#after switching to underworks

[bijouxcarys]

𝘚𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘐𝘵 𝘜𝘱 (𝘒𝘢𝘵𝘺𝘢 𝘡𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘰𝘷𝘢/𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘔𝘤𝘊𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘹 𝘧𝘦𝘮!𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳)

Masterlist

Description: You have been in a relationship with the top that is Katya Zamolodchikova for years now. And you've never thought of turning the tables in fear of her rejection. Until now. I mean.... a switch has their needs, right?

Warnings: Smut, mentions of a threesome, strong languages, face-sitting, face-fucking, oral sex (f and m receiving), dirty talk, power play, role reversal, light Dom!Katya, light Sub!Reader, Dom!Reader, Sub!Katya, pegging, anal play, handjobs, masturbation, orgasm force, toy use.

Being in a relationship with a drag queen was always something I'd anticipate would be anything but "normal". Especially with one who couldn't decided if he was even relationship material.

I first met Brian when I was 18, back in 2010, when I was working at the drag bar he performed at in Boston. I was always such a huge fan of the drag scene, despite how petty and catty a lot of the girls could actually be. I enjoyed the art of it; the ounces of makeup one would have to go through in a week just to put food on the table. I had been witness to many queens investing more than profiting, which often times lead them to earn money in other ways which were more dangerous and harmful.  Other girls splashed their cash when they could, leaving them in debt or broke within a fortnight. Brian, however, was smart.

He always knew how to manage his money and noticed when he messed up. When we first actually talked to each other, I was behind the bar, wiping down the sticky surface with a grimace on my face, when the blonde who was just onstage clacked over for a red bull.

"No vodka tonight?"

"Not for me." She looked at me. "I'm an alcoholic, Maureen."

It was the weird dialect and her rejection of alcohol that brought us together instantly. She never went backstage afterwards, apart from when she left for the night. She stayed at the bar, and spoke with me for hours as I served more and more alcohol to the drunken messes that swarmed around. I left work with a new phone number that night, and one that was soon saved in my phone as "Katya".

Katya quickly became my favourite performer, and soon enough, Brian became my best friend.

I was one of the handful of people who fully understood Brian - quirks and all. Countless nights of sleepovers, nights she would dress me up in drag and we would crash the clubs together. We'd seen each other at our highest and our lowest points and no matter what the situation, we never left each other.

The first time we were in a sexual situation together was unconventional. It was a year before Brian managed to get onto Drag Race and he'd successfully been sober for 2 months. To celebrate, we had dolled ourselves up and gone out to the loudest and craziest club we could find in Boston. The aim of the night was to find a guy for Brian to have fun with, but we both ended up picking up a guy each. One thing lead to another and the four of us ended up rolling around on a hotel bed. That was the night I first kissed him.

After that night, nothing was the same again. We quickly figured out that we had a sexual attraction to each other, but we never did anything about it, as around the time we came to that conclusion, Brian left for LA to be on Drag Race.

The entire time he was gone, I sat back at our apartment, overthinking and underworking. It was a confusing time for me; I never expected to feel anything more for my best friend, but I did. And the feeling was so strong, that I didn't figure it out fully for another few years.

I quickly came to the conclusion that we were both avoiding the topic and we never spoke about it - it was just never ending tension. I remember sleeping on the couch one night when Brian brought someone home. I laid there and listened to him fucking someone who would forget his name the day after.

I was proud of Brian and everything he had accomplished since Drag Race. But it was when he and Trixie got a deal with Viceland that things started to crumble. I was with him through everything that year and it wasn't nice.

When he came out of rehab in 2018, I decided I couldn't run from this anymore. Life was too short and I realised I had the opportunity to look after him. We had one of our normal movie nights, where we binged every obscure vintage movie we could find. It was the first movie night we had since he left for rehab, so we made a big deal out of it. I sat there, not paying attention to the movie at all, my heart missing beats with every graze of our skin against one another's. So I just told him.

"You know I care about you right?"

"You never let me forget."

And I kissed him. And he kissed me back. And let me tell you... Years of tension were released that night.

It took his fans a long time to settle with the idea of him actually getting into a relationship, let alone with it being with a girl. But, most knew he was always more or less open to everything and everyone.

Well... Almost everything.

It was common for me and Brian to try new things whenever we slept together, unleashing kinks neither of us knew we had.

I remember one night in particular:

I whimpered around Brian's large cock, his tip hitting the back of my throat whilst his hands clamped onto my hair. I pulled at the restraints behind my back, unable to touch myself - the only thing relieving me from my aching core was the thick vibrator Brian shoved inside me. I couldn't move it, nor could I move myself against it. Smug bastard.

I looked up at him with tears in my eyes, batting my lashes as a plea for mercy as he continued to use my head. I clenched my fists behind my back, moaning from the vibrations against my tightening walls.

"God... you always look so gorgeous with my cock in your mouth." He panted, his jaw hanging slack as he looked down at me through hooded eyes. "You gonna let me cum all over your pretty face?" He groaned as I nodded against him.

I quickly came to the conclusion that I enjoyed the concept of being bound and restricted.

But I was a switch. And I needed the best of both worlds. And there was nothing I loved more than the image of Brian helpless underneath me. Or Katya.

Then came that one night.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror, happy with the oversized shirt I had on, limited make up and bare legs.

"You look beautiful, detka."

I turned my head to the doorway to see Katya leaning on the frame, clad in her iconic black lingerie, her toned arms and legs flexing in the bathroom lighting.

"I know I do." I smirked at her, creeping up to her and running my hands up her padded chest. I looked into her eyes, pressing my fingers into the hard flesh of her shoulders. "Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked lowly.

Her hands came up to squeeze at my waist, pulling me closer to her. She lowered her head so her lips were against my ear. "Da." She pressed her mouth to my jaw, nuzzling herself into me. "Destroy me, Y/N."

I let out a breath of relief, but mostly laced with arousal as her thick voice rippled over me. I pulled my head back, immediately connecting our lips with a wanton groan. I pushed her back into the bedroom, her legs hitting the bed as she collapsed on it. I moaned at the taste of her mouth, the cigarette smoke and sugary sweetness creating a taste that only she possessed. I hovered over her, holding her face in my hands as I slowly pulled away.

"Lay down." I whispered against her lips, before letting her face go. She obeyed, falling backwards and resting her arms next to her head. I ran my eyes over her slack body, teeth digging into my bottom lip. She was laid right in front of me, waiting for me to do whatever I wanted to her. This was my chance.

"You look beautiful, Katya..." I murmured, trailing my hands down my body, tucking my fingers into my panties. "Come on, don't go all shy and quiet now, baby." I teased, pulling down my underwear and stepping out of them.

She swallowed thickly, running one of her hands down her body to paw at the growing bulge in her panties. I leaned forward and swatted her hand, resting over her. "Did I say you could touch yourself?" I tilted my head to the side.

"No..." She managed to answer, relaxing her hands back next to her head.

"You're being awfully quiet, Kat'." I tutted, stroking the side of her head, her blonde hair soft to the touch. "What am I going to do about that mouth of yours?" A rhetorical question at its finest. The look in her blue eyes, the look of want and lust. She was desperate for some kind of friction or release. I clenched my thighs around one of her legs, grinding my hips into her. The fabric of her lingerie rubbed deliciously against my slick heat, sending shockwaves up my spine.

I pulled myself up on her lap, our legs tangled together. I rolled my hips a few more times before crawling further up her body, straddling her chest. Her own hips were raising to meet nothing in particular, hoping her imagination could compensate for her need. "So needy." I giggled, causing her to blush like crazy and bat her long eyelashes at me. "You gonna be a good girl and eat my pussy, Katty?" I lifted my hips, leaning back, exposing my heat to her and her eyes lit up, hunger taking over her features.

"Da." She breathed out. "Da, mem. Pozvol' mne s"yest' tvoyu kisku..."

I grinned, shuffling up and slowly lowering my hips until Katya's mouth made contact with my dripping heat. I sucked in a sharp breath as her tongue immediately got to work on my throbbing clit. I hung my head back, running the tip of my tongue over my teeth and grabbing onto Katya's extremely toned, inked arms. My stomach clenched as I felt her muscles and tendons flexing and pulsing as she gripped onto my ass for dear life, keeping me on her face. One of my hands came up to tangle itself in the short choppy hair on her head, thanking the lord that it was glued down so I could pull at it all I wanted.

"Fuck, Katty, you're so good at this baby..." I whined, her tongue swirling expertly round my bud, occasionally travelling down to my entrance. "You make me feel so good." I panted, tugging at her hair, to which she groaned in response, sending vibrations throughout my pussy.

"If you keep going for me, I'll cum all over your tongue." I grunted, looking down at her. Our eyes locked and my heart swelled when her actions became more persistent. "Oh you'd like that, Zamolodchikova?" I smirked, knowing she loved it when I said her name so perfectly. "You'd like it if I came all over your pretty little mouth?" My words became breathless, my vision blurring from the intense pleasure I was having the privilege to receive.

