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midwestbramble · 1 month

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Foraging in Witchcraft

I'm a big fan of working with the land, and one of the easiest ways to do so is by gathering your own plants. This is also free! No having to stop at an occult/metaphysical shop to pick up that random plant you forgot you needed. I will be making individual posts on different plants that can be foraged in my own bioregion, but first we should go over a few tips and housekeeping notes about foraging and witchcraft.

⸙༄𓆤𓆩𓆪❁𓇢𓆸🏵

Contents:

Natural Isn't Always Safe

Laws and Foraging

Invasive vs. Native vs. Naturalized

Animistic Foraging

Conclusion

⸙༄𓆤𓆩𓆪❁𓇢𓆸🏵

Natural Isn't Always Safe

First thing I want to get out of the way is that not everything you find outside is going to be safe to put in your body or even touch. On top of that, not everything that is safe for someone else is going to be safe for you. We each have different bodies and how we react to something will not always be the same. When you first start foraging, it's important to have a guide book that will tell you of any safety measures to take when dealing with a plant. Some will interact with medications in ways that are not healthy, some have fluid that can make your skin photosensitive, and some... some people are just allergic to.

When it comes to medications, you can find contraindications (when not to ingest something) with a quick google search of "[plant name] contraindications." Generally this will give you a safe answer, however always check with your doctor if you are unsure. Better to pay for a consultation than a hospital visit.

Some risks come from the environment that the plant grew in. If you are foraging near train tracks or buildings that could leach lead into the soil, the plants will pick that up as well. Contaminated soil and pesticides sprayed onto the plants can also lead to health risks. Be very mindful of where you are foraging.

Some plants that are safe will also have toxic look-alikes. A famous look-alike is wild carrot and poison hemlock (thank you Oregon Trail video game). Unless you know what characteristics you are looking for, it's very easy to confuse the two plants. One is a delicious snack, while the other is highly toxic (the poison hemlock), to the point of causing muscle death and kidney failure. This isn't to scare you away from foraging. Only to drive home the importance of making sure you know what you are gathering.

*credit to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture

⸙༄𓆤𓆩𓆪❁𓇢𓆸🏵

Laws and Foraging

I am a resident of the United States so these will be more geared towards that country. It would be to your benefit to look into the foraging laws of your own country/state anyway, as it can still differ. The majority of states in America prohibit foraging on public lands, which makes it really hard for those who don't own their own property. If you live in Alaska and Hawaii, however, congratulations your local government allows it. Even among those states that do allow it, there can be designated areas where it's not allowed such as a nature preserve. Breaking these laws tends to come with a hefty fine and possible jail time, if caught. Though these laws are hard to find with a quick google search, especially for a specific area.

The laws in the United States prohibiting foraging are generally colonial, imperial, classist, and racist (surprise, surprise). Foraging was protected by law well into the 1800s (except for Native Americans who were pushed off their ancestral hunting and gathering grounds), even when doing so on another person's private property. After the Civil War, many newly-freed African-Americans would sell their foraged and hunted goods for an income, while also using the practice to become self-sufficient. The southern plantation owners needed this system to go away so they could chain what used to be their "property" to their old line of enslaved work. Starting with criminal trespass laws. Eventually anti-foraging laws spread to the average white rural American. Outside elites began to believe that the "backwards" people of the countryside, who made a subsistence living off the practice of foraging, fishing and hunting, could not be trusted with the stewardship of the land; using "conservation" as a way to "protect" it from the people who lived there (Linnekin, "Food Law Gone Wild: The Law of Foraging" p.1008-1014).

I do believe we need to protect our resources and lands. However, foraging can be regulated, not outright outlawed as it is. Learning about the plants and animals that live around us and can help us in our lives, leads us to learn more deeply about their role in the environment and just WHY we should protect them...

All this to say, look into your local foraging laws (and how local law enforcement actually enforces them, if they do at all) and then you can decide if you want to follow them or not. At your own risk.

⸙༄𓆤𓆩𓆪❁𓇢𓆸🏵

Invasive vs. Native vs. Naturalized

There is a lot of talk in foraging communities about invasives vs. natives. Sometimes even bringing in naturalized plants. So let's talk a little bit about what these words mean in ecology and how this may effect your foraging habits.

Invasive and naturalized plants have one thing in common; they are both transplanted outside their natural ecosystem. A plant that is invasive in one place, can be naturalized in another. What matters is the impact the plant has on the ecosystem it has been transplanted into.

Invasive = plants or animals that harm regional ecosystems.

Naturalized = plants that have successfully established and reproduced in a new environment, integrating into their new home without inflicting ecological harm.

To make things a bit more complicated, let's introduce the 10% rule. According to the Huron River Watershed Council, "the '10% rule' postulates that of all species introduced to a region outside of their native range, only 10% will survive to reproduce in their adopted environment. This 10% of non-native survivors are often called 'naturalized' plants. Of that 10%, another 10% (or 1% of the original non-native transplants) may thrive to such an extent that they dominant their new home, out competing their native neighbors. These prolific competitors are known as invasive species."

So what makes a native plant? The US Forest Service defines a native plant as "plants [that] are indigenous terrestrial and aquatic species that have evolved and occur naturally in a particular region, ecosystem, and habitat. Species native to North America are generally recognized as those occurring on the continent prior to European settlement."

Some native species can be endangered due to habitat loss from agriculture and/or competing invasive species. It's good to have a list (many state DNR (Department of Natural Resources) will have a list available on their website) printed so you know which ones should be cultivated in your garden if you wish to work with them. Avoiding these and working with invasive species can help with conservation efforts as well. Native species can still be worked with in the wild if they are not endangered.

⸙༄𓆤𓆩𓆪❁𓇢𓆸🏵

Animistic Foraging

You'll often see witches giving advice about asking the plants permission before harvesting. This is from the belief that the plant has a spirit, an animistic belief. Asking permission to harvest isn't the only way we can forage mindfully and with respect to the plant. The way that I do this is by following the Honorable Harvest set out by Robin Wall Kimmerer (a Potawatomi botanist, and the director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry) in her book "Braiding Sweetgrass."

Know the ways of the ones who take care of you, so you may take care of them.

Introduce yourself. Be accountable as the one who comes asking for life.

Ask permission before taking and abide by the answer.

Never take the first, never take the last.

Take only what you need.

Take only what is given.

Never take more than half. Leave some for others.

Harvest in a way that minimizes harm.

Use it respectfully. Never waste what you have taken.

Share.

Give thanks for what you have been given.

Give a gift in reciprocity for what you have been given.

Sustain the ones who sustain you and the earth will last forever.

The first rule really helps you to follow the rest of them. Know the plant. Walk by it several times, offer water even if you aren't taking something, say hello. These plants are our neighbors and when we harvest we are asking for their help.

⸙༄𓆤𓆩𓆪❁𓇢𓆸🏵

Conclusion

Each plant will have it's own method of harvest to minimize the harm done to it. Some you have to pull the whole thing up, but there are ways to repopulate it. It's so individual that I couldn't add it to this post. Hopefully what's written here can help you keep a few things in mind when going out and learning about your local flora.

Foraging can be a great way to connect with your land and learn about it. Getting your hands dirty and making you feel as if you are a part of the landscape. Hopefully the first couple of sections didn't scare you off. Get a couple of good guidebooks for your region (the local library is a good place to start) and you're good to get out there and start identifying plants you want to work with!

#witchcraft #plant magic #witchblr #green witchcraft #foraging #bioregional witchcraft

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bluegalaxygirl · 3 months

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Amnesia (KidKiller X Reader) P12

Plot: After an explosion reader wakes up in a hospital with no memory of the past few years, her parents want to take her home so she can recover and get back to a normal life while the Kid pirates want her back on the ship where she belongs.

Warning: Bad language, Medical stuff, family issues, abuse and Violence.

Reader is Female, Poly Relationship, established relationship, Kid X Reader X Killer, Reader is a member of the Kid pirates and is in charge of the money, Budgeting and negotiating the best price.

< Previous part .... Next Part >

A voice calls out to you, the voice of your mother sounding concerned and slightly panicked soon turning into anger when another voice, Kids voice speaks up, you can't make out what their saying until the room becomes clear. Its only been a few seconds since you zoned out but it feels like you've been out for days by how groggy you feel. "Y/n, sweetie, there you are" Your mothers smile comes into view as her hand gently guides your face to look her way, blinking a few times to get yourself to focus, reaching up to place your hand over hers thats presses on your cheek your relieved to feel she's real. "Hay, you ok?" Kid asks still leaning on the bed with one arm this time making no attempt to touch you or even lean your way, your eyes travel over to look him over with suspicion, that memory although pleasant sparked alarms bells in your head. They needed your skills, thats what your father said, is this what he meant? They needed your smarts? "Y-you let me handle the money?" You ask looking at Kid with knitted brows, when they first told you about being in charge of the money you thought they were lying but its clear now that it is the truth, there's a couple of problems with this though, it still doesn't confirm weather you stayed by your own will or not. Why did Killer let you do it? You were a stranger, sure you helped them out and did work around the ship but looking through someones fiances is different,your suspicion grows wondering if thats why they kept you around.

They were struggling with money at the time and having someone do the work for them and having a rich man's daughter on board would benefit them but how did they know? Did they figure it out or did you let something slip? Its clear from your actions that you had a good education especially in business, you should have realized sooner, in the south blue education comes in two forms, the cheep version, which only the average person can afford, only contains basic Reading, Writing, History and Geography, anything more than that the price goes up so only the Rich can keep climbing the ladder, maybe that's how they knew. "Yea, like we said your in charge of the money and how we spend it" Kid states his look of concern soon turning into a frown since your face hasn't changed, he thought this realization would make you believe him more maybe even agree to come back but it seems to have the opposite affect making you grow suspicious of him "See i told you" Your mother growls wrapping an arm around your shoulders and pulling you into her with no resistance, in fact you uncontinuously move closer to her trying to get your mind to make sense of it all, Kid's shoulders slump as his hand grips the sheets, seeing the look of dread on your face makes his heart break "W-what? What the hell are you talking about? What did you tell her?" Kid growls slowly becoming angry and turning his gaze to your mother who strokes your hair holding your head close to her shoulder "The truth, you only wanted her for the money and her brain. You took my daughter away from me, from her family who love her and appreciate her" Your mother growls making Kid see red, the captain goes to yell at your mother only to hear a small laugh leaves your lips leaving both of them looking at you confused.

