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boltwrites · 4 years ago

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Sex pollen with mako, sex pollen with mako, sex pollen with mako, sex pollen with mako, please I beg of you

kinktober 2020 | this week’s list

A/N: oh fuck dude. hell yeah. uh. this is so long that tumblr started breaking a little bit at the end. enjoy!

by clicking read more you verify that you are at least 18 years old

after Korra and Asami spent some time together in the spirit world, you begged Mako to take some time away from police work to take a vacation to the spirit world with you. it had always interested you, ever since Korra had left the portals open

it took a lot of begging and whining to get Mako to finally take the time off - he was married to his job, after all - but you finally convinced him to take the vacation, for a full week, even! you were so excited

you two only brought a couple bedrolls and some food with you, Korra assuring you that as long as you followed her and Asami’s general route, you should be fine. luckily, at this point in time, a few months after Asami and Korra’s initial adventure into the spirit world, humans had started to map out the area, and you made sure to mark the map up with Korra’s instructions

but, you didn’t want to stick to it completely. after all, it was a wild and unknown place! you wanted to take your boyfriend on a real adventure

Mako was, of course, excited to spend time with you, but he probably would have chosen Ember Island over the spirit world. he was a little uneasy, since the last time he was in the spirit world, it was when he and the rest of the krew were fighting Unalaq. still, he wanted to be excited for you, and he loved you very much, so he held all of your maps and gear as you rambled on about the things you couldn’t wait to see

the first two days were filled with excitement. Korra had told you of some pretty cool places, and you got to hop along giant mushrooms with Mako, and even hang out in some hot springs, which you two thoroughly enjoyed

everything was progressing as Korra had explained to you, until the third night. as darkness (or, twilight), fell over the spirit world, you caught sight of something just off of Korra’s trail that looked wonderful

it was a forest full of softly glowing flowers. they were all different shades of turquoise, from light aqua, to a deep teal. the petals were illuminated not of themselves, but thanks to some source near the center of the flower, which emitted a gentle glow

it was beautiful, and you urged Mako to camp under the flowers for the night.

“Y/n, it doesn’t look like anything Korra described, and we’re right on the edge of the map,” Mako pointed out, tapping the your current location. the glowing forest wasn’t indicated on the map, and Korra and Asami had told you that they had made camp near a waterfall that night - which was further in the distance, even though it also wasn’t marked on the map “we should keep going.”

“come on, Mako,” you persuaded, tugging on his elbow. “where’s your sense of adventure? here - we can camp on the edge of the forest, so if anything bad happens, we can just make a run for it, alright?” you tried to compromise, staring up at your boyfriend with a little pout on your face. you knew all too well that he couldn’t say no to you when you looked at him like that

Mako faltered for a moment before he sighed, rolling up the map and tucking it away in his backpack. “alright. but we sleep on the edge of the forest, where we can still see the path.”

“sounds good to me!” you sang, grabbing his hand and twining your fingers. Mako groaned as you led him to the forest, but you knew he was just being dramatic. he was probably just as interested as you were, he just didn’t want to admit it

you rolled out your sleeping bags, and set down your backpacks, Mako setting about making dinner as you explored a little. you did follow his rules - you didn’t go too far into the woods, but you did take a closer look at the flowers. you peeked into one of the larger ones - which was around three feet across - but for the life of you, you couldn’t figure out what was making them glow.

you ate dinner with Mako as the light in the spirit world continued to dim, and once you started packing up dinner - something amazing started to happen

“Mako, Mako look!” you gasped, tugging on his sleeve, and pointing to the flowers around you.

it turned out that the flowers themselves weren’t what glowed so brightly. it was actually their pollen - that they released as soon as the sun set. it floated around you, glowing as it descended, onto the lighter colored flowers closer to the forest floor. you watched as the dust danced in the air

“it’s beautiful,” Mako mumbled, looking up, wrapping his arm around you as you watched it. it really was pretty, and you grinned, self-satisfied, as you settled into his hold, resting your head on his shoulder as you watched the pollen dance in the darkness. you had told Mako it was a good idea, and this justified it

“do you think spirits have allergies?” you asked, as the pollen finally reached your height, dancing around your faces. you sneezed, giggling afterwards, as it made the pollen around you twirl in the twilight

“I don’t know,” Mako replied, trying to hide his face in the collar of his shirt. you giggled at him - he was always such a dork. and that was further exemplified when he sneezed too - the force of it throwing him back a little

you laughed louder, wrapping an arm around him to pull him upright - closer to you. you smiled, pressing your face close to his chest, wrapping your arms around him tight. your fingers tingled, brushing against the fabric of his shirt, and your face felt hot against his shoulder

“maybe I’m allergic to this,” Mako mumbled, a little worried. you pulled back, and he looked confused, regarding his fingers. “my hands are tingling, and my face feels hot-”

“mine are too!” you replied. you could see the heat rising to Mako’s cheeks - the blush looked so cute on him. but - wait, shouldn’t you be worried? maybe it was some kind of allergic reaction... but all you could think of right now, was how pretty Mako’s eyes were, especially in the low light of the forest, how sweet his blush was -

the heat that had originally pooled in your cheeks spread, down your chest, and lower. spirits, you didn’t think you had ever been so turned on so fast, but - well, you supposed that Mako had that effect on you, especially in such a romantic setting

as you stared at him, you watched, transfixed, as his own pupils dilated as he looked at you - his hands falling on your shoulders, brushing slowly down your arms - and fuck, they felt electric, as the tips of his fingers trailed over the backs of your palms

“Mako,” you breathed, your voice far deeper than you expected, full of need you didn’t even know you hand. he replied with a low noise of his own, sounding more like a growl than anything else. “touch me,” you urged, your own limbs feeling like jelly

luckily, Mako had no such problems moving. he was on you in an instant - all but throwing you onto your bedrolls. the accumulated pollen sprang into the air as you crashed into the softness, the particles dancing around you as Mako pressed against you leg

and fuck, he was hard. he was hard, and his mouth was like heaven against yours - so warm, and when his tongue slid into your mouth - spirits, you moaned, already feeling soaked, and he hadn’t even touched you

the next few moments were a blur. all you knew was Mako and heat and electricity - and then you were both naked, skin on skin as he thrust into you with no foreplay, not even a word of warning

but it didn’t matter - you were so wet and hot that he slid in and it felt - it felt like nothing you had ever felt before. somewhere, in your sex-addled brain, you wondered why it felt so different, so unbelievably good, but you pushed it away, in favor of crying out and pulling Mako closer

usually when you fucked, Mako was full of little quips - dirty talk, praise, even degradation - but now, all he let out were desperate moans as he fucked you hard, deep - so good that you could feel him in your throat, he filled you so well

he plastered you to the ground, covering you in him completely, and he didn’t even have to touch you - usually you needed more direct stimulation, but like this, with him so close and everything so hot and electric? one more well placed thrust and you came, hard. you tightened around him, your thighs vices as you pressed him into you

he keened - a loud, dirty noise that you had never heard him make before, that made you shiver under him. only a few more thrusts - shallow, hard - before he was coming inside you, and you felt like you might burst from it

he collapsed on top of you, and you wrapped your arms around him loosely, feeling like jelly

“Y/n - I think something’s wrong,” Mako groaned, his voice hoarse from moaning. you made a noncommittal noise - still turned on, grinding against him. “like, really wrong. I think the pollen - it’s making us-”

“Mmm?” you replied, kissing under Mako’s jaw, nipping the skin there, before you kissed lower down his neck. it was so long, and you could leave so many marks there -

“Y/n! I think we - we-” Mako ground against you, and you keened, pulling him closer, your hands low on his back. “oh, fuck.”

he was still hard. usually by now, he had softened, and wouldn’t be ready for another round for at least another twenty minutes - usually closer to a half an hour. but it was like he had never come? only a few moments of clarify before he was consumed by his need once more

and you understood what he was saying - somewhere in the back of your mind, you had considered it as well. this pollen had to be some sort of drug, or aphrodisiac - but was that really so bad? on your days off, you usually spent them with Mako deep inside you anyway. was this so different, really?

“more,” you gasped, and Mako was far too happy to comply

he fucked you like nothing you had ever felt before. he fucked you again, on the sleeping bags, lifting your legs onto his shoulders so he could press into you even deeper, and you lost yourself so soon, your sensitivity like nothing you had ever experienced

then, he took you against one of the trees, your chest pressed to it as he took you from behind, tugging on your hair roughly, to pull your head back for deep, desperate kisses

then, he lifted you up, and you wrapped your legs around him as he fucked you against the tree again, this time buried so deep inside you that you thought you could cry

you lost track of how many timed Mako had you, in the grass, with your legs over his shoulders, around his waist - with him pressed against your back. you even rode him a few times - but your legs gave out every time, and Mako was forced to finish the job, thrusting into you deep as you keened his name

your legs shook, and your hips groaned in protest, but you took everything he gave you, until the sun rose again, and you started to come back to yourselves. you were both messes - absolutely covered in each other, Mako plastered to your chest, sweaty and spent, finally, finally spent, his hair wet, plastered to his forehead as he breathed heavily, looking up at you through tired, lidded eyes

“I told you it was a bad idea,” he panted.

“I thought it was fun,” you countered, your voice cracking horribly, even as you spoke as softly as you could. your voice was shot. “but I think you’re going to have to carry me for the rest of the vacation.”

“I’m honored you think I can walk,” Mako replied, his own voice straining.

well. you had been looking for an adventure.

#mako x reader #asks #anon #mine #kinktober 2020 event

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im-da-bronx · 5 years ago

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Executive dysfunction life hacks, loopholes, and shortcuts

By me, your local adhd disaster

Some of these I am currently not doing but that’s more of a funds and location situation b/c I’m living with my parents

Get one of those roomba vacuums that plugs into a station. That way you only need to empty it once a month, and you don’t have to worry about remembering to vacuum.

Get one of those air filtering systems. I’ve heard that they suck the dust out of the air (less cleaning, yay!!) and it’s supposed to be really good for people with allergies and asthma. These, too, only need to be emptied once a month or so.

PAPER PLATES. PAPER PLATES EVERYWHERE. You WILL thank me, when you don’t have a pile of dirty dishes piled up in the sink. Yes, have regular dishes, but save those for special occasions, and use paper plates and disposable cutlery for everyday.

If you can, set up your bills to be paid automatically, top priority, every month. That way you don’t have to worry about forgetting to pay them, and you don’t have to worry about not having enough money, because you pay them FIRST, and then use the rest for other expenses. (Is it obvious I have no clue how banking works?)

Keep a wastebasket in your room. That way you can throw out all of the food wrappers without having to trek all the way to the kitchen/bathroom/wherever, and having a trash free bedroom is a must.

Try to do your laundry once a week, because if you’re anything like me, you’ll have only gone through three or four outfits, and it’s way easier and less time consuming/stressful/requires less spoons to fold three shirts, two pants, and six pairs of socks than folding a months worth of clothes.

NO DUMPING LOCATIONS. Try to not have a beanbag chair/steamer trunk/desk/whatever in your bedroom, because you WILL want to dump your laundry and assorted things there to deal with later. DO NOT. I do not have one, but I want to get a desk for my bedroom, and I will be getting a slanted drafting desk, because if it’s flat, I WILL dump things there.

Avoid over-complicated neurotypical organizers. If you’re not going to hang up your shoes every time, then just get a big bucket to dump them in. You will not be tempted to dump not-shoes into your shoe bucket, because shoes are gross and dirty and you don’t want your things dirty. **This comes with the caveat that you might wear the same two pairs of shoes over and over again, simply because you can’t see your other shoes.**

If you take medication every morning, put your Flintstones vitamins (or equivalent) right next to your medication so that you don’t forget to take it. I know that I forget to take my vitamins, and it’s really not good because I’m borderline anemic, and I’m not getting enough iron.

