#like there are many great things about living in canada. and it's very very safe here

[non-un-topo]

Been experiencing some mad wanderlust lately. Considering moving out of Canada in the future tbh

[mariacallous]

The patriarch of a right-wing Canadian family of 11 had had just about enough of gay people in his country. “We didn't feel safe for our children there in the future anymore,” father Arend Feenstra told Russian media. “There's a lot of left-wing ideology, LGBTQ, trans, just a lot of things that we don't agree with that they teach there now, and we wanted to get away from that for our children.”

Yeah, if there’s one place that’s just not safe for kids, it’s Canada. Russia would be soooo much safer. 

So Arend (and wife Anneesa) sold everything they had to move to sunny Russia and raise eight of their nine kids with “orthodox” values. They also gladly took donations on their social media platform from fellow right-wingers, all so they could live in Vladimir Putin’s wonderland. Russian officials assured them that they would work with them to get them established, and even help them get a farm. They did all of this just three weeks ago; long story short, they lived happily ever after. 

Except they didn’t. 

First, according to the family, the Russian bank where they moved the proceeds from selling their farm and belongings? It immediately froze their assets. The amount of money seemed suspicious, Arend states in a Feb. 9 video. I guess it would, since so many Russians outside of Putin’s circle are dirt poor. As a result, the family didn’t have money to live on—apparently those nice Russian officials offering to help them had disappeared.

Since no one in the family speaks Russian, they’ve also had a bear of a time trying to argue for their money—because Russia doesn’t require any bank, or any business, to hire English translators. In the meantime, they discovered that Russia is a pretty damn miserable place to be right now.

TikTok user Ukrainian.Networking translated a Russian Federation Reported Media story in a snarky post. 

The Russian reporter noted that Anneesa spoke her mind in a since-deleted video on the family’s “Countryside Acres” YouTube channel.

"I'm very disappointed in this country at this point. I'm ready to jump on a plane and get out of here. We've hit the first snag where you have to engage logic in this country and it's very, very frustrating."

Hoooo boy. They just arrived and already she’s insulted Russia. Now, I’m not saying Russia doesn’t have freedom of the press, but it’s really just freedom to praise Putin and the country he controls. Anything that resembles criticism in Russia is NOT taken as kindly as it is in our godless Western dystopias. I’m also not suggesting that Russian officials paid the family a visit to remind them of where they are, but I will point out that Arendquickly posted an apology video to the Countryside Acres channel, saying that his wife misspoke and they’d deleted the video. 

In that video, he reiterated that no, Russia is really, really great (subtext: “Please don’t push me out of a window”) and he spoke of his hope to resolve the issue with the bank. Commenters weren’t so sure, or kind. They pointed out that the bank will likely never release their funds and it is more likely that he will be recognized as a foreign agent.

At this point, I’m not sure the Countryside Acres farming gig is going to work out. Patriarch Arend should have agreed to be used as a tool for Russian state media. I mean, if you are going to be a Russian Asset, might as well go all-in. 

I’m willing to bet that living in a country that grants gay people basic civil rights might not be looking so bad now. I was wondering if the family is desperately trying to split, so I looked up how difficult it is to leave Russia. According to the BBC, you can leave “as long as you have money and have not been called up to the army.” 

Even if only for his kids’ sakes, let’s hope Arend’s only lost his money.

And I’ll end with this charming reprise of a German eurodisco tribute to Moscow, originally released in 1979. (English lyrics here)

“Welcome to Moscow!” At least the song is catchy.

Comment Award goes to Laughing Gravy: “I’ll bet back home they used to whine about immigrants who don’t know the language, who have no money, who expect the government to hand them a house and a job, and who complain when they don’t get everything they want.”

[dreamofhircine]

okay so here is the 2023 books year-in-review, this is going to be v. long because I ended up reading & re-reading a lot of my backlog after rebuilding the bookshelves in our house. This is going to be roughly sorted, and I'll try and say a little bit about each thing.

Hazel Jane Plante

Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian) - I adored this! It's a slimmer book, closer to a novella, but it was maybe my favorite piece this whole year. The central premise of this is that in a haze of grief after the death of her bestie a woman gets way too into their shared fandom and writes a combination of TV show fandom zine, obituary & love letter. The two-part narrative structure is something that Plante would go on to play w/ more in

Any Other City - also a great book! This is written as the memoir of a trans punk rock star split between her journal style letters in the 90s as she navigated an art scene as a woman who doesn't realize it yet, and then picks up again in the 2020s after her own celebrity was cemented.

Casey Plett

Little Fish - Really rad slice of life about a mennonite trans woman in Canada who has a lot of feelings about that. This feels more than anything like a strong expansion upon several of Plett's short stories in A Dream of a Woman.

A Dream of a Woman - I got lost in so many of the stories in this anthology, Plett writes the lives of these women so vividly it feels like you know them. You probably *do* know them.

A Safe Girl to Love - Plett's first anthology, recently re-published. I was not *as big* a fan of this one, but it still holds up very well and is a good example of her style generally.

The Locked Tomb - I am gonna talk about all three of these in one go, actually. These were really sweet, really nice, I really like the approach to necromancy as just sort of another kind of science or physical force, worked through a process very close to magic. I've been seeing art of these characters around for a long time now and it is nice to finally put a personality to the faces. The pool scene in GtNth especially really hit.

Gideon the Ninth

Harrow the Ninth

Nona the Ninth

Peter Watts - This is also gonna get a block review because so many of the things here are interconnected to one another. Starfish to Behemoth are all in The Rifters Trilogy, and Blindsight & Echopraxia are a pair. Watts has a really great way of tearing down the human brain and playing with all the ways that trauma can influence it, how adaptational quirks can be weaponized. Starfish is probably the single best way to get into his work, but if 'vampires in space' sounds more your speed then Blindsight has it covered.

Starfish

Maelstrom

Behemoth

Blindsight

Echopraxia

qntm

There Is No Antimemetics Division - This is a republish of qntm's large body of work on the SCP wiki, sharing the same name. This is really solid, and the use of narrative negative space is interesting.

Valuable Humans in Transit and Other Stories - A slim collection of short stories and an overall much better showing from qntm, no longer tied up w/ SCP stuff. The things that delve into the implication of human mind based AI constructs especially is really strongly written and will leave you thinking for a while after.

The Division - Broken Dawn is the older entry and did not really capture my attention very strongly, it felt phoned in more than anything else. Recruited & Compromised by contrast could stand on their own w/o The Division branding though both are very well integrated into the game, w/ events going back and forth between the two now that the game is getting more narrative content to it.

The Division: Broken Dawn

The Division: Recruited

The Division: Compromised

D&D - You can probably guess why I jumped into these and what game got me to do it. Drizzt is something I avoided for a very long time because of the associations in the fandom and that was probably not unwarranted tbh. I probably won't continue w/ the series after Exile. It is competently written but these things are creaking w/ their own age and just don't have enough going on to stand on their own unfortunately.

Drizzt: Homeland

Drizzt: Exile

The Devil You Know - Another entry in the Brimstone Angels series, which is my favorite of any of the longer running D&D series. Centered around the misadventures of a Tiefling Warlock and how she gets pulled into the big-dick-swinging matches between various devils trying to make their weird little power plays.

40K

Horusian Wars: Incarnation - This was stellar. Great look at the Inquisition and how insular and back-stabby it can be, I hope more comes from this.

Kasrkin - A mostly by the numbers book that was written entirely to promote the 'kasrkin vs necrons' Kill Team box that came out a bit back. Competent but doesn't have anything new or interesting to say.

Pariah - Eh. This wasn't bad, but it wasn't that good either. Abnett has long been one of my favorite authors in general, not even just in 40k specifically, but I don't think it is controversial to say he has fallen off lately. Compared to his earlier stuff w/ the Inquisitors, hell even compared to stuff like that Horusian Wars book and Pariah just doesn't do enough and the whole Bequin sequence right now feels like it is mostly being done to shift things around in the meta-narrative rather than be good books that stand on their own feet.

The Armour of Contempt - I re-read this one recently and it was just as good as when I first picked it up in high school. Abnett is at some of his best here.

General Fiction (Unsorted)

The Archive Undying: The Downworld Sequence Book 1 - Homosexual activities in a sci-fi fantasy world once dominated by city-scale god-king AIs that went critically rampant a long time ago. This is a really great start to what I hope will be an excellent series.

The Darkness That Comes Before - Re-read after initially reading this when it was new and I was like a pre-teen. Definitely not a book a pre-teen should read and maybe some of that explains why I am like this now. Let's not look at that *too* closely, yeah? This still stands on its own after all these years, though I hear the series in general kind of flagged after a while. If you're into nihilist fantasy check it out.

Burning Chrome - Re-read and enjoyed yet again. Classic Gibson, lays the frame upon which the rest of his body of work would be built.

Pattern Recognition - Re-read this and it still holds up. Gibson is at his height here, calling shots that would start to land almost *immediately* after he published it. Reading this may re-orient your fashion sense entirely so be forewarned and have a bit of space in your wardrobe first I guess.

All You Need Is Kill - Another re-read! I got back into this after realizing that a lot of that traumatized mech pilot pornography I was writing drew so much inspiration for this. I still love the story, I still love the framing, I still love the short and brutal way it is written and the translation is very solid.

Wasteland: Stories of the Apocalypse - Yet another re-read. I originally read this in high school and I owe a great amount of creative debt to some of these stories, hugely influential works and I recommend picking this up.

This Shape We’re in - A tiny little novella by the author of Motherless Brooklyn (which is currently sitting in my 'to do' pile). There is no adequate way to describe this that wouldn't sound like a joke, it is Lethem's most unusual and maybe his best for that.

