#Optimization Of Your Health And Performance - How?

[techdriveplay]

How to Stay Hydrated During Workouts

Staying hydrated is crucial for anyone engaging in physical activity. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just starting your fitness journey, understanding how to stay hydrated during workouts can significantly impact your performance and overall health. Water makes up about 60% of our body weight, and it plays a vital role in many bodily functions, including temperature regulation, joint…

[unintentionalseductress]

Natural Breeding Clinic - Prologue

warnings: MDNI, breeding kinks, general sex, mention of infertility and insemination methods

a/n: It's here. Finally.

Teaser - Prologue - Patient 1

You take a deep breath and sit down in front of the laptop, waiting for the other person to join the call. Never in your life had you heard about such a unique reproductive center but lately, you’d been feeling the pull to start your own family. You’d discussed this with relevant people in your life. Everyone had said if you really wanted a child, then you should go with the options you thought were right for you.

You’d done the research, looking into different doctors and fertility clinics, but this one just stood out. There were testimonials from several happy families, saying their methods, though unconventional, were effective, and the doctors showcased on the website were all incredibly striking, each one handsome in their own way. But it was the success rate that caught your eye. A 98% guaranteed rate that you would be pregnant, and that pregnancy would be healthy. The site didn’t go into too much detail on their method, but the wording caught your eye.

“A natural breeding clinic” they’d called themselves. You’d finally bitten the bullet and called, requesting an information session. The screen suddenly lightens and you focus your attention as an attractive woman with shoulder-length brown hair comes into view. She smiles in a welcoming way before speaking.

“Hello. Am I speaking with Mrs. L/n?” You nod and smile back, trying not to look awkward or uncomfortable. 

“Perfect! My name is Shoko Ieiri, I’m the main coordinating nurse here at Jujutsu Fertility. Thank you for scheduling an information session with us.”

“Yes, of course. I just needed more details before I booked an appointment.”

“Indeed.” Shoko claps her hands together before continuing. “Let me start by telling you a little bit about ourselves. We’ve been around for almost 6 years now. What sets us apart is that we focus more on women’s comfort than most other clinics. And we are sought out by people who are willing to use a sperm donor. We do not perform insemination services with sperm that are not from our own stock.”

“Your own stock? Are you associated with a sperm bank? And screen all the donors yourself?”

“Not a sperm bank in the conventional sense. We have 5 doctors who keep excellent health and their sperm is regularly screened to ensure quality. They are the only stock we allow for insemination.”

You blink to make sure you haven’t misheard. “The…doctors? Are you saying the fertility doctor I’d be meeting with will also be my sperm donor?”

“That is correct.” Shoko nods her head to confirm. “You will be meeting with the doctor of your choosing for at least 5 sessions. They will need to be at least once a week. Some women take the week off and come in 5 days straight.”

“5…sessions?” you ask, confused by the wording.

“Yes. It’s to ensure the insemination process has occurred an optimal number of times.”

“Wait…so…I’m going to be inseminated multiple times? How much downtime do I need in between each insemination?”

“Hardly any. Our method isn’t like a typical clinic. Most women leave feeling very normal and a lot more satisfied than when they came in.”

“Not like a typical clinic? So…you don’t use the catheter method?”

“We use minimal medical equipment in our inseminations.”

“Minimal…so what does the procedure entail?”

Shoko clears her throat and continues. “So it begins with you choosing one of our doctors. We highly recommend spending some time on this part. It’s essential that you feel attraction towards your doctor. Once you make a choice, they will reach out to discuss how your insemination experience can be optimized for you. You will receive a biodata on their sexual profile, their preferred methods of arousal, and other relevant details.”

“I’m sorry, but what?” You are at the edge of your seat wondering if you’ve entered an alternate dimension. Surely, this was all being made up? “Arousal, sexual profile- why would I need all these details? I thought sperm donors only gave information like height, weight, medical history and stuff like that.”

“Why wouldn’t they? You’re choosing to be bred by them. They would have to make sure their patient is satisfied with the experience.”

“Bred?” You bleat the word stupidly.

“Yes. We are a natural breeding clinic. We use the method nature has provided to us to ensure a pregnancy.”

The gears in your brain start turning and something finally clicks.

“Are-are you saying…I would be having sex with my doctor?”

“That is correct.” Shoko smiles gently at you, pleased that you have finally caught on.

“The human body doesn’t necessarily enjoy having medical equipment inserted into it. All that cold plastic, and the mechanical methods of insertion. It puts the body in a state of stress. Not good for implantation. So our doctors will inseminate you through the process of intercourse.”

 Her words fall like a fog around you. You can feel your heart racing, a flush creeping into your cheeks. It was…insane. The doctor of your choosing was essentially going to fuck a baby into you. As your mind starts pulling up the images of their doctors, each one impossibly handsome and striking, you feel a familiar throb starting between your legs. Wetting your lips, you try to talk to continue with the information session.

“I see. And…there are benefits to this?”

“Yes. Intercourse allows the body to relax, releasing happy hormones. In this stress-free state, in addition to the knowledge that your doctor is someone you’re attracted to and trust, the chance of an implantation doubles.”

You gape at Shoko, your mind reeling from all the information.

“And…when you say the insemination process will be optimized for my best experience…?”

“The doctor you choose will ask you extensive questions about your preferences. What turns you on, positions, dislikes, toys. It’s to determine if they will satisfy your breeding experience. If they feel they might not be a good fit, they’ll recommend another one of our doctors.”

You swallow, your mouth going dry. “I see. And…what else do I need to know?”

“We will start by collecting your medical history and run some blood work to make sure your body is ready for an insemination process. Women who have a domestic partner will need to get both a waiver and a consent form signed by their partner that they have been informed what happens for the insemination.”

“Of course. Makes sense.”

“You will be assigned an emotional support companion during this process. It will either be myself or Mr. Ijichi Kiyotaka. We are there to help ease your nerves and ensure you enjoy the process. And all patients must think of a unique safeword to use during the insemination process.”

“Safeword?” you parrot back, still processing.

“Yes. At any point during the process, should you feel uncomfortable, your safeword ensures all actions cease and your doctor will give you some space to breathe and reassess the situation.”

All you can do is nod along. Shoko gives you a look of reassurance. “I can guarantee that most women are pleased with the results. And our doctors are quite skilled in what they do. It’s natural to feel a little shy and embarrassed but at the end of the day, we all share a common goal- a healthy baby.”

Despite your initial shock, you feel some of your trepidation fade away. Shoko continues.

“If you are ok with all of this, I can send you the forms to get the process started. Once those are filled, you can take some time to decide on your doctor. Then we’ll set up a call with them.”

“Thank you.” You make a split-second decision. “Please go ahead and send the forms.”

“Excellent. I’ll send them to the email you put in your inquiry. Was there anything else?”

You shake your head no. “I think I have all I need.”

“Great! I look forward to assisting you again.” Shoko ends the call and you immediately go the the website again to look at the doctors, one of which will end up fathering your child. Such a hard decision. How will you ever make the choice?

@thesunxwentblack @kentocalls @actuallysaiyan

@belle-oftheball34 @jesssicapaniagua

@figmentforms

© unintentionalseductress original work | no copying, plagiarizing or translating

[thewritetofreespeech]

Hii gigachad, since the requests are open I'd love to get smn in!!

Something platonic for a gregarious Jester girl and Alucard. Very much 'popular kid has all the friends but likes the quiet kid best' dynamic. She sees him sulking in a corner, "a cold spot in the room", trying to make her leave by sheer force of will, and she's like 'I need to make him laugh everyday of my life.'

It had been a long journey to the next town. The trio walking for miles before the small flicker of window lights winked at them in the distance. When they arrived in the town, however, it was more than just window lights that greeted them.

“A circus?” Syph noted.

“A traveling one looks like.” Trevor commented. “Hold on to your purses.”

“Don’t be rude Trevor.” Sypha scolded him. “These people make a living much like mine. Traveling and providing their services to others.”

“Yes. Imagine how much more welcoming people would be if you added a little face paint to your outfits.” Sypha scowled at Trevor as they watched the jugglers, clowns, and acrobats delight the town.

“I’m surprised they are letting them perform.” Sypha noted. “Crowds and lights like this are sure to attract more night creatures.”

“True. But people sometimes need more than safety in times of trouble.” Trevor noted as he watched some kids race by laughing. Thinking that that was probably the first time in a long time he had heard that. “Besides. There’s something here.”

“Something?”

“A magic field.” Alucard answered at Sypha’s prying. “Something a bit stronger than pulling rabbits out of hats. Like a cloaking spell, or protection ward.”

Sypha hummed in understanding. “Well, if it’s all safe, why don’t we enjoy the festivities for a bit before we check into the inn.”

“I would rather not.” Alucard commented. “I detest clowns.”

“Whhhaaaat about jesters?” The trio turned around to find a lively, spritely, jovial jester behind them. Startling them with their presence and optimism.

“Clowns with more bells.”

The jester laughed. “Aww…it’s more than that. Although they do say that our ability for accessories is what differentiates of from animals.” They teased. “You all must have had a heard journey. Hence the looong face.”

Alucard’s deepened as Trevor snickered behind him. “Well, my day just improved.”

“Please don’t comment on my features.” Alucard warned them.

“Oh. Sorry. Sore spot? Handsome man like you? I never mean to make anyone uncomfortable.”

“You are making me uncomfortable.” He told them.

“Dawww….such a sour puss. You know a smile a day keeps the doctor away! I’ll leave you alone then. But before I go: what’s black & white and red all over?” Alucard arched a brow at them. “A cow who’s just told a really bad joke!”

Sypha & Trevor snicker at the terrible joke, though Sypha seemed genuinely amused. Alucard, despite himself, felt the corners of his lips turn up. The joke was indeed terrible but maybe it was just the delivery, or their enthusiasm, that made him smirk.

“There you go! Live long in good health my friends.”

The jester gave a dramatic bow before they cartwheel away to another guest of the circus. “You know, of all the things we’ve seen, I think that was the strangest.”

“Agreed.” Alucard replied to Sypha. “Let’s find the inn.”