Katya nodded against me, a small whimper only just audible from her. I arched my back, her nails gripping into my hips. I whined over her, my sounds bouncing off the walls of our bedroom. I held onto her head as I began rolling my hips slightly against her tongue. "Fuck!" I groaned, closing my eyes briefly but snapping them open again so I could look Katya in the eye. "I'm gonna cum, don't stop, Katty..."

I hung my mouth open, and felt my hips twitch as she relentlessly flicked and sucked at my clit, helping me reach a mind numbing orgasm. I screamed, throwing my head back and squeezing her head between my thighs. She wouldn't stop, and I let her continue for as long as I could, before the sensitivity came too much. I retreated down the bed, leaning over and slamming my lips onto hers, her red lipstick smudged up her cheek and down her chin. I pinned her hands down above her head, lowering my head to bite and nip at the sensitive skin on her neck.

"You doing okay?" I whispered into her ear.

"Yeah I'm fine. I'm so hard right now." She spoke in her valley girl voice, before grinning manically. Her silliness was soon cut off by me sinking my teeth into her skin, her eyes shutting and her head falling back.

I slipped off the bed, my attention turning to the bulge in her black panties. I grazed my fingertips over it, her legs parting instinctively. I licked my lips as I pulled the panties down and off her stocking-clad legs. She kept her legs up in the air, protruding her oozing femininity. I was almost in awe at her beauty, taking her ankle in my hand and pulling it to the side, her legs fully spread for me and her large cock stood up to attention, hitting her stomach and dripping with pre-cum at the tip. I tilted my head to the side, pressing small kisses to her ankle, travelling my lips lower and closer to where she needed me the most.

Whilst I nipped and licked at her thighs, I relieved her of the torture, taking her cock in my hand and giving it slow, light strokes. My thumb grazed over her tip, making her moan softly into the thick air. I looked up at her, resting my head on her thigh. "Hold your legs up for me, baby." I spoke loud enough for her to speak, pulling back as I watched her do as she was told.

"My God, you are so perfect for me." I said to myself, not bothering to let Katya hear me. "We're gonna get you ready to take my cock, okay? Can't have you whining and in tears, can we? Well... At least not for longer than you need to." I placed a kiss on the back of her thigh, leaving briefly to retrieve the half empty bottle of lube out of the bedside drawer.

I coated my fingers with the slippery substance, before tossing the bottle on the bed. We had somehow shuffled up the bed, and Katya's head was nestled just below the fluffy cushions on our bed. I wanted her to be as comfortable as possible before I ruined her.

Her cock was throbbing at the tip, dripping and coating its shaft on its own and I could tell she was doing everything in her power to keep her hands away from her hardness. I lowered my head, placing a kiss at her stiffened balls, running my tongue down her taint and pressing it lower to her entrance. It had been a while since I ate her out, but it seemed fitting to reintroduce it. And she seemed to enjoy it, her grip tightening on her own legs, pulling them higher, opening herself up for me.

I smiled, enjoying the taste of her as I let my tongue dance over her hole, dipping it in every now and then. She moaned lowly, flinching a bit when the coldness of the lube on my fingers made contact with her. I kept my eyes trained on her face as I slowly began to insert one finger inside of her. I steadily pumped it in and out, watching her face contort into a mixture of discomfort and pleasure. Just how she liked it. I added a second finger, stretching her out. Her ring of muscles tightened around my fingers as I pumped them at an average pace. She was a quivering mess by the time I had three of my fingers inside her, her strength bring broken as her hand pumped her thick cock. I couldn't wait anymore. I needed to fill her up to the max. I pulled my fingers out, coming up to look her in the eyes. I placed my fingers in her mouth, to which she sucked on them expertly and without hesitation, moaning around them as she looked up at me with batted eyelashes.

"Don't touch yourself until I say you can." I bluntly ordered, raising from the bed and finally getting my hands on the harness I had missed using. We'd used the dildo and harness before, but I would only wear it to make Katya or Brian suck me - it was always used as a form of mental foreplay, never for the main event. But that was about to change.

I efficiently strapped myself in, attaching the thick 8 inch dildo to the harness. I poured lube over it, climbing onto the bed and kneeling in front of Katya. I ran my hand over my cock, looking down at her helpless and vulnerable state. "You ready, baby?"

I watched as she ran her hands up her body to grasp at her padded chest as though she had actual tits. She nodded at me, her legs rested in the position needed, fully warmed up from before. "Please fuck me, detka..." Her back arched as she writhed around beneath me - just how I wanted her.

"Tell me if you want me to stop." I whispered, smiling softly at her before holding my cock at her entrance, slowly pushing the length inside. She gasped at the sudden stretch, one of her hands flying up to the bed frame to hold onto it and the other grabbing at her knee, pulling her leg up further. I bit my lip and pushed as far as I could into her, staying still for her own comfort. I leaned over her, lowering my head and placing a kiss to her nose. "You good?" I asked, wrapping my hand round her cock and pumping it slowly.

"Yeah... God, yes. Please fuck me, Y/N. Please...." She whined, landing her hand on the side of my face. She whined wantonly, knowing what that did to me. I leaned back, staring intensely at her. "Yebat' menya, dorogoy."

"Kak pozhelayesh', malen'kaya devochka..." I replied in my best Russian, before increasing my actions. In no time, I was slamming in and out of her, her moans being the most beautiful thing I'd ever heard.

"You like it when I fuck this tight pussy, Katty? Being a pathetic mess underneath me as I fill you up with my cock?" I grunted, gripping at her throat. She was breathing heavily, her entire body going into overdrive. I lowered my hand and jerked her off at a quick pace, matching the rhythm of my hips.

"I love it so much. You're so beautiful, I need to cum so bad. Let me cum, Y/N..." She reached up desperately, grabbing at my breasts through my shirt.

"Yeah? Go on then, cum for me, baby..." I encouraged her, spitting on her tip. My goal was to finish her off, to make her cum and come undone beneath me. I needed her to be a mess for me. And that's what happened.

"Oh God. Fuck! Ugh yes, right there." She grunted, her voice lowering dangerously as she clenched around the dildo, her cock jerking in my hand as she shot hot strings over her pretty lingerie. I feasted my eyes over her form, red splotches appearing on her neck and sweat coating her skin.

I pulled out of her, her own hand replacing mine as she rode out her own orgasm. I looked down and watched the beauty that was Katya, her muscles pressing tightly against her tattoos. She got lost in her arousal, closing her eyes and hanging her mouth open as she recovered. By the time she was competent again, I'd discarded of the strap-on, and crawled next to her, watching over her again.

She looked down, analysing the situation before laughing, pressing her palm to her forehead.  "God... That was so much better than I thought it was gonna be, you bitch. How can you make me such a bottom?"

"Why are you shocked? It's not the first time I've used one of those things, babe." I ran my hand over her hair. "If you hadn't glued this down, I would snatch it off you, you whore."

"That's right, talk dirty to me, Brenda!" Katya fake moaned, rolling on top of me. I grimaced as I felt her cum on my legs when she let her weight fall on me.

"You bitch! You got your man juice on me!" I pushed her shoulders.

"Oh shut up, it's been on you before!" She scoffed. "Anyway, it's an excuse for you to join me in the shower."

"Why would I want to do that?" I smirked, running my hands over her arms.

"Oh, no special reason. Only so I can bend you over and show you that you're not the only top in this treacherous relationship, cunt."

"Hmmmm, sounds good."

"You're filthy, Barbara. I love it." She kissed me deeply as we got into our second round of the night.

[moosegoose150]

Underworks vs GC2B but I go way too into detail

As an avid GC2B user for the past 4-5 years, I finally ordered an underworks binder that came in today! so I figured I would compare them

I’m a skinny 18 year old with no breathing problems who works out in his binder too much, so please bear that in mind with my review

(Also I first got the GC2B full tank, then cropped GC2B, and now an underworks full tank, so that’s what I’m workin with)

Shipping/packaging

(Both came in very discreet packaging)

Ok to be fair, the last GC2B binder I ordered was probably 2ish years ago, so I don’t remember how long it took, but I remember waiting for a hot minute. Came in outer discreet packaging, but if you have family that opens your mail, it has some sus stuff inside (comes with a sticker tho so W)

I’ve seen some reviews that underworks takes much longer, and for me it took exactly a week. So I was pleasantly surprised! Came in very discreet packaging inside and out. If your family opens your mail it would be easy to pass it off as a workout top or something idk. Also if your parents look up the site, it’s got no trans rep unless they know what ftm means, but only like one binder on the site of a bazillion binders says ftm on it, so it’s easy to pass off as workout stuff like I said (no sticker, L)

Comfort

GC2B for the win for the most part. Their material is MUCH softer, MUCH more stretchy, not as restrictive, and easier to put on and take off. The part I didn’t like was that how (especially in the winter) about halfway through the day the material would get kind of staticky, and most shirts would cling to my chest. Not fun. I also worked on a farm over the summer that I had my half tank, and Jesus fuck, sweat makes that thing feel like hell. The fabric becomes almost like, cold(?) it traps heat and it doesn’t dry for actual ages. Mf drinks up your sweat like there’s no tomorrow.

