#also as I used certain products to make milk coffee

[buruuhan]

My sis decided to stop getting anything from Makudo anymore even if it's just a cup of ice cream and she's made a right decision

I like their spicy chicken too but shit's too expensive so Imma say goodbye lmao I've been prefering local geprek anyways

[atxxzist]

with a touch of sweetness | c.s

pairing: choi san x f!reader

summary: working at a cafe, you have to deal with a certain customer with dimples who always like his iced coffee extra sweet

genre: fluff, slight angst?

word count: 2.6k

a/n: i should be using this time to write my series but this idea came to me at 1am and i couldn't stop myself sdjskdssfkf

friendly brew

the font isn't too eyecatching, the style is a little bland, and the size of the cafe isn't ideal. but it's right next to a big and bustling university--attracting a lot of customers.

usually young, sleep-deprived college students, but it does well in business despite its shortcomings; a couple regulars who are very loyal, they frequent the place so often, you've come to match names to faces, as well as their usuals.

especially, choi san.

your face drops when you see it's him, trying to reframe from an eye roll as you go to tap the screen, mumbling in such an unenthusiastic tone, "one iced coffee?"

"yes please. and with extra vanilla syrup, please."

you don't say anything, a huff under your breath because you don't know why he always want his extra sweet. the regular one is already too sweet, in your honest opinion.

"thank you, angel."

"don't call me that," you snap quietly, pinching your brows together.

"why not?" his mouth draws a straight line before leaning closer to the counter and settling his arms on it, a smile eventually blossoming on his handsome face that makes those stupid dimples pop out. "you really are one, though. you always make my coffee the way i like it."

"because that's my job," you reply, going on to scribble his name on an empty cup before turning around to scoop up some ice for the drink.

after pouring the brewed coffee onto the cup of ice and milk, not forgetting the extra vanilla syrup as he requested, you place the finished product on the counter again before slapping a lid over it.

"well, then how come yoojung and kangmin never makes it the way i like it?"

you shrug, scooting the drink his direction.

"maybe they just don't like you? i mean, can you blame them?" you try to be snarky, but instead pretty much walked yourself into his trap.

"so... does this mean you like me?" he smirks, the retort immediately whisking your breath away. "because i swear..." he picks up the cup and takes a sip, your eyes innappropriately trailing to his adam's apple before he puts it down again to glare at you.

"you always make it the sweetest." he smiles softly and you hate how your heart dances around in your chest; hate the look in his eyes, and hate how much--

"you haven't even paid for it," you change the subject, trying the very best to hide the effect he has on you because god knows how smug he'll be if he finds out you're also just very good at putting on a performance.

he giggles and searches his pockets, pulling out a ten dollar bill and placing it on the counter.

"keep the change."

he grabs the drink and downs another sip, uttering in that usual sly tone, "thank you again, angel."

the wink before he fully exits is the last thing that does you in. he's so annoying, but like every other times, you can't help but to look forward to his next appearance.

ever since you got hired six months ago, having been a replacement for an older lady who had quit, there's not a single monday, wednesday, or friday that you do not see him. those are the days he comes in.

the boy having sparked an interest in you shortly after the first encounter, finding out the mean ahjumma who never made his drinks the way he likes it--it was always either too bitter or had too much milk--have been replaced by a girl about his age with a pretty smile, and who always makes his drinks exactly the way he prefers it.

"you know, angel, maybe someday, you'll finally draw some hearts around my name," san remarks, observing his name written plainly on the cup.

a dry chuckle tumbles out of you.

"you should be grateful i even wrote your name when i really wanted to put dickhead instead."

he frowns, placing his free hand over his chest and pretends to be in pain.

"ouch. i thought this was friendly brew? you're not being very friendly right now."

your interactions with him typically plays out like that, always with the small banters and playful exchanges; your harsh words and dismissive behaviors countering his that are the complete opposite.

but whenever you hear the bell to the door clink and you see it's him, the butterflies in your stomach along with the tiniest smile that graces your lips always prove otherwise.

"what other names to substitute instead of dickhead? maybe pervert? creep? nuisance?" you cock an eyebrow.

"okay now, that is a reach. i just really really like you."

there's a short silence that befalls when he says that, your eyelashes blinking and the quietest gulp traveling down your throat.

"san, don't say things you don't mean."

"who said i don't mean it?"

"but... i'm mean to you."

his lips quirks to the side, his shoulders shrugging and not moved in the slightest from your statement.

"i don't mind."

"and also, i can't even stand you."

"even better. i love a challenge."

you roll your eyes, bouts of giggles suddenly appearing from behind, turning around and seeing yoojung and kangmin straightening up immediately as if they weren't prying on your conversation with the boy who you have already denied having a crush on.

you absolutely do not like san. not at all.

you just get a little giddy at the sight of him, and lately, you've developed a knack for listening to stories about how his day at campus went, although you always act like you don't care.

and sometimes--not often--but sometimes, your stomach will churn in the weirdest way whenever he'll talk about his female classmates; the worst being when he actually comes with one of them, her eyes full of admiration and his with something you can't quite read but still effective in invoking that pang of jealousy you're in denial of.

but something else so consistent about him aside from his flirty tactics, is the smile on his face never falters. you don't think you can ever recalll a single time he didn't walk into the shop with that idiotic grin.

which is why you know something is off the minute he comes up to the counter and a rather sullen look is his current expression.

"one iced coffee?" you're the one to speak up, and he nods in return, the silence from him is almost too out of character.

he doesn't even seem to be paying much attention when you go on to write his name, his mind seemingly elsewhere, so you take the chance to grab a sticky note to write something on it, sticking it on the cup when finished.

"one iced coffee with extra vanilla syrup."

he fiddles with the pockets of his jacket and gives you eight dollars to be exact. you remember asking him why he would sometimes give more than the cost and he told you it was for the 'service'.

yoojung and kangmin has assured you they never got tipped for their 'service' before.

he picks the drink up and shoots you one last smile, mumbling, "thank you, angel."

you have to remind yourself that san isn't just the cute annoying guy who would always hit on you every time he comes in for his coffee. that he has a life outside of conjuring up butterflies and pestering you, he's going to have bad days and you shouldn't overthink so much.

next time he comes in, it will be with that idiotic grin alongside those pleas that's become a permanent residency in your head.

except... he doesn't.

not this wednesday and not the following friday.

you see wooyoung the next monday, recognizing him as san's friend the few times he came with him to grab a cup of americano.

it's a constant battle whether you should or should not ask about his friend who'd usually pay you weekly visits, but now all of a sudden dropping off the face of earth.

eventually, you settle for should not, bidding wooyoung the customary parting; a melancholy feeling brewing when there's no sight of the black-haired boy with sharp eyes and dimples on wednesday, as well.

it's a known, rather unspoken fact that you always look forward to the showing of san, no matter how pestering and annoying he is with his attempts that makes you want to roll your eyes all the way to back of your head, the small ten to fifteen minutes exchange you'd have with him were always the highlight of your shift.

if he has given up or found someone else who makes his coffee even better, you think it'd be nice to get a proper notice at least.

friday shifts are usually your favorite because there's no tedious routine you have to follow, like commuting from class a good couple minutes away; you get to rest on the weekend after, and you start early, so you get out early, allowing the remaining of the day to be spent however you'd like.

the hour and a half left before you get to clock out is slow, the counters being wiped over and over again because you're trying to kill time, bending over and under to get spots you think you might have missed, when you hear the sound of footsteps approaching.

"welco--"

the word cuts short and the towel in your clutch drops onto the counter, your eyes only able to stare ahead in a starstruck gaze at the person before you, your heart doing laps but at the same time, there's a wave of relief that comes over.

"hi." san smiles, his messy black hair slightly falling over his eyes and the gray hoodie he's wearing clipped under his backpack makes him look like the college boyfriend you wish you had.

you swallow a knot, playing it cool.

"darn, i thought i finally got rid of you for good."

san chuckles... damn him for being so good looking.

"oh, i know you were miserable, yearning for that something that was missing from your everyday life."

"please..." you dismiss, actually hating how much truth it holds.

"you're not going to ask why i was gone?" he pouts.

you lowly sigh in annoyance, though the question has been plaguing your mind ever since his mysterious disappearance.

"okay... why were you gone?" you try to contain the tone, afraid you just might let the eagerness slip through.

"i was sick."

you raise an eyebrow in concern.

"oh... well... how are you now?"

his eyes swell innocently, genuinely surprised by the softer voice.

"a lot better now. thank you for asking, angel." he cracks a tiny smile.

oh, how you have come to miss such a nickname that used to raise your blood pressure just because you haven't heard it in over a week.

