#Vacuum Therapy Long Long Island

[longisland-derm]

Dermatologist Garden City

The Vacuum Therapy Butt Cupping procedure uses specialized negative pressure and suction in order to help stimulate the tissue along a patient’s backside or buttocks. This will help to loosen and release damaged connective tissue that may have become hardened and damaged over the years. This gives patients a freshly rejuvenated look and feel to their skin, and works wonders for the appearance and contours of the buttocks.

[aliceoverzero]

Never understood fandom rarepairing. Like cool for them I guess but it never clicked for me.

Well now I've spent a few days rotating Lappland x Cantabile in my head and I think I get it now. These two people should not interact. All of the healing would be undone, hundreds would die, Bolívar would be placed under martial law. To call it toxic yuri would be an understatement.

After writing this out I realize this is probably gonna be upsetting if you don't want to read a fic outline of a disastrous breakup between these two. Be advised.

Lappy obsesses over Texas for representing the hypothetical self that boldly abandoned the burden of her past long ago. But Cantabile would invert that unhealthy self-reflection. Every flinch would pull at dusty strings in Lappland's brain that she desperately wishes to tear out, as Cantabile's withdrawn behavior instead represents the hypothetical Lappland who never properly defied her home environment. Lapp's fixation on Texas is wanting to keep up with her, but this kind of fixation would be about wanting to make Cantabile keep up with herself.

Cantabile would be scared by her, but would see someone who escaped similar circumstances more chaotically and needs help she can't express. She would try to get Lappland to appreciate the smaller moments, to enjoy music and the slow moments of sitting in a garden. Their kissing would be a mess as Cantabile tries to tame Lappland while Lappland tries to set off the repressed violent spark in Cantabile. A true opposition of "I can fix her" versus "I can fix her by making her worse."

The relationship would be unstable, and eventually Lappland would on a date or field op try to trick Cantabile into the same room as one of the confidants of the arms dealer that abused and abandoned her. Peaceful endings would be possible, but Lappland needs her to hate and pushes the tense conversation in that direction. The first kill to be driven by her buried resentment sets something loose, a need to keep the momentum, and eventually her familiarity with Bolívar would let her outpace Lappland briefly as she took out the core leadership. The confusion and power vacuum would spark a war in the criminal underworld.

Lappland would be ecstatic about the results until she found Cantabile in the carnage. How do you stop fighting in that circumstance, when between the adrenaline and oripathy flare-up you can only remember meekness and complacency as surrendering to your abuser? Cantabile would accuse Lappland of trying to use her as a tool, misunderstanding the original intent. They would argue. They would fight. They would both fall.

The Rhodes Island team that recovers them might be able to save them, but both would be in critical condition. Officially though they die in the incident. If either survives it has to be in a way that deflects RI's accountability for them. They get paired off with different operators with more ties outside RI than inside, people picked by Kal'tsit and the Doctor to keep them in check, and they're sent to opposite ends of Terra.

Lappland comes out the clear loser, the failure making it harder to repress her deep self-esteem problems. She gets nightmares about failing Texas in the same way, and the thought of her causes anxiety attacks. Cantabile oscillates between withdrawn behavior and violent outbursts, having to retrace her original path of therapy while traveling.

[plaidbooks]

SFW Alphabet - Sonny Carisi

Karen asked when I was doing the SFW with Sonny, and I’m stuck on a fic, so I guess the answer is now. I haven’t decided if I’m doing the other two or not yet, I guess it depends if people want it?

Taglist: @the-baby-bookworm @beccabarba @thatesqcrush @itsjustmyfantasyroom @stardust-fray @permanentlydizzy @infiniteoddball @ben-c-group-therapy @glowingmess @whimsicallymad @lv7867 @storiesofsvu @reading--mermaid @averyhotchner​ @mrsrafaelbarba​ @detective-giggles​

(gif by @minidodds)

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Sonny is super affectionate—he needs to be touching you at all times. In public, it’s an arm around your shoulders or waist, a hand on your lower back or arm, his hand clutching yours. In private, he has you pulled against him, his fingertips trailing over you absentmindedly. He also loves cooking for you—it’s his love language. He knows your favorite dishes by heart and will make them on days you feel like crap, without you asking.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

You and Sonny bonded over drinks in a bar. The hockey game was on, and you were both rooting for Islanders, creating an instant bond between you two. Sonny is the best of best friends; he’s there for advice, to listen, to take your mind off things for a while. Even if he’s stuck at work (unless he’s actively in the field being shot at, or in front of a jury), he’ll text you, or take a break to listen to you vent if you need it. Also, growing up with all girls means he understands the intricacies of the things you may need, especially during that time of the month.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Sonny is the best at cuddling! Those limbs were made to wrap around you, holding you close to him. He’s fond of cuddling on the couch while watching bad reality TV or sports. If it’s too hot or you’re both expecting to get up (for food or drinks), then he’ll pull you close to his side, sitting with you comfortably. If it’s a lazy night in, then he’ll lay with you on the couch, tugging you against his long body, kissing you/your skin every now and again.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

Yes. Sonny wants a family—as soon as he finds the one, he’s full in; marriage, children, a house. He also loves cooking, but hates cleaning. He’ll clean his knives and the expensive pans he owns, but the rest can wait until morning. As for other cleaning, he likes vacuuming because he can dance like a goofball while doing it, but he hates doing laundry—folding clothes hurts his back.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

In person. Sonny’s not one to do it over phone/text. It hurts him as much as you, but he’ll sit with you and explain why it’s happening, every single detail. He’ll offer to still be friends (as long as it’s an amicable breakup), and he’s still a comfort to talk to after a breakup, even if it’s awkward at first.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Sonny has a set of questions that he goes through within the beginning stages of a relationship. Man’s looking for a wife and he doesn’t want to waste his time; if you don’t fall into his category of wife material, he’ll move on. But, if you pass all the tests, then he’s quick to move in/have you move in with him. He’s busy and at work often, so it takes him a little, but he’s proposing within a year of living together. Marriage takes a little longer, but Ma Carisi is texting him every day asking when it is.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

Sonny is the sweetest bean. He’s gentle, but knows how to be a little tougher if that’s what the situation calls for (thank you detective work). Every now and again, very rarely, he’ll say something really stupid, and you’ll give him a glare before he’s apologizing emphatically.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

Sonny is a hugger! He’ll hug you every time he meets up with you, even if you’ve only been out of the room for a couple minutes. He’s also fond of hugging you from behind, his lanky body folding against your back. He envelops you with those long limbs, pulling you close and rocking with you slightly.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

If you pass all his tests, then Sonny says it pretty quickly. Once he says it that first time, though, he’ll never stop saying it; whispering “I love you,” into the night, saying a quick “love ya!” before rushing out the door to work, “god, I love you,” he chuckles, shaking his head as you surprise him at work with food.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Sonny’s not the jealous type; he trusts you completely. Though, because of his time as detective, he does have a general distrust of guys, especially at bars. So, while he’s not jealous, he is protective. If he sees someone staring at you, he’ll put his arm around you, pulling you closer to him while glaring at the offender.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Most of the time, Sonny’s kisses are sloppy—he’s normally grinning or laughing, especially when he gets to kiss you! It makes him so giddy and excited. But for kisses where he’s serious/turned on already, then it’s more passionate, desperate, his tongue moving with yours. He likes to kiss you all over your face—any part of it. You make the cutest little giggle when he does. And he likes when you kiss his neck or chest—your lips are so soft against him and it makes his heart flutter.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

Uncle Sonny is the coolest uncle in existence! He watches the shows/movies/games with the kids and knows all their meme references. He’ll play Mario Kart (surprisingly well), talk about Pokemon, set up obstacle courses and forts to have nerf gun wars with them. He never runs out of energy until the kids are in bed (and then he crashes hard) and he gets to let his inner child out.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

On days that Sonny works, he’s up early to shower. Sometimes he makes it there right after waking up, sometimes you have lazy morning sex first. He owns an automatic coffee maker that was essential, and he has pre-made breakfast that he’ll pop in the microwave. Though, sometimes he doesn’t have time to eat. If you’re awake, too, he’ll spend the morning talking to you before dashing out the door. If you’re not up, he’s near-silent in the apartment, making sure not to wake you.

On days where Sonny’s off, he makes sure to stay in bed, cuddling with you. Sometimes, you’ll spend all day in bed, only getting up to use the bathroom or for food/drinks. Other times, he’ll drag himself sleepily out of bed, then make a huge breakfast, spending the morning talking and catching up with you.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Late nights in the office, he’ll come home and curl against you on the couch. If neither of you have eaten yet, then give him an hour to decompress and he’ll make dinner…or you can convince him to order takeout. Otherwise, it’s leftovers that you’ll reheat for him, catching up on the day.

Days off, Sonny spends rememorizing you—not just your body, but your mind, too, and why he fell in love with you. He’ll stay up all night chatting with you, if that’s what you want. Otherwise, he’ll take you to bed, spending half the night caressing you with his hands and mouth.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

His personal life—his family and early years—he’ll talk about freely. It’s only when you get to his life as a cop/detective, and then lawyer, that he’s hesitant. Sonny doesn’t want to scare you with the gruesome details of past cases, whether they were resolved or not—they still keep him up at night; he doesn’t need to do that to you, too. And he never really does talk about details of cases; he’ll give you the broad strokes, but that’s about it. He also won’t tell you about the traumatic things (the car crash, the gun in his face) unless you were there for them, and even then, he’ll try and brush it off as nothing.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

For the most part, Sonny has infinite patience. But there’s a couple things that set him off, or if you happen to catch him on a bad day, his patience will be thin. He’s quicker to anger since becoming an ADA, but that’s only because he’s still a fish fighting against the stream. And even then, it’s only while in the thick of it—most days are fine. But a few cases have got him so worked up, he’ll be in a bad mood when he comes home. It’s nothing that cuddling and soft words can’t fix, though.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

Sonny’s mind works in weird ways—he’s forgotten your birthstone (though he knows your birthday!), but he’ll remember the coffee you ordered on your first date. He knows a good deal about you, and he remembers the important things (allergies, birthdays, anniversaries), but he’ll forget things like when he went to the store and you asked him to grab a gallon of milk. It’s a hit or miss on what he remembers.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

The first time you both kissed. Sonny was nervous; he wanted to wait until the third date, like a good little Catholic boy, but you were putting the moves on him and he couldn’t stop himself. He made sure to ask you first, and you gave your consent. The moment his lips touched yours, his life changed forever—he knew in that moment that he loved you, with all his heart. As much of a cliché as it is, when you kissed, there were fireworks, and he was so excited, he forgot to continue kissing you. You leaned back, eyebrow raised, but he hadn’t moved, his eyes closed, a dreamy smile on his face. When he came to and realized what had happened, he apologized, and you chuckled before kissing him again.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

Sometimes, Sonny goes all out for dates. Other times, he takes you for a simple walk through the park, fingers interlaced. Anniversaries, however, he goes above and beyond, making sure to take your breath away every time. He likes giving you gifts, and they are thoughtful. He can somehow always sense when you’ve had a bad day, and a coffee and cannoli will appear on your desk, with a heart on a sticky note. Dinner is what he puts a lot of effort into, even if he brushes it off, and he makes an effort to talk to you at least once a day, catching up on your day.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Sonny makes a mess of the bathroom counter—half empty cologne bottles, gel tubs, combs and brushes everywhere. He takes up more space than you, trying to make sure he’s presentable in court. You’ve tried to clean up/rearrange, but he’ll destroy it by the next morning. He also has a bad habit of stacking dishes in the sink (except his expensive ones), claiming to wash them tomorrow, but tomorrow never seems to come.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

On work days, Sonny is very concerned about looking good for the courts. He’s slowly collecting dress shirts and ties, making sure he has plenty of gel for his hair, and having a different cologne for every day of the week.

