#get calcium other than milk

[inkonparchment]

re2r!Leon x college student!Reader.

isn't it just good manners to warn the cute biker about the cop car that's always stationed a few blocks over?

You bounce the shopping basket in your hands, eyes working around the grocery aisle underneath the harsh allure of the florescent lights. A carton of milk, a bag of chips, two sodas, a popcorn bucket and a bag of clementines just so your mom won't hop on the next flight to land right in front of your dorm room chastising about your eating habits.

Milk was healthy, too, right? Maybe not with the sugary cereal you're in search for, but at least it gets the calcium in your system, so who are you to complain.

Where was this darned cereal though? You're surely in the correct aisle, seeing lines of other boxes occupying the shelves, right next to all the jams, jellies and preserves colouring the dull gray of the counters. Taking a few steps back, you finally spot it at the very top and to your dismay, it is a lonesome box pushed to the very back.

You huff out an annoyed breath, securing the basket on your forearm. You're not leaving without that box or you're sure that you will not be eating any dinner for the next ten days.

But try as you might, you can't reach it. It doesn't help that you're on the tip of your toes, hand stretched up to an impossible length as your fingers are unable to even graze its surface.

You must look silly, thanking your luck that the store is empty, save for the cashier but he can't spot you from his counter. Unless he's chuckling in amusement through the security camera. Your dignity would have to take a backseat right now, this was more important than some middle aged man's amusement.

"Um, hey."

That makes you freeze, hand still up in the air, heels lifted at least four inches off the ground and your head turned in the direction away from where the muffled voice came from. With herculean effort, you twist your face, mouth opening slightly in horror as your eyes meet the man who had gently called out to you.

Washed out jeans, a black tee and a leather jacket in a colour so dark so you can't tell if it's blue as well or black. A helmet hides his face from you, sitting snuggly on his head with the visor tipped up that allows you to see his cool, blue eyes, the pale skin underneath pushed up as though the helmet was squeezing his cheeks.

You would have thought how adorable it looked but nothing mattered to you right now as you were horrified by being caught in your 'no one will see me' outfit by a cute biker. You know for sure now that someone somewhere is laughing at you. Maybe it is the cashier.

"I'm not gonna let you have this last box," You hear yourself blurt out defensively and as the words are out in the air, you want to slap yourself. Because apparently you hadn't embarrassed yourself enough.

His eyes crinkle, a chuckle making his chest vibrate. "Oh no, don't worry I wouldn't dream of it." He switches the gatorade and one stick of protein bar to his left hand. "I uh was just going to offer if I could get that for you?"

"Oh," You say stupidly, "Yeah please, that would be great." And finally you peel yourself away from the shelves and step back, feeling your skin get hot with embarrassment.

Nodding, he covers the distance easily with two strides, reaches up and plucks out the box without an hassle. "Ah, the elusive cereal box. They really should install step stools for us vertically challenged folks."

You raise your eyebrows, unable to stop the laugh that leaves your lips making your shoulders relax. "Us? I don't see you struggling to reach the top."

He winks at you. "I was just saying that to make you feel better." He holds the box out to you, "You know these are very sugary."

"Well I happen to like sweet things," You settle the cereal in your basket. "And that's why I also have the clementines to balance things out."

He laughs, shaking his head. For someone who speaks so softly and sweetly, it amazes you how much space he takes up in the aisle. All tall and broad, filling out his jacket in a way that has you fighting to not stare at the way his biceps are straining against the leather. And you feel your cheeks getting warmer, "What?"

"You're a college student?" He asks.

You wince, "My eating habits are that bad that it gave me away so quick?"

He blinks, tilting his head to the side as he gestures to the sweatshirt you have on with your college name stitched on so clearly with a maroon thread.

You look down and the urge to slap yourself returns. Great, another opportunity to embarass yourself and you decided not to pass it up. Bye-bye dreams of becoming someone's backpack. "Right," You cough, clasping the handles of the basket with both of your hands, "Yeah uh I go to college here. Are you a student too?"

To your surprise, he shakes his head, "No I work nearby."

Before you can ask where, you feel your phone buzz loudly in your pocket. Once. Twice. And then thrice. Throwing him an apologetic look, you dig it out to find a barrage of texts from your roommate asking where you were and if you'd gotten the popcorn yet.

Sighing, you shoot back a text saying you'll be there in ten as you sway on your feet, preparing to move. "I should go. It was really nice to meet you..."

"Leon," He adds with a smile, cheeks squishing even more under his helmet.

You return his smile and give him your name in exchange, which has his eyes crinkling deeply. And just before you disappear around the aisle to the cashier, you stop and turn around.

"Hey," You call out to him, waiting as he turns to you, "Friendly tip, there's a cop car that's always parked a few blocks away. It's well hidden behind a few bushes, so it makes it hard to spot." You pat your head, feeling a little foolish and hoping that's the correct sign for 'police' in the viking community. "Be careful so they don't give you a hard time."

Leon grins widely under his helmet, feeling almost giddy. He should leave too if he wants to be up bright and early to report to his post with the cop car a few blocks away.

Leon pats the top of helmet, mirroring you, "Thanks for letting me know! I'll keep an eye out for that."

And this time he watches you as you shuffle on your feet, face contorting like you wanted to say something else but then deciding against it and then almost tripping on your feet before you walked away, your neck suddenly a shade darker.

The same one you just mentioned.

[ohtobearandomftblog]

random dragon slayer headcanons so my brain will let me get back to writing a fic

bite. monchity cromchity. its their way of hugging. or it was before erza beat it into natsu that that was a No. the others learned through others, too, except for erik. he still bites. the dragon slayers dont hug each other though they only bite. not enough to break skin but enough to leave an indent for a few minutes.

stare. stareeeeeeeeee. stares so much that people wonder if they even blink. they do. but if theyre staring its that weird membrane thing that wets their eyes without obstructing their vision too much. not many people realize it and even fewer arent freaked out.

the raised slayers view the lacrima slayers as true dragon slayers. the lacrima slayers do not view themselves as true dragon slayers. the raised slayers do so much random shit trying to convince the lacrima slayers that they are, in fact, true dragon slayers.

they can tell emotions. generally. if someones sad they stick around as a shoulder to lean on or a wall to vent to. if someones angry they either get prickly too or stay far away. its like a pet.

can also tell if someones low in calcium or potassium or something similar. like a service pet. they almost never point it out, but they do bring like milk or bananas over or even drag people out into the sun and stare at them until they accept their new position.

sunbathe. they all sunbathe. yes even rogue. its not so much the brightness (except for sting and sometimes natsu) its the heat. yes even gajeel. they wouldve dragonized if they didnt view themselves as completely and wholly human. dragons are big lizards. lizards are cold blooded or somethin. need heat to function. sunbathe.

natural aversion to other slayers like god and demon/devil. has to work with the other slayers to get past the fight or flight instinct. took wendy a bit to view sherria as human and not an actual god. took everyone a bit to warm up to gray and not think he was going to pull pranks or shank someone in their sleep. the other slayers do not have this issue with anyone, even dragon slayers. no one knows why the dragons are like this.

have a draconic language. written and spoken. the raised ones spoke “human” only with their parent dragon and only at the beginning. the lacrima ones dont know draconic until the raised ones start to ‘bring them out of their shell’ or whatever makarov tries to say about it. laxus doesnt know nor does he care, and hes the only one that cares about this sudden language bit in his brain at all. not even erik was freaked out.

half-draconic forms, even after theyre not in danger of dragonizing. typically has claws, and more sharp teeth than just fangs, and different colored eyes, and scales, and wings, and maybe a tail. wings might be scaled or feathered. porlyusica hates them.

if they eat any fresh meat like they didnt drain most of the blood before cooking it has to be well-done. for natsu and sometimes laxus it has to be nearly burnt. cause they get the impression of the last emotion felt before the animal died and its a real appetite killer to suddenly be hit with pain and sadness yknow

yknow how they dont break skin when they bite? most of the time. sometimes they just want to taste some blood. only done to each other or family or loved ones and is kinda rare but it really helps them all calm down

alcohol doesnt work on any of them. almost any drug doesnt work actually. high metabolism or somethin. needs a lethal dose like three times over to even get a small amount of like pain killers or somethin

theyre all allergic to chocolate. like eating a regular sized brownie will have them in bed for two hours. erik was already used to that because whatever is in fiorean chocolate does not sit well with isvanians. speaking of isvanians after gray got that demon/devil slaying magic he could eat fiorean chocolate and rubs it in the slayers and lyon’s faces. theyre all so damn jealous

after tartaros the average s-class quest became normal quests and shit bordering 10 year quests became average s-class quests. even though everyone on tenrou got s-class near tartaros they all still hold onto the “true” s-class people (laxus mira erza gildarts) as ones qualified to run them. laxus is pestered so much by the slayers to pretty please go on an s-class quest please they would oh so like to check out this area and oop theres a quest just for that area would you oh so kindly take it so we can even get a bit of money pretty please

whenever erik’s around they all go on an s-class quest and pay erik his cut afterwards since he’s not in a fully legal guild yet

read more for lists of hcs instead of just bullet points:

they all smell of their element. faintly to mages, not at all to non-mages, and strongly to other slayers of any kind. they can also smell the main types of magic a mage uses, like the metal of erza or the ice of gray or the wet animal of lisanna and the terror of elfman and the blood of mirajane.

natsu smelled of fire and gray smelled of ice so even without knowing who gray was he immediately started to pick a fight with him. just because he smelled cold.

wendy got along well with everyone immediately because her own scent would bend just slightly to compliment anyone she was nearby. besides, fire needs wind to stay strong, lightning typically comes with storm winds, metal can be tempered and cooled with air, poison can be spread with a breeze, light bounces in strong winds, and darkness seeps into everything with heavy air.

laxus immediately sets off peoples fight or flight, typically. just from the ozone smell. even makarov, whos dad used lightning magic, needed to get used to it. it wasnt great when trying to make friends.

