#and are currently desensitizing them to see if they can be socialized and adopted instead of being released

[chipper-smol]

The Adventures of Trying to TNR the New Pack of Kittens That Showed Up On Our Street

We caught an opossum instead!

[starberry-cupcake]

Extensive Les Mis fanon character interpretation Discourse under the cut, read at your own risk

I’ve been thinking about this for an embarrassingly long while and I know I’m not the best person to discuss this, because talking about Les Mis is like opening this huge box of things which you need to be a scholar to be prepared to back up fully. That’s why this is under ‘read more’, because I am aware and accept my own ignorance and limitations BUT I also think this is an interesting topic, so here we go. 

One thing that has been increasingly bothering me in what we can call “the current fanon interpretation” of Les Mis, namely the fanon interpretation that arose/became popular post 2012 movie and through tumblr/ao3, is this idea that Enjolras is a toxic person and he tramples selfishly over people’s feelings. 

This is something that escalates sometimes a lot, even to a point in which I had to one time witness someone on tumblr dot com saying that Montparnasse was a better person and preferable ship partner than Enjolras which made me just stop and stare at the screen for a long moment trying to comprehend where this was coming from. 

There was an escalating fandom acceptance of Enjolras being incredibly selfish towards people in the benefit of “his cause”, which makes him a sort of childish persona who is unable to take care of himself and who doesn’t understand people’s feelings in the slightest. 

This is 99.999999% of the time paired with Grantaire’s interpretation, which I think is a key to understanding why this happened in the first place and why it evolved into turning Enjolras into an unfeeling person who understands nothing of human emotions. 

And I think it’s a fascinating thing to think about and deconstruct, even if I’m not fond of the interpretation. 

I think that Grantaire is, to the current Les Mis fandom (more so than ever before, but I’ll talk about that in a bit), what Éponine was to the musical fandom (and creators) in the 80s/90s. 

A big problem I have with Éponine’s interpretation in the musical (and again, I’m in no way the most qualified person to talk about this and my word should be taken with a bucket of salt) is that she was taken as the victim in a made up “love triangle” that never was. The musical uses Éponine as a tragic figure whose love for Marius is depicted as wholesome and romanticized, whereas Cosette is reduced to a Cinderella story and a very shallow characterization once she becomes an adult (let’s remember her storyline is reduced to being an object to Fantine’s hope, Valejan’s salvation and Marius’s survival without much of an own agency since her entire plot and growth and storyline are cut after she’s rescued by Valjean). So the musical puts the two against each other as the two “options” Marius has, but doesn’t focus on Marius and Cosette’s relationship aside from a couple songs and moments, instead gives Éponine a solo on how much she’s unrequited and a death scene where the entire plot point of her wanting Marius to go to the barricade is erased. 

Éponine’s character complexity is reduced to the character people is meant to feel for and women are meant to root for because she is “the underdog”. And, most often that not, that’s what love triangles do, the underdog is the one people root for because they’re meant to identify with their unfair situation and their tough luck. 

This is a disservice to Éponine and to Cosette, who are much more complex than this and it’s something most people tend to let pass because the musical didn’t have as much time to expand, but it isn’t a matter of amount of content depicted but on which perspective to focus and what lens to see the story through. 

Ask anyone who was a fan of the musical in the 80s and who hasn’t read the book or seen any other adaptation who they prefer between Éponine and Cosette, if you don’t believe me. I mean, On My Own was adopted as the “anthem of the female friendzone” as cringe-y as hell as that sounds. 

Anyway, what does that have to do with Grantaire, you ask me? Well, first of, it’s very easy to see how modern fandom tends to interpret Grantaire and Éponine as friends, really really close to one another. This is a very common occurrence that results from the comparison of their situations and strengthens my point, but it’s not where I’m going with exactly.  

What I think that has happened with Grantaire, and here is the anthropological/sociological hypothesis nobody asked for, is that he became the embraced character for the current tumblr/ao3 fandom as Éponine was for that 80s/90s musical fandom, due to the interpretation he is given, to satisfy certain fandom needs that are current. Which isn’t wrong in itself, it’s what happens with archetypes all the time (and a subject of study for me, which is why this interests me specifically, I’m currently writing two projects that involve literary archetypes, but I digress). 