On days he’s off, Sonny cannot force himself to care about his looks. He’ll still gel his hair out of habit—and to keep the strands out of his eyes—but even that’s only if he’s going out. If he’s staying inside, then he won’t even do that.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

As soon as you’re living together, you’re a part of him. Sonny needs someone to hold and love, and vice versa; he needs some cuddles and a listening ear every now and again. After moving in, it’s very unlikely he’d break up with you—you complete him.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

Sonny’s ticklish on his hips/stomach. One day, he came home from work upset, trying to bury himself in work on the coffee table. It was a Friday, and the trial wasn’t until Monday, so you told him to relax. But he couldn’t just relax, he had arguments to prepare. So, you forced him to his feet, telling him that he had to have one dance with you, and then he could stress about work. He was still grumbling as you swayed together in the living room, even though he was fighting a smile. So, you tickled him until he was breathless from laughter, tears in his eyes. He relaxed after that, talking to you about his shitty day. And after unloading all of that, his mind was clearer, and he was able to make his arguments in the trial easier.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

Sonny doesn’t like drunks—he’ll have a crazy night with you every now and again, or have a beer with dinner, but he’s not interested in taking care of you multiple times a week; if he needs to be an adult, so do you. He also doesn’t like partners who are clingy—physically clingy is fine (man must be touching you, remember), but emotionally? Nah, especially because he’ll have some early mornings and late nights at work and won’t be home for most of the day. If you can’t handle that, then it’s not going to work out.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs?)

Sonny has mild insomnia. He takes medication for it, but when the cases are bad, he’ll have trouble sleeping, even after a night of making love to you (though that can help). Sometimes, he’ll lay awake until the wee hours of the morning, listening to your soft breathing, finally drifting off only to be awoken a few hours later by his alarm.

[fishmongeringstudies]

twenty one: i keep waking up in rooms i don't recognize and then realizing that i am still dreaming. my therapist says this is a symptom of a dislocated knee. i have not gone running since march. everyone that i know is lying to me

when i was a kid my parents used to take us to the same restaurant for brunch every sunday. it was on the first floor of a shopping mall which had big panes of glass stitched together for a ceiling and consequently let in far more natural light than your average building, but the restaurant itself was dark. moody. the walls were black and so was all the upholstery. the coffee mugs the waitresses served you coffee in were so dark you couldn't tell how full they were unless you looked extra hard at them, which i rarely did. in most memories of this place i'm seven or eight and i only drink two things: lemon tea and milk. so i'm sitting there with my frosted plastic cup of lemon tea, methodically stirring in my syrup with a skinny metal spoon because they make their lemon tea from scratch here which means no sugar and lots of tea, and my parents are drinking from their big adult mugs, and my sister's picking apart the roasted tomato on my dad's plate, and life, well. life is simple. good.

i can't remember when we stopped going there but i know that by the time i was nine and traipsing around in the hallways of the chinese primary school my parents had transferred me to, it had closed down and been replaced with some other restaurant whose name and shape i can't recall. well before i turned sixteen that entire wing of the first floor was demolished and replaced with the monstrosity that is singapore's flagship muji store. the muji's still there today. it's got a retail area and a few showrooms showcasing lifestyle choices for the upper-middle class citizen and a cafe with a dining area marked out by eclectic hanging decor that looks like a hundred little wastepaper baskets made from twine tied together to form a spotty mural of sorts. i'm fond of the cafe. their desserts are on the expensive side but they're thoughtfully made and look pretty in pictures, prettier in person.

your childhood years are one of those things that gets shinier the further away you stand from it, like how a bad experience becomes bittersweet by necessity if you give it long enough or you'll be stuck carrying that baggage with you forever. looking back, for example, on spring, i am inclined to see the educational takeaways instead of the moments in which my brain shut off and was replaced with a vat of screaming kittens. in this way we propel ourselves forward with the wisdom of the past, scrounged together from moments of pain and deep embarrassment. in this way we find ways to stay alive.

this summer i have wound up in upperclassmen housing by some unfortunate trick of fate. my apartment suite has five bedrooms but only four of them are occupied; i live in the room at the end of the hallway. my flatmates live in the next three. it has been five days since i moved in and i am convinced all of them think that they are living with a cryptid constructed in the scp containment breach format and unsure how to let them know that they are correct without making it personal. last night i woke up after a brief period of dreaming to use the bathroom; while washing my hands in the sink one of my flatmates walked past in the hallway behind me. 'hey, it's you,' she said. 'i feel like i haven't seen you forever. i mean. i've seen you, but i haven't seen seen you, you feel me?' asleep on my feet and ready to crash facefirst into bed, i nodded. 'yes.' she stood there for a few seconds as if expecting me to say more, but i had a vending machine for a brain at the moment and couldn't find it in me to press any more buttons. i certainly could've tried. but i was tired.

when i got on campus in february i resolved to sign up for therapy sessions with the school's mental health services since i was paying an ungodly amount for 'health insurance' (not a thing in singapore, really; not necessary in most places except america, really) anyway and i might as well make use of some small part of the astronomical sum that had been deposited in the pockets of some old white people i would likely never meet in my life. i got as far as filling out the form embedded in the school website and opening the automated email i received a few days later asking me to list my free times each week. i forgot about the rest. we are therefore entering the summer of my twentieth year without a goddamn clue what the inside of my head looks like apart from the fact that it must be pretty cool in there. it has to be cool. if it isn't cool what's the point of holding onto any of it anyway? we live for the spice of life. like garlic powder. cumin. oyster sauce.

this morning i went to target to look for sugar. the dining hall here doesn't do any of its vegetables justice but their desserts are to die for, and i've found myself suffering from a mild withdrawal since i started scrambling eggs and boiling about five hundred grams of cauliflower a day for the sheer therapeutic effect of it and because i don't really know any better. the target near campus is located in a shopping mall and surrounded by miles of parking space on both ends. while walking back across that stretch of empty parking space, i came across a smear of orange on the pavement. it was an orange. or it had been. the rind had been ground into the gravely surface of the road by a repetitive smoothing action so that it looked less like a bit of roadkill and more like it had been there all along. i can't stop thinking about that orange. who the fuck drops an orange in the middle of a road? why didn't they pick it up?

i have been cursed with an idea. it came to me last night before i fell asleep and it has been sitting on my shoulder since then like the devil in the popular angel-and-devil writing device which all nine year olds are taught by their teachers in chinese class, whispering to me about how great things will be if i can teach myself the fundamentals of sound design in three days. unfortunately it is when one decides to start a war that they are forced to confront their contacts list and the vast, untraceable geography of its contents. i cannot tell you if anything will result from this. but i hope that it will.

back when i still talked to her i mentioned the idea of doing puzzles to soothe the mind once and she took to it with so much genuine enthusiasm (she was always enthusiastic. too enthusiastic. enthusiasm was the problem, and the lack of willingness to curtail it the thing that eventually nailed the coffin shut) that i went to target the next weekend and bought a set of four puzzles depicting various scenes from old disney films. over the last two weeks i have done each puzzle three times, save for the last one, in which mickey and minnie mouse waltz down a red carpet and the people on the sidelines cheer for them with champagne moustaches and glittering beads for eyes. i cannot decide if this is meaningful. i cannot see the point of summer. but i am trying.

i don't remember the name of that sunday brunch restaurant. i don't remember the names of a lot of places our parents brought us when we were children, but my sister has been on a nostalgia trip since april and sends me screenshots of old pc games we used to play together from time to time. ernie's adventures in space. timmy's sea adventures. barbie island princess. i open each image and feel something inside of me physically ache in response. it appears that despite my best efforts, i will never be seven years old again.

i'm not a huge fan of lemon tea anymore. i prefer water. how it cleanses the palate like a vacuum cleaner sucking up all the dust and grime in a musty room. it's hard to distinguish between the inside and the outside of a thing when both are the color of a blood-red sunset but we try our best, you know? we draw lines on the sidewalk with chalk and we say 'here is my side of the universe and here is yours'. we act diplomatic when inside we are drunk and slurring our words all over the bartender's white vest. and then, because there is nothing else to do on this planet, we keep on living.

06.10.21

[sirmontgomery]

Such Beauty | Self Para

Title:  Such Beauty Timeframe: Three years ago.  Tagging: Alec York and Graham Montgomery.    Total: 1,642  Triggers: Terminal Illness. Hospitals. Major surgery. Death.    Notes: Complete.

"Are you scared?"

"Of a little surgery...?" Graham smiled. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

Alec reached out and took Graham's hand, a small smile on his lips, which didn't quite reach his eyes. It was still a happy smile but Graham could tell that his husband was tired. The treatment they'd undertaken to shrink the tumor had taken its toll on Alec's body. It showed in his energy, which seemed to come in spurts.

"I've seen you reading that brochure at least a dozen times the past two hours." He chuckled. "You must have it memorized."

Graham realized he'd still been holding it in his free hand. The one not occupied by Alec's.

He set it down with a little laugh. Wiped his hand on his jeans. He realized his palms were a bit sweaty.

"I just want to be prepared," said Graham. It was partly his nature as a Dominant and a person. Ever since he was a young boy Graham always needed to have all the facts. His father had always been a responsible person and Graham fashioned parts of himself after Gregory. Another part of this preparedness was also military training. He wasn't a doctor, wasn't an expert, but that didn't mean he had to be useless. He wouldn't be the soldier on the front line but he could have the six of the soldier next to him.

Alec lifted his hand briefly from Graham's hand to stroke his cheek before closing his palm over Graham's again.

"Are you prepared?" asked Alec. There was something in his tone that Graham didn't like.

Graham blinked and stared. He was asking something Graham had kept at quite a distance for a very long time. "Well, the complications of the surgery...seem big..." said Graham carefully. "Though the doctor says these sorts of risks come with any surgery." Graham would be vague in his answer if that's what Alec wanted. "We're doing our part."

