#cause i can do them for relatively cheap without spending hours working for peanuts

[chalkrub]

challenging myself by engaging in the ancient art known as "dynamic poses", but making it harder on myself by ignoring the noble practice of "using references"

featuring belvedere and florawell

[thefivecalls]

Nope! Nopenopenopenopenope. I am done repeating the shortcuts in life with mental illness and chronic pain. These can probably extend to others but this is specifically from my depression and chronic pain in my leg and lower back:

-drink milk when you cant stand solid foods, it fills you the quickest and lasts the longest (specifially 2% for me, almond a close 2nd. Skim is too watery)

-Saltines, Peanut Butter, and apple slices/sauce are good fillers if you dont feel hungry but know you need to eat. You dont need many and it wont make you sick if you eat too much by accident

-Keep a jug of water in your fridge. Cold water helps ground me sometimes if I get spacy. (Ive heard ice cubes work too? Havent tried that since we dont have ice trays so can't vouch.)

-Apple juice is the best thing to drink to stay awake for long periods of time. Coffee makes anxiety amp up, pineapple and orange juice gives you a jolt but it wears off quickly, cranberry makes me feel more tired somehow, and I simply dont like grapes so idk about them. Apple juice wakes you up relatively quickly and lasts for a while so try it

-If hot liquids are a comfort for you, a thermos helps by making it last longer. I got mine for 3 dollars at goodwill. Soaked it in white vinegar for three days to clean the insides and then put it through a dishwasher. Practically new again.

-if cold things are your comfort, a small lunch cooler by your bed is great cause you can fill it with cold things before a spiral or attack or if you can feel the spasms coming and you can set it next to your bed.

-Peppermint is a natural stimulus. Spearmint gum is a nice smack in the face if you need quick grounding.

-dry shampoo and a brush will make you feel So Much better than before

-Stridex face cleansing wipes are good for cleaning your face quickly and with minimal effort.

-If you can't bring yourself to clean your room, change your sheets. Its the smallest thing that can help you the most during a downward spiral

-Don't spend too much time in bed. It will train your brain Not to sleep there, so move to your window or a couch.

-Washcloth showers! Get a bowl with warmish water and soap and a washcloth, sit down on a stool and wipe off the sweat and grime. It's amazing to feel clean without having to withstand standing in a shower for 40 minutes

-theres this mouthwash spray you can get. Use it when you cant get up to brush your teeth

-Ibuprofen and Tylenol slowly get weaker as you use them. Rub tiger balm on the area of pain and it'll help you so much

-DONT FALL ASLEEP ON A HEATING PAD. Constant heat makes bad burns! And if you're drugged up on sleep meds you probs wont wake up til they where off, and Trust me you dont want to go to the ER at 3 in the morning with a 2nd degree burn on your back and legs

-Today's a home day? Socks. Fucking Hell wearing socks makes it easier to walk and you can slide on hard surfaces! And they keep your feet warm if you put on thermals or wool

-Thoughts being loud? Audio books or music. Rewind if you get trapped up there, dont worry about it cause we've all had to re listen to something at some point. Or some text-to-speech apps for things like fanfics or stories. (I use Text to Voice - Read Aloud. Its pink and has a microphone)

-Compression sleeves! They help apply a constant (somewhat soothing!) pressure. I've got a knee one and a full leg sleeve. Athletic stores have them sometimes for injuries and whatnot.

-Fairy Lights are dim so they dont hurt your eyes, plus they're pretty and come in lots of colors! Mine are purple and white

-men's sweatpants are much more comfy then woman's. Cheaper too.

-An actual alarm clock helps me when executive dysfunction is stopping me. It forces me to get up and I got mine cheap from Wal-Mart. Plug it in away from where you are and set it for sunlight hours.

-Sweatshirts get smelly fast. Some lightweight long sleeves are good alternatives cause they still cover you but they dont suffocate you and you can where them longer

-A squish monster! Ive got an octopus plushie, my friend has a dragon plushie, another friend has a marshmellow one. Good for comfort (and you'll never outgrow it. We're all 16-19, but 2 of the parents that taught us this still use ones themself)

-Sunglasses and eyedrops are good for bloodshot eyes

-Find a comfort video or tv show or movie. Watch it on the bad days. How to train your dragon, atlantis the lost civilization, and Treasure Planet are 3 of my favorites.

-Stale air sucks. Get a small camping fan and set if up near your bed. A couple of D batteries later and you got air movement

-This is more of a coping mech for me, but write down your thoughts and then counter them. It can get hard but things like "Your friends won't leave you" written by your own hand is satisfying to look at. Ive got an old school pad for mine and i keep it on my floor next to my bed

-Blindfolds can be a double edged sword-it can help by taking away your sight and helping you focus internally, but they can also force you into your head and get you stuck there. Use them carefully!

