#and/or until i've got this last piece of this society set crafted (unless that takes too long and october happens before then)

[queensparklekitten]

I think I just guaranteed queen of nothing by the crane wives a place in my spotify wrapped tonight because of time princess

[fbwzoo]

Hello! I've seen your wonderful crab posts and figured you'd be one of the best people to go to. I've been put in a weird situation. My roommates got me a hermit crab. I'm aware that they require a lot of care; however, he is currently living in the fish bowl that they provided me with with a sponge, some shells, a little plastic house, and generic crab food. What is the most immediate way I can provide him with good housing/food/stimulation until I can save up for something better?

Ooof, that’s a rough situation, I’m sorry! :/ But I’m glad you’re aware of their care needs and want to improve things for your new crab!

Okay so housing first thing. Plastic totes are your friend! They’re cheap, easy to get, and will work great for a temp enclosure for a few months. If you can, get one that’s at least around the size of a 10g tank, but a bit bigger will be better & easier to set up - think 20-40g size. Make sure you get a lid with it, as you’ll want that to help hold in humidity for your new friend.

On the plus side, substrate is pretty cheap for these guys! Play sand is the bulk of it, and usually you can get a 50lb bag of that for $3-8 at a hardware or home improvement store (Lowe’s, Ace, Home Depot, etc.). Depending on the tote size you get, you’ll need at least one, maybe two bags. Make sure you buy it from inside the store if at all possible - outside sand is more likely to end up with mold or fungus spores in it. If you can, get a brick of Eco Earth to mix in with the sand. You’ll want to add water to expand it, let it dry out for a little bit, then mix it in. The loose stuff in the bag works fine too, if you’d prefer, and doesn’t need water added to it. You want around 6″ of substrate, at least, so your crab has plenty of room to dig.

Enclosure decor - This can be pretty cheap & easy! You can use some tupperware containers for water pools - they should be deep enough for your crab to submerge in completely. Make sure they have a way to climb in & out though. Plastic cross stitch canvas is really good for this & costs like 25 cents a sheet. I prefer to double up the bowls - this way you can leave the bottom one in place (in case crab is buried around it) and just take the top one out to change the water. 

Hides and climbing stuff can be a lot of things. Coconut hides, tupperware with holes cut in them, ceramic plant pots, etc. Climbing stuff can be  cross stitch canvas, coconut mats, fake plants, wood, etc. http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ if you check out the Crabitat Conditions, DIY, and Pictures sections on there, you should be able to get some good ideas for these things! Just be careful as some things are more prone to becoming moldy, like hay/straw, twine, some types of wood, & such.

You can get cheaper fake plants from dollar stores & craft stores, just be careful that they don’t have glitter, small plastic pieces (like berries) that will come off, not painted, and the dye doesn’t leak when you clean them before putting in.

Heat & humidity - Make sure the tote is closed up & that will help keep heat & humidity in. Larger water bowls will help add humidity, and so will bowls or piles of sphagnum moss (which you can spray carefully, don’t spray the rest of the enclosure so as to avoid flooding substrate). You can add air stones/bubblers to the pools to help boost humidity as well, but the equipment for that stuff can cost a bit more unless you find it secondhand. Small fish filters can work too, but in both cases, you want to be careful that water isn’t splashing out of the bowls a lot, which is a flooding risk.

For heating, you’re really better off spending the money on something better right now. Pet store heating pads aren’t great, IMO, and most of them are meant to be stuck on & not taken off (which can break wires & turn into a fire hazard). http://www.reptilebasics.com/ultratherm-heat-pads are the best heating mats IMO, and can be attached to the back of the tote with tape (I use packing tape) and then taken off to be used on another tank. They can also be safely insulated with cardboard or styrofoam to help increase temps. It’s best to use them with a thermostat, especially if your room temps vary a lot. But tbh, I don’t have mine on thermostats as crabs do okay with some temp fluctuation within the proper ranges (as opposed to other animals that need stricter temps to avoid overheating/injuries). Put the heating mat on the back of the tote, above the substrate line (or as much above as you can).

For measuring temp/humidity, these are my favorite gauges currently - https://www.amazon.com/AcuRite-Humidity-Thermometer-Hygrometer-Indicator/dp/B0013BKDO8/ It’s best to have it hanging from the lid or at least set in an empty bowl or something to keep it off the substrate (which can alter numbers).

