#I will give you a slice of bread if you can prove that you legitimately use the pages app

[sammichbreadalmighty]

Oh my Jesus Christ, how fucking hard does it need to be to stretch an image on a goddamn iPhone. All I wanted to do was stretch a goddamn picture so that it had that funny overstretched effect so I could add it to a meme I was making. And if I was doing this shit on a computer or something, I could have just copy and pasted it into Ms paint or whatever the hell, stretched it, then copy and pasted it back out into where I wanted it. Hell I’m pretty sure you can stretch images from just the photos app if you’re on windows. BUT NOT FUCKING APPLE. NOOOOO OF COURSE FUCKING NOT!!!!!! THAT WOULD BE STUPID!!!! THAT WOULD BE SIMPLY FUCKING PREPOSTEROUS!!!!!!!! My first thought was to try and adjust the aspect ratio to something slimmer, BUUUUUUUT it doesn’t stretch to fit like it would in any other goddamn software it just crops it and fucking zooms in. So I look this shit up and it basically says I need a third party app. WHY THE FUCK DO I NEED A THIRD PARTY APP FOR SUCH A BASIC GODDAMN FEATURE THATS BUILT IN TO SO MANY OTHER GODDAMN OPERATING SOFTWARES YOU PIECE OF SHIT APPLE. And now, I’m not gonna go into why I can’t really download other apps, because tumblr doesn’t need to know my living situation, but let me just say, I can’t. Not at the moment at least. But whether or not I can or can’t download other apps is mostly irrelevant to this because it is such a fucking basic and fundamental feature like Jesus Christ. So like I’ve been trying to find a pre-installed app that lets me do those things that could have been done in literally five goddamn seconds had I had access to a computer of any fucking type. I go into the notes app, keynote, even fucking pages. WHO THE FUCK HAS EVER USED PAGES IN THEIR LIFE?!?!?!?!?????? And like I was so excited when I saw in the pages app that no one has ever used in their goddamn life, that there appeared around the image 4 circles that were in the middle of the top edge of the image, bottom edge, left edge, and right edge. Because in any CIVILISED EDITING SOFTWARE those are used to squish and stretch the image. But NOOOO. This is apple we’re talking about. This is the fucking Wild West motherfuckers. It wasn’t used to stretch or squash the image, it was used to FUCKING CROP THE DAMN THING. WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE AT APPLE??!???!?!????!???? Like I still can’t believe that they don’t have this feature fucking built in?!?!??! Like JUST LET ME STRETCH THE FUNNY IMAGE OF SUSIE DELTARUNE SO SHE LOOKS FUNNY WHEN I EDIT HER INTO AN IMAGE YOU STUPID PEICE OF SHIT. WHOEVER DESIGNED THIS SHIT TO WHERE YOU NEED TO DOWNLOAD A THIRD PARTY APP TO STRETCH A FUCKING IMAGE, I HOPE YOU BURN IN HELL. I HOPE YOU GET UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT HUNGRY AS FUCK WITH NO WAY OF FEEDING YOUR HUNGER. AND AS YOU WALK THEOUGH YOUR HOUSE LOOKING FOR FOOD YOU STEP ON LEGOS, MAKING YOU STUMBLE FORWARD AND STUB YOUR GODDAMN TOES. I WISH THAT THE ONLY FOOD IN THE HOUSE IS EXPIRED. I WISH THAT YOU ARE SO HUNGRY THAT YOU CAVE INTO EATING THE EXPIRED FOOD AND THAT IT GIVES YOU FOOD POISONING FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT. THATS WHAT I FUCKING WISH HAPPENS TO YOU EVERY. GODDAMN. NIGHT. BECAUSE THIS SHIT IS EVEN MORE FUCKING STUPID THAN THE IPAD NOT HAVING A FUCKONG CALCULATOR APP. FUCK YOU.

[cerberus253]

Okay so like I know that this question I'm about to ask is a bit triggering to some, but how would Drago cope with being cheated on?

My knee-jerk answer: Punishment to the cheater, death by fire to the opposition; If you mess with a dragon, ya get burned.

Real Talk: A bit of a tricky question because, up until now, I’ve been answering with the assumption of the s/o Drago is in love with to be the right person for him. One of the “qualities“ for this “right person“ would have to be romantic loyalty because someone who is there for him emotionally is what he NEEDS (whether he knows it or not is up for debate).

Anyhow, coping mechanisms would surely be unhinged physical violence to whoever and whatever gets in his way; people and things smashed and burned until there’s nothing left, mainly towards the person the s/o cheated on him with. He would not want to talk to anyone, see anyone, nor even be in the general area of others. Pure destruction, is what Drago would do, but that’s just what everyone sees.

If you want to know what else I think might happen that may seem out of character but makes sense because he’s a unique individual with thoughts and feelings just like everyone else, read further:

This may just be me romanticizing (in the traditional sense) Drago, but because this situation is more of a heart-to-heart pain and not the usual pride pain, he might have “sad spells.“ What I mean is, although he would still be furious, his energy will deplete, he’ll collapse on the ground, and just... wallow in pain, by himself, in an isolated area. His body will grow tired, but his heart and mind would still be active. Along with that sickening and heavy feeling one gets in the heart after such a devastating blow, his mind would be racing in trying to find ways to blame the s/o, the opposition, and/or anything and everything besides himself, but every so often he would think for a split second that he did something wrong. He WANTS to blame everyone else, but deep down he believes he was the screw up. He’s a screw up to his dad, he’s a screw up to the Ice Crew, he’s a screw up to the whole demon race, and now he’s a screw up to the only person he ever felt normal and accepted by without needing to prove himself towards (ouch; I wanna hug him now, the poor baby green bean ;^;).