before the dragons got out of their slayers, they had very clear “what would my dragon parent say/do”, because the dragon parent was saying shit

erik and laxus will always have the dragon’s voice commenting on shit, even if they dont realize its the dragon itself

sting and rogue had Blaring dragon voices but when the dragons left they only have what the lacrima gives them

natsu gajeel and wendy have nothing now and got so reckless after the dragons left makarov had to sit them down and ask just what the fuck happened and if they needed psychological or mental help

once the exceeds got to earthland and built a village/scattered one found laxus and another found erik

the one following laxus stuck around in his exile the few weeks/months before the s-class trials because he saved them from some random bandits. the exceed tried to follow laxus to tenrou but laxus told them to get to fairy tail or to go home to wherever the exceeds village was. they stuck around the village until laxus came back seven years later where the exceed then joined fairy tail and would sometimes stick around with laxus or the thunder legion or just be on their own

the one with erik joined the magic council’s shenanigans and was on ‘feed the prisoners’ duty and took a liking to him. when erik got out the exceed left with him and also tried to find cubelious to the point of leaving erik many times for long times and coming back with nothing. even after they figured out where and who cubelious was the exceed stuck around because ‘in for a penny in for a pound’

rain calms them all down. even natsu. sure, he and gajeel and sting are gonna stay under cover when rain comes, but theyre also close to passing out bc its so calm. rogue loves the darkness that comes with it and deals with the water. wendy jumps in the rain and people swear she moves with the winds. laxus lays down wherever theres space and absorbs the rain and wind and lightning.

there were jokes that laxus was more of a storm dragon slayer than a lightning dragon slayer when people realized that not only was he not wet from the rain, but it didnt even roll off and soak the ground. he genuinely absorbs it.

laxus doesnt mind the jokes but does point out every single time that he doesnt use water or wind in his attacks. juvia wondered if it was because he never really fought in the middle of a storm. theyre all too scared to test it now (even laxus, cause gosh wouldnt that absolutely fuck with his mind?)

they all have a favored sense. and a weakest sense.

natsu's most powerful is taste. he can taste a difference in the air quality before anyone can notice it. he can taste all the individual herbs and spices used in making food. he eats most things plain because of it. his feeling is fucking awful. you could stab him with a pencil and a knife and a broadsword and hed only be able to tell because of the taste of blood in the air. he can feel big texture and temperature differences and thats basically it. he can feel when hes in water and when its cold and thats it. he wants to feel lucy’s and happy’s hugs he really does but he can only taste the metal of her keys and the fish in his pouch

gajeel's is feeling. every single seam on his clothes makes him want to adopt gray's habit. he can feel when someone sighs because it disturbs the wind just enough. he has piercings and metal everywhere he can because the smooth and cold difference is comforting. his worst is smell. if he was blind deaf and gagged he would not be able to tell who was in front of him. fire? blood? a nicely cooked steak? never smelled it. he wants to smell the shampoo levy uses and the polishing substance lily uses on his sword but all he can do is feel the smoothness of both

wendy has great smell. even in the middle of a tornado she can smell all the little details and can almost pinpoint where they came from. she can smell when food or the air has been tampered with. too strong smells like erza’s perfume give her a headache. her sight SUCKS. she has three pairs of glasses she needs at all times (close, general, and far (she begged erza to teach her requip magic Just for them)) and is colorblind. what kind of colorblind? no clue! blues are yellows reds are purples greens are blacks yellows are greys purples are orange whites are green blacks are white grey is cyan cyan is pink pink is turquoise turquoise is red or SOMETHING. she wants to see all the colors of the clothes carla picks for them both and the flowers they see in bouquets but all she can do is smell where the purple(?) dye is from and which fields the flowers came from

erik’s is hearing. no shit. he hears birds miles away. he hears through sound-proof lacrimas and walls. he hears thoughts. hes traumatized just from impulsive thoughts lets not even get into intrusive. his worst easily taste. he eats poison what do you mean his taste buds are fine??? those shits were chemically burnt off nearly the moment he got that lacrima in. before they were though he could barely stomach even cubelious’ poison because it tasted so bad. except for blood. it probably has to do with the smell too but he can mostly taste blood. now he wants to taste kinana’s cooking but all he can do is finally hear her thoughts and, wow, he really wishes his best and worst sense would just switch

sting’s sight is the best. he sees in the dark maybe because hes a glowstick but even without that. one-way glass means nothing to him. fog also means nothing. sometimes particularly thin walls mean nothing like shoji where people can see the shadows? nah that shits invisible to him. its like glass to a bird. his hearing is Not It. only gets garbled nonsense. needs hearing lacrima at All times and even then does that “what? huh? oh yeah i went to the store” thing and people cant tell if its because he really did need to hear it again or if he only finished processing it. also does not hear accents. words sure are words and he can barely understand it no matter what. does not know the difference between rogue and yukino’s voices either. and he wants to. oh how he wants to know the “dark and deep” voice of rogue and the “scratchy and soft” voice of lector but no, all he gets to know is the blemishes in rogue’s skin and the small spot on lector’s forehead that doesn’t grow hair

rogue is that weird sixth sense thing that he just calls instinct. hes got eyes on the back of his head. ears in the walls. nose in everyone’s business. touch sensors on his hair. taste buds on his fingertips. except he really doesnt, because all of those are his worst senses. he needs glasses, learned how to lipread because no one spoke too loudly near him, doesnt know what people mean by scented candles, has no clue what a papercut feels like, and can barely taste the spiciest shit imaginable again except for blood. he wants normal feeling in everything, but all he gets is knowing what you said four miles away and what you were wearing and how your hair felt and what your ice cream tasted like and what cologne the guy next to you had. he thinks its the shadows. he calls it instinct.

laxus. depends? one day he can hear thunder in crocus when hes in magnolia. another he can smell rain in a dry spell two weeks before it comes. another he can feel a bug under his bed frame that doesnt touch his mattress but sure keeps him up all night. another he can see all the way into blue pegasus’s guildhall sitting on the second story of fairy tail’s. another and he can taste blood even though no one is bleeding. sometimes it tastes like his own blood. hes never bleeding. and hes not really bad at any of the senses. theyre like a normal non-mage’s when theyre not heightened to hell and back. but his gramps and the thunder legion would say his instincts arent the greatest, especially for someone so fast. he cant dodge a sneak attack no matter how many times people teach him. he cant tell when someone lies to him no matter how stuttery they are or how fast their heart beats. he couldnt tell when his appendix almost fucking exploded. if his body didnt start expelling excess lightning hed absorb so much hed get sick. if he didnt collapse, he wouldnt have been able to tell that his body was full of bane particles, and would have just kept going. rarely does laxus admit that his instincts suck, but he does confide in the thunder legion and his gramps. about how he thinks his body heightens what it doesnt need one day and how it makes what he does need the worst it can get--his smell so good he can tell when rain will come but his hearing so bad he couldnt tell when someone lied about a trap straight to his face and would have murdered him if freed didnt look for him. its why he was so standoffish before tenrou.

literally none of their first language was modern fiorean, or modern english. no ones was draconic, either.

natsu and wendy share a native language. theyre from midi. its old midian, or latin. levy and freed are learning how to speak it from them, since they know written latin. natsu and wendy still critique their grammar and spelling.

sting rogue and gajeel share one. theyre from joya. its old joy, or old german. but gajeel has a different dialect that he says is its own language and not a dialect, but modern dutch was almost fully absorbed by modern german, so who knows what old dutch was actually counted as.

erik is from isvan, and speaks isvanish/spanish. he, like gray and lyon, get very pissed if you say spanish was in desierto. its different dialects, theyd say, and its not like they chose for the dialects to have the same damn name. he only learned fiorean in the tower of heaven

laxus. doesnt actually remember. neither does makarov. could be icebergen/russian, from gramps. a dialect from a small country that was absorbed by alvarez, from his grandma. or “oriental”, from his mom, but call it “oriental”  or “eastern” and he will throw lightning at you, because he knows three dialects (japanese, korean, and chinese), and its not clear what you mean when you say “oriental”.

the ones in the grand magic games confused the commentators by speaking their native languages to swear and it was only when some parents spoke up about it did a rule suddenly get put in place in the middle of the third day. they were jokingly furious, along with gray, lyon, jura, makarov, and the strauss siblings.

some magics just Dont Work on them

cana’s fortune telling doesnt work. at all. well, she learns it doesnt work on those raised by dragons, but does work on those with the lacrima. no one knows why until they learn the raised ones were sent around four hundred years in the future. then it all makes sense.

mirajane tried to see if her take-over would work on natsu when they learned he was e.n.d. could be because he chose to be fully human, but it didnt work at all. she could tell he was still a wee bit demonic, but honestly it was more likely to work on gray than on natsu.

mind control? good fucking luck. erik is only able to understand the others because hes a dragon slayer, but mind control magic? mest can attest, trying to implant false memories into natsu gajeel and wendy was a fucking pain and gave him a nose bleed.

after the slayers stopped dragonizing, the enchanting a personality onto them or whatever irene did just. never worked again.

one time, when he was young and the lacrima was implanted less than two months ago, someone tried to requip away laxus’s lacrima. everything they could requip in their mini space storage thing shot out around them. they couldnt use magic for two weeks. laxus told erik, sting, and rogue this recently, and they had that look of ‘i dont know what the fuck you expected’. he pointed out he was only seven when the lacrima was implanted. they realized common sense when it comes to kids is out the window, both for the kids themselves and the adults around them. they patted him on the back. he doesnt know what that means.

magic drain, yknow, like what aria did to incapacitate makarov during phantom’s bullshit? nope. magic drain works by taking the magic of someone and just spreading it out into the world. try that shit on natsu and the air will be on Fire. wendy? so much wind you cant breathe. gajeel? shit will start turning into metal. it doesnt work at all on laxus and erik since magic drain just doesnt work on lacrima at all. sting and rogue? what could be drained away just causes blinding light or blinding darkness, soooooo

can consume their elements like food and no its not just for magic energy

gray once dared natsu to survive off of only fire. literally everyone told natsu to Dont Fucking Do It. he only ate fire for two months and everyone was Concerned and gray finally told him to stop. he didnt for another month.