Poetry

In the Shape of a Human Body I Am Visiting the Earth - Mostly translated poetry, this was solidly collected and a great example of Global(tm) Poetry.

One Hundred Apocalypses and other Apocalypses - More microfic really but I liked this. The different ways the world can end, be it physically from bombs or emotionally in a bad text message.

Wound from the Mouth of a Wound - Simply beautiful collection of work by torrin a. greathouse, I *adored* this.

Non-Fiction

Underlands: A Deep Time Journey - This was beautiful, simply put. A deep dive (hehe) into places beneath the earth and the people that spend more time beneath the surface than above it. I especially loved the travelogue in the cordoned off sections of the Paris catacombs, you can really feel the claustrophobia and danger of it all.

Bitch: The Female of the Species - I picked this up solely because it had a picture of a hyena on the cover. I do not regret that, it was great and that is something I seldom stay about pop-academic gender books.

Emergence: Labeled Autistic - Temple Grandin's first autobiography. This has been heavily dated in how she talks about being autistic and she has changed her views on this several times, to the point where depending on the version you pick up there may be several introductions from the author in a sequence reflecting on this. It is rare to see autobiographies from notable autistic women, it is rare for there to *be* notable autistic women, so I am really happy that I read this.

Memento Mori: The Dead Among Us - Mostly a photo book that I picked up while on a trip to MFABoston w/ my girlfriend. This is a great little table book if nothing else.

Infrastructural Brutalism: Art and the Necropolitics of Infrastructure - A somewhat dry but well researched dive into massive infrastructure projects and the death cult attitude that empowers them.

Queering Mennonite Literature - A university press publication, you know the drill w/ these. Good base to start from if you want to get more into the intersection of queer & menno literature, which is why I picked it up after reading a lot of Casey Plett's books.

David Graeber

Bullshit Jobs - Maybe the best that Graeber has been, and also an example of him leaning really hard into the pop-science aspect of his public persona. If you've got an office job that feels completely fake please read this.

The Dawn of Everything - Graeber's last work before his death and... Well I think it is really good, well written, broadly researched, but much like Debt you're going to either agree w/ his premise or not. There are some rather radical takes here. I highly recommend it though.

Debt: The First 5000 Years - There has been a lot of back and forth on this and there will never be a solid answer. I think the arguments made here are fairly strong, pretty convincing, but if you're involved in this academically in any way you're liable to have a lot of strong opinions one way or another as you read it.

LitMags

Clarkesworld: Every sci-fi enjoying homosexual has a Clarkesworld subscription these days so I don't have a lot unique to say about this. Great year for work, I love the regular infusion of translated works as usual, and I hope that the recent business hits they've taken don't impact it too hard. Definitely re-subbing.

Alaska Quarterly Review: There were some good entries to this but for the most part it kind of felt like an 'eating your vegetables' situation. I probably won't renew for the next year, but I don't *regret* picking it up this year either.

McSweeney’s: Solid as ever, though I found the 'halloween' issue they did to be kind of boring overall. Everything else was primarily hits, and I'll be carrying this forward next year.

[felidaefatigue]

so me n my partner spend a lot of our couch time watching stupid youtube things right. and i have a fuckin rant abt something we watched.

[[MORE]]

And he is a lot more... willing to humor white male shit essentially right. cause hes a white boy. and hes like, pretty leftish mostly, enjoys talking politics and philosophy, is very social, very community oriented. But also is like, rural alberta farm boy and also very openly has some views that are like. "counter" mainstream leftist talking points; which honestly i rarely have problems with and usually agree with the nuances of or at least see where they come from; and im talking like. naunces of gun control and him leaning more anarchist and having issue with some of canadas un issue points- which i generally dont disagree with. like hunters wanting access to rifles that can have more than one shot so they can humanely kill aninals they might not have got a clean shot on. like i can fuck with that logic. Not like. white suprem shit or anything.

ANYWAY. back to the youtube point. so we also both like to watch thing that lean right just to like. keep informed stay out of the trap of insular bubble sometimes. and were watching this one guy who like. honestly generally pretty politically unoffensive, more just vulgar and absurdism. but he did a video about (mainly) women posting videos from the gym painting men in a predatory light, with a lot of emphasis on how illogical and unfair the women are, how the men are "just doing normal if not polite things".

and i have a lot of beef with it. like im genuinely quite angry and started seeing if i could feasibly contact this man to have a more nuanced discussion. which im pretty sure no cause hes p popular and im sure the video is at least to some degree clickbait.

but this idea really gets me. because its one of the misogynist talking points my partner is more vulnerable to as well. like the.. frustration white men feel often of being ostracised, demonised, pushed aside for the sake of other demographics nowadays. and i dont want to sound like i think that is a more important talking point, but its where he often sticks right. like why do they get priority type vibes. But this whole video is predicated on the fact that "oh men cant exist in public without being villainized on the internet" bUT LIKE. THE WOMEN ARE JUST SCARED.

like a lot of the women wERE saying and doing dumb shit. sure. but what men cANT GET THROUGH THEIR FUCKING HEADS. is WOMEN. FEAR. YOU. not YOU. or what your doing, just MEN. ENTIRELY. yea these dudes WERE doing things that may have been completely nuetral. glancing towards movement, asking about equipment, etc. nothing they did was outright predatory. but MEN as a concept are predatory. as many women die every year as some entire war death counts. largely at tge hands of men. men are literally the biggest risk to their lives. you dont HAVE to be doing anything wrong. your physical proximity is a RISK. that nuetral glance could be one from someone taking stock of if you are a potential victim. women dONT KNOW you are safe. they have NO REASON to assume as such.

like i agree a lot of the videos are unnecessary and probably only are posted for content and rage farming and would be better not existing. but like. god men need to check their egos and their hurt. like white women tears are one thing but white mens tears are MMM. Somethin else. youre mad cause a woman assessed your nuetral actions as a threat. but why does she have to do that. why do we see eye contact for a millisecond as a potential threat. why are you a threat. even when your not. bECAUSE MEN HURT WOMEN. ALL THE FUCKING TIME. its FEAR. not logic. get over your fuckin butthurt if your not an abuser gREAT DONT WORRY ABOUT IT. god damn.

[cytotoxic-lymphocyte]

This is a HUGE topic in transfusion lab medicine in Canada right now and that model is a great solution to a very specific problem.

If you need a transfusion, you need blood that is compatible with yours. ABO is the basic blood typing set, but there are literally hundreds of types that may or may not be important in an individual match. One of the factors that makes any given one important or not is whether the person receiving the blood can carry a child.

The why: there's a bunch of blood proteins (antigens) that your body can essentially develop an allergy to. By allergy, I mean you produce an immune response to destroy the thing foreign to you. You start the process once you've been exposed to blood with a different protein than yours. For many proteins, it takes you longer to produce the antibody against them than a blood cell actually lives, meaning the first time you're exposed, nothing happens until after you're back to making your own blood. But they stay perpetually ready, meaning the second time, you will fully attack.

If you can't have a child, it's fine if you develop this allergy because we test for it every single time we give you more blood. Allergy gained = no more blood with that protein in it. Even if you accidentally get some, you'll start a reaction - and if your temperature rises even a little bit, the transfusion is immediately stopped and you are watched like a hawk for further symptoms. Typically you'd destroy the blood, but 1) you really need that blood and 2) too many blood cell fragments too quickly fuck up your liver, so it's still worth avoiding.

If you can get pregnant AND your partner makes that protein AND passes it down to your kid AND the defence you make to the protein is small enough to cross the barrier of the placenta: you are going to start destroying your kid's blood. It probably won't feel great on your end either (see above), but the main damage is the miscarriage. Most people are also not taking in blood protein compatibility into who they choose to try having kids with, either. Most common example is the D antigen: if your blood type is positive or negative. Multiple kids also trigger this, so we use RhoGAM to stop negative moms from reacting to their second positive child.

The problem: Labs currently define "who can have a kid" as male/female. As my specific lab person role, I will never meet you. I don't need your gender, which is all I am getting. This causes problems in so many places in the lab: UTI's you can only catch with a shorter urethra, literally everywhere in chemistry/hematology for "normal range" results typically split by gender, but the biggest is blood, for both danger and money.

Currently, there's a push for M/F/X where X is considered not typical M or F. But in practice, it's still being used for gender - which is an improvement for the they/them nonbinary crowd, but still misses some trans & intersex folk getting incorrect healthcare for their body's capabilities.

This whole system also relies on self identification, which is a problem. When polled, trans people did not feel safe self identifying anytime they went to the ER. Fair, being out for a broken arm isn't necessary. But we keep records, so it's not like you can give one gender for your broken arm and a different one for a car crash needing transfusion.

Also, to do my job fast, I'd really like to be able to reduce you all to a binary of characteristics. It will make me more accurate, which gives you better healthcare. Can you carry a child? Yes/no. A maybe is considered a yes. Expected iron levels, even if I've never tested you before? High range / low range. For every "it's more complex than that", problems arise: I look up info in your medical record, which gives me way more info than I need or want about you (and also takes so fucking long to load) and risks me making the wrong decision rather than following the documented path. Anyone who works at 3am loves a good documented path.

I really like that this checkbox model gives me those binaries without reducing you, the patient, to a binary. In terms of a database, the needed field could appear on my screen for the shell of each relevant test. If I'm testing you for an STI, I don't care whether or not you have breasts. Not my business.

