#and there were multiple ‘calf’ options because multiple animals have calfs and the person who made the quiz didn’t bother | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

sleepymccoy · 4 years ago

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Aziraphale’s demon aspect

As voted by 246 people!

The winner is

Owl

with nearly 26% of the primary vote

many people added in their free form answers that they were imagining a barn owl specifically

Owl was the front runner the whole way through this survey, but most of the time by a very beatable margin. The 40 or so people who voted in the last night really tipped it over, it was a tight race! And the results are crazy split imo, a quarter of votes constitutes a win! I love the different opinions and ideas we all have so so much

Ram/sheep came in a hearty second with 16.5% of the vote

A very regal demon there.

After that it gets a little murky, so I’m going to share the second graph I made when is every animal that got more than 1% of the vote. So it’s the top six animals

Magpie and Lion holding strong! Then Moth and Goat looking very good

The second question let you vote for as many options as you thought were appropriate for Aziraphale! So, there were a lot more write-ins! It’s crazy!

I’m using google sheets so I can’t get it to show you every name, but the raw data will be in a read more so you can scroll through everyone’s beautiful imagination there

Again, Owl winds with a solid 20% of the vote. Ram/Sheep coming in with about 15%, followed by Moth, Magpie, Goat, Lion, then Tortoise.

Tortoise was 11th in the first round, tied with Snake (but pale), and managed to surprise me by coming through so strong in the second. Slow and steady, baby.

Nearly everyone who wrote in about Magpies told me that Magpies hoard stuff, so it’s nice to see the hive mind at work there!

Five people told me they were voting goat because of that one piece of art by @hollow-head that shows Aziraphale scaling a bookshelf like goats do cliffs. As an artist myself I found it legitimately moving that this one image had stayed with people so strongly. That’s just beautiful. Here’s an example of just one person’s comment

idk dude i just remember one person posted art of him scaling the bookstore shelves like those goats scale mountains and just eating his clothes while he reads it was so fuckin funny but anyway goat eyes are great or he could have lil stubby horns that r covered by his hair

One moth enthusiast took the time to give me a short essay on their choice of moth. I have included a portion of it, cos it was so great

So if I had to choose an insect, it would be a moth, preferably a Megalopygidae, also known as the Flannel Moth. They are fluffy, white-beige and look innocent and fluffy, but their larvae can cause painful inflammations. A poodle moth would also fit because it's almost pure white.

Here’s a flannel moth for everyone

and a poodle moth, which i honestly thought was a hoax but i looked into it just now and it seems legit? There’s not a tonne of proof, but the og pictures are from a scientists who stands by them, so like, wow

And then a DIFFERENT PERSON put this in;

the moth i had in mind is Acherontia atropos, in polish called Zmierzchnica trupia główka (meaning more or less "dusk death's head"). i have a whole symbolism planned out and stuff

Fucking, moth fandom come through!!

I’m vaguely scared of moths, fun fact. I don’t like the thick thunking sound they make when they hit stuff.

Here is the second round but with all the animals that got four or less votes removed for ease of viewing

the one segment there at 12 o’clock that google hasn’t labeled for me is Swan at 0.9%

I cannot believe I didn’t put swan in as an option, that’s all write-ins

So, to summarise, I suggest you take a lot of this with a grain of salt. It is not meant as an instruction to fandom or to railroad creativity. I have a narrow corner of the Good Omens fandom that I interact with, and while this quiz was up for a week I’m not sure it reached a great variety of people. About 250 folks filled it out, which was tonnes more than I expected and I love each and every one of you for filling it out!! But I have noticed that Owl was first on my list and in the free form answers the example prompt I gave included, “such as a breed of owl that specifically speaks to you,“ so I think it’s possible I did that unknowing bias thing that practiced survey folk know now to do. So, grain of salt.

I also think that if animals like Swan and Cat were in the list of options they’d’ve gotten more votes because the people who voted for those were coming up with it fresh themselves. I suspect people would’ve voted for them, but it just didn’t occur to them in the moment. In much the same way it didn’t occur to me in the moment I was writing this survey.

So people know, I got the ten or so animals that I put in the survey from searching the demon!aziraphale tag on tumblr, so it was all stuff that other people had come up with. I was trying to avoid my own bias, but i think in hindsight i could’ve done better!

Having said all that, this was all so much fun and the results are clear!!! Love a good owl!aziraphale

Imma continue to draw my boy as a ram, though. Cos this was all just for a laugh <3

numbers and a few more things under the cut

So some of these have half a vote ascribed to them. That’s for people who in their freeform answer said things like this;

ngl, that one post about him being a swan still makes me laugh

Mourning Dove. Though that Scallop answer was fucking brilliant

And I kinda made a judgement call that that wasn’t a vote, but it was kind of a vote. So I gave them half a point.

There were a few situations where people would write in a specific species. If I got more than one vote for the root animal I just grouped them together, but if it stayed the only vote then it kept the species. Cat got the most specific species mentioned, and in the second vote Bat had a few species mentioned (albino bat being my fave), but I ended up grouping them all just under Cat and Bat to give them a better chance of getting on the graph. There were probably a few other examples but I can’t think of them. The one exception to this is the person who wrote-in Duolingo Owl specifically. For that one I figured Owl is already pretty solid, and that’s just fucking funny, man

I was also pretty generous about some stuff. So, this person didn’t vote for Moose but they clearly regretted it so I added a vote for Moose in the second one where you could vote for multiples. They kept their Ram and Goat votes, of course, but I added Moose for them

I get very bastard energy from my demon az headcanons. Like f-ing shit up for a laugh more than anything, but otherwise indifferent. That's kinda why I like the ram/sheep/goat thing so much because it reminds me of indifference and random chaos. Or a moose. Shit, I should have written in moose

So yeah, it’s hardly a double blind study that’d stand up to any real criticism, but it was fun and I think the essence of it is fun!! Scroll through and have a read. Imma pull a few more of my fave write-ins and put them down the bottom cos it’s great. Esp the ones that only got one vote, the reasonings were stellar on some of those

Here is the first vote results, where everyone could only vote for one animal each

Owl 63 Ram/Sheep 40 Magpie 28 Lion 26 Moth 21 Goat 17 Swan 4 Eagle 4 Dove 4 Cat 4 Tortoise 3 Snake 3 Scallop 2 Rat 2 Rabbit 2 Mongoose 2 Badger 2 Shima Enaga 1 Shark 1 Porcupine 1 Orangutan 1 Mouse 1 Long Furby 1 Hippopotomaus 1 Goose 1 Duck 1 Dragon 1 Cow 1 Cereberus 1 Boar 1 Bee 1 Bat 1 Alpaca 1

Second Vote results, where everyone could vote for as many as they wanted

Owl1 82 Ram/Sheep 136 Moth 108.5 Magpie 98 Goat 96 Lion 72 Tortoise 61 Snake 37 Eagle 33 Cat 9.5 Swan 7.5 Lizard 4 Rabbit 4 Badger 3 Mongoose 2 Dove 2 Mouse 2 Squirrel 2 Bear 2 Raccoon 2 Capybara 2 Dragon 2 Bat 1 Long Furby 1 Rat 1 Boar 1 Goose 1 Peacock 1 Pangolin 1 Lindworm 1 Moose 1 Chinchilla 1 Duolingo Owl 1 Cackatoo 1 Crow 1 Cow 1 Alpaca 1 Dodo 1 Shark 1 Big Dog 1 Snow Leopard 1 Scallop 0.5

All voting was optional. To help explain how scallop lost 1.5 votes from first to second, I believe the people who voted for it in the first question just skipped the second cos they’d said their bit.

