#ITS BEEN ON FOR 8 HOURS ITS LITERALLY SET FOR 50 DEGREES.

[valen-dreth]

apartment heater how to shut off heat

shut off heat please

[impostoradult]

I finally figured out why it feels like Supernatural murdered a unicorn (AKA why you need to STOP telling me to watch Black Sails)

I’ll start by saying, everything everyone else has been saying CERTAINLY bothers me: 

- the queer-baiting - the bury your queers - the undermining of Dean’s character arc  - the wasted opportunity for a certain kind of overall narrative closure - the flat out disrespect to Misha Collins and Jensen Ackles

 All of that bothers me tremendously. 

But there has been something else rather ineffable about this that has left a horrible taste in my mouth that I couldn’t quite pin down until last night. Bear with me, if you will, because this will require some set-up. 

*** This is not the first show to ever disappoint me in a spectacular fashion, nor will it be the last, I suspect. And one of the ways I’ve always coped with that disappointment was to remind myself that there will be other stories, other characters, other chances to get it right. (”It” being any number of things from just pure narrative emotional coherence to not burying your queers to not stringing along your queer audience and then yelling fuck you to them on the way out) 

But somehow that assurance -- that there will be other stories, other characters, other chances to get it right -- has rung particularly hollow in this instance, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on why until yesterday. 

I kept asking myself, why do I still have this feeling, deep in the pit of my stomach, like something was lost here that can never be recovered? 

Because something was lost here that I am doubtful can ever be recovered, and I don’t think I’ve seen anyone else talking about this aspect of it at all. 

***

A few months ago, TV critic Maureen Ryan did a great interview piece with Mike Schur (of Parks & Rec/The Good Place) discussing the death of long-form TV in the streaming era. They explore how the longer seasons and longer runs of traditional broadcast/cable TV provided an opportunity to tell particular kinds of stories that you simply can’t when seasons are 8-10 episodes and series typically run 2-4 seasons (thanks Netflix).

One key thing we’ve all lost in this new era of highly condensed TV storytelling (and of prestige TV narrative styles)? The traditional (several season’s long) slow-burn/will-they-won’t-they romance. Not only is there simply no longer the time or space to write such romances, it has also come to be seen as hacky, manipulative, cheap, artistically impoverished, low-brow, a embarrassing vestige of the era before TV became art™. 

Everybody is trying to be Fleabag now. No one wants to be Frasier. (”It’s really more like a 10 hour movie” they all like to brag)

Obviously TV still has romances, even ‘drawn out’ romances. But ‘drawn out’ in 2020 is like 2-3 seasons, maybe. More commonly it’s like half a season. Take Schitt’s Creek. The number of episodes between when David and Patrick first meet and when they first kiss? Seven. Seven episodes. Half a season. If you watched it live, it took less than 2 months for them to move from introducing that dynamic to consummating it. And I’m not bagging on Schitt’s Creek; I think the David/Patrick’s story is very lovely and well-written. 

But Niles & Daphne (Fraiser) had to wait 7 years and over 150 episodes before they finally got there. Josh & Donna (The West Wing) had to wait 6+ years, and 145 episodes. Mulder & Scully (The X-Files) had to wait 7 seasons and 143 episodes. Booth & Bones had to wait...you see where I am going with this. 

And my point is (and I can’t believe I never realized this explicitly until now): there has NEVER been a queer slow-burn/will-they-won’t-they romance of that type on TV ever. EVER. 

I’m going to say that again, because I think it bares repeating:

There has never been a queer, slow-burn/will-they-won’t-they romance that fits the 100-150 episode paradigm of delayed gratification on TV. 

Not ever.  

I can’t think of ONE example  Not a single, solitary one. And I know queer TV pretty well. Arguably the closest we’ve ever come is Legend of Korra, and that ran 50 episodes, a THIRD of the length of old school will-they-won’t-theys like Booth & Bones or Josh & Donna. 

Queer people have had a fair number of canonical romances on TV by now, even fairly long running ones. But we never got a primary/front-and-center romance that you had to root for for 100+ episodes before you got any kind of canonical consummation.

That is a particular kind of TV experience that queer people and queer characters were just 100% shut out of until it was too late. And because of how the TV landscape has changed in the last 10 years, I don’t know that that opportunity will ever come back around in our lifetimes. 

***

Dean and Castiel are/were a legacy of an earlier era of TV, an era that still contained the possibility for a will-they-won’t-they of that particular mold. There were other shows that could have also filled this gap at one time - Rizzoli & Isles, OUAT, House MD, etc. But one by one all of them were killed off, their queer romances unrequited, until Supernatural was the only one of its’ generation left standing. 

And they should have acknowledged that they were a species about to become extinct. 

There are plenty of other valid and compelling reasons Supernatural should have gone full Destiel, don’t get me wrong.

A) It would have been the most emotionally satisfying ending to the series and to those characters (and that would have been reason enough). 

B) It would have stopped the manipulative queer-baiting of the (disproportionately queer) fanbase (and that would have been reason enough). 

C) It would have been queer representation of middle-aged men, of bi men, of queers who came to their queerness later in life (and any/all of those would have been reason enough). 

D) It could have been a glorious subversion of the bury your queers trope, considering how often they’ve died and been resurrected (and that would have been reason enough). 

But point E) on this list is the reason this one hurts in a singular way that no one even appears to be acknowledging. 

Almost all of the other wrongs and missed opportunities contained in this Supernatural debacle have the possibility of being rectified (at least to a degree) elsewhere. I can and I likely will get more bi male characters from TV as time goes on. I can and likely will get more middle-aged queer characters. I can and likely will get more queer characters coming to their queerness later in life, and starting queer romances later in life. I can and likely will get more queer characters who aren’t killed cheaply and prematurely. I can and likely will get more genre TV shows with sprawling myth arc plots that are resolved in a coherent, satisfying way. I can and likely will get Misha Collins and Jensen Ackles involved in other projects that value their work and their talents. 

All of those other things are at the very least POSSIBLE, and many are even likely. 

But a queer 100-150 episode slow-burn romance a la Mulder & Scully or Niles & Daphne or Booth & Bones? That is the one baton Supernatural dropped spectacularly that no one else even has the possibility of picking up again for the foreseeable future. (They don’t even write those types of romances for heterosexuals anymore!) 

Seriously. It was a TV unicorn. And rather than letting it run wild and free, they stabbed it with a rusty nail. 

***

Given the monumental shifts in the TV landscape that have occurred in the last decade, I don’t know that TV will ever go back to the slow-burn/will-they-won’t-they romance spanning 100-150 episodes. Today it is a miracle if you can get ANY show to last longer than 50 episodes in the first place. 

And that is the piece of this that makes it feel (to me) like they murdered a unicorn.  

Because queer people have gotten a lot of things from TV, and they will get a lot more as time goes on. But that one? That one could very well be a totally extinct species.

That is the larger missed opportunity here that has left this feeling especially hollow and destructive. That is the thing that makes me balk when people tell me to go watch Black Sails or Pose or whatever other prestige TV show is doing this representation ‘better.’ Because that’s not really the loss I am mourning here. I KNOW there is ‘better’ representation elsewhere.  

But the will-they-won’t-they/slow-burn romance is a qualitatively unique thing that queer people literally just never got. Ever. There is no substitute, no alternate, no other show I can turn to with that kind of build-up and pay-off for a queer couple, and there probably won’t be in my lifetime. Not unless the TV industry undergoes another monumental evolution similar to the streaming revolution that shifts the incentives back to telling those types of stories again. 

All those shows you want me to displace Supernatural with? None of them can give me the one thing I uniquely wanted (and could have gotten) from Supernatural. THAT ALTERNATE SHOW DOESN’T EXIST. It doesn’t exist. And I have no reason to hope it will ever exist in my lifetime. 

So stop telling me to look somewhere else; you don’t understand what made this one a unicorn. 

***

Addendum: The only other possible show that could perhaps fill this gap is It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (re: Mac/Dennis). But I’m hesitant to say it exactly meets that criteria, for a number of reasons:

1 - It’s far less serialized relative to Supernatural and (except for a handful of stand-alone episodes) very little of the story is grounded specifically in Dennis/Mac’s romantic dynamic (unlike SPN, where it is absolutely central to much of the narrative)

2 - IASIP is fundamentally satirically in nature/tone which makes it much harder to have genuine romantic pathos (not impossible, but harder) 

3 - All the characters on IASIP are fundamentally crummy people who you aren’t exactly supposed to root for. Which doesn’t mean a romance between two of them can’t have its value/charm/worth but it’s not the same as when it is between characters who unequivocally deserve nice things/happy endings

[spookyboogie3]

MY FAVORITE AH MOMENTS W/O R*an H*yw**d

Also keep in mind some of these moments i picked Bitch Face r*an may have been present for but this aint about his stupid ass. 

The straw bit on Off Topic

Fiona and Trevor’s “Look at us” “Look at us” “Look at us” in TTT

Drunk Jeremy inhaling helium, followed by Jack and Trevor on Off Topic

“Krusty KrAYAYAB!!!” TTT

Jeremy trying to slam his face through a table, followed by Michael doing the same thing

“my god…… the munchdew” “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!” Minecraft: Skyfactory

Actually all of Simple Farmer Geoff from Skyfactory

Whatever those sounds were that Jack was making in the beginning of GTA video

Alfredo screaming as he continues to fall down a steep tube in a GTA race

DESTROYING THEIR OFFICE DEAR LORD

“How did he drown though?” “UNDERWATER, MATT!”

Anytime Fiona starts to RAGE in TTT (bonus if others join in)

The time Gav was the phantom in TTT and he kept dying and being brought back and Jack spitting water and then trying to catch it

Alfredo’s Magoo moments in Minecraft

Geoff laughing in the background of a video hes not in

Lindsay fucking around with Chef Mike on Harecore Minigolf

Lindsay fucking around in general

Gavin and Fiona playing Animal Crossing and laughing at the stupidest shit

The Fish Tempura incident on Wheel of Fortune

Lindsay’s reasoning for why her and Michael should have 4 kids

Geoff’s fucking ad reads (my favorite is 23&Me)

The whole thing during Push the Button where everyone especially Michael gets mad at Fiona because she said the best candy to get while trick or treating was lollipops

Matt’s fucking desk in the corner of the room

Anytime Millie is in a video

Everyone falling off the pink ladder during TTT and dying repeatedly because of it

Alfredo “the two-time champ” Diaz dying very early in YDYD 3

Gavin and Michael fucking up almost every game they play on Play Pals

RAY OR NO and then RAY OR NAY on Off Topic

Reddit Roasts Geoff

Gavin asking if someone could kill 20 cows with their bare hands and the proceeding so say he could rip out a cow’s veins by reaching into its neck

Ify’s narration during Let’s Roll Ave Caesar

The internet losing its shit when Jeremy shaved his head years ago

“We need a knife” Gavin comes back with a hammer

Griffin chain sawing the Off Topic table up

“How do I put the boat in the water??” “Right click you animal”

As of 2020, 8 years of playing Minecraft, certain people still do not know how to play the basics of this fucking game.

Honestly it took over 200 episodes for some of them to figure out how the compass worked. You know after they decided that the sun was setting in the wrong direction. (this was in 2016??)

Flynt coal still is a joke they make

So is Day 2

Whatever happened in that GTA lets play where someone called a mugger or a hit on someone and the game glitched and 50 guys showed up and lined up on the street below from where they were playing

Anytime Gavin gets mugged, it’s an old running gag but it’s a classic

The time a mugger fucking started driving the fire truck away after mugging Gavin with Michael and Jeremy still in the truck thinking the other is driving and it takes them like 2 minutes to realize what happened while Gavin’s yelling “come back”

They got a water jug and immediately started water boarding each other

“It pinged and went dingle”

“Hey Trey-Boi” “Hey Gay-Boi” Immediately realizes what he has said

Jeremy’s website puns

(OLD) Ray jerking off in the corner during a let’s play

(OLD) the world in Minecraft never loading and everyone screaming about as Geoff says its fine for him

Jeremy’s “I AM MONSTER TRUCK”

Jack taking AH to Disney……in Minecraft

On Twitter, Gavin asked about recommendations for a computer mouse and Fiona starts sending him pictures of actual mice.

“Its not ghey, if its on the moon”

Literally anything Fiona does as Po

Jeremy saying the heterosexual flag is boring

UNO THE MOVIE!

Geoff fucking cackling the whole time.

“here’s looking at you kid”

the video was almost 3 hours long

“you know what my favorite color is? blue” “oh really? You know what my favorite hand is? Yours

They all want it to end but no one wants to lose and so they fuck each other and that prolongs the game. Also they put on more rules, so they just keep getting more cards if they don’t have a card to match the previous

Alfredo saying he won’t participate in ghost hunter because he knows what happens to people of color in horror movies

Fiona walking in on Off Topic with a protein shake and Gavin asks if shes drinking milk and she says without missing a beat “ah no that’s cum” and everyone laughed not expecting the answer

(OLD) “SURPRISE MOTHERFUCKER” *falls in hole*

(OLD) Ray and Gav running in a panel dressed as X-Ray and Vav and Ray running the whole way around the room before he got to the stage

Duck taping Jeremy to the wall

(OLD) All of Minecraft Episode 3 Plan G (This was the very first AH video I watch and why I know who they are)

Geoff and Gav creating Achievement City and giving everyone houses just to prank Jack into burning house down with lava.

Ray’s house is a dirt block with no furniture and single torch

Geoff’s giant ass house next to Ray’s tiny house

Jack tries to destroy everything with lava throughout the episode

“lets be honest, I realistically didn’t lose anything”

Michael stealing art from Gav’s house “NOO! I want nice things”

The sign to Michael’s says “Awaiting Approval, Awaiting Approval, Awaiting Approval” he runs into house and say “I’m home”

Ray also steals this sign at some point

Plan G – The failsafe.

“Oh whats this? Is this a button? Whats this? (pushes button) Yeah it was a button”

“Did you push the button?”

“Yeah”

“okay”

“wh-what does it do?”

“uh…”

Cue Achievement City beginning to explode as Michael starts screaming

Rays reaction “NO, MY SHITTY HOUSE JUST GOT EVEN SHITTIER!”

Not something funny but something VERY IMPORTANT. AH admitting that they all fucked up and how shitty their behavior was when dealing with harassment in the fanbase. People were racist, sexist, homophobic, misogynistic, and just downright horrible to a lot of the employees at RT and AH. This came up after Mica Burton left the company and talked about it publicly and how nothing was done about it. Fiona who also experiences these same things, along with Lindsay and other employees, but Fiona took the charge on the Off Topic talking about people can’t continue to get away with that behavior. She got to sound off her feelings to a group of white men who all respected her and LISTENED to what was saying and how she felt. She cried; Geoff cried. They all want to do more, so this doesn’t happen in the future and they’re not tolerating the racist and horrible comments. AH taking a mature moment to talk about how they failed to stop these comments and Geoff was right when he said the company has a long way to go.

 Outside of AH each member has more to them than just all of the comedy and laughs and dumb shit they do

Geoff helped found Roosterteeth and Achievement Hunter. He has a beautiful daughter in Millie who is awesome in her own right. He’s a recovering alcoholic. Currently doing F**k Face podcasts. Was in the fucking army. Takes accountability for every mistake he makes.  

Jack also helped start Achievement Hunter. He does so much work for charity. His twitter is full of things to help people go vote. He’s like the dad to AH, especially Fiona. He’s happily married to his wife Caiti.

Michael was an electrician and has a lot of handy man experience. He made a few videos online about him raging at games and that got the attention of RT. He’s currently married to Lindsay who he met because of RT. They have two kids together.

Gavin is an expert at high speed filmmaking and know how use and edit footage from a slow-motion camera. He has worked on actual films. One of the creators of the Slow Mo Guys. Worked his ass off to get to work for RT. Currently dating model and cosplayer Meg Turney

Lindsay flips between being the mom of the group and a complete chaos queen and we all love her for it. She started as an editor for the RT podcast and then AH stuff. She is an incredible voice actor, most known for Ruby Rose (RWBY), Space Kid (Camp Camp), Hilda (Xray & Vav) just to name a few. She also has a degree in finance

Jeremy started as a fan who made videos on the community page. He took over Ray’s place after Ray left to do Twitch full time. He is a self-published author and a skilled rapper and singer. He’s currently married to his wife, Kat.

Matt also started as a fan making videos on the community page. He actually interacted and made stuff for the guys in really early Minecraft episodes. Seriously this guy is like king of Minecraft. He has a degree in electrical engineering. He also has pretty decent singing voice.

Trevor is THE BOSS. Has a degree in aero-space engineering and is getting paid to babysit AH. Currently dating Barbara Dunkelman, RTs queen of puns.

Alfredo worked at IGN before RT and is a well-known streamer. He is the best when it comes to first person shooter games. He and Trevor look so similar.

Fiona. Po. Her majesty. Host of This Just Internet. A Twitch streamer. Baby of the bunch. Grew up in Europe. Her and Gav act like a pair of siblings. She has stated and showed time and time again she will fight for people to have safe spaces for anyone who needs them.

Ify, our new guy. He is wonderful and I want to stay forever. He’s a comedian, a writer, and an actor. Co hosts F-ing Around with Fiona. Has his own film podcast, Who Shot Ya? I look forward to more content with him in it, cause everything he’s been in so far has been great.

 Were all hurting but well make it through this

We have all these wonderful moments and a lot more that I didn’t list and this incredible team of personalities with their own accomplishments and achievements. Not to mention old team members who were also great additions and the entire crew behind the scenes editing and making videos look the best that they can.