Pushing away from your mother she lets you go while raising an eyebrow unsure of what your doing or what your thinking and in truth neither do you but you can't help it. "You can't be serious?" A strange smile forms on your face one that portrays disbelief, something brews inside of you but you can't tell what it is, all you know is what ever is about to come out of your mouth is something that needs to be said, no matter how cruel or rude it is. "Love me? Ok maybe i can believe that but… appreciate me? I've been nothing but a disappointment from the start, you and father have made that perfectly clear" Your mothers face drops but her brows knit together in hurt and anger, she goes to say something but you cut her off by holding up at hand showing your not done yet "I did everything i could to please you and it wasn't.. I will never be enough, I'll never be pretty enough, skinny enough, fair enough for you. I was cast aside the moment you found out i was girl, for god's sake mother, Do you realize how insane you are? How far you went? What you did to me? You hurt me, held me down, watched me bleed and beg for you to stop and at the end of it all, all you could say was how pretty i looked in earnings. You know maybe, just maybe if i was captured by pirates it would be a better life than coming home to you" Your voice shakes as it gets louder unable to control the words flowing out of your mouth and the tears forming in your eyes, Kid's eyes widen taken aback by your words, he heard it was bad but this was some psycho shit, he's proud of you though seeing you stand up to your mother, this whole time you've ether been too scared to say anything or acted prim and proper, your acting more like the woman he knows which brings a smirk to his face.

Your mother's mouth opens and closes a few times a look of shock covering her face as tears form in the corners of her eyes, you can't tell if she's sad about what she's done to you or that you've outed her. A huff of a laugh makes you turn your attention to Kid, your eyes glare at him as your face twists in anger seeing that stupid smile on his face, a proud one, as if he's won something "What the fuck are you smirking at? Your no different" The smile instantly drops from the captains face, its very rare that you get angry and sometimes your anger can rival his so it unnerves him when you direct that anger at him. "Storming in here, demanding things, taking over just like they do. I may like having you and Killer around but for all i know it could be some form of Stockholm syndrome. I mean i shouldn't like having you around, all you do is argue and fight with everyone around you, resorting to violence when you don't get your way, you know the names fitting. Just a Big Kid who throws a tantrum when ever his toy get taken away" Your yelling gets louder as you slowly get up from the bed standing in front of the tall red head with your fists balled up at your sides, you don't know where this anger is coming from but its overwhelming and the need to hit something is strong but you won't hurt either of them. "I'm trying here N/N, I've held back for you and your not a toy, Y/N i-" Kid growls threw gritted teeth his anger starting to boil over at your words, you've never spoken to him like this before, yes you've had your fair share of arguments and fights but you've never insulted his character before, you've called him hot headed once or twice but nothing like this, he also can't believe you'd think of yourself as his toy or his property.

Stepping closer you poke his chest stopping the captain from continuing, but he makes no move to stop you or throw hands with you "Trying? You call this trying? Even with a compromise you still find something to fight about, to yell about. Heck neither of you nor the other two even considered what i would have wanted or maybe waited until i was wake to talk with me about it, you only thought of yourselves" Pushing past him you grab your sling and wrap it around your arm and neck making sure its tight enough before heading to the door "Where are you going?" Kid turns anger and worry mixed on his face while your mother quickly stands up taking a step closer to you "Sweetie please, your hurt, you can't leave" Gritting your teeth you turn to the two a warning glare in your eyes making the two stop in their tracks "I'm going for a walk, I'll come back when you both short your shit out. Leave me alone" You sneer glaring at the two before leaving the room and slamming the door behind you, those two are doing your head in, fighting over every little thing even with a compromise in place and it's a stupid one too, what you don't get a say in the matter? You don't get to make a decision in your life? With a sigh you stop walking and take in a breath trying to calm yourself down, it felt good getting all that out but at the same time your heart feels heavy and your mind is still all over the place, taking in deep breaths you managed to get your breathing back to normal and your shoulders to relax, your surprised that with all the tension your shoulder isn't hurting but that could just be the adrenaline.

Looking around the dim corridor only being lite by a few small lights on the wall and the moon light coming through the windows of open rooms you start to notice that all the room are empty, its strange but then again it is a privet hospital on a resort island, it must cost a lot to get here and then even more to get treated. The halls don't look all that different to your room, same color scheme, paintings and a few tables outside rooms, each room is an exact copy of the one your staying in and its at that point you realize how lost you are, you didn't look where you were going and don't remember how many turns you took or how long you've been gone. The sun was almost set when you woke up and now the moon is out "Whatever, just keep walking, i'm sure I'll hear their yelling soon and it'll guide me back" You mutter to yourself starting to walk down the halls wrapping your arm under your sling as a way to comfort yourself, you don't want to go back to your room but maybe you can hang around the area until they leave. How did things get so complicated? You believed your parents, then you believed the pirates and now your stuck in the middle trying to figure things out. You don't know who to trust, you can't trust your parents because their known to lie to get what they wan, you can't trust the pirates because well… their pirates and you can't trust anyone who works for the hospital since your father differently owns a part of it. There's no one else you can turn too, well maybe the nurse, she seemed ok with telling your farther off and standing up against the pirates, she doesn't seem like the other doctors here, and she has your best interest in mind.

Speaking of the angle in white her voice calls out to you from down the hall making you turn to see her running over to you "Y/n, what are you doing out of your room and alone? Are you in pain? Do you need anything? Come lets get you back" The nurse whispers with concern placing her arm around your waist lightly guiding back down the hallway not waiting for an answer, you don't resist instead walking alongside her starting to study her face and body language. Its strange you don't even know her name but you trust her "Can we talk? In privet" You ask stopping in your tracks suddenly, the nurse looks at you with confusion but nods guiding you into an empty room and helping your sit down on a chair before pulling over her own to face you "Let me guess, their arguing again? I'm sorry Miss Y/n i really thought a compromise would help" The nurse sighs her eyes glazing over with a sad look, you don't blame her for suggesting a compromise, it's a good idea just too bad it didn't solve the arguing problem. "It's ok, i just had to get away, try and figure things out.. also, please just call me Y/n, i never got your name, I'd like to call you something other than nurse" You ask letting out a nervous laugh feeling bad for asking since you've seen her everyday since you woke up and don't even know her name "I'm Melody Blackburn but everyone just calls me nurse, even the staff, I've honestly just started introducing myself as such" She lets out a laugh while rubbing the back of her neck seeming shy about it, which is strange for someone who seems so confident. "So what is it you want to talk about, i promise what ever you say will stay between us, patient confidentiality"

You nod explaining what happened before and how angry you got, she listens close nodding along giving you reassuring smiles when you look up at her from playing with the fabric of your shirt "I'm no psychologist or therapist but i can try and help you sort out your thoughts, even if it doesn't solve anything i'm sure it will at least help you to relax" with a small smile you nod feeling tears starts to form in your eyes but you hold them back refusing to cry at her kind gesture and hope of relief. "Thank you but I don't know where to start" Your heads a mess of concerns, facts, feeling and something else you can't quite describe, its like your mind and heart are fighting each other while also fighting themselves making you even more confused. "How about we start with feelings, leave facts out of it or actions just… tell me what you feel towards your mother" The nurse smiles hoping to bring you some comfort, at first you shrug feeling unsure of how you feel but Melody gestures with her hand for you to take your time. "Dejected, Regretful but hopeful that she can change" You sigh unable to think of anything else, it's hard to put words to your feeling towards her. "And your farther?" The nurse asks but is slightly taken aback at how quickly and easily you respond, its easy to describe how you feel towards your father even though you hate yourself for feeling that way "Hate but I admire him and there's this need to please.. i hate myself for it" Your words come out as bitter practically spitting them out behind a clenched jaw.

Melody nods taking in your words before asking about the next person "Ok.. Captain Kid?" She's almost hesitant to ask, words pop into your head but their not the right ones to describe what your feeling, maybe what your feeling doesn't have a word to it "Nervous yet safe, excited and there's something else but i don't know what its called… I feel it around Killer too, he makes me feel calm, protected but cautious along with that other strange feeling" Melody nods thinking for a second before leaning forward looking you over with conflicting emotions "Could you describe it to me?" Gulping you shrug unsure of how exactly to describe it but there's no harm in trying so you try your best to answer "I feel my chest tighten but its warm and it doesn't hurt, my stomach feels weird and sometimes i hear my heart pounding in my ears… some times i can't look away, I end up studying their faces or mask" A smile forms on your face as a laugh escapes your lips thinking about the two, its strange, you were and still are mad at them but the thought of them makes you happy, the nurse leans back with a smile admiring your face as the sadness and anger it once held disappears. "Your memories may be gone but feels can still remain, i'm hesitant to tell you exactly what your feeling only because i don't want to freak you out. Do you want me to tell you?" Thinking for a second you take in her words wondering whether you should know or not, is it something you should figure out on your own or is it better if you know? "Once were done I'll decide, is that ok?" You ask still not sure yet.

Melody nods giving you a reassuring smile before continuing on "How about you tell me what their like, for example how your parents used to be and how they are now" It doesn't take you long to get going on that, you remember the time with your parents, well except for your 18th which is still a mystery "They have changed but flip back and forth between the new loving version and their old selves. My mother can still be her controlling self, make comments on how i look and not care if something is causing me pain, only prioritizing my face and how i look, but now she hugs me, hold me, cry's over my injuries, tells me how much she loves me and misses me, she's always quick to be at my side at the slightest flinch of pain, she's never done that before." It brings the tears back just thinking about it, despite all the things she says and the fight's she starts with the pirates she still seems to care. "My farther still doesn't seem to care, always reading his newspaper and ignoring me, but he fights for me and stand up to pirates for me, he got the marines to drop the charges and brought me here to a privet hospital on some resort island, he even forced a smile for me, not even my mother gets that" You sigh trying to catch your breath after the long rant, leaning back in your chair you look out the window at the still rising moon "But i don't know whether all of it is real or put on, their good at acting like everything is great and amazing when it's not. They've lied in the past and i still can't tell when they are and when they aren't so i don't know what to believe" You whisper almost scared to say your thoughts and feeling out loud but you have too in hopes to actually get somewhere or get some help.

