#did not get the required nutrition he needed etc

[mango-dolphin]

(NOTE: gregor is using "sir" in a military way and not a gender way)

finally remembered to post these rodyas & gregors. was meant to be a primarily rodion sketch dump but i had an infestation

i accidentally made gregor SO much shorter than i intended. i hc g corp gregor to be in his late 20s (and younger than his other IDs) but he wasn't supposed to be THAT small. but it's really funny so i'm keeping him like that

[sseanettles]

I struggled to choose (your wips sound so cool!) but I thought I'd go one of your original works :) so yellow rose manor?

haha aw thanks @rriavian! don't worry you picked a fun one!

yellow rose manor is going to eventually be a series, but it's going to be my take of what happens when you have a bunch of zillennial supernatural entities renting an apartment together and their ensuing adventures and shenanigans with all the plots rooted in real life issues of stuff like domestic abuse, religious trauma, addiction, etc. etc.

It's set in San Francisco, so the apartment is an old Victorian home that is haunted on a very structural level by the ghost of a murdered nine year old Victorian era girl who possesses the house because her body was buried in the foundations. So she's the kind of haunting where if you set up foundational stones in other places she can teleport the house to those foundation stones, she can change the very structure of the building to screw with you (moving doors, stairs, etc.) and is simultaneously everyone's mom due to her chronological age vs. death age and the WOULD YOU STOP THAT poltergeist.

Her compatriot and "dad" of the house is the "landlord" which is really just her old friend who solved her murder back in the 1800s and has taken care of her and the house ever since. His fun twist is that he's actually Galahad the grail knight and spends his eternity following the magically moving island of avalon to protect arthur and await his return. We have some good old loyal knight pining after his king situation here. The house moves with him and for now Avalon is magically posted out in San Francisco Bay by Angel Island and Alcatraz, not that mortals can see it. He is begrudging team dad, the tired and burnt out idealist who is trying so hard to not live up to his legend anymore and just be a guy waiting for his love to wake up. Because he's so burnt out about the world that if he tried to use The Greatest Knight Of The Roundtable Skills without those morals/guiding lights anymore, he's going to just hurt people. We'll see if his latest tenants/eventual found family can help him hope and believe again.

The other members of the house are a medium/witch who is running away from her abusive hyper-religious family and is the newest addition to this house (brought on via a craigslist ad because they need someone to purge the ghost haunting this house they just moved into, it's a really nice house with cheap rent and the landlord is never around, pleaaase?).

Then there is a vampire who has agoraphobia from pre-bitten times, was transformed only twenty years ago or so and HATES that this is the era he's gotta be starting out as immortal in. I have some heft addiction and prior domestic abuse arcs planned for him, it's going to be a good but painful time.

There's a werewolf who is Muslim and has the biggest golden retriever energy, and she handles her zoomies energy by playing on a very physical local recreational soccer team. It'll be a take on lycanthropy where it's viewed as a blessing/god giving you the power to defend that which you love instead of a curse, and she treats it as such.

There is one human in the house, his name is Kevin, and he makes sure that everyone has the appropriate meals and nutrition and supernatural existence requirements/enrichment. His running gag is that everyone he gets close to turns out to be supernatural, and he's so proud when he brings his girlfriend home to show off like hey look guys a fully normal human isn't she great? At which point Galahad walks in and just says "yeah so how did you of all people meet Doto the Nereid", and Kevin just loses his mind.

The first book will be called The House On the Hill and opens like this:

There was a house that lived on a hill. This was not unusual for San Francisco where nearly every house, apartment, office, and parking lot was, in fact, built upon a hill. It made for messy city life—parallel parking from an even deeper circle of hell, savage cardio workouts built into the weekly run to the local grocery store (if it hadn’t been demolished in favor of the latest hipster shop in a never-ending chain of hipster shops), and a sizeable yearly budget for brake pads. Nevertheless, there was still a house that lived on a hill.

[theblogtini]

I’m not from the us but what’s with the baby formula? No one in my country uses that we just breast feed. And if there is a shortage of the powder then why aren’t people you know breast feeding which is the normal way to feed a baby?

Not trying to be rude lol

So, earlier this year we (as a country) basically ran out of baby formula because 1 of the major manufacturers (it's VERY highly and carefully regulated - as all baby food is - so there are only a couple of manufacturers) had to issue a recall and close down 1 of their plants due to contamination or something. So the shelves were basically COMPLETELY EMPTY.

As you can see from the below chart (source), in the US, most babies are breastfed at SOME point, but not for the recommended duration of time. Only 45% of babies are exclusively breastfed for 3 months, and that number drops dramatically to 24.9% for 6 months - so 75% of babies are receiving formula at some point in their life.

This is most likely attributed to the fact that in the US, some employers (those who have a certain # of employees, etc) are only required to provide full-time employees with UNPAID maternity leave for 12 weeks. Some employers do offer paid maternity leave, but even those that do only provide it for a few weeks (some really amazing companies do provide it for longer, but most women do not receive paid maternity leave at all. My sister works for A HOSPITAL SYSTEM and she will only receive 6 weeks of PAID maternity leave and then 6 weeks of unpaid leave. A FREAKING HOSPITAL!) And since most women can't afford to be unpaid that long (or for any period of time at all), they have to go back to work and put their child in daycare or with a nanny or with a family member.

Often times in order to take any paid maternity leave at all, women have to use their vacation time and sick time which amounts to maybe - MAYBE - 3 weeks?

And then, of course, there's the fact that some women - such as myself - don't have a strong enough supply to be able to sustain a baby. (I will admit - I was never really in love with the idea of breastfeeding, I tried to pump for my kids but didn't have much of a supply and was only able to get maybe 4-8oz per day. Newborn babies eat like, 2oz every 2-3 hours round the clock - so this was woefully insufficient. And for my youngest, he was an IUGR preemie so he had to be on specialized formula anyway (even though I did still try to pump a bit for him).) ALSO - in the 1950s and 60s, with the growth of the suburbs, middle class, and women working outside the home, baby formula became a thing and it was deemed the more hygienic, proper way to feed a baby. Doctors would even say it was better because you knew exactly how much food the baby was getting, it was coming out of sterilized bottles, so there was no risk of germs from the mother, etc. So most people my age (35) and my parents' age were formula-fed and breastfeeding was seen as a "hippy" or crunchy thing.

Now we all know about the health benefits of breastfeeding v. formula feeding so it's gaining popularity again, but for literally 2 generations breastfeeding was considered the less desirable option (and I also think was a bit stigmatized because only women who "couldnt afford" formula were breastfeeding so it was seen as a "poor" option).

ALSO I would like to say that in the US they are pushing breastfeeding so much that it actually has done harm to some women and babies. Mothers are so ashamed if they have to formula feed (due to low supply, etc) that they DONT. They keep trying and trying to breastfeed and their babies end up getting sick because they're not getting enough nutrition. Some babies have even DIED because of it.

So let's be very clear - (and this is not directed at you Anon, but to anyone who comes for me on this post b/c it can be a heated topic) - FED IS BEST. Getting your baby the proper nutrition they need, any way that you can, is the MOST important thing. And you DO NOT NEED TO JUSTIFY why you've chosen 1 way over another. Ever. Period.

[ardentguilt]

((That post EXACTLY.

If you want a pet you NEED to understand EVERYTHING that entails with regards to the specific species you want to get.

This means educating yourself on and ensuring you can provide:

Appropriate and adequate housing

Species specific enrichment

Understanding the social needs of the animal

Appropriate diet

Any necessary supplements

Understand the nutritional needs of the species at all life stages

Access to an appropriately qualified vet for the species

The time to provide the necessary care and maintainence of the animal and it’s environment

The financial means to acquire and maintain the above mentioned points

The physical ability to provide the required care for the animal

The physical space to provide adequate housing

Understanding the pros and cons of the various breeds/morphs of the species you’re looking into keeping

Making an ethical choice regarding the breed/morph to avoid any unethical breeds/morphs that have genetic problems and/or poor health/QOL as a result (ie silkback dragons, spider ball pythons, flat faced dogs and cats etc)

Failure to take these points into consideration have have be detrimental or even fatal to the animal you choose, increase your financial burden through said animal suffering significant health issues and/or injury.

Take into account your abilities both physical and financial as well as how much space you have when deciding on an animal. For example if you live in an apartment with no backyard or a house on a smaller lot with a tiny backyard don’t choose a large animal they will need that extra space, instead opt for a smaller animal that is suited to the smaller space you have.

My two bearded dragons are both rescues who were originally owned by someone who did NOT take any of the above into account. This person did not understand the needs of the species and as a result was keeping these two dragons in an unsuitable housing situation and feeding a non-suitable diet.

Spike in particular really suffered as a result of this, when rescued he was severely malnourished to the point he wouldn’t have survived to the end of the year, had an internal parasite issue, was absolutely filthy, had extremely degraded dental health and was very afraid.

To really drive home how important it is to do your research BEFORE getting an animal to ensure you know how to provide the necessary care and have the means to do so I’m posting a photo of Spike taken in the first week he was in my care to show just how much of an impact improper care can have on an animal as well as a photo of him from recently (4 years on) to show what a healthy properly cared for dragon looks like in comparison.))

[dearestones]

Death Note Matchup: Matt/Mail Jeevas

Warnings: Fluff.

@ll4wliet Request: may i request a death note matchup? i prefer something platonic :D any gender is fine

i have short, black hair, very messy, im 150 cm, i guess thats it. My hobbies are playing games, doodling (and drawing, etc), window shopping (is that a hobby? i dont know but i just like to look at stuff.). My interests are death note, bee and puppycat, random toys, pokemon, plushies, vocaloid, collecting (i dont really collect stuff but i'd like to sometime.). I'm a bit awkward with new people and I'll usually mind my business, but I'm fine with talking with people I'm okay with and can hold a conversation with. I have trouble with talking to people most times, it ends up awkward. For people I'm close with I'd love to talk with for hours, especially when it's something I'm interested in. I get distracted alot, i sometimes zone out and not pay attention to something (especially during some games i play), I'm a picky eater sometimes. I can get fascinated by random images and waste my time scrolling on tumblr (honestly thats the only social media i have other then tt), especially when its something of my interest. I am very forgetful, i tend to do some things last minute. And thats it i guess? i hope i didnt go over the word limit but i am very sorry if i did!

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After reading through your description, I believe that you match well with Matt or Mail Jeevas!

What a coincidence, Matt also happens to like some of your hobbies; gaming is what really catches his eyes, though. He’ll gladly take you window shopping, but you have to be patient whenever he visits video game stores once you’re done with your own shopping experience. And if something in particular catches your eye, Matt will definitely give you some of his money to buy it. Don’t be shy! He’s got way more in several offshore accounts and from escapades that are from legal. 

Matt usually keeps to himself, often deferring to others when it comes to socialization, but he finds himself drawn to you. He’s had his fair share of dealing with awkward people, especially when he was growing up in an orphanage, so he knows how to navigate your personality and help you to open up. 

When you do finally warm up to him and start holding conversations, he will definitely enjoy what you have to say. He wants to know all your thoughts, your feelings, your hobbies, and your interests. It doesn’t matter if you sound awkward or he doesn’t know what you’re talking about, he just wants to be there with you experiencing the nuances and flavors of your voice. 

He’ll definitely tease you when he realizes that you get distracted a lot. He might pinch your cheek or wave his gloves in front of your face to get your attention back. If the both of you are comfortable with it, he’ll definitely try to kiss you on any parts of your face just so that he can see the lovely look in your eyes when you realize that you’ve been drifting off again. He might get a little irritated if you’re playing a game that requires more than one player, but he won’t hold it against you for too long. 

Ooohh, he would like to know what sorts of foods that you like to eat and what you don’t eat. Certain textures and smells don’t always agree with him as well, so he has a certain diet that he sticks to just so he has enough nutrition throughout the day. (Yes, he is including junk food as adequate nutrition because he is still a gamer and needs to maintain his reputation, thank you very much). 

Please don’t show this man your tumblr account. He’ll tease you for using this website for a few minutes before checking out your blog. If you have the standard theme and profile picture that comes with the website, he’s definitely going into your code and updating it. You have an idea for a new theme? A certain aesthetic that you ascribe to? Never fear, Matt will either find you a new theme with an adaptable source code or he’ll make it from scratch. Depending on what route he takes, you’ll find that your theme is both pretty modern and user friendly once he gives you your tumblr back. 

Forgetful and procrastinating? Now you’re speaking Matt’s language! He also tends to put things off until the last minute. It’s not that he is trying to forget things on purpose, it’s just that the world is far more exciting than some of his priorities, you know? If you are worried about forgetting important things, Matt will try to help you out, but he won’t always be successful. He’ll tease you from time to time, but encourage you to write down tasks so that you remember better next time. 

Overall, you’re a pretty low maintenance couple. There might be times when Matt may have to pull away for some time alone, but that’s because of his laidback and introverted disposition. 

