#a friendly FYI!!

[raylangivins]

The unification of 2024 meme is funny but can we maybe be a little conscientious about how we share (misrepresented) information about the politics of countries we know nothing about

[astrogirlythings]

[itsnotmourn]

A younger Winifred (or known here as Iori) and their first experience with dogs.

note: last pic should be "...does not MEAN it will..."

STORY TIME

Seeing all the hunting dogs made little Iori all excited inside; she always wanted to get close to one but unlike the rest of the children who could easily walk to them, the size of the dogs rippled a tiny fear.

Two good friends of Iori, a girl and a boy, were determined to show her how cute the dogs can be. After all, they were all well-trained and loyal to the village folk.

There they all stood, near the mountain river on a cold Autumn day. As Iori stood from afar, the two children petted one of the beloved hunting dogs, then urged her to come forward. It seemed well and good. The two friends had nothing but good intentions for their little buddy.

The dog wagged its tail when Iori got near, nice and slow she went, just like what her friends advised her to do. Her tiny hand lowered to the dog's sight, and as its tail continued wagging, Iori—

The dog bit her hand.

And a shriek tore the air.

At the end of the day, three children were still three children. With the dog running away, they all panicked. None of them had expected the friendly dog to bite; it never did before! None of the other children or adult had been bitten!

Eventually, the three get scolded by one of the elders and a woman on break. The bite had only caused a bruise and by the following weeks, it was like it never happened.

Centuries past. What happened that day was just an accident. Now going by Winifred, they think dogs are still rather cute. It has come to her attention that most animals just don't like her presence.

She has one idea why.

[serpentface]

TRADITIONAL FOODS OF THE HIGHLANDS

The Highlands or 'Greathill' is a region in the central north-northwestern territory claimed by (but almost entirely uncontrolled by) the Wardi Empire. They are inhabited by a network of peoples collectively referred to as the Hill Tribes, who are not a unified or monolithic group but share ancestry, similar means of subsistence, and a common traditional diet.

The highlands are regionally unique for their altitude and relatively cool temperatures (and is the only part of the region that can expect snow on a yearly basis, with some of the highest peaks receiving snowfall year-round). The climate is overall dry, though the rivers are usually well fed by high altitude rains and snowmelt, and the river valleys are wet enough year-round to sustain woodlands and more delicate agriculture.

Most vegetables can only reliably farmed in the river valleys, and these key regions are typically under the control of specific clans or tribes who dominate intra-Highlands trade networks. Those living outside of the river valleys have only occasional access to most farmed vegetables, and foraging is an important supplement to the core diet. Hardier crops are grown on terraced slopes, and the vast majority of the landscape is used as grazing pasture.

The regional cuisine revolves around grain (especially barley and most often taken in the form of bread), meat, cheese, milk, and yogurt. The flavoring stands in stark contrast to the surrounding Wardi cuisines, traditionally being only lightly seasoned (few spices are natively available) and mostly reliant on subtle herbal flavoring, though both palates are in agreement on the value of capsaicin.

Many of the Hill Tribes (or individual clans) have trade connections outside of the highlands, but food (aside from livestock) and spices are not common imports. The majority of the population have maintained traditional culinary practices that are unique among the wider region (though with some inevitable cultural cross-pollination).

Most dishes are eaten by hand out of serving plates and bowls, with spoons used for some soups and porridges. Almost every meal is served with flatbread, which is torn off and used to collect and eat the rest of the food. It is considered good manners to save a piece of bread for last, which will be used to soak up any remaining juices after a plate is cleaned (not doing so is a mild insult to the cook).

Tea is an important part of the daily routine, and is served alongside each meal. Traditional teas in this region are exclusively herbal and consumed for both taste and medicinal purposes, and none are caffeinated (though one has a stimulant effect). Tea is by far the most popular edible import in trade with the broader Imperial Wardi region (along with salt), with imports of tea leaves being desirable and having become quite popular in the last century.

Staple foods:

Barley- the absolute most important staple grain. Most barley grown in the region is a strain that better tolerates the highland’s regionally unique combination of seasonal cold, dry climate, and high altitudes.

Wheat- more delicate than barley and not as widely grown, but a key crop in the more fertile river valleys

Kulys- a native hardy, spiny plant that stores water in its trunk and is tolerant to dry and cold seasons. Its young stalks are edible, but the fruits and flowers are of greater regional importance. The flowers are used for a lightly sweet herbal tea, and the fruits are a important to the diet and usually eaten on their own.

Amaranth- a species of amaranth is regionally native and domesticated, with seeds eaten whole or ground into flour and leaves being used for green vegetables.

Squash- grown only in the river valleys and a key item in trade within the highlands. Squashes are found nowhere else on this side of the Viper seaway, and were likely brought along overseas by the original migrant population.