[furiousgoldfish]

Things that trauma does:

gives you health issues

gives you paralyzing fear of the future and of the past

stops you from reaching for a future you might have liked to take

gives you amnesia and general memory problems

makes your sleeping time an absolute hell

makes your awake time an absolute hell

makes you consider not being alive way more than you usually would

makes certain unavoidable situations terrifying and next to impossible to handle

makes it more difficult and straining to survive

makes you feel alone in every group

makes your relationships strained and alienating

makes your socialization either a performance or something you cannot even do anymore

forces you to see yourself as weak and breakable

forces you to admit that bad things can and will happen and you can no longer live in oblivion or optimism about your prospects, they will look bad even when they are not

makes you catastrophize the future or makes you believe there is no future for you at all

brainwashes you and builds your fears up to the point where you can't imagine there being a reality that isn't traumatic somewhere

gives you severe mental health issues and issues with how you view yourself and your body

makes you long for a moment without pain and fighting

makes you believe that you will never be safe, or loved, or happy, or that you don't even deserve any of those things in the first place

makes you feel abandoned by the world and like you have no place in anyone's heart

makes you alienated from any person who hasn't been thru trauma

makes you feel like nothing will ever be okay

what trauma doesn't do:

make you stronger

[f0point5]

"Max's comments about British bias is so weird. I really like Max, and I think he is a talented driver, but his behaviour over the past few weeks hasn't been okay. You'd think, from the way he's acting, that the points gap between him and Lando was only a few points. Yes, mathematically, Lando still has a chance to win the wdc, but realistically, we all know it's a stretch- even lando admits this.

For Max and red bull to feel so threatened that they're talking about landos mental health, claiming Oscar dosen't deserve to be second driver (discussion already heated as it is without Maxs comments on it) and even admitting to crashing Lando out to prevent him from winning ... for what?

I get that to win, you need to be ruthless, but this feels unnecessary and unprovoked because Max driving alone would be enough and also he has his whole team helping him to win wdc without a doubt. It's not like Lando is out there in the media claiming he's the best in the world. In fact, the media often uses every opportunity to criticise him or protray him in a negative light.

Contrary to max's comments about the media and FIA being biased towards British drivers like Lando, this just isn't true. maybe after Miami there was optimism, but with all the missed opportunities, the media narrative shifted quickly, focusing on Lando's bad starts.

After Hungary, every media outlet was discussing how Oscar doesn't deserve to be second driver and how good he is compared to Lando, and how mclaren is refusing to prioritise lando. they questioned his championship mentality, despite his consistent performances. And aside from Zandvoort and Singapore, there was more talk about his mistakes and narratives being used for clickbaits.

media bias in sports isn't new. durch media will focus on Max, Australian media on their drivers, and british media on theirs. this is expected. you could argue that British media has a larger international reach, but thats beyond any athletes control.

example: sky Germany constantly talks about Nico Hülkenberg, or the chances of Mick Schuhmacher, and sometimes even missing race action to cover him.

However, using "british bias" as a defence when he was clearly in the wrong, and in the same breath throwing lando to the wolves and disregarding real bias against other poc driver on the grid, is just not okay. Not all drivers have the privilege of being white male with a dutch passport. maybe I'm exaggerating, but as poc myself, it really weird that Max used this as a clap back for something he himself admitted to doing - trying to prevent Lando from winning.

everyone talks about British bias and how "unfair" it is for Max and it is, the British media talked bad about him especially in the being of his career and him winning and Im not denying that but a few acknowledge the racism and bias faced by other drivers. I don't think these comments are funny or make a good clapback. and for a fact I know that if Lando said a similar thing, the reaction would have been entirely different.

Because Max is a little bitch who lashes out every time he's under pressure. As is a staple of his career. But since his "lashing out" is being overtly aggressive and an arrogant asshole, it's viewed as "woooo that's why he's a champion" instead of weakness."

I honestly do not understand how people cannot see that there is a clear bias towards Max. For a fan base that says the hate towards Lando needs to stop but has absolutely no issue throwing it towards Max the hypocrisy at its finest.

Oh lorddd.

First, no one talked about Lando’s mental health. Your competitive mentality is NOT the same thing as your all around mental health. You can be the happiest most well adjusted person in the world and a competitive environment and pressure can just get to you. Sure, your psychology influences and impacts how you deal with stress and failure and success and all that. But saying Lando cracks under pressure is not the same as ragging on his mental health.

Oscar is a good driver…what was the harm in recognising that? Also, Max doesn’t owe it to McLaren not to share his opinion so as not to upset whatever disaster they have potentially simmering over there?

And Max did not admit he crashed Lando out because he didn’t crash Lando out. They did not make contact. Lando finished second. So…that just straight up didn’t happen. But that “for what” 😂 for…the championship? Please god open the schools.

British bias is real, every single driver who is not British and winning has talked about it. The fact that everyone just accepts it as standard because the brits have basically a monopoly on broadcasting rights is actually mental. And yes it’s the same in every country and in my opinion it’s moronic in every fucking language. But it’s exponentially worse when Sky Sports is the main broadcaster, and when the F1TV pundits are all incredibly biased. F1TV is not a National channel, no it should not be “expected” that they border on unprofessional in the way they talk about certain drivers. they should not be allowed to be biased, in my opinion. I should not know that Jenson Button wants to lick the soles of Lando’s shoes. And mind you, I think both Sky Sports and F1TV presenters have been unprofessional even when they talk about British drivers, at some points, but to nowhere near the extent of the way they talk about Max. That’s why the only one I respect is Nico Rosberg because he is genuinely an equal opportunity hater.

Also, Max can talk about whatever the fuck he wants. The microphone is in front of him, not anyone else, so while you don’t have to agree with his opinion, it’s a take it or leave it thing, there is no third option to demand he say something different.

And in conclusion, yeah when Max is Max people say “he’s a champion” because he fucking is. In 2016/17/18 they were calling dangerous and crazy. And then it turned out what he does works for him. See how when you succeed you earn the right to do what you want, because people trust your process? (Brits don’t get it because for some reason they think their way will always prevail in the face of reason and results that say otherwise) “lashing out under pressure is a staple of his career”…so is performing under pressure. Not everyone can say the same.

He requires no defence, just look at the record book.

Maybe it’s just me, but despite the hate against Max being awful and just as uncalled for as the hate towards Lando…I kind of find it so much less impactful. You can’t really gain ground hating on a guy who has done exactly what he wants to do in the sport. So you think he’s an asshole…and what? Is that a crime? Is that relevant? Who even cares? Certainly not him. They just look so bizarre to me. I can’t fathom thinking someone should care what I think about their behaviour any more than I can fathom caring what someone thinks about mine.

Lol that quote was a deep dive into the mind of a parasocial for sure.

[elliegoose]

putting aside how there are no inherently "healthy" or "unhealthy" foods but just ones that are more or less appropriate for your nutritional needs in a given moment, one of the most annoying things about diet culture is how people feel the need to performatively admonish "unhealthy" foods.

i saw a video the other day of someone making delicious-looking slow cooker beef tacos, and the notes were full of people commenting on how it looks very tasty but must be so "unhealthy" with all of that fat and salt and red meat, and i just... don't get why you need to performatively express this concern? humans enjoy things that might not be the "optimal" decisions for their health all the time! if you don't want the tacos, don't eat the tacos. and if you do want the tacos, just eat them!!! you don't need to go on about how "unhealthy" they are!!

these rituals of performative deprecation only serve to guilt people into orthorexic bullshit. you don't need to remind people of the nutritional content of food that they just watched be prepared. we aren't going to collectively all forget to eat a variety of nutrients just because it's been a few hours since we've last heard someone express pointless guilt over food.

one of the greatest parts of food is being able to enjoy it! let yourself enjoy eating! be confident in your ability to make decisions for yourself! and be a little hedonistic! treat yourself! down with cycles of guilt and restriction that ruin people's relationships with food! down with diet culture!

[nativeofsumeru]

"From Persephone" (Wriothesley x Reader)(Sneak Peak/WIP)

A/N: I did say I'd write something. Although, it's not as fleshed out as I would've liked. It's inspired by the song, From Persephone by Kiki Rockwell and a bit by Pure Imagination from the movie Wonka. (click for links) I don't have time to finish it right now, but I do want to, especially if it interests the people! ~~~~ (not proofread) (Happens before Archon Quest)

Growing up, you never knew much outside of the sheltered hub that was the aristocratic domain of Fontaine. Personal servants, the highest quality education, all the money in the world, it was all yours. You seldom knew anyone outside of this aristocratic circle. Your family was one of the more well-known families in the nation, with business connections as far as Snezhnaya. It was assumed that you would inherit the business and the great fortune that would come with it. You were practically groomed for it from birth. It was a nice future, a stable future. An aristocratic future. Although they were never outwardly malicious towards the lower class, it was still clear that there was a divide between you and them. Always. You were superior, they were not.

Your governess had opted to take you for a stroll through the city that day as a "learning opportunity". This excuse was the only way your parents would allow it. She could see how much you yearned for the world outside. It didn't take long for you to get separated for her somewhere along the way (it's not like you were looking for an out anyway). You took the opportunity to run, run as quickly as you could, now excited for your newfound freedom, free to mingle with others outside of your family's vetted wealthy circle, free to actually explore the "lowly" common town. Once you deemed yourself far enough from your governess, you took a moment to take note of the setting around you. You were in the middle of town. It was bustling with activity; it was the peak of rush hour. You could barely wrap your head around what to do with your freedom first. What caught your eye first was a small booth selling hats by the side of the road. You quickly walked over and began to try each of them on, the booth owner and some passersby giving you strange looks. But you couldn't care less, after all, your mind was on more important matters. The rest of your day practically followed this trend. You'd explore the town, the shops, the art, the bakeries, the booths, the street performances. It was all overwhelming, but in the best way possible. You knew you didn't have much time before your family somehow tracked you down and you wanted to live your life to the fullest

You exited a bakery with two bags of freshly handmade macarons. You gladly spent your family's money on whatever pastries you could get your hands on. It was a welcome change from the fully planned strict meals and diet the family nutritionist had planned for you. 'For your optimal health and longevity,' you remember him saying. You roll your eyes as you think about it. You couldn't imagine life being any worse. But it doesn't matter now, you're out of that prison right now and you couldn't be happier.

