#and the ONE time i have the money time opportunity and vaccinations to go to broadway

[godtier]

so i wasn't gonna make a separate post about this but @sapphire-weapon had a post (that i reblogged a few days ago) in which someone mentioned that they think it was a missed opportunity in RE6 for jake to not have spoken to wesker. i had a p long conversation with sirea about it and my thoughts about that sentiment, but it was also nearly 3 AM my time when that happened so i dunno if i was even articulating my thoughts properly lmao

and yes... this is technically a meta post and i know i said i was gonna do the mmx meta post first... but this one isn't gonna be nearly as long (i hope) and i gotta get the brainworms out before i die

(quick edit note: i reworded the list item below from saying he was "likely a drug addict" to "likely a recreational drug user" because i feel like that better encompasses what i'm trying to get across

(another edit note: i made another post regarding jake's usage of drugs that stemmed from this post! it's marked as mature bc of drug usage, so it won't show up in tag search. if you're interested in that, look here!)

so the idea that wesker being alive in OG RE6 would have brought an opportunity for jake's character is kinda, imo, antithetical to the purpose of jake's character in the first place.

when we meet jake, we know a few things about him, right off the bat:

he's a mercenary

he's likely a recreational drug user or at least heavy/risk-taking user

he doesn't give a fuck about anything but making money

his whole character journey is going from this selfish, money-focused dickhead to someone who actually cares about doing something good, just because it's the right thing to do. at the start, jake refuses to simply give his blood away when sherry mentions needing it for a vaccine. no, he wants a cash payout. 50 million dollery-doos for a pint of his blood. by the end, he lowers the price to a mere 50 dollars. one could argue that was symbolic and he actually didn't care if he was paid or not, but that's neither here nor there.

but why was he like this? because his childhood was shite; his mother was sickly, he had no father figure, and by 15-ish, jake had to learn how to hustle to keep food on the table. and by "hustle" i mean "do a bunch of mercenary work and killing people." and when shit went south with his little group of mercenaries (their entire group was sold out by a heel-turner), jake basically went "fuck alla y'all" and lost all sense of conviction or morals.

during the game, he expresses his bitterness for his father, wesker, pretty clearly. even though his mother still loved wesker, tried to raise jake to respect him despite never knowing him, it didn't matter to jake. he hated that guy. well, really, who doesn't?

we're not gonna talk about excella rn ok

jake's entire character arc is built up around this hatred as well as a subconscious fear of becoming his father. the fear part doesn't show up until later in the story, after he and sherry were captured by the Big Bad's organization. they were both experimented on for several months, during which jake overheard the researchers talking about his father, wesker. this gives jake a sort of "explanation" as to why he is the way he is; he takes the "nature" side of the nature vs nurture argument.

ofc sherry scolds his ass and basically tells him "grow up and take responsibility for your actions."

and here's the thing... this fear, narratively, works just fine without wesker being there.

(since this got obscenely long, pls continue below for the actual explanation lmao)

jake eventually comes to the conclusion that yeah no it's definitely up to him to not become wesker, not his genetics. he does this without wesker being there. that's the entire point of his character journey. in order for an interaction with wesker to even matter or have any sort of impact on jake's character arc, his character arc as a whole would need to change.

see, imo, wesker being there diminishes a lot of the power of that journey. in the game, he isn't there for jake to scream at, to question. all those thoughts in his head that might be circulating around, like why he left his mother, why he did what he did, etc, cannot be answered. this is not a bad thing in a character arc as this is shit that happens to people all the time. people don't always get the answers they may want from family members because those family members are dead. they have to learn to move on without those answers or they have to rely on people who knew that person to fill in the blanks. this is what jake already does in game. he has to rely on sherry, and by a smaller extent, chris, to fill in those blanks for him.

but we as players, observers of the narrative, already know the answers to some of those questions. why wesker did what he did, primarily. anything else is only pertinent to jake and him knowing those answers doesn't change anything for his character arc as it is.

if wesker was there in the game, what would that even add to jake's narrative? a scene where jake yells at his dad? asks him "why did you leave?" when wesker wasn't even aware that he had a kid in the first place? remember: wesker had no fucking idea that he had a child. there would be no reason for wesker to even believe jake in the first place. sure, there could be a scene where he goes "well i'll be damned, ig he really is my misfired chromosome," but... then what? what does that add?

you could argue that wesker could use jake, maybe try to manipulate him into doing shit for his plans, but... that wouldn't work with the way jake's characterization is mapped out. his entire characterization would have to change for this to work in a satisfying way.

jake already hates wesker without ever meeting him. he would not willingly participate in anything wesker offered to him. he already knows that wesker nearly destroyed the world multiple times and had a hand in destroying an entire city. even if jake has no moral compass at the start of the game, by the time he learns about what wesker really did, who he really was, he's already showing that he does have one, it was just dormant up until that point. he's clearly disgusted by what wesker did. what foothold would wesker have that wouldn't immediately result in it just falling flat?

given how wesker is, i could see him perhaps belittling jake, maybe saying "wow you suck for being my spawn," or something during a fight with the intent to rile him up. would that work? no, not narratively nor not in the way jake is characterized. again, jake doesn't want to be like wesker. why would insulting him and saying he's not "as good" as wesker expected him to be motivate jake or even anger him? it shouldn't, because jake doesn't want to be anything like wesker. if anything, it may annoy him, but that's kind of a lame reaction, right?

if anything, the most i could see culminating out of this would be jake standing over wesker after he's defeated again (because it's resident evil and obviously wesker can't win) and having a "wow idk what i was worried about" moment. that's it.

but he doesn't need that. having a scene like that cheapens the weight of him figuring that out himself, without wesker there as "proof."

because the point of his story, of his character arc, is that he figures that out on his own (and with the help of sherry and the events he witnesses) because he has to. he doesn't need wesker there to spoon-feed that to him. he figures that out by working with sherry, by seeing the effects of the C-Virus on everything that it infects. wesker being an abstract entity in his life is enough, because the frustration of not seeing him, not being able to put a bullet in his skull himself, fuels the rest of his journey.

this is where i think that people who make these observations or criticisms (primarily those who think that jake's character would have been improved if wesker was there) need to understand the difference between what's good for a character as a person and what's good for their arc.

interacting with wesker would be good for jake as a person, in that he would no longer need to wonder about it. the answers would be spelled out for him, and he wouldn't have to do any wondering about the what-if. he wouldn't have any doubts left that he'd need to untangle.

but in doing that, it cheapens his arc; it would do more of a disservice to it, imo, than anything else. it would make his journey more formulaic and boring.

it would also clutter up the already cluttered narrative of that game. you have him not only struggling with his heritage, struggling with the fear of becoming his father, struggling with needing to be the "savior" by giving his blood, struggling with his moral compass, but now also struggling with seeing his father for the first time in person?

it makes his arc top-heavy. in that scenario, you could easily replace him with another, completely new character who has zero ties to wesker and the story wouldn't change in any meaningful way. the reason why it works the way to does now is because wesker is already dead. it creates that internal conflict, that internal frustration, that jake has to learn how to deal with since he cannot take that frustration out on his father in-person. he has to make peace with that struggle in other ways.

now, that's not to say there aren't ways that adding wesker into the story of RE6 that don't disrupt that balance. primarily, when it comes to a potential RE6 remake, the writing team can (and hopefully will) rework aspects of the entire game to make the plot more streamlined. this could include adding wesker in and redoing jake's characterization and character arc entirely.

this would be the only way i could see it working out. if jake's entire motivation was changed, his entire backstory was tweaked, then wesker being around could probably work! an interaction between them could be made to make sense and not bog down the rest of the plot as a result.

sirea also mentioned to me in our conversation that adding wesker in to RE6 remake could actually help streamline the plot and i do agree with that. she mentioned that all of the main characters have a tie to wesker in some way, which is absolutely true. having him there would neatly tie their campaigns together in the plotline and make the game as a whole feel less disjointed and messy.

this is especially true when we consider there are 4 fuckin campaigns that all run alongside one another and intersect at random points. it gets so fucking difficult to page through and figure out when certain things happen in the plot. you'll see them happen in order in chris's campaign, for example, then you go start leon's campaign and have to start over again and try to remember what happened at the same time during chris's campaign and so on.

now imagine that not with just two campaigns but four. it gets gross quick. sure, there are parts where the characters run into each other and that helps ground a general timeline in your head, but as far as time elapsed... it's so fuckin hard u guise

there's a reason why it's so hard to summarize the plot of RE6. it's because there is just so much going on in that fucking game.

anyway, that's my rant/sort of meta analysis about why i think wesker didn't need to be in OG RE6 and probably would have made jake's entire arc stupider than it already was

[kelliealtogether]

More spoons to go with these spoons. 🪴

“Go.” 

“It’s for a month.” 

“Yeah, you mentioned that. You should go.” 

Before Ronan, Adam wouldn’t have thought twice about agreeing to a conservation trip. As soon as he received an email with an offer, he would have said yes without hesitation and immediately started preparing, making lists of what he needed to pack and scheduling appointments for vaccinations. Because as much as Adam loved his job at the United States Botanic Garden, the opportunity for fieldwork, to see species where they were meant to grow and not in pots in a greenhouse—Adam had caught an itch for it in college and every once in a while it flared up enough he needed to scratch. 

But after Ronan—

“That’s a long time,” Adam said from his place sitting on one the workbenches in Ronan’s woodshop. A pellet stove in the corner chugged out heat, but Adam still wore his coat, hat, scarf, and one glove, his other hand bare so he had a better grip on his phone as he read the email about the trip to Ronan: someone from Brooklyn Botanic Garden backed out, someone else recommended Adam, would he like to go to the Andes for a month and collaborate on conservation efforts in the Amazon. “And it’s short notice.” 

“When did three weeks become short notice?” Ronan looked up from the pattern he was carving into a drawer front to meet Adam’s eye before he went back to work. “And a month is not a long time.” 