The nurse listens on keeping quite until she thinks your ready to move on, her face doesn't show any disbelief, in fact it shows more of a hidden understanding making you wonder if she's gone through something similar but before you can think too much she's asking about the pirates "I know you don't fully remember Captain Kid and Killer so just tell me what their like now" a slight frown forms on your face while crossing your arms over your chest the argument from before coming back and what you said to Kid, you still feel bad for saying those things but to be honest it was something that needed to be said. "Their pirates, and like you said their ruthless, its easy for them to lie and get what they want. Kid always picks a fight with one or both of my parents, he's abrasive and rude, he hovers over me like i'm gonna up and run at any minute and yet… i find myself leaning into him, he's careful when touching me and lends me his coat when i'm cold, today he held my chin and when he pulled away i had to stop myself from pulling him back." A sight leaves your lips as you run your hand through your hair trying to get your head straight, you shouldn't want them around but you do, you want them to hold you but you shouldn't, its starting to make you dizzy as your mind goes round and around in circles. "Killer's sweet, he seems the calmest and is the first to notice when something is wrong, weather it be physical or mental but its easy to lie when the person can't see your face, I don't know what he's thinking or feeling, he's seems smart and calculated, what if he's making all this up? Making it seem like my parents are the bad guys, and he's just the sweet caring boyfriend? He may be calm but i can sense he's just as bloodthirsty as Kid"

Thinking your finished Melody goes to say something hoping to help only for you to look down at your hand and continue in a whisper, she has to lean closer in order to hear what your saying "I'm scared of making the wrong destitution. Once i'm better i have to decide weather to go with my parents or go with the pirates." You didn't mean to say it out loud, not wanting the fear to be true but it is and you'll have to deal with that, the nurse scoots closer being careful not to touch your legs with her own while taking one of your hands in hers, she squeezes it gently prompting you to look up at her seeing the sweet smile on her face "I understand your scared and there's no problem in being scared but you still have time to decide on what you want to do. I honestly think your thinking too much about this, trying to make everything fit perfectly into place and its just going to make you more stressed. I know you want hard facts, i can see it but trust me when i say your gut knows more than your head" Squeezing your hand she stands up making you raise an eyebrow, her kind smile never leaves her face as her other hand reaches up to wipe away a stay tear you didn't even know had fallen "Trust your gut, trust your feelings and thinks will soon become clear. I will make sure you have a day off tomorrow, no visitors, no conflict, just time for you to rest and let your mind settle. Wait here until i come back, I'll make sure everyone is gone so you can rest" With a nod of approval form you, the nurse removes her hands from your heading to the door only to stop when you call out to her "Wait… What's that feeling called?" You ask finally deciding that you do want to know, the nurse turns giving you a much bigger smile making her eyes shine in the moon light "Love"

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theramseyloft · 8 months

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hello, a friend was asking me about actual sources pertaining to the claims that pigeons benefit from living with humans. is it ethical to just scoop one off the street? i personally believe it is, but i also think it's totally fair to want a credible source and not just "i read it on twitter". the work you're doing is great, by the way!

That's honestly a really complex question.

Feral Pigeons (Columba livia) in North America, South America, and Australia are the descendants of birds brought from Europe that had already been fully domesticated for thousands of years at the time.

The Rock Dove from which the domestic birds descend is native to Asia, Europe, and parts of Africa, and on those continents, there are still wild populations that can mix with the domestic ones, and the type of habitat to which pigeons are adapted for feral or semi feral pigeons to return to and live out their lives.

Feral pigeons in these locations may be treated as wildlife.

But feral pigeons in North America, South America, and Australia do not have the wild Rock Doves to interbreed with or access to natural habitat that would allow them even the most remote chance of 'reverting' to something like the wild baseline.

Domestication is achieved by breeding wild traits out.

However many generations any number of dog breeds may be allowed to mix, no litter will ever result in wolf pups, unless full wolves are reintroduced to the breeding population.

The same logic applies to feral pigeons.

You are never going to get wild Rock Dove out of a feral clutch.

So, I honestly apply the same morals in regards to feral pigeons that I do to feral and stray dogs.

They are so human dependent that they can't survive anywhere that we aren't.

Concrete buildings, bridges, signs, and barns are the closest thing to natural nesting habitat available to feral pigeons, who are cliff side crevice nesters.

Food they would be able to forage for in the wild isn't really available to ferals.

In places where feeding them is banned, populations die out because they starve to death.

Feral pigeons eat garbage out of desperation, not because they can actually digest any of it.

So the question to whether or not they benefit from human care is a resounding "Yes!!".

They genuinely do need us, and do suffer if we just ignore them, unlike actual wildlife, which thrives when left alone by humans.

I could die happy if street pigeons were taken in like stray dogs are in the US.

But with out enough shelters or homes, the moral issue of whether or not to bring any given pigeon in off the street comes down to answering: "What will do the most good and the least harm?"

Taking a healthy adult off the street is usually stranding a mate and offspring regardless of the time of year.

Pigeon babies eat SO much that both of their parents can lose a LOT of body mass!! The adults tend to end up weighing significantly less than their offspring, even in a situation where food is always abundant.

So removing one healthy parent is extremely likely to cause the starvation of one or both offspring and severe malnutrition to the other parent, directly causing more harm than good over all.

An adult caught in something or tangled in string with no serious injuries probably still has a mate and young. The best thing for them is to be detangled and released.

A severely injured or sick adult cannot take care of partner or young, and in the time it takes to heal a serious wound or treat a severe illness, chances are that their mate will have taken them for dead and found a replacement.

I keep birds that came in this condition, though they are not likely to ever like me or any other human.

No harm is being done to other pigeons in the flock of origin, and that individual will live a longer, healthier life in an outdoor loft with a constant supply of food and access to medical care when needed.

I would consider it more cruel to release disabled adult pigeons or young in any condition than to keep them as pets.

Remember, they are already domesticated, and physically adapted to human care. Young birds and disabled adults adjust very well to human households.

So, my advice to some one wanting to rescue and adopt a pigeon off the street is to check local laws and make friends with a local flock in a place where there are no regulations against feeding them.

Lost performance breeds can often be recovered from the outer edge of a feral flock, and birds who know you as a food source will be more willing to approach or desperate to eat if they have an injury or illness that makes keeping up with the rest of the flock difficult.

It puts you in the prime position to rescue a bird who definitely needs your help.

Anyone looking to take on the responsibility of rescuing a pigeon directly off the street needs to expect there to be vet bills!

Make sure you have access to a vet who will see pigeons, and specify that the bird is your pet, not a drop off you plan to just leave with them.

If you want to rescue, but do not think you can afford immediate trips to the vet, take a step back and reach out to a rescue organization.

The birds they have available will already have been treated for what ever injuries or illness got them there.

Great Lakes Pigeon Rescue is pretty solid, and you don't have to live in the Great Lakes region to adopt from them.

EDITS:

I previously butt heads with Palomacy on two serious issues, but the facts remain that the birds there need homes, food, and medical care, and having allowed that to prevent me from pointing Californians looking to adopt a pigeon in their direction was frankly petty of me.

@shayvaalski States in the comments: "Palomancy states very clearly that "Pigeons were the first domesticated bird" and "They are domestic and unable to live in the wild." While they also say that they don't think birds should have been domesticated, they also uh, understand that they were and talk about street birds as feral. They do not recommend parrot feed. They say "Pigeons eat seeds and grains and you can buy pre-mixed blends called pigeon feed"."

Both of these are changes since my last interactions with the organization, so I appreciate the correction.

EDIT CONCLUDED.

For further reading, Rosemary Mosco (who writes the adorable Bird and Moon comic) wrote a fantastic book detailing our history with pigeons.

Hope that helps. ^v^

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heliza24 · 1 year

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The Radical Act of Quitting (and Wilhelm)

This is a little more personal than my Young Royals metas normally are. It’s really one-half personal essay, one-half show analysis. It’s something of a spiritual successor to my post about radical acceptance and Simon’s arc in season 2. And it’s also about the reasons why I want Wilhelm to renounce the crown by the end of season 3. (I am stating that early, because I know many people disagree. Feel free to engage but please do so with kindness; a lot of this is quite vulnerable for me.)

I’m disabled. Specifically, I have a chronic condition that began in my early twenties, and slowly got worse and worse until I was finally diagnosed at 28. I’m 31 now, and I’ve had to grieve the person I once was many times over. I used to be a dancer, I used to be an adventurous eater, I used to love to travel. My chronic pain and restrictive medical diet have taken those things away from me, piece by piece. But the thing I mainly want to talk about right now is quitting my job. At the time of my diagnosis, I had worked at my job full time for three years. For a few years after my diagnosis, I tried to remain at my job part-time, because I loved it. I worked in the music industry, and I had the best team of coworkers. I had a great work/life balance, I was never stressed about work. I looked forward to each day in the office. When I went to events and had to introduce myself during an ice-breaker, I would usually include a fact about my job. I found a lot of my identity there. All of my work directly supported musicians, which was something I was very proud of.

So I tried very, very hard to hang on to my job. My company gave out these ridiculously heavy plaques for employees who had been at the company for 5 years, and I was determined to get one. But it was really hard. I could no longer type sitting up for more than a few minutes, so I did every day from my lap desk in bed. (This is still where I write all of my fic and meta!) I struggled to talk to customers on the phone while I was in pain. The office was closed because of the pandemic, but I would have had to work from home regardless because I couldn’t handle the commute. Every day was a slog. And my pain and fatigue weren’t getting better. In fact they were continuing to get worse as time went on. Finally, my five-year work anniversary arrived. I made it, but I felt like a runner barely stumbling over the finish line. It was the end of 2021. I talked with my friends and my therapist and my disability benefits lawyer. “I don’t think I can keep working,” I would say. And then I would cry, because the thought of letting go of this last part of my identity, when my illness had already taken so much, was so horrible.

After several months of deliberating and grieving, I quit. My boss begged me to reconsider (God bless him, honestly). Was there anything he could do to better accommodate my needs? Could I work a different schedule to let me sleep more? Could I work freelance on specific projects they really needed me on? I wanted to say yes so badly. But I knew. The longer I held on, the more I fought, the worse my health would become. And the worse my health would become, the more I would struggle with work. The joy I had felt during my first three years in that office had already drained away. I was fighting just to get through each day, and I didn’t want to fight anymore.

I recognize that having the resources and disability benefits to even consider quitting is a huge privilege. There are a lot of disabled and chronically ill folks who struggle through work at great detriment to their health because they can’t afford not to keep working. So I recognize how lucky I was to be able to quit. I am so grateful for that option, even as I mourn all the things I have lost.

In my meta about Simon, I talked about radical acceptance and how it has been my guiding light as a disabled person. Embracing radical acceptance means that I have done my best to accept what I can and cannot do, and what I can and cannot control, without judgment. I accepted that I needed to walk away from my job. But how was I supposed to define myself without it?