Let’s note on the real juicy bit: Crying. To get to the point, I don’t think Drago would ever cry unless something really really, absolutely terrible happened, like, oh I don’t know, he fell in love with someone who loved him for who he was, not for what he is, what his title is, nor how much power he held, and he opened his magma encrusted heart to expose a soft tenderness that would normally get himself killed in demon culture, but this person did the opposite and cared for it, nurtured it, and showed that his flaws are not weaknesses... and then that said person was like, “Yeah, nevermind; you mean nothing to me“ and just stabs him and his vulnerability like a serial killer’s paradise.

Drago has built a strong enough defense against shedding tears because, well, demon’s don’t cry; they make others cry. But, like I said, I think he might cave, at least ever so slightly, from this heartbreak. He would try so damn hard not to cry; he’d push this ultimate feeling of defeat back so much it would give him physical pain, like headaches, chest and really overall body pain, and difficulty with summoning his fire (I say this about his fire because all this suffering depleted his energy to even muster it up, let alone the pure feeling of sorrow, which is the opposite of the feelings flame is suppose to encourage and originate from).

When he does finally tear up and cry [ever so slightly], well ... I honestly have no idea how to describe it in words. Like, this very moment in his life is so foreign and traumatizing that it could have long lasting effects on him mentally and probably physically (because I believe he is part human and we all know how terrifying the human mind can be). He’d close himself off even more, he’d hate himself and everything around him even more than it just being a “demon thing,“ and he’d be more miserable to the point his misery is obvious and not just speculation on something hidden. Hell, he’d get so traumatized his demeanor would change from this active, fiery hotdog to this lukewarm, soggy slice of bread. I guess basically his soul will shatter because of how detrimental this betrayal and ultimate first breakup would be, is what I’m saying.

This reminds me of how his character slightly changed from his debut episode in Season 4 to his normalcy in Season 5. At first, he was happy and enjoying his life, being loyal to his father and carrying himself with such good posture and movement. Then in Season 5, he gave up on his dad for selfish reasons and began walking around hunched over like a skulking animal in addition to his more not-so-graceful-but-once-was style of fighting and jumping around everywhere. Then again, I might just be over speculating and the real reason he changed that way was because of just to give him more character.

Bonus descriptions that I was going to put in, but I felt I had no need to, but I still want to put it in for reasons:

However, theoretically if this “right“ person were to cheat on him, he would be absolutely devastated and heartbroken. Like, words cannot describe how I think he would feel because of how much of a deep, personal, traumatizing laceration to his heart it would give him.

Being IN LOVE with someone, especially if the lover is extremely protective about their emotions and (unconsciously) terrified of the damage it could do to themselves, and having the lovee absolutely annihilate that vulnerability... Honestly, only pictures could really express the magnitude of the fury of emotions going on inside.

The picture I imagine is of an all black canvas with an exploding, frenzied fire coming fourth from the middle and scratching towards the edges of said canvas. At the origin point of that eruption is a small drawing of a person, on their knees, head in their hands, and their face to the floor, all the while they scream; they scream so much so loudly their throat tears and blood spurts out, but they don’t stop because all this emotion-- all this torment, is too much to bear in silence.

With the addition of Drago, that picture probably would come to reality; just, an explosion of fire from the emotional intensity and NOT the “physical strength“ side (to which he gathers his flame powers up from normally). Because it stems from his out of control human feelings mixed with the power of a demon (and a dragon, no less), it would be a flame of chaos that would annihilate the surrounding diameter.

I’m not saying all this stuff in a, “oh imagine this!“ I’m saying this as in legitimate thoughts and theories on how something so absolutely mentally and emotionally shattering would have effects on someone like him. He has no control over his emotions to begin with and this experience is just going to make him worse. Or I’m just (over)romanticizing things in the traditional sense

For a different relationship bonus, if he were just casually in a romantic relationship with infatuation or for power, he would not react that drastically. Yes, he would be angry and personally hurt, but because of how the relationship is set up and functions, and he probably goes through this stuff on a normal basis, it would not be as scarring. Drago would most likely be the one to dump the individual because said person isn’t worth his time anymore and already expressed their lack of use for his own  He’ll never forgive, never forget, but he may be convinced back in if they prove their worth and loyalty enough.

Like I said in the QnA that started all this Drago Chat days ago, you have opened a can of chatty worms

[xiubaek-13]

Cognitive Dissonance

 I am still doing these sporadically. I have 8 to go!

  Prompt: Chanyeol + “You have a cold, you’re not dying.” + “It’s only one night, we’ll just share the bed.”

Setting/AU: Cyborg/Futuristic

Warnings: none

Word Count: 1,687 

“I think I’m dying. Chanyeol hurry. I need you to take down my final wishes.” Your body ached from the constant coughing and your nose couldn’t make up its mind as to whether it wanted to be runny or blocked. You were pretty sure you’d slept most of the week away but no matter how hard you tried to focus on anything, the fuzzy feeling washed over you and you’d wake up a few hours later in an incredibly uncomfortable position.

As far as you were concerned, you were dying. This was your body’s final fight against whatever bacteria had infected your system and your body was losing. Make sure you get a X488 shot your mother had nagged and nagged. Of course, you neglected to get one. The shot only inoculated you against one strain of the disease, and it mainly afflicted the elderly and the infantile.

“You have a cold, you’re not dying.” came the emotionless response from Chanyeol. Really you shouldn’t have expected sympathy from him. He just wasn’t programmed that way. When you’d found him he was barely held together but you’d rescued his half scavenged form and had slowly but surely rebuilt him. He wasn’t like the cyborgs you would find on any street, those had the emotional AI programming chips that allowed them to pass as humanoid. Until you spoke with one for a length of time you probably wouldn’t work out that they were a cyborg. Not Chanyeol though, no, he was without a doubt, not human. One day you’d come across a programming chip for him but you’d mostly warmed up to his blunt manner of speech. It, however, did not make for great bedside manner. The 6ft, blue haired, emotionally stunted cyborg was all you had so he’d have to suffice.