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If you want to donate a Ko-Fi, feel free https://ko-fi.com/devintrinidad.

DEATH NOTE MASTERLIST

[dwellordream]

“...Because if we want to ask “What was life as a woman like in Sparta?” we really need to ask “What was life like as a helot woman?” because they represent c. 85% of all of our women and c. 42.5% of all of our humans. And I want to stress the importance of this question, because there are more helot women in Sparta than there are free humans in Sparta (as from last time, around 15% of Sparta is free – men and women both included – but 42.5% of Sparta consists of enslaved helot women). If we want to say absolutely anything about the condition of life in Sparta, we simply cannot ignore such a large group of human beings living in Sparta.

...The primary economic occupation of helot women was probably in food preparation and textile production. And if I know my students, I know that the moment I start talking about the economic role of women in ancient households, a very specific half of the class dozes off. Wake Up. There is an awful tendency to see this ‘women’s work’ as somehow lesser or optional. These tasks I just listed are not economically marginal, they are not unimportant. Yes, our ancient sources devalue them, but we should not.

First: let’s be clear – women in ancient households (or early modern households, or modern households) were not idle. They had important jobs every bit as important as the farming, which had to get done for the family to survive. I’ve estimated elsewhere that it probably takes a minimum of something like 2,220 hours per year to produce the minimum necessary textile goods for a household of five (that’s 42 hours a week spinning and weaving, every week). Most of that time is spent spinning raw fibers (either plant fibers from flax to make linen, or animal fibers from sheep to make wool). The next step after that is weaving those threads into fabric. Both weaving and spinning are slow, careful and painstaking exercises.

Food preparation is similarly essential, as you might imagine. As late as 1900, food preparation and cleanup consumed some 44 hours per week on average in American households, plus another 14 hours dedicated to laundry and cleaning (Lebergott, Pursuing Happiness (1993)). So even without child rearing – and ask any parent, there is a TON of work in that – a small peasant household (again, five members) is going to require something like 100 hours per week of ‘woman’s work’ merely to sustain itself.

Now, in a normal peasant household, that work will get split up between the women of the house at all ages. Girls will typically learn to spin and weave at very young ages, at first helping out with the simpler tasks before becoming fully proficient (but of course, now add ‘training time’ as a job requirement for their mothers). But at the same time (see Erdkamp, The Grain Market in the Roman Empire (2005) on this) women often also had to engage in agricultural labor during peak demand – sowing, harvesting, etc. That’s a lot of work to go around. Remember, we’re positing a roughly 5 individual household, so those 100 hours may well be split between only two people (one of whom may be either quite old or quite young and thus not as productive).

...Let’s start textiles. Spartiate women do not engage in textile manufacture (Xen. Lac. 1.4) as noted previously, nor do they seem (though the evidence here is weaker) to engage in food preparation. In the syssitia, at least, the meals are cooked and catered by helot slaves (Plut. Lyc. 12.5, 12.7). In the former case, we are told explicitly by Xenophon that it is slave labor (he uses the word doule, “female slave,” which clearly here must mean helot women) which does this.

So helot women now have an additional demand on their time and energy: not only the 2,200 hours for clothing their own household, but even more clothing the spartiate household they are forced to serve. If we want to throw numbers at this, we might idly suppose something like five helot households serving one spartiate household, suggesting something like a 20% increase in the amount of textile work. We are not told, but it seems a safe bet that they were also forced to serve as ‘domestics’ in spartiate households. That’s actually a fairly heavy and onerous imposition of additional labor on these helot women who already have their hands full.

We also know – as discussed last time – that helot households were forced to turn over a significant portion of their produce, perhaps as high as half. I won’t drag you all through the details now – I love agricultural modeling precisely because it lets us peak into the lives of folks who don’t make it into our sources – but I know of no model of ancient agriculture which can tolerate that kind of extraction without bad consequences. And I hear the retort already coming: well, of course it couldn’t have been that bad, because there were still helots, right? Not quite, because that’s not how poor farming populations work. It can be very bad and still leave you with a stable – but miserable – population.

Let’s talk about seasonal mortality. As the primary food-preparers in the helot household, helot women are going to have the job of managing a constrained but variable flow of food through an extended family that may include their husband, children, older relatives, etc. Given the low productivity of ancient farming, this is a tricky operation in systems where rents are extracting 10% or 20% of the farming yield every year, but given the demands of supporting an entirely unproductive class of elites, it becomes even harder. The key task here is stretching one harvest through the next planting to the next harvest, every year. That means carefully measuring out the food consumption of the household against the available reserves, making sure there is enough to last over the winter. If too much food is extracted by the elites, or the harvest fails or (likely) some combination, the family will run into shortage.

Now, the clever helot woman knows this – peasants, male and female, are canny survivors, not idiots, and they plan for these things (seriously, far too many of my students seem to instinctively fall into the trap of assuming serfs, peasants, etc. are idiots who don’t know what they are doing. These people have survived for generations with very few resources, often in situations of significant volatility and violence; they’re not stupid, they’re poor, and there is a difference!) – so she will have strategies to stretch out that food to try to keep herself and her family alive.

But that in turn often means inflicting a degree of malnutrition on the family unit, in order to avoid outright starvation – stretching the food out. It also probably means a lot of related strategies too: keeping up horizontal ties with other farming households so that there is someone to help you out in a shortage, for instance. Canny survivors. That said – especially in a situation where shortages hit everyone at once – a shortfall in food is often unavoidable.

But, we need to note two things here: first: humans of different ages and conditions react to malnutrition differently. Robust adults can tolerate and recover from periods of malnutrition relatively easily. For pregnant women, malnutrition increases all sorts of bad complications which will probably kill the child and may kill the mother. For the elderly and very young children, malnutrition dramatically increases mortality (read: lots of dead children and grandparents), as compromised immune systems (weakened by malnutrition) lead to diseases that the less robust old and young cannot fight off.

Second – and this is the sad and brutal part – feeding the agricultural workers, meaning the adult males (and to a lesser extent, adult females), has to come first, because they need to make it to the planting with sufficient strength to manage the backbreaking labor of the next crop. If it’s a choice between the survival of the family unit, and taking a chance that you lose Tiny Tim, our helot mother knows she has to risk Tiny Tim.

So in a good year, there is food enough for the entire household. Families expand, children grow up, the elderly part of the family makes it through another winter, imparting wisdom and comfort. But the bad years carry off the very young and the very old (and the as-yet unborn). For children who make it out of infancy, a series of bad years in early childhood – quite a common thing – are likely to leave them physically stunted. It was very likely that most helots were actually physically smaller and weaker than their better nourished spartiate masters for this reason (this is a pattern visible archaeologically over a wide range of pre-modern societies).

The population doesn’t contract, because the mortality isn’t hitting adults of child-bearing age nearly as hard, meaning that in future good years, there will be new children. In fact, societies stuck in this sad equilibrium tend to ‘bounce back’ demographically fairly quickly, because massive external mortality (say from war or plague) frees up land and agricultural surplus which leads to better nutrition which leads to less infant mortality which leads to rapid recovery.

...And so helot women must have spent a lot of time worrying about food scarcity, worrying if their sick and malnourished children or parents would make it through winter. Grieving for the lost child, the lost pregnancy, the parent taken too quickly. Probably all while being forced to do domestic labor for the spartiates, who were both the cause of her misery and at the same time did no labor at all themselves and yet were better fed than her family would ever be. Because peasant labor of any kind is so precariously balanced, we can really say that every garment woven for the spartiates, every bushel turned over, represented in some real sense an increase in that grief. Subsistence farming is always hard – but the Spartan system seems tailor made to push these subsistence farmers deeper and deeper into misery.

The instances of brutality against the helots – the murders and humiliations – which our sources preserve are directed at helot men, but it seems an unavoidable assumption that helot women were also treated poorly. Spartiate women were, after all, products of the same society which trained young men to ambush and murder helot men at night for no reason at all – it strikes me as an enormous and unsubstantiated leap to assume they were, for some reason, kind to their own female domestic servants.

In fact, the one thing we do know about spartiates – men and women alike – is that they seem to have held all manual laborers in contempt, regarding farming, weaving and crafting as tasks unbefitting of free people. I keep returning to it, but I want to again mention the spartiate woman who attempts to shame an Ionian woman because the latter is good at weaving, which in the mind of the spartiate, was labor unbecoming of a free person (Plut. Mor. 241d, note Xen. Lac. 1.4). The same attitude comes out of a spartiate man who, on seeing an Athenian convicted for idleness in court, praised the man, saying he had only been convicted of being free (Plut. Mor. 221c). This is a society that actively despises anyone who has to work for a living – even free people. Why wouldn’t that extend to its treatment of helot women?

To this, of course, we must add now the krypteia and incidents like the 2,000 murdered helots recounted by Thucydides (Thuc. 4.80). While the murdered are men, we need to also think of the survivors: the widowed wives, orphaned daughters, grieving mothers. This must have been part of the pattern of life for helot women as well – the husband or brother or cousin or father or son who went out to the fields one day and didn’t come back. The beautiful boy who was too beautiful and was thus murdered by the spartiates because – as we are told – they expressly targeted the fittest seeming helots in an effort at reverse-eugenics (Plut. Lyc. 28.3).

Finally, we need to talk about the rape. We are not told that spartiate men rape helot women, but it takes wilful ignorance to deny that this happened. First of all, this is a society which sends armed men at night into the unarmed and defenseless countryside (Hdt. 4.146.2; Plut. Lyc. 28.2; Plato, Laws 633). These young men were almost certainly under the normal age of marriage and even if they weren’t, their sexual access to their actual spouse was restricted.

Moreover (as we’ll see in a moment) there were clearly no rules against the sexual exploitation of helot women, just like there were no laws of any kind against the murder of helot men. To believe that these young men – under no direction, constrained by no military law, facing no social censure – did not engage in sexual violence requires disbelieving functionally the entire body of evidence about sexual violence in combat zones from all of human history. Anthropologically speaking, we can be absolutely sure this happened and we can be quite confident (and ought to be more than quite horrified) that it happened frequently.

But we don’t need to guess or rely on comparative evidence, because this rape was happening frequently enough that it produced an identifiable social class. The one secure passage we have to this effect is from Xenophon, who notes that the Spartan army marching to war included a group he calls the nothoi – the bastards (Xen. Hell. 5.3.9). The phrase typically means – and here clearly means – boys born to slave mothers. There is a strong reason to believe that these are the same as the mothakes or mothones which begin appearing with greater frequently in our sources. Several of these mothakes end up being fairly significant figures, most notably Lysander (note Plut. Lys. 2.1-4, where Plutarch politely sidesteps the question of why Lysander was raised in poverty and seemed unusually subservient and also the question of who his mother was).”

- Bret Devereaux, “This. Isn’t. Sparta. Part III: Spartan Women.”

[wellingtongoose]

Unravelling the Obscurus

Why do some magical children become Obscurials and others don’t?

Why are Harry Potter and Tom Riddle not Obscurials?

Why does Credence survive when most children die from the condition?

The brief explanation Newt gives to Jacob in the first Fantastics Beasts film is that when magical children are persecuted and try to hide their powers, their magic develops into a powerful, negative parasitic entity that eventually kills them.

However if we apply the litmus test of persecution to other characters in Harry Potter, including Harry himself, we are left wondering why there aren’t more Obscurials.  Evidently becoming and Obscurial requires more than just being abused by muggles because of your magic. 

I believe becoming an obscurial requires a triad of genetic predisposition, environmental triggers, and learned psychological responses. Obscurials are rare within the wizarding world because it takes a rare trio of conditions coalescing to create one.

These prerequisite conditions also explain why not all magical children who are abused by muggles for their magical outbursts (Harry Potter and Tom Riddle) turn into obscurials.

This essays explains:

1.      Why Harry Potter and Tom Riddle did not become Obscurials.

2.      Why Credence did become an Obscurial

3.      Why Credence survived, and how he can get rid of the Obscurus

Nature vs Nurture

  From my perspective as doctor, obscurials are clearly children who developed a psychological disorder that also manifests physically in response to trauma. If we treat the obscurus for what it is: a symptoms of an underlying severe psychological disorder, we can finally explain the phenomenon. 

We know from Newt’s brief explanation that Obscurials develop in children and very few survive beyond the age of ten. Newt’s reason for why obscurials occurs is purely environmental, and we know from extensive scientific studies that very few psychiatric disorders especially those that manifest in childhood are purely environmental.

In reality psychological/psychiatric disorders in children often have a significant genetic component, but it takes a specific environmental trigger to bring out the pathos. The contribution of genes to the development of psychiatric disorders can be extremely high, as evidence with studies in identical twins raised apart. Disorders that first appear in early childhood are more likely to have a stronger genetic contribution simply because disorders that have a higher environmental contribution require prolonged exposure to a specific environment.