Chili peppers- several strains are grown in the region (ranging from very mild to chiltepin levels of capsaicin) and mostly used to create spicy yogurt sauces and to flavor stronger dishes.

Wild onion- a region-specific onion species, tolerant of harsh growing traditions but difficult to propagate, mostly foraged.

Magah- a farmed. potato-esque tuber, more strongly flavored and bitter than potatoes.

Dairy products- dairy is foundational to the diet and used to create a variety of yogurts, creams, butters, and cheeses, and milk is often consumed on its own. Cattle and horse milk is preferred, khait will be opportunistically milked but have much lower yields.

Cattle- Cattle are of utmost and absolute importance to the diet (in the form of meat and milk) and overall lifestyle. Wealth is primarily measured in the size of cattle herds. The native landrace of cattle is well accommodated to altitude and seasonal cold, though many breeds have been obtained in trade.

Horses- (the small, three toed kind) They are of secondary importance to cattle in terms of livestock, used for meat, wool, and milk.

Taarn- a type of pheasant native to the region that has been domesticated for meat, fares best in river valleys.

Honey- Beekeeping is a well established practice, and honey is the sweetener of choice and highly valued. Bee larvae are also sometimes roasted and eaten.

Bread- made with wheat, amaranth, or barley flower (or all three), a part of most meals. A type of flatbread is used as a base to scoop up other parts of the meal.

Wild game:

gazelle, antelope, hippegalga, and deer.

aurochs (sometimes found in the low river valleys and foothills)

crocodiles (mainly found in the Erubin river valley)

ducks and geese

unkata (a genera of cassowary sized flightless birds, a smaller subspecies of which can be found here as a grazer)

grynaig (a native species of pidgeon which nests among boulders)

piispiispi (a lagomorph that can be found at high altitudes, somewhat resembles a marmot. The name is onomatopoeia based on their shrill calls)

fish (especially trout), frogs, freshwater mussels, and crayfish from the rivers.

Native fruits: wild plum, dirrucag (a shrub that produces small fruits, roughly comparable to autumn olive), wild rose hips (used for tea and jams).

Other vegetables (cultivated and wild): cabbage, onions, garlic, carrots, rapeseed, peas, wild amaranth, mustard greens, nettles (the latter two also being regionally unknown and likely brought in the original migration).

Herbs/spices: relatively few spices are natively produced. Fennel is reliably grown. A type of sumac can be obtained in the river valleys, and a couple native sages and mints can be found throughout the region.

Alcohol: murre (a relatively strong (8-10% abv) alcoholic beverage made with fermented fruit and horsemilk), mead, kulys wine, and a few wheat and barley ales.

Teas/non-alcoholic beverages:

-Kulys flower tea (a mildly sweet herbal tea with nuanced, delicate flavors, usually consumed on its own without a meal)

-Brolge tea (a bitter tea made with the brulge leaf, which has a mild stimulant effect (comparable to coca in composition, but a different kind of plant) and is often consumed in the mornings. (This plant is known as bruljenum in Imperial Wardin))

-Floral tea (tea made with a variety of edible wildflowers, with plum and rose flower being especially favored, and rosehips added for tartness. Often served with milk)

-Nettle tea (favored as a soothing evening tea for its rich, earthy flavor)

-Mint tea (it's mint tea)

-Roasted barley tea (an everyday staple, often taken with milk or butter and honey, or mixed with herbal ingredients).

-Honey-garlic tea (usually uses roasted barley as a base, boiled together with garlic that has been fermented with honey. Preferred by herders for a warming effect on cold nights).

-Green tea (the preferred untreated variant of imported tea leaves)

-Fermented tea (a combination of imported tea leaves and a native preference for fermentation)

-A sour fermented horsemilk beverage, best taken with salt and/or honey.

-a fermented cowsmilk and yogurt beverage, taken with mint.

-A beverage made with mead, extra honey, hot peppers, and chopped garlic boiled together. Consumed for its warming qualities and to treat colds.

Examples of Dishes:

-flatbread (the base of most meals, made with wheat, barley, and/or amaranth flour. Assume that most non-grain based foods described here are served along or atop it)

-a spicy yogurt sauce made with finely chopped hot peppers, sometimes garlic

-a sour yogurt sauce made with sage, mint, or fennel.

-A type of thick dumpling, stuffed with a variety of foods (beef or horse, wild game, onions, fennel, magah, cheese, etc) and used as a common element of meals. Most comparable in shape to a pierogi.

-fried or baked dough balls with cheese and herbs

-taarn pheasant with a butter and plum or dirrucag sauce.