in phantom the only thing gajeel was allowed to eat was scrap metal. juvia would sneak him some regular food every once in a while because metal didnt actually give him that many nutrients. when they got into fairy tail juvia tried to sneak him some food again and mirajane saw and explained to them that theres no sneaking necessary he can just eat the food are you guys okay??? juvia thought she was in trouble for the rest of the day and gajeel got her out of it by eating a chicken leg at a random table in the guildhall. then natsu challenged him to a food fight and was concerned when everything thrown was just Eaten by gajeel

wendy forgets to eat food. especially in cait shelter because sometimes the illusion people would forget to make food at a good time and most of the time carla had to remind them that shes a growing child who needs food?? wendy was so used to just eating the air when traveling with mystogan that most of the time she was genuinely full before they even finished cooking. it kinda stayed when she got in fairy tail but now natsu gajeel and sometimes laxus just put food in front of her so often that she only eats air when on quests now

sabertooth was like phantom before sting became master and light and darkness were even Worse than metal. just before the gmg they were visibly malnourished and natsu focused more on that than how they supposedly killed their parents. like he dragged them to fairy tail’s hotel thing and when gajeel and wendy saw them they joined in the dragging to get these kids some fuckin Food

brain was also a bitch and gave cubelious raw meats Only and made erik eat her poison Only. erik would sneak in vegetables and fruits because cubelious could actually eat them (now he knows why) and cubelious would put some aside for erik cause even if he cant taste it she knows her poison is really just for magic and not actual nutrition. but like poisoned berries? fantastic for them both

laxus doesnt really eat. hes allowed to and he enjoys it when his taste isnt enhanced to hell and back. but like. most lacrimas after the tenrou shit have electricity in them. nice little snack. and he just summons lightning every once in a while and that more than makes up for the small magic it takes to summon it. besides eating proper food takes time and its messy and hes really got shit to do yknow

that combined slayer magic? like the lightning flame dragon and iron shadow dragon and white shadow dragon? yeah so

they can be anything. like natsu isnt stuck to just lightning. and theyre not even stuck to just other dragon slayers magic. like when he ate zancrow’s it was dragon god’s flame, he just didnt realize it. if wendy ate sherria’s it would be dragon god’s wind. if laxus ate orga’s hed be dragon god’s lightning.

again theyre not stuck to just their element and whatever was the first one they tried that wasnt. natsu can be a blinding flame or a burning shadow or a scorched metal or a heatwave (gray hates this one) or feverish poison. theyll all make him sick afterwards like lightning flame.

gajeel’s is shining iron and melting sword (yknow gallium? the metal that melts at body temp? basically) and scrap tornado and venomous blade and shocking steel. he gets weak after them instead of sick

wendy’s is prism and suffocating winds and scorching air and sharp wings and noxious breeze and storm (yes with water and more evidence of laxus being a storm dragon slayer but this time he will smack you upside the head if you mention it). she gets sleepy afterwards

sting’s is blazing light and cutting bright and prism (being the same as wendy’s which is Odd) and hurtful white and lightning’s blinding. he cant think clearly after

rogue’s is burning shadow and cutting darkness and night’s fog (not fog but it is a physical darkness) and blindingly nothing and encompassing and electric eclipse. he gets so hungry after

erik’s is blazing acid and venom and bane particles (laxus hates this one) and purify and comatose and seizing poison. he gets lethargic

laxus’s takes after everyone else except wendy. lightning flame, shocking steel, lightning’s blinding, electric eclipse, and seizing poison. instead of storm he just gets more powerful lightning but wendy says its because he actually is controlling the wind but he doesnt think so. everyone calls it dry lightning in front of him but they say this is another point for storm dragon slayer when hes way away from them (he still hears and still punches whoever said it when he gets to them).

[ambermotta]

Draconic Offerings – A Personal Insight

Offerings are a way of showing goodwill and honoring spiritual beings. Even more than that, taking some time to give an offering also means you are dedicating a moment of your day to thinking about them, which makes attuning to their energy easier and keeps the relationship you have with them alive.

Offerings are versatile and personal. Today I thought to share my own POV on giving offerings to dragons.

So remember: this is just my experience (or "UPG"). Other folks may have different insights!

_________________♡♤◇♧_________________

In my own experience dragons seem to like a variety of things, from simple to shiny, which to me reflects both their humble wisdom and love for beauty.

Natural beauties seem to captivate them most: pearls, crystals, metals, colorful patterns. Anything that gleams and projects lively colors.

They also seem to enjoy humbler natural offerings, such as stones (bonus points if they are an interesting shape or from an important place) and wood from powerful trees, such as willow or oak.

Offering Elements (like fire, water) feels pretty powerful especially when doing magical work. If the dragon in question is associated with a particular element, offerings of that element feel best but they seem to accept all elements still.

Food can be a great offering, but I feel like they don't make it such a big deal. To me, offering elements feels the best.

I'd try to figure out what they like before offering anything specific. If you can't, go for something more generalist until you get to know the dragon better. To me, it feels like food is a bit less essential to them when compared to other spiritual beings.

If you decide to work with them long term, it may be good to dedicate a space for them and do weekly or monthly offerings.

So here's my list of offerings I associate with dragons:

Water

Fire

Incense — which one varies, I like offering them according to the dragon. Though I know Dragon's Blood is a popular one and I like it

Shinies — pearls, shells, jewelry

Gemstones

Crystals

Metals

Stones and wood — especially if it has strong magical properties

Potent herbs

Food offerings:

I think of rich flavors and warm food. You could share a meal with them

Meat

Sweet fruits

I don't feel particularly strong for bread, milk and cookies, but they are under the "generally acceptable offerings" for most cultures. So I think you can give them if you're short on supplies or unsure, but I'd ask the dragon what they prefer

Alcohol — I have never offered any alcoholic drinks to dragons, but they might be appropriate. I would ask

Overall, as I have mentioned in another post, the dragons I work with don't really make a fuss about offerings. I give them because I want to share with them.

I do however use offerings in our magical work together, usually to power up the ritual, and on that note, offering corresponding elements feel the best.

Important Sidenote:

Be mindful that whenever you want to take anything from nature you must ask the local spirits for permission and make sure it's legal in your region.

You don't want to be taking anything too important for the survival of the ecosystem (even a fallen branch can be crucial for some organisms), and you also don't want to leave behind anything that could harm it.

I mentioned shells as offerings — unfortunately, taking them does have an impact in the ecosystem so I disencourage it. Their calcium is important for the ocean's chemical cycles and the shells themselves are used by other organisms, so be mindful of that.

Final Considerations

There is not really too much to say about this, really. That is because offerings are very personal things.

One man's junk can be another man's treasure.

One dragon may like simple offerings, another one may like something fancier. You can offer an old necklace which has a deep meaning to you, or a simple food offering.

What matters is that you make your offering special for you and the dragon, and if you're unsure about what they like, by all means ask!

Or adopt the good old trial and error method.

And lastly, do take the opportunity to connect with your dragon. Don't just say "here you go" and call it a day. Make it special! Spend some time with them!

They'll enjoy it more if you put more time, effort and meaning into it.

Thank you for reading!

[thoughtfulfoxllama]

You wanted me to spill tea, and tea I will spill:

The Word of Wisdom is fundamentally misunderstood by everyone (myself included). Let's look at the Word of Wisdom, shall we?

Let's begin with the Prohibitions, as these are the only things enforced by the Church. They comprise of Alcohol, Tobacco, Illicit Drugs, Coffee, and Tea. From the start, we can't deny Tobacco, Coffee, or Tea. The WoW only said "Hot Drinks," but Hyrum (who was authorized to receive revelation for the Church at the time) said it meant Coffee & Tea.

On the subject of Tea, Herbs of the Field. The Lord has told us to use all the herbs of the field with prudence. This is not me saying to distrust medical professionals, but they can help sometimes. I can't count how many times I've had a horrible stomach ache helped by Peppermint Tea. But it'd be dumb to reject the advancements in medicine we've made in the past 10,000 years. This is also why I support medicinal marijuana (and other things like psychedelic therapy). As long as it is used in wisdom & moderation, it can do good for a number of physical and mental issues (such as my grandmother using it for her seizures, or that veteran who used it for his PTSD)

Finally, Alcohol. The Word of Wisdom only prohibits "strong drinks" (which was defined as distilled alcohol, like Vodka). It encourages Mild Drinks (such as beer), and says we can have wine, if Mormons make it. Joseph drank wine (for pleasure, not just for ritual), Brigham owned a Brewery, and on and on. Obviously, wisdom & prudence. If someone has alcohol issues, they shouldn't drink. This fits into my concept of Zion. Drinking for Pleasure is fine, but Drunkenness is unacceptable. We need to enjoy pleasure without getting consumed by them. But since so few of us can manage that, I see why the Church went the way it did

Next, what have we been encouraged to eat. Grain (which is the Staff of Life), Fruits, and Vegetables. There are people who can't eat them (people with Gluten Intolerances & the like), but I can't argue with this. Fruits and Veggies are good

Although, wisdom is required here too. Not all food is made equal. I'm not going to go completely crazy about GMOs (we've been modifying our food for over 5 millennia), but we need to be more careful about the affects. And the flour we use nowadays is stripped of basically all it's nutritional benefits

Final is the mixed category, namely meats & animal products

The WoW never actually mentions animal products, so this is all me. Animal Products are good, and should be used. Eggs (especially considering the "eat meat sparingly" part) are an amazing source of protein. Milk is good for calcium, if you're not lactose intolerant (like I am). The Lord approves of Honey so much he constantly mentions it in association with the Promised Land(s), and specifically told the Jaredites to take bees with them. But, like all foods we've covered so far, careful. My FiL used to be Egg Intolerant, until he started raising his own Chickens, and he's had no problems with those eggs (and they taste way better, and fill me up way more than Store-Bought ones)

The Lord taught us to "eat meat sparingly," and I've seen a bunch of interpretations, from Vegans to Carnivores. All hold some merits, but no one gets it all right. I don't even think I get this one. Ryan Hinkley (a Blogger & Podcaster) said part of his interpretation is that we should do the least harm. He advocates restricting meat use to meats like Venison and Beef, because they are large enough to feed a lot of people over a long period of time (and have you ever had Venison Tacos. Try it sometime, if you eat meat). It mentions Cold & Famine, and this could be because of the extra protein, which allows you to build mass, to keep warm in winter, and last longer in famine times. In addition, if you work in agriculture (especially in the time of JS), that's the most available food you have in the dead of winter. I want to add to this the prophecy about the Sons of Levi offering a sacrifice. Sacrifice for the remission of sins is done away with, but I believe animal sacrifice will return. In Biblical Animal Sacrifice, the Meat (for the most part) wasn't burned to dust, but roasted and eaten. If I am correct, and it does return, then the reason we are to eat meat sparingly is so that when we do eat it, it's as a celebration of the mercies of God. That's just my crackpot theory though, with ideas I've had floating around for years

(And this is all just a theory. I want to try restricting my meat intake & whatnot, but I don't feel ready for that. And even if the Church said we could drink, I probably wouldn't, because I have a family history of alcohol & drug abuse)

[kevotsuka]

I want to hear more pregnant Bezz thoughts of yours. What's his pregnancy like? Cravings? Illness? What does he do most of the time? You mentioned he isolated himself, does he get sad when lonely? Does Pecco visit him and help him with stuff? Does Bezz attempt to remember who the father could be and contact him? How does Bezz feel isolating himself when he's usually a very social person? Any preg!bezz thoughts you have, I love your cute au 🩵🩵

ANON I'm sorry I'm so late but my head has lately decided go to a writing strike HSHSHSHS but I've been listening to Alejandra Guzman, Cristina Aguilera and RBD in loop and now I'm better

You have very VERY important questions.  Preg! Bezz has been spinning like a piece of spicy chicken in my brain and im go and talking to a bunch of moms to project my man into their problems wuwuwu

This answer is going to be too long and a mess, I'm so sorry orz orz orz

(and each pregnancy is completely unique. What is normal for one person may be a sign of absolute danger for another. Always remember to go to your trusted gynecologist/obstetrician!)

