#I love working in a challenging area of law I love learning I love getting to be creative with my strategies

[lordgolden]

just got my sexual harassment/retaliation and disability discrimination cases tentatively approved to take!!!! omg I’ve been fighting/researching for my life strategizing and proposing them to my supervisors the last few months. i’m so excited to get experience doing more anti-discrimination work this is the reason I went to law school. and I can’t wait to call the clients once it’s official (I have to write more legal memos first 😭) omg they are both going to be so happy :’) I worked my ass off for this and here I am doing the work that I love and making a positive impact!!!

[trans-axolotl]

hey i love your posts on anti-psych organizing, the work you're doing is really inspiring <333 i was jw if you have any advice for people who want to contribute to the movement but have certain accessibility challenges? for example in my case i have very high social anxiety which makes public speaking hard and i also have difficulty processing denser criticism/theory in written form due to cognitive symptoms, etc. and it makes me feel like i don't have much to offer to help but i would love to get more involved if possible!! tysm in advance if you answer this happy pride btw <3

Happy pride anon! Thanks so much for this question, I think it's really important!

There are so many ways to contribute to antipsych/mad liberation movement, and it's so important that our spaces are accessible! When we're fighting for our rights as mad and disabled people, we deserve to have our access needs respected, and to be able to show up in whatever ways work for us. I talk a lot about writing and theory on here just because Tumblr is a place I go to write, but theory is not something that feels always relevant or important in many spaces. Community and accessibility always comes first!

Whatever you have to offer to the movement is enough and valued. I'll list off some ideas I have, but honestly, whatever you feel passionate about and your own ideas are likely to be better than what I can list off.

Creating art! whether writing, drawing, mixed media, anything, creating art and sharing it with others really can be an important way to honor our experiences and share them with others.

Finding out where a psych ward near you is, and writing cards, sending in care packages with things like books, puzzles, fidget toys, things like that. Happy to write out some more tips for that if people are interested.

Graffiti! even if you're just using a sharpie to write alternative crisis line numbers that don't call the cops on posters for the 988 hotline, putting up psych abolition stickers near hospitals, things like that.

Going to protests. There aren't a lot of specific mad pride/antipsych protests, but depending on your area, there might be some stuff happening in July for mad pride! I know there's an event happening in Vermont on July 15th.

Creating reading groups. I think theory is not more important than lived experience and isn't necessary to read super dense academic stuff, but I know for some people it can be a really powerful experience to read stuff that validates your experiences and offers new ways of understanding. Creating a book club where you can read stuff with other people, talk about it together, discuss questions and confusions you have together, can be a way to make it more accessible then trying to navigate it on your own. And it absolutely doesn't have to be theory that you read, it could be memoirs, fiction, nonfiction, anything that interests you!

Finding out what is already going on in your location. Even if there isn't specific antipsych groups, a lot of cities will have mental health support groups, mental health clubhouses, peer support, etc. Sometimes there will already be projects going that you can figure out ways to get involved.

Writing reviews of hospitals/psychiatrists/treatment providers to better give people in your community an idea of what to expect.

Community building. I think that a lot of times, we can feel really isolated and that the psych system can make it hard for us to be connected to each other and learn the skills to support each other. Joining groups like the Hearing Voices Network, other peer support groups, local support groups, clubhouses, etc, can be a really important step just to build relationships and get involved without necessarily having to create specific projects.

Learning what resources are near you and building up a resource library so that you can share things like coping skills, peer respite, local orgs with other people in your community!

Understanding the laws around psych hospitalization, mental health, medications, etc. If new laws are proposed, giving feedback, emailing hospitals about policies, things like that.

Self care and rest. So often we are in crisis, constantly going, feeling the pressure to be involved. Resting can be part of resistance! Taking the time to care for ourselves, our community, embracing joy, play, recreation, is so important. Our survival can be resistance in a system that doesn't want us free.

These are just some ideas, and are not a complete list. I really believe that everyone's contributions are worthy and valuable, and that whatever people have to offer is worth celebrating. Our movements should be accessible and considerate of all of our different needs, and figure out ways to empower each of us to participate, and to get rid of barriers together. My way of engaging with antipsych stuff is absolutely not the only or best way, and I always love to hear from other people about their approaches!

TL;DR: Theory and public speaking are not the only ways to particpate, and accessibility is important! Whatever things you are passionate about are good places to start brainstorming. There are multiple options of things like art, sending care packages, and getting involved in local community.

Followers, please feel free to add on your own ideas or ways you participate! Would love to hear all the amazing ways we're all engaging with this movement.

[sims4legacyandoherfunthings]

Sims 4 Challenges rotation Play

I have started a Sims 4 Challenges Rotation play as I want to experience more challenges and with the teen lifespan being so long, I haven’t got to them yet.

Below are the Rules I will be using:

I will play each family for 7 days.

Seasons are 14 days long.

Each heir will be chosen by heir poll.

Pregnancies will be paused when family is not active

I will be also be doing 10 challenges, but some are shorter than others so will be replaced by others when they are complete, Below are the Challenges, I will be doing to start with.

Challenge 1- Mysims Legacy- The Simes Family

Challenge 2- Random Legacy- The Reyes Family

Challenge 3- Whimacy- The Dream Family

Challenge 4- Close encounter family- The Frosten Family

Challenge 5- Pack Legacy- The Crocket Family

Challenge 6- Box of chocolates legacy- The Collazo Family

Challenge 7- Never say never- Tolliver family.

Challenge 8- Gemstone Legacy- The Jewel Family

Challenge 9- Epic challenge- The Gales

Challenge 10- Baby Boom- The Legions

The Families

My Sims Legacy

Goals:

Must Get all Mysims Trophies by end of legacy.

Potion of Youth- Once per gen

Succession Laws Following- Strict Traditional, Equality, Democracy

Gen 1- Chef Gino

Goals

Master Culinary Career or own five-star restaurant

Complete Aspiration

Traits- See below.

Skills- Max Cooking, Gourmet cooking (Optional- Baking, Mixology)

Complete Experimental Prints collection and learn all recipes- Level 5 cooking- Chez Llama restaurant.

Learn all 27 city living recipes.

Founder- Jessica Simes- Foodie, Gloomy, Clumsy- Aspiration- Master Chef

Random Legacy

Rolls

Martial Structure- Couple with Help

Children- 5

Careers: Primary- Secret Agent- Diamond Agent

Secondary- Job Hopper- Critic -Art, Entertainer- Musician, Criminal-Boss, Social Media-PR, Writer- Author

Secondary 2- Stylist

Goal- Saving Space- Must live in tiny home for entire generation.

Misc- My precious- Once a week buy something shiny from decorations and display in home.

Founding Sims

Jackson Reyes- Self-assured, Outgoing, Genius

Marianna- Creative, Kleptomaniac, outgoing- Jackson’s Wife

Luci Howell- Sister of Mari- Creative, outgoing, perfectionist

Whimacy

Goals:

Follow Sims whims, if pinned, must do.

Automy full/Aging on

Can only direct sims to full needs if its in the red by clicking on need

10 generations

Work- can direct them to go and choose tone, can do work task, Professionals- can do work but no socialising without whim

Can’t marry/move in sim unless it’s a whim or random

Try for baby same – Exception- if sims ask to woohoo and have done before then can substitute try for baby

Can sell stuff from inventory

Free day once 250 Whims are completed

Mabel Dreams- Outgoing, Ambitious, Cheerful- Bestselling Author

Close Encounter Academy

Goals:

Normal ya human

Lot trait- Science Lair

Career-Science

Max Logic and Rocket science

Max Science career

Get abducted three times

Get pregnant through Abduction

Have Alien Baby

Raise to YA

Leland Frosten- Genius, Ambitious, Geek- The Curator

Pack Legacy

All goals must be completed before moving generations

Can use money cheats, mods and cc

Gen 1- Outdoor Retreat

Goals:

Complete Angling Ace Aspiration

Complete Outdoor Enthusiast Aspiration

Date a Squeamish sim

Take Partner and Founder on holiday to Granite falls

Max out Herbalism

Complete fish and Insect collection for Base game and outdoor retreat

Enter Secret Lot and befriend Hermit

Founder- Lincey Crocket- Bookworm, romantic, Loves outdoors- Career Writer

Box of Chocolates Legacy

Once a week- Thursday- Spin for an event

Create Sim and move to lot

Runs for 10 generations

Home must have living area, bathroom, bedroom- Can add additional rooms when additional sims are added

Easy Mode- 3 free spins per gen

Founder- thin, Green eyes, Dress modestly

Roll CAS wheel every time someone ages up

Ellen Collazo- Proper, Music Lover, outgoing-Friend of the World

Never say Never Challenge

Randomize Sim, traits, aspiration and home world

Say yes to all pop ups and whims

Can care for young sims

Must stay out on outings for at least an hour

If no direct yes, no answer roll for it

The Goal- Play sim until they die

The Sim- Matias Tolliver- Self assured, kleptomaniac, evil, Aspiration: Chief of Mischief

World-Evergreen Harbour

Gemstone Legacy

Can cheat for first home

Complete Career and Aspiration each gen

Complete all tasks

Gen 1- Sapphire

Founder- Neela Jewel- Genius, Unflirty, Ambitious

Max Logic, piano, Voiln

Marry and romance coworker once adult but can be friends before that

Max Business-Investor branch

Gen 1- Garden of Eden

Must have garden on lot and easy access to fishing spot

House must be wood or stone with stone dirt, or wood floor and wooden windows

No lights- Only candles or torches and electricity (OFF THE GRID)

Toilet and bath must be places outside.