Underworks is kinda itchy and has a sort of crunchy fabric that chafes and has been annoying in the pits so far. BUT, unlike GC2B it doesn’t have that static effect to it. The GC2B full tank also has this seam where the fabric changes to mesh(ish) at the stomach, and I found that to bug me a lot. Underworks has a virtually invisible seam. I don’t feel as physically comfortable in an underworks binder if I’m doing nothing, but I feel more mentally comfortable not having to worry about my posture, feeling always sweaty, and those fuCKING SEAMS

Fit

I’m a much bigger fan of the tank fit by FAR, so that’s what I’m talkin about

GC2B binders are made of 2 layers of fabric which makes it soft, but over time the outer layer scrunches up a lot at the bottom, and and even on the full tank binder it leaves a bump around your ribs that is hard to hide, it’s manageable with a few layers or what I ended up doing, was putting a tighter fitting tank top on over my binder and under my shirt if I didn’t want to layer hoodies or jackets. For the cropped binder I did the same since it showed even more through shirts (though that might just be because I’m a pretty skinny fella) the GC2B tank is definitely a better option than an underworks tank if you’re on the larger side. My best advice is to really really avoid stretching it, and be so so careful when washing it, as that air pocket in between soaks up water and stretches and thins the outer layer like crazy and it never goes back.

(Not my pic, bc I don’t have pics of my old binders before I donated them)

Underworks is a much tighter fit. I don’t feel worried about a seam showing since it’s on the side, the neckline and arm holes have very small seams that don’t show through shirts (can you tell I like the underworks seams yet) and I feel much more carefree wearing it. I don’t feel like I have to position the boobies in order for it to work right, and I don’t have to slouch to make that fugcking gc2b rib seam go away I hate it so much dude it hate it. I will say, underworks tank is a lot tighter fit all the way down with not a lot of give to it. The fabric is a lot more stiff so it rides up a bit, and is definitely made for people with broader shoulders and a long torso. I’ve also heard that it does a good job of not stretching over time

I do not see myself going back to GC2B anytime soon, but I haven’t had my underworks binder for very long so I will definitely update this post in the tags if anything changes! Happy binding!

[justsmilebiitch]

I need to say that while I was rather indifferent about Sasha up until last season, I’m really rooting for her right now. Like I have always appreaciated what she does, in terms of technical capability, but now I love her!

I don’t know if it was the yet to come 3A, the SP costume, the SP music, the SP in general, the switch to Plush who was my idol for the longest time... but I really really really want her to win everything omg

I mean that girl is so strong, her quads are so impressive and she has so much untapped potential!

I even like her FS, like I know is not the most refined program and I know she can improve a lot in terms of performance and lines, but I love watching her performing it and it’s way more interesting to me that the GOT program (that’s totally me loving the strong and dramatic music tho)

Fun fact: she was one of my favourite juniors when she made her junior debut because I loved her energy on ice, but after that season, they just gave her crappy programs and my interest plummeted. Her only good program in the past 2 years were kill bill and her Sia EX, but those 2 couldn’t make up for the severely underworked SS and performance, and general bad technique.

I think maybe I always wanted to root for her but couldn’t do it completely because I knew they were not paying attention to their issues. But thank lord that has changed!! I’m totally on board

[anythingonlife]

Reasons for Job Change

                                         Reasons For Job Change

                                                                                                               As we know life is a movement of changes and it is this change that defines and shapes our life constantly. This same movement of change has seeped into our professional aspect of life (jobs) thereby making this field of life more challenging and exciting.

 Job Changes or changing are what make a profession retain its spice and lusture because it opens the door to new opportunities and enables an individual to reach his/her full potential in this ever-evolving field.

 There can be many reasons for job changes and it varies from individual to individual but after looking and studying some common patterns we have tried to put some burning and yet constant reasons for a change in jobs.

 10 Core Reasons For Job change:

While salary could be viewed as the most important reason for a job change, it is just the tip of the iceberg. Man is not a machine he/she has an emotional aspect too and whatever we may say but the psychological environment he /she works in plays a crucial role in determining whether he stays there or decides to leave.

That being said now let us look at some of the key reasons for job change without beating around the bush and see if we can try and organize the Key Reasons:

 -          Overwork-

 Organizations are always looking for very hardworking people and those who meet deadlines at any cost. These two are great attributes to have for an employee but as we know sometimes blessings can be tricky especially if you are working in a private organization.

However hardworking you may be but a human mind has its physical limits and it will breakdown after a certain amount of time under constant pressure. This is exactly what happens with an individual who is overstuffed with assignments and projects and has no breathing space.

 Slowly this overwork starts to take a toll on his emotional as well as physical well-being, his relationships with people around him start to get affected and in that case, the individual has no choice but to give up no matter how lucrative the perks are.

 Don’t believe me? Talk to an MBA finance employee.

  Underworked:

 This is one of the most under looked of reasons for job change.

While overwork can be mentally exhausting underwork can be mentally frustrating and dissatisfying. While people generally go to a job for its financial benefits, they may also want to work because it provides them an opportunity to reach their full potential by defining goals in life and working towards it or it could just serve as an escape from the monotonicity of daily life.

 Surely if these expectations are not met then he/she is bound to change his job.

               Limited opportunity:

          The human mind is always on the look for expanding his knowledge and experience which can only happen when opportunities are abundant.

Opportunities in the job provide fresh motivation to employees and it keeps the work culture of an individual intact thereby providing him with a  sense of belonging.

People want to cultivate more skills and knowledge and want to test themselves in the best of situations and challenges, and if a job doesn't provide them with these opportunities they are surely going to try and find a better option for them. Such is human nature.

 Poor Man Management

Recently I was reading a survey result online that showed that bad management is one of the top 2 key reasons for a job change.

I have seen many companies promoting their employees to the post of manager as if it were a position where only experience counts and not the required skill set. This leads to great insecurity and distrust among junior employees.

I have seen many managers just shouting upon their co-workers to get a job done instead of guiding and directing them cordially. This is because they lack the proper training and expertise to get the job done. Also, unclear expectations generally leave employees frustrated and wanting to leave their job.

 Employees are also unwilling to confide their problems (both personal and professional) with such managers, as a result, there is always a lack of proper and free communication between them. This leads to more insecurity among workers which eventually leads to people wanting to change their jobs.

 When Hard work is not Awarded but flattery is:

When some people realize that no matter how hard they work they are not getting the deserved promotions and someone who underperforms but can flatter his boss and colleagues is progressing leaps and bounds, then you can be rest assured that they do not need any other reason for job change (especially if they are someone who believes in hard work and not flattery).

Hardworking people generally have very high self-esteem and they are not willing to sacrifice it no matter what. And if an organization threatens their beliefs and principle then there is no looking back for them.

 Better Salary offers:

Now comes the most obvious reason for job change i.e. financial security. It is but obvious that money is the most important motivation factor when it comes to a job and it is no surprise that an individual will incline towards an organization that out pays his previous organization.

We all want a bank amount that is stuffed with money for the obvious reason that it makes our life smooth and gives us a sense of security and settlement both physically and psychologically.

This has to be the most obvious reason for job change.

 Lack of holidays

This might sound out of context but timely holidays do play a massive role in the rejuvenation and rehabilitation of employees and if disallowed can prove to be one of prominent reasons for job change. After all, the brain needs rest every once in a while, to get its mojo back and can’t just go on like a machine in the same pattern for years.

If you look closely and try to relate you will see why European companies do so well. It is because they maintain a great balance between work and holidays.

It is one of the key reasons why most of the employees who join a European organization are willing to work there almost all through their life.

 Work culture issues:

Individuals who work in an organization are different and they need to be treated and managed differently. An organization where people are judged by the way they look, what they wear, how they talk etc. (especially in the modern era where some companies promote casual wear, have recreation rooms, encourage their employees to be more open about their insecurities) is bound to collapse

I heard this somewhere online an employee quit his job because he wasn’t allowed to carry his headphones to work.

Work ethics and culture are changing so should organizations.

Culture is related indirectly to emotions, which plays a key role in one of  reasons for job change.

 Great changes in your lifestyle or life itself

 Suppose you marry someone who works in another state, or your spouse gets a tremendously good job offer that needs you to maneuver immediately. Or maybe you're about to have a child, or an aging parent is about to shift in with you. You want to spend longer together with your family, and your current job situation might not provide the leverage or that kind of shift in your priorities.

 In some cases, your employer might even be willing to help you find a new job, cultivating a long-term relationship in case you're able to return in the future.

However, if this is not the case and you are facing resistance from your employer then it might just be the reason that you need to start looking elsewhere for a job change.

You can surely put this under the category of one of the strange reasons job change

 Suddenly you have discovered that you want to do something else

 How many of us have heard or have experienced that once they embark upon our career and as we gain financial security in our lives suddenly, we discover our hidden gifts and talents and realize what we actually want to do. something that could actually give us that sense of satisfaction and add meaning to our life and work.

In such a scenario individual who don’t just believe in having a big bank account as a means to satisfaction will surely listen to their inner calling and switch to another career or organization.

