#i dont drink whole bottles by myself during the work week at least

[slothspaghettiwrites]

hello 🥺 do you have any wine recommendations or tips for beginners? ive tried some cheap rosé from the store and it took me maybe about half of the can to start liking it slightly. I wanna be fancy too. it look so good in the movies. pls tell me ur secrets 😔🥺❤

Ooohhh what a fun ask! I'm no Niles Crane, but I drink wine more than any other alcohol. It is my go to adult beverage.

Okay, so for starters. My first experience with wine, was the homemade kind, legit like the bootleg kind you find in your granddad's basement. It was blackberry wine and it was tooth rottingly sweet and delicious.

I would argue this isn't really a good intro in to wine, because well unless you're in the US, you don't find wine like that outside of dessert wines. And dessert wines are quite strong. (If you can get your hands on some homemade stuff though? Go for it. Also if you are in Indiana, get some French Lick Wine!)

So first and foremost, I'm gonna suggest you start off by not buying on the cheap stuff. You want to learn about what kind of wine you like, well you gotta buy decent wine for it. I'd say spend about £6-10($7-12) on a bottle for something decent. (Counter point, some cheap wines are actually divine and some expensive wines are crap, it's all about trial and error.) If it tastes like lighter fluid, it's not good wine period.

I'm also gonna say you kinda have to acquire a taste for wine, like you would beer, coffee, or dark chocolate. There are loads of different ways of describing wine tastes and flavours and that can be confusing. It's really all down to mouth feel (what a phrase).

White wines tend to run kinda dry, which means it will leave your mouth feeling a bit dry and this can sometimes come off as sour. Also white wine has gotta be drunk cold. As it warms up, you lose anything nice about it. When white wines start to get sweet, they tend to run more towards dessert wines.

Rosé wines are a good middle ground imo. They can be a bit sweet and dry at the same time and are rarely sour. They got a tiny tiny bit of body, because of how it's made (white wine grapes with the skin still on iirc). Pro tip: add a splash of Creme de Peche or peach schnapps to your rosé for added sweetness and kick. Rosé is also best served chilled.

Red wines are the my preferred wine. I like a full bodied wine, which mostly just means when I take a slurp, it coats my tongue and the flavour lingers a bit in my mouth. Red wines aren't described in the same way white wine is (dryness). Reds are described by body. For a beginner, I'd look for a lighter bodied red. They are also best enjoyed at room temperature (just don't keep it in your fridge like you would white or rosé).

Depending on where you live, I would suggest seeing if your local shops to half bottles or like the single serve bottles to try out a range.

I order my wine online at Majestic because I can buy mixed cases of 6 (or multiples of 6) for a decent price. But what I really like about them? They know their shit, and they put loads of info on their website about each wine. They've got two own brand ranges "Majestic Loves"(£5.99 a bottle) and "Definition"(fancier price varies on bottle) that when they say it's Pinot Noir, it's exactly what you should expect from a Pinot Noir.

Also, I totally just buy things with pretty labels in my price range. Not everything I try is good and that's kinda just the way of it. Find wine you like is really all about trial and error. Sommelier (Wine Experts) will also suggest you think about where your wine comes from, and what the summer was like that year (the year on the bottle) for them. That can determine some taste factors in your wine, but really that only matters when you are looking to drop some serious money on a bottle (like £30+).

Mostly, it's just about trying things and finding what you like.

Some wines that's I've had recently and liked:

1. Carlino Red

2. Jam Shed (it's a red and actually all right over ice)

3. Fat Bastard (very full bodied red)

4. Majestic Loves Rosé (cheap and cheerful)

5. Definition Malbec (red and to die for good)

6. Bedrock Wine Co "The Whole Shebang" cuvée

[honeypirate]

Figure it out

Part four

Hinawa and fem reader

Masterlist here

The one with ✨ another song! ✨ And nurse 👨‍⚕️Hinawa!

I’m like that monkey at a type writer that people always say “even a monkey could write that” that’s how I feel with this lol but I like it anyway 😜

You wake up before him, slowly coming to consciousness as the sun shines into the window, your eyes flutter open and immediately look over to him, taking in his messy bed hair and calm face, a hand on his chest and one on his stomach. You watch him until you see him start to stir, then you take a deep breath and sit up, stretching out your arms and groaning at the pain and stiff muscles from your injury.

“Good morning sleepy head” you say when he sits up, he smiles “good morning” you smile at his morning voice, so low and raspy. “How do you feel?” he asks and you shrug “as good as i can post surgery with a stab wound. I don’t like that you were so overworked, but I’m glad I don't have to be here alone” he yawns and then smiles softly at you, his eyes still full of sleep as he gazes over at you “well, honestly, even if I didn’t have to be here, I still would come and stay by you if i knew you didn’t want to be alone.” you raise your eyebrows with a smile “you’d do that for me?” he nods and sighs, a soft sound containing all he feels about waking up and seeing you in the morning, makes him wish he stayed beside you when he slept in your bed. “of course i would. You’re important to me” he says softly and before you could discuss that any further nurses came through the door.

After their tests they tell you that Hinawa can be discharged and that you could as well if you promised to be on bed rest with minimal office duties for the next few months until you’re fully healed. You decided to take that offer because there was no way in hell you’d sleep in this bed another night, they gave you some as needed pain medication and a prescription for another month, with an appointment to get your stitches taken out in two weeks.

Back at the base you head towards the Captain’s office but Hinawa stops you “you heard them. you should go rest. I’ll tell Captain Obi” you’re about to insist you’re fine but he shakes his head, holding out your medication he was carrying “go, take some of your medication and rest” he orders and gently shoves you in the direction of your room and you huff before sticking your tongue out at him as you walk away, keeping your right arm against your middle so you didn’t move your stitches.

You stop by the kitchen to get some water and run into Maki, “oh Y/N you’re finally back! How are you?” “it’ll take more than a little knife to take me out” you say and laugh gently as you get yourself a glass of water “how long will you be out?” you take one of your pills before you say “a couple months, i hope less though” she nods “you should go rest but it’s my turn for dinner so it’ll be done in a few hours” you nod “okay thank you, see you later”

When you make it back to your room you lay down, the short walk strangely exhausting, you find yourself panting, your side hurting. “Okay, i’ll just lay here until my meds kick in, then i’ll get up” you close your eyes, trying to distract you from the throbbing pain, focusing on evening out your breaths, you didn’t notice when the meds kicked in because you were already asleep.

When you wake up again it’s dark outside, your clock’s lights reading 12:23am, you lay there for a moment, considering going back to sleep but your stomach rumbles and you groan, having missed all meals today you were starving. You slowly roll out of bed, the familiar walk taking longer because of your baby steps.

He was worried when you didn’t come to dinner, but he figured you were sleeping when your door was quiet, and figured he would make you a good breakfast in the morning. He woke up to your singing again, your voice from the kitchen vents

“It's nothing, it's so normal you You just stand there, I could say so much But I don't go there 'cause I don't want to I was thinking if you were lonely Maybe we could leave here and no one would know At least not to the point that we would think so”

He pushes off his blanket and quickly makes his way to the kitchen.

The lights are on this time, illuminating the hallway from the open door “And I couldn't tell, if anyone here was feeling the way I do But I'm lonely now, and I don't know how To get it back to good”

he walks in and smiles at the sight of you singing softly, heating up some of dinner with a metal bowl with your hands on either side, using your fire instead of the microwave. “Hey” he says and you look up at him from the counter you had used a chair to be able to sit on top of, “hey are you hungry?” you ask and he shrugs “i could eat” you laugh “perfect, I already have enough for you here”

You convince him to eat on the couch since you were injured, and he carries both of your bowls as you walk, he tells you everything you missed during the later afternoon and evening, the fights over dinner and the new information about the white clad. Once you’re sitting on the couch, he hands you your bowl and you smile up at him warmly “thank you Hinawa” he nods and sits next to you, his thigh pressed into yours leaving no space between you. He was warm and it was comforting, you found yourself leaning into him but didn’t care enough to stop, you were injured and medicated and needed some comfort from him

You eat in silence and when you are just thinking about how you needed a drink, Hinawa hands you a bottle of water. you didn’t question it, just took it with a smile. After you were done eating, you leaned your head against his shoulder and closed your eyes “when I was younger, I used to help out on my grandma’s farm in the Chinese peninsula. well one day i was messing around while working, completly goofing off, and slipped in some mud while carrying these 5 gallon buckets full of water with lids on them. i slipped and landed on the very edge of the lid. The edge went right between two of my ribs and cracked them. What was the worst was that one of the farm workers saw it happen and came to ask me if i was okay and I just popped up and pretended i was fine, i said “at least i didn’t spill the water!” and laughed And he gave me this like” you raise your head and look at him with a super worried face, causing him to chuckle “and he said ‘no sweetheart,who cares about the water. Are YOU okay?” you chuckle, the medication making your ribs only slightly ache, “I didn’t even find out my ribs were hurt until later, showing my grandma my bruises that night, it hurt to laugh for two weeks or so” you lean your head against his shoulder “you must have been a really tough kid” you smile and nod “I guess I was, but the actual reason why I told you this story,” you frown and bring your hand up, grabbing his shirt sleeve gently and turn your face further into his arm, your voice more muffled now “ this injury is going to take longer to heal than that one, which means less time I can laugh. And I love joking around with you every day, love that you make me laugh easily, I don’t want to have to miss out on that for a long time” he chuckles and lifts his arm, wrapping it around your shoulders and gently holds you a little closer “i’m sorry you wont get my amazing jokes for the next little while” you lean up and point at him “you have to keep telling me things! No! Don't stop. I will just control myself!” he smiles and you get a little embarrassed by your outburst “please, dont stop telling me funny things. Okay?” you whisper and he nods “okay, but if you hurt yourself and laugh i will stop right then” you nod quickly “deal! No going back on it!”

He laughs some more and you lean back into him, a smile on your face as you try and hold in a groan, pain shooting in your side from your wound, hoping to get away with it until Hinawa tenses, scooting forward and looking at your side with a worried face, thats when you notice the blood on his side and you gasp, looking down at yourself and seeing the blood spot against your white shirt “you might have ripped a stitch” he says and you sigh “fuck. Can you help me? I can't quite..” you hold your hands up and try to reach it to showing him how awkward it is, he nods “i’ll meet you in the bathroom for the better light after i put the dishes away i’ll grab the first aid kit and be right there” you nod and stand, wincing with the movement, thankfully Hinawa wasn’t looking and you sighed in relief. When you look up to himhe looks straight into your eyes “i saw that” he says and then laughs at your look “i’m not going to lecture you this time though, not unless you do this again” you nod and salute weakly “yes sir” he shakes his head and holds the two bowls stacked in one hand, his other resting on your lower back as you walk down the hall together, not moving it until you pass the kitchen and he leaves you to continue your slow shuffle by yourself.

