#Heart Awareness Month

[rjdavies]

Heart Awareness Month

Recap of my blogs for February 2023

Do something good for your heart every day!

The month of February is Heart Awareness Month!

The challenge is to do one thing every day to promote a heart-healthy lifestyle

The best thing you can do is take charge of your health before it takes over you.

Feb 1: Get out for a 20-minute brisk walk

Feb 2: Eat less meat, try a vegetarian meal once a week

Feb 3: Know your BMI (Body Mass Index)

Feb 4: Laugh more, watch a movie or your favourite stand-up comedian

Feb 5: Women’s Health - signs of a heart attack what to look for

Feb 6: Is it Monday? Heart Attacks happen on Mondays more than other days of the week

Feb 7: Download a Heart Healthy Bingo Card - challenge your friends, family or office mates

Feb 8: Common Heart Diseases and Defects 

Feb 9: Eat less salt, try other herbs and spices for seasoning

Feb 10: Read Food Labels on packages 

Feb 11: Some women’s health issues can put some women in a higher risk bracket for heart and stroke issues

Feb 12: Alcohol consumption in moderation 

Feb 13: Eat some fruit or more fruit!

Feb 14: Take the stairs, even just a couple times a week will improve your health

Feb 15: Eat Legumes - try something new!

Feb 16: Know your family medical history

Feb 17: Check your blood pressure, know where you’re at

Feb 18: Hit the gym, lift weights, work out

Feb 19: Smoker? Quit smoking, or cut back at least

Feb 20: Know your sugar levels are you at risk?

Feb 21: Trim the fat from foods before cooking

Feb 22: Eat a new vegetable! Add more to your plate

Feb 23: Meditation ... give it a try

Feb 24: Get back to the basics ... jump rope

Feb 25: Desk Job? Get up and stretch or take a walk

Feb 26: Book an annual check-up

Feb 27: Reduce stress ... there are several things to try ... just try one

Feb 28: Spend time with your fur babies

HEART RISK CALCULATOR

Check out these Heart Calculators, they ask you a bunch of questions and then assess your level of risk for a heart attack, it’s just a guideline

Heart Disease Risk Calculator (alberta.ca)

Heart Age Calculator (nyc.gov)

Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada | Home

American Heart Association | To be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives

R. J. Davies

A Riveting Jacked-In Dreamy Mind-Bender

RJ Davies - Science Fiction Author, Maddox Files, Novels

[eveningdawn222]

people who act like batman isn't "judge jury and executioner" because he doesn't kill people are like. genuinely so funny to me because. they're very obviously thinking of "executioner" as like. the stereotypical guy with axe who chops people heads off, and not, yknow, the literal definition of the idiom itself, which is about someone who has the ability to judge and then subsequently punish someone unilaterally. which is quite literally what batman does.

he has the ability to decide what is a "crime" to him, he is the one who decides whether people are guilty of those crimes, and he is the one who executes their punishment. the severity of the punishment doesn't matter - he is unaccountable to anyone else, and indeed is allowed to commit as many crimes as needed to reach his arbitrary ideal of "justice."

the ideal of batman is this: a man who is so fundamentally changed by an act of senseless violence that he takes it upon himself to fight back against the rot and corruption in the world. he does this not through political activism, not through ridding himself of his wealth in favor of a greater good, not through community outreach, but through an individualistic fantasy of being a hero.

and you'll say: charlie, but he does do that !!! he donates his money all the time, he funds social programs, hospitals, orphanages, gets people jobs -

and i will say this: so why don't things get better?

because here's the base of it. gotham, at its core, can't get better. no matter what bruce wayne does, there will always be more crime, more villains, more death, more people for batman to beat up in back alleys. because that's what sells.

reoffending rates don't matter in gotham, prison reform doesn't matter in gotham, what actually causes crime doesn't matter in gotham because that doesn't sell books.

and so here it is; dc has unintentionally created a world where batman can't win, but can't be wrong, and where thousands of nameless, faceless, only-created-to-die civilians must be pushed into the meat grinder that is gotham, to fuel bruce wayne's angst and vindicate his constant, tireless, noble fight against the forces of evil.

and then: a new robin, who is poor and who's parents are dead or gone because of this cycle; who is happy go-lucky and hated by editors and fans for being robin, for not being dick grayson, for being poor.

and this robin is written, unintentionally or not, to be angry at the ways in which batman's (the narrative's) idea of justice is detached from its victims. bruce seems perfectly fine to allow countless unnamed women to be at risk from garzonas in his home country, yet robin is the one who is portrayed as irrational and violent.

this robin is not detached from gotham in the way bruce wayne is: this robin is a product of gotham.

