#I have too many other things that require travel expenses this year to do it

[lokiina]

I'd kill to see these guys live dkjghdfkjg

[bonefall]

i can’t help that feel like 350 calories per cat per day across 5 clans (150 some odd cats!!!) is more prey than there is! even with really generous cooking estimates you’d need to catch a rabbit or two or a large fish or something per clan every single day of the year. i feel like that would really mess up prey populations, wouldn’t it? i know animals have a lot of babies, but 3,650 rabbits’ worth of calories every year (not to mention what other predators like foxes, snakes, and hawks are eating) feels like too much for one territory. are we assuming that there’s more prey than there is or do i just not know how much offspring animals produce?

WELL, there's a lot of factors here, but you are actually organically figuring out something true and horrifying. BB!Cats are sapient, able to understand their impact on the environment and ergo manage it, but feral domestic cats are devastating to local ecosystems.

Not even because of caloric need btw just because of how much they hunt, and their odd behaviors.

The Bad

There is a reason why predator populations are so massively outnumbered by prey species. One rabbit would feed a single cat for days, but one colony is typically 3 - 15 cats. Most predators are solitary, or have "loose" social structures spread out over many partially overlapping territories covering miles (like alligators)! but something changed when cats were domesticated, and they now seek out dense social units unlike their wild ancestors.

That's why the only social wild cats are lions. Lion prides are extremely flexible, ranging from 3 to upwards of 30 members, and their populations are going to depend completely on how much prey they have access to. Even the shocking "infanticide" thing that male lions are notorious for serves an ecological purpose; less lions means more meat, so every cub that isn't yours is a future rival.

(tangent: the largest lion prides actually set up in major migration "hubs," where there is a constant influx of traveling animals. Not really an "ecosystem" where the pride can damage the population.)

But now domestic cats are doing this, in ecosystems that can't support them and never had predators that behave like them. They compete with the local mesopredators ("middle" hunters that hunt small game but are killed by larger predators. Ex: raptors, snakes, caniforms like foxes or raccoons, etc) and put extra pressure on prey populations.

But that's not the worst part.

In nature, there are Predator-Prey cycles. When there's too many predators, they decrease the prey population. When there's not enough prey, the predators starve and their population lowers. Here is a graph of this phenomenon;

In this way, starvation is required for an ecosystem to stay healthy. It's how nature regulates.

But human beings feed cat colonies.

So colonies end up hitting DOZENS of cats. Upwards of 30 in a tiny area. The sizes you see in canon WC and in BB are TWICE the size of what a feral cat colony typically reaches. In the real world, this is because humans feed them. They HAVE to starve to lower the population, and make no mistake, these are slow, painful deaths.

"But, if we feed the colony, then they're not hunting the local prey, right? Because they're not hungry?" INCORRECT. THEY ARE ANIMALS. Cats are not humans with our sense of morality and long-term consequences. Hunting is only partially driven by hunger, it's also driven by prey drive. Even an outdoor cat, who gets all their meals at home, is killing an average of 90 animals a year.

(note: you may hear the number "they kill 3.5 animals a day." That is a misreading of this study which says 3.5 animals a month based on owner reports; but better study shows they only bring about 18% of their kills home.)

I could get into why I'm actually not a big fan of TNR as a conservation strategy because of this, but in a nutshell, the best solution to feral cat population management overall is (expensive) high-intensity TNR (70% or more) PAIRED with (inexpensive) removal/euthanasia and other methods (like banning colony feeding). PURE high-intensity TNR takes up to 30 years to remove a cat colony in computer simulations. And they keep killing wild animals that whole time.

(tangent: you may come across articles that say that killing feral cats doesn't work. This is often based on this Tasmanian case study by Lazenby et all, where they trapped and removed cats, only to find an influx of subordinate "satellite" individuals that filled the vacuum that the previously established individuals left and increased the overall population. This is a well-documented phenomenon of predator control. They don't tell you that this is short-term and also happens with TNR, just over a longer timeline, as discussed in the above studies, and the solution is to mix methods and make sure that these programs are carried out systemically, NOT ONLY in one limited range.)

So... feral cat colonies with totally realistic needs are very harmful to local ecosystems. They are animals, and they are an invasive species. Keep your cats indoors please

The Good

But BB!Cats and Canon!Cats aren't just animals. These are cats with governments and religion. They do understand long-term consequences.

Even on the page in-canon, they show an understanding that prey comes from breeding (unlike, say, a medieval human who believed in spontaneous generation), WindClan doesn't disturb lapwings during their nesting season showing a basic understanding of ecology, and they even have a law against food waste. Like it or not, these aren't realistic cats. They are small humans with a fuzzy little kitty coat tossed over them.

So we can actually reasonably assume that Clan cats are modifying their behavior so they aren't the ecosystem-shredders that their real-world counterparts are, like;

Hunting over a wider area and having a large territory (so to address you directly anon, their territories are not as small as you might think they are)

Taking the pressure off specific areas by sending their hunting patrols to various parts of their territory

Avoiding hunting animals during their breeding and nesting seasons.

Not killing animals that are pregnant or nursing

Leaving baby animals alone so they grow into bigger food items

Not killing what they don't plan to eat

Intentionally varying their diet so they take a little from many populations.

Hunting animals that real cats don't usually target, like fawns, seagulls, and young boars.

Breeding their own prey, if you're willing to do a little domestication innovation

If you're VERY cool, give them fire. go on. do it. 20% to 50% caloric increase is prettyyy cooool~

But also, you may be underestimating just how many babies prey species produce. Let's use rabbits because these things are insane. They weren't lying, rabbits can breed like rabbits.

European rabbits (and all the domestic breeds they are descended from) have a double womb. That means that when they've given birth to their litter of 4 - 12 babies (usually 6), they can already be pregnant with the next. Gestation is a month. These babies are able to leave their mothers at 2 months and can breed by 4 months. They can have 10 litters a year.

So a SINGLE rabbit COULD have well over 100 bunnies a year... but rabbit warrens are usually 10 - 50, mostly females, plus a bunch of bucks who are more solitary and more likely to travel around. And you're gonna have multiple warrens on a territory.

Low litter estimate, small warren; 10 x 4 x 10 = 400 bunnies. Big litter estimate, big warren; 50 x 12 x 10 = 6,000 bunnies.

That said, most estimates say they functionally end up with 20 adult children a year, which then go on to breed at four months. That's still 200 rabbits a year coming out of that small warren ALONE, and isn't counting the fact that those children are also going to have children of their own.

(though, rabbits in particular are facing a massive crisis in england and even across europe because of two diseases that hit them one after another OTL but it's not related to predation.)

Don't forget that a territory also has more than just rabbits. This is also happening with mice, rats, ducks, sparrows, voles, etc. Like I said, if your cats just diversify the prey they hunt in response to population changes, they'll be golden. In BB I even have a role dedicated to this now; the Head of Hunting, who is tasked with assessing this sort of thing.

SO, to answer you directly;

Feral Cats Bad

WC characters have more in common with a small human than a cat

Pure carnivores are pretty demanding on their ecosystems

There is plenty an intelligent creature can do to reduce their impact on the ecosystem

Their territories could still support them along with the other predators

You did underestimate just how many babies prey animals have, though

Overall, they would be fine. You COULD overhunt a territory, but not with basic prey management practices.

[sharptoothed-gaze]

Okay guys I know everyone is mourning rn, but I can't resist the call of analysis and overarching lore. So yeah what the fuck!

Apparently to move and keep people in a world, out of the one they originated from, it takes energy. Like,, a fucking lot of it. Fit has only been allowed to stay on quesadilla island for so long because Madagio has been using the remains of Vaccus island to do so.

That power requirement is fucking insane when you think about it. Fit's lore shows that it takes the remaining power of a whole other world, which the Federation destroyed into becoming a battery, for enough power to cover a single one year trip for one human.

Cutting Fit's journey short shows that Madagio places a lot of value in this power source. Nothing can be wasted. Moving world's/dimensions is an incredibly high risk and expensive thing.

WITH ALL OF THAT IN MIND - My question now is... what the fuck have the other big entities, like the Federation, been using to tie down other qsmp characters??

Like we know damn well qPhilza, qFoolish, and qBad don't come from this world. Some dimensional or timeline fuckery is happening with them at the very least. My first thought is maybe their deities were involved with sourcing their travel, and that makes sense for some, but certainly not for everyone.