On that note, DRINK WATER. I will forget to drink water, so I try to make it fun. I’ll drink out of a dollar tree chalice, or a pirate’s rum bottle, or I’ll take shots or smth. If you can’t make yourself drink water b/c of the taste or smth (which happens), try to drink Gatorade or other flavored electrolyte juices (my go-to is fruit punch Gatorade, which is great until you brush your teeth and think you’re bleeding)

If you rely on packaged snacks to eat, try to buy healthier snacks, such as granola bars, trail mix, fruit cups, etc., b/c they’ll have nutrients that you need, and b/c sometimes the flavor mix up from ‘sugary junk food’ to ‘salty trail mix’ or whatever can be satisfying to those of us who get bored with repeating things. You don’t need to completely cut out junk food, b/c any food is better than none, but it will make you feel better if you’re in the mindset of, “I’m gross, I don’t eat healthy, I don’t work out,” b/c then you’ll be like, “wait, I ate a fruit cup today! Fruit is healthy!” And fruit is tasty and has water and vitamins.

Facial wipes. Sometimes (most of the time) I’m in a rush to leave or I just don’t have the energy to pull out the face scrub and completely wash my face, so facial wipes are a must. The ones I get act as a cleanser and makeup remover, and they don’t require rinsing afterwards (though I prefer to rinse my face if I can). These are great, because if you’re self concious of acne or oily skin, but can’t bring yourself to completely wash your face, these will make you feel fresh and clean.

Wide toothed combs for my friends with crazy curly hair. When I had mono (AVOID AT ALL COSTS) I would roll out of bed (often already partially in my uniform) brush my teeth, and use one of these on my hair. It was a huge change from before, when I would take a shower every single morning, and spend at least ten minutes on my hair and appearance every day. The trick with these (to not brush your curls out completely, but also avoid tangles and rats nests) is to start from the bottom with DRY hair, then wet your hands and run your fingers through, dampening the curls enough to re-clump and re-curl them, without making your hair dripping wet.

If you have to/like to wear makeup, but don’t like that it costs so many spoons, try to figure out why. My makeup routine used to take 30 minutes for just the basics, but recently I bought a kabuki brush (so soft!!) and it took 10 minutes to do my makeup. I then realized that my routine before consisted of 50% makeup application, and 50% washing my hands a million times b/c I had a super small sponge applicator and I’d use my fingers a lot.

If you have hobbies that require a bunch of supplies, but organizing them is a pain, get a giant plastic tub and dump everything in there. That way you don’t have to worry about “my paints are over here, but my canvases are over there” because giant tubs can fit a lot. I recently did this with my knitting and crocheting stuff, and it’s great, because while, yes, I really liked the baskets I had them in before (pretty woven reed ones), they weren’t conducive to stacking, and I had so much yarn that it would fall out and roll everywhere.

If you have trouble getting out of bed, try sleeping with a pet. When my dog would sleep with me, I’d have to get up to let her out in the morning, which was a mental “hey, be aware, you have to get up soon” when I went back to bed. DO NOT RELY ON THIS METHOD, use it as more of a guide/reminder, unless you have a specially trained service pet.

Try feeding your pets treats at the same time every day, coinciding with your ideal mealtimes. That way, they know it’s time for them to eat, and they’ll remind you, and you’ll remember to eat. **this also works with children, in that they’ll make you make them food, and you’ll be reminded to eat**

Slippers are great for of your feet get cold easily/you don’t like dirty feet/you don’t have the energy to put on shoes. Be aware, though, that if you don’t like dirty feet, or if your feet get really cold, you should wear socks with your slippers, because if you don’t, your feet will get really sweaty (gross) and then, b/c your feet are damp (ew) they’ll get EVEN COLDER (no)

Lists are good. If you’re like me, though, and you need about five separate lists (one for your daily routine, one for chores, one for your daily goals, one for your weekly goals, one for things you’d like to do eventually, one for ideas you want to look up, etc) get a day+week+month planner. If you’re like me, you won’t want to use a 2020 planner if you’re beginning it in July (b/c my brain is weird and doing that is just Not A Good Idea, though it isn’t Banned) so if you’re weird like me get one without any dates in it (or ambiguous dates, like the month and day, but not the year or specific week day) so you can start anytime, or plan ahead and get the yearly one in December.

Reward yourself!! If you know you did everything you’re supposed to in a week, buy a Frappuccino or an ice cream, something you don’t get very often. If you’ve been putting off watching that show, but you went for a walk two days this week, watch that episode! *try not to make the rewards too vague/far off or too close, because you either won’t do it because “I’m never gonna get one” or “why should I, it’s RIGHT THERE”

Put music on while you’re working/cleaning/etc. upbeat music will get you dancing, and hey you’re standing up, so you might as well take these shirts those three feet to the hamper.

Use the “fuck it” method (I’ll try it, and if it works, nice, if it doesn’t, fuck it, I gave it a shot.)

If all else fails, throw your phone away (social media is a huge distraction, I spent an hour writing this instead of doing other things)

Please feel free to add on to this!! I am always in need of finding new ways to do things, as I either forget, or realize there are too many steps to doing a thing, and my brain doesn’t like it.

#adhd #funny #relatable #executive dysfunction #adhd life hacks #neurodivergent life hacks #executive dysfunction life hacks #spoonie help #spoonie life hacks #here you go #im sorry its so long #i tried to make it funny and break up the text so it wasnt such a chore to read

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whoiskt · 5 years ago

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Doing this year-end thing for me again

1: What did you do in 2019 that you’d never done before?

Told a man I loved him, graduated college, said goodbye to a loved one, lived alone, gave a eulogy, was Maid of Honor, went to a bachelorette party, and saw my favorite band in concert!!

2: Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I forgot whatever my resolution was. Most likely I didn’t complete it then oof. Although there’s a strong possibility my resolution was just to survive the rest of senior year which was a valid resolution and I made it.

3: Did anyone close to you give birth?

No, but my other sister is married now. I’ve given up hope on my oldest sister, but there’s new hope now. Maybe soon I will be auntie.

4: Did anyone close to you die?

My grandma passed away from cancer at the end of May. I’m happy to know she’s not suffering anymore but I miss her. This is the first time I’ve had to deal with a loss like this.

5: What countries did you visit?

Still have never left the country. Furthermost I traveled this year was to the U.P.

6: What would you like to have in 2020 that you lacked in 2019?

More money, less debt! Please, I need a real job ASAP!

7: What dates from 2019 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

May 30th because that’s when my grandma passed. November 15th because that’s when Erika was married!

8: What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Graduating.

9: What was your biggest failure?

The hundred rejection emails I have for jobs in my inbox. Please employ me for your video production needs.

10: Did you suffer illness or injury?

No, but my allergies were really bad this year. For a while there I was having to take allergy meds everyday on schedule just to be able to breath. And I hate taking pills unless totally necessary.

11: What was the best thing you bought?

My graduation present to myself was my studio apartment. I know I didn’t buy it technically but living alone is an opportunity some people never get so paying the rent for no-pants-zone is best thing.

12: Whose behavior merited celebration?

I think mine deserves to be celebrated in the form of a job offer soon. Of course, I love all my friends and family who bring love into my life and make it worth living. My bf has been by my side through thick and thin this year and lord knows I’ve been depressed lately so I’m very thankful for him.

13: Whose behavior made you appalled?

If you might recall, my boyfriend’s friend group is all messed up right now from a huge cheating scandal. That’s a really long story but I think that was the wildest and worst thing of the year. So S/O to those snakes.

14: Where did most of your money go?

Tuition. Rent. Food. Where it always goes.

15: What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Love! Friendship! Vacation! Graduation! Being free!

16: What song will always remind you of 2019?

All I know is if I ever hear another Panera Playlist Song(tm) I’m gonna wreck whatever device is playing one of those songs. Seriously that place has made me hate “Big Yellow Taxi” which was previously a song I hadn’t heard in YEARS.

17: Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? Richer or poorer?

Sad to announce. Sadder. About the same. Poorer.

18: What do you wish you’d done more of?

Been successful in my endeavors. Be creative. Gotten something done so I had something to show for myself.

19: What do you wish you’d done less of?

Sit around and do nothing. Kept my feelings bottled up.

20: How did you spend Christmas?

Home with the family. There’s no where else to be. Although part of the family was missing, and Will didn’t show up until later... it was still a good Christmas!

21: Did you fall in love in 2019?

A little more each day

22: What was your favorite TV program?

Things I enjoyed this year: Bojack Horseman. The Good Place. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. Breaking Bad. Better Call Saul. Documentary Now! Madoka Magica. Death Parade. Doctor Stone. (yes my bf really conned me into watching all this anime) Tuca and Bertie. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. A Series of Unfortunate Events.

23: Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I’m not much of a hater. Don’t have it in me.

24: What was the best book you read?

I’m gonna be real with you fam, haven’t been reading much this year :/

25: What was your greatest musical discovery?

Uhhh, Cosmo Sheldrake. Lizzo. Idk I’m not very good at following artists it’s more like a heard a few good songs.

26: What did you want and get?

Out of college. A studio apartment. Away from all the stuff about college that wasn’t actually college but still made me feel bad like the people around there and stuff.

27: What did you want and not get?

A MOTHERFUCKING START TO MY CAREER!!

28: What was your favorite film of this year?

I was so poor all year I didn’t see like any movies :’( And I’ve also been super depressed lately so my memory is failing as to what I even saw. You know, I liked “Us” a lot so I’ll just go with that.

29: What one thing that made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Knowing I don’t have to go back to school and soon I won’t have to live in this city anymore.

30: How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?

A poor person who has like 3 good outfits that are “looks” and just has to keep re-wearing them in different combinations.

31: What kept you sane?

I went insane this year. Honestly every now and then someone would just be really unexpectedly nice and kind to me and it would be like a slap in the face to me and I would feel better.

32: Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Man, I do not care about celebs.

33: What political issue stirred you the most?

This year? Climate change still. Also how fucked up Parking Enforcement and the local government is around here like I’m going to burn this place to the ground I hate it here so much and I’m POLITICIZING IT!!!

34: Who did you miss?

My grandma. My cat because she never comes out even when I come to visit.

35: Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2019.

People be lying.

36: Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Only thing that’s coming to mind is “Oooh, I gotta get out of here.”

#lifeblogging #anyways good night

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caroloftheshells · 5 years ago

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recent screen exploits (herein: parasite, good time, mr robot, twin peaks)

parasite: ik i sound like every person ever when i say this but man what an incredible movie. i’m so happy i got to see it in theaters on i think its last day of matinee-price screenings in my area. the pacing was great and so were the visuals/camerawork-- everything makes sense in hindsight and it’s one of those movies that has really stuck with me days after seeing it. starts out as kind of a dark dramedy / heist movie and then hangs a left into the thriller zone. the way bong joon-ho uses physical levels/space/enclosures as well as more subtle visual cues to emphasize the social/class horror elements is really neat and something that i guess this shares with snowpiercer (which i’m using as a ref because that’s the only other one of his movies i’ve seen) but i think this movie feels more nuanced & precise wrt that in part because all the characters across the board feel more real and lived-in. also this gets bonus points for being a movie with a food allergy subplot that isn’t totally ridiculous and actually contributes to the story rather than being a weird deus ex machina-- as previously stated everything makes sense in context and i think that’s cool. anyway tl;dr it’s really compelling & funny & disturbing; favorite movie i’ve watched this year by far (it’s only been 17 days lol but still).

good time: robert pattinson runs around exploiting various people / ruining various lives in pink & green lighting for an hour and a half. this is one of those can’t-look-away train wreck sorts of movies where everything just continually gets worse for our protagonist as various forces close in on him, but also the dude gets less and less likable as things progress. robpat’s acting is great and he fully embodies that increasing level of unhinged scumbag. the score is also really good and successfully anxiety-inducing imo. that said i feel like this is almost a good movie about privilege/racism/the criminal justice system but maybe the writers didn’t quite go there or commit in terms of the framing. like, i guess i’d say i feel similarly abt how this one treats racism as i feel about blade runner 2049 and misogyny(?). it’s definitely there and it’s soaked into the plot but the framing of it is not super precise i guess from my viewing bc we’re constantly stuck with the white guy protagonist. uhh other cw’s for csa / statutory sa involving a teenager; ableism; shaky cam; drug use

mr robot: finally caught up through season 3 on this; no spoilers allowed for s4 because i just figured out how to watch it and haven’t yet. anyway i went back to this show after uhh several years and despite It All because the number of disaster lgbt’s outranks pretty much every other genre show i know of currently airing, and i like rami malek, and also i heard there was a sad and screwy wlw ship that seemed very much up my alley. so lo. anyway i’m still struck by how much i care about all these characters whose fundamental surrounding plot/situation is kinda meh. sam esmail was really like “how bout a show about sad anticapitalists in their 20s, mostly bisexuals & lesbians, having wonky relationships and coming to terms with their trauma” and the result is i guess i’m having fun. i appreciate the commitment to Going There re the abundance & complexity of the aforementioned characters while also giving us a few token cishet white men who are either evil or die. i mean tbf everybody’s probably gonna die at this point but w/e

twin peaks: i’ve only watched the first episode but i am finally jumping on this train and it is enjoyable thus far. as i said earlier i appreciate the sorta record-obsessed ditz representation we seem to be getting with our fbi protagonist dude. i have managed to avoid a significant portion of the lore here despite having been a scifi/specfic nerd my whole life so it’ll be interesting to see how it holds up in 2020

#carol overreacts to movies #carol overreacts to tv #carol overreacts to life #very long post! also formatting is probably bad but w/e

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shakemyhandsworld · 5 years ago

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Healthy life

Get healthy life tips and bee happy

Nutrients in banana

January 14, 2020

Nutrients in banana.