Grantaire’s drunkenness and confrontational nature were turned into coping mechanisms for a battle with severe depression, in most cases, or other underlying mental illnesses. Which isn’t that much of a long shot in itself, all things considered, it has a canon basis to stand on, but creates a complex case when it comes to the consequences of the things he does. 

Fanon transformed Grantaire’s confrontational nature into a constant cry for help, one which Enjolras most often, if not almost always, ignores. Sometimes out of being oblivious, sometimes out of selfishness, sometimes out of derision and contempt. Sometimes all of them at once. 

And one consequence of this was that it started becoming more and more often for Grantaire’s actions to be fully embraced by fandom because he was starting to be conceived as a vessel for a lot of self-reflection. It isn’t completely random that Grantaire’s characterization became more inclined towards the narrative of mental illness and conflicting coping mechanisms, because they are all subjects we talk about more openly now than ever before, especially in the platforms where this interpretation is more often seen, namely tumblr and ao3. Not that they didn’t exist before, but that they’re discussed more freely now, especially through the idea of safe zones that social media and the internet in general allow. 

What Éponine’s character was for the female fandom of the 80s looking for an underdog to root for, in a market filled with products about the female underdog who was unrequited and deserved to be loved, Grantaire somewhat became to a fandom needing to express this idea of existential emptiness and overall doubt about not only one’s state of mind but also where one is going with their life when others seem so certain about it. 

And talking about being certain about a life goal, what’s going in with Enjolras, meanwhile? I believe that, much like Grantaire’s fandom characterization having somewhere canon to stand on, Enjolras’s severity has some places where it came from which we can all clearly see. I am a little bit tired of how many times people use the “capable of being terrible” phrase at this point, and then there was the whole thing with Saint Just which I’m not getting into because this is already too long. 

But, much like characters written to be two sides of the same coin, Enjolras and Grantaire tend to be connected to each other’s characterization. They were like that in canon, they were written to be a pair which influenced, directly or indirectly, the other, so it isn’t strange to see that in fanon interpretations, the two also go hand in hand. Pun very much intended. 

The issue I have with Grantaire’s interpretation isn’t that his perspective is more directly viewed, or that fandom goes more in-depth with his underlying issues, but the fact that sometimes identification turns into idealization. It happens very frequently in writing (and not only in fic) that authors who see themselves reflected in a character tend to try to erase any blame from them in a way to channel a sense of embrace for their own actions, and that can be counterproductive to the character’s complexity. 

Because it isn’t really the problems and hardship what make a character relatable, it is their growth which comes from learning, which, in turn, comes from making mistakes. 

When Grantaire’s mistakes are characterized as reactions to things that are outside his capability to control, when they are seen as mechanisms of what anyone would do if they were in his place, Enjolras’s reactions to them turn not severe but unfair. 

Suddenly, all of Grantaire’s mistakes, jokes, derision and his unfavorable actions are seen as a product of an inescapable situation, out of his control, which, in turn makes Enjolras’s anger unjust and an over-reaction. Which, paired with the fact that Enjolras’s “cause” varies from interpretation to interpretation (especially in modern contexts, which are the most popular among this generation of fandom, where the “cause” has to be determined from social and political contexts that tend to be very vague out of the global state of the world and the intersectionality of issues, which overlay in every one of them), makes him unfairly distant and overall incapable of feeling empathy. 

Something that can be seen very clearly in the way in which, when it’s written as a ship, Enjolras often has to “choose” between Grantaire and “his cause”, whatever that is in each specific narrative. 

More so than making Enjolras too severe, my problem is with his desensitization. I feel that making Grantaire a constant victim (out of fandom willingness to grab onto him as a vessel of current issues of the generation he represents due to his canon-ish age) makes Enjolras desensitized to human emotion, especially because, most often than not, it is only him who is represented as oblivious or uncaring, while the rest of the group understands and sometimes even defends Grantaire, in stances even turning their backs on Enjolras for that reason, which always baffles me, truly. 