“If I wasn’t on the brink of death I’d get you back for that.” you mutter. You didn’t need cheek from a hunk of metal and computer chips. You needed someone to bring you soup, to make sure you took your meds, to hack the network and show you a movie your mother always put on for you when you were sick as a kid. Trust illness to bring out the needy side of you.

“Finally, someone whose life is more pathetic than mine.” he muttered. Maybe it was the fever but you were sure that the emotionless robot just sassed you. As far as you were aware, he was fully functional but unable to feel emotion or respond in a conversational way. He could only respond with logic and a severe monotone. He shouldn’t be capable of muttering, nor forming an obtuse opinion like the one he had just uttered.

You glared at him, as best as any pathetic sick person can glare at someone, from your semi prone position under your required three blankets. According to Chanyeol, three blankets were required for the bedridden and no matter how many times you tried to remove a layer he always replaced it.

Being sick made you moody and emotional, two things you tried very hard not to be in your day to day life. There was no place for moody and emotional in the scavenging business. After fixing Chanyeol to 90% of his former glory he’d remained with you, citing that he’d leave once a better option made itself available to him. He’d been a military programmed bot, special forces from the intricate wiring you found inside, as well as the larger number of chip slots. Scavengers had removed his weapons and fighting chips as well as the tactical and behavioural ones too. Somehow you’d managed to condition him to recognise warning signs, for when you needed food, rest, patching up, assistance and someone to talk to. The last one was still a work in progress, and would remain so until you could get your hands on a chip. Apparently dismantling another cyborg just for the chip was immoral, he’d flat out refused this as an option every time you brought it up.

He finished making your dinner, chicken and vegetable stew, and brought your tray over to you. He waited as you sat up in the bed, repositioning the pillows so that you were propped up and able to eat, then placed the tray in your lap. For a robot he was a pretty good cook. You kept forgetting the skills programming that most bots had these days. They all had the I-Serve-U-Bot base model, from the initial house maid prototypes, and had been build up from there. Some got military upgrades and served the country they were programmed to while others were programmed as fully functional AI, able to learn and adapt to their environment.

In a vaguely human action Chanyeol held up a finger to prevent you from starting your meal as he disappeared back to the kitchen. Small things like this made you forget that he didn’t have the proper chip to elicit these actions. Maybe if you weren’t sick you’d have picked up on it. When he returned he has two slices of buttered bread and a glass of juice for you. “Now you can eat.” You chuckled at his direction but followed it anyway.

You didn’t realise how hungry you were until you started eating and soon enough your bowl was empty. You pushed the tray forward and licked your lips, savouring the taste of the hearty meal. “Thanks Chan. I really needed that.”

“I also made brownies if you wish to have dessert.” He stated as he collected your tray, taking it back to the kitchen. You’re pretty sure you start salivating at the mere mention of your favourite dessert. How he knew is beyond you but honestly, you don’t care. All you know is that you have a great need and only brownies can satiate it. Your face must tell him that you do in fact want dessert because he nods before leaving the room. “I’ll just reheat one for you.”

“Chanyeol, you’re the only one who understands me.” You call out as he disappears from view.

“Yes, but it doesn’t mean I care.” The response was unexpected and after you stop laughing you realised it wasn’t something he’d usually say. The more you ponder on his responses as of late, the more you realise that they are decidedly more human. Something he should be unable to comprehend. Another coughing fit prevents you from dwelling on the thought.

When he returns he has a bowl with two warm brownies and ice cream in one hand and a glass of water in the other. He must have heard you coughing and decided that you required further hydration. He places the bowl in your hands and stands next to the bed with the glass of water.

“Dude, sit down, you’re looming ominously.” You move over slightly to allow him sufficient space to sit.

“I am not looming ominously. I was just waiting for you to finish the food so I could give you the water.” He responded.

You chuckled and started to eat the brownies. “Regardless, please sit? It’ll make me feel better. Holy shit, these are good.”

“They are a simple recipe. I understand that chocolate and cake makes humans feel good and there are an amalgam of the two so I deduced that they might assist in restoring your health.”

“You do care about me.” You teased.

A pair of large eyes stared back at you. They weren’t real, you knew that, the one red eye basically yelling I’m a cyborg! “Tell me something Chan.” You started.

“You need to be more specific. I know an infinite number of things.”

“When did you start learning the nuances of my speech? I haven’t found the right chip for you yet.” You asked. You might not be at your brightest right now but you weren’t so sick that you hadn’t noticed the shift in his behaviour… or the fact that he even had behaviours now.

“The last upgrade you did had a small inbuilt AI chip. It’s allowed me to process small amounts of speech and learn the emotional patterns that go with it.” The response was almost sheepish, as though he thought you might be mad with him.

You held out your hand for the water which he handed to you. “Why didn’t you tell me?” you asked in between sips.

“It didn’t seem relevant.” He chuckled as you handed the glass back to him, which startled you since he’d never done that before. The sound wasn’t horrible but it was foreign to you. “After all, you kept insisting that you were dying.”

You had no response to that, too floored by the sass that your previously stock standard cyborg had not been equipped with. You decided to just focus on the brownie, because you understood chocolate and ice cream and right now you did not understand Chanyeol.

He moved to get up once you finished your dessert but you grabbed his arm, stopping him. “Stay, I have more questions for you Chan.”

He placed the bowl on the floor next to the bed along with the glass of water. “You will be asleep in the next ten minutes.” You cocked your head at him. “It is the average time you remain conscious after ingesting nutrients. I’ve observed this over the past few days.”