Throw in a preferred pronouns box for the nurse's benefit and please scrap the current M/F system.

this is a way better model... you'll still get transphobic & intersexist drs of course but i prefer this to male / female or even having separate questions for gender & sex.

[we can't see the full form, but i'd suggest having a "something else" option and dominant hormone question too.]

[afr0-thunder]

[Poor Chronicles Pt. 40]

Topics: Weed/Diet/SEXI (“final” update)/HORNDAWG/Fake Lesbian Girlfriend/Living Arrangement/Accounting/Geography Thoughts/Remaining Thoughts (3+ Parts)

*$260. I obviously lied. I will continue to purchase weed, but only in small amounts now following my thorn strain mishap. The second wasn’t rashy throat, as it was just not very great serving as an improvement while simultaneously there were some improvements. If you can’t rely on your dealer who can you rely on? I refer back to guy last. Solid improvement, still not surpassing quality of guy last to him. I decide it is time to stop waiting for my schedule to align with my dealer and let it be. I crossed passed with the second dealer from the second location. The one I had looked for and didn’t find until his services were no longer needed, I requested them for the first time. Greatest quality since “guy last to him” had been present. My dealer, although he gave me discounted weed “for Christmas”, I wouldn’t have even believed it was weed, if a seed didn’t fall out. Not my first, but it will be the source of a great experiment. We all know weed is good. We all know weed is great, but can “bad” weed become strong weed using proper gardening techniques as terrible crop soil, improper harvesting method and growing techniques could have harmed the first plant’s growth. Much like a bad plant with a bruised fruit or vegetable, or is it just aged? Or not aged enough? I also purchased a “grapple” of chips.

SEXI, has not replied to my latest direct message. It is time to retire her jersey number on the roster. She is not a destined baby momma. I am speechless.

Horndawg has to be retired. I had attempted to recruit a lesbian bride-to-be and she can’t be disrespected by competition. It was all or nothing. I couldn’t let another woman challenge her position. Unsettling. Both are to be retired.

I am considering abandoning my upcoming plans and taking them on alone. I do not believe such a perfect situational preference exists. I am stuck between frustrated and angry, less so of the angry.

Am not getting tired of the chips. Am getting tired of the endless cycle of nothing to do. There is almost nothing to spend money on.

Discovered my walking path to my old neighborhood was the projects and you would never notice in the present day. The idea of people hating it here is actually outrageous. The idea of my old neighborhood being the same for almost 50+ years in almost every way statistically is absolutely outrageous as well. Still the poorest in the whole city. Although people carry out these ideas poorly, we used to be a country. Mostly just Chicago, but this is nearly an island or country. We certainly are larger than many other places as far as population for some who have an outstanding amount of land in comparison and land for those lacking enough of it to consider declaring independence rational. We’re just larger in every way.

I have been getting an abundance of things lately. I had a ton of [Bad Questions] for the series, personal ones. I cannot remember them all or any really. I am unsure of where to place my money still. My savings series is still in process. I just had to spend about $400 on weed in 6-7 weeks just to show you it is not even a terrible expense. Just costly and uncertain in desired quality. Otherwise, I’d put it there. For what? To never spend? Exactly. Outrageous concept, really an emergency fund. I get the sense my ancestors were here and departed at some point surrounding the period of the Great Chicago Fire as a “smoke signal” (primarily marijuana) notifies African Americans of where it is and is not safe to be in the near future. I’m getting that they have relocated to Canada. I assume they departed from Haiti and traveled north near Nova Scotia and headed through the Great Lakes into the Chicago area and most have not returned since. The water quality declined and citizens were killed daily of cholera, so it had to have been a million signs notifying people to leave the area and were met with no responses. Eventually, the signals began to falsely be sent out after everything began to die down and safety was called. We now live in a period and/or era where almost nobody knows what is going on. There will be joy and cheer someday, but for most, not like the times that existed previously.

I’m so interested in what my projects will evolve into over time. I am happy with the progress that I didn’t even see myself making with them. The creativity is not satisfactory, but it’s becoming something to appreciate. I’m not sure what comes next because the additions I’ve made and am making could be disastrous or a significant improvement from the first attempts made. My “version” (totally new idea) will be better.

I have gotten back into reading, not the traditional kind, but articles at the very least. I’m loving it. It’s fun. I shall have a library for me and my nerdiest wench. I intend to treat every single one of them the same, because that is who I am in nature, but who am I to not “reward” my first available angel. It feels scum-like, but why would that relationship not be more personal. It has to align a certain way for some reason, right?

I miss cooking. I would like to learn _______chicken and fried rice. Shrimp, but that’s expensive. Chicken fried rice would be a lot of chicken, unsure of the clash. I would like to try the traditional General Tso’s, Orange, Etc…, but would also like to make my own sauce after I’ve gotten comfortable with cooking methods and tastes. I would love to try a chimichanga still, but wonder if I can make it more like nachos (cheesier). What creates the difference in texture with cooked ground beef versus ground turkey. Does turkey bacon get as crispy as pork? Bacon, cheese, fries. Ghost peppers? (Wendy’s). Any other peppers available?

- MH (2023)

[12/28/2023 - 10:58AM]

[catbreedsblog]

The Russian blue cat is a beautiful cat with a Russian heart.

The Russian Blue Cat comes from Russia and is a beautiful and mysterious cat breed that has won the hearts of cat lovers all over the world. The breed was first seen in the port city of Arkhangelsk, where sailors were thought to have brought it from the Archangel Isles.

This cat is exceptionally pretty and classy. Its short, thick, fluffy coat is usually a silvery-blue color that makes it look royal. The Russian Blue Cat is known for being friendly and gentle, and it has the perfect mix of intelligence, loyalty, and playfulness.

An outline of the Russian Blue Cat:

The Russian Blue Cat is a medium-sized cat with beautiful green eyes and a thin, graceful body. The silky, short, dense coat is blue-gray in color.

Characteristics: They are known for being calm and gentle, being very smart, being playful, and loving toward their families. People say that their dogs will follow them around the house and form strong bonds with them.

Popularity: this breed is very popular all over the world thanks to its unique looks and friendly personality.

Temperament: They are friendly, gentle, and affectionate, which makes them great pets for both families and single people.

How long it lives: With good care, it usually lives between 15 and 20 years.

Color of the Coat: The Russian Blue Cat's coat is short, dense, and soft, and it is either silvery-blue or gray.

What kind of cat is the Russian Blue Cat? Is it a mixed breed or a pure breed? The Russian Blue Cat is a unique type of cat. On the other hand, it has been used to create mixed breeds like the Nebelung, Chartreux, and British Shorthair.

How to Look After Yourself

Food: A balanced diet high in high-quality protein is very important for the health of a Russian Blue Cat. Some examples are high-end cat food, meat (raw or cooked), and treats made just for cats. A healthy diet helps them stay healthy and full of energy.

Environment: Making a place that is both interesting and comfortable is very important. Comfortable places to rest, interactive toys, scratching posts, and a safe and quiet place to relax are all important. Their health and happiness are improved by living in a peaceful place.

Grooming: Have a short coat that doesn't need much care. Brushing your dog's fur every day can help keep it healthy and reduce shedding. They also keep themselves clean by getting their nails trimmed regularly, going to the dentist, and taking baths every so often.

Take Care: A Russian Blue Cat needs to play, be praised, and meet new people on a regular basis in order to be happy and healthy. Giving cats love and doing fun things with them make their lives better and strengthen the bond between them and their family.

How to Get or Adopt

Popular Places: Russian Blue Cats are loved all over the world. In the UK, the US, Canada, and many other countries, you can find them at reputable breeders, animal shelters, and rescue groups.

Price: The price can be anywhere from $800 to $2,000, depending on things like location, age, and lineage.

Community for Adoption and Rescue: There are a number of groups and communities that help people adopt and rescue Russian Blue Cats. You can find well-known ones like "Russian Blue Rescue" in the US and "Russian Blue Breeders Association" in the UK.

What to Look for Before You Buy or Adopt

General Health: Check to see if the cat is healthy and has had all of its shots.

Vaccination Status: Make sure the cat has had all of its shots to protect it from common feline diseases.

Medical History: Find out about the cat's past illnesses and treatments by asking for its medical history.

How to Get Ready for Life with a Cat:

Three short pieces of advice:

To keep your Russian Blue Cat's mind and body active, give it lots of interactive toys and play with it often.

Set up a schedule for your cat's feeding, grooming, and playtime to help it feel safe and at ease.

Make sure your Russian Blue Cat has a safe and comfortable place to go, especially if you have other pets or kids in the house.

How to Look After Yourself:

Make sure they get a balanced diet and fresh water every day.

Keep the litter box clean and give your cat regular exercise and mental stimulation.

Set up regular check-ups and vaccinations with the vet.

List some important tools for caring for someone:

Cat litter box and good cat litter.

Cat bed and scratching post that are both comfortable.

To keep your mind active, use interactive toys and puzzle feeders.

Everyday Illnesses:

Cats can get respiratory infections like feline herpesvirus and calicivirus.

Infections of the urinary tract.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart.

Need for Vaccines:

The FVRCP vaccine protects cats against rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia.

The rabies shot.

Feline leukemia (FeLV) vaccine for cats that live outside.

Everyday Names

It's up to you to decide what to name your cat. Pick a name that shows how classy and graceful they are. Russian Blue Cats are often called Luna, Smokey, Bella, Sasha, and Dmitri.

Usually don't have big problems with hair loss because their short coat sheds very little. Grooming yourself regularly can help control shedding.

This in-depth guide gives readers useful information about the breed, helping people who want to get a cat to understand its needs and traits so that it can live with people happily.