I'm willing to bet that many of these characters and people on the island come from entirely different worlds/servers. If that's true, that means Quesadilla Island a project that requires a vast amount of energy and purpose to fund.

The Federation was, for some reason, willing to spend its energy to move all of these specific people and that's interesting!!! I'm so curious about their selection process too, because these islanders got tickets /sent/ to them, some of which were personalized.

I think the Federation had a purpose for selecting, transporting, and trapping these people, much like Madagio had a purpose for Fit. After all, the reason Fit /needed/ Madagio to get on the island is because he didn't have a ticket from the Federation.

It's possible that the Feds covered the cost of at least some of these chosen islanders to hop dimensions. If that is the case, then WOW I'm incredibly interested in how they manage that. Maybe they’ve always used islands like Vaccus for that very purpose. Maybe its something we haven't seen before at all. Either way, that process clearly takes a fuck ton of energy to do.

[grimrester]

purely speculative stuff about watcher's business behind the cut

cr1tikal/penguinz0 talked in his video about the watcher announcement about how he has staff and he doesn't believe they weren't pulling in enough to pay them, but i also don't know how much charlie knows about watcher's setup and team.

charlie's esports team has high salaries that he pays, sure. but watcher has many people with some pretty high-salary titles, and they're friends or family of the ryan/shane/steven. it is really hard to negotiate a low starting salary in that position.

on top of that, they operate in LA, pay for a pretty big set, and do generally more expensive content than charlie. charlie streams from his room and half of watcher content requires travel. it's entirely conceivable to me that their business expenses are really high for a youtube channel.

they also recently hired two more folks for some of steven's content.

the vimeo OTT platform is extraordinarily quick to set up. you can get started with their base package without even doing a demo. given that they dont have the app included in the bigger enterprise option, i'd guess they went this route. they first started teasing the announcement only FIVE days ago, which is a pretty short runway compared to other content creator announcements. (try guys is currently teasing something about a month away, by comparison.)

from the start, none of this has felt well thought out. even though they said they articulated their reasoning poorly in the announcement, the core message of the announcement and the apology is the same: "we can't afford to continue operating as we have, and don't want to scale back."

i think they just recently did some number crunching and realized they were in deep shit. as i've speculated in other posts, they didn't do market research and were way too optimistic about their conversion rate. they were also relying on their initial pitch of taking everything off youtube to push people on the platform. i do think they are genuinely scrambling.

the part of this that they're going to have to work on for the next few months to a year, though, is that they should have known their business was unsustainable WAY before now. this reeks of no one paying attention to the books. it should not have come to scrambling for a new way to bring in a lot of revenue, fast. this is the kind of thing you don't usually see until a company is about to release a death rattle. it's the same last-ditch move as collegehumor going under and dropout going fully paid as the only way to survive.

except dropout wasn't responsible for collegehumor's mismanagement, and they also told people they were going to die otherwise.

[bloggingboutburgers]

Hi there! I've been following your comics for a while and they're very educational imo ^_^ it's helped give me thoughts about aro/ace concepts....

Um, I wanted to ask about how you and your partner handle your long distance (QPR) relationship? I know you two are from two countries that are pretty separate. That must get tough sometimes--I know many people find it hard. How do you two stay connected and easily very close without getting lonely or "out of it"? Do you think it'd apply to romantic ones too?

-- the crunchy fish stick! (yum, but don't eat me pls lol also yes I put that there in case I wanna follow up on this)

Hey crunchy fish stick!^^ And sorry for the late reply TwT

I've already answered a similar question like this before so I'll link it here in case it provides some insights, but to give the jist of it :

Maybe it being platonic and sexless might be helping our case (I have no idea how much people who like sex and romance actually miss physically being with the person) but whether it does or not, I think that those things always depend on everyone's individual personalities, experiences and what they want in life. Due to my past experiences I've grown up biased towards the thought that close = scary and far away = good, sincere and trustworthy, so it probably doesn't affect me as much as other people. That and the fact that I could also NOT be in a QPR at the moment and be perfectly fine. When it happened to me, I didn't miss it before it happened. It was just all nice good luck all around and I'm extra happy now that it's there, but it's a bonus in my life, not a requirement.

That said, we also have a fairly strict-ish routine we commit to to keep each other posted, and we'd visit each other every year whenever we could, which also helps a whole bunch. And we get the comfort that the other exists out of it, no matter where we are. And we get words out of it, we get connection out of it. Just because we're not physically together doesn't mean we can't connect and communicate at this day and age, heck, that's how we got to KNOW each other to begin with.

And all of that said tho, the early 2020-late 2021 travel ban that made it extremely hard an expensive for me to visit them (because I had to spend 2 weeks in another country before I even could) was one of the biggest hardships in my life; and when we're not together physically we miss not being able to hug or hold hands or no; and ultimately, y'know, knock on wood, we won't be long-distance for that much longer since we're in the process of trying to get me a fiance visa so I can go marry them. So that's another thing. Having that goal helps us hold on because we know if everything goes well, it won't be a permanent thing.

[sirdurbe]

all the general questins + holysnowbird because i'm so <chinhands> about them

ship questions

(holysnowbird = holyice + snowbird, so durbe/rio/kotori)

1. Who initiated the relationship, and how did it go?

many years ago, durbe traveled – rather, was sent (different story) – to the united lands of poseidon specifically to proposition princess merag. the two quickly took a liking to each other despite neither being keen on the idea of an arranged marriage at first, but the sudden deaths of merag's parents prevented them from being wed, as the royal family were required every generation to give a child to the temple to live in service to the gods, and there was suddenly no other option besides merag, who in addition to her religious duties was expected to remain chaste.

this history together wasn't something they were able to talk about for a while, though. initially as barians, they didn't have their human memories, and even once those memories returned, the war and then vector's betrayal left them with no time to really discuss it. even once they were both revived by the numeron code... how do you begin a conversation like that? they both knew rio was no longer the woman durbe had loved, at least not entirely. she wasn't merag enough for durbe and she wasn't rio enough for kotori or anyone of her other human friends. and then durbe felt like he'd only ever failed her over and over again. for weeks going into months, there was just total failure to communicate.

it was kotori who picked up the pieces. in the immediate aftermath of the barians' revival, the seven of them rarely if ever left the kamishiros' mansion, unsure now of their place in the living world among the humans they'd threatened – and, in rio's (and ryouga's) case, intimately betrayed. kotori was the first to bridge the gap, coming by several times a week with dinner for them all (assuming, correctly, that they'd been living off takeout) and little gifts for rio, just small things like nail polish and bath products she remembered rio liked.

durbe was actually not pleased at first when rio eventually told kotori about their past, but did concede – because kotori pointed it out – that he may have avoided rio indefinitely (and vice versa) if she hadn't confided in kotori. and after a while, kotori's mediating became the three of them just spending time together.

all this to say: kotori initiated the relationship, in the end. she represents the present, and the future. things will never be the same again – and that's okay. this time, they'll be even better.

2. Did they have an official first date? If so, what was it like?

yes and no. i think a lot of the above conversations happened in places like parks or on walks because kotori didn't want durbe and rio staying cooped up inside as much as they'd been doing, and gradually these outings started having more of a date-like feel without "technically" being labeled as such.

eventually rio did leap at the opportunity to treat them both to an expensive dinner, because sometimes your patron god looks out for you and doesn't just make sure your spirit lives on when your coworker kills you (arguably for the second time), he makes sure the bodies he stuffs you and your brother's souls in are rich.

3. What was their first kiss like?

very sweet. a little awkward. kotori especially was so nervous, because she grew up thinking your first kiss was of utmost importance and therefore wanted it to be absolutely perfect – which always guarantees the opposite will happen, obviously. it wound up being pretty spur of the moment, despite all the planning kotori (and, let's be honest, durbe) would have put into it, but that just made it an even more beautiful and special moment. (rio so loves being right, too.)

4. Were they each other’s first anything (kiss, relationship, etc.)?

durbe and rio were not each other's first kiss, but they were each other's first real relationship back then – merag, obviously, couldn't date because of duties to her family, and durbe just had no real desire before her. kotori, like i said, had never had a kiss or a relationship before either of them. rio and kotori had never had sex, but durbe had – though, not in his most current body until them. (dying and coming back to life makes everything so complicated.)