“Then stay until I sleep, you creep. I have questions.” He sighed as he moved his body to sit next to you. Real or not, it was nice to have the body heat next to you. You shifted your body closer to his. “Warm” you muttered as you draped your arm across his torso. You started asking him about the AI chip and what it had allowed him to learn. He responded to your questions bluntly, proving to you that just because he had started to pick up on emotion, he sure as hell hadn’t mastered it yet. His warmth was making you sleepy but you had no intention of moving away from his form. “It’s only one night, we’ll just share the bed.” You whined when he tried to get up.

“I fail to see the point of this. My knowledge of medical text does not cite this as a legitimate remedy for illness.” Good to know that he wasn’t fully capable of artificial intelligence yet. The small chip only did so much it seemed.

“Shut up and comfort me. I’m dying after all.”

[ecoorganic]

Q&A: David Finlay on New Japan Cup-USA Tournament, His Father's Influence on His Career and More

David Finlay discusses the New Japan Cup-USA tournament, his father's influence on his wrestling career and more.

David Finlay is looking to take advantage of wrestling during the pandemic.

A fourth-generation member of the wrestling industry, Finlay is the son of legendary wrestling tough guy Fit Finlay. He first joined New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2015, but he has significantly altered his look and presentation over the past two years as he pursues a higher position in the promotion.

The 27-year-old Finlay is part of New Japan’s NJPW Strong show streaming every Friday on New Japan World. Following back-to-back victories, he has advanced to the finals of the New Japan Cup-USA Tournament. The winner receives a future title shot at the IWGP United States Championship, a title held by Jon Moxley, who is also AEW’s world champion.

Finlay spoke with Sports Illustrated about his journey in wrestling, his father’s influence on his career, and what he has to prove in the tourney finals against KENTA.

Justin Barrasso: The win against Tama Tonga advances you to the finals of the New Japan Cup-USA tournament. You and Tama share some legitimate chemistry in the ring, and the finishes to your past couple of matches together were really solid. You hit Sliced Bread on Tama to finish the tag title match at Wrestle Kingdom this past January to win the IWGP Tag Titles, then won this week’s tourney match by with a series that started by blocking his Gun Stun, hitting a suplex neckbreaker, a stunner, and a Prima Nocta jumping stunner for the victory.

What about Tama is so special in the ring? Why do you think you two work so well together?

David Finlay: Although we would consider ourselves rivals, there is a mutual respect between us. We both are multi-generational wrestlers, our fathers wrestled together, and we both came up through the New Japan Dojo. I just think there are a lot of similarities, and we always want to prove we’re better than the other in the ring.

JB: You missed the majority of 2019 after suffering a torn labrum during a match against the Briscoes in February that kept you sidelined until October. You were finally getting comfortable again in the ring, then the pandemic hit and New Japan did not run shows in March, April or May. At you at a point where you feel like yourself again in the ring?

DF: I do. Pre-pandemic, after I came back from my injury, I felt like I was really getting the ball rolling. Then the pandemic happened, and it felt like hitting a giant brick wall. I actually feel pretty comfortable in the ring again.

A big mental hurdle for me was during the Tag League [last fall] constantly thinking about my shoulder. I was terrified of being in a sling again. But I don’t worry about my shoulder too much anymore, and I’m able to wrestle without thinking about it.

JB: What is the atmosphere like at the NJPW Strong tapings in California?

DF: There is no atmosphere, there are no fans. It felt reminiscent of amateur wrestling in high school or college. It’s one on one, so you need to go figure out who’s better.

JB: This experience must have enhanced your appreciation for the fans.

DF: Definitely. It’s nowhere even close to the same energy compared to when we have fans there. It’s way more fun, way more exciting, and you have more adrenaline so things hurt less. I miss the fans, 100 percent.

JB: Were you comfortable with the COVID testing and policies put in place by New Japan Pro Wrestling?

DF: Oh yeah. We get tested before we leave and when we arrive, they’re on the ball with everything. I feel super safe.

JB: You are a fourth-generation family member to the wrestling profession, and wrestling always came so naturally to you. You made the decision to hone your craft at the New Japan Dojo, but over time, you saw peers and dojo mates surpass you in terms of matches and success.

Over the past two years, you have worked incredibly hard to show the world your worth, including a significant change to your body due with advanced training. What has your journey been like in Japan?

DF: You can sum it up with start-and-stop. I started in Japan when I was 21 years old in 2015. At the beginning, I think it was due to immaturity. I didn’t intend to have a sense of entitlement because of my last name, but I think I did. I didn’t put in the work that I should have. I was coasting off my last name.

When I got hurt, that was a wakeup call. I wasn’t happy with my career. If that was a career-ending injury, I would not have been happy with what I accomplished. So I decided to do something to change that.

JB: What steps have you taken to change the direction of your career?

DF: I’ve been hitting the gym real hard and living way cleaner. It’s all the things I’m supposed to do. I’ve changed my mindset, too. I used to hate training, but now I enjoy it. It’s become a fun challenge for me–how good can I get?

JB: Obviously you are very proud of your father, but do you have to work extra hard to prove that your success is not solely a byproduct of your last name?

DF: I think so, and I don’t think I’ll ever escape that. I get in my foot in the door easier because of my name, but I am striving to break out from underneath that shadow and be my own person when it comes to career comparisons. I’m super proud of where I come from, my dad is my hero, but I want to be my own person, as well.

JB: Your father will forget more about wrestling than most of us will ever learn. How influential has he been on your career?

DF: My dad is a genius. He’s been wrestling professionally since he was 14 years old. He knows so much about it. My dad means everything to me. He’s been a father, a coach, a mentor. He watches all my matches, critiques them. He’s the man.

JB: Your best friend in the business is Juice Robinson, who you won the IWGP tag titles with this past January at Wrestle Kingdom. What does Juice mean to you?