 Here’s to Achievement Hunter and to this community. We need to be here for each other in times like these.

@theonyxranger gave me the idea for this based on their own post they made about the fans giving their favorite moments without bitch face and there were just too many. Oop. 

[hazzabeeforlou]

Walls Pop Challenge

(Disclaimer: this is a no pressure situation, I don’t expect fans to work for artists, I just wanted to do a thing so.)

How can I spread the word? I’ve been agonizing over this for weeks. Shirts? Meh. Expensive, time consuming, and I for one am wearing a coat in 8 degrees. I suck at social media, and really, the people Louis needs to reach aren’t on any outlets I’m using. Posters/slips of paper are also pricy to print and time consuming to put up, and they get lost and torn and blow away.

BUT THEN. Popsicle sticks.

Unusual, memorable, short and to the point. Stay with me here, because I’m about to take you on a crash course of evangelical convert hunting!!

tract tactics 101

My whole life I’ve been witness (heh, pun) to this kind of hustle, so praise Jesus here we go!

You’ll need popsicle sticks ($1.97 per 50 pack) and a permanent marker (found a whole set for $3 on clearance!) THATS IT!

Copy what I’ve written or write your own short summary! Carry a wad with you in your purse/wallet/backpack/bag/fannypack/pocket/you-get-the-idea and whip them out with ALL THE FERVOR OF DECLARING THE DANGERS OF HELL by which I mean,

1. Eat somewhere with a table server? Include your Pop Stick (see what I did there another pun) with your tip!! 🖊

2. Buy a thing at a store? When the cashier hands your your receipt you hand them a POP STICK 🧾

3. On crowded public transit? Nervous to start conversation? Whip out a handful of Pop Sticks and simply say “Hey my favorite artist just released an album, would you like to check it out?” 💿

4. Do you have to see people while you’re walking your pet? Is that awkward moment where you’re being watched just standing there as your dog shits BEGGING to be filled? Fill it by handing the person judging you for letting Fido poop on their grass a POP STICK! 💩

5. Does a mailman bring you mail? Do Fed Ex people come to your door? YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO 📦📪✉️

6. Got school classes? Got classmates? GIVE UM A POP STICK 📔📒📕📘📘📙

7. How about the people at your gym? The sweaty person jogging through hell next to you, the people behind the desk who check you in? POP STICK UM! 🚿⌚️

8. Your Uber/Lyft/taxi driver NEEDS to know about this excellent new music. Pop. Stick. 🚖

9. Have you already screamed about Louis Tomlinson to coworkers at your job? Bring a Pop Stick to the office and proclaim it loud and proud! Going for after dinner drinks? THERE’S A BARTENDER! 🍷🥂

10. LITERALLY ANYONE you meet can be given a Pop Stick! Anyone!! I know a lot of us are shy introverts, but all it takes is uttering that simple script of, “Hey my favorite artist just released an album, would you like to check it out?” 💙

Starting Feb 1st I’ll be traveling through three of the busiest airports in North America, and I fully intend to do this old school promo!! Real human to human recommendations, maybe paired with a popsicle stick and a smile, might go farther than some impersonal add on Facebook. If we all took a half hour, made these babies, and gave it a shot, who knows. Maybe we can get Walls charting in the US its opening week!!!

I’m tagging people who will hopefully be endeared and not annoyed 🥺😘

@seasurfacefoc @goodmorningtoyouuniverse @kingsofeverything @twopoppies @cuethetommo @raisemybody @jimmytfallon @alwaysxyou

Be LOUD LOUD LOUD my louies 💙

[loadingluke]

2 months post stage 1 update

I had first stage radial forearm flap phalloplasty with Dr Hans Goossen in Brisbane, Australia on the 1st of February 2019. I’ve decided to split this update into several parts to reflect the different areas of healing etc. if you have any questions or wish to clarify anything let me know.

Here is how I’m healing up now, 2 months post stage 1.

ARM

Healing

Since I’d say about 5 and a half weeks post op, my arm has been healing and changing very rapidly. Every time I see it, it looks completely different. I’d say that now at 2 months 95% of my arm is completely healed. I have 2 small scabs healing on the seam line which would combined be no larger than a 5 cent piece. I also have a larger scab on the corner of my graft that is pretty much hanging on by a thread. I’m just leaving it there for the time being, and I’ll let it fall off when it’s ready. I’ve got a little bit of a blister by the looks of it on the seam line too, but I’m also leaving that be.

At 8 weeks, I stopped bandaging my arm, and only used island dressings on the problematic bits. Before this, I was having my dressings changed biweekly, once at my GP and once at hand therapy. Dressings changed pretty frequently with my arm, but we played around with jellonet, silver dressings, some more absorbent non adhesive dressings and loooooots of gauze. It is definitely nice feeling not being all bandaged up as I was pretty sick of it after 2 months. I’m able to dress my arm myself now too, so I’m changing the island dressings every few days. I still need to keep it covered when I shower until it is all healed, but they predict it really won’t be too much longer.

Mobility

My arm mobility honestly has been a complete non issue. I was lucky in that I never had any loss of sensation or very much swelling. My hand in general has been minimally affected. I was allowed to be majority out of the splint at 6 weeks, and then began some physio on my arm. My hand therapist Nicola was pretty impressed with how my movement was looking, and so I didn’t have to see her at 7 weeks. I was given some exercises to do at home and was sent on my way.

At 6 weeks, my movement was looking like this:

Wrist flexion/extension:

Right (donor arm): 50/40 degrees

Left (for comparison): 75/55 degrees

Ulnar deviaton/Radial deviation:

R: 35/15

L: 35/20

Supination/pronation

R: 75/85

L: 75/90

Grip strength (not super accurate as I was told to go gentle and not push it too much)

R: 5kg

L: 30kg

I was pretty close to matching my left side by 6 weeks, which was a pleasant surprise as I had not done any exercises and my arm was still splinted up up until this point. By 8 weeks, I was completely matching my left dominant arm in all tests besides being 5 degrees off in wrist extension, and my grip strength was still a little weaker at 18kg. Since I am left side dominant and usually your grip strength and mobility is weaker on your non dominant arm, Nicola is pretty happy with my progress and how my movement is looking, and so now the only exercise I’m really needing to practice is to work on grip strength and stretch. I have an appointment next week to see where I’m going and to touch base, but once that is closer to about 25-30, I’ll not need to keep going back which is exciting.

Mobility was a factor I was very concerned about leading up to surgery. As someone who wants to go into the medical field and is considering practicing as a surgeon, my fine motor movement was definitely something I was scared to risk. I am by no means saying that that fear was unfounded, as I know many people who have not been unaffected, but I’m very happy with how I’ve healed up in this department and that it didn’t end up being affected long term. I’m still working on my strength in general, and as I’m still not back at the gym I’m not sure if I’m completely unaffected or if more strenuous situations may leave me limited. I’m just taking it as it comes, doing my exercises and hoping for the best.

Scar care

Now that most of my graft is healed, I am finally allowed to begin actively managing scar care. It’s really nice mentally to have some agency in a process that by in large is completely out of your control, so I’m definitely liking that responsibility if that makes any sense. It was super frustrating watching my arm heal and knowing there’s absolutely nothing I can do to help it along!

I have begun scar massaging, all over the healed bits of the graft. I’m using a vitamin e cream, and just massaging it for about 5 minutes every couple of hours. It’s a bit too early to tell if it’s made much of a difference just yet, besides the graft feeling a smidge softer in some areas.

I have some other lotions and potions that I’m keen to try out, but I want to wait until I’m completely healed up and all the scabs are gone before I do. I’ll let everyone know what I found to work best once I figure it out. Nicola suggested a silicon and sunscreen blend stick to rub on my arm, which has been super easy to apply and use compared to other silicon products I’ve used in the past. It’s a bit too early to say if it’s made much of a difference, and I still have to be careful with where I apply it, but having some SPF built in definitely eases my mind. Although it is autumn now and my arm is always covered, UV is a constant menace and I don’t really want my very sensitive graft skin to get sunburnt. Nicola is also looking to find somewhere to get a custom silicon sleeve fitted, and will update me on that process at my next appointment.

As for compression, I’m doing a bit of both. During the day, I’m using a pretty light sock so I can let the skin breathe a little. It’s been bandaged and under compression for the past 2 months, so I’m happy to let it live a little. I’d say I’m at about 60% compression (mainly overnight and with a tubigrip sleeve) and 40% freedom. For how I’m healing now, that’s what Nicola suggested and is happy with, so I’m not complaining.

Final thoughts Arm wise

Everything is going well, and I’m looking forward to being able to stop dressing it and just going gung ho into scar care. Patience is key though, and now that it’s so close it’s easy to see how much has changed in such little time. The human body is amazing.

I’m seeing Nicola, who is an OT at Melbourne Hand Rehab opposite the Alfred in South Yarra. I honestly can’t recommend them enough. It’s definitely been a learning experience for everyone as they have never treated phallo patients before, but the care and support they’ve given me has been great. They definitely are very patient focused which I’m super grateful for. I don’t get the feeling like they’re trying to squeeze money out of me which is often what I’ve felt at some physios/allied health practices in the past (not ECKO, they were great too). Nicola and Isabelle (another OT at MHR) have both been super helpful, and so willing to explore solutions to help benefit me and my healing.

I was very flustered and stressed coming back to Melbourne as I knew that I was going to be away from Goossen and EKCO, and literally anyone who has experience with phallo, and so I felt very vulnerable. If you’re in Melbourne I totally recommend them, especially now that they’ve got some experience with me and will have established connections to help organise sleeves etc.

My team at the Prahran Market Clinic, especially Dr Doyle and RN Dianne have also been super. Hats off to all of them for supporting me and being so willing to learn and set up a system that before me (to my knowledge) was nonexistent here. Hopefully this will mean it’s easier for those in Melbourne in the future.

PENIS

General healing

At 2 months, I’m pretty sure all of the swelling in this area is completely gone. All my stitches are dissolved and out, and have been for a while. Redness and irritation are all completely gone. The end of my neourethra (which is located left side under the phallus) healed superbly and Goose is super happy with it. I am pretty sure I’m completely healed in this department in general.

I haven’t experienced a change in length, but I’ve had a slight reduction (maybe half a cm?) in girth as the swelling went down. I haven’t had any tightness in the underside scar, but I will start to massage it along with my arm to keep the scar loose to prevent any issues. I have no issues wearing underwear, and I prefer pouch undies from an American company called seperatec. I find they keep me the most supported whilst at the same time not squishing it. When I’m wearing pants I get pretty uncomfortable if they’re tight in the crotch area, and occasionally after a long time it’ll feel kinda sore, but manageable. Over time this has gotten much better, so I’m definitely not feeling super restricted. I was never a super skinny jeans sorta guy anyway so I’m not having too many issues. I defs look more forward to coming home to take my pants off though 😂

The hole

I’ve mentioned previously that I had a little hole that formed on the underside of my phallus at about 3 weeks post op due to some small haematoma/seroma. Well, it’s been a wild ride, but it is FINALLY closed up. Like my arm, this was changing pretty frequently and honestly half the time I had no idea what was happening. It looked like hypergranulated tissue for about a week, then it started swelling quite a bit and there seemed to be a buildup of fluid underneath that eventually just all came out. After, it looked a little like a fistula, and to this day I still have no idea if it was or not as it was hard to tell. After this it healed over again, popped (?) again, and then looked like an open blister. It was really strange and I didn’t really know what to do. Goossen said he was happy to wait and see how it was looking at my post op. I was just changing dressings every day to keep it dry, updating Goossen with its progress, and using saline to clean it every few days. It was taking weeks to look better, then one day last week I looked down and it was gone? Real weird.

The wound is healed, but there is still quite a larger incision due to it stretching, which aesthetically I’m not super happy with. I may look into a revision on that scar line during stage 2 or 3, but it’s not super pressing.

Urethra

The urethra is healing fine. I have begun flushing it every so often, as a bit of gunk builds up over time and that comes out the tip of my penis. It’s not an infection, and is totally normal (just a buildup of dead cells and other debris) but until my urethra is hooked up, I can’t really get rid of it without flushing it. I use a little syringe and just use a little bit of warm water every few days (mainly when I’m leaking quite a bit) and squeeze that in the tip of me penis so that it flushes it out. The water comes out of the constructed end of the urethra. This is all completely seperate from my natal urethra, which hasn’t been altered at all yet. I try to limit flushing as I don’t want to irritate the urethra or anything when I don’t need to. I’ve noticed the leaking increases after wearing tight pants, being hot and sweaty down there and standing for a long time. Usually it doesn’t drip out or anything though, and isn’t a huge deal.

I do have some hair that seems to be in my urethra. Maybe one or two that I just pluck out the end. They aren’t obstructing the urethra, and everything is still nice and clear, so I’m not super stressed about it or anything, nor is Goossen concerned.

Sensation

The exciting one! Definitely wasn’t expecting it, but I started getting a little bit of sensation on the phallus at 7 weeks post op. It is VERY patchy, and it definitely doesn’t feel good yet. It’s only in one very particular spot on the left side of my phallus, near the base. When I touch there, I feel a shock like feeling in my natal genitalia. It’s almost like a referred feeling, so I don’t really feel it directly on my phallus, but I also kind of do a little. It’s a pretty hard feeling to expain, but it felt a little like my nipple sensation after top surgery. Since then, I occasionally feel spontaneous shock like pains randomly in my penis and original junk. I’m starting to feel a little bit of something along the scar on the underside of the penis too. It’s not much, but I’m happy it’s something! I definitely wasn’t expecting anything until I was a lot further down the track. I’m using vibration to try to stimulate the nerves, and I find that I feel the sensation strongly when it is from that compared to just touching. I don’t know how much that will help or anything, but talking to friends and some anecdotal accounts from others have been promising so I might as well try it out.

Hair

I had laser hair removal pre op on my donor arm, and that did work quite well, however I did have quite a bit of hair grow back post op. This was expected as laser is not permanent, and often surgery and increased blood flow can stimulate this to grow back more than normal. It’s pretty frustrating as it does feel like I totally wasted my money, but compared to my left arm it is definitely a lot thinner and more sparse, just not *hairless*. Because of this, I’ve started looking into getting some electrolysis post op as soon as I can before I start getting more sensation. I’ve got my first appointment on Thursday, and will update with how it goes.

If you have the time and funds, I’d suggest starting hair removal as soon as you can. I definitely didn’t start early enough (I was able to have surgery 9 months earlier than I was planning for, if I'd known I would have started at least 6 months earlier than I did) And if I had the time and money I would have tried to get more in, and probably would have opted for electrolysis. Laser does work, but is definitely not as effective as electrolysis and is not permanent. Make sure you’re managing expectations as it can take a long time to see long term results, and can’t be rushed. Not looking forward to whipping my dick out for hours on end, but for me it’s worth it to not have to worry about unwanted hair.

MISC

Other Incisions

My incisions are healing nicely. The ones on the inside of my thighs are still pretty thin, and are healing nicely. The scar on my abdomen is also healing well. I’m keeping a little fixomull on it to help reduce tension and to help keep it thin. I’m happy with how it’s looking. I’m still a little shocked by how thin they all are. Goossen is an artist.

Butt Incisions are also all good. I’m keeping fixomull on them for the time being, and changing that every 1-2 weeks depending on how well it sticks. Like on my abdomen one, it’s just to relieve tension and to help the scar heal nicely. Having the fixomull really isn’t a huge deal, and so I’m gonna continue to do so until I run out of fixomull (which will be a while as I have a very long roll lol). I don’t have any issues sitting, though I don’t like sitting on hard surfaces for an extended period of time as that can still cause some discomfort. Sitting on anything with a little cushion is a non issue at this point which is good. I’ve got full range of motion and I’m able to squat and move as much as like.

Work

I started back at work at 6.5 weeks post op. I work as a pharmacy assistant at chemist warehouse, so it’s a lot of walking around, stock take and customer service. I wanted to give myself at least 6 weeks so I wouldn’t have to rush, but I probably could have gone back earlier. I’m glad I had the time to relax and recover though.

The first few shifts were a little hard to manage, as I kept wanting to lift more and I wasn’t used to standing for that long without sitting down so it was pretty tiring. It got easier over time though, and I feel pretty much back to normal now. I’m still being careful as I don’t want to lift anything too heavy or to injure myself. I’m stealth at work, and I’ve had some customers/coworkers ask about why my arm is covered. I just say I had to have surgery and usually people leave it after that.

Appointment with Goossen

I had my 2 month post op yesterday in Brisbane. It was a little bit of a rushed morning as my flight was changed about 48 hours before the day of my appointment, from leaving at 11am to 1:10pm. My appointment at Greenslopes was booked in for 2:45, with no chance of pushing it back or rescheduling. After almost missing my flight (it had been changed a few times and I just misread the time it I guess, completely my bad) I landed at 2:25, and ubered to the hospital. I ended up arriving at about 3:05, and for once doctors running late worked to my benefit as I ended up arriving just in time!