5. What’s their height difference? Age difference?

durbe is around 18 months older than rio and two and a half years older than kotori. ...you know, give or take a few centuries. (see the above about dying and coming back to life.)

in canon, durbe is a bit taller than 5'4" (163cm). rio is around 5'3" (160cm), and kotori is around 5'2" (157cm). rio is really the only one i can see getting taller – maybe 5'6" (168cm) – durbe is a short king and kotori is, of course, a little bird.

6. What’s their relationship with each other’s families?

ryouga has absolutely made the joke that he'd love to just replace rio with kotori as his sister, and obviously he and durbe were already ride or die.

the other barians are fond of kotori; mizael takes the longest time to come around, but eventually he does. alit teasingly points out that he tried to date kotori before durbe did and durbe fires back with something along the lines of, "so that's what you were doing when i sent you to earth for a job. i see." (gilag says that's what he calls a self-ko.)

if mach was alive he would like durbe's girlfriends better than he likes durbe.

kotori's mother is a bit more complicated. she's incredibly keen on rio, seeing her as an excellent role model... but, of course, there's a lot more to rio than that polite young lady and honor student. that said, she's accepting of durbe in large part because he's close with rio, and i do think eventually mrs. mizuki gets everything re: the barians, astral, etc. revealed to her and comes to terms with it, though it's definitely a lot for her to deal with at first.

7. Who takes the lead in social situations?

either of the girls. anyone but durbe. never durbe.

8. Who gets jealous easier?

i think they're all pretty equal, with kotori being the most obvious about it, durbe being the least obvious, and rio being somewhere in between.

9. Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear?

mostly rio, occasionally durbe. kotori would die.

[sleepymccoy]

For the oc's in your story: where is everyone from? I know you said there was some travel within the solar system then it stopped, so are the crew all from the same planet? Are they all from planets at all? (This ask is partially inspired by the fact that star trek enterprise had a character who was born and raised on a space freighter but never really explored that. Such a cool concept but they never gave him the time of day)

Yeah, historically humanity made the moons and planets they could habitable and built big ol space stations and interplanetary travel and trade. Then a few hundred years ago all the comms failed and never came back online. How tech works was hoarded by Luna and Earth so people around Saturn and Jupiter especially struggled to learn how to make things work. They've been mostly relying on things just not breaking for a while now. There are serious constraints around trialing inventions and innovations because so much of the tech you're integrating with is unknown, so advancement is very slow on Saturn

Travel is back, but it's expensive and rare and risky and time consuming. So it's pretty notable when someone has travelled out to Saturn.

No planets beyond got terraformed back in the day, so Saturn is where the livable solar system ends.

So, we've got kind of three zones of where someone can be from

1. A Saturn moon

This is the most normal. Grew up with sky and dirt. Day and night is different on each moon and some cities constantly move to stay in the very slowly shifting perpetual twilight as their moon is tidally locked w the sun. Most moons have some kind of ocean. All livable ones have atmosphere and a reasonable amount of gravity (like, .8 to 1.2)

Life on a moon is functionally similar to regional living. There are cities, but they're more in the half a million people region rather than 12 million. Moons are absolutely about farming and production because livable space is very limited on a station, but on a moon there's a whole lot more flexibility

2. A Saturn space station

High risk! There's been many space stations that had a catastrophic failure and the inhabitants died. Some in living memory. But, these are like the big cities of now so some people like it anyway. Trade is easier because you don't have to spend fuel to leave orbit. Stations have perfect gravity due to some old tech no one is brave enough to inspect (it's a mini black hole in the centre of the station, it will kill you if you get too close)

3. Anywhere else!

This story is set around Saturn, but I have two or three characters from elsewhere.

One is from Luna, he's running from the Vatican (Catholics won the moon) and doesn't talk about home at all. Solar is his second language and Lunan, his first, has no contractions (it's what's can't didn't) so he has a slightly stilted way of speaking. Still working through the catholic guilt of it all. There's absolutely Luna outposts around Saturn and they are all churches. Luna has way more advanced tech and they hoard it like complete assholes. This character was in a major accident and his spine is cybernetic. So, a computer managed his reflexes and automatic body functions. Part of his brain is also cyborg-y to integrate the spinal column. The cultural impact is huge cos he can't hide it, people know he's Lunan and there's rumours about cyborgs he has to deal with. Physiologically I haven't figured out everything he's dealing with, but he requires less oxygen and other complex chemicals cos half his brain doesn't need them. He also is afraid of hospitals cos he doesn't want some Saturnian doctor who's never seen a cyborg before poking around in his circuitry. He has no plan for what to do if something fucks up

Another character is from the asteroid belt! I have very vague ideas about belter culture, but I think it's super worth-based. Like, what's your job and do it once do it right. He doesn't use his personal name (if he even has one) and just takes on his job title as his name, Manifest. So his name changes with job. The belters are all genetically modified to withstand a life of no gravity, I'm still figuring out the medical side effects of that. I really ought to actually read that twin study w the guy who spent a year on the iss. Manifest is quite under described in my story so far, but I've got his personality figured out so that's fine for now. There's gonna be some laws against genetic modification and maybe if Manifest father's a child it has to be un-modified to be allowed to carry to term. That's sort of stuff, but that may not come up in the story we'll see

I've got one other character who I think I'm gonna say was born on a transport ship from Jupiter. That journey takes a couple years so she was a toddler when she arrived around Saturn. I think her paperwork and ID is a bit messy because of this. She's functionally Saturnian in culture tho

[particularj]

Hi, I saw your addition on a post about purchasing a laptop. I’m actually planning on purchasing one soon for the first time (current laptop is seven years old and a college gift). While I overall know about specs and what not because I just want a solid but not insanely expensive gaming laptop (tho ig I’ve mostly just been googling ‘best gaming laptop’), I’ve never heard of this S Mode you’ve mentioned. What is that and what other things should I be aware of, is there like a good link I can educate myself at? I’m planning on this being a very long term purchase, as long as I can make it, so I really want to get it right. Thank you!

A couple things:

I’d start with this lengthy but good post by @ms-demeanor , along with much of her computer talk on her blog. Lots of good stuff about what to look for, what to avoid, how/if you can upgrade, etc. It’s gonna depend a bit on what you use your laptop for, too.

S-mode…where to begin. Here is a decent run-down of what S-mode is. Essentially, it’s a locked in ‘safe mode’ that only allows you to use the Windows store for purchases and downloads. They say it’s for security. It’s really for monopolization. It also uploads all your stuff to their cloud. Where eventually they can lock it behind a paywall if they decide.

S-mode requires fewer computer resources to run…but in doing so it means that many computers that come pre-installed with S-mode may not even be able to run full Windows. To compete with Google’s Chromebooks, which are specifically made not to last so they cheapen out on parts and can offer a lower price point, Microsoft responded with S-mode so PC manufacturers could make comparably priced ‘Windows’ laptops.

That’s not to say a laptop offered with Windows S Mode can’t run the full Windows…but there’s no guarantee. And it will take a number of steps to switch to standard Windows and you can’t switch back if it doesn’t work well.

In general:

Look for laptops by brands with historically good performance and reliability.

Make sure whichever laptop you choose can actually run the full Windows — check Windows’ recommended specs with your prospective laptop.

Find a laptop that matches your lifestyle needs. This seems simple or self-explanatory, but it’s surprising how often people buy a product that doesn’t actually fit their needs. As a metaphor, if you have 4 kids and need a new car, you probably don’t want a sports car but a mini van. It’s not that either is bad, but they have specific purposes. The same goes with computers. If you’re a gamer, look at one of the latest games released, the specs recommended, and find something that well exceeds those specs so you aren’t looking to upgrade in 1-2 years. Similarly, if you are just going to use it for internet browsing, light applications, email, work stuff, etc., you don’t need a gaming laptop or high end graphics card. If you plan to travel with it, do you need a laptop with special security features or durability in case it is stolen, dropped, banged, etc. while commuting?

Don’t ignore the battery life, battery size, and cord length / type. Is it a two piece AC adapter with a standard 3-prong plug? Is it 4, 6, or 9 cell or some other measurement? Some companies keep costs lower by cheaping out on the battery, which to replace or upgrade could easily be another $100+.