1. What's his pregnancy like? Cravings? Illness?

He craves Japanese food but is banned from sushi!  He is an unhappy Bezz when people told him that sushi is dangerous for the baby.  Beyond that, he doesn't really have food cravings, he just eats a lot (and then throws up because he feels guilty for eating so much. He has more problems with food than cravings. TCA/Eating Disorder Bezz is very personal to me- but it's going to therapy and continuing with a new nutritionist!)

About symptoms.  At first he thinks it's an asymptomatic pregnancy, and it's more like the pregnancy is camouflaging itself.

Like. He's throwing up his guts, but he think “its relates it to the end of the season and the stress causes that in him” (even though he's no longer in line for the championship) (and he's never thrown up from stress before).  He then feels fatigued and can't sleep, but that's all because he travels a lot, jet lag and all that.  He misses his dog and cries looking at his photos. He has belly cramps, but it's probably something he ate in the paddock when he had a sudden aversion to the smell of chicken and he couldn't eat anything from the hospitality.

On top of that, his painkillers are kicking him between physical therapy.

When the season ends and his body has a chance to catch up, all the symptoms hit him like a truck. Headaches, heartburn, constipation and generally the desire to die to end the torment of him. He is also bloated…? and feels like shit. The bug is charging for every fall he had at the end of the season, or at least that's what Bezz thinks as he gets up for the second time in the night to urinate at the end of the second trimester or when he has to drink his calcium-fortified milk -very expensive and he hates the taste-.  The bug is really demanding with they needs!

2. What does he do most of the time? You mentioned he isolated himself, does he get sad when lonely?

I said “practically vanished from the face of the earth.”  He wasn't really alone, he is a family man, and of course he returned to his childhood home!  His older sister was very happy for him!  (The youngest offered him a rue tea as soon as he mentioned that he are pregnant, before Marco clarified that he was going to keep it- wait “Laura, how do you know that these are abortifacients?” “Oh Marco, don't ask questions for which you don't want answers.")

 (i'm sorry i love his sisters so much hshshs)

But yeah, he feels so lonely because he went from spending almost all the time with his team or the people at the ranch, not just the other riders, and now is just his family and his new “medical crew” (obstetrician, psychologist, nutritionist).

Also, He is an unemployed man!  At least until Valentino calls him and tells him he has something for him to do at the academy (like Migno, lol)

He can't help in the mechanical workshop (although now that Vito goes to the races with him, I wonder what's happened with that), so he goes with his mom to do the administrative work.

 He hates it so much :)

Those first months are torture for him and his family. His two sisters capitulated as soon as they could and left (they have a life to, Marco!). When he's not helping his mom or learning to become expert in Excel, he's watching old seasons of MotoGP, F1, and NBA. He stays at home mostly. He gets in a bad mood about it, but he prefers it to having to face his friends :(

But he can now recite by heart the podiums of every MotoGP and F1 race from 2007 and 2008!

3. Does Pecco visit him and help him with stuff?

Yeah! Bezz calls Pecco to tell him because he knows he can't run away forever for his friends, but he calls him at week 15 which is a long time past the period for a termination of pregnancy (wait, are abortions even legal in Italy?).  He called pecco when he say himself “there is no turning back from this.”

 (He's a fool...)

Pecco, once he discovers that Bezz is no longer going to lock himself in and respond to his messages (although not those from the academy's WhatsApp group...), finds out his home address and appears from time to time to check on him and take him out to eat Japanese food (but not sushi :c).  He texts him constantly and listen to Marco when he calls him to tell him something about how horrible he feels and how none of the websites he's seen talk enough about back pain (they do, he doesn't really read a lot).

Bezz is also ignoring the absolute circus that is the 2024 season because he feels rubbish not being there, and Pecco is happy not to touch on the topic at all because talking about the season is talking about Martín and Márquez and no, thanks.

 Pecco invites himself to the baby reveal date in the obstetrician (Marco doesn't throw a reveal party, booo) and together they discover that the bug that Bezz is having will be a little boy.

It's Pecco who brings Luca and Franky when Bezz says he's ready to mention it to more people (after finding out the sex of the baby).  Luca is the obvious choice for everything and Franky is Franky, so he has to be there. And they go on a shopping trip - with Pecco’s bonus - so they don't have time to process anything at all.

Franky keeps trying to buy VR46-themed things (why are there so many?) while Luca asks the -no- innocent question of “who is the father?”

4. Does Bezz attempt to remember who the father could be and contact him?

NOW. THIS QUESTION.

Short answer: no :)

Long answer: To each person who asks, Bezz will say a very eloquent “I am the father of the baby :D”.  He admits that he had sex with a lot of people at that time and doesn't remember most of them, so it's not worth looking for the child's other father. The bug is his, he is carrying it in his body and they don't need anyone else.

REAL Answer: Marco absolutely has an idea who the father is and will DIE before telling anyone, not even his family.  He will take that secret to the grave.  When his little bug is born and grows with brown eyes and to have curly brown hair, no one will ask about it anymore.

(when the boy grows up to have blue eyes and straight hair, people have QUESTIONS. Marco is not answering.)

 SORRY IT'S SO LONG it's just- pregbez

[bonefall]

Snowbird Ann here: x_x I have Fennel growing in my front yard. That stuff...it tastes like black licorice and it's stringy like celery. But when it goes dormant, it leaves stalks that would be great building materials. Med cat/builders could get a fresh stalk, soak it in water to make it bendy and shape it into whatever. If I remember I'll go out and snap a picture of the dormant Fennel tomorrow.

Fennel is actually suuuuuuuuper useful for dozens of reasons. It's related to parsley and has been naturalized all over the world because humans find it so useful.

The cats could use it for:

-Funerals This herb can be STINKY. This could absolutely be one of the funeral herbs that elders rub onto the deceased, especially since it's non-toxic.

-Cooking It's full of fiber meaning it can be a good supplement even for cats, if not consumed in excess. It's also got potassium, manganese, calcium... They can't taste sweet but that licorice-y flavor would come across just fine. It's actually used in sausages a lot.

-Alcohol If your Warriors drink responsibly. And know how to distill. Mead made from honey would still be easier but fennel was used for health tonics in the middle ages... and then eventually got used to make absinthe.

-Insect repellent This one's actually huge because the OTHER big bad bug buster is mint... and all mint is toxic to cats. This is a really good non-toxic insect repellent for warriors next to lavender.

-"Toothpaste" Not like, a PASTE but, a sort of... sticky mouthwash poultice. Fennel's actually super good for oral health, eliminates bad breath, and fights plaque buildup; and remember, Our Friends Mint & Co is toxic to cats. You can make it into an oil and help a warrior with a gum problem. It's especially good at fighting streptococcus, which is one of the most common infectious bacteria in wild cats.

-General medicinal purposes Helping clean eye infections is just one medicinal use, fennel is useful for all sorts of ailments. It's anti-inflammatory, it's antibacterial (but not as good as honey), can help with digestion...

Historically it's also been associated with helping to treat colic in babies and estrogen-related issues like menopause and milk production, which is actually NOT proven with modern studies... but I think the idea is just cool enough to hand wave the science away, I would use it just to have an herb for colicky kits. It's weird that colic has never shown up in canonical kits before!

But...

Building use?

Probably not. You've noticed it's stringy-- that's actually where fennel gets its name. Fennel = Foenum = Latin for Hay. It's more like hay in consistency than twine and would be too soft to build with.

For strong material, you're just gonna want plain old wood. Twigs, branches, anywhere you can find fennel you're also going to find bushes or trees that'll make better beams.

For twine? Skip the fennel entirely with its short stalks and just get some tall grass. Or, if you've got long-haired cats, they can make yarn out of shed fur if they collect enough of it. Better yet, if you've got access to flax? Then you're REALLY cooking with fire, that bad boy can be made into fabric, rope, clothing... Don't even get me STARTED on industrial hemp, you could weave reality itself out of that popstar. Paper, clothes, canvas, shampoo, lamp oil, rope, bombs, you want it? It's YOURS my friend--

Anyway

TL;DR stick to the herbal uses for fennel. You're better letting dormant fennel re-grow because it's better in the paws of your medcats than your warriors.

[jbaileyfansite]

Interview with 'Bustle' talking about Fellow Travelers, Bridgerton and Wicked

Showtime’s Fellow Travelers explores a star-crossed romance between Tim Laughlin (Jonathan Bailey) and Hawkins “Hawk” Fuller (Matt Bomer) set against the backdrop of America’s Lavender Scare: the persecution of LGBTQ+ government workers in the mid-20th century.

Tim and Hawk, who both work in politics, meet at a party in 1950s Washington, D.C., and quickly strike up an on-and-off relationship, which carries on for over four decades. Their meetings are urgent, secret, and steamy — enough for Out to dub the historical drama “one of the sexiest shows in recent memory,” thanks in no small part to an erotic toe-sucking scene. But the most vulnerable moments between Tim and Hawk have little to do with sex.

“The most intimate scenes are not the physical ones, but the ones where they’re really looking at each other and being kind to each other,” Bailey tells Bustle over Zoom. “Those felt really, really joyful. In those dark periods, that’s what these characters live for.”

In the relationship, Bailey’s character is pious and submissive — a far cry from his brooding, Mr. Darcy-coded character on Bridgerton. The actor is “grateful” that many of those fans will follow him to the new show, which is based on Thomas Mallon’s same-named 2007 novel.

“Doing something like Bridgerton, which is such a populist celebration of a show, what I loved, and probably a reason I was led toward Fellow Travelers,is the opportunity to guide people [to] stories that are slightly more niche,” he says.