Goossen has a look at everything and was super thrilled with how I was healing. He was really impressed with how my arm was looking. He said it looks like everything is healing ahead of schedule, and has healed really well. We confirmed my stage 2 date for the 1st of August which is exciting! I’m seeing him again at the end of June as a final pre op just to make sure everything is all good. Exciting times! Only 4 months away 🥳🥳

Anyway, that’s it for now. Again if you have any questions leave them down below 😊

[rogertaylcr]

its alright if its long! i asked bc i was curious, id love a long answer

OKAY HERE IS THE SUPER LONG ANSWER, it’s self indulgent and, dare I say, Boring as shit -- but it’s the full answer to how/when/why I started drumming -- it is also 1.5k words long so it’s under a read more

so I started like drumming in a serious way i would say like a year and a halfish ago which isn’t a super long time I know but theres a tediously long story behind it which you asked for so don’t blame me for how long this is cause dude i know it’s long

The why of it is actually pretty short though. So my house is a music house, my mom plays a bunch of instruments and sings and my dad listens to a bunch of music so theres a lot of musical passion (even when theres no talent necessarily). As a kid, like 3-4 like EARLY memory, I remember listening to bohemian rhapsody and hearing the drums specifically, which idk if this is universal but for a lot of songs for awhile i just didn’t hear the drums as like part of the song really, and with bohemian rhapsody they were just so clear, like i could hear the heartbeat of the song. (this was the first song I felt that with but definitely not the only one, baba oreilly was another one that i made me realise the life of the song comes from the drums) When I was .... like 6-7, a beatles doc came on MTV and I saw Ringo drumming during the early beatles years and he was standing and stomping the hi hat and bass and there was just so much movement and power behind it and so much more fun in my opinion than the other instruments and i was like “i wanna be the one giving songs their heartbeats”. The more i got into a bunch of other, new and old, bands the more i was like This Has To Be Me. I had always been a fidegty person who was drumming to shit anyway but like the idea that that could translate into like something palatable and musical and entertaining and LOUD was News™ to me and I wanted to do that, but at the time I only knew a bit of piano and like a single chord on guitar and, like a lot of people’s parents, my parents saw creative fields as really unstable/unrealistic so I was like “well obvious it would be nice to be a loud drummer but I’m going to be a business person” (this is how cynical i was as a child).

the WHEN of it is a longer story, like it isn’t actually cause the actual answer is that i’ve been seriously drumming for about 1.5 years but theres like more to it imo

When i was in the third grade, instruments were compulsory at school so we all had to choose and buy one to learn on as well as basic piano lessons. I wanted to play the drums as “my instrument” at that time BUT my school didn’t have the budget or the space really to accommodate that (i would've had to buy my own kit and haul it to and from the school which didn’t make sense for me to do for someone who hadn’t ever touched drums) AND they didn’t have a teacher that could really teach drums, our percussion section was just a xylophone and some cymbals it was a school of like 2000 kids so :/

So I learned clarinet and then when i was 10, in the fifth grade, my older sister’s friend stopped playing saxophone and got permission to bring her drums in. We only had an orchestra so our teacher had to write her music for/with her which was cool but anyway. She left her drums at school and i knew her and so while i was supposed to be in the practice room playing clarinet i was trying semi-fruitlessly to drum. I knew i wanted to drum by any means necessary but like I was 10 and since i had no guidance (and no proper sticks i was using xylophone mallets) I didn’t think I was “good” at it and when we moved away I took that as a sign that it wasn’t meant to be.

When we got to america I joined school bands (as in orchestra/concert band) as a clarinet player once again, I still wanted to be drumming and i was in a public school by then so i had access to like “school drums” but I was so far behind the not-self-taught drummers in the actual band that I just like decided I had to focus on what I was already good at which was my art and dove into the upper level art program which like GOOD cause that made life worth living but it also meant the only time I could drum was when I was at this one friends house or had access to the band hall and like I just couldn’t keep the improvements i’d made, like i’d perfect a song and then have zero access for a couple weeks (except to like stand alone snares but :/ ) and i’d have to start over essentially and it was SUPER discouraging and it made me feel like I wasn’t making any progress

In the meantime I was trying to get my musical fix by learning guitar/piano and piano came back to me pretty quickly (its gone again now) but guitar like.....you can’t hit it lmao, piano i could slam the keys how i wanted to and get that really great loud resonating sound and i could stand to play and get more movement out of it but guitar is tedious in a way that other instruments aren’t imo, like the sound is loud but the movement is very precise and i never had the patience for that

when I got to college I really had to focus on my art especially the first two years, I literally lived in the studio (im not exaggerating, the students in my major and I had a janitorial bathroom set aside for showering) so pretty much all of my hobbies got tossed aside those two years it was grueling, fun but also hell

Junior year came and i had like 30% of my time back and i was like considering switching majors. I knew i didn’t want to do animation but also you can’t just switch into music at a university, you have to be pretty accomplished already and percussion at my school is HUGE like i would’ve had to be roger himself to have a chance of switching in. On top of that the degree isn’t super useful so I now have my Bachelors of Science. But by junior year i KNEW i didn’t wanna do that, I knew i wanted/i want to drum so I.... licherally................went to the library and printed like 50 pieces of paper each with three flyers on them and cut them up and put them up ALL over campus essentially begging for access to a drum kit. I could only afford like a couple hours on this one guys kit every few weeks for one semester (and then the following semester i did a semester away, they had drums at the school there but i only got access like a total of 5 times) so when i came back to america I did the exact same thing, I put up flyers in the music building and eventually i found a girl who let me use her drums for free all year, she gave me access like last august? I think? and just now has packed them away in the last month or so, and i would literally go into this tiny stuffy unairconditioned room (that had an automatic light timer so i’d be in the dark halfway through a song ahsdkhajkda and a couple times the heat got to me and i had to go outside and sit in my car w/ the AC before coming back in ahdjkahdjkasdjka) and drum for about 6-8 hours MWF and maybe like 3-4 hours T/TR which i know isn’t as much as some people but like I had school work still so I couldn’t do too much more. (it worked out great cuase i only took 7 hours my last two semesters so it was like something i could do while all my friends were in class and they weren’t open on weekends so my social life didn’t get fucked up) and like i know i haven’t been drumming drumming that long comparatively to like normal people who start at age -2 and are born with a snare in their laps but you spend that much time each week doing something and you’ll get good you just like… have to and I like where I’m at right now, I think I’ll always have super severe imposter syndrome abt my skill level b/c of how long it took me to get here and being an overcritical perfectionist doesnt help but yeah

i really dont think its a coincidence that my coming out (to myself) coincided with when I said “fuck it im gonna play drums come hell or high water” but SUPER LONG AND OVERLY DETAILED story short, I heard roger drum and said “if i dont do that ill die” and then when i finally had the resources i drummed myself into multiple heat strokes and i recently saw roger live so the universe rewarded me for all that shit

[goodguidanceptc]

Ironman New Zealand Race Report  March 2, 2019

Welcome masochists and insomniacs. When people ask me about my races, I usually try to deliver a balance of facts (split times, data, total race time) and feelings (mind & body perceptions, key moments) in an entertaining yet succinct report. As usual, that often means STRONG LANGUAGE. Here goes:

Prologue:

A few weeks prior to the trip, I learned that I’d been selected for the “Ironman New Zealand Experience,” an online contest, administered with typical Kiwi approach by the local council. Read: relaxed, with ZERO Ironman lawyers involved. Six men and six women were selected--based on online posts--to learn a haka, perform at the athlete dinner and attend an after-race luncheon that included a presentation and performance of Maori history and traditions. 

I suspect my "pick me! pick me!” post got me plucked from a small applicant pool. Supporting evidence: of the twelve selected, two others were my training buddies from Chicago, Christine B. and Bernie Mc. SIDE NOTE: Each winner was allowed one additional guest at the luncheon--so a very special thanks to Christine for graciously counting my wife as her guest which meant I had both my wife and son at the luncheon.

Haka is Maori for “breathe fire.” Historically, hakas were performed by Maori warriors prior to battle. These days they are performed ceremonially to celebrate major milestones (marriage, retirement), honor important guests or--perhaps most notably--to intimidate opponents at athletic events (here’s a link). Outside of New Zealand, the most famous and awe-inspiring hakas are performed my the Maori All-Blacks National Rugby team prior to each match. 

I learned that there are hundreds of haka versions, each with its own inherent weight baked into the story it’s presenting. Although it was very different than the aggressive, male-only, pre-battle version the All-Blacks perform, I personally felt a tremendous honor and reverence for the one we learned.

The haka preserves indigenous culture, energetically injects traditional language into a modern forum, gathers and channels group energy by seamlessly melding ritual gesture and movement with raw emotion. It all adds up to a sum greater than it’s parts that’s simultaneously respectful and rebellious. Taken as a whole, the haka is something like how the Incredible Hulk would dance if the Incredible Hulk danced.

All of which is just to say that before I even started the race, I’d already experienced that tremendous joy that comes with receiving an unexpectedly perfect gift. IMNZ was already a success before the race even started. Now, let’s get back to facts...

Total race time = 11:33

Not a PR, but a mature result. “Mature?” you may be wondering, “Really?” Granted, few people would describe anything I do as mature, so perhaps a better word is un-deluded. Why? Because plantar fasciitis made for a “No-Run November” (all long runs performed in a pool), I hadn’t done enough resistance training, and winter holidays not only make it impossible to train, they make it nearly impossible to fuel properly. 

In his book, Elite Minds, Dr. Stanley Beecham suggests giving yourself a W when you trained your best and an L if you didn’t. My record for this training sequence (Nov-Feb) was 89-20-11. ( I gave myself T for Ties on days when training went right but something else went bad...usually diet.) In other words, a respectable-but-not-stellar W average (.741) earned a respectable-but-not-stellar result.

But still, the haka was awesome.

Pre-Race

Slept well. Ate well. No mechanical issues. Huddled briefly with most of the training buddies and Iron sherpas prior to warming up properly in the water.

Swim (1:06 total swim time)

Clear sighting, aggressive line, good tactics (drafted when possible), and even got some help from the current towards the end. That said, the two turn buoys at the far end were both a raucous scrum. First time I ever took a hard shot to the lip. My best swim ever. 

T1 (7:49)

"T1 is a 400 meter run from the swim out...” My ass. If that’s 400 meters, I’m Leslie Jones from SNL. Plus, AFTER the “400 meters,” a winding grass staircase comparable to any third-floor-walk-up or Wisconsin helix--easily another +50 meters at an +8% grade.

Once I did get up Mount Metric Bullshit, I moved right along. Sprayed on some sunscreen, stuffed a plastic bag under the regular bike jersey with some light gloves (in case it was nippy for the first hour), shoes on in the tent. Go.

Bike (5:38, technically a bike PR)

Two loops. Windy? A tad. The outbound tailwind was so strong, I struggled to maintain target watts. Get that? I didn’t have to pedal as hard as I’d trained to because I was easily traveling +20 mph on flat sections. Ditched the plastic bag and gloves at the first aid station because it was sunny and mild and I was feeling really great. Of course, logic dictates that inbound would be a shitstorm. Which it was. Oy. Mixed with some crosswinds too just in case you, oh I dunno...tried to pee on the bike and took too long...or wanted to take in some nutrition. Nasty. I caught myself using a bastardized mantra from IMAZ, “Frontside fast side, backside strong side” which morphed into “Out bound, throw down; In bound, get down.” whenever I was tempted to chase or draft.

A word on drafting: it’s illegal in Ironman races. BUT! By slipping into the draft zone of somebody passing faster than you are passing then letting them go, you can save energy and still stay within the letter and spirit of the rule. That said, 12 meters = 6ish bike lengths so don’t be the fucko that lingers.

Repeated that song and dance inbound on both loops. It’s a terrible thing when you can’t stay in aero-position because you gotta pee but can’t pee because the wind stuffs any momentum you need to keep your leg straight long enough to break the seal. But it WILL keep you legal.

For you data geeks: Normalized Power was 197 but I AVERAGED 20 m.p.h.

Another notable: the bone-shaking chip-seal they use to pave most New Zealand roads. It just rattled my whole rig from pedals to fingertips to helmet. That shit literally rattled my Torpedo bottle right out from between my aero-bars about halfway through. I’d already taken in the nutrition so I left it (apologies to all the Tidy Kiwis and the whole leave-it-like-you-found-it philosophy) and just held fresh bottles in with my thumbs as needed.

T2 (4:13)

Efficient but could have been a tad quicker. At this point in the race, I was on plan, feeling good and ready to attack the run. Nutrition was on point. Legs were solid, stomach was a non-issue and weather conditions were near ideal. Sunny and delightful low 70s. I was actually looking forward to Run Special Needs where I’d planted a fresh shirt and an extra bottle of nutrition.

Run (4:36 aka: avg 10:39/mi)

I went sub-4 hours in Louisville under raining mid-40 degree conditions. If I could have just matched that, I’d have delivered a juicy PR of under 11 hours.

It seemed reasonable that flat IM-LOU shitstorm would vaguely equate to hilly IM-NZ sunny delight, yes? 

No.

That three loop run over what my training bro Andrew T. would call offensive hills was having none of that nonsense. Turns out, I was woefully undertrained. My legs were just not up to the second and third loop of hills, despite biking to plan, executing nutrition properly, and taking the first loop at a very easy RPE.

In past reports I’ve shared some of the actual mental chatter that runs through my head but in this case none of my mantras were very interesting or helpful. What I have learned to do when I’m truly falling apart is to reinvest in technique. Focus on the extremely immediate present, which I used to counter punch one particularly angry and persistent neg that I just couldn’t shake. See if you can pick it out of the following scientifically gathered brainwave transcription:

...chatter-chatter-chatter...BREATHE...left-right-left-right-Toe-off-knees-up-hands-up-lean-easy-at-the-ankles-glutes-tucked-somebody-fucking-LIED-to-me-goddamBREATHE!-Toe-off-knees-up-hands-up-lean-easy-at-the-ankles-glutes-tucked-somebody-fucking-LIED-to-me-goddamnit-Toe-off-left-right-left...chatter-chatter-chatter...BREATHE

On a slightly more-vulnerable note, I will share this: typically, a few tears leak out at special needs. Hormones? Pain? Mental breakdown/relief that the marathon is half over? All of the above, probably. Just a few moments of a grown man losing it. (Do NOT watch Ricky Gervais’ After Life while jet lagged. But DO watch it. Amazing. Shut up. Don’t judge my process.)

Anyway, I was all business during the Special Needs of this run but lost it right after a particularly steep descend where some guardian bros had set up an “unofficial aid station” consisting of Red Bull, handles of vodka, and liters of Jaegermeister. A runner just ahead of me had grabbed something off their card table and their robust cheering were suddenly horrific screams warning him off of chugging it. I was just tickled and toasted at the same time and it all came gushing out. Just all kinds of quads burning gasping ugly face craughing (learned that word from a tweet praising After Life, btw). Of course my male ego would NEVER allow me to overly express vulnerability in front of the drunken bros, thoughtful though they were. So I kept running. A woman running along side me kindly asked if I was okay, I said, “Oh...yeah...this...just happens,” between gulping breaths, “The good...news...is...it’s much...later...than usual.” Which cracked her up, so... y’know, pay it forward.

After slogging my way through the third loop, and making my way through the finishing chute, where the normally incomparable Mike Reilly butchered my last name, I was told that I’d been on the leaderboard during the bike and immediately fell off during the run.

So even though I did not over-bike, I did under-train. Plus, I did not need to go directly to Medical in shock, which suggests that my race plan, nutrition strategy and execution was pretty spot on. IMAZ was a PR of 11:19 and IMNZ was 11:33.

OVERALL RACE GRADE: C. Just a C. 

OVERALL EXPERIENCE GRADE: A+

As with prior races, IMNZ yielded some incremental improvements. As I said at the top, this was a mature result, with which I am unsatisfied. I haven't yet done my best race. I haven’t yet DONE MY BEST. There is clearly opportunity for improvements to all five aspects of my racing:

Swim was well executed. Still room for growth.

Bike was properly executed. Adequate. If anything, I could have pushed more.

Run. Ugh. Time to throw myself into Runner’s World and CARA and make like Forrest Gump and Prefontaine and Mo. Also, back to Hokas. Or maybe Altras. The Brooks I ran in were farts. The blisters on my toes had blisters. Not kidding.

Fuel strategy and execution was on point, although I was a few kilos heavier than previous races. Holidays and too few resistance training sessions.

Transitions were adequate.

Am I one of the guys at the pointy end of the bell curve? Clearly still yes. Maybe I’ve just evolved beyond a standard group training plan. Self-Coach? I’ve got the credentials and experience. Back to a previous coach? Maybe a new coach? I’d take some applications. Yes.

In the meantime, I’ll see you in Chattanooga for some 70.3 action in May, 2019. That’s only two build cycles. Ima go noodle around in TrainingPeaks.

WAIT. HERE’S THE BERNIE STORY...

Bernie McNally is one of those people I am just glad to have in my life. This race report would be wholly inadequate if I didn't share how this amazing woman is absolutely unstoppable.

First, she got everybody who trained for New Zealand (at Well-Fit) a fleece.

I forgot to mention she broke her ribs in a bike accident a few months ago.

Then, in what can only be described as the luck of the Irish, she charmed her way into the “New Zealand Experience” haka class. Just showed up and got in. Turns out one of the women selected didn’t show up. Classic.

Here’s the unstoppable part: at around Mile 110 of the New Zealand Full fucking Ironman race, she hit a cone and went over her bike handle bars. Road rash up her arm, split her knee open and cracked her head/helmet on a curb. A bystander said, “Do you need some help? I’m calling an ambulance.”

Her reply?

“Just help me get my chain back on.”

So he did. And she finished the bike. The medics in T2 told her she needed stitches.  She said she didn’t have time, to just patch her up so she could get on with it. She finished the race with half an hour to spare. Words fail.

All I know is this: whenever I’m feeling like I can’t get it done--and it can be anything from driving in traffic to folding laundry to a holding pace on a long run--I know exactly what I’ll hear. 