Different benefits of banana.

You rarely known.

twenty-five incredible motivations to eat bananas number one bananas help conquer gloom because of elevated levels of tryptophan which is changed over into serotonin the cheerful state of mind cerebrum synapse number two eat two bananas before a strenuous exercise to pack a vitality punch and continue your glucose number three ensure against muscle cramps during exercises and evening time leg squeezes by eating a banana number four balance calcium

misfortune

during pee and fabricate solid bones by enhancing with a banana number five improve your disposition and decrease PMS side effects by eating a banana which directs glucose and produces pressure mitigating unwinding number six bananas diminish expanding secure against type 2 diabetes help weight reduction reinforce the sensory system and help with the creation of white platelets all because of significant levels of nutrient b6

number seven fortify your blood and ease sickliness with the additional iron from bananas number eight high in potassium and low in salt bananas are authoritatively perceived by the FDA as having the option to bring down pulse and ensure against coronary failure and stroke number nine wealthy in gelatin bananas help processing and tenderly chelate poisons and overwhelming metals from the body

number ten bananas go about as a prebiotic animating the development of agreeable microbes in the gut they likewise produce stomach related compounds to help with engrossing supplements number eleven clogged up high-fiber in bananas can help standardize gut motility number twelve got the runs bananas are calming to the stomach related tract and help reestablish lost electrolytes after loose bowels number thirteen bananas are a characteristic stomach settling agent giving alleviation from indigestion acid reflux gert number 14 bananas are the main crude natural product that can be devoured without misery to assuage stomach ulcers by covering the coating of the stomach against destructive acids number

15 eating bananas will help forestall kidney malignancy ensures the eyes against macular degeneration and manufactures solid bones by expanding calcium retention number 16 bananas make you more astute and help with learning by causing you progressively cognizant to eat a banana before a test to profit by the elevated levels of potassium number 17 bananas are high in cell reinforcements giving assurance from free radicals and incessant malady number 18 eating a banana between dinners

balances out glucose and lessen queasiness from morning infection number 19 elastic bug chomp or hives with within the banana strip to soothe tingling and aggravation number 20 control glucose and abstain from gorging between dinners by eating a banana number 21 eating a banana can bring down the internal heat level and cool you during a fever or on a sweltering day number 22 the regular mind-set enhancer tryptophan eases occasional emotional issue number 23 stopping smoking bananas contain elevated levels of B nutrients just as potassium and magnesium to speed recuperation from the impacts of

withdrawal number 24 evacuate a mole by putting within a bit of banana strip against the ward and taping it set up number 25 rub within a banana strip on your calfskin shoes or purse and clean with a dry material for a fast sparkle rich banana and avocado smoothie formula fixings utilize natural fixings where conceivable two bananas crisp or solidified half avocado stone and skin expelled 1 and 1/2 cups almond milk or some other milk half or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon vanilla glue 1 tbsp crude nectar 1 tbsp chia seeds 1 tbsp honey bee dust 1 tbsp nutty spread discretionary bunch of ice strategy place all fixings in a blender mix on rapid for a large portion of a moment until you arrive at a smooth consistency appreciate

Nutrient in banana

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painandinjury · 3 years ago

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The Good Thing That Came Out of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Dear Readers,

As you know, it has been a really tough 2020 so far, worldwide.

Here in the U.S. we’re still battling COVID-19; dealing with hurricanes, social unrest from racial conflict; a very divisive political situation, and here in California where I live, forest fires (about 400 burning at the same time at one point) enough to cause air quality warnings far away from the fires.

I know some of you are in Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. I hope things aren’t so bad over there.

But enough of that. We must focus on living and make necessary adjustments to carry on with our lives.

There is an old Chinese saying that goes something like this: From crisis, there is opportunity (forgive me if I butchered it; no insult intended).

For the COVID pandemic, this turned out to be true: millions, if not billions of people all over the world learned that they could do a lot of things that they normally did in person, online. And for those who already did this well before COVID, they learned how to do it even better.

Shopping, buying groceries and sundries, attending school, working, holding meetings, attending church services, getting music lessons, and socializing are just some of the activities people learned how to effectively do online, thanks to being quarantined.

And, in my opinion, the most significant thing people are doing more of online, thanks to COVID: healthcare. Telemedicine, also called telehealth involves using a telephone and/or webcam to communicate with a health professional instead of in person, face-to-face for the purpose of improving one’s health. It also encompasses “consuming” health care content in digital format via the internet such as pre-recorded videos, slides, images, flow charts, white papers, and audio files and podcasts. I wrote about this over five years ago when I decided to transition my practice to a telehealth model.

Telehealth was just starting to gain traction right before COVID, but the pandemic accelerated its acceptance. The need to quarantine and social distance forced doctors and their patients to interact online, and things will never be the same (in a good way). We were hesitating at the edge of the swimming pool and COVID pushed us into that cold water, figuratively speaking.

Webcams, Internet, Wireless Connectivity and Mobile Devices Finally Transform Healthcare

The “planets aligned” for telemedicine, and very soon it’s going to be as common as buying groceries. To me, it’s overdue. I hope that telehealth not only enables healthcare for millions more lives on the planet, it will drive healthcare costs down. The cost savings to hospitals are obvious; and those savings should be passed on to the insured and paying patients. We’ll see if that happens. While I know people are used to tradition, starting from the days of the old country doctor with good bedside manners I think in 2020 and beyond, people are going to be just fine seeing their doctor online for simple and routine visits.

And the implications go beyond the actual care: telemedicine will save time and money on a macroeconomic scale, and will be actually good for the environment in more ways than one: less cars on the road (no need to drive to see your doctor); less electricity and other overhead expenses needed to keep a large building operable, less printed paper, etc.

Telehealth Is Ideal for your Average Doctor Visit

The vast majority of things that cause people to seek a doctor are non-emergency, and lifestyle related. Non-emergency means not life-threatening, or risk of serious injury. Lifestyle related means conditions that are largely borne out of lifestyle choices—high-calorie/ junk food diets; alcohol use, smoking, inadequate exercise, occupational/work-related, etc. and are usually chronic; i.e. having a long history–diabetes, high blood pressure, indigestion, arthritis, joint pain, etc. These conditions can be self-managed with proper medical guidance provided remotely via webcam. I believe that if lifestyle choices can cause illness, different lifestyle choices can reverse or minimize those same illnesses, which can be taught via telehealth.

Then there are the cases that are non-emergency, single incident: fevers, rashes, stomach aches, allergies, minor cuts and scrapes, and things of that nature. Sure, some cases of stomach aches and headaches can actually be something dire like cancer. But doctors know that such “red flag” scenarios are comparatively rare, as in less than one percent of all cases; therefore, the vast majority of them can be handled via telehealth. Besides, the doctor can decide at the initial telehealth session if the patient should come in the office, if he/she suspects a red flag.

A Typical In-Office Doctor Visit

Typically when you go to a doctor/ primary care physician, you are given a list of disorders and told to check off any that apply to you recently—stomach pain, headaches, vomiting, fever, etc.

Then, you are asked a bunch of questions related to your complaint. This is called taking your history (of your condition). The nurse practitioner or doctor may do this.

The doctor may or may not examine you, such as checking your eyes, ears, nose, and mouth; temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, lungs and so on depending on your history and complaint.

The doctor then takes this information and comes up with a diagnosis or two. You may be referred for diagnostic testing, again depending on what you came in for, such as an X-ray, MRI, ultrasound or blood test.

You may get a prescription for medications or medical device, and a printout of home care instructions, and then you’re done with your office visit.

With the exception of a physical examination involving touching and diagnostic tests, everything I just explained can be done via a telehealth visit on your computer. But as technology advances, more and more medical procedures will be performed remotely via a secure internet connection.

I believe that in the very near future, there will be apps and computer peripherals capable of doing diagnostic tests which will allow your doctor to get real-time diagnostic data during your telehealth visit. It’s already possible for blood sugar, body temperature, heart and lung auscultation and blood pressure.

Imagine wearing gloves with special, embedded sensors in the fingertips that transfer sensory information via the internet to “receiver” gloves that your doctor wears, 20 miles away. During a telehealth visit, you can palpate (feel) your glands, abdomen, lymph nodes, etc. and this sensory information is immediately felt by your doctor, as though he was right there palpating and examining you.

Or, imagine an ultrasound device that plugs into your HD port that transfers images of your thyroid to your doctor via the internet.

The possibilities are endless, and it bodes well for global health. Imagine all the people who can be helped, all over the world, via telehealth. It’s truly an exciting time in healthcare.

Telemedicine for Muscle and Joint Pain and Injuries

Every day, millions of people worldwide sustain or develop some sort of musculoskeletal (affecting muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, bone) pain, whether it’s their low back, neck, shoulder, hip, knee, hand or other body part. If not treated right, it can become permanent or chronic.

Chronic pain, and even acute (recent onset) musculoskeletal pain can effectively be addressed via telehealth (this is the domain of my platform, Pain and Injury Doctor, and it’s my goal to help a million people worldwide eliminate their pain).

Available medical procedures for musculoskeletal conditions requiring an in-office visit such as surgery and cortisone injection are usually not the first intervention choice for such pain. Conservative care is the standard of care for the vast majority of non-emergency musculoskeletal pain and injury–an ideal application for telehealth.

For example, if you were to go to your doctor for sudden onset low back pain, you would most likely be given a prescription for anti-inflammatory medications, if not advised to just take over-the-counter NSAIDs such as Motrin, and rest. You would also be given a printout of home care instructions, such as applying ice every two hours; avoiding heavy lifting and certain body positions; and doing certain stretches and exercises. As you can imagine, such an office visit could easily be accomplished via a telehealth session. No need to drive yourself to the doctor’s office for this.

But what about chiropractic or physical therapy? You can’t get these physical treatments through your webcam. Yes, chiropractic has been shown to be effective for acute and chronic low back pain, but available studies typically don’t conclude that chiropractic for low back pain is superior or more economical than exercise instruction or traditional medical care. Same with physical therapy. However, as a “biased” chiropractor myself, I believe the benefit of spinal adjustments is not just pain relief, but improved soft tissue healing and structural alignment; two things that I believe can help reduce the chance of flare ups/ chronicity.

So get a couple of chiropractic adjustments if you can, but know that you can overcome typical back pain through self-rehabilitation as well (see my video on how to treat low back pain).