Nine months ago, Adam would have agreed. He’d gone to conferences and on business trips with far less lead time than three weeks, and he’d been on research trips longer than a month. But since he’d started things with Ronan, a week of vacation at the Barns passed in the blink of an eye while a Tuesday night in D.C. was languorous if Ronan was there.

Time, Adam found, did funny things when he was spending it with Ronan Lynch. 

“So a month’s not a long time, but last weekend you got pissed off when I had to drive down here Saturday morning instead of Friday night,” Adam said. “That was all of, what, twelve hours?” 

“You’re making—I know you’ve got a science term for this.” 

“False equivalency.” 

“Yeah, that. You’re making a false equivalency.” Putting his gouge down, Ronan brushed wood shavings off the drawer front before sitting back on his stool and crossing his arms over his chest as he looked at Adam. His safety glasses—not plain plastic ones like Adam sometimes wore, but a black-framed aviator style—turned Ronan into a 1980s computer nerd, and Adam was a little distracted as Ronan continued. “You staying in D.C. to help Gansey because the Pig shit the bed again is different than you going away for a month when I know about it three weeks in advance. I had plans that night that were—disrupted.” 

“Your plans were delayed. I’m pretty sure they happened as soon as I walked through the door.” Setting his phone down next to him, Adam pulled on his other glove and pushed himself off the workbench. “And I’ll argue a month’s worse than a night.” 

“So defend your argument, Dr. Parrish,” Ronan said, smirking a little as Adam approached him. He still wore his hat, but he’d lost his gloves and coat as soon as he’d started working, though Adam knew he had thermals on under his t-shirt and hoodie. “Tell me all the reasons you shouldn’t go to Peru.” 

Adam had no defense that would hold water, no legitimate reason he shouldn’t go to the Wayqecha Cloud Forest Research Station to document and preserve native local plants threatened by ongoing timberline migration. There was funding for airfare and room and board, so money wasn’t an issue. It would be a good thing to stamp his name on, to associate with the Garden’s conservation efforts. 

The reasons for Adam’s reluctance were personal, something he’d never let impact his work before, and it was a strange feeling. But going away for a month affected Ronan too, and even though Ronan told him he should go, Adam knew sometimes Ronan put Adam first without fully acknowledging his own wants and needs. Adam wouldn’t ignore that. He loved Ronan too much. 

Sliding between Ronan’s stool and the table he was working at, Adam mirrored Ronan’s posture, crossing his arms over his chest as he made his first argument. “Not seeing you for one night is more tolerable than not seeing you for—” he paused and did a quick calculation of the length of the trip “—twenty-nine days.” 

“I’ve gone more than twenty-nine days without seeing you.” 

“Before you met me, yeah,” Adam said. “Since, I think the longest we’ve gone without seeing each other is four days.” 

Ronan tipped his head a little from side to side, as if he agreed with this part of Adam’s argument. “Alright, so it’s a long time. What else?” 

“Cell service is probably non-existent.” 

“There are these things called satellite phones.” 

“Funding only covers dormitory housing.” 

“Better than camping.” 

The next wasn’t a defense Adam was proud of, but he gave it nonetheless. “I’ll miss Valentine’s Day.”

Ronan’s reaction was precisely what Adam anticipated. He stared at Adam for a long moment before he asked, voice derisively flat, “Do you really give a shit about Valentine’s Day?” 

“I don’t have enough data to make an informed opinion,” Adam replied.

Laughing loudly, Ronan shook his head as he uncrossed his arms and pushed Adam’s out of the way so he could unzip Adam’s coat. Tucking his hands inside it, he held onto Adam’s ribs, burying his fingers in Adam’s sweater as he looked up at him and said, “You’re a goddamn nerd. You know that, right? What else?” 

And though he was doing everything he could to not say it, Adam only had one more defense. One that was short and truthful but increasingly important, something he didn’t recall ever saying to anyone before. Even the thought of it left him a little raw and bruised, the kind of thing he couldn’t stop himself from prodding, and Adam pushed firmly against it until he finally said, “I’ll miss you.” 

“Do you think I won’t miss you?” Ronan’s face softened as he climbed off his stool and stood in front of Adam. “I will, asshole. You know I will. It’s going to be fucking awful.” Taking one hand out of Adam’s coat, Ronan took off his safety glasses, and, looking at Adam unobstructed, he said, “But you would have gone before you met me.” 

It was true, Adam would have, but part of him still wanted Ronan to ask him—to tell him—to stay, to not fly three thousand miles away to a remote research station in Peru’s cloud forest where they may only have the chance to talk a few times over the course of a month. Living where they did, they couldn’t see each other constantly, but they spoke everyday, made arrangements to see one another on weekends and a time or two during the week. They were well acquainted with being together, apart. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked, and if either of them had a desperate need, they were only two hours away, not three thousand miles, a thirteen-hour flight. 

But Ronan would never ask Adam not to go. The trip could be a month, two, six, and his response would be exactly the same. He’d never want to be the thing that stood in Adam’s way and stopped him from going after the things he wanted. 

Just like Adam never wanted to stand in Ronan’s way either. 

As much as their roots had tangled, as often as their trunks were parallel, there would be branches they’d have to travel alone. This would just be the first of many for Adam, and though he’d traveled through life perfectly fine before meeting Ronan, now that they were inextricably linked, those solo journeys felt like a real pain in the ass. 

Particularly being apart for a month. 

“I would have” Adam said after a moment, wrapping his arms around Ronan and pulling him close so they were chest to chest. “I would have said yes as soon as the message hit my inbox.” 

“So go, Adam,” Ronan replied gently, putting his glasses down on the table behind Adam and pushing his arms under Adam’s coat again. Swaying them from side to side, Ronan leaned in and kissed Adam, murmuring against his lips, “I’ll be right here when you get back.” 

After Ronan finished working, they walked back to the farmhouse through the few additional inches of snow that accumulated while they’d been in Ronan’s workshop, and sitting in front of the fire, Adam agreed to the trip. 

Then he put his laptop away and showed Ronan a little appreciation.

 In the lead up to his departure, Adam took a few days off and went to the Barns, where most of his time was spent in bed having frequent, feverish sex with Ronan, like they were far younger than they were, like they were stocking up for the time they'd spend apart. Then the day of Adam's flight, Ronan drove him to the airport and stayed with Adam as long as he could, until they had no choice but to part at the entrance for security.

 Standing in front of Ronan, Adam held onto the lapels of his jacket, fingers clinging to the butter-soft leather. He wouldn’t rehash things they’d talked about repeatedly the past few weeks—emailing was the best way to stay in touch, Ronan would work with Gansey and Blue to keep Adam’s plants alive, Adam would call whenever he could, he would not bring Ronan an alpaca as a souvenir—so all Adam said as he stood toe-to-toe with Ronan in Dulles was, “I’ll see you when I get back.” 

He could have said he’d miss Ronan, but he didn’t want to say it more than he had to, like it would lose its weight, its meaning, if he said it too much. And Ronan already knew; Adam didn't need to remind either of them it'd almost be Spring before they saw one another again. 

"Twenty-nine days," Ronan replied, and a fizzy warmth spread through Adam, knowing Ronan was already keeping a countdown. Folding Adam in his arms, Ronan put his lips to Adam's cheek and murmured, "You'll be so busy doing all your plant nerd shit you won't have time to think about me."

That was untrue. Adam couldn't remember the last time he'd passed a waking hour without thinking about Ronan, because there was always something to remind Adam of Ronan, even if it was only leftovers from dinner the night before. It also made Adam think of the converse, that Ronan wouldn’t be busy with plant nerd shit and would therefore have plenty of time to think about Adam, and Adam didn't like that thought. 

They kissed and hugged harder, and as the zero hour approached, when Adam was at risk of missing his flight if he didn't get in the line for the TSA, they said goodbye. Ronan lingered until Adam had to put his backpack on a conveyor and take his shoes off, and after he passed through scanners and retrieved his bag and shoes, Adam looked back to the check-in area and Ronan wasn't there. 

He'd thought it was impossible to already miss someone he'd just seen so much, but he was wrong. 

A layover in Lima, a night in Cusco, and a four-hour drive later, Adam arrived at the research station. He settled into his shared room, took Tylenol for an altitude sickness headache, and in his first spare moment, he connected his laptop to the patchy WiFi in the dining room. 

He had an email from Ronan waiting for him in his inbox, just a single line.

28.

Adam replied, An eternity. 

And though it might have seemed like an eternity, it passed quickly. There were plenty of plant nerd things to keep Adam occupied: cataloging current species to compare against the last census, observing more protected Phragmipedium in the wild than he’d ever seen in person before, collecting specimens in the hopes he’d discover something undocumented and get to name an orchid. 

But the remoteness, the quiet, the lack of connectivity to the outside world, gave Adam ample time to miss Ronan. He tried filling his free hours with books he’d loaded onto his ereader and playing cards with the other researchers on the trip, but he wasn’t immune to sending the occasional brooding email. It’s so green it reminds me of the Barns last summer, and If we met ten years ago I could have missed you then instead of now.

To the second, a single-line reply came within a minutes: The elevation is doing something weird to your brain. Another email quickly followed: I miss you too. A third: Stop being maudlin. Youre turning into Gansey. And a fourth: 9. 

8. 

5. 

2. 

Finally, it came to an end, and while Adam was glad for the time and opportunity at Wayqecha, he was also glad to leave. 

To go home. 

To see Ronan. 

Which were really one in the same.

The day before he flew back to Washington, Adam started the reverse trip, and in Cusco, he walked around the city, picked up souvenirs, found a barber. There was another layover in Lima and the flight to Dulles felt interminable, but then the plane pulled up to the gate, Adam proceeded through customs, and there was Ronan, waiting for him in the baggage claim. 

The sight of Ronan, smiling sharply, blue eyes brilliant, waiting for him—waiting for Adam to pick him up, to take him home—snagged around Adam’s spine and carried him forward, and it took more than a little self restraint not to run. A month, he thought as he walked toward Ronan, wasn’t so bad if this was what awaited him at the other end. 