A thick, sassy, Irish brogue doing the haka.

WITH GRATITUDE FOR…

I’m very grateful to my lovely wife Susan and my wonderful kids, Peter and Veronica for their support. Susan, you are my salvation.

I’m grateful to have the expert professionals Coach Russ and Coach Sharone and the entire Well-Fit staff and athletes who generously share their wisdom.

I’m grateful to my inspiring and impressive training partners. Especially the seven hardcore savages that got it done in New Zealand--Adam, Christine, Dan, Kelly, Megan, Mike, Will and Bernie.

I’m very grateful to anybody willing to excuse my terrible smell, deplorable language and barbaric sounds during training.

Maximum gratitude to Well-Fit, Get-A-Grip, Fleet Feet and all the pools I use.

I’m grateful for Crushing Iron (C26), Matt Fitzgerald, Joe Friel, Training Peaks, Scott brand bikes, Apple, Ironman.

Thank you to all the on-course maniacs cheering and making signs and wearing all sorts of crazy outfits to show love and support. For strangers exercising.

I’m grateful that I’m able to race triathlons. I’m grateful to you for reading.

[maxismatchccworld]

Oceanography Career

Created for: Sims 4 by xTheLittleCreator

This career is converted from The Sims 2, I didn't make this.   The Deep Sea, something you always were interested in. From cutting fish, cleaning tanks, researching sea lice and a whole bunch more activities: you can’t get enough. There is only one thing you want to achieve: to keep the ocean clean and healthy for its inhabitants.  This mod works fine with the lastest game patch: 1.44.77.1020   Level 1: Fish Cummer $25 Per Hour Ideal Mood: Focused Objectives: Handiness 2, Fitness 2 When Sims, or sharks, desire something other than clean cut fish, that's when the Fish Chummer steps in. Clean it? Cut it? Why bother when squeezing and smashing will just as easily do the job? Level 2: Dolphin Tank Cleaner $35 Per Hour Ideal Mood: Focused Objectives: Handiness 3, Fitness 4 It's been suggested that Dolphins are the most intelligent species on the planet. So rightly so, they need people to clean up after them. Thoughts of calculus, wave form particle physics, and balancing balls on one's nose, leave little time to tidy up a tank. You've got the mechanical skills, they don't, so use 'em. Level 3: Sea Lice Research Assistant $50 Per Hour Ideal Mood: Focused Objectives: Handiness 5, Fitness 5 You're finally out of the dolphin tank and into the fire. Assisting a real live Medical Researcher with a Bona Fide degree from Newcrest underwater telenovela department. And what a drama those sea lice are! Where the food chain meets the road they say, and how! Stay the course, get out of the lab every once in a while and get some exercise, and you'll be on your way. Level 4: Dive Master $65 Per Hour Ideal Mood: Focused Objectives: Handiness 6, Fitness 7 You're not just a diver anymore, and you're through with the constant itchy scalp. You are a master of diving and divers alike. Explore the deep for long lost relics, or shave some Simoleons off your monthly oyster bill. Remember to keep your own life clean and orderly as you still have to live in the real and dry world sometimes. But never forget, the world is your oyster. Oysters are your oysters! Level 5: Underwater Demolitionist $100 Per Hour Ideal Mood: Focused Objectives: Handiness 8, Fitness 8, Fishing 2 What could be more fun than blowing stuff up? Blowing stuff under water is what. You did the diving for ancient treasures, now it's time to set the charges and literally blow them out of the water. Level 6: Marine Biologist $150 Per Hour Ideal Mood: Focused Objectives: Handiness 9, Fitness 9, Fishing 4 Marine Biology. No longer just a fish squeezer or a hired hand spending all your free time trying to get the water out of your ears. Now you're in the big leagues, studying all types of strange, exotic, bioluminescent, poisonous-barbed, ink-secreting, spear spitting sea life...maybe you should invest in some goggles. Level 7: Whale Tracker $180 Per Hour Ideal Mood: Focused Objectives: Handiness 10, Fitness 10, Fishing 6 Whales are really really big, but the oceans are even bigger, and that's where you come in. Your stint as a marine biologist left you longing for the smell of salt in your nose and the spray of sea in your face. So get out your galoshes and your GPS, and hit the high seas. Level 8: Deep Sea Fisherman $240 Per Hour Ideal Mood: Focused Objectives: Fishing 8 Your experience with diving, demolition, marine life cycles, and migratory whale patterns, have put you in the perfect position to now reap the seas of all her plentiful bounties. Who cares about over-fishing, or dolphin safe tuna, you know where the fish are and you're going to get them. Level 9: Protector Of Whales $300 Per Hour Ideal Mood: Focused Objectives: Fishing 10 Moving up in the world tends to mean being less hands-on, and more managerial. As a protector of whales you now spend most of your time behind a desk on the phone lobbying the bureaucrats in SimCity to pass more stringent whale rights legislation. It's not exactly working for the man, but it's working in really close proximity to him. Level 10: Hands Of Poseidon $450 Per Hour Ideal Mood: Focused Objectives: Um, well, there's this pantheon of deities in ancient Greek culture, and, well, one of the original three, well not actually the very original but the most well known three, split up the world into three sections. Poseidon took the seas, but the seas are really big ... so even though he's a Divine Being he could still really use some help; a right hand Sim if you will. Now all that's left to do is find that local trident store, hope the big guy doesn't ask you to deliver any plagues, and avoid payment in actual clams ...

Download: http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=614525

Get featured: http://maxismatchccworld.tumblr.com/

[dailyaudiobible]

07/25/2018 DAB Transcript

2 Chronicles 11:1-13:22, Romans 8:24-39 , Psalms 18:35-50, Proverbs 19:27-29

Today is the 25th day of July. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It is a pleasure and an honor to be here with you today. Today is my little son Ezekiel's birthday. He turns six today. And his story is one of the great adventure stories of our time together in the Daily Audio Bible. And I'll talk about that if we can remember when we get to the end. But we are at the beginning and what we do at the beginning is what we've come here to do, focus our attention on the word of God, focus our affection on the God who gave us this gift. So we're reading from the New Living Translation this week. And we'll pick up where we left off yesterday. 2 Chronicles chapter 14, 15 and 16 today.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word. And as we move through Psalm 19 today we echo the words of King David. We make it our prayer. Your instructions, Lord, are perfect. They revive our soul. Your decrees are trustworthy. They make the simple wise. Your commandments are right. They bring joy to our heart. Your commands are clear. They give us insight for how to live our lives. And so we revere You, Lord. We worship You in awe and wonder. May this pure worship last forever. Your laws are true. Each one is fair. They are more valuable to us than riches, even the finest gold. They are sweeter to us in our lives then honey dripping from the honeycomb because they warn us and guide us and lead us into a great reward for those who obey them. Lord, how can we know all of the entanglements we are in? There are sin's that may be within our lives that we're generally unaware of. We don't even see it in ourselves. Cleanse us from these hidden faults. Keep we, Your servants, from deliberate sins. Don't let them control us and we will be free from guilt and innocent of great sin. Father, may the words of our mouths and the things that we meditate on in our hearts please You. You are our rock and our redeemer. We pray these things in the name of Jesus, our savior. Amen.

Ezekiel Hardin’s Story:

Okay. I mentioned at the beginning today is Ezekiel's birthday. And I realized I haven't shared this story in a few years. Ezekiel was born in the most interesting of circumstances. Well, maybe not the most interesting of circumstances, but they were the most interesting for us at the time. Now we were looking forward to greeting what we had planned to be our last of the children. And we had gone through that pregnancy just kind of enjoying all of it. Of course, Jill didn't enjoy all of it. What woman does enjoy all of pregnancy, especially at the end? But we had just enjoyed this. I had enjoyed seeing my wife with a big bun in the oven out in front of her for the last time. And it wasn't our first rodeo so we weren't scared, we're just enjoying the process and looking forward to a home delivery with a midwife, which is what we had done with several of the kids. And we were ready to go and, to make a long story short, there were complications. And so hours and hours and hours of agony in labor for Jill without the benefit of these high powered medications that are available in a hospital setting was wearing her down and exhausting her and weren't really getting anywhere. And over hours, this became a matter of concern until the concern got to the point that Ezekiel, the baby, who hadn't been born yet, his heart rate was dropping. And Jill’s strength was about gone and we still didn't have a baby. And so the baby's heart rate got to the point where we were in trouble, we were in a dangerous situation. And we literally had to flee to the hospital. And not the hospital that we had as a backup. We had a backup plan up in Nashville. But we had to go to the nearest hospital. And Jill was in so much pain and so weak she could hardly get out to the vehicle. But we got her in and got her up there and rolled up to emergency and the midwife jumped out and got her in and I went to park. And by the time I got in, which is just a couple minutes later, they had already wheeled her through and by the time I got to her, she was already wired up a lot. And very quickly they were in looking at the baby and checking everything out and the doctor just told us we can continue, but this is probably not gonna get you anywhere. If this continues, you could lose the baby. We need an emergency C-section. Well that happens routinely, but not for my wife. And this was the one thing that she didn't want to happen. I mean, this was the one fear that she had. This was the one thing she wanted to avoid. But the doctors were telling us if we continued and didn't make progress, than she was gonna be in danger, too. So they're getting everything ready and we got a minute to choose and we're looking at each other and we're just in this moment, this unexpected moment. We don't know what's gonna happen. She felt like we had to move forward with what the doctors were saying. We couldn't lose... take a chance on losing the baby. She was so tired and scared and her teeth were chattering. And the next thing we knew, a bunch of people came in and she's being wheeled away and we're telling each other I love you. It's just happening so fast and then a few seconds later, I'm sitting there alone. Like, I'm alone. And Jill's gone into surgery. And so I texted a few allies to pray and then I reached out into this community, just posted it up. This is kind of what we're going through right now and pray for us. And this community rose up and prayed. And I remember sitting in that hospital room typing that out and just feeling this flood of calm come. It wasn't that it was any less of a problematic situation. It was that I tapped in and I didn't feel like I was alone. And that is the power and the beauty of this community and one of the reasons that I've worked as hard as I possibly can to protect it. And about a half an hour later, I was holding this new born baby that we named Ezekiel. And because Jill had gone through surgery, she's out of it but she came around but they needed to keep her in the hospital for a couple of days. So we were camping out at the hospital for a couple of days in the middle of the summer, July 25. Those of you who live in the south know what I'm talking about. It's a hot steamy time. But the Daily Audio Bible needed to continue, so I had all my stuff out in the family van and I would go out there each day and record the Daily Audio Bible in a 120 degree van with no air conditioning. You have to have silence to be able to do this. So I'd read the Daily Audio Bible and open the side door just to be able to breathe while putting it all together and so it was kind of news flashes every day from the hospital. But eventually mother and child got home and this little guy has grown from an infant all the way up to six years old and starting school. And through all of that, he became the Daily Audio baby. And it wasn't too long after that that we launched into the Family Gathering Tour, the very thing that has inspired the Family Reunion that we're doing in September. And we travelled all over the world over the course of eighteen months and the little boy...he's been more places than most people even though he can't remember it all. But every evening and every city at the very end of our gathering, we get Ezekiel, (bring) him up on stage, thank everyone. Thank everyone who prayed because we felt very very much surrounded by the community and by the prayers of God's people. And we attribute...yes, it was a difficult surprise but we attribute the safe delivery and health to the prayers of God's people in this community. So if you've been around for a while, if you've been around the Daily Audio Bible that long than you'll remember this. If not, than there is another chapter in the Daily Audio Bible story and history. One of the key moments for me where I realized what we have here. Yes, it's different. Yes, it's on the Internet. Yes, it's all over the place and decentralized and all of these things. Yes, it doesn't look like a standard physical community where people can enjoy life in the same region. But that doesn't make this any less of a community. So thank you to all of you who prayed for us back then and who continue to pray for us now. I have always had the conviction that it is the prayers of God's people that sustain what we're doing here. And I am grateful to God for you. This is why I say I love you every day at the end. It's not gimmick. It's because I love this community and I'm grateful for it. So happy birthday Ezekiel. Number six.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website, its home base, it's where you find out what’s going on around here in the community. It's a way to reach out and connect, so be sure to check it out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible in the common mission that we share to continue to bring God's spoken word read fresh every single day so that anyone who might encounter it no matter where they are in this world may enjoy, if that has been a source of life for you, than thank you for your partnership in allowing it to continue forward. There's a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If your using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner. Or if you prefer, the mailing address is P.O.  Box 1996, Spring Hill, Tennessee, 37174.

And as always, if you have a prayer request or comment, 877-942-4253 is the number to dial.

And that's it for today. I'm Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hello my DAB family. This is Mark Street from Sydney Australia. Today is Monday, 23rd of July and I’m calling in today because I heard James the teacher from LA on Sunday evening, the 22nd prayer request. James, my friend, your situation really hit me home fairly quick. I went through that exact same situation. My wife was depressed after giving birth and I turned to pornography and sexual sin to comfort myself. And to cut a long story short, I want to pray for You because…keep pressing into God. I got divorced. I didn’t find the DAB until after my divorce. And James I’m praying for ya. Heavenly Father, James is coming to You with a humble heart knowing that he is having trouble on his own and he does not want to do this by himself Lord. He’s coming to You begging You for help Lord. Lord I ask You to soften his heart and just help them hear what You want him to do Father. Lord, I also ask You to soften his wife’s heart Lord and for her to get out of the stigma mental health. Lord there’s so much digging around about mental health Lord and let her open her mind and let her feel comforted that any help that she gets is normal and that depression is a normal part of life sometimes Lord, but help her press into You as well Lord. Lord don’t let James fall down the path I fell down Lord. And Lord I know You’ve open my mind to what I did wrong Lord and keep opening James’s mind. His mind is open Lord and He’s coming to You with a humble heart now. So, strengthen him. Send the Holy Spirit to him Father. And he’s blessed Lord. Bring them close to You and You draw them close to You too Lord so that they will be able to get through the situation and James will be able to finish his Masters Lord and support his family in the way that he wants to support the Lord. Lord and we know that everything is possible through You Lord. And we lift up James to You. In Your name Lord. Amen. Love You family. Talk to You again soon. Bye.

Hey everybody. Hey this is Annette Allison. Just to let you know, hey, hooo, I’m doing okay and trying to go into a city party and I just decided to throw on some praise music and just go for it. And I feel way better. I hope you all enjoyed the ride today. We took a great big ride listening to the community prayer and it was such a beautiful day. And, Lee from New Jersey my brother man you have just broke my heart. You broke my heart this week. It just reminded me so much of when my grandma passed away and it was just the same thing. And I could not even imagine somebody else having to go through the situation of watching somebody die even though we know and we trust they are going to be with the Lord. It’s still painful. And I know for myself as I was listening throughout the whole community prayer, I was praying for you. And I don’t know, I’m sorry if I felt this way, but I was almost hoping that in the midst of the story that you were going to pick some family up from the airport that she passed away while you weren’t there. And I only say that because it just left such…it was hard. And I just didn’t want…I didn’t want that for anybody else. That process is just so painful to watch. And I was just hoping that she just passed away slow…ya know…without pain and transitioned easily. And I just want you to know that I’m praying for you and that I’m very very sorry for the loss of your mom. And heavens again, whorah, that’s great. But I want you to know that I’m praying for you. I’m really really praying for you and I’ve been so happy and when your first call came I was right by that spot where…I call it your spot, and it’s pretty cool. And it’s like right as soon as I passed it your call came. It was pretty neat. You know? So, I love you guys. Have a wonderful, wonderful day. And y’all take care. Bye.

Hi everybody, it’s Margo from Australia. I just wanted to ring today, first of all because I’ve just passed my 12 month anniversary of listening to DAB and I’ve loved every minute of it. And I wish I found it a lot earlier in my life. I wanted to comment. I’ve been thinking all week. About a week ago we read in Chronicles the verse where David says, when he was buying the threshing floor and he was offered it free but he said, no I will not get to the Lord that which costs me nothing. Now, that is one of my all-time favorite Bible verses. And I think it’s really good if we really think about that verse and what it means to us in our life. I will not give to the Lord that which cost me nothing. Wow, that’s powerful and life-changing. And I think it’s a really good verse to remember at those times when we are suffering, when life’s hard, when the Lord asks difficult things of us, when we don’t feel like being Christlike, when we’re angry at God for our lot in life. You know what? That’s okay because I won’t give to the Lord that which is easy. I won’t give to the Lord that which cost me nothing. I am planning, my husband and I, we’re going to Liberia next year and that’s going to involve fairly significant sacrifice for us. But you know it helps me when I have those moments of feeling freaked out about it? You know what? I just think, I will not give to the Lord that which cost me nothing. How powerful is that? What a motto to have that as our life motto. And I hope that you guys really think about that verse, and that it will encourage you and help you as it has me. Because in this life there will be suffering. And that’s okay. That’s how life is. There won’t be suffering in eternity. That’s the deal. Anyway, love you all heaps. Have a great day everyone. Bye.

Hi. This is Sherry Gallagher. This is my first time calling. I’ve been a longtime listener and God’s really been blessing me and I just give Him praise and glory for that but I am in need of some prayer. I just spent my last dollar and I’m living in a hotel because my place just came up with bed bugs and I was getting ready to move. So, now I’m not even sure what I can bring with me, if anything. I may just have to give everything up and start all over. I’m not sure. But I really need a financial breakthrough and I need, ya know, God to do something about these bedbugs to provide a solution. And I need to get out of this hotel. So, if you could just pray for me and just pray that God will bless me and make a way out of no way I would be really grateful. Thanks.