You reach the bathroom and manage to maneuver your way up onto the counter top and once you do you look to the doorway and see him standing there, an amused smile on his lips “did you..?” he laughs “yeah, the whole thing. Im impressed with how determined you were, i could have just lifted you if you waited” you sigh and he comes over to you holding the first aid kit and an extra shirt

He looks at you for a few moments, you look back into his eyes without speaking, like you were lost in his beautiful golden orbs, until you realized he can’t help you with your shirt still on. You blush and look down before you use your arm on your good side to lift the bottom up over your head before pulling it down your other arm and holding it in your lap as you avoid eye contact now, suddenly feeling very self conscious.

He watches as you take off your shirt, the tips of his ears turning pink because of how soft your skin looks, of how gorgeous you are. He watches as you blush and shrink into yourself, watching the physical response of your self consciousness. “Hey” he says softly and you hum in question without looking up at him. He reaches out and with his first three fingers, gently tilts your head to look at him.

“Let’s fix you up okay? Don’t worry I wont hurt you” you smile at his warmth “I trust you Hinawa” he nods “good” he drops his hand and then washes them in the sink next to you before opening the first aid kit and slowly peeling off the bandage stuck to your skin with tape.

He dabs at your would gently with a wet washcloth as you hold your arm up, clutching your opposite shoulder so it’s out of his way. “it’s not bad, you won't have to go back to the doctor, you just need to take it easy and go to bed after i’m done” you smile as you study his face while he looks at your stab wound. He dabs it with peroxide, then puts on some neosporin so it won't stick to the gauze he places over it and then another bandage that he wraps around your middle instead of taping it to you.

“Is this too tight?” he asks and you shake your head “no, it’s perfect. Thank you for your help.” he nods “of course, here, i brought you a shirt” he hands you one of his extra black shirts and you thank him before taking it and trying to put it on. He watches as you struggle for a moment before reaching out, helping you unfold it and slip it up over your bad arm and then holds it as you slip your other arm through it, gently sliding the soft material down all the way, his fingers brushing across the skin on your back.

Once you brush your teeth and make sure you have everything you need, you lay in bed, him helping you get situated in silence. You watch him, a question in your eyes that you’re too embarrassed to ask “Do you want me to stay?” he asks for you and you smile shyly “only if you want to though” he smiles and then looks into your eyes “if i am being honest, I slept the best next to you than i have in the all of my adult years” you beam up at him “then you’re saying you’ll-” he nods “I’ll stay” your heart warms and your stomach floods with butterflies as he climbs into your bed beside you.

Because of your wound you have to lay on your side facing him, a smile on your lips and your eyes looking at his face as he lays beside you “you can’t sleep unless you shut your eyes” he says with a smirk, his eyes never opening. You reach out and grab his side, pulling yourself as close to him as you can and moving down just a little before you bury your face in his chest, he chuckles and watches you, waiting until you're comfortable before he gently wraps his arm over you.

“Tell me a story?” you ask and he sighs with a smile into your hair “real or fake?” he asks and you smile into his chest “you decide” he hums as he thinks “okay, ill tell you the story and at the end you can guess if you think it’s fake or real” he thinks for a moment before kissing the top of your head and beginning his story, his hand coming up to play with your hair that’s on the bed behind you

“There once was a prince of a small kingdom, he was handsome, intelligent, and level headed. One day the prince’s best friend was poisoned by a neighboring kingdom that was trying to start a war. The prince vowed then and there that he would never allow himself to care for another person again, never wanting to feel the same pain and grief again. He lived like this for many years, keeping his heart guarded, thinking he was doing the right thing” you were trying so hard to pay attention, forcing yourself to stay awake for this, it felt important. But the sound of his voice, the smell of him, and the warmth of him holding you, that fights to pull you to sleep.

“One day the prince met a princess, she came to stay at his kingdom and they became friends, laughing and joking with each other every day, she was the only one in the kingdom who seemed to understand everything about him without even trying. She easily walked into his heart and made it her home, walking through each wall and barrier like it was nothing, like it was her purpose to make him feel again. The only one who made feelings joyous instead of exhausting. She saw every hidden part of the Prince and made him feel worthy, she showed him how nice it is to have someone close to him who understands and doesn't make him feel guilty about where he lacks. The door in his heart opened for her like she had the only key.” you smile, thinking about how lovely the princess sounds. He swallows hard and his hand stills, strands of your hair twisted gently around each finger.

“The Prince fell in love with the Princess easily, even though he hadn’t felt the feeling for years she easily claimed all of his love as her own. She would sing to him, call him to her with her angelic voice. She made him laugh easily and not to mention she was an amazing person. She is kind, smart, and the prince is positive she is made of everything sweet and good. One day the princess got hurt.” Your fingers clutch his shirt gently as you whisper “oh no” he chuckles and kisses the top of your head before continuing “She got hurt and the Prince couldn't protect her. He felt terrible about it even though there wasn’t anything he could have done in the moment, he was tied up at the time. There was nothing he hated more than seeing her hurt and wished he could save her from it, but since he couldn’t, he would do anything he could to help her as she recovered. staying by her side and protecting her until she was strong again, until she was back to being able to protect herself. then he would go back to being her partner, and not just her nurse and guard.” You sigh and turn your face so your cheek presses against his chest “I like the prince” you whisper and he smiles

“Real or fake?” he asks and you hum into his chest, too far asleep to truly answer. You hum again and try to wake yourself up more but your mouth doesnt say what your brain tells it, it just mumbles out “my.. prince” before taking a deep breath and sighing into his chest, completely unconscious.

He wakes up with a start, panic in his heart from a dream he can’t remember. He looks down at you in his arms, a smile on your sweet sleeping face. You looked like an angel in his arms, the sun on the horizon hitting your window illuminated the back of you like a halo. He tried to move, to get comfortable again, but your unconscious hand gripped his shirt, and his heart. He was frozen to the spot, his heart racing thinking he woke you up, he waited a moment before looking down at you again.

“Maybe, if this happens again, we could sleep in your bed. It’s bigger than mine right?” you say and snuggle further into him, making sure you don't hurt yourself anymore, your wound was already throbbing and you didn't want to make it worse until you had to get up. He chuckles and kisses the top of your head “right” he clears his throat, the sun rising waking him up more, “you’d want to, do this again? Sleep beside each other?” you look up then, opening your eyes purposefully to look into his, “Hinawa” you reach up to cup his cheek “why wouldn’t i? You keep me safe. Do you think that these have just been coincidences? That it was just because you happened to be here?” you pull your hand down and furrow your brows “unless you don’t like mmm--“ you stop and change your sentence “ You don't want to. Then I mean yeah of course whatever you want I don’t want to make you uncomfortable” he smooths out your brows gently with his finger and he chuckles softly “shhh shh it’s not like that” he gently wraps his arm around you and holds you to his chest, his hand gentle against the back of your head.

A knock sounds at your door followed by Maki’s voice “sorry to wake you y/n but we have an emergency meeting in 5” you tense, knowing it must be big if they’re waking everyone “thank you Maki” when her footsteps retreat is when Hinawa lets you go, he looks into your eyes, he was sad you had to part so soon but he knew it must be important. “We’ll talk later” you smile softly and nod as he gets up softly and helps you out of bed so you didn't hurt yourself. At your door he cups your cheek with a smile before silently slipping out your door.

[in-a-trans-like-state]

so my xmas is pretty much over. it was ok 

under the cut is just me giving a blow by blow of my day trying to figure out my emotions. 

the morning was nice though i had problems sleeping and woke up about 2 to go back to sleep at 6 to get up at 8 and be tired all day. 

I made bacon and raspberry pancakes for my family’s brekkie and we opened presents over food. my dad decided it was a great time to collect all the food and cutlery he wanted from upstairs and take it downstairs (his abode since my parents have spilt up) He wasn't too much of an arsehole though he really could have waited till i’d finished in the kitchen to rummage around it trying to find the last bowl of a set ( that turned out to be downstairs anyway) 

We went to my great uncles for lunch. I don’t like having xmas at his much cos he never really comes to family gatherings so he feels more like a stranger than anything. Plus he and his wife are loaded and they invite their rich friends over and i did not feel like talking to people i didnt know. Especially load drunk ones who are the embodiment of the “what could a banana cost? $10?” meme lady. (OK i dont actually know how rich they are but they live in a very nice suburb in a big house with way too much wine and it makes my working class leftist self cringe.) I much prefer to have christmas at my grandma’s run down place that creaks and the kitchen floor slopes because its the uncut bedrock the house it built on, and the only new people i have to deal with are my cousin’s new boyfriends.  

One guy was extremely extroverted and drunk and he was very cringe worthy. Like shut! up! you are embarrassing yourself! and your daughters! He cornered me said he remembered me from when i was little and made comments about how I’d changed, he actually bought up the gender thing which like everyone else was stepping around. 

My great aunt made comments about how much happier i am and how she was glad i’d followed my stars. Like thanks? But also I transitioned nearly 3 years ago?? Have you not spoken to me since then? (probably) Talking to the drunk guy was awkward but it was over pretty quick and i ran back to my mum. 

The food was good. I liked the ham and smoked salmon. there was prawns which stunk and made me feel vaugely sick for the rest of the day. as well as my dad’s smoked chicken. Idk what it is about it but when ever he makes it it tastes slightly off to me. Probably cos im not used to it. There much have been 20 bottles of wine on the table. Like ?? You don’t need a bottle of red and white for every person present. 

My dad opted to go home with my aunt and granny so he could stay and bitch longer. He is an alcoholic.  I always thought I was maybe exaggerating when i said that but mum recently told me that he has attended AA meeting in the past. Apparently when they last separated about 9 years ago he was sober for a couple of months. but then said something like “my life isnt worth living without alcohol.” Which does make me feel a little sorry for him, but also he is such an arsehole when he is drunk, like he can be bad when his sober but drunk him is a nightmare and 100% why mum’s separating form him (for good this time) 

Like mum was so worried during the lead up to xmas because what if he gets drunk and starts complaining loudly about her at the family lunch? And she cant leave cos there’s only one car? Or worse (?) he waits til we get home before (verbally) laying into her and us. I wasnt home but my sister got into uni the other day and instead of congratulating her dad made a big fuss cos no one had told him. I cant wait til mum has her own place. Where she (and me and my sisters) dont have to fear him stomping up the stairs to yell at us. I always tell my self that he’s probably not abusive. Like he is a negative toxic person (mum calls him draining) but he doesnt beat us or emotionally manipulate us on purpose. But honestly whats the difference? I wouldn’t be exaggerating too much by calling him abusive. 

I suppose the difference is that I’m (unlikely) to get PTSD from him? And i feel that it wasn’t as bad as some people have it so am I offending actual victims by calling him abusive? But also as theres no way I’m going to start talking over abuse victims and saying shit like I survived my dad with minimal damage that therefore their stories are invalid that calling him abusive or nearly abusive just puts another blip of the spectrum of this is what abuse can look like. If that makes sense? Fuck this was meant to be a christmas post and now its been derailed. 

Anyway I hope one of them sobered up enough to drive. Because drunk driving is a dick move and also I’m slightly worried that they’re dead. My anxiety is always going people are late? They had a car crash there’re dead. I know not to fixtate on it and just go well its possible but also quite unlikely so stfu brain. 

I spent way too much time on my phone trying to ignore people so now i have a headache. I didnt get to drink because I was designated driver so at least I’m not hungover but I was so tired I nearly feel asleep at the wheel. I came home and slept for two hours straight. 