DF: I’ve been all over the world with him for the past five years. I’m around him more than anybody else, so it’s good to have someone you get along with and like being around. We’re fortunate that we clicked right off the bat.

JB: The winner of this tournament gets a shot for the IWGP United States title, which is currently held by AEW champ Jon Moxley. That match would give you an incredible spotlight. Is it possible that match could happen in the United States? And what impresses you most about Moxley?

DF: It would be cool if that match could happen in the U.S. It would be weird if we couldn’t defend the United States Championship in the United States. But that’s for New Japan and AEW to figure out.

A match with Jon Moxley would be awesome. He’s a huge name, and we would have a lot of eyes on us. I’m just impressed with how unorthodox he is. He’s unorthodox, but extremely effective.

JB: Your next match in the tournament is a date in the finals with KENTA. He’s had a fantastic career in Pro Wrestling Noah, as well as a run in NXT. What about his career stands out to you?

DF: There’s not a whole lot he hasn’t done. I remember before I even started wrestling, watching KENTA. Now I’m in the finals of a tournament with someone I was watching years ago, which is kind of surreal.

JB: Beyond a win, what do you have to prove in a match against such an established talent?

DF: My goal is to prove I can go toe-to-toe with anyone. I want to prove to myself I am as good as the top guys, even that I’m better than them. That’s the goal, that’s the challenge. This has the chance to be awesome for my career.

Justin Barrasso can be reached at

JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso. from Blogger https://ift.tt/2PTFzoX

[2000daysprekindergarten]

Order Up! – Calgary Daycares & Their Food

Order Up! – Calgary Daycares & Their Food

  Written by Marlene Alcon Kepka

@AlconKepka

| 10 MIN READ |

      Kids and food. The eternal struggle. Most Calgary daycares struggle with this… the ones that offer food anyway. We sure do.

How important is nutritious food to your child?

Are all Calgary daycares the same when it comes to quality?

Is catering the same as having a chef on-site?

What can you do as a parent, so your child eats and eats healthy?

All important questions to ask any daycare. Food is a very important part of your child’s development. It’s as important as the academics and level of care.

But there’s a huge difference in feeding your little one a hotdog and ketchup or a whole wheat bun with sliced, fresh ham. All food isn’t equal in nutrition, taste, and cost.

Your children probably love the junk food and not the healthy food. That’s typical for children…heck… even us adults. Who doesn’t love a greasy pizza or burger?

A treat here and there is fun and great for the kids. We just must be careful not to overdo it. There’s an obesity epidemic right now. Nutrition is important.

via GIPHY

We Love Food!! A Bit Too Much

Canada, like the rest of the world has an obesity problem. If you add over weight to that its even worse. Obesity rates have tripled in the last 30 years. Our children are larger than they have ever been.

Parents and Calgary daycares need to take this very seriously. Obese children can get a lot of health issues.

Bone and joint issues

Diabetes

Heart disease

High blood pressure

Breathing and sleep issues

Those are some of the physical side affects of being obese. This is for kids and adults alike. Children have it a bit worse. They start young so changing the behavior is harder and the negative affects compound over time.

I know through my years working at and owning a daycare there’s another side that is just as bad and, in my opinion, even worse. The emotional side of being obese or overweight.

We’ve all seen a funny move or commercial with a “fat” kid that does something silly and usually falls over. We laugh and the move or even cartoon is great.

What we don’t see in the movies or cartoons is the emotional toll that takes on children. Being picked on for being overweight is hard on children. They can get bullied and treat very differently than their thinner friends.

A few emotional affects to being overweight are:

Low self-esteem

Bullying or teasing

Depression

Feeling left out

The good thing is that some Calgary daycares understand this. But many don’t. Knowing which take your child’s nutritional health into account is huge.

Michelin Star Daycare?

Your child is having an amazing day! Playing, learning, and getting to know his peers even more. The sun is shining and it’s a beautiful day. Your child is running and learning. They’re hungry.

Now the questions is; does your child get a Greek yogurt and homemade granola parfait with fruit on top. Or a pre-packaged sugary “breakfast cookie”?

What about lunch? Is it a whole wheat vegetarian lasagna made from scratch that’s filled with veggies or a hotdog?

Which would you rather they eat? Which would you rather feed your little one?

Our daycare chooses the first one. Is it as popular as the sugary or nutrition devoid options? No. Kids love hot dogs and sugar of course. But over time they start to enjoy the healthier options more.

I’ve seen this myself. Children that maybe don’t have the best diet in the world. Really pushing back on the home made, nutritious daycare food. But over time they eat a lot.

Why don’t all Calgary daycares just make amazing food so the children have a lot of brain food? Running my daycare, I know it’s time and money.

Let’s take a veggie butter chicken recipe we use at our child care centre. Feel free to try it out on the weekend. Our kids love this. Add some Naan bread and it’s a winner.

Anyways. Back to the time and money thing. If you clicked on the recipe you can see it’s a lot of ingredients.

This is from scratch (most of it is but you can cheat a bit with cans). Now make that for 80 kids like at our daycare. That’s a lot of work.

Our chef must prep everything. Cut up all the vegetables. Get the chicken prepped and cut up. Spice things just right for children. As you might now kids are fussy with how much spice is in things.

Once you add up the amount of healthy ingredients, which cost more. Plus the extra time the chef is putting in the food. It can get pricey. But I strongly believe its worth it.

If you make the food tasty AND nutritious it’ll help kids get out of the rut that good food tastes bad. Many kids default to the SAD diet (Standard American Diet) that Canadians and Americans eat.

The faster we can get them away from the SAD diet and into something more balanced the better.

via GIPHY

Catering Vs A Daycare Chef

My daycare uses a chef. On site all the time and cooking home made meals daily. You might be asking if catering is just as good or even better. Let’s take a look.