As for Bridgerton, Bailey will return as the newly married Anthony when the show returns in 2024, and he’s excited for Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan (aka Colin and Penelope) to “completely thrive” in Season 3.

Could Season 3 include more LGBTQ+ storylines? “I’m always hopeful for inclusion in that way,” Bailey says. “There’s so much that Bridgerton has achieved in storytelling, and there’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that with the brilliance of Shondaland, everyone’s gonna see themselves in the story at some point, I’m sure.”

Below, the actor opens up about filming Fellow Travelers, his role in the upcoming Wicked adaptation, and the rom-com legend he’d love to work with.

Fellow Travelers depicts more of Tim and Hawk’s relationship than we get to see in the book. What was it like to act across all the decades?

That’s exactly what drew me to it. So much of [what drew me to it] was about talking to [series creator Ron Nyswaner], and understanding how much of his own experience he pulled into it. That really set the bar, I think, for the level of commitment that I was excited to give.

I love Tim as a character. I’ve learned so much from him — about the way he deconstructs the hands that are given to him, and the way he’s constantly searching for truth. He operates in kindness, even though he’s flawed.

What was the most interesting thing you learned?

I’m obsessed with the inclusion of the Frankie and Marcus storyline [and] understanding how the civil rights movement and queer liberation movement really intersected. The queer Black spaces were more robust, and they created a safe haven [for] the white, queer people coming into them — whereas it didn’t work the other way around.

Tim drinks a lot of milk in the show. How much did you go through while filming... and what kind?

My milk appreciation has evolved! I think it was oat milk — but yeah, bless Tim and his milk habit. He’s obviously not calcium-deficient in any way, which is good.

You’ve been open about the busy filming schedule between Fellow Travelers and Bridgerton. I’m sure making each season has to be a little different — so what was most special about Season 3?

The thing that’s special is the overwhelming love that you feel. Every year, it’s a different lead character. So, tonally, it shifts. Even in the way that they market each series, you see the tonal colors, the passion, the different ways in which people can fall in love.

The personal experience of suddenly being exposed on Netflix, it’s life-changing. [Being on the show] makes you feel the need to be stabilized in this industry, but it’s also the thing that gives you [stability].So it’s a really lovely thing to be able to go away and to come back. We’re a tribe.

Speaking of life-changing roles, how did you and the Wicked cast keep up during the SAG-AFTRA strike?

I felt particularly sorry for Cynthia [Erivo]. As we were getting near the end, there were so many big moments that were about to be filmed. So [holding onto those] simmering [moments], it must have been really hard for her. But we’re always in touch and bonded by such an extraordinary experience thus far, and I’m sure that experience will only get wilder and more brilliant.

You’re killing it in these different romantic roles. Is there a rom-com you personally gravitate toward — maybe a festive one at this time of year?

Well, I watch Love Actually every time I do my tax return. That is the ultimate antidote to stress. Richard Curtis’ anthology of incredible rom-coms is basically a grounding for wanting to be an actor as well. I’d be really excited about the idea of a collaboration [with him].

Source

[deathmetalunicorn1]

Ok so au single dad centaur Jack and his tiny daughter fall through a portal from there world right into the arena while a match is going on in the RoR world. Chaos ensues since of course centaur Jack doesn’t know what’s going on or if anyone here is an enemy or ally and he’s trying to protect his daughter or however you think he would react. RoR people postpone the fight to try and get the familiar centaurs out of the arena. The daughter gets separated from her father and try’s to get back to him but is caught then gets away, runs, and then jumps up into the stands and runs around in fear and confusion reeking havoc. Jack and Hlokk’s reactions to seeing all this on her tv. And somehow Jack and Hlokk meet the centaurs.

Jacks daughter a fast runner, with her long legs she can out run her father if she really books it, but doesn’t have a lot of stamina. She’s also strong for being so young. She’s young enough to still need breast milk so he has her suckle from a special fruit that instead of juice, produces a milk like substance that is a bit sweet and has all the nutrients she needs without having to much like cows milk. He keeps a sack of them on hand. It’s shaped like a giant strawberry the size of an adult human head and every part is edible. I made up this fruit. Jack found her after her mother was killed buy a wild animal right after she was born so he adopted her.

-You had been walking around with your father, gathering milk berries, large strawberry shaped fruits that had a milky based nectar, your main source of food at the moment since you were still so young, so small, needing the extra calcium and nutrients.

-Your adopted father, Jack, was a thinner centaur, but very strong and very fast, despite his looks, had found you only a few months after you had been born, your mother killed by a bear, and he took you in, raising you to be his precious child.

-He did his best raising you, teaching you things as you grew, how to track and forage, but you were never far from his side, afraid to leave him, not wanting to be alone again.

-You were very petite for your size, even compared to other centaurs who were younger than you, so Jack did his research to locate milk berries what would help your body.

-A bright magic light surrounded the two of you as you stepped into the shallow river, to cross it and you could feel your father grabbing your hand.

-After being momentarily stunned there was such a loud noise that you were instantly startled, you and Jack finding yourselves in the middle of a massive stadium, two warriors instantly laying their weapons down, seeing the sudden centaurs in the center of the arena.

-Zeus had felt an unknown magic and was stunned to see the two centaurs, one of them looking very familiar while the other was only a child.

-The fight was immediately called off as several gods, including Zeus, were all quick to enter the arena.

-You clung to one of your father’s back legs, hiding behind him as he stomped, giving them a warning, “Stay back!”

-Zeus was quick to approach, but stayed a respectful distance back, “I know this may be unnerving, but may I ask where you came from?”

-Your papa spoke, telling the god that you and him had been walking through a forest and tried to cross a shallow river when a bright light blinded the two of you and you both woke up here.

-Zeus stroked his beard, a hum leaving him, “I’m not sure what type of magic called you here. We can provide some accommodations while we look into this.”

-Jack went to agree, mainly as he could tell you were scared and he wanted to get you some place quiet where you could calm down, but froze when you let out a squeak, as one of the fighters approached you from behind, asking if you were okay, as he could see that you were shaking.

-You got spooked and instantly took off running, not even hearing your papa, “Y/N! Y/N wait!!” and instantly the crowds went into panic mode as you managed to leap up from the arena into the stands, running to where it was dark, as that meant a hiding place!

-Zeus was quick to shout out orders, “DON’T CHASE HER!!” many were surprised by this before they quickly realized that if they chased you, you would be more scared.

-Hlokk and Jack, watching from her room, had seen the new guests arrive, and Jack could only stare, seeing that the older centaur looked exactly like him.

-Once backstage, Zeus asked Papa Jack where you could have gone and the older centaur, while worried, kept a level head, as he knew that wouldn’t help anything, “I’ve taught her to find dark places, caves, thickets, places where she hide, but she likely won’t be anywhere nearby, despite her small size, Y/N is very fast, faster than me.”

-With this information, Zeus and Odin sent out a search party, pairing up gods and humans to search for you, while putting out the word to anyone they could to keep an eye out for you.

-Brunnhilde received a call from Hlokk only about ten minutes later, “Big Sis! Jack and I have her here, she’s safe but she’s having a bit of a meltdown over here!”

-Zeus, Brunnhilde, Odin, Papa Jack, and Goll quickly went to Hlokk’s room, where sobbing was heard and your papa was quick to rush forward, “Y/N!”

-You were in the lap of a human man, who looked exactly like your papa; the two Jack’s froze, looking at each in stunned astonishment as you turned, hearing your name and your eyes went wide, seeing your papa and you were quick to stand, without hurting Jack, and rushed into your father’s arms, “You didn’t lose your back legs!!”

-Chuckles went through the room, Hlokk allowing them all to remain as she explained that you had seen the human Jack and rushed to him, thinking that was your father, before realizing he had lost his back legs and had a meltdown, lamenting his loss.

-Many found it amusing, but neither Jack nor Papa made you feel foolish as they were trying to make sense of it themselves on how there were two of them.

-The two of you were welcome to Valhalla, given your own quarters while they tried to figure out what was going on, and how you both came to be here.

-The two of you came to love Valhalla, as it was safe, there were no predators, no hunters, no threats to your lives and Zeus welcomed you both warmly to stay, as you and Hlokk had become friends and the two Jacks were enjoying time together as well, learning how they differed from each other and how they were similar.

[lavenderbexlatte]

day 3 - aftercare

stray kids 1.2k words gender neutral reader insert Reader x Bang Chan NSFW

🖤 warnings: vaguely sub!chan and dom!reader dynamic, references to sex, emotional intimacy, forcing chris bang to care for his curly hair properly 🖤

🚨🚨 implied disordered eating/bad relationship with food!!  

🎂 happy bang chan day~

kinktober masterlist

connect with me! / masterlist

He's sweaty, he's questionably messy, and the state of his hair would have him desperately trying to flatten it into place, but you're not sure you've ever seen anything better.

"Are you still with me?" you ask, poking at the ticklish spot right on his ribs.

Chan swats at you, even as he whines, "No, 'm dead."

"You've got good reflexes for a dead guy."

"You killed me."

"You're being a baby."

He's always being a baby, after the two of you finish up. That's his favorite part, though he would never admit it: putting on his biggest most childish act, giving up his day-to-day front of absolute selflessness and letting you do things for him.

"Can I go get a washcloth?" you ask.

Chan considers this. "Will you also get me chocolate milk?"

"Why the hell would you want chocolate milk?"

"Fine, don't get it. Let me die for real."

Brat.

"I'll get it," you assure him, not without both an eyeroll and a brush of your fingers through his curls.

He's sweated out all of the product that usually keeps the gentle waves plastered to his head, much to your delight. The washcloth is absolutely necessary. He's covered in lube and cum, and you need to move fast before it starts drying into a sticky congealed mess, or worse, dripping into the sheets more. You don't wanna change them.

"But if I drank dairy right now, I would puke," you murmur on your way out.

"I'm sorry that I have a weak constitution and need calcium!" he calls back.

He's anything but weak, you grin to yourself, retrieving an errant container of chocolate milk from the fridge (and checking the expiration date, since you do not remember buying it) before heading to the bathroom to soak a cloth.

"It's not cold, is it?" he asks, as you approach again.

"The milk, yes. The washcloth, no," you answer.

He shudders. "Warm chocolate milk."

"And cold water."

You run the cloth (perfectly warm but not too hot, thank you) over his groin, his stomach, picking up as much of the mess as you can without spreading it. He's blushing, like he always does, as if you haven't just gotten finished seeing much more of each other much more carnally than this. A swipe between his legs, an errant spot up his chest, and you're sure he'll be much more comfortable.