They'd chosen the aggressive therapies they had in order to attack the enemy. Cause the tumor to shrink. Get in with a scalpel and finish the job.

"Graham."

The Dominant stood. "The nurse should be by to check on your fluids," he checked on his watch. "Who is it today?" He went to a pile of his things and disentangled a planner from his coat and bag. There were many assorted personal items in that bag, from toothpaste, to deodorant, to dry shampoo and granola bars. "I think it might be Flores," he said casually over his shoulder, finger sliding down the pages.

"It's okay to be scared," said Alec. He had shifted his head on the pillow.

Graham felt his chest tighten. He shook his head. "Why should I be scared?" Graham asked. "I'm not scared."

Alec smirked. "Bullshit."

That's partly what Graham had loved about Alec. He wasn't afraid to call Graham out. He also gave him permission to feel the things he was afraid of feeling. It put Graham at ease to take action. To do all the reading. To keep up on the research articles online. To study the tips in all the forums at odd hours while Alec slept.

"I know you watch me..." said Alec. "At night. Like...it's intense." Alec swallowed. "Like you're waiting for something."

Graham never knew Alec woke in the night.

"Sometimes I watch you too."

He closed the planner and looked at the dark haired sub. "I'm listening," Graham said, finally. "Not watching." Graham held the planner in his hands as he walked back to Alec's bedside. "I'm listening to hear you breathing."

There were many fears that Graham had about what was happening and what was to come. The scariest ones were the things Graham pictured could happen that they didn't see coming. Alec not breathing in the middle of the night because his blood pressure dropped or because a tube wasn't giving him enough fluids or a million other things...all kept Graham up.

"I'm telling our kids that their father was a creep," said Alec.

Graham barked out a laugh. It was unexpected. Alec had the most unexpected talent for bringing Graham out of himself.

"Actually," said Graham. "I was looking at what work we might be able to ask the plastic surgeon to do on you whilst you're under. You know...combine cosmetic with medical..." His humor never would've been so macabre before. This seemed to lighten both of their moods.

"Oh please," Alec rolled his eyes. "You think I'm perfect. What could you possibly want done? God made me a work of art."

Graham smiled down at Alec and ran his fingers over Alec's scalp. His hair had thinned some because of the medicine but they'd had to shave it for the surgery anyway. "He did."

Alec grabbed Graham's hand again. He kissed it.

"If something happens..."

"It won't." Graham shook his head.

"If something happens..." Alec pressed forward. "I want you to...find someone. I want you to find someone."

"Alec."

"I mean, obviously they won't be like me." He smiled. "You know. I want you to be happy."

Graham sighed heavily. Looked down.

"I mean, don't be too happy."

Graham gave a watery laugh. Shook his head.

"Like obviously not as happy as you were with me." Alec smiled tiredly. "But it's okay to be happy."

"I won't be happy," said Graham. "I'll be grumpy."

Alec rolled his eyes.

"I mean think of the paperwork you'll have left me with."

Alec gave a belly laugh. It was enough to crinkle the corner of Graham's eyes. They'd avoided having this talk for so long that Graham felt like it was for nothing. All that fear. This was easy. This was like walking the elephant out of the room and remembering its presence as one did a fond trip to the circus. Amusing to think about but rarely revisted.

"I know you hate paperwork," said Alec. "God, remember that time in third year..."

"Krazinski," Graham chuckled.

"You were in charge of his detail for the duty day and that man couldn't keep out of trouble to save his life."

"How he ever made it to graduation day, I'll never know," said Graham.

"You spent an hour talking to the commander and then another two filling out all those forms saying what happened."

"It was testimony from the others I had to sign as well. It started with that vacuum bin full of the dust that never seemed to fully be clear from the duty hall. He executed a facing movement right into the drill instructor on his way to empty it."

Alec laughed again and held his sides. "Didn't he drop that trash bag too?" Krazinski had. Some of it got on the drill instructor's uniform after they both fell.

Graham smiled and turned on the dim lamp above Alec's bed. He turned off the overhead fluorescents and moved back to his seat. He could tell Alec was getting tired. Besides, his big surgery was the next morning and Graham had been adamant about a bedtime. He'd even set an alarm for it on his phone; it would vibrate soon to let Graham know. But Graham already knew.

“And you got out of having to sign paperwork. Somehow.” Graham rolled his eyes this time.

"Remember when we..."

Graham nodded. "Week before grad week," he knew what Alec was going to mention. "We spent that whole leave in that sweet little town. Our unit was the one with all those merits from the instruction team. You were happy to sign then."

Alec relaxed, as if soothed by Graham's remembering. "That whole time I kept thinking...you were holding something in." He smiled, closing his eyes. "You know I thought you were going to break up with me."

Graham's brows lifted.

"I remember some talk with your parents. About whether or not to invite that ex of yours. His father was going to come or something." Alec yawned. "I was worried...you two had been in touch."

Graham didn't know how to feel about that. Everything outside of this room had seemed eons away. Distant islands to what they were experiencing now in the present. The mention of Cassius' name caused a twinge in Graham's heart but he didn't know why. He wasn't sure what to say in this moment. Cassius was always a love present in his heart. Though his love for Alec had grown somehow beside it in Graham's heart, in the spaces around it. Something that was hard to explain if he should ever have a need to put it into words. Thankfully, Graham never needed to.

Strange how the strands of fate worked. He had once thought it his fate to be with Cassius. To have a family with him. To be his Dominant. Then that relationship ended. In the shambles of those dreams...in the fraying of that strand...he'd found another fate. The end of that relationship had led him into Alec's arms. Perhaps that might have been his fate all along. Though that didn't sit right in Graham's heart either, for some reason.

Graham brought Alec's hand up to his lips and gave their enclosed fingers a kiss. "It was that week on leave when I proposed to you..." he reminded the submissive. Graham remembered everything about it. The trip up the lake. A boat ride surrounded by swans. They'd made love in a clearing just after.

"I see now..." Alec whispered, eyes still closed. "Such beauty...such beauty you have brought me."

Graham's heart twisted. He felt his gut clench. He took Alec's hand though his husband was now asleep. Graham could tell by his breathing pattern.

"You have to be happy," he murmured.

Graham wondered if he was dreaming.

He hoped it was a good dream. As Graham turned off the light above Alec's bed he knew that he wouldn't sleep.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. Graham silenced the alarm letting him know it was time for lights out.

He couldn't let go of Alec's hand. He didn't the whole night.

[the-renegade-child-of-time]

Time Lord Physiology

*Name of TV episode, novel, audioplay or comic this is referenced or shown in is in italics*

External Anatomy:

Gallifreyans are identical to humans in their appearance

Gallifreyan children age at a similar rate to human children (The Sound of Drums) but upon hitting puberty their ageing would slow with their teenage years lasting for decades (Legacy of the Daleks) 

When fatally injured or sick, Gallifreyans have the ability to regenerate when they would usually die

If injured, but not severely enough to require regeneration, a Gallifreyan can slip into a “healing coma” where they would appear dead but they can dedicate all their energy to healing (Inferno, Planet of the Daleks, EarthWorld, Vanishing Point)

Some Gallifreyans can change their eye colour without the need for regeneration (Vampire Science, Doctor Who and the Daemons)

Gallifreyans are superior physically to humans (Terror of the Autons)

Gallifreyan bones can withstand pressures and impacts which would shatter human bones (The End of Time)

Gallifreyans have resistances to both extreme cold (Tomb of the Cybermen, Planet of the Ood) and extreme heat (The End of the World)

Gallifreyans can survive exposure to vacuums for brief periods (The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe)

Gallifreyans can resist higher-frequency sounds which would deafen a human (The Christmas Invasion, Partners in Crime)

There is a vulnerable nerve cluster in a Gallifreyan’s left shoulder which can disable them if hit (Set Piece)

Gallifreyan reflexes and dexterity are far above humans with the ability to perform actions which humans can’t (Terror of the Autons, The End of the World, The Doctor’s Daughter)

Gallifreyans can see in the dark (Lucifer Rising) and notice incredible amounts of detail from distances which humans would find impossible (The Eleventh Hour)

Gallifreyans can identify substances by taste including specific details about the composition of the material (The Christmas Invasion, Bad Therapy, Tooth and Claw, The Idiot’s Lantern, The Eleventh Hour, Day of the Moon, The Time of the Angels, Dinosaurs on a Spaceship)

Internal Anatomy:

Gallifreyan blood is darker in colour than human blood and has an orange tint to it (The Two Doctors)

Gallifreyans have a two hearts (The Power of Three, The Doctor’s Daughter) but can survive with only one working heart although in a greatly weakened state (The Shakespeare Code, The Power of Three)

Gallifreyans have 2 extra ribs compared to humans giving them a total of 26 ribs (Blood Heat)

Gallifreyans natural body temperature of 15°C/59°F (Blood of the Daleks)

Gallifreyan brains are larger and more complex than human brains (The Brain of Morbius)

Gallifreyans can separate their brain hemispheres allowing them a greater ability to multitask (Island of Death)

Gallifreyan lungs are the same size as humans but they have extra pulmonary tubes similar to a lymphatic system to supply oxygen to their dual hearts this also makes them naturally buoyant in water (Island of Death)

Gallifreyans can survive longer without oxygen to the point that a human would be unconscious (The Two Doctors, Mummy on the Orient Express)

Gallifreyans do not need as much sleep as humans and can survive on as little as one hour of sleep (The Talons of Weng-Chiang, Mummy on the Orient Express, Night and the Doctor, The Highlanders)

Gallifreyans are immune to the effects of helium gas and some anaesthetic gases (The Robots of Death)

Gallifreyan skin has a deeper subdural and subcutaneous layer which gives them greater durability (Burning Heart)

Gallifreyan DNA has a triple helix structure (The Crystal Bucephalus, Doctormania)

Gallifreyan bodies can reject and expel cyanide (The Unicorn and the Wasp)

Gallifreyans can and do have allergic reactions to specific substances (The Caves of Androzani)

Other Abilities:

Gallifreyans can share a telepathic link with each other allowing long distance conversations (The Three Doctors, The Pirate Planet)

Gallifreyans are largely resistant to mind control (The War Machines, The Green Death)

Gallifreyans have several mental manipulation abilities including: hypnosis (Terror of the Autons, The Ribos Operation, Fear Her), mind-reading (The Girl in the Fireplace), sharing thoughts (The End of Time), relief of mental disorders (The Shakespeare Code), inducing sleep or unconsciousness (Listen), influencing dreams (The Eleventh Hour), transferring knowledge (The Lodger), and memory erasure (Journey’s End)

Gallifreyans have the ability to sense all possible timelines radiating from an event (The Parting of the Ways, The Fires of Pompeii) including negated timelines (Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS)

Gallifreyans can sense, and have a instinctual repulsion to, fixed points in time (Utopia)

[longisland-derm]

Butt Cupping Long Island

The Vacuum Therapy Butt Cupping procedure uses specialized negative pressure and suction in order to help stimulate the tissue along a patient’s backside or buttocks. This will help to loosen and release damaged connective tissue that may have become hardened and damaged over the years. This gives patients a freshly rejuvenated look and feel to their skin, and works wonders for the appearance and contours of the buttocks.

