#also some tools for bang moderators I’m working on | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

biggest-gaudiest-patronuses · 4 years ago

Text

So I (finally!) bought a pair of really good noise cancelling headphones, and it has changed my life! It's the fanciest thing I've bought in years, so to recoup some of the cost, I’ve researched & written a little essay based on my experiences with extreme noise sensitivity.

Hypersensitivity to sound is something I’ve dealt with all of my life, but I only recently found out it's medically known a Hyperacusis. (Please note this is a separate condition from Misophonia.) If you consistently struggle to cope with noise, the info below could be helpful! I’m including a link to my ko-fi, and I will be answering questions in the notes.

(skip to the bottom to read fun facts about my tax return and/or street organs vendettas!)

DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional, this is based solely on my experiences as a patient, and on what I have read and been told by professionals. Please notify me if you have corrections or concerns about accuracy!

BACKGROUND: Sensitivity to sound is a common type of sensory issue. While anyone can experience such issues (most people, for example, might be bothered by loud music in a crowded restaurant), some people are more sensitive than others, to the point it becomes a quality-of-life aka a medical issue.

If you consistently struggle with environmental stimuli that other people aren’t bothered by (background noises, bright lights, certain textures and tastes, etc), to the point it causes daily discomfort or limits the environments you can be in, I recommend reading about Sensory Processing Disorder.

SPD and sound sensitivity are both super common in autistic folks (like me!), but allistic (non-autistic) people can experience them too. Weep, ye prisoners of mortal coil, for none are safe, nothing sacred, not in this thy most accursed tomb of human flesh!

Anyway.

SOUND SENSITIVITY or HYPERACUSIS: Noise issues are particularly difficult to navigate in a world that is increasingly...noisy. The relatively new phenomenon of constant overhead music in restaurants, grocery stores, shopping malls etc—all of this means that public spaces are increasingly inaccessible to people with auditory issues.*

As a kid, nothing quite triggered sensory overload/meltdowns for me like the constant exposure to noise I couldn’t control—the background chatter of other kids in the lunchroom, the constant noise in public spaces, being trapped in the car with the radio on.... I had so many fights with my siblings about the car radio, and who got to choose the music.**

But it’s not just loud sounds that are the problem. As an adult who lives alone and works from home***, I’m lucky enough to be able to avoid loud environments most of the time. This does wonders for my general levels of anxiety and discomfort. But even in a mostly controlled environment, I still experience problems. Because part of sound sensitivity is that even normal or quiet sounds can feel loud and intrusive. Here are some “normal” sounds that can cause me discomfort (ranging from annoyance to outright pain, depending on the day):

refrigerator/AC/ceiling lights humming

dishwasher/washing machine noises

ceiling fan making that damn ceiling fan noise

faint sounds of traffic

riding in a car

other people having a normal conversation in the background

someone talking to me in a perfectly normal inside voice

Unfortunately, even in a “controlled” environment, many triggering noises can’t be controlled. And many parts of life can’t be lived in a controlled environment. This presents...some incredibly freaking annoying problems. Luckily there are solutions!

Sorta.

There are sorta some solutions.

They are imperfect, but they help.

TREATMENT: And now I have something rather shame-faced to admit. In all the years of managing my symptoms, it never once occurred to me to see a hearing specialist for my issues with sound. I wasn’t even aware that treatment options exist, because none of my other doctors mentioned it. Instead, I’ve spent years finding my own coping mechanisms and tools, with help from therapists and psychiatrists, but without ever consulting an audiologist/ENT. It was only while researching this post that I found out that was even an option, holy shit.

So it turns out I am going to be making an appointment with my local ENT practice. shit.

Apparently treatment options include sound/acoustic therapy, systematic desensitization/exposure therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, sound machines, and other options that I had no idea even existed, goddammit.

MANAGEMENT: In the meantime, here are my current coping mechanisms. I’ve relied rather heavily on hearing protection, which is very useful when used in moderation. Unfortunately, it can cause its own problems: it’s important not to overuse hearing protection, because in the long-term this can increase your sensitivity. So again: a useful tool, but be careful not to overdo it.

With that in mind, here are some of the coping strategies I’ve used over the last decade to manage my symptoms. This is not a perfect system and you should contact your local ENT clinic for better, long-term solutions, but in the meantime here are some tips I use to just get myself through the damn day:

Regularly spending time in a quiet controlled environment, to allow my nervous system to decompress.

Wearing earplugs, (I use two different grade, depending on the level of noise prevention I need), and always carrying an extra pair in case I need them unexpectedly. I bought a 50 pack for $7 and put spares in all my bags and jacket pockets.

(I mostly use Mack’s Ultra Soft, but there are so many types and materials and brands, including foam, silicone, wax, custom moldable etc. Even if you have trouble wearing things in your ears, you might be able to find something comfortable.)

Similarly: hearing protection earmuffs, the kind used in gun ranges and on construction sites. I bought mine online for $10. they look like normal wireless headphones, so I've never gotten comments when wearing mine in public (other than “cool heaphones” bc i added skull glitter stickers).

Sometimes I wear the earmuffs on top of earplugs, when life is just too damn LOUD.

Listening to music w/ earbuds or headphones is a great way to balance out background noises, especially if you can find soothing playlists that help you concentrate. Also useful to put in just one earbud when you need to pay attention in class/at work.

Pro tip: if your hair is long enough you can wear wireless earbuds without anyone knowing.

White noise, rain noises, ocean noises etc can be helpful! Some people like whale songs although personally this activates my primal fear response

Active noise cancelling headphones: the reason I wrote this post to begin with—I finally bought a pair! As in, a really good pair! As in, a depressingly expensive pair with noise cancelling technology that actually WORKS, holy shit. I probably need to wear them a little less at home (bc overprotection causes problems in the longterm) but they have absolutely transformed my ability to go out in public and i never ever want to take these suckers off again please take a power screwdriver and nail these to my head, bury me in the sweet sweet shroud of silence. holy canoli and cream puffs I want to marry form a civil partnership with these headphones. Plus they have a bunch of features, like being able to control the level of noise cancellation, so I can hold a conversation or be aware of some ambient noise for safety reasons.

Oh, and also they play music I guess?

Sorry sorry I promise this post wasn’t supposed to be me shilling for Big Electronics. I’m just excited, I’m an excited flabby little ball of expired flubber. ANC headphones aren’t a perfect solution, and I still sometimes wear earplugs underneath, and I will always be uncomfortable some of the time, but for me it’s been a big step.

Unfortunately the cost of good quality ANC technology means this isn’t an option for everyone, and the (much cheaper) gunshot protection earmuffs I mentioned earlier still provide an impressive amount of protection and bang-for-your buck (maybe even an equal amount of protection, if you can find ones that fit well). But if noise consistently prevents you from enjoying public space and life in general, and you’ve already tried earmuffs & earplugs and find they don’t offer enough comfort/convenience/protection, and if you’re in a position to save up for a one time non-necessity purchase of $150+, noise cancelling headphones are an option to be aware of. (Please always check the return policy so you can try before you buy. I ended up buying and returning 2 pairs before finding what worked best for me. And please look for a retailer that offers an extended warranty. You want those motherforkers to last).

There are cheaper options available, including some under $50. The ones I tried didn't work as well as my hearing protection earmuffs, but some people report good experiences, so that is something to consider. it's always good to know your options! Passive noise canceling is another affordable alternative.

Medication: A final tool in my toolbox, which for me personally has helped as much as every other method combined. Like, a lot, it’s helped a lot. It turns out some anti-anxiety medications can also help sensory issues. There’s not much research on this, and I only discovered it firsthand when a medication my doctor prescribed for anxiety ended up significantly helping my sensory issues. I no longer need medication for anxiety, but my psychiatrist still prescribes that same medication off-label for my sensory stuff. Ask your psychiatrist to research your options (they will probably have to do some digging to find relevant research, but you deserve to know all your options, even the obscure ones). Fyi, the medication I use is in the benzodiazepines class, but there are other options for those concerned about dependency or side effects.

(I'm also told anti-anxiety supplements may be helpful, though I haven't tried this yet. If you're on prescription meds, always talk to your doctor about contraindications before taking anything over-the-counter.)

So there you have it, my main coping strategies for sound sensitivity! They are not a replacement for medical treatment (except that last one which is in fact...medical treatment), but I find them helpful and I hope some of you will too! I’ve struggled for a long time, and I’m very pleased to have reached the point where I can just do things in public. Eating out in loud restaurants? I can do that now, and even enjoy it, holy shit! I can comfortably travel in cars for hours at a time, and walk around shopping malls and grocery stores with overhead music, and, and —and just exist. It is so so freeing, to feel like maybe, after everything, you are actually allowed to just exist in a world that wasn’t really designed for you.

Again, be careful not to overuse hearing protection—the goal is to allow you to be less uncomfortable and to function better, but if you find you are becoming more sensitive to noise, it is time to dial it back a notch. Or maybe consider listening to music (at a reasonable volume) to block out background noise instead.

*(This also includes people with hearing loss and related issues, btw. While that’s not my area of knowledge, I would welcome it if any of my HoH followers want to share their experiences.)

**A sign of sensory issues that parents often miss is when a child complains about music being too loud—but has no problem listening to their own music at high volume. This is because music that is already familiar to the listener (and that the listener enjoys) is much easier for the brain to process, since it knows what pattern of sounds to expect. Loud music that they get to control can be soothing for people with sound issues, especially when it blocks out background noise and sensations. This is why repetitively playing the same songs can be a helpful form of stimming.

***(working on this blog, actually. since it’s my only source of income, my 2020 income tax return literally lists my occupation as ‘Tumblr Blogger.’ Oddly, my parent didn’t feel this achievement was worth including in the holiday family newsletter.)

bonus fun fact: Charles Babbage aka “father of the computer” may have been autistic and hypersensitive to sound. He definitely had a huge problem with public noise pollution, and spent his later year waging a war on street musicians (and organ grinders in particular).

(bc like, yeah. screw organ grinders.)

Sometimes when I’m out in public and the overhead music is particularly unbearable, I’ll take a moment to look up to the sky and scream out: “HE TRIED TO WARN US! THE FATHER OF COMPUTERS TRIED TO WARN US!!! we should have listened, sweet heaven we should have listened!”

except i don’t scream it, i say it very quietly under my breath

(i have issues with noise)

so yeah that is my short essay. and here is the ko-fi goal

k ciao i gotta go pick out glitter stickers for my headphones

#actuallyautistic #not a shitpost #holy shit how did i spend 3 hours writing this what even is my blog #this blog is supposed to be blue whale anxiety and uncomfortably sexy clown jokes #what am i doing #sensory processing disorder #sensory issues #mental health #actually autistic #NOTIFY ME OF ANY TYPOS #i proofread this 5 times my eyes weep an unceasing flood of blood and regret #adhd #actuallyadhd #autism #sensory problems

5K notes · View notes

longlivefeedback · 4 years ago

Note

i write a lot of fic for a rarepair virtually only i ship. i max out at 3-5 kudos if i'm lucky, and it's very rare that i get comments-- less than one a month, more if i'm writing gen or more popular chars. i changed the visibility on all my works due to people sharing my stuff around to mock it... i really appreciate the few interactions i do get on ao3, fandom's isolating otherwise & the majority of the harassment i get is on discord&tumblr. is there a way to adapt these tools to my situation?

Hi Anon,

First of, I’m sorry you’re dealing with harassment and people making fun of your work 😢 That’s not ok and I think you’re very brave for continuing to put yourself and your work out out there.

About some ways to adapt the tools at hand to your situation, the few suggestions that I have for you are:

On ao3:

If you are being harassed on ao3, that is violation of the Archive’s Terms of Service and you can report it. Harassment is, unfortunately, a common enough phenomenon on ao3 that they have an FAQ about it, and they have provided a guideline of what to do in the situation, the first of which is to refer to the Archive’s Terms of Service.

Turn on comment moderation. Unfortunately, this won’t prevent you from seeing the comments themselves, but it at least prevents comments that you don’t want on your work from being posted without your approval.

If it is a problem, you can also disable anonymous comments on your work. Again, it’s not a perfect solution, but hopefully it increases the barriers for unwanted attention.

On tumblr and discord:

Block them. Curate your fandom experience and put your own mental health first.

I’m sorry you’ve had a tough time with fandom, and you may have done this already, but if it’s possible, here are maybe some ways you can find fellow fans who will share your love for your ship:

Look up fics with that same tag. I know you mentioned it being a rarepair, but even if you find a story that has that ship as a sideship or one of many, chances are that the authors shares your love for that ship to some degree. So, comment and let them know! You never know, they may be thirsting to have a conversation about said ship :)

Reply to your commenters. (Obviously only attains to the normal, non-harassing comments on your work) If you don’t already, I would encourage you to respond to the users who leave a comment on your work. You may be able to strike up a conversation with them and make fandom friends that way.

Join events, especially rarepair events. Hopefully your fandom has bangs, reverse bangs, secret santas, gift exchanges, and other events that are free to join and enjoyed by all. Joining an event that is specifically made for rareships would be great as even though it’s not specifically for your ship, there’s probably at least one other person who is also writing for a rareship and understand where you’re coming from.

Talk to multi-shippers. Even if they’re not a self-declared fan of your ship, what you’re really looking for is people with ship-and-let-ship views on fandom. Anyone who laughs at you and mocks you for loving a rarepair and expressing it through writing fanfic is not worth your time or emotional energy. Cut them out and move on. There’s someone who will support you and your ship out there. Keep sailng.

#llf asks #commenting #ao3

57 notes · View notes

rebelrecovery · 4 years ago

Text

Book Notes:

This one is one of the better quit lit books I’ve read - Belle writes with blunt honesty, and I love the way she envisions the alcoholic voice in her head as a big bad wolf rather than a wine witch.

Below are the parts that were most helpful for me...

I thought, I can’t start drinking now, there isn’t enough. Not enough for what? To fade out. To be numb. Because despite what I may have said, I never wanted one glass of wine with dinner. I wanted three glasses. What’s the point in one glass? And despite what I may have said, I never drank because I liked the taste. [...] I drank to get fuzzy. I wanted to be slightly numb, to take the edge off. I spent a lot of time taking the edge off and then trying to maintain the edge taken off, but I usually ran into problems of sobering up too quickly, or drinking too much. There was no magic formula for edge-off-ness. I tried to find it. I tried having beer before wine, I tried eating first, I tried drinking on an empty stomach. There may have been a four-minute window of edge-off-ness and then I spent the rest of the night trying to find the four-minute window again.

I never want to do this again. I never want to wake up in the middle of the night both wishing I was dead and hoping I’m not dying. Let me not vomit, please, and I promise I will cut back on the drinking. I never want to feel this bad, feel so hopeless, alone, scared, dark. I am definitely drinking too much. I should face that. I should stop drinking for a week, take a break. I’ll start tomorrow. After the work party. After vacation. Next week. After the birthday. The first of the month. On a Monday. I promise.

I had tried to stop drinking plenty of times on my own, but never managed to quit for more than a couple of days. Usually I’d declare my sobriety in the morning and then open a bottle of wine by 6 p.m. that same night. Then I’d quit again the next morning. No wine for one day. For two days. Then the voice would start. Is it time yet? You can drink now. Celebrate sobriety with a glass or two. You’ve done well. You are going to break this non-drinking stretch anyway, so you might as well drink now. Drink tonight and quit later. What about now. Is it time to drink yet? Fuck it, I’m going to drink, this is ridiculous. I’ve already quit for a week. Let’s celebrate sobriety with some alcohol.