This section will by my opinion. Like and op ed piece in a newspaper. Because it’s so hard to prove any of this and find legitimate information. But I am sure you will see, like I do that its just common sense.

Making things in bulk isn’t always the best. Stay with me. Here is my logic. Catering is a business that needs to make profits. They must make food in bulk.

It’s not profitable to make individual food items like we do at many Calgary daycares.

We know how hard it is to make food for 80 children at our Calgary daycares so it must be 10x harder to do it for 800. A lot of pre-made, canned, pre-packaged items are used. You’ve probably heard of Sysco of GFS.

Those are large corporations that many caterers, restaurants, etc. use for buying their food. These are pre-made, bulk food stuffs that probably aren’t the best when it comes to nutrition or being natural.

It saves cost to purchase from them and it saves a lot of time. They always deliver in bulk and you can quickly use there pre-made pastes, powders and other fillers. Quick, easy and cheap.

I know for sure some caterers add some fruit and some other healthy, natural items to their menus. But that doesn’t make there entire menu nutritious or healthy.

You can make protein packaged spaghetti super lunch in two ways. Which would you prefer that your child eats?

1) White noodle spaghetti, canned pasta sauce, hotdogs cut in (maybe some bulk ground beef), apple

2) Whole wheat spaghetti, home made spaghetti sauce with vegetables cut into it, beef shank cut into cubes in the sauce, whole wheat bun, fruit of choice

Both are spaghetti and both sound amazing but I know which one I would want to feed the children.

I know from experience that you can make anything sound good but you have to know what to look for to see if it truly is.

Between catering and an on site chef. I would go with a chef anytime. I haven’t even touched on customizing dishes and being creative with new foods. Our chef at our daycare does this all the time.

We also share recipes with our families so they can make this delicious food at home.

The Making of A Foodie Kid

Parents ask me all the time about food and their child. With over 20 years of experience with children I got to know a thing or two. Here are my top tips.

First and foremost, you need to have nutritious food. No point in starting this journey if the food you give is just plain bad.

I recommend 5-6 days a week of nutritious, vegetable laden foods. Then 1-2 days a week you can have fun.

Maybe the weekend is pizza and hotdogs. Some ice cream to wash it all down. Fun and enjoy. Teach your child that food can be fun and make some fun memories. I wish our daycare had this option.

Then the other 5-6 days a week you want to feed your child vegetables, fruits, whole wheats and water. This gives them the best of both worlds.

Some fun and junk food while watching a movie or at a birthday party on the weekend. While still keeping things healthy and teaching them about nutrition during the week.

Here are some great tips for keeping a healthy and fed child.

In the tips guide link above there is something I want to touch on again. Its not being a short order cook and standing your ground. Those are the biggest take aways from the guide.

It’s very similar to what we do at my daycare. Everyone eats the same. There is no ordering or saying that the children don’t want that. They eat what is given.

This is crucial. Once you start catering to them you’ll be making 10 dinners and lunches a day.

The last one is harder at my daycare but you as a parent can do this. That’s being very firm. Telling your child dinner is now.

Its here for and hour and after that its breakfast. Not sneaking an apple or finding something else to eat.

I know its harder with younger children but stick to it. This will really help set a standard and they will love you for it later in life.

What Calgary Daycares Has Taught Me About Food

Running our daycare in Calgary and being a daycare worker at other centers have given me insights others might not have. Healthy eating is crucial for little children.

Their brains are developing and they badly need the vitamins and minerals great food gives them.

  Something like the picture above is exactly what I see work with kids. Don’t deprive them of fun and junky foods. Don’t use food as a punishment. Make it

If your child is going to a daycare in Calgary or any daycare. Ask them who makes the food. What company? Is it a chef on site? Which I strongly encourage you to look for.

As long as they serve fresh, wholesome and no pre-packaged food then you’re good. Check out this article on daycares and nutritious foods. Its an eye opener.

It’s bad food and bad food choices that start a slippery slope decline into being over weight and then obese.

Obesity is very unhealthy for your child’s body AND mind. Doing whatever you can to have a healthy little child is very important to their wellbeing.

And to leave off here are a few awesome recipes for you to try tonight. The children at my daycare LOVE them!

  The post Order Up! – Calgary Daycares & Their Food appeared first on Calgary Daycare & Child Care School.

[twocoursemeal-blog]

TCM Eats Cheap: Five Guys

Five Guys (Downtown Crossing)

I don’t think we need to explain Five Guys to most of you readers… but, just in case we do: Five Guys is a quick-service burger chain that originated in the Mid-Atlantic and has quickly spread throughout the country. They do “Have it Your Way” better than Burger King, allowing customers to add as many toppings to their burger as they’d like (from the ~15 they generally have available).

Five Guys isn’t just about burgers, though. They also serve hot dogs, grilled cheese, (mountains of) fries, milkshakes, and even breakfast sandwiches (they crack their eggs fresh on the griddle!). Five Guys is clearly a great place to have a meal, but when’s the next time you’ll get to read a review of it?

Right now.

We ate:

Peanuts

Regular hamburger with pickles, grilled onion, grilled mushrooms, jalapenos, and A1 sauce

Little bacon burger with tomatoes, grilled onions, jalapenos, and BBQ sauce

Cajun Fries

Futuristic soda

Angela’s Thoughts

Full disclosure: I’m a Five Guys fangirl.  Five Guys is great; I don’t care what you say.  I have had legitimate arguments with my West Coast friends about Five Guys vs In-n-Out.  I will die on this hill.   ...With that said, I can’t say I’ve ever taken the time to think about Five Guys in any deeply critical way.  I’ve never had a bad experience at Five Guys -- I generally get a tasty burger with lots of toppings, and way too many fries.  But this time, I wanted to dissect my experience, and (hopefully) justify my love of the place.