[livinginlandmarketing]

Nothing moves on Ragsdale Road. Cars whiz past on the 10 Freeway about 100 yards away.

At an abandoned gas station, the pumps are stripped of their outer shells and wiring. The convenience store is covered in graffiti, its door kicked in, contents looted. Nearby restrooms are smashed and unworkable, but the stench suggests that hasn’t stopped everyone from using them. The sign over the station announces 24-hour service, a claim that hasn’t been true in years.

Desert Center doesn’t look like it’s worth $6.25 million.

That’s what Riverside resident Balwinder Singh Wraich paid at auction July 13 for the 1,034.78 acres of property in and around Desert Center. What he does with the land could radically transform a region that’s home to people who’ve spent generations in desert solitude.

Here’s what else $6 million can get you in today’s Southern California real estate market:

A 3,200-square foot Palm Springs house, designed by architect Ray Kappe, with spectacular views of the city and surrounding mountains.

A 6,000-square foot, six-bedroom, seven-bathroom “retreat” in Malibu Canyon, on an 8-acre property.

A 3,750-square foot, five-bedroom, four-bathroom house literally on the beach in Dana Point.

But Desert Center is a largely empty desert outpost in the Chuckwalla Valley, about 50 miles from either Blythe or Indio, almost exactly halfway between Los Angeles and Phoenix. The land Wraich bought includes two gas stations, a cafe, a hotel, store, school and the gravesite of a former cafe cook — all abandoned.

Desert Center has no city council or other government. But the U.S. Census Bureau lists it as a spot where people have come together, even though it’s not a formal town or city. The bureau estimates 216 people lived there in 2019, with a median age of 70.6 years old.

The Desert Center Unified School District teaches 29 students, according to the California Department of Education, ranging from kindergarten through 8th grade. The district operates just one of its former five schools. The others shut down after Kaiser Steel’s nearby Eagle Mountain mine closed in 1983. High school students travel about 50 miles each way to attend classes in Blythe. The shell of a former school, caked in graffiti, with broken glass and ceramic tile covering the floor, is visible to freeway motorists zipping past Desert Center.

Broken windows are seen at an abandoned Desert Center school Friday, July 30, 2021. The mostly deserted area in eastern Riverside County has been sold. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

An abandoned home in Desert Center is seen Friday, July 30, 2021. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Drivers use an abandoned gas station in Desert Center as a rest stop Friday, July 30, 2021. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Residents cool off in Lake Tamarisk near Desert Center on Friday, July 30, 2021. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

As the thermometer topped 100 degrees, residents take a dip in Lake Tamarisk near Desert Center on Friday, July 30, 2021. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

A resident closes her eyes while floating in Lake Tamarisk near Desert Center on Friday, July 30, 2021. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Mystik Souza, 9, runs back to shore while playing in Lake Tamarisk near Desert Center on Friday, July 30, 2021. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

A view of homes by Lake Tamarisk near Desert Center is seen Friday, July 30, 2021. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Homes by Lake Tamarisk near Desert Center are seen Friday, July 30, 2021. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

The Desert Center Cafe sits abandoned Friday, July 30, 2021. The outpost in eastern Riverside County has been sold for $6.25 million. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

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The road behind

According to legend, in 1915, Kansas-born Stephen Ragsdale and his wife Lydia were driving to Los Angeles, before breaking down on the dirt wagon road between Blythe and Indio. Rescued by a prospector, Ragsdale saw opportunity in the other motorists crossing the Colorado Desert.

“He’d seen numerous people who had been unprepared crossing the desert, so he conceived of the idea of having a rest stop at the halfway point,” said Steve Lech, a historian and author who co-writes The Press-Enterprise’s Back in the Day local history column. “That’s why he called it Desert Center: It was kind of a marketing ploy.”

Opened in September 1921, Desert Center was a family affair.

“He would run the tow truck and pump gas. His wife would run the cafe and do the cooking,” Lech said. “He had two sons and a daughter and they would do auto repairs and work at the center.”

Ragsdale, rebranding himself “Desert Steve,” had dreams of expanding Desert Center, according to Lech. But Ragsdale believed in temperance: Even after Prohibition ended in 1933, he didn’t want tenants to serve or sell alcohol. His lawyer said Ragsdale couldn’t legally prohibit alcohol. So Desert Center stayed small.

Margit Chiriaco Rusche’s parents started the competing community and rest stop of Chiriaco Summit, 19 miles to the west, on the western rim of the Chuckwalla Valley. They spent decades as frenemies of the Ragsdales.  According to Rusche, Steve Ragsdale vowed to “run that upstart Italian out of town” when Joe and Ruth Chiriaco moved there in 1933.

“It was very remote,” Rusche said. “As little kids, we pumped gas, we made hamburgers.”

Today, she’s CEO of Chiriaco Summit. It offers food, gas and the General Patton Memorial Museum for road-weary travelers. A motel and a mobile home and RV park are planned.

After his death in 1971, Ragsdale’s son Stanley ran Desert Center until he died in 1999. He kept it small, turning down offers from fast-food chains and others who wanted to “improve” the outpost.

Stanley’s six kids couldn’t agree on how to manage the businesses, so Desert Center gradually shut down. Their battle spent two decades in probate court. It might be the longest probate case in county history, according to Paula Turner, the real estate agent whose Coachella Valley firm handled the sale.

“I haven’t sold a town before,” she said. “This is my first town!”

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Even before the auction, Rusche had tried to buy a piece of Desert Center more than once.

“When they were closing down, we were going through a contract to lease the (Desert Center) coffee shop to update it. Thousands and thousands of dollars later, one of the brothers said ‘No, not with a Chiriaco,’” she said.

Rusche then tried to buy part of the property, but the family member selling it didn’t have the clear legal right to do so.

Finally, Riverside County had enough.

“The judge said ‘It’s been 20 years, we’re putting it up for auction,’” Rusche said.

Wraich did not respond to repeated requests for comment. His family runs the Fontana-based trucking company Wraich Transport, which includes the Wraich Travel Plaza truck stop in Fontana.

The property was put up for auction for $5 million, before Wraich outbid Rusche, winning Desert Center with a $6.25 million bid. That brought an end to the Ragsdales’ ownership of the community founded by their patriarch. Members of the Ragsdale family declined to comment.

“That’s how it goes,” Rusche said. “We decided that dirt wasn’t worth that much money.”

In the end, the Chiriacos did get a bit of Desert Center, purchasing a totem pole that once stood outside the cafe. It will be going up at Chiriaco Summit soon, Rusche said.

The here and now

Trucks idle in vacant lots, curtains drawn as drivers presumably get some sleep.

The roof of the Desert Center Market is caved in, roof beams crashed down around empty ice cream and soda refrigerators. A sign in the window reads “Sorry, we’re closed.”

Someone appears to have walked away from the boarded-up cafe mid-cleaning. A bottle of Windex and a roll of paper towels on a table caked in a thick layer of dust are visible through the windows.

Only the U.S. Post Office is still open. The other three shops in the tiny strip mall are long since closed. They seem to have shut down mid-renovation, with paint cans and drop clothes covered in dust visible inside.

“They let it go really bad,” said Harold Copeland, whose first job was working at Desert Center in 1977. “They should have sold something a long time ago and made something of it.”

Few live in Desert Center today. The biggest nearby population center is at Lake Tamarisk, 2 1/2 miles away. A few dozen homes cluster around a county-run nine-hole golf course. The residents are mostly “hermits,” according to one.

Copeland grew up in Eagle Mountain, moving there in 1967. He now lives in Indio, but his mother still lives at Lake Tamarisk.

“They love it out there because it’s just so quiet,” Copeland said. “The streets rolled up at 6 o’clock, but we learned to live with it.”

The lack of things to do in the Chuckwalla Valley is part of the attraction for some.

Residents cool off in Lake Tamarisk near Desert Center on Friday, July 30, 2021. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

“There’s no temptations,” said Adrianna Ornales, taking a midday dip in Lake Tamarisk with other members of the Set Free church congregation. The pool at the nearby community center is dry and the center itself locked up. It was 104 degrees at midafternoon on July 30.

Ornales moved to Desert Center in 2018, along with about four dozen other members of her church, to escape the seductions of the big city.

“It’s our little safety bubble out here,” she said.

Ornales works at Lake Tamarisk’s one-room library, open three days a week, that shares a building with the small county firehouse.

She hopes Wraich can bring Desert Center back to life.

“I hope he does something with it,” Ornales said. “More job opportunities, so people can get on their feet.”

The other big population center is Lake Tamarisk Resort, a mobile home and RV park for those 55 years old and up. Many of the 150 trailers and RV spots are empty now, the snowbirds flown away to cooler climes. Once upon a time, it was a park for high-end Airstream trailers. Before that, it served the World War II era Desert Training Center first run by Major Gen. George S. Patton.

Brenda Cervantes, who with her husband has managed the resort about a year, also wants to see Desert Center revitalized.

“They need some business brought back here,” she said. “People call and say ‘Where’s your gas station?’”

The nearest one is 19 miles away, in Chiriaco Summit. Groceries mean a 50-mile trip to Blythe or Indio.

“We’re self-sufficient,” Rusche said. “That’s part of being desert people.”

Cervantes believes Desert Center can be restored without losing the quiet isolation residents enjoy.

“We’re hoping something good comes in,” Cervantes said.

But no one ends up staying in Desert Center by accident.

“We’re our own little oasis out here,” Cervantes said. “Most everyone comes here because it’s out of the way.”

The road ahead

More on the Chuckwalla Valley

Inland plants boost state to No. 1

Plan aims to turn desert water to electricity

Chiriaco Summit became popular desert outpost

Riverside County objects to desert conservation plan

30 unusual Southern California museums to visit

‘Desert Steve’ Ragsdale had the coolest view in Riverside County

These Inland Empire elementary schools have waivers to reopen

Copeland has high hopes for Wraich’s Desert Center.

“I think they’ll build a big truck stop right there and maybe houses or condos for the people who work there,” Copeland said.

Rusche is skeptical. Desert Center doesn’t have its own source of potable water, she said. And the historic buildings will need to be completely torn down.

Wraich has “got a lot of hoops to jump through,” Rusche said. “He’s got to get through the county process, which is hard.”

She thinks the land is best suited for something modest.

“Why build a truck stop in California so close to the border where they can get their gas so much cheaper than they can here?” Rusche said. “To me, it doesn’t make that much sense.”

Change has come to the desert, of course. North of Lake Tamarisk, a huge solar farm has gone in. And in cooler weather, visitors race at the Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. But most days are quiet, especially during the hottest days of summer.

Whatever else might change, Chuckwalla Valley residents say the desert’s appeal is eternal.

“It’s a really tight community still,” Copeland said.

When skeptics ask him about growing up in the Chuckwalla Valley, “I say ‘how many friends do you hang out with from your high school?’ And they say none, because there were 500 people in their graduating class. I still see everyone, because there were 35 in my graduation class.”

His graduating class still gets together annually, he said.

“It would be hard for me to live anywhere else,” Rusche said. “We have freedom and we have the mountains that are a different color every time you look at them.”

But for now, the traffic on the 10 keeps racing past.

-on August 13, 2021 at 01:23AM by Beau Yarbrough

[martinlawless]

Velo-Schils BMCR Double Circuit Races

2 x Cat ABCD races 9 May 2021 Northern Gateway Sports Park, Colchester

The Northern Gateway Sports Park is a rubbish name for a really good brand new facility on the edge of Colchester. It features a one-mile cycle circuit loop. The Velo-Schils BMCR races there caught my eye as it was a chance to check it out.

This would be my first BMCR race and partly a plan to focus more and more on veteran’s racing, with a view to having a good go at some of the Vet 50+ races next year. The 30 spaces filled up pretty fast and I scanned the start list beforehand and did a crude calculation of who I might be able to get the best of, and who was better than me. My slide rule suggested I would be 14th.

I packed well in advance. It’s nice to feel prepared. However, with 48 hrs to go, my rear wheel decided to fail. It is on its last legs. Or maybe even finished. Luckily, a word out through Strava and I had several offers of a spare wheel. I also found time to see Richard in Ashwell for some TLC on the wheel to patch it up as best as could be done.

The drive over is quite long, but it’s very easy and I’m there without fuss. The facility is really new. It reminds me of Lee Valley Velodrome in some ways: layout and general buzz. The circuit has a similar vibe too.

The loop is really quite straightforward, making it fast. The bends are mostly gentle, it’s as good as flat, so every corner is attacked at speed. It is a flatter version of the Lee Valley circuit, without the dead-ish corner at the far end. An MK Bowl-Lee Valley lovechild. It does have an oddly sketchy chicane - near the finish line too. In itself not a bad challenge, but the run off is into chunky gravel and pretty certain disaster if you need to ride into it. I would recommend they fringe it with some safer rideable edges. Like they have at Lee Valley.

I arrive in good time, register and pin up and get a good 20 minutes easy rollering in. Mostly to wake the driving legs up. It’s warm with a light breeze for the first race. This would be a double race event. Each half-hour race, half an hour apart. I have brief chats with CC Luton’s Matt who I met at the Ashwell chaingang a few weeks ago. And I get to congratulate Valentino on his great 6th place at last weekend’s Hog Hill race. I twiddle away in the car park whilst watching the 60+ age category race and hope I’ll be as fit and fast as those guys one day in the future.

We set off on a neutralised lap. We’re going clockwise. I hear later that British Cycling won’t approve the course to go anti-clockwise. But can’t work out why. Going clockwise means hitting the chicane hard near the finish line and adds considerable drama.

We glide over the start line, the flag goes and we’re off and full gas. As I’ve literally never raced a millimetre of the nice tarmac, I choose to tuck inside the bunch for the first few laps to try and figure out the best lines. It’s a northerly wind and I get into a gliding rhythm of drifting from one side of the bunch line to the other in search of shade from the breeze. At times, the bunch seem indifferent to the optimal protection from the wind, which is good news to me. I find out that the first left bend is too tricky to try and jump on the inside. It’s too tight and you lose all your speed. The far bend that brings on the return leg is gentle and swooping and quite easy to find the right line except for when you get over the rise where you need to be careful not to clip off the left edge of the track. There’s a significant drop in height to the left. If you come off the track here, it would be interesting to see if you could claw back on OK.

The return leg of the lap is gentle in curve. This will most often be a headwind and possibly where a break would most commonly be made or consolidated.

Then, turning to the lap start/finish, there’s a chicane. If you’re not being observant, it will catch you out and you’re off into the heavy gravel stuff. Past here and it’s a dash to the line. Really short.

After a short while I’m conscious of the burn I’m making being at the back. Too much braking and surging. Wasted watts. I try and climb higher into the bunch and have an easier time. I notice many riders are not carrying a bottle but I do - to keep the airways clear and cool and to swig and signal when you want to communicate you’re not going to push hard on the front.

There are some great riders in the mix and I am aware my chances of any success lies in keeping it a bunch and going long at the end. There are some brave moves at a breakaway. But everyone is too fresh to let anything go. Having said that, in to the last lap and one rider has a certain gap while we others chase down the rest of the places. I have a good go at things with half a lap to go and find myself in a decent position where there’s good momentum. It seems it won’t be a slow - then manic surging - finish. My least favourite race finish. We swoop the final corner and everyone is pretty locked into their position. I have a clean run in and am happy to come in 10th, 4th in Age Category (B, 45-49).

We clear the course, there’s a bit of banter and I make my way back to the rollers for 10 minutes to keep the legs turning ahead of race 2. It’s now hotter. The bike computer is saying 26 degrees, with heat bouncing off the tarmac. It’s also significantly windier.

Fresh energy drink. Another gel. A little chewy bar. An apple. We’re off into race 2. I can feel the lack of freshness this time but also know that others will feel it too. It’s a relaxed start and one guy goes rogue over the chicane and cuts across the course, to prove his cyclo-cross skills and maybe to make a point on this pokey-out bit. Laughter over, it dials up. Soon, it’s hot wattage again. I feel like I’m in the Ashwell chaingang, “lap 3”, where it’s biting but doable. I can feel we’re dropping riders here and soon start to see some on the opposing part of the track. But I’m doing OK and enjoying learning the curves. At one point I see Valentino and a few others consolidate a break and think that looks good. I breathe in a make a burst over to them. I’m pleased to have made the leap. Unfortunately, my effort wasn’t quite a clean break and I pull the bunch with me too much. But, I’m pleased to have been able to apply this effort without too much trouble.

Fresh legs. My strategy to get to today with fresh legs looked like this:

Sunday, hard short Zwift crit, full beans for 22 mins.

Monday, easy 2.5hrs road ride

Tuesday, hard Ashwell chaingang, 1 hr 15 mins

Wednesday, hard Ashwell 10m TT, 23 mins 40 secs.

Thursday, nothing really. Home-made 40 mins HIT gym session, + 5k light run.

Friday, 20 miles easy morning tailwind ride. Was thinking about a Zwift crit too, but exhausted by a stressful day at work.

Saturday, nothing. Sports physio in the afternoon.

Sunday, racin’. 48hrs of fresh legs.

I enjoy the level-headedness of my co-riders. No stoopid moves. Though one rider does lurch to the left and I have to be evasive to avoid getting chopped. A Rapha CC rider observes this and raises his eyebrows at me and laughs, while I roll my eyes invisibly from behind my fancy new shades. Drama - but no drama - sort of thing. Grown ups.