“What is this?” Ronan asked without greeting once Adam reached him, putting his hands on Adam’s face, Adam’s beard. A little wide-eyed and a little slack-jawed, he scratched his finger through the coarse blond hair on Adam’s cheeks and jaw, and beneath Ronan’s hands, Adam grinned so hard he thought his face would get stuck like that.

“When a man doesn’t shave the hair on his—” 

“Jesus, shut up.” Ronan pulled Adam to him and kissed him hard for a long, long moment, so long Adam thought he was back in the Andes from how breathless it left him. When eventually he broke the kiss, Ronan left his lips against Adam’s and shook his head a little as he muttered, “I don’t like it. ”  

“Come on.” Adam kept his face close to Ronan’s and moved back just enough to grab Ronan’s chin, Ronan’s own stubble rough against his fingers. It was exactly how Adam liked it, darkening Ronan’s jaw in a way that made him look a little rough and rugged, like Ronan wanted to be Adam’s favorite version of him when Adam got back. “You haven’t even given it a shot.” 

Ronan shook his head again and swatted Adam’s hand so Adam dropped it from his chin, and despite his apparent dislike of Adam’s beard, he put his hands on Adam’s cheeks again. “I don’t care. It covers up your pretty face. Get rid of it.”

All at once, it felt like they hadn’t spent any time apart at all, like Adam hadn’t been gone for a month, because they’d fallen right back into the comfortable casualness they’d had since the very beginning. Adam had missed that almost as much as he’d missed Ronan, the easy touches, the mild teasing, the small, intangible things that came with loving Ronan Lynch. 

“Okay. Point taken,” Adam replied. “If you still hate it in the morning, I’ll shave.” He had grown the beard more for ease of getting ready than aesthetic, and while Adam didn’t mind it after the initial itchiness of growing it out, he didn’t want to impede Ronan looking at his pretty face.

“That,” Ronan said as the buzzer for the baggage carousel delivering the luggage from Adam’s flight echoed through the baggage claim, “assumes we’re getting out of bed tomorrow.” 

Laughing, Adam wrapped his arms around Ronan and kissed him again as the carousel came to life and started spitting out bags. 

He was so, so glad to be home.

[nickgerlich]

Fetch This

We love our pets. They are valued members of our household, and in some cases, we enjoy their company more than we do that of other humans. We speak to them as if they understand our language, although they are very challenged when it comes to communicating back.And we will do almost anything for them.

In addition to the 334 million Americans residing here, there are 89.7 million dogs and 58.3 million cats. That’s a lot of extra mouths to feed, but we do it because we crave their companionship, and without their faithful humans, they would suffer. All told, USAmericans spend $136.8 billion each year on their pets.

That’s a huge market, and while big-box chains like Pet Smart and Petco long ago realized this, I am surprised that mass marketers had not stepped up to the plate to claim a bigger piece of the action.Sure, all the big ones, like Target, Meijer, Walmart, and others, have extensive pet supplies sections in their stores.

But there is still money on the table, and that is pet services. These run the gamut from nail clippings to grooming and vaccinations, the kinds of things that typically require a visit to a veterinarian.

Walmart, though, has sniffed out a potentially lucrative strategy to break into that sector by opening its first pet center, with plans to open many more if it does well.

I am betting that, in addition to realizing this market is simply too good to ignore, that Walmart is also very much aware that change is afoot in the veterinary services field as well. Turns out that between 2017 and 2022, $45 billion in private equity deals were made to scoop up local vets and their clinics. That’s another way of saying that, while your local vet may look and smell like a home-town operation, they may very well be part of a much larger entity.

That’s your cue, Walmart, because if vet clinics are attracting that kind of PE money, there must be a lot more gold to mine. And, Walmart offers something that all the others do not: convenience. Stir in competitive pricing, and you have a 1-2 punch that will find shoppers bringing Fido to the store, and picking their groceries while he gets his nails trimmed and shots updated. It’s also not a whole lot different from dropping off your car for a tire rotation or oil change at Walmart while you do your shopping.

I have to smile, too, because this is something that is so NOT digital, at a time when it seems everything is going that way. It requires you to show up in person, along with your pet. You know. Be in the moment, and interact with other humans. And their pets. You might be able to book appointments and so forth electronically, but you can’t get a rabies shot online or through an app.

But there is a digital side to all of this, and that’s the new subscription service Walmart is rolling out for regular consumables for your pets. Heck, if Amazon will deliver my vitamins each month, there’s no reason Walmart can’t deliver a 46-pound bag of dog food on a similar schedule. Let them do the heavy lifting.

The new pet center will have its own dedicated entrance, which is a wise move, since I’m sure Walmart doesn’t want people and their pets entering the store along with everyone else. It will be staffed by employees of a separate firm, although it will all be branded as Walmart. This also makes sense, because Walmart does not have the types of employees needed to deliver such services.But it sure has the right venue for selling them.

The planned price list for services will also put Walmart in a good place. Vet clinics have had little or no competition in the past, but Walmart is about to shake the fruit off of that tree. With inflationary pressures finding more people, including pet owners, trading down or delaying spending money, this is a strategy that is consistent with Walmart’s overall mission to provide value.

Amid all of the effort to push forward into the future, to incorporate ever more automation, it is refreshing to see that there is still opportunity to make money the old fashioned way. I’m thinking my dog Huck would like this, and if and when we get this service in Canyon, we’ll be there.

Dr “You Want A Treat, Buddy?” Gerlich

Audio Blog

[gloriousclio]

Happy Friday

IRL updates under the cut. Do we still say that? tl;dr, things are usually fine and sometimes really good.

Anxiety update: No SSRIs work for me. One of the "as needed" meds made my nerves hurt (bad) and I didn't like the other one. I have one now that's mostly placebo but often that's what I need. The only side effect of that one is it makes me tired, but it's good because I spiral at night, if I'm gonna spiral. I had two really, really bad attacks last year, but that's not the norm. Yay!

I also switched my BC to one where I only get my period every three months. That hormonal shift has REALLY HELPED the anxiety. I was noticing spikes around my period. It's also nice to just not have my period as often, haha.

Family update: parents get more conservative every day. Both of them are retired now, they're currently in Florida, running around unvaxxed. As if that state hasn't suffered enough. Bro and his now fiance have moved into the basement of their house to keep an eye on things and to save money for their wedding. They think they want to buy the house from my parents. I have a feeling it's gonna get messy, so I'm staying well out of it. Good luck, dorks.

On the whole, I'm good. Love life is still a joke, but I'm a much stronger person than I was when I last logged in. I love my job, even though I am criminally underpaid. Some opportunities might be opening up, so we'll see, I guess. I still live in my apartment that I love. Last summer there was a bat that got in!!!!!!!! My landlord took care of it, and a few months after I finished my rabies vaccine cycle (7 shots, baby), I stopped flinching at everything. I sometimes dream I'm somewhere in the vague future, living somewhere else, and truly regretting losing this place. How can I feel nostalgic for a place I still live? LOL, this brain was not wired properly. Still tap dancing, still trying to travel. I went to Savannah GA and LA again last year. @diebrarian is coming to visit me in March. Mom and Dad said I could visit them in Florida (obviously not, lol, also DeSantis removing books from classrooms? That guy can eat shit, I'm not going there any time soon).

Writing? I have so many WIPs, send help, lol.

I hope you've been well.

[nukenai]

The absolute insanity that has been my past 48 hours. I am once again so glad I'm going to a different barn, I at the VERY fucking least need a goddamn break from the insane boarder barn environment. I just can't stand this shit.

This post is long sorry I'm just finally at my wit's end lmfao

My barn friend (S) who is moving to the new place with me told me "oh, "K" said she'd move our horses but she wants to make sure they both load well so message her to set up a time to practice with Rogue"

So I do that and K scolds me like a child for not asking "in person despite having multiple opportunities to do so". I've seen this woman once this month, for like 15 minutes, and have been to the barn three times because of how busy I've been with work and the house. She then asks me to CALL her later bc she ~doesn't like texting~.

So we talk on the phone and she once again says I "didn't ask" (which is literally what I was doing in the fucking text message), and said "you didn't say please, which annoys me". Lady, we're both fucking adults. I'm not a child asking for a candy bar I'm offering to pay you for a service.

She then talks at me for like 15 straight minutes (she's a very talkative person in that scatterbrained way where she steamrolls all conversations and repeats things 45 times, but until this nonsense she's been very nice!!). She told me she's just SO busy because she has a SECOND trip to Europe soon and has to go back to working full time after that (I can't imagine the difficulty of having to work at your job after a second European vacation in one year, truly difficult times). So I tried to placate her by saying I could absolutely find someone else if she didn't want to add stress to her plate. Wouldn't it have been cool if she was just clear about that?

So then she goes on about saying she's for some reason concerned that my horse and my friend's horse will go ballistic in her trailer and destroy it. Because friend's horse is "BIG" (she's a friesian who behaves fine in a trailer) and because Rogue is a mustang. And "mustangs can have chips on their shoulders about things". I've gone on and on about how Rogue is the sweetest and calmest horse in the world, but turns out this lady is a weird horse racist and seems to think mustangs are Genetically Insane and will lose their shit if they do anything. For the record, Rogue is not some recently captured 5 year old stallion. She is 15 years old and has the energy of a slug. What in god's name.

And at the end of all this she's like "set a date and we can figure it out". And like I'm sorry if you're going to have a mental fucking breakdown about putting a horse in your trailer specifically designed for horses, I think I'd rather find someone who doesn't think my 14HH mare in her teens is going to pull the fucking train scene from Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron.

WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH HORSE PEOPLE I AM SO SICK OF THEM I WANT TO BUY MY OWN FARM AT THIS RATE BUT WITH WHAT MONEY. AAAHHH

I need a break from big barns. From having no privacy and having all my posts in horse groups be stalked. I commented on a post and the next day got a text from the barn manager like I SAW YOU COMMENT ON A POST ARE YOU LEAVING US? I'm so sick of being around wacky racist conservatives who think it's fun to start debates with me because I'm a Young Liberal and I must definitely wanna hear the Gotcha they have prepared about why vaccines are killing people. I want to not have to wade through a swamp and down a steep hill to get my horse from her paddock made of mud. I want to be able to actually get ahold of my goddamn barn owner and not feel guilty for asking things like "why hasn't my horse had hay for 3 days? Oh you're in Florida again? Great". I wanna be able to hire someone to haul my horse LESS THAN TEN MINUTES DOWN THE FUCKING ROAD(!!!!!!) without thinking my fat mustang will DESTROY A TRAILER FROM THE INSIDE!!!

This is why I have like 3 irl horse friends I CANT DEAL WITH THIS SHIT 😭😭 IM SO TIRED I JUST WANT A NORMAL BARN

One petty thing I did was make sure not to apologize for "not saying please" because I am not a child and this woman is not my mother. I was like "Hey K, S said you said you could move our girls at the end of the month, but wanted to set up a time to practice loading! I know you're busy so I can work around your schedule just lemme know what works! Thanks!" and that's apparently insurmountably rude. Okay weirdo.

I hate horse people so much aagsjfelbsodndjdjr

[darkshrimpemotions]

Genuine question, in cases of violent/serial violent crime, do you believe that the rehabilitation is possible if the person is allowed to remain freely in the public? Because imprisonment is inherently punitive, humane treatment and therapeutic opportunities or not. I believe every incarcerated person is entitled to dignified treatment & care regardless, but like. if someone kills their spouse for insurance money, or rapes somebody, I think a time-out from society is in order on top of therapy, rehabilitative measures, etc. Can you persuade a perpetrator to seek rehabilitation if there are no consequences for rejecting it?

See, I disagree that inpatient rehabilitation is equivalent to imprisonment, or that making something mandatory makes it punitive. Vaccines are mandatory in some places to attend public school. Seat belts, a valid license, and active insurance are mandatory to operate a vehicle. You can't leave the country without a passport, that's mandatory. Public school is mandatory unless the parent demonstrates that their child is participating in a valid homeschool curriculum. Taxes are mandatory. Most people don't want to be doing those things for one reason or another. But are they punitive?

Making rehabilitative therapy--whether inpatient or outpatient--mandatory after the commission of a violent crime doesn't make it punitive. Punitive doesn't mean "something I have to do that I don't want to do." Punitive means something that is inflicted as a penalty or retribution for an offense.

Imprisonment is punitive not because people don't want to be there, but because being punitive is its primary goal: as such, the experience of being imprisoned is made as degrading and traumatizing as the prison administrators can get away with. And because the state's general attitude is that prisoners are there to be punished, they can get away with quite a lot.

Imprisonment strips the person of basic human rights as long as they're in and disenfranchises them for life once they're out. And because it exists in a society that encourages ostracization and stigmatization of anyone who's been to prison, it continues to be punitive even after the imprisonment has ended. People who go to prison are constantly controlled, abused, exploited, given shoddy medical care and nutrition, subjected to living conditions we don't allow animals to suffer, and isolated from the rest of society first physically, then when they get out socially, economically, and politically.

Even if a person doesn't like rehab or want to do it, the purpose would not be to inflict a penalty on them as a price or deterrent. The purpose would be to help them recognize the destructiveness of their own behavior, deal with its root causes, and give them resources and coping strategies to make better choices going forward. Effective rehabilitation would involve either outpatient treatment or comfortable accommodations in an inpatient facility with access to nutritious food, medical care, the opportunity to develop healthy outlets in the form of hobbies or self-expression, and regular therapy. It would also necessarily involve help reintegrating into daily life, help securing employment and housing, and help building a solid support system. Finally, it would require emergency resources that former patients could access without judgment or penalty if and when they ever feel they may again become a danger to themselves or others for any reason.

Granted, this kind of system would not work perfectly. But then, our current system doesn't either, and comparisons to countries that focus on rehabilitation suggest that our current system actually exacerbates the problems that lead to violent crime. Rehabilitative justice would also work best in a demilitarized society with universal physical and mental healthcare, free housing, well-funded fact-based public education, and universal income where gentle parenting was the norm and rehabilitative justice started in early childhood. But I would settle, for a while, for not exacerbating all the other problems in our society with a punitive justice system.

[percontaion-points]

OVE chapters 21 & 22

Click to see the rest of the snark & image descriptions

Chapter 21

 Suffice it to say, after Tyler’s arson…

[...]

Who was the one whispering into her father’s ear?

I’m sorry, but did this fuckwit seriously ask who was whispering into her dad’s ear? DO YOU EVEN FUCKING HAVE TO ASK?!

IT IS THE ONE WHO FUCKING UPPED THE ANTE AND BURNED A CHILD ALIVE IN FRONT OF HUNDREDS OF WITNESSES. 

So what wasn’t she seeingm now?

This isn’t my typo; this was the fucking published book. What the hell. 

I WOULD ASK WHERE THE EDITOR WAS, BUT I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE WAS NONE. 

Juliette shot him a warning glare as she walked to the door, but Marshall only grinned. “Goodbye, you menace.”

Chapter 21 summary: A week after Tyler’s attack, and things went to hell in a handbasket. Juliette has been trying to contact all of the hotels to ask if a guest has been making too much noise and leaving too big of a mess, but is getting nowhere. What’s worse (in her opinion) is that Roma has been ignoring all of her messages. 

She confesses to Kathleen that she feels like there should have been another attack, and the fact that there have only been 2 is worrying to her. Kathleen reminds her that this person is after money, not to spread fear like Paul wanted. 

Juliette goes into her father’s office, to find a nationalist and Tyler. Apparently, they finished the vaccination, and Tyler is jumping on the opportunity for them to make bank from this. Juliette chides the government official by shaming him about letting people in his city suffer, but the man doesn’t give a shit. The guy legit thinks that charging people to not die from this unnatural plague is somehow going to stop the communists from winning. (No, I don’t follow that logic, either.) 

Juliette reports back to Kathleen what the man told her: that the white flowers aligned themselves with the commies. Kathleen goes to make a call, and when she comes back, she says that it’s partially true. That it’s not Lord and Roma, but rather, a sect that’s pulling further and further away from the whites by the day. Juliette thinks that this is the commie attempts to get rid of both gangs, and then to weaken the Nationalists. Katleen encourages Juliette to… literally not. 

Then Kathleen mentions Rose’s secret boyfriend. It’s obvious that Juliette doesn’t give a shit about it, so I don’t care, either. 

Juliette goes to Marshall, to ask about the white’s relationship with communists. He explains to her that most of the whites are refugees who fled from the reign of terror that came down upon Russia… which is way too much Russian political history in a book about Chinese political history wrapped up in a disguise as supernatural Romeo and Juliette. He continues on to tell Juliette about the government official her father had been meeting with. That he’s like a dog who won’t release a bone, so good luck getting the vaccination to the city. Before she leaves again, she tells him to stay inside. 

Chapter 22

And all in one breath, Rosalind said, “Because he’s associated with the White Flowers, okay?”

Look, this book barely gives a shit about the main Romeo and Juliette subplot. It really doesn’t have time for a SECOND one with a character that the book also doesn’t give a shit about. 

Without waiting for an answer, Juliette hauled Alisa by the arm and took off.

Chapter 22 summary: Juliette rushes back to help accompany her mother to the woman’s temple. In there, Juliette confronts Rose about the rumors that she has a boyfriend. Rose confesses that her boyfriend is a White Flower. She insists that she’s convincing him to leave the whites, but somehow I doubt that things are going to work out for her. 

Juliette watches as her mother meets with a client. This probably will be important, but Juliette doesn’t give a shit. She mulls over the plot instead, which is maddening because she adds nothing to it. 

As she looks around the temple some more, she sees Alisa sitting in the back corner, reading a book. The young girl tells Juliette she had hoped that nobody would mind since she was in a temple. She goes on to say that everybody is gathered for the funeral, and Juliette panics, knowing that the procession would lead them right past where they are… Where Tyler is waiting for them to come out. 

Juliette runs out, only to find Tyler locked in battle with an unnamed white. She herself is then cornered by both Roma and Demetri. This amounts to nothing before Juliette randomly grabs Alisa– who had followed Juliette out– and takes off. 

[untraceable-ace]

Alright everyone shut up and sit down it’s time to talk about the origin of “vaccines cause autism”

Most of the information I’ll be discussing in this post comes from this video by hbomberguy on Youtube, and I’d recommend you check it out, especially since I’m just going to be summarizing the key points of the origin of the concept, while he goes much more in depth into the situation and lists his sources (plus he actually delivers the information in a pretty entertaining and funny way that makes it much more digestible and not nearly as mentally draining).

But if you don’t wanna watch a nearly two hour long video on the subject and basically just want a tl;dr on it, I’ve got just that for you under the cut

Content/Trigger warning for child abuse, medical abuse, and medical malpractice. Please take care of yourselves yall

So long long long story short:

Most of the vaccines cause autism bullshit can be attributed to one Andrew Wakefield, a (now ex) doctor from Britain, who in 1998 published a study in the Lancet medical journal claiming that there was a link between the MMR vaccine and something called “autistic enterocolitis” aka a form of non specific colitis that caused autism, and was supposedly caused by the MMR vaccine

Guess what though? His claims in the study were entirely speculation, and most if not all of the information contained in that article was complete and utter faked bullshit.

Prior to the study being released, there were about 30 people who believed vaccines caused autism, and those 30 odd people hired a legal team to sue vaccine companies. Said legal team hired Andrew Wakefield to find evidence that a vaccine could cause autism.

Unsurprisingly, there was no evidence that vaccines caused autism (i know, shocker right /s). But Wakefield had already seen a second business opportunity in turning people against the MMR vaccine.

He made a patent for an individual vaccine and planned to sell his own single vaccine, and encouraged the public to get three separate vaccines instead of the combined one, in the hopes that people would buy his individual vaccine and he’d therefore get rich off it.