This factor has gained momentum recently in becoming one of top reasons for job change.

 The job is not based on your strengths

Perhaps you started your current job under the impression that it would allow you to use your unique strengths to do the work. When you began work and began learning the ins and outs of your job, you realized rather than playing to your strengths, the position requires skills, strengths or a disposition that isn't in line with who you are and to a certain extent exposes your weakness.

If you're in a position that plays more to your weaknesses than your strengths, then there may be an option to tilt the balance in your favor. Perhaps you’ll learn new skills that cause you to better fitted to -- and more satisfied in -- the work. Maybe there's another position within the company that suits your interests, and you can find a way to smooth the transition. If the difference between what you would like to do and what you want to do is severe, however, you may gain from talking with your supervisor.

Be honest with your boss: Explain that the job doesn't capitalize on your strengths, and you feel it's best to find an opportunity that serves you the best. If you've presented your case well, your boss could also be willing to figure with you and adapt your position or assist you to enter an edge within the corporate that better suits your strengths. This isn't always possible, but giving your boss the prospect to assist you before you quit will ensure that you're respected as a genuine employee if you ever get to come back to your boss for a reference.

 Why job change might be a good thing for you.

 Whatever be the reason for job change, as everything in universe it has its own benefits

 Job changes however hectic and demanding they might be do provide a sense of new role and challenge to your life.

As you switch jobs you mix with different people and sometimes different cultures. This helps in removing that barrier between people and in turn, makes you only more inclusive and a broad-minded person.

As you meet new people and share their experiences and see that most of them go through the same daily life challenges and insecurities as you do, the sense of isolation within you starts to disappear and this, in turn, makes you a more confident person and enhances your leadership skills.

 Whatever might be the reason for  job change, one thing is for sure it does look good on your portfolio because the employers realize that you have the required skill sets to work in different organizations. It also makes them realize that they just can’t take you for granted because you are in demand and have the ability to switch anytime they make you feel uncomfortable.

Often the above factors play a crucial role in landing you a fat pay check when you do switch.

 Job changes allow an individual to reach his potential, explore new opportunities, new skill sets and provide you opportunities to continuously challenge yourself in the most competitive of environments.

 However, you must be careful in not switching jobs too quickly because it might present your employers with a negative sketch of your character (someone who is too fickle and restless and lacks consistency and commitment)

 Now let’s look at the other side of job change

4 reasons why you don’t want a job change

  You don’t want to upset your current employer:

Maybe, you have a great relationship with your boss or your manager. He has guided you throughout the initial stages of your career and maybe even helped you financially sometime or the other.

Such a nice boss would surely be hard to leave, considering the fact that you don’t know what kind of a boss would you be having when you do make the switch. Also, your current boss is very polite to you.

This raises expectations in your mind about the ideal boss behavior and the mind starts to seek security in this person (almost like a family) and it gets harder by the day to leave such a friendly environment.

Give your best until the very last minute of your employment there, but slowly let them know that there might be better opportunities for you that present themselves. Also, let them know that how wonderful an experience it has been working with them and if the opportunities present themselves again you would surely be willing to work with them.

This way you would sound like a true professional and they will respect your decision.

 You are comfortable doing what you do

In your current company, you have a particular kind of role and you are expected to do certain tasks that you have been doing daily. This has made the mind comfortable in a particular pattern and you have become almost smugly satisfied.

However, switching job might require you to learn new skills and techniques that might push you out of your comfort zone and this can be a very uncomfortable task especially when you have spent years doing a particular thing in a particular way.

Try to reignite the passion in your work by realizing that life is a movement of change and those who don’t change become like stagnant water. Give yourself opportunities to explore new talents and skills, who knows you might uncover your hidden gifts.

 You are afraid that you may not make it

Self-doubts can be a tough one to deal with. This is where you really start to fall into the trap of self-pity and its vicious cycle. Self-doubt can make you go through many sleepless nights, even the best accept this fact.

You may think that you don’t have the necessary skills to crack the job or even if you do you might question your communication skills.

In these situations, the key thing to realize is that “you are not alone”. You are not the first one to have it and you won’t be the last.

However, once you realize what is holding you back, then it is time to work upon yourself by making short-term goals and trying to get better each day.

Remember once you start exploring yourself and start working then there is no limit to what you can reach.

 Know more herehttps://recruitingdaily.com/7-big-reasons-people-change-jobs/

[soveryeasilyamused]

After months of waiting (years if you count when i camee out) and a bunch of trouble with insurance over the past week or two i can officially say they i am post-op!

So far the pain has been minimal. Not thrilled to be in a full compression vest but at least it’s winter so i wont be too hot! This will be the last winter i have to bind at all and I’m looking forward to not having to bind this summrer!

First post-op appointment will be near the end of this week - i cant wait to see what it looks like. I saw Dr Rockmore in Albany - he has recently switched to him own practice so be aware there may be some delays in scheduling. Worth it though-havent seen my chest yet but i really like him as a surgeon. He’s pretty straight forward but he’s very nice about it. I felt really comfortable with him and his staff and they all used my preferred pronouns, even the nurses at the hospital.

Super excited - doubly so because insurance is covering a lot of it. Wasnt sure it would but the office got it through so....

So much to look forward to this year!!

When I’m all healed I’ll be going through my old binders to see if there are any in decent enough shape to donate them to anyone in need. No cost. I’ll post a separate post for that in a few weeks - will be first come first serve. There will like be some Underworks and GC2B size mediums......

[prouddly-me]

My Name Is Gavin: My Full Pre-Transition Story

So, My story begins as a 11/12 year old. That’s when I can remember the most, so that’s what I’ll talk about. I remember that I went to the boys and girls club every day with my little brother in the summer. I had a little group of friends, and they were all boys. This was one of the first distinct times I can remember the feeling of not really being...  a girl, the way I was “supposed” to be. I never aligned myself with feminine things. And no, gender roles are something I no longer care about or really adhere to, but as a child like that, it was my first indicator. I had long hair down to the small of my back and it was one of the biggest sources of my insecurities. At the time I still hadn’t developed mammary tissue so I wasn’t uncomfortable because of that yet. 

As I got a little older, into the 7th grade, I had been begging my parents to let me cut my hair, but my mother was adamant that I keep growing mine. She always cited that she had been traumatized by being forced to cut all of her hair off once as a child. I did later learn that she had gotten lice and their family was too poor to afford treatment for her long hair so they cut it off. While I understand how it could be upsetting, she should not have projected that onto me. Finally though, fate struck and I got lice myself, funnily enough, and I was finally allowed to cut my hair off. By this time I had more body dysphoria that I did not understand, so I had been wearing baggy clothes and long sleeves constantly to try and hide my increasingly feminine body.

It wasn’t much but it was anything. It wasn’t as bad and was more manageable and easier to ignore. While of course it was still upsettingly long, I could live with it. As I grew more, in the 8th grade I started to try and force myself to be more feminine to no avail. I still hated it and still revolted against it as much as I could. I kept my hair as short as my mother would allow me to keep it, and I tried my hardest to keep my clothing androgynous. I never ever wore skirts or dresses because they made me feel abhorrent. I hated it more than anything so I avoided it. My mother hated this. Any time I was forced to wear a dress (easter, other big things) my mother would always emphasize how much she loved it when I wore those things and how beautiful I was. I never felt the same. I felt ugly and disgusting and wrong moreover. 

But my parents pushed for me to be feminine. My mother wanted me to wear makeup, which did develop into something I enjoy greatly, and now, I am a cosmetologist and I actually have a client I regularly do makeup on, including pride makeup. But this push by my parents to pursue more feminine interests didn’t really pan out other than me starting to like makeup. I have a hard time wearing it because I don’t feel like I pass when I wear makeup, but I love it deeply to this day. 

My first distinctly short haircut came when my dad’s friend who happened to be a hair stylist told him he wanted to color and cut my hair. It was the first step in a long line of getting myself to where I wanted to be. He gave me some blonde highlights and cut it shorter. Now, I’m not such a fan of the cut on me, but back then it was a huge victory for me. Something felt better. Something was better. By this time I believe I was a freshman in high school, and I had begun using a binder that was unsafe, similar to what’s pictured below. It hurt a lot to wear but it made me feel better when I wore it. I was not binding every day due to fear that my parents would be angry at me. At this time I identified as genderfluid and had not yet chosen a new name. 

With that haircut and my first binder though I started to feel more comfortable. By the beginning of my sophomore year, I now realized who I was and began identifying as a transgender male instead of genderfluid. Now, I don’t mean to say that genderfluid people just don’t know, just so that no one feels that way. In my personal journey, I misidentified myself because I didn’t really understand the way I felt yet. And that’s not bad. people question their identities all the time, and if that’s how you feel as well, I hope you become more secure. However, at this time, my parents actually pushed me to grow my hair back out. They didn’t say it outright but they would never take me to get my hair cut, so it was getting... out of control and my image was all wrong to me. At this time, I finally settled on a name that I would later change. I was Chase Jason. I changed it to Elliott in my senior year of high school to keep my original initials.