[kellieblog]

Cockapoo Puppies: Temperament, Lifespan, Great Advice for Grooming & Health Care

 The Cocker Spaniel and the Poodle are what make up a Cockapoo puppy. Because it can be born to many different kinds of parents, its looks, size, and personality can be very different. In general, cockapoos are very friendly, easy to train, active dogs with curly coats that shed less and are especially good for people with allergies.

Getting started

The Cockapoo is a great dog that has the best qualities of both the Cocker Spaniel and the Poodle. Cockapoo puppies are so cute and friendly that they have won the hearts of dog lovers all over the world.

How to Get Ready for a Cockapoo Pup

Food: Making sure your Cockapoo puppy gets the right food is very important. Choose good dog food that is full of protein, vitamins, and minerals. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Puppy Food and Wellness CORE Grain-Free Puppy Food are both good options.

Environment: Your Cockapoo puppy needs a safe and warm place to live. Set up a room with comfortable bedding and a safe place to play.

The best way to take care of a Cockapoo puppy is to give it lots of love, attention, and good interactions. Their health depends on how they look, how much they exercise, how many friends they have, and how often they train.

How to Get a Cockapoo or Adopt One

Average Price: The price of a Cockapoo puppy depends on where you live, how well-known the breeder is, and where the dog comes from. On average, it will cost between $1000 and $2500 for a Cockapoo puppy.

Adoption Communities: There are groups for people who want to adopt Cockapoo puppies on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Look for groups with names like "Cockapoo Puppies for Adoption" or "Cockapoo Rescue Network."

Make sure the Cockapoo puppy is healthy before you bring it home. Check their general health, immunization records, and medical history. Breeders and rescue groups with a good name make sure their puppies are healthy and happy.

Rescue groups include "Cockapoo Rescue" in the U.S., "Cockapoo Club of GB Rescue" in the U.K., and "Cockapoo Rescue Canada" in Canada.

How to Plan for the Life of a Cockapoo Puppy

Advice: Spend as much time as you can with your Cockapoo puppy and make memories that will make you happy.

Set up a nice place for them to live with all the things they need, like healthy food, tools for grooming, cozy bedding, and fun toys. Getting enough rest, being around other people, taking care of themselves, and exercising all help their health.

Vaccinations: To protect their health, make sure your Cockapoo puppy gets important vaccinations. Important shots include distemper, parvovirus, and rabies. Talk to your vet about getting your puppy vaccinated on a schedule that fits its needs.

Questions Often Asked About Cockapoo Puppies

How to Make a Cockapoo Stop Biting: To stop the biting, give the dog good chew toys and use positive reinforcement to encourage gentle play. This is a natural behavior that can be stopped by training and socialization.

Socialization and Raising a Friendly Dog: When your Cockapoo puppy is young, he or she needs to get used to new things, people, and places. This helps the dog be well-rounded and friendly as it grows up.

Use training methods that give people what they want to do more of to train your Cockapoo puppies. Start with easy commands like "sit" and "stay" and move on to more complicated ones as your puppy gets older.

When you get a Cockapoo puppy, it's the beginning of a long journey full of friends, laughter, and moments you'll never forget. By giving consistent care, training, and love, you set the stage for a happy, fulfilling relationship that will warm your heart for years to come.

[whimsicaldragonette]

ARC Review: Kids' Nonfiction Books for March 2023: No World Too Big and Facing Mighty Fears About Baddies and Villains

*Summaries, Ratings, and Reviews for both books below the cut.

No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Climate Change by Lindsay H. Metcalf, Jeanette Bradley, Keila V. Dawson

Preorder

Add to Goodreads

Publication Date: March 14, 2023

Synopsis:

Fans of No Voice Too Small will be inspired by young climate activists who made an impact around climate change in their communities, countries, and beyond. Climate change impacts everyone, but the future belongs to young people. No World Too Big celebrates twelve young activists and three activist groups on front lines of the climate crisis who have planted trees in Uganda, protected water in Canada, reduced school bus’ climate footprint in Indonesia, invented alternate power sources in Ohio, and more. Fourteen poems by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, David Bowles, Rajani LaRocca, Renée LaTulippe, Heidi E. Y. Stemple, and others honor activists from all over the world and the United States. Additional text goes into detail about each activist's life and how readers can get involved.

My Rating: ★★★★★

My Review:

The poems in this book were very moving. Each young activist featured has a very inspiring story and as a collection it really drives home the problem of climate change while still offering hope that we can still do something to fight it.

The pictures were simple but beautiful colored pencil drawings that captured a lot of emotion in the faces of the people pictured. They were also excellent likenesses of the young activists.

I intend to read this with my 3rd grader to help inspire him to come up with ways we can work together to fight climate change and to make him realize that 1) it's a big problem and 2) even though it's big, we can still work together to solve it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for providing an e-arc for review.

-----

Facing Mighty Fears About Baddies and Villains by Dawn Huebner

Preorder

Add to Goodreads

Publication Date: March 21, 2023

Synopsis:

Many children are afraid of baddies and villains who do, in fact, do hurtful things. But sometimes fear far outstrips danger, and even children who are safe feel apprehensive all the time. Facing Mighty Fears About Baddies and Villains teaches 3 steps to help manage ongoing fears. Fun Facts engage children, while a Note to Parents and Caregivers and supplemental Resource section make this the perfect guide for parents and mental health professionals. This book is part of the Dr. Dawn's Mini Books About Mighty Fears series, designed to help children ages 6-10 tackle their fears and live happier lives.

My Rating: ★★★★★

My Review:

Update: I have read this twice with my kiddo now. I suggested it the first time and he listened very intently, and then the next night he asked to read it again. (He asked to read it again after that but I suggested taking a break to read something else.) Clearly he's getting something out of it.

He was uninterested in the gum facts, and after several pages asked me to just skip them. It was the instructions on how to 'chew out' the thoughts about baddies and villains that really seemed to interest him. It makes sense, as he has been scared of bad guys lately. I get the feeling we'll be reading this several more times in the coming weeks.

----

This is shorter than I expected but does a great job explaining in detail the exposure technique the author talks about in her Outsmarting Worry book. I'm really glad I requested this one as kiddo and I weren't entirely sure how to implement the exposure technique from the other book. This one is a very clear, step-by-step guide to easing worries about 'baddies' that don't pose any actual danger in particular. My kiddo does not have outward signs of this to the extent of the kid in the example, but he does definitely worry about certain 'baddies' and tends to get stuck worrying about them. We will try this method of un-sticking the worry for sure. I wasn't sure about all the facts about gum - they seemed kind of random. But after reading the author's note at the end it made sense. The author is drawing an analogy between chewing gum (familiar to most people) and 'chewing out' the scariness of the 'baddies.' Pausing to read facts about gum also breaks up the heaviness of the subject and gives an opportunity for mental breathers. I found this to be very readable and easily understandable, and don't forsee my kiddo (8) having any trouble understanding it. After reading it I feel very motivated and look forward to reading it with him so we can talk about his own fears of 'baddies' and how I can support him in overcoming them. *Thanks to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for providing an early copy for review.

[summerbummin]

Headcanons about Apollo and his former lovers from TOA

Naomi Solace 🎤

-Her and Apollo met when she was singing at a dive bar, he bought her a drink and they had a whirlwind summer fling

-They loved hitting up karaoke bars together and wowing everyone with their singing talent

-She really liked Apollo’s car and they’d did a lot of things in there (including conceiving Will lmao)

-One time when they were making out Naomi climbed into Apollo’s seat and her butt accidentally hit the steering wheel and HOOONK

-They jolted in surprise, then delved into hysterics, anything they had going on dying down as they laid their heads against each other’s shoulders and laughed so hard their ribs hurt, until Apollo suggested they used the back seat and things got going again lol

-Once Naomi said Jesus Christ in like response to smth, Apollo replied actually I’m Phoebus Apollo and Naomi was like what? And Apollo was like whaaaaat and Naomi just moved on bc she had other things to deal with lol

-Apollo ended up saying goodbye and leaving at the end of summer and a few weeks after he left Naomi realized she was pregnant and was like well shit

-She’s from the south and people there can be p judgmental about pregnancies outside of marriage, but Naomi never let them get her down, she actually met this great support group of women who helped her out and are still good friends even now

-Apollo eased her labor pains when she was giving birth to Will (and that’s why the kid has such good medical powers), but Apollo disguised himself as a nurse, not wanting to stress her out because the ex who she thought had no idea abt the baby was here, with her, holding her hand while she was gave birth

-Naomi brings Will up with love and kindness and she just wants the best for her sweet boy, but she gets concerned when Will talks about some weird things he saw at school and he gets pegged as the “weird kid” and is picked on by his classmates as a result

-Naomi would’ve fought those kids but Will told her it was fine, mama! His stuffed animals were his friends

-Will loved those stuffed animals and got really attached to them, so Naomi taught him how to sow them up when they started fraying and that’s the first thing that made Will want to be a doctor (when Will told his siblings this story they started calling him Doc McStuffins lol)

-Apollo didn’t tell Naomi he was a god and she didn’t find out until Apollo sent a satyr to bring Will to camp once he was old enough

-Realizing she had a fling with a greek god was a bit of a shock but Naomi dealt with it gracefully and gave Will the biggest hug before he left, making him promise to be safe and write to her as soon as he got to camp

-Naomi’s career as a country alt singer got a lot more successful after her whole thing with Apollo because he put a blessing on her, her voice was beautiful she just needed help getting noticed so Apollo nudged some influential people in the music industry towards her on his way out (he kinda felt bad about leaving so abruptly, even if it was just a fling, he tries to make it up to his ex-lovers with things like this)