OK. Last few laps. I don’t quite know how, but I read the lap counter wrong. On reflection, I may have read “3 laps to go” as the sign was being put out - not to announce it was actually “3 laps to go”. Anyway, for whatever reason, when I see the Colourtech rider, followed by the nippy Stow CC rider ping off the front with what I think is the final lap, I go with. I cross the line and hear the bell and don’t see the chequered flag. Oops. Racing is planning and opportunism. What to do now? Without much thought, I figure, I may as well give it full beans and see what happens. There are no points to score this season. Colourtech chap is significantly ahead and not interested in teaming up. Stow CC fella is burning up fast and I’m catching him. But I’m frazzling quickly too. The bunch are around 8-10 bike lengths behind. Into the headwind and I can see and feel this is a desperate attempt to beat the bunch. They are not relenting and I am dipping below 25mph. This is hopeless.

Stow elbows me to take the front but my help is feeble. Into the final big bend and I can hear the wheels of the bunch. I’m pedalling squares in the final short sprint and swamped. 11th, 4th in Age Category again (B, 45-49). Ah well. I had a go. This might have worked if I had been allowed to escape with half a lap to go. Something to think about for another time. It was good to pressure the bunch and I will think about such a move again in the future. I need to use my TT more in races.

Race over. We’re all done. I say bye to Mark, Valentino and several other of my competitors for the day and get home without fuss. I think about a celebratory McDonalds from the one opposite the park, but the 40 car queue puts me right off an it’s a bobbins Wild Bean Cafe BP garage americano and a banana and clementine from my food bag instead.

I look forward to more adventures here and more BMCR racing too.

Strava links: https://www.strava.com/activities/5266417763 https://www.strava.com/activities/5266971821

[juniperpublishers-agriculture]

Soil Amendments with Sugarcane Bagasse and its Effect on Soil Humic Acid Contents and Chinese Cabbage Growth Components-Juniper publishers

The population increase and industrial development produce an enormous amount of organic residues creating great environmental problems now a day. The appropriate agriculture use of these residues can become advantageous for the mankind because it allows nutrients recycling, improve crop production, less pollution problems and as well the improvement of the physical, chemical and biotic conditions of the soil [1]. Organic matter applied to the soil favors the development and growth of plants because it prevents nutrients loss by leaching [2-4]. The sugarcane is a grassy crop that produces, in a short period, a high income of biomass, energy and fibres, being considered one of the plants with larger photosynthetic efficiency [1]. Its plantation in a wide scale is traditional in several countries of the tropical and subtropical regions to produce sugar, alcohol and other bio-products. Several tons of sugarcane residues are produced and need to be conditioned.  

Experiments have been conducted to study the viability of those residues on fish feeds, as nematicide on mandarin culture as horticulture substrate mixes or wheat production [5-8]. Sugarcane bagasse is a source of vegetal fiber that has potential use on the industry of polymeric composites [9]. Sugarcane bagasse (SCB) produce humic acid (HA) after decomposition which have colloidal character and huge active surface which provide fine adsorptive properties [10]. Adsorptive features of HA allow to supply necessary micro-and macronutrients to plants and eliminating from the ground ionic and molecular impurities in the form of heavy metals [10,11]. All these potential uses have the major goal of resolving the disposal problems of sugarcane residues. The main objective of this study is to quantify the amount of HA produced after amending the soil with SCB with respect to the entire life span of growing plant Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa, subsp. pekinensis).

Materials and Methods

Mode of collection and preparation of soil and sugarcane bagasse samples

 The composite sampling method was used for sampling, where about 25 subsamples of each 2kgs collected from Ngongona villege in Dodoma region and a composite sample of 50kgs used in this study. Samples were collected with the help of an auger from the 10cm depth and kept in plastic bags and packed in the bucket [12]. Soil samples were air dried on dry wood which act as drying surface. 20kgs of sugarcane bagasse was collected from local sugarcane juice vendors (Ngongona sugarcane juice extracts) manually by using hands processed before use. The sugarcane sample was air dried for four days and then dried in an oven at 70°C for two consecutive days. Finally grounded by using blender and sieved (2mm mesh) to make fine powder [13].

Extraction of humic acid

SCB amended (50:50) soil (10g) was mixed with 5mL of distilled water allowed decomposing at 37 °C. Four samples were prepared in the same manner and allowed to decompose at different periods (0, 10, 20 and 30 days). Humic acids were extracted using the classic alkali/acid fractionation method [14]. The SCB amended soil was digested in 0.1 N KOH (1:10 W/v) for 24 hours at room temperature (23 ± 2 °C). The undigested bulk residue from SCB compost was then separated from the solute fraction by centrifugation at 5000rpm for 30 minutes followed by vacuum filtration through a glass filter paper. The filtered supernatant was acidified to pH 2 with 6.0 N H2SO4 and kept in a cold room in the dark for 24hrs in order to obtain flocculation of humic acids. After acidification, the humic precipitate (humate) was collected by centrifuging at 5000rpm for 30min, washed three times with distilled water to remove residual H2SO4, freeze-dried and brown powder was obtained for each treatment which was used for FT-IR to characterize humic acid.

Experimental set up and treatments for growing Chinese cabbage

The experiment was carried out at College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, The University of Dododma, Dodoma, Tanzania from Mid-May to July 2018. This experiment employed quasi-experimental method using four treatments. Each treatment has potted plants composed of three sample plants per pot (3.5kg) in triplicate making a total of 12 pots. The collected soil was mixed thoroughly to form homogeneous mixture in different concentrations (0, 2, 5 and 10%) of SCB (Table 1). For proper decomposition, SCB was applied one month prior to seed planting in the field since the rate of decomposition is affected by temperature, moisture, population and diversity of soil microorganisms [15].

Field management

Chinese cabbage seeds were germinated following the recommended practice in the soil with different treatments (Table 1). One pot has three sample plants. Plants were watered with 100mL for the first 3 days to check the response of pot treatments. Additional 50mL of water was administered, depending on the response of the plants to respective pot treatments (Table 2), but equal amount of water (150mL) was administered for every plant, using graduated cylinder. To control pests and diseases, the use of contact insecticide (cypermethrin) available in the market was done. It was sprayed following the prescribed dosage (2mL per a liter of water) of the manufacturer.

Antifungal resistance

Agronomy and physiological data of Chinese cabbage growth were collected as indicated below for different treatments (Figure 1) and analyzed by Microsoft excel.

Agronomic parameters

Days to emergence: This parameter of the Chinese cabbage was determined by counting the number of days from sowing to the time when 50% of the plants started to emerge the tip of panicles through visual observation  

Plant height and root length: Plant height was measured at maturity from the ground level to the top of the Chinese cabbage from each treatment and for selected three plants and the average was taken as plant height (cm). Root length also studied to the same plant for which plant height was determined

Number of leaves per plant: Number of leaves were counted from three representative plants from each pot and averaged as per plant.

Physiological parameters

Plant samples were collected at 5 weeks after sowing. Chinese cabbage plants were separated into leaves and roots for determining relative water content, plant dry mass, root to shoot ratio.

Relative water content (RWC): Fully expanded youngest leaves were selected from different plants from each treatment (Figure 2). Five leaves were sampled and weighed immediately to determine the fresh weight (FW). Then immersed in distilled water in Petri-dishes for 24h in darkness and then turgid weight (TW) was determined. The leaves were dried in an oven at 70 °C for 24h and the dry weights (DW) were obtained [16]. From the obtained data, relative water content was calculated using the following formula:  

Plant dry mass: Three Chinese cabbage plants from each treatment were separated into shoot and roots. Then washed in tap water to remove the soil particles and blotted to dry on paper towels. The shoots were weighed by using an electronic weighing balance to determine the fresh weight (FW). Then shoots were dried in an oven at 70 °C for 24 hours and the dry weight (DW) was obtained. The plant dry mass was calculated by using following formula.

Root to shoot ratio: The above ground part (shoot) and below ground part (root) of Chinese cabbage from each treatment were sampled from the plant which is grown very well. The roots were washed in tap water to remove the soil particles and blotted to dry on paper towels. The fresh weight was determined immediately after harvesting using an electronic weighing balance. The collected samples of shoots and roots were dried in an oven at 70 °C for 24 hours to obtain dry weight. Then root to shoot ratio was calculated by using formula below [17].

Results and Discussion

The amounts of humic acid extracted from SCB after decomposition at different periods were shown in Table 3. Higher amount (0.2779g) of HA was extracted after 30 days, and small amount (0.0053g) was extracted from 0 day of SCB decomposition. The amount of HA extracted from soil with SCB is significant with respect to the time taken for decomposition of SCB. The humic acid content of soil with SCB is proportional to the degree of decomposition of SCB [3].

B50%S50% = 50% SCB mixed with 50% soil.

Characterization of humic acid using FTIR spectra

Figure 3 shows the FTIR spectra of the humic acid samples collected at 0, 10, 15, 30 days. In general, all spectra are almost similar in the position of the main bands, but some differences can be observed in their relative intensity. All the spectra showed bands that could be assigned to the main groups, as: 3371.74 – 3335.45cm-1 the intense and broad absorption band due to O-H bond stretching which mainly belongs to the carboxylic acids involved in hydrogen bonding. The week and narrow bands at 2930.99-2854.66cm-1 for HA extracted from zero and ten days after decomposition of SCB was due to symmetric stretching bands of aliphatic C-H bonds of -CH3, -CH2- and tertiary C-H. The obtained absorption band is very similar to that from soil HA which is reported by Stevenson [3].

It is possible to differentiate the source and the humification condition of the organic matter by using FT-IR spectrum. The HA with relatively low degree of humification has a spectrum with -CH3 and -CH2- and tertiary C-H absorption bands (generally located around 2900-2850cm-1). It is clearly observed that these bands are absent or overlapped with O-H band of COOH group in the spectra of HA samples collected at 15 and 30 days of decomposition of SCB. Moreover, the band intensity of carboxylic O-H groups increased with the number of days of decomposition of SCB. This implies as the decomposition period increases the number of carboxylic acid groups increased. Hence it is proved that more humic acid produced with more number of days of decomposition of SCB. The sharp and medium intense bands (1633.79, 1706.76, 1635.62 and 1636.23cm-1 for 0, 10, 15 and 30 days respectively) observed in the carbonyl region also indicates the production of humic acid with the decomposition of SCB. A pair of bands observed between 1598.11 - 1450cm-1 (for C=C) indicate the presence of aromatic ring in humic acid. The results were slightly similar with the results reported by Reddy and his co-workers (2018) on FTIR spectrum of HA of paddy soils [18].

Effects of SCB on agronomic parameters of Chinese cabbage

Days to seed emergency: Days to emergence generally took 3 to 5 days. The plants emerged fast from the soil mixed with 10% of SCB (Treatment B3). Faster germination from B3 treated pot might be due to SCB amendment germination. In order to emerge the plants from 50% of seeds it took only three days in the case of soil with 10% of SCB whereas it took five days in the case of soil without any SCB (control). With the increase in the percentage of SCB from 0 to 10% the plant emergence from 50% of seeds took a smaller number of days (Table 4). The absorption of humic substances produced by SCB into seeds has a positive influence on seed germination and seedling development. Availability of humic (HA) or fulvic acids (FA) to seeds will increase the seed germination, resulting in higher seed germination rates [19]. Results of this study are similar with the findings of Eyheraguibel [20]. According to their study the germination was started 3 days after sowing and the first daily count of germinated seed showed more radicle emergence from the soil with humic like substances. Stehouwer and Macneal [21] recorded an increase of germination and fescue seedling establishment after the first leaching event as a response of the salt decrease following compost amendment [21].

Plant height and root length: Plant height increased from 5.3 to 15.3cm with the increase in the percentage of SCB in the soil from 0 to 10%. This indicates the increase in growth of the plant in soil amended with SCB. This might be due to increase in the amount of humic acid and organic carbon in the soil after amendment with SCB. The tallest root length (6.2cm) was observed in the soil amended with 10% of SCB (treatment B3) and the shortest root length (2.2cm) was obtained from the control (Table 4). For treatment B3 the amended organic matter improves the physical properties of the soil and causes increase of root development which helps the uptake of more water and nutrients [22]. Both plant height and root length increased significantly with the increase in the percentage of SCB in the soil. The significant increase might be from soil properties that support the root growth due to the enough oxygen diffusion to the root tip and supply of enough water for root growth. The results of this study are like that of reported by Robert & Ronny [22] that after application of organic matter, soil sodium adsorption ratio declines 56%, and root length of plant increases 140%. Sodium induces soil structural deterioration (slaking, aggregate destruction, and clay and organic colloid dispersion), leading to subsequent water infiltration and percolation problems [22].

Number of leaves in plant: The average number of leaves per plant was found highest (8.7) in the soil with 10% of SCB and lowest (3.6) was in the control (Table 4). The average number of leaves of Brassica rapa, subsp. Pekinensis growing in soil with different concentration of SCB reveals an overall increasing pattern from control to B3 (10% SCB). This might be due to improvement in the soil properties to increase soil fertility, water holding capacity and soil porosity etc. to support the plant growth. SCB when applied to land increases soil fertility by providing macro nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous and micronutrients such as Zn and Cu [22].

Effect of SCB on physiological parameters of Chinese cabbage

RWC = Relative Water Contents; PDM = Plant Dry Mass; FRW = Fresh Root Weight; FSW = Fresh Shoot Mass; RDW = Root Dry Weight; SDW = Shoot Dry Weight.

Relative water content: Relative water content (RWC) is the most appropriate measure of plant water status in terms of the physiological consequence of cellular water deficit. Water potential as an estimate of the energy status of plant water is useful in dealing with water transport in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. However, it does not account for osmotic adjustment. For the same leaf water potential two different cultivars can have different leaf RWC, indicating a corresponding difference in leaf hydration, leaf water deficit and physiological water status. Hence RWC is an appropriate estimate of plant water status in terms of cellular hydration under the possible effect of both leaf water potential and osmotic adjustment [23]. From the data in Table 5, relative water content increased significantly from 57.29 to 73.21, when SCB increased from 0 to 10% in the soil (treatments C (0% SCB) to B3 (10%SCB)).

Plant dry mass and fresh weight: Results presented in Table 5 shows that the fresh weights of root and shoot (g per plant) significantly increased with increase in the SCB content in the soil from 0 to 10% (treatments from C, B1, B2 and B3 respectively). Furthermore, dry shoot and root biomass of the plant were significantly enhanced in the soil with SCB as compared to the soil without SCB (control). The root/shoot ratio also enhanced due to soil amendment with SCB comparing with the control (Figure 4). The observed enhancement of plant growth by the application of SCB to the soil is due to increase in uptake of the elements such as N, P, K, Fe, Zn, and Mn nutrients [24]. Moreover, enhancement of photosynthesis, plant root respiration has resulted in greater plant growth with HA produced by SCB [25]. The performance of the soil in the plant growth after the application of SCB was due to enhancement in moisture retention and the improvement of nutrients supply in the root zone [26].

Conclusion

Sugarcane bagasse is generally considered as an agricultural waste product; however, the present findings show it contains enough amounts humic acid after decomposition. Application of different levels of sugarcane bagasse positively influenced most of the yield parameters of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa, subsp. pekinensis). Crop improved in response to its favorable effects on the soil characteristics. Utilization of sugarcane bagasse as organic fertilizer can save chemical fertilizers along with minimizing environmental pollution. By comparing the levels of sugarcane bagasse application in this study, 10% was suggested to be the standard dose due to best yield parameters such as the root and shoot length of plant, root and shoot dry weight of plant, number of leaves and relative water content of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa pekinensis) crop in the soil amended with SCB  

To know more about Journal of Agriculture Research- https://juniperpublishers.com/artoaj/index.php To know more about open access journal publishers click on Juniper publishers  

[arplis]

Arplis - News: 30 items on sale for Memorial Day that’ll improve your home and beyond

With the U.S. cautiously reopening, it’s probably time to take stock of where you're at. After spending all these weeks in the house, you’ve likely already assembled a little list of items you either realized you were missing or need to replace. And those kinds of revelations probably apply to nearly every room.

We got you. From the bedroom to the kitchen to the bathroom, we’ve put together a list of some cool items all under Memorial Day discounts right now. On top of that, use the code SUMMERSAVE20 during checkout and you’ll get an added 20 percent off everything. Load up!

The Bedroom

Comfort always starts with some great sheets, so the Bamboo Comfort 4-Piece Luxury Queen Sheet Set ($26.39 after discount, originally $109) offers a high-quality microfiber and bamboo blend that’s soft, breathable, hypoallergenic, and wrinkle-free.

Of course, wrinkle-free is easier said than done...but the problem of wrinkled sheets and mattress toppers gets crushed by the Bed Scrunchie 360° Fitted Sheet Tightener, Holder & Extender ($25.59 after discount, originally $59.95), the world's first 360-degree all-in-one bed tightening system. Clip it to the edges of your sheets, tighten the clamps and you’ve got a flawless hotel bed look and military corners in seconds.

And if you’re having a little trouble drifting off to sleep, the LectroFan High Fidelity White Noise Machine ($31.99 after discount, originally $49.99) sports 20 unique digital sounds with pinpoint volume control to mask noises, focus your mind for relaxation, and get you a more peaceful rest each night.

The Living Room

Since the living room is the center of your media universe, the Monster SMART Universal 2-Device Remote Control ($15.99 after discount, originally $29.99) brings it all together, the first smart remote control specifically designed for Windows 10 Home Theater PCs. With the touch of a button, you can toggle back and forth between your TV and your Windows computer and control both with ease.

Meanwhile, the Moodo Smart Home Fragrance Diffuser ($86.39 after discount, originally $169.80) brings a selection of literally dozens of unique high-quality fragrances to any room, all deployable through your smartphone app. You can mix and match all kinds of compatible smells to match your mood -- and you’re only diffusing when someone is actually there to enjoy it.