I’ve changed my sheets which ive been meaning to do for a week now, and had coco pops (thanks santa!) for dinner. I need to have a shower and eat some fruit. Hopefully I’ll be able to sleep because we’ve got to get up again tomorrow and go to my granny’s for present opening. because for some reason we couldn’t do it at my great uncles? Like not that I’m complaining about seeing the family again its just very time consuming and I’ve got work tomorrow afternoon so my whole day will be on a time limit and therefor stressful. 

I feel pretty down though. its probably the headache. Maybe its the fact i didnt get presents from extended family so my inner four year old is sad. Maybe its the weather it was quite cold today. Maybe I’m all socalised out. 

I think its partly cos im disappointed in myself for not engaging with people more. Even though I was tired and therefore socialising is undesirable and they were drunk and too loud. I’m also slightly pissed off at having to go to my great uncles. But also the reason we went is cos he had cancer this year so I also feel like a massive jerk for not wanting to go to his place. 

So all in all the day could have gone better. But also it was ok. Like I’ve long since accepted that the whole of christmas day cant be 24 hours of magical this is a special day feeling. Maybe thats an adult sign or maybe its depression (xmas is less and less fun as you grow up) either way I suppose it could have been a more special day. But also it doesnt really matter and hopefully i’ll feel better tomorrow  

[mirkwoodshewolf]

Prayers answered; Loki x sick reader

This request came off of my Wattpad and there’s not really any warnings unless you dont like to read about any sickness like flu or just the common cold. Don’t worry there’s nothing mentioned about serious diseases just minor flu so no need to worry. 

Taglist:

@evyiione

__________________________________________________

Great. This is just freakin great.  I knew I shouldn’t have gotten near (bff’s/n) when she said she had the flu at school last week, now I’ve got it.  And the worst part of it all is that next week is finals week and I can barely study with my head feeling like it’s being pounded by a drum, and my stomach twisting and churning like a tidal wave during a hurricane, and to top it all off no matter what I eat, I always end up—upchucking it.

Currently now both of my parents are at work leaving me alone in the house laying on my bed feeling absolutely miserable.

“God why did I have to get sick now? I should be studying for my finals, if I don’t pass (least favorite class) final I’ll get an F for the entire year, and I’ve barely been good at it as it is. I wish someone would come down and help cure this flu for me, I’ve gotta study”.  I soon turn to my dresser and took the medicine that my mom left for me to take at around 9 which it was now according to my clock. I poured the disgusting liquid into the measuring cup and quickly downed it into my mouth and swallowed it then shuddered and tried to fight off the urge to throw-up.

I then fell backwards against my fluffy pillows and prayed silently to myself.

“If anyone can hear me, please make this flu go away. I can’t take this anymore. Please, please, please, please—help me”. Soon I fell asleep due to the drowsiness that the medicine says that could cause the patient who drinks it.

Next thing I knew, I felt a cool cloth softly dabbing my sweaty warm face. I moaned quietly and croaked out.

“Mom?”

“Shhh, it’s alright. I heard your prayers my dear and now I’m here to look after you”. My dazed and sick (NO NOT THAT KIND OF SICK YOU PERVS lol) didn’t question at the time so I just continued to rest until I fell back asleep, unaware that a famous Norse God was the one dabbing my face with the cloth.  When I awoke, I took notice that I was alone in my room but I could hear something downstairs like someone was here but my mom said she’d be back at around 3 and my dad’s working overtime tonight so……

Who’s in my house?

I quietly got out of my bed and grabbed a nearby weapon (insert random funny object ex. Hairbrush or toilet plunger) and walked down the stairs slowly and when I reached close to the bottom and could see the shadow of a man walking around my kitchen. I took a deep and quiet breath in and jumped down the last step and rounded towards my kitchen and exclaimed as strongly as a sick girl could do.

“Freeze! I’ve got a weapon and I ain’t afraid to use it! Turn around slowly and explain why you’re here!?” The man’s hands raised up slowly as he said.

“I thought you were supposed to be sleeping with how sick you are, and as for who I am, I think you can deduce that all on your own”. I then took a look at his clothes. Green and black with a hint of gold around the edges, shoulder length black hair and from his hands that were raised up this guy probably hadn’t seen the sun in who knows how long.

Wait a second……….

Oh. My. God. It’s—it’s……It can’t be. 

He then slowly turned around and my mind completely blew up as standing before me was none other than Loki, the God of Mischief. 

“Wha…But….That’s—that’s—this is impossible. You’re—you’re not real. You’re just a….. This is a dream, yeah this has to be a dream made up by my own delusional fangirl sick mind yeah, yeah. That what this is a dream, I mean why else would Loki be here in my house knowing how to work an oven making uhh—what is that?”

“Chicken soup” He answered.

“Right, right—right”. I felt faint and felt myself starting to fall backwards but I was soon caught in Loki’s arms and he told me.

“Easy now, easy”.

“But—but how?”

“Let’s not get into that for right now, what matters now is that I’m here and I shall help you get better”. He then picked me up bridal style and set me down on the couch and covered me up with the blanket hanging over the couch and made sure I was comfortably lying down before he turned back into the kitchen to get me my chicken soup.

When he came back I said to him.

“It smells good but I’m just gonna tell you now that it probably won’t stay down for long”.

“Well you still need to eat in order to get your strength up, besides I put a spell on it—”

“Okay now I know I’m not eating it, who knows what you spell you did to it”.

“It’s nothing bad I assure you, it’ll help keep it down, please (y/n) you have to eat something to give you strength, how else are you gonna get better to study for your finals”. I groaned and knowing how desperate I was to pass my finals I reached out for the soup but Loki took it away from me and said again, “you just take it easy for now, I’ll feed you”.

Oh you have got to be kidding me? I am not a baby anymore and I can feed myself.

“I know you can, but just allow me to take care of you, just like you asked me to”.  I blushed forgetting that with him being a master of magic he could also read minds. In the end I allowed him to feed me the chicken soup.

As I took a small sip of the first bite, my tongue suddenly came alive. I had never tasted chicken soup this good before in my entire life.

“I take by the way your moaning and smiling that it’s good?”

“God this—this is the best soup I’ve ever had, thanks Loki, and hey I’m not even feeling the urge to puke it up”. He chuckled softly and continued to feed me more of the soup from Valhalla.

After my lunch, Loki handed me a bottle of water to keep me hydrated and I was more than thankful for all that he’s done for me. I set the water down on the table next to the couch just as Loki sat down and allowed my head to rest in his lap.

“How are you feeling now my dear?”

“Well my stomach is easing up, but my head is still spinning like a top, that and I feel like my fevers back up. Can’t you just use your magic to poof my flu away?”

“I’m afraid I can’t little one, the Midgardian body is a complex thing that even with magic there could be a price to pay should I just ‘poof the flu away’ as you said. All I can do is just use Midgardian remedies to help make you feel better”.

“Oh man, but that’ll take forever and by that time I won’t have enough time to study before my finals which means I’ll fail all my exams which will make my parents mad and—”

“Shhhh, shhh, shh. Calm down, stressing and worrying will only make you feel worse. Don’t worry about that for now, just focus on one thing, taking care of yourself. Don’t make yourself anymore sicker than you already are. Just relax and take this one step at a time”. Loki soothed me as he stroked my hair gingerly. I leaned against him and said.

“You’re right, I’m sorry”.

“There’s no need for apologizes”. He then placed his hand against my forehead and his cool skin eased my fever. I moaned softly and leaned towards his hand and allowed him to be my own ice pack.

“Thank you Loki, for everything”.

“It was my pleasure, I always take care of what’s mine”. Soon my eyes shut and I once again fell into the embrace of sleep.

“(Y/n)? (Y/n) wake up”. I opened my eyes to see my mom kneeling beside me and she asked me, “sweetie did you decide to come down here and sleep on the couch?” I looked up to see that Loki was gone, absolutely no trace of him. I quickly got up and when I went into the kitchen the pot that Loki used to make the chicken soup was gone as well.

“Was it—all a dream?”

“(Y/n), you okay sweetie?”

“Yeah mom I’m—I’m fine, think I’ll just head back upstairs”.

“Okay, I’ll make you some warm soup be up there in a minute”. As I went to my room I began to question if it all was just a dream but when I looked up I saw a green rose on my bed with a note tied around it and a small box on my pillow. I went up and read the note.

My dearest (y/n),

By the time you read this I will be gone. You may be thinking that it was all a dream created by your sick mind by now, well I’m here to tell you it wasn’t.

I was there taking care of you the whole time, and I always be there whenever you need me. This rose here has been enchanted, it will never wither away and will always be a reminder of me. As for what’s in the box, inside is a necklace fit for a queen. It is connected to me through your life force as soon as you put it on. It will alert me whether you are in danger or just need me to be there for you.

Remember to get plenty of rest, keep yourself hydrated, and don’t stress about your finals. You will soon get better and will ace your finals like I know you always have. And should you ever need me again, just touch the necklace and pray to me and I will be there for you.

-Loki

I smiled then took the box and opened it and inside I saw a beautiful golden necklace with a green stone. I took the necklace out and put it on and I could almost feel like Loki was here with me. I laid down in my bed and sighed lovingly as I held the necklace and again it felt like Loki was there right by my side watching over me as I slept.

[sapphirescales]

LILY!!! do you have skincare tips? i've got oily skin and i'm looking for things i can do when my Depression makes it hard to maintain a routine :(

UMMMM well idk like,,, my skin isnt all that great either esp when The Stress hits but i’ll jot down some stuff tht i can think of, but i’ll preface it w my skin is combination skin -- i’ve got a rly oily t-zone and then the rest of my face (esp my cheeks) are a little dry so i guess my skin tends to be more oily than anything, and my skin is SUPER SENSITIVE, but anyway

for facewashes and face creams: use gel stuff instead of foam or cream stuff! i switched my foam cleanser for a gel cleanser, and my moisturiser cream for a moisturiser gel and it helped so much. gel stuff tends to be a lil bit more expensive but it’s worth it imho. also try and get stuff which are parabens-free, bc stuff w parabens in it usually makes my acne go Mad. some stuff i’ve used/stuff i know about: sugar’s cucumber face wash gel, clinelle’s hydracalm facewash gel & hydracalm moisturiser, st ives’ green tea cleanser, origins’ make a difference plus+ rejuvenating cream (a gel moisturiser & a lil high-end aka super pricet), the face shop’s jeju aloe gel (there’s a huge tub sold here for like rm22 something something and honestly aloe gel is so cooling and soothing). i’ve also heard some really great stuff about origins’ oil cleanser (and oil cleansers in general) but i haven’t used it personally.