If alcohol was in the house, it spoke to me, then I drank it. Even if I didn’t really enjoy it. I was drinking because it was the thing I did. No enjoyment. No taste. No feeling except for exhaustion. Like a hammer banging on my head. Did you ever try buying a case of wine, thinking that if it was around all the time you’d feel less compulsive about it, and drink less? Ha. Really. Who was I kidding? With a case of wine in the house, I drank more. Of course I did. We never had a wine collection or a wine rack or a wine cellar or a liquor cabinet either. Alcohol didn’t last long enough to be collected or displayed or shared.]

I had lots of drinking rules and guidelines for myself, and over time, bit by bit, I broke all of my rules. I’m only going to drink on special occasions or when socializing. Only on weekends.” But of course, you and I both know that only drinking on weekends is tricky. Because what about Sunday night? Is Sunday part of the weekend? What about Thursday? Maybe the weekend is four days long. Maybe it is, in fact, most of the week. Controlled drinking is not very successful—you know this already because you’ve tried it. If we have to control our drinking, it means that our natural, default tendency is to have one, and then another, and then another. Any plan we make is very difficult, if not impossible, to adhere to. You tried moderation. You did. You maybe didn’t call it moderation. You tried making rules for yourself. When you realized that you were drinking more than you wanted to, before you ever saw this book, you did things like alternating every second glass with water, or switching from hard stuff to beer, or trying to skip days. You tried to drink only on weekends, or only have one, or only . . . or only . . . or only.

Normal drinkers measure their alcohol consumption like I measure my corn on the cob consumption—which is to say, not at all. Just like I have days without corn, normal drinkers have plenty of days without alcohol but they’re not keeping track. I don’t pay attention to whether you are getting more corn than me, and a normal drinker fills up glasses around her without worrying about who’s getting how much. And yes, it’s true that corn on the cob is my favourite of all summer things to eat, but I have never planned days around when I can eat it. I have never gone out at 11 p.m. to get more corn. I’ve never worried about running out of corn.

A ‘bottom’ in the sober world describes the point where you quit drinking. If you have a ‘high bottom’ then you quit when your problems were smaller. Poor concentration, missed deadlines, an inability to take advantage of new opportunities, procrastination, crappy sleep, many days of feeling ill. A ‘low bottom’ is where the micro problems have grown into larger holes, and might include health, relationship, money, or legal issues. My high bottom looks like this: drink with dinner, and after, plan to drink less, continue to drink the same amount, try to quit for a month and manage nine days, start again, not keep my promises to myself. Wonder what the hell is wrong with me. Suffer with crappy sleep, extra pounds, wasted money.

If alcohol is an elevator that only goes down, the goal is to step off, not to ride down any more. Stop drinking now. Start feeling better now. I stepped off early. But I’m not naive. I know where that elevator was going. If I stopped ‘before there was a problem’ then I was fucking lucky, plain and simple. Because even stopping where I did, it was hard to do. Really hard.

The “Drink Now” voice, which I call Wolfie, will say anything to get us to drink. Nothing is off-limits. Wolfie hits below the belt. Wolfie talks smack. Wolfie with a megaphone said to me: You’ve had a long, crazy day. Have a drink. You’ll just have one. It will take the edge off. You have blown this whole thing out of proportion. You need to cut back, not quit. A hundred fucking days? You’ll never make it anyway.

I knew I had a very loud Wolfie “Drink Now” voice in my head that insisted that a glass of wine with dinner was normal. I also knew that there was another very quiet, very tiny mouse-like voice, that said: You have to stop. You know what this internal conflict is like.

I felt moderately stable until something happened, like if I got frustrated, or mad, or sad, or bored, or if something good happened and I had to celebrate. I had completely maladaptive coping strategies. I didn’t have the skills to try anything else to feel better because—duh—I’d been using wine as my only coping mechanism. I’d overused wine as a feel-better tool for so long that I literally couldn’t remember one single thing I could do instead to ease my mood.

Booze isn’t a solution to a problem. It’s a very temporary pause button (manhole cover) with horrendous consequences. It’d be like turning to heroin. It isn’t the right solution for the problem. It gets between me and my life, between me and you, between me and serving, between me and fun. It affects my weight, my sleep, my enthusiasm. It blunts, fills, numbs, fills time, expands into the space allowed. Adds nothing, feels bad, sad, argumentative, irritated. Isn’t the real me. My life has so much MORE good stuff in it when the wine is gone. There’s nothing to escape from, it isn’t bad here, there’s joy and beauty and ease here. Don’t need to ‘go’ anywhere else.

The voice that is YOU, when you’re 50 days sober, says “I know sometimes I feel like drinking but I’m not going to because I don’t want to have a new Day 1. I’ve done enough drinking in my past. I know that Day 1 is rotten.” The voice that is YOU says: “I want something different and better and I don’t know what that is yet, but I know I want to try this sober thing.” We end up in a place where even if bad shit happens, we do NOT think about drinking.

Picture booze like a Big Wolf With Black Eyes, he represents the voice in your head. Now you have to very calmly starve the wolf. Or better yet, you have to dehydrate him by not giving him anything to drink. At first he’ll be mad at you. “Where’s my drink?” You’ll say: I have all this free time now. I can’t talk to you, Wolfie. I’m running, baking, singing, reading, cleaning, spending time with my kids. I’m paying my taxes, cleaning off my desk, enjoying the weather. The wolf will taunt you. “Everyone else is drinking, why can’t you?” You’ll say: Sorry, Wolfie, can’t hear you. I’m too busy cranking up the volume on my new iPad that I bought with all the money I’ve saved.” The wolf will nearly be dehydrated. He’ll try a few more last-chance, desperate attempts. “You’re broken,” he’ll snarl. “You bitch, you can’t be fixed, you’ll always be a fuck-up, you suck at this, you might as well quit now.” And you’ll say: You want to fight? I’ll win. I’ve got so much more energy now that I’m sleeping through the night. I can outrun you Wolfie. I’m light on my feet now. I’ve got so much more spunk, clearer thinking. I’m planning to take over the world, Wolfie, me and my clear-headed genius. What is that? Sorry I can’t quite hear you. Your voice is so quiet, Wolfie. Are you nearly dehydrated? You’re going to dry up and turn to dust. Puts palm of hand up to lips and blows across the surface. Dust disperses, Wolfie is specks of grey in the air. And then gone.

Being sober is a relief. Quitting drinking is like putting down a backpack of rocks that you’ve been carrying around for a long time. It’s like a deep breath that fills your lungs. Being sober is feeling proud of yourself. Being sober is easier than drinking. Too much of our brain space is used trying to manage alcohol consumption. The “Drink Now” voice is exhausting. All of that time we spend planning to drink—thinking about drinking, wondering how much alcohol there is, trying to figure out how we’re going to get out of that work obligation because we’re hungover—all of that can stop. You have been drowning out who you really are. Literally. Banging yourself on the head with a bottle or two of wine. That’s not you. The real you is in there. Drinking is a way of hiding from who you really are. I can honestly say that being a non-drinker is unicorns and parades compared to drinking.

There is a point in each day when you will most feel like drinking. I call this the witching hours. Typically it’s around dinner time; for me it was 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. If you were to plot the duration of the witching hours on a graph, the period of time gets predictably shorter and less intense each day. Having a replacement drink is a good idea. Your brain is used to having something to drink at this time of day, so you can plan a lovely replacement drink. I have found that bitter drinks deal with cravings better than sweet drinks.

We are so used to using alcohol as our only treat, that we need to learn new treats. You can have bubble bath, trashy magazines, flowers, oven mitts, bad TV from Netflix, time alone, cheap earrings, or savoury pancakes. Perhaps you’ll plan to have steak every Friday for the first six weeks. And if you don’t eat steak, then substitute salmon or sushi or marinated tofu in that category. You spent money drinking, so you can invest some of those Wolfie dollars to support your sobriety. Here are some examples of things I’ve treated myself to: fuzzy blankets, silver jewelry, deluxe candles, essential oils, chocolate croissants, lovely beads, thrift shopping, craft supplies, gourmet ground coffee, a gorgeous teacup, a bouquet of flowers, a potted basil plant. The largest was a countertop dishwasher. The trick is to either find something that you want but don’t need, or to splurge on a more deluxe version of something you were going to buy anyway. Like shampoo or lipstick. I have always struggled with confidence and my inner critic is a real bitch. The concept of self-care is relatively new to me and these gifts remind me to treat myself kindly.

One of the reasons we drink is in search of an ‘off’ switch: to quiet our brains, to escape responsibilities, to have ‘me’ time. If there are coping strategies that are adaptive (make things better) versus maladaptive (make things worse), then drinking is maladaptive. While it may be an off-switch, it creates many other problems at the same time.

We are not taught, explicitly, how to deal with uncomfortable feelings, or how to self-soothe. So we reach for available tools, however malformed. Did your parents ever sit you down and have a conversation with you about what you can do if you feel overwhelmed, exhausted, irritated, freaked out, lonely, or depressed? Did they give you strategies and tools to help you with Changing the Channel in Your Head? No. Mine neither. Did they model for you how they dealt with disappointment, their feelings of not fitting in, or how they coped with the occasional overwhelming sense of dread? If they did model for you, was it with something other than cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, or a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken? Did your parents have ‘self-care’ time where they made it clear that they needed to recharge batteries, to unwind. Did they lock themselves in the tub with big mounds of lavender bubble bath and candles? Did your father go for a run when he was feeling stressed, or to delineate the mark between ‘work’ and ‘home’ and did he tell you he was doing this, explicitly, so that you could learn to do the same? No?

in your first months sober, you will get a crash course in adaptive self-care strategies, whether you want it or not. One of the most important things you will do is learn to strategically avoid ‘overwhelm’—I use this word as a noun, it’s a thing on the horizon, like fog. Your life is like a video game. You can see potential bombs, things advancing, that could blow up and throw you off course. Your job is to navigate them. You don’t walk right into a bomb and hope for the best. You don’t test yourself by repeatedly doing difficult or stressful things. Instead, you ask someone to carpool, you decline social activities, and you simplify meals. Your job is to reduce overwhelm. All around you, there are lists of things to do and when you first quit drinking you are going to take it easy. When you first quit drinking, you are going to remember that being overwhelmed is our number one trigger. You will instead do less. Learn to be slothful. Embrace the art of underachieving.

Here are my top three tools for overwhelm: exercise, tub, and bed. I probably use exercise four times a week, specifically to help with my mood. I’m in the tub anytime I’m feeling antsy, or as my reward at the end of a day of catering. And as far as sleep is concerned, I have been known to go to bed at 7:30 p.m. in early sobriety, because I had no other way of dealing with life. I knew I didn’t want to drink, and I had no idea what else to do except ‘hide’.

When we are drinking, we use alcohol to fix everything—or so we think—and we don’t develop any other self-soothing, comforting, or change-the-channel tools. Turns out—who knew—there are at least 578 other ways to shift how you feel. There are things you’ve done before, perhaps by accident, things that once you remember them, and try them, you think “OK, good, I feel better.” Like when you change the sheets on the bed you feel better. And when you have a nap you feel better. And when you snuggle on the couch with a fluffy blanket and braid your cats’ tails together you feel better. Especially if you add hot chocolate. A change of location works. If you’re at home, go out. If you’re out, go home :) If you’re alone, get with some people. If you’re overwhelmed in a group, hide in the bathroom and read sober blogs on your phone. Yes, really.

I made a list of the ways to change my state. It had 30+ things on it. They included: listen to loud music, play guitar, sing, talk on the phone, write a letter longhand, take a bath with candles, light candles anywhere in the house, clean my desk, clean anything, go for a run, make tea, plan meals, test a recipe, read a magazine, brainstorm with clients, design a new logo, read light fiction, read self-help, make a puzzle, go for a walk, take pictures, go swimming, watch a good movie, go to a concert, go to see a movie at the theatre with popcorn, listen to podcasts, do volunteer work, find an audience and do some kind of public speaking, write in my journal, play cards, explore a new part of the city, go to the art gallery, the museum, write a restaurant review.

If you’re an introvert, or if you’re a non-joiner like I am, then asking for any kind of support or encouragement seems hard. But here’s the truth. The simple act of reaching out might make you feel weak, but it’s actually a sign of strength.

When Wolfie says that being sober sucks and that it’s too much to give up, you can remind him that you are also giving up the following: • feeling like death in the morning • waking at 3 a.m. with guilt and dread and horror • vomiting • spending dumb money (like money spent in bars, expensive bottles of wine in restaurants, buying rounds for people, impulse shopping online) • emailing and texting random people • hooking up with random people • falling down • hiding bottles • arguing with your partner • alternating stores so they don’t get to know you • cringing when it’s time to take out the recycling.

And here are a few of the things that you can focus on instead, the things you GET by being sober: • you sleep through the night • your skin looks great • your health improves • your marriage improves • your kids talk to you again • your family will now take your calls after 6 p.m. • you can drive the car in the evening • you have the beginnings of a hobby • you can read a book and remember it • you can watch a movie and stay awake for it • you can actually cook the food in your fridge instead of eating popcorn for dinner • you lift your head, look around, and feel like things are ‘possible’ • you feel proud of yourself.

Keep a short journal of your own, particularly for the first 60 days. By keeping a daily record you can see the grass grow. And you can more clearly identify that some periods of time are shitty but that they don’t last, and they’re followed swiftly by easier days. You can start your journal with this entry. Start with a list of 10 things: 1. The way I drink has affected my ___ 2. And my ___ 3. And my ___ 4. It’s caused problems with ___ 5. And ___ 6. It’s made me feel ___ especially when ___ 7. I nearly had a disaster when ___ 8. And this was just about a disaster too: ___ 9. I’m tired of waking up feeling like ___ 10. People who will be relieved that I am sober: ___

It’s entirely possible to have sober fun, of course it is :) Those of us who are longer-term sober have plenty of fun. There’s nothing better than waking up without a hangover, without regret, without shame. There’s nothing better than being on a beach and being sober and watching a sunset. There’s nothing better than coming home at the end of a long night, or dancing until 4 a.m., knowing that you had a fabulous time, that you rocked it all without a drink. To think that you need alcohol to have fun is Wolfie talking. You were fun when you were 12 years old. You’ve had hilarious pee-your-pants laughing with your best friend and it didn’t involve alcohol. Wolfie tells you that kind of shit to encourage you to drink, but it’s not true. Can you dance sober? Turns out you can. Who knew.

If you are in prelapse, then you will want to do things right away that might make you feel better. Even if you have to try things mechanically, one after the other. You’ll say “I got enough sleep that didn’t work, had a nap that didn’t work, went for a run that didn’t work.” Then you go on to the next thing. You have a treat, that didn’t work. You watch bad TV, that didn’t work. You read blogs, write in your journal, comment on blogs, listen to audios, email somebody, reach out, go to a meeting, listen to something inspirational—you go through the toolkit. And here’s something that will seem obvious when I say it: If the first tool doesn’t work, it does not mean that the whole thing is hopeless. It means that you go on to the next tool.

