninterrupted privacy.

    Scenic Railway Rides & First Class Views:

    The transition from the steep, coal-fired grades of West Virginia’s Cass Scenic Railroad to the vast, salty expanses of the Coast Starlight represents the full spectrum of the American experience. One is rooted in the history of labor and the Appalachian peaks; the other is a celebration of the horizon and the Pacific frontier. Whether you are following in the footsteps of an engineer uncle or charting a new path across the country, scenic train rides in America prove that the journey isn’t just about getting there—it’s about the view from the window.

    Fact-Based Source Materials