Enjolras is a very complex character and his actions are matter of many essays and interpretations, but one thing I don’t think he can be seen as is uncaring. Even less so uncaring towards human emotion. His constant inner turmoil during the barricade is something to behold and I always turn to his decision to execute Le Cabuc/Claquesous as one of my favorite parts in the entire thing, and the fact that he grieves his decision in the way he does is a proof of his emotional complexity and empathy. 

I don’t have a problem with Enjolras’s severity or Grantaire’s motives, I have a problem with the simplification of their narratives into a judge and a victim, which I think is what leads to these conversations of toxicity among them, opening another bag of complications. 

But even if it’s something that bothers me, it also fascinates me to see how these interpretations shift so much and how they change according to the audience that embraces the text at a certain point in time. How we charge it with additional symbolic value as we go, transforming it a bit with each read. 

I want to clarify, very strongly and vehemently, that these ramblings are IN NO WAY meant as derision of fandom interpretation or anyone’s particular writing. I too have written Les Mis fics and have fallen into interpretative conundrums that now, with experience, I judge unfitting to my current views, some which I have deleted, others which are still around. So this is in no way a call out of any form, not at all. 

It is also not to criticize Grantaire’s interpretation, as someone who suffers from mental illness myself, I find it not only positive but necessary the inclusion of these topics in writing, whether it is in fic form or in any other type. 

I find this a fascinating topic because, like Tournier said: “In some masterpieces - and that is why they are first among universal literature - there is an incentive to create, an infection of the creative verb, a way to put in motion the creative process of readers. I confess that, for me, that is the peak of art”. That is the magic of works like Les Mis, that we can use them to see ourselves, no matter how much time has passed, and if these characters still help to see ourselves and our reality in a way in which we can observe it better, I think Hugo would be glad. 

[teawiththeot]

United Nations: Due 2030 Also United Nations: Oh we meant Do 2030?

In September 2015, 193 countries met at the United Nations (UN) to plan and adopt 17 global goals and basically ‘transforming and healing the world’. This is how we’ve learnt of the sustainable development goals such as ending poverty and hunger and ensuring everyone has access to clean water, affordable services by 2030. But are ready to have the conversation of that these goals have been all talk and no action? 1) In 2021, global hunger had risen for the third year in a row, according to the latest UN’s world food security report. The National Income Dynamics Study – Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM) revealed that during April/May 2021, approximately 2.3 million households reported child hunger, while an Ipsos study found that more than 40% of South Africans of all age groups were affected by hunger. 2) According to researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the Global Carbon Project (2018) global carbon emissions were also set to rise by 2% in 2018 to hit their highest ever level. The trend is driven by rises in the use of coal, oil and gas. In South Africa, the petrol price hike is hitting us even if we don’t have cars.😢 3) According to the United Nations, globally, the gender gap has stagnated over the past 20 years. 62% of women are in the labour force, compared to 93% of men. According to the unemployment figures released by Stats SA, unemployment rates for males were 31.4% and females were 34.0%. 4) Globally, at least 773 million youth and adults still cannot read and write, and 250 million children are failing to acquire basic literacy skills. According to nationally representative surveys, more than half (58%) of South African children do not learn to read fluently and with comprehension in any language by the end of Grade 4. A staggering 29% are illiterate. You don’t want to hear anymore statistics, right? Me neither. 😠 the list goes on and on. Unfortunately, these findings are disheartening.

Image 1: sourced from the article: social media Memes as Commentary in Health Disasters in South Africa and Zimbabwe. I have used this image to show how the current living situation through laughter – this cartoon critiques, questions, desensitize and rebels yet taps into the reflection of the living economy of SA. – we are promised change yet no where to be seen.

I do not want to belittle the importance of having the SDGs. These goals are very important, and it will take time, dedication and only with collective effort can change the face of South Africa. However, let’s not wait for change to start at the top to come in our communities because we might be waiting forever; instead let’s convert their promises to action from the bottom. We have a role as individuals and society to attempt to solve our societal problems. I, as a community Occupational Therapy student intend to work towards the following SDGs:

Goal 4: Quality education: in the community we see many children with learning difficulties in the classroom from reading, writing, maths or paying attention in class. I attempt to encourage creche and primary teachers and parents to play a crucial role in shaping a child's success by teaching them how to speak two languages at young age, teach reading books and cultivate that love for books at a young age.  