[spaceexp]

New Research Activated as Biological Samples Packed for Earth Return Aboard Dragon

ISS - Expedition 55 Mission patch. April 20, 2018 The outside of the International Space Station is a harsh environment but scientists are taking advantage of the extreme conditions to conduct advanced space research. Astronauts are also researching what happens to a variety of organisms living for months at a time inside a spacecraft as NASA prepares for longer missions farther out into space.

Image above: NASA astronaut Scott Tingle tends to plants grown inside the VEGGIE facility in support of space botany research. Image Credit: NASA. The fifth and final external materials experiment (MISSE) delivered by the latest SpaceX Dragon resupply ship was activated outside the orbital lab today. Robotics engineers operating the Canadarm2 and Dextre extracted and installed the MISSE canisters one by one from Dragon’s trunk to areas on the station. The canisters were then remotely opened exposing a variety of materials to the vacuum of space to help engineers design safer and stronger spacecraft systems. Back inside the orbital lab, Flight Engineer Scott Tingle of NASA harvested and photographed plants for the APEX-06 study today. The botanical samples collected from the VEGGIE facility were later processed and stowed in a science freezer for return to Earth inside the Dragon cargo craft. They will be analyzed after being quickly shipped to scientists at NASA and the University of Wisconsin. NASA Flight Engineers Ricky Arnold and Drew Feustel once again partnered up and collected their blood and urine samples today for more biomedical experiments. Researchers are analyzing the samples as they continuously study how the human body adapts to extended periods of weightlessness. Results will help doctors provide therapies to maintain the health of astronauts in space and humans on Earth.

Image above: "The Enchanted Islands of #Ecuador – the Galápagos," were photographed by NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold, currently aboard the International Space Station with the Expedition 55 crew. This view from more than 200 miles above our Earth shows the cloud-covered Galápagos Islands and sunglint in the waters off the coast of Ecuador on April 13, 2018, as the station orbited above the Pacific Ocean. Image Credit: NASA/Ricky Arnold. Mice are also being observed on the space station so scientists can detect the chemical signals that lead to weakened bones and muscles. Japanese astronaut Norishige Kanai drew more blood samples from the rodents today and wrapped up a week-long run of the Mouse Stress Defense experiment. The blood samples will be processed in a centrifuge, stowed in biological science freezer then returned to Earth inside Dragon for analysis on Earth. Related links: MISSE: https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/features/SpaceX_Dragon_Brings_Material_Samples_to_ISS.html APEX-06: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7524 VEGGIE facility: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=374 SpaceX Dragon: https://www.nasa.gov/spacex Expedition 55: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition55/index.html Space Station Research and Technology: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html Images (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Mark Garcia/Yvette Smith. Best regards, Orbiter.ch Full article

[raisingsupergirl]

Never Not Learning

So my oldest daughter got stuck in this seat the other weekend...twice. And it made me wonder, just how old does the dog have to be before it stops learning tricks? I've been around thirty-one years, and I really thought I'd have life figured out by now. I mean, I went to school for eighteen years, finally finishing up with my masters in physical therapy. But I've been out for eight years now, and people just keep expecting me to learn new stuff! The thing is, it's not book stuff. I like book stuff. I'm good at book stuff. But now, people are expecting me to learn other stuff. The stuff they don't teach in school. The stuff that saves marriages, friendships, careers, and futures.

I don't like making people mad. Never have. I think it's equal parts southern hospitality, Christian sensibility, and fear of conflict. And the end result is one of the only stresses I carry—worrying that someone, somewhere, thinks negatively of me. Now, I get that not everyone is like me. In fact, maybe I'm not even in the majority. I realize that people give less craps when they get older, and some people are just raised to be… blunt, to put it nicely. But that's not me. I can't stand when someone thinks poorly of me, or when I hurt someone's feelings. Which really isn't a problem when I'm in my natural state (completely alone with absolutely no one around to please or impress), but there are just so many people in the world. And it seems like a heck of a lot of them expect things from me.

Family, friends, coworkers, acquaintances, random people on the street. They all require consideration and compassion. I really don't want to use the term, "emotional vampires," but I'm having trouble coming up with anything else (yes, I realize this is an introvert problem, but that's what I am, and if you're not, I bet you know one. So give me a break). And it seems like the older I get, the more aware I become of these requirements. And the more I think I may have grown up painfully oblivious to social sensitivities that "normal" folks take for granted. Then again, maybe everyone's a jerk and only some of us strive to make a change. Yeah, that one seems more accurate.

That's not to say most people don't naturally get better with time. In a vacuum, there are plenty of adults who couldn't care less about how their social interactions affect other people. But when you work with teenagers as often as I do, you grow to appreciate even the faintest of polite interactions.

It really is crazy. We take civil conversations for granted, but high schoolers seem hell-bent on destroying society as we know it. They just don't get why everyone doesn't believe exactly how they do, and it frustrates them to no end (to be fair, it frustrates me to no end as well, but I've learned to swallow my rage). And when I try explaining my old man wisdom, they stare at me like I'm crazy. Which isn't surprising since I'm just now figuring this whole thing out myself. But all the social conflicts I've had lately have finally connected all the pieces that I've been collecting my whole life. And, believe it or not, I've actually started to enjoy the challenge.

I've never been competitive (fear of conflict, remember?), but I've always loved a challenge. Nothing's ever been out of reach for me. I'm not easily intimidated or distracted. It's just that I've never had a reason to improve my social skills. But if living in a house with three girls isn't a compelling reason, I don't know what is.

So here I am, embracing the social sciences, evaluating body language and tone, emotional transference and long-term investments. I'm far from perfect, but at least I'm finally trying. I'm applying these concepts and efforts to my natural desire to please others (no matter how exhausting they are), and it's almost, well… fun. Almost. Sometimes I'd still rather live alone on a tropical island. After all, if I went crazy enough, maybe I could find a volleyball that "gets" me. Here's hoping.

[talesofmundanemagic]

Gertie and Bridget go on holiday

Bridget heaved her suitcase onto what she declared “her” bed and dropped herself down next to it. She threw her sweater (which she had been forced to remove in the airport due to the heat) onto the floor, and let out a long, contented sigh.

“Thanks for the offer, sis, but I got this.” Gertie said sarcastically as she dragged her suitcase into their room and left it at the foot of her bed. In her other hand was a black and white portable hatbox, and inside sat her most prized possession - her storage hat. Using magic, it held her entire collection, stored in rows and rows of individual hat boxes.

“You’re fine,” Bridget responded, and unzipped her suitcase to change into shorts.

Spring in the family’s home state of Tornstead was barely warmer than winter, and for this reason the family took the time to escape the chilly weather and bask in the sun of Lucembrine. The island state was famous for its beaches and sun, aquariums for the young, and wine tasting for the adults.

The cottage they had rented had a full kitchen, two bedrooms (“If you start snoring again, I won’t hesitate to throw a pillow at you,” Gertie had told Bridget. “Like it would reach,” she’d retorted with a playful grin), two full bathrooms, a kitchen, and - most importantly - a beach right out the back door.

“A TV!” Gertie declared upon opening the ornate dresser that was taller than she was. She sat on her bed and clicked it on.

Theodore Mallon, their father, walked into the room to find his daughters watching an episode of a pirate cartoon.

“Did we really travel all this way just for you two to watch TV?” he asked.

“It’s Lucembrine TV dad!” Gertie protested.

“It’s totally different,” Bridget added jokingly.

He sighed. “Isn’t that what you do when you’re at school?”

“At school we do homework.” Bridget said, rising up on her elbows to get a better angle of the TV. “And basketball, and studying.”

“And magic,” Gertie added.

Their dad rubbed his forehead. “Do I have to hear about that here?”

“Well,” Gertie explained. “We don’t have a TV at school.”

Eloise, the girls’ mother, slipped into the room and put her hands on Theodore’s shoulders. “Can’t we just have a nice family vacation?” she asked everyone.

“That’s what we’re here for,” the girls said in unison and laughed.

“We’re going to get settled in,” Eloise said, pulling her husband out the bedroom door before he could protest again.

A dog appeared in the cartoon, barking in the sunlight on the pirate’s ship.

Bridget sighed. “I miss Ziggy.”

“Yeah, well, he wouldn’t be able to cross the ocean,” Gertie said. Ghosts always had problems with salt, even when dissolved. It was why Ziggy, their ghost dog, hated popcorn and pretzels. “Besides, dad would blow a gasket.”

“So would the government of Lucembrine,” Bridget pointed out.

Gertie shrugged. “Dad’s scarier,” she joked.

The TV flickered and the lights in the room dimmed for a minute.

“Mom!” Gertie shouted. “There’s something wrong with the TV!”

“And lights!” Bridget added.

Their dad appeared in the door again.

“Yes, that’s why we got such a good deal,” he flapped the shirt he had been in the middle of hanging, trying to get rid of the wrinkles. “Apparently there’ve been some intermittent electrical issues. Nothing dangerous, of course.”

Gertie balked. “We’re all gonna die.”

***

Later that evening, after returning to the house from a nearby aquarium, Gertie was enjoying the second to last book in the Flowers of Dark Meadow series, and Bridget was scrolling through the latest in sports news, when her skin itched in the way that meant something magical was nearby. She scanned the room, looking to see if there was something her spelled left eye could see that her normal right eye couldn’t.

And there it was.

“Gertie…” she said, closing her laptop.

Gertie shushed her. “I’m at a good point let me just-”

“Gertie.”

“I have to finish this chapter-”

“GERTIE!” Bridget shouted, pulling the book from her hands.

“Ok, ok,” Gertie sat up. “What?”

“There’s a ghost in here.” Bridget flicked her eyes back to the corner of the room. The spirit glared back at her, his ghostly form shivering in anger. “One on the verge of becoming a poltergeist from the look of it.”

Gertie sighed and grabbed her laptop from her backpack. “Ok, let’s hope the wifi doesn’t crap out on us.”

***

On her way to the rental car with Theodore, Eloise realized she had forgotten her purse and turned back to the cottage. She was ready to grab it from the kitchen counter and head back out. Instead, she found her daughters sitting cross legged on the floor with salt sprinkled around them in a big oval. A black top hat sat upside down in between them.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

Gertie panicked. “Nothing!”

“Weren’t you going to the grocery store?” Bridget asked, trying to be more subtle.