-be nice to yourself! You cant always act at 100%! Even if everyone else is at 70% and to match them you have to up your anty. Coaxing yourself like a scared animal is much better than beating yourself up about not being able to do things.

Feel free to add on, I'll be doing more when I can think of them!

[abuserfriendly]

Don't Buy the Airline Industry's Snow Job on Inflight Hygiene

I love travel and unlike some railfans I am not usually given to slagging on the airlines. Nevertheless, I do think the airline industry (especially in the USA) has lots of rage-inducing practices and I have always resented the industry's insistence that treating passengers well is diametrically at odds with controlling costs- that has always been a false dichotomy in my opinion- and I am especially disappointed with the ongoing degradation of the front-cabin (business and first class) experience. Now covid19 is crushing passenger airlines, and this supposedly "profitable" industry has shoveled up $25 billion taxpayer dollars, roughly 25 years' worth of Federal Amtrak subsidies, with every indication that they will ask for more in short order. Meanwhile, the very business model of airlines as they have operated to date is now in question and the  industry refuses to address the questions. To be clear, I am not referring to the temporary problem of lack of demand due to economic conditions and travel restrictions: I am talking about the business model predicated on packing people into a tiny space that is irritant and uncomfortable for many hours without basic provisions for health or sanitation. Taxpayers are owed more than what this industry is offering in the way of a get-well plan before they throw good money after bad.

Let's get something straight: social distancing is and always will be impossible on an airliner, except maybe if you are the only passenger or one of a very small handful of passengers on a widebody jet. That's not where the industry's unaddressed existential threat lies though. The airlines are now hard at work reminding everyone about how the "hospital grade" air filtration on their planes is keeping air travel safe. They will tout that most (in other words: not all) modern airliners are equipped with HEPA air filtration. Well, congratulations! You're employing the same air filtration technology I can get in a 12-pack of filters for the furnace in my basement for an average extra cost of about $1.50 per. Despite the fact that these filters are cheap commodities, I still wonder if the maximum recommended replacement interval is being observed in the same industry that can't bring itself to properly maintain their fleets overall. Moreover, all the talk about the air purification systems on mainline jets like Boeing 737s is in plain denial of the fact that at least half of passengers end up spending part if not all of their journey on a regional jet. I wonder why they aren't talking about the air filtration systems on Canadair CRJ-200s or Embraer 145s? Could it be that planes that barely have enough space for each passenger's overnight bag don't have much of an air purification system?

Air filtration aside, the reality of air travel and health is that it is not the cleanliness of the air that endangers your health during a respiratory pandemic. The problem is the dryness of the air. On average, the relative humidity in a modern airliner cabin is a parched 12% and it is almost always less than 20%, lower than the 30% threshold for discomfort for humans. Dry air irritates pretty much all types of human tissue including the skin, the lungs, and the sinus passages. This causes postnasal drip, coughing and sneezing. The air inside planes is so dry that it will cause many people to sniffle, cough, and sneeze even if they aren't sick, and if your skin is dried out and itchy, you're going to touch it. This is why people get sick when they fly: in addition to being in a very tight space with a bunch of strangers for several hours, you and your fellow passengers are coughing and sneezing and scratching in that tight space. Fomites and moisture droplets are getting sprayed everywhere constantly: the seats, the carpets, the tray tables, the armrests, the seat belts- not just the things you think you can avoid touching. Even worse, there are plenty of substances for those droplets and particles to cling to: many is the time I've sat at a window seat to be grossed out by the greasy haze left by a previous passenger who slept with their head against the window and thought to myself what kind of petri dish must the interior panels on this aircraft be? Whatever gets drawn into the HEPA filters is going to be trapped there, but I think its a safe bet that most of the particles and droplets stay anchored to whatever surface they land on.

There is an urban legend that airlines routinely dial down the amount of fresh air that is drawn into cabins to save fuel and this has been debunked- the ratio of fresh to recirculated air on a plane is basically factory-set and cannot be adjusted inflight and there is rarely any prescribed reason for ground mechanical personnel to change it either- slow-onset hypoxia will kill a person before they realize what is happening, so this is a bit more serious than saving a few bucks on fuel. The moisture content of cabin air, on the other hand, is something that can be altered. Airlines are so loath to do anything about it due to the cost of retrofitting humidification systems to planes as well as the cost in fuel and space of hauling a tank of heavy water aloft that it isn't even being considered in the realm of possibility. Picture that tiny 50-seat Canadair CRJ-200 once again, which on a good day gives you about as much personal space as you might have in the back seat of a fully loaded car, and ask yourself where and how we might retrofit this aircraft for improved cabin air quality. The answer is simple: the days of traveling like this are over. Planes like the CRJ-200 are flying bio-exposure labs- you won’t share more of your fellow passengers’ bodily materials without having a one-night stand with each of them.