Don’t buy Black Friday specials. Just don’t. They are often ‘special batch’ models that often have lower quality or discontinued parts, fewer features, or other oddities.

Don’t buy into add-ons, extended warranties, or other mark-ups. Chances are the warranty won’t cover the damage, failure, or other problem; the repairer will still charge for labor if it covers the parts; they may require you work with specific repairers; and/or they may require you to ship your laptop at your expense to a center, wait for repairs to be completed after a diagnostic review which may again try to deny repairs or blame you for the problem, only for it to arrive back with more or different problems. Warranties nowadays are a way for companies to increase their profit margin, period.

I hope all that helps. Windows is a very different and yet familiar beast compared to 7 years ago. You’ll likely be able to do everything you’re doing now, but may need some time to figure out how to do the same thing with an interface with different organization and visuals.

I’m not going to go into Apple or Linux or Chromebooks or other things here - it’s already a lengthy post and those are full dives into equally lengthy posts. Each have their pros and cons.

And others - feel free to contribute. I’m no expert. I’ve just happened to grow up with and around computers and am just geeky enough to have some deeper than surface knowledge.

[sa7abnews]

Summer break is too long

New Post has been published on https://sa7ab.info/2024/08/12/summer-break-is-too-long/

Summer break is too long

It feels almost sacrilegious to say, but summer break is too long. It’s a quarter of the year (more than 2,000 hours). Doesn’t that already make the case?It’s summer, so I can daydream: Schools should offer more instructional days. Some U.S. schools have started to, and other countries do.I hesitate to suggest taking some of the best things in life from kids: Summer offers more time for the outdoors, family, friends, new activities, travel, rest and creativity. But those can still be had in less time, and are not the reality for lower-income kids.The long break made sense in the past, but no longer. It was established around 1900 so that city-dwellers could flee the heat before air conditioning was invented. In 1900, fewer women did paid work – 20.6% of women, with a sixth of those in the arguably more family-friendly field of farming. That left 8 in 10 women more free to help with kids, although they were also doing unpaid domestic labor. THE HAPPIEST KIDS ARE IN SUMMER SCHOOLS WITH THIS FOCUSBy the 1970s, approximately half of women with minor children worked (including part-time), and today it’s about three-quarters. Among fathers with minor children, 93.4% work. Meanwhile, full-time American workers take fewer than four weeks of paid time off.In the past, parents also had more support from extended family, with grandparents nearby and more siblings and cousins for their kids to play with. Today, it’s not as easy to just send the kids outside all day, when many areas are plagued with traffic and not designed to be child-friendly. Plus, adults are less likely than nowadays to help oversee other people’s children when they’re outside playing. I believe in small government, but providing education is one of government’s most important roles. If you believe in taxpayer-funded public education at all, then why not a little more? Of course, if public schools offer more instructional days, private schools would follow suit and would increase tuition, but, except for the most expensive private schools, it would still be more affordable, or comparable to, the cost of camp.40 YEARS LATER, OUR SCHOOLS ARE AT GREATER RISKCamps are often only for a few weeks, not during regular work hours or for limited age groups. The patchwork parents create to manage kids and work reduces their productivity; or some kids just go to the same camp all summer, which – unless it’s a pricey camp offering a lot of variety – is not as good as going to more school. Every camp requires parents to entrust their children to another group of new people too, and adjusting to lots of camps can be stressful on kids.Localities offer free summer programming for the low-income, but otherwise week-long camps range from $200 to $800. For parents who have budgeted for the expense, they may still decide it’s better to save the money. The Federal Reserve recently reported that many parents are not doing well financially: “About 64% of parents living with children under the age of 18 said they were doing all right financially in 2023.”Just breaking up the summer break, with the same amount of instructional days, is not a good option. A small portion of U.S. school districts, less than 4%, have adopted “year-round schooling” or a “balanced calendar.” It spreads out breaks, with the benefit of reducing burnout and making time available for remediation. SCHOOLS ACROSS US CONSIDER PUSHING BACK STARTING TIMES TO COMBAT GROWING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE AMONG STUDENTSTo help working parents, schools have programming during the added breaks. But the number of schools using this calendar has declined recently, as it’s hard on parents with kids in different schools, complicates the schedule for extracurricular activities and summer jobs, costs more in air conditioning, is opposed by the tourism industry, and more. Since it doesn’t add instructional days, it doesn’t improve academic performance. Earlier this year, Wales put off consideration of trimming its six-week summer break by adding a week to another holiday.Adding instructional days is the solution. Logically, as long as kids learn anything at school, they will learn more with more instruction time. U.S. students perform below average compared to international peers.Research is unclear how significant summer learning loss or the “summer slide” is, but a long break is a missed opportunity. Many schools have also reduced recess, and adding more school days would allow for adding that back.PSYCHOLOGISTS REVEAL 7 WAYS PARENTS CAN DRIVE HAPPINESS BY HELPING KIDS FIND THEIR PURPOSEHowever, it should be noted that American students spend more hours in school than is the average among peer nations, due to longer school days, even though the U.S. has fewer school days, averaging 180 days. American students also receive more funding than international peers.That’s where, as Rick Hess argues in his book “The Great School Rethink,” schools need to be more efficient in how they use the school day. He cites a study that found one school’s disruptions tallied up to 10 to 20 days of school instruction time per year. He says schools should work on efficiency before adding more schools hours. I’d argue they should do both.School choice would also help here – with more education providers outside of the bureaucratic public system, they can offer a greater variety, including more school days.  SUMMER CAMP STICKER SHOCK: WORKING PARENTS’ WALLETS FEEL THE BURNOf course, teachers will need to be paid more for more time. One way to is to cut administrative staff, which has almost doubled in 20 years. There are many obstacles to instituting such a massive change, such as resistance from teachers, and I can’t say I’m hopeful that my summer daydream will come true. Less than 1% of U.S. elementary schools offer extended-year calendars.But many other developed countries have figured out how to offer a shorter summer break: Sweden’s is nine weeks; France, China and Norway’s is eight weeks; Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Denmark and the Netherlands’ is six weeks.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONLeisurely Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal have a similarly long break to the U.S., with 12-13 weeks of summer break; Ireland and Canada have around 10 weeks off.My kids have had fun this summer, but it’s been challenging to find time to keep them engaged in healthy activities while I work. They’ll be happy to return to a regular routine, their good friends, regular teachers, and a variety of learning and play.

[evolvecolving]

The Art of Slow Travel for Digital Nomads

There is a popular image of the digital nomad lifestyle that gives us ambitions to visit a vast number of countries every year, but sustaining that kind of pace can be tiring and take the fun out of it.

Many people prefer to visit fewer countries and stay for longer, which we refer to as “slow travel.”

Slow travel affords many more opportunities and is a much more relaxed approach to location-independent living.  There are definite benefits to doing it this way. To better understand these, I have listed some of the advantages below. 

Cost of Living

One of the most expensive parts of being a digital nomad is the accommodation; the second most expensive thing tends to be the flights.

Staying in one place for longer means that you don’t have to spend money as frequently on flights and you can also find better accommodation deals. 

The longer you stay somewhere, the better the accommodation deals become. A six-month lease is markedly cheaper per month than a one-month rental, a two-week stay or a three-day stay.

Being able to stay for an extended period of time can make a real difference to affordability and it is clear, it is definitely financially worth doing if you can.

In addition to the length of stay bringing the costs down, if you are going to stay somewhere for a longer time, it is very plausible to look at a less central and more “local” residential area.

Joining local Facebook groups and asking about accommodation for the time you are looking for or contacting local estate agents will help you determine nice but not tourist centre locations. 

Remaining in one place can also get you thinking more like a local. You will find that you cook more meals instead of eating out, which will also save money. 

Exploring more on foot rather than by taxi and bus because you are not so concerned about time can also help to reduce costs and increase your overall fitness.

Digital Nomad Visas

Increasing numbers of countries are offering special visas aimed at digital nomads.

These will often allow a route to stay for longer in a country to people who might not otherwise qualify to stay due to their country of origin. 

Countries with temperate all-year-round climates, such as Bali, Malta, Mexico, and Portugal, increasingly offer digital nomad visas.

These visas vary in length and allow people to stay in a country for a certain period of time. 

The Malta digital nomad visa can be extended from the default of one year to a maximum of four.