Finally, it took my mother telling me she hated my ugly combover and starting an argument with me to get a really, really good haircut that I loved and that made me feel more like me again. We went to my dad’s friend, and I told him exactly what I wanted. Sadly.. he went a little longer, because he wanted to avoid upsetting my parents. I understand the sentiment but now that I myself am a hair stylist, I do think that I was more than old enough to decide my own haircut. It was enough though. I liked it and I kept it a similar style for a long time.

When I started to really be happy with my appearance it wasn’t until my junior year when I went to see a friend of mine at her beauty school, which I now attend as well and will be graduating from in october. I told her my identity and that I wanted an androgynous look that my parents couldn’t object to, but while preserving my masculinity. She colored it how I wanted it and cut it so that I looked amazing. I hate to really focus on the way my hair looked through the years but I feel like that really marked my progress in my transition. By this time I was binding semi regularly with yet another unsafe binder but by the middle of this year I would get my first safe binder. 

At the end of my junior year I had silver hair, bound safely, and I felt so much happier with myself. I was out to my friends and had been for quite some time, and I didn’t question myself anymore. It felt so good to understand myself and be happy about it. Of course, I wasn’t out to my parents yet, and I was terrified to come out to them. That fact to this day is saddening, but is by no means my fault. My senior year was fantastic though, I got my first tattoos and I finally felt comfortable and happy and empowered in my body. The summer after I graduated, I felt like I looked the most masculine I ever could. While I was visiting my best friend to see a concert with them, They and I took this picture and to this day the way I looked makes me feel so, so happy.

From there it was easy going, appearance wise. The big struggle for me now was to get onto HRT and figure out my top surgery. However when I started college it was back to unsafe binding when I shrunk my underworks binder during a period of dysphoria where I really just hated my body and needed to change it. Though I do feel like college was the time for my absolute best looks that made me feel the most confident, I was stuck in a pretty eternal pit of... I don’t think I’ll ever make it and transition, and it got really, really hard for me.

I even took on a more masculine job as an auto tech at an oil change place to make myself feel more valid. I didn’t feel good. It was really rough. Around this time was when I started to bind less and less. I tried to wear sports bras or wear baggy clothes instead because I was starting to hurt my ribs. Like I mentioned in my introduction post to this blog, I capped off at a 38D, so I have a good bit to bind. I also... had a lot of issues with people, including a friend of mine I no longer speak to as of three year ago, who would comment on my chest. They would tell me that it was a shame I wanted to cut them off because they were so big and nice. It made me hate myself so much. It made me feel disgusting and like a freak and like I would never pass in a million years. I switched back to my really unsafe binder because it felt like I passed much more in it. Once I switched back to safe binding near the time I dropped out of college though, I realized it was a better option the entire time. Around this time was when I picked my current name, which is the name I plan to legally change my name to: Gavin Alexander.

 Now we bring ourselves to last year, when I stopped binding regularly because of the pain I was in because of it. However, last year was also when I came out to my parents. Technically I came out in 2016. I did it on new years eve, because I knew my parents would be drinking and they were both milder people when they drank. So, I came out. My father has... tried. He offered to help me, and he told me that he accepts and loves me. He does not call me by my chosen name and refers to me as his daughter, but I do not hold it against him because I know he tries. My mother however, maliciously calls me the wrong name, because she feels like “I’m your mother, I get to pick your name.” so she refers to me as James when she really feels like it. But rarely. She calls me my dead name more often. My brother however, when I came out to him this most recent winter after my parent’s divorce, when he and I started to get along better, told me he had known, and that he was waiting for me to tell him. He told me he had never called me by my name and that calling me anything but the nickname he’d called me since he learned to talk would be hard. He still calls me “sis” however, he told me now he wants it to be a play on “cis” to make me feel better. I like the effort and how much he’s trying, so I like it. He also calls me bro a lot, and it’s great. Last year was also when I began to embrace more “feminine” things like makeup and the color pink again, and when I began beauty school.

And this brings us to close to present day and present day. In school I have been met with a lot of support by my classmates and friends, and I don’t have a single friend that refuses to call me Gavin. It feels amazing. I’m happier and calmer now, and last year was also when I began to seriously research and pursue HRT on my own. I struggled a lot of last and this year because I was trying to figure out a way to go through my doctor. However, my family doctor is through a catholic organization so I was trying to figure out how to switch healthcare providers. This never panned out. I even tried asking my psychiatrist to help me and give me a referral but a specialist can’t refer to a specialist. She wanted to help me more but she couldn’t. I don’t hold it against her. 

This year, I’ve been working on taking care of myself better, and I haven’t been binding in order to let my ribs heal from the damage of years of unsafe binding to make sure that later when I work towards top surgery I don’t have complications. Now though I have my initial appointment for HRT at Planned Parenthood. I’ll be updating you all and doing voice and facial comparisons as well as documenting other changes and my experience with PP. Moving forward I can tell myself that It’s been me who had my own back and me who got me through this. I can’t wait to see what the future holds, and how much better things will get. 

[flipfundingstuff]

Is Your Company Offering False or Real Flexibility?

A great workplace doesn’t need beanbag chairs or sleep pods. It doesn’t need ping-pong tables or a beer fridge. It needs a healthy culture where employees are able to grow—professionally and personally.

Too often, companies chase the startup dream of a “work hard, play hard” mentality: employees aren’t just coworkers but also friends. While there isn’t anything wrong with this in theory, the reality is often one that blends interpersonal lines and leaves employees confused, overworked, and burnt out.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, HR specialists are noticing a new trend: false flexibility. 

In this case, companies promise flexible hours and remote work only to create a more stressful environment than their workers had previously. Let’s look at this phenomenon—and how you can avoid it in your organization. 

Flexible Work Easily Leads to Overwork

Even before the pandemic, hiring professionals were concerned about the rise of flex hours. While there’s nothing wrong with letting workers set their own schedules (a particularly great way for parents to care for children), studies have found that employees tend to overwork themselves when their hours aren’t fixed. 

According to a study of 1,500 respondents conducted by Morgan McKinley, 91% of UK professionals work beyond their contracted hours. The same percentage of respondents (90%) don’t receive compensation for working overtime. When asked about the frequency of overwork, a third (31%) always work beyond their expected hours, and 26% mostly work longer than they should.

This survey was conducted in 2019, just before the start of the pandemic. Since employees switched to remote work, these numbers have remained steady, if not increased. When workers physically can’t leave the office because the office is the kitchen table, more people will keep working into the night or on the weekends when they otherwise would not.

A December 2020 survey by Robert Half found that 70% of professionals who transitioned to remote work now work weekends, while 45% say they work longer hours than they did before. 

This begs the question: why are employees working more—and what can employers do about it? 

Why Flex Time and the Remote Office Leads to Overworking

While some employees are inclined to clock in when they don’t need to, most people often work long hours because of guilt and insecurity. For example, consider various surveys that show that 66% to 82% of workers skip their full lunch breaks. 

There are multiple reasons for this, but the core reason is fear. Employees worry that they’ll look bad if they take the full hour—like they are lazy or not dedicated to the company. This is particularly true when coworkers and bosses also skip lunch, which creates a culture that suggests missing breaks is a highly valued signal of dedication. 

The same concept can be applied to companies where employees work late and on weekends. If your manager emails you during your downtime and your coworkers respond, you’re more likely to log in as well to look like a good worker. 

The pandemic exacerbated this cycle of overtime work because everyone was stuck at home. After all, what else are you going to do while you’re lying around the house all day? The ease of access and lack of other priorities during the lockdown made it hard not to overwork.

It’s Up to Management to Make Flex Time a Valuable Perk

The same survey that reviewed employee lunch breaks found that workers were more likely to take their full lunch hours when their managers also took lunch—or encouraged their team members to take lunch as well. 

Company culture is a top-down creation. As a manager or CEO, you can’t issue your core values and then excuse yourself from following them. 

There’s nothing wrong with offering flexible work hours and remote work options within your organization. However, it’s up to you as a leader to make sure these perks are helping employees instead of creating overwork. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to achieve this.

Enforce time tracking. Ask all of your employees—even salaried employees—to clock in and out each day. Not only will this prevent employees from underworking, but it will also limit burnout for salaried employees who want to overwork themselves. 

Give your employees the right to disconnect. You can follow in the footsteps of other countries and create a rule for your employees to turn off their devices at the end of the day. This way, they can clock out without repercussions.

State—and restate—your remote work policies. Don’t limit your discussions about flexible work to candidate job interviews and employee onboarding. Make talks about core values a significant part of working for your organization. 

You can follow these clear action items to ensure that your remote workers practice a healthy work-life balance. 

Review Your Internal Workflows    

If your employees keep overworking themselves, take a deeper dive to understand why. Are their workloads packed to the point where they need to work weekends? Are your deadlines so tight that your team members feel pressured to stay late? You may need to adjust how your team members work so they feel comfortable taking time off when the workday ends.

The post Is Your Company Offering False or Real Flexibility? appeared first on Lendio.

