Coping With Change - Tuesday, Period One

[furnaceface]

"Well, we've certainly got a lot of changes we could talk about!" Cecil started. "I mean, have you ever tried to take care of a cat when you're a pony? Like, even one that doesn't have tentacles?"

//Actually,// Jono said quickly, //I have. I've been a pony a few times and I'm a cat owner. And this week we're going to talk about one of the types of change.//

He didn't want a repeat of last week. Jono had spent entirely too long portal-hopping while the island was under soapy siege, he was going to try to keep today's lecture fairly academic and rather less anecdotal if he could at all get away with it.

//This summer we'll try to focus on three basic categories in particular, including sudden and unexpected changes, those changes that you could see coming but that still have a significant effect on your life, and, of course, those changes that you choose to bring upon yourself.//

"Oh!" Cecil blinked. "Okay…" He shrugged and went with it. "So that's a pretty good way of looking at it, I guess. A lot of changes just sort of happen, and those can be the really surprising ones, but sometimes you want a change, and it doesn't have to be bad, right?"

//Right.// There we go. Jono was going to let class fall into that particular train of thought. //Somewhere in your life, you'll probably end up making choices that'll bring you change. For some of you, it might've been a decision like coming here. For others, maybe it'll be school, or a person you choose to kiss. Positive change can be something that you bring on for yourself, regardless of whatever chaos is going on in your life besides.//

Like ponies. Or cats without tentacles. Or ponies with tentacles. Or something along those lines, anyway.

"Choosing to kiss people is a really great change," Cecil said a bit dreamily. "As long as they're the right people for you. Of course, that doesn't mean it can't be stressful. Like, what if you say the totally wrong thing when they ask you out?" Honestly, neat. "But still, change can be fun!"

//We can focus on discussing the other two types of change next week. I think this week, all things considered, we ought to pay attention to those things that we can control ourselves,// Jono said. //Think of one change you want to make in your life. Big or small. A school you want to go to, an instrument you'd like to learn, a hairstyle or an amusement park ride or a food you'd like to try. Then come up with steps you might need to take in order to make that change happen. Having a little bit of control over some aspect of your life can make it easier to cope with the other things that you might not necessarily be able to control yourself. Or, at least, it's helped me from time to time. It can be grounding, something to look at and cling to while the rest of the world is coming out from underfoot. So, let's talk about that, if you're feeling up for it. Changes that you can cause.//

There had to be some.

[OOC: Open!]

Comments

Sign In!

[furnaceface]

Being the change you want to see!

Re: Sign In!

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante

RE: Re: Sign In!

[thewrathofkaan]

Roscoe Kaan

Lecture!

[furnaceface]

Because not every aspect of your life is beyond your control, right?

Re: Lecture!

[rebelseekspizza]

That was debatable, at least from Dante's point-of-view, but outside of a few hiccups, the last few weeks had been surprisingly decent to him.

So this week, there would be no grunting or eyerolling or general nihilistic malaise visibly flowing off him. He was still slouching while Starsmore spoke, but well, you couldn't help everything.

Re: Lecture!

[boneyard_girl]

Ada was perfectly aware that a lot of her life was beyond her control. Everything from her diet to her future career was Not Her Choice, but had been decided for her by whatever quirk of biology made mermaids.

It was one of the reasons she took such pleasure out of picking where to go eat, or choosing an outfit. The big stuff was all beyond her, but the little things? That, she could control.

Re: Lecture!

[vrajna_kralis]

Hyacinthe looked a little more settled and relaxed around the edges this week. HIs breakdown in the stables the week before had bought him some breathing room, even if it had immediately been followed by a week of--that. Of course, tension seemed right back in as soon as Messire Starsmore mentioned 'those changes that you could see coming but that still have a significant effect on your life.' He didn't need to use the dromonde to foresee how awkward that class was likely going to be for him.

Discuss!

[furnaceface]

Are there any changes you'd like to make happen for yourself? Ones that are within your power to bring about? Feel free to share your goals and your game plan with the class, or fish around for suggestions.

Re: Discuss!

[rebelseekspizza]

Control was not something Dante had ever particularly felt like he had over his life. And so, some other week, he would've made a snotty comment or somehow yanked the attention away from the idea that 'tomorrow' was something he ever even bothered entertaining. Had, in fact, done so about the very thing he was about to pony up.