In terms of how many people engaged with the questions, Q1 had 245 answers and one skip. Q2 had 241 answers and 5 skips, and Q3 where I just let people talk at me if they wanted to had 84 answers and 162 skips.

So please enjoy my selection of free form answers. They all made me smile but putting all 84 in seems excessive to me, so I’ve chosen the ones that are either full blown mini essays or that make me laugh. It’s still a lot, this project brought me so much joy

Shima enaga - It's the hair man

Cow (aka golden calf)

Scallop. He is a snack.

Swan. Elegant but very capable of fscking you up. Mates for life.

basically anything that is both gentle in nature and fiercely loyal, territorial and protective (but prone to anxiety). Also hedonistic esp. with food. For all of these reasons, I think a dog would be the best choice.

Dragon with his hoard of books

it’s about the teeth. just too sharp and too many to be human. (comment from op here, this person voted for shark, just for context)

Turkish Angora cat. Magnificently fluffy, incredibly intelligent, love heights and will jump off crazy high things and land on your head, gloriously dignified until they see a string and run into a wall, love one or maybe two persons to distraction and want everyone else to fuck off, will drape themselves over their person’s shoulders and go to sleep, range from “will jump in the sea to hunt fish and has a murder pit full of seagulls they’ve massacred” to “will fall over at the sight of a baby bird”, very particular about food and will yell at you if you get it wrong. Also the breed that some asshole took three cats from and bred parent to child to make Persians. The cautionary tale has been acknowledged and we love our crazy smart, single braincelled children.

I usually imagine him as an owl because they are nocturnal (and we know that Aziraphale can easily stay awake the whole night reading). Also the image of an owl puffed up is kind of ridiculous and reminds me of him, of how an annoyed Aziraphale would look. However the options above have made me think that a lion would suit him very well, too. A lion or just a very BIG cat. I mean, he makes pleading eyes to get what he wants, likes to be confortable, is a bit of a bastard and often puts himself in awkward situations from which he needs to be rescued. He just... acts very cat-like in my opinion. Also owls and cats are both predators, but are usually imagined (or, at least cats are) as cute little creatures, just like Aziraphale is an Angel of the Lord (a Warrior, actually) but looks all soft and cute and huggable. I dunno. Maybe I just want to pet an Aziracat.

I love all the other people's thoughts about demon!Aziraphale, but what about the honey badger? I try to explain why I have it in mind for demon!azi: its name (I think it's funny, expecially in English because 'honey' can make you imagine it's something sweet (it is for me), while the 'bad' in badger can be an alarm bell (like 'be careful! It is not like it seems!')); its face (ok, who can say its face isn't cute? I think, and hope, nobody can, and like the name, it is a misunderstanding: as always, be careful, it's not like it seems!, I think demons can say something about demon!azi as like "you don't seem like a 'good' demon, you can't be, your face (animal and human) is too f-ing disgusting sweet to be a demon!", I think maybe even angel!crowley, at the beginning, can think something like this ("how in the world somebody so cute like you can be a demon?"), then he discovered how demon!azi can be a very talented demon sometimes, but in Crowley's mind azi is still his little cutie angry furry); its furry's colour (black=demon, white/grey/silver/idkitsname= color of demon!azi's wings, because even if he fell, I can't say no to his white wings 😭); it is a snake's predator (and in my mind angel!crowley is still a snake); its solitary life (demon!aziraphale is alone and he doesn't mind it, unless it's angel!crowley we're talking about, then our cute demon minds it); its behaviour (demon!azi, even if he's cute, can be a really very talented demon: honey badger is fearless and dangerous, it can fight bigger animals if there aren't other chances and it can't escape); its skin is very tough (except for a soft/safe spot, behind its neck if I remember well, that only angel!Crowley knows and sometimes he uses it to calm demon!azi down or make azi do some good deeds); its diet (it has a sweet-thooth, for honey in primis, but it can eat everything it wants... Doesn't it resemble demon!azi?); it's smart (search for Stoffle on your browser if you don't know)... Ok,I think I finish, sorry for the novel 😅

I tend to think of animals that meet three criteria: (1) they exemplify “faults” in his character exaggerated to “sins”—gluttony, greed/hoarding, sloth, (2) they are species that favor fawning or flight as a defense mechanism but can also be bold on occasion, and (3) blend very well or have a keen affinity with human society, specifically thriving in urban (i.e., city) environments. This is mostly because I can’t see “Aziraphale” in a reverse AU that doesn’t preserve some of his core traits as an angel (a little hedonistic, hoarding, anxious, etc.). So I like city-dwelling bastard animals with bonus points for relation to scripture, like a rock dove or a fox or an owl.

Owls aren't smart, and the pedant in me says not an owl. But, thinking on it, demon aspect, owls are perceived as smart, but designed as deadly silent predators, patient and solitary. So actually demon Aziraphale could take on more owlish aspects. I just like cockatoo better, since they are smart, and showy. Or a crow, although that does amusing things with Crowleys name.

god imagining him as a chimera is !!! (comment from op, there was this odd flurry of mythical animals being voted for one night. i think the survey hit a corner of fandom that leans that way. there was also dragon, another chimera, a griffon, and a lindworm all at the same rough time)

Magpies are great because they’re cute and fluff themselves up (go look at Sophie the magpie) and like hoarding their favorite things but also I’ve watched one just straight up kill another bird before because corvids are sneaky little bastards with no lack of a mean streak if they’re crossed

It’s the duolingo owl, I’m so sorry op but it just is. I genuinely don’t mean to clown on your post, but this take was delivered to me in a sleep induced haze and I believe it’s the god given truth. Demon Aziraphale WOULD try to make you learn a dead language and he’d go about it in a vaguely threatening way (comment from op, you’re so fucking right dude. also, shit like this is made for clowning, i’m with you 100%)

When choosing a demon aspect for a Aziraphale, I usually tried to keep in mind the artistic tradition of which animals are linked with demons. The Good Omens team seems to have drawn inspiration from that source because all the animals we do see are either reptilian or insectoid. Those species were often shown inhabiting hellish landscapes in Renaissance and Baroque paintings. However, Aziraphale never struck me as cold or slimy or hard like an exoskeleton. So if I had to choose an insect, it would be a moth, preferably a Megalopygidae, also known as the Flannel Moth. They are fluffy, white-beige and look innocent and fluffy, but their larvae can cause painful inflammations. A poodle moth would also fit because it's almost pure white.

Ok so the only reason I pick magpie is because those bastards are smart as hell but also know how and when to inconvenience the shit out of you, and if you gain their trust then they're absolute darlings but if they decide "nah, dont like ya" then you're basically done and you'll wake up every morning with shit on your car window. I also chose sheep/ram cuz I mean... idk it suits him. I don't remember my other choice but I'm sure I had a good reason.

I feel like a barn owl would suit him well but I'm not really sure why, I also think that a moth would suit him really well because of the whole "moth to a flame" thing and as a demon he would have gotten burned because of that attitude.