The Bali visa is for a maximum of five years and has strict requirements for the amount of savings an applicant must deposit in an Indonesian bank.

Of course, European Union citizens can already choose to live in Malta or Portugal without having to navigate additional obstacles.

The digital nomad visas for these locations are more suited to people from further afield, or the UK, which is no longer in the EU following Brexit.

Community Integration

When you visit somewhere fleetingly, it can be hard to make lasting friendships. People are unlikely to want to invest too much in a connection with you because you will be gone soon and they may never see you again.

This often gives the impression that lasting friendships can’t be made while travelling.

But anyone who has spent significant time around other members of the digital nomad community will begin to make friends fairly easily.

The more you travel, the more fascinating stories you accumulate, and the more interesting you become to people who spend their lives in one place.

This, however, still leaves the problem that your new friends will typically be moving on in a few days. And the solution is slow travel. Even the most introverted people can make friends when they are in one place for a long enough time, and the friends you do make you spend enough time with you building a lasting connection.

You also meet others who enjoy slow travel so you have the option to continue to the next place with your new friends.

If you are staying longer-term at a coliving like Evolve, it is even easier. The minimum stay of a month allows for deeper integration, and lifelong friendships are forged as a result. 

It is easy to find the activities you enjoy doing and if there is a social aspect to them, you will begin to make friends. 

Being able to spend quality time with people is what builds connection, and longer stays are ideal for this. 

Recharge and Reinvigorate

Having a “base” for a while can allow for some relaxation and some downtime. It is one of the reasons that so many nomads return to places like Malta for multiple months over the summer.

Knowing a place and catching up with people you have met before can be a great feeling.

Embracing slow travel can definitely banish that frenetic feeling of always being on the go.

Adapting to a little bit of routine for a few months can allow for personal growth and give you the chance to let your ideas percolate and come to fruition. Sometimes, slowing down is exactly what we need.

It helps when a location like Evolve Coliving has a pool, gym, jacuzzi, coworking, huge open plan double shared kitchen and lounge and more, as it created an on-site ecosystem where it is easy to relax, play, and have fun but also focus and get s**t done!

The world is fast-paced. Our own lives don’t need to be. Act with intention and choose the kind of lifestyle that is right for you.

If you left an office job to go remote because it wasn’t right for you, don’t keep doing things that aren’t right for you. 

Not everyone is suited to fast travel, and if you want to slow it down, you don’t need anyone’s permission to do so.

Nobody is going to take away your “digital nomad” card and force you back to the office because you didn’t visit “enough” places in a year. 

Interesting Tax Possibilities

Please note that nothing in this article constitutes financial advice. 

Being a digital nomad, you aren’t necessarily going to be taxed in your country of origin.

You can generally avoid having to pay tax in the UK on your remote earnings if you have no property there and have spent less than half the year there.

If you are spending a few months of the year in several different countries, you may not qualify to pay tax in any of them, leading to the possibility that you are not paying tax anywhere.

It is always important to do your research to avoid unpleasant surprises. 

Alternatively, you may move to a country that has a treaty with your home country and choose to pay tax there.

This would make sense if your home country has a higher rate of tax than your destination.

This is, of course, entirely at your own risk, as governments everywhere are always fond of collecting taxes and may feel that you owe them tax, even if you haven’t lived there for years.

Yes, USA, I am looking at you. The US is notorious for trying to get its citizens to pay taxes even when they don’t live there. 

Original Source: https://evolvecoliving.io/blog/slow-travel-digital-nomads/

[mama-ks-house]

Things to do with the children for free (or cheap) in the holidays

I don't know about you, but I find planning holiday activities quite difficult without spending loads of money. So I'm going to create a little guide of things that are free (or indeed cheap) to keep your little (or slightly bigger ones) entertained during the holidays. or any other times of year!

1. Eastrop

There are often events on in Eastrop park but they usually step up the events over the summer holidays. You can check out the #lovebasingstoke website, but honestly, I usually find most of the events on Facebook events. I dedicate an hour now and again in the evening to trawling through FB events looking for things that are free/cheap to do. They have had a mindfulness festival, some street theatre and they regularly have a brass band play amongst other things!

2. War Memorial Park

Again, there are regular events on in the war memorial park, not quite as many as Eastrop but it's still worth a look. There are often small festivals, for example the VW festival, Rotary club festival, funfairs. I would look at Facebook events to find these events.

3. Festival Place

Festival place holds events throughout the town center, often in festival square but sometimes in some of the empty shop units or in the form of trails around the shopping center. It's lovely for the children and a little bit of fun for the adults too. During Basingstoke festival they have had street theatre, live bands and earlier in the year they also had a disco in one of the empty shop units which my kids loved. Check the website for any events.

https://www.festivalplace.co.uk/events

4. The Malls

The Malls shopping centre sometimes have small events on in their square right outside Primark. Craft events, charity events, puppet shows and workshops. It's an hour's entertainment and it's usually free. There's a list of what's on on their website.

5. Hampshire Libraries

Every summer Hampshire Libraries launch their reading challenge and I think it's a great way to get your kids reading or keep them reading over the summer. They also often offer events at their locations too. If you click the link, choose your local library and you'll be able to see any events that are available. Some are bookable events and some may have a small cost but they also offer some free events.

6. The Willis Museum

The Willis Museum is a great resource in our town. It's free to visit and there is an opportunity to make a small donation to the upkeep of the museum if you would like to. There are lots of exhibitions about Basingstoke in the museum and they often have special exhibitions that change regularly. For example, recently they had a shoe exhibit and an exhibit about the Windrush.

7. Check out your local community center

There are several local community centres around the Basingstoke area and they all often offer events for the local community. What I've found, especially with the community centres is that the word never actually gets out that the events are happening so you have to do the leg work. Look at their websites, find their Facebook pages. Their events are often free or very cheap so its worth doing the searching to find what you're looking for.

8. Visit the beach

For us this would require travelling. We live within an hour of a few good beaches. All you'd need to do would be pay to park and I recommend bringing a picnic. You can buy food out but that makes trips more expensive and I'd say about 75% of the time my kids don't eat the food anyway. For me it's easier and cheaper too make sandwiches, throw a bunch of snacks in a bag and keep everyone happy!

9. Fireworks on the beach

I spotted on Facebook events that every Friday in August (2023) there's going to be a firework display on Bournemouth beach. The firework display isn't until 10pm so it would be a late night but it's free! Again just pay to travel and park.

10. Picnic in the Park

Take your kids for a picnic in the park. Any Park. Maybe ALL the parks. Here in Basingstoke there are so many great parks, all over the place! A few of my favourites are Eastrop (playground, paddling pool, boating lakes), Popley Way (Playground, football court, zipwire), Beggarwood Park (playground, biking trail, zipwire, café nearby), Stratton Park (Playground, basketball court, football field), Basing woods (woodland walks, playground, football/tennis/basketball court). Lastly, Herriard Park, this one is a bit further out so is a short drive but it really is excellent and I recommend visiting it if you get a chance. Take drinks and food (maybe some sun cream) and have fun. Maybe do a tour and visit several parks in one day!

BONUS

Get your free video games!

We have a Nintendo Switch and although I do limit game time, I think it's ok for them to play console games sometimes. even the kids don't want to go out and do activities every day! Well, mine don't anyway. There are a lot of free online games that are suitable for all different age groups (my kids like Roblox) Periodically Epic games release some games that you can download and play for free. As with any games that your kids are playing, just check the content, look at the functions of the game. If it's a game with online chat I'll often turn off that function. Also if the games have a function for parent password or pin, use it! And make it something that the children can't remember. This way if they're downloading, messaging, sending stuff to friends. You can see it all! One of the best bits about this is that it gives YOU a bit of a break.

I have no doubt that all of us love spending time with our little ones, but 6 weeks is a long time to keep the entertainment going strong. A video game morning or afternoon for them can mean some self care for you. Drinking a coffee that's actually hot! ☕ Sitting and writing your blog ✍ Not having to get dressed and rush out at 8am! Whatever makes you happy! Happy/Rested Parent = Happy Kids. Or if you are feeling absolutely determined you could catch up on your housework (cleaning, washing, hoovering) But, before you start your ironing...let me tell you a secret. Nobody cares if your house is tidy, especially in the holidays! Basic cleaning/hygiene, yes of course! But the kids won't notice of you've hoovered the carpet or ironed their t-shirts (I don't even own an iron) And your friends come to see you! Not your house! They know your house isn't going to be tidy! they get it. But they will notice that you had time to sit and drink your coffee, or eat your meal without also getting little people dressed and making everyone else a snack, hanging out washing or doing dishes. The dishes can wait. They'll still be there if you do them now or later. But they will remember that you say and watched a movie with them, played their video game with them, had a hug with them.