The interior at the Downtown Crossing Five Guys is always clean and neat.  The gleaming tile and metal accents, along with the super fancy Coke Freestyle machines, make it seem almost futuristically sterile.  Really, that’s the best you can ask for in a fast food or quick-service restaurant.  They serve a regular (two patty) hamburger and a little (one patty) hamburger.  They also have different sizes of either plain or cajun-seasoned fries, and they always provide a more-than-generous serving.

The burger was kind of a mess, but in a good way.  The patty itself was greasy and nicely crisped around the edges, but it didn’t really taste seasoned at all.  The point of a Five Guys burger is toppings, which easily carry the weight of making a “flavorful” burger, so the lack of seasoning doesn’t end up mattering.  It was strange that there wasn’t even perceptible salt on the burger, though.  What I found surprising was how good the bun was; it’s something I’ve never paid much attention to before.  The bun was fresh and pillowy, slightly sweet but neutral-tasting enough that it works with whatever you want to put on your burger.  I usually prefer potato buns to white bread buns (by a lot), so I was pleasantly surprised by how soft and nice it was!

At Five Guys, the toppings are the star of the show.  The vegetables they use as toppings are always fresh and good quality, and my favorite topping at Five Guys is always the jalapenos.  Most places serve pickled jalapenos of variable quality as a topping, but not here!  Five Guys has fresh, sliced, seed in, actually peppery and sweet jalapenos.  They’re always juicy and delicious, which gives you the feeling that someone sliced them fresh *that day*.  I love them, and they have earned an eternal place on my Five Guys burger.

The fries at Five Guys are also notable.  They make them in-house, and they’re served skin-on.  Because they’re medium-cut and fresh, sometimes they can be a bit soggy, but today they were cooked perfectly.  I generally get them cajun style, because I’m a fan of the seasoning.  It’s a bit spicy, with (what tastes to me like) salt, paprika, and red pepper; there’s also a very prominent flavor from celery seed in the seasoning, which really reminds me of Old Bay (and makes me nostalgic).  Matt and I usually split an order of fries when we come to Five Guys together, since they generally give out a *huge* portion.  We split a regular this time, and it worked out well.

It’s very obvious from my review how much I love Five Guys, but there is a negative I think deserves mentioning: I feel like it gets a little more expensive each time I go.  A Little Burger, Little Fries, and a drink will run you well over $10.  Add a couple more dollars to that if you want a shake instead of a soda (which are pretty good, and just as customizeable as everything else on the menu!).  At this price point, it’s still “worth it,” to me, but it becomes more of a splurge meal (for the sake of my wallet and my waistline...).  Overall, Five Guys is usually greasy, sometimes messy, a little pricey, and always tasty.  I’m still a fan.

Matt’s thoughts

Though I don’t crave Five Guys all the time, when I need Five Guys, there is little that can stop me from going. Five Guys just does something so right with its simple menu and strong push towards grease-filled gluttony that I can’t help but need it once in awhile. A rainy night in downtown Boston proved to set just the right mood for our recent trip.

The downtown Five Guys is clean, and a bit austere (like the rest of them). After ordering (I usually stop adding toppings when I can sense the disapproval from the cashier), I got my basket of peanuts and grabbed a table. For those of you who haven’t been to Five Guys, they’ve got free roasted, salted, unshelled peanuts available for you to snack on as you eat. I can’t think of a better way to prepare my body for what’s to come than giving it that initial rush of sodium.

Five Guys’ burger was what it always is: a pure, as-adulterated-as-you-want-it delicious meat sandwich. Though both of our burger patties didn’t taste like they’d been seasoned, this could have been intentional, as the toppings more than made up for the extra flavor. The bun held up remarkably well to all of the moisture, and the only bad thing about it was that a lot of my grilled onions fell off the burger and onto my aluminum foil. I definitely didn’t eat them off the foil with my hands, though, no need to worry about that.

I always get the Cajun Fries (it’s because they’re better than regular fries), and once again, they did not disappoint. Rarely crisp, but always well cooked and flavorful, Five Guys’ Cajun Fries are exactly the kind of “punch-you-in-the-mouth-with-flavor” accompaniment I look for. For those poor souls who have never been to Five Guys, they give you your food and fries in a bag, and then dump extra fries in on top of that. Yes, it means you have to excavate your burger through a layer of fries, but on the upside you get to excavate your burger through a layer of fries.

Finally, the drink machine. This may be a minor thing, but every time I use the touchscreen branching-paths customize-your-own soda dispenser, it feels like I’ve finally made it to the future, and in the future, there is Strawberry Fanta.

One thing to note: Angela and I both felt as if Five Guys was pricier than last time. Though we’re not sure if this is us misremembering the previous prices or not, a Five Guys experience with burger + fries + a drink will definitely put you in the 12+ dollar range.

Overall:

Five Guys was delicious as always, and we happily stuffed ourselves with topping-loaded burgers, seasoned fries, and futuristic sodas. If you’re hungry and there’s one nearby, it’s never a bad idea to step in for a meal. Though we both agree that it’s a bit pricey, it’s still a great burger.

We give Five Guys Burgers and Fries 4 excessive servings of cajun fries out of 5.

[ecoorganic]

Q&A: David Finlay on New Japan Cup-USA Tournament, His Father's Influence on His Career and More

David Finlay discusses the New Japan Cup-USA tournament, his father's influence on his wrestling career and more.

David Finlay is looking to take advantage of wrestling during the pandemic.

A fourth-generation member of the wrestling industry, Finlay is the son of legendary wrestling tough guy Fit Finlay. He first joined New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2015, but he has significantly altered his look and presentation over the past two years as he pursues a higher position in the promotion.

The 27-year-old Finlay is part of New Japan’s NJPW Strong show streaming every Friday on New Japan World. Following back-to-back victories, he has advanced to the finals of the New Japan Cup-USA Tournament. The winner receives a future title shot at the IWGP United States Championship, a title held by Jon Moxley, who is also AEW’s world champion.