Goal 5 Gender inequality + Goal 10: Reduce inequalities - To reduce inequalities, attention to the needs of disadvantaged and marginalized: Gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by advocating for change. By educating men how they will do differently to help other women, plans to protect women against violence, and denouncing the structures of cultural oppression that women belong in the house. It is the one of ways to dismantle patriarchy we attempt to teach men is to question their daily practice and work through systems they have grown accustomed to.

Goal 3: Good health and well-being: I attempt to focus on maternal health at PHC clinics by equipping pregnant women and all women with the knowledge of having their children’s health and development frequently checked and at the same time looking after their own health. We are having these conversations around mental health, breaking the stigma of ‘having it all together’, adherence to HIV medication and risk of taking substances during pregnancy and encouraging peer support

Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth: attempt to providing capacity building and growth opportunities by providing Work skills training in the community we are working in. The training looks at empowering people especially women with skilled labor to obtain employment for themselves. With the economic and political system of South Africa, we cannot always wait for the government to give us jobs, but we can make our own. I also plan to encourage women to draw business ideas from their strengths, hobbies such as starting a vegetable garden – sell fresh produce

Image2: This is image sourced from UN SDG website of how to achieve the targets of SDG3. The image shows just how superficial the solutions planned are. I am looking at the actions and thinking okay but how? when? How are you including the community who are on the ground?

Image 3: this is from unknown source. A white male is holding this sign in front of the President of South Africa. This is it- to teach men is to question and work through systems they have grown accustomed to

To conclude, we am attempting to do this against a political and economical system that have all forgotten about its people. Working with the minds of individuals who have been in poverty and oppressed and being told for many years to just ‘deal with it’. There is no transformation without breaking ‘its been like that, and it will be that’. To our leaders: I just wanna say: You have met the wrong generation. We are here to breakdown those walls of inequality, patriarchy – no matter how long it takes.

References

https://www.uea.ac.uk/news/-/article/strong-growth-in-global-co2-emissions-expected-for-2018

https://www.un.org/en/un75/women_girls_closing_gender_gap#:~:text=Globally%2C%20the%20gender%20gap%20in,93%20per%20cent%20of%20men

Akala B. (2019). Gender inequality in education is still an issue in Kenya and South Africa. Available at: https://theconversation.com/gender-inequality-in-education-is-still-an-issue-in-kenya-and-south-africa-125747 (Accessed: August 12, 2022)

[wildlyhardphilosopher-blog]

how to train my puppy not to jump on people | train your puppy

New Post has been published on https://dogtraining.dknol.com/english/how-to-train-my-puppy-not-to-jump-on-people-train-your-puppy/?utm_source=Tumblr&utm_medium=Tumblr+%230+Freda+K+Pless&utm_campaign=SNAP%2Bfrom%2BBest+Dog+Training