The holidays can be a tough gig. Be sure to make some memories (big and small) and remember its ok to take a day or two and do nothing.

Ciao

Mama K

xXx

[wamuzimedia]

Love poverty: Cost of dating hits new high on inflation.

For young Kenyans who are just starting their careers and would like to settle down, the surging inflation amid a freeze in salary raises is robbing them of decent living and the chance to meet and settle down with a partner. Over the past year, Mark, a 35-year-old banker, has been consciously trying to leave single hood but has been set aback by the vast sums he needs to spend on dates and activities required to know someone he’d like to spend the rest of his life with. Mark is in his third year of employment. He says a decent dinner or lunch date acceptable to most women he is attracted to costs between Sh4,500 and Sh6,000. Servings for two in chic restaurants in Nairobi start from Sh3,000 upwards. In some hangout joints, the amount could easily hit over Sh10,000, which is a painful pinch for someone with a litany of bills and family members to take care of. “Food has become more expensive than when I started working. My salary has not increased to match the prices of the things I need to survive. What this means is that I don’t have money to spend on leisure and other important modern-day dating activities,” says Mark. He has met potential partners who would have removed him from the dating market, but he has been unable to commit to a relationship because of his financial position. Over time, the spark for would-be partners has been dying down as Mark finds it challenging to plan a date while surviving paycheck-to-paycheck. More Kenyans, like Mark, are reducing spending on luxury items and activities. They are now forced to chase bargains to deal with the unrelenting inflation eroding their purchasing power. Food usually has the biggest impact on the overall price movement when computing the cost of living. It accounts for nearly a third of the shopping basket for most families. Kenya’s inflation last month rose to eight percent from 7.9 percent in April, when it declined to a 10-month low at the onset of rains Game of probabilities For single people like Mark, the choice is clear; put food on the table or engage in a game of probabilities that might end in heartbreak. Fun games that most young couples can participate in, such as bowling, ice skating, and archery, don’t come cheap, either. Most places charge between Sh500 and Sh1,500 per person, a significant cost for a single man living on a tight budget. “Most 8-5 jobs only give you sufficient time over the weekends. What this means is that you have minimal time to know someone. And what does that mean? You have to do many of these activities and dinners before deciding to settle down,” says Mark. Mark’s struggle in the search for a suitable marriage partner is one that David Obonyo, a 31-year-old freelance web developer, knows only too well. He, however, says while his dating journey has not been easy, he was lucky to meet someone who understands the current pressure. Fake perception “Social media has created a fake perception that the good life has to be fancy with expensive things, including travelling and spending on expensive gifts and fine dining. You really need an understanding partner to get off the dating market,” says David. His top stressors since he left school have been his long-term financial future and declining opportunities which might affect the life he is trying to build. Amid the economic shocks, David believes that single people should treat dating as a marketplace and search for their matches until they meet the suitable one. “I tried online dating, but it didn’t work out well for me because you have to spend money for every meeting. Sometimes I lack the money, and when I have some, the bills are just too many, so I choose to prioritise what’s important,” remarks David. Changing choices The financial pressures are also pushing young people to change what they are looking for in a partner. Gifting is important, but given the real chance of sleeping hungry, David says the pursuit may not be worthwhile. Rising inflation has eroded most Kenyan’s purchasing power meaning that most of their spending is directed to essential commodities such as food and housing as they cut money to luxury stuff like perfumes, watches, expensive holidays, and necklaces that couples can get for each other.Collins Michael, the CEO of Nyaluk Foundation, a non-profit organisation, believes the current economic climate in which the cost of living is unbearable for most, people should have conversations around finances while dating. “It is a societal construct that men should be providers. But with rising inflation, it’s good to talk about having different sources of income and sharing some responsibilities,” says the 32-year-old. Collins says the belief that one can only be a man when one provides leaves many young people who want to settle down in a tight spot. Splitting bills While splitting bills during dates might be unpopular, it is one way that dating couples can cushion each other as inflation squeezes the extra shilling from many Kenyans’ pockets. “What happens when you lose your job after settling down?” Collins poses. He says that finding love in fast-rising inflation is not tough, but single people must have clear priorities for what they want. Collins, however, cautions that people looking to date should not seek partners hoping to gain financially. “When you neglect other important issues when dating and chase other things, you end up with a failed marriage after a short time. Responsibility should be shown from both parties,” Collins advises. Read the full article

[naturecoaster]

Countdown to Summer Break: Parents, Are You Ready?

Saint Leo University Psychology Professor Offers Useful Tips Countdown to Summer Break: Parents, Are You Ready? By Dr. Tammy Lowery Zacchilli, Saint Leo University It’s hard to believe that summer break is almost here. Students and teachers are finishing those last required exams and taking part in end-of-year activities. Our May calendars have been so packed that we didn’t think we ever would make it through the end of the month. But how many of us are truly ready for summer break and having the kids home for two months? Here are some ideas to help you prepare for summer break and avoid meltdowns or boredom. 1. Consider your own schedule for the summer. I, like other teachers and professors, am fortunate to have summer break with my children. While this can be exciting, this also can lead to additional stress since we aren’t accustomed to being around each other all day. Other parents may not have as much time off, so planning for their children’s summer break may be a bit more challenging. It’s always a good idea to plan ahead. Hopefully, you can also schedule some time off to spend with your children in the summer. 2. Summer is a great time for a vacation or staycation! Some families plan ahead and save money to travel in the summer. I always love road trips with my children. We have driven from Florida to Maine and back one summer and from Florida to Yellowstone National Park and back on another trip. We always travel one way there and a different way back so we can see as many places as possible. We also take shorter trips to Georgia to visit our family. Since we live in Florida, there are so many possibilities for a staycation too. Quick trips to the beaches, parks, zoos, aquariums, or amusement parks can be fun ways to enjoy summer break. 3. I definitely recommend checking out the camps offered in your area. If children stay home all day, all summer long, it can be difficult to keep them from getting bored. Some local elementary schools offer camps throughout the summer to help parents who are working during the break. You also can find camps for all sorts areas such as dance, music, gymnastics, art, etc. We even found a train camp for my son this June. Here is a great resource for summer camps offered in the Tampa Bay area: https://fun4tampakids.com/Camps/Variety-Camps/. And Saint Leo University is hosting camps ranging from athletics to CSI and robotics at https://www.saintleocamps.com/. Just remember that camps may fill up quickly so be sure to sign up as soon as possible! 4. Plan some activities for those days at home. Obviously, we can’t expect to travel all summer or have camps and activities planned every day. That can get expensive! Think about some of the things you did to pass the time during the pandemic. Break out the board games, make chalk drawings on the driveway, make crafts, or paint some pictures with your kids. Encourage them to play outside or check out books from the library. While we cannot avoid boredom completely, there are plenty of things that kids can do to occupy their time this summer. And remember to get out there and enjoy time with them! Good luck and happy summer! Dr. Tammy Lowery Zacchilli is a professor psychology at Saint Leo University. She is the Southeastern Regional Vice President of Psi Chi and associate editor of the Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research. Zacchilli earned her bachelor’s degree from Kennesaw State University; her master’s from Augusta State University; and her PhD from Texas Tech. About Saint Leo University Saint Leo University is one of the largest Catholic universities in the nation, offering more than 60 undergraduate and graduate-level degree programs and specializations to more than 15,300 students each year. Founded in 1889 in the Benedictine tradition, the private, nonprofit university is known for providing an education to learners of all backgrounds and ages. Saint Leo is regionally accredited and offers a residential campus in the Tampa Bay region of Florida, at education centers, and through an online program for students anywhere. The university is home to more than 103,000 alumni. Learn more at saintleo.edu. Read the full article

[gh0st-3]

Hello Tumblr (?)

I guess I always join everything late because the most blogs I ever heard of were livejournal, problogger and wordpress.. well on top of having a hipster mindset to avoid anything "too mainstream" or "too popular".