I write a reverse AU fic called Lambs to the Slaughter where Aziraphale's demonic aspect is an albino sheep! I imagine him as a mix between a wild Argali ram and the first woolly domestics. I chose an Argali because they're the largest species of wild sheep, but I wanted him to have traits of a domestic breed because he obtains his animal aspect from a sheep in Abel's flock which would be several generations down from the original wild species in Eden. I really think a sheep suits Aziraphale! They're an incredibly common animal and have been since they were first domesticated. Likewise, since the start of human history, Aziraphale has been living side-by-side with humans, providing for them, and protecting them. Due to how common they are, sheep are often unnoticed, which Aziraphale leans into. Crowley wants to stand out. He has a dedicated aesthetic and an obsession with human invention, where Aziraphale leans more towards simpler, known things and creature comforts. He fades into the background, and that suits him fine. He doesn't have to be outstanding to Heaven or to humans or even to Crowley -- it's enough to do his part, to trust in a bigger plan. People associate sheep (especially lambs) with innocence or ignorance which foils nicely to Crowley as the serpent tempting with knowledge, as well as with Aziraphale's own sharp mind and ongoing embers of faith in a system that is failing him, Crowley, and all of humanity. Sheep are, like Aziraphale, soft, cute, and hiding a hard-headed stubbornness and a surprising strength that makes them absolutely fearsome. Aziraphale is very much the sort to put his head down and push relentlessly forward regardless of the pressure and strain. Rams in particular have thick skulls to withstand the brutal force of headbutting one another in displays of dominance. While Aziraphale is clever, he's not above rolling up his sleeves and getting the job done, as messy and unpleasant as it might be (see: pulling a gun on the Antichrist). Also sheep are associated with Pan, a god associated with food, music, theatre, and the criticism thereof, which hit many of Aziraphale's personal interests and hobbies! I like the idea that in a reverse AU, the demon formerly named Aziraphale might be the original basis for Pan!

I wrote in Orangutan for the first question because if I remember correctly they are some of the most violent apes. Although I'd accept bonobo for him too. They fuck alll the time.

mothman aziraphale,,,,, thats it

Snowy owl, speremint's tortoise, and I just adore the goat.

moth - dusty and eats books

Long Furby the way Loni-Capri draws it.

I keep thinking about that Black Philip quote "doest thou wish to live deliciously" because... it fits so much with the general epicurean/hedonism vibe the Fandom has for him ... but in a demonic way and also I think a lot abt that art piece (already referenced many times probably but what the hell) of him climbing his own bookshelves, it's just so good!!

Albino Lion/white lion (matches his hair). I feel like maybe I should explain why I think Lion would fit him best, lol. Lions actually are rather sedate, inactive for 20 hours of the day (see: Aziraphale reading and unmoving- yes I pulled wiki for this to make sure I didn't spout anything terribly wrong, shhh) but also there's nomad lions. Lions that range widely and move around sporadically either alone or in pairs (*looks at Crowley after apoconope*) (pairs are more frequent among males who have been excluded from their birth pride) but also I think of lions as protectors, defenders, and what is Aziraphale if not that? If not an angel who fiercely protects humans, crowley, earth? (When he finally overcomes heaven and it's abuse) lions don't hunt unless they're hungry, don't attack unless they're defending. They've been known to sit directly next to jeeps full of people and just watch them, not attacking or being aggresive.

I saw art once (I have no idea who the artist is) of Demon!Aziraphale climbing his bookcases like a goat and absentmindedly chewing on his sweater while he reads. I felt like the goat aspect suited him perfectly.

Honestly I wrote Az with a rat aspect because, well, it fits who I see demon Az as. He's not super powerful but he is very consequential, like rats carrying plague fleas (this also describes how I see Az tempting). He tries to blend into a crowd, which is arguably one way rats survive, and can get himself into places/situations that should be impossible or super difficult. Like snakes, rats have been unfairly maligned by our culture for a long time, even though they are very social with their colonies, smart, affectionate, and generally good beans. Finally, male pet rats are known far and wide as the lazier of the sexes while the girls are super curious and adventurous.

Somehow his tartan pattern becomes either his colour scheme or his coat/feather pattern.

Eurasian eagle owl. A big, unapologetic grump of an owl that is soft as soft can be underneath. Possessor of the glare to end all glares to be used in such dire situations as being interrupted when reading or being told one has "had enough cake".

#demon!aziraphale #reverse omens #sleepy speaks #fandom vote #aziraphale's demon aspect #this was so fucking fun you all

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gratiasancti · 6 years ago

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100 PERSONAL QUESTIONS

because @ineffablequestion decided to really put my patience to the test today . not that i mind , ily .

1. What is your middle name ?

maria

2. How old are you ?

23 as of right now !

3. When is your birthday?

oct. 19th

4. What is your zodiac sign?

libra waddup

5. What is your favorite color?

i don’t really have one ? muted colours probably

6. What’s your lucky number?

again, can’t say i have one but maybe 29

7. Do you have any pets?

a dod and a horse

8. Where are you from?

finland / uk

9. How tall are you?

174 cm

10. What shoe size are you?

eu 39-40

11. How many pairs of shoes do you own?

like seven, if you don’t count my collection of riding shoes and boots. oxfords, brogues, wellies, trainers, and the rest are probably heels. as for riding boots, a lot.

12. What was your last dream about?

that i was late from work and got thrown in a tar pit because of it. and then i sold my old history teacher 500€ worth of alcohol and lottery tickets.

13. What talents do you have?

none?? unlimited sarcasm, idk

14. Are you psychic in any way?

i’m not sure if i believe in this stuff

15. Favorite song?

honestly, anything from hippo campus or glass animals.

16. Favorite movie?

the grand budapest hotel

17. Who would be your ideal partner?

someone who counteracts some of my anxiety and excitedness with a calm and, when needed, firm character but is still funny and can be themselves. preferably someone who i feel is my intellectual equal, and we can share everything with each other. maybe a bit older than myself, but not by much. other than that, i really don’t care.

18. Do you want children?

currently, i can’t see myself ever having kids. just doesn’t seem like my thing. especially babies. maybe adopting or fostering could be an option, but only if i was sure i could give the child a good home.

19. Do you want a church wedding?

i don’t think i want to get married

20. Are you religious?

not particularly

21. Have you ever been to the hospital?

maaaaaaany times. multiple riding accidents, broken bones, a car crash. then just being an idiot in general. and chronic back problems.

22. Have you ever got in trouble with the law?

apart from once forgetting to pay for the underground and getting an 80€ fine, no.

23. Have you ever met any celebrities?

i’ve met and had dinner with two different finnish presidents and some other ‘upper class’ people but other than that, no.

24. Baths or showers?

one of those rain shower things

25. What color socks are you wearing?

i have no socks !!!

26. Have you ever been famous?

uhhhh not in the literal sense of the word but i’ve been infamous at school when i was like 15. made a meme of one of our teachers that went low key viral in our city.

27. Would you like to be a big celebrity?

definitely not in the hollywood sense of things.

28. What type of music do you like?

a lot of things. anything, really, depending on the time of day and if i’m feeling particularly emo.

29. Have you ever been skinny dipping?

that’s like the only type of swimming finnish people partake in. naked in the sauna, naked in the lake/ocean. so yes, multiple times a year jhdsnhb

30. How many pillows do you sleep with?

currently like five

31. What position do you usually sleep in?

either on my back or on my stomach. depends on what place hurts that day lmao.

32. How big is your house?

closer to 400 m^2 . i still live with my parents but will move into my own flat in six months, once it’s ready. that’s going to be appx 70 m^2.