Capitalism defines most peoples’ self-identity, whether they realize it or not. We identify with our jobs, or with the “grind” culture, or with the moral goodness associated with working hard. But here I was, without a job. And I had my whole adult life ahead of me. I had to find a way to make a new identity outside of work.

Around this time, I started to gravitate towards stories where characters are faced with similar decisions, even if I didn’t realize it yet. And let me tell you, there aren’t many of them.

@bluedalahorse and I talk about this a lot. In our ultra-franchised world, the point of stories, even those that are supposedly about rebellions, is often to return characters to the status quo, so that the next movie/comic/episode can pick back up where the last one left off. And when there is a significant change in the status quo, it is usually because the characters worked, and pushed, and struggled to achieve that change. It’s very rare to see a story about someone who walked away from something that was harming them. It’s rarer still to find something that deals with the aftermath, as characters work to re-establish themselves.

I’ve found a lot of comfort in true stories of people leaving cults and high demand religions, and of queer people forced to leave their conservative families behind. In all of these cases, people are consciously abandoning a predominant belief system that is harming them, and have to start over as they craft their new sense of identity. (I am also queer, which adds an additional level of connection). Often people in these situations come to rely on their found family, a thing I have also found to be true in my own life.

I quit my job in between seasons 1 and 2 of Young Royals, and I don’t think I realized how many themes connected my experience to Wilhelm’s until I was watching season 2. Wilhelm is the protagonist of Young Royals, and his central dramatic question has always been: will he fulfill his duty as a royal? Or will he quit, and discover who he is beyond the system he was raised in? Simon is a huge part of this decision, obviously, but the question has never been strictly about Simon.

While I have no personal experience with the monarchy, I do know what it’s like to consider walking away from a role that you assumed you would fill for the rest of your life. I know what it’s like to think about quitting your job.

There’s so much pressure on Wilhelm to assume the role of perfect Crown Prince. He’s told constantly—by Kristina, by Jan-Olof, by the court-- that he can’t let his family or his country down by deviating from this role in any way.

This is a pretty common experience for people who are trying to quit something. They are told that they will let down those around them if they leave. People who are leaving high demand religions are told that they will not be able to enter heaven. Queer people in conservative families are told they can’t come out because “it would break [elderly relative]’s heart and kill them.” When I quit my job, I thought a lot about how I’d be letting down my coworkers and everyone who knew me as a hyper-competent career-driven person.(This included some of my doctors by the way, who expressed their disappointment in my failure to adhere to their idea of a “worthy” disabled person, i.e. someone who soldiered through the pain and continued to work. Some withdrew care because of this and honestly I will never forgive them). And maybe I was letting people down, and maybe ex-Mormons really will spend the afterlife in outer darkness, and maybe all the grandmas of queer people will be so upset that they kick the bucket when their grandkids come out. But ultimately, if your happiness or safety or well being depends on leaving, it doesn’t really matter. You have to do it anyway. You have to abandon the things that you can no longer carry. You have to discover who you are on the other side of religion, of the closet, of capitalism.

I think about this every time people in the fandom talk about how Wilhelm leaving the line of succession will create a constitutional crisis, or impact all of Sweden negatively. I am personally pretty anti-monarchist, but I honestly can’t even tell you if I think that Wilhelm removing himself from the line of succession would bring about the end of the Swedish monarchy or not. Honestly, I don’t really care. I care about Wilhelm. I want him to seek happiness, to search for the future that must live on the other side of this oppressive system he finds himself in. A constitutional crisis? That’s Kristina’s problem, that’s Jan-Olof’s problem, that’s the government’s problem. Radical acceptance means focusing on the things you can control, and Wilhelm can only control his own happiness.

When this issue gets debated, I often see people argue that Wilhelm is too young to make the decision to give up the throne. But the reality is that we ask teenagers to make decisions about their futures all the time. @bluedalahorse wrote a great piece of meta about that here. I love what she said so much I’m going to quote it directly:

Nonetheless, we ask teenagers of Sara and Wilhelm’s ages to think about decisions that affect their future all the time. We ask them to consider what career they’ll pursue or what university to attend. Teenagers who grow up in various denominations of Christianity consider whether they’re going to go through with Confirmation or sometimes Baptism. Other religions (ones where I can’t speak from as much personal experience) have various other rites of passage around this age, and various cultures have coming of age rituals. For some teens, they do these things willingly and with their whole heart, whereas for others, they do it to please their parents or families or for the social norms of it all.

And if Wilhelm is too young to decide to give up the throne, how can he be old enough to decide to keep it? Surely the decision to take on the governance of a country, even in a symbolic way, requires as much, if not more, maturity than the decision to pursue a less high-powered career elsewhere.

When people in the fandom claim that Wilhelm is too young to make this decision, I hear Kristina telling Wilhelm to wait until he’s 18 to come out, because only then will he be responsible enough to deal with the consequences. That’s a delaying tactic, and nothing more. People who don’t want you to leave will ask you to delay your decision over and over again, because they think that if they can kick the can down the road just a little farther, they’ll never have to lose you.

I also see people argue that Wilhelm isn’t qualified to make a decision because he doesn’t know enough about the “real world” to know what he is choosing. To be honest I don’t think most teenagers know much about the “real world”. I definitely didn’t. But we ask them to make decisions that will affect their futures anyway. And here’s another way to look at this: Wilhelm has plenty of places he can look to for examples of how “ordinary” people live. He can find out what it’s like to be from a noble but non-royal family from the students at Hillerska. He can talk to Simon and Linda about what their lives are like. He can read the millions of books, or watch the thousands of movies and TV shows that feature non-royal protagonists and were created by non-royal artists. But only Wilhelm knows what it is like to be Crown Prince. No one else has had that experience. So I would argue that actually, Wilhelm is the only one qualified to make this call.

Ultimately, the agency and mental capacity of people who are quitting is often doubted, usually by the people who have the most to gain by keeping them in place.

So many people have so much invested in maintaining the status quo. And as soon as you invest in a system, someone daring to leave puts your world view into question. Why are you dealing with so many oppressive rules if someone else can just leave? We see this a lot with high demand religions and cults; if someone threatens to break free, the members often join ranks and work together to pressure them to stay. What has your sacrifice as a woman in a patriarchal religion meant, for example, if another woman can decide to simply walk away? Does Kristina’s grim life of duty and sacrifice matter, if Wilhelm can just opt out and seek happiness instead?

Then of course, there are all the benefits that an oppressive system confers on its most privileged members. Those benefits are in danger of disappearing if enough people quit, so high ranking people will work to keep others in line. Think about all the people who benefit from the monarchy: all the staff who work for the royal family, all the nobles who get their reputation by proximity to the monarch, and everyone in Sweden who in general benefits from the image that a long-standing institution of white, straight, conservative power projects.

And those aren’t people Wilhelm needs to be responsible for (or should be concerned with placating, to be honest). If the monarchy fails because Wilhelm leaves, it’s because there’s always been a fault in the system. Those relying on this outdated system have signed their own fate.

No one knows fully what life will be like after they quit. That’s the radical acceptance part of quitting. You have to make a blind leap, and discover a whole new world once you land. Wilhelm is no more sheltered than anyone before they take this leap. Everyone who quits—a religion, a cult, a job—has to go through this process of rediscovery. You have to learn by doing. People do that successfully all the time, and I believe that Wilhelm can too.

When I was talking about this meta with @bluedalahorse, we talked a lot about Plato’s allegory of the cave. That story goes something like this:

Several prisoners have been kept inside a cave their entire life. They are chained to the spot, and cannot move. They are facing the back wall of the cave. Behind them is a fire, and in between them and the fire, their captors walk back and forth, casting shadows on the wall. Because the prisoners have been kept in the cave their entire life and have only ever seen shadows, they think the shadows are real. They think the only thing that exists in the world is shadows. Until one day, one of the prisoners is set free. He goes outside for the first time, where he is blinded by the sun and overwhelmed by stimulus. But he discovers the real world. He now knows that the shadows he was used to are pale imitations of the real things. He’s so excited that he goes back to tell his fellow prisoners what he has learned. But the prisoners get angry at him for challenging their world view. They don’t believe him, no matter what he says.

There are a lot of ways you can interpret this story. Some people think that Plato is talking about the role of philosophers in society. Some people use it to explain a philosophical concept he writes about elsewhere called “forms”. But I think one thing is clear. Plato didn’t write the allegory of the cave (and it didn’t stick around in human imagination for thousands of years) because he thought you should stay in the cave. Leaving the cave is hard. You will be met with resistance. But discovering the real world, when you were only seeing shadows before, is worth it.

I want Wilhelm to leave to be happy, to see the real world instead of shadows. But I also believe it’s what the story demands. It’s the only answer that makes asking the dramatic question—should Wilhelm conform or rebel?—worthwhile to me.

To be king, but to be the first gay king, would be such an unsatisfactory ending for me. It reminds me of how hard I tried to keep my job—by working from bed, by reducing my hours. My boss could do the best he could to be accommodating, but ultimately working was harming me. You can’t adapt the monarchy enough to make it a non-damaging space for Wilhelm, because there will always be people pressuring him to conform to its straight, stoic ideals. Those ideals have been around for hundreds of years, and to put all of the burden of reforming them on Wilhelm is unfair and unrealistic. If he does stay, I see him struggling to change a system that is not designed for him. Even if he does make small victories for representation or inclusion in that context, it will come at an enormous emotional cost. I just don’t think it’s worth it. Not when there’s a whole world where Wilhelm could be doing good, important work– in whatever arena he chooses– that won’t also come along with inherent emotional trauma.

Believe me, there’s a whole world to be discovered after you walk away from something that’s damaging you. You grieve, yes, but you also grow. Since quitting I’ve been able to love my friends harder, to treat myself better, to give back to the disabled community. I think if you talk to most people who have committed a similar act of radical quitting they’ll say the same thing. I want this future for Wilhelm, but I also want this kind of story to exist for all of us. I want there to be a story that represents those of us who have had to make these kinds of decisions. I want there to be a story that can encourage people who are currently wrestling with their desire to leave and the pressure to stay. And I want there to be a story that shows the hope, the bravery, and the self-belief that is required to walk away and seek a brighter future.

#young royals #prince wilhelm #wilhelm young royals #my meta #my crip media reviews #this turned out to be very long thank you if you read it all

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swayziiwriter · 1 year

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Physical therapy | Neymar jr

summary: a friend and physical therapist to the superstar Neymar jr finds out just how much Neymar really cares for her.