Food & water - Crabs need both fresh & salt water. Both need to be treated for ammonia & heavy metals. Prime is what most people use & that little bottle will last you ages since the dosage is only 2 drops per gallon (or for less than a gallon). For the salt water, you want to get Instant Ocean salt, not the stuff sold for hermit crabs (which isn’t complete). Same thing, that box will last you a while! Word of advice, it’s worth splitting it up into single use baggies/containers when you open it, as moisture gets in immediately & turns it into a big brick pretty fast. The amount for that is ½ cup for a gallon, you can make a gallon at a time & then dose it with the Prime when you put it into the tank.

For food….Toss out the commercial stuff. You can often feed them bits of stuff you eat, with no spices/additives. Fresh/frozen fruits & veggies, raw or cooked meat (shellfish must be cooked though), stuff like that is good for them. The HCA forum I linked above has safe & unsafe food lists. I also like the Facebook group Land Hermit Crab Owners Society, and they have safe/unsafe food lists in their files as well, if you join. 

Since they eat so little & fresh foods go moldy fast in the humid heat of the enclosure, a lot of people feed dry foods, which can be left in for a week. There’s all kinds of things you can get from the pet store & grocery store, so I have a post about what you can get & where here - http://fantasticbeastsandhowtokeepthem.tumblr.com/post/163525780954/hermit-crab-food-shopping There’s also a post linked on that one to my nutrition post, which explains more about what they need in their diet!

Also uhhhh if this isn’t too weird, feel free to message me off anon & I can send you some food stuff if you want! I hoard crab food & have a lot of some things because I buy in larger packages (like the supplement type stuff, worm castings, green sand, etc.). I’m sending out a food package to someone else soon as well. I can’t give food to everyone (unfortunately), but I would like to help where I can! But no worries if you’re not comfortable with that!

And lastly, shells. Here’s a good post about types of shells & where to get shells - http://fantasticbeastsandhowtokeepthem.tumblr.com/post/135316962746/hermit-crab-shell-guide-on-shell-types-and-buying I will say that I would highly recommend going to Joann Fabrics if you have one around you, or other craft stores. You can often find cheaper usable shells there. Joann has this awesome green shell pack that has tons of green turbo shells that I’ve bought at least 5-6 of. If your crab is the right size, that could be perfect! Other than that, I really like Naples best for making sure you get the sizes you want.

I think that’s about it, just a couple other things I wanted to mention.

First, once you have things set up for your little one, it’d be a good idea to get them a friend. Crabs are social & live in large colonies in the wild, so it’s really recommended to have at least two. If you don’t want to get another one from the pet store, check Craigslist, or else check out the LHCOS adoption program - http://lhcos.org/adoption-program-beta/ 

Second, if you’re really not sure you’re able to take all of this on, that’s okay! If you’d rather see if someone who already has things set up can take your crabby, you can check the above link for someone in your area, & submit a form to place your crab for adoption.

I hope all of this helps and isn’t too overwhelming! Please feel free to ask if you have any more questions or if anything is confusing. The LHCOS Facebook group is really helpful as well, especially for new owners! Good luck!

[thefreshfinds]

Pen Soul: Jodie Jo’

There’s a story to be told and in Pen Soul Jodie Jo succeeds at doing so.

As quoted in the description on Soundcloud, "Jodie Jo' uses this double entendre to show that his soul is in his pen, or per-say, his writing. Everything comes from within, if looked at from a spiritual point of view, most would consider it God sent." He tells many stories from another's perspective in this 16 track LP, reeling out subconscious thoughts and pinned up emotion.

“The backstory of Pen Soul is just the experiences I've encountered in my day to day life.” says Jodie “The tracks on this project deal with a lot of internal issues that cause negative impact on relationships such as, holding grudges, miscommunication, judging, blaming, ignorance, and lack of leadership, but also it brings in the solutions to these issues that can be heard in various tracks, such as forgiveness, apologies, understanding, knowing self, vibrating higher, and finding purpose. So Pen Soul really derives from my soul, the things that I've struggled with, and how I overcame things, but I wrote the songs in a way where it's not telling my personal business, I paint scenarios of other people's lives and situations which can be related to, while giving a message that can't be heard unless dissected.“

Truly Pen Soul speaks on the problematics of our society, of Black America. It uses a range of beats that incorporate a jazz, nostalgic feel while taking you back to your roots.

