Super General Advice (the thread for advice without making a thread)

That's kind of for you to decide I would think? Is this something you would want to do? Are there significant up front or opportunity costs which would make this unreasonable?

 

absolutely, if you dont try you'll never succeed! and obviously some people found your stuff interesting enough to buy!!!

 

lebesgue makes a good point also though

 

There are no upfront costs, which is a major point. But at the same time, what I can write within the genre without feeling really weird and grossed-out is limited.

 

There's nothing wrong with trying to carve out a small niche, which I think is what you're seeming to worry about.

 

Anyone have any travel/ flying advice for someone that hasn't traveled more than 20 miles from home in about a decade, and has anxiety/ a memory like a sieve? Flying down to Texas in a few weeks and am v. Terrified that I'll pack something I'm not allowed to on accident or my non-prescription medications will look suspicious or I'll get searched and have a mental breakdown or forget something important xwx

 

Hi, I have been on airplanes since like elementary/middle school. The easiest way to ensure you don't pack something you're not allowed to is looking up the rules while packing.

About medication,

Spoiler: Direct from TSA.gov

• It is not necessary to present your medication to, or notify an officer about any medication you are traveling with unless it is in liquid form (See next bullet).
• Medication in liquid form is allowed in carry-on bags in excess of 3.4 ounces in reasonable quantities for the flight. It is not necessary to place medically required liquids in a zip-top bag. However, you must tell the officer that you have medically necessary liquids at the start of the screening checkpoint process. Medically required liquids will be subjected to additional screening that could include being asked to open the container.
• You can bring your medication in pill or solid form in unlimited amounts as long as it is screened.
• You can travel with your medication in both carry-on and checked baggage. It’s highly recommended you place these items in your carry-on in the event that you need immediate access.
• TSA does not require passengers to have medications in prescription bottles, but states have individual laws regarding the labeling of prescription medication with which passengers need to comply.
• Medication is usually screened by X-ray; however, if a passenger does not want a medication X-rayed, he or she may ask for an inspection instead. This request must be made before any items are sent through the X-ray tunnel.
• Nitroglycerin tablets and spray (used to treat episodes of angina in people who have coronary artery disease) are permitted and have never been prohibited.

As someone who also has The Worst memory, collaborate with a friend or family member or other person and write down a list of everything you need to pack, include even the most obvious things.

Personal advice from me: if you can, only take a carry on + a personal item (ex. backpack, purse, etc.), because checked luggage is a headache and obnoxious to deal with.

If the pressure of going up/down may get to you, take lollipops to suck on during take-off and landing.

There will be a notification given by the pilot that you're at cruising altitude or whatever, that's when you're ok to turn on electronics. You can keep them on until descent.

Pat downs are weird and uncomfortable, they go pretty quickly though. If you do get searched and feel yourself starting to panic before it takes hold tell the person searching you that you are having an anxiety attack, most people are basically good and will do their best to help you/not push you further into a breakdown.

 

• Make sure your ID matches the name on your boarding pass. Have both ready at security.
  
• Wear shoes that are easy to take on and off.
• If you have a laptop or similar with you, they'll want to scan that separately, so don't pack it deep in your carry-on or anything like that.
  
• The easiest things to forget you have and lose at security are liquids and small blades like pocket knives and nail clippers.
  
• Either get a small travel tube of toothpaste, or have it in your checked luggage. Same goes for shampoo.
  
• You can request a patdown instead of the creepy scanners if the former is less distressing than the latter.
• You can carry an empty water bottle through and refill it at a water fountain on the other side.

Chewing gum is another one I've seen recommended. And you're more likely to have issues if you've got a head cold or sinus congestion.

I've gotten pulled aside for a patdown before (pretty sure it was my bra underwire), and I can say that as a person with a pretty severe People Touching Is Bad issue, it wasn't worst-case-scenario on the strict sensory front since they were pretty firm and were pretty quick about it.

 

If you can manage it, i find just ziplocking all my liquids and putting them in my checked luggage helps calm my brain about that. Generally anything you'd pack that's not liquids, sharp, or some foods are going to be pretty fine to carry on.
Remember that TSA agents have seen everything and probably won't be scandalized by what they've seen. I've had TSA brush past my corsets, chains, and dildos when searching my bag when it's been flagged for further inspection and not even show any sign they noticed said items (if a TSA is anything less than professional, btw, report them).