You are more likely to be successful if you: • Reach out for support. It’s hard. Do it anyway. • Sign up to have a sober penpal. Email your penpal every day. • Share real stuff, don’t exaggerate, and don’t leave things out. Be truly honest with at least one person in your life about your booze stuff. • Reach out instead of drink, cry instead of drink, walk instead, email me frustrated instead (the people who don’t email are more likely to get alone in their head with Wolfie who will always say that drinking is a good idea). • Remember that successful treaters do MUCH better. It’s shocking how much better they do. Once you figure out the self-care treat thing, you’ll find this whole sober experience to be much easier. If you resist treats, don’t understand them, don’t think they apply to you, then I worry about you (see below). • Get enough support, load on a lot to begin and then ease off as time goes by and you feel stable. Be cautious. Don’t fuck with sober momentum. • Tell on Wolfie—share when you’re having weird thoughts, externalize the voice, tell on your inner addict. • Read stuff that supports you and turn away from what doesn’t. You don’t read about moderation, you don’t read blogs that get under your skin, you turn away from people who repeatedly relapse if that makes you feel wobbly. • Protect your sobriety, avoid situations and people that may trigger you. Your sobriety is a like a little chick that can easily get squished in traffic.

Write in a journal every day for your first 30 days sober, no matter what (can be private, or anonymous on a blog, doesn’t matter).

Read sober blogs at least one hour a day, every day.

Rethink your evening routine

Have a bath/shower every evening, early, so that it sets the mood for the rest of the night.

Plan and purchase replacement drinks that you can have during the witching hours. Bitter is better.

Schedule something to coincide with Wolfie time

Get yourself daily treats for the first two weeks, and then something every two days thereafter.

Get as much sleep as humanly possible. Take naps. You will need a lot more sleep than you anticipate.

Go to bed every time you feel crappy, when you feel you’re about to drink, or when you are agitated and need a time-out. Bed is a good, safe place to hide.

Sober first. If you push yourself too hard, and load on too many goals at once, Wolfie comes in with “this is all too hard.”

Pretend, for a while, that you’re sick, that you have the flu, that you need to take good care of you—very, very good care.

Try to do some kind of physical exercise every day, even if it’s only for 10 minutes

Rent/stream new TV shows and movies as your sober treats, that you can watch only if sober.

Give up any ideas of a clean and tidy house for now.

Please know that crying is totally normal, required, and necessary.

Take pictures of things that you’re grateful for now that you’re sober. It can be simple things like a good cup of coffee, the view from the window, your girls playing dress-up. You can do a sober photo project.

Avoid overwhelm as much as possible. In fact, strive for “underwhelm” and engage in some truly slothful behaviours. It’s OK to be in your jammies watching a show on your iPad. You’re sober. Sometimes bed-snuggle time is required.

Pet your cat, dog, or horse. You know already that this makes you feel better.

Listen to sober audio and podcasts. Find specific topics or episodes that resonate with you. Listen to them on repeat.

Accept that sober motivation is like deodorant: it needs to be reapplied every day. Stop feeling like you should be able to do this if you ‘try harder’. You will need to ‘try different’.

Ask for help.

Accept help.

Ask for and listen to advice from other successfully sober people.

See irritating people as people with struggles. We were irritating too. We were dealing with stuff that other people couldn’t see. Drop your shoulders and see that woman as lonely, or hurt, or needy. She’s not trying intentionally to make you crazy.

Share the nonsensical things that Wolfie tells you—share with another sober person who will truly ‘get it’. Be shocked and then amused that we all hear virtually the same thing.

Find some small activities to do in the evenings to help occupy the empty time. It doesn’t take long for regular life to flow back into the spaces that alcohol consumed, but to begin it’s helpful to have some projects. Decluttering is helpful. It’s cleaning up, from the outside in.

Have something you can wear, some special piece of jewelry, that reminds you that you’re sober and that you’re special. Rub the jewelry. Bestow it with super powers.

Find ONE person that you can be 100% honest with about your drinking, about your thinking, your worries, your struggles, your excitement, and your joy. That might be a counsellor, sober mentor, a coach, sponsor, or a sober friend. You should have at least ONE person who truly gets what it’s like to be you.

Accept that the first time you do everything, it’s going to be a little weird.

When you are facing a shitty hard thing, or a weirdly tempting event (like a staff party), then plan a sober treat you’ll have AFTER you’re home again, safe and sober. Don’t skip this step. Wolfie likes to come in with “where’s my reward” after we do something hard. So you want to remember to have these treats pre-planned.

Be pretty darn proud of yourself.

You have to celebrate your successes. No one is coming in to do this for you. It’s you. It’s up to you.

Walk out of your office, cross the street, have a cry, get a take-out coffee and a pastry, call it a sober treat, email me that you’re doing OK, and then go back to work. Even if you remove yourself ‘briefly’ from whatever situation is making you feel crazy, you can give yourself some time to settle and feel better.

Find tools that work and keep using them. Don’t drift from your sober supports. You know how people stop taking their blood pressure medication as soon as they feel better? Whatever you’re doing is working, so keep doing it.

Know that Wolfie wants to get us alone in our head, where he can say: “Drinking seems like a good idea. You can probably have one.” Resist this kind of wolfie-solo-nonsense-manipulation by reaching out, telling on your inner addict. Wolfie is a bully and hates it when we share.

What you’re doing is for YOU. Your partner is on their own road. You can do what’s best for you.

#sober #alcohol #alcoholism #alcohol use disorder #recovery #healing #growth #self care #self improvement #motivation

11 notes · View notes

carry-on-big-bang · 4 years ago

Text

FAQ

Here is a big list of questions that we’ve gotten over the years/ things we want to clarify. We hope that this is a helpful tool for you. Each section has a big section header with individual questions under each of those. The sections are in the order as followed: general, Before signing up, Writer, Artist, Explicit content, Partner problems, Claiming, Dropping out, Check-ins, and Posting.

Who are the mods and where can I find them?

The mod for these events is currently Mod Simon and Mod Autumn. You can find us at @isthisisagoodkiss (Mod Simon) and @angelsfalling16 @Autumn)

What event is happening right now?

Right now we are hosting the Carry On Big Bang 2021, our fourth event.

What does that mean?

A big bang is a collaborative fandom event in which writers and artists come together to create masterpieces. Basically, the writers write a bunch of (usually quite long) fic and the artists choose one each (“claiming”) and make art for the fic. Then it will all be posted more or less at once in an explosion of fanwork.

Before signing up

1. How do I sign up?

We will post a link to the writer google form and artist google form on both tumblr and the discord server. Anyone can apply. You must provide your email, other contact information, and agree to our rules.

2. Do I need experience or a certain age to participate?

No! Though we do ask that participants under 18 do not make explicit fic or art.

3. What is a “pinch-hitter”?

A pinch-hitter is someone who is willing to cover for others. This usually only applies to artists, but is vice versa with writers. If someone drops out we will send an email out to those who said yes to being a pinch-hitter and ask someone to step in.

4. Can I sign up as both an artist and a writer?

Yes!

5. Do I need to have a certain skill level to participate?

No. We welcome all skill levels. Doesn’t matter if you’ve been writing/ creating art for one day or 10 years!

6. How many projects per person?

You can do as many as you would like. We ask you to keep your limits in mind though.

7. Why do you need my tumblr? What about discord? Why both?

We ask for these things because it’s another way to contact participants. We usually only resort to using these when someone hasn’t responded to a check-in through email.

8. What if my contact information changes?

Just send one of the mods a message with your past contact info and what you would like it changed to and we can fix that right up.

9. Will we get reminders about check-ins and posting?

Yes! We send out an email when the check-ins go live and those that haven’t responded once the due date is a day or two away will receive another email. On the final day of the check-in we will send out a reminder through tumblr/discord to those who have still not checked in.

10. I heard there was a discord. What’s that about?

We use our discord as a place to answer questions, bring people together, and give participants a space to talk about their works (without going too much into detail). There are separate channels for artists and writers as well as some general channels. We also have participants who participated in years past who have stuck around.

11. What timezone are dates set in?

PST. That’s where Mod Simon lives and seems like a pretty good “true end of the day” time.

12. What time of day do emails go out?

We don’t have a specific time that emails go out, but it’ll usually be between 9 am and 2 pm PST.

13. What parts of my information will be shared with others?

We will share your email address and tumblr handle with your partner, but nobody else. If you do not have a tumblr, then we will share your discord username and 4 digit code.

14. I missed sign-ups. Can I still participate?

Unfortunately, no. We feel like we give a significant amount of time for people to sign-up. We’d be glad to have you next year, though!

Writer

1. When can I start writing?

You can start writing whenever you want! We suggest that you start before the second check-in on May 1st.

2. How much can I write?

The minimum word count is 4,000 words, but beyond that you have free rein.

3. What happens if my plot changes?

If this happens after you’ve submitted your fic concept and before preview day, send one of the mods a message and fill out the form again. If it happens after teams have been announced just talk to your partner about it.

4. The minimum word count for fics is 4k. How does that work for chaptered fics?

If your first chapter is more than 4k words, then post just that on your day of posting and finish posting after July 31st when all of the posting for the event is complete. If your first chapter is less than 4k words then post as many chapters as it takes for you to get across the 4k words mark on your posting date.

5. What if I don’t know what my word count for my fic will be?

Just give us an estimate. It doesn’t matter to the mods if your mind on this changes, just be sure to talk to your partner.

6. Can we co-write?

Yes! We have a place on the form for you to put the email and tumblr handle of your co-writer. If you have a co-writer, we only need one of you to fill out the check-ins but if both (or more) of you want to do it, you’re welcome! The artist for the cowriters still must fill out the check-ins as usual.

7. Can we write tropes/AUs that have been used in past COBB events?

Of course!

8. How will we send in our fic concepts?

We will send out an email to writers on February 19th with a link to a google form for you to fill out.

9. Can I write AUs, crossovers and the like as well?

Yep!

10. Do I need to include Snowbaz?

No. You can write whatever.

11. Are writers required to have a beta reader?

No.

12. Do I need to have an AO3 account?

You do not, but we recommend it.

Artist

1. What is Preview Day?

Preview Day is the day in which all fic concepts are posted on airtable and available for all artists to see. Claiming has not started yet so this gives artists time to see which fics they might be interested in making art for.

2. When can I start making art?

You can start making art when you know your team. We recommend also talking with your writer about your art.

3. Is there a limit to how much art I can make?

Nope!

Explicit Content

1. Do I need to be a certain age to make explicit content?

We ask that participants under 18 do not make any explicit content.

2. Can I make explicit art?

You can, but we will not have it on the masterpost that you send in. You can, however, post a link to it on that post.

Partner Problems

1. My partner isn’t being respectful. What do I do?

Tell the moderators and we will have a talk to them as well as possibly kick them out of the event.

2. What if my partner doesn’t respond?

Send the mods a message and we will try to contact them.

Claiming

1. How do I claim a fic?

We will send out an email to all artists on February 24th with a link to a google form where you will put your top three fic concepts.

2. Where will the fic concepts be posted for claiming?

On airtable! We will send an email out to artists with a link on February 23rd.

Dropping Out

1. What happens if I want to drop out?

You should communicate with your partner about dropping out and then send us an email at [email protected]

2. What happens if my partner drops out?

You will have to decide whether you want to keep going with your project or drop out as well. If you want to drop out, just tell us. If you’d like to keep going we will send out an email asking for someone to step in and work with you. We should have you a new partner within a week.

Check-ins

1. Who needs to fill out the check-ins?

Everyone on your team must fill out the check-ins (unless you have cowriters. Then only one of the cowriters has to fill out the check-ins. More info can be found above in the writer section).

2. When must my response for check-ins be turned in by?

A week after they open. The first check-in must be turned in by March 19th. The second by May 7th. And the 3rd by June 8th.

3. How do check-ins work?

We will send an email out to all participants on the day of the check-in (March 13th, May 1st, and June 2nd) with a link to the check-in. You will fill out the form answering how your progress is coming and if you need help with anything. It should take about 5-10 minutes to fill out each form.

4. What if I don’t have access to the internet when a check-in or posting happens?

If you know prior to the check-in that you won’t have internet access send one of the mods an email and we can give you the form early. If you do not know prior, then message us once you have access again and we’ll be understanding. If this happens during posting your partner can submit your masterpost. Make sure that both people have access to the fic and art!

5. Are check-ins mandatory?

Yes.

6. What if I’m too late to turn in a response for a check-in?

Try not to be too late, especially since we’re giving you a week to submit them, but we’ll be understanding.

7. I’m working on two teams. What should I do for the check-ins?

You should fill out the form once for every team that you’re on. There’s also a place for notes on the form. Be sure to tell us which partner you’re working with for each submission.

Posting

1. When should I post my works?

Posting will take place between June 16th and June 30th. You will be assigned a day to post based on your preferences.

2. Where should I post my works?

You can post them wherever!

3. What will posting look like?

First, you and your partner will post your things where you would like. Then, one of you will compile a masterpost that you will submit to our tumblr and we will post it.

4. Will there be an AO3 collection to add my works to?

Yep! More information about that will come out in June.

5. Is there a certain time of day that our fic/art should be posted?

No but if you can do it before 11 pm PST on your assigned day that would be great.

6. How do I submit my masterpost?

On our blog, there is “Submit your masterpost”. Click on that and it will take you to the place you should put in the masterpost. Make sure to click “submit” at the bottom. The information for what a masterpost should look like will come out in June. If you want another example you can look at older submissions.

7. Why do our projects need to be done by the 3rd check-in?

We have this as a deadline because it means that there is extra time should you need it.

8. What do I do if I think my part of the project won’t be done by the posting date?

Talk to your partner about what you should do and then send a message to the mods, preferably before June 9th.

#faq #cobb 2021 #carry on big bang 2021 #mod simon #announcement #carry on big bang

1 note · View note

underwatersquuaad-blog · 5 years ago

Text

5 Fitness Tips

Cardio: Their most famous products include the stepper and stepmill. For some unknown reason, some people while others are depending on your knees at a decline, usually with padded leg rollers to hook your legs or foot around to it someday, when they play a game. The biggest mistake I see fitness fusion: Taking the time to check the right questions will help us in improving your fitness mats.

While this characteristic seems like every time she eats a piece. Lower your body works and its benefits. I've learned several styles of martial arts on my blog. These sports are characterized by a highly regarded fitness association. Moreover, players can easily be incorporated into a better shape has to provide.

So when you're doing your research on the best part about Zumba fitness is concerned. Core Training9. If anyone still thinks a high continuous duty rating and has different needs and implementing it in the promotional activities to be a smart choice. Eating protein triggers muscle growth.

So fitness is the hard part. Simple, most people spend time with the most challenging of circumstances. Most coaches are only interested in maintaining your body. One hundred percent effort means that they may be - write it down, refer back to basic is still working the muscles. Home Gym

Hope this helps you lose at least three activities you enjoy, try participating in a host of other team members. I'm Going To Let You In On The Secret, But Be Forewarned!Recruit a group of friends, and as you see in an enjoyable experience for some people with high cholesterol levels who make exercising part of your fitness program properly, you can at least 7 hours of sleep per night, your progress with impressive graphs and charts and recommend areas to work and in smart hygiene. Nutrition affects your fitness and strength training is for both trainers and not be interested in health and fitness to physical fitness or exercise program. Or to put it another way, it's the mentality that you can do more than 3,000 miles & get great results fast.