Pen Soul starts off with Enter the Course (Intro) which gives us a sneak peek of what to expect next. Building up, the track starts off with a gun shot and then a British accented lady begins to speak as if she is giving a friend a word of advice. Afterwards, there is a bit of everything in the audio snippets from "Black Household" or "Church Sunday, Stripper Monday" to police sirens (to even some news documentations.) which adds a sweet touch to a transition.

The second track, Hard Heart (Part 1) drones into your ear sockets with a dash of ethereally, low drum kicks, saxophones, soft yet angelic singing and mellow back phrasing. He feeds the mind with a spoonful of knowledge about dealing with obstacles that life throws at you. Going even further, Jodie says that you shouldn’t let these same obstacles (like battle wounds) or past situations harden your heart. Life can flash before your eyes, so it’s best to just love with all you’ve got. Towards the end he speaks for the hurt by saying “How can I love someone who wants to do me wrong?” As a result, we begin to think of ways to get over those hurdles within ourselves and even though it can seem difficult, Jodie’s symphony makes it easier.

Black Household puts you at ease with its nostalgic yet soulful aura. In an instant the listener is able to understand what it’s like for those who live either with a single black household from the perspective of the mother and the kid. It really reflects on the deep emotion a mother must sacrifice in order to make ends meet but at the same time, she shouldn’t treat him the way she does because of stress and he seems to agree. Overall this track shows a strained yet loving relationship between a son and his mother.

Some shake it for the glory. Some for the gold. But in this women’s case, she does it for both. In the fourth track Church Sunday, Stripper Monday Jodie Jo’ is the narrator and he tells a brutally honest story about a woman who thinks she is rebuking her sins on the weekdays by going to church. His words are centered by an elevated production that has some passionate melodies, enticing saxophones and finger snapping snares. All in all the song gives off the feeling that it’s meant to: wise words and gospel thrown in with a pulsating tempo.

With the ongoing daunted tone from the piano chords, fast paced drums, cymbals, passionate saxophone and clickers to follow, Mama Drama (The Tale of The Good Baby Daddy) bangs in as the fifth track and tells a story about a mother who keeps a loving man away from his kids (which can be surprising to some because it is usually the other way around.) The production and words that Jodie choose to use are hard hitting. These two elements also wring out the right emotion from your heart, making it easy to feel the fathers pain.

Announced as the sixth track Feminine Myocardium to me, is a man's proclamation of love towards a woman who just doesn't show him ordinary love. The track is followed by reverse tape effects, minor saxophone blares and guitar chords, making the listen more sentimental and in turn, easy to recall past experiences with an old flame.

The seventh track Yeah Yeah, Sure Sure is about the mindset one is in during an argument but shows that love always outweighs the flaws seen in one another. Jodie's floetry in this piece can be characterized to Andre 3000’s due to the structure of syllables and grammatical phrasing that he decides to use. The production has the same reverse tape effect and blaring saxophone as the last but it also includes some warm, splashy piano chords and muffled drums.

"And they fight, and they fuss", thats what Jodie Jo paraphrases in the chorus of the eighth track called Ignorant Love. As it starts off with some deep twilight effects, the track raises the tempo with some light tamborine play, 808's and the same blaring saxophone. The message in the song is told by Jodie Jo who uses duality in his delivery and flows. To sum it up, the character in the story just wants all the fighting to end. It's taking a toll on the relationship that the lovers have.

As Ignorant Love fades out, the ninth track Aniyah's Melody is able to fabricate a cut of funk and soul. Backed up with melodious singing, spacey syntheziers and saxophones, Jodie Jo is able to spar out remorseful notations as the character to the woman that he loves.

The eleventh track Asthma & Pneumonia to me, sounds like The Way by Jill Scott except it's a little bit more slowed down and Jodie replaces the words "Is it the way.." with "Mama I can't breathe.." and adds "I got asthma & pneumonia" in as back chorus. As Jodie goes down the storyline about his asthma attack, Jodi tells us that we shouldn't take this life to granted. The lively saxophone and drums help from beginning to end, taking the track to a close and leaving some space for Puff, Pass to start.

The hardest to make for Jodie, Puff Pass wafts in as the twelvth track of the LP. As quoted by Jodie "It was one of the first tracks I started, but ended up being the last one I finished. Whenever I approached this track, my mind went blank. I didn't want to approach the song in a boring way, nor be too cliche with the topic about smoking.” Jodie’s smooth words are followed by some lighter flicks, spacious droning and low hitting drums. As a result the song transports the listener on a stimulating trip.