Eloise crossed her arms. “I forgot my purse.”

“Oh,” Bridget glanced up. “Well, it’s right there on the counter so you can just-”

“Girls.”

“There’s a poltergeist,” Gertie said.

“An almost-poltergeist,” Bridget corrected.

“The only licensed handler open during the holiday is two hours away,” Gertie explained, “and his prices are way above the quality of work he provides, according to his online reviews.”

Eloise couldn’t believe was she was hearing. “So you decided to take care of it yourselves?”

Gertie bounced a bit in place. “I’m going to try out the ghost therapy hat that Great Grandpa Gregory gave me!”

“You know it’s illegal to practice magic without a proper license in Lucembrine right?” Eloise asked.

Gertie and Bridget looked at each other.

“You’re licensed,” Bridget said.

Gertie nodded. “That’s why I was even able to get my collection here in the first place. If you were here when we were practicing then technically...”

Eloise’s cell phone rang. It was Theodore.

“Hi honey,” she said after answering. “I’m actually going to spend some time with the girls. You go on ahead.”

“Is there anything else we need?” Theodore asked on the other side of the call.

Eloise looked back at the salt circle her daughters were drawing for her. “Salt.”

With their mother satisfactorily safe inside another salt circle, the girls sat back within theirs. Gertie checked the label on the seam of the hat again, going over the incantation one more time. She placed the hat just outside the circle of salt, so the spirit wouldn’t be barred from entering it.

“Squirth oo flithum wendri’or plepp!”

The hat lit up from the inside, creating a blue spotlight on the ceiling of the cottage. There was a sucking sound, like a vacuum that had gotten stuck on a pencil. Bridget watched as the ghost, spying on them from the ceiling, got sucked down into the hat.

The blue spotlight switched off, and the hat’s ribbon glowed eggshell white.

“Perfect!” Gertie said. She promptly stood and stepped out of the salt circle. Before Eloise could stop her, she scooped the hat up and placed it on her head.

Her face twisted into the expression that Bridget had seen the malevolent spirit wear.

“Oh, look what you’ve done now,” she said with a grimace, staring down at herself. “What is this foolishness?”

“Hi,” Bridget said to Gertie, trying to get the spirit that had possessed her sister to focus on her. “My name is Bridget. What’s your name?”

Gertie’s head snapped up to glare at Bridget. “Bartholomew Barbill. What are you doing in my house?”

Bridget swallowed nervously. “My family rented this cottage for the week.”

“Well, you’re not welcome here,” the spirit said, making Gertie plop her fists at her waist. “No one is! This is the Barbill house. I don’t know why we’ve had so many strangers lately-”

“The owner of this house…” Bridget looked over to her mom.

“Anthony Barbill,” Eloise supplied.

“Has been renting it out-”

“Ridiculous!” the ghost said. “The Barbills have lived here for centuries! I grew up in this house! We are not leaving.”

“I think you already have,” Bridget said.

“No, we have not. If you will kindly pack your things, I’m sure my family will be back soon.”

Eloise handed Bridget her phone. On the screen was an email from Anthony Barbill.

I’m so glad you’re interested in the Barbill House, it read. My family has been living there for centuries. It’s a wonderful place, just a bit small for my three kids, my husband and I. We’ve since relocated. I have such wonderful memories of the house from my childhood; I’m sure you’ll have a lovely time.

The rest of the email detailed information about the beach and the steps required to rent.

Bridget handed the phone to Gertie, who read it angrily, before her expression melted into one of pain.

“Then where are they?” Bartholomew asked. “Where did they move?”

Bridget looked to her mother.

“I think their office was in Braewight, on the mainland,” Eloise said, she motioned to the business cards on the countertop.

Gertie strode over and picked one up, staring at it.

The lights flickered.

“Bartholomew?” Bridget said softly.

Gertie’s hand crushed the card.

“Why?” Bartholomew cried, dropping onto all fours.

Tears streamed from Gertie’s eyes. Electricity started sparking around her, a sign of the ghost’s pain and anger. She pounded the floor as Bartholomew screamed in anguish.

The lights flared white hot before turning off all together.

“Mom?” Bridget shouted, over the noise of the ghost’s tantrum.

Eloise strode over to Gertie and pulled the hat from her head, releasing Bartholomew’s spirit.

The sparking around her stopped, and Gertie looked around, bewildered. She wiped the tears from her face as the lights came back on.

“Where’d he go?” she asked.

Bridget scanned the room. Suddenly there were crashes from upstairs - he was in the attic.

Eloise and the girls pulled on a string attached to the trap door in the ceiling of the kitchen, extending a ladder for them to climb up.

Cardboard boxes were overturned, a lamp with a glass shade was shattered, and in the middle of the room a photo album lay open.

Bridget could see the ghost weeping, caressing the faces of his descendants in the pictures.

“They left me behind,” he whimpered. “All I did was protect them. Help them. And they didn’t even say goodbye.”

“I’m so sorry,” Bridget said.

“All I ever wanted was my family to be safe,” Bartholomew said. “I can’t move on.”

“We could bring him back with us,” Gertie suddenly said as the thought occurred to her, though she couldn’t hear what Bartholomew was saying like Bridget could. But she had felt his pain, and knew how to help.

“What?” Bartholomew looked up with renewed hope.

“What?” Eloise snapped.

“Yeah,” Gertie said, not withering a bit at her mother’s glare. “Ghosts can’t cross salt water, but if he’s in the hat and I’m wearing the hat, then he’d probably be safe with - well - in me. And we’re going back to the mainland. He’d have to travel a while to find his family but-” Gertie shivered, her teeth clacking together.

Bartholomew, in his joy, had embraced her.

“That’s just Bartholomew, hugging you,” Bridget told Gertie, explaining the sudden chill.

“Oh.” Gertie awkwardly held her arms up, trying to hug him back.

Eloise sighed, knowing that once her girls came up with an idea, it was exhausting to dissuade them. Besides, on the scale of their previous exploits, this rated as “extremely safe.”

Everyone froze as the locked front doorknob struggled to twist.

“Honey! Can you get the door?” Came Theodore’s call from downstairs.

The three humans scrambled down the ladder.

Eloise grabbed a broom and quickly swept all the salt into a corner. Gertie shoved the ladder back up into the ceiling, coughing at the dust that fell down as a result. Bridget ran to their room and clicked on the television so it looked like they were all busy.

“What about me?” Bartholomew asked Bridget, panicked.

“He can’t see you!” Bridget whispered back.

“Oh, right!”

Eloise opened the door for her husband to the sound of their daughters laughing in front of the opening credits to the movie Melody Hill.

“Movie’s just about to start, love,” Eloise said, kissing Theodore on the cheek. “Want to join us?”

Theodore sighed. “Sure, why not?”

To be continued...

[michellelinkous]

‘This is a gift’

Grace. Gratitude. Joy.

That stencil on Sherri Kanten’s dining room wall sums up her attitude about life.

The 66-year-old Hudsonville resident’s heart is failing.

She doesn’t let this slow her down, however. She enjoys lunch and shopping with friends. She is part of a bell choir in her church. She drives her adult, special-needs kids to and from their jobs.

And she smiles. Often.

Last June, she and her husband, Richard, celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary with a cruise to Venice and the Greek islands. It was their third cruise of 2019.

None of this would be possible without her left ventricular assist device (LVAD), a mechanical pump that was implanted in November 2017.

“I feel better than I’ve probably felt in four or five years,” Sherri said. “It’s amazing.”

A slow decline

About 25 years ago, Sherri defeated breast cancer. A couple of years later, cancer metastasized in her rib.

While chemotherapy and radiation saved her life, it also led to heart failure.

Since this diagnosis in 2000, her heart stopped beating several times, including once in her backyard pool where she nearly drowned. Her then 9-year-old son called 911 to save her life.

Doctors implanted a defibrillator in 2001, which she said has saved her life five times.

To stay heart-healthy, Sherri resigned from her high-stress job as a cardiac nurse, and turned her knitting hobby into a business by opening a yarn shop with her sister.

But over time, heart failure took more and more of a toll.

By 2017, even a trip to the grocery store proved to be too much, exhausting her dwindling supply of energy.

When her medications couldn’t keep her going, she sought help from the Advanced Heart Failure Clinic at the Spectrum Health Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center. She learned she was in end-stage heart failure.

“To say I was scared was probably an understatement,” Sherri said.

It was there that she met Sangjin Lee, MD, MSC, an advanced heart failure cardiologist, who suggested the LVAD.

In layman’s terms, LVADs are essentially mechanical devices that assist the heart in pumping blood throughout the body. LVADs may be used to improve a person’s medical condition until a heart becomes available for transplantation or for long-term, indefinite therapy.

Many people live with LVADs for years and years, enjoying life once again.

Richard and Sherri didn’t need an explanation. Until his retirement in late 2019, Richard worked as a cardiac perfusionist at Spectrum Health Meijer Heart Center, helping LVAD patients every day.

Sherri spent seven weeks in intensive care as she recovered function once the LVAD started to work. She had to relearn how to walk and how to swallow.

After she recovered from her LVAD surgery, in May 2018, she was activated on the heart transplant list. Initially she spent most of her time sticking close to home, waiting for the call she knows might never come, as precious few donated hearts are suitable for women with small frames.

Then Richard suggested a road trip to visit a daughter in Florida. Next the couple took the first of three cruises. And they traveled to Quebec and Nova Scotia, where she logged more than 15,000 steps a day.

As she traveled, she sent photos to the advanced heart failure team that saved her life.

“It is a joy for us, as her providers,” Dr. Lee said. “That is the reason we do what we do—to bring patients back the quality of life they were missing … it’s fantastic.”

‘Don’t let it slow you down’

The LVAD has been liberating for Sherri.

But it also includes some limitations. The LVAD has a controller and external, rechargeable batteries, which Sherri carries in a purse slung over her shoulder all of her waking hours. She takes her spare battery pack, which she nicknamed Agnes, wherever she goes.

She can’t get the device wet. That means no swimming or kayaking. Some LVAD patients can shower using a special shower kit.

And she can’t vacuum, a limitation that puts a smile on her face. She gladly delegated that job to someone else.

Plus, she takes “a boatload of pills” and understands the various alarms that can be frightening.

“If I stop and think long enough, I could wig myself out,” she said.

Her advice to others with an LVAD?

“Don’t let it slow you down. You are here, and this is a gift.”

For Sherri, the LVAD is also a call to evaluate her life and look for more ways to give back.

It’s also given her a new perspective.

“I’m so thankful for my church, my family and my friends. I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore,” she said. “I’m perfectly content.”

‘This is a gift’ published first on https://smartdrinkingweb.tumblr.com/

[gordonwilliamsweb]

‘This is a gift’

Grace. Gratitude. Joy.