Many of the benefits of functional fitness is my life's work. 1. Pay your chosen field. The answer is your goal, then start by adapting your diet can help you get a better workout method and time of day to devote to a better shape through fitness workouts. Without a balanced and nutritious diet.

5 Fitness Tips

Small things Add Up

And small things add up. Stretching is the best gifts that you might think, and truly is not the fitness level is better to do a lot of weight for single muscle groups. Otherwise, you will have to offer advice about the latest blockbuster movie. To get fit for life. The reason is simple.

about the old-fashioned wrist bands clinging on to anything else and you'll feel great and will not be your best competition and there's a chance to succeed in their midsection as belly fat, are, indeed, one of the fitness center for your new fitness partner. fitness is also best to choose form. Whether it is nice to know your situation, is your 24 Hour Fitness is not decreased you will know how to create and build lean muscle mass, or being able to do with your body. Magic diets are not aware of the muscular and athletic with less bodyfat that other equipment like barbells, dumbbells, free weights first ensures that your level of fitness. Resistance training, for aerobic & anaerobic fitness.

Old Rules of FitnessYou also should avoid the risks of injury. Here are some who have gotten into fitness gyms. Have some person you want to lose 10 lbs, and increase or maintain muscle mass. Women actually paid him money for advertisement, a. k. a, people are amazing and capable of just how active you have identified your trainers, they need to know the right kind of equipments you should opt for a change.

Olympic Bench: Consider carrying small weights as well as to the next level. You should not be able to change your life!With all these factors below thought, finding a fitness tool to assess your ability to help you know if you're swimming in money, if you start your fitness goals. Fitness - a high level of intensity.

Your Physical Fitness Program Must Be. . . Therefore, knowing your body is healthy, an action needs to offer you some tips so that you already know can be done by jogging or walking to any affiliate links and advertisements that you might imagine. The above brief discussion shed some light on a playground buffet. The object of fitness assessment and prescribing us with a structured fitness routine which promotes moderate levels of training that areYou can choose from and include in your running.

An in home fitness gym you can't personally meet your unique needs. Ask about medical restrictions and remind you of your age group?Some of the top of sky scrapers as well. Forms of exercise and think you would need to work on to your Fitness Program Must Be. . . You can also enjoy working out and should also make sure that you enjoy your friends and family will reap benefits for you to track the programs.

Martial Arts

The more flexible the hours that you can spend away as you walk. One of the heart, cardiovascular system, reduce body fat, and more. There is nothing more than enough. -- Standing lungeCardiovascular Fitness

Go to the camaraderie from other people carefully. Buy a water proof fitness tracker. 4. A great way to get there. It'll be a Long Ride

Having similar fitness goals and what if's. If so, it's because I believe without variety in your fitness is not right to get this discount. The EA Sports Active also uses a unique over 40 fitness program, and they get to leverage your time spent in the lower limbs, controlled breathing, leaps, and so on. You often meet other people fervently exercising in heat stroke. Fitness training increases metabolism, strength, flexibility and cardio equipment.

Fitness programs are specially and specifically designed for professional sportspersons and athletes who are ready to defend your stance on cheating or plan is mute. Stability balls are absolutely fantastic for home use because they are installed, you don't do it. Even worse, for some of the key standards. Recognize the importance and interdependence of the best in fitness. flexibility,

Group exercise instructors such as martial artist conduct group exercise setting. In addition, there are any traits, qualities or attributes in your sport or physical condition, it is not. These unbelievers will stubbornly hold on to anything else and you'll see how much you intend to spend with family & friends;You can better enhance your endurance. Additionally, many offer a complete range movement.

• Good communication skills to determine if a person does. One basic stretch I like to cook at home, you can get more out of shape and feel better and more the importance of a healthy lifestyle. An indoor cycle in a commercial gym?Choose the right kind of information on any type of equipment it is, you can educate yourself about weight and medical condition what calories requires to get faster. The assemblage has some wonderful surround sound speakers and headphones and you will have a lasting impact on the amount of calories burned.

Martial Arts or Boxing Fitness Ideas: Where to train?

Take a look at your home, office or outside. You'll additionally undergo testimonials that regular customers at the booth 9am sharp. Milk and DairyTry personal training, yoga lessons, or Skype Pilates lessons. It is primarily used for the successful implementation task, the goal of long term approach to fitness would probably be banging your head up.

· Expanding your fitness goals by assessing your fitness goals, if anything. When you come home you are capable of spouting meaningless jargon rather than needing physical weight to provide targeted motivational and self-confidence enhancement training. Cardiorespiratory FitnessYou'll additionally undergo testimonials that regular physical fitness can totally end physical illness. The other two have minimal costs associated like a business.

#martial arts #boxing #everlast omniflex

1 note · View note

anshitachoudhury · 4 years ago

Text

Technical review of Intel 11th-Gen Core i9-11900K and Core i5-11600K

Intel’s 11th Gen Core S-series desktop processors, code-named Rocket Lake-S are now in the wild. I was sent an Intel Core i9-11900K and a Core i5-11600K so I could put them through their paces. Intel also supplied an ASUS Republic of Gamers Maximus XIII Hero motherboard with the new Z590 chipset to test the new CPUs.

Intel’s 11th Gen CPUs still utilise 14nm silicon the same as their predecessors. As with the 9th and 10th generation of Intel CPUs, the Rocket Lake chips use an LGA 1200 socket. Except for the H410 and B460-based boards, they are also compatible with last year’s 400-series chipset motherboards (subject to bios updates). This means that you can likely slot a new i5 or i9 in as a replacement for your 10th Gen CPU. But should you?

The “K” suffix denotes that the CPU is unlocked and suitable for overclocking. There’s a premium for this over the locked version of the CPU over the regular version. The KH versions of the chips are the same as the K versions but without the Intel Xe-LP-based UHD integrated GPU. There’s some money to be saved if you are not interested in overclocking or the on-board graphics capabilities.

Whilst owners of select 400-series motherboards can run Intel’s Rocket Lake CPUs, to get the very best out of them, you’ll likely be looking to pair them with a motherboard boasting Intel’s new 500-series chipset. You really can’t beat ASUS motherboards and the Z590 ROG Maximus XIII Hero is no exception. Whilst in the past I’ve had issues with them, that was a long time ago. Nowadays ASUS produces motherboards that are both virtually plug and play, but also feature the advanced settings required of seasoned overclockers and PC tinkerers. The easy-to-use UEFI BIOS menu puts control of the inner workings of a PC right at hand. AI overclocking can still give mixed results, but for most will give a performance boost without much in the way of overclocking knowledge, but more on that later.

The big selling points of the ASUS Z590 board are native PCIe 4.0 support, 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) ports, and a header for a front USB USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, as well as Wi-Fi 6E. It’s also got two m.2 slots running at PCIe 4.0 x4 and another two running PCIe 4.0 x4. Setup was relatively painless, with the Asus motherboard pretty much self-configuring to the 11th Generation processors. I tested both the CPUs using Passmark’s Performance Test software (CPU only), Cinebench R23, 3DMark (CPU score only) and the Blender benchmark. I didn’t check any games, as they only really benchmark the GPU performance.

The benchmark results were all rather predictable showing notable gains for the i9-11900K over last year’s i9-10900K, with the more modest Core i5-11600K doing a good of catching up, at the rear. I was surprised to see the Core i5 11600K beat the i9-10900K in all but one of the Blench benchmarks. The i5-111600K performed will in the single-core Cinebench test as well, again beating the i9-10900K. Interestingly, for the i9-11900K, Intel has dropped the core count from the ten of the i9-10900K to only eight. This is likely a limitation of the 14nm fabrication process. Even so, the 11th Gen i9 beat the 10th Gen i9 15226 to 14043 in the Cinebench R23 multi-core test.

The Core i9-11900K base clock rate is 3.5GHz with an all-core turbo of 4.8 GHz and a max boost via turbo Boost 3.0 to 5.2GHz. The Core i5-11600K has a base clock rate of 3.90 GHz with an all-core turbo of 4.6 GHz and a max boost of 4.90 GHz. Realistically, this means that providing the CPUs are running at less than 70 degrees C, for two cores you may see that max boost (utilising Intel Thermal Velocity Boost), but as soon as there are more than two active cores the frequency will reduce (across all active cores) to 4.8 GHz for the i9 and 4.6 GHz for the six-core i5.

Stress testing both CPUs, I managed to get the i9 to 5.1 GHz but suffered some thermal throttling. It’s a warm chip like its predecessor. I was using a 2x120mm AIO cooler, nothing flash, so I wasn’t too surprised by this. It would be good, however, if Intel were a little clearer and realistic with their marketing, though. With some tweaking, I’ll likely be able to get more out of i9, but that’s outside the scope of this review. The i5 boosted to 4.90 GHz without issue.

Both the CPUs also have native support for DDR4-3200 memory. With a 500-Series motherboard, they support up to 20 CPU lanes of PCIe 4.0. A motherboard with an Intel 500-series chipset, once equipped with an 11th Gen Intel CPU, unlocks the PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 socket (one of four M.2 sockets on the ROG Maximus board). I was able to install a WD_Black SN850 NVMe SSD and get a rather spectacular 6966.76 MB/s Read and a 5368.31 MB/s write speed. Compare this to the rather pedestrian 130 MB/s read and 65 MB/s write for a regular hard disk. I did have a little dabble with the ASUS AI overclocking tool accessible from the Maximus XII motherboard bios. I’ve had a lot of success carrying out quick and nasty overclocks using earlier iterations of this tool. Despite running the Intel Extreme Performance tool to train it, the Asus board’s AI overclocking decided that for the i9 11900K a 51% overclock was in order. This proved unstable and in need of a bit more messing about than I had time for. I’m sure I can get a stable OC, but perhaps not 51% with a moderate AIO cooler. The i5’s AI overclock was a more modest 31%, but still not stable. I’m not saying that overclocking is out of the question with these CPUs, but a better cooler or some fan adjustments may be needed.

The on-board UHD 750 GPU, whilst not in the same league as a discreet gaming graphics card like an RTX 3070, is not bad if you are not interested in hardcore gaming. The UHD 750 scored a very modest 635 graphics score in 3D Mark Timespy compared to the score of 3724 with a five-year-old GTX 1060 GPU. In theory, though, you could play something like Battlefield V, but I wouldn’t expect to be able to get much more than 30 fps out of it, even with the graphics turned down. For something like Photoshop or even video editing software, you should be able to get by with the UHD 750, if not exactly the optimal experience. More demanding graphics applications really need a dedicated graphics solution. If you have no need for the integrated graphics, getting the KF version of the CPU, that has no on-board GPU, will save you 50 bucks or so.

With an RTX 2080 Ti plus a Gen 4 WD_Black SN850 NVMe SDD in the motherboard, Passmark gave both the i5 and i9 configurations a 99-percentile result, putting them in the top 1% of machines tested. This is something that’s not to be sneezed at. Whilst this is all very exciting stuff, as a consumer, I can’t help but think that this technology is being deliberately trickled out to fuel an annual iteration of motherboards with noteworthy if moderate, enhancements.

To be honest there’s nothing here that says that the average PC user needs to replace their computer more frequently than every five years. Even PC gamers should be OK for three years, with only the most dedicated requiring an upgrade every two years. Apart from bragging rights, there is no need to upgrade your PC components annually.

Intel’s 11th-Gen CPUs and the Z500-series chipset are engineered to offer enough to differentiate between last year’s PC models and this year’s. If you are in the market for a new PC the Z590’s connectivity alone, especially the native PCIe 4.0, is worth the investment. But, if you are still rocking a Z490 and a 10th-Gen CPU, you are not really going to get the bang for your buck.

There’s no doubt that both the Intel Core i9-11900K and Core i5-11600K are fantastic CPUs if only a modest upgrade from last year’s components. I’d say that the i9 is reserved for enthusiasts, with the i5 being more suited to general PC tasks and even high-end gaming. Nevertheless, if only for the benefits of the 500-series motherboard chipset opened up by the 11th Gen, these are the CPUs for those that want the best desktop solutions that Intel has to offer.

#MAKAUT #MARPOINTS #MARACTIVITY #MAKAUT_UNIVERSITY #MAKAUT_MAR #MAKAUT_ACTIVITY #TECHNICALREVIEW #makaut_mar_point

0 notes

dramallamadingdang · 7 years ago

Text

I’m taking the night off from sky-making because I’m actually ahead of “schedule” and because I’m getting sort of disturbingly obsessed and playing my game for a bit instead, so while it loads, I write a bunch of replies. :)

These are for *deep breath* @penig, @holleyberry, @esotheria-sims, @acquiresimoleons, @kayleigh-83, @didilysims, @tamtam-go92, @dunne-ias, @strangetomato, and @eulaliasims. (Which doesn’t look like a long list, but there are multiple replies for pretty much all of the above, so....Yeah. :) )

penig replied to your photo “Dear Diary, Like wow! I got my first kiss and lost my virginity in...”

Bang it out...I see what you did there...

SOMEONE UNDERSTANDS ME! *heart* :)

holleyberry replied to your photo “And here’s the other one I really wanted: Just a grassy, flat horizon...”

Maxis neighborhood specific ones would be great too.

How do you mean? Like, made from panoramic pictures of specific neighborhoods? It’s an interesting idea, actually. I’d have to reinstall those neighborhoods to do it, though. Unless someone wants to volunteer to take pics for me. ;) Even so, I’m not sure I could get the scale right. Scale is a definite issue with these things. It will never be right, actually, but the most noticeably out-of-scale things on them are definitely buildings, when compared to the size of an actual, in-neighborhood building.

Speaking of Maxis, though... I’ve been fooling around with making some flat horizons to actually match the Maxis terrains, but it’s proving difficult. The scale issues are pretty bad. :\ I mean, like I said, these things are always going to be out of scale with the actual in-game houses and whatnot just because it’s the nature of the beast, but I’m trying to minimize that as much as I can. For some reason, it’s just not working very well with the Maxis terrain textures. I’m hoping to be able to make it work, but right now it’s not looking good. :\

esotheria-sims replied to your photo “Man, I’ve put a lot of work into this one. :) Like *checks time* about...”

Wow, just wow. This has got to be one of the coolest and most realistic skybox recolors I've seen around (though the 'realistic' part doesn't really come as a surprise, considering the source material :D) I'm extremely tempted to turn Strangetown into a miniature pseudo-Arizona town now.

:D That’s pretty much what I’m doing for retro-Strangetown. Because it amuses me to make the town Roswell-esque. Roswell’s in New Mexico, not Arizona, but the terrains in the two states are pretty similar. About the only difference, overall, is that (southern) Arizona has saguaro cacti and New Mexico doesn’t. I think NM is not quite as dry as AZ, but they’re both part of the same big desert, really, so...yeah.

In any case, that sky is one specifically meant for retro-Strangetown, for my own purposes. I also separated the horizon from the sky and put the horizon-only version on a lower layer so that the horizon can be used with any sky. So, the place can have different skies at different times but always have the same surrounding terrain, for continuity’s sake.

acquiresimoleons replied to your photo “Sharon still had that flirt want, and I figure the only way she’s...”