33. What do you typically have for breakfast?

i know its a bad habit but i often dont have breakfast. if i do it's usually fruit and yoghurt or some toast.

34. Have you ever fired a gun?

yes

35. Have you ever tried archery?

yes. fun fact; my cousin has won the european championchip ( in some form of archery idk ) like twice , i think.

36. Favorite clean word?

defenestrate

37. Favorite swear word?

fuck. i use it Too Much™

38. What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without sleep?

can’t remember the exact amount of hours but we were sailing and our shifts got messed up to the point where i had either not slept at all or slept so little in like four days i was genuinely hallucinating. almost jumped into the sea because i thought i dropped my life vest,,, which i was wearing.

39. Do you have any scars?

a few. dumbest one probably when i rode in my shorts but used a saddle and rubbed the skin off of my calf. also from hay work, those little dots that look almost like moles.

40. Have you ever had a secret admirer?

not that i know of

41. Are you a good liar?

yes, unfortunately. it’s a bad habit in the sense that i tell a lot of white lies when i could genuinely tell the truth with no consequence. like, it would be the one and the same.

42. Are you a good judge of character?

also yes. i’ve seen some shit. also i have surprisingly good people skills.

43. Can you do any other accents other than your own?

i can speak english in my normal accent which is kind of queen’s english (?) upper class idk, then in world’s english ( so basically no accent / neutral ) and then in finnish (rally) english . i can also speak swedish with a rikssvenska (standard swedish ???) accent and then finlandssvenska which is finnish swedish (and an actual thing lmao). also i can butcher a norwegian or danish accent in swedish if i really try. my finnish is very neutral, but it does vary a bit depending on what city i’m in.

oh, and also a shitty southern american accent.

44. Do you have a strong accent?

if i let it shine through, yes, but i tend toward world english because anything else scares finns. but when i speak finnish (which is most of the time) i don’t really have an accent. maybe you can hear that i’m not 100% finnish but that’s about it.

45. What is your favorite accent?

i don’t really have one ! all accents are really fascinating.

46. What is your personality type?

entj-a

47. What is your most expensive piece of clothing?

i have a few expensive dresses, and then of course my riding clothes which cost ridiculous amounts of money because fuck everyone who likes horses, i guess. like excuse me but why is it normalised that you pay over 1000€ for a helmet??? anything less and you’re a peasant.

48. Can you curl your tongue?

mmmmyeah.

49. Are you an innie or an outie?

innie!

50. Left or right handed?

pretty much ambidextrous, though i prefer to write with my left but do everything else mostly with my right. my handwriting doesn’t differ too much from left to write.

51. Are you scared of spiders?

yes. ew. and we’re lucky to only have tiny ones in finland !

52. Favorite food?

ummmmm. currently carelian pie maybe?? idk such a good snack.

53. Favorite foreign food?

squints??? sushi????

54. Are you a clean or messy person?

depends. often too lazy to clean but incredibly stressed and uncomfortable when its messy. meticulous about all the wrong things.

55. Most used phrase?

either some form of keysmash or “FUCK”. also in finnish either “voi jumalauta” or “voi saatana” which both basically translate to “jesus fucking christ”.

56. Most used word?

also fuck. this really must say something about me smdh.

57. How long does it take for you to get ready?

really depends. sometimes 10 minutes, sometimes two hours. on a normal day w/ shower and moderate make up, 15-25 minutes.

58. Do you have much of an ego?

depends really. i hope i don’t!

59. Do you suck or bite lollipops?

whomst the FUCK bites lollipops ?!?!?!

60. Do you talk to yourself?

i’ve only recently started. it’s terrifying.

61. Do you sing to yourself?

when driving if i’m listening to music, yeah

62. Are you a good singer?

honestly, no clue. i don’t really sing in front of people so i haven’t gotten opinions.

63. Biggest Fear?

failure.

64. Are you a gossip?

not about my friends, ever. but i will definitely listen to any tea you want to spill.

65. Best dramatic movie you’ve seen?

idk does kingsman count as dramatic?? the first one was hilarious.

66. Do you like long or short hair?

both have their perks!

67. Can you name all 50 states of America?

LMAO i can name like 3 if i really try.

68. Favorite school subject?

history, english lang & lit, economics.

69. Extrovert or Introvert?

extrovert but i get tired easily

70. Have you ever been scuba diving?

yes ! we go to the maldives once in a while, because finland doesn’t offer much in terms of diving sites.

71. What makes you nervous?

not a lot of things? i guess some responsibilities. things left for me to do even if someone else was supposed to do them.

72. Are you scared of the dark?

a dark room ? no. a dark forest at midnight ? hell yess. finnish winter darkness is terrifying simply because its so depressing. seasonal depression is real yall.

73. Do you correct people when they make mistakes?

depends. if it’s a trivial mistake and they haven’t asked to be corrected, no. if it makes me or someone else feel bad or just makes any situation worse, then yes. but never unkindly.

74. Are you ticklish?

YES. ugh

75. Have you ever started a rumor?

no. i can’t recall doing so, at least. but i have participated in spreading them.

76. Have you ever been in a position of authority?

yes. at work a couple of times simply out of necessity and also when i took part in MEP. was committee president twice and president of the general assembly once. though idk if that counts since i was like 17 and its all p much play pretend.

oh! and also when i captain our boat. but again, idk if that counts.

77. Have you ever drank underage?

yeah, ever since i was like 16 :/

78. Have you ever done drugs?

no, and never will. not my thing !!

79. Who was your first real crush?

probably a boy from class. i can’t remember, really. i’ve never been too ‘romantically inclined’ i suppose.

80. How many piercings do you have?

just my ears, once.

81. Can you roll your Rs?

almost every r in the finnish language is technically rolled so yeah. i feel bad for those finnish people who cant !! makes everything so hard.

82. How fast can you type?

according to this thing 75 words per minute on my first try, so idk how accurate that is.

83. How fast can you run?

not fast. i hate running, and am very out of practice.

84. What color is your hair?

idk ? like, light brown ?

85. What color are your eyes?

again, idk. blue/green/grey

86. What are you allergic to?

dogs, cats, birch, and almost anything that flowers in the spring jshbdsjh

87. Do you keep a journal?

not a journal per se but i have a ‘little black book’ which i keep rather meticulously about my thoughts on the day, important things i need to remember, my expenses etc. a habit inherited from my dad. i’ve gone through like six of these in the past few years.

88. What do your parents do?

my mum is a mayor and my dad is a ceo

89. Do you like your age?

yeah !

90. What makes you angry?

injustice.

91. Do you like your own name?

yes !

92. Have you already thought of baby names, and if so what are they?

ksjdsjhb no. at this rate i’d end up naming a child crowley or sum shit

93. Do you want a boy a girl for a child?

i don’t want kids but if i did gender would be a non issue

94. What are you strengths?

lmao i have good people skills, work well under pressure, get along with everyone, am determined and ?? a good leader??? idk

95. What are your weaknesses?

i take on too much responsibility, i have anxiety and depression, i get frustrated at my own failures, i’m very self-critical and unforgiving. also no self-control when it comes to rp.

96. How did you get your name?

i think somewhere from my dad’s side, not entirely sure.

97. Were your ancestors royalty?

possibly? not sure. but fun fact! a great great grandmother (? or something of the sorts) from my mother’s side actually survived the sinking of the titanic.

98. Do you have any scars?

wasn’t this asked already?