That stencil on Sherri Kanten’s dining room wall sums up her attitude about life.

The 66-year-old Hudsonville resident’s heart is failing.

She doesn’t let this slow her down, however. She enjoys lunch and shopping with friends. She is part of a bell choir in her church. She drives her adult, special-needs kids to and from their jobs.

And she smiles. Often.

Last June, she and her husband, Richard, celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary with a cruise to Venice and the Greek islands. It was their third cruise of 2019.

None of this would be possible without her left ventricular assist device (LVAD), a mechanical pump that was implanted in November 2017.

“I feel better than I’ve probably felt in four or five years,” Sherri said. “It’s amazing.”

A slow decline

About 25 years ago, Sherri defeated breast cancer. A couple of years later, cancer metastasized in her rib.

While chemotherapy and radiation saved her life, it also led to heart failure.

Since this diagnosis in 2000, her heart stopped beating several times, including once in her backyard pool where she nearly drowned. Her then 9-year-old son called 911 to save her life.

Doctors implanted a defibrillator in 2001, which she said has saved her life five times.

To stay heart-healthy, Sherri resigned from her high-stress job as a cardiac nurse, and turned her knitting hobby into a business by opening a yarn shop with her sister.

But over time, heart failure took more and more of a toll.

By 2017, even a trip to the grocery store proved to be too much, exhausting her dwindling supply of energy.

When her medications couldn’t keep her going, she sought help from the Advanced Heart Failure Clinic at the Spectrum Health Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center. She learned she was in end-stage heart failure.

“To say I was scared was probably an understatement,” Sherri said.

It was there that she met Sangjin Lee, MD, MSC, an advanced heart failure cardiologist, who suggested the LVAD.

In layman’s terms, LVADs are essentially mechanical devices that assist the heart in pumping blood throughout the body. LVADs may be used to improve a person’s medical condition until a heart becomes available for transplantation or for long-term, indefinite therapy.

Many people live with LVADs for years and years, enjoying life once again.

Richard and Sherri didn’t need an explanation. Until his retirement in late 2019, Richard worked as a cardiac perfusionist at Spectrum Health Meijer Heart Center, helping LVAD patients every day.

Sherri spent seven weeks in intensive care as she recovered function once the LVAD started to work. She had to relearn how to walk and how to swallow.

After she recovered from her LVAD surgery, in May 2018, she was activated on the heart transplant list. Initially she spent most of her time sticking close to home, waiting for the call she knows might never come, as precious few donated hearts are suitable for women with small frames.

Then Richard suggested a road trip to visit a daughter in Florida. Next the couple took the first of three cruises. And they traveled to Quebec and Nova Scotia, where she logged more than 15,000 steps a day.

As she traveled, she sent photos to the advanced heart failure team that saved her life.

“It is a joy for us, as her providers,” Dr. Lee said. “That is the reason we do what we do—to bring patients back the quality of life they were missing … it’s fantastic.”

‘Don’t let it slow you down’

The LVAD has been liberating for Sherri.

But it also includes some limitations. The LVAD has a controller and external, rechargeable batteries, which Sherri carries in a purse slung over her shoulder all of her waking hours. She takes her spare battery pack, which she nicknamed Agnes, wherever she goes.

She can’t get the device wet. That means no swimming or kayaking. Some LVAD patients can shower using a special shower kit.

And she can’t vacuum, a limitation that puts a smile on her face. She gladly delegated that job to someone else.

Plus, she takes “a boatload of pills” and understands the various alarms that can be frightening.

“If I stop and think long enough, I could wig myself out,” she said.

Her advice to others with an LVAD?

“Don’t let it slow you down. You are here, and this is a gift.”

For Sherri, the LVAD is also a call to evaluate her life and look for more ways to give back.

It’s also given her a new perspective.

“I’m so thankful for my church, my family and my friends. I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore,” she said. “I’m perfectly content.”

‘This is a gift’ published first on https://nootropicspowdersupplier.tumblr.com/

[arplis]

Arplis - News: 32 of the Best Moving Hacks We Could Find Across the Internet

What do a dentists chair and a desert island have in common? Theyre both preferable to the absolute chaos and agony of moving. Research shows that 6 out of 10 people rank moving as the most stressful life event. More stressful than a divorce, even! And no amount of coffee runs, to-do lists, or yoga breaks will 100% alleviate the pain of getting your stuff from points A to B.

However, there are ways to work smarter, not harder, over the course of a daunting move. Lots of people have survived this before. Some of them have even shared their lessons and secrets, like tricks to avoid a shampoo-related crisis or how to use household items as packing material (how kind of them!).

So we scoured different corners of the internet including chat boards, YouTube videos, and moving and organization blogs to bring you this amazing list of 33 moving hacks, or simple tricks and shortcuts, to make some of the challenging parts of your move a little easier.

1. Pad heavy boxes with toilet paper and paper towels at the top

(Source: Emma Diehl)

Ideally your boxes shouldnt exceed 50 pounds. But when youre moving, box space is precious, and you want to use up every inch before moving on to the next box to save on cardboard.

So instead of packing a large box filled to the brim with heavy items alone, put your books or gym weights or massive rock collection in the bottom half of the box, do a test lift to get a feel for how heavy it is, and once it starts to feel unmanageable, pad the top of the box with extra rolls of toilet paper or paper towels from the economy pack taking up space in your bathroom and pantry shelves.

Youll make the most of every box you have, and youll be happy when you dont need to designate a separate box for paper products. Plus, this arrangement protects the heavier box contents by cushioning them during the move. Just be sure to set aside some TP and paper towels for your first day box with essentials for your first 24 hours.

Source: Reddit

2. Shrinkwrap lightweight objects together

Source: (msbcc/ Shutterstock)

Use vacuum-sealable bags or industrial strength stretch wrap also known as movers wrap to pack light, bulky items. Shrinkwrap piles of pillows, blankets, and bedding into small manageable bundles which you can carry in a single trip.

Source: Reddit

3. Cover toiletry bottles with plastic wrap

(Source: Emma Diehl)

Unscrew the lid of toiletries and other liquids, cover the opening with plastic wrap, then reattach the lid. This keeps liquids from breaking open or slowly leaking all over items during the move.

Source: Buzzfeed

4. Pack your toaster in a bag to catch crumbs

(Source: Emma Diehl)

Put the toaster in a bag before packing it with the kitchen appliances. This will keep crumbs from making a mess in the box.

Source: Simply Self Storage

5. Pack dishes sideways so theyre less likely to break

Source: (Kristen Lewis/ HomeLight)

Pack plates vertically, like a record collection, to evenly distribute pressure across the box and make it less likely that the dishes will break in the move. Line the box with bubble wrap, then wrap each individual plate with packing paper, laying a foam sheet between each plate in the box.

Source: Apartment Therapy

6. Keep necklaces from tangling using a toilet paper roll

(Image Source: TalkBeckyTalk)

String necklaces through an empty toilet paper roll before packing them to keep tangles at bay during the move.

Source: TalkBeckyTalk

7. Use coffee filters to cushion bowls and cups

Source: (Kristen Lewis/ HomeLight)

Coffee filters are inexpensive, easy to find, and likely already take up real estate in your cupboard. Use a few filters as padding between each stacked bowl and cup to avoid breaks and cracks during transport.

Source: Millennial Moms

8. Label the tops and sides of boxes to make them easy to identify

Source: (Kristen Lewis/ HomeLight)

Labeling the tops and sides of each box or container makes it easier to identify them throughout the move. Movers wont have to twist the box to the side to see a label on the side or pull it out of a stack to find a top label.

Source: I Heart Planners

9. Use pool noodles to protect picture frame corners

Cut spare pool noodles or foam pipe insulation down their sides and slide them on the exterior frames of mirrors or pictures. The extra padding keeps frames from banging together and cracking or shattering while in the moving van.

Source: Whats Up Fagans?

10. Tape an X across mirrors to prevent them from shattering

(Source: Emma Diehl)

Tape an X across a glass surface to strengthen it and absorb shock. Use masking, painters, or washi tape for easy removal.

Source: Movers.com

11. Use binder clips to guard razor blades

Source: (Kristen Lewis/ HomeLight)

If your razors protective travel cover is long gone, use a binder clip over the blade to prevent accidental nicks and cuts during the move.

12. Remove toner and ink cartridges from the printer

(Source: Emma Diehl)

Take the toner and ink cartridges out of your home printer and pack them in their own plastic bags. In the event they burst, break, or leak during the move, they wont damage any other home office supplies.

Source: iMove

13. Buy boxes online to save money

Source: (My Life Graphic/ Shutterstock)

You can find free boxes on Craigslist in the free section under For Sale or from the produce manager at grocery stores, but if youre looking for high-quality moving boxes, you can save money by purchasing them online. Sites like uboxes.com are an average 20% cheaper than office stores or moving companies.

Source: Real Simple

14. Cut handles into boxes to make lifting easier

Source (re-sized): (HornM201/ Wikimedia Commons via Creative Commons Legal Code)

Transform regular boxes into easy-to-carry banker boxes: simply cut handles into the cardboard using an X-ACTO knife. Just be sure not to cut too close to the top to avoid rips.

Source: Houselogic

15. Use IKEAs industrial shopping bags for last minute knick knacks

Source: (Kristen Lewis/ HomeLight)

IKEAs recognizable FRAKTA bags can hold up to 55 pounds, and cost under $2 each. Use them to move large quantities of dry food from the pantry, or last-minute knick-knacks that didnt find a home in a box. The bags reinforced straps make them easy to fill and carry.

Source. Dolly

16. Protect your floors with furniture sliders

Source: (Kristen Lewis/ HomeLight)

Put furniture sliders under any heavy or bulky items in your home to easily move large items across carpets, rugs, linoleum, wood, and tile floors. Sliders keep you from scuffing up the floor during a move and make it easier to push items around. Use them in the new home as well while you figure out where furniture fits in each room.

Source: Apartment Therapy

17. Use packing tape for hassle-free box assembly

Paper packaging tape is great for building and sealing boxes. Its easy to find the edge of the strip on paper tape, and you can tear it without the need for metal teeth tools. Its self-sticking, but it lifts off surfaces, too. You dont have to worry about ripping the boxes to shreds when you inevitably open and reopen them for repacking (like you might with plastic packing tape).

Source: Soothing Sista

18. Pack your toolbox last, and make it the first thing you unload

Source: (Charles MD/ Shutterstock)

Moving truck logic goes as follows: the last thing out of the van is the first thing youll unpack. Make your toolbox the last item to go into the truck, and the first to come out. Chances are, youll need it for assembly or other moving needs.

Source: Complex

19. Throw towels in the washer before you move it

Source: (Kristen Lewis/ HomeLight)

Before loading the washing machine into the moving truck, stuff towels inside it. This will keep the tub from rotating in transit so it stays balanced all the way to its new destination.