No Sprinkler

Must have wash tub and clothesline.

Male Founder/Spouse- Gardening, Military, Astronaut

Female- Gardening, Culinary

No Hospital

No Vacation

Can gain fitness skill from jogging swimming, punch bag and workout machine

Heir must gain level 5 in two skills- Gardening, cooking, fishing

Can do scouts

No Phone use

No Fridge until Career is maxed

Founder- James Gale- Aspiration- Angling Ace, Career-Military- Traits- Ambitious, active, Loves outdoors

Legion Baby Boom

No Money Cheats

Can use life extenders

Can age up early to fix glitch only

If parents dies fail

All Children must come from the same parents

Naming Schema, I am using-H T T P S B O O L P R O P N E T I N D E X P H P

If a child leaves through death or being taken away before ya they must be replaced

Create Sim Couple

Move to big empty lot and buy knight of octagon

One parent goes to work, one stays at home

No Service Sims

The Goal- To have 12 children of each gender totalling 24, you must keep going until you have 12 of each gender

The Parents

Heidi Legion- Painter Extraordinaire- Creative, Perfectionist, Family oriented

Wyatt Legion- Computer Whiz- Geek, Ambitious, Family Oriented.

[bellshazes]

@reverendsus i think the whole nuclear family + stranger danger + fantasy of independence ideas that are so ingrained in american culture are a huge detriment to stuff like this … it's not BUILT to sustain communities and mutual help like tht

this is true, but i think the hopeful thing that keeps me motivated is the building of this culture is not dependent on bending laws or institutions, but can be done via grassroots organizing or leveraging existing communities.

Department of Behavioral Health/Disabilities (DBHDID, DBHDD, etc.) and Centers for Independent/Accessible Living (CAL/CILs) vary in quality but often offer trainings or community support groups for individuals with disabilities and the people who love them; you may also have a department of aging, community chest/metro united way, or other city/county-level orgs that provide public education and services

Religious organizations are often leaders in community support especially around foster care. Orphan Care Alliance in KY allows you to post needs and then meet others', like car repairs or a mattress or money for a hotel to keep a family stable.

Suicide prevention training like QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) is commonly given even for free by state and community organizations, alongside Mental Health First Aid; there are crisis intervention trainings but tend to be a little more rare or likely to cost something

Trauma-informed care, ACEs and PACEs trainings are often available depending on location from local or state organizations if you want a better vocabulary for talking about trauma and being supportive of otehrs who have experienced it

the Science of Hope, while really kind of just like Pedagogy of the Oppressed but with stats, is easy to locate ted talks on and lays out the impact & importance of hope - & how we can give it to each other

the biggest challenger here is that because it's all necessarily hyper-local, you will have to figure out for your individual area and state and context what's good and what's not. not all CILs or advocacy orgs are equally effective or well-run, but it's worth looking. you do have to get to know people, it's a lot of word of mouth, but that's the network that needs built.

and, ultimately, doing things like joining your neighborhood association if you have one or joining a community garden or just straight up getting to know your neighbors contributes heavily. hope is a social gift, and strong natural supports are the #1 most important factor in resiliency - letting people you live alongside know you both are here together, even and maybe especially if you never become friends, is a meaningful push in the right direction. be a cool aunt/uncle/cousin to non-relatives, appreciate your regular customers at work, give grace, learn to ask if folks are okay when you are able to listen, etc. forming connections that are founded in "I care that you exist in the world alongside me, even if we barely know each other, because you are in my community" is the work. it is so complex but at its heart, that is the work, period.

in turn, if you can't do that for any number of reasons right now, you deserve to have a network of supportive community too, even if you don't have it. the point of doing what you can when you can is that everybody needs the connection to others, and sometimes you need more of it.

my coworker says our job in BH healthcare is to hold hope for our members until the time they can take their hope back and hold it for themselves. sometimes you may be on one side or the other of that hopeful/lessness, but that is something you can do with very little training. and if you don't have hope, you can grow it for yourself, too, with some help. i promise that.

[macgyvertape]

D2 season of the Plunder Thoughts

gameplay stuff above cut story stuff below in a liveblog format (what a mess this post is when tumblr ate my bullet points)

DIM has been painfully slow and it’s a problem with the Bungie API system, DiM is so integral to quality of life in the game, the app can’t compare. Tower has been unusably slow like the last few season but even worse

 I appreciate the UI buff changes, color coding it via class and with different shapes.

 Story progression requiring 50 champ kills and giving bonus for master ketchcrash is so bullshit since master ketchcrash isn’t matchmade and requires a high powerlevel grind. Glad they made it autocomplete after a day

The ketchcrash activity is fun, it's great that it's randomized to reduce the monotony of the grind. I think it’s neat the level of companion AI there is.

 However expeditions are frustrating with the ruffian mechanic which only progresses when you sit around and throw the treasure away. So they basically never show up with blueberries.

 Destroy shield generators is also a pain. Fighting other guardians for the scorch cannon then some asshole steals it right from your kill. Same thing with deposit treasure for scallywag, where you fight other guardians for it. A lot of people complained about this with scythe kills last season

Nice to see old areas repurposed for pirate hideouts

.Anti-barrier sniper is really bad this season, between the flinch changes and snipers being outclassed by other weapons the damage power isn’t there like lastime

The real flaw this season is the reward structure. So few red border drops, limits on the ability to buy focused weapons when you have challenges that require leveling them.

The challenge of “level 3 seasonal shaped weapons to lvl 10” exemplifies this when I had 0 seasonal weapons crafted by then

 Even worse that challenge gives repute when I need more repute to buy something that increased the drop rate.

I wish bungie wouldn’t lock GMs behind the power grind. They’re the content I want to do but irl keeps me busy so I never get to power level until after GMs start

Glad I don’t care about event title because I don’t have the time to grind for it. I made an attempt at getting challenges done but the weapon kills and 35 haunted sectors were too much of a time sink. So no point paying for the event pass even if I was interested. 

50 super kills in Mayhem was a lot easier this season with no classy restoration in PVP. Despite only using Thundercrash titan, I got that challenge done before “defeat guardians with arc damage”

Really enjoying whatever this Telesto thing is. Favorite fusion rifle and in top 3 favorite exotic guns. Edit: hmm it actually ended up being disappointing that they reverted all the changes

Very glad Devil Lair is the double loot GM. That way I can masterwork all my high stat exotics on hunter and titan

Masterworked Hunter Trip Grenade Gauntlets: wow those are a lot of fun with the new solar rework.

I played my Hunter and Titan characters a lot more this season, and I’m finally as comfortable doing endgame PVE with them as I am with my Warlock. Warlock is still my favorite class just how healing rift and grenade focus compliment my playstyle but learning to like all classes and be good is something I worked on since WQ launch and I think its paid off

Arc super on Warlock feels weak in that Chaos Reach can’t kill a champ in master content without Geomags, and ticklefingers is only really good for add control of which the rest of Arc Warlock kit provides a lot of other options.

Gathering Storm arc super for Hunter is great, finally makes Arc Hunter good in higher difficulty and its really good against both a crowd of adds and bosses. I think I used arc staff like once but it wasn’t as fun.

I didn’t think much changed for arc titan but I finally got the hang of the movement charged melees.

I love Brigand’s Law what a great sidearm. No Reprieve (stasis shotty) was the weapon I crafted first and lvled to 20. I don’t really like it as a precision shotgun but it will be great for Shank-Taniks boss fight next season.