"i thought you have officially ran away or maybe you found a better shop."

he retracts with an offended scowl on his face.

"never. i would never do that to you."

you fight off a smile, quick to tap the screen and divert the subject.

"one iced coffee?"

"well, yes, but actually," he fidgets in his spot, "i was thinking if you want to uh... hang out after your shift?"

you look up from the screen to glare at him.

"huh?" you heard him, you just... want to make sure.

he's always flirted with you shamelessly, but actually asking you out is something he's never tried before. of course he's had a few impulses but have always reframed from acting on them, until now.

"i'm asking if you want to do something together. cause you know... just figured we can catch up. when you're done with your shift, of course."

the longest stare-off between you and him ensues shortly after, and you think for the first time, san might be growing shy.

you chuckle quietly, breaking the silence, and a smile blossoming on your lips.

"i get off in about an hour and a half."

"perfect. i'll come back then."

you find san seated on a nearby bench when you're out, watching the way he whips his head side to side to admire the scenery.

"your coffee," you announce, your arm stretched out, and he snaps to you immediately, eyes scanning over your attire.

he's never seen you in anything other than your work uniform. he thinks you look even prettier with that sweater vest and pair of jeans. but then, you're always too pretty for your own good.

"extra sweet?" he asks, all playfully.

"extra sweet," you reply, taking the seat next to him and observe as he goes to confirm it.

"doesn't taste like it."

you scoff. "well, maybe you have officially lost your taste bud."

he hums and scoots even closer to you, the side of his leg touching yours.

"that would require more testing. maybe you can help? bet you taste sweeter than anything. i wonder how it would be, to kiss an angel."

an even louder scoff falls from you.

"don't flatter me. and i'm not kissing you."

he laughs and shakes his head.

"i'm not lying when i say that. i was honestly having such a shitty time, having been denied an internship i really wanted, only to get sick not even a day after."

the amusement on you is fast to dissipate, replaced by a look of sympathy.

"oh... was that why you looked so down that day?"

he smiles rather lightly.

"yeah. but it's whatever. i'll just try again next time or apply for a different one."

there's a moment of the birds chirping high in the sky and the sound of pedestrians walking until you speak again.

"sorry to hear..."

you feel bad for him, understanding the feeling all too well; like you're incompetent and not good enough. on top of that, he even got sick afterward.

"i always knew you cared about me," he says, breaking all the empathy bones in your body--you having to settle for a major eye roll.

"pfft."

"you know... when i sick, i always looked back to your note and it always made me feel a little better afterward despite quite literally dying in bed."

a sheer chuckle bubbles out of you at the confession.

"i don't believe you," you tell him.

he looks you straight in the eye and shakes his head, vouching for his honesty.

"i'm forreal. look, i even brought it with me today."

your eyebrows furrow together as you watch him search his hoodie with his free hand, pulling the familiar piece of paper out of one of the pockets, still able to comprehend the black ink you were responsible for.

i added just the littlest bit more of vanilla syrup bc you seemed a little down. not too much though bc i'm already worried abt ur glucose level. but hope u feel better soon.

"you're... crazy."

the temperature on your cheeks heats up like crazy, san witnessing them in action as they turn a bright shade of pink, unable to help the lovesick smile that breaks out on his face.

then another stare-off follows, the longest silence hanging between you two that both badly wants to break but too unsure how.

you take the opportunity to admire his features; his keen jawline, sharp eyes, and oh... the slit in between one of his eyebrows that makes him look extra attractive.

then your gaze travels to his lips. plumped, luscious, and just waiting to be taken in--and it must've been how you've been wanting to kiss him for so long now, that one second you're apart, and the next, your lips are stilled against his when you go to place a peck on them.

pulling away, you search him for a reaction; he's a bit dazed and stunned, until the corners of his mouth turns and a soft smile overtakes his expression.

"you really are an angel sent from heaven."

[ineffable-endearments]

Deep dive into The Coffee

The following is primarily about the symbolism of the Metatron's coffee.

Once I started thinking about it, there's a lot of cool stuff going on there (depending on whether you think, you know, symbolism is "cool," but I do!).

I think it points toward certain interpretations of what the characters are feeling and what their motivations are, but it isn't about the coffee itself affecting the plot beyond the obvious (it's a love-bomb the Metatron is using to seem friendly).

I was thinking about The Coffee as a sort of shadow version of the Fruit of Knowledge and wondering: why the heck would you choose coffee for this symbolism? It's obviously a very common, non-suspicious beverage in Soho, but surely they could come up with some creative reason for the Metatron to come bearing pretty much any edible item. Out of all the foods and beverages in the world, why coffee? Why not, for example, fruit, or Eccles cakes, or meat - or, for that matter, tea, or cocoa, which we already know Aziraphale enjoys?

But it does make sense. And it also makes sense that it's not just a cup of coffee, it's an oat milk latte with a dash/hefty jigger of almond syrup.

Here, I'll be making the big assumption that the Fruit of Knowledge is relevant to Aziraphale as a metaphor - as something he would consider desirable but forbidden. He was supposed to be guarding it in Eden ("technically, I was on apple tree duty"). And Crowley, with his red hair like the apple, has spent the past 6000 years trying to impart the knowledge of "good" and "evil" to Aziraphale, who in turn has desperately wanted Crowley and also considered him off-limits. Crowley is Aziraphale's Apple of Eden.

Here are a few observations about The Coffee, contrasted with the Fruit of Knowledge and, in some cases, the ox ribs.

The coffee is heavily processed - Fruits, including the apple in Eden, exist straight from the natural world in a form that you can pluck from a tree and eat almost whole. Meanwhile, coffee has to go through a lot of processing between the time it's a coffee berry (also a fruit!) and the moment it's recognizable as the beverage so many people immediately reach for every morning. There's a long, often-unethical production chain there, involving many people.

The oat milk latte with almond syrup is further complicated. The apple is plain and straightforward - it simply is Knowledge in fruit form. It's "pure." The coffee was already heavily processed to become coffee, and now multiple other ingredients have been added. A fancy latte beverage involves the preparation of the milk and the syrup in addition to the coffee beans.

There's a lot going on behind the scenes here. There may, as Crowley pointed out, have been a lot going on behind the scenes in Eden with the Apple purposely placed for the humans to see, but it still feels like there's significance to the difference between a thing that springs from the ground as a food item and a thing that has to be processed over and over before it's ready to consume.

Maybe the point is that the Apple of Eden did exactly what it was said to do from the beginning - gave Adam and Eve Knowledge one way or another - whereas the coffee is a heavily-altered, almost unrecognizable version of the truth.

The coffee is heavily sweetened with additives - This is the real important part for me. Fruit is, broadly speaking, naturally sweet. This obviously varies from piece to piece, as anyone who's sorted through a pile of fruit at the supermarket would know, but the most widely-understood appeal of fruit as a concept is its sweetness. Without any other input, we could guess the Fruit of Knowledge was pretty sweet, too.

Meat, ox ribs, are very different from fruit, obviously. Savory and a bit salty. But they are another food item with broad appeal.

Coffee, particularly espresso, is naturally bitter, to the point where drinking it black is often an acquired taste. The Metatron picked a particularly sweet type of milk and a sweet-flavored syrup.

He had to sweeten his deal a lot to make it palatable to Aziraphale.

The coffee is not "of the flesh" - There are no animal products listed in the ingredients to the Metatron's latte. It's vegan. Oat milk is plant-based. Almond syrup is a plant flavor, likely made with sugar, also a plant. Coffee is a plant.

Aziraphale's other major culinary experience this season? The one where he become more worldly, more of-the-flesh? Yeah, the ox ribs. Meat. The latte is, I suspect, the Metatron's subtle rejection of that worldly pleasure.

The coffee is not Aziraphale's usual preference - We've never seen Aziraphale drink coffee before. We've seen him drink wine and tea and hot cocoa and champagne and sherry, but never coffee; in fact, Crowley's espresso order seems to be set up in contrast to Aziraphale's taste. And when the Metatron brings it to him, Aziraphale initially hesitates. To be fair, I do read his enjoyment of the latte as genuine. I don't think he was lying when he said it tasted good. But he only drinks it after an awkward push from the Metatron.

The coffee contrasts with Crowley's espresso - Season 2 is bookended by espresso beverages. At the beginning, Crowley enthusiastically downs an absurdly hype-inducing, bitter concoction of six espresso shots all in one gulp to prepare for whatever weirdness is waiting for him in the bookshop. He doesn't seem to care either way about the taste. At the end, Aziraphale hesitantly sips his heavily-diluted, sweetened espresso under social pressure. He does admit he likes the taste.