get urself a good toner! again, try and stay away from parabens-containing products but investing in a good toner will help your products sink in better and also help with regards to oil control. i’m using origins’ mega-bright skin illuminating treatment lotion, from their dr andrew weil line, and idk of many toners that are parabens free, so if you know any feel free 2 add to the comments i guess

your diet tends to reflect on your face. i dont eat v healthy tbh but i find that if i take a lot of dairy products, my acne tends to get worse. try and see if there are similar food products for you -- i know my cousins have issues with lots of processed food. not to say Cut It Out Entirely but reducing/cutting back can really help. my skin is also v v oily if i don’t drink enough water and get in enough greens, so i try to do that as often as i can. keep some water next to where you’re working or using your laptop, use a cool mason jar or water bottle or sippy cup or WHATEVER tbh as long as it makes you actually drink water and keep yourself hydrated

use a nice scrub or an alternative to a scrub: i use st ives’ green tea scrub (which is also parabens free and v affordable imo) and i also bought a tiny lil silicone sponge from watson’s which is like rm22 or something? and i use that with my gel cleanser. but the goal is to really gently exfoliate your skin without irritating it or drying it out. bc the sponge is made of silicone, it lasts FOREVER as well and you’ll see a difference in the texture of your skin in no time. making sure less dead cells are on your skin also helps w my oil production idk why??? but it Does so sdlfkj

face care with make-up is so, so important. use a primer or a pore filler before you put on make-up -- not only will it help your make-up stay on for longer but it also stops make-up getting INTO your pores and making your skin situation worse. afterwards, i usually wipe off my make-up with a (i know u guys are sick of this by now) parabens-free or a really gentle make-up wipe (like one from simple), and then i go back in with micellar water or baby oil in order to really clear out my pores. i use a quick scrub, tone and moisturise. wearing make-up often makes my skin oilier sometimes bc my make-up (which is mattifying bc oily t-zone) dries my skin out and then makes it overproduce oil again later, so if i don’t gotta use make-up, i try not to / minimise how much make-up i use (e.g. just using it for under-eye concealing or concealing acne scars/major acne)

on that note, if you don’t gotta use a cleanser, don’t? like i know most ppl are gonna scream but honestly if you were just at home all day and didn’t go anywhere or do anything to your skin, just splash on some micellar water to clear off the products off your skin from the day before/last night and you’re going to be fine??? super easy, zero fuss.

also, if youre wearing make-up, and youve got oily skin/oily areas, youre gonna have to be a lil aware sometimes and like. dab at your face w a sponge or a tissue v gently to wipe off the oil. setting your face with a powder really helps, and you don’t ACTUALLY need to put the same amount of make-up and foundation over your whole face. so, for e.g., my nose doesn’t need as much coverage and its Super Oily, so i don’t apply as much product there compared to like my forehead or my cheeks (where my acne scarring is most prominent), which really helps. if you have a good foundation and powder that closely matches your skintone and your undertone, you can probably get away w this a lot easier. 

CHANGE YOUR MAKE-UP BRUSHES AND SPONGES OFTEN! like please. PLEASE. i know we all Love to build up and are Lazy As Hell but then maybe invest in some disposable sponges or something bc for the sake of hygiene. please.

USE SUNSCREEN. idc if youre lightskinned or darkskinned, USE SUNSCREEN. even if youre medium-dark skinned, youre not gonna be immune to skin cancer. harsh sunlight also makes your skintone uneven and usually makes my skin overproduce oil. i really like biore’s sunscream stuff bc it’s very light, there’s a non-scented option and it also doubles as a make-up base (they have a few so you gotta have a look through). 

FACE MASKS! i also struggle w The Depression and its really tough for me to maintain an immaculate skincare routine, so rather than investing in like 16 tubs of facemasks i have 1 tube of clay mask (mine is from origins bc i bought this a Long While Ago while i still had money, but any clay mask is good!) and then i bought a WHOLE BUNCH of sheet face masks from the face shop because ... you guessed it ... they’re parabens free! and super cheap! using a hot compress before the mask helps bc your pores open up! i usually make myself a nice mug of tea and switch my a/c on and then slap that facemask on and do some replies. but try and do a facemask at least once every two weeks. i use mine once a week to once every two weeks, depending on how bad my depression is. target the facemask you choose to the particular problems your skin has; mine are usually hydrating facemasks (bc hydration!!! and really hydrating your skin goes a LONG WAY wrt to oil control) but i also have a few firming and brightening ones bc my skin can feel a little dull sometimes. ALSO, clay masks get a Lot Of Shit so i’m gonna just tell you quickly -- YES, they do make your skin break out the first few times you use it, but over time, it will REALLY HELP trust me! your pores? minimised. your skin? clear and glowing. your oil? controlled. if your skin is super sensitive and does not react well to store-bought masks, feel free to make some of your own natural ones! i really love making a maduka honey mask -- if you add sugar to it, it becomes a mask that also doubles as a scrub. a natural yoghurt mask is also a BLESSING and adding some oats to it also makes it double as a scrub. you could use natural aloe or use tomatoes and throw some sugar in them. PLEASE DON’T USE COCONUT OIL AS A MASK IT WILL CLOG YOUR PORES!!! don’t use masks that hurt bc you peel them etc because i always find tht it makes my skin immediately produce way more oil than it needs to compensate or smth lmao so NO to charcoal masks and stuff like that.

try and use something different for day and night. super tough esp if youre (like me) super lazy to do shit but during the day, i usually use an aloe vera gel moisturiser and, at night, i use bio oil to hydrate, minimise pores and also help with acne scarring, and tea tree oil gel to target acne-prone areas on my face and help combat acne before it starts up. find something that works for you!!!

a lot of skincare is trial and error, trying to find what works for YOU personally might not be something that works for others; i rarely get cystic acne, for example, so my skincare routine doesn’t really target that and so some parts might not work as well for people who do have cystic acne (esp since i often hear that clay masks really fuck up ppl who have cystic acne which makes sense bc in the beginning clay masks make acne worse before it gets better). try some stuff out and see what works for you after a month or so of a trial period.

skincare takes time! i don’t mean in the obvious way like you need to take time out of your day to do stuff, but i mean, it takes TIME for the results to show. you’ll have to do stuff now bc it’ll pay off later. it’ll be rough when you’re trying new stuff in the beginning but it might work out for you over a longer period of time. don’t switch products and stuff TOO OFTEN bc it’ll screw up your skin more.

it’s okay if you miss things or don’t do your routine every single day or just Can’t. it’s okay. it’s just skin care, and skipping a day or two won’t really make A Huge Difference. you can continue tomorrow. 

i hope some of this helps? idk this is just what’s worked for me over the years but yeah. feel free 2 add comments as necessary. :*

[wendyimmiller]

Gardening When You Really Don’t Wanna

The most dreaded thing I’ve ever had to face was to be dragged along while my mom took my sisters shopping. Any time this happened, it was beyond awful. A purgatory of boredom and sadness that could last anywhere from endless to eternal.

Picture it this way: I’m an otherwise happy, well-adjusted 5-8 year old boy, but I’m being held hostage in a cavern of clothes racks at some store for the 6th or 7th hour and my arm is being held straight up above my head. All the blood it ever contained has drained from it hours ago, my wrist is gripped white-knuckled tight by an unbelievably strong, terrifyingly frustrated, and appallingly unsympathetic mother, and she is yanking my arm right and left to emphasize each and every syllable–my whole body violently following each yank–from some variation of a sentence that starts with “Mister, you had…” and ends with …”something to cry about.”

Any expedition to go buy clothes was like this. Totally unendurable. But the worst of the worst death marches were treks for Easter outfits. Worse than that? Shoes. Easter outfits? I want to cry right now just thinking about it. What absolute zero is to physics about describes the absolute misery caused by Easter shopping. But, somehow, shopping for shoes was even worse.

There is no telling the amount of pain that went into making this photograph possible.

If I remember right, the main issue with shoes was that one of my sisters had skinny little feet and, for her, there were always several choices of adorably cute shoes. Amazing how much time could leave the universe while deciding exactly which pair, but at the end of the day she went home with nice shoes. On the other hand, my other sister had wide feet and needed “corrective” shoes. This was the double whammy of terrible luck for her and me. The best she ever found were shoes that nuns wouldn’t even wear. Me? A fate that consigned me to dangle from one arm in store after store after store as my mother led us all–wild in sorrow–in an ever widening migration of despair, shoe store to shoe store in what we all knew was a vain pursuit of a cute pair of wide “corrective” shoes.

The sound of this misery–moaning, whining, complaining, crying, and my mother’s hissing, cursing attempts to make it stop–steadily built to a crescendo of unhappiness that–thinking about it–NASA should have recorded and then perpetually beamed into space so as to deter hostile aliens from having any interest in our planet.

Anyway, this is how I spent somewhere around a quarter of my childhood.

And this same level of misery about describes a quarter of my gardening chores. That’s right. Gardening ain’t all wine and roses. You see, I’m not in it for the motions. I don’t garden because I like to push a mower around the yard in a certain pattern. I never have a hankering to go turn a compost heap, or haul brush to the woods, or spread 15-20 yards of mulch. I don’t like trying to figure out why my well-pump isn’t working, and it’s been a very long time since I found anything compelling about digging a hole.

Those activities are merely a means to an end, and the end is a beautiful garden with all the benefits therein: a backyard oasis, a refuge for wildlife, and a safe place to enjoy the sweetest kind of peace on Earth. Bonus credits for a contented wife, adulation from strangers during garden tours, and for a green vegetative kind of privacy that allows open, carefree peeing in the middle of the backyard at any time on any given day during the growing season.

Indeed. All this, not pulling weeds, is why I garden.

And yet even as we speak, here in football season, I have sacks and sacks of bulbs to plant before the ground freezes. It’s been a hard year, I’m kind of gardened out, and no matter how much I try to focus any ESP powers I’ve got, those bulbs just are not going to plant themselves. This, all because I heard Brent Heath speak back in May, got all excited, and placed a big order.

So I will do what I’ve always done: make excuses, put the task off, and try not to think about it too much. And I will do these things for week after week. In certain times when I’m feeling the urgency more greatly, I’ll quietly wish for an injury or a breakdown that will serve as an adequate excuse for failing to get them planted. Eventually however, the day will inevitably come when there’s no room for even one more second of procrastination.

And there I’ll be, on my knees, cold, slimy soil chilling me to my bones, a bitter wind rasping at my face, trying not to smell the dog crap that got on my jeans because it was camouflaged in the leaves, and suffering strange, phantom jerking motions in my right arm. Inside, on TV, The Ohio State Buckeyes are defeating Michigan again. There’s guacamole on the counter. Beer in the fridge. But I’m not inside. I’m outside, and cursing the hell out of that smooth talking Brent Heath.

Another time it’ll be summer. 100 degrees out. And I’ll be cutting down a skanky old crabapple and every single twisty, pokey, gnarly, and ugly branch will have made up its mind to fight me every step of the way. Whatever I want, they’ll want the opposite. They’ll gouge at my eyes. They’ll gash my skin. Nasty, itchy stuff will fall down the back of my shirt. I’ll be sweating, bleeding, and pissed off. There will be no easy angle to position for any single cut. Brush will tangle underfoot. Each of a hundred logs will not stack without a brute force battle of wills, and not one piece of brush will go into the truck and stay there until I’ve discovered–by endless repetition only–the mystical combination of cuss words that will unlock the system. And it’ll suck.

A crabapple displaying full on winter interest in the middle of summer.