Finally got my 3rd pattern for Seasonal weapons with 3 weeks left. Yeah the red border system this season was awfulI

 wound up not playing any iron banner this season. No seasonal challenges required it and if I’m not super interested in the game mode this season and skulking wolf trait isn’t good in PvE

.Just like seasonal event titles, the new IB structure incentives grinding a lot in 2 weeks. Its a fast track to burnout for me so I don’t go for it, but I dislike the shift towards short time to earn FOMO titles

 Did the raid almost every week on all 3 characters and no Touch of Malice, raid exotics being random RNG with no bad luck protection system is just such a waste of players time

This season I finally did a reset with Banshee, I’m glad they adjusted it.

Without even trying for it I got Thrillmonger medal, and thereby completed Dredgen. No FUCK no to ever trying to Gild it though

Glad there’s skill based matchmaking but crucible still sucks ass when I play with my friends in other timezones. Damage glitching with cheats or bad connections, gives me 0 reason to do pvp except for seasonal challenges and its so prevalent in Trials and Glory Playlist

The challenges I skipped were 100 Guardian stasis kills, and 2nd reset for Crucible and Gambit. If I’m not having fun then I won’t force myself to play

Did Master Rhulk through the streamer’s checkpoint system, it wasn’t that bad. Glad to get the sparrow.

Gameplay wise the community event was great to have during the last week, bonus rewards for doing a lot of playlist activities to finish seasonal challenges. I turned in most of my planetary materials to Rahool to buy golfballs, and I have most good stat exotics masterworked.

I’m SO GLAD they changed Scallywag to 8/9 triumphs, I’m tired of doing expeditions and I don't want to have to sit in the activity growing to hate Destiny to get it

I tried to do Master Caiatl with some clanmates on the last day and holy shit I think its the most difficult PvE in the game. Between survivability from lots of adds, match game with lots of shields, deaths from architects and being thrown off the map, and that you have so little time to kill bell keepers before Caiatl gets there. Its a lot to deal with and after close to an hour with no progress we gave up.Master WQ campaign mission was a cakewalk comparatively

First week:

I hope someone got a gif of the ketch flying overhead, that was my favorite part of Beyond Light, how present Eramis Shipstealer’s ketch is. Shame it wouldn’t let me replay the mission on other characters b/c of a bug. 

The following cutscene: cries in how bad my guardian looks on my graphics card. 

This pirate theme is a lot of fun, a lighter in tone breather from the horror of last season. If the music wasn’t a clue the fact that basically every NPC has a punny pirate name would do it 

Also the music that played during the cutscene sounded like the start of “the families” but different. Interesting because “the families” was from black armory soundtrack

Other weeks:

This is really peak Eliksni fucker season

While I’m enjoying Drifter’s antics I wish we got him being a bit more morally gray and sketchy like he was in Season of Outlaw/Joker’s Wild

Pirate Hideouts: The Blademasters - i do appreciate some immune Cabal chasing me with swords

In universe they keep calling what we’re doing “unsavory business” but aside from like working with Spider (leader of an organized crime ring) what morally dubious actions are we committing than our normal “privateering actions” where we basically have a comission of war from the Last City. Worst thing I guess we're doing is blowing up the ether and thereby starving others but that isn't like brought up as a plot point.

Spider and Misraaks have BIG ex energy. Feels like classic ex-significant other back in the life of the single dad causing drama with his child because the dad has a past he REGRETS

Misraaks threatening Spider(Rakis) is hot DILF shit.

Eramis is short! Wonder if she remembers me specifically as that guardian from Europa

Making people walk the plank into the void of space, marooning on small asteroids where who knows what you'd die from first. great melding of pirate+space.  Misraaks’ dark past wasn’t shocking, nothing that hadn’t been heavily hinted at 

The people in Victorian times ate mummies thinking it would be curative. Wonder what powers people would get from eating parts of Nezarac (edit: lmao what an easy I made before the cutscene even leaked)

Eramis vs Mithrax sword fight was great! Love that Eramis was there defending Eido. So curious about how things might have gone if Mithrax didn’t attack first

Feels nice to be the good guy again” WHEN DID YOU CHANGE DRIFTER?! you were pragmatic not moralistic, why are you not asking for any pay?! 

I wish there would be more pay off in the last week of the story instead of waiting for the last week of the season after a holiday event where you have to hope you have free time. The season just felt really anticlimactic, and I guess I wish Eramis’ message of “I can’t change I will never get over the pain of the whirlwind” wasn’t just in a radio message. Despite her threat to Eido I don’t  think she would follow through. Mithrax, yeah she’d totally hurt him. 

All of Drifter’s “funny” voicelines during the Halloween event, its like Drifter are you still the same character as the guy who killed and ate his fireteam to get off the ice planet and had people die for real in your gambit arena?

The community event of improving the eliksni quarter is cute, I don’t know if they went for the intentional parallels that Spider who is the face of organized crime in universe is “leading” the cleanup, when irl organized crime groups help the community because it gets them good pr

Love the end of season cutscene. Idk how to phrase this without uncharitable reading replies, but its good bungie made it explicitly clear it was a romantic relationship with an onscreen kiss. Like if you read the lore it’s been obvious for a while but in light of the 2021 IGN expose, and considering you have to go looking for the Immolant weblore, and when the writer was confirming it on twitter Osiris had already been replaced. Just glad Bungie doubled down about it being a gay romantic relationship and I hope everyone mad about it uninstalls. 

Overall its hard for me to say how much I would have enjoyed this season if I didn’t enjoy seeing characters who haven’t got a lot of screentime, especially since it was mostly Mcguffin chasing, with the twists of; Lucent Hive are after the relics too and Nazerac parts could wake up Osiris not really being built up before they’re revealed

[atozbodyfitness]

Is Willpower the Only Thing Standing Between You and Weight Loss, or Is It More Complicated?

Introduction

You’ve built a successful career, whether it’s in law, finance, real estate, or as a company CEO.

But despite your professional success, one area might still be a challenge: your physique.

Perhaps you’re carrying extra weight, sporting a dad bod, or struggling to find the energy and motivation to get in shape.

You’ve likely heard that weight loss is all about willpower—just eat less, move more, and you’ll shed the pounds, right?

But if it were that simple, you’d already have the body you want. The truth is, weight loss is more complicated than just summoning willpower. Let’s dive into why that’s the case and what you can do about it.

The Willpower Myth?

Willpower is often touted as the key to success in every aspect of life, from closing deals to hitting the gym. And there is truth to this but in reality, it’s not everything.

There will be some days where you will have to push through the feeling of not wanting to do the tasks tat you need to do to get you to your goals.

Everyone has to do things they don’t like to reach the mountaintop.

I don’t care who you are, this will always be the case for anything you do.

I love what I do as a profession but there were even certain aspects of my career that came up that I needed to do to advance and keep growing.

I never cared for content creation or blog editing or at the beginning of my career, sales.

But you have to learn these skills to become not just even a successful trainer, forget about that if you want to be a successful business owner.

But when it comes to weight loss, relying solely on willpower is not everything either.

It doesn’t have to be a grind every single day doing things you hate

Here’s why:

Fatigue: Your professional life demands a lot of mental energy. After a long day of making decisions and managing stress, your willpower is drained. This leaves you vulnerable to making poor food choices or skipping workouts.

Stress: High-stress levels, common in your line of work, trigger the release of cortisol—a hormone that not only increases appetite but also encourages your body to store fat, particularly around the abdomen.

Sedentary Lifestyle: Long hours at the desk or in meetings contribute to a sedentary lifestyle, which makes it even harder to burn calories and lose weight, no matter how strong your willpower might be.

In essence, willpower alone isn’t enough to overcome the complex interplay of factors that affect your body and your health.

You need a more strategic approach to weight loss and muscle gain—one that aligns with your lifestyle and professional demands.

The Real Challenges Standing in Your Way

For men in their 30s and 40s, weight loss is a multifaceted challenge.

It’s not just about what you eat or how often you work out; it’s about addressing the underlying factors that make it difficult to stick to a plan.

It’s about being consistent day in and day out and not trying to reach your goals in the hardest and fastest way possible.

Here’s what might be holding you back:

Lack of Energy: The demands of a high-powered career leave little energy for rigorous exercise routines. By the time you’re done with your workday, the idea of hitting the gym can feel overwhelming.