Many Types of Pain Can Be Self-Cured

Take a second to look at my logo. It looks like a red cross, but it’s actually four converging red arrows that form a figure of a person showing vitality, with arms and legs apart. The four arrows represent four pillars of self-care that my platform, The Pain and Injury Doctor, centers on:

Lifestyle modification (nutrition, mindset, healthy habits)

Using select home therapy equipment

Rehabilitative exercises

Manual therapy

These are four things that people suffering from pain are capable of doing by themselves, and sometimes with the help of a partner (manual therapy). All of the Self Treatment Videos on Pain and Injury Doctor incorporate these four elements of self-care (some are still being produced as of this writing). Isn’t this more interesting than a bottle of Motrin?

Conclusion

I will close with this: research shows that when patients are actively engaged in their healthcare, they tend to experience better health outcomes and it’s not hard to figure out why. By participating in your own health, you have “skin in the game;” i.e. you are invested in your health rather than being passive and wanting health to be “given” to you by a doctor through medicine or treatments. Mindset is what drives behavior, and those who are passive about their health are the ones who pay no attention until it’s too late—they don’t eat healthy; they don’t exercise enough; they voluntarily ingest toxins (junk food, alcohol, and smoking) and engage in health-risky behaviors. For many health conditions, by the time the primary symptom is noticeable, the disease has already set in; for example, onset of bone pain from metastasized cancer; or the first sign of pain and stiffness from knee osteoarthritis.

Being actively engaged and invested in one’s health will pay huge dividends in one’s quality of life, and longevity. So, in order for telemedicine/ telehealth to work for you, you need to have this mindset. You have to “do the work.” I can show you clinically proven self-treatment techniques to treat common neck pain, but they obviously won’t work if you don’t do them, and do them diligently.

Self-care for managing musculoskeletal pain is a natural fit for the telemedicine model of health care, which made its world debut this year. I’m excited to produce content that can help you defeat pain, without visiting a doctor’s office. I’m especially excited if your are one of the millions of people who don’t have health insurance or access to a health professional, and I am able to help improve your quality of life by showing you how to self-manage your pain.

If there is anyone you know who can benefit from this site, please share. Take care.

Dr. P

#Musculoskeletal disorders #Musculoskeletal pain #PainandInjuryDoctor #Low Back Pain #Muscle Pain

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stephenmccull · 3 years ago

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‘I Don’t Want to Risk My Life for a Paycheck’: Immunosuppressed People Grapple With Returning to Work

Elizabeth Groenweghe got a kidney transplant 14 years ago. She now takes several medications to prevent her body from rejecting her transplant organ. But these medications also weaken her immune system, putting her at higher risk of becoming seriously ill if she catches covid-19.

When the pandemic began last year, Groenweghe, 29, worked from home for the first month and a half. But then in May 2020, as the chief epidemiologist for the public health department in Wyandotte County, Kansas, she returned to the office.

“Obviously, I was nervous about it because I’m so immunosuppressed,” said Groenweghe.

She felt relatively safe because her co-workers wore masks and strictly followed infection control protocols. But now that vaccinations have become widely available, her workplace has stopped requiring or enforcing mask use. There is no vaccine mandate for her office, and she knows some co-workers are unvaccinated. She feels uncomfortable working around them.

“I am debating putting a sign on my door that says ‘Please do not enter if you are unvaccinated,’ because I am really concerned about getting covid … and have even had a couple co-workers test positive recently,” said Groenweghe.

“Knowing that I don’t have any protection against covid, I’m still wearing a mask and I’m trying to avoid in-person meetings,” she added. “It has been frustrating because, at home, my bubble of protection is great; all of my family and friends are vaccinated. At work I don’t have as much control.”

While the emergence of the delta variant in the U.S. has made many companies delay the return to in-person work or mandate vaccinations, in other offices, immunosuppressed people like Groenweghe are left to cobble together their own strategies to minimize their risks. The delta variant raises the stakes for many who were already concerned about catching covid when they return. Those who have the option to keep working remotely have done so — but worry about what it means for their careers as their colleagues return to the workplace.

Research showing how well vaccines protect those with weakened immune systems is limited. In part that’s because immunosuppressed people, who make up at least 3% of the U.S. population and include people with cancer, HIV and many chronic health conditions, were not included in the original clinical trials for the three covid vaccines authorized for emergency use.

Scientists didn’t include them because they needed to conduct the clinical trials quickly and were concerned that this group’s immunosuppressive medicines and increased likelihood of developing infections in general would complicate interpreting the study results.

Research does show that those who are immunosuppressed are at higher risk of becoming severely ill from covid, passing the virus to others in their household and getting infected even if vaccinated. A recent study reported that 44% of hospitalized “breakthrough” cases in the U.S. were in immunosuppressed people.

Concerns about her elevated covid risk led Groenweghe to obtain a third dose of the Moderna vaccine on her own — and participate in a Johns Hopkins University research study that involved measuring transplant recipients’ immune response to an extra vaccine dose. Hopkins recently told her she hadn’t produced any antibodies.

But, while the third dose might not have helped Groenweghe, early research shows that a booster shot seems to strengthen the immune response for some with weakened immune systems. Israel began distributing additional doses to the immunosuppressed in July. Britain and France have said they plan to start distributing booster doses to high-risk groups in September. However, the World Health Organization recently called for a moratorium on booster shots until more vaccine could be distributed globally to countries with low vaccination rates.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in a July Senate hearing that immunosuppressed people “may actually need a boost as part of their initial regimen in the sense of getting them up to the point where they are protected.”

And soon, third doses may indeed become part of the regimen. The Food and Drug Administration reportedly is closing in on amending the emergency use authorization requests for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines to allow third doses of those shots to be given to those with weakened immune systems. The vaccine advisory committee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was set to meet Friday and is expected to vote on whether to officially recommend that doctors can prescribe third doses to immunocompromised people. Still, federal officials said these third doses would be recommended only for a small number of immunocompromised people, and it’s not yet clear who will be included.

Well in advance of this green light, patients were asking their doctors about additional shots.

Andrew Clifford is one such patient. (KHN is identifying him by his first and middle names because he fears retaliation from his workplace.) Andrew, a marketing manager from Missouri, is working from home indefinitely and worries about what he might be missing. The 40-year-old has multiple sclerosis and takes immunosuppressive medication.

“The fear of missing out is a tremendous anxiety,” he said. Recently his entire team went back to the office for two weeks to meet with an outside agency. While Andrew was able to go in for two days, he could tell he had missed out on things on the days he stayed home.

“I missed out on the lunchtime convos. When I did show up in the Zoom meetings, I was playing a lot of catch-up,” he said. “I was trying to figure out who I was actually talking to and what they did.”

Some patients, such as transplant recipient Elyse Thomas, aren’t waiting for new guidance from the U.S. government. (KHN is identifying her by her middle and last names because she is worried about pushback from her employer.) Instead, Elyse, a 30-year-old social worker for a high school district in the Bay Area of California, pursued third and fourth doses of a covid vaccine on her own since her school district had staff members return in person in early August.

“Some of us transplant patients have had to take matters into our own hands,” Thomas said. “We can’t wait for the recommendation while we could be dying.”

She asked for an accommodation to continue working remotely during the 2021-22 school year, as she did the year before, but was told all employees must return. Thomas was offered the option to take medical leave without pay if she didn’t want to come into the office, but that would strain her finances. Her workplace does have a mask mandate, but she’s not sure physical distancing will be enforced and she’s even more anxious now that the delta variant is circulating.

“I don’t feel safe and I don’t understand why I have to be there in person,” Thomas said. “I don’t want to risk my transplant for a paycheck. I don’t want to risk my life for a paycheck.”

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

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This story can be republished for free (details).

‘I Don’t Want to Risk My Life for a Paycheck’: Immunosuppressed People Grapple With Returning to Work published first on https://smartdrinkingweb.weebly.com/

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laurelkrugerr · 4 years ago

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How a Box of Girl Scout Cookies Inspired a Business Dedicated to Helping Food Allergy Sufferers Stay Safe While Snacking

August 28, 2020 6 min read

In this ongoing series, we are sharing advice, tips and insights from real entrepreneurs who are out there doing business battle on a daily basis. (Answers have been edited and condensed for clarity.)

Who are you and what’s your business?

I’m Susie Hultquist, a food allergy mom and the founder and CEO of Spokin. I left my multi-decade career as an investor on Wall Street to start a modern lifestyle platform for the 32 million people with food allergies.

Spokin helps consumers discover allergy-friendly resources including food, restaurants, bakeries, hotels—even baseball stadiums. We are also uniquely positioned to help brands market directly to this large consumer base to raise awareness, trust, and sales. Food allergies are one of the most common chronic conditions. If you’re lucky enough to not have food allergies, chances are you know someone who does.

What inspired you to create this business?

My assistant asked me to buy Girl Scout cookies. I needed to figure out if they were safe because we don’t bring any food into our home that isn’t safe for my daughter. With limited information on the package, I checked their website for facility information and texted a few trusted friends. This process took 15 minutes. I could rent a villa in Tuscany on Airbnb faster than I could figure out if cookies are safe for my daughter. If everyone in the food allergy community did the same thing, not only are we reinventing the wheel, we all just spent 8 million hours on a cookie! My next thought was as my daughter entered her teen years that this burden would soon become hers—those 15 minutes a day would add up to a full year of her life. I couldn’t cure her food allergies, but I could make it easier and give her that time back — enough to at least call me every day!

Related: Entrepreneurs, Need a Mental Break? The ‘Meet Cute’ Podcast Delivers Rom-Com Escape in 15-Minute Burst

What advice would you give entrepreneurs looking for funding?

As a first time entrepreneur, it’s more about the founder than the idea and you’re asking people to bet on you. Turn to people who you already know professionally and have seen what you’ve accomplished in another field.

In preparing to pitch an institutional advisor, it’s critical to do your homework and know your audience. For example, research their portfolio companies ahead of time and be prepared to explain how your company could work with or help one of their current investments.

How did it feel the first day you opened for business?

It felt like giving birth — Spokin is my fourth child! I vividly remember when our team hit send to submit our first app version to the App Store. We started with our first user in our hometown of Chicago and we were national within the month. We’ve grown to 50,000 reviews in 79 countries which is remarkable but we always feel like we are at the starting line and every day feels like the first day.

Have you had any correspondences with users of your app that were especially meaningful to you?

We launched direct messaging almost a year ago. The first thing I do every morning and the last thing I do every night is to check my Spokin app DMs. Startups are hard and as a founder, it’s natural to question: is this working, are we going to make it? Receiving these heartfelt messages from parents whose children got to have ice cream or a bagel for the first time because of Spokin—that tells me this is already working! Hearing that a family took their first trip because of Spokin…It’s the most rewarding part of my job. We even have a couple who are dating in part thanks to Spokin!

Related: The Entrepreneur Who Took Streetwear Culture to the Dogs

What was your toughest challenge and how did you overcome it?

Like most startups, fundraising is challenging and we believe being based in Chicago has been a factor. The funds on the West Coast understand our business instantly but are not active investors in the Midwest and Chicago-based funds focus primarily on B2B or companies that make a sell a product. Spokin is building a direct-to-consumer network and the data on our platform is where the value is, so we are outside the sweet spot of our local market.

With the challenges of fundraising, we decided to launch a paid partnership program earlier than planned for the food industry called Verified Brands. In this case, our location is an advantage as so many food companies are based in our own backyard. These companies are quickly understanding our unique positioning and we can hardly keep up with onboarding brands. These aren’t just allergy-focused brands, it’s also some of the fastest-growing companies who are committed to label transparency, like Oatly, Sweet Loren’s and Chomps.

What does the word “entrepreneur” mean to you?

I think it’s a title you have to earn your way into and I’m frankly not that comfortable with the term. I’m not an entrepreneur simply because I started a company. Being an entrepreneur means being so passionate about seeing an idea come to life and believing so strongly that the world will be a better place for it that it’s all-consuming. I’m not an entrepreneur for the sake of the term, I’m the Founder of Spokin.

Is there a particular quote that you use as personal motivation?