(and here's the thing. you can't punch aids. you can't fight a disease with colorful fights and nifty gadgets. and how would robin dying from aids add to batman's story; it would call into question the systemic changes that haven't been made in gotham. how does a child get aids, in batman's city?)

so robin dies, and then bruce (the narrative) spends the next couple of decades blaming it on him. it is jason's fault; he was reckless, he just ran in, he thought it was all a game. if only bruce had seen what was coming, if only he could have known that jason wasn't rich enough or smart enough or liked enough to be robin.

batman gets a little more violent, a little more self destructive. he hurts people more and almost (!!) kills a couple guys. this is bad because it's self destructive and "not who he is." it is not bad because batman should not be able to just beat people up when he's angry.

and then he gets a shiny new robin - who is all the things jason "wasn't": rich and smart and rational and he doesn't put who batman is into question. batman and robin are partners, and jason is a grave and a cautionary tale, and (crucially here) never right.

the joker kills thousands and it doesn't matter because they were written to be killed.

batman beats up thousands and it doesn't matter because they were written to be criminals.

and then jason comes back, and nothing has changed. there is a batman and a (shiny! rich!) robin and the joker kills thousands. (because it sells)

and jason is angry - he has been left unavenged - his death has meant nothing, just as willis' had, just as catherine's had, just as gloria's had, just as -

thousands. ten of thousands. hundreds of thousands. written to be killed.

but one of them gets to come back.

and he is angry - not only at the joker, but at bruce (the narrative) - because why is the joker still alive (when thousands-)

here is the thing - jason todd is right. not because the death penalty is good, not because criminals deserve to die, not because of everything he says -

but because of what he calls into question. why is the joker alive?

because he sells books.

and dc has written a masterful character, through no fault of their own, because jason knows what is wrong, and he knows who is at fault - batman. (the narrative)

so the argument that bruce can't kill because he's not judge jury and executioner; the argument that jason is a cop or that jason is insane or that jason is in the wrong here; they hold no weight.

batman can't kill the joker because the joker sells comic books.

and jason can't kill the joker because the joker sells comic books.

so he will beg and plead and grovel - he will betray everything that is himself, he will forsake his family and his city and kill himself - just so that bruce (the narrative) will let the joker die.

he was condemned to death by an audience, and after he came back he has spent his whole life looking us in the eyes and screaming, asking, pleading; why is the joker still alive?

why are thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands (the number doesn't matter, see, because they're just a number. not people. not real.) why are we expendable for his story? why did i have to die just for nothing to change?

and the answer is money. and the answer is the batman can never be wrong. and the answer is shitty writing. and the answer is -

nothing jason can ever change.

which is the worst of it all. he is a victim with no power, and no one else in the world can see it. he is raging and crying and screaming at his father and his writers and you - and it doesn't matter. jason doesn't matter. and he knows it.

[animatedglittergraphics-n-more]

H A P P Y T R A N S G E N D E R A W A R E N E S S W E E K 💙🩷🩶🩷💙

[nay-lon]

the autism squad!!!