-Naomi actually ends up writing a sad country love song about Apollo after he left, she titled it Suburn, not knowing how fitting the title is until years later, it becomes one of her most popular songs

-Naomi travels a lot for her career, touring around Texas and some nearby states, and that’s why Will stays at camp year round, but they write to each other frequently and love each other sm

-Naomi doesn’t date much since she’s always busy with her career and traveling, she’s just not ready to settle down yet, she’s happy living as a free spirit and a single mom with a wonderful son

-Naomi is 100% supportive of Will’s sexuality and loves Nico to bits (Nico is a little awkward around her at first bc he’s not used to affection lol)

-She tells Nico stories abt Will when he was a kid, whipping out photo albums and everything and Will is like mom s t a h p ur embarrassing me in front of my bf and Nico is reveling in how red his face gets

Latricia Lake 🎶

-she met Apollo when he was posing as a street performer for fun on the streets of the college town she worked in

-she put a tip in his guitar case and complimented his playing and his voice, Apollo was pleased by this and complimented her in turn, saying she must know her music which made Latricia laugh because she is a professor

-the two of them hit it off and start dating, spending hours talking about music

-being the god of music, Apollo could tell when people really loved music, feeling loved in return, and Latricia was one of those people

-being a college professor, Latricia was a bit older than Apollo’s usual lovers (she’s like in her mid to late 20s) and Apollo looks like 21, so he jokingly starts calling her a cougar just to tease her (when he’s so full of shit bc he’s over 3 thousand years older than her)

-Apollo attended some of her lectures, watching from the back of the room and her students were like ooh who’s that hot guy and she was like my bf and their jaws dropped bc daaamn ms lake way to go (Apollo found those reactions very amusing lol)

-There are many times when Latricia considers smacking that smug smirk off Apollo’s face, but she refrains and smacks his ass instead

-Apollo claims Latricia only loves him for his pancakes bc he made them for her the morning after their first time as a way to get her to keep him around lol (and it worked a little too well)

-When Latricia got pregnant Apollo told her who/what he really was and that was a bit too much for Latricia so they stopped dating but Apollo gave her the briefing about demigod children, powers, monsters, camp half blood, etc before he left

-One day when her sitter had to cancel on her she brought Austin to her class and all the college kids thought he was so cute that Latricia started bringing him around more often, Austin was just a baby but she could tell he loved the attention by the way he was gurgling lol (like father like son)

-Latricia is p busy since she’s a professor but she always makes time for her son and she has been teaching Austin about music since he was a kid, he grew up surrounded by it and that’s why he loves it sm (that and being a son of Apollo)

-On his 10th birthday there was a really nice new saxophone with a ribbon at the foot of his bed (a gift from Apollo) Austin always thought his mom bought it for him and Latricia just didn’t correct him

-Latricia sent Austin to camp half blood when he told her he saw a monster at school, he was only 11 but Latricia would rather be safe then sorry

-Latricia actually met someone while Austin was at his first year of camp, Austin was a little unsure around the guy at first but more out of awkwardness than anything the guy was lacking

-Austin and him bonded over “being boys” as Latricia put it (they blew up hot dogs in the microwave together) and the man soon had her son’s stamp of approval

-They ended up getting married the next year and Austin played the saxophone at their wedding

-Latricia was the first subscriber to his YouTube channel and showed all her coworkers and students her son’s videos, she’s a proud mama

Darren Knowles 🏹

-gay (obviously)

-he loves the outdoors and the crisp cold weather of Canada

-met Apollo when he saw him checking out the flier he had pinned up advertising his archery classes, Darren asked if he was gonna join and Apollo not so subtly checked Darren out over his sunglasses and was like well now I’m def joining

-Darren lowkey thought Apollo was a dumb American tourist at first and Apollo keeps telling him he’s not American and Darren is like uh huh

-Apollo is such a flirt during class and actually misses a few shots bc he too busy staring at Darren lol, but that does give the opportunity for Darren to come and “correct” his stance

-Darren is determined to be a professional with his students but he ends up caving because Apollo is just,, so cute

-Then when they start going on actual dates he finds out Apollo isn’t some dumb blond and is actually really intelligent and educated and Darren is like oh no my weakness, guys who are goofs but not dumb and also hot (Apollo be checking all of his boxes lol)

-Apollo told Darren he was a god while drunk off his ass one night and Darren didn’t believe a fucking word, Apollo just rolled with the drunken nonsense thing the next morning and didn’t tell Darren again (until Kayla)

-Darren lives alone but he’s always wanted a family, he was kicked out by his parents for being gay and he knows if he was a parent he would never treat his child like that, he’d love them unconditionally like his parents should’ve loved him

-Apollo magically created a child for Darren after the man confessed to him how much he wanted a kid of his own

-Darren was happy but like really confused because h... how? And Apollo is just like magic~ which explains fuck all

-Apollo tells him he has to leave now, he was having to leave soon anyway because of some trouble brewing back in America, but that he wanted to do this one last thing for Darren before he left

-he tells him to have take care raising the baby and to send her to cbh’s address when she starts attracting monsters, then poofs away, leaving Darren with a baby in his arms and wondering what the hell just happened

-Darren does raise Kayla with love and care just as he said he would, she grows up hiking through the woods with her dad and learning archery along with other wilderness skills (Artemis would really like her)

-Kayla has her aspirations for the Olympics pretty early on and Darren admires his daughter’s ambition, at first he thinks it’s just her being a kid but then later on as she keeps getting better and better he’s like damn she might actually be able to do it

-But then ofc monsters come and Darren drives her down to New York, lying through his teeth to the border guy who surprisingly lets him through without a problem (Apollo may have insured that but shhh)

-Darren sees her off at the barrier of Thalia’s pine tree and they say goodbye with a hug that lifts Kayla off her feet, there’s promises to write and reminders to practice her archery and take care of her bow and such before Kayla is escorted into camp by some other campers

-Darren managed to keep a hold of himself while saying goodbye but as soon as he’s back in the car he’s fucking bawling, all the way back to Canada because he’s gonna miss his little girl sm

-Darren has had some boyfriends but a lot of them end up jetting as soon as he tells them he has a kid ripp

-He does eventually land a good man and they’re going strong, even when Kayla, who was like 10 at the time, threatened to shoot him in the nads if he hurt her dad

-Darren and shows up to every archery match Kayla has in the future and promises to be there cheering for her with a big ass sign that says THATS MY DAUGHTER when she eventually reaches the Olympics

Bonus!

Georgina’s Mom 🎨

-She was an art student in community college

-She was on her own because her parents refused to support her “unrealistic” career choice

-She met Apollo at a party at some college dorm and they both got super smashed bc college parties be like that

-They had a one night stand that both of them mostly forgot about in favor of their hangovers the next morning

-until Hello!! You have a kid!

-She is most likely dead given that Georgina was led to the waystation by a ghost

-But Georgina has two new mommies now who love her very much (and an awkward dad)

[smoulderingocean]

Osblaine Week Day 2: Headcanons

My list is long (though far from exhaustive haha- I could really go on forever), so it's under the cut. May we be blessed with more details in the future so we don't have to keep headcanoning them.

Holly is left-handed, just like her Uncle Josh. Nick is deeply moved by this small connection they share, feeling as if Josh lives on in her.

Nick and Holly's birthdays are both in February and are just a few days apart, with Nick's birthday coming just three days after hers. To him she is the greatest possible gift that he could ever receive. And the closeness of their birthdays has a deeper meaning too- his Mum and Josh had August birthdays that were just a few days apart.

Nick's family couldn't always afford it because money was tight and it was hard to get time off of work, but every couple of years they tried to visit Mackinac Island for a week in August to celebrate those August birthdays. Those handful of summer visits are among Nick's most cherished memories because it was the only time that his family was truly happy.

Growing up Nick was really close to his Mum. She was a very gentle, kind, and sweet person, and raised Nick to be the same. She was the head and heart of their household. When she died the Blaine family fell apart. Nick's father and Josh both struggled to function, falling deep into a pit of depression and spiralling further after they were laid off. Seeing no other alternative, Nick, himself deeply depressed, stepped up and tried to fill her place. He never felt like he was enough, because no one could ever replace his Mum.

Because he took on the head of the household role at a very young age, Nick's natural caretaking personality grew stronger, something that follows him for the rest of his life and is part of why he is such a good partner and father.

June sleeps cold while Nick sleeps hot. One night, very early on into their relationship, Nick wakes and looks over at June. He can tell from her face that she is cold and not entirely able to relax enough to sleep more deeply and get enough rest. So Nick gets out of bed and gathers his spare blanket from his trunk, tucking it carefully around her. After a few minutes, he sees June relax and fall more deeply asleep. When she awakens a couple hours later, very well-rested, she is deeply moved by the simple gesture. A gesture that hadn't been given to her in years. From then on Nick has the extra blanket out for her wrap up in. It's unspoken, but to both of them that blanket belongs to her.

Nick is a night owl while June is a morning person. This dichotomy works really well within their relationship as it allows for balance. In the mornings June wakes up early and goes for her run, then gets the kids up and going while Nick makes breakfast. Then at night Nick puts the kids to bed and stays up later than June to read, listen to music, watch tv, or just sit on the balcony and relax.