Therefore, in terms of the obscurial as a psychological disorder, it is likely heavily influenced by the genetic make up of the child. This has nothing to do with race, sex etc, but rather a specific set of genes that together produce the potential to become an obscurial given the right stimulus. The is known as genetic predisposition and occurs in many different disorders both psychiatric and physical. Without these genes the likelihood of developing into an obscurial is very, very low even if all the prerequisite environmental triggers occur.  

This would explain why obscurials are relatively rare despite there being a common thread of abuse toward magical children growing up in non-magical environments.

Having discussed genetic predisposition, I would like to state that genes are not the be all and end all when it comes to causing psychiatric disorders. We must also take in the complexities of the human mind, and how humans psychological cope with severely detrimental environments. The obscurus is not a passive by-product of abuse like a scar but an active response to it. Therefore, the child’s psychological method of coping with abuse is a very important prerequisite to becoming an obscurial.

  Thinkers vs Feelers

  Many people have speculated that its takes severe extreme abuse to create an obscurial. I don’t dispute this, but I do not believe there is a specific type or length of abuse that creates an obscurial. Child abuse is severely damaging in all its different forms. I would not say that what Harry suffered is somehow less horrific than what Credence went through. I find the comparison of various abuse types useless when it comes to explaining why an obscurial develops.

The environmental trigger for an obscurial is childhood abuse leading to trauma likely by people close to them who should have been their protectors/caretakers. However what people fail to realize is that children, and by extension adults, have different methods of coping with abuse, and the different coping strategies dictate which psychiatric disorders they may go onto develop in later life.

The method by which a child deals with abuse and by extension severe negative emotions it brings determines whether they become an obscurial.

All humans learn coping strategies to deal with negative and positive emotions generated by our environment. We all learn to some extent how to control our emotions to our best advantage. This is not a conscious learning curve, but rather something we instinctive develop from the moment we are born.

There are two board methods young infants use to deal with their negative emotions and attract the presence of soothing caregivers. These board methods are refined with time, but the strategy an infant develops has a long-lasting effect on the person’s emotional and psychologic state well into adulthood. I have discussed this psychological theory in more detail in other metas: Loki and Thor a psychoanalysis, The Holmes Brothers, a psychoanalysis.

The broad categories are: Thinkers and Feelers.

Thinkers contain and analyse their emotions. They only express emotions that they feel are best suited to the situation to get attention. Thinkers tend to develop due to caregivers who are consistent in their approach to giving attention.

Feelers express all their emotions, often in exaggerate or amplified ways to get attention. Feelers develop in response to caregivers who are inconsistent in their attentions. Therefore, repeated amplification of emotions is the best way to get the caregivers to arrive promptly when needed.

What I have not previously discussed in other metas is what happens to the psychological coping strategies of infants who never get attention no matter what they do or who get attention only for it to lead to abuse. This is where deep psychopathologies develop.

Human children are mostly helpless for a substantial proportion of their most formative years. Therefore, most of our emotional coping strategies revolve around gaining attention from caregivers. This need for attention and comfort stretches far into adulthood. It may be the foundation for our strong social bonds.

We know from unfortunate data generated in the orphanages of Eastern Europe that when infants never receive the attention they need, their entire emotional development stalls and certain parts of their brains required for processing emotion never fully develop. In effect infants whose coping strategies failed to get any attention at all simply switch off the emotional processing part of their brain. They never learned to control their emotions, but they also stopped generating appropriate emotions. One orphan described his life as black and white, whilst everyone else lived in colour. It gives us a small glimpse into the poor emotional lives these children led. Additionally when nutrition is taken into account, these children are still more physically underdeveloped than they should be, showing that psychological problems often have severe physical manifestations.

However, the nature of the obscurus is a dangerous, active and uncontrolled. The psychological pathos related to it is also active and violent. This does not fit with what happened to Eastern European orphans. Obscurials do not have underdeveloped emotional centres, they are not children who are to some extent numb to the world. Credence does not have a problem generating emotion, he has a problem with control. He is not numb to the world but rather has an insatiable hunger for love and belonging.

Therefore, infants who become obscurials did not suffer from predominantly severe neglect, which is what happened to Harry Potter and Tom Riddle. Harry escaped the most severe consequences of his emotional neglect because he had 15 months of love from his parents to hold onto. This was crucial to his emotional development. Tom Riddle was not so lucky and his pathos is a clear reflection of the orphans of Eastern Europe.

Obscurial children do get attention, just not the right kind of attention.

  A Spiral into Hell

  For infants their entire survival depends on gaining the caregivers attention, but when the ultimate emotional reward - attention, turns into the ultimate generator of negative emotions – abuse, the infant is unable to cope with the spiral of negative emotions. The caregiver is supposed to take away the negative emotions but instead exacerbates the problem.

I believe that Obscurials including Credence developed primarily as Feelers. As infants they learned to amplify all their emotions, all the time, to get attention. As magical outbursts are closely linked to strong emotions, infants who are Feelers would have correspondingly more magical outburst likely at an earlier age compared to Thinkers. When the abuse then starts – likely during early childhood with increasing magical outbursts, the child is unable to understand why its coping strategy is producing cycles of more pain rather comfort.

Having developed the Feelers strategy already, the child is not able to modulate their emotions like Thinkers can. They are not able to contain, analyse and then express appropriate emotions for the situation. Therefore, they cannot suppress their own magic into a dormant state and act like a muggle as Neville Longbottom managed to do as a child. This leads to a cycle of escalating abuse, and then need for attention to heal the negative emotions it generates.

However eventually these Feelers who become Obscurials do manage to suppress their emotions and their magic but not in the psychologically healthy manner of a Thinker. Instead the negative emotions and by extension the magic associated with it is displaced, rather than suppressed or contained. They alienate their own feelings in an attempt to not experience them and therefore not express them. The resulting obscurus is the consequence of this displacement and alienation, a dark extension of the child that ultimately destroys them.

 Adapting to Survive

  How is Credence able to survive beyond childhood?

In the films it is suggested that he may be an extremely powerful wizard. I don’t dispute this, but control of magic is not just about power, it is intrinsically linked one’s control of emotions. Children generally experience far more extreme emotions and changes of emotions compared to adults. As we psychologically mature our emotions do not become less strong, but we have better control of how we experience that emotion and how it affects us. If the obscurus is a physical manifestation of a dysfunctional emotions, then it is likely something that becomes easier to control as one emotionally matures. However, it often causes death before puberty which means that children never get to emotionally develop to a point where it is controllable.

I believe that Credence unlikely that other Obscurial children, successfully learned a new emotional coping strategy early in life that enable him to control his emotions to a certain extent. I am not saying he went to therapy and read some self-help books. Changing one’s emotional coping strategy is very difficult and not entirely conscious act. I believe at various critical points in his life Credence was helped by other people who provided him the much-needed emotional support. They helped to drive his desire to live, give him hope and purpose. More uniquely to Credence I believe he learned from them new emotional coping strategies and subconsciously put this into practice.

Most well-adjusted adults have a mixture of different coping strategies when it comes to emotions. Very few people are purely Feelers or Thinkers beyond childhood. We all exist on a spectrum between these extremes and use of blend of different strategies that we tailor to the environment. However, our original coping strategy is often remains dominant and underscores all other later strategies. Credence was a very dysfunctional Feeler as a young child, but he learned through positive interactions with Thinkers around him how to become a Thinker instead.

Credence has done something very rare for children which is completely switch his emotional coping strategy from one extreme to another. Being a Feeler caused him to become an Obscurial but becoming a Thinker allowed him a measure of control over his emotions and thus his obscurus. The more he pursued the Thinker route, the more control he eventually gained over his obscurus. I believe that Credence developed this strategy early on in childhood, which is a remarkable feat, and therefore the obscurus never came close to being lethal.

When we meet him, Credence is the typical dysfunctional Thinker: a person who controls all emotional expression only displays the correct emotions for the situation. This is his survival strategy and though it is not psychologically healthy, it keeps him alive.

I would not be able to hazard a guess as to who or what prompted him to become a thinker. It might have been his younger siblings and their emotional support for him. It might have been a specific adult who helped him through a very difficult time.

There is no doubt that acts of kindness and love, sustained Credence through his horrific childhood. He does not shy away from love, he actively seeks it even in people who are looking to exploit him. This is not a person who has given up on the world, but someone who desperately wants to live and be loved. People like Tina and Newt are going to be the key to his salvation and may finally help him psychological heal. Once he does, I wonder if the Obscurus will simply cease to exist.

[loveafterthefact]

Love After the Fact Chapter 70: Making Long-Distance Calls

Tfw you haven’t heard from your kid in a while and part of you is really worried and the other part of you wants to kill him yourself to save your enemies the trouble… and then that mf just says he ‘forgot’.

First  Previous  Next

“Okay, so do you two see each other?” Lance asks.

“I see a Balmeran.” Thace cocks his head curiously. “Quite different from the race that I am familiar with- Ulaz! Get out! Patient confidentiality!” There’s a snicker in the background, followed by a door opening and closing.

“Excellent!” Lance chirps, typing in another code, waiting for it to pick up. “Tavo, are you there?”

“I am here. Hello, your Majesties. Crown Prince Lancel, I've heard the kings are quite bitter that they have not heard from you.”

“Oh, fuck.” The prince pales, then brushes it off. “I need to call them anyway. They can scold me for spending too much time in the sun or not wearing socks.”

Keith glances at his mate, noting his darker complexion, the little brown spots creeping from underneath his skin. An Altean, blessed by Daibazaal’s sun. It’s perfect. He’s perfect.

Keith really needs to reboot his brain.

“So what are we here for, then?” Tavo asks, pulling his chair closer to his desk.

“We’re planning on having a kit,” Keith says, cutting right to the chase. He’s already done too many of these calls this quintant.

“I see. How soon do you expect to conceive?” Tavo accesses his desktop, fingers sliding over the glass table.

“I go into season in a few quintants- Shut up, Thace.” The medic scowls, shaking his head in silent disapproval.  “I will hopefully conceive sometime in the following movement.”

“Understood. What are your concerns?” The Altean medic casts his dark eyes around the group.

“Nutrition, complications at any point during pregnancy, and predicting needs of the kit once born,” Thace clarifies. “Your majesties, we can carry this conversation without you.”

“You can,” Lance agrees. “But you won’t.” Keith smiles, delighted by his mate’s enthusiasm. “All we want, for today, is to make considerations regarding how we help Keith -and the baby- stay healthy. Starting with nutrition.”

“Right. Excellent.” Thace pulls up several holographic panels. “In your particular case, your Majesty, nutrition is definitely where we need to begin. Your metabolism is extremely fast for a Galra.”

“Is it?” Hunk asks. “Alteans have high metabolisms, but I’ve just been making as much as Keith will eat.”

“Your average Galra consumes roughly one sixth the amount of calories that Kei- Prince Yorak requires to maintain his current condition. That amount in turn does not account for growth spurts, season, pregnancy, or any increase in muscle mass. Basically, anything more than the normal amount of physical output creates strain upon his body that our species is not naturally equipped to deal with.

We’re meant to go for a long time on nothing. Prince Yorak goes for a short time, and only on a great deal.”

“Basically, how do you keep me and a fetus alive and healthy without stuffing me like one of those weird birds you people always eat,” Keith clarifies. “I’ll be stuffed enough.”

“Damn right you will,” Lance snickers. Keith promptly whacks him with the back of his hand with a scolding, while Thace chokes on a laugh and Tavo shakes his head in disappointment.

“Well, my wife is going into labor any dobosh now, so let’s get to work on some meal ideas and then I’m gonna duck out.” Hunk grins. “Your Majesties must come visit once he’s born.”

“We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Keith promises. “Let’s get to work!”

“Okay! So for the sake of this discussion… Let’s divide nutrient sources into three categories: proteins, fats, and carbs. Carbs should further be divided into starches and cellulose. During pregnancy, you may require more fruits and vegetables as Alteans are primarily vegetarian, so we’ll need to ensure a balanced diet both for you and a your hybrid fetus-”

It takes two vargas to come up with some kind of meal plan, which will probably change a million times anyway, but at least it gives them something to work with -and gives the princes headaches, but whatever-. It’s worth it, and Lance knows it will relieve some of Keith’s anxiety.

“Well, if we’re done, I’d better head out. Rosie is being an absolute monster today, so-”

“Just one thing.” All eyes fall to Keith. “We’re keeping this quiet. There are too many risks to say anything until we’re sure there’s a chance of having a viable fetus. Basically, all of this is a secret until I say otherwise.”

“Understood.” Hunk bows his heads. “We look forward to seeing you home, your Majesties. Farewell.”

“Farewell,” the princes chorus.

“On to complications, then.” Thace decides. “Complications include embryotic miscarriage, fetal miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects, underdevelopment, excessive bleeding, parasitic placental syndrome-”

“I’m sorry. What did you just say?” Lance leans forward, visibly horrified. Tavo lifts an eyebrow. Apparently, the Altean royal physician hasn’t heard of this either.