WARNING: 18+, sexual content

Neymar let out a groan as you continued to work on his sore ankle, massaging it in circular motion to make sure his blood flow was proper. You touched a spot on his ankle that made him squirm, your hands flying off his ankle.

"Ney, if you keep moving you won't be able to play tomorrow" you sighed, grabbing his ankle once again. Neymar only groaned in response tired of all the physical therapy that he required to do in order to be fit to play in Barcelonas champion league final tomorrow.

Being a medic for Barcelona's football club had many benefits, getting to attend to players like Neymar was especially good. You and Neymar had become good friends, you two spent a lot of time together when Neymar wasn't playing. Usually because of how many injuries Neymar received, he always made sure to ask for you when he needed his therapy or help after being carried off the pitch.

Antonella had joked to you that it was because Neymar had feelings for you, she came to this conclusion after Neymar had invited you to celebrate his birthday with him with the rest of his family and friends.

You had accepted of course, truth be told you had a bit of a crush on Neymar. He was a gorgeous man, and you got to see that up close as you worked on his body. You knew his body well, you mind often wandering to what he would feel like touching your body, to have him pleasure you was something of a dream you often thought about.

Though, you had to realize that it was only that. A dream.

Your laughs echoed through the large home of none other than the superstar know as Neymar Jr.

Barcelona had been victorious in the final, taking home the Champion league title and securing their spot as a legendary club once again. It was a night of celebration, Neymar had invited you to celebrate with the team and their friends. You insisted that you couldn't come, but Neymar only insisted that you had to back making it clear that you were apart the team no matter what.

The night was filled with dancing, drinking, endless photos, and parties all over Barcelona. You didn't leave Neymar's side the entire night, he wanted you close to him.

Neymar was just as infatuated with you as you were with him, this was unknown to you as the thought of Neymar returning your feelings was almost laughable.

As the night came to an end you wanted nothing more than head back home, take a shower and relax your body. You hadn't wanted to drive home though, not wanting the alcohol that still lingered in your system to put you in danger. When Neymar had heard about your issue getting home he jumped at the chance to drive you to his home, making points that it was much closer.

So, here you were. Alone with Neymar, a slight tension in the air.

You weren't sure if it was the alcohol in both your systems or the adrenaline of the win that was coursing through his body that built the sexual desire. You were avoiding it all night, slight glances and sly comments the only indication that the feelings were mutual. Walking through Neymar's home, you admired his accomplishments that hung on the large wall before averting your eyes to the many picture frames he had spread out across a shelf.

Your breath hitched in your throat as you came across a picture of yourself. You were in Neymar's jersey, smiling wide as you held up the trophy that Barcelona had won.

He had asked you to wear his jersey to the game the night before, telling you that it would be great support.

Neymar walked closer to you, bringing his hand to your exposed back. Guiding his cold hands across the back of your neck, turning your body around to come into contact with his chest. Neymar looked into your eyes, searching for any hint of hesitation before connecting his lips with yours. The kiss was anything but soft, it was demanding. Pent up feelings flooding into the kiss as you brought your hands to his chest, tracing the fabric of his slightly unbuttoned dress shirt.

"Ney" you moaned out as he brought his lips down to your jaw, "I want you, please I need you" you spoke out softly as Neymar brought his face back up to your lips. Taking his lips back to yours, as he shifted your body to the couch that was behind you never letting his lips escape yours.

Your clothes were both discarded of in a blurry haze, the anticipation of finally giving into your desires was overwhelming. You bodies moved in sync, hot with passion as you continued to make out on the couch.

Neymar then slid a hand down your body, bringing a finger to trace the outline your underwear. Feeling the wet spot that had formed, he out out a low laugh at your messy state. "I haven't even touched you and you're already wet" he teased.

That was enough for you to slide down your underwear, reaching behind you back to release your breasts from your lacy bra. Neymar smirked as he watched you reach for his boxers from under him, toying with the strap before pulling them down, exposing his hard erection.

His cock stood tall against his abdomen, the sight making your insides curl with desire. You needed to feel Neymar inside of you, you needed to hear him moan. You let out a small moan as Neymar brought his hand to his cock, pumping it slowly at the sight of you laid down, naked in all your glory for him.

"Tão bonito" Neymar spoke out before bringing his body down to yours, prying your thighs open as he started to guide his cock down to your dripping pussy. "Mhm" you moaned out as Neymar ran his cock up and down your slit, he knew you were desperate and he was going to use you for it.

"You want this cock?" he teased, bringing a hand to cup your breast his fingers toying with your hard nipple. "Beg for it vadia" he spat, eyes dark as you felt your mind get hazy at his words.

"Por favor Ney, make me yours." That was enough for Neymar, he quickly snapped his hips into yours.

You could feel Neymar's cock stretch your pussy, you unconsciously clenched around him the feeling a pure bliss. Neymar groaned at the action bringing his lips back to yours in a fiery kiss.

Neymar built up his pace fast, pounding into you rapidly forcing you to scream out in pleasure. His name spilled out of your mouth as dirty thoughts came out of his. You brought your hands up to his chest, tracing his tattoos as he pounded you farther into the couch. Your nails trailed up to his back and shoulders, leaving crescent shaped marks all over his body.

"Ney" "oh yes Ney. Right the-there don't stop" you moaned out as he pounded harder into you. "Uma vagabunda, for this cock huh?" He mocked watching as he destroyed your core, your legs shaking from pleasure as your slick walls allowed him to slip deeper inside of you.

Your breasts were pushed up against his toned chest as his head laid on your shoulder, biting softy down on it to stifle his moans. Your brought your hands up to his hair tugging at his brunette locks, earning a loud groan from Ney.

"I'm close Ney" you admitted as

Neymar panted above you, sweat glistening off his body as you ran your hand down his chest. Neymar then harshly grabbed your hand bring it above you core to your abdomen. You could feel his cock inside of you, you could feel his cock twitch inside of your pussy. He was almost there, wanting to bring you to your climax first.

"You feel that" Neymar spat, "you feel me buried inside of you" he moaned his cock now hitting your g spot as he brought your leg up slightly. "Neymar" you screamed out, finally coming to a release. Your back arched as Neymar guided you through your high.

"Give it to me bebê, cum all over this cock" he continued before you felt his strokes get sloppy, your release triggering his own. He moaned out your name and a string of dirty words as he spilled his warm cum inside of the condom, still buried in you.

Neymar stayed inside of you before collapsing onto your chest, following your pants as he felt the speed your heart. "So good" you said bringing Neymar's face up to yours. He nodded slowly in response,

capturing your lips into another kiss.

"Tão bom" he said between kisses.

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hallmark-movie-fanatics · 1 year

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See first photos of 42 new Hallmark Christmas movies (Entertainment Weekly) - Hallmark Movies & Mysteries

Ms. Christmas Comes to Town Premieres: Oct. 26, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cast: Erica Durance, Brennan Elliott, Barbara Niven Contains: A holiday shopping channel host, a life-changing medical diagnosis, and the holiday trip of a lifetime Official description: "A shopping channel host known as Ms. Christmas (Niven) receives a terminal diagnosis, which inspires a multi-city excursion set to spread Christmas cheer before her farewell broadcast."

My Christmas Guide Premieres: Nov. 2, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cast: Amber Marshall, Ben Mehl Contains: A teacher who loses his eyesight, an adorable seeing eye dog, and a dog trainer Official description: "After losing his eyesight, a college professor (Mehl) adopts a seeing eye dog from a guide dog trainer (Marshall). As they all begin to spend time together, his confidence returns and his heart begins to open."

Mystery on Mistletoe Lane Premieres: Nov. 9, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cast: Erica Cerra, Victor Webster Contains: A good ol' fashioned holiday mystery, hidden connections Official description: "New to town, Heidi Wicks (Cerra) and her kids discover a Christmas mystery in their historic home. Local handyman and historian David (Webster) helps along the way, finding his own surprising connection."

A World Record Christmas Premieres: Nov. 16, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cast: Nikki DeLoach, Lucas Bryant, Aias Dalman Contains: A huge Jenga tower, a town fundraiser Official description: "Charlie (Dalman) is an autistic boy determined to set a Guinness World Record by stacking 1400 Jenga blocks. His mother Marissa (DeLoach) and stepfather Eric (Bryant) encourage him to reach for his dream and they all celebrate when he gets the good news that he'll have his chance on Christmas Eve. In the spirit of the holiday, they organize a fundraiser giving the townspeople an opportunity to donate and decorate a Jenga block, with the proceeds going to benefit kids with autism. Charlie's journey to setting the Jenga world record gives them all the chance to learn more not just about themselves, but about what family really means."

A Season for Family Premieres: Nov. 22, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cast: Brendan Penny, Stacey Farber, Benjamin Jacobson, Azriel Dalman Contains: Adopted siblings, an unexpected reunion Official description: "Maddy's (Farber) adopted son Wesley (Jacobson) has just one Christmas wish — to meet his brother Cody (Dalman), who was adopted into a different family. Cody's father Paul (Penny) is a widower who is not ready to have this conversation with his son, so he turns down a meeting. However, circumstances bring the two brothers unknowingly together and they become fast friends, while sparks fly between Maddy and Paul."

Time for Her to Come Home for Christmas Premieres: Nov. 30, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cast: Shenae Grimes-Beech, Chris Carmack, Grace Leer Contains: Mourning the loss of a family member, a small town mystery, an army service member Official description: "Facing her first Christmas without her mother and looking to avoid loneliness, Carly (Grimes-Beech) heads to a quaint town to lead the church choir at Christmas. Once there, Carly meets Matthew (Carmack), a man back in town after serving in the army. As she gets to know Matthew, the choir and townspeople, she stumbles across clues that suggest she may have been brought here for a life changing reason. As the mystery unravels one thing is clear, this journey will teach Carly about true love, learning to trust, and that forgiveness is needed to finally heal."

To All a Good Night Premieres: Dec. 7, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cast: Kimberley Sustad, Mark Ghanimé Contains: A Christmas festival, a life-saving encounter Official description: "A small-town photographer (Sustad) saves the life of a mysterious man (Ghanimé), who may just be in town to buy her family's parkland — which is also the location of the annual Christmas celebration."