I have to admit that I do like Tumblr's interface and easy-to-find + easy-to-post functions. Maybe I can use this as a sort of blog diary since I started my writing journey AND traveling (only when the funds allow!).

I just started writing recently, I've been trying to take action and build a routine at what my therapists (and EEG technicians) have taught me, not just to necessarily "express" but in their words: "To know myself better".

Again, hipster mindset: I try not to label myself.. wait maybe that's NOT a hipster mindset.. but that doesn't necessarily negate or change my initial thoughts of not letting labels 'define' me because truth be told, I'm like Terry from Brooklyn 99, "Terry likes being liked!"

Although I don't let labels define me, I have been quite open .. or maybe TOO open of what I do have because when you're a woman or AFAB on the spectrum, I can count the amount of times I missed certain opportunities to befriend others due to misunderstandings, or rather distancing myself out of hurt from my past (like abuse, bullying, and more others can think of since I don't feel alone in these kinds of experiences). Partly, I wanted to understand and be understood back when it came to communication. The other part, well.. to be frank, having to explain myself.

In a way, I felt driven from my past to explain myself just existing and as I got older, I didn't feel this way anymore than I used to because in a way, I embraced being misanthrophic and "antisocial".

No, I was never "antisocial" because I was a 'people pleaser'. Too many dumbasses just don't know exactly what "antisocial" truly meant, ESPECIALLY MY FAMILY (since they were the primary instigators). They just labeled me "antisocial" any chance I didn't want to be a nanny/caretaker to my sister when we're outside (we had a decade age gap) or when I didn't want to hangout with my parents and THEIR friends (like seriously, what can even teenage me relate to a bunch of late 30s - 50s adults? At best they treated me like an emotional punching bag in gatherings, nitpicking at well.. *points all over me* EVERYTHING! From just quietly playing on my 3DS to taking prescription pills to my appearances like my parents).

Being in a social gathering is EXHAUSTIVE, especially when its at your own expense. Am I an introvert? Yes, but so are at least half of the world's population, if we weren't so tied to the norms and expectations, both culturally and socially since they're practically tied together; the world could be a better place if we can all respect each others' boundaries or even if MORE people are taught about boundaries.

Do I have friends? They just came and went for me since I was a child, we moved, not often per say but farther while staying in the same shitty, catholic private school before moving to America before entering high school. I've had a shitty relationship with my parents that I gave up on the idea of friends when I did enter high school since I was already counting down on the days they will kick me out. If the cops hadn't gotten involved in my Junior Year, they would've kicked me out before graduation. SO! After HS Graduation, I moved on the other side of the country to try to get as far away since I took the one school that didn't require any SATs/ACTs (I never took the ACTs since my parents didn't want to) AND they pushed me to it because every school that accepted me in the same state as them was an "excuse" to them for me to stay for my long-distance ex (not really, just wanted it to be affordable with community college which they thought was for "stupid people", in their own words but I'm used to them calling me stupid over a B+ average among many things).

Funny enough, they were the first to disown me (multiple times) for a variety of reasons but the last one was because I got taken advantaged of, so their genius idea was to financially cut me off as well while hiding it from my adoptive grandparents since the grandparents set me up a trust fund so that my parents can claim it when I'm able to 'touch it'. I lived off the streets for a year, bouncing couches and shelters while struggling to get hired back then since I had no skills on paper (they never allowed me to get a part time since they wanted me to focus on studying while refusing to acknowledge my adhd).

Thankfully, I'm no contact with them now. They can have my trust fund for all I care since I still write cards to my adoptive grandparents. I've been writing to them since I've been out of my parents' house to make up for the time and gifts (all of them are at my parents' place "hidden safely" with my parents' belongings, never got the chance to wear/use them). I made a promise to myself to focus what little energy I have throughout the day to people that mattered to me.

I don't know what I truly want in my life other than having a family to take care of me for once, and I finally got that that albeit its "unconventional" but having to take care of grown men is like no different from taking care of kids too; I still don't think I want to have kids out of fear of becoming like my parents so I want to enjoy what I can get out of life since I can't predict where and what will happen BUT from all the past I endured, I mostly feel prepared, it has reduced my fear but I can't say the same for my anxiety. I'm already accounted as a disabled person but again, I don't wear labels. I'm good at masking and I keep a social 'script' in my head as I learn more social skills as I go because the one thing my parents did right was "to not make excuses and just DO it.", and yea they were kind of like Shia LeBouf mad every time they said it.

The one thing they can't teach most folks is how having a disability makes you invincible to most. Most people won't even look at my uncle and hardly anybody ever makes an effort to let me talk YET they have the audacity to call me as "the quiet one/girl". I'm always listening but only my partner and BF were the first to hear me out and.. listen, only for me to go mute when commorbidities get overwhelming from overstimuli.

My user @ on wattpad when I started to 'test' my writing is GrrlOnTheSpectrum. It was tongue and cheek with my emotions since I'm always mad! Well not really, I thought it would be funny to make fun of myself getting mad while I write smut. HANGRY is no fun though.

TLDR: I suck at routines and I embraced being asocial. In the end, everyone has their own flaws.

[sunsh4dow]

Obligatory Blog

6500 passengers, 1500 crew, 12 stops, 1 ship. Classic begin of text: done.

To further clarify what this is: it’s a subjective travel blog. At least it was intended as one. I happened to get on a three week cruise on one of the biggest cruise ships there are. To get ahead of criticism regarding exploitative labour and the environmental impact these ships have and any such concerns: I’m painfully aware of it. In fact, I’m usually quick to point these things out when they come up in conversations. Every single cruise ship is one of humanity's many, many big middle fingers towards nature and utter decadence.

Despite this, I’m on board of this behemoth - such hypocrisy. Well, I don’t know what to tell you. There are multiple reasons. It’s majorly a private one that I’m not much going to elaborate on at the moment. The other reasons just added to it.

For example, I’m in between jobs and have the time. Otherwise I would have never wasted three weeks of my precious mercifully-corpo-granted-because-law-forces-them vacation days on this. Also, I got it for a steal, which is the best I can do for now.

It still bothers me. A lot. It feels like betraying my principles. I actually have trouble getting any enjoyment out of this trip, primarily out of a sense of shame. I’ve mentioned it only to a few friends. On social media I post mostly pictures from the cities I visit, but not the ship. Maybe I could get over it, at least for a while - if it weren’t for all the other elements to this fever dream.

That’s where this ‘blog’ or whatever this is comes in. At the very least I can process what I see, learn and turn it into something of remote journalistic value. Biassed, subjective, self-therapeutic ‘journalism’. Maybe someone out there can learn something from it, too.

It may be noted, when I suspect, claim or presume anything, take it with a grain of salt. There’s only surface level research in here. And I can only get so much information with the limited internet I got, anyway. Like these numbers:

The MSC Virtuosa is a massive ship in service for less than a year. 330 metres long, 50 metres wide and 65 metres high. The over a hundred year older Titanic was 260 metres long, 28 metres wide and 53 metres high (notably including funnels). Their respective given tonnages aren’t exactly comparable, but we can estimate that the Titanic fits inside the Virtuosa at least thrice by usable volume. So either the Titanic was smaller than the movie makes it seem - or the Virtuosa is just huge.

When you board the ship, the first place you enter is a flabbergasting, three story high, about 100 metre long gallery. It has an all (O?)LED ceiling that plays different sceneries and animations throughout the day. Since all TVs, crew-tablets and stuff are from Samsung, I’d guess it to be a variant of Samsung’s ‘The Wall’. An expensive tool that requires constant, active cooling or it literally destroys itself. A massive energy sink. Looks sick, cool technology - but insanely unnecessary.

We could make a stamp of that conclusion and hammer it under every paragraph that’ll follow. It sure is true for plenty other things, but cruise ships are way up there.

The bling continues as you walk into a lobby with musicians playing jazzy pop music, framed by mirrors, marmor and swarovski-laden staircases. Everything is shiny and elegant. It all feels high class.

Think Titanic with its big staircase, marmor columns and little orchestra, but dialled to eleven. More of everything and bigger to boot.

But contrary to the Titanic it caters to the common folk, not the extremely wealthy. It is exactly to make you believe you are on the Titanic. A nice facade.