how to train my puppy not to jump on people | train your puppy

  Woot! Our experts are available 24/7: Heaters Panamá Buy for others Current proof of dogs vaccinations (this is required for participation) Viral dog training school video prompts former workers to file complaints further reading Regeneration International CDSP Obedience trials, August 25-26! Just these five simple commands can help keep your dog safer and improve your communication with him. It’s well worth the investment of your time and effort. Remember, the process takes time, so only start a dog obedience training session if you’re in the right mindset to practice calm-assertive energy and patience. Teach the Right Words In The Right Ways India DEMONSTRATION VIDEOS Get Connected Did this article help you? Encouraging Good Behavior Listen Playing… Paused   Class Locations See All Dog Brands How do I complete the course? Good puppy manners are something that’s important to be taught early, and is a big part of training. This involves things like teaching your dog how to react in certain situations and the ability to socialise with other animals and people. Keep it Consistent If you’re looking for a great way to deal with puppy mouthing and biting in a controlled setting, consider letting your dog attend supervised puppy “preschool” play times. Product Innovation A great introductory class that teaches simple cues like sit, come and stay. (For puppies 10 weeks to 5 months old.) Dog Sports Essentials Created by Kathryn Newman in 1996, we pioneered in-home dog training in the Twin Cities. From puppy training & Good Manners in the home to national consulting & regular, featured appearances on KARE-11 TV, Kathryn and her talented team have grown Augusta to four Twin Cities locations to include doggy daycare, overnight care, dog training classes and professional grooming. Puppy socialization is a crucial period for all puppies. It is the time where you build a close bond with your puppy and expose him to all the world has to offer. Puppy training classes are an important element when socializing your puppy. Kettle Craft Choosing your Kitten Non-associative learning is a change in a response to a stimulus that does not involve associating the presented stimulus with another stimulus or event such as reward or punishment.[46] Habituation is non-associative learning. An example is where a dog that reacts excitedly to a door bell is subjected to repeated ringing without accompanying visitors, and stops reacting to the meaningless stimuli. It becomes habituated to the noise.[47] On the other side of habituation is sensitization. Some dogs’ reactions to the stimuli become stronger instead of them habituating to the repeated stimuli or event.[48] Desensitization is the process of pairing positive experiences with an object, person, or situation that causes fear or anxiety.[49] Consistent exposure to the feared object in conjunction with rewards allows the animal to become less stressed, thereby becoming desensitized in the process. This type of training can be effective for dogs who are fearful of fireworks.[50] You must be patient. Regardless of whether you have a puppy or have recently adopted an adult, the dog will not automatically understand the routine in your house or know where the door is. It is up to you to train your dog. ‘Did Not Rise To Level’ Of Cruelty: SnoCo Auditor On Dog Beating I accept the Privacy Policy * Life stage(s):  Our Leadership Dale A. Meissner Dog Training and Puppy Obedience Classes Offered at Our Clinic Get answers to your pet training questions from a veterinary expert! Learn more about the Pets Best 24/7 Pet Helpline! Allergy Relief • An uplifting, cheery, excited tone of voice to carry with you at all times ( do they have that at the pet store? ). Lost and Found Animals Want to be sure you’re doing everything you can to help your puppy have a peaceful night? Buy Rebecca’s instant download e-book, Puppy Sleep Training – The Exhausted Puppy Owner’s Nighttime Survival Guide!

dog training

puppy training

how to train a puppy

training a puppy

how to potty train a dog

fbq('track', 'ViewContent', content_ids: 'dogtraining.dknol', ); WHAT FOLKS ARE SAYING Sponsored By Purina® Pro Plan® There are many techniques available for managing biting because not all dogs or people respond to the same method. If you or other members of your family are in physical danger or fearful of the puppy, seek the help of an experienced Certified Dog Trainer or Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (a veterinary specialist) immediately.[12]The longer the behavior continues unchecked, the greater the chance of escalation and injury. “THE CORE Excellence” How to Host a Seminar X-Ray: BI INTELLIGENCE Cornucopia Institute — Page last updated 13/06/2018 Future of Art More From A Dog Lover’s Handbook PetFeed / How-to / How To Discipline A Puppy Without Punishment I’m so confused….I have a 10 week old beagle puppy and for the most part she goes outside…I heard of the clicker thru other dog owners and by watching Animal Planet.  How do I begin the training?  Can I start this early?  Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated. ATD is a non-profit 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible. Pekingese Helping dogs and their people learn to communicate New Dog Owner’s Guide Uploaded 7 months ago March 27, 2018 Grizzly Gear (1) Not Helpful 3 Helpful 29 Hill’s Prescription Diet Day 3 MORE INC. Saltwater Fish Breeds Tanks, Aquariums & Nets Best crate: MidWest Life Stages Folding Dog Crate Dentistry Looking Ahead! Enhances communication & reliability between the dog & handler What to do if you catch him in the act So I recommend using an exercise pen if you’re going to leave your puppy alone often and there’s any chance of a room being damaged. How do I make a sod box? To make a sod box, place sod in a large plastic container. It could be a drawer from under a bed – anything that is waterproof and easy to clean. Buy Rocco & Roxie Professional Strength Stain & Odor Eliminator on Amazon for $19.97 AKC PAC and Legislative Support Fund search and rescue puppy training | how to train your puppy not to bark search and rescue puppy training | training a puppy not to bark search and rescue puppy training | how to teach a puppy not to bark Legal | Sitemap