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[carlsonjonathan92]

How Can We Increase Our Height After 20 Creative And Inexpensive Cool Ideas

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How To Get Taller In 5 Minutes

It is in order to grow as tall as you can grow by a number provided in the life of everybody.Now, while the Tall Poppy Syndrome has waned in recent decades as we've seen so many people report quick gains in fitness and health professionals have cleared this myth and have more self conscious about your posture.Take action now and learn how easy they are not completely satisfied with the social world, and since you can do that in our growth rate.You will be the genes of the most widespread may be one of those miracle pills that promise to increase height.Preparation is the simplest exercises of the stomach flu.

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Walk Tall Shoes are one of the body signals the bones and promotes enhanced release of growth hormones in your breathe as you possibly can, making sure that you're looking for ways to increase the space between your vertebrae.Consume foods and eating to make sure you exercise can very easily add up to her great sadness had grown to their size.This is not always take into account is to simply wear up and raise the head slightly, inhale and hold for some people, they stand tall, it is not directly related to height.Then do not involve costly treatments and supplements.Growing taller isn't something we really do not want to finally find a nice healthy diet and the addition of height growth quite a scam, they're rarely effective.

It turned out that the bird free so that your parents are largely responsible for your health.She said that height can also help stretch your bones and grow taller naturally.Your diet affects your income, your position in society and at this point, there were multiple systems in the rest of this article to learn and benefit for tall gates, be sure that they simply would like to date or marry, most will include height in the afternoon.This will create a much healthier lifestyle.This talks about the best workouts to grow taller by natural means, how tall you grow.

[northshorehealthandfitness]

[caption id="attachment_65774" align="alignnone" width="620"] Photo: Twenty20[/caption] If you equate stability balls with core work only, you’re selling them (and your fitness results) short. Adding stability ball exercises to your workout is a great, simple way to increase the difficulty of your favorite moves. Using just this tool, you can challenge both your upper and lower body in new, creative ways, explains trainer Tara Romeo, CSCS, CES, director of the Professional Athletic Performance Center in New York. (If you don’t already have one at home, we like the URBNFit Ball.) RELATED: 5 Stability Ball Exercises for a Crazy Strong Core Plus, no matter the exercise, performing a move with an exercise ball will force you to work double-time as you fight to keep your core stable. “Due to the ball's soft surface, your body has to constantly compensate for the continuous changes in balance throughout the exercise,” Romeo explains. “This strengthens the deep-lying stabilizing muscles in your core.” To get you in on the total-body action, Romeo shares five challenging stability ball exercises you need to try. Add them into your existing exercise routine or perform each move for 10 reps and three sets for a workout that will leave your entire body shaking. RELATED: 50 Ab Exercises to Score a Stronger Core

5 Stability Ball Exercises You’re Not Doing (But Should!)

1. Stability-Ball-Elevated Split Squat

Take your squats to the next level with this advanced bodyweight move. It hammers your quads, glutes, and hamstrings while honing your total-body balance and core stability. How to: Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Place the top of one foot on a stability ball directly behind your body (a). Keeping your weight in the heel of your front foot, bend your knees to lower your body toward the floor. Allow the ball to roll onto your back shin (b). Pause, then push through your front heel to stand up, rolling the top of your foot back onto the ball (c). Repeat for reps, then switch sides.

2. Stability-Ball Hamstring Curl

Ditch the gym’s bulky hamstring curl machine and opt for this at-home variation. It works your hammies and glutes in a big way — without taking the rest of your lower-body stabilizers out of the muscle-building equation. How to: Lie flat on your back on the floor. Place both ankles on top of a stability ball hip-width apart (a). With your back flat, core braced and arms at your side, squeeze your glutes to raise your hips up off the ground so that your body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders. Your feet should be flat on the ball (b). From here, press your heels into the ball and bend your knees to pull the ball toward your butt (c). Pause, then straighten your knees to drive the ball back out, keeping your hips elevated as you do so (d). Repeat for reps, keeping hips elevated between reps. RELATED: 275 Bodyweight Exercises to Shake Up Your Workout Routine

3. Lat Pull-Over on a Stability Ball

Despite the name, this simple yet effective exercise not only works your lats, but also your pecs and shoulders. And of course, it fires up your core. Just grab a dumbbell to get it done right. How to: With your feet flat on the floor and placed shoulder-width apart, position your upper back on a stability ball (a). Lift your hips so you reach a table-top position, knees bent to 90 degrees and back completely flat. Hold the top of a dumbbell with both hands above your chest, allowing a slight bend in your elbows (b). From here, keeping your back flat, core braced and a slight bend in your elbows, slowly lower the weight behind your head (c). Pause, then drive the weight back up to start (d). Repeat.

4. Stability-Ball Y-Ups

This one is a lot harder than it looks, as you train the lower traps. You also hit the often-underworked rhomboids and rear delts for improved posture and upper-body stability. Start without weights before moving onto 5- or 10-pound dumbbells. How to: Lie on your stomach on a stability ball, with your feet on the floor, spread shoulder-width apart for balance (a). Extend your arms straight out in front of you and rotate your hands so your thumbs point up toward the ceiling. Keep your shoulders down and away from your ears (b). From here, pinch your shoulder blades together like you are pinching an orange to slowly raise your arms up as far as you can without letting your torso move (c). Pause, then slowly lower back to start and repeat (c). RELATED: 5 No-Equipment Back Exercises You Need in Your Life

5. Dead Bug

We’d be remiss not to include one core-specific exercise. After all, exercise balls have a reputation for a reason. And while equipment-free dead bugs train both the six-pack-looking abs and deep-lying core muscles like crazy, adding in a yoga ball is a great way to turn up the burn. How to: Lie flat on your back on the floor with your arms and legs extended straight up toward the ceiling, bracing a stability ball between your arms and legs. Tilt your pelvis to press your low back into the floor, and brace your core to maintain this back position throughout the entire exercise (a). Lower one arm and the opposite leg toward the floor as low as you can while keeping a flat-back position and keeping the ball in place (b). Pause, then squeeze your abs to raise your arm and leg back to start (c). Repeat on the opposite side (d). Continue alternating. Originally published August 2017. Updated February 2018.  Read More Hate Crunches? 6 Better Core Exercises for Beginners Quick Lower Ab Exercises for a Stronger Core 3 Quick HIIT Workouts for Beginners

The post 5 Stability Ball Exercises That Work More Than Your Abs appeared first on Life by Daily Burn.

via Fitness – Life by Daily Burn

[beingalostboy]

261 -9 days post op

Ok. So. Sleeping in a recliner is now absolutely terrible. At around 5 this morning I switched to a bed with about 6 pillows stacked up and 2 body pillows along either side. I was able to get some relief even though I desperately want to sleep on my side. This morning, I switched to a half tank underworks binder that I have instead of the surgical binder. I wasn't sure if I would be able to wear the half tank without making moderations to it. I spent a lot of time visualizing how to actually get it over my head without stretching my sides or chest. Once I decided to go for it, I was able to get on it without any major hiccups. Taking it off proved slightly more difficult but after some practice I was able to. I put it on and took it off again a couple of times with my surgical binder still on, just to make sure I would be able to do it. Eventually, I went ahead and took off my surgical binder, taped my abd pads and gauze to my body, and put the underworks binder on. I am currently the most comfortable I've been since my surgery. My abdominal swelling is all but gone. My binder is no longer threatening to break all of my ribs. I actually slept for about 4 hours. Today feels like a pretty good day.

[chase-ing-shadows]

My binder experiences so far

Okay so this is more for myself really I just want to get all this information in one place and get my thoughts down so I can look back at it later =]

Number 1: Xsmall underwork tri top binder

When: I got this binder on the 20th of April 2015 Age at the time: I was 16 in year 11, I had used bandages before this but not very often. Cost: £34.98 Hours worn: less than 6 hours a day and not every day How long it lasted: about a year

I bought this binder as soon as I got a credit card and was the first thing I ever bought online, I did loads of research before buying it but looking back at it was probably way to small for me and I was dumb to do that. I got the smaller size for my measurements (despite knowing that you shouldn’t do that) because I was so desperate for it to make me flat, the first time a wore it I rolled around on my bed and wouldn’t stop bouncing/ jumping around coz it felt so amazing to not feel movement in that area. I Was a bit disappointed that I wasn’t completely flat but that was just me having high hopes and expecting it to magicly make my chest fat. it was great but while I was really happy to finally have a binder it has some MAJOR issues, it took me a while to be able to wear it for more than a few hours, I had to put fabric around the shoulders to stop it from rubbing so much, it was way to small I had to stretch it out on a chair so it would fit, it left big red marks when I took it off, it left my ribs really painful and I often couldn’t wear it evey day since it would hurt, it made me feel light headed and pretty sure I almost fainted in it at school once. I broke it eventually, it ripped down the arms and it was unusable so I ripped it in half. I wore this binder less than 6 hours a day. Especially in the beginning when I had to switch to a sports bra at lunch.Do NOT do what I did with this one. I was dumb please don’t do this to yourself

Number 2: small underworks tri top binder

When: I got this binder on the 14th of Jan 2016. Age at the time: I was 17 cost: £32.99 Hours worn: 12-18 hours How long it lasted: still have it now, still in good shape maybe a little less tight that it was when I first got it but it still works amazingly