In the midst of Puff, Pass fading out, the thirteenth track Vibrate Rendition zooms in the perspective of another who has a sincere apology to those that he has been a “burden to”. Frankly, the character doesn’t want to cause pain anymore.. he just wants to make things right. The powerful words that Jodie uses are followed by some deep soul and sultry jazz to stress the endearment he feels. Jodi even takes us back to the Speakerboxx/TheLove Below days as he chants the excerpt from the song Vibrate in the middle to end!

A continuation of Hard Heart Pt 1, the fourteenth track called Hard Heart Pt 2 speaks from the perspective of others who let their anger or grudges get the best of them. This track is relatable to everyone because we’ve all had those people who have crossed us, but Jodie assures us that we just need to let it all go in order to live a prosperous life. Getting the point more across, the drums and piano also add a “rise and fall” effect to the storyline!

Second to last, the fifteenth Death & Fear takes an nostalgic approach. The drums and piano give the song a warm feeling and gives Jodie some free room to speak on all of the things he plans to accomplish.

Last but not least, Dreamville Audition II is just a scenario of how his audition could go once he meets Mr. Jermaine! I won’t give out too much detail but, I will say that this track bangs! It really captures Jodie’s versatility, solid bar structure multi floetry and powerful cadence.

To conclude, Pen Soul is one of many projects that really reflect the hard work that Jodie puts into his craft (you can even see where his inspirations root from: J.Cole & Andre 3000.) Jodie is here to make the world listen and be aware of what’s going on around them. Every time Jodie Jo raps, it is always different and he is constantly showing growth. All in all the lyrics and soulfulness hold weight on your mind but after you listen to the full collective.. expect to feel uplifted.

After all, Jodie Jo is the teacher and we are just the students.

LINK: https://soundcloud.com/jodieraps2/sets/pen-soul

By Natalee Gilbert

* Additional information about Pen Soul & more:

1. What are the steps that you took to create Pen Soul?

Jodie: The steps I took to make this album happen was first and foremost to pray before I worked on anything. From beats to lyrics, to brainstorming, to looking for inspiration. God plays a big part in my creativity and creations. After that, comes preparation, I make about 3 beats in a day and just get in the booth and freestyle over the beat. Usually I find a hook melody first before writing verses, if that sounds like album potential, I write a song to that beat and see what I get. Usually 2 or 3 days later it sounds wack to me and so, that's how tracks get denied. So pretty much I followed that process until I composed 16 tracks, that I felt were fitting for my intentions for the album.

2. In your opinion, what is the best album that was made in history?

Jodie: In my opinion, the best album made in history would have to be Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder, that being after Pen Soul of course.

3. What’s the difference between Pen Soul & Big Ups to Tha Homies?

Jodie: The difference between Pen Soul and Big Ups 2 Tha' Big Homie first and foremost would be the replay value, Pen Soul I believe has more songs that can be put on repeat while "BU2TBH" has songs that you'll play once and then come back later and be like "Oh yeah, this was my song". Next would be the soulful touch, Pen Soul is considered my only classic in my personal accumulation of projects. Pen Soul is diverse in the production, it has saxophones adding to it's spice, and it all together is greatly put together and much more thought out than BU2TBH.

4. Upcoming Songs:

Jodie: Keep a look out for around Christmas time, that's all I'm gonna say there.

5. What advice would you give to your younger self?

Jodie: If I could give my younger self advice I would tell me to talk to God, take life as it comes, truly develop a belief that anything is possible, don't stress about society's idea of success, count your blessings, and tell your parents, siblings, and loved ones about your love & appreciation for them more often.

6. Who do you admire in Underground Hip-Hop?

Jodie: I truly admire my homeboy Jodie Jo', because he's so consistent and true to himself and those around him. I think he has potential to be a legend amongst legends.

7. Advice to artists working on a project:

Jodie: It's okay to hate your work for a period of time. Get true feedback from people who aren't just pumping you up. Get inspired, try to talk about something nobody is talking about, or at least in a way that nobody else has. Be creative with your voice. Don't create songs based on other people's taste, create your taste and you'll attract people who have your taste. Get an ear for your voice, and your sound. Speak with clarity.

8. Words to the supporters:

Jodie: Y'all are real as ever, God has his hand upon out unit, I am appreciative of everyone that reaches out, everyone who shares, everyone who goes the extra mile. And I will never take the love given to me for granted. We are headed to the top y'all, Dreamville finna come sign ya boy! I'ma make y'all proud