"I always thought learning how to play guitar would be nice," he mused. "Y'know. Just for kicks."

But, you know what? He wasn't a pony anymore, things were on an upswing, and even if he was completely sure the other shoe was about to drop on him so hard it mashed him into the pavement, he was willing to entertain the thought that it wouldn't happen in the next six hours.

Re: Discuss!

[furnaceface]

Ah, see, there was a life choice that Jono could get behind.

//You're certainly working in the right place for that,// he noted, pleased. It was possible that Jono maybe had a bit of a guitar bias. Shockingly. //Have you had your eye on anything in particular, yet? You're welcome to pull anything off the wall you like if you want to try it out.//

You worked there, Dante. That meant that Jono was even trusting you with the terrifyingly expensive ones.

Please don't break those, though. He'd probably cry.

RE: Discuss!

[thewrathofkaan]

Roscoe shrugged. "I want to get into modeling," he shared. "Always thought that'd be cool."

RE: Discuss!

[furnaceface]

//Well, you certainly do seem to have the sense of style for it,// Jono noted, nodding thoughtfully. //You'll have to pardon me for not knowing, but what steps does a person need to take to get into modelling?//

Jono would never be a model, for obvious reasons. He figured it was okay to not know, himself.

Re: Discuss!

[boneyard_girl]

Ada gave a shrug. "I like workin' on th' little moped I found in th' junk yard," she said, noncommittally. Because like hell she was giving them anything substantial. "Should be up an' runnin' soon an' then I won't gotta borrow a truck if'n I have to go hang posters for th' carnival."

Re: Discuss!

[furnaceface]

Jono really couldn't blame her for giving them something less than meaningful to go with, all things considered. He nodded, hands in his pockets, and looked thoughtful.

//Not a bad side project,// he offered. //Do you often work on vehicles, then?//

Re: Discuss!

[vrajna_kralis]

There were so many things Hyacinthe could mention. Meeting his grandfather. Becoming the Prince of Travellers for real. Buying Phedre's marque so their union would no longer be vrajna under Tsingani laws. Some of them were completely impossible, too, like restoring his mother's laxta and her place in Tsingani society or discovering the identity of his birth father and having him tried for heresy (along with House Bryony) in the highest courts of Terre D'Ange.

None of those were things he felt comfortable sharing in this class.

"Working up the ambition to use one of the laundering machines would be nice," he said easily, leaning in his chair. "Roscoe has told me of them, but I've not ventured forth to use them myself."

Re: Discuss!

[furnaceface]

Hey, Jono hadn't said he wanted the students to share anything personal.

... Actually, at this point, he figured it was probably for the best that none of them did.

//So you've been doing laundry by hand so far?// He tilted his head, thoughtfully. //Where? In the showers?//

He wasn't judging. He was a guy who had more or less sponge-bathed himself through high school because he couldn't stomach the thought of people seeing him without a shirt on.

Talk to the Teachers!

[furnaceface]

They know a fair bit about change, for better or for worse!

When they tag in!

Re: Talk to the Teachers!

[furnaceface]

Jono was here and was wrapped up again, mostly because he'd picked up a sunburn while he was bouncing around portal hell last week and he was feeling a bit stupid about it.

It didn't feel great, no, but at least this way nobody could see the stupid shade of pink that he'd achieved.

Re: Talk to the Teachers!

[voiceoverdue]

Cecil was here. Blase about the pony thing, but still not entirely sure about what he'd stepped in last week, so being a bit quiet.

Talk to the TA!

[furnaceface]

When he tags in!

OOC!

[furnaceface]

I JUST WANT THIS SUNBURN TO HEAL I DON'T ASK MUCH

Re: OOC!

[seveninchmotto]

SAME.

Re: OOC!

[furnaceface]

SUNBURNS ARE THE WORST AND I DO NOT LIKE THEM. I NEED TO BE ABLE TO LIFT THAT ARM IN ORDER TO HIT THE 'MAKE CARTOON' BUTTON.

Re: OOC!

[thewrathofkaan]

Last week I couldn't stop whining about a sunburn and then two days after it stopped bugging me I went and got a tattoo and now I can't stop whining about wanting THAT to stop hurting.

I need to not go outside anymore. Ever.

Re: OOC!

[furnaceface]

Outside is pain and danger! DANGERPAIN.