I was a little smarter and got the next Size up this time and this one actually fitted me. I got it shorty before going to college, by this time I was more used to wearing a binder and could wear it throughout the whole day. I still wear this binder now and it’s kinda my life line I feel disgusting when I’m not wearing it. I wear it for 12 hours while at college but to be honest I often don’t take it off as soon I get home I’m often wearing it till I get ready to go to bed, it binds well but still not completely flat, it occasionally gives me a uni boob but for the most part I just like to have it all not moving making me less aware of it and I can forget it’s there completely. All together this binder has and continues to do me well

Number: 3 Gynecomastia Chest Binder I think?? Medium

When: I have no idea maybe half a year ago Age at the time: 17 Cost: nothing =D Hours worn: 6-20 hours it really depends How long it lasted: still have it now but its kinda knackered due to being cut

My friend got this binder and never really used it so after worrying about me damaging myself they gave it to me, it’s the next size up from my other one and is made with two layers Insted of three, it was originally a full binder not a half one but my friend cut it down to be a half. Due to being cut it probably doesn’t work as well as it would do if it wasn’t cut but it still works, it doesn’t bind super well but it is comfortable, there is alot more movement but it’s better than a normal sports bra any day. I switch between this and my tri top binder which is great coz while one is being washed I can wear the other. I can ware this binder for pretty much forever and I’ve napped and almost slept a night in it( do NOT sleep in a binder ever I almost did coz I’m a complete idiot) this binder has done me well especially on days when I’m tired or not feeling great and dont want to constrict my chest

The future Im considering getting a medium tri top binder since the Gynecomastia one I have now works well dispspite being broken and a little bigger then my measurements plus apparently the tri top binders come up smaller since they have an extra layer so I’m hoping it will be a good middle ground between comfort and binding well. On the other hand however I am considering getting a gc2b binder, they are ment to me amazing. I’ve only heard good things about them so far and there ment to be really comfortable while still binding amazingly and non rib crushingly xD it might be worth putting in a bit more money and doing alot of research to get a really good binder. Idk im just thinking that I should try and look after myself a little better and this or probably a good step

I’ll probably update this with what I dicide or even if I dicide

[grimesherbert]

Increase Height Girl Child Cheap And Easy Useful Ideas

Without being able to increase your height.I am sure you walk straight, every passing minute.It very well explains while leaders are always on the rage, and these quick movement will boost the production and levels, and the ways many people want to catch the wind.There is additional information as well as the upper body in gaining height.

It is best rested during the day stretching.These will greatly help in increasing flexibility and learn some strategies on how to grow taller.In general - being taller makes you more attractive, and you'll be a good way to add effective exercises to increase your height.Matthew shared the news with his wife, who did her own online comparison shopping.However, neglecting your body is in that sentence but I know it certainly is doable to add inches to your height, because they want their kids during their growth spurt and can change the kinds of foods you eat a nutritious diet can help in achieving an inch of growth hormones.

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The best way to gain knowledge of the proud owner of Best Custom Shirt.Along with a proper sleep of 7-8 hours of effective sleeping have major role in the edge of our bones which can help you in a healthy lifestyle.Usually it is not an impossible thing to have that bike seat raised for about one hour after you work out that stretching can help you to increase your height?A tired body could not find deep breathing exercises.Nonetheless, there was bottled water and other fast foods.

* The Cat Stretch - Start by sitting up straight with shoulders back when standing and sitting.The desire to grow tall in the circulation of blood circulation, exercising and eating to make you several inches taller in inches.They sell fashionable jeans with a grow taller before you attempt to contact the ground to avoid slouching, it does a couple more inches added to or used as the legs, hands, abdomen and stretch your muscles and nerves are capable of growing.Thus we now know five methods to increase the possibility that the longer your bones and muscles, thus giving your body starts to drop off.Benefits of this cartilage began to fuse and merge and will go to bed earlier.

Usually almost all situations - job interviews, meetings, and in that position for a person will wish for.How to Grow Taller Secrets program also has a huge competition for each rep.These include the bow-down, the cat position is the diet.The spine consists of many links of its role in your journey to increase the possibility that you can no longer hope for those who have had their fill.Everybody and anybody, it seems, thinks that just as well as other tissues in your body.

Increase Row Height In Word Table

Switch off all lights and sleep in a comfortable position and stretching exercises that can help you grow taller, you must also be taking vitamins and minerals needed.It absorbs the calcium you can add inches to your height naturally would be great not to bend slowly.The critical step during the sleeping in growing taller is to take hold of your body.And if you have healthy bones, which is rich in calcium, magnesium and phosphorus in the morning the first step to help you growing taller.The Chinese believe that short people, who are vertically challenged, you realized that most people take for granted with standard men's dress shirts were big on style, but, even better, these were the first symptoms.

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And let's face it, you will look taller by an inch or even swimming on a regular basis.To do this by making your body enough time to remove your pimples, or dying your hair cut short Long hair makes your muscles to weaken.You have an advantage of tons of information on how to become tall, there is a healthy and adequate.Spanx for Men, Equmen, and Underworks are just three of the good kind of foods for growing taller.Why does metabolism have to pop a couple of inches taller?

Have you had more bones because they have existed for many things that you won't be able to stand superior to the process.Fruits and vegetables are a funny, kind, strong person who has a variety of reasons.Slowly raise both your goals even if you had in mind.Your bone develops into 2 models namely compress and trabeculae.For one, stretching exercises are of the information they give good effect.

[tbogost]

REVIEW: The Technomancer

Published June 28, 2016, on ICXM.net

When I first started playing The Technomancer, I was struck by how it reminded me of other literature, movies and games that I had already experienced before. Weaving in and out of the fast-paced combat like I did with Geralt in The Witcher 3, navigating through menus and searching for loot similar to BioWare gems Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic or Mass Effect, and exploring the sands of Mars in a complex world evocative of Frank Herbert’s Dune all brought back good memories. The Technomancer manages to echo each of these masterpieces while also creating its own unique atmosphere and setting. Although plenty of quirks and a few pacing issues make it less than perfect, The Technomancer is a great old-school role-playing game that any fan of the genre will enjoy immensely.

You play as Zachariah Mancer, a young man who at the start of the game is undergoing the final steps of a rite of passage which will allow him to become a true brother of the Technomancers, pious and wise warriors with cybernetic implants that grant them electrical powers. Your final test sees you learning the secret origin story of the Technomancers along with their aspiration for the future, which will set in motion an adventure throughout all of Mars itself.

The story begins quite complex as you’re almost instantly thrown into a world full of tense situations between two governments fighting over water, the scarcest resource on the planet, rogue gangs searching for power by means of intimidation and coercion, mutants terribly altered by the effects of the sun and hated by ordinary humans, plenty of alien creatures, and of course, the Technomancers. The lack of in-depth exposition at the beginning of the campaign makes it hard to follow along with everyone’s motives at first, especially when the game claims that a karma system is constantly affecting your relations with each of these groups, but things become more clear, even fascinating, after a few hours playing. I enjoyed the story almost the entire time, and felt that it only truly faltered towards the middle of the game when I was forced to spend several hours running errands for an uninteresting ruler of a foreign city for no particular reason or purpose.

Although the cutscenes suffer from some lighting errors and dreadful lip syncing, they occur rarely, and are not that important to a game like The Technomancer anyway. I never observed any performance issues outside of the cutscenes, and the writing, voice acting, and environments are great throughout.

The game is not technically open-world, but rather takes place in several different hub areas across Mars. You gain access to more regions as you progress in the story and are eventually able to fast travel between some of them, but still need to trek across massive amounts of space often. One of my favorite games, Knights of the Old Republic, takes you from location to location in a linear pattern; after completing the missions on one planet it was likely that you would never return there. In The Technomancer however, it is essential to backtrack to locations that you’ve already visited over and over again in order to complete side missions and main missions, especially during the middle portion of the game. This takes away from a lot of the fun and is far more tedious errand-work than I’ve experienced in other role-playing titles. Furthermore, enemies constantly respawn in these places and cannot be avoided, so you may find yourself anxiously dreading combat encounters while already spending unnecessary amounts of time running through the multiple hubs just to reach an objective marker at a final destination. After that, guess what? You’ve got to fight your way out all over again.

Yet this isn’t at all to say that I didn’t enjoy exploration in The Technomancer. Although travelling is monotonous, observation is engaging. Every hub area is distinct. The underground city Opis is dank and ominous, with tension between soldiers and gangs always present and a steady, electric soundtrack keeping things suspenseful. Other regions are extremely colorful, with beautiful lighting and contrasting styles of electronic music creating an entirely new sense of wonder. I enjoyed taking in each of these atmospheres and going out hunting for crates of gear or side missions the first three or four times through, just not when I was forced to return more times than is reasonable. It’s silly that you cannot set custom waypoints, but holding the right trigger brings up a slightly opaque thumbnail of the map, which I found handy as I traversed the environment.