So guess what? He faked it. He claimed there was evidence of something called “Autistic enterocolitis” that was caused by the MMR vaccine that was causing autism in children, and the British media ate that shit up.

Trigger warning for child abuse and medical malpractice

And what makes it even worse is that he didn’t just make this up, no no, he desperately tried to find any evidence that autistic enterocolitis was real, and in doing so put multiple children through a ridiculous amount of unnecessary and invasive procedures (such as colonoscopies and lumbar punctures) and damn near killed a child through a colonoscopy (a procedure that a child should never have done unless absolutely necessary due to high risk of the procedure going wrong).

And a good handful of these children weren’t even autistic in the first place.

He gave the parents consent forms that did not detail the exact risks of the procedures, and in fact left out the risks all together, meaning the parents couldn’t even give accurate consent for their child.

Andrew Wakefield was discredited and struck from the medical register after his horrible practices came to light, and the UK’s vaccination rates recovered.

But this mother fucker lives in the US now.

Texas, to be specific.

And because of him, our vaccination rates are at an all time low.

He’s not even actually antivax, but now he has to be, otherwise people are gonna stop paying him money. Then how will he afford his secluded mansion in Austin Texas /s

Fuck Andrew Wakefield. If I ever see his face it is fucking on sight.

[xenofact]

Grifts, Spiritual Grifts, and Widespread BS

Recently I discovered the delightful videocaster Tom Nicholas. A charming man who covers economics, politics, and culture, he has a witty but laid-back style that helps him cover some pretty serious subjects. My introduction to his work was a YouTube episode on why everything is so grifty these days, which I recommend seeing. Well, after you finish reading this.

It’s hard to sum up, but the short form is work and the economy aren’t so hot, business gurus sold advice on how to make money (while their business was guruhood), and eventually you end up with grifts everywhere. I’m not doing it justice, but, you get the idea – looking to have grifts is sort of normalized now.

While rewatching this episode because I’m some kind of masochist, I began wondering what this meant for the spiritual grifts that I often analyze. Which is where this column comes from, so here’s my thoughts.

Spiritual grifts have always been with humanity as long as there have been humans. It doesn’t take much historical reading to find such things, from failed cults to faked miracles. But there’s something about today’s spiritual grifts where they seem to be varied, ominpresent, and a lot of people are in on them.

Which seems sort of weird. Are there this many chosen ones, like can someone choose among the chosen ones to narrow it down? Why can’t all the messages from the Space Brothers, you know, line up? How come the Ascended Masters only now care about vaccination? I mean, how did we get here?

When I stepped back thanks to Mr. Nicholas, the answer seemed depressingly obvious.

First, grifts always take advantage of existing technology. The printing press changed every country that created it or adopted it – and also meant people could more easily print and spread bullshit. History is replete with opportunity pamphleteers and scam artists and people who lied fast and wrote just as fast on spiritual “issues.” The internet just makes it faster than we were used to a few decades ago – and easier to start a spiritual grift.

Secondly, many of us exist in a culture that contains what I might call “Capitalist Idolatry.” We are told to make money all the time, to turn everything to a profit, to look for the next thing. We’ve had years of business gurus pitching side hustles and passive income. We’ve internalized this, and for many people this seems to be instinctual.

Third, the economy hasn’t gone great for a lot of people. How many layoffs, restructurings, firings, our recessions have you been through? How many people lost their economic progress, or never even got a chance to start any progress? People have been let down by the economy, and they’re looking to make money, and that culture of hustle is there waiting to tell us we can do it – and beat the system!

Fourth, American culture has normalized the spiritual grift. We have the so-called mainstream Christian grift, a historical lineage of tent revivalists, pass-the-plate evangelists, megachurches, and of course the televangelists and their empires. If people aren’t interested in that – or are rebelling against it – you can provide “alternative” spirituality and get your own grift going by doing something different while keeping the same old moneymaking routines.

Fifth, spiritual grift doesn’t require you to make anything unusual. Sure you can sell crystals and whatever, but it’s really easy to sell content which you can just make up and spew into the format of your choice. If you do want to sell merch you can get things manufactured or slap your brand name on some pre-made herbal medication or whatever. But for the most part, spiritual grift is no different than the various life coach and business guru scams.

Toss all that together and of course we’re awash in Spiritual grifts. They’be been around for awhile, we exist in a grifty culture, and the internet turned it up to eleven. When someone is flooded with TikTok, YouTube, and Podcast gurus, they might get ideas. They might even have some authentic spiritual insights, but that’s a seed for something neither spiritual or insightful.

What we face today in the world of spiritual grift is something more widespread and faster-moving than grifts of say a century ago. But nothing is actually unusual – we’ve all seen it before, throughout history and throughout our lives.

-Xenofact

[pashterlengkap]

Anti-LGBTQ+ Miss USA runner-up Carrie Prejean trashes soccer icon Megan Rapinoe as a “narcissist”

Carrie Prejean Boller and Megyn Kelly trashed Megan Rapinoe as the out women’s soccer star and activist retired from the sport. In July, the two-time World Cup champ announced her intention to retire at the end of the National Women’s Soccer League’s 2023 season. On Sunday, she played her last game with the team in Chicago, beating South Africa in a 2–0 match. Related: Megan Rapinoe slams Dave Chappelle & Martina Navratilova for transphobia “I see trans women as real women,” the two-time World Cup champ said. Boller joined Kelly on her SiriusXM show earlier this week, and the two took the opportunity to lob insults at Rapinoe. Get the Daily Brief The news you care about, reported on by the people who care about you: Subscribe to our Newsletter “Here’s Megan Rapinoe on her last middle finger to the United States, which made her rich, which gave her a college scholarship, which gave her $7 million a year, reportedly, in endorsements and fees for playing soccer for us on her swan song out the door,” Kelly said before rolling a clip of Rapinoe during the National Anthem at Sunday’s match. Kelly described Rapinoe as “scowling with her hands behind her back” as singer Sa’Rayah performed “The Star-Spangled Banner.” “She doesn’t sing one word, she doesn’t touch her heart. She looks angry,” Kelly continued. In fact, the footage merely showed Rapinoe looking ahead, straight-faced. She was also far from the only person without her hand over her heart and no one else in the clip appeared to be singing along. Nevertheless, former Miss USA contestant and anti-LGBTQ+ activist Boller described Rapinoe as a “narcissist.” “She is the epitome of narcissism, in my opinion,” Boller said. “I mean, think of all the privileges she’s had. Think of all the money that she’s made. ‘Oh, she’s so oppressed and she’s standing up for things.’ No, she’s not. She’s an absolute national disgrace to our country. And most normal people in this, in this country agree with that, that they can’t stand that woman. I’m so glad that she’s done playing soccer. She’s ruined women’s soccer.” Kelly went on to rant that Rapinoe is not “grateful” for having received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden or for having her relationship with WNBA player Sue Bird “celebrated by virtually every magazine and in every media corner.” “She sets a terrible example for our little girls,” Kelly said. “She is no role model, good riddance.” In addition to her career in soccer, Rapinoe has been an outspoken LGBTQ+ advocate, speaking out for trans women and girls’ right to play on women’s and girls’ sports teams. Right-wing media has ratcheted up its criticism of Rapinoe in recent months, following the U.S. women’s national team’s loss to Sweden during the 2023 Women’s World Cup this summer. Following the August 6 match, former President Donald Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social to blame Rapinoe and “woke” for the team’s defeat. “Many of our players were openly hostile to America – No other country behaved in such a manner, or even close. WOKE EQUALS FAILURE,” Trump wrote. “Nice shot Megan, the USA is going to Hell!!! MAGA.” Prejean, the former Miss California USA 2009, became a martyr for Christian conservatives when she said she believed “that marriage should be between a man and a woman” at the 2009 Miss USA pageant. Footage from the pageant was later used in ads by the anti-LGBTQ National Organization for Marriage (NOM). Boller returned to the spotlight two years ago, advocating against mask mandates in Encinitas schools. Her Instagram account shows that she is committed to a variety of far-right causes and conspiracy theories. She believes that Donald Trump won the 2020 elections, she opposes the COVID-19 vaccines, and, as several recent posts show, she is still thinking about how she didn’t win that pageant in 2009. http://dlvr.it/SwpfXj

[nostalgiaispeace]

2339.

Have you ever gotten lost while on a road trip? not that i recall

When did you last have some lemonade? I'm not sure

Who is your celebrity crush? Oliver Sykes

If you had to choose a random color to dye your hair, what would you choose? black

What do you do when you feel restless? i'm not sure.

Do you take a lot of pictures of sunrises/sunsets? no

Do you like the color orange? it's my fav

Are you currently wearing a watch? No.

When did you last have cereal? I'm not sure

What last made you anxious? weather

What is something you were surprised to learn? oh god, so many things.

Do you get flu vaccinations every year? yes

Have you ever been on a doubledate? no

What radio station do you listen to most? I haven’t listened to the radio in years.

Have you ever shunned a family member or vice versa? yes

Favorite shade of blue? dark

Favorite soup? tomato

Do you like mangoes? No.

Do you prefer pancakes or waffles? Waffles

If you create music playlists, what is the title of the last one you made? i don't remember

Would you or have you ever traveled to China? no

What’s your height? 5′4.

What color do you wear most often? Black.

When taking a shower, do you turn on the water before getting in? Yes

What do you want most? success

What is an overused word you hear a lot? "yall"

What do you currently hear? the tv and washer

What were the last 3 things you ate? nuggets

When did you last take a selfie? today

How is your mental health? fine

How much water do you drink in a day? not enough

What are you thankful for currently? My family.

What animal do you think is the ugliest? oh god, so many tho?

If applicable, would you quit your job if you won the lottery? no

What is your favorite sleeping position? my side

What are 3 scents you like? apple, pumpkin, and cinnamon.

Have you ever thrown someone a surprise party? No.

