salems-studies

[salems-studies]

100 Days Of Productivity

9/13/24 • 1/100 Days of Productivity Challenge

🎧 Song of the day: Ache in My Heart by Palaye Royale

📖 Current Reads: Awakening Artemis by Vanessa Chakour

I started the 100-day productivity challenge to challenge myself to finish my self-paced courses! I'm feeling quite optimistic about this, but I'm not always at my 100% so I may fall off occasionally. However, I view productivity as simply sometimes taking your medication and feeding yourself.

I'm not the best at aesthetic photos so you likely won't find them here. You also won't find pretty setups, sometimes you're gonna see clutter and the random can of root beer and ramen at 6am. I am far from perfect but I am trying.

Today's goals (will add an edit later)

Drink water (0/3) Complete at least half of the bio u1 learning guide Start on math notes & questions + a few lesson 1 questions Start on assignment 2.1 english Work on server post Self study french duolingo + take notes Map out sept budget (oops I'm late) Finish setting up bullet journal Tidy up space a bit Complete Habitica tasks

💫Wishing you blessings and abundance💫

[salems-studies]

so I got into grad school today with my shitty 2.8 gpa and the moral of the story is reblog those good luck posts for the love of god

[salems-studies]

todays study plan, setup and task list

9/11/24 - study/work with me :)

todays music

this lofi mix

time

25 min with 5 min breaks

study and homework topics

maths course overview and start on chapter 1

anatomy and physiology U1 learning guide & 1.1

duolingo french lesson

start in french workbook + take notes

my days to do list

complete daily’s on Habitica

email math & english teacher

tired but im mustering up the spoons : )

[salems-studies]

[salems-studies]

[salems-studies]

Homemaking, gardening, and self-sufficiency resources that won't radicalize you into a hate group

It seems like self-sufficiency and homemaking skills are blowing up right now. With the COVID-19 pandemic and the current economic crisis, a lot of folks, especially young people, are looking to develop skills that will help them be a little bit less dependent on our consumerist economy. And I think that's generally a good thing. I think more of us should know how to cook a meal from scratch, grow our own vegetables, and mend our own clothes. Those are good skills to have.

Unfortunately, these "self-sufficiency" skills are often used as a recruiting tactic by white supremacists, TERFs, and other hate groups. They become a way to reconnect to or relive the "good old days," a romanticized (false) past before modern society and civil rights. And for a lot of people, these skills are inseparably connected to their politics and may even be used as a tool to indoctrinate new people.

In the spirit of building safe communities, here's a complete list of the safe resources I've found for learning homemaking, gardening, and related skills. Safe for me means queer- and trans-friendly, inclusive of different races and cultures, does not contain Christian preaching, and does not contain white supremacist or TERF dog whistles.

Homemaking/Housekeeping/Caring for your home:

Making It by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen [book] (The big crunchy household DIY book; includes every level of self-sufficiency from making your own toothpaste and laundry soap to setting up raised beds to butchering a chicken. Authors are explicitly left-leaning.)

Safe and Sound: A Renter-Friendly Guide to Home Repair by Mercury Stardust [book] (A guide to simple home repair tasks, written with rentals in mind; very compassionate and accessible language.)

How To Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis [book] (The book about cleaning and housework for people who get overwhelmed by cleaning and housework, based on the premise that messiness is not a moral failing; disability and neurodivergence friendly; genuinely changed how I approach cleaning tasks.)

Gardening

Rebel Gardening by Alessandro Vitale [book] (Really great introduction to urban gardening; explicitly discusses renter-friendly garden designs in small spaces; lots of DIY solutions using recycled materials; note that the author lives in England, so check if plants are invasive in your area before putting them in the ground.)

Country/Rural Living:

Woodsqueer by Gretchen Legler [book] (Memoir of a lesbian who lives and works on a rural farm in Maine with her wife; does a good job of showing what it's like to be queer in a rural space; CW for mentions of domestic violence, infidelity/cheating, and internalized homophobia)

"Debunking the Off-Grid Fantasy" by Maggie Mae Fish [video essay] (Deconstructs the off-grid lifestyle and the myth of self-reliance)

Sewing/Mending:

Annika Victoria [YouTube channel] (No longer active, but their videos are still a great resource for anyone learning to sew; check out the beginner project playlist to start. This is where I learned a lot of what I know about sewing.)

Make, Sew, and Mend by Bernadette Banner [book] (A very thorough written introduction to hand-sewing, written by a clothing historian; lots of fun garment history facts; explicitly inclusive of BIPOC, queer, and trans sewists.)

Sustainability/Land Stewardship

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer [book] (Most of you have probably already read this one or had it recommended to you, but it really is that good; excellent example of how traditional animist beliefs -- in this case, indigenous American beliefs -- can exist in healthy symbiosis with science; more philosophy than how-to, but a great foundational resource.)

Wild Witchcraft by Rebecca Beyer [book] (This one is for my fellow witches; one of my favorite witchcraft books, and an excellent example of a place-based practice deeply rooted in the land.)

Avoiding the "Crunchy to Alt Right Pipeline"

Note: the "crunchy to alt-right pipeline" is a term used to describe how white supremacists and other far right groups use "crunchy" spaces (i.e., spaces dedicated to farming, homemaking, alternative medicine, simple living/slow living, etc.) to recruit and indoctrinate people into their movements. Knowing how this recruitment works can help you recognize it when you do encounter it and avoid being influenced by it.