“Winners get up faster,” is my favorite quote from Olympian Bonnie St. John’s TED Talk. A startup is a rollercoaster: you have the lowest lows and highest highs each and every day. You need to be comfortable with falling and accept that failure is part of the ride. The key is to get back up and do it fast.

Website Design & SEO Delray Beach by DBL07.co

Delray Beach SEO

source http://www.scpie.org/how-a-box-of-girl-scout-cookies-inspired-a-business-dedicated-to-helping-food-allergy-sufferers-stay-safe-while-snacking/ source https://scpie1.blogspot.com/2020/08/how-box-of-girl-scout-cookies-inspired.html

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riichardwilson · 4 years ago

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How a Box of Girl Scout Cookies Inspired a Business Dedicated to Helping Food Allergy Sufferers Stay Safe While Snacking

August 28, 2020 6 min read

Who are you and what’s your business?

What inspired you to create this business?

Related: Entrepreneurs, Need a Mental Break? The ‘Meet Cute’ Podcast Delivers Rom-Com Escape in 15-Minute Burst

What advice would you give entrepreneurs looking for funding?

How did it feel the first day you opened for business?

Have you had any correspondences with users of your app that were especially meaningful to you?

Related: The Entrepreneur Who Took Streetwear Culture to the Dogs

What was your toughest challenge and how did you overcome it?

What does the word “entrepreneur” mean to you?

Is there a particular quote that you use as personal motivation?

Website Design & SEO Delray Beach by DBL07.co

Delray Beach SEO

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scpie · 4 years ago

Text

How a Box of Girl Scout Cookies Inspired a Business Dedicated to Helping Food Allergy Sufferers Stay Safe While Snacking

August 28, 2020 6 min read

Who are you and what’s your business?

What inspired you to create this business?

Related: Entrepreneurs, Need a Mental Break? The ‘Meet Cute’ Podcast Delivers Rom-Com Escape in 15-Minute Burst

What advice would you give entrepreneurs looking for funding?

How did it feel the first day you opened for business?

Have you had any correspondences with users of your app that were especially meaningful to you?

Related: The Entrepreneur Who Took Streetwear Culture to the Dogs

What was your toughest challenge and how did you overcome it?

What does the word “entrepreneur” mean to you?

Is there a particular quote that you use as personal motivation?

Website Design & SEO Delray Beach by DBL07.co

Delray Beach SEO

source http://www.scpie.org/how-a-box-of-girl-scout-cookies-inspired-a-business-dedicated-to-helping-food-allergy-sufferers-stay-safe-while-snacking/

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thisislizheather · 4 years ago

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June Jaunts 2020

Above Photo: New York Public Library, June 2020

Can someone just hit me in the face hard enough so that I wake up in 2021? As a favour to me? (Also I love that we’re all assuming that a new year means a completely fresh new slate and that none of the actions taken this year will affect the rest of our lives? It’s ridiculous, but it’s a type of logic that I can absolutely get on board with.) In any case, life is hell right now. Here’s what went on in hell this month.

I found a new streaming site for movies that is incredible.

My brother Gary made another gravy video (this time a Swiss Chalet one) and of course it’s perfect.

My Dad turned 97!

I started doing Ipsy bag reviews again. The best find from the bag this month: a REALHER lipstick. Just amazing quality and I need to look further into their other products.

I watched Get Me Roger Stone and the man seems like a needy psychopath.

I rewatched The Disaster Artist: still great.

I tried hard seltzer (not White Claw, it was a brand called HOOT) and it was very okay, I just don’t see the big deal? I think we all have low standards for things being good.

God, I miss Jon Stewart. I find myself just watching old segments from his show which are sadly still incredibly relevant.

I visited this coffee shop in Astoria called Coffee + Cake that’s so lovely. They make freshly baked goods each day and homemade ice cream and I’ll definitely return. This is their tomato & parmesan focaccia bread.

I started taking antihistamine eye drops for seasonal allergies and they’ve cured me completely. It’s insane. I love them.

I tried birthday cake Kit Kats because why wouldn’t I and of course they’re good. But they’re basically just… white Kit Kats… and that’s already a thing that exists… and look I’m not trying to hate on them, so I’ll keep my mouth shut about it from here on out.

If I became famous, the first thing I’d endorse would be Vicks (obviously), but the second thing? This dairy-free, almond milk yogurt DAH! Yes, the name is terrible. But the yogurt is heavenly. The madagascar vanilla will change you.

Finally made this ricotta jam jar with crostini and it was everything I wanted it to be and more.

I’ve been keeping a collection of photos taken of the city throughout the pandemic that are just gorgeous photos, here are a few.

Above Photo: April 2020, photo by Jerome Strauss

Above Photo: March 12th, 2020, the first night of Broadway going dark - photo by Gretchen Robinette for Gothamist

Above Photo: June 2020, photo by Benjamin Norman for The New York Times

Above Photo: April 2020, photo by Jerome Strauss

I watched the Holy Chicken! documentary from the Super Size Me guy and it was okay. I did know a lot of those chicken facts already since we haven’t been eating meat these last few months, so it wasn’t anything revolutionary. And then after I watched it, I was reading about it and then came across all the gross behavior by the creator of the film and uggghhhh I wish I hadn’t watched and supported it now.

I tried this New Orleans cold brew and whoa. Good stuff. I don’t exactly know the difference between cold brew and coffee and it’s such a boring thing to look up, so… here we are.

Will forever love the food at The Thirsty Koala in Astoria. Thank you Katie, Greg & Irene for gifting us so much of their food this month! Truly so sweet of you.

Favourite tweets of the month.

New favourite Health-Ade kombucha flavour: passion fruit - tangerine. Absolutely unreal.

I bought a ton of underwear from Aerie since I don’t feel comfortable going into any stores or on the subway yet, and they’re actually pretty great quality (I’m sorry I didn’t get on this sooner, Marla.) The sizing is a little off in that one medium doesn’t fit like another medium, but once you figure it out, you’re good.

This girl. She’s still breaking my heart with these renditions.

How do I set my Google Alerts so that these types of stories are the only news stories I read?

I learned how to make vodka martinis at home, so what I’m trying to say is that I’m better than you now.

Truly don’t know how I feel about this news, but I think I have to support it, right? I wish we could just leave good things alone. Why must we always want more.

I watched The Joy Luck Club and here’s my takeaway: don’t have daughters. And also maybe don’t have mothers? It seems like everyone is a disappointment to every character in this movie. I was expecting to love it, so when that didn’t happen I was a little disappointed.

I watched Dan In Real Life (mainly because of Steve Carell who was way too good for this movie) and it suuuuucked. Hated Dane Cook. Hated the plot. Hated the whole white, rich, we-dance-as-a-family type aesthetic of the whole movie.

I watched the first season of You and a few episodes of the second season and uuuuuuuggggghhhhhh what a garbage show. I don’t need to see anyone romanticize some pathetic Gossip Girl loser who I feel no empathy for. It’s actually just so badly written and how on earth did someone green-light this trash. Here’s a good piece written about it.

Also watched a bunch of reruns of 3rd Rock From The Sun and what an underrated, great show. Wish I remembered it more.

I’ve been on a real Harrison Ford bender lately and I can’t see it stopping anytime soon. I watched Sabrina (which was okay, the best part was seeing him play a nerdish, unlovable character). I also watched Working Girl (which is really not a great movie, but it was only watchable for Ford). Also saw Air Force One and what a movie. How on earth have I never seen it before?? Such a fox. If you haven’t seen it before, I shall entice you with this one line.

Rainier cherries are in season now and while I don’t particularly love a cherry, these are delightful.

I’ve been sucking down these Saratoga Springs sparkling waters for days and there’s no turning back, they’re refreshing in a way I didn’t think existed. Just pure magic.

The only summer salad that’s worth a damn is this panzanella salad, but make sure you add fresh mozzarella to it.

I never thought I liked biscotti until a friend recently made it, so maybe I’m just into chocolate biscotti?

What a great idea (below):

If you’d like to hear the birds in NYC right now, get on over here.

I started watching Insecure but couldn’t really get into it, maybe I’ll give it more of a chance, maybe not. I feel like if you’re not hooked into a show within three episodes, it’s not gonna happen.

I rewatched Clueless and it’s really just a perfect movie. I could quote every line in this movie at one point in my life and I think I might still be able to. Still looking to emulate this perfect outfit one day.

Cannot stop making this broccoli pasta with Banza and the Beyond Meat sausage.

Absolutely haunted by this moving front page of the Times.

I finished watching Fuller House and I’ll never know why I wanted to, it’s such a corny/actually-bad show and yet I still watched. Thankfully it’s over forever.

Incase you’re looking for an alternative site to Amazon for buying books: Bookshop.org

I haven’t read a book in what feels like forever, so I finally finished Glennon Doyle’s Untamed and wrote about it.

Excited to one day see the new LaGuardia.

I went over what I did from my spring list that I made in March.

I naively made a list of what I’d like to do this summer.

It’s been a harder month than normal and I found myself watching The Land Before Time and uncontrollably weeping onto my yoga mat (I like to watch movies in the background when I’m working out). A kind of cry that comes around every decade or so where you can’t really breathe and you’re blinded my tears and everything is too much to handle. I know it’s a sad movie, but I think it was the movie and the combination of this month that made me react that way. In any case, I hope kids today still want to watch that movie. It’s a hard one, but it’s really still so good.

My grandmother Ma passed away this month and since travel is not allowed, it was especially difficult for this to happen now. I felt helpless being separated from most of my family so I wrote a bit about how it made me feel. I could talk about the greatness of this woman endlessly, how it’s insane that you could live in this day and age and not read or write and still enrich the lives of everyone you know, there’s no way to sum her up as a person. I’ll just miss her. Her voice, her endless encouragement, all of it.

Some things I’d like to do this month: I’d like to not sink into an unending pit of depression (that’d be great), I’d like to keep going on our nightly walks with Nathan, I’m likely going to buy these bike shorts as soon as they’re back in stock and you can’t stop me (I already have an outfit in mind, trust me it’s gonna look good), I was looking forward to movie theatres reopening (the Regal near our house specifically) but the date’s been pushed again to the end of July (which will likely get pushed again), and I’d really like to start and finish another book this month.

If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went down in May over here.

#June 2020 #June Jaunts #monthly list June 2020 #this is liz heather #Liz Heather

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sinrau · 4 years ago

Link

The houses along my new grocery delivery route are easy to find. They’re also fancy, two-story brick fronts in a new development just east of Austin, so I’m expecting good tips. Then I realize I made a mistake on my professional grocery shoppers’ app. I didn’t log in the order correctly. I’m fairly sure I’ve given these customers their food for free. I expect I won’t get paid.

In just six weeks, I have lost a comfortable job as a communications director for a nonprofit and moved into the ranks of people paid to risk getting the coronavirus. I now shop for groceries for Austinites who don’t want to be in crowded store aisles. I am among the thousands of professional shoppers who’ve become masked and gloved essential workers. I don’t know what it’s like to have done this as a career. But right now, the work doesn’t feel heroic. It feels grim and scary.

It also felt like my only option. The few employers who have responded to my résumé over the past month froze their hiring processes. It may be many months, even a year, before I can get a job in my field. What’s more, no retail businesses are open, and even call center jobs are thinning. And with a son in college for the past four years, I don’t have a lot of savings.

While looking for work, I had read that some professional grocery shoppers had recently walked off the job to demand masks and hazard pay, and that their employers, companies like Shipt and Instacart, had provided the equipment but not the money. App-based professional shopping is gig work; you get paid by the job. Shipt pays a low rate based, in part, on the size of the order, leaving workers to make most of their money through tips. But as the economy crashes, Shipt has one big thing going for itself—it’s still hiring. So I took the job.

On day two, I figure out how my app works. You have to click on each item in the grocery order to indicate it was found and then log everything as bought. If you can’t find something, the app tells you whether the customer wants to text about replacements. You don’t want to replace items and text, because then the order takes more time and you make less money per hour.