June enjoys the mornings because they're a new start, while Nick has a harder time with them because getting everyone up and going and out to where they need to be means they'll be apart for most of the day. Meanwhile Nick enjoys nights more because it's a winding down- the family is together and able to spend some quality moments with each other. At night Nick is most able to take care of everyone; there are no burdens or expectations, just love. The nights are peaceful and calming for him. For June, the nights are challenging because she finds it difficult to wind down- she enjoys being busy and being on the go, and the nighttime family rituals are the opposite. Together, Nick and June manage to balance each other out- June's drive and energy get Nick going in the mornings while Nick's tenderness and unwavering support help June wind down and relax at night.

Together, they sleep really well because they feel safe and so their subconsciouses are able to let go and relax. Without the other they struggle to get enough rest.

Nick is the cuddler of the two and really craves those moments in their relationship. The quiet warmth and comfort means so much to him and it's what he really looks forward to each night because he feels safe and loved.

One of June's favourite things to do is to watch Nick read. She finds it -the glasses and the lips pursed in concentration and the emotions on his face- incredibly sexy and she often finds herself unable to resist temptation and ends up distracting him, which Nick enjoys immensely. Nick also knows that she finds the whole thing erotic and so he puts himself into situations where he knows June will notice just what he's doing.

When they were living at the Waterford house, Nick never had to say that June was welcome to read his books, the acknowledgement that she was free to choose went unspoken between them because Nick knew that she didn't need his permission and June knew that she didn't have to ask; it was a natural thing because his apartment is was close to a home that she had in Gilead (he's her home) and so those books were as much hers as they were his.

In the Boston Globe they finally got to spend a lot of real downtime together. There they found many books, dvds, and cds that had been long-banned, left forgotten in the hastily abandoned office tower. In their free hours together they got to be a normal couple. In those hours they found that they both had an unapologetic love for Harry Potter and they enjoyed getting into enthusiastic debates about the subject. (Also, they both agreed that Nick is a Hufflepuff and June is a Gryffindor.) June loves Friends, while Nick teases her that it was before his time and that he preferred Glee, which June hated because she thought the singing was terrible. Both share a love for boy bands, with Nick's music tastes being more varied than June's and he introduces her to many good songs. Both are avid readers, but June is especially and Nick reads each and every book she hands to him.

Together they learn all sorts of things that accompany a normal, happy relationship; June can't cook worth a damn while Nick is skilled at batch meals like soups, stews, and chili. Nick loves coffee and tea equally (he's especially fond of a good Hong Kong-style milk tea, the kind his mother use to make) while June is exclusively a coffee person. Nick's favourite chore to do is laundry and June is amazed to find out that he'd often take the laundry off of Rita's hands whenever he could as she despised it. Meanwhile June's preferred chore is doing the dishes, because she doesn't contribute by and so she likes to do her bit by washing up.

In the Boston Globe, Nick finds a copy of "What to Expect When You're Expecting" and reads it in its entirety, an action that makes June cry from emotion.

While in the Boston Globe, Nick does everything he can to fulfil June's pregnancy cravings, including trading his valuable illicit liquor for her beloved Twinkies. He loved being able to do that for her because it made her smile and Nick lived for those smiles.

Both Nick and June share a commonality of being bookworms as children, a trait that they pass down onto Holly. Their favourite weekend family activity is a trip to the library.

June was in the 'in' crowd in school while Nick was more of a loner and was very quiet. June ran track and was on the swim team, and was good enough to get a partial scholarship to a good school where she majored in English. Nick never played any sports (though like all good Detroit boys, was a big hockey fan and knows how to skate, and Nick's parents, especially his father, were such big fans that they gave their sons hockey-related middle names- Joshua Gordon [after Gordie Howe] and Nicholas Stanley [after the Stanley Cup]) but he excelled at English and social studies. He couldn't afford to go to university, something that broke his father's heart as he wanted to give Nick the chance to go that he never got. (Josh meanwhile, was very artistic and was particularly good at photography- one of Nick's prized possessions is a print of one of Josh's photos. Like Nick, he couldn't afford to go to school.)

After getting into Canada together after getting Hannah out of Gilead, June and Nick and their family move from Toronto to Kelowna, finding great comfort in the mountains and also appreciating that it helps Hannah recover from what she's lived through as the mountains are comforting and familiar to her.

My biggest crack headcanon is that Nick and June have the same blood type (O+) and it was Nick's blood that was donated to help June after her haemorrhage. Nick volunteered and this action was seen as so good and so 'godly' that it was a small element in pushing Nick further up the ladder. He knew this, but selflessly gave her his blood anyway, because it was the only way he could help.

[hetalia-but-make-it-romantic]

loved the last post so much 🥺 can we get general relationship headcanons for canada and america? 1p and 2p please 👉👈

Thank you so much, sweetheart

General Relationship Headcanons

✮America | Alfred Jones✮

Alfred has Annoying High School Freshman Energy and you can’t tell me otherwise

Anyway, he couldn’t actually believe when he developed feelings for you,  he’s 19 afterall!! or, I mean looks like he is

Regardless. he thought he shouldn’t be in a relationship, he should be out there living his best life! Right???

As it would turn out, in order to “live his best life”, he needed you to be by his side

When you two are in an actual relationship, he spoils the ever living f u c k outta you, getting you extravagant gifts and taking you to expensive dates

The ‘expensive date’ portion of that usually isn’t fancy restaurants, but instead trips to Disney World, Magic Mountain, and other fun or fast pace places

He calls you so many cutesy pet names (babe, sugar, honey, darlin’, etc.) that you start to think he forgot your actual name

He wants you to call him cute names too!!

I hope you like stereotypical cowboy accents, because normally he has a mid-western accent (read: none at all), but when he gets tired, it sort of drops to a low southern draw

He lowkey gets embarrassed being all cute with you when his friends (The Boys™) are around, but he’s working on it

At the end of the day, he’s a real sweetheart

Me & You by HONNE

--

✮2p!America | Allen Jones✮

👏New👏York👏accent

Now that the most important thing is out of the way, Allen is very much brash and a fast paced guy, never really staying in one place (or with one person) for too long

He has always preferred little flings and never really had much more than than, but then you just?? Ruined that???

A little bit salty, a little bit confused, but hey, fuck it

When you two are dating, he’s the type of boyfriend to flirt with you in public when he sees you, pretending like you’re just some attractive stranger who caught his attention

It’s a little game he enjoys plating so try to flirt back

His dates are more old school too, taking you to drive-ins and family diners mostly

l o v e s kissing you tbh

However, if you’ve eaten meat or other animal products, he will straight up refuse to do so until you brush your teeth

Will encourage you to eat animal substitutes too but won’t force it in you

He does, however, have some anger problems, so, when arguments between you two do happen, it can get l o u d

If you ask him to and give him encouragement along the way, he’ll try his best to seek anger management counseling

In spite of his flaws, he really does just want to make you happy and feel safe

Last of The Real Ones by Fall Out Boy

--

◈ Canada | Mathew Williams ◈

Matthew is an absolute sweetheart, but he has the habit of being a tab bit on the shy side

He developed feelings for you when you two were hanging out as friends, getting coffee/hot chocolate/tea in the early afternoon, both wearing what you slept in and his hair was a bit messy, tied back in a tiny pony tail

Maybe it was the way the afternoon sun hit you, maybe it was your smile, but he was s m i t t e n

He most likely didn’t tell you about his feelings right away, you being the one to ask him out

He- he can be a bit of a sassy prick, ngl

It’s mainly snide little remarks under his breath during World Conference meetings, but they’re lowkey kinda funny roasts

While you two are in a relationship, he’ll work up the courage to flirt with you, but if you do it back he’ll get immediately flustered

He also likes  complimenting you, so at least once a week, you’ll wake up to a sticky note on the bathroom mirror for you saying a little compliment about something he likes about you

Also he enjoys baking when he’s kinda strung out, so he’ll often make things, taking any dietary restrictions you may have into consideration, and putting them in some tupperware for you

At some point early on in the relationship, France would take you and Mathew out to lunch so he can meet who his cher fils is so taken with

He’s gotta make sure you’re treating him right, afterall

Someone To You (Acoustic) by BANNERS

--

◈ 2p!Canada | James Mathieu Williams ◈

He’s not great at expressing affection or romantic interest at all

He didn’t ask you out when he liked you, as he had it in his mind that you deserved better than him

In his eyes, you’re kind and wonderful, he’s gruff and more on the aggressive side, making him a bit of a mess

When you asked him out (or if you’re too shy, Allen got impatient and asked you out for him) he was a little on the cautious side of things

As the relationship progresses though, he’s quite happy, even if he doesn’t necessarily show it

The way he shows affection for you is through quality time

He’ll set some time aside just to spend hours with you

Which reminds me, his dates aren’t anything extra, he prefers spending them at his place, and he wouldn’t go out of his way to do much more unless you ask him too

His place, by the way, being a quaint, albeit kinda sus looking, cabin in the northern area of Canada, sitting just on the outskirts of a forest

You two would spend hours sitting on the couch or rug in front of the fireplace, doing whatever it is you two would enjoy doing together (or even separate, he just likes having you in the same general vicinity as him)

In other news, he’s been wearing the same red, black, and gray flannel for months, please remove and wash it

Sedated by Hozier

[abeltownshipslittlebitch]

Spoilers for S9M22

It’s kind of long because I have a lot to say, but it’s not all negative. There’s just one thing that’s mentioned in particular I feel the need to elaborate on

@dorkylittleweirdo I’m tagging you because I always like telling you my opinion on everything

While I was wanting to punch Maryam in the face for dismissing Sam’s VERY VALID worry for Peter, I’m happy to know Peter is safe and unharmed.

But if Maryam says shit like that again idk if she secretly knows he’s safe my Five is punching her on sight. Like the amount of times Peter’s safety has been dismissed this season is insane and I’m not here for it.