In case you’re looking for cleaner rather than scented air, this portable rechargeable Ozone Generator ($19.99 after discount, originally $32.99) is designed with a built-in battery to diffuse ozone quickly. It captures harmful airborne particles; eliminates odors like indoor smoke, cats, dogs, and other pets, and dust; and purifies your living room, bedroom, kitchen, and beyond.

The Home Office

Your home office is probably still a work in progress, but if you base it around a Stan Desk Adjustable Standing Desk ($159.99 after discount, originally $246), you’re making a bold, healthy statement. You can adjust the height for your laptop to your ideal posture while you avoid all the health hazards of sitting for 8 to 10 hours a day. And standing has been shown to boost your productivity too, so it’s an across-the-board win.

But if you’ve still got a traditional desk, the ProBASE X Laptop/Monitor Stand and 6-in-1 Hub ($115.99 after discount, originally $159) can still give you some of those benefits. It not only elevates your device, but it’s also got a charging port that dramatically expands your device's connectivity to include USB, USB-C, SD, and microSD; while letting you charge compatible devices up to 4x faster than conventional charging ports. 

Meanwhile, the Cushion Lab Ergonomic Lumbar Pillow ($23.99 after discount, originally $45) is also keyed to your long-term health and comfort. Designed to contour naturally to your back, it provides effective pressure relief and posture optimizing support. With this pillow, you effectively turn any home chair into an ergonomic office chair.

For those looking to add a touch of style to your home office decor, the Rymek Retro Bluetooth Mechanical Keyboard ($143.99 after discount, originally $255) is an instant game-changer. Bluetooth 3.0 compatible with a rechargeable battery and a bunch of ultra-modern features, the throwback style keyboard offers the tactile beauty of old-school manual typewriter keys -- with the same reassuring clicking sound.

With the phone at the heart of all business these days, you need the Tenikle 2.0 Bendy Suction Phone Mount ($19.19 after discount, originally $29.98) — an innovative suction cup tripod that twists and grips your phone, tablet, or other devices, so you can mount it in any position. It doubles as a selfie stick and can also be strapped to your vehicle or bike. While you're at it, snag a three-pack of 10-ft Lightning cables ($13.59 after discount, originally $99.99) to keep all your Apple devices fully charged up however you're using them.

With the Rollova 2.0 Digital Ruler ($61.59 after discount, originally $89), even the simple act of measuring has gone hyper-digital. With a simple tool , the Rollova calculates distance over a variety of surfaces, supplying accurate measurement lengths, even over curves.

The Kitchen

Any kitchen gets an instant shot of class with a quality knife set -- and this ultra-precise Damasukasu Japanese 3-Piece Master Chef Hanshu Knife Set ($55.99 after discount, originally $299.99) definitely fits the bill. These carbon-rich steel blades feature a 12° degree cutting edge for ultimate precision and are full tang, triple-riveted, and nitrogen cooled for enhanced hardness and flexibility.  

And why settle for a coffee maker when you can make coffee in a work of art? The Alessi Pulcina 3-Cup Espresso Maker ($39.99 after discount, originally $120) was designed by renowned architect Michele de Lucchi to look immaculate. But it’s also a high-performance coffee maker with a boiler that stops dispensing the drink at just the right time for a richer, fuller aroma and flavor.

When it’s time to clean up, this set of the iTouchless 13-Gallon and 2.5-Gallon Automatic Sensor Trash Cans ($79.99 after discount, originally $159.95) both have infrared sensors, ensuring an accurate automatic open lid response every time without ever touching the bins. 

The Bathroom

Since flushable wipes aren’t always so flushable, the Fohm Toilet Paper Foam and Dispenser Set ($47.99 after discount, originally $80) turns regular toilet paper into wipes that won’t end up clogging your sewer line to the tune of thousands of dollars. The no-touch dispenser spritzes a skin-safe foam that’s cleansing, more hygienic, and a savvy answer to the paper vs. wipe debate.

Meanwhile, no medicine cabinet should be without a temporal thermometer to scan temperatures at a distance. This Digital LED Infrared No-Contact Thermometer ($63.99 after discount, originally $129.99) reliably scans from an inch or two away in under one second, offering no-contact measurement and minimizing the spread of germs.

On the Go

Of course, our health is a major concern everywhere we go now, so this two-pack of Two-Ply Statement Face Masks ($14.39 after discount, originally $29.99) is made from premium, stretchy fabric to block germs, bacteria, particles, and droplets, all with a cheeky, “Fine, You?” message printed on the front.

And with surfaces serving as hotspots for viruses like COVID-19, the Hygiene Hand Antimicrobial Brass Door Opener and Stylus (2-Pack) ($30.39 after discount, originally $50) is a perfect EDC item to push buttons, turn keys, hook door handles, sign touchscreens, or do anything else while avoiding unnecessarily touching potentially germ-ridden surfaces.

To help streamline all that stuff jangling around in your pocket, the KeySmart Flex (2 Pack) ($10.39 after discount, originally $20) holds up to eight keys in an easily accessible, ultra-durable polycarbonate sleeve that slides into your pocket perfectly.

It’s a rough world out there -- and the 2-in-1 Protective Case with Stand for Nintendo Switch Lite ($11.99 after discount, originally $19.99) will make sure your Switch survives it all. Made with shock-absorbent high-quality flexible TPU to offer full protection from everyday bumps, scratches, dust, and fingerprints, you can still play with the case on. So even if you drop it during a bad beat, you’re still covered.

Once the world restarts again, a solid round of the PutterBall Backyard Golf Game ($135.99 after discount, originally $189.95) could be just the ticket for you and all your friends. It’s like a mash-up of golf and beer pong, only outside. In addition to sharpening up your golf game, it’s also a heck of a lot of fun.

Your Tech

If you’re going out into the world, your music should come too. With the Resound XL: Portable Bluetooth 5.0 Speaker ($19.19 after discount, originally $69.99), you get a unit featuring great bass, enhanced by Aduro's proprietary passive bass radiator with its unique triangular design. It automatically connects to paired devices and lasts up to 30 hours. So toss it in your bag or backpack and take it anywhere.

In case you don’t need everyone to hear your tunes, the HUB Hi-Fi Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds ($57.59 after discount, originally $250) are not only weatherproof, but feature wireless charging, ambient noise-cancellation, and some killer sound. Get eight hours of continuous playtime, and then charge up on-the-go with the extremely powerful charging bank for up to 100 hours of on-the-go listening. It’ll even charge up other devices too.

For the videophiles, the Prima 1080p HD Pocket Projector ($223.99 after discount, originally $799) casts a 200-inch cinema-quality HD image onto any surface. With a light four times brighter than other portable projectors, the Prima delivers a crisp, sharp picture in any lighting condition and can access the Google Play Store, so you can download apps and stream directly from Prima. 

That drawer where you put your batteries is undoubtedly a disaster, so get it all in order with the ZeroDark Battery Organizer and Tester ($15.99 after discount, originally $49.99). This unique system holds up to 110 AAA, AA, C, D, 9V, and even small batteries, all with a handy digital tester accurately displaying the residual voltage, so you’ll always get the most out of your batteries.

Lights

The H2 Waterproof, Rechargeable LED Wide 180° Angle Headlight ($29.59 after discount, originally $50) is the perfect companion for any outdoorsman. With its revolutionary 180° broad spectrum of illumination design and super lightweight at only 4 ounces, the waterproof H2 is great for hiking, camping, rocking climbing, running, and more.

If you’re looking for a light for your camera or smartphone, the Pictar Smart LED Light ($31.99 after discount, originally $49.99) is a compact, powerful, high-quality light that can dramatically improve the quality of your photos and video clips. It even comes with the Pictar app that will let you control light temperature, white balance, and more than 20 preset shooting modes right from your phone.

Last but not least, the Saberlight Bolt ($10.39 after discount, originally $99.99) sports a free-form plasma arc to spark up grills, candles or anything you’re smoking with ease. At just 5 inches long, it’s extremely portable and the high-density lithium battery provides 100 lights on a single charge.

Arplis - News source https://arplis.com/blogs/news/30-items-on-sale-for-memorial-day-that-ll-improve-your-home-and-beyond

[3dsrendercom]

Kingdom Tower Jeddah – Things to Know About the Tallest Building in the World

We often think about the famous superlatives of this world: the best, the biggest, the strongest, so and so forth. Quite naturally, the first things that come to our minds are the structures or monuments of this world.  Now, all of us know about the 7 wonders of this world; but, what most may not know is the latest ones that have been created in the new era. And, one of those marvels is the Kingdom Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, which is now in the process of becoming the world’s tallest tower! Taking over 5 years by now in the construction process, the Jeddah Tower is estimated to be the first 1-kilometer high building. But, what is even more interesting is that the entire structure is being conceived and designed by American architect Adrian Smith, who had also built the famous Burj Khalifa.  So, if you’re looking to know more about the tallest building ever, then do stick out till the end of this guide!

Kingdom Tower Jeddah 101

All About Jeddah Tower’s History The soil testing for the Tower’s construction in the area began in May 2008. However, there were a few doubts about the suitability of the location, which temporarily halted the construction work between 2008-2009. Another major factor for the interruption was the Global financial crisis that occurred during that time-span, along with Bechtel, which was the former engineering firm, backing out of it. But, all of that changed when Kingdom Holding Company criticized and rubbished all reports, confirming that the project was pretty much under execution.

The Kingdom Tower Jeddah is all set to be complete in the year 2020. And, all the things about it as of yet, have made the project one of the most anticipated ones ever! So, here are the things you’d want to know about it.   The tallest one that there will be! The Kingdom Tower is, by all means, going to be the crown jewel of the Jeddah Economic City. It is, in fact, set to be a commercial and residential complex sprawling over a vast, 57 million square feet (5.3 million square meters)! The building will also have its group of hotels and offices, along with other attractive locations for tourism. So, how did it all start? The construction works and procedures for the project started on 1st April, 2013. And, the above-ground construction began in September, 2014. The designs for the tower’s foundation was settled in August 2011, and the contract for piling was accordingly tendered.  It was on the 16th of August in that same year when Langan International officially declared their participation in the project. However, there were certain subsurface issues that cropped during the foundation and piling procedures, which included porous coral rock and a soft bedrock.  Such conditions would never support a skyscraper if they’re not settled in time. So, the new project developers really had to come up with some unconventional solutions for these problems. These required the concrete to have low permeability so that it can keep away the corrosive saltwater from the Red Sea from entering the base. Additionally, the foundation is expected to be around 15 ft deep, having a concrete pad area that measures about 81000 sq ft. The piles are going to be around 660 ft deep with the pad measuring over 300 ft across. But, even while weighing more than 900,000 tons, the building is expected to fit and settle perfectly.

The intricate plans and details of its overall structure The Kingdom Tower is going to be a sheer marvel in every way, given all of the plans that have been charted out for it. To start off, the Tower is being designed in a “tri-petal” or triangular shape with a sloping exterior. This thermodynamic shape is going to reduce the wind pressure on the structure. Interestingly, the tri-petaled design has been inspired by the leaves of the plants in the deserts of Jeddah.  Also, the Tower will have a total of 59 elevators, to cover the entirety of its extreme height. These elevators are designed to move at a slower speed than the regular lifts to keep you from being nauseous due to changing air pressure. What’s also noteworthy is that the concrete foundation in some parts of the Tower’s core is thicker by a few meters than the rest of the parts. In fact, the diameter of a single foundation pile is 10 feet, and each pile measures 360 feet in length. Coming to the temperature of Jeddah, which could reach up to 50 degrees Celsius in summers, the exterior wall system of the tower should be paid a closer look. These walls are made of low conductivity glass that lowers the power consumption for air-conditioning. Moreover, the estimated amount of steel required in the overall construction of the tower is expected to reach up to 80,000 tons.

A global and iconic landmark The Kingdom Tower Jeddah is all set to become the global landmark of the New World soon, with a gross floor area measuring 2.6 million square feet (243,866 square meters). The Tower will feature more than 252 stories, besides having the world’s highest observation deck, at a height of 2178 feet, with a 5382 square feet outdoor platform. One of the major facilities in the tower would be a grand Four Seasons Hotel along with 97 affiliated serviced residential apartments, which will also have 7 duplexes. Apart from this, there would be 7 floors of official accommodations and 4 “residential tiers,” including 325 apartments. Additionally, it is going to be located right at the center of the Jeddah Economic City. So, you can expect it to be surrounded by the best schools, malls, universities, hospitals, and residential complexes. The creation of an independent city in itself! The first thing that you see and experience when you arrive at the Kingdom Tower Jeddah is being 20 meters above sea-level. This is a wonder in itself as it provides an entirely different experience for every floor. The designers believe that the Jeddah Tower will be a cutting-edge new development for the location, which has always traditionally facilitated access into the sacred cities of Mecca and Medina. According to Hisham Jomah, the chief development officer of the Jeddah Economic Company, they are literally establishing a new, independent city, which will change the mindset of Jeddah. Also, building such an epic stature will surely, in every way, change the international scenario of all modern cities.

About the architect For designing the Tower Jeddah, Adrian Smith of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill (AS+GG) was appointed as the preliminary artist, in March 2010. It so happened that later on, when there was a serious tussle amongst competing designs, they won the contention between 8 major architectural firms.  And, interestingly, one of these was also that firm which Smith himself worked for, Skidmore, Owings and Merril. This was the final competitor in the contest, over which (AS-GG) was eventually chosen.

Adrien Smith, at that point of time, was already famous for his designs of the Burj Khalifa, and also other recent towers. This included the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago, the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, the Pearl River Tower in Guangzhou, China, and the Zifeng Tower in Nanjing, also in China. These are, in fact, 4 among the top 11 tallest buildings in the world.That’s quite an impressive portfolio, don’t you think? Economic prospects Apart from all of the primary gains coming of the project, the construction of the building is estimated to include a considerable amount of retail. This is expected in the form of an extensive range of unique facilities, with the intention that it works as a self-sustaining entity, fulfilling the concept of the “vertical city.” The design of the Kingdom Tower Jeddah has been a grand success mainly because of two very distinct reasons. It is, in entirety, an incredibly dynamic combination of simplicity and feasibility, and a bold, high-tech element. In fact, according to AS+GG themselves, the design of the building is a very cost-efficient, elegant and a highly constructible one. The cost of construction is estimated to be around US$1.23 billion, which is a bit less than that of Burj Khalifa’s, which was about US$1.5 billion. This can be associated with cheap labor in the Middle East, mainly in Saudi Arabia. The future location of the tower lies nearby to the King Abdulaziz (Jeddah) International Airport, which has several runways, almost aligning with the tower’s site. And, this will have a significant effect on the airspace. 

Taking flights to Jeddah? The city of Jeddah is situated merely an hour from the holy city of Mecca, and it takes about 4 hours of flight time to reach it from Medina. Consequently, a large number of pilgrims take the airways for traveling to Jeddah.  After taking a flight, what you could do is drive down to the city or take a bus. You can find several bus-routes which connect Jeddah to all the towns and major cities in Saudi Arabia. Conclusion  So, that was it for our extensive guide on all the things to know about Kingdom Tower Jeddah – the tallest building in the world! We hope you enjoyed what you read and that we have given you something grand to look forward to on your next vacation this year! Till next time!  

Related Articles Most Famous Buildings In The World With Unconventional Architectural Structure { "@context": "http://schema.org/", "mainEntityOfPage": "https://homesthetics.net/kingdom-tower-jeddah/", "@type": "Article", "headline": "Kingdom Tower Jeddah - Things to Know About the Tallest Building in the World", "datePublished": "2020-02-05", "dateModified": "2020-02-05", "description": "", "keywords": , "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "height": "889", "width": "473", "url": "https://cdn.homesthetics.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Jeddah-Tower-in-Saudi-Arabia-889x473-1.jpg" }, "author": "Anna Vaughn", "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Homesthetics", "sameAs": , "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": " https://cdn.homesthetics.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/logonew2.png" } } } The post Kingdom Tower Jeddah – Things to Know About the Tallest Building in the World appeared first on Homesthetics - Inspiring ideas for your home.. Source link Read the full article

[boof-kun]

Do those... asks...

@bicep-naruto​ thank ;)

(1)Do You Sleep With Your Closet Doors Open Or Closed?

closed

(2) Do You Have Freckles?

nop

(3) Can You Whistle?

i used to be able to but now i cant :/

(4) Last Song You Listened To.

stan the beatsmith - heaven or hell

(5) What Is Your Favourite Colour?

purple but i also v like black, blue, turquoise/teal, and pastel colors

(6) Relationship Status.

songle

(7) What Is The Temperature Right Now?

48 degrees fahrenheit

(8) Did You Wake Up Cranky?

i woke up tired but i wasnt  cranky

(9) How Many Followers?

332

(10) Zodiac Sign.

capricorn

(11) What Is Your Eye Colour?

brown

(12) Take A Vitamin Daily?

no but i do take a couple different medicines

(13) Do You Sing In The Shower?

no

(14) What Books Are You Reading?

rule of the bone by russell banks

(15) Grab The Book Nearest To You, Turn To Page 64, Give Me Line 14.

this is a random book from a drawer (i havent even read the book i dont know why it was in there) “...and snarling about everything. Four smokers were...”

(16) Favourite Anime?

hhhHHHHH I HAve ToO MANY (death note is one of my favorites for sure though)

(17) Last Person You Cried In Front Of?

i think my dad?