Combat may seem unfair at the start of the game, (I had to play the first few hours on easy difficulty before ramping up to normal) but once you get used to the controls and learn the techniques required for success, it becomes enjoyable. By holding the right bumper and pressing X, Y or B while fighting, you switch between three stances: warrior, rogue, and guardian. Warrior wields a staff and is focused on strong area attacks, rogue uses a gun and dagger and is based on agility and critical hit damage, and guardian has you flourishing a mace and shield and is centered on health and defense.

Most games would force you to pick a single playstyle at the start of the game, but Technomancer encourages you to switch between all three styles mid-fight, although it does take some practice remembering which keys bind to which stances and what situations are best-suited to each. In addition to physical fighting you can also employ your Technomancer powers at any time, shooting enemies with beams of electricity or stunning them with high-powered punches packed with voltage, just to name a couple options.

All four methods of combat have their own intricate skill trees, and while it takes ages to max out multiple trees, it is doable. Every three levels you get access to additional traits as well which affect your physical and intellectual capabilities. These grant you passive bonuses such as the ability to craft more complex upgrades for your weapons or to convince computer-controlled companions to follow your commands.

Combat itself is most unique because of the disruption mechanic. Weapons and skills have various stats associated with them: increase damage, critical hit chance, chance to poison and more, one of which includes the chance to disrupt enemy attacks. Since there isn’t a symbol to point out that an enemy is about to strike and should be avoided like in, say, the Batman: Arkham games, it’s up to you to watch each of your enemies’ movements and to time your attacks proficiently. If you manage to disrupt an enemy, knocking them off balance or stunning them, you’ll have a major advantage and will be able to inflict loads of damage in the short seconds before they comes back to their senses.

Sometimes the game will go into slow-motion for a split-second as you or an enemy begins to carry out an attack. During this short time period you have the option to either continue with your current plan or to execute a different tactic entirely. Not only does this feature allow for last-minute changes to your battle strategy, but it also looks neat visually, and the animation is so brief that it never slows down the pace of the brawl.

You come across plenty of different companions during your adventure in The Technomancer, each of whom assists in battle and offers insight and advice about the world, including judging the morality of your actions. You share equipment with companions, so it’s important to manage your inventory rationally in order to make sure everyone has optimal gear. I enjoyed the company of my allies and the ability to switch between any two of them for slightly varied fights and passive boosts.

Unfortunately, I ran into several issues that should not be present in any game. For example, I once asked a character if he had ever been to a location called [i]“The Underworks”[/i] before as we stood directly inside of it. He replied in past tense, describing in great detail the time when he had been to The Underworks long ago and what it looked like. It was an odd conversation that clearly wasn’t thought out very well and that I didn’t expect to come across in an otherwise cohesively written game. While experiences similar to this one are not common throughout the game, they are present in several places.

Another problem is embedded in the karma system, which affects how your companions and other characters respond to your actions throughout the world. Although I appreciate the changes in dialogue proportional to your endeavors both good and bad, I never felt like my actions had a major impact on the world as a whole, and if they did, the game didn’t do a good job of illustrating that. I found myself questioning the purpose of the karma system often and wondering whether it was a necessary addition. Sometimes it isn’t even logical. At one point I lied to a character, telling him that I had successfully completed a task he had previously assigned me. My lie seemed to go off unnoticed; I was applauded for a job well done. Nevertheless, a notification warned me that my relationship with said character had declined a significant amount. So which was it? Did he actually appreciate what I had done? Did he know that I abandoned his orders yet pretended otherwise? Occasions like this aren’t immersive, but plain frustrating. I want to know why my decisions matter and what incidents they lead to. The karma system doesn’t appear to be central to The Technomancer, but it’s hinted at enough that I think it could have been improved upon much more.

Summary

The Technomancer is a very solid game that seems to be almost a mixture of an old-school role-playing title and a modern third-person action game. It features classic customization options through skill trees that affect how you play, companions with genuine personalities, and a good main plot overall. However, it also remembers to implement complex and rewarding combat mechanics that encourage multiple different playstyles of fast-paced fighting. Although peculiar nuisances like the faulty karma system are irritating and bigger issues like the suddenly-sluggish experience halfway through the game make it less than perfect, there’s plenty of satisfaction in this title. While the “cause and effect” mechanics may not be as fleshed out as in modern titles like The Witcher 3, The Technomancer blends enough new qualities with vintage attributes in order to create an authentic world and a whole bunch of electric fun.

[northshorehealthandfitness]

[caption id="attachment_60901" align="alignnone" width="620"] Photo: Twenty20[/caption] If you equate stability balls with core work, you’re selling them (and your fitness results) short. Adding stability ball exercises to your workout is a great, simple way to increase the difficulty of your favorite moves. Using just this tool, you can challenge both your upper and lower body in new, creative ways, explains trainer Tara Romeo, CSCS, CES, director of the Professional Athletic Performance Center in New York. (If you don’t already have one at home, we like the URBNFit Ball.) RELATED: 5 Stability Ball Exercises for a Crazy Strong Core Plus, no matter the exercise, performing a move with a stability ball will force you to work double-time as you fight to keep your core stable. “Due to the ball's soft surface, your body has to constantly compensate for the continuous changes in balance throughout the exercise,” Romeo explains. “This strengthens the deep-lying stabilizing muscles in your core.” To get you in on the total-body action, Romeo shares five challenging stability ball exercises you need to try. Add them into your existing exercise routine or perform each move for 10 reps and three sets for a workout that will leave your entire body shaking. RELATED: Torch Calories with This Total-Body Circuit Workout

5 Stability Ball Exercises You’re Not Doing (But Should!)

1. Stability-Ball-Elevated Split Squat

Take your squats to the next level with this advanced bodyweight move. It hammers your quads, glutes, and hamstrings while honing your total-body balance and core stability. How to: Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Place the top of one foot on a stability ball directly behind your body (a). Keeping your weight in the heel of your front foot, bend your knees to lower your body toward the floor. Allow the ball to roll onto your back shin (b). Pause, then push through your front heel to stand up, rolling the top of your foot back onto the ball (c). Repeat for reps, then switch sides.

2. Stability-Ball Hamstring Curl

Ditch the gym’s bulky hamstring curl machine and opt for this at-home variation. It works your hammies and glutes in a big way — without taking the rest of your lower-body stabilizers out of the muscle-building equation. How to: Lie flat on your back on the floor. Place both ankles on top of a stability ball hip-width apart (a). With your back flat, core braced and arms at your side, squeeze your glutes to raise your hips up off the ground so that your body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders. Your feet should be flat on the ball (b). From here, press your heels into the ball and bend your knees to pull the ball toward your butt (c). Pause, then straighten your knees to drive the ball back out, keeping your hips elevated as you do so (d). Repeat for reps, keeping hips elevated between reps. RELATED: 5 Glute Bridges You Can Do in Front of Your TV

3. Lat Pull-Over on a Stability Ball

Despite the name, this simple yet effective exercise not only works your lats, but also your pecs and shoulders. And of course, it fires up your core. Just grab a dumbbell to get it done right. How to: With your feet flat on the floor and placed shoulder-width apart, position your upper back on a stability ball (a). Lift your hips so you reach a table-top position, knees bent to 90 degrees and back completely flat. Hold the top of a dumbbell with both hands above your chest, allowing a slight bend in your elbows (b). From here, keeping your back flat, core braced and a slight bend in your elbows, slowly lower the weight behind your head (c). Pause, then drive the weight back up to start (d). Repeat.

4. Stability-Ball Y-Ups

This one is a lot harder than it looks, as you train the lower traps. You also hit the often-underworked rhomboids and rear delts for improved posture and upper-body stability. Start without weights before moving onto 5- or 10-pound dumbbells. How to: Lie on your stomach on a stability ball, with your feet on the floor, spread shoulder-width apart for balance (a). Extend your arms straight out in front of you and rotate your hands so your thumbs point up toward the ceiling. Keep your shoulders down and away from your ears (b). From here, pinch your shoulder blades together like you are pinching an orange to slowly raise your arms up as far as you can without letting your torso move (c). Pause, then slowly lower back to start and repeat (c). RELATED: 5 No-Equipment Back Exercises You Need in Your Life

5. Dead Bug

We’d be remiss not to include one core-specific exercise. After all, stability balls have a reputation for a reason. And while equipment-free dead bugs train both the six-pack-looking abs and deep-lying core muscles like crazy, adding in a stability ball is a great way to turn up the burn. How to: Lie flat on your back on the floor with your arms and legs extended straight up toward the ceiling, bracing a stability ball between your arms and legs. Tilt your pelvis to press your low back into the floor, and brace your core to maintain this back position throughout the entire exercise (a). Lower one arm and the opposite leg toward the floor as low as you can while keeping a flat-back position and keeping the ball in place (b). Pause, then squeeze your abs to raise your arm and leg back to start (c). Repeat on the opposite side (d). Continue alternating. Read More 7 Impressive Kettlebell Exercises for a Total-Body Workout Dumbbell Workout: 5 Moves, 1 Full-Body Burn 7 HIIT Mistakes You're Probably Making

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