In fact today I'm flying back from christmas and got to wait 5 minutes while they chemical tested my bath salts to make sure they weren't secretly drugs. Worst comes to worst, they'll confiscate something. My mom brings sewing scissors with her so she can sew on flights and it's about 50/50 whether she'll get her scissors confiscated, and it's no more of a fuss than saying 'we can't let you bring this on the flight' and taking it away, sometimes they'll offer to ship it back to your home for a fee

(as far as medications go, i've literally packed an unlabeled ziploc bag of a handful of ibuprofen and a handful of acetominapin and had no one even look twice through security)

I find it's really handy to google packing lists! they're usually like 4x more thorough than what you actually need, so you generally get to make sure everything is there. Things you Absolutely Need (ID/travel documents, boarding pass, daily prescribed medications) should have a specific pocket, I usually keep my phone and its charger in the same pocket so i know where to check all the things that would actually be an emergency to not have. I've forgotten every single article of clothing one time or another packing, and it always turns out fine, clothing is something that can be acquired in a pinch.
(one time i forgot to bring shirts. any shirts. that was a fun rushed trip to walmart xD)

Planes make weird noises. A lot of noises that my anxietybrain says 'surely that one means this plane is crashing', but they have never meant crashing so far. Even if something goes off with the flight, unless a pilot says 'brace for landing' you are perfectly safe.

I am curretnly in an airport and tired so my advice is probably weird and disjointed, sorry about that. lemme know if there's anything more specific you want info on! hope anecdotes of my misadventures help, i've found that most scary mistakes you can think of are just detours that in the end don't affect the end result of a trip too much.

 

Oh! one last thing. If you have a house key for home, I recommend packing it in a deep pocket you're unlikely to touch after leaving home, a lot of times when it comes to re-packing for going home I completely forget about my house key and having a designated spot for it to stay and not move from while i'm traveling away from home is handy. marginally annoying when i have to dig in my suitcase in front of my front door afterwards but at least i have the key

 

Oh, also, planes often have the world's most annoying low background drone from the engines and the air systems, and if you're really unlucky there might be a baby screaming because babies don't understand air pressure. Ear plugs or headphones, especially noise-cancelling ones, are an excellent choice.

And try not to use the airplane bathroom if you can help it; they're the actual worst.

 

Also, if wearing sweatpants/pajama pants would help you with the trial of sitting in small spaces, do it. you won't be the only one and others will envy you
(if like me you are unable to do this because social anxiety or lack of sweatpants without gaping holes, i highly recommend skirts. but that might just be me and my sensory issues with fabric constricting my calves for too long)

 

I have brought all sorts of medications through security. Mostly in the US, but also in Canada and Germany. This may not he applicable to you but it might help someone, so:

If you have a med that needs to be kept cool, make sure your ice packs are frozen solid - floppy ice packs may be confiscated.

If you have a liquid med, be sure to pack it so it's easy to get out of your bag, because it probably needs to go through on its own or needs to be inspected by personnel.

Tell the security people about your situation and meds. My injectable shows up like whoa on their scanning devices, and it looks pretty weird if you don't know what you're looking at, so it's way easier for me to tell them in advance "Hey, I have X prescription drug, it's in a pen injector, so there's a needle and liquid and an ice pack." Then the scan makes more sense.

They may have to handle your meds if they are other than pills and especially if they are things like my pens. They will wear gloves (or they should) and will be careful. If they are not, I'd say that you should let someone know.

I bring large quantities of pills through with no problem.

I like to have my name on all my meds (the prescription label from the pharmacy) and I bring documentation from my doctor with my diagnosis. I've never had to show it to anyone, but it makes me feel better to have just in case. "I'm a card-carrying sick person, buster, let me take my drugs on the plane!"

 

One time my mother accidentally brought a tiny pocketknife through airplane security

 

Make sure you remember if you’re carrying metal things in your pockets - I’ve got called out at security before because I forgot about my keys

 

Oh yeah. I've forgotten about change in my pockets before, it was really deep down, took me like 10 goes to find it. It's rarely if ever a big deal, the agents will just be like "hold up, go back through, make sure your pockets are clear, change keys, hairclips, pins, ..." and as soon as it works they'll be like "cool enjoy your flight".

 

From someone who fucks up even the simplest directions: if you get confused or lost in the airport, show an employee your boarding pass. Even in countries where you don’t speak the language, they can point.