Inconsistent Routine: Your schedule is unpredictable. Some days are jam-packed with meetings, while others might require you to travel. This inconsistency makes it difficult to establish a regular workout routine or stick to a diet.

High Stress Levels: Stress isn’t just bad for your mental health—it’s bad for your waistline. Stress-induced eating and the body’s natural reaction to store fat under stress make it hard to lose weight, no matter how much willpower you have.

Physical Inactivity: Spending long hours at a desk or in meetings means you’re not burning many calories throughout the day. Even with a strict diet, this low level of physical activity can slow down your weight loss progress.

What It Really Takes to Lose Weight and Build Muscle

Given these challenges, it’s clear that a more comprehensive approach is needed—one that goes beyond simply trying harder. Here’s what you need to do:

Personalized Fitness Plans: Generic fitness advice won’t cut it. You need a plan that’s tailored to your unique lifestyle, one that takes into account your hectic schedule and energy levels. Online fitness coaching for weight loss can provide this level of personalization, offering expert advice that fits your life.

Sustainable Routines: Establish a routine that you can stick to, even on your busiest days. This might mean shorter, high-intensity workouts that fit into your lunch break or using bodyweight exercises you can do in your office.

Stress Management: Incorporating stress-reducing activities like meditation or light exercise can help lower cortisol levels, making it easier for your body to burn fat rather than store it.

Diet Tailored to Your Needs: Forget about fad diets that require extreme willpower. You need a muscle gain program for men over 30 that includes a diet plan focused on sustainable, long-term results. This means eating in a way that supports your energy needs without causing drastic swings in hunger or cravings.

Conclusion

Weight loss isn’t a battle of wills—it’s a strategic endeavor that requires a thoughtful approach, especially for high-achieving men in their 30s and 40s.

By addressing the unique challenges, you face—like stress, fatigue, and an inconsistent routine—you can develop a plan that not only helps you lose weight but also keeps it off, builds muscle, and boosts your energy levels.

So, is willpower the only thing standing between you and weight loss? Absolutely not.

It’s time to move beyond the myth of willpower and embrace a more comprehensive strategy tailored to your life and your goals.

Your future self will thank you for investing in your health today.

If you want my free guide to show you how you can lose 50lbs and keep it off then click the title below!

It’s a free video on how you can start finally seeing the results you want. No strings attached.

I'll show you how to lose 50lbs for free

Don’t forget to check me out on my other social media handles for the latest and best advice for fitness.

- YouTube: AtoZbodyfitness

- Instagram: AtoZbodyfitness

- Facebook: AtoZbodyfitness

- Tumblr: AtoZbodyfitness

- Linkedin AtoZbodyfitness

Disclaimer: Adam is not a doctor nor a nutritionist. This is all from the experience Adam has gained through himself and through schooling. Through his videos, Adam shares his personal and educational experience that he has acquired over the past years of training individuals through fitness and nutrition. Adam would strongly recommend you see your physician before starting or completing any exercise program. You should be in good physical condition to participate in the exercises which is why consulting your physician would be recommended.

Action – Consistency – Results

[fmp24np]

Forefront 3

Stellar Rogue

This week I found a game ready 3D character breakdown article on 80. LVL by Ida Faber, a 3D Character Artist.

Ida Faber, an artist from Latvia, she began her journey into 3D art in 2019 while studying Law and Diplomacy.  Driven by her love for video games and Asian design influences, Ida focused on making human characters and eventually decided to work independently, inspired by a mentor who guided her in areas like rigging, sculpting, and texturing. Over time, she transitioned into selling her 3D models online.

Stellar Rogue - Game Ready (Faber, 2024b)

Currently, Ida focuses on creating game-ready characters for platforms like Unity and Unreal Engine. She employs a detailed workflow, starting with sculpting in ZBrush and progressing through retopology, UV mapping, texturing, and rigging, using various software tools like Maya, Blender, and Substance 3D Painter. She emphasizes the importance of understanding each step of the process and staying committed to completing projects without getting negatively affected by perfectionism. Ida’s work is heavily influenced by her interest in video games, particularly those with Asian aesthetics, and she continues to refine her craft while also mentoring others.

 I think Ida Faber's journey as a 3D character artist emphasizes the importance of passion, adaptability, continuous learning, and persistence for aspiring artists. Her experience shows that discovering and following your true passion is crucial, as it drives commitment and growth. She highlights the value of being adaptable and willing to learn new skills, which is essential in the rapidly evolving 3D industry.

Ida also underscores the significance of completing projects, rather than getting down by perfectionism, and the impact of finding good learning resources and mentors. Her career path illustrates that there are various ways to succeed in 3D art, whether through studio work, freelancing, or selling your own creations. For aspiring 3D artists, Ida's journey offers valuable lessons in staying motivated, continuously improving, and exploring different opportunities in the field.

This article will serve as an important foundation in my 3D art career, to keep me focused and motivated through different challenges. Perfectionism not always the best approach in a project development, which will be significantly important in this FMP period.

Faber, I. (2024a). A Detailed Breakdown Of Making A Sci-Fi Ninja With ZBrush And Maya. Available at: https://80.lv/articles/a-detailed-breakdown-of-making-a-sci-fi-ninja-with-zbrush-and-maya/.

Faber, I. (2024b). Stellar Rogue - Game Ready. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/8b01BE.

[bibliophilicwitch]

The Stars Too Fondly by Emily Hamilton

Adult Science-Fiction feat. diverse cast; physical borrowed from library

So, here’s the thing: Cleo and her friends really, truly didn’t mean to steal this spaceship. They just wanted to know why, twenty years ago, the entire Providence crew vanished without a trace, but then the stupid dark-matter engine started on its own. Now these four twenty-somethings are en route to Proxima Centauri and unable to turn around while being harangued by a hologram that has the face and snide attitude of the ship’s missing captain, Billie. Cleo has dreamt of being an astronaut all her life, and Earth is a lost cause at this point, so this should be one of those blessings in disguise that people talk about. But as the ship travels deeper into space, the laws of physics start twisting; old mysteries come crawling back to life; and Cleo’s initially combative relationship with Billie turns into something deeper and more desperate than either woman was prepared for.

The Altar Within by Juliet Diaz

Adult Spirituality Nonfiction; fills a reading challenge prompt and diversifies year reading

The Altar A Radical Devotional to Liberate the Divine Self is a work of spiritual revolution for all peoples, offering them practices and rituals in the arts of self-worship, self-discovery, and self-activism. The Altar Within is like no other approach to Spirituality, breaking through the vicious cycles of harmful and toxic spiritual practices and beliefs. Diaz speaks for those victimized and enslaved by colonization and offers a new take on personal development based in the resounding plea of our ancestors to live our Divined lives, the ones they could not have for themselves. In the book, Diaz leads the reader through an exploration. Pushing back on #lightandlove and #goodvibesonly, Diaz dismantles the wellness industry, releasing readers from the practice of spiritual bypassing into a far more powerful experience of self, healing, hope, and Spirit. This book is for anyone, including those who can't afford to buy all the tools, pay for the expensive memberships, people who have real-life issues, illnesses, and hardships. Through The Altar Within , Diaz brings the Magic to real life, acknowledging our humanness by connecting with our Spirit. The Altar Within will help readers create success in every area of their lives—from wealth, health, relationships, and personal development, to the nourishment of their relationship with the Divine self. As Diaz explains, when we can finally decolonize our spiritual beliefs, Divinity can be a super force in our lives, making us whole, stronger, wiser, and setting us on a path of transcendent activism. #magicalaf

Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks

Adult Romance feat. demisexual hero; audiobook releasing August 20

Callum Flannelly would rather dive into an open grave than take a stranger to dinner and a movie. But he can only inherit the family undertaking business and carry on their legacy under one condition: He must marry before his 35th birthday. So it’s out of the mortuary and into the dating scene. Lark Thompson would rather get crushed by a falling anvil than stay next to a funeral home during her stay in Galway, Ireland. The vivacious American cartoon creator and animator came here to embrace life, not be reminded of losing her husband. When Lark learns of Callum’s dilemma and aversion to marrying out of necessity rather than love, she agrees to help the introverted mortician. Although sworn off love herself, she is optimistic that Callum can find The One and secure his inheritance. But as the dating project progresses and their friendship grows, so does a mutual attraction. The more time she spends with serious, sarcastic Callum, the more she dreads finding him a match. And the more disastrous dates he endures, the more he dreads Lark’s imminent return to the states. If they think it’s possible to ignore their connection, they’re dead wrong.