99. Color of your bedspread?

this blue mandala like pattern idk

100. Color of your room?

white and a very mellow blue

#ICB I JUST FUCKING DID THIS #◜ / · ❛ 𝖆𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖑 ◞ ooc.

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animalsoffarmsanctuary · 8 years ago

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Billy: When Fate Stepped In − Or Was It Larry?

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The day Billy was born was to be his last. The year was 2009 and dairy prices were taking a huge hit. And calves, especially males, were not bringing in money at auction.

An unsure and insecure Billy looking out at his new home. That insecurity quickly went away.

Billy is a black Jersey − a cross between a Holstein and a Jersey − and was very tiny when he was born. Because the farmer considered this tiny calf to be of no monetary value, he decided the best thing to do would be to hit him in the head with a sledgehammer. Some farms do not take the males to auction, especially if prices are super low, and then culling becomes an option.

Clearly I arrived by trailer.

So how did Billy get here? Enter Larry.

Billy had been living in a shed, and was a bit dirty when he arrived – but his belly was nice and fat.

Larry had a friend who ran a dairy, and happened to be visiting this friend the moment Billy was born. And when the sledgehammer appeared − Larry just couldn’t take it. So now what? Take him home, I guess.

So home they went! Larry, of course, did not have a farm, nor did he have the time and money to take care of Billy. But he did it anyway, and continued to do so for around 6 months.

Larry coaxes out a nervous Billy, who is a bit scared about coming off our trailer. Thankfully, the only friend he knows came along to help with the transition.

During their six months together, Larry and Billy bonded – a bit too much for their own good, but we will get to that later. Financially, things were not as good, and Larry was struggling. Luckily, another friend became concerned that Larry would not be able to afford to keep feeding Billy, and he reached out to us for help. We were so touched by the story − that this person was giving up so much to save Billy − that we could not say no.

Billy truly loved his friend Larry, and vice versa.

So Billy arrived, and what we saw was a very bonded young bull and his human companion. Unfortunately that bond led to a disastrous teenage stage − but we will get to that.

After his arrival, Billy became best friends with two pigs, Rory and Rose, and slept with them every night for a few months. During this time, we of course neutered Billy, since we do not allow the animals to breed here at Farm Sanctuary.

Billy when he was living with his two porcine pals, Rory and Rose, who early on got very sick of their playful roommate.

Sadly, that friendship did not last. Billy became far too rough with the piggy girls, whose response was to bite him. It got ugly.

Living with pigs was awesome, but they stopped liking me. So did the older gals. What’s up with that?

We wanted to try him in our special needs cattle herd, but again, his rambunctious behavior kept that from being a good fit. The problem was that, from the time he was a tiny calf, he learned that rough head butting was fun. All calves head butt, but they usually do it with other calves to establish a pecking order, or with mom or larger herd mates.

“I may look cute and fuzzy, but I don’t like you.” Even when Billy was tiny, he loved nothing more than to chase people out of his pen or pasture. He was off limits to guests.

We were really stuck. He was too young for the big cattle, too rough to be with smaller animals, and too aggressive for the elderly cattle people. So what to do?

I was out of options. Thankfully, they just kept trying.

We ended up having to bite the bullet and try him with our giants, who in the end did not hurt him, but instead embraced him and were able to handle his rough head butting ways. They taught him where his place was − and it was not at the top.

Getting bigger, but still very low on the pecking order, which makes it very difficult for Billy to warm up to the humans who cared for him. But he was slowly getting better.

He was still impossible for humans to deal with − and it took years for the now over a thousand pound Billy to stop trying to toss people. There are many tales of Billy and his antics, and none at the time had happy endings. My strategy was to go behind a larger steer, who in turn would block Billy. But he was actually dangerous, and we had to take precautions to keep ourselves from getting seriously injured. Every animal on this farm allows us to learn valuable lessons, and Billy taught us many.

Lesson One: Don’t mess with Billy. Bah ha ha!

One of the phone calls we get multiple times a year is about the problems individual people and sanctuaries are having with their cattle − when they raise a baby from day one on. What seems like fun, innocent play with a calf often creates a very dangerous lack of boundaries and is confusing for them. Mother cows rough house with their children, but teach them early on when they go too far, since they are much stronger than their babies. Humans, not so much. Billy loved being above his human friends. It was the only way to not be the lowest in the pecking order. It wasn’t his fault, but it still made for a very stressful first few years.

“Now I just look goofy!” Billy being the sweet Billy he has become.

Thankfully, Billy outgrew his goofy, playful, and dangerous ways, and has turned into quite the gentleman. He no longer wants to hurt people, and in general, is focused on being with his bovine friends, whom he deeply loves. And those friends love him back. And as other calves entered the herd (some with his same attitude), Billy was no longer the lowest in the pecking order, and had no need to prove himself by taking down humans (like the bovine version of whack-a-mole, only with people).

I love seeing Larry, and Larry loves seeing me. I am about 1,900 pounds now!

And Larry even comes to visit him − it is awesome and amazing for Larry to see the lovely, giant gentleman that Billy has become. Larry’s act of kindness saved a life – a life who has friends, a family, and the love and respect of all who know him.

Hanging with one of his best pals and giant buddy, Orlando.

So what did Billy teach us? He taught us that even the smallest teenage steer can be much stronger than the strongest human. He taught us to be patient, and not give up on someone just because they start out being a problem steer bovine. He taught us that everyone has a place that works for them − you just have to find it. And he taught us (or at least made a stronger case for something we already knew) that he is an individual, worth every minute of time it took to get him to where he is now. We are so thankful for these lessons, as is his lifelong buddy, Orlando, who also went through a milder form of the terrible-twos.

Please share Billy’s story and help raise awareness that steers like him are each someone, not something! With your support, we can continue to promote animal-friendly living through rescue, education, and advocacy efforts. A compassionate world begins with you!

#Billy #steer #cattle #cowsoftumblr #watkins glen #new york #farmsanctuarylife #friendsnotfood

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joefnolan80 · 7 years ago

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Is Virtual Reality in the Future for Land Real Estate?

Nowadays, the technology in land real estate is looking more and more like something out of a science fiction movie. First, drones flew into popularity among landowners to take aerial pictures and film videos of properties (read more about drones here). Now, virtual reality tours are popping up on the internet, offering 360 views of properties and a more in-depth look at farm life than ever before. We’re going to take a look at this new technology and the pros and cons of investing in your own virtual tours.

First of all, what exactly is a virtual reality tour? You might be thinking of something out of The Jetsons. It’s much simpler than that. A virtual tour uses a combination of photographs and videos to allow someone to explore a location using their phone or computer. Recently, technology has become so advanced that some videos have a 360-degree feature where you can use your mouse to explore every inch of a property. Other companies are using virtual reality headsets so advanced that you feel like you are walking in the middle of an apple orchard when you are actually just standing in the middle of your living room.

One example of this new technology is FarmFoods360, a virtual reality site that lets you explore Canadian farms. There are sixteen different types of farms to tour, ranging from the usual (egg farms and fruit farms) to the unique (ratite, a type of flightless bird originally from South America). Videos with 360-degree access allow you to learn everything from how the animals are kept to how cabbage is harvested. If you click on Dairy Cow Farms, you can view the milking stations, the different types of stalls, and calf barns. Each tour is chock-full with enough facts about the livestock and crops to satisfy even the nosiest customer.