You looked up at the sky. The sun is setting. Either you were that elusive or your family was terrible at searching for their own daughter seeing as you've been able to be gone for so long. You turned a corner. The streets weren't as busy as they were earlier. It's a week day and it's getting late, you're not surprised. You shove a macaron in your mouth and hum to yourself, some catchy music you heard on the street. It was a welcome change to your ears from the usual instrumental and classical music you were used to hearing all the time at home. Not to say that you hated it, but too much of anything with little variety can drive a person crazy.

Passing by a dark unlit alleyway, you can't help but notice a humanoid figure moving in the shadows. You pause in your tracks and back up to do a double take. You look into the alleyway, now feeling nervous and guarded. You may be sheltered, but you're not dumb. Humanoid figures in dark alleyways don't always bode well, especially for a lone teenager at dusk. But something about it, just draws you towards the alleyway. It's an undesirable feeling, but you feel as if the Hydro Archon is pulling you to do something. With a few hesitant shaky steps, you begin to walk down the alleyway.

It was nowhere near as clean as the streets of your neighborhood, or the city center for that matter. You flinched at the sound of some trash falling out of the dumpster next to you. This place did smell rancid. But nonetheless, you pushed on. What were you looking for? You have no idea, but all you know is that you feel compelled.

It's then that you see it, at the other end of the alleyway. It's a melusine. But it's not a melusine alone, you take a few quiet steps closer, and that's when you see him too. A young boy, a young teenager just like you. He's rather rugged, beat up, tattered clothes, and covered in cuts and scratches, black hair and piercing icy blue eyes.

Almost as soon as you notice him, he and the melusine also notice you. Trying to conceal yourself behind a nearby trash can, you hear the squeak of an animal. You look down only to notice a rat near your feet. You practically scream and fall over, clutching onto your bags of macarons for dear life. The boy winces at your dramatic fall. The melusine almost seems amused by it. "Are you alright?" When you look up again, you can see him standing before you, hand outreached to help pull you up.

Those eyes... You hesitantly put your hand in his as he hoists you up and back on your feet.

"Y-yea, I'm fine. Thank you." You say, sheepishly brushing yourself off, your outfit now with a noticeable stain from whatever it is you fell into. The boy looks you over. He can tell that your outfit is expensive and that you are not from this part of town.

"Are you lost? You're not from around here." He asks, seemingly actually somewhat concerned. You shake your head.

"No, I'm just visiting the city." You reply with a smile. You glance down at your bag of macarons, sighing in relief when you see that they're alright. At least they came out unscathed. You then look up at him, curious why a young boy would be hiding out between dumpsters with a melusine. "What about you?"

"No." The boy shakes his head and looks at the ground. You blink, wondering if his family is also looking for him. It is getting dark.

"Is your family looking for you too?" You ask lightheartedly, wondering if you may have a stranger that you can relate to. It's at this question that the boy grows silent. His gaze is rather...intense. It's intensity only amplified by those piercing pale blue eyes. "Um..." You look away awkwardly. You don't exactly know how to handle this. You glance down at the melusine who only smiles at you. Your gaze then returns to your bag of freshly baked, handmade macarons. You hold up the unopened second bag to the boy, not knowing what else to do.

"Macaron?"

[nenelonomh]

take more breaks while working

don't believe me?

have a read of this article by michican state university. or this one, by the university of north carolina. regardless of the evidence you consider, you will discover that it is preferable to take breaks when working.

for many of us, being productive means spending more time working. it would seem sense that we can do more at work if we dedicate more time to our tasks. not surprisingly, there is no shortage of advice on how to make the most of work time. for instance, the "daily routines of CEOs" frequently involve things like working on the weekends, rising at four in the morning, and even being "strategic about how often you go to the bathroom." many employees decide to put in long hours, skip lunch, and hammer through an ever-increasing burden.

taking regular breaks during the workday is essential for several reasons:

research shows that periodic breaks can enhance well-being and overall performance. when we step away from our tasks, we recharge mentally and physically, leading to better focus and productivity.

skipping breaks can lead to faster burnout and higher stress levels. taking short breaks increases productivity, job satisfaction, and mental health.

breaks help us avoid boredom and maintain focus. they also allow us to retain information, make connections, and reevaluate our goals.

here's the science behind taking breaks:

studies show that when we pause our learning activities and engage in no specific task, the neurons responsible for memory and learning become hyperactive, firing up to ten times faster than when we’re actively engaged in a task. this phenomenon is simply called 'hyperactive neurons' - have a look here, at sciencecafe.co.uk.

breaks refresh the mind, replenish mental resources, and enhance creativity. those “aha moments” often occur after strategic breaks, allowing us to see situations in new ways.

frequent decision-making throughout the day can wear down willpower and reasoning ability. taking breaks helps prevent decision fatigue, leading to better choices and productivity. see this psychology today article for more information.

when should you take breaks? and what is a strategic break?

a strategic break is a purposeful pause taken during work or study to optimize productivity and well-being. it involves stepping away from tasks to recharge mentally, prevent burnout, and enhance focus.

there are many techniques to help you decide when to take breaks - and each have their own benefits and losses.here's some of my favourites:

time-based breaks: consider taking short breaks every 60 to 90 minutes. this interval aligns with our natural ultradian rhythms, which affect focus and alertness.

pomodoro technique: try the pomodoro technique, where you work for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break. after four cycles, take a longer break (15-30 minutes).

task completion breaks: take a break after completing a task or milestone. celebrate achievements, even small ones, with a brief pause.

signs of fatigue: listen to your body. if you feel mentally drained, fatigued, or distracted, it's time for a break.

remember - breaks aren't a luxury. they're an essential part of maintaining focus and well-being!

further reading:

the science behind taking breaks at work | the right staff

the science behind taking breaks while studying: why you should embrace "take a break" moments | science cafe uk

how to take better breaks at work, according to research | harvard business review

breaks during the workday | michigan state university

the science of taking breaks at work: how to be more productive by changing the way you thing about downtime | courtney seiter, buffer

why and how you should take breaks at work | angela grippo, psychology today

taking breaks | the learning centre - university of north carolina at chapel hill

end notes:

thank you for reading! i hope today's post was helpful!

please let me know if you have any feedback for these posts. additionally, you can suggest new post ideas or interests through my ask box.

❤️nene

[great-health-stuff]

💧H20: Your Body's Best Friend 🙂

We all know we should drink more water. But let's be real, it's easy to forget amidst the chaos of daily life. So, let's dive deeper into why hydration is actually a big deal:

1. Brain Power Boost:

Focus & Concentration: Dehydration can lead to brain fog, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. Water helps deliver essential nutrients to your brain, keeping you sharp and alert.

Mood Elevator: Studies suggest that dehydration can negatively impact mood, increasing feelings of anxiety and irritability. Staying hydrated can help you feel more emotionally balanced.

2. Physical Performance Peak:

Exercise Efficiency: Water plays a crucial role in regulating body temperature during exercise. Proper hydration helps you perform better, reduces fatigue, and minimizes the risk of heat-related illnesses.

Muscle Recovery: Water aids in muscle recovery and reduces muscle soreness after intense workouts.

3. Skin Nourishment:

Radiance from Within: Adequate hydration keeps your skin plump and hydrated, improving its elasticity and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Clearer Complexion: Staying hydrated helps flush out toxins, which can contribute to breakouts.

4. Digestive Boost:

Smooth Sailing: Water is essential for proper digestion. It helps break down food, move waste through your system, and prevent constipation.

5. Overall Health:

Immune System Support: Proper hydration helps your immune system function optimally, making you less susceptible to illness.

Joint Lubrication: Water acts as a lubricant for your joints, reducing friction and improving flexibility.

Tips to Stay Hydrated:

Carry a Water Bottle: Keep a reusable water bottle with you throughout the day and refill it regularly.

Infuse Your Water: Add slices of fruit, herbs (like mint or cucumber), or a splash of juice to make it more flavorful.

Track Your Intake: Use a water tracking app or just keep a note of how much you're drinking throughout the day.

Eat Water-Rich Foods: Include plenty of fruits & vegetables (like watermelon, cucumber, and celery) in your diet.

[aideneverybody]

Okay, screw it. I wrote an opinion essay for class, it’s an essay on Luka.

Disclaimer: this is my first real essay, and for whatever reason I’m putting it on this site (🫶), so don’t be mean please. also mentions of using chatgpt to summarize information, but! I only did it because my teacher said we should do so if we needed a quick summary. fuck ai on absolutely every other front. also, references are supposed to be imbedded links in the text, idk if that’ll appear or not. if it doesn’t and people wanna know what my sources are I can reblog with a list or smth.

Also, obviously spoilers for Alien Stage.

Without further ado, I suppose..

Why Luka (Alien Stage) is an Extremely Complex Case.

Do you ever have that one character that you know has done some messed up things, but you can’t help but love anyways? Yeah, I think we all do. Especially if they have reasons for it, and especially if those reasons are justifiable.

Like, for example, Luka from the webseries Alien Stage, a show about singing for your life against another person (if you’re a human, that is). Luka is a character with a terrible personality who has committed what should be unforgivable actions, from manipulating opponents with memories of their dead loved ones to allegedly killing his crush’s brother during an altercation as a teenager.

A lot of people, in the show and its fanbase, love him, and others hate him reasonably. No matter what your opinion is on him though, there’s a lot of complexities to take into account when it comes to Luka, like the environment and view he was raised in, the way humans are manufactured in the world of Alien Stage, and the ways surviving all of it can twist a character to become like Luka.

The environment we see the humans in Alien Stage raised in is hardly ideal for anybody other than maybe Truman Burbank, and the human-pets raised there. As a child, many children including Luka inhabited ANAKT Garden, a school of music created to teach human-pets how to sing.

The environment a child is raised in can affect their mental health greatly by changing brain structure and function, and that may have been the aliens’ idea, but… did they do it right, with what they were attempting to achieve?

According to a post regarding ANAKT Garden on the official Alien Stage Patreon, “The environment is modeled after Earth's nature because it is known to be the optimal setting for humans to produce the most beautiful voices. Everything in Anakt Garden is designed to keep pet humans in the best possible condition”, and according to the official artbook’s English translation, “[ANAKT Garden] was designed as an average value by synthesizing abstract visual data from human perception of 'heaven'. But it can never be said to be a perfect heaven because it was created without a complete understanding of human beings”. In simple terms: they failed, at least somewhat, to make an environment that made humans feel… well, human, or at least ever at peace. From the grass to the skyline, everything that surrounds the children at ANAKT Garden is fake, not to mention littered with cameras; and that’s not exactly good for mental health.