Heaven Down Here Premieres: Dec. 14, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cast: Krystal Joy Brown, Tina Lifford, Juan Riedinger, Richard Harmon, Phylicia Rashad Contains: Based on a song, four strangers trapped in a diner during a snowstorm, unlikely friendships Official description: "Inspired by Mickey Guyton's song of the same name, Heaven Down Here tells the story of four disparate people who find themselves stranded in a local diner on Christmas Eve when a snowstorm hits the town. Imami (Brown) is a widowed mother of two who's having trouble making ends meet and reluctantly agrees to work the Christmas Eve shift, where she clashes with her boss Dan (Harmon), who doesn't exactly embody the Christmas spirit. Felix (Riedinger) is a local pastor desperately trying to secure food for parishioners while his faith is challenged by his alienation by his son. Clara (Lifford) is a hospice nurse with an obstinate patient (Rashad) and whose daughter is moving away, causing her to question her place in this world. Throughout the evening, these four bicker, bond and unwittingly provide each other with the answer to their respective prayers."

Miracle in Bethlehem, PA Premieres: Dec. 21, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cast: Laura Vandervoort, Benjamin Ayres Contains: A single mother, stuck for the holidays, a man living a permanent bachelor lifestyle Official description: "A new DaySpring movie. Successful and fiercely independent, Mary Ann Brubeck (Vandervoort) adopts a baby girl to raise on her own just before Christmas. Due to weather, she and the baby get stuck in Bethlehem, PA for the holidays. When there is no room at the inn, her only option is to stay with the innkeeper's brother Joe (Ayres), a quintessential bachelor who lives in a house that he treats like a barn. As Mary Ann learns the value of community by spending time with Joe's family and participating in the local church's Christmas events, Joe starts getting his act together with new motivation…and the two begin to see each other in a new light."

Click these links for more, ew.com, today.com, tvinsider.com

#news #hallmark movies #miracles of christmas #hallmark movies & mysteries #link #first look #photo preview

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rishikul-123 · 2 months

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Discover the Excellence of Girls Boarding School in Haryana: Risikul Vidyapeeth

Introduction: Choosing the right school for your child is one of the most crucial decisions for any parent. If you’re seeking a top-tier girls boarding school in Haryana, look no further than Risikul Vidyapeeth. With a commitment to academic excellence, holistic development, and a nurturing environment, Risikul Vidyapeeth stands out as a premier institution for girls. In this blog, we’ll explore the unique features and benefits of enrolling your daughter at Risikul Vidyapeeth. Why Choose Risikul Vidyapeeth?

Academic Excellence At Risikul Vidyapeeth, academic excellence is at the forefront. The school offers a rigorous curriculum designed to challenge and inspire students. Our experienced faculty members are dedicated to providing quality education, ensuring that each student reaches her full potential. With a focus on critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity, our academic programs prepare students for future success.

Holistic Development Education at Risikul Vidyapeeth goes beyond textbooks. We believe in nurturing well-rounded individuals through a comprehensive approach that includes sports, arts, and extracurricular activities. Our students are encouraged to explore their interests and talents, fostering personal growth and self-confidence.

State-of-the-Art Facilities Our campus boasts state-of-the-art facilities that provide an ideal environment for learning and development. From modern classrooms and well-equipped science labs to expansive sports grounds and creative arts studios, Risikul Vidyapeeth offers everything needed for a stimulating and enriching educational experience.

Safe and Supportive Environment Safety and well-being are paramount at Risikul Vidyapeeth. Our boarding facilities are designed to provide a secure and comfortable living environment. With round-the-clock supervision, medical care, and nutritious meals, we ensure that our students feel at home and are well taken care of.

Experienced Faculty Our faculty comprises experienced educators who are passionate about teaching and mentoring. They provide personalized attention, guiding each student through her academic journey. The small class sizes at Risikul Vidyapeeth ensure that teachers can focus on individual student needs, promoting effective learning. Unique Features of Risikul Vidyapeeth Comprehensive Curriculum Our curriculum is designed to cater to the diverse learning needs of students. We offer a blend of traditional and modern teaching methodologies, integrating technology and innovative practices to enhance the learning experience. Extracurricular Activities We believe in the importance of extracurricular activities in developing well-rounded personalities. Our students have access to a wide range of activities, including sports, music, dance, drama, and debate, providing ample opportunities for personal and social development. Community and Values Risikul Vidyapeeth instills strong moral values and a sense of community in its students. We emphasize the importance of respect, integrity, and social responsibility, preparing our students to be compassionate and responsible global citizens. Testimonials Parent Testimonial: “Enrolling my daughter at Risikul Vidyapeeth was the best decision we made. The school’s focus on academic excellence and holistic development has helped her grow into a confident and well-rounded individual. The safe and nurturing environment gives us peace of mind knowing she is in good hands.” – Mrs. Mehta Student Testimonial: “Risikul Vidyapeeth has been an incredible experience for me. The teachers are supportive, and the facilities are amazing. I’ve had the opportunity to explore my interests and make lifelong friends. I’m grateful for the education and values I’ve received here.” – Aditi, Grade 10 Conclusion Risikul Vidyapeeth is more than just a school; it’s a place where girls are empowered to achieve their dreams and become leaders of tomorrow. If you’re looking for a girls boarding school in Haryana that offers a blend of academic excellence, holistic development, and a nurturing environment, Risikul Vidyapeeth is the perfect choice. Visit our campus or contact us today to learn more about how we can shape your daughter’s future.

#day boarding schools in india #girls boarding schools #best primary school in delhi ncr #boys residential school #international board schools in delhi ncr

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thessalian · 11 months

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Thess vs Minor Improvements

Okay, so the few bits of good news:

My stepfather fixed the sink. Apparently there's nothing I can do to stop it from doing that, and thankfully it's only likely to do that to any great degree once every few years. Maybe "it's been long enough that the shittily designed plumbing in this flat has been able to clog beyond redemption" will be enough of a wake-up call for my stepfather to get a bloody move on with actual renovations.

And then there's the job.

...No, okay, look, before I go on with the minor improvements, I have to say a thing. Yes, I know that this job is wearing me down and making me very unhappy. However, two things:

Unbelievable as it sounds, this is the best job I've ever had. It accommodates my medical issues, where others have literally fired me for being ill (yes, they were temp jobs, but the last time I checked, one day to recover from the fact that I could barely even walk because of the horrible chair they stuck me with and refused to even try to replace even when I told them it was causing me physical pain was not grounds for terminating a contract). There have been at least two jobs that have literally rendered me unable to work for varying spans of time, whether because migraine or back problems because of a shitty chair or RSI so bad I could barely move my hands. THIS IS THE BEST OF THEM. Meditate on that awhile.

There is no earthly way that I could find a job that would accommodate my disability in this economy. None. Not in this economy, not in this country. The push to get people back into the office means that getting to work from home would be next to impossible, and part-time? Forget it. I was lucky that this job valued me enough to accommodate me, and that took a literal year of fighting for it.

So no, I can't "just find another job". And even if I did, it would be worse. I can guarantee you that it would be worse. And the disability benefits in this country are nearly impossible to get, even harder to keep, and harder still to live on. This is the one place I have to vent, okay? Let me vent. Send me sympathy, or if you can't, at least don't skirt the edge of potential victim-blaming. None of this is my fault, and if "just finding another job" - and more to the point, finding a better job - were so fucking easy, we'd all be doing it, for one reason or another. I just have it a little harder than some because I need accommodations that almost no one is willing to give. Please, just let me fucking vent.

Anyway. On to the workplace. There is some questionable good news. After a lot of yelling at HR over email, they finally sent an actual guide on how to use the Timesheet system. However, it was not particularly comprehensive. It took a lot of fiddling to find out which of the many extraneous codes I wanted for submitting an overtime claim - apparently "Extra Hours Worked" ain't it, and you have to go through three pages of menu to find "Overtime", which actually does. So I have successfully submitted my claim for the overtime I did in October. Unfortunately, I can't submit my claims for August and September, because I've been paid for those months already and "Historical Data Cannot Be Edited". So basically all this faffing about has meant that I wasn't able to submit my overtime claim for those months. Scruffman is going to escalate this, because he agrees that I should not be denied the pay for the nearly fifty fucking hours I put in during those two months. I figure what'll happen is that I'll have to put those hours into random spots in November and make a note that those are carried over from August and September.

Though that might be hard, all things considered. See, I may end up having to put in yet more overtime, because again, "unexpected absences". I don't know what the fuck is going on with my colleagues in the office, but it's clearly some kind of absolute clustermolest. Also, the New One is following Temp's example and will not touch a piece of dictation that's over a minute long. This is just a theme now. I've told Scruffman that I won't be able to pull overtime until I'm feeling better, though, because I feel like absolute crap right now. Fibromyalgia and con crud have a lot to answer for.

...Gods, I hope this isn't the flu...

#Thess has a day job

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stargazer-sims · 2 years

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Journal Entry #49 (part two)

previously - Journal Entry #49 (part one)

Victor

After my appointment with Dr. Ishida, Mom and I grabbed some lunch and then went to the hospital to see Yuri. My visit with the eye doctor had gone way better than I'd anticipated, and she’d told me some things that'd taken me by surprise. I could hardly wait to tell Yuri everything that happened, and everything I'd learned from the doctor.

When we got to Yuri's room, he was sleeping. He's been sleeping a lot, so that didn't come as much of a shock. His body needs the rest, and even though the amount of sleep he's currently getting is induced by antibiotics, steroids and heavy-duty painkillers, I'm not too worried about it because I know it's helping him.

The thing that does concern me is how slowly he seems to be recovering. The last time he had an infection like this, the antibiotics had worked their magic in about three days. By the end of his fourth day in the hospital, he was able to sit up in bed by himself and swallow some water and a few mouthfuls of meal replacement drink on his own. This time, he's already been in the hospital for four days and they still have to hydrate and nourish him with tubes, and I don't think he's had the strength to sit up since he was admitted.

Mr. Okamoto was there when Mom and I arrived. With the benefit of my partially returned vision, I was able to see how drawn and weary he looked. If I hadn't known better, I might've even said he'd been crying. His eyes were red around the edges, as if he'd been rubbing at them, and there were pronounced dark smudges underneath.

I didn't draw attention to it. I just greeted him and asked how everything was going. He said Yuri had been awake around mid-morning, and they'd talked, but that he'd been in a lot of pain. He drifted off again after a nurse had given him more medication.

The way Mr. Okamoto said he and Yuri had talked made it sound like it hadn't just been meaningless small talk. I was dying to find out exactly what they'd talked about, but I knew better than to ask. It was unlikely my father-in-law would tell me anyway. Maybe Yuri would, when he was ready. It wouldn't do any good to ask him either.

I told Mr. Okamoto that I planned to stay for a while, if he wanted to go home for some food and a nap. He favoured me with a small smile that I could only describe as grateful, nodded, and said he'd be back around dinnertime.