Or, it’s mid spring in Ohio and like a complete freakin’ idiot I again jumped the gun and planted out a bunch of tender stuff. I get home from work after dark, it’s 35F and raining, and they’re calling for a hard frost. And, like a damned soul in a Renaissance painting, I’ll inconsolably drag myself outside, and for the next fours hours I will–in fits and starts–construct the world’s twelfth largest shanty town in the backyard from whatever little bits of scrap wood, chunks of rock and rubble, some string, tape, old sheets, blankets, and filthy leftover plastic sheeting I can find in a panicked effort to save a bunch of annuals, tropicals, vegetables, and some expensive fern that Tony Avent said was hardy to Zone 7b, (at least) from a cold, lonely, continental, Z6a, untimely death.

Fun times.

Here’s what follows that: You drag yourself back inside, take a forever long hot shower, down a few shots, and, sitting there as surly as sin, you think really dark and dirty thoughts. Other people aren’t doing this shit. Other people live in condos. They have their thermostats set at “Giant-Ass Carbon Footprint.” So warm they’ve been forced to strip down to teddies and speedos. They’ve over-eaten a fabulous dinner and drank a bottle of wine they don’t even know enough to appreciate. Yep, you were having a cold, wet piece of plastic that smelled mind-blowingly bad whipping back and forth across your face as you, both hands engaged, tried to tack it down over a row of tomato plants, and those condo people were living a bacchanalian existence. And you loathe them.

And, yet, you garden on.

Honestly, I’m mystified. Where does the fortitude come from that gets gardeners outside to suffer through odious tasks under miserable circumstances simply because they need to be done? I don’t know. Really don’t. But I’ve done it. Over and over and over again. And my gardening friends have all done it too. I don’t know, reminds me of something that parents used to toss off at you with a smirk: “Hey, it builds character.” Maybe gardeners have that.

But, I will say this. Winter is long and it dies hard. It rears its ugly head again and again before it’s finally defeated, and there ain’t no better tonic for that than the almost tearful joy a garden full of blooming bulbs brings. They fill the heart, God bless them, combating cold and gray with color and fragrance.

And then comes summer. Hot and humid. Sometimes you just want to run from the house to the car, from the car to the office, and then back again. A/C to A/C. An inside, artificial existence devoid of anything that stokes our human nature. But under a shade tree you’ve tended for years, you can enjoy a tall drink and the hordes of butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds that come to visit that Lantana you saved. And then can pick some of your own tomatoes right from the vine and bring them in for the BLTs you’ll have for supper.

Some other time you’ll find yourself looking at the empty space where a scabby, rusty crabapple once lived, and you will take huge and vicious satisfaction in knowing that it was living its hideous existence and then you sawed it down. It was ugly and now it’s not. It’s gone. And you’re totally responsible. And, yet, you live as a free man. You feel no guilt. Nope. You feel joy. It poked your eyes. It raked your skin. It hurt your back. But all that’s over now. You’ve got a drink, and you’re smiling almost fiendishly as you enjoy the lovely aromas of ribs roasting in its smoldering wood.

You just try not to think too much about the stump you chose not to grub out. Nor that day sometime in the future when you’ll roll in a 400-pound, balled and burlaped, plant du jour that some speaker at some conference got you all excited about. Yeah. Sure enough. That day will come, and it will be woeful. But that’s just how it is. That’s how it’s meant to be. To have this, you gotta do that. And you’d have it no other way.

Gardening When You Really Don’t Wanna originally appeared on GardenRant on September 25, 2019.

from Gardening https://www.gardenrant.com/2019/09/gardening-when-you-really-dont-wanna.html via http://www.rssmix.com/

[jess-oh]

Reflection

I’m pretty tired but I just showered so I’m feeling better now. I do really want to write this before going to sleep tonight.

I’ve been getting a lot better at sleeping earlier and getting everything done much sooner! Working on the first floor is always fun. But, since I don’t stay up as late anymore, I don’t get as much done and I feel like I’m procrastinating. Like if I just stayed up tonight, I could knock my graphic design hw out of the park but then I would be really tired at church tomorrow. And I do want to pay attention and better develop my relationship with God. I actually didn’t get depressed today though, which is gr9. Overal, today was a pretty good day. I hope I’m not just rushing into things tho.

I woke up around 7am but decided to push myself to go back to sleep bc I could and by 9am, I was up and ready to start the day. So I waited about 40min for Sam to rejoin the living before Skyping him. We discussed games and settled on what to do. I was trying really hard not to micromanage and make him do what I want to do and just be okay with his decision. I trust his decision. Also, yknow, if it fails, I can blame it on him since it was his call. But I know I shouldn’t. If the second game fails, I should be the one to take responsibility and figure it out. Not him. Sigh. Anyway, I was a little frustrated this morning bc Rhyarna didn’t wake up in time and Emily and Eliza were taking their sweet time to get ready. But I also didn’t plan it super well so I didn’t say anything. I was partly to blame. I should’ve checked the transportation times before today and told them that we’d be leaving ten minutes earlier instead of 11;30, when the bus would be arriving. So it was really my fault, not theirs. And we were about 8min late but that was okay. The apartment in Hyde Park was super nice and I was surprised to like it so much. I was prepared to just say we were just looking around but they’re actually willing to secure the apartment for us until June 1st which is amazing. After going over utilities, renter’s insurance, and all that jazz, the living expenses aren’t actually too bad! I think I could handle paying for my own utilities along with groceries for a while. And my parents are okay with paying for my rent each month. It really just comes down to Rhyarna. And I know that it’s a process but I really hope she decides soon bc I really want to live there. It would be so much fun living off campus in my own apartment. I’m actually adulting! It’s exciting! And I hope I’m not being too eager! I should probably look for work elsewhere as well bc I won’t be able to work the whole time over the summer since it’s an on campus thing. I would want to but I don’t think any shifts will be available. I sure wish I could tho. I definitely need to start saving money now. It would take me about 13 weeks to reach a thousand dollars if I took out 20% of my paycheck everytime. Which is actually almost the whole semester... And even though we get a lot of money back during the second month, that’s basically all my money for the first two months right there. Well, no. Because my parents would be covering that. And yeah, with that money it would be the admin fee, move in fee, renters insurance, etc. But still, I think I could live off of $1000 for a couple months. Maybe not until October though since we usually have to wait a month before the money starts to roll in...hm.... Usually, groceries are going to cost me ~$60 every couple weeks. I could probably get away with $30 if I really tried to budget. And in that case, I could save more money sooner. I need to be able to last 4 months off of however much money. And if it was just groceries, that’d probably be okay. But I have to think about furniture too which would be a big chunk of it right away. Hm, maybe moving in so early isn’t such a good deal after all. Unless I keep working and find a different job, at least for over the summer while I’m in Chicago? That would definitely help me a lot. Well, I should definitely start saving at least 20% of each paycheck now. and we’ll see if i can find a job over the summer. i would work now but i dont want to overwhelm myself w/ 20hrs at work rn on top of school. i should ease into that if i want to work even more so that i still have time for hw and my church activities. But I think I’ll be okay. Hopefully. I also want to still buy birthday gifts for my friends this year so that may be an issue later on. Even rn, I’m thinking of going back to my sub of the day lifestyle bc i want to get Jeanne&David a gift now but by the time I get paid, it’ll be too late. So I have to use the money I have rn. Imma be broke, real fast. I should’ve taken better care of it. I am taking care of myself a lot more this year but I’m slowly realizing how expensive it is. It makes me almost regret it. 

Anyway, Hyde Park was really nice and all the while, I texted Andrew when I could and it was really nice. He was just venting about Emily and how he’s moving on and I’m really happy for him. It was nice to see him so excited. Or I guess emotional is a better word? He claims to be a really chill guy and he is but I’m also so happy whenever he allows himself to have emotions. To feel anger and frustration and joy and sadness and everything in between. It’s okay to be an emotional person. That’s what makes you human. And I was really glad to be talking with him. And I know I was pretty pessimistic towards Emily in the past but I’m really trying to be more optimistic now and give her the benefit of the doubt instead of always immediately assuming the worst and encouraging Andrew to do the same. By the way, I don’t think I could ever tell him that I liked him in a crush sort of way. It would change everything. And not necessarily bc we’re friends and that’d be weird but bc I discovered that he’s a really emotional person and I don’t want to mess with him like that. That’s just shitty and he doesn’t deserve that. Especially right now. Also, I kind of liked how the other day I was in the middle of typing a message to him but never sent it. It was a good reminder so I purposefully did it again last night. It was something along the lines of, “I’m happy for you and I don’t want to take that away from you so I don’t want to say anything to you.” But when I was so excited to reply to him today, I ended up just deleting that immediately and almost regretted that I didn’t actually write it down. But I am pretty sure that it was along the lines of that so I’m glad that I got to document it somewhere to look back on. 

But after that, we traveled up to Bucktown and were a bit intimidated by the apartment. It was really nice but a little too nice. I don’t think we were ready for it. It even had an upstairs. It straight up felt like a house. It actually had a laundry room and everything. And while the price was doable, I think we were all a bit scared. And plus, the tenants are looking for someone to move in by March 1st anyway which is a bit too early for us so it wouldn’t have worked out anyway. But it was still nice to check out and understand the different neighborhoods a bit better.

After that, Rhyarna and Emily hung out while Eliza and I went back to the dorm. Oh, we also ate at McDonalds and played on a playground after the second apartment. That was actually so much fun just being able to let go and feeling like a kid again. Being unapologetically dumb, haha.

But yeah, Eliza and I went home and she knocked out while I chatted on the phone a bit with my sister and then doing more research into the apartment. Then, we went back out to Hyde Park along with Rhyarna’s roommate and just explored the area. I did feel like I was going out of my way to be witty and funny that night but it was still a fun experience nonetheless. And plus, her roomie actually had a wine opener so I finally opened the bottle and drank with my friends. And then I decided to give the rest to my roommates so that they could take it away from me. Which I think was the right thing to do. But I also wasn’t living the most Christlike today which I do regret. I kept trying to fit in and be cool by cussing and saying I casually drink and using the Lord’s name in vain and I shouldn’t have and I’m sorry. I was definitely aware of what I was doing and saying and how it was wrong but I continued anyway. 

I do want to continue to be more open and accepting of who God is and really embrace that but I’m not there yet. I did pray long and hard about whether or not I should become a member at Lakeview and God gave me multiple signs that I should stay and commit. But at this point in my life, I am still hardcore struggling to rely on Him instead of myself and that makes me feel like I’m not quite ready to make that step yet. But maybe that’s moreso serving next year with Lakeview. And I haven’t really had time to pray about it either which is unfortunate but that’s really my own fault. Aside from not having a great outlet so I can just pray, I also think a part of me is afraid of the answer that God is going to show me. And I honestly don’t know which possibility I’m more scared of. But that’s where I’m at right now. I think I’ll take the forms to church tomorrow and be ready to give them to P. William but who knows if I’ll actually move forward with it. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.

[freecreatorlady-blog]

Warning to Men: These 3 foods will kill your erection faster than you can imagine

This is a sponsored post...

Have you ever found it hard to get into the mood with your partner, or maybe you cannot get yourself up again after just the first round? 