“Parasitic placental syndrome. It’s a condition in Galra where the placenta takes an excessive amount of nutrients from the bearer, resulting in malnourishment, miscarriage, premature stillbirth, and extreme malnourishment. Basically, the placenta starves the bearer until they eventually cannot support the fetus.

“In Prince Yorak’s case-”

“It could be fatal,” Keith finishes. “Which brings us to a touchy subject: If it comes down to it, do you save me, or the kit? The answer is me.”

“You’re sure?” Tavo asks.

“Yes. It’s selfish to die for one life, when I have the potential to carry many more.” Keith looks to Lance for his opinion, if the Altean wants to give one. Lance just kisses his cheek.

“Up to you, beloved. But I’d like to have you as a part of my family if at all possible.”

Keith smiles at his mate, brushes a bit of starlight hair away from his face. “Me too.”

“You guys are so cute,” Thace sighs. “Also, total dorks.”

Tavo frowns. “Your Majesties, is this man some kind of prince, to speak so informally to you?”

“No, that’s just Thace. He has no respect for authority unless Daibazaal is in crisis mode.” Keith rolls his eyes, even as his lips curl with the edge of a small smile.

“Bitch, I have five kits. I am the authority.”

“FIVE?” Tavo chokes. “Five children???”

“Oh, yeah.” Thace smirks, clearly enjoying messing with the Altean medic. “Granted three of them are triplets, but… I think that just makes it more impressive.”

Tavo turns to the princes. “Your Majesties, surely this… degenerate is not the only reproductive authority on Daibazaal.”

“No, but he is the best. And my species is suspected to have at least four kits within the span of a decaphoeb, and encourage to have between six and eight. Some have even more.” Keith smiles. “Thace is the best in his field, and he has an intimate understanding of my growth disorder. There is no one I’d trust more with my life during such a critical time. And…

“I’ve not spent much time with you, Tavo, but I know your reputation well, and trust me when I say that you both have a great deal to learn from each other. I can see you two doing amazing things together.” The smile turns to an imperious stare. “Regardless, I expect you both to work together and be nice to each other. If I hear otherwise, I’ll kick your asses.”

The two medical professionals grumble their assent, Thace insulted and Tavo wary but abashed.

“Right,” Keith sighs. “Now, back to our discussion… There’s not really a whole lot to be done about any of those things.”

“Yes, but you should understand the symptoms,” Thace explains. “Bleeding, cramping, contractions, gastrointestinal distress, pain in the lower abdomen, fatigue, rapidly increasing fatigue, etc., etc. I’ll send along some resources on general self care and rearing that you both should read as.”

“Naturally.” Lance grins, puts his arm around Keith's shoulders. “We’re learning together. Right, beloved?”

“Absolutely.” Keith smiles. “Thanks for your time, guys. Thace, we’ll see you quite soon. Tavo, I imagine we’ll see you in a few movements.”

“Indeed you will, your Majesties. You’ll need to receive a health check upon your return from Daibazaal anyway before you are exposed to anyone on Altea. Our planet has far more stringent protocols for entry than Daibazaal does.”

“Understood. We’ll see you then.” Lance waves as the Altean signs off. It’s just them and Thace.

“I’ll come by your den when you return. I want to give you a once-over before your season. Which is extremely close, by the way. I recommend you return here by tomorrow night.” Thace looks Keith up and down. “You seem relatively relaxed, so I doubt it’ll be tonight.”

Keith nods, agreeing with his medic. He feels relaxed, now that his problem with Lance has been resolved. But before long, he’ll get restless, and generally uncomfortable, and he knows it. But he also knows he has Lance, and Lance will help him keep comfortable and safe. Everything will be fine.

As they say their goodbyes to Thace, however, he braces himself for an entirely different kind of conversation.

“So.” Coran sips his tea. The aging Altean’s sitting sideways on the loveseat in their quarters, legs thrown over his husband’s lap. It’s been a habit of theirs almost as long as they’ve been together. “What excuse will they give?”

“Hm…” Alfor pretends to think, massaging Coran’s knee, moving in circles to help ease the pain. Old injuries are the worst, especially when you get old yourself. “Probably ‘We were busy’ or ‘We just forgot’.” The king sighs. “I didn’t expect them to call, to be honest.Our boy’s grown up.”

“He’s been grown up for a while now, dearest.”

“A person’s not grown until they act grown. But I suspect Lancel has been grown for a while now, and just didn’t want anyone to know.”

“Probably.”

A long pause of silence-

“I’m going to call them.” Alfor gently removes his husband’s legs from his lap, reaches for his datapad.

“Darling, don’t you think-”

“I should let them be? No, I do not. They are on Daibazaal, a planet crawling with enemies-”

“Dear…”

“... Crawling with people who are not fond of my family, including and perhaps especially our son and heir?” Alfor types in Lance’s comms code.

“Better.” The red-haired man smiles at his husband, appreciative of his efforts.

“Father! Believe it or not, we were just about to call you!”

“Hello, son!” Coran smiles at the happy face before him. He’s missed his child. Alfor has too, though he hasn’t said it. “Good to see you’re both still alive!”

Alfor, for once, chooses the softer approach. “You look well. Both of you.”

They do indeed. Keith seems a little taller now, his frame a bit more robust. Lance’s skin has darkened, freckles creeping over his nose.

“We’re doing quite well here,” Keith agrees. “I’ve touched base with several contacts from within the Compound and surrounding villages. Lance has established himself as a respectable mate and warrior, thanks to his excellent conduct and impressive displays of mettel.”

Coran raises an eyebrow. “So… You’re as well-behaved as we would expect you to be, and you’ve also managed to get into some trouble. Sound about right?”

“Pretty much,” Lance admits, slightly sheepish. “I am every bit the model guest, and I also squared off against a kronil and saved a dying wolf cub with alchemy. Y’know, normal stuff.”

“A kronil. Really?” Alfor leans back. “Well now, that is impressive.” Especially given his boy’s struggles with combat and alchemy. Alfor smiles, proud of his son, delighted with the giddy pride on his son’s face.

“Now.” Alfor settles back next to Coran, throwing an arm over the back of the loveseat. “I was calling to guilt you for dropping off the edge of the star system. Why were you calling?”

The couple exchanges a glance. “We’re not… entirely sure. We’ve found something, and it could be nothing at all, or something very serious,” Lance explains.

Alfor frowns. It must be serious if Lance wants to tell him about it. There’s really only one thing he knows more about that his son: violence. “I see… What have you found?”

Keith explains the various falsified ship inspection records, where the shipments came from, and what it might mean. Alfor listens, nods. It’s a serious matter, and the boys are taking it very seriously. Both of them.

“So let me see if I understand this correctly,” he says when they’ve finished. “These ships with extra cargo bypassed inspection somehow, and come from planets that help supply the Galra with food, medicine, and raw materials?”

“Yes.” Keith leans forward, brushing a lock of loose hair over his shoulder. “These shipments could be one of two things: smugglers, looking to make a profit by supplying the Galra on Daibazaal with resources not typically available to them in large quantities, or they’re supplying a militia that may be looking to overthrow the Imperial family and name a champion, and/ or invade Altea.

“Neither of our peoples want this,” Keith stresses, staring earnestly at the king. “My people want peace. They have already chosen Lotor as their Champion upon his father’s death or retirement.”

“What exactly does it mean for him to be the Champion?” Alfor asks, unfamiliar with the term.

“Well, you know how there’s the Kral Zera?” Keith asks. Alfor nods. “Even though anyone can participate, the people can petition to choose a Champion, at which point most challengers would back down and allow the Champion to light the flame unhindered.”

“So Lotor is… the Successor Elect?” Alfor clarifies.

“Yes. He argues for strengthening and uniting the empire, instead of continuing to expand. This means more resources available to the commonwealth both here and abroad, as well as better foreign relations with conquered planets and external societies.”

“I see… Some would take issue with this?”

Keith nods. “Some are bitter that my uncle agreed to this alliance. They feel as though they have been cheated. Your people are comparatively few, but formidable. They are one of the reasons that same sex coupling is currently illegal. They don’t produce kits, and so would be considered traitors. Others are simply angered that the atrocities they were ordered to commit came to nothing, that their sacrifices and losses did not lead to victory.”

“So you believe these shipments are supplies being moved by rebels staging a coup?”

“We believe…” Keith rolls his lips between his teeth, tugs on the ends of some of his hair. “We should be prepared for every eventuality. Please understand,” he whispers. “I want so badly for this to never be our problem, but I love my people, just as surely as you love yours. I would do anything for them.”

Alfor sighs through his nose, nods. “I will begin working on plans should Daibazaal face a threat from within. In that case, we would need to split our assets between defence and military assistance, followed by relief efforts. When you return, we can look at them together.”

“Speaking of which, when do you intend to return? Some time this decaphoeb, perhaps?” Coran asks, still a little miffed that his son hasn’t kept in touch.

“Three movements. Keith’s about to go into season, and Thace wants us to stay two movements to keep an eye on him. Just in case of any complications.”

Lance lies so smoothly, Alfor almost doesn’t see the excited glint in his son’s eyes. He chooses not to mention it. He’ll let their life together be as private as they like. Nothing else ever is for a royal couple. Instead, he smiles.

“You’re both doing wonderfully. Keep up the good work, and we’ll see you in a few movements.”

Lance bows his head. “Thank you, Father. Dad.”

Coran waves away his thanks. “Just come home, lads. That’s all we ask. We love you.”

“We will,” Lance affirms. His father signs off without another word, only a fond smile -a small miracle in and of itself-, and Lance throws himself back against the tree with a loud huff.

“I agree,” Keith murmurs, settling against him with a yawn.

Lance puts an arm around him immediately. “Is this normal sleepiness, or season-related sleepiness?”

“Not sure, but we’re just gonna go with it, okay?”

Lance smiles, brushing a thumb across Keith’s cheekbone. The Galra sighs, settling in to sleep. “Sometimes I think the only reason you’re keeping me is to have something to lay on.”

“Hmph. Bed’s never poked me with it’s dick-” Lance gasps, playfully scandalized. “-so that’s definitely not it. I keep you because you're cute.”

“I have never felt so betrayed in my entire life,” Lance teases.

“Shut up and cuddle with me,” Keith grumbles, wrapping his tail around Lance’s waist as he curls up against his chest. Lance chuckles, wraps him up in his arms. “Alfor still sucks. Just so we’re clear.”

“I know. Thanks for behaving.”

“Of course I behaved. He’s your father and you love him.”

“Yeah… I think he loves me, too.” The fact that Lance barely seems to believe it breaks Keith’s heart a little.

“Of course he does. And so do I.”

“I love you too.” Lance kisses his forehead. “Get some sleep.”

“No need to tell me twice.” Keith yawns, settling in to sleep through the warmth of the afternoon.

[wisdomrays]

TAFAKKUR: Part 82

How are babies protected?

Did you know that the only place human beings are not exposed to germs, such as bacteria or fungi, is in their mothers’ uterus? Yes, from the moment human beings are born into this world they are exposed to millions of germs. What kind of a system of protection are babies equipped with that, despite all their vulnerability and defenselessness, allows them to survive in this world?

In addition to protecting the infant from life-threatening enemies, the nutrition of a newborn should be suitable for their development and appropriate for their digestive system and sensitive kidneys, which are not ready to accept any ordinary food. If it was up to the parents to design and create the necessary nutrition for babies, what would they do? Would they be able to come up with a formula that would provide the necessary nutrition, protect them from bacteria and viruses, and also be fit for their digestive system? Millions of dollars are spent on infant nutrition, but no one has come up with anything better than mother’s milk.

A diet for a newborn should include the following elements in certain proportions: water, proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates, fats, fatty acids, minerals and vitamins (A, and B with all its subgroups, C, D, E and K).