However, I highly doubt the aliens cared about the mental health of their pets, as long as they sang properly, so I suppose them turning into an ambitious, calculating, cold-blooded person is just an added perk.

The environment Luka was raised in wasn’t exactly “human”, which didn’t help with the growth of his humanity.

Luka’s surroundings can’t be the only thing blamed for his behaviors as an adult, however; he is a product, and products are meticulously designed and manufactured.

Though ANAKT Garden is a school of music made for children, it could also be considered a factory of sorts. Learning how to warm up your vocal cords and read music notes aren’t the only type of performance training children who attend are subjected to. Students are put through more rigorous exercises like heavily monitored, technologically advanced dance, singing and instrumental training, as well as some more “interesting” tests like “superiority tests”, “image making training”, and one specifically tailored to Luka that I’ll explain.

Luka has three documented conditions: chronic migraines, asthma, and congenital heart disease. His special training? “Heart rate variability”. This is defined as “controlling heartbeats to induce the fear of death”, and is exclusive to Luka.

However, as a child, not only was Luka faced with an inescapable threat of death due to his illness, but he was also isolated and ignored by peers due to his weaknesses. Said weaknesses were not helped by limitations he was given when it came to food. Luka was not allowed to eat much as a child, put on a strict diet by his owner, Heperu, and thus could very easily lead to something referred to as scarcity effect.

Luka is also undeniably a good example of the aftereffects of being a child star. He was marketed since he was a student at ANAKT Garden; an official Patreon post stated, “…even while attending Anakt Garden, [Luka and a classmate] kept gaining recognition for their external activities in the showbiz world”. Effects of being exposed to fame as a child, as summarized by chatGPT and paraphrased by me, include stressfully high expectations in regards to success, exploitation from parents/guardians - in this case his owner, identity issues due to constantly being in the eye of the public and being unable to separate a stage persona from your genuine self, invasion of personal space and a struggle to maintain the boundaries of a private life, failure to maintain healthy personal relationships and developing less than ideal coping mechanisms.

These could very well be applied to Luka. He grew up forever in the eye of the public and surrounded by cameras, has a very manipulative owner, and has no personal relationships to speak of.

Luka is a star because he was bent and twisted and rearranged mentally to be so, in not just ugly ways but extremely unethical ones.

Now, where does that leave Luka as an adult? Just as twisted as the ways he was produced, that’s where.

Luka was top of his class at ANAKT Garden, and won the 49th season of Alien Stage. The current canon of the show takes place in the 50th season, and he won that too. He is, no doubt, easily classified as a “winner”, and certainly a successful investment as a human-pet. Although, I wouldn’t say the word “human”, in all of its glory as one of the most wonderful adjectives that could be applied to a person, fits Luka as a character anymore.

Recall when I brought up the scarcity effect. As defined by Wikipedia, “[In the area of social psychology] Scarcity is basically how people handle satisfying themselves regarding unlimited wants and needs with resources that are limited. Humans place a higher value on an object that is scarce, and a lower value on those that are in abundance”. One of the effects of scarcity effect in humans can be a lack of empathy towards others when they believe time is short, and when your heart is constantly working against you, when isn’t it? Luka, in the artbook, is described as a man who “didn't care whether others were hurt or not because he lived only to prove his own value without giving up his side to anyone. He has no hesitation in trampling others and climbing up”. He does things like study his opponent’s weak points and actively exploit them on stage in order to win. There’s your lack of empathy. Furthermore, the conditional variations of new scarcity and competition fits Luka well. To quote the Wikipedia on scarcity effect again, “New scarcity occurs when our irrational desire for limited resources increases when we move from a state of abundance to a state of scarcity”. In regards to competition, “In situations when others are directly competing for scarce resources, the value we assign to objects is further inflated”. I believe it’s a if-the-shoe-fits-type situation, and the shoe is currently the perfect size for Luka.

He won Alien Stage. He won a show that is a matter of life and death, where the best of the best are put up against each other with not only the pressure of a metaphorical, but a literal gun to them. And not only did he win, but he did so while being in a fairly vulnerable position. For example, his migraines. Migraines are known to cause sensitivity to light, and while on stage, Luka is subjected to many of them. He pushed himself to agonizing points, through extremely unsavory training and suffocating amounts of social pressure, to win, and it’s seemed to pay off for him just fine. In the Alien Stage video “TOP 3”, during Luka’s montage, a subtitle appears that consists of the text “The Luka syndrome is sweeping the universe”. The aliens love him. The easy excuse, relying on that information and how it spurs him on, is that fame is an addiction. There are oh so many studies on social media and fame and the problems they can cause. However, I think there’s more to it than that when it comes to Luka.

In an article of the psychology of pretty privilege, it’s said that “[Research] consistently shows that attractive individuals are more likely to be hired, promoted and receive higher salaries. Their appearance-based confidence also enables them to pursue the wages and opportunities they desire and deserve”. I feel like this could be similar to Luka’s current situation. He made it, and he’s idolized, and good things happen when you’re idolized. Indulgence in things like, I don’t know, food and sugar, happen when you’re idolized, as a reward if nothing else. Proper treatment for a myriad of health issues that the aliens are clearly not below abusing and using against him happens when you’re idolized, even if it is just to keep you healthy for the stage. Even rather immature things, like rubbing your success into the faces of those who once overlooked you, happen when you’re idolized.

Why would he want to let that go? He wouldn’t, could you blame him? But, the constant threat of losing it all looms over him. He won Alien Stage Season 49 and got such a wonderful taste of privilege… and then got chucked back into the brutal competition because he was so good. But by then he knew how to play the system, and had a reason to be desperate to play it. His charm on the stage may seem indispensable, but he knows he himself is not.

He remembers the cruel training, he remembers how he got to where he is, and he’s desperate enough for that - hence scarcity effect - that he refuses to let it go, leaving him with a more alien mentality than human. He lives and exists to be entertainment, he knows that, and he knows that without it he may very well not be living at all.

Luka, and many other characters with similar narratives, have many… interesting features that go into their detestable personalities. Luka, as a specific, has had to suffer through uncanny surroundings, torturous stage training, being pushed to aggressively desire things that should be relatively common, the paranoia of being watched and the mental struggles that go hand in hand with the life of a child star, and how that evolved to turn him into a completely inhuman apparatus of a man.

But, honestly? There is so much more to him that I can’t even fit in here. So, with what I’ve presented you, call your own shots! This is just how I view the way he functions and what reasons could be behind it. You could continue or begin to despise him right now, if you wanted; just make sure to acknowledge that he is a very complex character, no matter how you slice it.

[zzz-updates]

Bizzare Brigade Version 1.5 Update Details

Bizarre Brigade will be receiving an update after the Version 1.5 update

While our roguelike minigame "Bizarre Brigade" was still lacking a little developmental polish upon its release with Version 1.2, it was still well-received by Proxies. We are grateful and encouraged by your support. The purpose of this latest update is to address the flaws in Bizarre Brigade and optimize it for a more enjoyable gaming experience. We hope that these improvements will make the game more fun and engaging for Proxies.

>> Official Hoyolab post <<

All-New Mode & All-New Protagonists

• Added a new Multiplayer Mode: Bizarre Brigade: Shared Dream

• Added 7 new Dream Seekers with different abilities. After the "Godfinger Ultimate Showdown" event begins, you can check the new Dream Seekers' abilities and how to obtain them in the in-game Godfinger arcade.

• Bizarre Brigade: Shared Dream will be launched at the same time as the Version 1.5 event "Godfinger Ultimate Showdown". On top of this, Bizarre Brigade will be welcoming brand-new Dream Seekers and will remain available even after the event is over.

Event Duration: 2025/01/28 10:00 (server time) – 2025/02/10 03:59 (server time)

Participation Requirements: Unlock Godfinger arcade in Prologue - Intermission.

The following adjustments will take effect after the Version 1.5 update:

New Leaderboard

• This update will significantly impact existing Dream Seekers, Companions, and Relics. Therefore, we will be launching an all-new Bizarre Brigade Leaderboard after the Version 1.5 update.

• The previous leaderboard will be permanently archived and can be viewed at the Godfinger arcade.

Stage Adjustments

We hope Proxies can have a more enjoyable gaming experience!

• Lowered the difficulty of early waves and increased the number of monsters in later waves.

We thereby hope to reduce pressure during the early game and allow Proxies to freely test out different builds and strategies, before increasing pressure in the late game to provide a more rigorous test of strength.

• If you purchase the new Relic "Infinity Road Sign," Endless Waves will begin after Wave 10 of Difficulty 5 is cleared.

You will not be able to access the Store between Endless Waves. Give it everything you've got!

Monster Adjustments

• Added 4 new monsters.

• All monsters' HP has been lowered and their Movement Speed has been increased.

• Ranged monsters will attempt to keep their distance from the protagonist.

Stat Adjustments

We hope to strengthen the relationship between different attributes.

• Before the update, the Protagonist's Melee DMG was essentially ineffective. Therefore, we have made the following adjustment: After the update, Knockback DMG +2 for every +1 Melee DMG the Protagonist has.

• After the Version 1.5 update, Collision DMG will be affected by a percentage of the Protagonist's Additional DMG.

• After the Version 1.5 update, the Attack Range of melee weapons will affect not just the movement distance of Companions' melee weapons, but also the flight distance of the Protagonist and Companions' bullets.

Protagonist Adjustments

We look forward to seeing Dreamers' wonderful performances in the upcoming multiplayer mode.

• All characters' Base ATK increased by +1, and all characters' Shooting Interval reduced.

• The permanent buffs to ATK and Health the Protagonist gains from collecting candies have been reduced.

Derpy Woof

Protagonist and Gear Companion Speed When Knocked Back: +15 → +10

Due to Derpy Woof being overpowered, we have made some adjustments to ensure that all Dream Seekers are balanced.

The Big Pot

Before: During combat, every Morning Star bond gives the Protagonist +1 Health Recovery. When the Protagonist is injured, Armor +1, which is reset when combat ends.

After: During combat, every Morning Star bond gives the Protagonist +1 Armor. When the Protagonist is injured, Health Recovery +1, which is reset when combat ends.