Give Me Coffee Or Give Me Death - The Metatron points out the name of the coffee shop, which possibly sets us up to consider that a choice between anything and death isn't really a choice at all. He also muses that people are very predictable for always choosing coffee over death. This is all done outside of Aziraphale's awareness. Maybe that's because the coffee vs death thing is more about the Metatron's underlying motivations - to coerce and force Aziraphale to accept his role in Heaven no matter what - than about something Aziraphale is consciously aware of.

So, since I'm theorizing that the coffee is a metaphor for the Metatron's offer, here's what I think it's hinting toward.

Aziraphale's emotions and motivations:

Aziraphale didn't start that conversation with any interest in what the Metatron was saying. Coffee's not his order. This didn't start out as a successful temptation, per se. It was a coercion that appeared harmless on the surface (drink the coffee/entertain the conversation to be polite).

Now that they've had their conversation, Aziraphale did like some aspects of the Metatron's offer. That part is a successful temptation.

If we assume Aziraphale really liked the coffee and then run a parallel to the Metatron's offer, it's not hard to see what sufficiently "sweetened the deal" for him: the offer to bring Crowley to Heaven. The Apple of Eden, Crowley, gave Aziraphale the knowledge of good and evil; the sweetened coffee - the suggestion that Heaven could change its mind about Crowley - once again obscured it.

All that stuff about Heaven being the side of Truth and Light and Good came out because Heaven appeared to be changing its mind about Crowley. Crowley is kind of symbolic of everything on Earth for Aziraphale, so presumably, if it can change its mind about Crowley, then it could do things better for Earth, right? Heaven's good intentions must have been sincere after all.

The Metatron's offer and underlying plan:

The Metatron has a complex plan. He's manipulating a lot of people, not just Aziraphale.

The Metatron is using sweetness to conceal a bitter plan that he knows Aziraphale will find unpalatable (separating him from Crowley).

The Metatron is going to present going to Heaven as a choice, but it isn't really one.

For some reason, the Metatron does need Aziraphale back in Heaven, and it's easier if he comes willingly, perhaps if he believes it's his own choice. They're not going to send a bunch of disguised Archangels to abduct him this time.

The Aftermath

So, Aziraphale has been taken in by the coffee, the Foisted Fruit, although the Metatron was not actually giving him a choice at all. Aziraphale botched the philosophical talk, but his choice has probably put off something worse.

Note that in the Final Fifteen, Aziraphale essentially tries to present the same temptation he fell for to Crowley: we can be together in Heaven.

But unlike what Adam did with Eve, Crowley rejects it, because he sees right through it. Instead, he counters with the truth about Heaven and the truth about his own feelings, both in verbal form and with a kiss, once again reprising his role as the Serpent of Eden and the Apple of Knowledge.

Aziraphale, having already swallowed the belief that Heaven is capable of changing, feels Crowley's attempt to disillusion him is a betrayal, an attempt to stop him from doing Good. Notice how when Aziraphale touches his lips longingly after the kiss, he finishes by looking angry and wiping, as if to dismiss what's been shared with him. But you can't un-eat fruit. And you can't be un-kissed.

The Metatron comes back while Aziraphale is clearly having a crisis of conscience. Try as he might to wipe the kiss away, it happened. And he heard the things Crowley said. And he keeps glancing toward Crowley.

This is a tricky moment in the Metatron's plan, because the sweetener he used to get Aziraphale to "drink the coffee"/accept Heaven is no longer in there with Crowley out of the picture. He rushes in and pushes Aziraphale to start his new job, dismissing Aziraphale's excuses. The fact that the Metatron needed Aziraphale without Crowley was the bitterness in the plan that he had to disguise with sweeteners.

Aziraphale, left without sufficient time to think, resolves to simply not think about his first choice, the choice that just walked out the door.

And then, at the last second, to ensure Aziraphale gets in that elevator, the Metatron reveals that the next step in the Great Plan is the Second Coming. Why reveal it at the last second, when Aziraphale is going to get on the elevator anyway?

Because it's the clincher. The Metatron knows Aziraphale won't be able to resist trying to make a difference.

He needed to divide Aziraphale and Crowley. He needed to get Aziraphale's hopes up about being able to make a difference with Crowley first. Then he needed those hopes dashed harshly so that Aziraphale would be at a loss, susceptible to joining Heaven to find a purpose again, now that Crowley is out of his life and the bookshop is being looked after.

And now, by emphasizing Aziraphale's knowledge of Earth and telling him the plan to destroy it at the same time, the Metatron gives Aziraphale a whole new purpose: thwart the Second Coming.

This has been the "predictable" part that the Metatron was scoffing about in the coffee shop. He knew that chain of events would happen. He knew Crowley would reject any suggestion of returning to Heaven, and he knew that would leave Aziraphale upset and vulnerable enough to be swept away, and he knew saving Earth would matter to Aziraphale.

THIS is the moment Aziraphale realizes he's choosing between coffee and death. He has to choose the coffee, of course.

But Crowley has rejected Heaven. He hasn't rejected Aziraphale. He's still there.

And Aziraphale looks back at Crowley the instant he's told Earth is in danger again. You can be confused, but you can't un-eat the Apple of Knowledge. He hasn't forgotten.

There is an alternate reading here: Aziraphale lied about enjoying the coffee, and he is also lying about his beliefs about Heaven being genuinely good, and he recognized that he was choosing between coffee and death way earlier, during the conversation when the Metatron brought up Crowley. I like that reading, too, and it would indeed change the flavor of some of the things that happen afterward.

But either way, we reach the same point at the end of the episode. That grin in the elevator? Maybe that's Aziraphale realizing he's going to have to be unpredictable, just as Crowley said he could.

[pelusadegiraso1]

Meet the Artist!

This is a birthday gift to myself!

Being alive has been wild so far. I know my life is just beginning, but I feel like I've already gone through so much to shape me into who I am.

Tap the picture, zoom in, read the words and doodles! Explore my essence thoroughly. Otherwise, Continue reading (:

I AM A HUMAN ARTIST!

I have been drawing seriously for well over five years now with my creative mind and hands. I refuse to incorporate A.I. in any way into whatever I create UNLESS it is used as a tool and NEVER as the final product. My art is made with the heart and soul of a human.

Formerly " Calamity.chr " on Instagram, I am a mixed-media artist with a major focus on digital art. Mostly self-taught, I have been attending college courses for the past two-ish years and learning an incredible amount!

If you meet me in person and hand me a glass of chocolate milk or caramel coffee of any kind, you and I will be instant friends! I love animals and many kinds of music genres. My Playlist speaks for itself 🪐 (my favorite song is "Lisztomania" by Phoenix.)

The dislikes I've listed are more or less "meh" things for me. Except for hunger. I absolutely despise feeling hungry. The others, I'll be fine with for a long while before ultimately reaping the consequences.

Now on to the juicier topics:

I am indeed sapphic. Women are simply too beautiful for me to think otherwise. I also classify myself as genderfluid. There are days I feel more feminine, and others where I wish certain aspects of myself weren't so prominent.

I am a person of patience. Relationships take time for me, therefore, am classified as Demi-sexual. I like to tread the waters carefully, giving others the benefit of the doubt. If you've upset me, you should consider working on yourself. Otherwise, leave me be.

I've scattered a few characters that I like around the space of this art piece: including Gricko Grimgrin, Toothless the Nightfury, Rambly the Raccoon, Cucurucho, and a few others.

(If you recognize where the unicorn on my shirt is from, you're a legend)

I do, unfortunately, have a back brace already. My spine as been classified as "abnormally curved" since birth. I was royally screwed with a shrimp posture before I even realized I liked art. 🙃

This is a very personal piece to me and hesitated even making it in the first place. I think its important that I do, however, as it's proof that I'm growing as a human. The God's know my fearful and confused fifteen year old self never would.

[bisluthq]

https://www.tumblr.com/bisluthq/761259745165361152/when-you-were-eating-vegetarian-what-would-you-do?source=share

You actually gave some good advice Nat! I have been an lacto egg vegetarian for idk like 8 years now? Maybe more. In case someone doesn't know what it means, this is kind of most standard version of being a vegetarian. You still eat eggs and dairy, you don't eat meat, fish and seafood which seems to be what anon is going for too.