Water is a major necessity for the human body, being composed of mostly liquid. In the 10th week of pregnancy, 94% of an embryo is liquid, whereas 79% of a newborn is liquid. As the baby reaches its 3rd month, the total liquid in its body is 70%, while at age 1 this amount is reduced to 60%. The amount of total liquid in an adult body is about 55% of the total body-weight, and while the amount of liquid that passes through an adult body daily is about 6% of its total weight, this amount is 4 times higher (25%) in infants. Dehydration can occur very fast in babies. This is why infant nutrition should be high in water. Not surprisingly, breast milk, which pours from the fountain of compassion of the Almighty, is 90% water. Breast milk also contains solid (casein) and soluble (whey) proteins, which are essential for the growth and repair of the body. Casein in breast milk forms much softer clogs and is easier to digest compared to the casein in cow’s milk. Moreover, the whey in breast milk plays an important role in protecting the babies from infections, since it has an anti-infective property. Cow’s milk, for example, does not contain the anti-infective proteins that are essential for human babies. Since their immune system is not yet fully developed, babies are not able to fight off infections, and their defense is provided by breast milk, which acts not only as nutrition, but also as a live fluid that protects babies against infections. There is no formula or food that can replace breast milk, as it contains live macrophage and lymphocytes. (WHO-1993, UNICEF, 1993 – Nutrition–H-1OF)

In sura al-Qasas in the Qur’an we are told of the Pharaoh’s unimaginable cruelty, and how he was punished by God as an admonition. The Pharaoh had been told by a fortuneteller that a baby, a successor of the sons of Ishmael, would be born, and would bring his kingdom to an end. Frightened by this prediction, the Pharaoh commanded that all newborns in the country be killed. At the time, Moses’ mother was pregnant with him. As she gave birth to Moses, her only worry was to protect him from the Pharaoh’s soldiers. At this moment she was guided by divine inspiration:

Suckle (your child), but when you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear nor grieve; surely We will bring him back to you and make him one of Our Messengers. (Qasas 28:7)

“Suckle (your child),” or in other words, “breastfeed him,” were God’s words to a mother whose only worry was saving her baby’s life. If one reads the verses preceding and following the above verse carefully, it is clear that the main idea in the verse is to protect the baby. Now, why would such a verse advise the mother to breastfeed? It is because the Pharaoh’s soldiers were not the only threat to the baby. After years of medical research, we now know that an infant’s immune system has not yet developed, and therefore they need to be protected against bacteria and viruses, which in Moses’ story were a more immediate threat to the baby than the Pharaoh. It is certain that the baby would be exposed to bacteria and viruses before the Pharaoh’s soldiers found him. Being under such a great anxiety, a mother might not be able to take good care of cleaning and feeding her baby, which would increase the risk of infection to the baby. For this very reason, God advised Moses’ mother to breastfeed the baby first. It is God Who creates and provides breast milk through the mothers’ body, and He certainly knows that not only is it a source of food and nutrition, but that it also helps to protect the baby against infections. God may, of course, choose to provide direct protection, without requiring breast milk, but then, living in a world of cause and effect, we are reminded of the perfect balance of this universe.

A breastfeeding mother should be free of anxiety and stress, as these will negatively affect the mother’s milk production. (WHO-1993, UNICEF, 1993 – Nutrition–H-1OF) The Qur’an, after advising breastfeeding, continues to comfort the mother “. . . when you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear nor grieve; surely We will bring him back to you and make him one of Our Messengers.” Breastfeeding mothers have high levels of prolactin in their boies. As well as stimulating milk production, this hormone also functions as an anti-depressant for the mother. In this context, it is very significant that the mother is advised to breastfeed. It is incredible that a verse that is nearly 1400 years old is perfectly in accordance with the results of 30-years of research on breast milk.

Lactose-another ingredient in breast milk-is a kind of carbohydrate that is suitable for the digestive system of babies. Its slow digestion balances the sugar levels in the baby’s body. Lactose also increases the absorption of calcium. Together with some fat molecules, galactose-a type of molecule found in lactose-forms compounds that are essential for the development of the brain in infants. It also plays a role in the increase of a bacterium called “lactobacillius bifidus” found in the infant’s intestine. These harmless bacteria form the intestinal flora, which eventually protects them from diarrhea. In premature babies, more than 90% of lactose in breast milk is transmitted to the blood through mucous in the intestines after breast feeding. This preventive care can neither be provided by the mother nor is it initiated through the desire or ability of the baby. In addition to having so many benefits for babies, another positive aspect of lactose is that the amount found in breast milk is not affected by the mother’s diet.

There are more than 100 types of sugar, known as Oligosaccharides, found in breast milk. Oligosaccharides and other anti-infective elements in the intestines prevent harmful microorganisms from holding on to the intestines by clinging to them.

Babies get most of the energy they need from the fats found in breast milk, which are easily absorbed in the baby’s intestines. The fat ratio in the breast milk increases at the end of the breast feeding session; this gives the baby a feeling of fullness and prevents overfeeding. In this way, babies are also protected against obesity and other connected health risks that may occur in the future, including heart and vessel diseases, hypertension, diabetes, etc.

The mother’s diet does not affect the quantity or quality of minerals found in breast milk. Breast milk provides as much minerals as the baby needs, using the mineral stocks of the mother. It also contains all the necessary vitamins for the baby’s first month, as well as growth factors, enzymes, and ten other hormones, whose benefits are still unknown.

Breast milk in mothers who give birth to a premature baby is different than regular breast milk; this helps to satisfy the unique needs of a premature baby. In the first few weeks after the birth of a premature baby, the amount of protein in the mother’s breast milk is higher in comparison to that of a mother who delivered full term. A premature baby needs 2 grams of protein per one kilogram of its body weight daily, twice the amount needed by a full term baby. Also the protein quality (casein/whey ratio) of breast milk for a mother who gave birth to an underweight baby is adjusted accordingly: 30% of casein and 70% of whey protein. The fat in breast milk provides 50% of the total calories, which is the ideal combination for underweight babies. The digestion and absorption of this fat, the types of fatty acids, and the distribution of these acids over the triglyceride molecules are perfect.

It is well known that breastfed premature babies have better visual ability, and that long-chained fatty acids, carotene, taurine and vitamin E-all of which are contained in breast milk in perfect ratios-play an important role in visual ability.

The First Two Years of Life and Breastfeeding

One liter of breast milk alone provides 2/3 of all the protein and all of the vitamin A and C an infant needs up to the second year. If a baby can get 1.5 liters of breast milk daily, they will be provided with most of the nutrition they need. This is why breast feeding should continue through to the end of the second year, if possible.

The true value of breast milk has only recently been discovered. In the 1960s, a massive advertising campaign for baby formula was able to “discover” almost every day another element that existed in formula, but was lacking in breast milk. This was broadcast via television, especially in the US. As a result of these scientific (!) findings, mothers were alienated from breast feeding and a formula generation was born, all in the name of “science.”

In 1980, breast milk was recommended for only the first four months of life. It was claimed that after four months, breast milk did not have any nutritional value and was just like water for the baby. In 1986, breast milk was recommended for the first six months. And finally, starting from 1993, breast milk was recommended for the first two years, after it was discovered that even during the second year, breast milk still provides most of the necessary nutrition for infants. A verse from the Qur’an says:

And the mothers should suckle their children for two whole years for him who desires to make complete the time of suckling; and their maintenance and their clothing must be borne by the father on equitable terms. No soul shall have imposed upon it a duty but to the extent of its capacity; neither shall a mother be made to suffer harm on account of her child, nor a father on account of his child, and a similar duty (devolves) on the (father’s) heir, but if both desire weaning by mutual consent and counsel, there is no blame on them. (Baqara 2:233)

Medical researches have just discovered within the last 10 years that breast feeding should continue for two years, yet the Qur’an has been giving us the same advice for 14 centuries. If one is rational, one must agree that no one else but God could have known this so many years ago. And who else could possibly have provided us with such information, information that it would have been impossible to discover with the limited science and medical research of the 7th century?

[sonxflight-a2]

☯ Give me a ship and I’ll tell you... ║ @kathexismania​​​ ☯

Who cooks: As immortals, neither probably require that much nutrition but both still can find simple pleasures in cooking and eating, along with gaining of needed energy ( Ryou refuses to eat chicken meat in this verse as well tho lol ).

Who does the laundry and other chores: Most often it’s Ryou. He did it as the prince and he’ll do this as Shirai Ryu’s immortal advisor along with other clan members, for the common labor nurtures discipline and shall be respected no matter gender and status ( not to mention handiwork/chores serve as the part of therapy for him cos it helps to keep his mind distracted from a shitton of past traumas :^) ).

How many children do they have: Their clan are their children now. Despite that, I still can see them having two children cos they nonetheless are dads inside ( one daughter and one son, of course + a girl would probably be a little bit older than her brother ).

Who’s more dominant: Just as for their other verses, Hanzo appears to be more dominant than Ryou at the first glance, when in reality after taking into account all the aspects of their relationships they’re equal.

Favorite nonsexual activity: Anything that helps to keep each other grounded of reality and serves as a remedy from being drowned within the depths of their perpetual sorrows, let it be joint training, meditation, mentorship, etc.

Their favorite place to be together: As I can guess, there still will be Fire Gardens built in this verse, so this is exactly the place they find themselves being most at peace. Also, since Ryou helped to revive the clan from very ashes, there can be some little differences in its flora: not one but two trees in the center ( the mightiness of oak along with the refinement of Japanese maple ) + white and yellow chrysanthemums can be found growing calmly among the other plants.

Any traditions: Their union exhibits an infusion of traditions, coming both from Hanzo’s knowledge of Shirai Ryu and Ryou’s knowledge of Sakai’s imperial clan along with their outstanding warrior skills and Japan in general.

Their “song”:  HeavensDust — More Than This

It's the world we know inside Building castles with our minds Breathing life again We are more than this Turning fear into our fight Not letting go keeps us alive We breathe life again We are more than this...

What they do for each other on holidays: I doubt they would give much significance for their personal holidays (aka birthdays; Ryou is odd in a way he never celebrated the exact day of his birth), while still knowing the dates and striving to make these days somehow special, without pointing out the reason + when it comes to the other, more common holidays, they would probably direct their efforts towards the joint celebration with the clan.

Where did they go for their honeymoon: Probably the valley Ryou originates from, during the spring days when the tradition of hanami lasts. Despite it not being the same it was during the empire’s flourishing years, it’s nonetheless as beautiful and in a way serves both as the wildlife sanctuary and Sakai’s familial residence.

Where did they first meet: Somewhere in the woods, when Hanzo Scorpion was pissed due to the fact Ryou Jack unwillingly disturbed him cos of the mindless frantic abomination, born from Aku’s remnants, lurking nearby and aiming to attack either.

Any pets: Hanzo is still a cat dad, I guess ??? + Ryou would have a strong connection with the show-white male wolfdog named Fubuki they took as a cub at some point of their life together, who’s evidently smarter than any usual canine ( there even would be some jokes about him being a yokai rather than normal animal ).

What do they fight over: Most of their fights happened during the time Hanzo still was better known as Scorpion, with time getting rarer and rarer as they grow more and more protective and fond of each other. They still can occur during their time as the immortal clan advisors, just not that often and usually ending with them finding a sort of compromise, despite both being able to be hella obstinate.

Do they go on vacations, if so where: While Ryou has his own certain duties, I doubt either of them would ever leave the clan at will until it’s secure and prosperous + they traveled a world for some time already ( Ryou even longer so ), thus most of their vacations would happen at the place they can settle in and consider home, both for themselves and newly revived Shirai Ryu.

[ihaveneverbeengivenflowers]

(Not so) Random considerations on birth control methods and menstrual cycle

Although absolutely nobody fucking asked, I wanted to talk about my personal experience with birth control pills and menstrual cycle. First of all, let's catch up on how did I get here.

I started taking oral contraceptives (OC) since my mother took me to a gynecologist for the first time. The doctor made me a prescrition because I told her I suffered with cramps during my period. I was about 13 years old.

I kept taking OC every single day for the following 11 years, until I reached 24. Several doctors I passed by along these years changed the dosage and combinations of hormones I took, because each of them gave me a different bunch of adverse effects. Headache, nausea, menstrual cramps, recurrent urinary tract infections, candidiasis, vaginal bleedings... the list goes on.

During my teenage years I found out some women from my mother's family have circulatory problems, from varicose veins to venous thrombosis. There are also cases of cancer possibly induced by sexual hormones. That is: conditions that make OC, especially the combined ones, contraindicated for me. I got worried and decided to come back to the doctor and talk about another options available. The only one that was presented to me was the so called minipills, which are OC made with a single hormone instead of a combination of two. I took it for the following 5 years straight, and it seemed a good idea at the time because I've spent all my life struggling with underweight and anemia. Since the OC completelly suspended my period, I was supposed to be fine.

However, last January I had a major vaginal bleeding, even though I didn't stop taking my OC. I had terrible abdominal pains, and the bleeding continued for almost 10 days straight. Like I said, being underweight didn't improve the situation and my immune system shut down very quickly. Besides, I was having a hard time to keep up with my bills and wasn't covered by any health insurance at that time (I live in Brazil, and for those who are not familiar, things are a little bit different here. Theoretically we do have a public health system, but in real life we can't barely count on it and the access to the private system is kinda surreal for those living with minimum wage).

Well, as soon as I could, I saved enough money to go see a private doctor. I paid for the appointment and a several exams to find out that my bleeding was possibly caused by multiple ovarian cysts. Both of my ovaries were 3 times bigger than the normal size, and the doctor hypothesized that a big one of them (or a few) must have simply ruptured, and that the whole shit was probably induced by the fucking OC.

In summary, the doctor said I had polycistic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Plus, I should stop taking my actual OC and go back to the combined ones. Yeah, those same I was not supposed to take both because of my family history and the previously described adverse effects. He emphasized that was the only treatment available, and that my condition actually had no cure, so I should just take it for the next 30-40 years until I’d reach menopause, while praying for not having cancer or thrombosis or embolia and... well, to die of something else not related with OC.

So, well... I quit. I smiled and waved to the doctor and left the office. I was about to turn 25 and I decided I wasn’t going to take it that way. Now that you’re up to date in the story, let’s move on to where I was really trying to get with this post.