Health Recovery is more important than Armor when Health is low. As such, we have switched these two stats.

Porcelain Doll

Health Recovery Correction: 50% → 150%

Because the Companion "Jungle Folk" has lost some of their advantage, we believe it necessary to make the Dream Seeker "Porcelain Doll" more resilient.

Slippy

Brigade Knockback: +100% → +200%

Companions can sometimes cause tricky situations to occur...

Sir Purrcival

Treasure Detection When Dodging: +1 → +2

We hope the rewards can justify the risk.

Periwinky

Before: When combat starts, Health is set to match Coin count.

After: When combat starts, Coin count is set to match Health.

Before: Armor Growth: -1

After: Health Growth: 6

Because the combination of the Dream Seeker "Periwinky" and the "Guaranteed to unlock the Dream Eater's Altar" effect were overpowered, we have made some adjustments to their other attributes.

Clementie

Brigade Attack Speed: -70 → -50

Reduced Clementie's reliance on Collision DMG.

Gulpy

Before: Monster Speed, Protagonist Speed, and Companion Speed all +30%

After: Monster Speed +30%

Capped Gallant

New: Base ATK Interval -20%

As certain adjustments made to some Relics have affected the Dream Seeker "Capped Gallant," we hope their attack speed can be increased.

Card Queen

Empire Companion Attack Range: +20 → +10

Adjusted the Attack Range for Companions of the Dream Seeker "Card Queen." It's time to test your compatibility with your Companions.

Steel Shell (Revamped)

Before:

Monsters receive 100% of Protagonist's Collision DMG every 3 seconds.

During combat, each Crimson Gauntlets bond gives the Protagonist +3 Collision DMG.

After:

When picking up Coins, deal damage to a random monster equal to 100% of Protagonist's Collision DMG.

When picking up Hearts or Magnets, deal damage to all monsters equal to 100% of Protagonist's Collision DMG.

Bloom Shell (Revamped)

Before:

When combat starts, the Brigade gains +2 to all Stats (except Projectiles)

After:

Upon purchasing a Lv. 4 Relic, gains 1 random Lv. 1 Companion.

Companion Price -30%, Relic Price +15%.

Companions have long attack intervals, Collision DMG -10

Steel Shell and Bloom Shell are too similar in appearance, so we replaced the original effects with new mechanics.

Companion Adjustments

Some Companions don't make enough of a difference! To make Companions a more prominent part of Proxies' builds, we've adjusted the effects of certain Companions.

Effects of All Companions on Income

Before: Income -5 when obtaining a Companion, Income +5 when losing a Companion.

After: Income -5 when obtaining a Companion, no effects on Income when losing a Companion.

Cheer Bunny

Before: Brigade Speed +10.

After: Upon attacking, deals additional DMG equal to 20% of the Protagonist's Speed. All squad members' Speed +10.

Jungle Folk

Before: During combat, for every Primitive Leather Skirt and Bouncy Rabbit Ears bond, this Companion's Attack Range +20, DMG +30%.

After: For every Primitive Leather Skirt and Bouncy Rabbit Ears bond, this Companion's Attack Range +5, DMG +10%, Attack Speed -3.

The era of the "Jungle Folk" was brilliant yet fleeting...

Pointy Hat Witch

Bow and Arrow Companion DMG When Opening Chests: +1% → +2%

Judge

Before: When combat starts, every Four-leaf Clover bond gives the Protagonist +10 Income.

After: Companion's attacks deal additional DMG equal to the Protagonist's 10% Income and 10% Luck.

Fierce Fighter

Before: Attack Speed +1 when attacking, which resets when combat ends. Has meaningless explosion effects when attacking!

After: Upon a CRIT, this Companion has a 50% chance to explode, dealing 100% DMG to nearby monsters.

Matchstick Head

Before: During combat, every Morning Star bond gives the Protagonist +1 Projectiles. (Cannot stack. Can stack after merging)

After: Companion gains extra bullets when knocked airborne.

Camo Shroom

Monster Speed Reduction From Attacks: -25% → -50%

Floofy

Before: Protagonist Health +5, Armor +1.

After: Upon attacking, deals additional DMG equal to 10% of the Protagonist's Health. Protagonist's Health +5, Armor +1.

Smiley Fox

New: General purchase limit is 3. The "Smiley Fox" Relic purchase limit for the Protagonist "Capped Gallant" is 2.

Let's hope Smiley Fox can give the other Companions a chance!

Chieftain

Before: Brigade DMG +5%.

After: Companion DMG +100%, Attack Speed -80.

Attractive Witch

Collision DMG: 20 ⇒ 10

Pony

Collision DMG: 20 ⇒ 10

Bullet DMG: 20 ⇒ 10

Evil

Before: Cannot merge three into one. For every 8 Monsters this Companion kills, Protagonist Attack Speed +2.

After: Cannot merge three into one. When combat starts, Protagonist Health -5. More evil will spawn in the Store.

TV Head

Before: Upon a CRIT, this Companion has a 25% chance to gain 1 Coin.

After: Upon a CRIT, this Companion has a 25% chance to gain 1 Coin. When in combat, every 20 Coins grant this Companion CRIT Rate +1.

※ The above notes only cover adjustments for Lv. 1 Companions. Companions merged from three into one will also undergo corresponding adjustments. Please check the game for details.

Bond Adjustments

• Increased the number of Companions required to activate certain bonds.

• Adjusted the attribute effects granted to Protagonists and Companions when certain bonds are activated.

1. Bouncy Rabbit Ears Dodge: +20% → +15%

2. Carrot Health: +10 → +5

3. Horned Head Demon CRIT Rate: +50% → +100%

Relics

We're delighted to see players creating spectacular moments using the Relics system. However, it's clear that in previous versions, it was relatively easy to combine Relics in a way that enabled [Perpetual Motion], which quickly put a damper on the fun of other build strategies. Therefore, we have made some adjustments to the Relics system. We have also enhanced several previously underutilized Relics. We hope that a more balanced Relics system will bring players greater enjoyment and a deeper gameplay experience.

• Added 11 new Relics to Bizarre Brigade after the Version 1.5 update.

• Adjusted the prices of certain Relics and added purchase limits to all Relics. The purchase limit is set to 5 for all Relics except those below.

After this update, Proxies will have a harder time obtaining the Relic sets of [Perpetual Motion]. In most cases, Proxies will no longer be able to purchase the full set of Relics. In some cases, you may be able to purchase more than the limit.

Green Form

Before: Item prices -25%. Brigade DMG -20%.

After: Item prices -20%. Brigade DMG -20%.

Projector Slides

Before: Protagonist -10 Income. Each 4% DMG grants +1 Income.

After: Protagonist -10 Income. For every -1 Income, Protagonist DMG +1%.

Wool Mittens

Before: Protagonist Health Recovery -2. 15% chance to restore 2 Health when collecting Coins.

After: Protagonist Health Recovery -2. 10% chance to restore 1 Health when collecting Coins.

Expensive Fruit

Before: Protagonist Income -15. Luck +8. For every 1 Luck, Health + 1.

After: Protagonist Income -15. Luck +8. For every 2 Luck, Health + 1.

Warped Cassette

Before: Brigade Attack Speed +9. Number of Monsters in the next battle +10%.

After: Brigade Attack Speed +7. Number of Monsters in the next battle +10%.

Silent Alarm

Before: Brigade Attack Speed +30, Speed +40. During battle, the Protagonist suffers 1 DMG per sec (without any invulnerability time).

After: Gain 3 Eggs at the start of combat. During combat, the Protagonist takes 1 DMG per second (no invincibility period).

Message From A Friend

Before: Companions no longer follow the Protagonist. Brigade CRIT Rate +40%. Protagonist -7 Armor.

After: Companions no longer follow the Protagonist. Brigade CRIT Rate +30%. Protagonist -7 Armor.

Noise-Cancelling Headphones

Before: Protagonist gains +10% CRIT Rate and +10% Dodge. 30% chance to restore 5 Health when dodging.

After: Protagonist gains +5% CRIT Rate and +5% Dodge. When dodging, recovers 1 HP.

Mysterious ID

Before: Enemies hit by the protagonist are poisoned, taking 100% of Income as DMG per sec. (Does not stack)

After: Enemies hit by the Protagonist are poisoned, taking 150% of Income as DMG per sec. (Does not stack)

Commemorative Mug

Before: Protagonist Armor +4. Luck -4. When injured, there is a 30% chance to fire 8 bullets forward.

After: Protagonist Armor +3. Luck -6. When injured, there is a 30% chance to fire 8 bullets forward.

Weird Pool Ball

Before: Protagonist +20 Luck. Brigade -6% DMG, bullets have +20% rebound.

After: Protagonist +10 Luck. Brigade -6% DMG, bullets have +25% rebound.

Neck Brace

Before: Protagonist +10 Collision DMG. For every -1 Speed, gain +1 Armor. Brigade -20 Speed.

After: Protagonist Collision DMG +10. For every -2 Speed, gain +1 Armor. Brigade -20 Speed.

Sleep Mask

Before: Protagonist +5 Treasure Detection, +5 Luck. When opening chests, 1–3 enemies will receive damage equal to 100% of Treasure Detection.

After: Protagonist +5 Treasure Detection, -5 Luck. When opening chests, all enemies will receive damage equal to 20% of Treasure Detection.

Gold-Plated Ring

Before: Brigade +2 Ranged DMG. In the next battle, the protagonist gains +40 Treasure Detection.

After: Brigade +2 Ranged DMG. In the next battle, the protagonist gains +30 Treasure Detection.

Tangy Tangerine

Before: For the next battle, Companions will not attack. The Protagonist's Attack Speed increases to the maximum. For every 10 enemies defeated, the Protagonist recovers +1 Health.

After: For the next battle, Companions will not attack. The Protagonist's Attack Speed increases to the maximum. For every 20 enemies defeated, the Protagonist recovers +1 Health.

Sun Hat

Before: Protagonist Health +15. There is a 5% chance to pick up all drops when injured.

After: Protagonist Health +12. There is a 5% chance to pick up all drops when injured.

Fridge Sticker

Before: Brigade +4 Ranged DMG. Protagonist +30% Pickup Range. Companions follow closer to the Protagonist.

After: Brigade +3 Ranged DMG. Protagonist +30% Pickup Range. Companions follow closer to the Protagonist.