It could be what you just ate

All these embarrassing displays can ruin ones s3x life which have a direct influence on how healthy and happy any relationship can be.A lagging s3x drive and poor erection could be the result of what you’ve been eating. Of course, it’s not always about food.

Poor erection can be attributed to a number of factors, including sociological, psychological, and hormonal influences. Often, antidepressant medications are the culprit. Other times, stress or drug and alcohol abuse can play a role.Click here to discover how to cure Low Libido and Boost Your Erection

Smoking, along with all of its other terrible health effects, can diminish s3xual desire and satisfaction, especially in men.“Smoking has a direct, negative effect on the s3xuality of a man on every level,” says Panayiotis M. Zavos, PhD, Altering bad habits, like smoking and excessive drinking, in order to encourage better overall health, will no doubt be beneficial to your s3xual health as well. Now lets talk about the kinds of food that may be affecting your performance on bed.Now lets talk about the kinds of food that may be affecting your performance on bed.And this may have been the same cause of mine before  I Finally discovered this powerful solution to help me last over 45mins on bed and rock any woman's world.Generally any food type that makes us gain weight can affect one’s libido as well but below are some foods that could be ruining your pleasures.Fried Foods 

Fried foods definitely don’t do your s3x life any favors. Trans fats found in fried foods dramatically decrease the male and female libido, according to Medical Daily.Consuming trans fatty acids can also cause abnormal sperm production in men and interferes with female gestation. You and your significant other would be wise to skip the french fries at dinner, since they could be at fault for more than one s3xual problem.Processed Carbohydrate 

Any refined carbohydrates, like those found in bleached white flour and white rice, are bad news for your s3x drive. This includes many pastas, cereals [rice and wheat], breads, and snack foods like crackers, cookies, and chips.Men’s Fitness explained that large amounts of refined carbs will cause your testosterone levels to decrease. The sugars from these carbohydrates can make men gain weight and raise estrogen levels as testosterone is depleted. Reach for good carbs like vegetables and whole grains instead.Boost Your Libido and Stamina by 100% using magical Solution?

?Sugary foods/Drinks 

You must have heard the popular saying that “Sugar is your enemy?”

Or you must have ever had that embarrassing experience where your dick just refuses to charge when you need it most, this is what we call “Sugar Crash”Sugar from soda drinks, sweet, ice-cream, so called energy drinks etc can crash your libido and erection in a twinkle of an eye causing you embarrassing moments with your partner.There are special herbal products that are approved by NAFDAC and they actually work if you administer them professionally.But There is this herbal supplement that is highly effective and can raise even a dead man’s manhood when used properlyThis special herbal mixture is approved by NAFDAC and it is a combination of 3 very powerful medicinal herbs that your great grandfather probably knew and used to satisfy their multiple wives even till old

I call it Libiron Herbal Capsule

Let me introduce you to this 100 Percent natural Herbal Solution thatCurses the root cause of weak erection and increase Stamina on bed,helping you last up to35 minutes on first round

I suffered from Premature ejaculation for Years and couldn’t even find a good solution no matter how Hard I tried until I found Help with Libiron Herbal Capsule.

“Libiron Herbal Capsule” …    From Lasting 2 minutes To Lasting Up To at least 30 Minutes In Bed!   Libiron Herbal Capsule is made of a pure herbal ingredients in capsule form, there are 60 capsules in it, produced to boost male sexual performance. The main mechanism of Libiron is to improve sex appeal is increase reflection of nerve condition. With Libiron as I fondly call it, you enjoy bigger and harder erections,increase in libido and complete cure to your quick ejaculation!  NO SIDE EFFECT OF ANY KIND Approved By NAFDAC A7-5794L     The Libiron Herbal Capsule Kill Premature Ejaculation The Same Way Ota Pia pia kills Mosquito. Try Libiron Herbal Capsule today and say Bye Bye to your sexual  worries for ever and ever. The��Libiron Herbal Capsule Has been Evaluated and Approved by NAFDAC With Registration Number A7-5794L Some Interesting Facts About The Libiron Herbal Capsule The Libiron  Herbal Capsule, Is a Specially Formulated HerbalIngredients that will Make you Last Longer than 35 Min In Bed when having sex.   The Libiron Herbal Capsule Is Strong at Boosting and giving you harder ERECTION So you can penetrated better, The Harder the Better.  You will have erections when you ready to have sex, and be able tomaintain a rock-hard erection that gives her mind blowing sex.

Watery Sperm? Don’t Worry! The Libiron Herbal Capsule Will Ensureyour system is up to date and Watery Sperm will be thing of the Past in your Life. Just Take The Libiron Herbal Capsule With Pure Natural Horney.You will be able to give your woman more rounds of deep satisfying sex and last longer for up to 35 minutes… 

No more embarrassing yourself or disappointing your woman due to cumming quickly… You will finally save your marriage or relationship with your spouse. She won’t look outside trying to cheat on you with another man, because you will be the only one that she craves for and satisfy her completely. And, the good thing about this solution is that… You Start to See Results… IMMEDIATELY!

I mean, IMMEDIATELY!

The 60 Capsules inside a pack of Libiron  is enough to completely cure your quick ejaculation and give you harder erection, increase libido in male and female. It corrects weakness of the penis, lost of sexual  desire, quick ejaculation. It boosts sperm count and give a super hard rock erection for better sex enjoyment.

This No side Effect Natural herbal Solution Already Helped over 1500 Men To Last Longer, Correct Penis weakness,& Double Their Penis Size. See their unsolicited testimonies:   “An instant increase of .5 inches and she loved it”    My wife ordered the Libiron, mk oil and Togacin from your store. and she insisted I give it a try. I am now 53 and I have tried all kinds of medications just to help me get good erections and stay longer    At the end of the first week of using the mascum and reishi, I started to notice that my erections were more   frequent and i dont release too fast during sex with my wife. I don’t know how it works, but to me, it is God sent. thanks for this wonderful product

                                                            Abdul M. – Tabuwal, kaduna     

I bought the mk oil about 2 weeks ago and have been using it  I’ve also started recently using it in the shower at low pressure for  10 to 15 minutes a few times.    Here’s where my results started to get interesting. and I was saying to myself DAMN my penis looks huge, very thick and heavy   My penis has NEVER been this thick before, so I went into the bedroom where my wife was watching TV    I grabbed her hand and put it on my penis and said feel how thick this is   She said in a scared voice “what did you do to it?”   her Pyjamas off quick I want to try this thing out.   We had one of the best sex we’ve had in a while. She moaned like never before and I could tell she enjoyed it.  When we were done she asked if I was on viagra or something I said “no” and laughed.  Thanks Adeoti, I owe you guys BIG Emmanuel Abuja

                                                       “Immediate results in a week!”

                                                                           Hi Adeoti,

“I I just started using the oil and Libiron herbal for about a week now and wanted to fill you in on my progress. In that period of time, I’ve had definite immediate gains in girth. After each session, my manhood feels heavy which feels great! I have gained about half an inch in “width”.  This is all in just a little over a week! So as of now there isn’t anything bad  that I can say about this amazing solution. I can only say good things about what I am learning here and about myself.  Thank you guys for helping getting me on the path to the penis I want!

Tunde Mushin

If you have ever wondered how to increase your man-hood size without pills and make the enlargement permanent. This Japanese made enlargement oil is the answer.Jaye Akwa-ibom

“Here Is the Japanese Made Penis Enlargement Oil That I Used ToIncrease The Size Of My Penis…and has helped over 1,500 Nigerian men

Believe me; I measured several times to make sure this was for real. 

I took out a measuring tape and measured my penis…It had increased

from the tiny 3.7 inches to a surprising 5.6 inches… in less than 3

weeks! 

 Now, I know you can’t wait to lay your hands on these GUARANTEED solutions… 

Hence, I’m ready to further make it easier and cheaper for you; if not

for anything, to show you that the solutions actually work and will

work for you guaranteed. 

 We have Only 100 bottle pack of Libiron herbal capsule and MK Oil

Available And Its Strictly First Come First Serve! 

The Libiron Herbal Capsule is N16,000 payment On delivery If  you Order Today!Here is the break down of the price if you are ordering today 

Libiron Herbal Capsule only is N16,000 

pack of MK Oil only is N13,000 

Combo is N22,000

So, if you order for the 2 solutions together today, you pay only N22,000 instead of N30,000 (that’s a extra discount of N8,000) if you order for the 2 solutions together today, you pay only N22,000

Do you want to continue to suffer from the shame and frustration caused by premature ejaculation and small penis…when you can do something about it now? Or…Would you rather pay higher later… when you can easily get it for the low amount today? Of course, I know you will make the smart choice!  So, you have to hurry up to be among the lucky few, and place your order NOW

And to help you sweeten the deal am giving you an amazing bonus that you cant get anywhere else if you order today.

Here’s how:-Once you place your order for both of them today at N22,000.You will also get the amazing product that cures STDs and other infections related to sex

Bonus  :  “Togacin Broad Spectrum Antibiotic” 

The ultimate solution for stds like; stapph, gonorhea,clamdyia.

The one reason why this is very important is that; most times premature ejaculation is always caused my infections. And without treating them you only sabotaging your efforts. Best part is that you get this 100 percent herbal antibiotic for free when you place order today. However, I must warn that ONLY those who place their order right away gets this STD killer “Togacin Antibiotic“. If you procrastinate further, you may not get it. So, this is a no brainer… Get the 2-in-1 solution now, get the extra FREE bonus.

To erase the fear of been scammed we now offer Cash on delivery to any part of Nigeria

You will only pay when this product has been physically brought down to you face-to-face by our courier company. We call it ==> Pay on Delivery

A. All Shipments are sent in discreet packaging without images or text that could suggest the contents. The shipping documents and invoice are discreet as well.  

 How To OrderDepending on the product that you are ordering for…  *If you are ordering for only “Libiron “… indicate the code Libiron  in your text message…

*If you are ordering for only “Mk-oil”…

indicate it “Oil” in your text message…

*If you want to order for the 2 products together… text “COMBO”…

Libiron  ONLY – N16,000

Packs of MK Oil ONLY – N13,000

Libiron + MK-OIL (COMBO) - N22,000

Here’s what to send to us…

Your Full Name

Your Phone Number (s)

Delivery Address

Product Code (Libiron ,mk-oil, COMBO 

Send This Information as a text message to  080-9637-9037

NOTE: Your address Must Include Local Government and State. Detailed Enough to make it traceable by our courier company that will come around to deliver to you. You will get a sms and call from us within 24 hours to confirm your order before we send it across to you.

DELIVERY TIME!

Once you get a call from us to confirm your order details your product would be sent to our courier partner and should get to you within 2-5working days.

OPTINO TWO

If you live in Lagos, or nearby, you can also walk into our marketing department office to pick up the products.You will meet our team ready to give you these products at same price…That is you Pay at our office, and get it instantly.        