Please note: I ain't no gynecologist nor physician, but nowadays I’m a post-graduate health professional with a couple years of clinical practice. And I think I’m allowed to apply the little knowledge I acquired during 7 years (so far, still counting) of higher education to see through this situation with a tad of criticism. Not only regarding my own case, but regarding the doctors’ position when it comes to women’s reprodutive health - at least in my country. Therefore, let’s consider some key points:

Is there a real need to prescribe OC to young girls aged 13 years or less just because they come to the office complaining about menstrual cramps? During the period the lining of the unfertilized womb is being shed through the vagina. It involves muscular contractions, so of course it might get painful. There’s nothing abnormal about it, so why purging it like a plague instead of teaching them that’s a physiological process and how to relieve the pain in case it happens? Nutritional counseling, physical exercises, simply using a hot-water bottle or even taking an occasional painkiller can totally solve the problem.

The primary aim when taking OC is expected to be, should be, birth control. Yet, they’re frequently prescribed to girls that don’t even have an active sex life because of light acne, oily skin, menstrual cramps and/or intense menstrual flow without any further clinical complications... or just because. You might take it as some conspiracy theory, but you know what it looks like to me? Creating a very profitable market for pharmaceuticals. And nothing more. If women get sick and end up developing cancer or whatever, even better, so more drugs (way more expensive ones) will be sold.

In fact, there are another treatments available for PCOS. But it seems doctors are too lazy, or too comfortable in their position of filling a single standard prescription, that they completely ignore any alternatives. Can you wonder why? Maybe because it requires a minimum of health and sex education, and that takes time. How are they going to be able to attend people in less than 5 minutes if they’ll have to talk to their patients, right? Simply doesn’t worth it. Anyways, again, alternatives include acupunture, homeopathy, phitoteraphy, dietotherapy throught nutritional counseling and regular physical activity. Each case is different, but keep in mind: OC aren’t the only way, indeed, literally speaking they’re not even a treatment because they don’t treat it.

Opening a parenthesis: of course there probably are exceptions and good doctors no matter where. But doctors at public health system are in general unsatisfied with their working conditions and environment, while doctors at the private system usually are anything but well paid by insurance companies. In overall terms, the more academically qualified the doctors get, the less prepared for attending real life demandings in developing countries they are. Also, the less willing to work in such places they are. (If you’d wish to read more about it, I highly recommend seeing Chapter 5 - An example of a paradigm and its social conditions: scientific medicine of La construction de sciences, by Gérard Fourez.)

Still on PCOS topic: first of all, having multiple cyst on one or both ovaries doesn’t necessarily mean PCOS. PCOS, as a syndrome, means there are multiple criteria that need to be fulfilled for closing the diagnostic. In this case, criteria involve imaging exams, symptomatology, clinical and biochemical evaluation. In my case, for instance, PCOS is a diagnosis that simply doesn’t suit my medical history, but no doctor has ever bothered making an anamnesis. I’m not trying to say anybody should go to Dr. Google’s opinion (seriously, don’t), but look out for more information than it’s given to you at the office, even because often none is given.

I know suspending the menstrual cycle can make life much more easier. No worries about pads, unexpected leaks, cramps, PMS etc. But take it from a different perspective for a second. There seems to be a lot of content over the internet nowadays about body positivity, empowerment and tons of so called movements of deconstruction of established paradigms in our society about feminility and feminism. I’ve seen a lot of girls online sharing their experiences on stopping taking OC etc. I don’t know how far it’s good or not, but there’s a point that can be taken from all of it: the menstrual cycle is a natural part of every woman’s reprodutory phase in life. It’s not disgusting, embarrasing or whatever nonsense we’ve been told. And it can be a good way for us to conect with ourselves, to listen to our bodies. Observing symptoms such as pain, fatigue, cravings, emotions, sex drive; checking on cervical mucus, body temperature, hours of sleep... all of this can be part of a daily self-care routine and, moreover, be useful to birth control.

Talking about birth control: I’m genuinely surprised on how much the doctors whom I interacted during my life underrate condoms as a method against unwanted pregnancy. They say out loud that it’s not safe and, unless the conspiracy theory about selling drugs is real, I simply don’t get the reason why they do that. In first place, this is bullshit because condoms are a very effective fisical barrier that prevent even a single spermatozoid from swimming along the vaginal canal and straight up to the womb. Second, there’s no 100% safe method except for sexual abstinence; not even OC + condoms (theoretically not even tubal ligation) are 100% safe, since the human body isn’t a static machine and everything is prone to error. So, yes, opting for non-pharmacological methods of birth control instead of synthetic hormones can be valid.

Obs: condoms work as long as they’re properly stored, used and discarded. But the same can be said about OC and any other contraceptive methods. And, important: choosing a contraceptive method involves not only statistical data on the margin of error of condoms and pills, but also individual phychossocial aspects. In other words: a determined method might not be the doctors’ first option and they might not personally like it, but they can suck it up and use their fucking knowledges to find the best alternative for you.

Again, I’m not trying to encourage you anybody else to contradict their doctors. However, I think that questioning is part of a healthy and constructive process. First because doctors are human beings, therefore they’re as prone to error as anybody else (or even more due to long working hours). Second, because they’re supposed to be the primary source of information for any questions you might have about your own health. Third, because I believe with all my heart that the relationship between health professionals and their patients must include, if not be based in, trust.

[madrivervalleyicelandics]

Personal reflections on the ethical dilemma of responsible care and decision-making for horses that can no longer be ridden:

(cross-posted from my Facebook page, here’s the link to the FB post if you’d like to interact with the post on that medium instead: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2189166171191133&id=1257596561014770&__tn__=K-R )

This is sort of a hot-button issue, so bear with me. After reading a few posts and discussion threads this morning, I decided to write about this subject, which is one that weighs heavily on my mind as a horse owner (or steward, if you prefer that word), breeder, trainer, and overall enthusiast.

We live in a country where it can be said that every good horse is just one bad sale away from slaughter. The US market is saturated with horses who cannot find suitable homes, due to age, injury, health or behavioral issues, etc, and each year thousands of horses are shipped over our borders for slaughter after running through traumatic sales and bouncing around from location to location, scared, stressed, and poorly cared for in the interim. The scale of the problem is immense, and for many owners the message is clear: keep your horse. Keep the old horse you can no longer ride, do not try to re-home it into situations where it leaves your control and may be mistreated, passed around, injured further or ultimately end up on a truck to a slaughterhouse.

It seems very simple: you've made a commitment to care for an animal, and so that commitment should be for life. But horses are complex creatures with very nuanced needs.

So this is the story of two retired mares that I own and can no longer ethically ride: Glæta and Tinna.

Glæta is a beautiful 1st prize mare who I purchased as a competition horse. She was known for being a somewhat complicated ride, but she was fully trained and I bought her at around age 11. She was diagnosed with Cushing’s Disease less than a year after I bought her, and because of her young age, her diagnosis was delayed because we were chasing symptoms and missing the big picture - we simply could not believe that our new, young, athletic mare had developed this awful condition normally associated with elderly horses. By the time we finally figured it out, her suppressed immune system (a symptom of Cushing’s) had caused her to develop secondary infections including Ehrlichiosis and then Lyme Disease. We gave her all of the best veterinary care and medication and I spent years paying for all sorts of therapies ranging from traditional to alternative, as well as giving her the best care and biomechanically correct R+ training possible (she was the first horse who sparked my interest in clicker training, and my first foray into bridleless riding and liberty work). We had more good years together and did ultimately return to the competition track, but over time, Glæta began to let me know that she did not enjoy being ridden anymore. She did everything I asked, but I could feel that she just wasn’t fully comfortable. The Cushing’s / Lyme combo made it hard to build her topline normally, and meant that sometimes she had aches and pains that she told me about with just a meaningful look. On those days, I knew not to bother her. I felt that there was no reason to push a horse who had done so much for me to do something she no longer enjoyed, so I made the decision to stop riding her. I took to ponying her a lot, but it was not really enough exercise or stimulation. She could not retire onto lush pastures, given her metabolic condition, and due to the hormonal component of her disease, she became infertile so our dreams of breeding her were dashed. Her days consisted of doing a whole lot of standing around in our paddocks. It didn’t seem like a great life, and she began to lose muscle and gain weight, even on a low-sugar, slow feeder diet and no grass.

Tinna came to me as a bit of rehab training project. She was a horse I had trained in the past who had lost the ability to trot since I’d seen her last, and she had become quite tense. Once she arrived home and I was able to have her thoroughly examined by a vet, we found a large rope of scar tissue beneath her skin, running from her elbow to almost her wither - we suspected that at some point she had had quite the injury and torn her tricep. The scar tissue had shortened that side of her body and she was very tense and reactive. Using clicker training, classical dressage techniques, regular bodywork, and scar tissue massage daily with arnica oil, I was able to retrain her to trot and to move harmoniously and comfortably. I even began to ride her again, and got her up to walk/trot/canter, some tölt, and basic lateral work. But she was only able to tolerate light work, and no matter how carefully I conditioned her, once we got past a certain point of exercise, she began to express discomfort. Ultimately we found that she, too, had contracted Lyme disease, and based on the numbers, it seemed she had had it for a very long time (which prompted my new policy of testing ALL new horses that come in for training for Lyme disease, if they haven’t been tested). Treatment did make her more comfortable, but she was still not able to be exercised normally. The amount of exercise that we were able to do with her was not enough to keep her fit, and she began to gain some weight. I knew that, without exercise, she would develop metabolic issues if she were allowed to graze on pasture, but that put her in the same position as Glæta - confined to dry lot paddocks. Not a very interesting life.

So you see my problem: I love my horses, had the means to keep my retired horses, and I wanted to keep them, and I didn’t give a damn if I never rode either of them again - but keeping them meant that their health needs were not being met. They were not getting adequate exercise or stimulation, and “putting them out to pasture” was not an ethical option, as it would have resulted in inflammation, obesity, and the further decline of their health. Neither one of these mares could be ethically rehomed, as they both required rather special care and handling, and were not suitable as pasture pals or riding horses, even for light riding.

I got lucky. I found Meadow Ridge Farm, which is a fabulous Natural Horsecare facility in Ontario that provides a stimulating lifestyle for herds on paddock paradise track systems. The horses roam all day on miles of tracks, where they have slow feeder hay stations instead of grass to graze. Their hooves largely self trim, and their body condition stays fit and healthy as they move around so much. Boss lady Jen White is very skilled in equine nutrition and feeds them mineral-balanced diets, trims and balances their hooves if they fail to self trim adequately, and provides them with any medication they may need. I continue to own both of my mares, but I board them with Jen. Both are healthy, happy, and well-adjusted - far better off than they were here at my farm.

Retirement boarding facilities like Meadow Ridge are SO needed. But for many, they are not accessible. For those owners, the question of what to do when a horse can no longer be adequately exercised becomes even more complicated. Some horses can go out to pasture, but many can’t, especially easy-keepers who cannot tolerate a lot of pasture. Some people can build paddock paradise systems, but many, like me, do not have a suitable property for track systems. Many of these horses cannot be ethically re-homed. I will say, right now, that I feel there is no shame in humanely euthanizing a horse who can no longer be adequately managed. If the choice is between the horse merely surviving (no thriving) with compromised welfare, or being sold into uncertainty, or being put to sleep while comfortable in a happy, safe environment before he begins to suffer, I feel that I would always prefer to see a horse put to sleep than forced to live in pain or be risked to uncertainty. It is my hope that, as veterinary medicine continues to improve and we all continue to learn more about our equine partners, retirement boarding facilities like Meadow Ridge Farm will become more and more common and popular. Until then, I try to always be open-minded and nonjudgemental when people run into the problem of what to do with a horse they can no longer ride. It’s too common to see snarky people snap, “well, you shouldn’t have bought the horse if you ONLY wanted it for riding,” and, as I found with my two mares, things are simply not so cut-and-dried.

Horses require exercise to stay healthy. They need to move constantly in order to have healthy digestion, balanced blood sugar, good circulation, joints, hooves, etc. When that becomes impossible, for a myriad of reasons, it creates a complex ethical question for the person who loves the horse. It’s not about RIDING, it’s about exercise and adequate welfare for the animal. Be kind in these discussions, and recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Different horses have different needs, and deciding what comes next for a horse who can no longer be exercised normally may prove very complicated. Sometimes there is no happy solution. At the end of the day, I do believe that most people want what is best for their animals.

[momsavvyus]

Welcome to Motherhood

THE TEST CAME BACK POSITIVE, NOW WHAT?

But, what if you're not ready? You don't know if you'll be a good Mom.. Breathe! Everything will be OK.

Whether planned or by complete surprise, I'm more than sure you are wondering what to do next.

Focus on the basics right now doing so will set the tone for the next 9-10 months with minimal stress.

Step 1. Schedule an appointment with your Primary car physician.