That worked for me, because I needed to be home and fed before Sakura showed up in the evening. I could hardly wait to get Elsa back, as ridiculous as that likely sounds to some of you. I've been worrying incessantly that she'd gotten damaged in our flying tumble down the mountain, and I needed to inspect her for myself. Plus, I needed to tell Sakura about my doctor visit, and ask her if she'd been able to locate Seiji.

Mom decided to leave a few minutes after Mr. Okamoto did. She said it didn't make any sense for her to sit there and watch Yuri sleep, and I agreed. I suggested that she and Julian should go and do some sightseeing or something to take advantage of a free afternoon.

"Ask Uncle Kaz," I said. "He knows all the best things to do in town, and he'd probably love to play tour guide."

"I think Julian wants to go to the onsen," she said. "The indoor one. He wasn't comfortable sitting outside in your yard."

"He knows you have to be completely naked at the public onsen, right?"

Mom looked amused. "I'll tell him."

Yuri and I go naked in our little private hot spring bath behind our house, following the age-old rules of social etiquette for hot springs even though we don't really have to. Our friends do as well, when they're at our place, and it's totally fine. Even in the public onsen, it's not embarrassing at all to be in the buff because nobody's really looking at anyone else, and everyone's too polite to say anything even if they were looking.

"He'll be okay," I said. "I don't want him to be caught off-guard when he gets there, that's all."

She nodded. "I'm sure he'll appreciate the heads-up."

"Have fun," I said. "And don't let Uncle Kaz fill your head with nonsense about local legends and stuff. If it sounds fake, it probably is."

"Good to know," she said. She gave me a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll be back to pick you up around five-thirty, okay?"

"Okay," I acknowledged. "See you later."

Once Mom made her exit, I took my place next to Yuri's bed, in the chair Mr. Okamoto had been occupying a short time earlier. It wasn't the most comfortable chair, which I knew from having sat in it for hours each day this week, but I reminded myself that my situation could've been a lot worse. At least today I didn't have to hang out in Yuri's rooom with nothing to do but be alone with my own thoughts.

Today, I was able to use my phone. I sent another message to Seiji, which yet again went unanswered, and I spent some time exchanging texts with Fox, who's the only one of our friend group who doesn't currently have a job. He said he and Takahiro hadn't heard from Seiji for several days either. According to him, Taka evidently knew something about it, but for some reason he didn't want to tell Fox anything. That worried me. I didn't want to stress Fox out with my own anxieties, though, so I simply said I'd let him know if Seiji messaged or called me, and he promised he'd do the same if Seiji got in touch with him.

After chatting with Fox, I scrolled through the sports news. I knew there'd been at least two stories about my accident right after it happened because Yuri had seen them and told me. There might've been more, but I wasn't emotionally ready to know, so I didn't search for them. Instead, I looked at hockey scores from back home, watched some epic ski-jumping videos, and read a short article about some hotshot Canadian figure skater who’s training here in Japan now and absolutely owning the podium this season.

The guy’s a Korean-Canadian, judging by his name, and he’s apparently dating a J-pop idol. I didn't know how the bit about the boyfriend was supposed to have been relevant to the news story, but it was mildly interesting, so I decided to bookmark the article so I could read it to Yuri later. He loves J-pop, and he'd probably know who the skater’s boyfriend is.

Yuri would likely recognize the skater's name as well, now that I’m thinking about it. Figure skating is another thing he’s into. He likes looking at the fancy costumes, and undoubtedly also the men in those costumes, although he’d likely never admit that last part to me. I don’t blame him, though. I mean, I don’t care about figure skating all that much, but if it wasn’t already obvious, I kinda have a thing for delicate-looking men, especially the fair-skinned and dark-haired ones like Eden Seong, the skater in the news article.

Don't tell Yuri.

When I got tired of scrolling, I got up and walked around the room a few times. Even though I'm not technically cleared for exercise, I tried a few leg stretches. It felt good to work my muscles, even if only gently.

I was in the middle of a set of knee lifts when I heard the distinct rustling of starchy hospital blankets, and then a small, sleepy whine. Yuri always makes the cutest noises when he first wakes up. It's like he's offended that his consciousness has resurfaced and dragged him away from sleep.

I immediately stopped what I was doing, crossed the room in a few quick strides, and resumed my seat.

"Hi," I greeted him. "Sleep well?"

Yuri peered blearily at me through half-closed eyelids. "Victor...?"

"The one and only," I said. "How are you feeling?"

He frowned adorably. "Is... is that a rhetorical question?"

"No. I really want to know."

"Better?" he said. "No, not really better... but, my pain's not too bad, and I don't feel like my brain is in a fog any more, so... that's something, I guess."

"Your fever's down. I'll bet that makes a difference."

"I wish I was better already," he complained.

"I know you do." As carefully as I could, I brushed my fingertips through his hair and down along his temple and cheek. "Honestly, though, I'm just glad you're improving and that we can be together. I missed seeing you, my sweet boy."

"You... what?" he said. Then, as my words sank in, he reached up to put his hand over mine, and despite how pale and sick he looked, his face lit up with the most beautiful smile. His eyes met mine and he held my gaze. "Wait a second. Victor, are you saying... you can see me?"

“Yeah.” I was suddenly crying for the second time that day, and I wasn’t even bothered by it. "Talk about irony, right? On the day I saw the eye doctor and everything."

"That's amazing news. You have to tell me all about your appointment with the eye doctor."

“I will," I said. "I have a lot to tell you, but I just... I want to look at you for a while, first. You know, our picture on the nightstand was the first thing I saw when I woke up, and then I could hardly wait to see you in person."

“You’ve been sleeping in my bed.” It wasn't really a question. He knows me well enough to realize that's exactly what I'd been doing, just like I knew without him telling me that he'd slept in my bed when I'd been in the hospital.

“It's because I miss you,” I said. “I'm waiting for you to come home and sleep in your bed with me.”

His smile faltered a bit, and he pulled my hand away from his face. He didn’t let go of my fingers, though. “Your cast is scratching me,” he said quietly, sounding half-apologetic.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“I want to come home and share a bed with you again too, but it might be a few more days before I can. Maybe a week. I don't know.”

“It’s okay,” I said. “I’ll be here with you every day until then."

"You need to take care of yourself," he said. "You need to rest. You're still healing too."

"I'll be resting here," I told him. "What am I going to be doing besides sitting?"

"I saw you exercising."

"Uh... don't tell anyone you saw that."

"You're impossible, Victor," he said. "Don't do it any more until Dr. Sato says you can. Understand?"

I smiled. "Hey, here's a thought. If I stay here with you, then you can keep an eye on me and boss me around as much as you want."

"I'm being serious."

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'll be good."

"You'd better be," he said. He stirred uncomfortably, and then nodded toward something on the narrow, wheeled table near the bed. "Do you think you've got enough command of your fingers to use the bed controls? I think I'd like to sit up for a bit, but..."

"Are you allowed to sit?" I inquired.

"Nobody said I'm not allowed. Please? Just for a few minutes? We don't have to tell anyone."

Because I can almost never say no to him, I clumsily pressed buttons on the remote that controlled the elevation of the bed and eventually got it so that the head of the bed was at a comfortable angle for him. He wasn't quite sitting. It was more like reclining, but I reasoned it was better for him that way, since he didn't have to use any of his own power to hold himself upright. I was sure he was pleased to be in a position other than lying flat, like he'd been doing for the last several days.

When I asked if he was okay, he replied that he was. He reached for me again, and I let him curl his fragile little hand around mine.

We sat quietly for a few minutes after that. Yuri played with my fingers, slowly bending and flexing them as much as my casts would allow, and delicately massaging each one. I often let him do that, even before my accident. It feels good, not necessarily because of the movement, but more because he’s touching me by his own choice and doing it with such deliberate care.

I closed my eyes. “You’re so good at hand massages.”

“Do you like it?”

“Yeah. My fingers were stiff. I didn’t realize.”

“You’re not using them enough. Yes, I know you can’t,” he added, before I could point out the fact. “We’ll have to do this every day until you can.”

“You won’t hear me complaining.”

“Nor me,” he said, and then made a little noise of disapproval. “Bring moisturizer tomorrow, though."

"They're that bad?"

"They could be softer," he said. "Bring your nail clippers and file as well. If I’m feeling up to it, I’ll give you a manicure.”

I laughed at that. “A manicure? You really must be on the mend, if that's on your mind.”

"Bring your rings tomorrow too," he said.

"Do you think they'll fit now?"

"Hmm..." he hummed softly as he stroked the top of my ring finger. "I think so, and now you'll be able to see me put them on you."

"Can I put yours on you?" I asked.

"Mine are already on." He looked slightly bemused. “Besides, even if I took them off, how would you propose to put them back on without using your thumbs?"

"Well... you could just slide your rings down your fingers a bit, and then let me slide them back," I suggested. "Or maybe just that one." I gestured at his right hand, with the heavy gold band. "You know, the day we put those on was one of the happiest and the saddest at the same time? Like, being on a video call and watching you open the package and put your ring on yourself was really hard, 'cause I wished I could be there to put it on you. But, I was happy because of the promises we made."

"Me too," he said. "Both those feelings."

"So, can I...?"

He nodded slightly, and smiled in the sweet, shy way that never fails to melt my heart. "Yes, you can. In fact, I think I'd like that very much."

#ts4 #sims 4 #eagames #snowy escape #victorsworldadventures #victor nelson #yuri okamoto #tw hospital #tw illness #tw chronic illness #tw injury #stargazersims

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bitchesgetriches · 8 days

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What are some not-bank-breaking benefits you can ask an employer for? I have a good shot at a good job, but as a VERY small business, it pays less than I was hoping for. It's still more than my current situation of self-employed, and they already have offered pretty decent benefits on the form of PTO and medical/ dental/ vision. Plus, I'd be working with an owner/ manager I already know is smart and open minded. (WFH is meh for me, as it's a modest commute and a place away from distractions of the home.) I was thinking a very modest pay bump to match another job I interviewed for (but have not yet heard back from), or a slightly lower contribution to my medical. Anything else you suggest that says "I'm interested, but you are below my preferred rate"?

We have just the thing, babycakes! Here's our guide to asking for stuff other than a salary increase (though you should still absolutely ask for that no matter the size of the company) and a couple more resources for your situation:

If Your Employer Refuses To Negotiate Salary, Try These 11 Creative Counteroffers

Workplace Benefits and Other Cool Side Effects of Employment

You Really Need to Ask for a Raise. Here's How.