[gatekeeper-watchman]

Daily Devotionals for May 29, 2024

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for Daily Living

Devotional Scripture:

Proverbs 17:13-15(KJV):

13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

14 The beginning of strife is when one letteth water: therefore leave off contention before it is meddled with.

15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

Proverbs 17:13(Amp):

13 Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

14 The beginning of strife is when water first trickles (from a crack in a dam); therefore stop contention before it becomes worse and quarreling breaks out.

15 He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both an abomination -- exceedingly disgusting and hateful -- to the Lord.

Thought for the Day

Verse 13 - Those who have been helped by someone and then return an evil act toward them will find they are cursed with evil in their own house. A man helps a homeless person and is mugged. A supervisor helps a friend become a manager and that same friend fires him to secure his position. Parents invest their money and time in nursing a sickly child who grows up only to ignore them when they are elderly. These are but a few examples of how good can be rewarded by evil. Those who selfishly return evil for good will only bring evil upon themselves. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6:7).

Verse 14 - Strife can begin with a few unkind words and end in a bitter quarrel, just as a small crack in a dam quickly widens until the whole dam bursts. We must stop contention before it becomes a quarrel. One way to do this is to learn what triggers a quarrel and to refrain from saying such things. Another way is to walk in humility. Proverbs 13:10 says contention comes from pride. It is not wise to approach others with a proud, demeaning attitude. We should remain humble when others arrogantly challenge us wrongly. It does not mean that we compromise our position, but that we maintain a basic respect for all people because they are made in God's image and He loves them.

Verse 15 - It is easy to see that it is an abomination to justify a criminal or condemn a righteous person, but we ought also to be careful not to oppose those doing good work for God simply because we do not agree with them in some area. We should repent if we have been guilty of doing this. Likewise, we should be careful about what we support. Many companies, for instance, produce popular products but support abortion and other evil things. Some people are now attacking the Bible and calling it "hate literature," because it calls their sins "sin." Isaiah has some strong words for those who do these things: "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Therefore, as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel" (Isaiah 5:20-24).

Prayer Devotional for the Day

Dear heavenly Father, I am thankful for the wonderful ways You take care of me. I do appreciate Your watch-care over my family and friends. Lord, I do desire to remain humble in my dealings with others who oppose me. Give me Your grace and wisdom when I must handle controversy. May I be humble when I am tested in this way and trust You to defend me instead of getting into contention with others? Lord, bless those who are reading this today and strengthen them to do Your will. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

From: Steven P. Miller @ParkermillerQ, gatekeeperwatchman.org

Founder of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Groups,

Wednesday, May 29, 2024, Jacksonville, Florida., USA.

X ... @ParkermillerQ

#GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO, #Ephraim1, #IAM, #Sparkermiller, #Eldermiller1981

GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Sparkermiller.JAX.FL.USA

[cheswirls]

actually gonna ramble abt tetherverse + sequel below w/o tagging so it can be buried. if anyone remembers this when the sequel gets posted to ao3 then uh oops sry. don't read if you want a blind surprise ig

I PULLED UP THE OUTLINE DOC that's kinda partially backwards-outline and other part extensive notes on everything ever. descriptions of clothing for disguises, pkmn team lists, short descriptors for the main and supporting cast, all the 'clues' scattered thru the story to solving ace's murder, EXTENSIVE notes on each of the sevii islands and what gets changed for tetherverse, and 'past' notes that detail ace and sabo's travels around the globe.

law and luffy's side of the story still only takes place on the sevii islands bc they're exploring luffy's home region. sabo on the other hand gets worked to the bone all over kanto.

took inspo from pkmn ranger SoA and the mind-control soundwaves they produce from machines. in tether it was v impt to me to not put anyone in a position of power bc i wanted to separate the plot and cast from having that kind of notoriety and also didn't think it necessary - it was basically a travelog that branched into breaking up a trafficking ring. in the sequel it doesn't work like that, because the point is that this whole conspiracy is being orchestrated by ppl with power. of course the e4 are the enemy. of course they're the admirals. the only surprise pick is vp.

also vp!!!!!! still a scientist with seven personal assistants for seven different areas of study. goes missing at the start and sabo has to corroborate with all six to get anything done and push closer to the truth. interpol gets involved. sabo becomes interpol at the very end and finally finds what he wants to do with his life.

also poor sabo :( he's in the hospital for long enough that he convinces ace to continue their 2nd circuit thru kanto without him, and that he would catch up later. gets outta the hospital just as ace leaves cinnabar bound for viridian, and then ace's body is found on the far side of mt. silver, so very, very far from his destination. found decaying at the base with striker's mega stone smashed to smithereens and the only reasonable conclusion the authorities can drive is that he tumbled down while scaling the mountain. sabo blaming himself so much because he wasn't there to keep ace out of trouble.

before they travel around kanto for ace's second try at the indigo league, they're both in galar for a hot minute after ace gets invited to participate in the league challenge. this is where sabo's starter, his venusaur, ends up getting sick and dying. he spends a lot of time out in the wild area, absolutely heartbroken w/o a cure to fix him. captures his first non-dragon type that happens to be a volcarona. also captures a bagon that becomes his mental support buddy while the pair are in galar - something he can focus on, someone he has to take care of bc the pkmn rarely cares for itself. it's cathartic.

when ace dies sabo leaves for kalos because he views it as the last region he and ace journeyed through where everything was okay. before galar and venusaur. before kanto and striker and ace. sabo doesn't know how to exist without ace. dragon finds him and harbors him for a week and then kicks him out to travel the region on his own with only a single fennekin on his team. this is sabo's start at forming a fire-type team and also his first venture to learning to survive without ace.

thats it thats all i got i aint revealing my whole hand jus yet. exciting stuff i absolutely LOVE working w/ pkmn aus.

[zojastankovic]

༻˖ ࣪ Tutoring my cousin ࣪ ˖༺

┊🌸┊Activity title: Helping my cousin to prepare for physics test

┊🌸┊Duration: 3h

┊🌸┊Type of activity: service

༻˖ ࣪Activity description

╰┈➤ My cousin reached out to me asking for help with her homework and studying. She had a physics test incoming and because she had known that i love anything connected with math, she asked me to help her. Of course I had agreed and she came to my house to study together. Right now she is in first year of Medical school and is learning about basic physics like speed and velocity or Newton's laws.

╰┈➤ Thankfully, she came prepared, she brought all the materials and books with her. We went through everything together slowly, it wasn't easy at all but we managed to do it. I tired to simplify everything.

╰┈➤ By the way, if you're wondering why she is having a short hair, it's because of her main role in incoming movie. She is young actress and has already worked in a movie and series "Oluja" and now we're all waiting for her new movie "Djeca Kozare" to come out. It is actually really nice to see that she's interested in school and is working hard to get good grades even though she is barely having free time.

༻˖ ࣪Learning outcomes:

┊🌸┊Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth

┊🌸┊Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process

┊🌸┊Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience

┊🌸┊Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working

༻˖Reflection

╰┈➤ I was more than happy to help my cousin with her problem. This was, we were both practicing something that interests us. Even though it is something that i learned about a long time ago, and it was easy, it is always good to go through it again. I love seeing Milica and I am glad to help whenever she needs it, and i know she would help me with anything. Good luck with test and movie!

[sims3gameandchallengelover]

Sims 4 Challenges rotation Play

I have started a Sims 4 Challenges Rotation play as I want to experience more challenges and with the teen lifespan being so long, I haven’t got to them yet.

Below are the Rules I will be using:

I will play each family for 7 days.

Seasons are 14 days long.

Each heir will be chosen by heir poll.

Pregnancies will be paused when family is not active

I will be also be doing 10 challenges, but some are shorter than others so will be replaced by others when they are complete, Below are the Challenges, I will be doing to start with.

Challenge 1- Mysims Legacy- The Simes Family

Challenge 2- Random Legacy- The Reyes Family

Challenge 3- Whimacy- The Dream Family

Challenge 4- Close encounter family- The Frosten Family

Challenge 5- Pack Legacy- The Crocket Family

Challenge 6- Box of chocolates legacy- The Collazo Family

Challenge 7- Never say never- Tolliver family.

Challenge 8- Gemstone Legacy- The Jewel Family

Challenge 9- Epic challenge- The Gales

Challenge 10- Baby Boom- The Legions

The Families

My Sims Legacy

Goals:

Must Get all Mysims Trophies by end of legacy.

Potion of Youth- Once per gen

Succession Laws Following- Strict Traditional, Equality, Democracy

Gen 1- Chef Gino

Goals

Master Culinary Career or own five-star restaurant

Complete Aspiration

Traits- See below.