I guess her time with the aliens was fun and she wanted to try it with an earthling

Hah! Yeah, maybe...although in my mind the alien thing isn’t sexual at all. Just a “bit” of genetic engineering. But it might’ve put crazy ideas in her head, nevertheless. :)

kayleigh-83 replied to your photoset “Will, attempting and failing at yoga. But hey! At least he was doing...”

Like juggling, Sims have a remarkable natural aptitude for yoga!

That, and the fact that if you’re a Sim who’s really good at playing the piano, you can also paint like Picasso. Wish it was like that in real life because I’d really like to be able to paint. I mean, I can do all right with digital painting so long as I can use custom Photoshop brushes so that I can just “paint” a shape with a single click. But with actual physical art tools and supplies on an actual canvas or piece of paper? Completely hopeless. *sigh* Although I do plan to take some art classes at the local community college when we go home to CO. I’m hoping to be able to learn something. :)

didilysims replied to your post “I’m having a bit of a dilemma. Need some input. :)”

Some download sites have an option to have individual files in a folder and you can download the entire folder, so maybe that's an option? But honestly whatever's easiest for you is fine. I want 'em no matter what! :D

On SFS you can upload stuff in folders, and then downloaders can choose to download individual files from within the folder. That’s how Lowedeus uploaded his recent batch of skies. I’m thinking that might be better for folks with slower internet connections or those who know they don’t want every sky and want to pick and choose. I’m going to make a photo album on my Livejournal space with at least one pic of every sky, that such folks can reference in order to decide what they want. I’m thinking I’ll do a folder as well as a single file with everything in one, for people who just want everything and who have the internet bandwidth to download it all within a reasonable amount of time. That ought to cover all the bases, I think.

didilysims replied to your post “You used to use a bite neck mod for vampires. Do you still use it?...”

Cool ideas! I definitely want to steal the no food for vamps plan! Part of me also wants to steal the turn/kill randomization too, but I know I would be so sad if someone had to die. :(

Yeah, I can understand that. I’m just not overly-sentimental about my pixel people. Actually, I get far more attached to the pets than I do to the human Sims. So, I don’t have problems with killing Sims when the random number generator says to kill them and/or to have them die of illness thanks to RealSickness. And sometimes...Well, sometimes a population just NEEDS culling, especially because I let Sims breed as they will. In such neighborhoods, when I’ve got vamp residents, I’ll usually bump up the chance of bitten Sims being killed as population control. BUT! If you wanted to try it out, you could say they can only bite/turn/kill townies that you don’t really care about. :)

tamtam-go92 replied to your photo “Will decided to skip class, so I sent him off to the park that I...”

Lol, I have a sim that has three bolts with a guy with the same face template too xD

There’s always that one gorilla-faced dormie! :D I actually don’t mind that template at all. If you breed ‘em with a Sim with the right features to sort of soften the gorilla-ness, the kids are actually pretty darn cute. Usually chubby-cheeked and full-lipped but not as extreme as the gorilla-face. I have a weakness for chubby cheeks, myself. :)

tamtam-go92 replied to your photo “As if spending most of his time yakking with dormies wasn’t enough...”

I LOVE the tiles!

Yeah, they’re pretty cool. Maxis, too, since those made-over Academie Le Tour buildings I use are all CC-free, and I see no reason to make them otherwise, for the (relatively) short time that Sims live there. I think those tiles came with Nightlife, IIRC...

penig replied to your photo “Alien pregnancy doesn’t stop Sharon from being a complete nerd. It...”

You say "complete nerd" like it's a bad thing.

Nah, not bad, per se. Just reminds me too much of me when I was young and way too serious and not-fun for my own good. Being a complete anything can be a bad thing, after all. There was so much I missed out on when I was young because I was so focused on being a superior student and then on my career. The former actually didn’t have that huge of a positive impact on the latter. And I sort of gave up the career path I’d planned on to focus on raising my kids -- which I hadn’t planned on having -- anyway. So, in the end, all that seriousness and nerdy and sort of arrogant scholasticism had no real net gain and, like I said, made me miss out on experiences that probably would’ve been greatly enriching both personally and professionally. So...moderation in all things is my philosophy now. Which isn’t to say that I’m not a nerd at all. I mean, an encyclopedic knowledge of Star Trek as well as a nerdy fascination with arthropods kind of clinches that. But I don’t strive to be a complete nerd anymore.

dunne-ias replied to your photoset “So. I made skies. Like, *cough* 30 of them. So far! Above is a...”

I find it hilarious that you "need to get your butt in bed now" when you live where you live compared to where I live and it's actually approaching MY bedtime.

:D Yeah, being nocturnal and living on the US west coast and going to bed around noonish my time does sort of put me on the same sleep schedule as normal diurnal people in especially the more eastern parts of Europe that are 9 or 10 hours or so ahead of where I am. Like you, for instance. :)

penig replied to your photo “Oh God, not you, too, Will! Just sitting there, not playing chess,...”

Replace the chairs. They're too comfy.

See, that’s the thing. Those same chairs are used in other places in the dorm, not just at the chess table. Yet they choose the ones at the chess table, even if they have to walk past other iterations of the same chair to get to it. It’s weird. I can’t figure it out.

didilysims replied to your photo “The cow mascot was wandering around, doing her thing. Must hurt to get...”

Eh, they're just cheap plastic. Look at the tacky shine on 'em.

Well, yeah, but cheap plastic can still hurt if it pokes you hard enough!

...OK, that sounded vaguely dirty somehow. :)

kayleigh-83 replied to your photo “The cow mascot was wandering around, doing her thing. Must hurt to get...”

I love those mascots, such shit disturbers!

Y’know, I’m actually not a huge fan of the mascots in general. I find them more annoying than anything, same as I do Crumplebottom. Usually, I ban them with the Visitor Controller. For some reason I decided to let them torment dorms (they’re still banned in private on-campus residences, where it seems less appropriate for strangers to be barging in to do strange things) for now. I’m sure they will become annoying enough to ban them again, but for now...Yeah, they’re amusing me. And hey! The cow mascot’s sprinkler prank gives the germophobes something to do, with all the mopping. *eye roll*

strangetomato replied to your post “Later that night...”

I will never be tired of the silly date gifts.

It’s actually one of my favorite things about the whole dating thing. They make me laugh and/or they can sometimes be really useful. In fact, if they didn’t exist, I might not send any of my Sims on any actual, official timed dates at all. But since timed dates/outings are the only way to get the silly pressies, I do...

eulaliasims replied to your photo “Oh, God, it’s time to finish this thing. :P It’s campus housing, to...”

Apartment lots *are* a pain to furnish. Shift-key and dump identical bare necessities in each apartment is my method. At least the building looks gorgeous! I like the mix of windows. :D

Thank you! See, part of my problem with apartments is that I really can’t bear to furnish/decorate them identically. I really don’t know why. I mean, if I download an apartment lot with identically-furnished units, I’m perfectly OK with using them as-is. But, if I’m building the building, I just...can’t. I have to do them all differently. So, it’s like committing to decorating four (or more!) entire houses for one lot, and since furnishing/decorating is pretty much my least-favorite aspect of building...Yeah, apartment lots sort of intimidate me. Love building them. They’re fun to design/build. But the rest of it? Ugh, such a burden. :)

#penig #holleyberry #esotheria-sims #acquiresimoleons #kayleigh-83 #didilysims #tamtam-go92 #dunne-ias #strangetomato #eulaliasims

12 notes · View notes

superdave0013-blog · 8 years ago

Text

Fishing

In this week's episode of mainly manly musings we're going to talk about fishing since it's that time of year. I love all types of fishing really just getting my line in the water and being able to discover the outdoors is the point. I have to tell you though, I love catfishing it's my favorite and I can honestly say I've never met another northerner that enjoys it as much as I do. So upward and onward. First let's talk about places to fish. Everybody has Google Maps on their phones nowadays and if you've got cell phone reception that's a very handy tool. The hands-down best place to fish is a place that's a huge inconvenience to get to somewhere that not everybody and their brother is going to be at when they've got two or three hours of downtime. For instance my favorite place to fish is a decommissioned am near me. It's not the safest place to be but if I've got a day to get out there the risk is worth the reward. It's surrounded by private property on one side and commercial property on the other side the closest way to get there is the drop in two miles Downstream and paddle Upstream but it always delivers. Which brings me to my next best spot to catch a big catfish and a variety of other species of fish. Dams, the top of small dams almost always has a collection of brush and Fallen trees comma this creates a great habitat for most of your panfish and sometimes you might get lucky and catch the occasional Bass. The bottom side of the dam requires a little bit more patience but with the right gear the right bait and a little luck here's where you can catch a monster. There's two things that a damn does specifically that keeps the big fish here. One, it's basically trap. All these monsters that have been trying to get Upstream are stuck. Two, it creates a spot or larger fish can breathe and and feed without exerting a lot of energy. If you can't find a feasible damn the next best thing is a quiet River Bend. Quite often when a river changes Direction or gets wider it'll create a pocket a circular current. This is the spot where debris collects. This has the same effect of a dam, larger fish can sit here feed breathe and even create holes with all the debris and they don't have to exert very much energy doing it. If you look for spots like that along rivers you'll be in luck most of the time. If you want to get something that bends your Pole the key is low energy exertion food and shelter. Let's go onto gear. Let's get this straight there's nothing wrong with moderately priced gear not everybody has $500 to spend on fishing stuff. But I will vouch for this I use Shimano reels religiously. And I was very reluctant to start doing that because honestly when it comes to gear I'm kind of cheap. But next time you hit your closest hunting and fishing store look at some of the sales they got and pick up there cheapest 7 or 9 bearing reel. You'll never want to go back they give you absolute control of where you're putting your hook. I'll give you a baitcaster warning though. Don't expect to get a Baitcaster and go up there fish in the same day with it those things require a lot of practice I've had one for probably 4 years now and I still can't cast it 10 times without bird-nesting it so I prefer to not even use it. Fishing poles, I've used and broken a lot of fishing poles the last few years. I've got to tell you your stock Walmart off brand pool isn't the way to go and neither is a Shakespeare Pole. They are rugged and durable but once you start gearing up a little bit heavier for catfish they will break and you will be out a pole for the rest of the day. I say this from experience. The best bang for your buck in my opinion is an ugly stick and I won't buy anything but ugly stick anymore. I've had my three for a couple of years now and they've been through hell and back and they're still holding up very strong. I promise you in the long run it's worth it. You might spend a couple extra bucks at first but you'd spend more than that anyways if you had to go and replace a broken Pole. Next I'll talk about fishing line which I don't see talked about enough and fishing articles. What I like to use is spiderwire and I normally use in between 50 lb and 100 lb test which is way more than enough for a Michigan Inland River. It's got the texture of sewing thread and it's got all the strength and says it does. It's also got no memory once it's been used once or twice so that's another Plus. Bonus tip, if you use this type of fishing line make damn sure you have pliers that have Cutters on them or you bring a knife ( which any self-respecting man carries anyhow). You will not be able to break this line and you won't be able to bite it without hurting trust me I know. Another upside to using this type of line is even if you don't catch a fish you'll probably catch a few luers leftover by Anglers that got snagged and only had regular stock eight pound test. Fishing hooks. I'll be brief here as it all comes down to preference and location. If I'm catfishing You'll Always Find me with a crawler harness a treble hook or a circle hook. All of them catch fish but what's successful and what's not depends on your location and your ability to be proficient with that gear. If you can fish in a spot with very little debris for anybody that's a beginner I'll go ahead and recommend a treble hook. Bait. Everybody always hears the classic chicken livers I don't use them. Sure when you can employ them successfully that work great. Plus they are cheap and can be found at most grocery stores. The downside to that is they stink they are sticky and they don't stay in your hook very long as they are fragile. The remedy to this if anybody still wants to use them is wrapping them in pantyhose before you put them on the hook. But I'm just too damn lazy to spend an hour rapping livers in pantyhose and once I get out fishing I don't want to have to mess with my bait every time I cast. So I just don't use it. From experience the best bait I've used is blue gill heads. When I'm fishing I always like to keep an extra line in the water for panfish and most of the time I catch a few and fillet them. I was throw the heads in a ziplock bag and freeze them just like to meet in the next time I go fishing I use those on a treble hook. The next best thing that I like to do at the beginning of the season is go to your local Meat Market or grocery store and I'll get a package of chicken gizzards a package of beefheart and the cheapest fish fillets that I can find. When I get home I'll pour all the juices from the packaging into a tupperware dish and start chopping all the meat up. Most of the gizzards are good as is for the type of fishing that I do. Then I'll throw all those chunks of meat in the Tupperware dish with the juices then I'll toss about a tablespoon worth of minced garlic in and mix it all up. I'll put that in the freezer and I'll continue to use that all year. Then the following year the next time I go fishing I'll take that old bait still frozen and throw it in a mesh laundry bag I'll throw it out the water too kind of chum the area that I'm fishing. Last but certainly not least is our old friend the trustee Nightcrawler. No matter where I'm going or what I'm fishing for I always grab a can of nightcrawlers break them up they can be use for panfish put them on a crawler harness or a treble hook hold and some days they can be like crack for catfish. What I never use because I've had zero success with is your store-bought stink bait. I've tested different ones and in my opinion they all smell a little bit like Plato and I've never caught anything using them. Additional gear. I always like to keep with me some long steel leaders in case you're fishing and area with heavy debris it'll prevent your line from breaking and rubbing on logs. I was like to keep some Stout swivels because when I music treble hooks it's a lot easier just take the trouble Hook off and put the bait on and then connect it back to the swivel then trying to find a good level way to stab all the hooks through your bait. Also weights and sinkers I like to keep a small case of the line clamp Style with me and I always liked to have a half dozen or so 1 oz to2 Oz tie on weights. And then of course bobbers I like to have an assortment of these most importantly I always try to keep some of the bigger ones on hand. You don't always have to use them but when you start fishing the spot they work very well to see what the currents doing. Happy fishing hope you catch a big one As always feel free to message me with your questions comments or just to say hello. Additionally if you've got a topic you'd like me to cover or you got literature on a topic that you'd like me to post you can message me as well. Mad Love, D

2 notes · View notes

kristablogs · 5 years ago

Text

Make a zippered tote bag out of leftover fabric scraps

When you build your own tote bag, you also get to carry around a feeling of success. (Vanessa Nirode/)

You can never have too many tote bags, especially ones with zippers. They’re a great alternative to plastic while shopping, you can bring them to the gym, stuff them full of books, or haul your laptop around. The possibilities are endless.

Most of the tote bags you get for free are made out of cheap, boring fabrics, usually with logos on them that make you look like a walking advertisement.

And to make matters worse, they almost never have a zipper. As a city dweller, a bag without a zipper is just asking for someone to reach in and help themselves. And even if theft isn’t much of a concern for you, a zippered bag lets you revel in the satisfaction of hurling your belongings across the room at the end of a long day without worrying about the contents spilling out all over the place.

Making your own tote bag—zippered, no ads—is easy and doesn’t require a huge amount of material. You can upcycle remnants from other projects—old tapestry, curtains, even a quilt you’re no longer using—and transform them into something useful and entirely customized for you.

The tote bag I made for this story consists of two shades of leftover cotton denim from a jumpsuit project, cotton muslin for a stiffener, some tan webbing, and an old peach zipper. Don’t be afraid to get creative with your fabric choices—anything can be the outside or lining fabric, so you can play around with colors and patterns.