Bento Box

Before: Protagonist Pickup Range +20%. At the start of a battle, the Protagonist receives 20% of the current Coins as additional Coins.

After: Protagonist Pickup Range +20%, Income -25. At the start of a battle, the Protagonist receives 10% of the current Coins as additional Coins.

Price: 22 → 27

Cooling Fan

Before: Brigade Collision DMG +10. Companions can block bullets.

After: Brigade Collision DMG +7. Companions can block bullets.

Donut

Before: Protagonist size and Bullet Size +25%. Bullets become bigger, slower, and deal a lot of damage!

After: Protagonist size +30%, Bullet Pierce +2. The Protagonist's bullets become bigger and slower, with high damage. Bullet Pierce no longer reduces DMG, but bullets can no longer split.

Universe Coin

Before: Brigade DMG -30%, but every 3 seconds deals damage to all monsters equal to 15% of their Health.

After: Brigade DMG -30%, but every 3 seconds deals damage to all monsters equal to 10% of their Health.

Fish Oil In A Box

Before: Protagonist Health +4. Item Prices -30% this turn. Drink Spawn Rate +100%.

After: Protagonist Health +4. Item prices -15% this turn. The store stocks a large amount of a certain random drink.

Quill

Before: Refresh price -5.

After: Refresh price -1.

Price: 16 → 3

Vitamin C Rage

Before: Brigade Speed +20, Melee DMG +2. Protagonist Health -5.

After: Brigade Speed +20, Melee DMG +2. Protagonist Health Recovery +2 Armor -2.

Oxygen Bubble

Price 11 → 18

Winningway

After: Brigade CRIT Rate +20%, DMG -20%, Bullet Pierce +1.

Before: Brigade CRIT Rate +20%, DMG -20%, Bullet flight distance +10%.

Wake Up!

Before: Protagonist Collision DMG +10, Knockback Distance +30%, CRIT Rate -10%.

After: Protagonist Collision DMG +10, Knockback Distance +30%, Attack Speed -20.

Soda Tea

Before: Brigade Ranged DMG +4, Bullet Bounce +25%, DMG -5%.

After: Brigade Ranged DMG +1, Bullet Bounce +10%.

Rock 'n' Roll Mulberry

Before: Protagonist Armor -3, Income +30, Treasure Detection +20.

After: Protagonist Armor -3, Income +25, Treasure Detection +15.

Forgiveness

Before: When Gear and Primitive Leather Skirt Companions kill Monsters, there is a 50% chance to gain 1 Coin.

After: When Gear and Primitive Leather Skirt Companions kill Monsters, there is a 20% chance to drop 1 Coin.

Curiosity

Before: Empire and Knight Companions gain +15 Collision DMG.

After: Empire and Knight Companions gain +10 Collision DMG.

Despair

Before: Protagonist Speed -5. When standing still, Health Recovery +5, Collision DMG +10.

After: Protagonist Speed -8. When standing still, Health Recovery +5, Collision DMG +10.

Rage

Before: Recover 10 Health upon opening a treasure chest. Cannot recover Health through Health Recovery or Hearts.

After: Recover 12 Health upon opening a treasure chest. Cannot recover Health through Health Recovery or Hearts.

Cowardice

Before: For every 5 Coins held during combat, Brigade DMG +1%.

After: When combat starts, lose 20% of current Coins. For every 5 Coins held at the start of combat, Brigade DMG +1%, which resets when combat ends.

Sadness

Before: Protagonist Dodge Rate -5%. Every 3 seconds in combat, deal damage to all Monsters equal to 20% of the Protagonist's Health.

After: Protagonist Pickup Range -20%. Every 3 seconds in combat, deal damage to all Monsters equal to 20% of the Protagonist's Health.

Fear

Before: When picking up Coins, deal damage to a random enemy equal to 50% of Luck.

After: When picking up Coins, deal damage to a random enemy equal to 30% of Luck.

Perfume

Before: Monster Speed +30%. When the Protagonist is injured, a random stat is permanently increased.

After: Monster Speed +30%. Protagonist Armor -10. When the Protagonist is injured, a random stat is permanently increased.

Water Lily

Before: In combat, Brigade Bullet Pierce +3, CRIT Rate +30%. Effects are removed after the Protagonist is injured. Resets every wave.

After: In combat, Brigade CRIT Rate +60%. Effects are removed after the Protagonist is injured. Resets every wave.

Hard Bread

Before: Protagonist Attack Speed -10. For every 2 Melee DMG, Protagonist Collision DMG +1.

After: Brigade CRIT Rate -10%. For every 2 Melee DMG, Protagonist Collision DMG +1.

Beacon of Hope

Before: Score Multiplier +20%. Protagonist Health Recovery +100.

After: Score Multiplier +20%. Protagonist's Health cannot exceed 2.

Entangled Nightmare

Before: Score Multiplier +20%. Number of Monsters +100%.

After: Score Multiplier +20%. Number of Monsters +100%. Monster Health +300%.

Obtaining Beacon of Hope or Entangled Nightmare is a sign of an extremely successful round. Therefore, we've made it more challenging.

*In development. Not representative of the post-release version.

[deepak-kansal]

Did You Know? Your Mouth Produces Over 25,000 Liters of Saliva in a Lifetime

Saliva is one of the most underrated yet essential fluids produced by the human body. Over the course of a lifetime, the average person produces more than 25,000 liters of saliva — enough to fill two swimming pools! While saliva might seem like a mundane topic, it plays a vital role in maintaining your oral health and overall well-being. Let’s explore this fascinating subject in depth.

What is Saliva and Why is it Important?

Saliva is a clear, watery fluid secreted by the salivary glands in your mouth. Composed mostly of water, it also contains essential enzymes, proteins, minerals, and antibacterial compounds that help maintain oral and overall health. Here are some key functions of saliva:

Protects Your Teeth and Gums: Saliva neutralizes acids in your mouth, helping to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

Aids in Digestion: It contains enzymes like amylase that help break down carbohydrates before swallowing.

Moistens and Lubricates: Saliva ensures that your mouth stays moist, making it easier to chew, swallow, and speak.

Fights Bacteria: Its antimicrobial properties combat harmful bacteria, reducing the risk of infections.

Supports Taste Sensation: Without saliva, your ability to taste food would be significantly diminished.

How Does Saliva Production Work?

Saliva is produced by three major pairs of salivary glands:

Parotid Glands: Located near the ears, these glands produce a watery secretion rich in enzymes.

Submandibular Glands: Found under the lower jaw, these glands produce a mix of enzymes and mucus.

Sublingual Glands: Situated beneath the tongue, these glands produce a mucus-rich saliva.

In addition to these, minor salivary glands throughout the mouth contribute to saliva production. On average, a healthy person produces about 1 to 1.5 liters of saliva per day.

25,000 Liters Over a Lifetime: Why So Much?

Producing over 25,000 liters of saliva in a lifetime may seem excessive, but when broken down, it makes sense:

Daily Production: Roughly 1.5 liters per day.

Lifespan: Over 70 years, this adds up to the astounding total of 25,000 liters or more.

Saliva production is continuous but varies throughout the day. It increases when eating, drinking, or even thinking about food and decreases during sleep. This consistent production is crucial for keeping your mouth healthy and functioning.

What Happens When Saliva Production is Insufficient?

A lack of adequate saliva, known as xerostomia or dry mouth, can lead to a range of oral health issues, including:

Increased risk of cavities and gum disease

Difficulty in chewing, swallowing, and speaking

Bad breath (halitosis)

Altered sense of taste

Dry mouth can result from dehydration, medication side effects, or underlying medical conditions. If you experience persistent dry mouth, consult a dental professional.

Dental Hygienist vs Dentist: What’s the Difference?

While both dental hygienists and dentists work to improve oral health, their roles differ significantly.

Dental Hygienist

A dental hygienist specializes in preventative care, focusing on maintaining oral health. Their responsibilities include:

Performing professional teeth cleanings

Educating patients on proper oral hygiene practices

Taking X-rays and assessing gum health

Applying fluoride treatments and sealants

Dentist

Dentists are medical professionals trained to diagnose and treat oral diseases and conditions. Their tasks include:

Filling cavities and treating tooth decay

Performing root canals, crowns, and extractions

Diagnosing oral diseases like gum disease or oral cancer

Developing comprehensive treatment plans

Both professionals are essential in ensuring optimal oral health, working together to provide comprehensive care. Deepak Kansal, a skilled dental hygienist, emphasizes the importance of regular cleanings and proper oral hygiene as the foundation for a healthy smile. Learn more about his work at www.deepakkansal.com.

How to Support Saliva Production Naturally

Ensuring healthy saliva production is key to maintaining oral health. Here are some tips:

Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your salivary glands active.

Chew Sugar-Free Gum: Stimulates saliva flow, especially after meals.

Consume a Balanced Diet: Foods rich in vitamins and minerals, like fruits and vegetables, promote salivary gland health.

Avoid Tobacco and Alcohol: These can dry out your mouth and reduce saliva production.

Use a Humidifier: Helps maintain moisture in your mouth, especially while sleeping.

Fascinating Facts About Saliva

Saliva contains enzymes that begin digestion right in your mouth.

It plays a crucial role in wound healing within the oral cavity.

The average person swallows around 2,000 times a day, with saliva playing a major role in this process.

Saliva can be used for diagnostic purposes, including detecting diseases like diabetes and even COVID-19.

Final Thoughts

Saliva is much more than a simple liquid in your mouth. Its protective, digestive, and antibacterial properties are essential for overall health. By staying hydrated, practicing good oral hygiene, and consulting professionals like Deepak Kansal, Dental Hygienist, you can ensure your mouth remains healthy for years to come. For more insights and expert advice, visit www.deepakkansal.com.

Disclaimer

The information provided is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Readers should consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment.

[ecco2ecco]

These aren't really headcanons but I owed you this 💝 @glittersgloom

Lamar & Derrick headcanons

- Lamar and what beauty means to him. I just think as a dark skinned black man it's so difficult for people to perceive you as pretty or even beautiful apart from like purely sexual context and also general anti blackness. Anti blackness in the fact that Lamar is unambiguously black, he doesn't have a loose curl pattern or like green eyes; he isn't mixed or even light skinned and that it of itself is unattractive to people because they think that black people are ugly etc. and you should see the shit that people comment under videos of Lamar all the time, they call him ugly, they call him a monkey, they talk about his skin being bad etc and I'm not even doing how bad it gets justice because it's all over the place with him and it's so blatantly anti black. Anyways, I wanted to write about how that would affect him- existing in the public eye as someone who is seen as unattractive etc and what it looks like and means to grapple with that. It's difficult to see that because I think Lamar is so beautiful, I love the way he looks and I hate that people talk about him like that.