Skills- Max Cooking, Gourmet cooking (Optional- Baking, Mixology)

Complete Experimental Prints collection and learn all recipes- Level 5 cooking- Chez Llama restaurant.

Learn all 27 city living recipes.

Founder- Jessica Simes- Foodie, Gloomy, Clumsy- Aspiration- Master Chef

Random Legacy

Rolls

Martial Structure- Couple with Help

Children- 5

Careers: Primary- Secret Agent- Diamond Agent

Secondary- Job Hopper- Critic -Art, Entertainer- Musician, Criminal-Boss, Social Media-PR, Writer- Author

Secondary 2- Stylist

Goal- Saving Space- Must live in tiny home for entire generation.

Misc- My precious- Once a week buy something shiny from decorations and display in home.

Founding Sims

Jackson Reyes- Self-assured, Outgoing, Genius

Marianna- Creative, Kleptomaniac, outgoing- Jackson’s Wife

Luci Howell- Sister of Mari- Creative, outgoing, perfectionist

Whimacy

Goals:

Follow Sims whims, if pinned, must do.

Automy full/Aging on

Can only direct sims to full needs if its in the red by clicking on need

10 generations

Work- can direct them to go and choose tone, can do work task, Professionals- can do work but no socialising without whim

Can’t marry/move in sim unless it’s a whim or random

Try for baby same – Exception- if sims ask to woohoo and have done before then can substitute try for baby

Can sell stuff from inventory

Free day once 250 Whims are completed

Mabel Dreams- Outgoing, Ambitious, Cheerful- Bestselling Author

Close Encounter Academy

Goals:

Normal ya human

Lot trait- Science Lair

Career-Science

Max Logic and Rocket science

Max Science career

Get abducted three times

Get pregnant through Abduction

Have Alien Baby

Raise to YA

Leland Frosten- Genius, Ambitious, Geek- The Curator

Pack Legacy

All goals must be completed before moving generations

Can use money cheats, mods and cc

Gen 1- Outdoor Retreat

Goals:

Complete Angling Ace Aspiration

Complete Outdoor Enthusiast Aspiration

Date a Squeamish sim

Take Partner and Founder on holiday to Granite falls

Max out Herbalism

Complete fish and Insect collection for Base game and outdoor retreat

Enter Secret Lot and befriend Hermit

Founder- Lincey Crocket- Bookworm, romantic, Loves outdoors- Career Writer

Box of Chocolates Legacy

Once a week- Thursday- Spin for an event

Create Sim and move to lot

Runs for 10 generations

Home must have living area, bathroom, bedroom- Can add additional rooms when additional sims are added

Easy Mode- 3 free spins per gen

Founder- thin, Green eyes, Dress modestly

Roll CAS wheel every time someone ages up

Ellen Collazo- Proper, Music Lover, outgoing-Friend of the World

Never say Never Challenge

Randomize Sim, traits, aspiration and home world

Say yes to all pop ups and whims

Can care for young sims

Must stay out on outings for at least an hour

If no direct yes, no answer roll for it

The Goal- Play sim until they die

The Sim- Matias Tolliver- Self assured, kleptomaniac, evil, Aspiration: Chief of Mischief

World-Evergreen Harbour

Gemstone Legacy

Can cheat for first home

Complete Career and Aspiration each gen

Complete all tasks

Gen 1- Sapphire

Founder- Neela Jewel- Genius, Unflirty, Ambitious

Max Logic, piano, Voiln

Marry and romance coworker once adult but can be friends before that

Max Business-Investor branch

Gen 1- Garden of Eden

Must have garden on lot and easy access to fishing spot

House must be wood or stone with stone dirt, or wood floor and wooden windows

No lights- Only candles or torches and electricity (OFF THE GRID)

Toilet and bath must be places outside.

No Sprinkler

Must have wash tub and clothesline.

Male Founder/Spouse- Gardening, Military, Astronaut

Female- Gardening, Culinary

No Hospital

No Vacation

Can gain fitness skill from jogging swimming, punch bag and workout machine

Heir must gain level 5 in two skills- Gardening, cooking, fishing

Can do scouts

No Phone use

No Fridge until Career is maxed

Founder- James Gale- Aspiration- Angling Ace, Career-Military- Traits- Ambitious, active, Loves outdoors

Legion Baby Boom

No Money Cheats

Can use life extenders

Can age up early to fix glitch only

If parents dies fail

All Children must come from the same parents

Naming Schema, I am using-H T T P S B O O L P R O P N E T I N D E X P H P

If a child leaves through death or being taken away before ya they must be replaced

Create Sim Couple

Move to big empty lot and buy knight of octagon

One parent goes to work, one stays at home

No Service Sims

The Goal- To have 12 children of each gender totalling 24, you must keep going until you have 12 of each gender

The Parents

Heidi Legion- Painter Extraordinaire- Creative, Perfectionist, Family oriented

Wyatt Legion- Computer Whiz- Geek, Ambitious, Family Oriented.

[kennethhaskin]

Who is Kenneth Haskin, Cape Girardeau’s new city manager?

Cape Girardeau has a new city manager in Kenneth Haskin, a veteran city administrator with experience in economic development and senior level management for local municipalities.

Haskin follows Scott Meyer, who retired in June after 12 years at the helm making him the longest serving city manager in Cape Girardeau’s history.

B Magazine spoke with Haskin about his background, what made the Cape Girardeau job attractive and some of his goals for the future as city manager.

Seminary to government

Haskin grew up in a small town just outside Jonesboro, Arkansas, the son of an educator and entrepreneur. His family modeled a strong work ethic. Work hard and good things will follow was a lesson he took away from his parents.

If it were up to his father, though, Haskin might be serving Cape Girardeau as a priest as opposed to city manager.

“That was his goal for me,” Haskin said with a laugh. “He finally gave up on it 10 years ago when I got married. But that was his goal in life. He sent me to graduate school twice, hoping that would trigger. The last time he sent me to graduate school was to one in seminary school, and I majored in organizational administration. Dad was hoping that I would just major in Biblical Studies and become a priest. Now I have to tell you, that was probably the most enlightening experience in my entire career. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Kenneth Haskin

Haskin received his undergraduate degree from Henderson State University where he played football and earned all-conference honors as a linebacker. He has a master’s in public administration from Webster University and a PhD from St Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland.

While Haskin didn’t enter the ministry, he said the lessons he learned from his parents have served him well. And he continues in the Catholic faith today, attending St. Mary’s Cathedral in Cape Girardeau.

A coach’s perspective

Prior to being hired for the position in Cape Girardeau, Haskin was the city manager at Texarkana, Arkansas. He was also being considered for another position at the time he was hired in Cape Girardeau but ultimately chose Southeast Missouri.

Affable. Smart. Hopeful. Haskin uses football analogies when referencing how he looks at the job. Much like a college football coach gets his orders from an athletic director or university president, Haskin says his marching orders come from the mayor and city council, filtered through the lens of an active and engaged citizenry.

In the hour-plus interview with B Magazine, he was clearly on message regarding the use tax that will be on the ballot later this year.

Haskin not only sees the use tax as an issue of fairness for local retailers competing with the Amazons of the world, but he’s adamant that it’s preventing other businesses from having a physical presence in Cape Girardeau.

He also noted that the city has funds passed for capital projects, but if it doesn’t have the workforce to get the jobs done these projects will be delayed.

It’s a similar challenge with law enforcement, he said.

Haskin and Cape Girardeau Mayor Bob Fox have been talking about raising the compensation for police with revenue generated from the use tax, connecting the community’s overwhelming love for law enforcement to the need to pass the tax.

Haskin said the city continues to see officers leave the force, in part because of the national challenges facing law enforcement and in part due to higher compensation for police work in other area municipalities. Over the previous four years, more than 40 officers have left Cape PD.

“That’s not acceptable,” he said. “And it’s going to be very difficult to sustain that loss if we cannot start compensating.”

What happens if voters don’t pass the use tax?

“Then we run the risk of, potentially, projects that we have in place right now will be delayed because it’s going to be hard to hire people to complete those projects. Secondly, it could start impacting our response times from a law enforcement standpoint, which, in my opinion, is unacceptable.”

The first 90 days

Haskin shared with B Magazine his written plan for the first 90 days on the job. Much of the six-page document focuses on communication, internally among city employees in all departments but also in the community and with regional government entities.