Chan, for his part, is drinking the chocolate milk at a speed that suggests he's afraid it'll be taken away from him.

"Are you hungry?" you ask.

He hesitates, and that tells you all you need to know.

"I'll order us something."

"Just water, I don't need-"

You take a second to throw the dirty cloth into the bathroom sink for a rinse later before you sit on the edge of the bed and look at him evenly.

"Are you hungry?"

He sighs. "Yes, but-"

"Korean or western?"

"...Korean."

Gukbap is light but warm and filling, it won't give you a stomachache after a romp in the sheets for however long that was, so you order it. There's only so much of his jawbone that can poke out while he's at rest before you start to worry.

You do get the water, though, a frosty two-liter from the fridge that you pass back and forth.

"I should shower," you say.

Chan doesn't usually like to move from the bed, after you've finished. If he's tired afterwards, it's a perfect chance to try and get some elusive sleep. You'd prefer to go to bed clean, so your routine is usually something like this.

"I wanna come," he says, instead.

"There's room," you answer.

That is a lie, there is just barely room for two.

But Chan still crams himself into the shower with you, pressed up close while you wash yourself off, fond but not chasing anything. Why would he need to?

The two of you don't talk until you're washing his hair (this was supposed to be your shower, but it's been hijacked) with the curly-hair formula rinse you'd surreptitiously started having him use whenever you could, to flawless results.

"Was that okay?" he asks.

He doesn't elaborate more, so you assume he just means...everything. "Of course."

"Even when I-"

"You don't trust me to say when I don't like something?" you tease gently.

"Of course I do," he assures you, "But I wanna make sure."

"You worry too much."

He shakes his head a little, threatening to dislodge your hands from his hair. "That's my job."

Arguably it's your job, considering how much time you spend worrying about him.

"You're gonna give yourself grey hairs," you scold. "Look, here's one now."

You tug at his hair, just enough that he keens but not enough to pull any strands out, and he laughs.

"Don't give Seungmin any more ammo to call me old," he pleads.

"Rinse out your hair."

He turns around to do just that, tilting the crown of his head into the spray from the showerhead. You get to look at him head-on now.

"Quit starin'," he mutters.

But you won't. You like the lines of his ribs as he lifts his hands to help wash the rinse out of his hair, the elegance of his neck as he stands there with his head thrown back. There's a mark on one collarbone, standing out in red; you remember biting him, but not that hard. Oops.

You go over the checklist in your mind, as he's finishing up.

Cleanup. Water. Food. Check-in.

Cuddling, is the only thing left. And that's your favorite part.

It's quiet and comfortable to towel off side by side. Chan wanders out first, content with his fresh-washed skin and damp hair, while you take a little longer to make sure you're moisturized and treated and ready for sleep.

He's changing the duvet cover when you come out, which means that your efforts to keep it clean have failed, as usual. That's what spares are for, you guess. Plus, you're not the one having to wrestle with the duvet, so it's a sacrifice you're willing to have him make for the sake of a clean bed.

"Hurry," you say, "I'm tired."

The whine in your voice makes him grin. You've done your part, taking care of all the things you know he needs immediately after sex, and now it's your turn to be needy.

"Someday," he says.

You've got your towel around you like a cape, watching him put on the duvet cover with admittedly impressive finesse. "Someday?"

"Someday one of us will have to get a place with a clothes dryer so we can put the duvet cover in it, in the winter."

"Genius."

He doesn't tell you when it's ready, out of the room hanging up your towel as you are. But when you step back into the bedroom, Chan's already tucked up under the covers.

"Lemme in," you say.

He lifts the duvet, and you dive in beside him. Arms and legs wrap around you, koala-clingy, and though you wiggle like you're trying to get away, it's the best part by far. The warm weight of another person, the scent of shampoo and clean and boy.

His voice is small but distinct, and you hope he's falling asleep like he wants. "Love you."

"Love you, too."

Nothing better.

[kitwalker02]

The Evan's favorite flavor of milk

Tate

Tate is a basic, emo alt boy and likes his milk dark like his soul

Aka true moo chocolate milk is a staple in his fridge

Tate also only uses chocolate milk in his cereal and that is a really specific pet peeve of constance's

His afternoon snack is a bottle of chocolate milk and string cheese

Lactose intolerance? Tate doesn't know her.

Kit

Actually severely intolerant to all milk so he either had to take lactaid or suck it up and drink almond milk

He only likes the chocolate almond milk

Something about almond milk makes him really passive aggressive though so he'll drink a lot of strawberry milk with Julia and act like he made a great fatherly sacrifice when he gets really sick

Truth is Kit REALLY just has a thing for strawberry milk

So it feels like a betrayal when Julia gets her hands on some of his chocolate almond milk and decides that it's her new favorite drink

She literally refuses to drink strawberry milk from then on and Kit wonders what he did to hurt her so much that she'd do this to him

Kyle

Kyle is definitely a basic white milk drinking boy

However he prefers to drink juice rather than milk and only uses it for the basics like cereal and dipping oreos

Although one time he almost killed himself trying to chug a whole jug of milk at a frat party

Jimmy

Jimmy is a simple 1950's boy and drinks a glass of milk breakfast, lunch and dinner

His calcium levels are through the roof and bones are very strong

Milk is his preferred beverage and he's totally the type of guy to act all tough and sexy and then order a glass of milk

James

James has never even heard of different flavors of milk

He literally lives under a rock lol

Every night before bed he drinks a glass of warm milk because his mom use to make him do that and now it's the only way he can fall asleep

But it gets in his mustache and is kinda gross cuz he drinks it after brushing his teeth

#milkbreath

Rory

A strawberry milk guy through and through

Every Saturday morning he goes and gets a Boston cream donut and a bottle of strawberry milk

It is his favorite ritual and one time he did it every morning for like 6 weeks straight

But then his agent called him fat

He also has a weird obsession with strawberry icecream

And don't even get him started on Starbucks' pink drink....

Edward

Definitely has an oil painting of it

Idk if chocolate milk was even a thing then (lol don't call me dumb) but it would totally be Edward's jam

Also believes chocolate milk comes from brown cows

Kai

(Ngl guys I wrote this whole thing and didn't realize I forgot kai until I was doing the hashtags lol that's what he gets)

Kai likes white milk but only because it is basic and boring and restored his eye sight or whatever

Brings back fond memories of when he was little and with his mom

Puts a shit ton of whole milk in his coffee

Mr. Gallant

He likes the pink milk

He calls it aesthetically pleasing and takes a picture of it for his social media

There's like a month old bottle of half dranken strawberry milk on his dresser

It's absolutely disgusting

Not even the Apocalypse was able to get rid of it...

Jeff

He'll only use the powdered milk so he can snort it up his nose

Jk jk

Eats coco puffs every morning for breakfast and uses one of those edible straw things to drink all the milk out of the bowl

Likes that the milk starts off white but then becomes chocolate milk

This never ceases to amaze him

His taste in cereal is not superior...

Austin

Milk is a very important staple in Austin's diet. He needs that calcium to keep his teeth sharp and strong

He likes chocolate milk the most though

Only drinks Yahoo chocolate milk

In elementary school the other kids would bully him and steal his chocolate milk and make him drink strawberry milk instead

This made him so sad

Strawberry milk has a very bad connotation to him because of that

[baka-monarch]

I feel like I'm the only one who thinks borrowers and tiny people should farm/domesticate spiders

I have my reasons and it makes them thr perfect creature to have if tiny

They can work as a guard and kill off other dangerous bugs and sometimes dangerous rodents as well

Spider silk can be made into fabric! You have fiber right there at your finger tips to use for clothes and other things!

Spider silk can be eaten, it's actually full of calcium like milk so it's a great food to have especially if you need to get more vitamins and minerals

And this wasn't gonna be on the list but I just realized- you can use their silk like glue!!! You can use the silk fiber to make string or even sticky strings for specific things! (Fun fact: spider silk is actually super strong to the point that if it was as thick as a pencil it could theoretically hold back a jet plane- imagine turning that into fiber for a string or rope! That's why it's such good fabric because it's lightweight, stretchy, but also very strong! And it's also more ethical for a tiny person to be using silk for fibers rather than humans because a tiny person isn't gonna need as much nor gonna try to mass produce it)

Listeeeennnn to meeeee

[skyland2703]

OLD!! BillySkull headcanons because I’m obsessed and the brainrot has set in

Skull has taken to wearing HATS. This is not because he’s balding— Billy is the one who’s balding (but he likes flaunting it)— BUT he feels like it fits his vibes. He also doesn’t dye his hair/beard so he’s got pepper and salty hair. Billy ADORES it.

Billy got a buzzcut somewhere in his thirties, when he got lice from someone at work— and never quite grew his hair longer again. He likes keeping them short, it’s lesser work.

Skull likes keeping a beard, Billy likes to stay clean shaven. Skull’s beard gets a little annoying when it pricks and itches when they’re making out— but he deals with it, because it makes him happy AND Skull keeps trying some or the other kinda design— He had a goatee once????? And Billy literally went 👀

Billy had lasik done, when he was in his early thirties. After he was back from aquifer— got rid of the ol’ windshields for good. Skull tells him how he looks older without glasses, and in reply, Billy tells him, Skull looks older WITH glasses.

Yes. Skull gets reading glasses really early on. In the forties itself. Something to do with malnutrition at a younger age— he also has some bone problems and issues— doctors at Promethea telling him he needs to work on his vitamin D and calcium intake, if he wants to beat arthritis before it catches up to him. And that just spirals Billy into making Skull take at LEAST three glasses of milk every day. And makes him go on walks. Among other things.

Overall, Skull takes good care of his health— he’s barely on the edge, because of childhood things, but as long as he pays attention— and he did start paying attention the day he hit forty—

Billy on the other hand, not so much. What with monster attacks and drama and things, he keeps injuring himself, and he’s not exactly too flexible anymore. Sigh.

Like that one time he threw his back out while they were trying to do smexy things at night. Skull panicked so hard, so so so hard. He called up Zack, he called up Bulk, he called up Kim, he called up Trini AND he called up Tommy. Sure, Zack showed up with some chiropractor within five minutes, but their friends NEVER let Billy live it down.

Old men yaoi.

Skull does the cooking. Billy can’t make coffee to save his life.