My customer, whose order is at the Wheatsville Food Co-op on Guadalupe in Austin, wants to text. She’s ordered difficult-to-find name-brand products, like NadaMoo nondairy ice cream and powdered organic collagen. And since it’s Easter Sunday and the co-op is one of the few stores open, the shelves are emptying fast. It takes me two hours to fill the order, and between replacing her ice cream flavors, which requires several texts, and logging replacements into the app, I am confused, sweaty, and close to tears. I am also terrible at this job.

My customer then decides she wants to meet me at the co-op, probably thinking that it will make my life easier, but she goes to the wrong Wheatsville location—the one all the way across the river on South Lamar nearly eight miles away. I’m already outside with her ice cream. I ask an employee if she will put it back in the freezer. The request creates a security situation.

The employee, wearing bunny ears for Easter, calls a manager over. At a distance of six feet, we discuss how to transfer the ice cream without coming close to each other. The manager tells me to put the ice cream on the ground and back away. She approaches, picks it up, and takes it back into the store. When my customer and her husband finally arrive, we repeat the process in reverse.

On day three, I choose an order at H-E-B in East Austin, where the line of customers reaches down the center aisle of the parking lot and doubles back—a fifteen-minute wait that whittles away my pay. Today, everyone has masks on, bandanas knotted around necks, patches of patterned cloth stitched with fasteners for the ears, and raggedy masks cut from T-shirts, which is what I have on.

My customer, Robert, has a big family-friendly order: four loaves of Dave’s Killer Bread, 24 eggs, Stouffer’s family-size frozen lasagna, big boxes of variety snack packs. I imagine that he’s a dad ordering food for four teenagers stuck at home for the last six weeks. He texts that I can use my judgment about replacements. I love Robert. I finish his order quickly, thinking that this time I might make a decent wage. But then Robert stops responding to my texts.

Arriving at his address, I find that he’s not a stressed-out dad living with his brood in a townhouse. He lives on the sixth floor of a chichi high-rise off rapidly gentrifying South Congress Avenue. Class resentment sets in. I am not going to walk all of his groceries up to his door. I send two more texts, my pay melting as fast as his frozen lasagna. I give up, persuade the employee in the lobby of the building to take his groceries, and drive home.

On day four, I’m already depressed. I’m lying on my bed feeling like an inferior. There are people who can and can’t afford to shelter at home—and I am among the latter. There’s also something especially grim about spending hours a day among people in masks. There are no nods or smiles, none of the ordinary cues of humanity. With their faces masked, people seem robotic.

On day five, I deliver groceries for Hannah, who has almost the same food values as me. She buys no-nonsense items for a non-cook: H-E-B brand raisin bran, H-E-B sharp cheddar cheese slices, and Amy’s organic frozen meals. She tells me to replace the Mexican casserole and the broccoli and cheddar bake with anything else by Amy’s. She seems friendly and easygoing.

At the end of my first week, I check my delivery history. Robert is redeemed because he gave me a $45 tip. So too is the customer with the fussy order who gave me $35. Two people, including Hannah, gave me no tip at all. I no longer feel warmth for them. My assessment of human beings, I realize, is now based entirely on how much they tip.

In total, I have made $261.05 from eight orders. I am spending more than two hours on each order, which means I am averaging less than $15 an hour.

On day eight, I wake up with a splitting headache. I start to worry that I’ve already contracted the virus. Instantly, my foray into professional grocery shopping seems reckless, a thousand times over not worth the money. As my head pounds, I imagine breaking the news to my son and my sisters. I test my sense of smell against a cup of leftover coffee. Still intact. Fifteen minutes later the headache has cleared, and I remember that it’s spring and I have allergies. I realize I will probably go shopping again.

What It’s Like Getting Paid to Risk Catching the Coronavirus #web #website #copied #to read# #highlight #link #news #read #blog #wordpress post# #posts #breaking news# #Sinrau #Nothiah #Sinrau29

#IFTTT #WordPress

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jessgartner · 5 years ago

Text

2019 Life Olympics

At the end of 2018, I was fried: emotionally, physically, financially. It had been a brutal year that took a huge toll on my health and home. I kept having these episodes where I woke up in the middle of the night with my heart racing so fast that I worried it would explode. My GERD was the worst it had ever been, I was head-cold sick more than not, and I was literally struggling to breathe. The past few years of work were catching up to me and my body was showing it. I was honestly starting to feel like I would certainly die of some stress-related disorder before I turned 40. And then one of my friends died from a heart-attack and I made the decision that some things had to change. My friends tease me that I only do things in my personal life when they benefit Allovue and in many ways, this was true here, too. I realized last year that I wanted to do this work for a long time to come. And I realized that my life's work would be cut pretty short if I killed myself from stress before I turned 35. When I shared this with my exec coach as well as how past attempts to prioritize my health had always fallen by the wayside she said, "Well. I think you're just going to have to make up your mind to... do it." So I did it.

This year was all about getting my body, mind, and heart in a place that allows me to do work that I care about for the rest of my life if I want to (and ensuring that the "rest of my life" is actually a good long time). 2019 was about setting boundaries on my time and energy so that I could be a fully-functioning whole healthy person. And it turned out that in a year in which my general mantra was to "do less" (no more setting +30 annuals goals and working myself into a stress-addled mess), my life felt the fullest. Here we go:

2019 Life Olympics Recap

Career - Gold

Please try not to laugh at my extremely "duh" realization that the more I took care of myself, the more the company thrived. My exec coach deemed my transition from December 2018 to January 2019 a "DOS to Windows" level upgrade in my general approach to business strategy. In no small part, this is because we were raising money and it's just a little easier to feel confident with $4M in fresh funding in the bank. But I took that gasoline and poured fire on it - unleashing ideas and plans and ambitions that I had been holding back on for years. One Board member asked me in December, "Do you want to be a large chicken or do you want to be a 10-ft tall murder bird?"

Let's not psychoanalyze this too much but for some reason this image really resonated with me and I spent the better part of this year channeling this vibrant Cassowary:

Don't ask me why, but it worked. Allovue had a banner year and we're on track to fulfilling a vision that I have been working towards for 7 nearly years.

Sharply juxtaposed with my murder bird imagery, it's worth mentioning another consequence from this year of being a whole person: I was kinder. It turns out that sleep and exercise and proper nutrition increase your capacity for patience and kindness, too. I made more time for people and I felt less reactive. I was able to process setbacks more quickly and productively. I had energy for more team outings. I started doing weekly CEO Chats where I spend 30 minutes 1:1 with every member of the company. It's my favorite part of the week. I even noticed this in small ways, like having the energy to make friendly conversation with Lyft drivers. Being too tired to be friendly is a state of being that I plan I leave in the dust of this decade.

Lastly, this year I felt like I led the company with the most love. Love for the work, love for our team, and love for our partners. While there are many forces and headlines in this capitalist world that may lead you to believe that love and success are incompatible, I humbly, flatly disagree. Leading from a place of love and kindness is the only way that feels right to me. And if the past few years have taught me anything about business: if it feels right, it is right. They don't call it the golden rule for nothin'.

Home - Silver

This was a tricky one! First: there were no catastrophes this year! After 2018's cascade of house-related disasters (ceiling caving in! flood! awful tenants! roof leaks!) I was hoping the gods of hearth and home would leave me alone this year. As a peace offering, I gave my bedroom a little makeover and finalized my will. For good measure, I cleaned up my backyard and built a little porch. And my property manager has been an actual gift from the heavens. All was quiet on the homefront this year.

But, um. Finance is also in this category. And on matters of personal finance this year? Well, this was an area of my life considerably devoid of boundaries. Dinners, drinks, wine clubs, concerts, personal training, specialists, massages, travel, shopping, new hobbies, home improvements - I did it all. I was a pure hedonist this whole year, as you probably already know if you follow me on Instagram. So why did this spending spree year not plunge me into the depths of "Did Not Place"? Because I believe in balance in all things. Since starting Allovue, I've been very scrappy. In the first year of Allovue, my gross income was $9K. The following year, it was about $20K. It's risen to more livable wages over the past 5 years, but I've still been at-times frugal to a fault. So this year, I let loose a little. I indulged. I explored. I released myself from fretting about whether I should splurge the extra $4 on the meal I really wanted. I tipped very generously. I had a LOT of fun. But I still did all of this within my means, so it's not as though I drove myself into debt on fancy dinners. I had many wonderful experiences this year and no regrets about a year of limited saving. Next year, though, is going to be a year of saving and mostly free fun. I already canceled the wine club memberships.

Health - Gold

GOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLDDDDDDD. I've never given myself Gold in this category before! I'm actually tearing up a little bit right now because it took me 10 years of working at this entirely self-constructed, self-imposed framework for adult living to feel like I did a good job taking care of my own physical health but I did it and I feel great. I had so much help, though! I worked with an allergist who helped with my persistent colds (non-allergic rhinitis from years of not treating my allergies effectively)

and

GERD (apparently sinus health is closely connected with digestive health). I worked with a personal trainer to help me learn more about strength training and increased my muscle mass by about 5%. I worked with a nutritionist who helped me identify food triggers and get rid of the GERD entirely and get off all the prescription meds I had been using to treat it. I started working with a therapist to take care of my mental health. I increased my physical activity by 250% and had the most consistent year of exercise ever. I slept well. I took vacations and breaks when I needed them. I reduced my sugar intake. I learned about protein! I figured out the daily breakdown of fat, protein, and carbs that makes me feel best. And perhaps most importantly, I didn't allow my energy to be drained by things that I had no power over. There is really something to that serenity prayer and I can't overstate the benefit to physical and mental health by learning to recognize the things that are out of my control and letting that shit go.

So this was a categorical improvement for me this year, but there is still a lot of work I need to do in the next decade on my body image. It's hard for me to admit this but I think it's important to be honest about challenges as much as celebrating successes. For as long as I can remember, I have struggled mightily with body dysmorphia, disordered eating, and general body image. At times, I have starved myself on as little as 800-calories a day; I have tried every fast, juice-cleanse, colon-cleanse, fad diet, and magic pill on the market. The negative self-talk is constant and vicious; I often wonder what on earth I could accomplish if I ever managed to free up all that mental energy. I have a near-phobia of taking pictures because I am so paranoid about how I will look. I have a complicated relationship with mirrors. I have extreme anxiety about bread. In the summer of 2016 I contracted a food-borne illness on vacation and couldn't eat or drink much of anything without vomiting for two months. I had a parasite and it was the best I had ever felt about my body.

I'm not utterly lacking in self-confidence: I have confidence in my ideas, my ability to solve problems, my judgment, my ability to love, and my capacity for creativity. But I live in a world that constantly reminds me that what's in a woman's head doesn't count for much if we can't count her abs. I have been thus far unsuccessful at squelching that narrative internally. For a while, I was under the impression that this was just a narrative of immaturity. I imagined that when I turned 30, I would suddenly be very wise and self-accepting. When that didn't happen, the body-hate somehow intensified instead: How are you over 30 and still obsessing over this? Why can't you let this go?

This is a work in progress and something I'm going to prioritize with my therapist and nutritionist in 2020. My goal is to someday be able to look in the mirror or at a picture of myself and feel proud. Please do not interpret this as an invitation to tell me that I look good or that you think I'm thin or pretty or whatever. It is not invited and it will not help. I do not need any external validation on these matters; this is an inside job. I don't feel comfortable sharing all of this, but if there's anyone else out there who always feels like they are 10, 15, or 100 pounds away from happiness, know that you are not alone.

Soul - Gold

Picking up the thread on spending, you can see that I really enjoyed myself this year. I indulged in everything that brings me pleasure and joy this year: delicious gastronomic experiences; travel to Cancun, London, Amsterdam, Vancouver, Miami, and Tulum; concerts; plays; museums; singing. I felt creatively on fire this year and attribute a good chunk of that to surrounding myself with creative energy at every occasion. I also rediscovered a love of camping this year. I bought some new gear and enjoyed several camping trips around Maryland before it got too cold this Fall. My only failing/complaint in this category is that I had a lackluster and uninspired year of reading and writing. I think it was offset enough by my other creative experiences but I do want to reprioritize reading again next year.