Even though virtual reality tours sound great, every technology has its drawbacks. Let’s take a look at the upsides and downsides of this new technology.

UPSIDES

-Clients can view properties from their own home. You can save yourself and your clients time and money by replacing in-person tours with online ones. They can view your properties from the comfort of their own couch. Also, having a virtual tour expands your working hours with no extra effort to you. Your virtual tour will be open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It’s like a permanent open house!

-Food transparency. Have you noticed a new wave of customers who want to know exactly where their food came from and what is in it? More people than ever are interested in ‘food transparency’, where and how their food is raised. In a 2015 Trace One survey, 91% of respondents said it’s important for them to know where their food comes from.Virtual tours let customers explore farms and see how their food is raised.

-Shareability. In the age of social media, it’s easier than ever to share information. With one click, you can share a link to your virtual tour to social media sites and high traffic blogs (like the REALTORS® Land Institute blog!). This is an easy way to reach out to new clients and keep current ones updated on your latest properties.

DOWNSIDES

-Virtual tours can be pricey. If you opt for more high-tech virtual reality equipment, it’s going to cost you. A VR computer can cost over $1,000, and high-end headsets can range from $50-$600. Even the cheaper options can end up being more expensive than you’d think. Matterport 3D Camera, a company that uses 3-D scanning to photograph properties, charges around $100 to $200 to capture a property. If you are selling multiple or large properties, this could get expensive fast.

-New tech glitches. Because virtual reality is so new, there are bound to be glitches. Some common glitches include blurry photos and broken links. Some people who use virtual reality headsets claim that the headsets gave them motion sickness if they kept them on for too long.

-The human touch. Some people prefer to walk around the properties they are considering buying and meeting the owners face-to-face. While virtual tours are better for convenience, there is something special about in person visits that can get lost online.

Taking this all into consideration, are virtual reality tours worth it? Our answer is: yes. While it is a relatively new technology that can glitch and isn’t the cheapest option, virtual tours are simply the best marketing tool in our new world. Today’s customers value convenience and expertise, and virtual tours can give that to them.

Some people still don’t like the idea of virtual reality tours. Some people claim that they prefer the “authenticity” of a real visit instead of a virtual one, while other people are worried about the cost. There was a similar reluctance when drones were first introduced to the world of land real estate. Even though drones were able to get aerial shots of land that were previously impossible to get, almost no one bought a drone. The first commercial drones were outrageously expensive and required a license to fly them. Over time, the prices dropped and people discovered that drones could do more than just take great photos of land. Drones can track hurricanes, track wildlife, and take pictures of poachers. Now, there are over 600,000 commercial drones in the air.

While some of the more high-end virtual reality equipment like headsets are out of the price range for the average land seller, there are simple and cheap ways to get on board with the newest wave of technology. Check out sites like YouVisit and Homes & Land to learn about cost effective ways to incorporate virtual reality into your business.

The post Is Virtual Reality in the Future for Land Real Estate? appeared first on REALTORS® Land Institute.

from News About Real Estate http://www.rliland.com/is-virtual-reality-the-future-of-land-real-estate

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sj2themoon · 8 years ago

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Vegan Mac n’ Cheeze + Queso Recipe: Bring a medium- large pot 1/2 filled with water to a boil Set to medium low and add 1 1/2 cups chopped red or yellow potatoes 1 c chopped carrots 3/4 c chopped onion (Chopping is optional but will cook faster) Cook until potatoes are tender In a blender, while veggies cook, add 3 TBS nutritional yeast (more to taste once combined if you like) 1 TBS miso 1/2 c cashews (soaked overnight if no high- speed blender) 3 TBS lemon juice 1 garlic clove or 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp chili powder or paprika 1 tsp salt(+more to taste) Optional- 1 tsp turmeric 1/4 tsp mustard powder Pinch of cayenne Once veggies are cooked, add 1/4 c of the broth water to your blender, set aside another 1/4 c in case you like your cheeze a bit runnier. Strain the veggies and add them to the blender. Blend until creamy deliciousness!!! (You may need to stir a few times to get it going depending on what kind of blender you have) I have recently discovered this cheeze pairs best with zoodles! Or zucchini noodles. But can be added with any noodle of your desire. For zucchini noodles use a vegetable spiralizer, a julienne peeler or a potato peeler for fastest zoodles. Peeling the skin off is optional. And finally to make this cheeze into queso, blend in 1-2 TBS of your favorite hot sauce or salsa For chunky queso add into your used pot 1 small-medium minced spicy pepper like jalapeño 1 small-medium tomato diced 2-4 TBS green Chiles or diced bell pepper Dash of pepper Simmer until it sizzles, then add your cheeze. Mix it all up and BAM! Best. Queso. Ever. How and why the best you ask? It is free from preservatives, dairy, guilt, and cruelty AND is loaded with good for you veggies and medicinal spices! It is creamy, cheezy, spicy, tangy goodness. Dip with chips, bake a sheet of tortilla chips with beans, onions, tomato, jalapeños, corn, and any nacho toppings you love to a crisp and add the queso on top for rockin’ nachos, or add to zoodles for mac n queso, pour on your tacos, taco salad, steamed broccoli, YOU NAME IT. This queso does it all.

Vegan Lifestyle- Q&A with Taylor

Me: How long have you been vegan now Taylor?

Taylor: I decided to dive into this lifestyle September 2015, so almost a year and a half now. It seems almost impossible that it has been that small amount of time because it feels as if I have been this way my whole life. It aligns so perfectly! And after I shifted, it feels as if I’ve been rebirthed. So, it honestly feels like it’s been forever! It’s quite an interesting phenomenon.

Me: What is veganism? (What does it entail?)

Taylor: Veganism to me put simply, is the consumption of no animal products. This includes no eating it, purchasing of it in retail, or buying anything that consists of animal products at all. Also cruelty-free, not tested on animals etc. But it’s so much more than that. Much much more. Go deeper and it’s the integration of a lifestyle with a heightened awareness and new perspectives. It often allows for many more realizations, perceptions on reality and life changes into health and wellness for all aspects of life. Including mental, physical, emotional and spiritual, that is if you choose and if that’s your desired journey. Basically, it can open up many beautiful doors for you. On this note, I would like to add that I typically like to call this diet “Plant-based” for several reasons. Some of them will be answered in further questions.

Me: What first inspired you to make the plunge and become vegan?

Taylor: My story may be a little unique compared to an average story. I had been mostly a vegetarian for 9 years, and towards the tail end of that was what a dear friend of mine called “opportunitarian” where you don’t buy meat, but if it’s offered you might it eat, or if it’s about to be wasted then you definitely eat it. So along my journey of life, I suddenly was feeling unfulfilled. I had examined my career, traveled a lot, and still something was off. I began to try and self-reflect for answers on what I needed in my life. After months of coming up short, quitting my job, becoming lactose intolerant (or more so, becoming aware of my intolerance) I would spend my days sipping tea and reading books in my tiny house, having the whole day to do what I enjoy, only to have found myself miserable. So much so, I just cried out! Literally screaming out crying one evening to anyone who could hear me, even if it was just myself. Asking what in the flippin flyin jahobees should I do? Humor put aside, it was with much pain, confusion and desperation. And then with complete surrender, two words came to my mind and my heart. They were “Go vegan, Go vegan go vegan.” Over and over. It was then that I began my deepest research and discovery on the topic with many sub-topics that were brought to my attention. Where as a lot of people really discover things that motivate them to go vegan, and research before committing. For me, it was the other way around.