He tried making coffee ONCE. In that electric kettle. He did a few things wrong: 1) he plugged it into the plug point next to the nightstand, HE WAS MAKING COFFEE IN THE BEDROOM— 2) he did it when Skull was sleeping. He wanted to surprise his husband with coffee in the morning. 3) The coffee was made without much trauma, BUT he let it sit in the kettle. He thought that was a good idea. 4) it got cold. Apparently. Or so he thought, so just as he thought Skull was about to wake up, he decided to REHEAT it.

It boiled. And he couldn’t stop it. And it overflowed. All over the tiled floor. All over the rug. All over the nightstand.

Skull made him clean up the mess. Tony Stark of the PR world or not, if you’ve made a mess, you’re GONNA clean it. He’s banned from the kitchen after the coffee incident.

They got married at thirty eight, if that’s an important detail~

Skull and Bulk still run a sandwich chain— but Skull uses his excess income to delve into his more preferred hobbies: he likes music. He plays music, he writes jingles and advertisements, and does little concerts at theatres, playing the piano.

Billy is always on the front row, cheering. Skull doesn’t like him being in the wings, he feels like LOOKING at Billy cheering him on gets him going better than wings support~

They still have all their childhood things in the attic. And every once in a while, they bring everything down for a dust— coughing from it while they clean everything, going through memories together— and there’s a whole bunch of crap in there that’s too precious to both old men to ever throw away.

Billy is slowly working on a memoir. Well, two separate memoirs. One is on his life as the successful businessman and owner of Cranston Tech, like most “influential” personalities usually do. The other is on his life as a “Power Ranger”. This one’s anonymously written, of course. Billy has a little study room, right next to Skull’s piano room, and when Billy writes, Skull plays.

Skull feels like if you read both memoirs together you’re sure to realise they have the same author. Billy doesn’t want to admit that. (He’s probably going to give it to Zack for a reread and for some editing. He trusts his friends for editing more than any professional editor.)

All of Billy’s clothes are a liiittle bigger than Skull, and he loves snuggling into his hoodies for the nights. It’s the best feeling.

Last, but not the least: they’re THAT couple who go to parties and just sit in the corner, judging everyone and just giggling amongst themselves. They’re just having the best old age ever~

Oh and this was the pic that made me go brrrr

[warningsine]

Nothing appears remarkable about a dish of fresh ravioli made with solein. It looks and tastes the same as normal pasta.

But the origins of the proteins which give it its full-bodied flavour are extraordinary: they come from Europe’s first factory dedicated to making human food from electricity and air.

The factory’s owner, Solar Foods, has started production at a site in Vantaa, near the Finnish capital of Helsinki, that will be able to produce 160 tonnes of food a year. It follows several years of experimenting at lab scale.

Solar Foods has already gained novel food approval for solein in Singapore, and is seeking to introduce its products in the US this autumn, followed by the EU by the end of 2025 – and the UK too, if the regulator can get through the deluge of cannabis-related products.

The factory’s output may be small in terms of the global food industry, but Pasi Vainikka, the Solar Foods co-founder and chief executive, hopes that proving its technology works will be a crucial step in revolutionising what humans eat.

Food and agriculture is responsible for about a quarter of all planet-heating carbon emissions. Its share of pollution is likely to grow as other industries shift to using green electricity, and ever-expanding middle-classes demand more meat for their tables. Up to now the focus for some climate campaigners has been to try to persuade people to eat less meat and more plants. Non-farmed proteins such as solein might make that approach more appealing.

Solein comes in the form of a yellowish powder made up of single-cell organisms, similar to yeast used in baking or beer-making. The company is hoping for those proteins to be used in meat alternatives, cheese and milkshakes, and as an egg replacement ingredient in noodles, pasta and mayonnaise.

The ravioli it served up this week was made with solein replacing egg, with a solein version of cream cheese. The Finnish confectioner Fazer has already sold chocolate bars in Singapore with added solein (which is also a handy source of iron for vegans). A Singaporean restaurant last year created a solein chocolate gelato, replacing dairy milk.

Vainikka was researching renewable energy systems at a Finnish research institute in 2014 when he met his co-founder, Juha-Pekka Pitkänen, a bioprocesses scientist. Pitkänen told him of soil-dwelling microbes that release the energy they need to live from oxidising hydrogen (rather than the glucose used by humans, for instance).

Together they built a 200-litre fermenter in a garage near Helsinki, to prove the technology could be used for food, but then went into the wild “finding new potatoes to grow”. All Vainikka will say on solein’s origins is that they found it somewhere “close to shore” in the Baltic Sea.

Almost all food consumed by humans at the moment ultimately comes from plants, which use energy from the sun for photosynthesis. That process converts carbon dioxide and water into the molecules they need to grow. Solar Foods instead uses the same renewable electricity from the sun to split water apart. It then feeds the hydrogen and oxygen to the microbes in a brewing vessel, plus carbon dioxide captured from the air from the company’s office ventilation system.

The claim that the proteins are made out of thin air is “never more than 95% true”, says Vainnika: 5% of the mixture in the brewing vessel is a solution containing other minerals needed by cells, such as iron, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus. The microbes are then pasteurised (killing them), then dried in a centrifuge and with hot air. That leaves a powder that can be used in food.

The process could also use CO2 from, for instance, burning fuels – although the molecule would end up back in the atmosphere once humans eat the solein and breathe out the carbon again. The real climate benefits from solein come from cutting the vast tracts of land used – and abused through deforestation on an epic scale – for animal feed and pasture. Instead, renewed forests could trap carbon.

Efficient US farmers get 3.3 tonnes of soya beans from each harvest of a hectare, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. By contrast, Solar Foods’ pilot factory takes up a fifth of a hectare to produce 160 tonnes a year.

“As we can relieve pressures on agricultural land, they can rewild and return to being climate sinks,” Vainikka says.

Other companies are pursuing the same dream. Dozens are using microbes to create animal feed, although they often require sugars or fossil fuel feedstocks. One US rival, Air Protein, has opened a factory in California using similar “hydrogenotrophs” – hydrogen eaters. It has the backing of the food multinational Archer-Daniels-Midland, the British bank Barclays and GV (formerly Google Ventures).

The Dutch company Deep Branch, which is making fish food, claims its Proton protein will be 60% less carbon-intensive than conventional proteins. Deep Branch is looking at taking the CO2 produced by the UK biomass power generator Drax.

The companies have produced their test products. Now they face the challenge of proving their technology works at scale.

Vainikka says that is the key problem for cultured meat, or lab-grown meat. The market value of newly listed companies such as Beyond Meat soared during the coronavirus pandemic bubble, only to come crashing down as sales slumped. The opening of Solar Foods’ first factory will be crucial in persuading investors that the company will not suffer the same fate.

With meat protein, which is much more expensive than plants or cellular agriculture, there is simply no competition on price for each kilo. But Solar Foods and rivals could face other problems. Conservative politicians particularly in the US and Italy have identified lab-grown food as a threat to their ranching and farming cultures.

Vainikka argues that these fears are misplaced. He wants “coexistence of new and old”, with artisanal, high-quality farms remaining alongside cell farming that can deliver cheap, bulk foods. He argues it is “the opportunity of the century for the meat industry” to focus on quality rather than churning out as much cheap (and heavily subsidised) meat as possible. And plant agriculture will also remain, he argues.

“The future is not powder: the main body of food will still come through plants,” he says. The occasional “salami with the cultural heritage, that can remain. The meat in your lasagne during lunch will be done by cellular agriculture.”

[rabbitcruiser]

World Milk Day 

Start your day with a glass of calcium-rich milk, visit a local dairy farm, or see what milk alternatives like soy, oat, or almond milk you might enjoy.

It’s a well-known fact that milk is rich with calcium, a mineral that promotes healthy teeth and bones. June 1st is the date that has been set aside to celebrate Milk Day. And, of course, this is a celebration that can take place anywhere in the world, given that milk is a global food!

The use of milk in food and drink has been happening for thousands of years. As most people can appreciate, milk is an integral part of most people’s daily lives, and there’s an entire industry that revolves around it as well.

Milk is a liquid food rich with nutrients like calcium. It’s a food product that is primarily used by mammals during infancy. Although, in the case of humans, people tend to consume it in adulthood, as most adult humans can digest the lactose in milk.

Of course, milk isn’t only available for drinking. It’s an essential ingredient for dairy foods such as butter, cream, ice cream, and cheese. Milk can also be found as an ingredient used in other types of foods, such as bread, cakes, cereal, desserts and so much more.

There is no denying that milk has become a mainstay of most people’s diets today. It’s also one of the cheapest food products to buy, given the industrial scale of milk production in the world. Some of the largest producers of milk are the United States, India, and China.

History of Milk Day

Milk Day became a globally celebrated event on June 1st, 2001. The global celebration, in general, can be traced back to the United Nations (UN). In particular, the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) of the UN has been responsible for organizing and marketing World Milk Day throughout the globe.

More than two decades ago, the FAO proposed a global Milk Day to recognize the importance of milk and the role that it plays in our world. In addition, this day was also created to provide direct focus to the milk industry and publicize the various activities connected with it. In fact, the dairy industry supports the livelihoods of approximately 1 billion people throughout the world!

But even before this day was created in 2001, Milk Day was celebrated by some other nations throughout history. In the British Isles, for example, a Milk Day celebration (“Imbolc” – Celtic for “milk”) took place in the pre-Christian era.

Considering the fact that over six billion people worldwide consume milk and dairy, it’s no surprise there was a need to celebrate this healthy, delicious beverage!

How to Celebrate Milk Day

June 1st is a day that many people may want to write their diaries. Milk plays such a significant role in the world that should certainly be celebrated in style!

But what can be done to celebrate such a momentous occasion? Try out some of these ideas for enjoying Milk Day:

Get the Day Started with a Glass of Milk

Why not celebrate today with a glass of fresh, cold milk in the morning to kick-start the day?! But don’t stop there. How about enjoying a big bowl of cereal full of delicious milk?

Of course, after drinking that glass of milk, don’t forget to snap a photo of that beautiful milk mustache! Share it with the world on social media to remind everyone else to enjoy Milk Day too.

Join an Official Milk Day Celebration

As a worldwide event, Milk Day comes with all kinds of official opportunities to celebrate! In 2020, more than 400 Milk Day campaigns took place in over 68 countries all over the globe, so there should be plenty to join in with again this year. Here are some events that have taken place in previous years:

World Milk Day Milk Donation. Happening in New York State, USA, several organizations have gotten together to provide a free gallon of milk to the people in their local community who visit a dairy farm.