[rapidhighway]

avoidance is my fucking doom man, i know i should go to class but i fucking cant get myself to

[kitocrystal]

“His final wish”

[spiderliliez]

MORFYDD CLARK and ADHD

ADHD Awareness Month October 2024

The GIFs above are excerpts from Morfydd’s five different interviews during the promotion of “Saint Maud” while still filming “The Rings of Power” where she briefly talks about, and inadvertently exhibits her ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) traits. The first one shows of her being surprised by her alarm, and explains she keeps it on snooze so she doesn’t forget her tasks. Some would think this is just normal, that we all really need to have reminders anyway. But when you have ADHD, your alarms will be your lifesaver, and it can be quite extreme as your attention easily wanders off and you have almost no control of it, because you simply completely forget what you’re supposed to do. 😖

In the second interview, the keyword is “Procrastination” and she mentions how procrastination doesn’t make her feel guilty. Constant procrastination is very common amongst people with ADHD. It’s just always there. Yes, we all procrastinate, but people with ADHD does it more extreme than others. There are those who would feel endless guilt when they dither and temporize what needs to be done, and after all that, they still couldn’t keep themselves from procrastinating anyway. It becomes this vicious cycle, that adds on to one’s depression because of feeling incompetent. I’m just glad she’s allowed herself to indulge in what she wants to do and not feel criminal about it. 🙃 In the third one, she talks about her struggle with reading and being unable to keep at it for a certain duration. This is very common with ADHD as your ability to focus shifts so quickly, especially if you happen to be reading something you realized you’re not that interested in. However as she mentioned, she was able to read through the entire script (for “Saint Maud”) in one go, of which shows how much she loved the story. In some of her interviews, she speaks of how audiobooks have been very helpful to her. People with ADHD can also have “Dyslexia” (just like Morfydd). It’s more common than not, and that makes reading and writing even more challenging.

In her fourth and fifth interview, she talks about how her brain reacts while she was in school. It’s quite clear, listening and reading her interviews, that she has the combination of both the “Hyperactive-Impulsive and Inattentive Type”. As you know, there are three types (Hyperactive-Impulsive, Inattentive, and having both). Being in class, with so much stimuli, with her brain firing different thoughts and ideas almost all at once, as Morfydd exclaimed, “So exciting!”, while the teacher talks about a subject that she probably doesn’t find interesting, plus that insatiable need to get on her feet to be where she wants to be, or do what she wants to do. And all of that... you can imagine, it just becomes quite taxing for an excited ADHD brain. 🧠 I get that, really. The most common type of ADHD in girls is the “Inattentive Type” (formerly just called “ADD” aka Attention Deficit Disorder), which is easily overlooked. I was only diagnosed with it as an adult, which makes it sad as I’ve always been so cruel to myself before, not knowing what was wrong with me, and admitted to myself that I was just simply “lacking” or worst, feeling “dumb”. It’s a terrible (false) acceptance for a kid, and I carried that thought until adulthood. Morfydd got her diagnosis when she was seven. She was probably quite a handful! 😅 Parents and teachers can easily spot the “Hyperactive” kids because, well, they are literally hyperactive and uncontrollably rambunctious. Because of that, they can get their diagnosis earlier in life and get the help they require in their formative years. I was not like that. I was quiet, and timid. I was even called the “most behaved in class”. I didn’t cause any trouble in school. However, my concentration level is next to zero at worst times. I might be sitting quietly, but my mind is just all over the place. I’ve learned earlier in life on how to pretend I’m okay and find ways to cope.

🗨️ MORFYDD SAID:  I knew I was different from age seven when I started having medication for it. I understood that something was different but I didn’t understand what it was. I’d go and get my tablet in the staff room at lunchtime and there was a boy a few years above me who had an illness that required lots of medication, but I didn’t know this at the time. I remember seeing him get lots of tablets, cause that’s what he needed, and being like “Wow. He must be really naughty because I am quite naughty and I get one tablet.” I think quite early on, you label yourself as naughty and bad. (via ContentMode)

My ADHD caused me to have insomnia as early as age eight or nine. My brain just never stops wandering, even when I am physically tired. When I do things, I finish my tasks a lot longer than most people, be it at school, at home, or at work. This is not something I’ve talked about before, because I feel as an adult, in the usual corporate profession, I feel I’d be marginalized for it. It’s not really something I want my colleagues, and my boss to know. What’s more, for ADHD people, other learning disabilities are quite common. In school I enjoyed writing essays and stories, however, I suffered from mild “Dyslexia” and when I started second grade I started to have terrible “Dyscalculia” that I still have to this day.