What’s an unpopular opinion you have politically? i'm pro life

What’s a type of cheese or cheese alternative that you enjoy? pepperjack

What is a kid activity that you would still do now as an adult? nothing

Do you like the scent of fresh cut grass? no

If you were to go to a Disney themed costume party, what would you dress up as? belle

What is an ability you believe everyone should have? i'm not sure

What is the first thing you do after coming home from a trip? unpack

Name a song that’s fun to sing along to. baby one more time

Do you know how your parents met? I don't

Do you believe love is blind? it can be

Have you ever made a bet and lost? Yeah

If you owned a restaurant, what would you serve? pizza

What’s the fanciest event you’ve ever attended? weddings

What food tastes better than its appearance? veggies

Do you actively post on social media? no

Do you believe in horoscopes? i think so

What’s a hobby you would like to get into? writing

Would you take the opportunity to become immortal? no thanks

Do you experience intrusive thoughts? all the time

What is a movie that makes you laugh? so many movies!

What is the best name you’ve heard an animal named? Scarlet

Do you keep track of how many steps you take? no

What’s something that isn’t really needed that you would not want to live without? internet

What would you name a yacht if you had one? i'm not sure

Morbid, I apologize. How do you think you’ll die? suicide

What’s something embarrassing you’ve said to someone? lmao

If you could have anything in a store for free, which store would you choose? target

For 1 day, what animal would you choose to be? a cat

What woke you up this morning? My alarm

Would you rather have many hobbies or 1 true passion? hobbies

I feel like every school has one. What was a school scandal your town’s school had? i'm not sure

Do you save or spend more money? depends

Do you listen to podcasts? not lately

What is your favorite dish to cook? chowder

If you have pets, what would you ask them if they could speak? oh god idk

How do you deal with stress? i ignore it

What compliment did you last receive? *shrug*

If you were president, what’s one thing you’d change about your country? LMAO

Would you rather get a facial or massage? facial

If you were offered a super bowl ad, would you create a commercial and what would it be like? –

When did you last feel an adrenaline rush? idk

Who is tallest in your family? my cousin aaron

What’s the oldest article of clothing you own look like? i'm not sure

When did you last mess something up? today

Do you write in a journal? yes

What’s something you’re confident in? myself

Have you ever received a strange gift? yes

Do you currently have a headache? No

What’s something you have on your bucket list?

traveling

[zenruption]

The Best Financial Investments in Healthcare

Healthcare is one of the most profitable sectors in the world, and there are plenty of investment opportunities to be had too. When investing, you don’t need to start with thousands or even hundreds. You can look for smaller platforms that allow you to put less in, so you can slowly build up your investments over time. 

Photo by Myriam Zilles on Unsplash

The healthcare business investment possibilities cover everything from medical supply manufacturers, technology companies, service providers, pharmaceuticals, and even assisted living business opportunities.

How can you invest in healthcare? 

There are several ways that you can invest in healthcare; some of them you may have heard of, while others might be nice. 

REITs are healthcare real estate and involve things like seniors living, medical offices and hospitals, or other medical facilities. 

ETFs are healthcare exchange-traded funds, which means you can gain access to many companies but a single product. 

Stocks are something that most people are comfortable with and understand, and there are a lot of options and sub-industries within the healthcare field that are open to investments. 

Directly into a business is as possible and will give you a more hands-on role.

Should you always invest in the most expensive stocks?

There is a big difference between the most valuable stock and the most expensive. Expensive stock can be hundreds or thousands per single stock, and that gives you a relatively small position to start with. 

Keep in mind that during the big gold rush, people made money in two ways, one was the shovels used to dig, and the other was the digging itself. In the care of healthcare, you can look at the supply chain and look for a lower-cost stock. 

And not all expensive stocks are good stock. 

What industries can I look at within the healthcare sector? 

Healthcare is a broad term when it comes to just how many opportunities there are for investment. 

Pharma, BioTech & Life Sciences

Life sciences and tools are clinical testing, research services, and analytical tools.

Biotechnology developed vaccinations and other products from live organisms. 

Pharmaceuticals research and development, plus production of products like pills and vaccines from artificial sources

Healthcare Equipment and Services 

Healthcare technology is companies that offer technological tools and services to the sector, platforms, programming and systems, and others.

Healthcare providers and services are things like wholesalers, insurers, healthcare products, those that provide healthcare services, and even distributors. 

Equipment and supplies like bandages, needles, machines, beds, and stethoscopes. 

The healthcare sector is always going to grow; people live longer than ever now, and with new technology, there are serious advancements in treatments and medication. We will likely see more breakthroughs, so investing in. 

It would be best if you always kept in mind that when you make investments, it should never be more than you are prepared to lose, and seeking further financial information and advice from an advisor is a good idea. 

There are a couple of things you can do to help yourself get investment ready, too; here are 3 Things You Need To Do Before Investing — corruption. 

[culturalexchangeuganda]

Interview with Oliver from German

Q. What Really Inspired you want to Participate in cultural Exchange Program In Uganda ?

A.  I was Once In African Countries before, for example Sierra Leone. It was one of my objectives as a social worker to experience new cultures and provide hope and opportunities for children.

Q. For the first time, what did it feel like to pack your bags and head off to a new place you have never visited before?

A. Based on my experiences in other east African countries, I had a slight idea of how it might be. My expectation was to pick up some Luganda language and see what might happen.

Q. What really ran through your mind when you were about to land at Entebbe International Airport?

A. I was hoping that I get picked up at the airport and I get through all this corona measurements. For sure I was excited.

Q. Reaching To A New Land Like Uganda Did You Feel Any Culture Shock ?

A. Not too much according to experiences before. But I did not expect children or woman to kneel down because of me. I know it's a part of the ugandan culture, but I feel a bit ashamed and uncomfortable when someone's doing so, according to my own culture😄

Q. How We're The People Like And How Did They View You As A Tourist Or One Of Them ?

A. Almost everybody I met in Uganda was very friendly. Many people were greeting me as a Mzungu. I guess, the ones who know me a bit neither see me as a tourist, not as one of them. Just somebody who's working for free, trying to support the community.

Q. Did You Gain Any Worldlier View ?

A. The view changes of course when you see your own country from a far. Some things are much better in Uganda compared to my homecountry. For example the elections at schools for different positions like perfect or headboy. But you also value the good things at home a bit more.

Q.What Was The Life Style Like In Uganda And How Do You Compare The Two Countries Where you From ?

A. I was at different places in Uganda, so I experienced urban and rural life as well. I like both. It's not easy to compare the countries within a sentence...

Q.Any Learning Opportunities You Gained ?

A. Of course, a lot. It changes you deep inside, if you're open enough.

Q. Do You Still Communicate With Your Host Families ?

A. Oh, the Ugandans I've been staying with are so great and caring hosts. One even became my brother - and I'm not fast in calling somebody like this.

Q. Any Personal Words Of Encouragement You Want To Tell To That One Person Out There Who Wants To Experience The Same Cultural Exchange You Did While In Uganda ?

A. As long as you're open minded, respectful and friendly you always get along and have a nice time in Uganda. The nature is awesome.

Q. No Journey Is Always Complete Without The Up's And Down's How Did You Manage To Over Come Them And What Advise Do You Wish To Give To Future Traveler's Who Would Love To Experience The Same ?

A. I don't Remember Down's, just small Things like A school lesson I gave which was not successful as expected 🤷🏼‍♂️ Up's are many, like climbing Mount Wanale. Just care for your vaccinations and malaria prophylaxis. And if somebody might ask for money - just follow your feeling In this case I used to buy something to eat, if somebody - especially a child - claims, that it was hungry and not give directly money.

Q. Finally What Was Your Most Memorable Cultural Exchange Event You Will Never Forget About Uganda And Your Closing Remarks ?

A. Mhhh...for sure the awesome surroundings of Kyazanga and the Kyazanga Modern Primary School. I met so many heartwarming, Talented and polite children. And my time in Mukono I'll never forget, going to Nabuti everyday by boda-boda (motorcycle). A workshop we did over there about trauma and teamwork with teachers will be kept in my memories as well. The friendliness of the Ugandans I will never forget and I'll be not the last time in Uganda now.

Q. For the first time, what did it feel like to pack your bags and head off to a new place you have never visited before?

A. Based on my experiences in other east African countries, I had a slight idea of how it might be. My expectation was to pick up some Luganda language and see what might happen.

Q. What really ran through your mind when you were about to land at Entebbe International Airport?

A. I was hoping that I get picked up at the airport and I get through all this corona measurements. For sure I was excited.

Q. Reaching To A New Land Like Uganda Did You Feel Any Culture Shock ?

A. Not too much according to experiences before. But I did not expect children or woman to kneel down because of me. I know it's a part of the ugandan culture, but I feel a bit ashamed and uncomfortable when someone's doing so, according to my own culture😄

Q. How We're The People Like And How Did They View You As A Tourist Or One Of Them ?

A. Almost everybody I met in Uganda was very friendly. Many people were greeting me as a Mzungu. I guess, the ones who know me a bit neither see me as a tourist, not as one of them. Just somebody who's working for free, trying to support the community.

Q. Did You Gain Any Worldlier View ?

A. The view changes of course when you see your own country from a far. Some things are much better in Uganda compared to my homecountry. For example the elections at schools for different positions like perfect or headboy. But you also value the good things at home a bit more.

Q.What Was The Life Style Like In Uganda And How Do You Compare The Two Countries Where you From ?

A. I was at different places in Uganda, so I experienced urban and rural life as well. I like both. It's not easy to compare the countries within a sentence...

Q.Any Learning Opportunities You Gained ?

A. Of course, a lot. It changes you deep inside, if you're open enough.

Q. Do You Still Communicate With Your Host Families ?

A. Oh, the Ugandans I've been staying with are so great and caring hosts. One even became my brother - and I'm not fast in calling somebody like this.

Q.Any Personal Words Of Encouragement You Want To Tell To That One Person Out There Who Wants To Experience The Same Cultural Exchange You Did While In Uganda ?

A. As long as you're open minded, respectful and friendly you always get along and have a nice time in Uganda. The nature is awesome.