-beef stock soup with dumplings, onion, and curd cheeses

-beef or horse tartare with melted butter. Sometimes eaten on its own, sometimes sprinkled with herbs or topped in a spicy yogurt sauce.

-wheat or barley porridge with milk, yogurt, or butter, sometimes sweetened with honey.

-broth made with beef trotters and lightly flavored with herbs, often used as a base for other dishes but usually sipped.

-savory barley porridge cooked in beef or horse stock (often as a base for meat dishes)

-cheese, beer, and meat stock soup, often with peas, onions, magah, barley, and/or amaranth.

-yogurt, mint and fennel soup

-plain yogurt with mint and honey

-a mildly sweet porridge made with mashed squash, barley, and milk

-sweet snacks made with amaranth seeds, honey, and dried fruit.

-piispiispi stuffed with herbs and onions and roasted

-mashed magah, basic dish of thoroughly cooked magah, mashed with butter, cream, or yogurt.

-boiled, minced magah with minced meat, mild peppers, and fennel, best topped with a sour yogurt sauce.

-mustard and other wild greens, usually cooked down with butter or beef fat and mixed with onions

-an absolute litany of cheeses, often made with delicate herbs or strong peppers. Soft cheeses are generally favored and most widely used in cooking, hard cheeses are eaten on the go.

-Beef or horse testicles, usually cooked in a butter sauce as part of a larger meal. (most commonly obtained as a byproduct of gelding, in which case it is thought to uniquely boost fertility in ways that testicles obtained in slaughter do not)

-a mild pastry stuffed with soft cheese and topped with honey

-a nettle soup and onion soup, best taken in a fish or shellfish broth for enhanced umami flavor.

-Cow head that has been de-haired and de-brained, smoked, and slowly cooked with herbs and vegetables until tender. This is eaten at wedding celebration- the husband's family will have slaughtered the cow as a bride price. The husband and wife are given the choice, fatty cuts, the marrying families share the rest of the meat, and the broth is sipped by all guests.

-cow or horse brain, minced and fried in butter with onions and served atop mashed magah.

-blood sausage, with grain or magah and wild onions for filler.

-a spicy soup or stew made with boiled crayfish, onion, hot peppers, and cream.

-smoked trout with honey

-roasted honeycomb with larvae

[scaryscarecrows]

HEADS UP

So the Naranja is apparently pulling cabinet members from the House.

This is good.

This is good because--depending on the state--this can lead to a special election to replace them.

(Note: not all states do this. Some states just appoint someone to finish the term. Google to see what may apply to you.)

If your state has an election and you are eligible to vote in it, GET OFF YOUR ASS AND VOTE BLUE. Do not fuck this up. Do not sit at home riding the 'both suck' train. Too bad, suck it up. You get nothing at all when you pull that shit. Like it or not, we're just not there yet and protest-voting does nobody--not us, not Gaza, not Ukraine--any favors whatsoever. It actively makes things worse at this point in time.

(Don't even argue this with me. My sympathies are nonexistent and once I'm done sending you to therapy, you will be blocked. Do not test me.)

This can help stem the tide of BS. It might even be able to make sure we can get rid of him at the end of this. (Trust me, he won't go quietly. If you're fool enough to believe that, I got a rattlesnake bridge for sale, dirt cheap, hmu.)

[bearotonin-international]

You're just posting big dogs!!!

You're scamming us >:(

pretty sure there's a huge difference here, friend. you might want to get your eyes checked.

bears, no matter how adorable and huggable-looking are not dogs

[jazeswhbhaven]

for the record ya'll, don't take my reactions that seriously.

for me this surface level. if i'm genuinely disgusted/bothered/upset by something i'll indicate it in my post or comment.

[lenalee-academy]

Okay so I know I’ve been mentioning another collab Avengers fic and we are still working on the next Big One. In the meantime my sister has convinced me that I should post mine. Even though it’s not finished either and I had no plans to share it.

I started writing it because I wanted some Loki and Tony friendship. And while building up to that things got a bit carried away and it’s sort of an end game fix it now….so there’s that. If you’re interested check it out and let me know what you think!

[rammgender]

[ID: Four pride flags made of five concentric circles. On the first two, from the outside in, the circles are golden yellow, muted light yellow-orange, gold, dark gold, and very dark brown. On the second two flags, the circles are dark blue, muted indigo, muted purple, purple, and black. In the middle of the first flag is a golden yellow beamed eighth note icon; in the second, a golden yellow fetus icon; in the third, a muted purple beamed eighth note; and in the fourth, a muted purple fetus icon. /End ID.]

muttersongic

muttersongic (moo-tah-song-ick) - a gender under the rammgender umbrella connected to the song Mutter!

("mutter" + "song" + "ic")

the first two flags are picked from the single album, while the last two are colors i associate with the song!