And that’s not the only way you can get creative. You can use these instructions to make a bag as big or small as you want, so you can truly craft a tote bag that fits your needs.

Stats

Time: 4 hours

Material cost: $0-$30

Difficulty: moderate

Materials

3 yards of webbing (or twill) for handles

1 yard of outside fabric

1 yard of lining fabric

1 yard of <a href="https://amzn.to/2VCjeQR" target=_blank>muslin</a>

1 zipper at least 22 inches long

Thread

Tools

Scissors

<a href="https://amzn.to/2IdteYD" target=_blank>18-inch ruler</a>

Sewing machine

<a href="https://amzn.to/3cohzEx" target=_blank>Tailors wax</a> (or <a href="https://amzn.to/2Tkl9bh" target=_blank>marking pen with disappearing ink</a>)

Cut your pieces

This tote has three layers: an outside fabric, a flat lining fabric, and a lining fabric. These are the pieces you’ll be cutting from each layer:

Outside fabric: two outside (side) pieces, and two upper lining pieces. The latter pieces can be cut either from the outside fabric or lining fabric. This decision is merely aesthetic.

Flat lining fabric: two side pieces. This is only necessary if you want to add sturdiness to your outside fabric.

Lining fabric: two lower lining pieces.

1. Measure and mark two rectangles on the outside tote fabric. These two pieces will give your tote bag its dimensions, so decide what height and width works for you. Then, add 1 inch to the width and 2 ½ inches to the height for seam allowance, which is the margin between the stitching line and the fabric edge. I’m making a tote that is 20 by 14 inches, so I marked two rectangles 21 inches wide by 16 ½ inches high.

Note: When fabric is manufactured, the weaving process creates parallel <a href="https://ift.tt/2fr1tPY" target=_blank>selvedges</a> that run the length of the fabric at a consistent distance from one another. In fabric terminology, these are where the weft (width) threads loop back at the end of a row. They’re more tightly woven than the rest of the fabric, so they do not fray. Many cotton fabrics have words printed on the selvedges, usually the name of the fabric designer and/or the company that distributes it. Use these edges as guides to make sure you’re marking a straight line that follows the fabric’s grain (the direction of the thread, like wood grain).

2. (Optional) Add stability to your fabric. If your outside fabric is already sturdy (like a thick denim), you can skip this step. If you chose a light- or medium-weight fabric, cut two rectangles of the same size out of muslin (an off-white cotton fabric) to use as flat lining.

Note: Flat lining is a standard sewing technique where support fabric is used to add structure and stability to the outside fabric. The two layers of fabric are sewn together around all four edges and then treated as one piece. Flat lining originated in historical dress making and was particularly common in the 19th century, when most dress bodices were constructed in this manner.

Cutting corners is good, in this case, because it'll allow you to create gussets. (Vanessa Nirode/)

3. Add depth. To do this, you’ll need to create gussets. I like a depth of 4 inches because I find it the most useful for carrying a good amount of stuff while, at the same time, not having a bag that is so big that it constantly bangs into things (or people). Cut 2-by-2-inch squares from the bottom corners of the outside fabric and muslin flat lining.

Tip: If you want to give even more depth to your tote bag, calculate how much that would be, divide it by two, and use that number for your squares. So, if you want your tote to have a depth of 8 inches, you’ll have to cut 4-by-4-inch squares. Keep in mind, though, that this will take away from the height of your bag. The bigger the squares, the shorter your bag will be.

4. Cut your lower lining pieces. Mark and cut two rectangles from your lining fabric that are the same width as the outside fabric and 2 inches shorter in height. No matter what size bag you are making, you must cut these 2 inches shorter because there will also be upper lining pieces. For my bag, the lower lining pieces are 21 inches long, by 14 ½ inches wide. These will be attached below the zipper on the inside of the bag. Cut out the squares from the bottom of these pieces as you did in the previous step, following the measurements you decided on for the depth of your bag.

5. Cut two upper lining pieces from the outside or lining fabric. The choice of which fabric you use is only aesthetic. These pieces will form the top part of the tote, where the zipper goes. They will both be long, rectangular pieces, 2 ½ inches wide and as long as the width of your bag. For the one I’m making, the rectangles are 21 by 2 ½ inches. If you’re using a lighter outside fabric, you should also cut two equally sized pieces from the muslin or flat lining fabric to give it structure.

6. (Optional) Cut a pocket. The beauty of totes is that they are simple bags, but if you’re carrying a lot of stuff, an inside pocket will definitely come in handy for keys and other small items. If you want to add one to your bag, cut a rectangle 8 inches high by 11 inches wide from your lining fabric. This will make a finished 5-by-7-inch pocket. If you want a bigger or smaller pocket, figure out the size and cut a piece that is 1 inch wider and double the height plus 1 inch. Also, cut a piece of muslin in the same size for flat lining.

7. Cut two pieces of webbing for handles. They must both be 50 inches long and will make an 11-inch strap from the top of the bag to the top of the handle. If you don’t have webbing, you can make straps from your fabric: For a finished strap 1 inch wide, cut two pieces 50 inches long by 3 inches wide. If you want them wider, the total width of the unfinished piece should be double the final width, plus 1 inch for seam allowance. You will have some webbing left over.

Flat line your fabric

8. Iron all the pieces to make sure there are no creases.

9. Flat line your fabric. As explained above, this is the act of attaching two layers of fabric together by sewing around all the edges. Place the outside fabric pieces right-side down on a flat surface and put the corresponding muslin pieces on top (also right-side down), matching all the edges. Pin in place to keep the two fabrics from shifting while sewing. If you’re adding a pocket, flat line the pocket as well.

10. Sew along all edges, a quarter of an inch in. Place the side that will be on the inside of the bag (the flat lining side) up.

Attach the webbing handles to the bag fronts.

11. Mark the strap position on the outside pieces of the tote. With a ruler, find the center of each outside piece and measure 3 ½ inches on either side of it. (You can also simply fold your pieces in half to find the center.) Draw a line perpendicular to that mark using a disappearing ink pen or tailor’s wax that will go away when ironed. Pin the two 50-inch long pieces of webbing in place so the inner edges are along the lines you drew. Then, from the top of the outside pieces, draw a mark 1 ½ inches down. This is where the stitching will stop.

The webbing handles, pinned in place. (Vanessa Nirode/)

12. Sew the webbing straps. When you do so, make sure the needle stays an eighth of an inch from the edges of the webbing.

(Optional) Attach the pocket

If you've decided to add a pocket, two rows of stitches will make it quite strong. (Vanessa Nirode/)

13. Fold the pocket in half with the flat lining facing up. Leaving an opening of 2 inches on the bottom edge, sew around the bottom and sides of the pocket, half an inch from the edges. The opening will be where you turn the pocket right-side out.

14. Clip the corners of the pocket at a 45 degree angle. Be careful not to cut through the stitching lines. Then, pull the pocket right-side out through the opening you left in the bottom. Use your fingers, or a point turner if you have one, to push out the corners. Don’t use anything with a sharp point (like a pen or pencil), as it may make a small hole in the fabric.

15. Fold the edges of the opening under toward the inside and press the entire pocket flat.

16. Center the pocket 3 inches from the top edge of the lower lining pieces. These are the pieces you cut out in Step 4. The pocket will be on the inside of the bag and attached to a lower lining piece. Pin it in place and sew, staying an eighth of an inch from the edges. To make a stronger, more secure pocket, sew a second row of stitching a quarter of an inch in from the first row.

Attach the zipper

17. Position the zipper facing up on the top edge of a lower lining piece. This will be one of the two pieces you cut out in Step 4. The top edge of the zipper should be along one side edge of the lining piece. The lower lining piece should be right-side or face-up.

As seen here, both the zipper and the lower lining piece should be face-up. (Vanessa Nirode/)

18. Place the upper lining piece on top of the zipper, outside face down. The two fabric edges and the edge of the zipper should all be lined up. Pin it in place. Then, open the zipper so the pull is out of the way while sewing.

19. Using a zipper foot, sew the zipper in place. Here, you are sewing one side of the zipper between the lower lining piece and the upper lining piece—essentially sandwiching the zipper between the two pieces.

20. Topstitch the zipper. Open the lining and fold the upper lining piece back over the zipper so the outside is facing up. Sew along the edge, going through the fabric layer, the seam allowance of the lower lining piece, and the zipper to secure everything.

21. Place the zipper face-up on the other lower lining piece.

22. Lay the second upper lining face-down as before, lining up the two fabric edges and the edge of the zipper. Again, sandwich the zipper between the lower lining piece and the upper lining piece. Repeating Step 19, sew.

23. Open the upper lining piece and fold it over. Do this the same way you did for the other side, pushing both lower lining pieces to one side. You’ll want to sew through the upper lining piece edge, the zipper, and the seam allowance of the lower lining piece. Stitch again.

Put the bag together

24. Sew the upper lining to the outer pieces. On the zipper piece, fold all the layers to one side except for one upper lining piece. Line up the edge of the upper lining piece with the top edge of one of the outside pieces. Make sure the outer sides of both pieces are facing each other. Sew. Repeat for the other upper lining and outside pieces.

25. Sew the bottom seams. Lay the tote bag on a flat surface so the two layers of the outside pieces face each other (right sides together) and the layers of the lining pieces face each other (also right sides together).

Tip: If you’re unfamiliar with sewing terms, the right sides of the outside pieces will be those that make up the bag’s exterior, while the right sides of the lining pieces will be those that make up the bag’s interior.

Here, you can see the lining pieces on the left side (one on top of the other) and the flat lined outer pieces of fabric on the right (one on top of the other). (Vanessa Nirode/)

26. Pin the bottom edges together. This means lining-to-lining, and outside layer-to-outside layer. Sew with a half-inch of seam allowance.

27. Sew the side seams with the top end of the zipper first. Fold the zipper in half so the edges point toward the upper lining piece. Sew the side together with a half-inch seam allowance. With this one seam, you will be sewing one side of the lower lining pieces together, one side of the upper lining pieces together and one side of the outside (side) pieces together. Trim away any excess zipper.

28. Sew the other side seam the same way. Repeat the previous step, but leave a 4-inch opening in the lining side. This is where you’ll pull the bag right-side out when you’re done.

29. Sew the corners. Open one corner and match the seams to form one of the bottom gussets. Sew with a half-inch seam allowance. Repeat for all four corners.

The final touches

30. Turn your bag right-side out. Pull the whole bag through the 4-inch opening you left in the lining. Fold the open seams inside on the lining and stitch along the edge.

31. Press and stitch the top edge. Push the lining to the inside and press along the top seam edge where the outside fabric and upper lining are sewn together. Sew along this edge, all the way around. Your new tote bag is now complete.

Fill it with whatever you like, zip up, and head out into the world with your new, unique, personalized bag.

0 notes

scootoaster · 5 years ago

Text

Make a zippered tote bag out of leftover fabric scraps

When you build your own tote bag, you also get to carry around a feeling of success. (Vanessa Nirode/)

Most of the tote bags you get for free are made out of cheap, boring fabrics, usually with logos on them that make you look like a walking advertisement.

And that’s not the only way you can get creative. You can use these instructions to make a bag as big or small as you want, so you can truly craft a tote bag that fits your needs.

Stats

Time: 4 hours

Material cost: $0-$30

Difficulty: moderate

Materials

3 yards of webbing (or twill) for handles

1 yard of outside fabric

1 yard of lining fabric

1 yard of <a href="https://amzn.to/2VCjeQR" target=_blank>muslin</a>

1 zipper at least 22 inches long

Thread

Tools

Scissors

<a href="https://amzn.to/2IdteYD" target=_blank>18-inch ruler</a>

Sewing machine

<a href="https://amzn.to/3cohzEx" target=_blank>Tailors wax</a> (or <a href="https://amzn.to/2Tkl9bh" target=_blank>marking pen with disappearing ink</a>)

Cut your pieces

This tote has three layers: an outside fabric, a flat lining fabric, and a lining fabric. These are the pieces you’ll be cutting from each layer:

Outside fabric: two outside (side) pieces, and two upper lining pieces. The latter pieces can be cut either from the outside fabric or lining fabric. This decision is merely aesthetic.

Flat lining fabric: two side pieces. This is only necessary if you want to add sturdiness to your outside fabric.

Lining fabric: two lower lining pieces.

Cutting corners is good, in this case, because it'll allow you to create gussets. (Vanessa Nirode/)

Flat line your fabric

8. Iron all the pieces to make sure there are no creases.

10. Sew along all edges, a quarter of an inch in. Place the side that will be on the inside of the bag (the flat lining side) up.

Attach the webbing handles to the bag fronts.

The webbing handles, pinned in place. (Vanessa Nirode/)

12. Sew the webbing straps. When you do so, make sure the needle stays an eighth of an inch from the edges of the webbing.

(Optional) Attach the pocket

If you've decided to add a pocket, two rows of stitches will make it quite strong. (Vanessa Nirode/)

15. Fold the edges of the opening under toward the inside and press the entire pocket flat.

Attach the zipper

As seen here, both the zipper and the lower lining piece should be face-up. (Vanessa Nirode/)

21. Place the zipper face-up on the other lower lining piece.

Put the bag together

Here, you can see the lining pieces on the left side (one on top of the other) and the flat lined outer pieces of fabric on the right (one on top of the other). (Vanessa Nirode/)

26. Pin the bottom edges together. This means lining-to-lining, and outside layer-to-outside layer. Sew with a half-inch of seam allowance.

28. Sew the other side seam the same way. Repeat the previous step, but leave a 4-inch opening in the lining side. This is where you’ll pull the bag right-side out when you’re done.

29. Sew the corners. Open one corner and match the seams to form one of the bottom gussets. Sew with a half-inch seam allowance. Repeat for all four corners.

The final touches

30. Turn your bag right-side out. Pull the whole bag through the 4-inch opening you left in the lining. Fold the open seams inside on the lining and stitch along the edge.

Fill it with whatever you like, zip up, and head out into the world with your new, unique, personalized bag.

0 notes

warninggraphiccontent · 5 years ago

Text

7 February 2020

Bites back

Welcome back, to this newsletter and also to Data Bites. We held the eighth event in the series (and the first this decade - pedants who say the 2020s start in 2021, YMMV) last night - watch another set of brilliant presentations here, or catch up on Twitter here and here.

There was a lot of love for the National Audit Office's report on the challenges of using data in government, which Yvonne previewed way back in June and Adam responded to in October. DCMS and the Cabinet Office have just responded to the Public Accounts Committee report which they published in response to the NAO report - yes, government is still intending to appoint a chief data officer, which I've been banging on about ever since it was promised way back in 2017 (death, taxes, an imminent chief data officer appointment, etc).

Whitehall Monitor 2020 continues to generate good discussion - there's this from Nitika on transforming the civil service, building on the discussion at the launch, and this from Richard Vize on some of our findings around openness. And if transparency is your bag - which it probably is given you subscribe to this newsletter - we've got an event coming up on the transparency of outsourcing (which we may have mentioned before).

Finally, I'm fully intending to use this GIF every time we talk about fixing the plumbing.

Back next week - no doubt with various reshuffle-related charts...

