Pearl's Bestiary

  d 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 b
  8                             8
  8     .-''''-.   .-''''-.     8
  8   /         '-'         \   8
  8  |     .''''-.-''''.     |  8
  8   \   / /\_/\ /\_/\ \   /   8
  8    \_/  \ @ / \ @ /  \_/    8
  0    (      _.---._      )    0
  O   __)  .-(__   __)-.  (__   O
  o  (    ( ::: )_( ::: )    )  o
     _)  ( '-...-'-...-' )  (_
    (     )  EX LIBRIS  (     )
     '-.-'      -o-      '-.-'
             P E A R L

Bad Ideasp. 1
Being Formlessp. 1
Being Seenp. 2
Being Too Muchp. 2
Being Unsightlyp. 3
Being Untruep. 3
Losing Controlp. 4
Missing Outp. 4
Needing Helpp. 5
Pleasing Othersp. 5
Stagnatingp. 6
Taking Spacep. 6

Introduction

This is a rogue's gallery of my various emotions, depicted as tiny ASCII monsters. Each monster represents a specific fear, complete with a corresponding nugget of advice on how to handle it.

I chose ASCII because it's a cute, lo-fi way to express my idea. These tiny monsters don't just represent fears of mine, but their contained nature symbolise how these once-overwhelming feelings have shrunk over time. Now, they're little more than strokes on a keyboard.

It's no secret that horror can serve as a safe outlet for many people to explore emotions they don't have a good way of expressing otherwise. I'm certainly no exception, and hey, I love monster mashes! My best friend also loved the idea and wanted to see me come out of my shell some more, so here come the ghosts and goblins!

Oh, and expect a few remodellings as my ASCII skills improve. I'll be sure to store the old designs as a display of how far I go!

         /\      
     /\   o
    ( o   __)
    (   __)
   (   (
 (     )          
  (    )          
   (  )
    ))         \       _
 (=======)    / \ nnnn| |
/         \  _/___\_   | |
|         |  =(0 0)=    /
 \_______/     [ [  [ [  prl

Bad Ideas

You will know what works and what doesn't, and feel bolder for having tried at all.

     ______
    /      \
    0 n 0__/
  ( )nnn  ( ) 
   \  0 0  /  ______
    \     /  /      \
     (    )  \__0 n 0
      )  )       nnn
      ( (    __0  0_\  _
       ';.  );  ____/_( )
            UuuU______(_) prl

Being Formless

There is a home for you, no matter how buried it may be beneath the bones.

         11      
      /_______\   
       =(. .)=    
         U U 
    -'         '-  
  /  /\       /\  \
 /  /__\  _  /__\  \
 |       /_\       |
 \  \____   ____/  /
  \_ \__/   \__/ _/ 
    \___________/ prl

Being Seen

Because you're constantly inside yourself, it's easy to think other people are inside you too.

       /\/\ 
(VVV)  @  @  (VVV)
|   |   vv   |   |
|   |_\\__//_|   |
|      (;;)      |
|                |
|       /\       |
|   ___/  \___   |
|   |        |   |
|   |        |   | prl
| __|        |__ |
|(              )|

Being Too Much

"Too much" can mean "too much effort for the other party to be bothered to spend."

               ____     
   __ ___     (    \    
  /_ /  _\     ) Uu \   
    o o( ]]]  /  uUu |   
  (:Y: (  / _/  uUuU |   
    V  |  \  )  UuUu |   
    \   \  \ |  uUuU |   
_____\__/\__)|___prl_| 
)____
     |
     | 
     |
     |
     |

Being Unsightly

You don't have to be understood to be lovable; many things are unsightly but provoke love.

          _(
        _)  \_________
      _)     \        \
     _)       \        \
    _)         )        \
    )  _      (     /\  /
  6   ((_     _____/ /_____ 
 66  / '(____\__     \   _(    
 6  (           (o)    _(__
 66  WwWwWwWwW\          _(     
  6  mnmnmnmnm \        ( 
     OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo 
    OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo    
   oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Being Untrue

You know when you're being true to yourself and others. Lying is a choice.

          /\
        |V  \
        |  d \
        )   ,_\  
       /     (
 (VVV /;.     \ (VVV)
  \   /;.      /   /  
   \   /;.   \    /    
    ';;/      ';;'___
      /   __    ______)
     /   /  \   \ prl
     \  /    \_  \
     ) (       ) (
    [[[_/     [[[_/

Losing Control

Everyone loses control, but it's about what you do afterwards.

       /\/\          
     =(q__q)=        
       )++(          
       \#@#\         
        \+*+\        
        /#@#/  /\/\    
       /+*+/ =(. . )=  
       |#@#|    | \  _
       |+*+|    || \|  prl

Missing Out

You're not.

        ___
      (]_]_] /\/\  
      /  /  /\_  \  
     /  /  (o_x|  \      
     \  \__|   |__/  
     ___    ___    \ 
    /    \ /   )   /
   /  /   /   /   / prl
  /  / \ /   / \  \__  
[_[_[_ [_[_[_) ( _]_]_]

Needing Help

It's okay to need help. Everybody needs help, especially the people that don't want to say it.

                    < o)
                    /) |
   ( o >           /m_m
   /) |    /\__  /      \\
  / mm____(x__n)  R.I.P  ||
  (_(______    \   prl   ||  < o)
           (===/         ||   \ (\
          .nNNNn...nnNNNnn...  mm \

Pleasing Others

Ask who makes you happy and who doesn't. Then keep the people who try for you, and reject the ones that don't.

        _))     
       _) \\    
       ) .-\\-.
      _)   @ ___\ 
     _)_\   /VVV 
     )__/  /   
      |    |          __o_o
      |u   |========0( _ __)
      |vu  \          U u u
      |uvu  ^^^^)
      |vuvu  (__)
DoD   /vu  _ (__) 
 ))__/ /  /  /    prl
(______\MMM MMM

Stagnating

Check that you feel like you belong to yourself.

      '_ -/-:-\- _'   
        '---|---' 
            |          
    _   .--n-n--.   _    
   / \/\ mMmMmMm /\/ \   
  / \ \ \.-   -./ / / \  
 / / \ \ (.:::.) / / \ \ prl 
/_/   \   \/ \/   /   \_\

Taking Space

You were born to take space. Every living thing needs space, not just to survive but thrive.