Tbh if I were just starting to be vegetarian now I would probably be able to eliminate dairy too. When I started, atleast in my country, you had like 2-3 brands of vegetarian food and even abroad it was a lot harder than it is now to find veggie options in supermarkets and restaurants. So I tried the only brand I could find of soy milk to eliminate milk but I kinda hated it. Now you have soo many alternatives. Soy iogurts to me taste just as good as dairy ones. You have tons of options to put on bread if you don't want to eat cheese.

The other reason why I haven't tried to eliminate more is because I sometimes have phases where I struggle to eat. Nothing to do with being vegetarian, but more to my anxiety. I'm not someone who eats a lot too. So trying to cut down sources of protein, in this case, could actually be irresponsible of me because I probably wouldn't compensate in other ways

All of this to say, if you are just cutting down meat and fish and eating dairy and eggs normally you are consuming protein. If you want something to substitute the meat, tofu and soy are very versatile. Tofu doesn't have any taste by itself, but it absorbs flavors so take that any mind and use condimentos. There's a bunch of recipes online you can find with both of these. Soy bologne is great. Lasagne too. You can do kind of a shepperd's pie using soy. There's certains dishes popular in my country I simply turn them vegetarian by using soy or tofu. Tofu works great for salads. I like eating mixed with scrambled eggs too (that's kind of one of my lazy meals) . Another thing I use for lazy meals are tortillas, because they are so versatile. You know when you're in the mood for a pizza but you don't have it? Just use a tortilla to make one, spread ketchup if you don't have tomato and use whatever toppings you have at home (great to get rid of leftovers)

And if you want something premade, there's tons and tons of brands now that do veggie versions of popular food like burguers, nuggets, meatballs etc. It's a bit of a matter of trial and error, because different brands do different types of the same thing and just because you don't like one doesn't mean you don't like none. Let me tell you that as more brands began to emerge I actually became more picky. I'm much more aware of textures and strong condiments, which usually don't go well with my stomach

yea I think all the new products available make it much easier!! I’m not vegetarian rn and certainly not vegan but I actually love milk alternatives (I use almond for coffee and tea and I also love coconut and oat milk) and yogurt alternatives. I don’t have oats often at all but when I do I like it with those too (and muesli but I can’t think when I last ate muesli). I cook with “real” milk mostly because I find the alternatives add funny flavors but I prefer coffee and tea with the alternatives.

also good point on trying all the different brands of the meat alternatives. Some are super fucking weird but some are reaaaally good.

[refundtheticket]

For hide specifically:

❤️🤍💔🍝☕️☺️🤔🤓😥😓👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 sorry if this is a lot!

not at all!!!

❤️ RED HEART — what are three of your oc's positive traits?

HMMM. i guess loyalty, friendliness and uh. their ability to trust in others? you can interpret these things as flaws since sometimes hide can take them too far but i think they're good things hehe

🤍 WHITE HEART — what are three of your oc's neutral/questionable traits?

hmmmm. uhhh tbh i'm not sure what would be defined as such uwu

💔 BROKEN HEART — what are three of your oc's negative traits?

they have high standards for their own behaviours when it comes to stuff like behaving with kindness/honour and all that and they have a pretty bad habit of holding other people to those standards. they can also be pretty bossy. hide really thrives when working as part of a team and gets really frustrated and irritable when it feels like people aren't putting in the same amount of effort. they're a real "i did all this so you should all do this and if you aren't you suck" kind of person. the type to do the dishes every night and then get mad when no one else does the dishes even though they've been doing them every night and probably wouldn't like the standards other people did the dishes at. is that three?? idek

🍝 SPAGHETTI — what is/are your oc's favorite food(s)?

hide really loves anything made with horse meat; where they're from there's a festival held once a year during which a horse is slaughtered and served raw. like horse sushi. hide loved that shit. in general hide appreciates their meat raw and straight from the creature (GIVE IT TO THEM RAW AND WRIGGLING) and they'll just straight up eat a mouse whole, but in terms of food that is an actual constructed meal they love a good stew, esp when noodles are involved. dumplings are also great.

☕️ HOT BEVERAGE — does your oc prefer coffee, tea, hot chocolate, milk, water, or some other drink? how do they like to take this drink (ex. coffee with milk, hot chocolate with whipped cream, a specific kind of tea, etc)?

hide generally sticks to water; a lot of human/human-adjacent drinks like certain teas can make them really sick because of kitty cat dietary restrictions so if it's not being prepared by another tabaxi they generally play it safe. that said, where they're from milk is drank a lot so they actually have a much higher tolerance for milk products than a lot of other tabaxi. their fav alcoholic drink is airag ^_^ comfort drink fr fr

😊 SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES — what are your oc's career/general life desires? what do they want to get the most out of life?

hide is currently working as a bodyguard, but they'll do a variety of jobs that take advantage of their skills (fightin') as long as the main goal isn't to hurt anyone. they used to want to be a knight but got discouraged by the Horrors of War and now don't really know what they're doing. they mostly just want to find a path in life that feels relatively stable!!

🤔 THINKING FACE — what are some of your oc's quirks/mannerisms?

hide has a lot of cat mannerisms. for example they are prone to physical touch more than your average humanoid is, they'll purr if they're happy, they slow-blink, head butt, etc. in terms of behaviours outside of your average kitty-cat mannerisms what's really coming to mind is that they run their hands through their fur a lot; keeping their fur neat helps keep them grounded so running their fingers through their fur, esp when stressed, is a common unconscious movement for them. esp the big mane of fur around the back of their head and neck.

🤓 SMILING FACE WITH GLASSES — is your oc chatty or quiet? are they at ease in social situations, or are they more shy?

hide should be chatty, although sometimes when i'm the one playing them i feel like i drop the ball on that a bit since i am very shy lmao. hide is very extroverted, they like meeting new people and don't really experience social anxiety at all!!! couldn't be me

😥 SAD BUT RELIEVED FACE — is your oc prone to getting stressed out, or is it easy for them to keep their cool?

i wouldn't say hide is totally chill but i also wouldn't say they're really prone to getting stressed out, but they probably become more easily stressed over stuff than is probably necessary. esp when compounding elements make it feel like they're losing control over the situation

😓 DOWNCAST FACE WITH SWEAT — is your oc open-minded or stubborn? are they inquisitive or do they prefer to keep to their bubble of knowledge?

i would describe hide as reasonably open-minded! part of what interests them about people is understanding their different perspectives; they try not to go into any interaction with strong assumptions about them (although the wealthier the person the more likely hide is to slip into negative assumptions lmao). that said hide has some beliefs that they're not willing to compromise on. dont we all tho

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 FAMILY WITH MOTHER, FATHER, SON AND DAUGHTER — how many people are in your oc's immediate family? how many people are in your oc's extended family? do they have aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc? who in their family are they closest with? are they close with their birth family, or do they have a found family?

hide has a pretty big family!!! hide has four parental units (a mom, a ma, a dad,(<~ in a romantic relationship), and then their dad's sibling, who is nonbinary and hide calls them an 'ancle') and four siblings. they love their family!!!!!! they don't really see them anymore at this point tho esp since they kinda left their clan to go and try to be a knight. sad!

thank u!!

[heiwa-the-tistic]

Journal entry #1, Coffee.

Dear Diary, or something like that...

I feel a certain comfort with coffee.

Is it weird? Ir gives me caffeine which used to make me anxious but productive.

At some point the anxiety went away, or maybe I just got used to it.

Coffee, milk, 3 table spoons of sugar.

Not nearly enough to make it sweet, I don't like it when my coffee gets sweet it feels weird on my teeth.

And after a while of drinking it, it slowly gets sweeter anyways, or maybe I just get slowly used to the flavour.

The aftertaste is also something I enjoy, there's a certain reassurance with the slight bitter taste that rests on my tongue, every time I move it, it just unravel a little more.

When I'm like this (after a good mug of coffee in the morning) I feel calm, like I can look up and do nothing for a long time.

It doesn't makes me feel like sleeping, but it also doesn't take away my tiredness like I just slept, like it used to.

Maybe it's because I started drinking energy drinks at night? The complete artificial and sugary flavour is something New, not reassuring like the mild bitter taste of coffee, but is not unwelcome.

I think I may have a caffeine problem.

Is it weird that I want to listen to Jack Stauber after drinking my morning coffee? I think I started associating him with the drink after a while, it just feels improper to not to.

I should start listening to a podcast... but not those alpha male ones, but like, the true crime ones.

Is "O Diário de um jovem moderno" still going on? It was one of my favorite podcasts.

Wait what was I talking about? Oh yeah coffee, yeah I think I have something with caffeine, I wouldn't call it an addiction I can handle myself spending a long time without consuming it. (Three days is a long time right?)

I guess it's just an appreciation of the content.