Relationships - Gold

I know this category is the only one you care about and that's why I save it for last. Hopefully, I tricked you into caring about the rest of my life, but if you skipped to the end I'll forgive you. As many of you know, this year I took a big hiatus from dating. I quietly started my hiatus around September of 2018 and broke my hiatus in August 2019 when I met someone in real life who I actually wanted to go out with. Probably because I was fried in other realms in my life, I was beyond exhausted with dating last year. It became something I completely dreaded and I decided I needed a long hard break from trying. Did it work? Yes. Better than I imagined.

Up until hiatus, dating felt like something I needed to do to fill a missing part of my life or myself. I was operating from a deficit standpoint. I felt like lots of things in my life were great but my singleness represented some hole or flaw that needed correcting. As a result, the act of dating felt extremely high stakes and I always felt anxious and insecure about it. Giving myself the freedom to not care or not try at all was truly liberating. Suddenly, I was not worried about reserving time and space in my life for something or someone that may or may not materialize. I made plans with friends, I went on trips, and I planned my evenings and weekends with zero regards to men who may or may not commit to plans; who may or may not cancel at the last moment. My life felt instantly larger. Time and space just expanded. Instead of feeling like a restriction, my world opened up. I spent so much time with friends this year. And did I mention how much fun I had? I also made more time for my parents and enjoyed trips and concerts and other activities with them, too.

I'm dating again but it feels completely different now. I learned that my life and my heart are already full. Nothing at all is missing or broken. Now dating is a value-add activity only and that is a completely different game - one that doesn't make me feel anxious at all. I also learned to expand my definition of love this year. All the romantic rhetoric about finding "the one" or finding love "at last" or "saving love" are really... limiting. Taking romantic love off the table for a year allowed me to receive and give love in so many other ways: friend love, parental love, coworker love, self-love, city love, etc. In a year that I thought would require an absence of love, I actually experienced the greatest abundance of love. My definition of love had been narrow; I was being far too precious about it. As I expanded my definition, I experienced love and gave it more abundantly. So I guess it's true what they say: you find love when you stop looking for it - it just looks and feels differently than I expected.

2020

So that's a wrap on 10 years of the Life Olympics! Next year, I am planning to bring lots of energy inspired by Baby Yoda and Moira Rose. My theme for 2020 is Intention because I want to take the energy I feel right now and deploy it with more intentionality next year - bringing increased mindfulness to how I spend my time, money, physical and mental energy. And because I love wordplay, I also literally want to spend more time camping "in-tent" to enjoy more peace and quiet and beauty in nature.

When I started working with the nutritionist she gave me a list about "Mindful Eating" which I scoffed at for having tips like "Chew your food" but decided to try anyway. As it turns out, I was not really chewing my food at all, so much as just quickly and eagerly swallowing whole bites - much like the rest of my life. In 2020, instead of swallowing life whole, I'll learn to chew it.

#lifeolympics

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thebrowngirlstakeontheworld · 6 years ago

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Nobody’s Mama

Quick Author’s Note: The purpose of this post is not to stomp on anyone’s baby dreams. Have babies. Have lots of babies. Matter of fact, MAJOR shoutout to all of my friends who are already parents! You are all so amazing, and I love watching your little ones turn into little versions of you. Keep doing your best and being your best. I see you. I also know there are women who really desire to be moms, and I think that’s amazing. The purpose of this post is to show that there is another group of us. People ask me all of the time why I don’t want kids, and it’s such a complicated answer. But know that I’ve thought about it, long and hard. Motherhood is a special calling and not everyone has it. Read on only if you’re interested in knowing a little bit of my journey.

Now. It’s my turn to briefly answer the most frequently asked question brought to me weekly: “Do you want marriage and/or kids?”

STORY TIME:

eX: Can I talk to you about something?

Me: Sure

eX: Let’s have a baby together. You’d be an amazing mother. I’d be a great dad. We can have a child together and coparent like all the trendy people.

Me: Absolutely not.

THE END

I don’t have it all figured out. Yes, I’m 30, and I’m just chillin. Vibin. Coastin. And that’s ok with me (after having several panic attacks and temper tantrums the past couple of years). By nature, I’m a planner. However, God doesn’t let me plan my life which is soooo unfair. I have absolutely no control. I mean... if you do have control over your life, more power to you.

Like every “grown” daughter who hates when her Dad meddles in her life, I, too, hate when God changes the plan… but I secretly like it because it’s always better than my plan. It’s like a little game we play, me and God. I tell Him everything I have planned, and He counters it. Today’s area of discussion: Marriage and kids. I used to be annoyed by the fact that I couldn’t just marry Idris Elba or be an assistant to Oprah or be a mom by 25. But there is a rhyme and reason for everything I suppose.

Today, I’m grateful for all of the things I didn’t receive as a part of my plan. All of the things God has protected me from. At 30, I’m nobody’s wife or mother which is such a blessing. I used to long for motherhood, but then I became a teacher. And I realized raising children is hard and being in partnership with another adult (their parents) is even harder. So many ideas and opinions on how to raise children. Oh and these personalities. Some kids have these wild personalities that they can’t even control. I would get kicked, bit, punched, and more by CHILDREN and I used to always think… “What if this were my child?” And people who aren’t in classrooms love to comment that it wouldn’t be my child, but they can’t guarantee that. Every year that I taught, I saw an increasing number of violent children who exhibited behaviors that they couldn’t control. With each case, my baby factory closed it’s doors a little.

Through it all, teaching taught me so much about who I am and what kind of parent and wife I’d be. I’d be one of those parents who pours out her entire life into her child and husband. I’d be attentive, supportive, chef, maid and all of that good stuff. And not out of obligation, but because I’d want to. It’s in my nature. Nobody told me to skip lunches as a teacher or get to school 30 minutes early or leave school an hour after it was over or call parents with updates on their kiddos or teach while allergy season almost took me out, but I did it because I understood what was at stake. Their futures were in my hands. I’d give anything to make sure my kids were successful because that’s how I was with my students. If you remember, I was unhealthy as a teacher. I’d gain weight off and on due to all of my emotional eating and looked visibly tired all the time. I lived and breathed my students and their families. Nobody was pouring into me or breathing life into me besides me. So then I realized THIS is why I’m not a mom yet because God’s like... you’d be miserable and would run yourself into the ground. Parenting is freaking hard. People always say it’s better when it’s your own kid, but I just don’t believe it. Imma still be pouring my soul into it and not do anything for myself.

People often try to “get” me to change my mind because of how “motherly” I am. I get it. I am nurturing, caring and kind, but aren’t we all? So just let me walk in my current truth, I do NOT desire a child and/or childbirth at this time and that’s ok. Yes, part of that is fear. But a major part of that is when I see my future, I don’t see any little people. It’s not like I have this giant empire that I need to pass down or anything. I have just enough for my little life to be as wonderful as I want it to be. And I just can’t afford kids. I don’t know where y’all be finding this money from, but I ain’t got it. Plus, my mom still asks me to text her when I get home safely after a night out with friends. Ain’t nobody got time to be that worried about an adult!

So the children conversation has been officially shelved until God shows me otherwise. I think I’ve done my part as it pertains to the whole child-rearing thing. I got the chance to impart wisdom and “mother” over 100 children. I’m an auntie to my godbrother’s son, and I’m a spiritual godmother to my friend’s sweet baby girl. So I may not have gotten to be a physical mother, but I’m ok with being a teacher-auntie-godmom figure because I get to work through the ratio in which I was pouring out. Instead of pouring out 100%, I pour out about 28% which... I know... would probably classify me as selfish. Not the negative kind. But the kind of selfish that makes each day worth living. I wake up praying and reading. Because I have time. I get to cook 2 meals for myself almost daily. Because I have time. I work out. Because I have time. I get to work around my own schedule and follow my dreams. I get to be unapologetically me because I have time. Reclaiming my time has been my mantra in my late 20s and early 30s, and I’m doing just that.

There’s also the giant elephant in the room of my own childhood that I would have to unpack before even having children. My family life was amazing growing up. BUT my social/school life was THE worst. I was chubby, a loner, and a loser for most of elementary school and middle school. I left high school with three friends. Alienation and bullying is something I dealt with and is still happening in schools. I wouldn’t even know how to address it with my own kids. My sister has always been my best friend. She didn’t have a choice. I had no one else. She used to tell me that it was surprising to her that I didn’t have low self-esteem. And the reality is that I really went through those school years thinking I was great and that everyone else was just confused and missing out. Many of my classmates were rude and cruel. My mom used to tell me they were jealous of me which is why they were so mean. As much as I’d love to believe that raising my kids to be vegetarians and pumping them with organic food, would make them less chunky and more cool, I know that there’s a solid chance that they could still be mistreated. I don’t desire for my children to live on an island of one in school, where they love themselves but nobody else likes them. I don’t want them to be social outcasts. And if they end up with my dashing good looks (in which society doesn’t deem as beautiful… darker skin, natural hair), that’s a whole other battle. Will my daughter have to deal with people not thinking she was good enough? Will she be single for most of her life because of beauty standards? I literally have zero positive date stories to tell her from my time here on planet earth. ZERO. Well actually, maybe one from the Cayman Islands, but that’s it. Having a daughter would horrify me because I know all the effort my family had to put in to prove to me just how wrong culture is. I’m exhausted just thinking about it.

On the partnership thing, I’d like to get married one day, but I’m not rushing it. I like my schedule and routine, so I don’t mind holding on to it for as long as possible. It would be nice though if I could have a late 2020 wedding. I never thought at 30 I’d be this single… like… not even in a serious relationship, single. But honestly, I haven’t met anyone worth interrupting my life for. So until God Himself sends a man in my direction, I’m gonna keep double dipping my spoon in the peanut butter jar because I can.

I didn’t come to the marriage and kids conclusion by osmosis because like I said...I’m a planner and both were in my plan. But since my perfectly imperfect man wasn’t gonna just appear, I had to think about what I could control…which was my attitude towards not being married. There are many many MANY pros to my current lifestyle (which I tell y’all about often), so I had to rejoice in that! When life gives you lemons, you mix it with tequila and add some sugar on the rim and have a party! Because lemons aren’t even a bad fruit. I love lemons!

I had to stop thinking about all of the things that didn’t come to pass and change my posture to gratitude. I started thinking about all of the things that have happened without me really working hard. The things that were just in the plan. I thought about all of the amazing opportunities that happened because my young, wild, and free lifestyle was open enough for them to happen. So instead of dwelling on what could’ve been, I get to wait patiently on what will be! I get to be spontaneous and live life with my amazing life planner, GOD.

I shall talk more about career and general adulthood realizations later. This was already way longer than I wanted. The moral of the story is... life plans change. And I may end up married with 5 kids. Which I’d be open to. It just wouldn’t be my first choice or fifth choice. And I’m having an actual anxiety attack thinking about it. But who knows. So just leave me alone and watch what happens. *cues up God’s Plan by Drake

Love you for reading!

Let your light shine today.

Shanda B.

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centralparkpawsblog · 4 years ago

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The Best Pet Insurance for German Shepherds

http://www.centralparkpaws.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Keep-your-German-Shepherd-puppy-safe-with-pet-insurance.jpg

German Shepherds (GSD) are the 2nd most popular dogs, according to the AKC[1].

Unfortunately, one of the downfalls of being a popular dog breed is the health issues that accompany their fame.

GSDs are not new to the top 10 most popular breeds list; they have been towards the top for years, which unfortunately has resulted in some irresponsible over-breeding over the years.

However, poor breeding decisions are not the primary cause of their health issues in GSDs.

Instead, many of the health problems associated with the breed come from their large size and are common genetic disorders seen in large breeds, such as orthopedic and cardiac issues.

Not all GSDs have or will have health issues.

Being a breed predisposed to specific health concerns simply means that the breed has a higher chance of suffering from particular health problems.

If you happen to have or are thinking of getting a German Shepherd, you should also be seriously considering whether pet insurance is worth it for you.

Why You Should Get Health Insurance for Your GSD?