[nando161mando]

RANDOM REMINDER

there is no "left of center" in a country where the elites have coalesced around two parties and now one of said parties has openly embraced fascism.

you are either fascist or antifascist. there are no moderates or centrists in that political equation.

[mint-yooxgi]

Gentle fucking reminder that if you are a blank blog, you are getting blocked and reported because I'm going to assume you're a porn bot :)))))

[littlemisspascal]

My hope is to get a new chapter of Rockford & Roan up before March but just when I think they're finished talking they start up another conversation

[astrogirlythings]

I wish I knew this in my early 20s:

I promise.. these advices r gold.

You don't have to achieve everything ASAP.. Take your time.. don't put too much pressure on urself about ur career. Because ur career plans / interests might change by ur mid 20s..

Self help books >>>> fictional shit .. if u hate to read.. there r always audio books on YouTube or torrents 😝.

There is nothing wrong with being or wanting to be in a relationship... All those uncles and aunties r just manipulating us into believing that it's a bad thing / taboo. (*In Indian household*).. and by ur mid 20s.. these mfs ask u.. y u didn't find someone for urself. 🙄😒. So don't listen to them.. ever.

Some men r just pussies. Girls should not be afraid of making the move. Society will look at u like u r shit... But don't be afraid of doing what is right for u. (*In Indian household*)

There is nothing wrong with having male friends.. tbh.. they r so much better than female friends. They don't beat around the bush and they r extremely honest.. do not hide them or treat them like a secret.. it's nothing to be ashamed of. (*In Indian household*)

Don't give another chance to someone who belittled u or insulted u or provoked u... They will do it again.. they r wired to be assholes.

The only way to deal with manipulative people (who make u doubt about yourself) is by... Cutting off their access to u. U r a diamond and not everyone deserves to access u.

God has a weird way of showing love... He teaches detachment before giving u what u want. If detachment happens... Just ask for forgiveness, genuinely mean it and change ur ways.

Clear, respectful and straightforward communication without involving any 3rd party / outsider... Will avoid any / every conflict / misunderstanding. It is the only way to start / maintain a healthy relationship.

When u feel off about some situation or person.. ur body will warn u.. through tummy aches or shivers...etc.,.. listen to ur body. Ur body is intuitive about energies & happenings.

Animals have the power to heal u.. just feed them and love them.

Always use sunscreen.. purchase only the best quality sunscreen.

Don't tell ur plans to anyone. Not everyone is a supporter. There are people who are mentally fucked up enough to devote themselves to ruining ur plans.

Money spent on learning something or experiencing something or eating something is never wasted.

Enemies >>>>>> than friends who r secretly ur haters. As soon as u detect ur secret hater.. cut them from ur life(*aggressively*).

To those without a parent (passed away) or with an absent parent: Don't search for ur mom or ur dad in a romantic relationship. Not only will u be disappointed af... A partner can never replace ur parent. It's common sense - Parent and partner r 2 separate people.

Don't worry about someone that treated u like an option or Plan - B (been there.. it hurts like hell).. TBH.. by letting go of those who didn't / don't value u.. u r clearing the path to find someone who will prioritize u. Be patient and be positive.

[bisexualseraphim]

I’m surprised I don’t see many people on here talking about the “intersectionality,” as it were, of antivaxxers.

As in:

An antivaxxer —> is an ableist —> is a conspiracy theorist that thinks “They” are trying to kill or cripple everybody —> is an antisemite who hates “the elite” —> is a xenophobe —> is a racist —> is a homophobe —> is a transphobe.

You will never, EVER meet an antivaxxer who isn’t also most, if not all of these as well (in particular the antisemitism that comes along with all conspiracy theories). They go perfectly hand-in-hand and you can guarantee that if someone is an antivaxxer, if you are not an able-bodied neurotypical cishet Christian English-speaking white person, there is at least one aspect about you that they want wiping out.

They think being disabled, especially autistic, is worse than death. They think Jews control Big Pharma and lie to you for money. They think being Jewish inherently makes you not of this country/world/species and they see that as a threat. They think the COVID vaccine gives you AIDS or turns you gay or trans. They think that being gay or trans means you’re diseased.

We know where we’ve heard all this rhetoric before. And the antivaxx movement is louder and more widespread than ever. It’s not just “haha stupid Facebook mom believes Minion memes over science.” It’s fucking dangerous and we need to treat it as such.

[pirunika]

why did my coworker drill me abt being 'antisocial'...istg at one point she was like Well idk how your life was like maybe youre traumatized

i just dont want to talk to you 12 hours 😭

[hpdrizzle]

Hey folks,

Just a quick post to let you know that if you have any questions about your claim, including changing details, please email us to discuss