Finlay spoke with Sports Illustrated about his journey in wrestling, his father’s influence on his career, and what he has to prove in the tourney finals against KENTA.

Justin Barrasso: The win against Tama Tonga advances you to the finals of the New Japan Cup-USA tournament. You and Tama share some legitimate chemistry in the ring, and the finishes to your past couple of matches together were really solid. You hit Sliced Bread on Tama to finish the tag title match at Wrestle Kingdom this past January to win the IWGP Tag Titles, then won this week’s tourney match by with a series that started by blocking his Gun Stun, hitting a suplex neckbreaker, a stunner, and a Prima Nocta jumping stunner for the victory.

What about Tama is so special in the ring? Why do you think you two work so well together?

David Finlay: Although we would consider ourselves rivals, there is a mutual respect between us. We both are multi-generational wrestlers, our fathers wrestled together, and we both came up through the New Japan Dojo. I just think there are a lot of similarities, and we always want to prove we’re better than the other in the ring.

JB: You missed the majority of 2019 after suffering a torn labrum during a match against the Briscoes in February that kept you sidelined until October. You were finally getting comfortable again in the ring, then the pandemic hit and New Japan did not run shows in March, April or May. At you at a point where you feel like yourself again in the ring?

DF: I do. Pre-pandemic, after I came back from my injury, I felt like I was really getting the ball rolling. Then the pandemic happened, and it felt like hitting a giant brick wall. I actually feel pretty comfortable in the ring again.

A big mental hurdle for me was during the Tag League [last fall] constantly thinking about my shoulder. I was terrified of being in a sling again. But I don’t worry about my shoulder too much anymore, and I’m able to wrestle without thinking about it.

JB: What is the atmosphere like at the NJPW Strong tapings in California?

DF: There is no atmosphere, there are no fans. It felt reminiscent of amateur wrestling in high school or college. It’s one on one, so you need to go figure out who’s better.

JB: This experience must have enhanced your appreciation for the fans.

DF: Definitely. It’s nowhere even close to the same energy compared to when we have fans there. It’s way more fun, way more exciting, and you have more adrenaline so things hurt less. I miss the fans, 100 percent.

JB: Were you comfortable with the COVID testing and policies put in place by New Japan Pro Wrestling?

DF: Oh yeah. We get tested before we leave and when we arrive, they’re on the ball with everything. I feel super safe.

JB: You are a fourth-generation family member to the wrestling profession, and wrestling always came so naturally to you. You made the decision to hone your craft at the New Japan Dojo, but over time, you saw peers and dojo mates surpass you in terms of matches and success.

Over the past two years, you have worked incredibly hard to show the world your worth, including a significant change to your body due with advanced training. What has your journey been like in Japan?

DF: You can sum it up with start-and-stop. I started in Japan when I was 21 years old in 2015. At the beginning, I think it was due to immaturity. I didn’t intend to have a sense of entitlement because of my last name, but I think I did. I didn’t put in the work that I should have. I was coasting off my last name.

When I got hurt, that was a wakeup call. I wasn’t happy with my career. If that was a career-ending injury, I would not have been happy with what I accomplished. So I decided to do something to change that.

JB: What steps have you taken to change the direction of your career?

DF: I’ve been hitting the gym real hard and living way cleaner. It’s all the things I’m supposed to do. I’ve changed my mindset, too. I used to hate training, but now I enjoy it. It’s become a fun challenge for me–how good can I get?

JB: Obviously you are very proud of your father, but do you have to work extra hard to prove that your success is not solely a byproduct of your last name?

DF: I think so, and I don’t think I’ll ever escape that. I get in my foot in the door easier because of my name, but I am striving to break out from underneath that shadow and be my own person when it comes to career comparisons. I’m super proud of where I come from, my dad is my hero, but I want to be my own person, as well.

JB: Your father will forget more about wrestling than most of us will ever learn. How influential has he been on your career?

DF: My dad is a genius. He’s been wrestling professionally since he was 14 years old. He knows so much about it. My dad means everything to me. He’s been a father, a coach, a mentor. He watches all my matches, critiques them. He’s the man.

JB: Your best friend in the business is Juice Robinson, who you won the IWGP tag titles with this past January at Wrestle Kingdom. What does Juice mean to you?

DF: I’ve been all over the world with him for the past five years. I’m around him more than anybody else, so it’s good to have someone you get along with and like being around. We’re fortunate that we clicked right off the bat.

JB: The winner of this tournament gets a shot for the IWGP United States title, which is currently held by AEW champ Jon Moxley. That match would give you an incredible spotlight. Is it possible that match could happen in the United States? And what impresses you most about Moxley?

DF: It would be cool if that match could happen in the U.S. It would be weird if we couldn’t defend the United States Championship in the United States. But that’s for New Japan and AEW to figure out.

A match with Jon Moxley would be awesome. He’s a huge name, and we would have a lot of eyes on us. I’m just impressed with how unorthodox he is. He’s unorthodox, but extremely effective.

JB: Your next match in the tournament is a date in the finals with KENTA. He’s had a fantastic career in Pro Wrestling Noah, as well as a run in NXT. What about his career stands out to you?

DF: There’s not a whole lot he hasn’t done. I remember before I even started wrestling, watching KENTA. Now I’m in the finals of a tournament with someone I was watching years ago, which is kind of surreal.

JB: Beyond a win, what do you have to prove in a match against such an established talent?

DF: My goal is to prove I can go toe-to-toe with anyone. I want to prove to myself I am as good as the top guys, even that I’m better than them. That’s the goal, that’s the challenge. This has the chance to be awesome for my career.

Justin Barrasso can be reached at

JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso. from Blogger https://ift.tt/2PTFzoX