Live Recipes by Renowned Chefs from Around the World. This live Facebook event has been hosted by Amul, India, which is the country’s largest dairy brand, with the intention of showing the importance of milk throughout different countries and cultures.

International Dairy Federation Raise a Glass Event. Hosted by the IDF in Brussels, Belgium, this event involved hosting a toast to milk from people all around the world.

Check the World Milk Day website to get access to all the needed information to make plans for this day.

Visit a Local Dairy or Farm

For those who have some extra time, especially those with kids who are ready to learn, consider visiting a local dairy to learn the process of milking cows and collecting the milk. This will also lead to learning about pasteurizing and homogenizing milk, methods used to filter milk and keep it long-lasting.

If there are no cow farms nearby, consider visiting a smaller farm that has goats. It’s still possible to learn about everything milk-oriented but may be more accessible because they might be smaller and locally owned.

Enjoy Other Milk Products

For lunch, why not have a mozzarella or Margherita pizza and drink a glass of chocolate milk to wash it down? After that, those who are still feeling hungry could always have some delicious ice cream for dessert!

Other options for enjoying milk products on this day (and every day!) include yogurt, sour cream, butter, custard, cream and all of the recipes that can be made from them.

Try a Milk Alternative

For folks who have trouble digesting dairy easily, why not try other non-dairy milk alternatives? Here are some popular options:

Soy Milk. A favorite as one of the early milk alternatives, this one is made from soybean plants that grow fairly prolifically in many places.

Almond Milk. Made by crushing almonds and blending them with water, and then straining out the mix to remove any solids that are left, this nutty milk is filled with protein.

Coconut Milk. This one uses the white, fleshy part of the coconut, grating it and soaking it in water. The cream rises and is skimmed off, then what’s left is strained to extract the coconut milk.

Whether with a milk product or a dairy alternative, celebrating World Milk Day can be loads of fun!

Source

[feministdragon]

there's a certain kind of article on the internet that pisses me off so badly. it's written by a person with a surface-level understanding of the topic and little-to-no personal experience, who collates a few sources and then litters the information highway with yet another piece of trash

today's trash article is a discussion of bone broth.

my position on bone broth is that it has personally done a lot for my physical health, energy levels hair, skin and nails. but it matters a lot HOW i've been doing it. first, i've been cooking it myself, from organic bones, and with alcohol and certain kinds of vegetables, which increases the breakdown of the bones and release of nutrients in the water. second, I have been eating Mass Quantities, that is 1-2 bowls a day, with seaweed and other vegetable nutrients added, for almost 2 years now. the level of healing i've experienced is directly. proportional. to the amount and quality of the broth.

so it can help you. but you have to use quality ingredients, and invest time and energy into cooking it right, and you have to eat A LOT. and yes, many people don't have the time, resources and money etc, of course! so of course this can't help people who don't have the time, resources, money etc. this is not a cure all.

what makes me mad is the stupid black and white thinking the internet is prey to. like, if not everyone can benefit, then NO ONE can benefit. if vegans and vegetarians cannot benefit, then NO ONE can benefit. if poor and under-resourced people cannot benefit, then NO ONE can benefit. (the biggest of eye rolls)

and like, yes. people who don't beleive in eating animals exist. people with lack of access to resources exist. I feel a lot of compassion for both of these groups, but I can't! do anything! about their concerns! does that mean I am not supposed to share a method that CAN work for SOME people?

I myself am a former vegetarian. I've discovered that vegetarianism, combined with overwork and a lack of sleep, fucked my health right up. Do you know what I've found that fixed that? fucking bone broth. Is abandoning vegetarianism right for you??? maybe not! is bone broth right for you?? maybe not!! and that's okay!

so but, along comes this article which apparently is a gotcha about that bone broth is useless. which, if it were actually sourced from actual studies about actual bone broth, I might consider its arguments.

but you know what it actually argues?

that a) collagen supplements provide more and better collagen than bone broth, and b) you need the minerals from vegetables to make them available. Okay, but where do you think the fcuking collagen in supplements comes from? Fucking industrially produced fucking bone broth. just, y'know in giant factories, not in your kitchen, and reduced water content so it's a gell or a pill and not a soup. so what they're actually arguing is that industrially produced bone broth is better. which...okay, but that's bone broth. and it's true about the vegetables by the way, which is why you cook the fucking bones with vegetables when you make the broth, to make the bones more bioavailabile. So the recommendation here is actually: don't make bone broth yourself, take our pills and eat your salad like a good little girl.

that because proponents of bone broth tell you that glucosamine is one of the components of bone broth, and that glucosamine supplements don't work, therefore bone broth doesn't work. but we're not talking about fucking glucosamine supplements? we're talking about bone broth? which you haven't shown a study about the uselessness of?

then they're like, "okay, there's supposed to be protein and calcium in bone broth, but you can get more protein from other sources, and the calcium is actually very little, so you see, it's not very useful". you know what's very high in calcium? milk. do you know how bioavailable the calcium in milk is? Not Very! because you need magnesium to put calcium in the right places in your body. without magnesium, calcium ends up in your joints, causing stiffness and arthritic symptoms. magnesium signals calcium to go to the right places, your bones. If you cook bone broth right, with vegetables, then you have the magnesium to do the job right. but also, you have to drink a lot, on the daily. it's not like taking concentrated vitamins, it's broth, it's just soup, it's going to take greater quantities. Also the amount of daily calcium you need is not as much as milk ads have made people think.

here, all they say is they have no evidence to support that bone broth helps leaky gut syndrome. how and why does this merit its own number on their list? "Uh.....we got nothing, but we're going to make it a bullet point" okay there player

aaaaand this is the only point I agree with, because I'm also sick to fucking death of all of the claims of detoxing around. you can't detox your body. your liver does that shit. you can maintain your liver and kidney health to HELP them do that shit, but you can't eat stuff to do their job FOR them.

and so the article's grand conclusion? what they actually write is that maybe bone broth is okay, it's neutral. SO their main point is actually that bone broth is okay? Even though the tone of the article is trying to lead you to believe that it's a big scam, even though they have maybe one point that supports that?

so how is this article actually informing you in any way about the supposed failures of bone broth? all they're saying is that collagen supplements--industrially produced bone broth--is better than home-made, that glucosamine supplements are not bone broth, that bone broth doesn't have 'enough' calcium without discussing bioavailability and actual studies of the amount of calcium needed and the actual amount of bone broth required, they can't even back up their argument about gut health and they have to concede that it's still actually nutritious.

okay so that's your gotcha article.

Listen I understand that bone broth has become trendy, and i'm also sick to death of food trends that take off because they've been passed around the internet looking for the next big thing to promote. but articles like this are also fucking shady, because they're using false equivalencies and ad hominem and faint praise to do their takedown, instead of actual fucking facts and studies. it's just as lazy as all the next-food-trend promoters.

I just want the internet to actually be the accessible central repository of all human knowledge that we all think it is, is that too much to ask?

[nehetari-of-szarekhan]

Hello, I’ve have question regarding the anatomical differences between a necrontyr and a human. How similar are the two species internally? If I remember correctly in a previous post you mentioned that a necrontyrs possesses additional olfactory receptors beneath their eyes. How many other organs or features does a necrontyr possesses that a human does not?

The anatomical differences between Nehetari and Peter Turbo would be pretty drastic due to Mr. Turbo being a primarch, a gene-forged Demi-god, and thus would be filled with all kinds of weird gobbledygook organs of functions unknown.

Hello, this is the Mun here:

Necrontyr internals are not as different from a human's as you may think (almost startlingly similar). They were warm-blooded creatures that produced milk to feed offspring that they gave birth to live. They had a mouth and digestive tract similar to humans, a complete circulatory system, a hormone-based reproductive system, an advanced nervous system centered around a brain, a calcium based skeletal structure... ...you get the idea.

However, this is where the similarities start to divert. As you know, their homeworld was what the modern day Imperium would have classified as a Death World. Like if Catachan, Krieg, and Baal all got together and had an even more radiation blasted, moistureless baby. Much of the Necrontyr anatomy was shaped by their homeworld and the fauna (and scarce flora) that inhabited it.

For example - Necrontyr blood contains a natural antifreeze and temperature-regulating compound that prevents them from freezing to death, even in sub-zero desert nights (they sort of half-freeze then thaw out in the morning). It also helps prevent overheating during the day. This is essential because they do not have sweat glands (water is too precious); instead of sweating they pant sort of like dogs do on Earth, or if it's really hot they can go into a low-activity state where their body slows down to produce less heat.

Another survival trait of the Necrontyr is in their vocal folds: they are capable of a much broader range of sound production than humans. Nehetari herself can mimick just about any sound she hears, from the sound of a bolter report to the tiny, near-inaudible sounds that come from the waves of energy traveling through deep space. It is believed this evolved during the ancient days of their race, when being able to mimick the sound of an oncoming rockslide or a bigger, angrier sand strider was one of the only things that could save you from becoming something's meal.

On the topic of meals, the Necrontyr digestive system is designed to process large amounts of meat and fat quickly. This, paired with their naturally razor-sharp teeth, seem to suggest that the ancestors of the Necrontyr were originally carnivores, which slowly turned omnivorous over time. Meat was more plentiful than edible plant life on their homeworld (lots and lots of insects). The reason why Nehetari hates sweet food is partly caused by this naturally low-carb diet - the Necrontyr body can quickly become overwhelmed when too much sugar enters their bloodstream, as they cannot regulate it properly.

And lastly (for now at least): it's not an internal trait per-se, but it's not an apparent one either. Necrontyr feet can grip almost was well as their hands do, but what's more, they actually change their shape instinctively (or intentionally, if they so chose) depending on what surface they're standing on. From the top, and when standing on a hard, flat surface, the Necrontyr foot looks almost identical to a human's save for stubby claws instead nails. However, from the bottom, Necrontyr feet look almost like that of a gecko. Those many folds can shift, unfold, and re-arrange themselves. When standing on a soft and unsteady surface like sand, the sole of the foot spreads out and becomes more flexible, making movement easier and more stable. When standing on a rocky or uneven surface, they grip it with their toes, and the folds form a sort of dry-adhesion bond to the surface, allowing them to better cling on. They can't walk up 90-degree or perfectly flat surfaces, but they are absolutely stellar climbers. (It was a good thing Necrontyr got so used to being on flat surfaces as they became more advanced. Else, they would have spent the first thousand years or so as Necrons constantly falling off shit. The pads did not accompany them into their metal bodies).

I have many other headcanons for Necrontyr specific biology, but these are my favorites so far.