Fastfinity Marketing Enterprise

134, Dopemu Road (Kaybec plaza) Beside Promise Hospital, Adealu B/stop, Lagos 

 Hotline: 080-9637-9037

That is all you have to do to place order and get your own bottles of the mk enlargementand Libiron herbal capsules. Remember, if you procrastinate on this, two things are bound to happen:

Either the prices for the product goes up pretty soon and you pay the normal   price which is times 2 or,

 Your sexual performance continues to worsen because you refuse to use something that actually helps transform your life Don’t procrastinate, go ahead and get access to the 2 products and start using them to become a better lover in the bedroom.

Here’s How to Order for Your own Libiron Herbal CAPSULES & MK OIL at a Discount Price today

Depending on the product that you are ordering for…

*If you are ordering for only “LIBIRON Herbal CAPSULES”… indicate the codeLIBIRON in your text message…

*If you are ordering for only “MK Enlargement Oil”… indicate it “MK OIL” in your text message

*If you want to order for the 2 products together… text “Libiron AND MK OIL”…LIBIRON ONLY - N16,000 

MK-OIL - N13,000 

LIBIRON + MK-OIL ( COMBO) - N22,000

Here’s what to send to us…

Text the CODE with the following information below…1. Your Full Name

2. Your Phone Number

3. Delivery Address

Send This Information as a text message to  080-9637-9037

Please Note: Your address Must Include Local Government and State. Detailed Enough to make it traceable by our courier company that will come around to deliver to you. You will get a SMS and Call from us within 24 hours to confirm your Order Beforewe Parcel It Across to You.

DELIVERY TIMEOnce we received your order, and your details are correct, you will receive an sms or call confirmation from us. Your products will then be sent to our courier service partner and the items should get to you within 2-5 Days.

Note: The product will be packaged discreetly and no one else will know what’s inside, and every other information will be kept private and 100% confidential.

Here's Full details of how to order now and Get the LIBIRON CAPSULES  & MK-OIL within a few days at your door step

Right now, all you need to do is get access to the 2 products; and start using it to get a much bigger manhood and cure your premature ejaculation within the shortest time you ever thought possible. You have the opportunity to get these 2 products now at a much affordable price and save yourself from embarrassment and frustration that you are suffering in the bedroom. Over 2,300 Nigerian men have used these 2 products to improve their sexual performance and they have wonderful testimonies to give about it. That is all you have to do, you get your manhood to the size you have always dreamt of, and last longer than you ever imagined

Dont slack ,hence you might lose out 

Regards

from Blogger http://ift.tt/2BZCfzN via IFTTT

[apsbicepstraining]

8 Ways ‘Dry January’ Can Kickstart Your Entire Year Of Fitness

This year, many people will conjure up some preposterous and unattainable New Years resolutions.

While these types of goals are, in essence, a terrific notion, they are oftentimes abandonedbefore the month of January is even over.

But dont fret. New Years decides are, in fact, realistic, if given goals are attainable and take place within babe steps.

A common resolve is to give up an addictive element, whether its cigarettes, coffee or booze.

Start by viewing your solvings as obtainable goals.

Initially, it seems like a great mind to consider long-term about giving up an addictive substance. However, an superb starting point shall participate in Dry January.

The concept of Dry January is simple. You can have no alcohol the whole month of January.

Thats 31 days without any liquor. That isnt so long, right? Well, that depends on your personal tier of overconsumption and the duration of age youve been binge-drinking.

For me, my first stab at Dry January was last year.

While I was successful at get the entire month of January without a descent of alcohol, I cant say it was easy.

Honestly, “its one” of the most difficult things Ive ever done in my bloom, young adult life.

I noticed numerous side effects of discontinuing booze cold turkey, and they will likely be experienced by most people taking on Dry January TAGEND

1. Withdrawals are real.

About 17. 6 million Americans abuse alcohol or depend to the substance.

Thats the equivalent of about one in every 12 adults.

Even if you dont think you are quite at the point of alcoholism, the first two weeks of discontinuing sucking can be amazingly challenging: both physically and mentally.

While alcoholism has never absolutely taken over “peoples lives”, Id be lying if I said I didnt have at least a few beers most evenings.

This is not scandalous. Its a way I undo after a hard day of work.

But this had the health risks to become problematic in the long run.

Its not easy to watch your friends around you suck while youre trying not to.

Every time you transfer a brewery or a table, your intelligence will likely debate finish and grabbing a quick drink.

The same can be said about going past the brew cool or wine area while at the grocery store.

We all have our special frailties, and thats okay.

We have libidoes. When those are put on the back burner, many beings suffer withdrawal symptoms.

The following are some common withdrawal evidences TAGEND

– Elevated temperature

– Increased blood pressure, inhaling frequency and pulse

– Excessive sweating

– Tremors

– Anxiety and depression

– Declined energy and metabolism

– Sorrows of invasion or hostility

– Declined sexual pastime or function

– Sleep disruption and nightmares

These symptoms are typically simply present for a maximum period of a few weeks.

Many of these effects flip-flop tenfold once the body and recollection are cozy performing without any alcohol.

2. You’ll have better sleep.

While insomnia may be an initial side effect of discontinuing drinking, sleep tone generally substantially increases in the long run.

An in-depth critique of 27 plausible examines found that while booze can initially generate people to fall asleep rapidly and deep, it drastically affects sleep caliber after that initial restful span.

It may be a challenge to fall asleep dispassionate at first, but the improved rank of sleep you get from not falling asleep wino leaves you much more rested than ever before.

3. You’ll find a clearer complexion.

Westlake Dermatology points out some largely negative impacts alcohol consumption has on skin caliber and longevity of young-looking skin.

Alcohol, especially in excessive sums, affects skin health because it induces dehydration and blood vessel dilation.

In cases of pre-existing skin conditions such as rosacea and psoriasis, drinking booze can cause flare ups and other complications.

4. There will be a noticeable lift in your bank account.

For me, this was hands down the best part of discontinuing drinking.

I was blown away by how much additional money I had after I discontinue hitting the bottle so often. I saved the thousands of dollars every paycheck.

The thing is, while I dont consider myself to be a downtown buff or rail regular, I do have one expensive evil: I utterly enjoy plane beer.

As most people know, that doesnt come cheap.

Even though I generally buy beer from accumulations and avoid paying additional cost the bar incident presents, I was downing at least a six-pack of workmanship brew a nighttime during my peak.

I was expending $10 a night on brew on average if I restriction myself to a six-pack.

Thats a very considerable amount of money. It’s approximately how much I normally spend on food every day.

I was investing hundreds of dollars a month on beer.

When I cut that expense out of my life, I was merrily surprised by how much fund I had.

5. You will lose weight.

Drinking oftentimes comes at a price, to its implementation of caloric intake.

Most alcoholic drink have hundreds of calories, and can contain a lot of gluten and other unhealthy ingredients.

When a multitude of boozes are exhausted, the calories can quickly stack up.

These calories — paired with the phenomenon of “drunk munchies” — can result in much more consumption than planned.

If youre strange about how many calories you drink in a nighttime, apply this handy alcohol calorie calculator after a nighttime of drinking.

6. Your liver will love you.

Its pretty much common knowledge that booze is filtered through the human rights liver.

Its the supernatural organ that represents going drunk possible and safe, as it handles our alcoholic tendencies.

However, too much booze is particularly coarse on the liver, and forces-out it to produce a noxious enzyme called acetaldehyde. This enzyme shatterings liver cells, and can even effect permanent scarring in some cases.

Furthermore, fatty liver sicknes is caused by overconsumption of alcohol. This is a serious matter.

Fatty liver can cause a plethora of questions, including inflammation of their own bodies and pre-diabetes. It can even put you at a larger hazard of having a heart attack.

When those with fatty liver illnes quit booze, the liver fatty lessens to an average of15 percentage, with some participants failing up to 20 percent.

7. Your productivity will skyrocket.

It may seem like common sense that restraint undue drinking and all the attributed byproducts( late nights out, hangovers, etc) will liken to more productive days.

However, its pretty staggering just how far a proper sleep planned and a fully sober judgment will get you during your work week.

I started a new role undertaking last year while I was experimenting with Dry January for the first time, and Ive never appeared such instantaneous success in the workplace.

Its like I became a most robust, sharper version of myself.

In addition to not drinking, I took other productivity gratuities to heart. I began to hold myself much more accountable in the workplace.

This gave me a big boost in confidence.

8. Your hangovers cease to exist.

This last one is definitely obvious.

But simply should be considered how much better youll detect and how much additional era youll have if “youve never” have to face a harsh hangover again.

Personally, I think back to some examples of hangovers from my life.

I have invested full epoches on the shower flooring in unrelenting pain.

Those hangovers that seem to last-place for days are on par with food poisoning and the stomach flu.

The all-day-hangover lifestyle is not a glamorous one. Rather, it is a nauseating one.

Although we are already well into the first week of January, its not too late to experiment with starting a month without alcohol.

Consider taking a break from your binge-drinking.

If you find these efforts to be worthwhile, upright your experience in the comments part of this article.

The post 8 Ways ‘Dry January’ Can Kickstart Your Entire Year Of Fitness appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

from WordPress http://ift.tt/2hHPBZd via IFTTT

[apsbicepstraining]

8 Ways ‘Dry January’ Can Kickstart Your Entire Year Of Fitness

This year, many people will conjure up some preposterous and unattainable New Years resolutions.

While these types of goals are, in essence, a terrific notion, they are oftentimes abandonedbefore the month of January is even over.

But dont fret. New Years decides are, in fact, realistic, if given goals are attainable and take place within babe steps.

A common resolve is to give up an addictive element, whether its cigarettes, coffee or booze.

Start by viewing your solvings as obtainable goals.

Initially, it seems like a great mind to consider long-term about giving up an addictive substance. However, an superb starting point shall participate in Dry January.

The concept of Dry January is simple. You can have no alcohol the whole month of January.

Thats 31 days without any liquor. That isnt so long, right? Well, that depends on your personal tier of overconsumption and the duration of age youve been binge-drinking.

For me, my first stab at Dry January was last year.

While I was successful at get the entire month of January without a descent of alcohol, I cant say it was easy.

Honestly, “its one” of the most difficult things Ive ever done in my bloom, young adult life.

I noticed numerous side effects of discontinuing booze cold turkey, and they will likely be experienced by most people taking on Dry January TAGEND

1. Withdrawals are real.

About 17. 6 million Americans abuse alcohol or depend to the substance.

Thats the equivalent of about one in every 12 adults.

Even if you dont think you are quite at the point of alcoholism, the first two weeks of discontinuing sucking can be amazingly challenging: both physically and mentally.

While alcoholism has never absolutely taken over “peoples lives”, Id be lying if I said I didnt have at least a few beers most evenings.

This is not scandalous. Its a way I undo after a hard day of work.

But this had the health risks to become problematic in the long run.

Its not easy to watch your friends around you suck while youre trying not to.

Every time you transfer a brewery or a table, your intelligence will likely debate finish and grabbing a quick drink.

The same can be said about going past the brew cool or wine area while at the grocery store.

We all have our special frailties, and thats okay.

We have libidoes. When those are put on the back burner, many beings suffer withdrawal symptoms.