- Lamar and Derrick and the expectations put on them and how they've defined themselves despite that. Lamar coming into the league wasn't seen as a viable quarterback option and was asked to switch to wide receiver or running back and Derrick Henry was seen as a running back that had too many carries to last long in a league at all plus when he first came into the league he saw minimum usage and was seen as a bust for the first three years before breaking out in his fourth year. But here they are despite all that, Lamar is a top three (at worst) quarterback in the league- I think he's number 2 and a 2 time MVP and Derrick Henry at 31 years old is still one of the best running backs in the NFL and the best running back of his generation. I'm interested in the journey to where they are now, and what they had to give up to get here

- Lamar chronic illness. Lamar is very sickly, like to the point that it's a running joke that he'll miss a few practices every season and preseason because of the flu or a stomach bug. I think that's interesting when juxtaposed to his position as a pro athlete and how health is such a key part of that. It's something I think about whenever it comes up so I think it would be good to write about it

- Derrick after cutting his locs off... Lamar's reaction. Derrick cutting off his locs was such a shock to me like omg 😭 his hair! But he looks beautiful with his new hair so idrc but it was such a suprise so I imagine like him cutting off his locs and planning on surprising Lamar with his new hairstyle. Something cute and light

- Lamar's relationship to his body. I think that a weird part of being a professional athlete in a team sport is the feeling that your body doesn't really belong to you per say and that it belongs to the team and to the organisation at large. As in your body exists to serve a particular function and is treated as almost an instrument. Like professional athletes will gain weight, lose weight- gain muscle, lose muscle depending on what function the team needs them to perform. In the case of Lamar, he came into the league at around 200-205 pounds and then got up to 235 pounds in a attempt to avoid season ending injuries by making himself more 'durable' with increased muscle mass and then he dropped all that over the passed 2 season to sit at 200-205 pounds again in an effort to be more elusive and get back to running at his usual speed. Both of these changes were not borne out of personal wants but rather to optimize his body to serve whatever function was needed by the team and by the organisation at that time. I wonder how that leaves someone looking at their body and how that can easily warp a person's relationship to their body. What does ownership over your body look like in this situation? All questions that are particularly interesting to me and relevant

CeeDee, Trevon & Micah headcanons

- CeeDee feels like people only like him because he's beautiful, that he's seen as a ‘dumb blonde’ and nothing else. The ways in which beauty opens the world up to you but also isolates you. What’s the point of being beautiful if you are only seen as that and nothing else?

- Origin story; how CeeDee, Micah and Trevon got together.

- CeeDee as the dom, Micah and Trevon as his subs. That's it really, I just think this would be really good fic.

- Micah learning disorder. I was thinking about the way that people view black athletes in particular as ‘slow’ or unintelligent and how that shapes the way the fans view and interact with these players. I see a lot of people calling Micah an idiot or just people calling his stupid and that shit makes me so mad. Because he isn't, and it's like this weird dissonance I see between who Micah is to the wider public and who he actually is. I thought that writing about Micah having a learning disorder would be an interesting way to look at the nature of ‘intelligence’ and what that actually means, what that actually looks like.

- Trevon compares himself to Stef and feels like he’ll never be as good as him; as beautiful, as interesting, as talented, as brave and as open. He’s jealous of Stef’s openness and the way he refuses to compromise who he is for anything or anyone. Exploring the way he carries that insecurity into his relationship

- Micah feeling out of place, in his life outside of football and in his relationship with CeeDee and Trevon. Essentially growing pains and feeling uncertain of what he wants his partners to do for him and being open enough to express these needs to them…

‘I just want to be someone you wanna take care of’

- Trevon feeling unworthy of being on the team or being with them, not being as essential to the team's success after coming back from the ACL tear and now with the knee injury that’ll keep him out eight months ... ‘I think after the rehab and all, if they don't cut me that I should ask for a trade…He could go anywhere in the league and this would still be gone. Anywhere in the world and it would still be these two. No one else, ever.’

Stef headcanons

- After the ACL tear- the process of getting back to were he was health-wise and the feelings that come with seeing the struggle and do well at times, without him. Watching the world pass him by etc

- Mental health crisis that last season in Buffalo. I remember him saying that it was the lowest he'd ever been mentally and I'm interested in exploring why that it. There's a story that came out about him breaking dress code for a team meeting and the coach yelling at him for a really extended period of time, to the point where the other coaching staff felt that he had overdone it and I feel like this is representative of what I feel was the issue; him being a different personality and kind of person in that lockeroom. And how that led to him feeling like his time was up there. Basically exploring how you can go from insider to outsider in a heartbeat and how being misunderstood is a kind of violence. I don't think that someone like Stef could ever be happy in the long-term in a place like Buffalo or Minnesota so I'm trying to explore why that is. So basically from the crumbling of his relationships in Buffalo and the off-season that follows

- His relationship with Tank Nico CJ...his babies. Just looking at these new relationships that Stef is building in Houston and what that looks like. I find his relationship with all three of them really compelling and meaningful.

- The eroding of his relationship with Josh. The relationship innit itself doesn't interest me as much as it does other people but I'm interested in Stef and he loved (loves?) that man so I want to write about how and why it ended. And why I feel like it was for the better.

Davante & Aaron

- Davante and Aaron connecting for Davante’s 100th career touchdown. A career and relationship retrospective, how Aaron irrevocably changed Davante’s life and is the reason why he is who is. Basically Davante on how and why he’s loved Aaron for this long…

- Garrett and Davante…Davante’s first month as a Jet and just Garrett’s hero worship of him, Davante being his favourite receiver and someone he looked up to. Garrett hangs onto every word he says, watching him get ready for practice and games and being as close to him as he can be at all times. Davante sitting in the middle of Aaron and him during team meetings >3. He doesn't have the words for it and he already knows about Aaron and Davante, something that's unsaid but not secret. That doesn't make him want Davante any less, finally giving in and kissing Davante in the receiver room when they're looking over film after one of their (many) losses. Davante kisses him back, just as hard with a shy smile on his lips. ‘You know that we have to tell Aaron, right?’

- Garrett gets really drunk on a night out with the team and instead of sending him home in an uber, Davante and Aaron take him back to Aaron's house. He’s out immediately but wakes up to the sound of them fucking Walks to outside their door etc feelings realization..not as much realize but crystallize, materialising in the physical proof of his hard on

- Those early days in Green Bay, Davante having to work himself to death to avoid being cut after underperforming during his rookie contract and Aaron choosing him as his number one target despite that.

- There's a clip from receiver where Davante talks about meeting up with Aaron before the game they had against the Jets in Vegas and them being in the backroom of a restaurant talking for hours and then them meeting center field with Davante telling Aaron 'This is what needed that, just having you around this past couple of days it did a lot for me'. That really struck me and so it's just them in the backroom of a restaurant talking about anything and everything, trying not to think about how both their seasons have gone to shit. Just an exploration of intimacy and closeness even when separated.

Miscellaneous

- Micah and CJ in Japan during their little world tour they went on after the draft show they did together last year. They’re in a hotel room in Japan late one night and they've both been drinking, Micah more than C and he cant hold his tongue anymore. All Micah’s feelings suddenly come rushing out and he can't bring himself to care about the fact that CJ might not feel the same way. He just needs to say it out loud, just needs CJ to know if nothing else. CJ kisses him before he can finish, drunk but sweet makeout ensues + the morning after.

- Lamar and Odell, pre season 2023 in Miami. It's set in a club and whatever attraction or tension they're developing for each other escalates very quickly. It's basically just tasteful smut with a lot of characterization etc Lamar and Odell are very dear to me and their one season together means a lot to me so I feel that this is part of a larger overall universe

- Lamar and Michael Vick...hero worship and kinda underage? Lamar feels like Vick is the only one who could ever understand him and Micahel takes advantage of that. An exploration of the way that black quarterbacks are forced to maintain a fraternity even within the fraternity that already exists between all quarterbacks, and the ways in which Lamar was drawn to Vick because he's the only other modern quarterback that he feels reflects him. From the year before Lamar’s Heisman campaign all the way through the unanimous MVP season and his contract negotiations. Looks at with how Vick feels seeing Lamar excel in ways that he could never quite manage and how that manifests in their personal relationship.

- Jayden and Malik through the ups and downs of their respective rookie campaigns, Jayden being given the keys to a franchise and Malik’s need to prove that the Giants don't waste the 6th overall draft pick on him. An exploration of what it means and looks like, feels like to come of age- with a particular focus on Malik since he just turned 21 (he’s a baby). Thinking of what it means to grow up together even while you're apart, evolving over the course of the draft to rookie mini camp/training camp and throughout the season.

- Kyler and Marvin... falling short of expectations and Marvin asking kyler if he's letting him down because he feels like he's letting his dad and everyone else down as well

- CJ and Bryce...the inequality in their relationship in college...seen as better prospect, class (as in economic class) etc… they are forever tied because of the draft and their relationship before that and I want to look at the way that those strings specifically intertwine them.

- Caleb and DJ Moore...older wideout and their rookie quarterback...power dynamics etc there's a certain tension that I feel exists between Caleb and DJ that I don't feel in negative in nature but it's interesting that it's there, just floating between the two of them. I want to examine that.

- Caleb Williams and the weight of expectations. Just about him being the first overall pick and everything surrounding that, people were expecting a great year for the bear and that didn't happen. Not even close, so I'm interested in the emotional toll of that, the mental toll of falling short of expectations. Especially when looking at what Jaden was able to accomplish this year.

[throughtrialbyfire]

For the Dragonborn trio!

10) How does your OC handle their mental health? Do they take care of themselves?

11) What was your inspiration for your OC?

hi there!!!!!!!! <33333

10) How does your OC handle their mental health? Do they take care of themselves?