Beyond misleading people about irrelevant cabin air quality, what are the airlines going to do to keep passengers safe? They will block off the middle seats on planes, but this accomplishes exactly nothing except to make passengers a little more comfortable (and to this extent I applaud it). They will make you wear a mask- and this is a good thing, but only until you take that mask off to have a drink or eat something, which you are welcome to try to avoid doing on an 8-10 hour flight. Despite this reality, I fully expect anyone who isn’t able to abstain from eating or drinking for the duration of the flight to be cuffed and stuffed upon arrival. They might end up blood testing passengers or requiring health documentation to fly, and frankly, these seemingly drastic measures might be the only hope for air travel. Expect the cost of the test or certifying yourself to be a new ticket tax, because, well its not like you gave them $25 billion or anything like that, right? If you are expecting things like planes getting sanitized between flights or even cheap yet thoughtful things like a personal bottle of sanitizer and a mask at your seat so that even people who have been unexpectedly separated from their luggage have the appropriate supplies, forget about it: they can't even figure out how to afford to give you three ounces of peanuts. Rest assured that despite whatever risk their practices introduce for you, the airlines intend to make you fully responsible for any bit of nastiness you might be exposed to on board.

I am not a germophobe and I accept reality: I am not going to say that you should hop on a train for your next hygienic travel experience. Are you more socially distanced in a sleeping car compartment than on an airliner? Yes, but only somewhat, and if you're traveling in coach its basically the same as flying from that perspective. Obviously, the safest way for most people to travel intercity during a pandemic is via automobile, as long as you are careful and have the right supplies (having your own car makes this much easier though). Unfortunately, you're not going to be able to hop in the family truckster for a trip from Miami to London. I haven't been able to find any information on the moisture content of passenger train air either, but I am pretty sure its very different from an airliner since railroad car ventilation systems are not subject to the same mechanical constraints. I have personal experience to back this up: I have spent weeks crisscrossing North America and Europe on trains and have never experienced such a thing as an "Amtrak cold" or an "Amtrak flu." Considering the challenges associated with maintaining cleanliness on a train making a fifty hour journey, that says a lot. As far as cleaning supplies or masks go, well, people who take Amtrak cross country have been bringing family-size spray cans of Lysol on board since the 1980s- nobody with experience would leave home without one.

[nextstepcoaching-blog]

Do you love your job?

The way that you feel about your job depends a lot on how you answer the question. -What are you thinking about when you talk about your job? -Do you think of the work you do? -The people you work with? -The money you make, or don’t make? -The hours you work or have off? -The commute, the mundane, the fun and adventure? -Are you the first to post on Facebook the perfect meme about Mondays? “On the whole, American workers are generally satisfied with their jobs,” according to some research. So, congrats! Whether or not you knew it, you really DO love your job!

Job satisfaction also differs by household income, education and details of the job. So, depending on what study you read or what radio host you listen to or which philosophy you subscribe to… blah, blah, blah… it’s all relative, right?

When it comes down to it, you are the expert here. You know what your boss is like. You know all about the office politics and how the printer cartridge explodes when you change it, or who is actually stealing your peanut butter and banana sandwich from the ‘community fridge’. (Click here for an amusing video on what happens at work).

Bottom line is that we all want to be happy at work, even if it’s a stepping stone to get us to the next level. It’s easy to assume that you can’t change the way you feel about your job. We say to ourselves, ‘it is what it is.’ But, there is hope and a way to move forward.

So, here are 4 compelling ways to make more out of your work life and maybe add some happiness, too:

1. Give to Others

“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” ― Winston Churchill

To go deeper on this topic, click here for the blogpost on Give To Others.

Helping others fulfills your need to connect. We were created for connection, fellowship, relationships. When we give to others in the workplace, we are investing in the relationship. Find out what makes your co-workers tick. Discover their needs and meet them. They don’t have to be grandiose gestures, but little things. If Bob mentions that he likes bagels, bring him one. If Louise mentions that she likes ….     If Jay mentions that his favorite drink at Starbucks is a long shot grande, half calf double cupped no sleeve salted caramel mocha latte with 2 pumps of vanilla, 2 pumps of hazelnut with no whipped cream and extra caramel drizzle with light ice well stirred, just roll your eyes and walk away. Slowly. Walk. Away.

Follow Dr. Luke’s advice when he writes, “Do to others as you would have them do to you. – (Luke 6:31)

Helping makes you live longer, promotes positive behaviors in others, strengthens relationships and gives us a sense of purpose and satisfaction, ie, Happiness 🙂

Helping makes you live longer. Studies have shown that helping others can decrease blood pressure, lower stress levels and are less-depressive. In general, those who help others live longer than those who don’t. Giving promotes positive behaviors in others, strengthens relationships and gives us a sense of purpose and satisfaction, ie, “Happiness”  🙂

Perhaps that is what Paul was alluding to when he quoted Jesus as saying,  “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)

2. Focus On Strengths

“If you spend your life trying to be good at everything, you will never be great at anything.” – Tom Rath

To go deeper on this topic, click here for the blogpost on Focus On Strengths.