Also Maryam being a spy 😱. Who would have guessed? It’s not like we’d been all theorizing it since she was introduced or anything. True she’s not a RSB spy but still.

But I don’t trust her bc there is one thing thats very sus. RSB had cameras of places all around the world and yet they somehow have no idea what’s going on in United States? Like you’re telling me they have connections to countries they aren’t even a part of, but being an outpost to America they haven’t been able to contact one (1) military base in the US? Like do you know how many bases there are in the US?

Also like Maryam saying “no one knows what happened in the US”. Like if any place could survive the apocalypse it’s America bc the southern regions have guns and as a born and raised Arkansan I know motherfuckers down here blow shit up for fun. Also hunting is huge here. You’d never find these ppl hiding in camo. Also some 90 year old hillbilly could give you some homemade Moonshine and if that doesn’t make you immune to the zom virus, you can throw it at a zom and it would probably melt it.

And here I am just talking about the south. The Midwest lives in buttfuck middle of nowhere and knows how to can good and grow their own food, the north is cold as fuck and can survive it. New Yorkers would see zoms, shrug and then probably make their way to the subway bc they have to get to work. Also in places like Florida and New Jersey and specially Chicago Illinois, the zombies would be more afraid of the humans than humans afraid of zombies bc it takes a special type of person to live in those areas. I don’t know much about the west coast besides the fact that California is always on fire or having an earthquake so tbh I feel like zombies are like the secondary problem for them.

My point is there is no way that America has fell in the apocalypse. Not to mention even tho I’m only talking about regional point, we’ve had conspiracy theorists across the country WAITING FOR THIS DAY. Like no. This ain’t tracking.

Also there’s like a military base in almost every state I think. Sometimes multiple in a state. And we’re well defended, and we, ya know, have the biggest military in the world. The fact that Maryam is saying that RSB has no clue what’s happened in America when they were able to secure Van Ark goo from the black market (meaning a base in Tunisia had connections to England in order to get ahold of it), and literally had cameras looking at other countries in Europe (the Eiffel Tower toppled over in Paris France) AND the big boss knew who we are means that they had connections to know about ABEL TOWNSHIP which canonically probably has maybe 1,000 bc we did talk about in S7 how we kept bringing people in and we’re getting a bit overpopulated for us. It’s just…

There is no way they haven’t been able to make contact with America. Janine was able to contact Canada via Rofflenet in S2 on a unstable network, so to say this highly secure base with great tech that has been making some very horrifying experiments can’t contact the country their base is meant to be an outpost for is bs.

This either means S2S did crappy with their writing, or Maryam is lying. I’m really hoping it’s the latter.

Also Ernie I love you. He and my Five are clone buddies, or they will be after some character development and Callista trying not to be a hypocrite bc she knows she’s not the same as the person she’s cloned after but it’s hard to have that logic against the clone of the guy who experimented on you and gave you lifelong trauma.

Also Sam “yeah we have no idea who it was that shot you down with a rocket launcher 😬.” That made me laugh ngl.

Also there was no Janine this ep so extra points for that. Also Maryam said Janine said it was unlikely that Peter would be hurt, and then it’s revealed that Maryam knew that Peter was picked up by one of her spy friends. This gives the implication that Janine may have known Maryam is a spy. If she did, and she knew Peter was safe and withheld that from us my Five is going feral on her. Like I’m already mad she had us leave him but IF it turns out she knew he was okay and said nothing im not gonna be happy.

Bc Janine knowing stuff and not saying Is why Peter unnecessary cut off his own nose (don’t think I’ve forgotten about that S2S). I haven’t.

Also no Mo and Peter this ep so it also loses points for that.

Okay. Now time for me to crawl back into my hole. I have to get ready for work soon any way. (I’m heading in early to get some LSAT studies done.)

But yeah. That’s it for today.

[mkawenvs3000w22]

Connecting to Nature From the Comfort of My Own Home

Bird feeders are a terrific way to bring wildlife into our gardens, whether you live in the city, suburbs, or the country. It is, at the very least, one way of interacting with nature and, in a sense, interpreting nature from the comfort of our own homes (Beck et al. 2018).

For the past three or four years, I've been feeding birds. Every year, it's a chance for me to think about what sort of feeder and/or feed to use and what kind of birds I want to attract, among other things. However, the primary goal of feeding birds is to be able to observe and enjoy them, especially since looking out my living room window is much more accessible than driving for a hike.

Along the way, I encountered various issues that I had not foreseen. There were squirrel, mouse, and European Starling invasions, as well as numerous questions when it came to bird feeding and birds in general. A year into my bird feeding hobby, I learnt that feeders should be cleaned on a regular basis, but at that point, I almost never did. Dirty bird feeders were a source of disease for birds, especially trichomoniasis, a disease that killed many birds last summer. I was immediately hit with a pang of guilt about how my lack of experience and knowledge may have been harming the birds I cared so much about. So, after I learnt this, I went to great lengths to clean them regularly and thoroughly. It was time-consuming, a little gross, and laborious, but it was a way of keeping nature safe. When it comes to feeding birds, I've discovered that there's always something new to learn. If we are open to it, we learn to do better over time, and for me, I was able to learn how to safely feed birds in a way that brought in the most diversity and discouraged pests.

Introducing bird feeders to my garden has made me more knowledgeable of the variety of birds that exist in Canada and more conscious of their beauty. Every time a new species of bird comes to my feeder, it feels like winning a mini lottery. In addition, as time went, it became easier for me to observe and draw conclusions about what I could do to provide better food and shelter for the birds who frequent my garden. As a result, I progressed from being an amateur bird feeder to a full-fledged bird nerd; one who was eager to learn more about bird identification, bird behaviour, and other connections to the natural world and share my knowledge as I could. Today, just before I wrote this blog, I had the opportunity to become a spontaneous nature interpreter while on a trail run. I had noticed a group of Cedar Waxwings and stopped in my tracks to observe them, I had never seen them before, but I recognized them from my learning. A couple noticed me looking up and asked what the birds were, and suddenly through the conversation, I was able to share my knowledge and passion with them. This experience today reminds me of when I was on a hike when I was still a bird “amateur” and I noticed a woman observing birds while at a look-out point, she told me that they were Turkey Vultures and this piece of knowledge, as well as the memory, has stuck with me ever since. In a way, this random stranger was a spontaneous nature interpreter a a key piece of nature interpretation is that the information “resonates” with the learner, which it certainly did (Beck et al. 2018). Perhaps this is how many of us become nature interpreters, evolving from casual enthusiasts to more formal well-rounded nature "experts".

Connecting to and interpreting nature, even from the indoors, is filled with opportunities and rewards, if we are willing to take the time.

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Redshelf eBook. Sagamore Publishing. Retrieved January 29, 2022, from https://platform.virdocs.com/r/s/0/doc/1948104/sp/245407251/mi/718086528?cfi=%2F4%2F4&menu=index.

[honey-makki]

well, i guess sappy posts are better late than never. i can’t believe i’ve only been on anime tumblr for 8 months and writing for 6. it’s crazy how influential my time here has been on me and the relationships i’ve fostered. i guess this is also my thank you for 2.5k because i hit that recently. im so thankful and grateful you have let me create a nice lil coffeeshop in my own corner of tumblr. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, (ok maybe some things but not many). I will be disgustingly sappy and in love with people under the cut. beware of cavities from the sweetness.

@heauxzenji​ god you are really the love of my mf life. i talk to you more than i talk to my irl bestfriends and i live with them. i’m glad i can wake you up with horny thoughts everyday but its kinda homophobic that you are three hours behind me. manifesting that this year we get to see each other so our gay horny love can be actualized.

@sugardaddykenma​ lin you are simultaneously my love and my aunt and i wouldn’t have it any other way. please send me more snaps of you screaming because the really make me laugh. im happy we are genuine friends and i care about you so much. will flee to canada on a moments notice, on your beck and call my love.

@satendou​ spencer you are my wife and live teasingly close to me. i’m so happy i got drunk that one night and you messaged me because i was way too nervous to message you even though i wanted to. you are fantastic and oneday we will both not be ghosts and really catch up. i love you regardless.

@keijiskitten​ laura. my baby kitty lauwa. please come be my irl catgirl i will buy the nicest collars. you are so so sweet and genuine and im blessed to have oun in my life. sometimes royal!au sneaks into my head when im doing other stuff just so you know that you have fully ruined me as a person but i love it.

@crushzone​ nin. my god you are the sweetest person on this godforsaken website. every interaction i’ve ever had with you has been nothing less than wonderful. thank you for being horny w me and drawing the cutest fucking photo of me and shinkami ever. now watch mha so we can talk about aizawa,

@sgwrscrsh​ skye baby girl. mwah. a kiss. thank you for reminding me ao3 exists all those months ago when you sent me in another life. you have ruined me as a person but i sent you that monster fic so maybe we are even. i love you. thank you for the christmas gift i loved it SO much.

@cno-inbminor​ kay. quick friends bc we are same person and i love u. please stream urr next baking session it makes me happy. also townes!sakusa. just a reminder so you can think about that sweater. 

@samuslut​ wing we haven’t talked too much but i just want you to know i love you so much and admire your work and world building. you are a fantastic writer and a great person

@stallionissei​ miss cas!! we aren’t the closest but talking to you is literally always a pleasure and i love it. i hope your move is going ok and you all get settled down soon! lets talk soon!

