"Core"/ID - It's hard to describe with words what sets a core kintype apart from any other one, but there is a distinct and unique feeling that comes with them. Things that I've noticed that I *can* put into words is that the shifts are different. Things that are true of core/ID kintype shifts: -They "happen infrequently" -They are "not particularly long-lasting or strong" -I am, to some degree, always IN a core shift (hence why I like to refer to them as "core" kintypes, since they are a core part of who I am). I suspect this is why the "shifts" I have for core kintypes feel weaker or seem infrequent.

"Tier 1"/Primary - Out of all the different categories I made up to sort kintypes, I think primary kintypes are the easiest ones to identify. The shifts and all the feelings that come with them are intense. I tend to remember a lot from those lives, can and do get memories fairly easily, and there's a certain clarity to the memories as well.

"Tier 2"/Secondary - This serves as kind of the middle ground category. It's hard to describe what qualifies as a secondary kintype. They can, at a surface level, match primary or tertiary kintypes in terms of how much I remember or how strong of a connection I feel to them or how much they affect me, but they are either too strong to fit in tier 3 or not strong enough to fit in tier 1. There is a significant difference in primary and tertiary kintypes, so as I said at the beginning of this section, tier 2 is the middle ground, a home for the secondary kintypes.

"Tier 3"/Tertiary - Tertiary kintypes are those that I don't have many solid memories from (may just be vague feelings here and there), don't have a strong connection to, and/or don't shift into very often, etc. But they have more going on than the flickers (usually).

"Tier 4"/Flickers - This is a mixed bag of a category. There are the flickers, who I have on/off connections with and still consider kintypes, and there are the ones who I have lost connection with totally and don't really consider kintypes (and are really only listed for the sake of archiving. I'm sentimental, I guess).

I feel it's important to say at this point that there is A LOT of nuance to all of this, and being in a certain category doesn't mean I feel the same about and have the same experience with all the kintypes in that category. I have to resist the urge to fiddle with who is where, and some kintypes could realistically fit into a different category than what they are in at the moment. At the end of the day, the categories are pretty meaningless but I feel there is enough distinction that they are important for me to have.

Also I love sorting things.