An impression that I can’t shake off at any point. It’s so blatant, too. None of the other passengers seem to notice or bother, as much as I can tell. Do they choose not to? Has to be. Otherwise they’d be like cows on a field. Ignorant to the world out of sight and just happy to be fed while they get milked. And fed and milked they will. Half the ship’s storage must be food and everything not included in the initial ticket cost is overpriced.

Let’s continue with some dry observations. Most of my fellow passengers are older white people. Most of the staff is filipino. Make of that what you will, but it should come to the surprise to noone. I have spoken with a couple of both. When I brought up any critical arguments about cruise ships in front of passengers, they tended to agree. Then again, they usually were quick to add points that their participation or non-participation wouldn’t have an impact anyway. Or they started the next sentence with a ‘But…’.

The brief moments I have talked to crewmembers, they explained that they were paid enough to finance a good, simple life for their entire family at home, as the sole earners. That they were little heroes when they returned. I’m not sure what to think or say about that, so I’ll just leave it to your own judgement.

There certainly are reasons why this economy exists. Capitalistic demand. As much as I can tell, a cruise is the most convenient and comfortable way to travel for elderly and immobile people, of which there are plenty. Compared to a train drive or flight with luggage it certainly is. But that comfort costs. Some of the ‘packages’ for drinks, internet or the shuttles, guides and such are just short of a scam. Everything is priced unreasonably high. A 20 minute shuttle bus drive from the ship to the closest city (without any guides, just transport) will cost you 40 euro or more. Often you could just walk it, but for those unwilling or unable, there’s little choice. Again, it’s simply demand and when people are willing to pay, a company will jump at the chance to make money. That’s the world we live in. Ideals, clean environment, even reason are naive concepts in the face of money. Profit always prevails.

The service on board is great, though. Personally, I’m creeped out by someone shuffling food, drink and silverware around in front of me. The only server I’m comfortable with is the computer kind. But humans… doesn’t feel right. It has something undignifying and old fashioned to it that society should grow out of.

Similar applies to all the other staff in the kitchens, laundry, cleaning and so on that you never get to see.

To draw you a picture of the excess, let’s count some of the facilities. There are about twelve full fledged, high class restaurants and roughly twice as many bars and lounges. All with different themes and styles. On a single, big boat.

I’ve counted a minimum of five pianos and a handful of luxury stores. There’s a big casino and spa area, two theatres and five pools. Add an indoor basketball/multisport field, bowling alley, gym and arcade. And there is plenty more I forgot or haven’t even discovered yet.

Admittedly, there are some gems here. A british pub with a nice atmosphere and solid list of beers, and a sky lounge jazz bar, both with live musicians in the evening. In general, all performers do an incredible job and carry the venues and events a lot. Every day there is a different show in the theatre. Small musicals, classic recitals or international entertainers, all very talented and great. It’s merely held back a bit by noticeable troubles with the acoustic. I’m kind of amazed that no speakers or hearing aids get blown out.

In the end, weren’t it for the excursions to the cities, the daily show and maybe the occasional, casual quizzes, I’d lose my mind. And whoever had the clever idea to put out a table with ever new puzzles deserves a raise.

Other than that, It gets dull very quickly. With all the things you can do here and the plethora of venues and events, in the end, it’s just plain boring. Might be circumstantial of course, but most places are either relatively empty or full of humans.

As much as I could gather, there are ‘only’ 3700 guests on board, so at about two third capacity. The aforementioned gems are usually packed, probably for the same reason I find them bearable. They don’t feel all too unauthentic. The pub’s atmosphere is quite proper, with the most noticeable thing lacking being cigarette smoke. The sky lounge in turn combines all the nice things. High class, good music and a nice view. Both have chill vibes.

In the end, I always come back to the same question: Why does it have to be on a ship? I’d like to know a jazz place like that in my home port. I’ve also sneaked around the ship a bit, places that are definitely crew-only. Most are spartan hallways with signs to all the different locations. But there’s also a low crew deck going around the vessel. It seems to be my only chance to get to the front of the ship, but I never stayed at these places for longer than I can reasonably claim that I’m just lost. There are cameras everywhere.

Humanities hybris knows no bounds. Turns out, the ship in Wall-E or the ‘Elysium’ space station from the movie with Mark Wahlberg aren’t so far from reality. MSC has some initiatives against global warming through a non-profit, but those feel more like greenwashing and money laundering than anything. Just presumption. It certainly exists to ease the minds of their customers. That it will balance out the negative. A nonsense argument for sure. If there was no ship, there would be no need to balance anything.

And so, this man-made jörmungandr continues on, ravaging earth as a perpetual symbol of gluttony, laziness and greed.

Actually, I have no idea where I’m going with this anymore. Travelblog would be a real stretch. So I’ll end this here for now, as a part one - maybe. Considering the time I still have and my boredom, I might very well add more.

If you are interested in pictures, I post my best impressions on my instagram page (@sunsh4d0w). Generally the places I visit when in port.

[devinkarlson]

Violin Lessons In Toronto: What Is The Best Age To Begin?

Introduction

Everything you hear about violin lessons in Toronto is true. It’s true that you can enroll your child in a suitable music class at an early age, and it’s true that learning the violin at an early age benefits children in a variety of ways. However, this does not mean that every child is ready for those lessons right away. If you want to see real results from your investment, follow these tips:

The most ideal age for violin lessons

The most ideal age for violin lessons is between 6 and 8 years old.

This is when a child can begin to learn how to play, but it’s also important that they receive instruction from an experienced instructor who has been trained in teaching young children. This will help them develop their technical skills, as well as help them develop their musical understanding. You should plan ahead by making arrangements with your local music school or teacher about scheduling lessons when you know that your child will be available on the days of your choice. It’s also helpful if you have someone close by who can help support them while they’re learning at home; having another adult around may make things easier because it gives both of you more time together!

Why you should enroll your child in a suitable music class

Music is a great way to express yourself and develop your social skills.

Whether you’re looking for a child or adult music class, it’s important that the instructor has experience teaching children. You want someone who can help your child learn how to play an instrument in a way that they enjoy, while also helping them develop their musical abilities as well.

Think ahead and plan accordingly

When it comes to planning for your child’s violin lessons, you should think ahead and plan accordingly.

Consider how much time you will need to commit to your child’s music lessons.

Think about how much money you will need to spend on the lessons.

Think about what kind of instrument you will need to purchase for your child to learn on (if any).

Also Read: Guitar Lessons In Toronto: Top 5 Acoustic Guitars For Beginners

Enroll in a violin course instead of private lessons

Enroll in a violin course instead of private lessons. A violin course is much more affordable, convenient and safe for children. Plus, you’ll get to practice with other students—and your teacher will be able to help you improve at the same time!

Private lessons can cost hundreds of dollars per month (or even thousands), especially if you’re paying for all the travel costs as well. A good alternative is taking a class through your local music store or community center: They’ll provide everything from instruments and accessories to music stands and books on technique without breaking the bank like private teachers do. If this sounds too expensive, consider joining one of Toronto’s many recitals where people like yourself can try out different instruments before committing to purchasing one themselves; this way there won’t be any surprises when it comes time for buying!

Learning the violin at an early age benefits children in a variety of ways.

Learning the violin at an early age benefits children in a variety of ways. First, it helps them develop their fine motor skills by helping them use their fingers to play the instrument. It also helps them practice listening to music and learning how to express themselves through musical notes. In addition, learning how to play an instrument can be very social for kids as they are able to share their talents with others around them.

In fact, there is evidence that shows that playing instruments improves children’s social skills; this is because playing an instrument requires cooperation between members of a group or orchestra which requires good communication skills from everyone involved (i). Playing an instrument also encourages bonding between those involved as well as teaching patience when working together towards completing tasks such as practicing daily lessons on time (ii).

Conclusion

The best age to begin best violin lessons in Toronto is between the ages of 5 and 10. Not only will your child be more mature physically and mentally, but they’ll also have learned all the basic fundamentals of music by then. This makes it easier for them to understand what’s being taught at the class and understand how each piece should sound before moving on to another. It also helps if you enroll them early so they can get used to playing an instrument before having any pressure placed on them while still being in preschool or kindergarten classes.

Source: https://techcrams.com/violin-lessons-in-toronto-what-is-the-best-age-to-begin/