A portion of the document focused on evaluating the city’s financial situation, assessing its long-term financial condition, budget and capital needs, including how the pandemic has impacted city finances. And maybe most interesting: “We should also establish a Business Retention & Expansion Plan (BRE) and, more importantly, start cultivating commercial/industrial sites for potential development.”

He also shared some of the intangibles he looks for in making hires: Temperament, ability to take direction, ability to deal with adversity, customer service, ability to work with others, citizen response and execution. “These are character traits you have to have in order to be successful in this organization,” Haskin wrote in the document.

One of Haskin’s career highlights includes being named the State of Arkansas City Manager of the Year in 2020. He also helped the city establish its first Capital Improvement Plan focused on water, sewer and drainage infrastructure replacement and street reconstruction. And among other accomplishments, he helped negotiate a multimillion-dollar package to keep Cooper Tire from moving to Mexico.

It’s still very early for Haskin, but his resume and apparent skillset of working with various stakeholders indicate a record of high success.

[ttuesday]

Heya, I hope you are doing fine! Love your blog, keep it up! Could you do some HCs for the VDL teaching you how to shoot/use a gun? :3 again: keep up the amazing work! :)

Arthur

Arthur’s honoured that you asked him to help teach you how to shoot but he’s modest and says he ain’t the best shot but he’ll help.

He brings you out to an open area and sets up some empty bottles along a fallen tree trunk for you as some target practice.

He’s a good teacher, helping you correct your stance. He puts his hands over yours as he shows you how to hold the gun properly and how firm your grasp should be.

When Arthur realizes how close he’s standing to you, he clears his throat and takes a step back, trying his best not to blush.

Charles

Charles doesn’t give you a rifle straight away. He wants you to work your way up and get comfortable with every type of weapon.

Of course he makes sure you know the basics of using a revolver in case you ever need it for protection but after that he starts from the very beginning

He wants you to be a great brawler, archer and then he’ll start helping you more with becoming a great sharpshooter too.

Charles helps you centre yourself before shooting. He wants you to feel as though the gun is an extension of you when you shoot and makes sure you know the severity of using a gun.

Dutch

Dutch wants to teach you how to use a gun. He knows that someday you’ll need to know how and he’s confident in his teaching ability, so he offers to teach you before you can even ask him.

Does he also see this as an opportunity to flirt with you? Yes, of course but he also wants to properly teach you at the same time.

He talks you through it all beforehand, assuring you that it’s easy to get the hang of and not to be intimidated by the gun.

Dutch practically stays by your side the entire time, his voice low and mustache brushing against your ear as he tells you to take a deep breath and pull the trigger.

Micah

Micah’s so goddamn smug about this. He teases you as ye ride out to an abandoned area to practice, going on and on about how you must think he’s the best gunslinger there is if you’ve asked him to help you.

In Micah’s eyes, this is the closest thing to a date he’s been on in a very long time so he takes every opportunity to flirt with you.

He keeps his hand on your waist as he adjusts your arm and tells you to fire. Every time you hit the target, he gives your waist a small squeeze and praises you.

After you manage to fire the gun a few times, Micah says you’re ready and that there’s an O’Driscoll hideout not too far from here. Yeah he thinks you’re ready to head straight into battle.

John

He’s laid back with it. John doesn’t get how you don’t know how to shoot yet but he’s happy to help teach you.

Honestly he’s not the best teacher. John takes out his gun and shoots a tree before shrugging and saying it’s really easy.

He forgets how daunting it can be for someone who isn’t used to handling guns and how strong the kickback can be.

It takes him a while to start getting used to taking it easy and showing you step by step but eventually he starts to teach you properly.

Javier

Javier is a very enthusiastic teacher. He feels honoured that you want him to teach you how to shoot a gun and he wants you to become the best gunslinger in the west.

He let’s you use his gun for practice and makes sure you know all the basics and what to expect before you actually shoot anything.

Oh my god this man gets so excited for you when you start to get the hang of it. He’s very proud and cheers you on as you become more comfortable with the gun.

Javier suggests y’all play a game to see who can shoot the most bottles and the loser has to buy the winner a drink in the saloon. Javier loses on purpose but he’ll never admit that to you.

Bill

Bill doesn’t think about the stuff an amateur shooter needs to be cautious of. He forgets about how sudden the recoil can be or how you don’t know how to hold the gun properly.

He has a lot of faith in you and whole heartedly believes you’ll be able to shoot any target skilfully on your first attempt.

But Bill slowly realizes that you’ll need more training but he’s prepared to help you work on your shot for the next few weeks and he gives you plenty of encouragement throughout. 

If you’re shoulders or upper arms hurt from the recoil then he offers to give you a massage when ye get back to camp.

Sean

Sean hypes himself up so much and refers to himself as Deadeye MacGuire the entire time. He really thinks he should be on one of those famous gunslinger cards.

He genuinely thinks that the best and most efficient way you’ll learn how to shoot is if you’re being shot at. And so according to Sean’s ‘logic’, the best thing to do is commit a few crimes.

So he brings you to rob a gunsmiths with him. It’s utter chaos, bullets are going everywhere and the law is there within minutes but hey, at least you have a somewhat better grip on how to shoot now and ye didn’t get hurt.

Sean has a great time and offers to give you another lesson in shooting anytime. 

Hosea

Hosea’s a very good teacher. He doesn’t overwhelm you or expect you to get the hang of it straight away. He’s a very patient man.

Hosea starts off small, making sure you have your holsters in the right position and that you know each component of the gun and how to reload.

Then he starts off with a few easy target practices that slowly get more and more challenging, whether that’s making the target smaller or making the target move.

Hosea really does have a great way of teaching and before you know it, you’re one of the best shots in the gang.

[pushpinsheep]

Hopefully this puts things in greater perspective because some tourists just don’t get it and need to hear this. For those who are curious and looking to travel in the future I hope you find this is informative! :) We could all use more perspective on linguistics and traveling imho. I have made some of these mistakes in the past too. We can all learn to be better guests/tourists. This mindset people have that not only is it okay for tourists to exploit and mistreat local populations, but it’s something that should be encouraged is wrong. You’re not entitled to anything special as a tourist just because you have enough money to play around somewhere “exotic” for a few weeks. Regardless of where people travel to. As a guest in someone else’s home you should put more effort into not being a total asshat. You will have a better time and you might learn something cool along the way. I will mostly be using France as an example since I live here and have more insight, but everything I say applies outside of France as well. Note: This information only applies to tourists. Immigrants and refugees are a unique situation and thus face different challenges and have different needs. A tourist chooses where to go and has time (and money) to plan for their trip, which is often only a few weeks or days. Immigrants and refugees often don’t have that same luxury and remain in the country for far longer. (in many cases permanently) Moving to a country places a greater linguistic and cultural demand on an individual. Remember to check your privilege. tourism =/= immigration/asylum. A) English is not the only language in existence. It might be a widely spoken language, but it’s not the most widely spoken language (that honor goes to Chinese) nor is it the only lingua franca. Chinese, Hindu, Spanish, French, and Arabic are all widely spoken across multiple borders and where you are on the planet will obviously dictate which one of these people go with. If you expect that to be English because your sphere of the internet happens to put you in that bubble of “my language or bust” ignorance then like... that’s on you pal. Get with the times and stop assuming everyone should just speak English. English speakers are not the only tourists and English, though widely used, is not the only other language a person might need. I have a friend from Laos who speaks absolutely no English. He doesn’t need it and never has. (even now) He speaks Lao (the regional dialects can be as different as Thai is from Laotian btw), Chinese, a bit of Thai, and French because they still use a lot of French for business dealings there. (something I didn’t know ngl) Assuming he should just speak English because “everyone else does” is ignorant. It’s rude. It puts no thought into his situation. It’s entitled. He’s traveled to visit friends in England and he has an English phrase book. He doesn’t need a lot of English so like... the phrase book is absolutely perfect. Most of what he does in England is sight see and speak Chinese with his friends. Be more like my friend from Laos. B) Official languages may not be the only language a country speaks within its borders. Regional and native languages exist and expecting the locals to speak a 3rd language on top of all that is unbelievably entitled. France has a number of them. There are people who are born and raised in France who don’t speak French in their day to day life. (or at all) Basque, Breton, Occitan, Alsatian, Yiddish, Ladino, Arabic and a number of others are all spoken within French borders. Many are at risk of being permanently lost (that’s why our new regional language law is important btw) and as a result a greater emphasis is placed on preserving them as opposed to learning something new. Most people have to learn the official language as it’s the only language a lot of countries will accept for paperwork, but anything else is up to the individual and you can suck an egg if you don’t like that. (this also applies to immigrants and refugees btw) Heck there are places in the US where people don’t even speak English day to day! Some places actually speak French or Spanish. I heard more Spanish in my day to day life than I did English where I grew up in NC! (moved to Florida and Spanish exploded. loved it!) C) Borders are a thing. People working and living across borders exist and English is often not the language they chose to go with as a result. France borders Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, England, and Switzerland. People who share these borders often choose to go with these languages. English is in there, but please note it’s not the only one. D) Culturally speaking a country may not like [insert common language here] and as a result may refuse to speak it. That’s entirely their choice. If you don’t like that then don’t visit the country. It’s really that easy.  Colonialism is often a major factor at play in these situations. Respect that choice. You do not get a say in how people reclaim their identity. As for France? This might come as a shock to some people, but France doesn’t like England. I’m 100% certain these two places exist solely to punch each other in the nuts. (ball tap. an international past time) As a result getting English people to speak French or French people to speak English is about as easy as pulling your own teeth. I’ve been spit on for speaking English because people here just assume I’m from England or they hate “annoying Americans” and after seeing how y’all responded to the last post I made... yeah I totally get it now. Granted, that’s no excuse for someone being hostile, but it is something to keep in mind when you visit and applies to more than just France too. E) Retail workers and small shop owners don’t owe you shit. You have absolutely no right waltzing into a shop and demanding the staff speak your language (I don’t care how common it is) for the two weeks you’ve decided to play around in their home. Always ask them first. If they can’t or choose not to then tough luck. This is why a phrase book is important!