🗨️ MORFYDD SAID: My dyslexia means I can’t read for long periods or the letters start moving around on the page, giving me headaches, so I have to prep more than others in shorter bursts — and when I’m home I’ve got these orange tinted glasses that I have to wear. (via WalesOnline)

My dyslexia has progressively gotten better as I have gotten older, and I even joined spelling bees in school. But the amount of hard work I did for that was just a lot. When I joined my local school paper, I decided it’s better I just focus on “editorial cartooning” instead of writing features and news because I have trouble submitting my articles on time. My dyscalculia until now is the same. I took up “Bachelor of Computer Science”, and you could call it a miracle, but I did manage to graduate. During exams, I always leave the room last, as I have to recheck my answers again and again before I submit them. Same with writing emails at work. And when I have to read a book, I oftentimes find myself stuck on one page over and over again. I’d be reading the same lines, but my mind just flies off, so I have to either stop, or restart reading until I could concentrate. The distraction can be caused by my own thoughts, or because I’m distracted by my surroundings. It’s really hard to focus, and I think Morfydd is amazing for being able to remember her lines especially when she’s doing onstage plays.

🗨️ MORFYDD SAID: I feel that acting really suits me because sometimes I struggle with a whole day rehearsal in a play, but film is very short moments of intense concentration. Then you can snap out of it. Also, the stakes are high. If I was going to have to do something boring like writing an essay, I can only do it under huge amounts of pressure and adrenaline. Being on set you have short bursts with pressure and it’s fun. In terms of learning lines, I will just wander around my flat or town saying them. There is no structure. I struggle when there is a structure enforced on me, that I can’t do. Within film, I am allowed to be fluid and structured within this world. I thought about that a lot with Maud. Because I thought, “Would I have been bullied a lot if I had been in an office, because I would just be annoying? Would I be fired a lot for being late?” (via ContentMode)

One of the remarkable aspects of ADHD is the ability to “Hyperfocus”. This so called superpower allows you to become intensely absorbed in a task, especially when it’s something you’re passionate about. For instance, Morfydd mentioned that when she first read the script for “Saint Maud”, she was so engrossed that she finished it in one sitting. In this state, nothing can distract you—absolutely nothing! When I hyperfocus, I often lose track of time and my surroundings, completely unaware of people trying to get my attention. I imagine it’s the same for Morfydd when she’s acting.

If you have ADHD and aim to meet expectations—whether it’s graduating from school or university, maintaining a relationship, running a business, or keeping your job—your brain really has to work extra hard to compensate for lack of focus and distractibility. In short an ADHD brain tends to be a lot more fatigued, and stressed than your neurotypical brain. It can become more manageable by taking your prescribed medication, managing your time effectively, and setting up reminders. Recent studies offer helpful coping strategies, and support from friends and family is very important, too!

🗨️ MORFYDD SAID:  People with ADHD find it really hard to put effort into things that they don’t find interesting. So, it’s about finding the thing that your child or person with ADHD is passionate about and finding a way to make that part of your world.” (via ContentMode) It’s weird to have a diagnosis from seven. It makes you feel different or other, which feeds a fascination with brains and why people are the way they are. I’m kind to myself about stuff I find difficult, because I understand why. (via NZHerald)

There are many people, especially girls and women who struggle with this neurodevelopmental disorder and not know they actually have it. So, I do have a lot of love, respect and appreciation for Miv, especially that she talks about this publicly, and reminding others that, ‘it’s okay’. With that, I have been reminded to be kinder to myself. I was never okay with having ADHD, but when people like her talk about it, I feel not so alone anymore. 🥀

Thanks to:  Morfydd Clark, ContentMode, NZHerald, The Observer, The Upcoming, BFI, Harper's Bazaar UK, Carl Marsh, BAFTA, WalesOnline, ADDITUDE

[princeanxious]

Fear the Daycare attendants all you like, but say one mean word to their faces and their handler will swoop in at a moments notice with a silent rage fueled by the many months of mental and emotional rehabilitation these three went through to ensure they could handle being re-released to the public.

Fazbear Entertainment might turn a blind eye to the animatronic rights movements that their highly specialized world renowned technology is absolutely a contribution towards, but this stout little animatronic handler didn’t pour their blood sweat and tears into helping rebuild these bots’ self confidence from the ground up every single day, for over half a year, to just let some entitled prick try and stomp over all the boys hardwork and progress at the drop of the hat.