They will confirm the pregnancy and advise you on choosing specialists to help monitor your pregnancy. Some family practice doctors provide prenatal care and attend deliveries.

How will they confirm? Most PCP will confirm via urine and/or blood. Me personally I'd prefer urine but the reality is that sometimes urine will not suffice, be prepared for blood work. Make sure you are hydrated, drink at least 16oz of water prior to your appointment. Trust me, you will be glad you did.

Step 2. Take a trip to your local Vitamin Shop or GNC and stock up on Prenatal Vitamins!

Prenatal care starts in the womb, keep your energy levels high by taking nutritional supplements to supply you and baby with essential minerals needed as you both develop.

Pros:Reduce the risk of a whole array of conditions, from the annoying to the harmful, including:

Anemia

Fatigue

Leg and muscle cramps

Low immunity

Postpartum depression

Weakness

Low appetite

Skin irritation

Brain fog

Cons: Honestly there aren't many cons vitamins are necessary however you may experience heightened pregnancy side effects such as

• Nausea. To avoid this, opt for a chew able vitamin vs a huge pill. If you don't mind taking pills try taking your prenatal vitamin with food (and never on an empty stomach). It also helps to take them at night, so you are asleep when the nausea would potentially kick in.

• Constipation. You have the iron content to thank for this.

• A change in urine color or odor. B vitamins, in particular, may be the contributing factor, though these are harmless changes.

Recommendations:

Ritual-Essential Prenatal (vegan)

Natures Way- Alive

Honest CODHA Complete

Pink StorkTotal Prenatal Plus (vegetarian)

Step 3.Find an (OB-GYN) or a nurse-midwife.

Which is the best recommendation?

Such a difficult question to answer and so subjective.

But really the question is ‘what are you looking for in your doctor?’ since every OBGYN has their own approach. It is more like a matchmaking service when deciding who to choose. Research both to see which is best for you.

(Keep an eye out for a separate post going into further detail.)

Step 4. Get Business Savvy

Speak to your Insurance provider. These key questions will provide you with a better understanding of what to look forward to financially.

Does the policy cover prenatal care?

Do I need a referral to see a specialist/OBGYN from my primary care doctor? (more details in step 5)

Are labor/delivery costs included?

What are the co-pays, coinsurance, and deductible amounts?

Is prenatal testing covered (ultrasounds, amniocentesis, genetic tests)?

How long after delivery is my hospital stay covered?

Will I need pre-authorization to receive prenatal care?

What hospitals and doctor’s offices are within the preferred provider network?

Are non-traditional deliveries covered (midwife, home-birth, etc.)?

Are private rooms covered or will I have to share a room?

Step 5. Consider your health history.

If you suffer with any chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, epilepsy or a previous antenatal complication that might require special care then it is wise to try and see an OBGYN who has a special interest in caring for high-risk pregnancies.

Some doctors will have a special interest in IVF pregnancies and twin births which is a growing field as more women than ever are having their first baby after age 35 and often with the help of an IVF clinic to conceive.

Step 6. Select a hospital or birthing center.

YOU ARE IN CONTROL!

Now that you have a better understanding of what your insurance covers

You can chose where to give birth whether it be in your home, at a hospital or at a birthing center.

Do your homework, know your options and create a birthing plan. Remember your baby will come when he or she is ready, they have a plan of their own. Learning to accept, adjust and advance will help you deal with the reality that plans are ever changing,

Your plan is simply a guide, you may experience road blocks, detours and at some point you may have to negate your original plan.

Obstacles are necessary most end up working out BEST case scenario. I say that to say, do not get discouraged! If your plan doesn't pan out exactly as you envisioned it. Remain open minded and prepared to adapt. This is where you begin to create your new balance. Everything will be just fine, you got this!

Step 7. Its all in your mind!

A happy, healthy baby is every mothers dream. Remaining stress free & in positive spirits is the key! A positive attitude starts with healthy mindset. Understand perfection does not exist however progression is what matters most.

Here's how you can stay in positive spirits:

Eating well: a balanced diet will benefit you and baby. ditch the junk food and opt for healthier options. There's an alternative for everything now a days so do not worry you can satisfy your cravings the healthy way.

Staying active: We all want to snap back to our pre-baby bodies, do not be afraid to work out during your pregnancy (unless advised otherwise by your doctor). You will be glad you did. Muscle memory is real and though you may not be able to see your toes at the moment remember it is only temporary.

Getting enough sleep: enjoy it while you can, because you will not get a full 8hours of sleep for at least the next 24 months. Do not feel guilty for taking that mid-day nap or sleeping in until 12pm you are creating life and beauty sleep is essential to maintaining that pregnancy glow.

Build your village: Its tough if you are the first friend in your group to become pregnant. Who will you talk Mom & Baby stuff with? Having support from friends and family is vital. If you lack in either department now is the time to be open to creating new Mom bonds. Check recommendations below.

Communicate with your Partner: Vocalize what you need from them during this time. You guys are entering this journey together and should provide support for one another. Make it a priority to attend appointments together.

Draw closer to your family & friends: Lean on them! Let them know you are entering a new phase of your life and will need as much support as you can get. Be open and inviting, allow your family & extended family to attend doctors appointments with you. Those you select will begin to bond with you your partner and baby on a more intimate level.

Take parenting classes: Enroll in prenatal yoga, and join meet up groups. You'll be surprised at the life long connections you'll make, not to mention you'll have a list of friends to confide in & eventually schedule play dates with. You can also invite friends and family to these classes/meet ups.

[kae-karo]

[1] hi!! so idk if you've seen dan speaking at the mental health panel or not, but there was one part that hit me really hard and id love to know your thoughts on it! basically he was saying that often content creators, and people in general, are struggling with their mental health the most when it seems like they're thriving (uploading constantly, getting good grades, etc) but everyone thinks they're fine. which is literally my life rn but i can't take a break from overworking myself bc i need

[2] to get into college. do you have any advice abt how to provide for my future while still taking care of myself? also, i just want to thank you for running such a healthy and positive blog bc it has helped me thru some difficult times, and you seem like such a thoughtful and caring person!

hi dear! oh no :( I'm so sorry, that's such a hard position to be in - I havent been in school for a few years, and not in high school since 2012 yikes lmao, so I'm sure things have changed a bit but hopefully I can still give some advice that helps?

I'd say first and foremost, talk to a trusted adult you know in person about how you're feeling - whether that be a parent, older sibling, favorite teacher, advisor, etc. they may have advice more specific to your situation that might take into account details I dont know. and while this is my first piece of advice, it can also be the hardest? sometimes facing our demons and being honest about them with others who have only seen our "good side" can feel impossible, but it can be a crucial step to help build a support system that you can go to when you feel you're struggling

the next thing I'd say is, on a small scale, start taking time for yourself. I know that's like. the hardest thing to do when you have like 6hr of homework a night, minimum, plus clubs or sports or other activities that take time, but literally even sneaking five minutes between some bits of homework to do something that's calming and centering for you can make a difference - if you can grab five minutes to go sit in a space you feel comfortable, away from your work, to breathe and think about something other than your work, that can be helpful

the next one is sorta like. tangential, but take care of your body as well - you're still a growing and developing human, so this is ESPECIALLY important, but drinking lots of water (and not too many sugary drinks/chemical drinks) and eating veggies and getting enough protein can literally make such a big difference in your brains ability to function at it's best. the other important thing here is sleep - every body is different, so keep in mind what your body does best on and (when you can) aim for that. between hydration, good nutrition, and sufficient sleep, you're laying a foundation that can help your brain be more successful throughout the day

I wish, ultimately, i had a perfect answer for the fucked up school system (esp in America which is what I'm most familiar with), but it honestly sets you up to fail. what (unintentionally) worked well for me was having a blow-off class or two - classes that were easy for me (like sign language, or French 1 after I'd already taken Spanish for several years) and could help boost my GPA without stressing me out as much. if you can find those classes- and definitely look for the ones that are easy for YOU, don't just ask around for the easiest classes - that can be a really nice break in your day and help relieve you of some after-school stress

here's another "honesty is the best policy" situation - if you find yourself struggling to understand a concept, or homework is taking you so much longer than some of your peers (or the teacher says theres only an hour of hw a night and you end up spending far longer on it) talk to the teacher! tell them you're struggling, and ask if you can get some help understanding a topic. be specific about what you dont understand (dont just go "I dont get it") and explain your thought process - this can help teachers understand where you're veering off the path and what you might be missing. and, more importantly, if you're coming in for help, they're more likely to be lenient with you because they know you're trying (yes I'm aware that was more a "school help in general" bit of advice but in case that's something you're struggling with)

now heres....maybe some controversial advice. take calculated risks. example: if a teacher has a policy where they drop your lowest homework grade in a class and you're doing alright in that class, but you have a day where you're saddled with WAY too much work for another class where you're struggling, it's okay to say "okay, today I need to go to sleep by 10pm, I can either finish this difficult homework or complete homework for the class that will drop a grade", sometimes it makes more sense to skip that one homework and get a zero to spend time dedicated to the class you're struggling in and get rest. in a similar vein, there is also a limit to studying - there is a point where you physically cannot absorb more knowledge. it is so much better for your brain - both from a focus and memory standpoint - to get a little extra sleep than to stay up late studying well past the point where you will retain knowledge.

now....again, I havent been applying to colleges in ages so my advice might be a bit stale, but colleges tend to look for good grades but also challenging classes, or improvement over time in classes, etc etc. they want to know you're working hard, and that you have diverse interests. college apps are a bit like resumes honestly, except you cant lie about your GPA. but like. you can fluff everything else. literally EVERYTHING becomes fair game with college apps. you can talk about fanfic or a fandom you're in if you phrase it the right way, like there are barely rules lmao. and you can make yourself sound very appealing

so my advice would be basically this: work hard, but learn your personal limits. figure out how much sleep a night makes you feel awake and focused the next day (again, it varies!) and aim for that as much as you can. try to eat nutritiously when you can, and drink lots of water. dedicate time to your homework and studying, but be sure to take regular breaks and ACTUALLY shift your brain away from your work during those breaks. and it's also good to dedicate time to life activities - like I said, colleges want to know you're a diverse person. spend time in clubs you like or playing sports if that's your thing, or do things unconnected to school. and remember, you can fluff that all up on a college app! but also remember - you have to live with you for the rest of your life, and there are so so many paths to a good job or a college education if that's what you decide you want, be sure to prioritize your health as much as you can. the education system tricks you into this never ending cycle of "if I just push through ___________ I'll get to ___________!" and taking that through your life can be really challenging and exhausting. I need to acknowledge that some of this is easy for me to say - I was a good test taker in high school, I went to college, and I bullshitted my way through (that's a whole other story lmao) but like. I need to acknowledge that, by some privilege and luck, I do have a college education. so when i say this next thing, please take it with a grain of salt, but there is more to life than chasing what society tells us to chase - there is family, there are friends, relationships, hobbies and interests and love and dreams and spending hours playing video games and SLEEP and getting sunburned cause you spent too long out under the sun photosynthesizing and collecting pens or shiny rocks and ANIMALS there is so so so much in life and I hate with such a burning passion that, for the first 22 years of our lives, we are told the ONLY thing in life is getting through college, getting a degree. again, I need to acknowledge that I say that with a background of privilege, and that education can help people get out of bad situations, etc, but there are many paths to education and they dont all require you to put life on hold to get there

let me tell u a story real quick, cause my education looks (from the outside) "easy" (turns out I had depression and eating disorders of all kinds yeehaw !!!!). my sister did NOT have an easy time in school - my parents could afford it, so she had a tutor for some of her challenging subjects, but she also dealt with anxiety and depression the entire time. she didnt get into the college she wanted to, but got put in a sort of program where, if she got good enough grades in some community college courses, she could get into the school. so she worked her ass off, dove even deeper into her mental health issues, but eventually did get in. and then she had challenging classes and didnt have a great support system, and she ended up failing out of many of her classes, to the point where she got put on academic probation. so she took a year off, got a job at a daycare, and I have literally never seen her happier or more well-adjusted. shes going back to school now, for early childhood education, and working part time at the daycare while she takes a light course load at school

another story for you - my aunt graduated high school and went straight into the workforce. she came from a dirt-poor family and couldn't afford it. she bounced around a bit, but eventually found company that she worked well with. they paid for her to go to school, and she finally got a degree many years after what we would consider "traditional". she had a few other jobs, but shes been at her current company now going on 20 years, has been through several promotions, and works directly with a c-suite employee. she is also the only woman in her office, a very traditional trucking company where she works with engineers on a daily basis

there are many paths to education, if that's where you want to go, and it's okay if it ends up looking different from the traditional path were told to follow. do what you can to avoid sacrificing your mental health for an education - if its what you want, you will get there. and remember to ask for help along the way!! I hope that helps a little, dear

[almondmelkk]

Tips For College

A little back story on me. I attended college right out of high school for mechanical engineering. I was an AP student, good grades but I HATED school. Shortly into engineering school I dropped out because that wasn’t what I wanted at that point in my life. Long story short, I pursued another career (which I’m still happy I did). Eventually I decided to go back to school and quickly discovered I no longer hated school but in fact LOVED it! I’ve been able to maintain a 4.0 and continue to work. My goals are now to become a registered dietitian which requires a masters degree (and then after that I want my PhD in nutrition), at least a bachelors degree in Kinesiology, next semester I’ll be getting my associates in culinary arts 👩🏼‍🍳, and then maybe even a degree in photography because I’ve already taken a few classes. A few years ago I honestly thought I would always just be a college dropout, so it’s crazy to me that I now have these goals.