The following are some common withdrawal evidences TAGEND

– Elevated temperature

– Increased blood pressure, inhaling frequency and pulse

– Excessive sweating

– Tremors

– Anxiety and depression

– Declined energy and metabolism

– Sorrows of invasion or hostility

– Declined sexual pastime or function

– Sleep disruption and nightmares

These symptoms are typically simply present for a maximum period of a few weeks.

Many of these effects flip-flop tenfold once the body and recollection are cozy performing without any alcohol.

2. You’ll have better sleep.

While insomnia may be an initial side effect of discontinuing drinking, sleep tone generally substantially increases in the long run.

An in-depth critique of 27 plausible examines found that while booze can initially generate people to fall asleep rapidly and deep, it drastically affects sleep caliber after that initial restful span.

It may be a challenge to fall asleep dispassionate at first, but the improved rank of sleep you get from not falling asleep wino leaves you much more rested than ever before.

3. You’ll find a clearer complexion.

Westlake Dermatology points out some largely negative impacts alcohol consumption has on skin caliber and longevity of young-looking skin.

Alcohol, especially in excessive sums, affects skin health because it induces dehydration and blood vessel dilation.

In cases of pre-existing skin conditions such as rosacea and psoriasis, drinking booze can cause flare ups and other complications.

4. There will be a noticeable lift in your bank account.

For me, this was hands down the best part of discontinuing drinking.

I was blown away by how much additional money I had after I discontinue hitting the bottle so often. I saved the thousands of dollars every paycheck.

The thing is, while I dont consider myself to be a downtown buff or rail regular, I do have one expensive evil: I utterly enjoy plane beer.

As most people know, that doesnt come cheap.

Even though I generally buy beer from accumulations and avoid paying additional cost the bar incident presents, I was downing at least a six-pack of workmanship brew a nighttime during my peak.

I was expending $10 a night on brew on average if I restriction myself to a six-pack.

Thats a very considerable amount of money. It’s approximately how much I normally spend on food every day.

I was investing hundreds of dollars a month on beer.

When I cut that expense out of my life, I was merrily surprised by how much fund I had.

5. You will lose weight.

Drinking oftentimes comes at a price, to its implementation of caloric intake.

Most alcoholic drink have hundreds of calories, and can contain a lot of gluten and other unhealthy ingredients.

When a multitude of boozes are exhausted, the calories can quickly stack up.

These calories — paired with the phenomenon of “drunk munchies” — can result in much more consumption than planned.

If youre strange about how many calories you drink in a nighttime, apply this handy alcohol calorie calculator after a nighttime of drinking.

6. Your liver will love you.

Its pretty much common knowledge that booze is filtered through the human rights liver.

Its the supernatural organ that represents going drunk possible and safe, as it handles our alcoholic tendencies.

However, too much booze is particularly coarse on the liver, and forces-out it to produce a noxious enzyme called acetaldehyde. This enzyme shatterings liver cells, and can even effect permanent scarring in some cases.

Furthermore, fatty liver sicknes is caused by overconsumption of alcohol. This is a serious matter.

Fatty liver can cause a plethora of questions, including inflammation of their own bodies and pre-diabetes. It can even put you at a larger hazard of having a heart attack.

When those with fatty liver illnes quit booze, the liver fatty lessens to an average of15 percentage, with some participants failing up to 20 percent.

7. Your productivity will skyrocket.

It may seem like common sense that restraint undue drinking and all the attributed byproducts( late nights out, hangovers, etc) will liken to more productive days.

However, its pretty staggering just how far a proper sleep planned and a fully sober judgment will get you during your work week.

I started a new role undertaking last year while I was experimenting with Dry January for the first time, and Ive never appeared such instantaneous success in the workplace.

Its like I became a most robust, sharper version of myself.

In addition to not drinking, I took other productivity gratuities to heart. I began to hold myself much more accountable in the workplace.

This gave me a big boost in confidence.

8. Your hangovers cease to exist.

This last one is definitely obvious.

But simply should be considered how much better youll detect and how much additional era youll have if “youve never” have to face a harsh hangover again.

Personally, I think back to some examples of hangovers from my life.

I have invested full epoches on the shower flooring in unrelenting pain.

Those hangovers that seem to last-place for days are on par with food poisoning and the stomach flu.

The all-day-hangover lifestyle is not a glamorous one. Rather, it is a nauseating one.

Although we are already well into the first week of January, its not too late to experiment with starting a month without alcohol.

Consider taking a break from your binge-drinking.

If you find these efforts to be worthwhile, upright your experience in the comments part of this article.

The post 8 Ways ‘Dry January’ Can Kickstart Your Entire Year Of Fitness appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

from WordPress http://ift.tt/2hHPBZd via IFTTT

[apsbicepstraining]

8 Ways ‘Dry January’ Can Kickstart Your Entire Year Of Fitness

This year, many people will conjure up some preposterous and unattainable New Years resolutions.

While these types of goals are, in essence, a terrific notion, they are oftentimes abandonedbefore the month of January is even over.

But dont fret. New Years decides are, in fact, realistic, if given goals are attainable and take place within babe steps.

A common resolve is to give up an addictive element, whether its cigarettes, coffee or booze.

Start by viewing your solvings as obtainable goals.

Initially, it seems like a great mind to consider long-term about giving up an addictive substance. However, an superb starting point shall participate in Dry January.

The concept of Dry January is simple. You can have no alcohol the whole month of January.

Thats 31 days without any liquor. That isnt so long, right? Well, that depends on your personal tier of overconsumption and the duration of age youve been binge-drinking.

For me, my first stab at Dry January was last year.

While I was successful at get the entire month of January without a descent of alcohol, I cant say it was easy.

Honestly, “its one” of the most difficult things Ive ever done in my bloom, young adult life.

I noticed numerous side effects of discontinuing booze cold turkey, and they will likely be experienced by most people taking on Dry January TAGEND

1. Withdrawals are real.

About 17. 6 million Americans abuse alcohol or depend to the substance.

Thats the equivalent of about one in every 12 adults.

Even if you dont think you are quite at the point of alcoholism, the first two weeks of discontinuing sucking can be amazingly challenging: both physically and mentally.

While alcoholism has never absolutely taken over “peoples lives”, Id be lying if I said I didnt have at least a few beers most evenings.

This is not scandalous. Its a way I undo after a hard day of work.

But this had the health risks to become problematic in the long run.

Its not easy to watch your friends around you suck while youre trying not to.

Every time you transfer a brewery or a table, your intelligence will likely debate finish and grabbing a quick drink.

The same can be said about going past the brew cool or wine area while at the grocery store.

We all have our special frailties, and thats okay.

We have libidoes. When those are put on the back burner, many beings suffer withdrawal symptoms.

The following are some common withdrawal evidences TAGEND

– Elevated temperature

– Increased blood pressure, inhaling frequency and pulse

– Excessive sweating

– Tremors

– Anxiety and depression

– Declined energy and metabolism

– Sorrows of invasion or hostility

– Declined sexual pastime or function

– Sleep disruption and nightmares

These symptoms are typically simply present for a maximum period of a few weeks.

Many of these effects flip-flop tenfold once the body and recollection are cozy performing without any alcohol.

2. You’ll have better sleep.

While insomnia may be an initial side effect of discontinuing drinking, sleep tone generally substantially increases in the long run.

An in-depth critique of 27 plausible examines found that while booze can initially generate people to fall asleep rapidly and deep, it drastically affects sleep caliber after that initial restful span.

It may be a challenge to fall asleep dispassionate at first, but the improved rank of sleep you get from not falling asleep wino leaves you much more rested than ever before.

3. You’ll find a clearer complexion.

Westlake Dermatology points out some largely negative impacts alcohol consumption has on skin caliber and longevity of young-looking skin.

Alcohol, especially in excessive sums, affects skin health because it induces dehydration and blood vessel dilation.

In cases of pre-existing skin conditions such as rosacea and psoriasis, drinking booze can cause flare ups and other complications.

4. There will be a noticeable lift in your bank account.

For me, this was hands down the best part of discontinuing drinking.

I was blown away by how much additional money I had after I discontinue hitting the bottle so often. I saved the thousands of dollars every paycheck.

The thing is, while I dont consider myself to be a downtown buff or rail regular, I do have one expensive evil: I utterly enjoy plane beer.

As most people know, that doesnt come cheap.

Even though I generally buy beer from accumulations and avoid paying additional cost the bar incident presents, I was downing at least a six-pack of workmanship brew a nighttime during my peak.

I was expending $10 a night on brew on average if I restriction myself to a six-pack.

Thats a very considerable amount of money. It’s approximately how much I normally spend on food every day.

I was investing hundreds of dollars a month on beer.

When I cut that expense out of my life, I was merrily surprised by how much fund I had.

5. You will lose weight.

Drinking oftentimes comes at a price, to its implementation of caloric intake.

Most alcoholic drink have hundreds of calories, and can contain a lot of gluten and other unhealthy ingredients.

When a multitude of boozes are exhausted, the calories can quickly stack up.

These calories — paired with the phenomenon of “drunk munchies” — can result in much more consumption than planned.

If youre strange about how many calories you drink in a nighttime, apply this handy alcohol calorie calculator after a nighttime of drinking.

6. Your liver will love you.

Its pretty much common knowledge that booze is filtered through the human rights liver.

Its the supernatural organ that represents going drunk possible and safe, as it handles our alcoholic tendencies.

However, too much booze is particularly coarse on the liver, and forces-out it to produce a noxious enzyme called acetaldehyde. This enzyme shatterings liver cells, and can even effect permanent scarring in some cases.

Furthermore, fatty liver sicknes is caused by overconsumption of alcohol. This is a serious matter.

Fatty liver can cause a plethora of questions, including inflammation of their own bodies and pre-diabetes. It can even put you at a larger hazard of having a heart attack.

When those with fatty liver illnes quit booze, the liver fatty lessens to an average of15 percentage, with some participants failing up to 20 percent.

7. Your productivity will skyrocket.

It may seem like common sense that restraint undue drinking and all the attributed byproducts( late nights out, hangovers, etc) will liken to more productive days.

However, its pretty staggering just how far a proper sleep planned and a fully sober judgment will get you during your work week.

I started a new role undertaking last year while I was experimenting with Dry January for the first time, and Ive never appeared such instantaneous success in the workplace.

Its like I became a most robust, sharper version of myself.

In addition to not drinking, I took other productivity gratuities to heart. I began to hold myself much more accountable in the workplace.

This gave me a big boost in confidence.

8. Your hangovers cease to exist.

This last one is definitely obvious.

But simply should be considered how much better youll detect and how much additional era youll have if “youve never” have to face a harsh hangover again.

Personally, I think back to some examples of hangovers from my life.

I have invested full epoches on the shower flooring in unrelenting pain.

Those hangovers that seem to last-place for days are on par with food poisoning and the stomach flu.

The all-day-hangover lifestyle is not a glamorous one. Rather, it is a nauseating one.

Although we are already well into the first week of January, its not too late to experiment with starting a month without alcohol.

Consider taking a break from your binge-drinking.

If you find these efforts to be worthwhile, upright your experience in the comments part of this article.

The post 8 Ways ‘Dry January’ Can Kickstart Your Entire Year Of Fitness appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

from WordPress http://ift.tt/2hHPBZd via IFTTT