Me: Compared to your initial decision to become vegan, would you say there is a bigger/deeper reason why you are vegan now?

Taylor: Yes!!! I would say it was always as deep as the great blue sea, but now I see why much more clearly. At first, it was mental and emotional, then environmental, then physical and medicinal and now spiritual. It has allowed me to cleanse my body and see my life with clarity, to hear clearly my inner guidance, to feel a deep sense of connection with all of existence, and to better understand my true self at the core. I could honestly go on forever.

Me: What is your personal motivation for sticking to the vegan diet?

Taylor: This is another unique question pertaining to me because I don’t need motivation for the vegan diet, that is, the food choice is part of this lifestyle. It is such a part of me now. It is so natural. Like I said before, it is as if I have been reborn and this has been my way of life forever. Now, this did not come without trials and errors. Before the initial decision to shift to a plant-based diet, I definitely used to let the food addiction take over me. With cheese of course! Becoming utterly aware of my lactose intolerance, due to cutting out most other harmful food, after a few times of getting sick, on every level (mental, emotional, physical, spiritual) the time came for enough is enough. Just like if you drink too much alcohol and get blacked out every time, when is enough enough? You emotionally binge eat and feel horrible afterward multiple times a week. You lose yourself on social media instead of exercising or spending time with loved ones. You continue telling yourself hateful thoughts about yourself. Or an extreme example, addicted to a harsh drug. At some point, you have to make a choice and just decide to be done, and take the baby steps to get there. It’s the same for any addiction, any habit. When will you choose to change your life? When will you choose to become truly happy and conquer your unfavorable habits by replacing them with new ones that nourish every part of your being?

Me: What are the health benefits of being vegan?

Taylor: There are SO many! And that is if you do it right! You see, Oreos are vegan. But we cannot live healthy, thriving lives by eating processed food, just because it doesn’t contain animal products. For starters, the biology and chemistry of plant foods is much more conducive to the human body than that of heavy animal products. Plants have the purest and most simple vitamins, minerals and amino acids that match to our bodies chemistry, DNA, and biology. Therefore, you get a much cleaner functioning body, more energy, more flexibility, more mental clarity, and are very less likely to get cancer. Whole food, plant-based diets have helped cure IBS, type 2 diabetes and more. Another health benefit is disease prevention, such as arthritis, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and cardiovascular disease, which is the number one cause of death in America, plus many more. Some more benefits are weight loss, healthy skin, almost no chance of a stroke or heart attack, having a longer life and helping or obliterating allergies. Dairy and meat have so many hormones and extra heavy compounds. I mean, milk from a cow is to make a calf grow around 400 lbs in 7 months for Pete’s sake! That’s 1400 pounds in 2 years, 700 pounds by one-year-old, and that’s small. That’s to say if a calf is drinking it’s own mother’s milk, which guess what, they don’t! Humans drink cow mother milk and baby cows get fed formula. Then, they get shipped off to be slaughtered for veal (baby cow meat), raised and fattened up for meat, or to become a dairy cow slave then butchered when she’s not qualified anymore. Oops sorry, truth tangent.

Anyway, more benefits. There are so many more! As for me and mental/emotional health, I noticed a huge drop in depression, mood swings, irritability, anger, anxiety, fear and much more. I felt more energized, more at peace, connected to all of life. I felt so fulfilled knowing I was aligning with my heart’s truest desires. It has also been found by dozens of doctors that people on healthy plant-based diets have far better blood results than those on the typical American Standard Diet. It’s funny how animal product consumers worry about vegan’s nutrients and protein when in fact THEY are most likely not getting enough nutrients, and FAR too much protein themselves, which leads to clogged arteries, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and much more. This greater awareness gives the space to shift you into a holistic place that then naturally encourages you to stop eating processed foods, refined sugar, and just allows you to become more aware of your health and the health of the planet. Thus more health benefits!

Me: What are the environmental benefits?

Taylor: Wow! Again, so many! To put an easy number on it, the average of resources you’re saving per day with a plant based diet is 1100 gallons of water, 45 pounds of grain, 30 Sq ft of forest, and 10 lbs of c02. There’s also the fact that 40% of the land on earth is used for agriculture. A huge part of that is to grow crops to feed to the animals that we are going to eat. We could feed near 800 million people with the crops we grow for animals in less than a year. And if those crops were exported, it would give the US trade balance an estimated boost of near 80 billion dollars.

Me: Overall do you feel like you have developed self-mastery being able to stick to a diet that is typically known as being a hard one to follow? -There must be a sense of pride knowing that you have such self-control over your body.

Taylor: Not pride as much as humility and humbleness. This has been such a blessing for me. It has opened up the gateway to getting to know my true self and to begin to learn to fall in love with every part of me, even the shadows… especially the shadows! Opening up to compassion for all parts of life has opened me up to compassion for myself and practicing what self-love means for me. I’m still on my journey of self-mastery, as I think I always will forever be! But as far as what I put into my body, what products I buy, what companies I support, how I spend my time and my energy, and how I continue to practice self-love and self-care, which translates to love for all of life and vise versa, yes. I have integrated the level of awareness and knowledge for the planet, for all aspects of my body, my health, for the animals, and for humanity, to a level that it just makes sense. It all clicks. It’s absolutely a part of me and there’s no going back.

Me: I know how passionate you are about veganism, what is one thing you wish everyone would know?

Taylor: I wish everyone would know it’s not hard! If you eat lots of raw fruits and vegetables, which you definitely SHOULD BE, then it’s easy peasy! Depending on how simple or not you like to be in the kitchen, this could mean fewer dishes, less prep time, etc. This also means more visually beautiful, vibrant, colorful foods on your plate! Physically, mentally and emotionally good for you and your body from the inside out, making you look and feel more beautiful and vibrant!

Me: Does it get easier as you go? What was the hardest part?

Taylor: It definitely does! Just like any old habit, psychology research tells us that it takes about 14-21 days to reprogram our mind and bodies. You’re letting go of old deeply ingrained ways and replacing them with new ones. This can be quite difficult, depending on where you stand in line with yourself and with your life, as well as your other programming that has brought you to your current thought patterns, beliefs, and perceptions. However, getting through that difficulty will cause a ripple effect for transformation in all dimensions of your life. Once you cleanse away the impurities and the things you crave due to chemicals being released in the brain(for example the chemical that binds cheese has a very similar addictive effect on the brain as heroin)and you detox from these things, your taste buds change and you actually begin to crave natural whole foods and the things your body needs. You may find a miraculous sense of freedom from not being unconsciously controlled by unhealthy food choices and other unhealthy life choices.

The hardest part of this journey for me was probably the opposition I faced at the beginning and the extreme passion I had to want to share this with everyone. Not everyone is ready to hear these things, and I learned that the hard way. But if you face that, it also gets easier fast. You just have to lead by example from a place of love and understanding. This mindset is infectious on conscious and subconscious levels. I learned is it’s just simply better for everyone that way. No one feels pressured, you’re not pushing anyone away, and you’re not getting constantly hurt or shot down. It’s a win-win.

Me: Isn’t it expensive? How do you manage to eat this way on a strict budget?