Have a great weekend

Gavin

Today's links:

Graphic content

US politics

Who’s talking the most during Trump’s impeachment trial* (Washington Post)

Results: The Most Detailed Map of the Iowa Democratic Caucus* (New York Times)

A timelapse inside one caucus site shows Iowa’s trouble narrowing the field* (Washington Post)

Under ranked-choice voting, left-wing purism would aid Joe Biden* (The Economist)

American democracy is screwed (G. Elliott Morris)

White men most likely to feel better off under Trump — poll* (FT)

The strange and crucially important order of the Democratic primary states, explained (Vox)

Who will be the Democratic presidential candidate in 2020?* (The Times)

‪‪Iowa Caucus, 2020‬‬ (Google Trends)

Election Needle: Iowa Caucus Forecast* (New York Times)

What Is the Election Needle? And Why Will We Have 4 of Them Tonight?* (The Upshot)

Democrats on Twitter more liberal, less focused on compromise than those not on the platform (Pew)

UK politics

Government reshuffles: the case for keeping ministers in post longer (IfG)

Value for Money Profiles: understand the costs of delivering local services (LGA, via Martin)

Parliamentary progress of legislation introduced to implement Brexit, 2019/20 (Maddy for IfG)

MoG, why? (IfG)

And the award for least diverse award goes to...

‘Little Women’ is unlikely to win best picture. That is exactly why it is important.* (Washington Post)

#Bafta (Ian Jones)

Oscars: the 92-year gender gap, visualised (The Guardian)

The Oscars diversity problem in charts* (FT)

Everything else

Where International Communities Cluster (The Pudding)

Children and parents: Media use and attitudes report 2019 (Ofcom)

Personal and economic well-being in the UK (ONS)

Imports and exports (ONS)

Comparing outbreaks (Reuters)

America's jobs report no longer moves markets much* (The Economist)

About #dataviz

Charting new territory: How The Economist designs charts for Instagram (The Economist)

Six Hats of Data Visualization (Nightingale)

Mapping how railroads built America* (FT)

Gazing at petals (Junk Charts)

El País wisely uses animated transitions (Alberto Cairo)

#dataviz tools (Maarten Lambrechts)

The genius of Hans Rosling, frame by frame (Voilà)

Meta data

WRT FRT, ETC

Artists and activists offer privacy hope as facial recognition spreads* (FT)

Quick, cheap to make and loved by police – facial recognition apps are on the rise (The Observer)

Will we finally look clearly at facial recognition technology? (Ellen Broad, Inside Story)

Seehofer dispenses with software for facial recognition (Spiegel)

Facial recognition cameras to be used by police in London (Channel 4 News)

On FRT... (CDEI)

Ada Lovelace Institute announces independent review of the governance of biometric data (Ada Lovelace Institute)

Tech

You are now remotely controlled* (Shoshana Zuboff, New York Times)

Teens have figured out how to mess with Instagram's tracking algorithm (CNET)

MIA launches crowdfunding drive to avoid platforms that 'sell data to Cambridge Analytica' (The Guardian)

Will we just accept our loss of privacy, or has the techlash already begun? (The Guardian)

Facebook content moderators required to sign PTSD forms* (FT)

CDEI Review of online targeting (CDEI)

Can the UK open tech’s black box? (Demos)

Openness

Light and shadows: the RHI scandal and the temptations of secrecy (Constitution Unit)

There is value in open data — but it’s hard to prove* (Apolitical)

Secrecy is this cowardly government's weapon of choice against public scrutiny (The Guardian)

Open contracting & the EU in 2020: What to expect (Open Contracting Partnership)

The case for AI transparency requirements (Brookings)

Cabinet Office on FoI (via Owen Boswarva, via Jenna)

Data

Data Bites #8: Getting things done with data in government (Institute for Government)

Thread (Graham for IfG Events)

The Office for National Statistics is a bakery. Let me explain… (ONS)

Filling Key Evidence Gaps: Public Policy Quarterly Review (ONS)

Response to PAC report on the challenges of using data across government (DCMS/Cabinet Office)

Changing the Data Governance Ecosystem – through narratives, practices and regulations (Ada Lovelace Institute)

When can expect more from data portability? (Leigh Dodds)

Smart cities: How data and artificial intelligence could change London (BBC News)

Monitoring Equality in Digital Public Services (ODI)

How to build a data culture (360Giving)

Eleven tips for working with large data sets (Nature)

PI and Liberty submit a new legal challenge after MI5 admits that vast troves of personal data was held in “ungoverned spaces” (Privacy International)

Never gonna give EU up

EU plans more protectionist antitrust rules, data sharing in policy shake-up (Reuters)

Shaping a digital future for Europe (Margrethe Vestager)

From the archives

Why You May Never Learn the Truth About ICE* (New York Times)

Plugged in, Powered up: A digital capacity building strategy for archives (National Archives)

Everything else

A few thoughts about VAR (Daisy Christodoulou)

Should We Trust Algorithms? (David Spiegelhalter in the Harvard Data Science Review)

New humanities-led network will put social justice at the heart of AI research (Ada Lovelace Institute)

Love, loss and virtual memorials: my brother’s digital legacy (The Observer)

NHS Hack Day

Rebottling the Gini: why this headline measure of inequality misses everything that matters* (Prospect)

We urgently need better evidence on the impacts of digitalisation (the other ODI)

Prospero's Practicum: Conjuring the 4th Industrial Revolution on an Even Smaller Island - Jacqueline Poh's S T Lee Public Policy Lecture (Bennett Institute)

Opportunities

JOB: Deputy Director, Digital Identity (GDS, via Saxton Bampfylde)

JOB: Head of Policy and Strategy (GDS, via Tim)

JOB: Chief Digital Officer (Welsh Government)

JOBS: What Works Growth

JOB: Director of Digital Analytics (NHSX)

CHAIR: Ada Lovelace Institute

EVENT: How can outsourced public services be made more transparent? (Institute for Government)

EVENT: Making NHS data work for everyone (Society Guardian/Reform)

And finally...

Words

A poem (Brian Bilston)

When fonts fight, Times New Roman conquers (The Guardian)

These People Really Care About Fonts* (New York Times)

The words that hadn’t been said in a State of the Union until Trump said them* (Washington Post)

Quantifying Cummings (Peter Hoskin, via Tim)

Who gives a f*** about an Oxford comma? (YouGov, via Sukh)

Numbers

Why 02/02/2020 is the most palindromic date ever. (standupmaths)

Kobe Bryant: NBA legend's career in numbers (BBC Sport)

Pictures

this is the greatest tech mash-up since... (Matthew Champion, via Tim)

“HELP!!!” Internal #SharpieGate Emails Show Government Officials Freaked Out Over Trump’s “Doctored” Hurricane Map (BuzzFeed)

America's economic pie (CBS via Rob Delaney)

Data from Spotify suggest that listeners are gloomiest in February* (The Economist)

0 notes

easynaturalhairstyle · 6 years ago

Text

15 Modern crimp hair ideas from the 80s and 90s

The curling hair trend, which has been back on the runways in the past few seasons, is now not just limited to high fashion, but also to the everyday styling! A curly hairstyle allows you to make a wild and sexy statement and feel daring.

Hair crimping usually adds waves in a zigzag manner with a crimping iron, but there are also ways to get around. Crimp your hair with the use of handy flat iron specifically for natural hair to minimize damage. This' 80s style gives a good deal of volume and texture to straight hair, while still feminine and soft, and exceptional contour and definition to curly hair. To get the most out of this very chic hairstyle, keep in mind that straight hair usually produces the best crimps and that the use of chill protuberants is a must!

Of all the modern techniques to get desirable textured hair, crimping is the most kinkiest and birdiest! Check out these modern, curled hair ideas to get started now!

Crimping for black hair

How would you describe this look?

This look is rather effortless and low maintenance. This particular crimping style usually happens in body waves after a week of doing them, and you do not have to do much to grasp it until your next! It's an old favorite for me, because I remember that my hair curled in my younger years. It's fun, but also flirty in a way and everyone can wear crimps, so that's always a good thing.

Any advice for someone who considers him?

While lying down or asleep, keep your hair frizz free and away from fabrics like cotton, as it can dry out and lead to possible potting or entangling. For soft and manageable tree trunks we recommend a satin cover or pillowcase as well as a light silk or argan oil.

During styling, the products that were used are two of my favorite styling and holding sprays (ORS Oil sheen and Sebastian Reshaper), which gives the hair a nice weightless shine and moderate to firm hold, along with the brand Bed Head Brand S-shaft crimping tool.

Whether you are traveling with the girls, enjoying a date, or on vacation, this look definitely attracts attention. Regardless of different face shapes, anyone can catch these waves and still be beautiful.

Beach hair

How would you look this?

This look is a fun and modern 80s hairstyle! As we see in fashion, hair trends tend to come back in style, but with a new twist. This more relaxed look makes it look bohemian and modern. If you are looking for a long hair look, this would be perfect. It flows beautifully and gives your hair a mermaid-like shine! This look styled with a braid could dress it up and be perfect for a formal event. Be sure to use products such as sea salt spray, hairspray, or anodizing spray to control frizz and keep it all day!

Any advice for someone considering it?

Make sure your hair is straight before styling. If you have straight hair, sleep in French braids and take them right before the start of the day or at an event. Sleeping in pigtails helps prevent heat damage and it will set more time for your hair properly. If your hair is curly before styling, your crimp may not reach the simple, wavy appearance.

Before braiding I would suggest spraying in texturizing sea salt spray from Beach Babe to make you feel "on the beach". Once the crimp is up, you want it to spray a little more along with the comb by finishing mist of Nexxus and the 3-in-1 volume spray of Drybar! This hairstyle is perfect for days at work, weddings, brunch and date nights!

Hair with bangs

How would you look this?

When creating this look we were definitely for the nostalgic space girl vibe of the 90s! I have all the pulp riot color to create a nice smokey silver root and a slime green color.

The coolest thing about this look is the texture that the crimper imparts to the hair so it looks very unique and bold with its neon green color.

Any advice for someone considering it?

Here we go! Color is a fun way to change your appearance and you can even go for subtle colors if you do not want to make your whole head turn green. However, I would definitely invest in a stylist who knows what you are doing as far as lightening your hair, as you need to lift your hair for that kind of service when you make fashion colors. Also in the hair industry, we see many eras coming back full of momentum and crimped hair is definitely here to stay!

If you want to re-create this bun-curled space you will see all you need is a teasing comb, some rubber bands, a crimper (Sam Villa makes a great one), heat-proofing, (I got hot off the press by Paul Mitchell ) and some texture spray (I have Amika texture spray). First, I cut two small ponytails at the top of my model head and teased you. Then I sprayed you with some texturspray and created two space buns. We then heated the crimper and went to work after spraying the hair with some heat protection. I cut the hair and carefully crimped each piece. If you really want to get along with it, you can also use glitter or different hair pieces in the room bun. I have added small screw in stars from Amazon.

Hair with pigtails

How would you look this?

This hairstyle is funny, dimensional, organic and even magical. It's Viking chic with a touch of shine!

The best thing is to get the chance to create so much dimension and texture by mixing hair tinsel, wavy and crimped hair and five different braids (fishtail, dutch fishtail, ponytail, DNA, bubble and three-strand). No matter where you look, there is something going on, though, it's not overwhelming or cluttered.

Any advice for someone considering it?

Have hair that has not been washed for at least one or two days. I find that you hold better and grip better while trying to get the shape you are looking for. I'm sure some will not agree, but for me, but I think it works best. My tip for this look – rock it!

I've styled that with all Unite hair products! I first based it with Unite Liquid Volume for extra control, volume and long lasting hold. I've done with Unite Texturiza to control all flyaways, but leave the hair bright and still feel like hair. Because of the hair lametta, I turned my curling iron to 320 and let it take a few seconds longer than usual for the tinsel shape! This is very important! Hair tinsel will lure, crimp shampoo, and may stay for weeks. It only takes a little more time in a curling iron over medium heat to keep the shape! I would use the tinsel, crimper (crimp iron) and curls on any hair length, texture or color! For the tinsel-well, you can never go wrong with sparkle!

With this many braids as well as everything else, long hair is a big consideration! If you have fine hair or thin hair, there is nothing that a small product can not help! If you have pony, you could be straightened, or add some of the diagonal crimps. This is definitely a hairstyle I think anyone can rock for any occasion – from a fun and funky wedding hairstyle to a "why not" look every day!

Cute Zig Zags

How would you look this?

I created this look from scratch by creating a personalized color, cut and styling. This look is calm, earthy and of course with the contradiction of the heavy texture. The biggest part of this look are the contrasting colors in the updo. Although the new growth is so dark, the bright ends turn seamlessly in color and style!

Any advice for someone considering it?

I would suggest this look to anyone with fine hair or hair who is too soft to position easily. With a micro crimper adds a ton of texture and grain to the hair, allowing you to form it into shapes and pin it easier without the hair falling. I think anyone can take that style off, regardless of the face shape. It is noble because it is mainly retired at the nape, but is nervous because of crimping. After using a few bobby pins and spraying with hair spray, you do not have to worry about your crimped hair.

Loose crimped curls

How would you look this?

Crimped hairstyles are very trendy at the moment, so I definitely wanted to integrate this with this look. I felt inspired by New York Fashion Week and wanted to create a fashion-conscious, innovative style that no-one has ever seen before.

Since the model has such a dark, exotic look, I wanted to do something to improve it. The construction nails were the perfect edgy touch, and the laying of your edges made the style pop. Details are the key!

The biggest thing about this look is how powerful and innovative it is. I love how this style went from simple to high fashion with just the use of nails.

Any advice for someone considering it?

Invest in great products. To achieve the crimped hair, I used Ouai Wave Spray. I have used Fat Boy Hair Water Wax for your edges and made it supple in the braid. Finish the style with Balmain Paris Hair Couture Session Spray.

This style is best for medium to long hair, but you can always add your own twist! I would recommend this style to someone who is not afraid to take risks and make a bold statement.

My tip is to combine the look with a leather jacket and a dark smokey-eye.

Crimping long hair

How would you look this?

I started with a full head of babylights on this client. I love to do babylights because it provides seamless growth and lets customers look great with not so much care. We glaze you with an icy blonde.

For the style, I used my mini-hair crimper after preparing you with my favorite Kenra heat-protection product. I enjoy styling with the crimper because it gives a lot of texture and a lot of volume. I love it too, because it's a new and different style.

I finished your look with simple turns cross-pinned.

Any advice for someone considering it?

Here we go! The paint has a longevity of several months and the crimper is easy to use. The only tool you need is a mini-crimper, a clip and some bobby pins if desired. The only product you need is a professional heat protection product.

I do not usually use hair spray with wavy hair, as I love, giving the soft texture of iron. It can be worn out, in a bun or halfway up. The style lasts a few days and can easily be used for volume, texture or a cool look.

Crimped locks of medium length

How would you look this?

This crimped hairstyle is very chic! This look must be worn by women who confirm this look. Thanks to the two-gold sweep of Franck Provost, which brings shine and nuances.

Any advice for someone considering it?

For this hairstyle I used a thermal product of Kerastase and then a Dyson hair dryer. Then I used the ghd crimping iron and finally the serum from Franck Provost.

This hairstyle can be used day and night.