There is a debate about whether or not you should focus on your strengths and emphasize them over your weaknesses. Most of us have an easy enough time seeing our faults. We can’t walk past a mirror without fixing our hair or thinking about how I was planning on losing those 10 funds months ago. When thinking about ourselves, we are normally thinking about how to improve our personalities, spiritual life, bad habits, etc. That, in itself, is not a bad thing. Our weakness maybe our greatest NEED for improvement, but our greatest POTENTIAL comes in our strengths. This is where I at NextStepDanny help people get unstuck. Helping others see where they want to be and assist them in bringing clarity for their next step on the path of reaching their goals.

Focusing on your strengths does not ignore weaknesses or blind spots. In fact, strengths give us the energy we need to deal with our weaknesses. The strength that we have (God’s ours, others’) can be brought to bare in the current situation.

Strengths are often misidentified as weaknesses or problems. For instance, a person who is decisive can be seen as bossy. Or, someone who is thoughtful and methodical can be seen as slow and indecisive. Loyalty vs. Exclusive; Cautious vs. Hesitant; Inquisitive vs. motor-mouth… the list goes on.

The perspective of looking at your life by focusing on the strengths that you have been given is a powerful way to move forward. When you understand what strengths you have and are able to do more of what you love, you find purpose in what you do. It can energize you as you work in authentic modes that are ‘you’. People who operate from their strengths are happier and more fulfilled, feel as if they have more energy, and are more engaged, reaching their goals more efficiently. In other words, you unlock the best of what you have to offer, participating fully and encouraging those around you.

“…one cannot build on weakness. To achieve results, one has to use all the available strengths… These strengths are the true opportunities” – Peter Drucker

To discover your strengths and how to start using them, click here for the blogpost on Focus on Strengths.

3. Remember, It’s from the Inside-Out

Monetary rewards are not a substitute for intrinsic motivation. – W. Edwards Deming

To go deeper on this topic, click here for the blogpost on Remember, It’s Intrinsic.

Motivation – the reason someone does what they do – Most would like moving away from the extrinsic motivation of the carrot and the stick to a more intrinsic motivation.

There is a lot of research concerning motivation, but I draw our attention to Monkeys.

Way back in 1949 (George Orwell’s book “1984” was first published and the first Polaroid Camera was sold for $89.95), Harry Harlow tested puzzle-solving skills on monkeys[1] which led to the monkeys completing the task without a carrot/stick approach. They completed the task for no other reason than it felt satisfying; like finishing a level of Candy Crush on your phone.

Follow-up studies were done in 1969 and 2008 in connection with the Harlow-Monkey study that basically showed the same results. Money may not be the most important factor in job satisfaction. Really!

It would seem that engagement is key. We need to be challenged; neither under-challenged or over-challenged

“Job satisfaction is the result of a sense of autonomy, purpose and the desire to do things because they’re fun and interesting,” claims author Daniel Pink. “Money can actually cause someone to work less effectively.”

Find a purpose in what you do. Some jobs are more difficult to unearth purpose, so dig deep. And when you find it, make it a screen-saver on your desktop for a daily reminder.

Find the best way to fulfill that purpose through the work assigned to you and do it with skill and proficiency. And, make sure that you are making progress in achieving the purpose – celebrating as you go!

4. Laugh More, A LOT More

Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine. – Lord Byron

To go deeper on this topic, click here for the blogpost on Laugh More, A LOT More.

Finally, laugh more. A recent Gallup poll found that people who smile and laugh at work are more engaged in their jobs. Find ways, or create ways to smile more! Get others involved and lighten the mood every once in a while.

Have you seen this video?  The Fun Theory 1

In this Volkswagen experiment, they set out to prove that people’s behavior can be changed by adding ‘fun’ into the mix. 66% more people took the stairs than usual that day!

Laughter boosts your creativity, think Disney or Pixar; Laughter cuts tension and draws people together, think late-night TV ‘jokesters’; Laughter builds trust and helps you become more approachable, think Bill Murray vs. Willem Dafoe (Goblin in Spiderman) …Plus people enjoy working with you!

Take a bite out of your peanut butter and banana sandwich before putting it in the ‘community fridge’. For your Sci-Fi nerd friends, put a Storm trooper helmet on the trash can and make people say, “This is not the can you are looking for” when they use it.  And for the junior high kid inside, make use (or several uses) of the classic whoopee cushion. Or, try one of these 101 Ways to Use Humor at Work.

Just think: you could make it so that Monday morning is something you look forward to…

I’d love to hear from you. Tell me how you make your workplace worth the commute. Comment Below.

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