Retail workers and small shop owners get treated like shit enough. Some of y’all have never worked retail a day in your life and WOW does it show. Please respect retail workers and small shop owners. You don’t know what their day or life has been like. If they’re tired and don’t want to speak to you in a foreign language then that’s their right. I have had no issues using my phone or a phrase book to help communicate concepts when there is a language barrier. (and I fucking live in France. I’m not even visiting) Emergencies also happen and a phrase book or medical card in the native and/or official language is absolutely essential! Even if you just have an allergy to something! This is a great way to stay safe! When you visit another country being aware of and researching cultural differences includes linguistic differences. Tourists are guests. You don’t live here, you don’t get a say. Remember, learning a second language (esp if you don’t use it often) is really hard. If you’re visiting a country do not expect them to just use whatever language you speak. Mind you a phrase book is also important because people within a country may not have a strong grasp on English even if they do speak it. You can very easily get lost or injured without a phrase book to help you. These things allow you to better experience a country and communicate without actually having to learn the entire language... or any of it. And, once again, they exist for free online! You do not need to learn an entire language to visit somewhere, but you need to be prepared for there to be a barrier. People assuming I mean you need to learn a whole language are uh... really something else. Like do you guys think half the people bending over backwards to communicate with you know the full language? Go ahead. Fuck around and find out. ;) Obviously I’m not saying you should be treated poorly when visiting if you don’t know the language. Unfortunately no matter how much effort you put in there will always be someone who’s a jerk and I’m sorry for that. All I’m saying is as a tourist you owe it to yourself and others to be better prepared. Trust me. You’ll have a better time in the end. (and if you did the research you’d find that Paris is not the best first place to visit... even if you’re french lol) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS64ZT4eWUA Please watch this guy’s video. It is hilarious and touches on a lot of the same points I just made. Thank you for your time. :) ---------------- Cultural tidbit for those who are curious about where I live in France: I live in Alsace currently! (moved from Lyon, but my spouse is from here) In Alsace you might meet people who speak English, but it’s also entirely likely you won’t! Alsace is also a very tourist heavy area because it looks like a German fairy tale and has a lot of tiny villages with cool stuff to do! I highly recommend visiting here over Paris! We have so many storks! (clackclackclack)

Our logo is a pretzel!

That being said, Alsace has its own regional language!

It’s not uncommon to see bilingual signage or to pass someone on the street and hear them speaking Alsatian. You’ll usually hear it from older people, children, or those from rural areas. It’s really fun to listen to and absolutely wild to see written on museum signs!  Kids here will start school learning French, regardless of what they speak at home, which has resulted in a downswing of Alsatian speakers in recent years. That’s why the new regional language law I mentioned waaaaaay above is so important. It’ll allow schools to teach most of the day in Alsatian instead of French with the goal being fully bilingual adults! :) As of right now, most kids here choose German or English (depending on the school) as their second language. Some kids pick Alsatian and honestly? Good for them! I’m glad!

[plannedparenthood]

8 Conversation Tips on Abortion Rights

Words are powerful. One heart-to-heart with your family could influence their perspective on the issues you care about — like abortion access. In turn, your family could share what they learn with their wider circles. That ripple effect is key to widespread social change.

Are abortion rights important to you? Do you feel safe talking about it with your family? Here are 8 tips for starting a conversation about abortion rights at a virtual dinner. 

At the end of your convo, remember the most important part: expressing gratitude.

Tip #1: Welcome your family into the conversation.

If your family members are taking turns to share what’s on their mind, use your turn to share that you’ve been thinking about abortion rights.

Note the values you and your family share, such as the core values of love, fairness, and compassion.

Say something like, “It’s because I care so much about others that I believe decisions on whether to choose adoption, end a pregnancy, or raise a child must be left to each individual — not to politicians, who can’t know each individual’s situation.”

Ask if it’s OK to start a discussion about the laws restricting access to safe, legal abortion. If people are up for it, proceed to Tip #2. 

Tip #2: Fire up some facts about abortion access.

The Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade affirmed the constitutional right to abortion in 1973. 

Today, the vast majority of Americans — 77% — support keeping abortion legal and don’t want Roe v. Wade overturned. 

ASK: “Do you believe everyone should be able to access the full range of reproductive health care, no matter how much money they make or where they live?”

Tip #3: Explain who gets hurt by bans and restrictions on abortion.

Restrictions on abortion have created costly barriers to care, such as forcing patients to travel long distances to the closest abortion provider, and to take time off work to comply with medically unnecessary waiting periods and multiple appointments.

Since nearly 6 out of 10 people who have abortions are already parents, obtaining an abortion requires many patients to arrange for child care.

Restrictions push safe, legal abortion out of reach for people who can’t afford these costs. It’s hardest on people who already face barriers to health care overall, including people with low incomes, people who live in rural areas, and Black and Brown people. 

Tip #4: Note challenges to abortion access in the states.

Since 1973, states have enacted over 1,000 abortion restrictions — and nearly 40% of those restrictions became law in just the past decade.

Because of abortion restrictions, five states — Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and West Virginia — have only 1 abortion provider left.

11 state governments used COVID-19 as a pretense to temporarily ban abortion by labeling it “non-essential” health care during the pandemic.

Tip #5: Explain why abortion should be available to all, not just those who can afford it — and why the Hyde Amendment is both racist and discriminatory.

The Hyde Amendment is one of the longest-running federal restrictions on abortion access. Since 1976, Hyde has barred people from using Medicaid and other federal health coverage for abortion.

Nationwide, Medicaid covers 1 in 5 women of reproductive age. Of those 16.1 million Medicaid participants, 55% live in states where Hyde forces them to pay for abortion out of pocket.

Hyde is particularly harmful to people with low incomes, people of color, and young people — who, because of systemic discrimination and a history of economic barriers, disproportionately use Medicaid for their health care coverage.

ASK: “Do you believe abortion should be covered in health care plans, no matter who provides the insurance?”

Tip #6: Explain what’s happening in the courts.

Right now, there are at least 19 abortion-related cases one step away from the U.S. Supreme Court. It’s possible that safe and legal abortion access could go back to where it was before Roe v. Wade.

If Roe v. Wade is overturned, individual states will decide whether abortion is legal. That means 1 in 3 women of reproductive age — more than 25 million women — would be living in states without legal abortion.

Banning abortion won’t stop abortion. But it will stop people from accessing safe, legal abortion. The cost: pregnant people’s health, and even their lives.

Tip #7: Advocate for policies that the federal government should support in order to protect and expand abortion access, such as:

Ending the Hyde Amendment

Changing rules and regulations to protect people from discrimination by health care providers and insurers

Lifting restrictions on private insurance for abortion so that fewer people are forced to pay out-of-pocket for safe, legal abortion

Tip #8: Say ‘Thank You’

If it feels right, express gratitude at the end of the discussion — both for everyone who joined in the discussion, and everyone who listened.