Source: JDM Packing Supplies

20. Dont forget about Moms Attic for your fragile items

(Source: Moving Insider)

U-Hauls and other popular moving trucks feature a small storage space above the driving cabin, called Moms Attic. Use this space to store boxes of fragile items like glassware, antiques, and electronics. This space above the cabin has the smoothest ride in the van.

Source: Moving Insider

21. Use the I formation

Source: (Penske Truck Rental)

Theres a right way and a wrong way to load a moving truck. The I formation, when properly executed, forms an uppercase I in the trucks cabin. That means:

Heavy objects, including appliances, are at the top of the formation

Desks, tables, and heavy boxes take up the middle portion

Mattresses and box springs are outside the formation, to the left of the middle column

Sofas and couches occupy the right side of the truck, outside the formation

Additional heavy boxes go in the back center of the truck, a bottom part of the I formation

Small boxes flank either side of the heavy boxes on the bottom of the I to complete the shape

Source: Penske Truck Rental

22. Sandwich your mattress with fitted sheets

(Source: Radoslav Bali / Unsplash)

You dont need an expensive mattress protector to keep your bed clean during the move. Protect it with a pair of old fitted sheets covering the top and bottom.

Source: Bed, Bath, and Beyond

23. Follow the 20% rule to calculate truck travel time

Source (re-sized): (Marco Verch Professional Photographer and Speaker/ Flickr via Creative Commons Legal Code)

Using professional movers, you can expect pricing to start at $1,000, but renting a van on your own, youre only on the hook for the daily rental cost ($20 to $30/day) and the mileage fee. But dont underestimate travel time! In the truck, youll typically drive slower, so tack an additional 20% onto your travel time.

If youve never traveled this route before, use this formula:

Total miles / Maximum Speed Limit + 20% = Estimated Travel Time

Source: Sparefoot

24. Carry more with the Camel Clutch

(Image Source: Moving Connections)

Use the camel clutch when carrying loads from the moving truck to the home. Instead of holding the items in front of you, youll carry them on your back, with your arms behind you. This carry puts less pressure on your back.

Source: Moving Connections

25. Avoid a lockout with rubber bands

Source: (Kristen Lewis/ HomeLight)

On move-in day, cover the tongue of any doors that youll be opening and closing frequently with a criss-crossed rubber band or hair elastic. That way, you can open the door hands-free without letting in the heat, cold, or any unwanted critters!

Source: Updater

26. Make plans for doggy daycare

Source: (Matthew Henry/ Unsplash)

Anxious animals have a way of getting underfoot during the move, making it both harder to move heavy objects around the home. If you can, have pets stay with friends or family the day of the move-in.

Source: Moving.com

27. Tip your movers or offer them refreshments

Source: (Sharon McCutcheon/ Unsplash)

Moving is expensive, but that doesnt mean youre off the hook for tipping. Seventy-one percent of movers tip their moving help (39% of these tippers give at least 10% of the moving costs).

At the very least, offer your moving pros some refreshments, especially after they move something heavy like a bulky platform bed frame.

Source: Apartment Guide

28. Never lose track of your cleaning supplies

Source (re-sized): (Nick Youngson/ Picpedia via Creative Commons Legal Code)

Each room should be pristine before moving things in, and the cleaning caddy should be one of the first things out of the van. Use HomeLights exhaustive deep-clean checklist as a guide.

Source: Your Modern Family

29. Hang art at the proper height

Source: (Splendid Actually)

Follow these guidelines to prevent a crooked art conundrum: Hang art at eye level in the home 56 to 60 inches above ground. Multiple frames should be clustered together, with the center of the cluster 56 inches up from the floor. When hanging a frame above furniture, there should be between 4 and 8 inches between the top of the furniture and the bottom of the frame.

Source: Splendid Actually

30. Put down doormats, or insist that everyone wear booties

Source: (Hombre/ Unsplash)

Dont damage the floors of a new home before you get the chance to enjoy them. Put down doormats at each entrance when the move-in begins. If the weathers particularly messy, such as rain or snow, use disposable booties in the home to protect flooring.

Source: My Moving Reviews

31. Create a home base for your cat during move-in

Source: (Sun De_An/ Unsplash)

Cats under stress during a move can wreak havoc in a home by tearing up carpet and ruining rugs. Create a space away from the main area in your new home for the cat to feel comfortable during the move. Include favorite toys, beds, food, and fresh water to help your pet feel at ease.

Source: iheartcats

32. Save floors (and your back) with a rubber wheeled dolly

Source (re-sized): (HireAHelper/ Flickr via Creative Commons Legal Code)

Lugging in heavy box after box during your move in is bound to put a strain on your back, and dragging them will damage the floor with scrapes and dents. Save time, and protect the finish of your floors, with a rubber-wheeled dolly. Daily rental is just $20, and youll be able to truck three to four boxes into the house in the time it takes to carry one.

Source: Easy Movers

Now its time to build some boxes, and practice lifting from your knees!

Arplis - News source https://arplis.com/blogs/news/32-of-the-best-moving-hacks-we-could-find-across-the-internet

[mybeoneclubus]

Hi From Ottawa: Connecting With Farming At The Canadian Farming Gallery

After my very fascinating intro to sheep shearing and also all type of woollen handling techniques I had a possibility to connect with David Sutin that is the Communications, Marketing and also Ranch Workflow Supervisor for the Canada Agriculture Gallery. Actually, Ottawa is the only globe resources that has a functioning ranch at its heart. David offered to give me an individual excursion via the various centers of the Gallery and also we started with the Dairy Barn. Right when you come in is a location for the dry cows: these are expecting animals that quit offering milk in the two months before delivering. David described to me that the gestation period of cows is very similar to that of humans: 9 months. 

   David specified that male calf bones get moved into the sale barn and unfortunately sufficient, eventually they wind up being processed into veal. On the other hand, the Museum maintains the women calves so they can mature right into milk cows. The Canada Farming Museum is home to a range of different milk cattle types as well as the most productive of them all are Holsteins. Jacket cows were imported from islands in the British Network and also I was just impressed at the attractive faces and the massive, long-lashed eyes of these cows. The Canadienne cows were brought over from Europe by immigrants from France given that they are hardier and also far better able to hold up against the severe Canadian winters months although they are not extremely effective milk manufacturers. 

   On a daily basis the herdspersons at the Gallery milk the cows at 6 am and also 3:45 pm. The electrical bleeding makers are linked to an above pipe system that introduces a 2500 litre tank where all the milk from the cows is gathered and cooled down to a temperature of 0 to 5 degrees Celsius. The milk is agitated for even cooling down. Each cow in fact consumes a bathtub of water daily and also generates 30 litres of milk. The milk of the cows is gotten every number of days by the milk truck. David described when a cow is unwell and also obtaining antibiotic therapy, the milk is not enabled to be collected and in fact obtains washed down the drain. 

   We after that continued right into the maternity location that is additionally utilized for isolating sick animals. David discussed that periodically cows will suffer from a twisted flipped tummy (a cows tolerate actually consists of 4 separate parts) and also this problem needs surgical treatment. The veterinarian opens up the cows side with a 30 cm cut, by hand twists the stomach back to the proper position and also sews it onto to the abdominal area wall surface. The whole procedure does not take far more than an hour and also is executed right in the barn, most definitely not under sterilized conditions. Yet the pets always seem to come out all right. 

   The cow barn is not air conditioned and in the summer it obtains pretty cozy in the structure. In the evening the cows are taken throughout the residential property to a night field where they are enabled to graze the entire night and they are taken back right into the barn by 6 am. All year the cows are fed corn silage which is made from ground up corn plants, stalks as well as all. The whole milk production is a big earnings manufacturer for the Museum as well as offsets several of the operating expense. 

   From the Dairy Barn we entered into an exhibit area that featured a selection of samples of historic farm equipment. The Beck Circus, going back to 1912, was an item of presentation equipment that was made use of to demonstrate how power might make a farmers life easier. The Hydro-Electric Power Payment created this gizmo to show farmers the operation of a range of electrically powered devices, e.g. vacuum pumps for milking makers, a rocker spin to make butter, a feed grinder, a windmill pump and also an electric cleaning machine. These were the early days of electric power when most farm work was still done entirely by hand, just assisted with the aid of stock. Its difficult to picture just how the quality of life of farmers have to have improved with the advent of electric power. 

   David took me to an exhibition of farm tractors: originally they were large, powerful yet extremely harmful makers. Via numerous technological technologies they were still large as well as much more effective, however they ended up being much more secure to operate since working parts were no more exposed. The Canada Farming Gallery includes a range of tractors. One of the displays is hands-on; you can actually go up right into a tractors seat, flick the button and also experience the bumpy, bone-jarring uneasy flight of an old-style tractor with metal wheels. After that you alter the setting and also you see the distinction of how much smoother the flight is with rubber wheels. One more advancement that we dont also think about today that made life a lot simpler for farmers. 

   Another tractor was actually a hybrid car from the 1930s, containing an automobile chassis and also motor carriage that was converted into a farm tractor. Obviously the car was neither particularly skilled at being a guest lorry neither at being a tractor. The next big innovation on display was the Cockshutt Tractor, constructed in Brantford, Ontario, which could have a manure spreader or various other carry out behind that was powered by the tractors engine without the requirement for the tractor to be relocating. This technology was called the independent power launch and a significant Canadian technology during the 1940s. 

   The following tool was a specialized tractor utilized in vegetable fields which had an extremely slim nose as well as an engine installed in the back of the automobile. The slender frontal portion would certainly permit the farmer to see the vegetable planting much better. One of the popular screens at the Canada Farming Gallery is a tractor simulator contributed by the John Deere Business. You can climb up right into the cab, look in advance with the windshield onto a simulated farmers field as well as the simulator rocks you around in the cab as if you remained in a genuine tractor tilling the field. David clarified that todays tractors in fact have advanced GENERAL PRACTITIONERS (worldwide placing systems) which keep track of which areas the farmer has actually currently covered during planting so they dont review the exact same location twice or miss out on various other spots. 

   The machinery show area includes a range of quizzes with concerns such as what would certainly be the link to farming of a variety of daily things. Baby diapers, photo movie and also other items we frequently utilize actually consist of farming by-products, and also we do not also connect them at all with farming operations. Its fantastic the amount of things we take for granted in our day-to-days live and the number of them are stemmed from farming items. 

   After that David took me right into the Little Animal Barn which houses the pigs, poultries, bunnies, sheep as well as goats of the Gallery. Presently the Gallery has one ram and 17 ewes that all have one to three lambs annually. Obviously pigs are remarkably clean animals, they have actually a special assigned location in their pens for bodily functions and they keep their living area completely tidy. David showed me the birth area for the pigs which is called a farrowing cage. It is a steel contraption that makes certain that the mommy pig does not squash the brand-new birthed hogs, a really real threat with these considerable pets. 