[sucker-just]

Well, he's set up a "drug metaphor" for each kind of art. The kind of art he hates is like weed, a drug that makes you chill (barring certain reactions, I know people for whom it makes Very Unchill Indeed) and probably also eat (this will make sense hopefully).

Bulletproof coffee is a coffee product named after the company that developed it, also a generic name within the circles that drink it for any coffee with butter in it (and also sometimes an additional and much fancier fat source). It's considered a health food around ketogenic dieting circles. Keto is a diet that, by aggressively limiting carbs, forces your body to burn fats as its primary energy source. It was invented to help with some types of otherwise hard to treat epilepsy, the brain usually uses carbohydrates as its primary energy source, so moving to fat messes with its metabolism enough that it can help reduce seizure activity, in exchange for an incredibly restrictive diet. Then people realised that the people on this diet tended to lose weight (because they're on a diet where things like beans, nuts, lettuce, basically anything from a plant is a luxury to be weighed and regarded with some suspicion and that really puts the kibosh on most enjoyable or spontaneous food experiences, and also doing it long term might fuck with your satiety cues) so it became a massive thing around the turn of the fat is okay actually sugar is the devil movement. It's popular especially around alpha masculinity praising dickhead circles because of a bunch of sociocultural factors, like how the "safest" foods are animal products because plants make carbohydrates and animals don't really, they feel it's more alpha because something something no rabbit food hunting is so primal, and because the right wing is obsessed with diet culture in general. There's a lot to unpack there and people who've done it a lot better than me, so moving on.

Bulletproof coffee is known to be quite the pick me up if you're not having carbs for breakfast and are otherwise starving, just use the packet product or melt butter (milk has too many carbs to waste, plus you've gotta try to get calories in any way you can, just rolling up balls of butter with artificial sweetener and eating them straight is also common) in to a cup using hot water, add the fat supplement and the coffee powder and you'll be able to go to work just fine, despite a large energy deficit and some fun metabolic stresses. He believes art should have similar properties to this, in contrast to weed which he considers the inverse and therefore undesirable experience. He wants art to get you to work and energize (specifically in a way that upholds a bunch of his social values) and not chill the fuck out and maybe not partake in those values.

It's still stupid and a little esoteric, but also expresses something really shitty.

Tag yourself as this list of “bad art” features, according to a twitter fascist

[meditating-dog-lover]

Eczema 03/22

So my skin is starting to look better. It's still dry and covered in some cuts, but the redness is slowly subsiding.

The only things I've done different so far were taking the liver detox supplements and avoiding cocamidopropyl betaine. Though I ultimately believe it's the supplements that are more helpful because I am convinced my condition has an internal root cause. Addressing gut and liver health are the primary goals to healing, the allergies and food sensitivities are secondary.

I've only been on the supplements for a week and 3 days, which is barely any time. I'm going to give it 4 weeks, but milk thistle helps with liver health. It is something I can take every now and then when I feel like I need a boost or a natural detox (again your gut and liver should do the detoxing for you, not a weird juice cleans or colonic or coffee enema you heard about on Pinterest). But the gut and liver get taxed and overwhelmed due to stress, poor diet, pollution, and drinking. I don't notice any huge changes in my health since I started taking this supplement, but I see my skin quite slowly, but surely improving and healing.

Today is Friday so I ate out. I had Crumbl and Chick-fil-a, none of those being liver-friendly foods due to the high fat and sugar contents, which makes them inflammatory. But I eat very healthy overall, so I'm not going to stress. I noticed my hands, especially the tops, get itchy after I eat fried stuff like chicken tenders (like from Chick-fil-a). Again it's high in fat and inflammatory, not so much a food sensitivity. The same thing happened to me on Tuesday when I also ate out, I just went to a different place not Chick-fil-a.

I also had pizza today and I didn't get a weird flareup. I want to go back to eating tomatoes, but once my inflammation heals ~100%. I just want to continue to eat some tomato here and there because I heard that avoiding a certain food for too long can cause you to develop an allergy against it. I don't know if this is 100% true but I'm not taking any chances either way.

I notice myself not really rubbing my hands under running hot water as often. If I do, it's for a shorter period because I'm not getting that much of an inflammatory feedback loop like I used to due to my skin being less inflamed. I will gently and slowly scratch some areas on my hands and fingers with my fingernails, which may generate some scrapes, but not as bad as blisters and large cuts and oozy and bloody skin areas.

I am using the Avene cream, and I'm using an occlusive like Cerave or Aquaphor healing ointments. They have been helping me too. Even though I want to manage my eczema internally, having a cream and occlusive really comes in handy. I love slugging to begin with and would love it even if I didn't have eczema.

I'm still going to do a gut evaluation and then look for a longterm gut supplement. Again the liver detox is used to give my liver a quick boost so it can work in digestion, bile production, enzymatic activity, and detoxing/filtration. This is something I can do here and there, but I'll determine my pattern eventually. I'm taking it now daily because it's my first time taking it and I don't have a completed gut evaluation nor supplement yet. Again I will see what gut health supplement would work best for me, but I know I need one so my gut can be healthy, and therefore my skin.

In one of my old eczema posts, I mentioned that allergies, food sensitivities, and nutritional deficiencies play a role in eczema. I've already either somewhat managed these, the nutrition part, or either don't see them as a main root cause priority, like allergies and food sensitivities. Gut health and proper liver detoxification also play a role in eczema management, something I'm currently working on. I'm taking the liver supplement, I can't wait to do the gut evaluation and then find a longterm supplement that can help me with my skin.

I will heal. I just need to address my gut and liver function as I've never done so before. I feel like it really will help, and my skin already looks less inflamed and is less itchy thanks to this supplement and the new soaps.

[beatgout]

The Ultimate Reference: Foods for Gout Relief and Prevention

Find The Greatest Gout Relieving Ingredients

Juricular acid crystals building up in the joints causes gout, also referred to as the "disease of kings," a painful and debilitating medical ailment. People of all royal statuses can be affected by this illness, and it can cause excruciating pain in certain cases.

Luckily, there are steps that can be taken to treat gout effectively. It is possible to reduce symptoms and lessen the likelihood of flare-ups in the future by making dietary choices that emphasize foods good for gout. The best food options for gout symptoms relief and prevention will be discussed in this extensive guide.

knowing the causes and symptoms of gout

Gaining a thorough grasp of gout and its underlying factors is crucial before delving into the dietary options that might help relieve and avoid the condition. The big toe's metatarsophalangeal joint is commonly affected by gout, a kind of arthritis characterized by sudden, severe flare-ups of pain, inflammation, and sensitivity in our joints.

It is believed that the development of uric acid crystals in the joints is the cause of these episodes, and that various factors, including genetic predisposition, lifestyle choices, and food habits, can contribute to this process.

The Gout Diet's Basics

A well-established and highly successful approach to controlling gout is implementing dietary adjustments. The goal of a gout diet, also referred to as a "Gout diet," is to reduce the body's uric acid levels and reduce the frequency of flare-ups. The following essential ideas should be kept in mind:

Assisting the body in getting rid of too much uric acid requires maintaining adequate water. Water should be consumed in sufficient quantities throughout the day in order to ensure proper hydration.

Because alcohol, particularly beer and spirits, can raise uric acid levels, moderation is advised when it comes to alcohol usage. Eating less sugar-filled foods and drinks and reducing your intake of foods high in fructose is also advised.

The importance of a diet rich in whole grains, lean proteins, and a variety of fruits and vegetables should not be overlooked. Because red meat and organ meats contain a high amount of purines, which are known to aid in the synthesis of uric acid, it is best to restrict exposure to these foods.

Foods That Are Eligible for Gout Patients

Let's now discuss the particular meals that can help gout symptoms be lessened and prevented:

Cherry and berry are the subject of discussion.

The anti-inflammatory qualities of cherries, especially tart cherries, have been shown, and they may be useful in reducing gout flare-ups. Higher antioxidant content in berries, like that of blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries, may help with gout management.

foods rich in fiber

Due to their ability to promote kidney function, high-dietary fiber foods including whole grains, beans, and lentils may help lower uric acid levels. They also aid in weight control, which is one of the most important ways to avoid gout.

dairy goods with less fat

One of the best ways to get protein that doesn't cause uric acid buildup is through low-fat dairy products like yogurt and skim milk. That being said, given their ability to lower uric acid levels, it's plausible that they protect against gout.

Fucosy acids omega-3

Omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods provide anti-inflammatory qualities that may help relieve gout symptoms. Examples of these foods are walnuts, flaxseeds, and fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, and sardines).