Q. No Journey Is Always Complete Without The Up's And Down's How Did You Manage To Over Come Them And What Advise Do You Wish To Give To Future Traveler's Who Would Love To Experience The Same ?

A. I don't Remember Down's, just small Things like A school lesson I gave which was not successful as expected 🤷🏼‍♂️ Up's are many, like climbing Mount Wanale. Just care for your vaccinations and malaria prophylaxis. And if somebody might ask for money - just follow your feeling In this case I used to buy something to eat, if somebody - especially a child - claims, that it was hungry and not give directly money.

Q. Finally What Was Your Most Memorable Cultural Exchange Event You Will Never Forget About Uganda And Your Closing Remarks ?

A. Mhhh...for sure the awesome surroundings of Kyazanga and the Kyazanga Modern Primary School. I met so many heartwarming, Talented and polite children. And my time in Mukono I'll never forget, going to Nabuti everyday by boda-boda (motorcycle). A workshop we did over there about trauma and teamwork with teachers will be kept in my memories as well. The friendliness of the Ugandans I will never forget and I'll be not the last time in Uganda now.

APPLY TO VOLUNTEER

[college-girl199328]

Joy Thompson, who was reuniting her family and having her daughters join her in Canada, came here in 2004 as a domestic worker to help support her children and put them through school back in the Philippines.

"If I did not go out of my country, there's nothing for them, nothing for us," she said. She has seen her children occasionally over the years. Her son, also a nurse, works in Yellowknife.

When Thompson's boss introduced her to the owners of a Toronto-based employment agency in late 2018, Thompson felt the dream of bringing her two daughters to Canada was finally about to come true. Her daughters, Aubrey and April Nuval, were working as nurses in the United Arab Emirates. Thompson jumped at the opportunity when Rose and Bert Smith, co-owners of Apex Connection Corp., told her they could help get them Canadian visas.

But almost five years later, her daughters remain in the U.A.E. after their arrangement with the agency evolved into a disputed family found themselves with nowhere to turn for recourse. In the fall, the federal government announced a new immigration plan that would see Canada welcome half a million immigrants per year by 2025. Those offering prospective newcomers help in obtaining a Canadian work permit.

Experts told CBC News it's important to only give money to a licensed immigration professional authorized to advise.

Thompson said a week after meeting the Smiths at the hotel where she worked in Niagara Falls, Ont., Rose Smith told her that a close friend in Newfoundland needed workers at the seniors home she operated. Simms, the owner of Pleasantview Manor in Lewisporte, N.L., needed personal care attendants, Smith told Thompson. The Nuval sisters were willing to take $15-an-hour positions, well below their nursing qualifications getting permanent residency in Canada.

Thompson signed two service agreements with Smith's agency, Apex Connection Corp., for $24,000, or $12,000 each for Aubrey and April and their partners. The nurses had raised most of the money and, with help from family, had gathered the funds for the agreements, including processing their federal immigration applications and provincial applications and finding an employer willing to sponsor their permanent residency application.

However, by early 2021, more than two years after the agreements were signed, the job offers were gone, and the relationship that Thompson once described as "God's sending" spiraled into an acrimonious dispute between the Smiths and the Nuvals over who was to blame for the process falling apart.

CBC News has been granted access to the Nuvals' immigration files in addition to email correspondence with them, their mother, and Smith over more than two years, who said Rose Smith never allowed them access to their immigration applications. At one point in September 2019, when Thompson asked for an update, Smith told her to stop sending so many emails.

"I asked a friend to sponsor your daughters, and she agreed to help me. But at this time, I think I would prefer to refund you and close their applications," wrote Smith. Nuvals chose to stick with Smith. Aubrey Nuval's visa was approved first, but when she asked to speak to the employer, Aubrey claimed, "Rose didn't allow us to contact her."

Smith told CBC News in a written statement she did not prevent the Nuvals from speaking with the prospective employer, and the allegation they were not given a chance to see what was going on in their applications is untrue. 2020, Smith told Aubrey Nuval that the employer had put hiring her on hold because of the impact that potential exposure to COVID-19 might have on seniors at her retirement home. 

This did not make sense to Thompson, and her daughters, who had both been vaccinated in the U.A.E., who knew that Canadian foreign workers could enter the country if quarantined for 14 days. They reached an officer with Newfoundland and Labrador Immigration, which administered the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program under which the Nuvals applied.

"We find the information your agent is giving you to be concerning," the immigration officer wrote. He said the disconnect between the Nuvals and their employer was of great concern to their office, adding that they have access to their work permit and permanent residency applications.

The officer also warned them about immigration fraud and suggested they check if their agent was registered. Immigration put the Nuvals' applications on hold to investigate and asked them to send a copy of their signed agreement with their agent in Canada.

Under Canada's Immigrant and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), the only people who can charge a fee for providing immigration advice are lawyers and paralegals who are members in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society, notaries who are members in good with the Chamber of Notaries of Quebec, and citizenship or immigration consultants who are members in good standing of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants. It turned out that Rose Smith was none of those and was not authorized to provide immigration services for a fee.

"I know I should have researched first," said Aubrey Nuval. "But I didn't expect that there was such a thing in Canada." Nuvals decided to retain an immigration paralegal to become their new authorized representative. Soon after, Simms withdrew her job offers.

"The employer is not familiar with that individual," Smith wrote in an email to Thompson. "She is my friend, and I only sponsored and hired the girls because of our relationship."

There's no indication Simms did anything wrong. CBC News reached out to Simms for a response. She said she had no comment but wished the best for the Nuvals' dreams, which have been shattered," said Thompson. "My hope of being with them disappeared."

When Thompson asked Apex Connection Corp. for their money back, Smith said she did the work they paid her, adding, "Aubrey already obtained her visa, and April is very close to receiving hers." Smith told CBC News that they offered to meet and discuss a compromise with the Nuvals, but they declined.

The Smiths also said neither of them is an immigration consultant, nor have they ever held themselves out to be asked by CBC News why she was offering immigration services without a license. Rose Smith said Apex retained a lawyer "throughout the endorsement process and to represent the Nuvals' work permit and permanent resident applications." 

Thompson said they never heard from Apex's lawyer, never knew his name, and the only person who ever gave them immigration advice was Rose Smith.

Aubrey Nuval filed a complaint with the Law Society of Ontario, which concluded there was insufficient evidence to support the allegation that Apex's lawyer engaged in professional misconduct issues that you have raised relate more closely to the service provided by the certified immigration consultant," the resolution counsel wrote to Aubrey in an email.

So the family reached out to the federal regulatory authority College of Immigration Consultants is not a licensed member means the CICC cannot discipline her even if it found wrongdoing.

The issue of unregulated consultants charging foreign workers for immigration services is not a new phenomenon in Canada CEO of the CICC is trying to bring under control practitioners who have been active in every aspect of Canadian immigration," said Murray.

The CICC by federal legislation in November 2021 to replace the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICRC). In addition to licensing and regulating consultants, CICC has a "power to bring injunctions against unlicensed practitioners," said Murray, adding that it has asked the federal government to amend the legislation to give it more power to curb this practice.

Phil Mooney, a regulated Canadian immigration consultant who has served as an adviser to the Canada Border Services Agency and IRCC, and has examined the Nuvals' immigration case, says there are regulated professions in this country "to protect the public said had Thompson signed service agreements with a licensed immigration consultant or a lawyer, their respective regulatory bodies have mechanisms in place that help protect clients.

"The contract has to be between ourselves and the end user that stipulates how much it costs and what services are and how they can have access to the regulatory body in case there's a problem," said Mooney lawyers and consultants, if you take money from a client, that money should go into your trust account."

According to the Law Society of Ontario, licensed lawyers maintain a separate client trust ledger account for each client to ensure that monies relating to one client are not misused to the benefit of another News has obtained bank receipts that show at least some of the funds Thompson paid went into Rose Smith's personal bank account.

A CBC News report confirms that this is not the first time Rose Smith has been accused of improperly handling clients' immigration files and money. Under her previous married name, Rose-Laure Noel, Smith practiced as an immigration lawyer at Noel & Associates in Toronto in 2016.

In 2014, the Law Society of Upper Canada — now the Law Society of Ontario — found Noel guilty of professional misconduct for failing to cooperate fully with its investigation into complaints from five clients. The experiment involved the fees she charged and how she handled those fees. Noel was also found guilty of practicing law while under suspension.

Noel's license to practice law was revoked in Ontario and Quebec, where she had practiced under her maiden name, Rose Legagneur.

The first complaint came, in 2008, from a client known in court files as E.T., involving work Noel had done for him on immigration and family law issues. An investigation was opened that looked into, among other concerns, issues related to Noel's billing of services. This included whether the retainers she received from E.T. were deposited into a trust account.

A Law Society hearing panel found Noel guilty of professional misconduct for failing to cooperate with its forensic auditor during its investigation. The chair wrote in her summary that Noel "did not take seriously the need to be candid and helpful to society."

In 2011, the law society received letters from three more clients — A.D., M.D., and D.S. — all complaining about the services of Noel in their immigration cases. The community repeatedly sent letters to Noel requesting responses to the allegations and the complete original files of the complainants, plus 16 additional clients.

Noel did not respond to most of the letters and sent the requested information and documents to the society's investigation department.

In 2012, after an investigation, Noel's privileges were suspended with an undertaking not to practice law in Ontario after she failed to pay annual dues. A complaint was made to the society that while under that suspension, Noel intervened in a case involving a minor league football club east of Toronto and the rest of one of its coaches — her fiancé at the time, Apex co-director Bert Smith.

Noel and Bert Smith — full name Englhieberth Sharon Smith — testified before a society hearing committee that Noel had voluntarily. But evidence showed she had sent a letter to the Central Ontario Minor Football League. In it, she said she was the legal adviser to the club. On behalf of her client, she forwarded a letter written on the letterhead of Noel & Associates Barristers & Solicitors. In a follow-up email sent by Noel to the league, she wrote: "We wish to put you on notice that the decision to suspend Mr. Smith was not properly served."