   On the way to the barn he clarified that although the Canada Farming Museum is a terrific place for animals, they are still dealing with boosting the centers for the human site visitors. One of the current renovations is a large play ground for children which will make the Canada Agriculture Museum a lot more preferred destination for young families. 

   Throughout the year, the Canada Farming Museum supplies an extensive schedule of tasks. I found out that the Museum is open 364 days a year with the exception of Christmas Day. All the centers are fully accessible from March to October and during the winter months admission in fact is cost-free. 

   Some highlights of the schedule include activities throughout Easter where you can see rabbits, newborn lambs as well as newly-hatched chicks, not to neglect the Easter egg hunt. Mommies Day (with free admission for all mothers) fixate farm moms, female pets that supply us with milk, eggs and meat. I obviously already captured the Lamb Shearing Event on the Victoria Day Weekend. 

   Special tasks continue with Daddies Day where all dads break out admission so they can delight in the Tractors event. Canada Day activities concentrate on the Canadian Horse while there are enjoyable as well as insightful demonstrations all throughout the summer season. Loss invites visitors with October Harvest Weekends and also unique Halloween events and also from November 1 to February 28 admission to the museum is totally free completely. Along with normal visitor programs, there are a variety of School Programs that motivate educators to bring children to the Canada Farming Museum to discover and experience a working ranch in the middle of the city. 

   On our escape of the Museum David discussed that the Museum will certainly have a brand new event beginning in March of 2007 called Food for Wellness which will certainly take care of making smart food options, food handling and also various other nutrition-related topics. So that just indicates that following time I come to Ottawa Ill have something new to uncover ...

[photorejuvenationtherapy]

Make LGA Airport Car Service Smart Travel Decisions With One Of These Some Tips

Make LGA Airport Car Service Smart Travel Decisions With One Of These Some Tips

Traveling doesn’t have to be complicated. Without spending enough time researching travel destinations, you might find yourself missing among the best bargains on the net. These guidelines can help you to avoid this fate.

Should you be vacationing with children, a backpack or any other bag full of new and interesting toys and activities is a great idea. Make sure that these are things they are not normally allowed to play with, or special things for trips only. It can let them have something to look ahead to and they can be entertained longer.

Family and friends are often very gracious in allowing you to stay in their residence, when you are visiting. Show your appreciation by taking a compact thanks gift for them. It will show your gratitude and then make them more accessible to helping you to stay there again, later on.

The best thing of traveling is having the capability to spend freely once you get to your destination. Even though the hotel as well as the flight tend to be the most costly part, the best trips usually involve spending a ton of money out and about. So prior to travel put in place a savings plan such that you have a fat wallet after spending money on the hotel along with the flight so that you can increase your Car Service LGA to Long Island enjoyment.

Use vacuum bags to bring along more into your carry-on luggage. Trying to fit everything you’ll requirement for your holiday in to a carry-on-sized bag can be challenging. To increase the room, try using travel vacuum bags for your personal clothes. You insert your clothes, zip the bag, and roll it to remove the atmosphere. Be sure that you unpack once you reach your destination so that your clothes have time to return to their normal shape.

Whenever you travel to visit friends or family, be described as a courteous guest and do not assume they may make all your sightseeing plans to suit your needs. Lots of people assume they are there to become entertained, which happens to be of course an incorrect assumption and generates bad feeling. Instead, research your options in advance, let your hosts determine what you’re about to do, invite but don’t oblige these people to accompany you, and spend time together in good will, knowing you will be becoming a gracious guest.

Regardless of what your intentions are, you should always join the airlines frequent travel club. Although you may never fly again, you could get a perk exclusively for joining. However, you could possibly fly using them a few times and you may receive benefits every time that you just do.

One decision you need to make when http://www.lgacarservice.us going for a trip is if to purchase travel insurance whatsoever. Should you be flying to New York and also the ticket only costs $150, it’s certainly not worth paying another $50 to pay that trip in the event of cancellation. However, should you be getting the trip of your respective dreams to some faraway place, it might be well worth the incremental expense with a $4,000 vacation to learn that the money won’t be lost in the event of a cancellation.

Some hotels have games with them to help you. If you’re traveling with kids, ask the front side desk to disconnect these. Usually the moment they’re excited they’ll bill you for playing them. When you take a shower you may not notice your children have already been playing them before you buy your bill at checkout.

While you examine reviews of rooms in hotels, musicals, attractions, and airlines, pay attention to the dates of each review before taking the contents at face value. An evaluation written five-years ago may be based upon factors which could have changed for the time being, like operating hours, main events, management, or pricing.

As possible now see, traveling may be a piece of cake. Research and packing could be a pain, but it’ll help you do have a good trip. You could be a wiser traveler following the following tips, and stay free to enjoy your trip much more.

from Photo Rejuvenation Therapy http://photorejuvenationtherapy.com/make-lga-airport-car-service-smart-travel-decisions-with-one-of-these-some-tips/

[englishisland]

川普當選，英國脫歐，亞洲該不該憂慮？

文/Arthur Lauk

“Democracy's fatal flaw: There are more dumb people than smart people. Welcome to the new Dark Ages!” --Oliver Gaspirtz

「為了經濟」，也許合情合理；「為了公平」，也許充滿正義。反全球化有他的理由，但不是亞洲區域茶餘飯後的時候了，因為和平的警鐘，已經隆隆響起。

In reaction to globalization and unenlightened political leadership, western nations have turned inward. Taiwan spectators wonder how the Brexit fiasco, the potential unravelling of the EU and NATO military alliance, the Trump win, and the rise of ethnic or racial nationalism in the west are relevant to them. These global events in faraway nations are often dismissed as just interesting news items. The truth is, however, that the populist surge driving the west’s reactive agenda against globalization has dangerous implications for Asia’s regional stability.

社會秩序丕變 Trumpism and Brexit are expressions of a phenomenon spreading throughout the western world: populist revolts against political and corporate elites, and immigrants. The rise of populism is driven primarily by less educated white voters angry enough to risk tearing down the political and economic order. Populism means different things to different people, but all versions share hostility toward mainstream political parties and established institutions. The more progressive (positive) version of populism is driven upwards against corporate elites and their lackeys controlling government, accused of betraying working people. The best of populism is like a bee, once it stings the political party establishment it dies.

One must expect and even hope that there will be future upheavals to shock the seats of power and privilege and furnish the periodic therapy that seems necessary to the health of our democracy. --C. Vann Woodward

The more insidious version of populism found in Trumpism and Brexit includes a dangerous strain of racial nationalism and xenophobic hatred. This latter strain of populism Asia must vigorously avoid.

亞洲多角政治維持著恐怖平衡 Greater disunity in Asia is more dangerous than disunity in the west. Asia does not have the connective, flexible regional institutions and long history of democracy (including the rule of law and fair play) that shield the west from destabilizing shocks.

Throughout Asia, national rivalries remain raw; historical memories bleed and fester like the un-healed wounds of a soldier. Asia needs an adequate institutional framework to resolve historical, geopolitical, and territorial disputes. Asia must recognize the potential danger of populist leaders to undermine peace and stability by pulling the rug from under multilateral Asian institutions.

The crisis in the South China Sea is a case in point. An agreed-to statement by ASEAN criticizing China for provocative actions in the South China Sea was withdrawn at the last minute. China prefers to divide and conquer, then overpower through bi-lateral agreements, rather than negotiate through the multilateral ASEAN institution. Although ASEAN is rebooting multilateral negotiations with China on this issue, the institution remains unreliable regarding security crises.

歷史擁護「民族」而非「民粹」 The “Leave the EU” group that achieved a slim upset win in the UK was slightly less shocking than the Trump Electoral College US election victory (Trump lost to Clinton by 3 million votes). These dangerous flukes of history warn Asia that freedom, security, and prosperity could be lost whenever populist leaders tap into extreme nationalist instincts. If we forget what makes us rich, safe, and free, we will certainly lose our wealth, security, and liberty.

The post-war world ushered in an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity in Asian and western democracies. Historians are hard pressed to provide an example of democratic countries going to war with each other or suffering economic stagnation resulting from the middle-income trap (after a non-democratic economy achieves (approximately) US$12,000 per capita GDP, countries either stagnate or undergo radical political and economic reform – except oil rich countries, such as Saudi Arabia). Countries (and regions) with shared civic nationalist (rather than racist nationalist) values of democracy, rule of law, and a free flow of information and goods and services, provide the greatest historical example of peace and prosperity.

With the rise of, and reaction to globalization and immigration, the west has begun to question the source of its own success in the form of Trumpism and Brexit.  However, democracies stand or fall together through formal and informal alliances. The integrity and stability of our democratic institutions (including the right to criticize these institutions and the people managing them), also depends on the openness and tolerance of our societies to the outside world and to the “outsiders” who have joined in building our country.

A rational historical assessment of the EU recognizes that the EU established the greatest post-war regional space for peace and prosperity, with the most multi-ethnic population that the world has ever seen. Desperate Middle Eastern and North African migrants don’t rush into China or Russia for bread and safety, they rush toward the European dream. The EU bolstered the ability of Europe to rise from the ashes of war and become affluent, tolerant, free, and peaceful. Germany, once the greatest un-democratic nemesis of France and the UK, has become the beachhead (base) for openness and unity.

亞洲國家切勿保留舊世界的傲慢 Trump and Brexit supporters are not wrong to feel that their own cultural and economic way of life is threatened by globalization and immigration. Immigration and the decline in fertility (birth) rates in the west have sowed fear in the hearts of white folks, as their relative power declines. However, the true culprits causing a populist backlash are not the national and regional institutions, but the elites who poorly manage them. Leaders did not adequately protect the UK’s membership in the EU, just as leaders in the US did not protect the US from the cultural and economic impact of globalization and immigration.

Asia must avoid the mistakes that Trump and Brexit promoters and supporters have made. Reverting to an old-world ethnic or racial nationalism weakens freedom, the rule of law, peace, and prosperity. A weakened alliance of democratic Asian nations will create an economic and power vacuum where hostile forces in the world could exploit, dominate, and subvert the values that have protected democratic countries and made them wealthy.

The West and Asia require a set of institutions and beliefs binding them together regionally and globally in solidarity, while managing the impact of lightening speed global capitalism. Markets, and the supply, production, communication, and transportation chains linking Asia, can create the material basis for people and nations to cooperate. However, only a cosmopolitan vision and civic nationalism well managed will establish necessary regional institutions that build upon a shared purpose to create rich, just, and secure societies for Asia to flourish peacefully. Let Trumpism and Brexit’s pivot away from the world be a warning that it is Asia’s turn to move its own future in the right direction toward the world.

本文收錄於英語島English Island 2017年2月號