Consumables Rich in Vitamin C

Research has shown a connection between vitamin C intake and a lower risk of contracting gout. Fruits that are high in vitamin C include bell peppers, kiwi, and citrus fruits.

I want to talk about coffee and its topic.

Modest coffee drinking may be linked to a lower risk of gout attacks, according to some data. Several studies indicate that coffee consumption—which includes caffeine—may help lower uric acid levels.

Speaking about water, let's talk about it.

Proper hydration is crucial and cannot be emphasized enough. Diluting uric acid and making it easier for the body to excrete it are two benefits of maintaining adequate hydration. drinking eight glasses of water a day is the suggested minimum.

Dietary Items to Limit or Stop

When it comes to foods that can aggravate symptoms or cause gout episodes, it is just as important to be cautious as when it comes to including gout-friendly foods in one's diet. Among them are the following items:

Elevated amounts of uric acid can result from excessive alcohol use, particularly from beer and spirits. Limiting alcohol intake or doing so completely is advised.

Moderation is advised while consuming high-purine meals such organ meats, red meat, shellfish, seafood, and some types of fish (including anchovies and mackerel).

Drinking sugary drinks in excess can lead to the buildup of uric acid, therefore it's best to limit your intake of soft drinks and fructose-rich fruit juices.

Processed meals: Avoiding processed meals is advised since they may exacerbate inflammation, especially if they include high levels of trans fats and refined carbohydrates.

In conclusion

Using home remedies for gout can significantly improve the efficient treatment of gout by adhering to a diet that is appropriate for those who have the condition, making other lifestyle changes, and sometimes using medication as prescribed by a healthcare professional. Although food decisions are crucial in managing gout, it is vital to remember that they should be incorporated into an all-encompassing treatment plan.

To ensure that your plan is customized to meet your needs and enable a pain-free, more comfortable lifestyle, it is best to consult with a qualified dietician or healthcare expert if you have gout or are at risk.

[ferventfox]

So I usually don't respond to posts off the posts themselves but my resonse was getting pretty long and I just generally didn't want to get into all of this on OPs post, so on this post:

(and those that express similar sentiments)

On one hand,  yeah, a lot of this is just that thing people do when they see someone else abstaining from something and take that as personal judgement on their own behavior and have to point out how abstaining is wrong actually. 

But on the other hand: it’s pretty undeniable that there are a contingent of vegans who are very self-righteous and act like their lifestyle is above any sort of reproach and if everyone was just vegan all these problems wouldn’t exist and so if you aren’t vegan you are bad person who is selfish and unwilling to make sacrifices. It’s actually perfectly reasonable, if you have encountered this attitude, to point out that the mechanisms that sustain plant-based diets also result in damage to the environment and exploitation. That vegans are also selfish and and unwilling to sacrifice certain aspects of their own lifestyles that make their lives easier or more enjoyable. I can hardly fault people for not liking being lectured by hypocrites. Veganism isn’t “guilt free”-- it just isn’t; I don’t think any kind of lifestyle is. 

I have zero problems with people abstaining from eating certain foods on moral grounds. And again, I won’t be intellectually dishonest and claim nobody does---plenty of people take veganism or vegetarianism as some sort of personal insult-- but I don’t have a problem with it, and even abstain from certain animal products myself. I’m also under no delusion that my personal choices for the past fifteen years or so have saved any animals, or that I’m morally better than anyone who still eats those things, any more than I think I’m morally better than a vegans who goes to Starbucks every morning to get their coffee. Coffee drinkers are contributing to the extremely exploitative coffee industry way more than I, a non-coffee drinker am, regardless of whether they use cow milk, almond milk, or no milk.  But you know what? I don’t like coffee so it’s easy for me not to drink it: they can’t live without coffee and I can’t live without dairy. Pretty much everyone has some part of their lifestyle that couldn’t give up even if they know/found out that it's supporting bad things; that includes vegans.

The truth is civilization is built on animal exploitation (and human exploitation) and that maintains your lifestyle regardless of  your personal dietary choices. Even if you were the strictest possible vegan cradle to grave, the debt you would owe to past and current medical research performed on animals alone would be massive. So we’re all essentially in the same boat. We all have shit to feel bad about and our ability to personally cut specific thing out our lives to mitigate that personal feeling of guilt varies by individual. Everyone, vegans and meat-eaters alike,  just need to stop bullshitting that the One True Morally Unimpeachable Way To Consume Products just so happens to align with their own personal preferences and abilities (and whenever morals don’t align with your preferences “No ethical consumption under capitalism” but only for things you really like, not for anything someone else really likes; those people are selfish assholes) and just admit that this is what is going on.  Vegans too, can stop tying themselves into knots, with claims that their motivations for pet ownership are different from everyone else’s or that animal testing is morally reprehensible but their use of animal-derived insulin is an exception because they are using their life to fight for animals or whatever other dumb shit they feel the need to say to maintain a moral high ground they desperately want to have. So whenever you are about to say obnoxious things like "I'm bippity bopity-boo what are you doing for XYZ?", think of all the things you are inevitably not doing for ABC (or even for XYZ) and then refrain from saying it. You 100% deserve any whataboutism you get hit with for saying shit like that' It is, in fact, entirely possible to present accurate information about inhumane or environmentally harmful factory farming practices and tell people about available substitutes for animal products without the seven layers of judgmentalness that someone added to stroke their own ego. It's actually very easy to do!

tl;dr: I see a lot of bad-faith, emotionally motivated, and outright ill-informed criticisms of veganism and I don't like them, but let's not erase all the bad-faith, emotionally motivated, and outright ill-informed arguments that vegans make. I don't like those either.

[loonyoz]

I real love the points you’ve made, interesting how deeply ingrained heteronormativity is in society (society is very vague i know). I tend to feel more comfortable engaging in stories about queer relationships because I assume it’s less likely to place characters into gender roles (which is, of course, not always the case). I can’t speak to the variety of bg3 or other fics out there, but I have definitely noticed similar stuff. It always bothers me when people decide a persons sexual preferences based off their appearance or mannerism, because 1. It often implies something weird (or stereotyped) and 2. I just think it makes no sense, in real life I don’t think you can or should determine a persons preferences based off these things. Or like sure this person tends to let others take the lead in group dynamics, that doesn’t define everything else about them. It’s like saying that because someone likes to put milk in their coffee the must like it in their tea as well.

I've also been confused about the language used for awhile now. I had always thought that top/bottom referred to who is/isn’t penetrating during sex. Yet I often see it used interchangeably with dom/sub, which has to do with a desire to explore a certain power dynamic in a relationship or sexual activity. If my understanding these definitions is correct, this honestly makes me very upset. In a generally cisnormative society the partner being penetrated is often associated with women, due to a variety of reasons, one of which being that afab people have vaginas. If bottom and sub are used synonymously it’s implying that the norm for sex is that the partner being penetrated is submissive. Furthering these gender roles in which a man is always dominant and a woman is always submissive. Which also carries over in the portrayal of some queer relationships, in which the penetrated or submissive partner is often assigned a “feminine” gender role in the relationship.

Of course people can write and read what makes them happy but as a reader and someone who cares about social issues Im going to be disappointed by something that tosses aside what makes a character an individual in favor of enjoyment of something that perpetuates an unnuanced and harmful approach to gender and sexuality. Of course I’m not saying someone can’t be, for example, stereotypically feminine, enjoy bottoming, and enjoy a submissive role. That’s obviously valid, and not a problem. The problem is how we talk about it. For example: someone saying oh this person definitely bottoms because they act so effeminate. If you find yourself saying similar remarks, I think it’s important that you reflect on why you’re saying that. Why are you make that connection? God I hate discrimination biases because it can be a lot subtler than other forms of bigotry. It can be hidden in the sociocultural environments that we are familiar with, and can be a product of systemic bigotry. It can be hard to notice in others and in yourself, and it can do so much harm.

I appreciate how you brought up that there are arguments on both sides that are harmful. I often observe arguments becoming this aggressive polarized nightmare. Nothing but more harm is caused by those types of arguments. If both sides are self reflective, able to listen, and able to explain their point of view in a non aggressive manner, that is when you can have a productive discussion. Of course things are rarely as simple as that. Which is a whole other topic in and of itself.

I also think what you brought up about sexual trauma is really important. I would need to do more research if I wanted to make a reflection on the various portrayals of sexual assault and what that means. But there can definitely be some odd take aways depending on how you depict the occurrence of sexual assault and recovery from the trauma. I think the way we view gender and sexuality definitely play a role in how sexual assault is talked about.