Here’s my tips on how to be successful in college

Show up to class!!!!!!! This is the most important tip I can possibly give. For a lot of students, college is their first time experiencing independence and not being forced to go to school. So they just don’t show up! Attendance can be part of your grade. Those are easy points that your missing out on if you don’t show up. Even if attendance isn’t counted (and more importantly) your missing out on info!! It’s way easier to just show up to class and listen, than to try and catch up on the info yourself. Plus a lot of professors while teaching will also hint at important info that may be on tests. I could go on and on but the point is just SHOW UP TO CLASS!

Don’t procrastinate. This ones obvious and I think we all already know that. At the very least, look at the parameters of the assignments because sometimes if you wait till last minute you’ll screw yourself if the assignment entails more than you thought.

Get organized. I like to color code everything. This means I have a colored binder for every class with a matching colored notebook. I use three ring binders and notebooks with 3 hole punches so I can put them in the notebook. Because I have classes from multiple majors it’s easy to look at “green” and know that Kinesiology, “black” culinary arts, “blue” photography, etc.

Take notes even if it’s not required. A lot of professors are insulted and get angry if you don’t take notes (which usually means more students take notes). But there’s also a lot of professors that don’t care, your grade and work ethic is on you. In those classes, most everyone just sits there and stares at the proffessor and never writes anything down. Taking notes is a great way to help retain information. Also, I use one of those 4 color pens. For me it’s just easier to look at notes where main points and sub points are in different colors. It helps me to find info faster when going over notes.

Get every point possible. I guess this one depends on your standards and expectations. For me, I’ve become a freak about my grades. I want the highest grade possible at all times! I think this is a good rule for any student though because you never know what’s going to happen! There’s times when you can be sittin pretty on an A and then boom a bad exam and you have a C now. The last thing you want is that to happen and you don’t pass the class. I also find that trying to get every point possible is a great way to alleviate stress during the finals. It gives you a little cushion so that your not borderline a grade you don’t want. So even the stupid little 5point assignments, do them! If extra credit is offered, do it even if you don’t need it. You never know.

Get to know your professors if possible!! I’m not saying kiss ass but be nice and talk to them. Theyre just people. Knowing your professors can open up a lot of doors and opportunities. Maybe down the road you need a letter or recommendation. It can also help with your grade. This last semester I got to know my photography professor and told him how I just enjoyed the class and was only taking it for fun. I also told him how I had a 4.0 and I was seriously stressing that the class was going to blow it for me because I had a B that seemed impossible to bring up. I did extra credit, I busted my ass, barely got it up to an A and he saw that. I definitely think that helped influence my grade on the final because if he had given me one point less, I would have gotten a B.

Figure out your professors teaching/testing style as fast as you can. Now this isn’t about getting to know them personally but figure out how they like to run their class. Every teacher has a system of how they like to grade and also how they like to present info. Are they getting test questions from the book, their power points, or things they say? There’s times where I don’t even bother with the book because professors create tests using only info in the power points.

Balance your schedule with easy classes and hard classes. This isn’t always possible but if you can don’t overload yourself. It’s super easy to do while your working on your initial general eds but harder to do once you get into your core classes

If there’s a study guide, DO IT! This seems so obvious to me but it always blows my mind how many students never do study guides.

(Especially if you work) try to give yourself a day off. This doesn’t have to mean don’t do anything including homework but just make sure there’s at least one day a week where you don’t have to go to school or work. This last semester I had basically no free time at all. It was horrible. I didn’t see friends or family hardly ever. Balance is key.

[nyappyforeverbr]

100 Questions&Answers: Kanon MEMORIAL ARTIST BOOK

In addition to several photos AN CAFE Memorial Artist Book also brought an interview and a special questionnaire of 100 questions with each of the 5 members. Here is the translation of the 100 questions with Kanon’s 100 answers.

Translate: Japanese>Portuguese by Hiyori Portuguese>English by Shiro 001 How many sushi can you eat? I get worried about the price and I never go to my limit !! (this is sad) I'm sure it would get around 1000 easily 002 Which sushi's ingredient do you like? With omelette and dried ginger flakes 003 If you have to eat something until you die, what it would be?CalorieMate NOTE: Is a brand of nutritional energy bar and energy gel foods 004 Which kind of lamen do you think has the strongest flavor? Kara tsukemen by Mita-Seimenjo 005 What do you in like in a hot drink? Corn soup 006 Which mixture do you think most matches rice? Shogayaki 007 What flavor of chewing gum do you like? Grape 008 What flavor of candies do you like? Muscat grape 009 Soba or udon? Udon NOTE: Soba is a pasta made from buckwheat and udon is made from wheat only 010 Of your whole life, what was the most painful experience you've ever faced? (Referring to physical damages) When I fall from the tree 011 One part of body that demonstrates more confidence? Nose 012 What do you think about old times? Cave Cricket 013 If you had won 100.000 yen what you would make? (Around 900 dollars) I would buy a car 014 And about 100.000.000 yen? (Around 900.000 dollars) I would do something like the Mutsugorou Okoku did. NOTE: Masanori Hata is a Japanese zoologist, essayist, and filmmaker. Establish the Mutsugorō Animal Kingdom nature preserve, where he and his family live with over 300 wild and domestic animals. He is the author of over 100 books, including collections of his Mutsugorō essays on nature. In 1986 released the highest-grossing film of the year in Japan, Koneko Monogatari, filmed at the Mutsugorō Animal Kingdom. 015 I know this is kind out of reality, but if you could have a wild animal, which would be? It would be a mini pig. Because cuteness is the justice. 016 To Cook, wash clothes, clean the house. Which one do you do better? If you mean one that requires more of you, then wash clothes 017 If you were going for a walk with your girlfriend, where would you go? We would go to the circus 018 Where would you spend your last days of life? (If you were an old man where would you want to live?) and why? In Okinawa. Because if not, I think I would die of hypothermia 019 Is there anyone you consider to be the strongest person in the world? Yoshikazu Ebisu 020 An anime character, manga, etc. that you consider to be the strongest? Characters of mangas with jokes for students 021 If you could turn into some anime character or something like this, who would you choose? Nobita Nobi 022 First CD you bought? “Kaze ni Asobarete” by Aki Okui 023 Your preferred winter song? “winter fall” by L'Arc～en～Ciel 024 Your preferred xmas song? None in particular 025 Forgetting that you were part of a band, if you were about to start one, what would it take? And why? Guitar. They stand out 026 And what would be the name you would choose for the band? I'm accepting names at the moment 027 If you went to a desert island and could only take three things, what would it take? 1. Hoeing 2. Water filter 3. Potatoes 028 Do you know how to swim? I swim very well 029 Something you would never want to happen? Having to eat my own faeces 030 If you were a child, how would you like to be called? Those names that you need to guess based on writing or pronunciation NOTE: In Japan names are usually written in kanjis, however it’s possible change the reading of an ideogram to pronunciations not so well known, making it difficult to read the name 031 Do you speak when sleeping? If yes, talk about something already happened to you. No 032 If it was your last day of life, what would you do? I would be sleeping 033 What was the longest time you could stay awake? 36 hours 034 If you could become someone important in history, who would you be? Osamu Dazai 035 Do you use a lot of emoticon on LINE? Have you been using LINE lately? I'm not using too much because of my lack of time. However, when i use it's only with family and close friends. 036 What's the biggest lie you've ever told? I don't remember telling such a big lie. 037 Write the kanji that you think represents 2019 and why? 生 because it never dies NOTE: The kanji meaning is life, genuine, birth 038 The most expensive thing you bought this year? Having to pay the repair fee of the rented car 039 The most convenient thing you bought recently? Pocket Wifi 040 A number from 0 to 9 that you like more than others? 7 041 Your longest finger without the middle finger, is it your index finger? Ring finger? Or are they both the same size? More or less the same size 042 The word you most speak? “What?” 043 At what time do you think "I'm being bourgeois"? In metropolitan hotels 044 If you could have powers, which one would you choose? Power to stop time 045 If there was a magic word that said things would happen, what would it be? "Indeed" 046 If you have to choose a follow up for the curry what would it be? Pork 047 Some kind of punishment game you'd like to avoid? Eat stinky things 048 Do you like of a specific hour? Why? Around 18:00. If you just woke up at this time there's still a lot of things that you can do. 049 How much would you pay for a T-shirt? 3.000 yen (Around 28 dollars) 050 Tell something you would say to you 10 years ago. Congratulations 051 If it was 50 years ago, what would you be doing? I already would have incarnated 052 How could you imagine yourself 10,000 years ago? I would not exist 053 What is the first impression you have of each member of An Cafe? Miku: nervous, shy; Takuya: miss contest; Yuuki: "I don’t remember"; Teruki: Wear cool clothes. 054 If underwear could have another name, what would you call it? Panchu NOTE: "underwear" in japanese is "pantsu." Kanon only changed the "tsu" to "chu" which is also used in a much more informal language. 055 A live that you can not forget? At Budokan 056 During those 15 years which member has changed the most? Miku 057 Do you prefer the traditional breakfast or bread? I usually prefer bread058 A teacher you always remember?Tokoyoda Sensei 059 The most fun song in a live? “Laugh Song” 060 Where do you most like to do a live? Hibiya Open Air Concert Hall 061 A thing you most buy at a convenience store? Cigarette 062 If you were not an artist, which career would you choose? Japan Self-Defense Force, Tokyo Electric Power Company, (Stockist) in Sano, the agriculture company, CD seller, police officer, chief of a Buddhist temple, novelist writer, screenwriter, employee of a small candy store or some net cafe 063 Which city goes through your head before a live? Yamaguchi 064 A stationery item that you like? Those set-square that have a hole in the middle 065 An electronic device that you like? Lighting Fixtures 066 A person you think is erotic? Dean Fujioka. It seems that when they showed him, I was enveloped by some kind of sensation 067 What do you think of the vocaloids? I am very grateful to all the people involved in this 068 A TV show that you like? Goddotan and Yushaaaa 069 What's the first live you've been? Namie Amuro Chiba Marin Estadium 070 How many pairs of shoes do you have? I think about 10 pairs 071 What is your average time in the bath? 30 minutes 072 A mobile app you liked right away? Clipbox 073 Do you use a computer for what purpose primarily? Compose music 074 What have you found funny lately? A TV show where the artist of the show "Desu yo" says his climax phrase and Jiro Hachimitsu said that it is fun when people do it without caring about how they seemed ridiculous, the result at the end of the program, really was fun 075 Who would you most like to meet? None in particular 076 When you were a kid, who was your superhero? Kamen Rider BLACK 077 The flavor of Umaibo that you like? Takoyaki Note: Umaibō or "delicious stick" is a small corn cylindrical snack from Japan. 078 An entertaining artist that you like? Banana man, Ogoyahagi, Gekidan Hitori, Matsumoto Club, Aruko & Piece, Asozan Daifunka,Ucchannanchan 079 First time you did a makeup? First year of high school 080 Talk a little bit about your first live. As I had gone after (my work of) hand out letters on the evening, I didn’t participate of the rehearsal 081 Do you prefer night or day? Night 082 When you can't sleep what do you do? I don’t sleep 083 Not counting your part in the band, which musical instrument do you like? Guitar 084 The oldest memory you have? Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony 085 What color do you like? Blue 086 What is your favorite mascot? Funnashii and Nekkoro 087 Where do you usually buy your clothes? I don't have any in particular 088 Are there any manga or magazines that you buy frequently? Weekly Shonen Jump Magazine, Young Magazine and Big Comic Spirits 089 How long you already waited for a person who did not show up? 5, 6 hours 090 How many times can you do sit-ups? 50 to 100 times 091 At this exact moment how much you have in your wallet? 460 yen (around 5 dollars) 092 Which Cocoichi curry do you think is the most spicy and the topping? Level 0 is already spicy; pork topping Note: Cocoichi is a Japanese restaurant franchise specialized in curry 093 Subject at school that you was better? Japanese 094 Subject at school that you was worst? Math 095 What do you do before each live? I enjoy some candy 096 What is the essential item for a live? Cigarette 097 Are there any objects that you can not throw away? Protective Amulet 098 What do you usually buy at McDonald's? Double cheeseburger patties big size (is a limited edition available only in the evening) 099 What do you use at bedtime? T-shirts and jersey pants 100 Leave a message to Caffekos. It was great we met each other