Taylor: Well first off, let me ask you, how much does your health and happiness cost? And no way! It’s not expensive. Again, if you’re doing it right. If you’re buying fresh produce and not eating it, therefore letting it go bad and having to throw it out, then yes, you will waste money and it can then add up to be expensive. In fact, on average, eating a whole food plant-based diet can cut your grocery bill in half, depending on how you shop. But, it most certainly will not be more expensive than an animal foods diet. The cost for rich plant-based proteins such as beans and legumes is about 1.4 cents per gram of protein, whereas eggs are 2.5 cents per gram of protein. Beef 4.5. And that’s the internal cost! There’s also many external costs that you don’t see leave your wallet in that moment you’re checking out at the grocery store. This includes the cost of health care, doctor’s visits, and hospital bills! Eating a highly plant-based whole foods diet is preventive medicine. As Hippocrates said, “Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.”

Personally, I am living a life with very minimal work right now. I manage this minimal budget by volunteering on a farm once a week in exchange for way more produce than I can eat. I receive mostly vegetables, but for fruit, nuts, seeds and other plant foods, I buy what’s on sale and discounted at a wholesale market up the road. Buying these foods as well as beans, rice and legumes from bulk bins, adds up in savings. Buying locally and seasonally is cheaper, as well as buying in bulk for a discount from your local farmer or grocer. Also, deciding what products feel right to buy, not organic or organic can help the budget. I like to reuse my bags and containers, as well as use reusable cloth grocery bags, which also saves me money in the long run.

Me: Do you consider veganism to be the right path for everyone? For ex. I was instructed by a doctor to eat more red meat to help my thyroid. What would you do in this situation?

Taylor: I would say the journey to full health IS for everyone. Everyone deserves to thrive and be happy. But everyone’s path is going to look different. Dietary changes and nutrition will/can be a huge catalyst for major transformations and other changes in your life. There are also other variables to be incorporated into having a fully happy, healthy, thriving life. For example, to decide to make a change in your life for the better and stick with it is to honor and love yourself, to have courage and support. These can also come in any linear order, encouraging the next to evolve like a domino effect depending on the person. For me, it was changing my job, nutrition, then friends, then hobbies. This will look different for everybody.

As for the direct question is a plant based whole foods diet for everyone? My answer is yes! Plant based, which means a diet highly based in plant foods, is for everyone (with current extreme exceptions of course) But this can look so different for a variety of people. For example, right now my body wants super clean raw foods, with the occasional lightly cooked foods, and even more occasional cooked starches, and if any oil, then coconut. No gluten, no animal products, no beans, and low in fats unless highly physically active or on my menstrual cycle. Whereas my partner, right now his body wants healthy bread, lots of good fats, cooked starches, tons of raw fruits and vegetables, cooked vegetables, the occasional soy product, no animal products but a lot of rich protein. Any suggestions from a health practitioner I would say go within and seek your own answers. Research, or go to other doctors. One doctor only has the information they have ever learned. Some schools and teachings can be biased, or limited. So do your own studying, internally and externally.

Again, that’s what this lifestyle is all about. Opening your eyes, making conscious decisions for yourself, what feels best for YOU. Find what works for you in each moment! Do what feels best in your heart because you are ever changing and constantly evolving, as well as your choices and ways of being. There are so many variables when it comes to living a conscious life. Such as, if one finds they actually need a type of meat or animal food for whatever reason in some part of their life, what’s the best action for that? It would seem easier to just buy meat from a local butcher, but wild meat from your area may actually be better for some people. It’s well worth finding someone you trust that may have hunted or fished humanely, or even raised the animal themselves. You see, when humans ate natural meat, that was naturally occurring because man domesticated farm animals as we know them for food. Yes, this was a part of our progression as humans but, even to that degree, practices were done with much more balance, more understanding of nature, and with much more respect.

To sum it all up…

This all may seem like SO much information, and difficult to live an aware life. It may feel like you just want to run back into the safe closet of what you know, your old habits. I am bearing my truest testimony when I say it’s NOT! It is just an illusion that it seems so difficult! This is due to the myriad of distractions, commercials, fast food, and junk cluttering our minds and lives. It’s completely worth your life to take the extra steps, to do what appears as some extra work, to make decisions that you fully feel good about in each moment. This is absolutely worth your time and energy to align with your heart, to feel deeply and live a life of meaning and compassion, of harmony and understanding. As the ball gets rolling, it becomes natural. Then you remember what it’s like to be human, an animal connected to all of Mother Nature, a very part of nature herself. And for this, it requires balance. Awareness will give you balance. Awareness inside and outside of self will set the path for you to take charge of your life, be empowered, create your happiness and to feel alive! You deserve it, beloveds!

For easy ways to raise your awareness, I would recommend watching some documentaries such as Food Choices, Earthlings, Cowspiracy, Food Matters, Forks over Knives, and other related films that you can find on Netflix.

Thak you Taylor for taking the time to educate and empower us all! I hope this paints a clearer picture and enlightens many. Everyone, take care of your body in the best possible way you know how.

Stay Wild, Moon Child

#becomingbohemian

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joefnolan80 · 7 years ago

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Is Virtual Reality in the Future for Land Real Estate?

Even though virtual reality tours sound great, every technology has its drawbacks. Let’s take a look at the upsides and downsides of this new technology.

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joefnolan80 · 7 years ago

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Is Virtual Reality in the Future for Land Real Estate?

Even though virtual reality tours sound great, every technology has its drawbacks. Let’s take a look at the upsides and downsides of this new technology.

UPSIDES

DOWNSIDES

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from News About Real Estate http://www.rliland.com/is-virtual-reality-the-future-of-land-real-estate

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joefnolan80 · 7 years ago

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Is Virtual Reality in the Future for Land Real Estate?

Even though virtual reality tours sound great, every technology has its drawbacks. Let’s take a look at the upsides and downsides of this new technology.

UPSIDES

DOWNSIDES

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from News About Real Estate http://www.rliland.com/is-virtual-reality-the-future-of-land-real-estate

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joefnolan80 · 7 years ago

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Is Virtual Reality in the Future for Land Real Estate?

Even though virtual reality tours sound great, every technology has its drawbacks. Let’s take a look at the upsides and downsides of this new technology.

UPSIDES

DOWNSIDES

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from News About Real Estate http://www.rliland.com/is-virtual-reality-the-future-of-land-real-estate

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joefnolan80 · 7 years ago

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Is Virtual Reality in the Future for Land Real Estate?

Even though virtual reality tours sound great, every technology has its drawbacks. Let’s take a look at the upsides and downsides of this new technology.

UPSIDES

DOWNSIDES

The post Is Virtual Reality in the Future for Land Real Estate? appeared first on REALTORS® Land Institute.

from News About Real Estate http://www.rliland.com/is-virtual-reality-the-future-of-land-real-estate

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joefnolan80 · 7 years ago

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Is Virtual Reality in the Future for Land Real Estate?

Even though virtual reality tours sound great, every technology has its drawbacks. Let’s take a look at the upsides and downsides of this new technology.

UPSIDES

DOWNSIDES

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from News About Real Estate http://www.rliland.com/is-virtual-reality-the-future-of-land-real-estate

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joefnolan80 · 7 years ago

Text

Is Virtual Reality in the Future for Land Real Estate?

Even though virtual reality tours sound great, every technology has its drawbacks. Let’s take a look at the upsides and downsides of this new technology.

UPSIDES

DOWNSIDES

The post Is Virtual Reality in the Future for Land Real Estate? appeared first on REALTORS® Land Institute.

from News About Real Estate http://www.rliland.com/is-virtual-reality-the-future-of-land-real-estate

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