Noel eventually paid her dues, but in April 2013, the hearing panel ordered Noel's license to practice be suspended for a further 12 months for professional misconduct. This is because she failed to deposit the trust funds of 16 clients before her services that year. In revoking her license, the panel concluded that there were still complaints from members of the public for which their investigation could not be completed because of Noel's non-co-operation with their requests to produce documents.

In 2019, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ordered defendants Rose Laure Noel and an associate to repay $40,000 to a Markham, Ont., woman. This is because they failed to provide immigration services in 2013. Keshuai Chai was looking for help to sponsor her brother and his wife to immigrate to Canada from China when she was introduced to Noel.

After signing a service agreement that promised to secure provincial nominee applications and permanent residence applications, Keshuai Chai paid a deposit of $20,000 a few months later, Chai was told a job offer for her brother and his wife. Therefore, her brother made the balance payment of another $20,000 as per the agreement.

Afterward, when Chai inquired about the status of their file, she was advised that such matters took months and years to resolve, and when Chai asked for a status update, her call was not returned, and shortly after, Noel blocked her phone number.

Noel refused to respond, communicate or send a copy of Smith's to the newly hired lawyer they retained. This lawyer was to help them write a written response to CBC News. The Smiths said they were dated and unrelated matters that "distract from the fact that there has been no finding of misconduct about the Nuval sisters."

Thompson said she learned a bitter lesson by not ensuring that Smith was a registered immigration consultant and trusted my employer that much without me looking or trying to search for if she was licensed or not," said Thompson.

Thompson is anyone trying to help a family member immigrate to Canada. "I encourage you to search first many times before you trust them," she said. Make sure … to see if they are real … if it's a legal immigration consultant."

[gemengservs]

Surviving & Thriving

Author: SUBHASH PATANKAR

As a self-appointed midwife at the birth of GEM Engineering services, I thought it might be appropriate to offer a few words of encouragement, if not wisdom.

The whole world is in the grips of multiple crises. Covid has brought misery the whole world over. Nations, economies, and societies have been driven to their knees. At such times it is often tempting to wallow in misery. But this is exactly the time to remember that just as good times must – sooner or later – end, bad times must also end. Treatments for Covid are improving along differing lines in different places and as we know news about vaccinations is getting more hopeful. At this time, it is of course obvious that one must do everything possible to survive the bad times. But one must also prepare to take advantage of the opportunities that emerge when good times start dawning.

What are the factors that that will propel the return to good times? The world over, governments are going to be highly motivated and prepared to initiate massive programs to jump start their economies. Funding will not be a constraint as interest rates are, and will continue to be, at historic lows as central banks embark on programs to support the recovery efforts. There are also very significant pools of private money looking for returns above the low yields on government bonds. Many countries, especially US and Europe, face an urgent need to rebuild their deteriorating if not crumbling infrastructure. Many if not most US and European companies will be seeking to diversify their supply chains away from China. India presents a very attractive alternative to China.

What does India already have? An established industrial base, a pretty well-educated population, a spirit of enterprise, risk taking and capital formation that is no longer waiting for anyone to start any major industry, plus an established global marketing capability, and an indomitable culture of Jugaad. So, take this opportunity and move ahead!

To know more about us follow the link given below:

[survey--s]

465.

Have you ever been cut off by a bartender because you were too drunk? No, that’s never happened to me before.

Have you ever borrowed money from your mom and lied about why you needed it? Yeah, I definitely did that more than once as a teenager lol. I’m also pretty sure she knew I was lying and let me have it anyway ha. Have you ever flirted with a cop to get out of a ticket? No, I’ve never been pulled over so I’ve never been in a situation where I’ve needed to do it.

Have you ever lied during a job interview? Not about qualifications or anything, but about my confidence or my availability sometimes.

Have you ever bought alcohol for someone underage? Yeah, sure.

Have you ever started a rumour to ruin someone’s reputation? No. I don’t think I’ve ever started a rumour before, actually.

Have you taken any pics of yourself that you won’t want your parents to see? Sure.

Would you turn a family member in if you see them commit murder? I don’t think anyone can answer this until they’re in that situation, surely?

Do you feel accepted by your BF/GF’s family? Yeah, most definitely. They’re very open and welcoming people. Have you ever trashed your ex’s car after an argument? No. Is that really something people do outside of movies? Would you leave a note on a car claiming responsibility if you damaged it? Yes, of course.

Have you ever used someone's handicapped parking pass to get a parking spot? No.

If you ran over an animal would you keep driving? Depends on the situation - I’d always stop for a dog or cat, but I’m not going to pull over for a pigeon or a squirrel. 

Do you really care about saving the planet for future generations? I mean, I care but I also think that anything an individual can do is absolutely pointless when you have countries like China and the US churning out all the pollution and crap that they do.

What was the first thing you learned how to cook? Pasta sauce from scratch.

What are some wild animals commonly found where you live? Hare, adders, deer, badgers, rabbits, hawks, seagulls, fell ponies.

Do you think there will ever be world peace? No.

Have you ever turned down a job offer? Yeah, I’ve turned down promotions several times.

Do you know anyone who believes that vaccines cause autism? Nah, thankfully nobody I know IRL is that ignorant, lol.

What does the name say on your birth certificate? Yeah, I’m not sharing my full name on here.

In terms of politics, do you sit on the right or the left? Left.

Out of all those blood related, immediate or other, which single person would you list as your favorite? I’m closest to my mum or my dad’s half sister.

Who is one you wish you didn't share blood with? I can’t say that there’s anyone I feel that way about.

Generally, what genre of movies do you jump at the opportunity to see? Disney, comedy, fantasy.

Have you ever been able to pet a normally wild animal, like a tiger or dolphin? Yeah, snakes, giraffes, rhinos, elephants, lemurs, meerkats, kangaroos, squirrel monkeys, wallabies and penguins.

If you had a work office that you would be allowed to decorate any way you want, how would you decorate it? It would have fairy lights, comfy chairs, a nap space and a really good coffee machine lol. It would also be pet-friendly.

Do you know anyone who is a Native American? Nope.

What was the hardest thing you went through in your childhood? Honestly, I had a really good childhood, especially when I was primary age.

Have you ever had a girlfriend? No.

Do you have any close friends that were adopted? My mum was adopted and a friend I went to school with had an adopted sister.

Does your mom eat meat? She does.

Was your dad ever on a sports team? Yeah, he used to play cricket when I was little.

Who has the prettiest middle name you know? I don’t really know.

What’d be your name if you took your mom’s middle name? Ann.

Do you know a lot of things about the opposite sex’s body parts? I mean, I know what I need to know.

What is your least favourite thing about your full name? There were loads of at school so I hated that it was so common.

What’s your favourite kind of poptart? I’m not a fan of Poptarts anymore but when I was younger I liked the chocolate ones.

When did your family immigrate to wherever you live now? My parents moved here about ten years before I was born.

Do you enjoy watching birth vlogs?  No. Is that really a thing?

Do you know anyone else with your name? Yeah, quite a few people. Which country’s flag is your favorite? I don’t have a favorite.

What would you be most afraid of happening if you were to visit Africa? I’d be worried about being a victim of crime.

Do you ever take pictures of negative moments? Yeah, I have done in the past.

Would you ever post a picture of yourself crying on social media? Nope. I think that’s so...tacky.

Have you ever held a newborn baby? Yes.

Do you know anyone who has twins? I went to school with several sets of twins, but I don’t know anyone my age that has twins.

Are you following in the career path of any family members? Nope. I can’t think of anyone on either side of my family that works with animals.

Do you feel you missed out on a lot as a kid? Sometimes - my parents were quite old-fashioned so we never had a VHS player or anything, and I wasn’t really allowed to watch TV - like, we only had four channels at home until I was about eighteen. I also wasn’t allowed loads of the trendy toys so I did feel a bit left out sometimes because of that.

Who was that best friend you ever had? Linnet.

Do you have people in your family who want you dead? I mean, I hope not lol.

Honestly, if you could have anyone in the world, who would it be? .

What do you usually order at Taco Bell? I’ve never been to Taco Bell - the nearest one from here is a good 2-3 hours away. Have you ever streaked? Nope.

How many city/towns have you lived in? Five.

Do you prefer to shower at night or in the morning? Either in the morning or straight after work. I work an outdoors job that’s pretty physical so there’s no point showering then going to work lol.

Have you ever wanted to be a ballet dancer? No, but I did ballet lessons for years when I was younger.

When was the last time you really laughed? The dog being ridiculous this morning.

Honestly, whose numbers do you have memorized? Mine and my mum’s. Do you sleep with socks on? No.

Has anyone ever told you, you were beautiful? Yeah.

What kind of house do you want? One by the coast with a wrap-around porch please.

Would you like living on the coast? I already do really, but I’d love to own a house with a view of the sea.

What would you like your generation to change? World hunger.

Are you a sore loser? Yeah, I can be.

Honestly, do you enjoy arguing? Nope.

Have you ever wanted a Nikon camera? Or do you have one already? I used to want one.

Are you a picky eater? What’s one food you refuse to eat? No, I’m not picky as such but I’m really funny about textures.

Do you have Photoshop? If so, how often a day do you use it? No.

What color are the walls in the room you’re in right now? Two of them are red, and two are grey. Do you use your queen right away in chess? No.

Were you in track and field? Yeah, until year 7.

Were you ever in a school talent show? Yes.

Have you thrown up in a car? Yeah, I get really bad travel sickness - especially on windy roads or when I have to sit in the back seat.

Who was your first grade teacher? Mrs Richards.

Where did you go on your first airplane ride? Australia when I was about three months old.

Whose wedding were you in the first time you were a bridesmaid or a groomsmen? I’ve never been in anyone’s wedding. In fact, the only wedding I’ve ever attended is my own lol.

First tattoo or piercing? My earlobes when I was eleven or twelve.

First celebrity crush? Josh Hartnett.