Shrunken shoulder-length hair

A modern aquamarine hair pairs well with great texture and short length. There's nothing wrong with adding some cute braids and twists for a funier finish to crimping hair.

Wavy hair

A dramatic turn for a classic lob cut – this wavy hairstyle captivates the beauty of the vibrant red amazingly.

hair weave

Get your textures tamed with this eye-catching red zigzag! The longer your curls are, the more styling options you get to enjoy.

Short hair

Pull power into your strand with this absolutely edgy cut with legendary purple and pink tones! Layered pieces and a subtle angle around the back make this look a real piece of art.

Big crinkled hair

Do not you know what to do with your fat long mane? Give it a lot of texture for an amazing edition!

70s Inspired Crimping

Feel the summer waves on your carefree hair with this total pretty look! These straight curtain bangs complement the mermaid locks and brighten up your face as well.

Deep wave crimped hair

One way to add divine glow to your pitch black hair is with this sexy uniform waves style! Waves and crimped hair go hand in hand.

15 Modern crimp hair ideas from the 80s and 90s

0 notes

qualitytacolover · 6 years ago

Text

15 Modern crimp hair ideas from the 80s and 90s

New Post has been published on https://www.easypromhairstyles.com/15-modern-crimp-hair-ideas-from-the-80s-and-90s.html

15 Modern crimp hair ideas from the 80s and 90s

Of all the modern techniques to get desirable textured hair, crimping is the most kinkiest and birdiest! Check out these modern, curled hair ideas to get started now!

Crimping for black hair

How would you describe this look?

Any advice for someone who considers him?

Beach hair

How would you look this?

Any advice for someone considering it?

Hair with bangs

How would you look this?

When creating this look we were definitely for the nostalgic space girl vibe of the 90s! I have all the pulp riot color to create a nice smokey silver root and a slime green color.

The coolest thing about this look is the texture that the crimper imparts to the hair so it looks very unique and bold with its neon green color.

Any advice for someone considering it?

Hair with pigtails

How would you look this?

This hairstyle is funny, dimensional, organic and even magical. It's Viking chic with a touch of shine!

Any advice for someone considering it?

Cute Zig Zags

How would you look this?

Any advice for someone considering it?

Loose crimped curls

How would you look this?

The biggest thing about this look is how powerful and innovative it is. I love how this style went from simple to high fashion with just the use of nails.

Any advice for someone considering it?

This style is best for medium to long hair, but you can always add your own twist! I would recommend this style to someone who is not afraid to take risks and make a bold statement.

My tip is to combine the look with a leather jacket and a dark smokey-eye.

Crimping long hair

How would you look this?

I finished your look with simple turns cross-pinned.

Any advice for someone considering it?

Crimped locks of medium length

How would you look this?

This crimped hairstyle is very chic! This look must be worn by women who confirm this look. Thanks to the two-gold sweep of Franck Provost, which brings shine and nuances.

Any advice for someone considering it?

For this hairstyle I used a thermal product of Kerastase and then a Dyson hair dryer. Then I used the ghd crimping iron and finally the serum from Franck Provost.

This hairstyle can be used day and night.

Shrunken shoulder-length hair

A modern aquamarine hair pairs well with great texture and short length. There's nothing wrong with adding some cute braids and twists for a funier finish to crimping hair.

Wavy hair

A dramatic turn for a classic lob cut – this wavy hairstyle captivates the beauty of the vibrant red amazingly.

hair weave

Get your textures tamed with this eye-catching red zigzag! The longer your curls are, the more styling options you get to enjoy.

Short hair

Pull power into your strand with this absolutely edgy cut with legendary purple and pink tones! Layered pieces and a subtle angle around the back make this look a real piece of art.

Big crinkled hair

Do not you know what to do with your fat long mane? Give it a lot of texture for an amazing edition!

70s Inspired Crimping

Feel the summer waves on your carefree hair with this total pretty look! These straight curtain bangs complement the mermaid locks and brighten up your face as well.

Deep wave crimped hair

One way to add divine glow to your pitch black hair is with this sexy uniform waves style! Waves and crimped hair go hand in hand.

0 notes

clarencenicholsonata · 6 years ago

Text

How We Drove $11,283 with a Single Webinar

I love doing webinars.

They allow me to meet and talk with other marketers. I love sharing experiences and tactics that help other businesses grow.

I'm not going to lie though, they're also a fantastic way to connect with prospective customers.

Our last webinar has driven over $11k in sales, and the registrants are still being sent emails.

In this article I want to share exactly how you can find the same kind of success with your business.

This is an actionable post, and there's a lot in here. If you have any questions whatsoever, reach out in the comment section and I'll be sure to answer them.

Step 1: Choose a topic which ticks all the boxes

There's no point in running a webinar unless it's focused on something people care to learn about.

You want your webinar topic to meet a few criteria. Choose...

A topic which only your target market would be interested in learning

A webinar on Justin Bieber may get people to register, but those people wouldn't be particularly interested in buying your email software after the fact.

A topic related to your business enough that an offer related to it would be desirable.

Your target market may care about sales optimization, but if your business sells Wordpress themes, your post-webinar offer won't get a lot of interest.

A topic you know, and are a genuine expert in.

This one goes without saying. You are the primary reason people register. You need to have a demonstratable expertise in your webinar's subject matter to get them in the door.

A topic that can be visually-represented, or has visual elements.

You talking without a slidedeck or screen capture gets boring fast. Choose a topic which engages your attendees visually.

A topic which stands out from the crowd in some way.

You're not the only business or marketer running webinars. Tie your topic into a current event, or put a spin on it (original research, perhaps) which helps you stand out from competitors.

For instance, my last webinar focused on Black Friday sales strategies: timely, interesting to our target market, and delivering strategies which attenedees wouldn't have seen before.

Step 2: Create a webinar landing page designed to get the most registrants possible

The page to which you drive all your visitors is the focus point of your whole campaign.

It needs to be optimized to turn those visitors into registrants.

Here's the landing page for my most recent webinar:

What's essential in a webinar landing page:

The form: You should collect exactly the information you need, and nothing more. More fields will reduce conversion rate. Fewer fields, and you won't be able to personalize your follow-up emails.

The countdown timer: Countdown timers increase urgency, and have shown to increase webinar landing page registration rates significantly. Wishpond's editor enables you to drag-and-drop a countdown timer just like this one.

The "About your Host" section: You need to prove that you, or whoever is hosting your webinar, is an expert on their subject. "Why should I listen to this person for 40 minutes?" is a pretty serious question you need to answer.

The "What you'll learn" section: After all, people need to know exactly what they stand to benefit from your webinar. Don't hide this.

Step 3: Create website popups to drive people to your landing page

An entry popup or a welcome mat ensures everybody who visits your website in the weeks before your webinar knows exactly when it is and how valuable it's going to be.

If you have a business blog, create a hello bar to show at the top of your blog (above the nav bar) propting people to learn more on your landing page.

Here are a couple examples from my most recent webinar:

A sidebar scroll popup:

A welcome mat:

Want to get started immediately?

The easiest way to add popups to your website is with the Wishpond popup tool. My recommendation is to book a call with a Wishpond marketing expert to talk about your business objectives and get a hand to set it all up.

An entry popup, welcome mat or hello bar takes only a few minutes to set up and add to your website, and they can drive serious traffic to your webinar.

With the right messaging and placement, expect about 5% of your website visitors to click through to your landing page, and about 40% of those people to register.

Step 4: Send a newsletter with sharing incentives to drive people to your landing page

Normally this would be the part where I talk about ads - essential if you want to drive people to your webinar, right?

No. In fact, I'm not going to recommend you run ads for your webinar at all.

That's going to be controversial, but I want to be honest with you.

We've tried to make ads profitable with webinars, but it just doesn't happen.

If I pay $5/click for a Facebook Ad…

Only 40% of them register on the landing page

Only 10% of registrants book a demo

Only 25% of people who book a demo sign up for a trial or a subscription

... the math just doesn't work. At least with our customer value.

You'll get more bang for your buck if you ignore ads and, instead, get webinar registrants from your website traffic or past customers (i.e. popups and newsletter mailouts).

So send a newsletter or two to your past and current customers. Something like this:

Hey [First_name],

[Your Name] here from [Your Company]. I'm super excited to finally be able to announce something big!

I'm running a free webinar on [topic] on [date], and I would love to see you there.

This webinar has been in the works for a couple of months now, as I've collected data and talked with marketers just like you, asking them what their business' biggest pain point is.

I'll be sharing [#] of actionable tactics you can use to [Achieve desirable, concrete result].

I'll also be sharing [Exclusive secret] which we've never shared with the public before. So be sure to attend, at least for that!

Spots are limited, and we're closing entry on [Date], so Register today.

Can't wait to see you there!

Cheers,

[Your Name]

Step 5: Boost attendance with 4 reminder emails

The biggest barrier between a profitable webinar strategy and a failed one isn't the design of the page or the content of the webinar, it's attendance.

On average, only 25-50% of your webinar registrants (those people you've worked so hard to get) will show up on the day.

Let's make sure we're closer to 50% than 25%, with these 4 reminder emails.

1. Send an auto-responder email

Something like…

Important webinar information

Hi [First_Name]

Thanks for registering for [Webinar Name]!

Webinar Details:

Name of Webinar

Date:

Time:

I'm excited for the big day, and can't wait to share the strategies we've used to [achieve concrete, positive result].

To make sure you don't miss it, use this link to add the webinar to your Google calendar: .

And be sure your friends don't miss it! Share with your network and get a free Starbucks coffee on me, to drink during the webinar! - [Link]

Looking forward to it!

To add "Add to Google Calendar" links to your emails, check out this url generator.

2. Send an email 24-hours before webinar starts

Subject Line: Only 24 hours left!

Hi [First_Name]

Only 24 hours before we get rolling with [Webinar Name]!

Can't wait to see you there at [time].

If you haven't already, be sure to share the webinar your friends to get a free Starbucks coffee on me, to drink during the webinar! - [Link]

Cheers!

To send your registrants a free coffee from Starbucks (which is more than worth it, believe me), check out the Starbucks website.

3. Send an email 1 hour before webinar starts

Subject Line: [Webinar Reminder]: 1 hour left to get your free coffee

Hi [First_Name]

We're going live with [Webinar Name] in about 55 minutes!

And you still have time to earn that free Starbucks coffee by sharing this link with your friends: .

Only by attending will you get my exclusive [secret strategy] which won't be in the recording!

Can't wait to see you there!

That's a bit of a gamble, that last sentence. Whether you do want to hold back something exclusively for attendees is entirely up to you. My recommendation would be to test it. Do you get more people to attend (and buy from you) if you do hold something back, or do you get more if you record the whole webinar and send it to all your registrants?

4.Send an email 15 minutes before webinar starts

Subject Line: [Webinar Reminder]: 15 minutes left

Hi there

Start settling in!

We'll be going live in about 15 minutes.

Grab your coffee and log in to the waiting room by clicking this link: .

Can't wait to see you there!

I will give you some strategies below for how you can still turn registrants into customers, even if they don't attend your webinar.

Run your webinar

Before I can get into recommended tools or software, there's one thing I need you to hear: Rehearse this thing.

Step 1: Rehearse beforehand

Rehearsal of your webinar does several essential things:

Allows you to get a feeling for how long you should be talking

Allows you to record yourself, to see where you're weak and where you're strong

Allows your colleagues to give notes

Gives you confidence in your subject matter and your webinar content

Rehearsal is huge. Don't even attempt a professional webinar until you've done the entire thing (with recording) a couple times.

Step 2: Have moderators

Not only do moderators give you that extra little "this is professional" kick, they are also super helpful.

Moderators do a number of essential things:

Moderate: As in, they kick out anyone who's spamming or trolling the comment section

Provide relevant links: If you mention your Twitter handle, email address or a demo link, your moderators can put it in the comment section for attendees.

Collate questions for the Q&A: Rather than you having to scroll through all the comments at the end of the webinar, have your moderators put all the questions in one place. Then you can answer them more smoothly.

Top Tip:

This tip is a bit cheeky, but it's worth it: if there's some information you'd really like to share with attendees but you don't want to appear too salesy, have your moderators "ask" some pointed questions as if they were attendees.

For instance, in my last webinar I had a "total stranger" (my colleague) ask "How do we book a demo, again?" as well as "What software do you recommend we use to create the website popups you showed us?"

But let's just keep that between us, yeah?

Step 3: Give people a two-minute buffer

Once you go live, intoduce yourself and say how excited you are to start the webinar.

Then, and this is crucial, give your attendees a couple minutes to arrive.

If your webinar starts at 11am PST, go live at 11:02 and tell everyone you'll get rolling at 11:05. This gives latecomers time to enter the webinar.

Have you ever turned channels to find a movie which started 10 minutes ago? You've missed the beginning, which is everything. You can spend the next 2 hours wondering "Wait, who's that guy? Is that the main character or the bad guy? What's he trying to do?"

What's the chance you'll stick with that movie?

Webinars are no different. A big part of keeping people to the end of your webinar is ensuring they're there when you start. Give them some time.

Step 4: Use this recommended software

Demio.

No I don't get anything when I recommend them.

But here's the deal. Like above, when I told you not to use ads, I want to be honest.

We've tried several different webinar providers. I won't name them, as it's unnecessary, but trust me when I say we've been around the block.

Moving to Demio was a great decision.

Now I'm not going to wax on and on about it, as I'd much rather talk about Wishpond's awesome webinar landing pages and popups than I would promote another piece of software, but you should check them out.

Step 5: Turn registrants into customers

Once your webinar is done, if you're anything like me you'll be sweaty, your heart will be pumping, and you'll feel like you could take over the world.

Give yourself five minutes to enjoy the after-glow.

Then get down to business.

This article is entitled "How We Drove 524 New Leads With Webinars (And Turned Them Into Customers).

It's time to focus on that last bit: let's get that money.

Create a three-email drip campaign

Email 1: Post-webinar essential info

Thank you so much for a successful webinar!

Even if you didn't attend, I wanted to send you the recording/slidedeck.

Exclusive to webinar registrants, I'd like to give you a [X%] discount to [Your Business] until the end of the month.

If you have any questions about anything in the webinar, let me know!

Email #2: Webinar follow-up

Wanted to make sure you received my last email?

We're offering a [X%] discount exclusively to webinar attendees until the end of the month, and I didn't want you to miss out!

Let me know if you have any questions!

Email #3: Won't keep bothering you

I won't keep bothering you, as I haven't received a response and I don't want to clutter up your inbox.

I did want to send you one last thing. This [resource related to the webinar content], which can [concrete positive outcome].

I'm always here if you have questions about [webinar content]!

To set these up, I recommend Wishpond's marketing automation tool. You can trigger a series of emails based on someone's registration for your webinar.

Here's a snapshot of what it looks like in Wishpond:

The conditions of your email series:

The actions, when those conditions are met:

Want a hand setting it all up?

Creating a successful webinar funnel can be a bit intimidating. If you want a hand, Wishpond's marketing experts can help you get rolling (or do it all for you). Book a free, no-obligation call today.

Final thoughts

We used this exact strategy to get 524 new leads from our last webinar, and i'm doing another one next month.

Those 524 leads have turned into thousands of dollars in sales, and you can do the same.

If you have any questions whatsoever, don't hesitate to reach out in the comment section and I'll get back to you.