If you've gotten to the end of this post, I would like to say that I am by no means an expert in any of these subjects, and I am limited by the scope of my personal perception. If you feel Ive misrepresented something, or caused harm, please let me know. These are difficult and sensitive topics. I know Im taking a risk by posting it on the internet, where communication can be difficult. I am always open to constructive feedback as long as it is respectful.

People get really defensive about "writing Astarion with women" when what people are actually annoyed/upset about is that people are putting him in heteronormative relationships with women.

And it's not like, "YOU, INDIVIDUAL WOMAN, WROTE HIM WITH A WOMAN? A POX ON YOUR HOUSE!" and more like "a majority of fandom is writing him in this specific way with this specific type of character that doesn't really reflect who he is in the game and shoehorns him into a generic booktok dom daddy."

Which. Yeah. People are allowed to feel annoyed/alienated by that type of trend. I think. Maybe. I've seen several fics where Astarion being with big burly men (implied to have been penetrated) was portrayed as traumatic, while being with little virginal female Tav was "healing". And yeah, you're technically acknowledging his pansexuality ... But the implications aren't great. Ya know?

And there's a LOT of conflating domming/topping/being on top. Which ends up only highlighting the heteronormative approach to a lot of fic about him. "He gets on top > so he always tops/penetrates > so he's a dom." Because for some reason penetrating others is less traumatic to him than to be penetrated? Which is a whole bag of worms that people seem reluctant/unable to unpack.

Now, the other side of this argument are people who go "lmao those delusional wamen think this homosexual twink would top them" which is. Also not great? But in the end reflects the same type of reductive and heteronormative argument, it's just coming from the other side of the spectrum. He's flamboyant and pretty so he MUST be incapable of putting his dick into someone else. And he's MORE feminine than the women he gets paired with, so obviously that's unrealistic and he must be paired with a big strong man instead. Which is like. Well you're paired him with a man but you're still being just very heteronormative about it. Even gay relationships must have a "man" and a "woman", is your argument? And Astarion, being beautiful and a presumed bottom, is "the woman"?? Hmm. Don't like that.

Maybe. Astarion is. Pansexual. And can both bone down and be boned down. Maybe he does have a preference. Maybe he doesn't. Maybe he doms, maybe he subs. Maybe he switches depending on mood/partner. Maybe he likes different sex positions where he's on top and ones where he's below. Maybe he's down for whatever as long as it's with someone he loves. Maybe he's neither "the man" nor "the woman" in a relationship and he's simply Astarion, a man in a relationship. Maybe in the end it doesn't fucking matter and putting him into rigid binaries is doing him a disservice.

Anyway. My nonbinary Tav's gonna upgrade his gender to Man+. Cis premium. They're gonna explore his gender and preferences and expression together. I think that might be fun and freeing maybe. And they're gonna take turns topping and bottoming and both will be soooooo healing because um. They're having consensual sex and are in love. So it's healing by default. Regardless of who's putting what where.

Well. Anyway. All I'm saying is. Stuff.

[dj-bettencourt]

Smart Shopping in Salem, NH: Finding Deals and Discounts for Everyday Needs

Introduction

Salem, New Hampshire, is a great place to live and visit. The city has everything from historic sites to natural wonders. If you're looking for ways to save on everyday items in Salem, NH, read on!

Smart Shopping in Salem, NH: Finding Deals and Discounts for Everyday Needs

Shopping smart can save you money. Here are some tips on how to shop smart in Salem, NH:

Look for deals and discounts. When you're shopping for everyday items like groceries, clothes and electronics, look for coupons and sales that will help you get more bang for your buck. If there's a store nearby where you can buy an item at a discount price (as opposed to ordering online), take advantage of it!

Check out local businesses first before buying something new from an online retailer--especially if the product is considered "essential" (like diapers) or has limited shelf life once opened (like milk). This way when someone asks about what type of coffee maker I use at home today instead of yesterday's conversation starter about why their office doesn't have any decent snacks available during lunchtime meetings yet again this week...I won't have any problem answering without sounding like an old man yelling at clouds."

Store Hours - When to Shop?

When you're shopping for groceries, it's best to go during the week. Grocery stores tend to have more deals on certain items during their weekly sales and promotions. This means that if you want to get the most bang for your buck, then Monday through Friday is the time for you!

For specialty stores like clothing boutiques or hardware stores (or any other type of business), however, weekend hours are best because those businesses tend not to offer as many promotions during those days--and they may even close early!

How Can I Save Money at the Grocery Store?

Look for coupons. Coupons can be found in the Sunday paper, on websites and apps like Groupon, or even on social media.

Look for sales. Stores often run sales on certain items during certain times of year--for example, spring cleaning products in April or summer clothing in July--so check the ads before you shop to find out what's on sale at your local grocery store!

Get bulk discounts by purchasing in bulk or signing up for a membership card that offers these kinds of perks (e.g., Costco).

Join store loyalty programs like Amazon Prime Pantry or Instacart Express so that you can take advantage of special deals just by shopping online!

How Can I Find Discounts on Electronics in Salem, NH?

There are a number of ways to find discounts on electronics in Salem, NH.

Check the local paper. If you're looking for a specific brand or type of electronics, check out the Sunday circulars in your area and see if there are any sales going on that week. You may even find some items on sale as early as Tuesday!

Look out for end-of-month sales at big box stores like Best Buy and Walmart. These retailers often run weekly specials during this time period, so keep an eye out for deals on televisions, computers and other tech gadgets that fit within your budget range!

Think holiday shopping seasonally: Christmas is right around the corner (yay!), which means stores will be stocking up their inventory with new products just in time for shoppers like yourself who need gifts ideas - especially those who don't want anything too expensive but still want something thoughtful enough not only impress friends/family members but also show appreciation towards those who helped make such great memories possible over these past few months (or years).

There are many ways to save money when shopping in Salem.

Shop at the right time.

Shop at the right store.

Shop for the right things.

Conclusion

Shopping in Salem is a great way to save money and get the best deals on everyday items. You can find discounts on electronics, groceries and more by shopping smart and using coupons. The key is knowing where to look for these offers so that you don't miss out on any savings opportunities!

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Can Vegans Drink Coffee? Exploring Coffee Production

Let me start by saying that being vegan means abstaining from consuming all animal products, including meat, dairy, eggs, honey, and even certain food additives derived from animals.

This lifestyle choice is rooted in the belief that animals have the right to be treated with respect and compassion and should not be used for human consumption.

However, being vegan is more than just a diet; it’s a way of life beyond food choices.

Many vegans like us avoid using products tested on animals or made from animal by-products, such as leather, wool, and silk.

In addition, vegans may choose to support ethical and sustainable practices in all aspects of their lives, from the clothes they wear to the products they buy.

Now that we have a better understanding of what veganism entails let’s talk about the production and processing of coffee and how it affects whether or not coffee can be considered vegan.

It is clear to all of us that coffee beans themselves are, of course, plant-based products. But you should know that the processing and flavourings added to coffee can sometimes involve animal-derived ingredients.

Are you surprised?

Regarding coffee production among veganism, one concern for us is animal fertilizers.

This concern comes from the fact that some coffee farms use fertilizers made from animal waste, such as manure, to enrich the soil.

However, many coffee farms use vegan-friendly fertilizers made from plant-based materials.

Another consideration I want to tell you is using milk or cream in coffee.

Traditional dairy milk is, of course, not vegan. Still, many plant-based milk options, such as soy, almond, and oat, are readily available.

Do not worry because many coffee shops now offer these alternative milk options, making it easier for vegans to enjoy a latte or cappuccino.

Another point you should consider is that some coffee flavourings, such as syrups and sauces, may contain animal-derived ingredients such as honey, milk, or even cochineal extract made from crushed beetles.

But, as I said before, do worry; many vegan-friendly coffee flavourings are made from natural ingredients like fruits, herbs, and spices.

So, although there are many concerns for us when we want to enjoy a cup of coffee, many options can be found for vegans to drink coffee easily.

Are you a coffee lover who’s looking for some new and exciting options to switch up your routine?

If you have considered the consequences and benefits of drinking coffee and want to use the alternative ones, let’s explore alternative vegan-friendly coffee options that offer similar flavor and caffeine content as a traditional coffee.

I’ve got some amazing vegan-friendly coffee alternatives that are not only delicious but also better for you and the planet.

One popular alternative I want to introduce is herbal coffee, made from roasted herbs, grains, and nuts, such as dandelion, chicory, and barley.

This beverage has a similar flavour and aroma to coffee and is often used as a caffeine-free substitute.

I want to tell you about another option which is mushroom coffee.