"The Crunchy-to-Alt-Right Pipeline" by Kathleen Belew [magazine article] (Good, short introduction to this issue and its history.)

Sisters in Hate by Seyward Darby (I feel like I need to give a content warning: this book contains explicit descriptions of racism, white supremacy, and Neo Nazis, and it's a very difficult read, but it really is a great, in-depth breakdown of the role women play in the alt-right; also explicitly addresses the crunchy to alt-right pipeline.)

These are just the resources I've personally found helpful, so if anyone else has any they want to add, please, please do!

[salems-studies]

Sustainable laundry

If you think about it, doing laundry is more resource-intensive than it first appears. Doing laundry uses energy to get the water to your home, energy to run the washer and dryer, and energy and resources to produce all the laundry products.  Whether you have home laundry appliances or use a laundromat, you can employ techniques to reduce your environmental impact.  And if you’re buying a washer or dryer, do some research so you can buy energy and water efficient models with only the features you need. 

Use cold water.  Modern detergents are designed to work well with cold water and cold water is better for removing most stains.

Choose a washing cycle that is appropriate for the clothing you are washing.  Long vigorous washing cycles will wear out clothing faster, although the longer cycles may be necessary for clothes that are very dirty.  Wash similar items together so you can pick appropriate cycles. 

Don’t overload the washer.  Clothing and detergent can’t circulate enough in an overstuffed washer so your clothes may not get as clean.   

Measure detergent and other cleaning products so you don’t use more than you need.  Using too much detergent can leave a residue on clothes and even allow dirt to settle back on clothing. 

Liquid fabric softeners and dryer sheets may do more harm than good.  The softeners can leave residue on the clothing and the inside of the dryer.  The fabric softeners and dryer sheets also contribute chemicals to the air and water in the environment.  Consider using reusable dryer balls (typically made of wool but also available in rubber or plastic) to help reduce drying time and keep clothing from clumping together in the dryer.   

Clothes dryers use a lot of energy, but there are ways to reduce the energy use.  Choosing a lower temperature can slow the drying process a little, but it cuts energy use significantly and is better for your clothes.  Using a clothes dryer wears your clothing out faster – as proven by the lint in the lint trap.  Clean the lint trap after every use to keep the dryer running efficiently.  Dry similar items together so everything in the load is dry at the same time.   And my favorite recommendation – air dry clothing whenever possible.  When I can’t hang clothing outside to dry, I put it in the dryer for a few minutes to knock out the wrinkles and start the drying process.  Then I hang the clothes in the house to finish air-drying.  You can buy small portable drying racks or use hangers on a shower curtain rod. 

“Baby steps toward sustainability”

[salems-studies]

ten years ago you were so scared of such different things, but you survived them anyway. the same goes for five years ago and two years ago. everything that has ever felt like a hurdle, you’ve passed through. so be afraid, identify your fears, and then allow yourself to remember that in just a little while, this will be another thing that you have overcome.

[salems-studies]

🌿Studyblr Intro🌿

Meet the Menace

Hi yes hello my name is Salem. I have been inactive for quite some time due to some challenges I have faced. I went through several major life transitions (I am now disabled with ME/CFS) but have pushed through the best I have been able to. I am now getting back on track and I'm excited to share and log my journey. I might not always be consistent because of my disability but I'll do my best! But I'm doing my best to hold myself accountable.

intro

they/he

24 y/o

infp - taurus - chaotic neutral - pagan

spoonie and has adhd

professional goblin

currently upgrading my course load

I'm doing a career in dental hygiene, starting with dental assistant and moving up to dental hygienist.

interests

environmentalism

ecosystem conservation work

gardening

health care

paganism

video games

candle crafting

video editing

lots of others <3

courses im currently taking

math

english

biology

self study french

what can you find here?

Anything related to the following

study tips

dental hygiene

dental in general

anatomy

studying/study progress

personal content

environmentalism

sustainability

conservation work

books

mental health

disability tips

self-care

alternative healing things

my goals (2024-25)

finish my upgrading, I'm currently in the process of doing so. Just need a little push to get there. I also want to try a productivity challenge but I have to make sure its ME/CFS friendly as I am disabled and have hard days. So if you know one let me know!

please note: pictures I use are not mine unless I specify that they are mine. most of them are from Pinterest and credits go to their original owner if they can be found. thank you.

[salems-studies]

Hey, stop scrolling.

Everyone who is reading this: I’m so glad you’re alive. I’m so proud of you. You are loved. I’m here. Don’t give up, we’re almost there.

Pass it on.

[salems-studies]

i think it’s actually heartwarming that we as humans like to cheer on our planet for completing something it’s done 4.54 billion+ times. so true you neat little space rock.

[salems-studies]

my skills include reading an entire page of an academic text without absorbing a single word

[salems-studies]

if you're a student at all, please take care of yourself. you don't need to compete with your classmates for who slept the least or who drank the most coffee. eat breakfast and go to sleep a little earlier. lay off studying for a night and do something nice for yourself. your body and brain will thank you.

[salems-studies]

college is catered towards the able bodied and able minded. school applauds people who can stay up all night, skip meals, and work endlessly. that kind of extreme contribution is expected. why are disabled people being squeezed out of academic institutions? why should I feel inferior because of some arbitrary and ridiculous standard?

[salems-studies]

[salems-studies]

I am :

○ a man

○ a woman

● a student

looking for :

○ a man

○ a woman

● snacks

[salems-studies]

so I got into grad school today with my shitty 2.8 gpa and the moral of the story is reblog those good luck posts for the love of god