-Emeros is a very… "if you don't think about it, it isn't real" person in regards to his mental health issues. he can do all of the breathing exercises and mindfulness in the world, but he never slows down, and if he never slows down he never addresses anything. it kind of takes a real miracle (or him getting ill from stress) for anything to come to the surface.

-Wyndrelis can open up if he needs to, but he just never wants to. he tries to not let anything get to him, but you'll find that he has many habits from times of stress. in this way, you know how dads will just drop the craziest lore and it shows that they're severely depressed but they don't address that at all, and brush it off and keep moving with a joke? that's wyndrelis.

-Athenath is… well, let's just say he's good at performing a role. they dont have any really healthy coping mechanisms, which has lead to some bad habits that still crop up every now and then. they're also prone to pushing people away whom they think have gotten too close, both wanting someone to confide in and also terrified of that person seeing him for everything he is.

so, needless to say, none of them are mentally well

11) What was your inspiration for your OC?

for the trio, i have multiple inspirations (some of which are more personal), but here are a few of them!!

-Emeros - a huge inspiration for him was a character from CoD Zombies i've fixated on since i was like, 11. his voice claim, his personality, his speech patterns, a lot of that came from this character. i also took some inspiration from daniel of mayfair in the game Amnesia: The Dark Descent, in that he's not a perfect person - in fact, for being as compassionate as Emeros is and as much as he tries to heal people, he is very capable of violence - but he wants to set things right whenever he can. he's uptight and arrogant at times, but he's also extremely caring and, in complete opposition to his arrogant and sometimes prickly attitude, can be a bit of a mother hen to his friends. he wants the people he cares about to make it out of this alive, and will do anything he can to make sure that they do. i also just have some character archetypes i write with often, even in original works, and emeros, wyndrelis, and athenath are examples of some of those.

-Wyndrelis - same situation as above, with CoD Zombies and the fixation on a character. this time, he's also inspired by characters like kabuto yakushi from naruto, specifically the first series. this is due to his nature as a scholar who has studied some unethical fields, and pursued some forms of magic less than favored by other institutions. i also think that the silent hill series (especially 1 and 2) have a lot to do with him as a person, mainly his overall vibe. he's a quiet person who can be a bit sarcastic, he's witty, he's studious, but he's also painfully anxious at times, morose, and rejection hurts like a battering ram to the head for him. he's someone who doesn't know how to show how he cares for people, but he does, fairly deeply.

-Athenath - this is where the inspiration kind of splits. he's somewhat inspired by - in attitude - naruto uzumaki from, well, naruto, and aang from ATLA due to their outward happy-go-lucky nature in the face of tragedy. i think a lot of what subconsciously inspired athenath is the idea of a character who pretends to have an unbreakable optimism, but still deals with a shitton under the surface. that's all i can trace them back to without getting too deep. they're very good at playing the part of the young bard with a big smile and plenty to laugh about, but that's not always the case. they're introspective, curious, a bit mischievous, cunning, and playful. he has issues he won't talk about for a long time, and when he starts to behave more like how they feel on the inside, it's… well, not pretty.

all of them were inspired partially by music, as well!

thank you so much for the asks!!!!!!!!!! <333333333

ask game

[hazelkjt]

The Monster Hunter Wilds Beta was a nice distraction from the shit going on in my life. It was a REALLY fun 3 days, minimal performance issues so I’m happy I don’t need to update my PC. So, here are my thoughts as a decade long fan of the series on what I experienced in Wilds.

The Good-

No clutch claw. Ten out of ten change Capcom, thank you.

Removal of gender restrictions on armor WITHOUT homogenizing the armor designs. Just a win all around here, offers such a greater range of self-expression through what your hunter wears. This will be the second time I’m playing a female hunter just because I won’t have to deal with the armor designs I don’t particularly enjoy. (Only other time was because "why not?" during my revisit to Rise a few months ago)

All the monster designs have knocked it out of the park. Chatacabra is a lovable punching bag, Doshaguma’s a nice step up to have a middle tier Fanged Beast, Balahara is a great challenge with easy to read attacks but tricky timing. And then Rey Dau just taking the cake and instantly in my top 20 favorite monsters.

Weapons all feel relatively balanced, so far? At least of the handful I tried out. I’m a pretty casual MH player, never cared for optimal builds or speedruns so as long as the weapons feel fun to play then I’m all good. Still personally feel LS might be a bit overtuned with all the options and non-committal choices it has but I digress. Switch Axe is making a comeback as my preemptive Wilds main weapon with Bow being my backup.

The map is enormous but doesn’t feel lifeless. There’s always something happening just enough to make it feel like an actual environment and not just a video game level. A massive step up from the areas in Rise that all felt kind of boring with how it was just big, flat areas with connecting alleys that you could run on top of. This feels like actual topography that all flows seamlessly into one another.

Did I mention no clutch claw?

The Bad-

Even though I didn’t have any, the performance issues others are reporting are inexcusable. Other people that I know for a FACT own a high end computer can’t get more than 20FPS on medium settings, it’s ridiculous. This game is not optimized in the slightest for PC right now and for a simultaneous release that’s unacceptable. And while I have joked about wanting to see the low-poly models for myself the fact that people are seeing those for their entire time in the Beta is, again, inexcusable.

Monsters run way too often but this might just be a Beta issue with lower health values so I’ll let it off a bit easy.

I agree with the lack of impact on the really big hits but I am also letting this one off easy because it could have to do with the lack of attack power we have in the Beta. We’re literally in the basic starting gear with the basic beginner’s weapon, there’s room for the hit stop and impact to ramp up dynamically the higher our damage numbers go.

I know this isn’t something they can fix by launch (or if they’d even consider fixing at all) but having only six voices in character creation feels extremely limiting. I understand your hunter is fully voiced throughout the entire game now so getting the usual twenty-ish voices would’ve bloated the budget significantly, but the poorly implemented pitch shifter does nothing to make up for their absence. Even just going one or two notches up or down and you can start to hear the artificial “static” of the pitch filter and it’s distracting.

So many control scheme options and you CAN’T turn off the Radial Menu? Fucking why??? I’ve never enjoyed having control of the camera taken away from me while scrolling through my item bar in previous games and now I can’t even fix that. I’ve begrudgingly been forcing myself to learn how to use it, but removing an option that was in the previous two games for no reason is a baffling decision.

Still looking forward to the game’s launch in a few months and hoping that maybe a few of these issues will be resolved by then.

[emeraldlotusdivination]

How to Celebrate the Summer Solstice | Witch Tips

How should you celebrate the summer solstice? Also known as Litha, the summer solstice is one of the best times of year to manifest. It’s great for performing spells to increase abundance, passion, creativity, health and protection.  With the vital power of the sun at its highest point, we have the longest day of the year to embrace life.

What can you do to celebrate the Summer Solstice?

Here are some tips you can practice as a witch or spiritual being who wants to get the most out of this special time.

Go outside & soak in the suns energy

Spend time enjoying the sun and its energy as it can purify and restore you spiritually.

Watch a sunrise or sunset

Embrace time outside by seeing the sun at its highest point, when it rises or when it sets. Regardless of when you’re able to get outside, take a second to appreciate the suns glow.

Light candles or have a bonfire

Traditionally, a bonfire and fire jumping were common practices during the Celtics celebrations of Litha. It was said that jumping or crossing through the fire would bring good luck. Please be mindful not to burn yourself, but it can be great to sit near a fire during this time. If a fire is not possible, lighting of a candle can also be done to invoke the energy of the sun.

Infuse solar water by leaving a glass of water in sunlight

Letting the suns rays infuse water can be done for many reasons. Some witches use Sun water similar to the popular Moon water where they will use the infused water in rituals and spellwork. You can opt to drink your solar water for the benefits of the sun (although please do not drink stagnant water and be mindful to refrigerate the water and drink it only within a day or two).  You can use the solar water to water plants, cleanse crystals, cleanse your home, make sprays and infusions, etc.

Decorate with gold, yellow, red, orange, green, blue and white

Gold and yellow represent the suns rays. They also symbolize abundance, joy, confidence and optimism.

Red for passion. strength and courage.

Orange for vitality, health, joy and creativity.

Green represents the grass, nature, and the flourishing of new life.

Blue as an opposing color for the flames of the solstice to help balance with the calming, relaxing, watery colors of blue.

White because it is aways appropriate as it purifies and represents all colors.

Use herbs like rosemary, marigold, calendula

Herbs best used during the summer solstice include Rosemary, Marigold, Calendula, Rose, St. John's Wort (do not ingest if you take SSRI medication), Chamomile, Mugwort, Lavender, Hemp, Vervain, Sage, Mint and Thyme.

Use crystals like citrine, carnelian or sunstone

The best crystals to use during the summer solstice include citrine, carnelian, sunstone, golden healer quartz, amber, tiger’s eye, topaz, pyrite, peridot.

Use fire elements in your magickal rituals

Using the colors, herbs and crystals listed above. As well as incorporating flames, candle magick, fire related sigils, flame readings, etc.

Incorporate fire elements in your altar

See above for colors, herbs, and crystals to consider including in your altar. Having gold decoration pieces on your altar can be great at this time.  You can also include fairies and Fae themed items on your altar to represents the connection to Fae at this time.

Pratice magick & gratitude

Summer solstice is a heightened time for magickal workings making it perfect to do your spell work, rituals and manifestations. It’s also important to practice gratitude for what the first half of the year has given us, for the seeds that have bloomed from the spring, and for the remainder of the year still ahead of us. Taking time to be grateful for all that we have in life is always a blessed opportunity and the summer solstice is a great time for reflection and shining a light on areas of our lives we want to improve upon.

Strengthen your connection with Faeries / Fae

Summer solstice is known as one of the best times of year for the veil to thin between our realm and the realm of the Fae. With the veil thin, it can be a great time to strengthen your relationship with the Fae by leaving them offerings and paying attention to notice their presence as you enjoy your blissful and abundant day.   You can invite them to live in your garden or plants around your property.   There is also the dance of the Fae, where many practitioners will dance and let loose to help invoke your intentions an inviting the Fae to join.

Please do note, the Fae can be quite impish and mischievous, so it is important to wear protection and do your research beforehand if you haven’t worked with them before.

Some lovely offerings to leave the Faeries include:

Mead

Honey

Wine

Milk

Herbs (see list above)

Sweets

Candles

Flowers / Flower Crowns