This coffee combines coffee with extracts from medicinal mushrooms, such as lion’s mane and chaga. If you’re looking for something with a little kick, try adding some spices to your coffee. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom are all great options that not only enhance the flavor of your coffee but also have health benefits.

For those who prefer a more traditional coffee flavour, there are also many plant-based milk alternatives, such as soy, almond, and oat milk, which can be used instead of dairy milk.

These milk alternatives are often available at coffee shops and can be used to make vegan-friendly lattes and cappuccinos. Let’s start with one of my favorites – oat milk! This creamy and slightly sweet milk alternative is perfect for lattes and cappuccinos. It’s also rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making it a healthier choice than regular dairy milk.

Another great option is almond milk. It’s low in calories and has a nutty flavor that complements the taste of coffee perfectly. Plus, it’s a great source of vitamin E and healthy fats.

Coconut milk is also a popular choice among coffee enthusiasts. Its tropical flavor adds a unique twist to your morning cup of joe, and it’s packed with essential minerals like magnesium and potassium.

And last but not least, there’s always the option of going straight black! Black coffee is a classic and simple option that’s naturally vegan and calorie-free. It’s also a great way to taste the full range of flavors and aromas in your coffee beans.

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Want to taste varieties of coffee flavors?

For coffee lovers, it serves as more than a drink. The present-day era has already paved the way for new coffee flavors, so exploring them would be very tedious. It is worth noting that coffee now encompasses more than just hot water and crushed beans. The best choice of café for Qatar residents is Café 42, the Best Café in Doha.

Looking for a soothing spot to get varieties of coffee and snacks? Enjoy the divine flavor of dishes from the famous coffee shop in Qatar. Due to the provision of decent coffee, pleasant music, an intimate atmosphere, and comfort food, cafes have now established themselves as fundamental components of peoples' lifestyles, in which the majority of people choose to spend their free time there.

The coffee bean is a seed from a coffee plant. Despite its bitterness and acidity, it's a dark liquid with several advantages. A moderate intake may help you to have -

Enhanced weight loss

Cognitive function

Alertness

Is coffee part of your daily routine? You can overview the health benefits of having coffee as listed below:

Boost energy

Improves mental performance

Reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Lowers the Risk of Type II Diabetes

Lower the Chance of Getting Certain Types of Cancers

Burn the fat level

Throughout the history of Brazil's development, coffee production has played a crucial role in the nation's economy. There are 120 varieties of coffee plants and each produces a different type of coffee bean, however, the majority of the coffee we consume comes from Arabica. The most reason for the popularity of cafes is the Arabica coffee beans.

Arabica (Coffea Arabica) 

One of the most high-quality varieties of coffee beans consisted of smooth, flavourful, and less bitter flavors. Test-quality coffee beans are known as Arabica, which will delight your taste buds and awaken your senses. Arabica coffee beans have a taste that is particularly distinct from regular coffee.

The drink is served without milk or sugar, has a smoother, sweeter taste, and is flavored with chocolate and sugar. It has a distinctive taste that, once you've tried it, you won't be able to stop. Along with that, we provide a range of delicious snacks.

Arabica bean is contained less caffeine compared to other coffee beans. In the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia, Arabica coffee beans are famous for their richness and have their origin in Arabic countries.

The taste of Arabica coffee is sweeter and smoother than that of other types of coffee beans. Arabica coffee has additional health advantages for your body, including being low in calories, high in vitamins and minerals like magnesium, manganese, and potassium, and rich in antioxidants that may lower your risk of infections and diseases. It also nourishes your skin while you use skin care products.

The rich flavor of Arabica coffee is due to its high fat and sugar content. When you look through the best cafes in Qatar, you can see varieties of coffees with delicious flavors. Among them, one of the best café, café 42 serves more than ten premium coffee mixes and single-origin coffees. Using ethical practices and the highest standards of quality, the cafe strives to serve the best coffee possible. Cafe 42 offers the best coffee in Qatar, and uses beans and coffee powder to give you tasty drinks. Arabic varieties make a smoother, sweeter coffee with hints of chocolate, caramel, and nuts.

It is most awful that the specialty coffee in Doha, includes varieties like latte, cappuccino, I &I, espresso, Americano, flat white, and Spanish latte, and also offers tea, ice tea, fruit juices, etc. In addition to this, fresh foods, mugs and accessories, packaged goods, music, books, and gift items are also specialized and getting a huge place in the minds of the people.

Other varieties in café include sandwiches like Chicken Wrap, Steak and Cheese, Tomato Mozzarella, Tuna, Smoked Turkey, Club Sandwich etc. Cake varieties include Japanese Cheese Cake, Saffron Cake, Chocolate Cake, Carrot Cake, Red Velvet Cake, Pistachio Rose, Victoria Fruits Cake, Dates Cake, Fondue, Brownie, Marble Cake, and Peanut Butter & Jelly. Varieties of Cookies include Classic Cookies, Triple Choco Cookies, and Red Velvet Cookies. Other varieties deal with Croissants like Large Croissant, Cheese Croissant Cheese & Turkey, and Cheese Tomato.

With a fine dining experience, most cafés give you an experience of a lifetime. The highest standards and services make the café more comfortable to the customers. The perfect ambiance for a calm and joyful day out makes it more appealing. With a lot of delicacies, the café welcomes everyone into a different dimension filled with luscious dishes. A full-service, quick and casual café takes a delightful experience among the customers. The café takes pride in delivering satisfaction and authentic dishes by fulfilling the customer expectations. Taste the best coffee in Doha and feel delicious flavors.

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Dos and Don’ts During Pregnancy

The pregnancy test kit results gave you a positive confirmation but what’s next? Pregnancy is a crucial stage of your life. If it’s your first time, you might go through a rollercoaster of emotions. You are excited but also worried as several things goes through your mind. You have to make certain changes to your lifestyle to ensure safe and healthy pregnancy. Here are some “dos and don’ts” that will aid in your pregnancy planning. Moreover, you should consult your doctor as they are the experts and will be able to guide you better.

Do’s -

1. Take Multivitamins — Once your pregnancy is confirmed, you need to start taking folic acid. Folic acid is a type of vitamin B that reduces the risk of neural tube defects in the baby. It is recommended to take 400 mg of folic acid daily during the first trimester of your pregnancy. These multivitamins help in proper development of fetus and reduces the risk of birth defects.

2. Exercise — You can continue exercising but make sure it is in moderation. You can take up walking or swimming but avoid any strenuous workout. Regular exercise will help you sleep better, control your mood swings and reduces muscle pain. Talk with your doctor as they will be able to recommend you exercises suiting your condition.

3. Eat a balanced diet — Your diet should include all the variety such as fruits, vegetables, beans, pulses, cheese, meat and all other things. Eating a variety of food will help you gain all the nutrients required by you and your baby. If you have any doubts or if you are struggling to keep up with your diet, you can always ask your doctor. They will make a diet plan for you.

4. Get your flu shot — Just as you took home pregnancy kit test to confirm your pregnancy, the same way you need to take vaccine shots against certain diseases. It is safe to take vaccination during your pregnancy. Certain vaccinations such as vaccine against whooping cough, measles, rubella, mumps, influenza are advised to pregnant women. Taking these vaccines will reduce the risk of birth defects.

Don’ts -

1. Avoid certain food — Avoid raw, undercooked meat and eggs as it may cause infection such as listeriosis and toxoplasmosis. Also avoid unpasteurized milk and any food products from unpasteurized milk as it contains the bacteria ‘listeria’ and can cause illness, miscarriage or any further serious complications.

2. Don’t smoke, drink or use any drugs — If you drink alcohol or have a habit of smoking then you need to quit it right away. Smoking, drinking alcohol or using drugs increases the risk of health problems and can cause complications. It may also result in stillbirth, birth defects or miscarriages. So, quit smoking, drinking or use of any drugs.

3. Avoid caffeine — if you are pregnant you have to limit your caffeine consumption. High levels of caffeine can lead to pregnancy complication. Caffeine traveling through placenta can increase baby’s heart rate. Limit your consumption to 2 cups of coffee. You can further ask your doctor for any help or advice.

4. Avoid losing weight during pregnancy — Do not cut back on food to lose weight. This will deprive your baby from getting proper nutrients for their growth. Maintain a healthy diet and manage weight by including variety of food from all the food group.

While this article covered only some of these dos and don’ts, there are many other things you need to follow to have a safe and healthy pregnancy. Talk to your doctor and follow their advice as they will be able to help you out. The pregnancy due date calendar will let you know your estimate due date. I hope your pregnancy goes well and you deliver a healthy baby.