Faz.Co can deal with the consequences of letting their two most expensive animatronics bond to one specific emotional support human whose made of like 70% protective feral rage at any given moment.

A good fit for the daycare, to be sure, but also a solid reminder that humans are just as capable of being the danger so many others label animatronics to be. (Moon is holding onto their handler for a reason, you know.)

(Edit: second take here)

[bonaesperanza]

I just realized that Ekaterin Vorkosigansaga's maiden name is Vorvayne because the structure and nature of her and Miles's romance are heavily inspired by Sayers's Wimsey novels, in which the romantic heroine is called Harriet Vane.

[supernovasilence]

Diversity win! Your girly fashion game is abolishing gender norms with gender-neutral wine tankards!

[choicespride]

Transgender Awareness Month 2024

Welcome to this year's Transgender Awareness Month Event!!!

Rules

This event will start on Friday, November 1 and end on Saturday, November 30

While there are prompts, the use of them is not required. Any work that focuses on transgender characters/themes/etc. is submittable.

Submissions must include the characters full name and which Choices story they are from. GOC characters must also include a gender tag (ex. m!MC, nb!OC).

If your work contains a relationship it must be labelled correctly, using "x" or "/" for romantic/sexual relationships and "&" for platonic relationships.

NSFW/mature submissions are allowed, but must be tagged properly and have the proper community label.

You cannot submit AI generated content for this event.

Tag this account on all submissions. If I don't reblog within 72 hours, please DM me the post on this account as sometimes Tumblr tags can be unreliable. You can also use the #choices transgender awareness month 2024

[rjdavies]

Heart Awareness Month: Is it Monday?

The month of February is Heart Awareness Month!

The challenge is to do one thing every day to promote a heart-healthy lifestyle

Did you know: Most heart attacks happen on a Monday!

The risk of having a heart attack on a Monday is 11-20% higher than any other day of the week. There is a lower chance of risk for Saturdays. Oddly December 25th have more cardiac deaths than any other day of the year, followed closely by December 26th and the third ranking day is January 1st.

A lot of things could factor into that fact, people are under stress of Monday meetings, starting off the work week after a relaxing weekend, stress is high on the list for causing heart attacks. 

Heart Health Tip: Drink lots of water at least 8 glasses a day, keep your body, mind and heart hydrated. 

Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada | Home

American Heart Association | To be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives

R. J. Davies

A Riveting Jacked-In Dreamy Mind-Bender

RJ Davies - Science Fiction Author, Maddox Files, Novels

[nejackdaw]

(reads my own fic) woah. I'm so good at my job

[autumnapricot]

| will o‘ the wisps

Charles Leclerc/Max Verstappen

[finished work, 17 chapters, 165k]

>>„Don‘t do this.“ Charles hisses and pleads all the same. „You can‘t do this. Please. Max trusted me.“

Seb cocks his head.

„Yes,“ he slowly says, quiet but haunting. „And that was the plan, Charles.“<<

[OR: Max Verstappen is an Omega in a world where his designation is seen as nothing but an item to be possessed, an object to be bought and used as pleased.

Charles Leclerc is an officer gone off duty, taking on the task of housing an Omega whose trust in good things is shattered, and whose secrets go deeper than anticipated.

Charles never expects things to go as far down south as they do.]

ao3 link

playlist: songs that have inspired or followed along the creation of this fic

[xerith-42]

I'm ready to convince everyone on this site willing to read over 60k words why they should ship Cadenza Zvahl and Jeffory The Golden Heart.

See you in a few days :3

[woahkana]

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, Prince Harry and Meghan The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently visited with a local youth group, AHA! Santa Barbra to learn firsthand about this generations experiences, with social media and societal pressures and how it affects their mental well being. The couple engaged with these amazing youth in candid conversation, working to find solutions together. 

During this hour long session The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spoke with teens ages 14-18 about the opportunities social media can provide for connection and community, as well as the ways in which it also raises issues of insecurity, peer-pressure and potential for self-harm among other risks.