Cuddle Party

[ysabetwordsmith]

Everyone needs contact comfort sometimes. Not everyone has ample opportunities for this in facetime. So here is a chance for a cuddle party in cyberspace. Virtual cuddling can help people feel better.

We have a cuddle room that comes with fort cushions, fort frames, sheets for draping, and a weighted blanket. A nest full of colorful egg pillows sits in one corner. There is a basket of grooming brushes, hairbrushes, and styling combs. A bin holds textured pillows. There is a big basket of craft supplies along with art markers, coloring pages, and blank paper. The kitchen has a popcorn machine. Labels are available to mark dietary needs, recipe ingredients, and level of spiciness. Here is the bathroom, open to everyone. There is a lawn tent and an outdoor hot tub. Bathers should post a sign for nude or clothed activity. Come snuggle up!

Comments

[fuzzyred]

*slips in to find a pile of pillows to flop down on*

My brain is mush. Mush is my brain. I have done very much practising of Esperanto in these last few days, which is great, but also makes my brain hurt. I think I shall just flop here for a while and not think.

Yes ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

Grab one of the almost-Microfyne fluffy blankets. They regenerate energy.

Re: Yes ...

[fuzzyred]

*yoink* Thanks for the suggestion! I don't have many ways to regenerate energy currently, other than sleep, so more ideas is better. Especially when I run out of spoons before I run out of day. I have found that singing helps though, even if I don't sing in English.

Re: Yes ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

Methods of energy regeneration that work for me:

* Fuzzy blanket, has to be the near-Microfyne woolly kind on at least one side, but my favorite has a very silky fur-plush on the other. Petting it helps.

* Some sounds, like nature sounds. Birdsong, rain, waves, etc. OM can be helpful for spiritual disturbances. Soft flute music (e.g. shakuhachi, Navajo) is relaxing.

* Live food is packed with energy. Yogurt and fresh fruit are my go-to choices. Some folks prefer salads; I'm quite fond of Naf Naf's cucumber and tomato chop salad. Sauerkraut, kimchee, vinegar, kombucha, etc. can work if they are live cultures. This is a case where more is better, not in amount, but in diversity of cultures. Yogurt with 1 culture is okay, 4-5 is dramatically better, and 13 is amazing.

Re: Yes ...

[fuzzyred]

I like petting soft things. This is especially helpful for calming frantic or scattered energy, though I'll have to pay attention and see if it actually helps regenerate energy; I haven't noticed this before.

I find some sounds help me too, although it seems to change based on mood and other unidentified factors (could be the phases of the moon for all I know), and I can't always pin down what sounds will help when.

Oooo! Food! I actually eat a fair amount of fruits and vegetables during my work day, though less so after I get home. I'll have to keep yogurt in mind, since I don't usually have it in the house but I do like it. I'm also looking for something to take the place of energy balls on occasion, for variety, and yogurt with mix-ins might be a good choice.

Re: Yes ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I like petting soft things. This is especially helpful for calming frantic or scattered energy,<<

I have found that the textures have to be really specific to create concrete effects rather than a casual "that's nice." Spandex pillows stuff with microbeads are great for kneading. Snoozimals are wonderfully fuzzy and squishy -- very much like Terramagne's Sad Cat stuffies. They're also in season, as calendar booths tend to carry them.

>> though I'll have to pay attention and see if it actually helps regenerate energy; I haven't noticed this before.<<

I was pretty trashed on a trip when I bundled up in one to keep warm in a cold hotel, then was startled to find that 20-30 minutes later, I had a spoon! Haven't taken an overnight trip without one since.

>>I find some sounds help me too, although it seems to change based on mood and other unidentified factors (could be the phases of the moon for all I know), and I can't always pin down what sounds will help when.<<

If you can't track it in your head or on paper, and you want to know badly enough, look for a mood tracker app with lots of features. Some of them probably do track music or have a write-in option.

https://bernardzitzer.com/best-mood-tracking-apps

>> Oooo! Food! I actually eat a fair amount of fruits and vegetables during my work day, though less so after I get home. I'll have to keep yogurt in mind, since I don't usually have it in the house but I do like it. <<

You will eat what you have. Stock fresh, whole, healthy foods and you will eat more of them.

>>I'm also looking for something to take the place of energy balls on occasion, for variety, and <<

Berries are the closest, if you can find and afford them. Nuts are also worth considering. If you like tomatoes, the bite-sized ones are also excellent -- often available in an assortment.

>> yogurt with mix-ins might be a good choice.<<

Great idea, especially if you use fresh fruit (uplifting) and/or granola (alerting). Chocolate is a great mood-booster and dark chocolate or cacao nibs are especially helpful if you don't mind bitterness.

If you want protein and fiber, chia seed makes a snack very similar to tapioca pudding. I've found the easiest way to flavor it is to mix it with a yogurt beverage (although mango will turn a bizarre greenish-bronze color) or hot chocolate powder with milk.