Did we just help you out? Join our Patreon!

#negotiating #career advice #job interview #salary offer

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elenajohansenreads · 7 months

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Books I Read in 2024

#15 - Better Sex Through Mindfulness: How Women Can Cultivate Desire, by Lori A. Brotto

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

As with one of my previous reviews about a book on menopause, I'd like to point out up front that the structure and content of the book assumes the reader is a cis woman and refers to the reader's body throughout under that assumption, which might be alienating to any reader whose physiology doesn't match, be they cis men or any trans or intersex person. "Woman" in this book exclusively refers to cis women; only in one section does it allude to the distinction between cis and trans women by using the term "natal women" in reference to the specifics of one study. Which isn't to say that the core subject matter isn't potentially useful for or applicable to trans women or trans people in general, or that the book is setting out to be trans-exclusionary; only that what little research is being done on this topic is focused on cis women as the group who needs it and would benefit most greatly from it. (Which, given that most clinical medical science is done on cis men as the default, is still a good thing in my mind, that any research on sexuality is being done with cis women as the focus.)

Since the take-home message of this book is "Mindfulness practice could probably improve your sex life, and also the rest of your life while you're at it," in my mind that's equally useful advice for everyone, but the mindfulness exercises in this book range from generic at the start (anyone who can eat solid food can do the raisin meditation) to guided exploration of the body in both nonsexual and sexual contexts, which are specific to cis women.

If that message seems obvious, why does it need a whole book written about the science that "proves" it, well, I'm still a crunchy science nerd at heart and was interested to see the design structure of the studies done to research the topic and the results of those studies. That sort of narrative would likely seem dry and boring to someone more interested in the self-help, instructional aspects of the book; likewise, the mindfulness exercises themselves might not interest someone who was reading this for the crunchy science, though the book is definitely marketing itself to cis women experiencing some level of sexual distress or dysfunction who are hoping for a solution, to whom the book offers mindfulness.

Without getting too personal on the subject, I was interested in this book on both fronts; as with my previous reading about menopause, I'm trying to be proactive about engaging with the changes in my body as it ages, and I have noticed a pattern of changes in my sex life that I'm not pleased with. I don't have access to the sort of highly regimented clinical mindfulness study that the book refers to, but the barrier to entry for self-guided mindfulness practice is basically nonexistent--I already have one app on my phone I could be utilizing but mostly don't, and if it turns out I don't vibe with their library of guided exercises I know there's a wealth of other options. And even those aren't necessary, they're just helpful tools.

I know that I, personally, will face challenges attempting mindfulness practice despite all its potential benefits--mindfulness is widely considered to be especially beneficial for people with ADHD, but also difficult for them, as the differences in the ADHD brain from a neurotypical one aren't conducive to learning to achieve a state of mindfulness. But another, narrower take-home message from this book was inspiring to me: that self-belief about your own state of sexuality and sexual satisfaction is more impactful to actual sexual satisfaction that any combination of other studied factors (relationship status, age and hormonal changes, etc.) The book repeatedly assures the reader mindfulness is learning to treat negative thoughts as "mental events" to be noticed, acknowledged, and then moved on from, which in a broader, non-sexually-specific context, means that even my belief that "mindfulness will be difficult for me because I have ADHD" isn't an obstacle that can't be overcome. Forming a habit of mindfulness practice might also be difficult for me, but again, that can be overcome to at least some degree with motivation, and all those scientific studies did show that women engaged with mindfulness showed strong desire and follow-through in making time for daily practice (even accounting for the self-selection of feeling the need to participate in the study in the first place.) The benefits of mindfulness appear to be their own reward, in terms of successful habit-forming, so I'm hopeful.

#booklr #book review #nonfiction

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mercyandme007 · 4 months

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Force Free trainers washed abuse of its meaning

So i guess this is a spicy opinion. The legal definition of animal abuse is, denying the animal access to water, food, vet care, and shelter. Or to torcher, maim, or kill an animal. I see R+ trainers throw around the word abuse way to often. You crate your dog during a thunderstorm rather then counter condition, ABUSE. You leave your reactive dog at home and dont train it, ABUSE. You use a gentle leader, ABUSE. Your dog licks their lips in a ten second traning video of them, ABUSE. You grabbed your dog in the event of an emergency, rather then train your this random scenario that will never happen again, ABUSE. You use a prong collar because it would otherwise be dangerous to walk your dog due to a medical condition, ABUSE. You allow people to pet your mildy nervous dog, rather them advocate for them, ABUSE. So the list goes on, but i would like to come back to one of the scenarios that I mentioned, the dog being walked on a prong collar due your medical condition. I'm not talking about where a person slaps on a prong collar and yanks until the dog is shut down. Im talking about the prong collar as a backup incase the dog does lunge, this theoretical person would being using positive reinforcement for 98% of the training. I have two scenarios of where adversives would help a disabled person. Im taking my first example from @feywild.dogs on instagram. Morgan trains service dogs and takes a LIMA approach to training, they are also a crossover trainer, just like me. Their service dog Dizzy was trained R+, most of the dogs that they train are trained with R+/FF methods. However in the case where the SDIT is going to harm the handler (by accident of course), such as pulling when excited, then Morgan made a reel about how they would use aversive methods to the bare minimum to ensure the safety of the disabled service dog handler. I really liked this reel, because it even though an R+ approach is being taken with the dogs, when it comes down to it, the safety of the handler is prioritized over everything else. I saw a post by a trainer who i can not rember the name of :(. Anyway the post I saw was about how a LIMA trainer was using an e collar, but not in the way that you think. The dog did sighted guide and his handler was sometimes unable to verbally communicate, due to medical conditions. So the collar was literally used in place of voice commands, a stim at a low level ment stop, a vibe ment go, one beep ment right and two beeps ment left. The e collar was not used for correction because the stim already had a paired meaning of stop to it, so it could not be used for both. This is a prime example of an "abusive tool" benefiting both the handler and the dog, with out causing the dog stress or shutting it down. So if you made it this far please it that like button, lol what am I doing I sound like a youtuber. Anyway i'm thinking about making another post about how balanced trainers can also wash abuse of it meaning, especially when talking about force free trainer, everything is abuse thease days. Train your dog, how you want, but please at least know animal body language. if you liked this post please go follow my instagram

@mercy_and.me

#positive reinforcement #service dog harness #dog training #lima dog training #service dog in training #service dog #dog #force free dog training #service dog gear #drawing #dog trainer #ambulatory mobility aid user #first time cane user #actually disabled #e collar #sweet potato #degenerative disc disease #nonbinary #hypermobile eds

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secondopiniongyna21 · 5 months

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One of the primary goals of seeking a second opinion in gynaecology is to achieve peace of mind. Dr. Anu Vij understands the emotional toll that medical uncertainty can take on patients and their loved ones. Through her empathetic demeanor and clear communication, she instills confidence in her patients, helping them make informed decisions about their health.

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kanika3872rawat · 5 months

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Navigating the World of IV Therapy: Understanding Side Effects and Exploring Options

In recent years, IV therapy has emerged as a popular wellness trend, offering a range of benefits from hydration to nutrient replenishment. However, like any medical intervention, it's essential to be aware of potential side effects, particularly when using products like Liquid IV. Let's delve into the world of IV therapy, examining its benefits, risks, and available options.

IV Hydration Therapy

Hydrate IV

Myers Cocktail

IV Drip

IV Drip Near Me

Understanding Liquid IV Side Effects: What You Need to Know : Liquid IV is a hydration product that claims to deliver rapid rehydration and replenishment of electrolytes. While many users praise its effectiveness, it's crucial to understand potential side effects. Common side effects may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and allergic reactions. It's essential to consult with a healthcare professional before using Liquid IV, especially if you have underlying health conditions or are taking medications.

Exploring IV Therapy: A Comprehensive Approach to Wellness : IV therapy involves the administration of fluids, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients directly into the bloodstream via an intravenous drip. This method ensures rapid absorption and can address various health concerns, such as dehydration, fatigue, immune support, and more. IV therapy offers a convenient and efficient way to boost overall health and well-being.

Finding IV Therapy Near Me: Your Guide to Accessible Wellness Solutions : For those interested in IV therapy, finding a reputable provider nearby is essential. A quick search for "IV therapy near me" will likely yield various options, including wellness clinics, medical spas, and mobile IV therapy services. It's crucial to research providers, read reviews, and inquire about their qualifications and certifications before scheduling a session.

Exploring IV Hydration: Replenishing Your Body From Within : IV hydration involves delivering fluids directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system for rapid absorption. This method is particularly beneficial for individuals who are dehydrated, experiencing hangovers, recovering from illness, or seeking a quick energy boost. IV hydration therapy can help restore electrolyte balance and improve overall hydration levels.

Hydrate IV: Customized Hydration Solutions for Your Needs : Hydrate IV is a leading provider of customized IV hydration therapy, offering a range of formulations tailored to individual needs. Whether you're looking for basic hydration or specialized blends for athletic performance or immune support, Hydrate IV aims to optimize health and wellness through personalized hydration solutions.

Understanding the Myers Cocktail: A Popular IV Therapy Blend : The Myers Cocktail is a well-known IV therapy blend that typically includes a combination of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, B vitamins, calcium, and magnesium. This cocktail is often used to boost energy, support immune function, and alleviate symptoms of various conditions, including fatigue, migraines, and fibromyalgia.

IV Drip: Convenient Hydration Solutions at Your Fingertips : IV drip therapy offers a convenient way to receive hydration and nutrients without the need for oral intake. Whether you're recovering from a night out, preparing for a marathon, or simply seeking a wellness boost, IV drip therapy can provide rapid hydration and replenishment.

Finding IV Drip Near Me: Accessing Hydration Solutions Wherever You Are : With the increasing popularity of IV therapy, finding "IV drip near me" has never been easier. Many providers offer mobile IV therapy services, allowing you to receive hydration treatments in the comfort of your own home, hotel room, or office.

youtube

In conclusion, while IV therapy offers numerous benefits for hydration and wellness, it's essential to be aware of potential side effects, particularly when using products like Liquid IV. By understanding the risks and benefits of IV therapy and choosing reputable providers, you can safely enjoy the hydration and health benefits that IV therapy has to offer.

Address: 73700 Dinah Shore Drive,

Suite 107, Palm Desert, CA 92211

Phone Number: (760) 422-3114

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: replenish360

Website : https://www.yourcprmd.com/replenish360/dehydration-admissions-hospital/

#IV Therapy #Youtube

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