@lesbians4yaku​ joy. my first love. you were one of my first friends on tumblr and im ever thankful for that. i care about you so so so much. just seeing your name and you exist makes me smile. we should talk about more evolutions soon because that was very very fun. enjoy your nips and this kiss im sending u *mwah*

to everyone in tumblr babies, i’m so glad i was there in the start of my journey. its such a safe and fun space. thank you for letting me tease *people* about glasses fetishes and just go buck wild in the thirst chats. thank you for voting me horniest member <3 @ceo-of-daichi @hqsoftboysupremecy @scorpiosanssexy @nonexistent-social-life 

to my fellow gravediggers and funeral home employees. yes ive been in the server for like 3 months and yes i am already 8th in rank, no i don’t know how to shut up. thanks for dealing with me. You are my favorite home and i want to cook all you a meal and pet the babies. @xakusa @lumos-flies @tsumue @iwaasfairy @sasa-writes-fandom-things @sweet-sugu @keijiiszn​ 

god, to all of my other mutuals i love you so much and you are all badass. i would fight the horny police and whatever 12 year old kids are in your inbox for all of you. you are all immensely talented and i still wonder why some of you follow me. thank you for every single reblog, comment, advice or like you’ve given me bc it shoots serotonin directly into my heart. which isn’t how its supposed to work but feels nice anyways.

@undermattsun @onefortyninecm @rat-suki @bakatenshii @godjo  @dxddykeiji @saetyrn9 @introloves @pomsuki @lookslikeleese @tetsou @whats-her-quirk @blahkugo @dearsakusa @sugawarakoushihoe @stonersugawara @koutarouthighs @prettysetterbaby @heyhinata @seita @present-mel. 

im going to stop tagging because m tumblr has crashed four times and im already close to max and i really really don’t want to type this out again. thank you to every person who has supported me and i can’t wait to see where this year leads us.

[missmentelle]

COVID-19, Inequality, and You

This pandemic has been a bad time in a lot of ways, but one of the most devastating impacts we’re going to see besides the death toll is the economic impact - the economic impact on real, working people, not on stock index numbers. Unemployment rates are skyrocketing, and people are being thrown into financial chaos as a result. 

But for all the talk we’ve heard during this pandemic of “we’re all in this together”, and “we’re all in the same boat”, it’s important to remember that, financially, we’re really, really not. Job losses, evictions and health crises are not equally distributed; if anything, this pandemic has been a stark reminder of inequality as the wealth gap grows wider and wider. 

My own life has been a weird cross-section of the ways that the pandemic has economically affected different people in very different ways - my mother has completely lost her job at a seasonal tourist restaurant that will likely go out of business, my brother’s hours at his campus security job have been cut as the school moves online, my boyfriend is seeing his savings rise as he goes out less but makes exactly the same salary at his financial tech job, and I’ve fielded multiple job offers through this pandemic as government grants for social services boom in my region in anticipation of a coming homelessness crisis.  

The news has been reporting on unemployment numbers and shuttered businesses, but there hasn’t been a lot of in-depth coverage about the ways that this is really going to affect people’s lives. There will be a lot of unexpected consequences to this pandemic if governments don’t step in to provide relief, including:

‘Eviction freezes’ are throwing tenants into debt without protecting their housing. Many places have put moratoriums on evictions during the pandemic, which is great. You don’t want a sudden surge in mass homelessness during a pandemic. But “no evictions” does not mean “no rent” - people who are currently being protected from eviction are still being charged rent, and their arrears are growing every month. As soon as eviction protections expire - which is set to happen very soon in many places - landlords can move forward with evicting tenants, going after their back rent, sending their debt to collection agencies and destroying their credit scores. 

A lot of people are about to lose most of their possessions. If you get evicted, your parents or friend might have room for you to move in with them for a while. They probably do not have room for your couch, dresser, bed, table, desk, bookshelves, TV and an entire apartment full of stuff. Putting your things in storage is an option, but you need to be able to pack and transport all of your things to the storage unit and pay for the unit every month. You could try selling the stuff you can’t take with you, but it may be difficult with so many other people also struggling financially, and you may have to leave on short notice. A lot of people who get evicted will end up abandoning a lot of their stuff, which they’ll have to re-purchase all over again to get back on their feet. 

People with low wages are disproportionately likely to lose their jobs. If you work as a software engineer, you’re probably still employed. If you work as a hotel maid, there’s a good chance you’ve lost your job or had your hours cut to nearly nothing. The jobs that are most impacted by shutdowns are jobs in the service and hospitality industry, and they tend to be low-wage, hourly jobs that cannot be done from home - bartenders, servers, hotel clerks, and dishwashers are way more likely to have lost their jobs than lawyers, accountants, engineers and college professors. In many ways, the people who are getting kicked the hardest right now are the ones who could least afford it. 

Not every university will survive this pandemic. With a lot of universities and colleges scrambling to figure out whether to have in-person fall semesters, the future of a lot of post-secondary institutions looks bleak. Many students are choosing to take a year off or defer their admission rather than deal with online courses that have been haphazardly thrown together. On top of that, it’s not clear if international students will be able to attend university abroad this year, or if they even want to take the risk. This adds up to a whole lot of lost tuition money, leaving some universities with no way to keep operating - at least one American university has already permanently closed its doors because of the pandemic. The big players - Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Columbia - will probably pull through, but smaller colleges are at serious risk of going under, leaving their students in limbo and at risk of not finishing their disrupted degrees. 

A lot of people are about to go from “poor” to “disabled”. The people most likely to contract coronavirus are the workers who have to interact with the public every day - not only nurses and doctors, but grocery store workers, delivery people, ride-sharing and taxi drivers, transit workers and janitorial staff. Those who survive are at risk of life-long complications of coronavirus, including permanently reduced lung capacity - that’s not great when you need to work a physically demanding job. A lot of people are about to find themselves in a situation where they are no longer able to do their jobs due to a virus that they contracted because of their jobs. 

Many women’s careers may never recover from this. Daycares and schools are closed, and women are bearing the brunt of it. In a world where women still tend to earn less than male partners, it’s women’s careers that have taken a backseat when things get rough. Even when both partners are working from home, women are the ones overwhelmingly taking on most of the domestic and child-rearing chores, which hurts their work performance and leaves them more vulnerable to layoffs. And that’s a relatively privileged position to be in - without childcare services available, many working moms and single moms have had to quit their jobs, whether they could afford it or not, because they have no other options for their children. This kind of career disruption is something that these women may never totally recover from, especially as they try to re-enter an increasingly hostile job market. 

Black and brown people are the most affected by rising unemployment. People of colour - especially immigrants and women of colour - are facing higher rates of unemployment than other groups. Hispanic and Latina women are in particularly dire circumstances, which is alarming, as they are also the most likely to be dealing with an uncertain immigration status. People of colour - particularly women - are disproportionately likely to work in industries that have been impacted by the pandemic, like the hospitality, food service, retail, child care, beauty and personal care industries, and they face systemic racism that makes it difficult for them to advocate for safe working conditions or access adequate medical care. 

College and tourist towns are at risk of complete economic meltdown. A lot of towns or small cities depend on their local university or annual tourism to survive. A huge crowd of strangers flocks to their town for a few months per year and gives local businesses the money they need to pay for necessities year-round. My hometown is one of these places - most businesses are only open from May - September, and they make enough money during that time for everyone to scrape by for the rest of the year. Those tourists aren’t coming this year, which is something that locals have only learned as they begin to run out of last year’s money. You don’t need to work for a university or a hotel to be impacted by school and tourism shutdowns - the ripple effects will be felt by entire communities. 

Escaping domestic violence will be difficult even after lockdown ends. It’s not exactly a secret that domestic violence has skyrocketed since the global pandemic began, a fact that many experts attribute to the fact that everyone is trapped indoors together and under a lot of stress. But even as lockdown regulations start to lift in areas that handled the pandemic responsibly, victims of domestic violence will face higher-than-usual barriers to escape - many victims may have lost their jobs and burned through their savings, and may have difficulty finding a new job that can finance their escape. Victims with health issues may also be wary about going to shelters for fear they will be further exposed to the virus. 

Poor children will fall even further behind their upper-middle-class peers. I come from a part of rural eastern Canada where reliable internet access is simply not available. So for young children in the region, school effectively ended in March - they do not have the resources needed to connect to online learning. And children from rural areas aren’t the only ones missing out - more than half of all students in the United States aren’t accessing their online classes regularly, and marginalized kids are especially likely to be absent. Poor kids are staring down the barrel of an enormous education gap; they are less likely to have a stable internet connection and a device for their online learning, they are less likely to have books at home, and their parents are more likely to be essential workers who still have to go to work right now and don’t have time to teach them. Middle-class and wealthy families can afford laptops, educational software, tutors, books and time at home to educate their children - when schools are eventually back in session, the gaps between children from different socioeconomic backgrounds will probably be the widest they’ve ever been. 

Don’t get me wrong - I am not arguing that we should end lockdowns prematurely to ease the economic impact. Public health measures exist for good reason, and I don’t think any of us want to even imagine, much less live through, the personal, physical and economic devastation of letting a pandemic rage out of control and melt down our healthcare systems. Despite what many people seem to believe, managing a global pandemic is not about “health vs. economy” - letting the virus rage out of control and kill millions would devastate every economic and social system we have. The preservation of human life has to come first.

What we need instead is comprehensive action to recognize and address the issues that come with long-term quarantines and economic shutdown - we need rent relief, social safety nets and basic assured income programs to get our most vulnerable friends and neighbors through this pandemic. The world will probably never return to the “normal” that we knew before the pandemic struck, and it shouldn’t - it’s time for a new, better normal that doesn’t leave our most marginalized people behind.