In an earlier study, 63.43% of GSDs had at least one health disorder[2].

So when you bring a GSD into your life, you know there is a significant chance of having to deal with one or more of the many genetic disorders common to this breed.

Of the many conditions associated with the GSD, hip dysplasia is one of the most common problems.

So, using that as our example, and say the situation requires surgery, which costs between $4,000-$6,000 per hip, and more often than not, both hips will require surgery, ultimately totaling between $8,000-$12,000.

These estimates do not include physical therapy, holistic treatments, supplements, or medicine for arthritis, which will likely be required down the road as well.

And though physical therapy, holistic therapies, and supplements are optional, many dogs benefit from adding supportive care after surgery.

Assuming this is covered by the pet insurance company you chose, they could aid in reimbursing up to 80%, minus your deductible, which, when you do the math is significant, and will well exceed the annual cost of insurance.

When bringing a dog with a high risk of health issues into your life, it is always best to plan for the unexpected.

Unfortunately, beloved pets are euthanized every year because families are unable to afford the cost of vet bills for illnesses and injuries.

Pet insurance can aid in reducing the chances that you will be faced with such a choice.

Benefits of Pet Insurance

The obvious benefit of pet insurance is that it helps with coverage of unexpected medical bills resulting from accidents and illnesses.

And yes, the primary benefit is financial, but equally as important is that pet insurance acts as a stress reliever too.

Yesterday, I brought Sophie in to get a sealant applied to her teeth.

When the oral surgeon called to tell me that she required a tooth extraction, plus needed two roots dug out from a previous extraction, and a lump removal from the inside of her lip, I didn’t even ask the cost because I knew insurance would cover 80% of my bill.

Insurance companies talk about peace of mind, but I will tell you from personal and recent experience I am grateful that I didn’t have to base my decision on my bank account and could solely focus on what was best for Sophie.

So, for me, the most significant benefit is that I don’t have to stress over an unexpected vet bill.

These two benefits alone make pet insurance well worth it!

German Shepherd Insurance Sample Costs

Here are some samples of what insurance costs would look like for a 0-11 month old GSD.

There are several options and variables with most of the companies listed below, but I attempted to keep everything as close as possible for a fair comparison.

On the majority of the plans below, you can adjust the reimbursement limits, deductibles, payout percentage.

Annual Reimbursement LimitAnnual Deductible%Monthly RateAnnual CostEmbrace$15,000$30080%$62.43$749.16PetPlan$15,000$25080%$57.83$693.96PetFirst$10,000$25080%$43.35$520.20Eusoh$8,500$25080%$17-$65$204-$1105Spot$15,000$25080%$81.01$972.12ASPCA$10,000$25080%$72.75$873.00Prudent Pet$10,000$25080%$72.76$873.12trupanionUnlimited$25090%$95.75$1,149.00Pets BestUnlimited$25080%$30.37$364.44

*0-11 Mos Female German Shepherd Pet Insurance Costs

Common Health Issues for German Shepherd Dogs

Though I love GSDs, they are unfortunately in the top ten most likely breeds with the greatest health issues, which makes them a prime candidate for pet insurance.

Some of the most common health issues[3] that impact GSDs are, including the average cost[4,5]:

Hip Dysplasia – $4,000 to $6,000/Hip

Elbow Dysplasia – $3,000 to $5,000/Elbow

Cataracts – $2,000 to $3,000

Cardiac Issues – $1,000 to $20,000 – Specifically cardiomyopothy

Pyotraumatic Dermatitis (aka Hot Spots) – $100-$200 per occurrence

Allergy Testing – $1,000 or $2,000 (Hot spots may be a result of allergies, so if your GSD has chronic Pyotraumatic Dermatitis allergy testing is recommended)

Allergy Treatments – $10-$250/ month

Von Willebrand’s Disease – $500 to $1,000 per treatment

Cushing’s Disease – $500-$2000 Diagnosis/testing and $50-$200/month for treatment

Degenerative Myelopathy – $2,000-$4,000

Canine Cancer – $5,000 to $20,000

Corneal Dystrophy – $2,000 to $3,000

Hyperparathyroidism– $2,000-$4,000

Perianal Fistulas – $200 to $500/Month for medications or $2,000 to $5,000 for surgery and care from a specialized board-certified veterinary surgeon

Stomach Bloat – $1,500 to $7,500

Hemivertebrae – $2,500 to $7,000

Luxating Patella – $1,500 to $3,000

Spinal Stenosis – $2,500 to $5,000

Osteochondrosis of the Knee, Shoulder, or Spine– $2,000-$4,000

Epilepsy – $200 to $15,000

Aortic Stenosis – $3,000 to $6,000

MMM – $50 to $100 per month

Achondroplasia – $1,000 to $5,000

How Much Does German Shepherd Pet Insurance Cost?

Pet insurance for your GSD can be as little as $9 per month or as much as $175.29+ per month.

A multitude of variables impacts the cost of pet insurance for your GSD, including:

The age of your dog

If the company takes dog breed into account

Where you live

Coverage options

Coverage for GSDs ranges from just accidents or routine care to everything under the sun, even prescription dog food and grooming.

The wonderful thing about pet insurance is there are more than ten different companies to choose from, and most companies have multiple plans.

Some pet insurance groups even allow you to customize your coverage, including payout limit, deductible, and percent of coverage.

Best Pet Insurance Plans for German Shepherds

The plans I have chosen in the list of my top picks for the best pet insurance for German Shepherds all cover hereditary and congenital medical conditions.

However, none of the companies include pre-existing conditions.

Best Overall Pet Insurance for German Shepherds

Pets Best

Pets Best offers inexpensive coverage for your German Shepherd without any coverage limits.

You can add wellness coverage for only a little more per month, too!

Get a Quote

In 1981, Dr. Jack Stephens, DVM, started one of the first pet insurance programs in the US.

And with the help of the now CEO, Greg McDonald, rebranded and expanded the business to become Pets Best.

The newly revamped company was then launched in 2005.

The initial inspiration for coming up with pet insurance was during Dr. Stephens’s career as a veterinarian.

He had to euthanize a dog, Buffy, due to the family’s inability to pay for the unexpected costs due to Buffy becoming sick.

After that incident, Dr. Stephens made it his mission to find a solution so families like Buffy’s would be better able to handle unexpected vet bills.

Why I Chose Pets Best

I chose Pets Best because they have economical and flexible coverage.

Additionally, their policy options include unlimited lifetime coverage, and for a family with a GSD that is very appealing.

Many medical costs, especially when it comes to orthopedic surgeries and medications, vary based on a dog’s size. Combine that with the health risks associated with GSDs, and those bills can add up quickly.

But with Pets Best, you never need to worry about hitting a payout limit, which could happen with many other plans.

Policy Options

Essential

Accidents

Illnesses

Cancer

Hereditary conditions

Emergency care

Surgeries & Rx meds

Plus

Covers everything in the Essential plan plus:

Exam Fees related to accidents and illnesses

Elite

Covers the same as both the Essential and Plus, in addition to:

Rehabilitative, Acupuncture, and Chiropractic Coverage

Wellness

Also, Pets Best offers two different wellness care plans:

Essential Wellness for $16/month

Best Wellness for $26/month

Policy Pick

Though there are several customizable plans, for a GSD under the age of 1 y/o, I would choose the Elite plan with $250 deductible, 80% reimbursement, and the unlimited annual limit for $31.78 per month.

Get a Quote

Best Choice for Older German Shepherds

Companion Protect

Covering your older dog can get expensive.

Companion Protect, however, offers accident and illness coverage for less than what you’ll pay to cover your German Shepherd with other companies.

Get a Quote

If you are looking for insurance for an older GSD, and know that pre-existing conditions are not covered, then Companion Protect is an excellent option.

Companion Protect only offers one plan, which varies in price based on the age of your dog when you sign up.

No other factors come into play when figuring the monthly rate.

Companion Protect covers accidents and illnesses and does not have a wellness plan option.

There are two main factors that set them apart from other companies:

Their deductibles are based on the incident and not cumulative over the year

They offer better rates if you choose a vet clinic that is in-network

Why I Chose Companion Protect for Older GSDs

If you had a 7-year old GSD, the monthly cost is $67.99, whereas similar plans cost more than $100 per month.

Companion Protect covers 80% of the bill with a maximum lifetime payout of $100,000.

Additionally, once you sign up with Companion Protect, your rate will not increase as your GSD ages.

Though Companion Protect covers accidents and illnesses only, it does offer coverage on one annual wellness exam per year.

You can choose to bring your dog anywhere, but if you happen to select a Vetwork Partner, you will save 50% on your deductible and will receive 90% coverage.

Policy Pick

There is only one policy available; however, if you haven’t chosen a vet clinic yet, I would recommend checking out their Vetwork Partners, since you have a lower deductible and a higher reimbursement amount.

Additionally, clinics that are part of the Vetwork group will bill Companion Protect directly, so you only have to pay your portion at the time of service.

Get a Quote

Best Premium Choice

Embrace Pet Insurance

Embrace offers the widest coverage without getting too expensive, making and excellent choice for protecting your German Shepherd from whatever life may throw their way.

Get a Quote

Embrace, founded in 2003, has won several awards over the years, including the best place to work in Ohio, multiple times.

Embrace is a traditional insurance company with several flexible policies covering accidents and illnesses.

Though they do not cover pre-existing conditions, Embrace does offer coverage, based on their discretion, on curable pre-existing conditions.

Embrace isn’t the least expensive company, and they do base their pricing on multiple factors including breed, but their coverage is quite extensive.

Why I Chose Embrace

Embrace (see our full Embrace review and our comparison of Embrace vs PetPlan and Eusoh) covers a multitude of services not covered by standard plans with other pet insurance companies.

Examples of what they cover include:

Prosthetics and mobility devices

Specialist care

Alternative therapy such as

Laser treatment

Hydrotherapy

Acupuncture

Chiropractic Treatment

Physiotherapy

Behavioral therapy

Exam and consultation fees

And if you choose a wellness add-on plan, there are some services covered that GSD parents would likely benefit from like:

Hip dysplasia exams, other OFA testing, and radiographs

Preventative teeth cleaning (GSDs have a history of having bad dental health)

Grooming – GSDs are often lovingly referred to as German Shedders since they shed year-round

Prescription diet food – Ideal for GSDs who suffer from food allergies

In addition to the above wellness coverage, other unique reimbursable items are:

Wearable pet activity monitors

Medicated shampoos

Toe nail trimming

Nutritional supplements

Reiki and massage therapy

Policy Options

Embrace does not name their plans, they just offer a variety of options:

Annual Reimbursement Limit – $5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000, or $30,000

Annual Deductible – $200, $300, $500, $750, or $1,000

Reimbursement Percentage – 70%, 80%, or 90%

Plus, Embrace’s add-on wellness coverage comes in three choices.

The options all include the same coverage, but you have three annual reimbursement choices $250, $450, and $650.

Policy Pick

Of Embrace’s many customizable plans, for a GSD under the age of 1 y/o, I would choose:

$15,000 annual reimbursement

80% reimbursement percentage

$750 annual deductible

…for $39.34/month.

Get a Quote

Side by Side Comparisons

Although some of the data below are found in the above article, sometimes its easier to compare companies when they are side by side.

Conclusion

The hard reality is that when our pups are hurt or sick, we have to pause and find out if providing care is within our financial means.

During times of such stress, the last thing we need to be worrying about is whether or not we can pay their vet bills.

Pet insurance will allow parents of GSDs to focus on what is truly important, and that’s their pups.

Resources

https://www.akc.org/most-popular-breeds/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5532765/

http://blog.vetdepot.com/top-10-dog-breeds-with-the-most-health-issues

https://www.petinsurancequotes.com/dog-breed/german-shepherd/

https://www.embracepetinsurance.com/dog-breeds/german-shepherd-dog

from https://www.centralparkpaws.net/pet-insurance/best-pet-insurance-german-shepherds/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=best-pet-insurance-german-shepherds

#dogs #cats #pets #reviews

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