(18) Do You Collect Anything?

i like putting stickers on my door (and i have a bunch of sheets of stickers in a drawer) if that counts as collecting something

(19) What Did You Have For Lunch?

i literally cannot remember

(20) Do You Dance In The Car?

no

(21) Favourite Animal?

cats are good friends. i also like penguins and dogs.

(22) Do You Watch The Olympics?

no

(23) What Time Do You Usually Go To Bed?

sometimes eight but usually around one

(24) Are You Wearing Makeup Right Now?

no

(25) Do You Prefer To Swim In A Pool Or The Ocean?

pool

(26) Favourite Tumblr Blog?

yours ;)

(27) Bottled Water Or Tap Water?

water from the fridge thingy

(28) What Makes You Happy?

you, video games, my cat, remembering rlly weird dreams

(29) Post A Gif Of What You’re Currently Feeling Right Now.

(30) Do You Study Better With Or Without Music?

mmmmmmm its about the same but its harder to focus if the music has words

(31) Dogs Or Cats?

i love both but cats are more chill

(32) If You Were A Crayon What Colour Would You Be?

the one no one uses

(33) PlayStation Or Xbox.

i have a playstation but for all i know xbox could be better

(34) Would You Swim In The Lake Or Ocean?

ocean. lakes are scary

(35) Do You Believe In Magic?

black magic (bc religion)

(36) What Colour Shirt Are You Wearing?

green

(37) Can You Curl Your Tongue?

no

(38) Do You Save Money Or Spend It?

i save money until i find something that i want to buy

(39) Is There Anything Pink Within 10 Feet Of You?

the blanket underneath me has some pink on it, theres a few random items with pink, some pink gel pens+markers+paints, and some pink on the stickers on my door and on the drawings from when i was little

(40) Do You Have Any Obsessions Right Now?

yakuza 0

(41) Have You Ever Caught A Butterfly?

like once or twice in third grade. one also landed on my thumb in my backyard.

(42) Are You Easily Influenced By Other People?

not unless their thinking is convincing

(43) Do You Have Strange Dreams?

yell heah

(44) Do You Like Going On Airplanes?

not really bc theyre boring

(45) Name One Movie That Made You Cry.

im not sure ive cried of a movie tbh

(46) Peanuts Or Sunflower Seeds?

sunflower seeds

(47) If I Handed You A Concert Ticket Right Now, Who Would You Want The Performer To Be?

id probably sell the ticket tbh

(48) Are You A Picky Eater?

slightly picky

(49) Are You A Heavy Sleeper?

no

(50) Do You Fear Thunder / Lightning?

no i like thunder/lightening the sky goes pew pew

(51) Do You Like To Read / Write?

i like both even though i literally never write 

(52) Do You Like Your Music Loud?

yeah but i get a headache after a while if im wearing headphones and its loud

(53) Would You Rather Carve Pumpkins Or Wrap Presents?

carve pumpkins

(54) Put Your Music On Shuffle, What Is The First Song That Came Up?

i dont have an actual playlist. i just like videos (mostly music) on youtube and choose what i want to listen to (i dont unlike any of the songs i dont listen anymore just because i want to look back at what i used to like ten years from now). anyway ill just close my eyes and choose something random bc if i shuffle it i wont know where anything is:

lights - klaypex

^^ i used to listen to that v often in fourth grade (i still like it tho)

(55) What Season Are You In Right Now? (Weather)

fall

(56) What Are You Craving Right Now?

love and affection

(57) Post A Screenshot Of Your Tumblr Feed.

(58) What Is Your Gender?

female

(59) Coffee Or Tea?

tea even though i dont drink either

(60) Do You Have Any Homework Right Now? If So, What Is It About?

i have a project for ceramics about 3d art from an ancient civilization, a specific artist, or from a movement

(61) What Is Your Sexuality?

aroace

(62) Do You Make Your Bed In The Morning?

ive been sleeping on the floor for the past few months so no

(63) Favourite Pokemon?

i dont have a favorite but when i was younger i used to watch pokemon all the time and i remember i loved piplup

(64) Favourite Social Media?

tumble dot come

(65) What’s Your Opinion On Instagram Stories?

i dont have much of an opinion on them

(66) Do You Get Homesick?

sometimes 

(67) Are You A Virgin?

yeah

(68) What Shampoo And Conditioner Are You Using Right Now?

pantene conditioner and dove shampoo i think? i usually get something random

(69) If You Were Far From Home And Needed To Sleep For The Night, Would You Choose To Rent A Crappy Motel Room For $60 Or Sleep In Your Car For Free?

id probably sleep in my car bc im afraid of motels especially crappy ones. i always feel like someones watching me in motels/hotels + since its a motel it might be nasty and im not taking that risk

(70) Are Both Of Your Blood Parents Still In Your Life?

ye

(71)  Whats The Next Movie You Want To See In Theaters?

i dont watch movies

(72) Do You Miss Your Ex?

dont have one

(73) What Is Your Favourite Quote Right Now?

all of the 34 sad quotes i showed you :))

(74) What Eye Colour Do You Find Sexiest?

i like all of them. i dont find any of them “””“sexy””””” though

(75) Did You Like Swinging As A Child? Do You Still Get Excited When You See A Swing Set?

GOD i was obsessed with swinging when i was younger... like my best friend and i in preschool were known for being inseparable and for always going really high on the swings. and ye, i still get excited when i see a swing set

(76) What Was The Last Thing You Ate?

i dont remember what i did five minutes ago let alone what the last thing i ate was

(77) What Games Do You Have On Your Phone?

neko atsume and thats it

(78) Would You Give A Homeless Person CPR If They Were Dying? Why Or Why Not?

no bc i dont know how to do cpr. if i did then sure bc itd be the right thing to do probably

(79) Been On The Computer For 5 Hours Straight?

yEALL HEAH

(80) Stalked Someone On A Social Network?

also: YEALL HEAHHE

(81) Do You Like Meeting New People?

mmmm typically no

(82) Do You Wear Rings? If You Do, Take A Picture Of Them.

no

(83) Do You Sleep With Your Bedroom Door Open Or Closed?

its open but barely bc i dont want the light to come in

(84) What Are Three Things You Did Today?

ate, saw you ;), and nearly poke myself in the eye

(85) What Do You Wear To Bed?

sweatpants and a tshirt

(86) List All Of Your Different Beauty Products You Have Right Now.

UUUU soap

(87) Are You A Day Or Night Person?

night

(88) List All Of Your Video Games On Your Phone, Console Etc.

wii u - botw, twighlight princess, hyrule warriors

ps4 - persona 5, fallout 4, neir automata, ffxv, yakuza 0, and two other final fantasy games

3ds + dsi that doesnt work anymore - animal crossing, ace attorney the trilogy, super smash bros, pokemon x, devil survivor 2, a mario game that avarey gave me, cooking mama 2, this zoo game that i lost, gardening mama, and maybe one more?

phone - neko atsume

((im planning on selling a few games))

(89) Tell Me About A Dream That You Had And When It Happened.

i can tell you irl bc theres a lot and its be more confusing if i wrote it out ;))))

(90) Favourite Soda Drink?

coke

(91) What Sounds Are Your Favourite?

f u n k y sounds + i heard some asmr of a person cutting chalk, soap, wood, etc. and that sounded nice

(92) Do You Wear Jeans Or Sweats More?

jeans when im going out, sweatpants at home (so probably sweats more)

(93) How Do You Look Right Now?

ungly

(94) Name Something That Relaxes You.

laying down and pretending im dead

(95) What Tattoo Do You Want?

maybe one of a constellation? or of a symbol from a video game or something i rlly like and means a lot to me

(96) Favourite YouTuber?

mmmm dan and phil are p entertaining and so is jenna marbles

[memekingjrsupreme]

Ask Away Anonymously Or Not.                        (◕‿◕✿) All My Asks I Answered On My Blog Deleted, So I Decided To Make An Ask Meme Thingyy.

(1) Do You Sleep With Your Closet Doors Open Or Closed? Closed, ain't no monster gonna get these feets.

(2) Do You Have Freckles? No, but most of my family does.

(3) Can You Whistle? Hell yeah, my only talent. I can whistle in and out too, I do a bomb ambulance impression.

(4) Last Song You Listened To. Brown Eyes by Lady Gaga I think.

(5) What Is Your Favourite Colour? Blue, Green, Orange. I don’t really like red or yellow, the rest are just okay.

(6) Relationship Status. Single but not wanting to mingle ;)

(7) What Is The Temperature Right Now? Cold? Like 68 degrees maybe (Fahrenheit because America is the only real country)?

(8) Did You Wake Up Cranky? Waking up makes me cranky, but I’m also sick so probably.

(9) How Many Followers? Only 204 rn, I don’t post content so whatchu expect (shoutout to all those pornbots following me).

(10) Zodiac Sign. Sagittarius

(11) What Is Your Eye Colour? Bluey-green

(12) Take A Vitamin Daily? I have some vitamin c chew things, but they kinda make me gag.

(13) Do You Sing In The Shower? If people aren’t home, or I can close all doors to ensure they can’t hear me.

(14) What Books Are You Reading? I can’t read.

(15) Grab The Book Nearest To You, Turn To Page 64, Give Me Line 14. I don’t have any books other than my yearbooks in my room.

(16) Favourite Anime? I’ve only seen one, so it’d have to be Cory in the House.

(17) Last Person You Cried In Front Of? My dogs? I don’t really cry unless I’m thinking about stuff late at night so.

(18) Do You Collect Anything? I really like figures like of any kind so like I’m one of the only people I feel that likes Funko Pop.

(19) What Did You Have For Lunch? Nothing, I woke up at like 12pm and I can’t cook well.

(20) Do You Dance In The Car? Not really, I sing though (I can’t drive so its only with other people).

(21) Favourite Animal? I literally would love to meet any animal ever, but I’ve always had a special place for dogs and elephants.

(22) Do You Watch The Olympics? Whom?

(23) What Time Do You Usually Go To Bed? 2 am is the max I really do anymore, usually around midnight.

(24) Are You Wearing Makeup Right Now? Full face obviously (jk).

(25) Do You Prefer To Swim In A Pool Or The Ocean? I don’t swim, but probably ocean since there’s some good sea boys up in there.

(26) Favourite Tumblr Blog? You’re all my friends and babies, but Otterlycrete since I tagged her ;) (how can you pick favorites though)

(27) Bottled Water Or Tap Water? Bottled unless I can have it from a filter.

(28) What Makes You Happy? Animals, family, friends, memes, graphic design (its my passion).

(29) Post A Gif Of What You’re Currently Feeling Right Now. Too lazy.

(30) Do You Study Better With Or Without Music? With, otherwise I space out and don’t do anything.

(31) Dogs Or Cats? All animals are good, but I really love doggos.

(32) If You Were A Crayon What Colour Would You Be? Black. It’s dependable and adds structure to pictures.

(33) PlayStation Or Xbox. No. I really only use my computer.

(34) Would You Swim In The Lake Or Ocean? This feels very similar to the other question, but lake or ocean to see swimmy animal bois.

(35) Do You Believe In Magic? Yes, as well as life after love.

(36) What Colour Shirt Are You Wearing? Black

(37) Can You Curl Your Tongue? Yeah

(38) Do You Save Money Or Spend It? Hnnnng, spend.

(39) Is There Anything Pink Within 10 Feet Of You? Mmyes, the merch of Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson.

(40) Do You Have Any Obsessions Right Now? I only really get obsessed over music and albums, right now I’ve been listening to things like “The Fame” (as a good throwback), “Rainbow”, and “Poppy.Computer”.

(41) Have You Ever Caught A Butterfly? Yes.

(42) Are You Easily Influenced By Other People? Depends on the person, I definitely second guess things if someone says something but I’m usually strong in my decisions.

(43) Do You Have Strange Dreams? I had a dream about being in kindergarten and playing with penguins and an elephant last night.

(44) Do You Like Going On Airplanes? I don’t like the idea of them, but I’m fine with being on them.

(45) Name One Movie That Made You Cry. Hidden Figures or Selena, both are ones I watched/rewatched recently.

(46) Peanuts Or Sunflower Seeds? Peanuts

(47) If I Handed You A Concert Ticket Right Now, Who Would You Want The Performer To Be? Lana Del Rey, Marina and the Diamonds, Poppy, Katy Perry (again), pretty much anyone except T*ylor Sw*ft.

(48) Are You A Picky Eater? I don’t eat meat so yes I suppose.

(49) Are You A Heavy Sleeper? Kind of, things wake me up but I usually don’t care enough to stay awake.

(50) Do You Fear Thunder / Lightning? Love storms

(51) Do You Like To Read / Write? Depends on what I’m reading, I like the idea of writing but not actually doing it because it makes me feel self conscious.

(52) Do You Like Your Music Loud? Yeah, as long as I’m not bothering people.

(53) Would You Rather Carve Pumpkins Or Wrap Presents? Probably carve pumpkins because I suck at wrapping stuff.

(54) Put Your Music On Shuffle, What Is The First Song That Came Up? Body Electric by Lana Del Rey (issa bop)

(55) What Season Are You In Right Now? (Weather) Winter (the best season).

(56)What Are You Craving Right Now? Nothing? Maybe the tofu from this one place (it's amazing), but idk.

(57) Post A Screenshot Of Your Tumblr Feed. Too Lazy (again).

(58) What Is Your Gender? I’m boy

(59) Coffee Or Tea? Both, those are my two favorite drinks how dare you pit them against each other.

(60) Do You Have Any Homework Right Now? If So, What Is It About? Yes. I gotta make some posters for a digital design class, but will I? No.

(61) What Is Your Sexuality? I’m not really into anyone in a very sexual way, I’d say I’m asexual. I’d rather be in a relationship with a guy though.

(62) Do You Make Your Bed In The Morning? No, its easier to get back into once I’ve decided I don’t want to face the realities of the modern world if I don’t make it.

(63) Favourite Pokemon? Arcanine? Charizard? Sceptile? Gardevoir? I love a LOT of them.

(64) Favourite Social Media? Twitter cause its like I’m friends with celebrities ;)

(65) What’s Your Opinion On Instagram Stories? I don’t use Instagram

(66) Do You Get Homesick? If I’m away for a little sure, I’m living at home before I go off to school so.

(67) Are You A Virgin? If you’re asking if I have a virgen de guadalupe candle, then yes.

(68) What Shampoo And Conditioner Are You Using Right Now? Some random stuff, it smells dank though.

(69) If You Were Far From Home And Needed To Sleep For The Night, Would You Choose To Rent A Crappy Motel Room For $60 Or Sleep In Your Car For Free? I’d go sleep in a car rn, idk why but I actually really don’t mind it. Maybe it's the cold or something.

(70) Are Both Of Your Blood Parents Still In Your Life? Yep.

(71)  Whats The Next Movie You Want To See In Theaters? Coco, it looks great :)

(72) Do You Miss Your Ex? WHOMST’VE?

(73) What Is Your Favourite Quote Right Now? “Pushing my ex husband off of his own balcony has been the highlight of my day.” - Joanne the Scammer

(74)  What Eye Colour Do You Find Sexiest? Not really that they’re sexy but I like blue eyes, brown eyes, idk they’re all nice.

(75) Did You Like Swinging As A Child? Do You Still Get Excited When You See A Swing Set? I could take it or leave it both now and then.

(76) What Was The Last Thing You Ate? Soup and salad.

(77) What Games Do You Have On Your Phone? Only Magikarp Jump and ACPC.

(78) Would You Give A Homeless Person CPR If They Were Dying? Why Or Why Not? Who would just watch and let someone die…. What kind of question is this.

(79) Been On The Computer For 5 Hours Straight? Of course, I’m a hooligan.

(80) Stalked Someone On A Social Network? Not really, maybe a person I thought was familiar and wanted to verify.

(81) Do You Like Meeting New People? Not really, unless its someone I’ve heard of beforehand.

(82) Do You Wear Rings? If You Do, Take A Picture Of Them. No, they give me anxiety (what if I lose them).

(83) Do You Sleep With Your Bedroom Door Open Or Closed? 100% always closed, I’m not trying to have someone watch me while I sleep.

(84) What Are Three Things You Did Today? Classwork, listened to music, played video games (lazy day).

(85) What Do You Wear To Bed? T-shirt and shorts (I can’t wear long pants and I’d never sleep without some type of clothing).

(86) List All Of Your Different Beauty Products You Have Right Now. I’m ugly, what are those.

(87) Are You A Day Or Night Person? Night, its way more calm.

(88) List All Of Your Video Games On Your Phone, Console Etc. Oh honey…. To many to name (my favorites are Overwatch, WoW, Smite, BattleRite, etc).

(89) Tell Me About A Dream That You Had And When It Happened. I once dreamed I was in an 8-bit arcade game a few years ago, nothing topped that one.

(90) Favourite Soda Drink? Dr. Pepper?

(91) What Sounds Are Your Favourite? I don’t understand this, but like animals and music I guess.

(92) Do You Wear Jeans Or Sweats More? Sweats, jeans remind me too much of where I live.

(93) How Do You Look Right Now? A mess, sis.

(94) Name Something That Relaxes You. Family (sometimes, friends (sometimes), animals, games, music, rain, snow, nighttime.

(95) What Tattoo Do You Want? A lyric/quote from the song “Spaceship” by Kesha. “Nothing is real, love is everything, and I know nothing.” or some variation of that.

(96) Favourite YouTuber? EthosLab, Xisumavoid (even though I don’t really care about playing minecraft), I also really like Jaymes Mansfield.

If any of you wanna do this, feel free :)