#not everyone can be cheddar unfortunately :c

[thueenz]

i get so sad seeing occupied objects with people that are just blatantly upsetting them

[dragonheartftherpays]

What are some fun gross things about being a chiropractic student?

I’m so glad you asked! Oh boy there are a lot, in varying degrees of both “gross” and “interesting.”

Putting this under a cut, if Tumblr will let me, for obvious reasons.

Gross Anatomy lab class is probably the biggest obvious one. You’re dissecting a human cadaver, from the skin all the way down to taking out organs and cutting open bones. Skinning a human person definitely qualifies as “gross” in my book, even if you do get desensitized remarkably quickly. Of particular note in this category:

- turns out there are some areas on some bodies where the skin is attached to the superficial fascia (aka the fat layer that’s subcutaneous, or just under the skin) loosely enough that you don’t have to use a scalpel to cut it away at all! Just grab and pull. So I now know what it feels like to rip a human’s skin off with my bare hands. The sensory memory haunts me.

-  the objectively worst part of a cadaver dissection is having to use paper towels to pat and soak up the fat juice/grease, as one might do to a Costco pizza

- the sheer number of food comparisons that end up being made as you’re trying to describe things to each other. I’ve literally started compiling a list of them so that I can make a full-blown meal out of them at the end of Gross III and serve it to my group. Notable additions include: certain brands of cheddar smell almost exactly like cadaver which is extremely unfortunate, the fat-juice has gotten compared to honey mustard dressing, congealed blood in veins has gotten compared to various types of chocolate and chocolate sauce

- me asking my teacher if we could open up one of our cadaver’s interphalangeal (finger) joints because she had super bad arthritis there and I wanted to see what it looked like, and the teacher going “I’ve actually never done that or had anyone ask about it but sure why not we can try”. It looked horrible and also fascinating

- having to repeatedly bend and straighten the cadaver’s leg after having cut open the joint capsule of the knee is An Experience. The texture of synovial fluid is indescribable

- about skinning, actually, one of the main techniques to make it easier is making a “finger hole,” which is the real actual term anatomists use. It’s exactly what you think it is: a hole in the skin through which you hook your finger so you can pull the skin back and get the tension needed to keep cutting it away with the scalpel. (This is, by the way, how we realized that we didn’t need the scalpel on certain portions of the body.)

- human feet are Awful and if I have to stare at the inside of a person’s foot for another five minutes I’m gonna Snap

-  nothing like seeing a dead man’s dick projected at 3x life size on eight widescreen TVs throughout the room

-  “do you KNOW how many layers of muscle and fascia and other neurovascular structures I had to dig through to even FIND that artery, how the FUCK did I manage to pinch it off partially by sitting funny and make that specific part of my leg fall asleep -”

-  apparently you can have your entire larynx, hyoid bone, and part of your trachea removed surgically and survive it, because cancer. Like, there’s just this entire chunk of someone’s neck onscreen and I’m like “ah, yes, a fresh cadaver specimen” and he goes “this was surgically removed from a patient” and I’m just like “sorry, what???”

- my knowledge of the ABO trope continually haunts me throughout this program

-  pro tip: if you plan on donating your body to science for full-body dissection try not to get bruised just before your death, it makes your muscles so much harder to dissect cleanly they just want to shred under the forceps

-  sometimes your gross anatomy prof just kind of rips the clavicle off a human body instead of cutting the second half of the joint capsule so he doesn’t cut anything deep to it and you’re just like “Well That Sure Was A Noise”

This isn’t really gross but it is funny: we have a class at some point later on in the program and I only know three things about it: 1) we learn to draw blood in it, because apparently that’s a thing chiropractors can do in Oregon, 2) we learn by practicing drawing each other’s blood, because that’s just how this school works, and c) don’t know the actual name of the class because everyone, including the teachers, just calls it Stab Lab (which kills me btw, I can’t stop laughing every time I remember. Stab Lab. jesus.)

This also isn’t really gross but it is neat: fun fact! it’s possible to get pee that turns bright-ass green when you shake it if you disrupt a certain step in the process of hemoglobin catabolism, aka breaking down old blood cells that have gotten too old and crotchety to fit through your capillaries anymore

There’s probably more but that’s all I’ve got off the top of my head, enjoy

[artisticestheticreads]

Summertime Magic

So, I saw the gif below and thought of a brilliant idea. It’s about 90 degrees out here in my neighboorhood so here is a one-shot about a young woman trying to cool down this summer but she sees something that can heat it up even more. 

Something to hold y’all off until I post more of my series for “CONNECTED” and “Beauty and the Panther”.

Pairing: N’Jadaka x Black Thick Reader

Recommended Listening: Summertime Magic by Childish Gambino

~

 LOS ANGELES, CALI, JUNE ‘19

  The weather that day was unbearable to point everyone and anyone can walk outside completely nude and no one bat an eye. In a small one-story rented home, a young African American woman had finished her last yarn loc and finally got to rest. She lied there on her stomach, behind in the air with nothing but her undies and a crop top on. The AC was on full blow mode but the sweat still dripped down her forehead. She was in the middle of watching “Black Mirror” when she heard a car pull up her driveway; honking and blasting Tyler the Creator. “Y/N! I know you ain’t shit blood. Let’s go out”, a female voice said. Y/N looked out her window to see her best friend, Kesha, peeking through. She lifted up her window and said: “girl, it’s too hot to be out right now.” Kesha rolled her eyes and said “c’ mon, please. We can go to the store around the corner and chill at the beach. My ac is on and it is beautiful outchea. Now, get dressed and bring ya ass. You got thirty minutes.” 

   Y/N rolled her eyes and finally took a quick shower, slipped on a yellow short sundress and sandals to show off her bright peach color that matched her coffin-shaped acrylics. She placed a few golden clamps in her hair and was out to the car. “Oooo yes. I am feeling the locs” Kesha complimented as they made their way. “You finished them finally, huh?” Y/N nodded. “Yes, finally. It took all night but finally got it done.” Kesha raked her fingers through her box braids and told her “I may need a touch up in the first two rows. How much you gonna charge me?” Y/N looked at her braids and said “hmm, thirty. Sound good?”

“Yeah, thanks Y/N/N. I have a date next week and I gotta look good.” She looked at Shay and asked: “with you?” Kesha blushed and said “Ricky from down the street.” Y/N’s eyes bugged out. “Ricky?! Sandra’s Ricky?” Kesha raised her finger covering her friend’s mouth.  “Used to be. Ricky dumped her months ago because she got comfortable saying nigga.” Y/N put her arm out her window and looked out. “That’s what happens when niggas date woman o other races. Hoes out here think just because the get black dick in them that is the automatic ‘n-card’. They pulled up into the parking lot of the store before Kesha fixed her gloss and observed her cocoa skin in the mirror; they both got out and walked in. 

   “Exactly. Meet you at the register.” Y/N went to the cooler to observe the drink selection. She caught the reflection of an unknown figure standing behind her.  She made her way to the icee machine, grabbed a large cup and mixed Cherry with Coca Cola flavored. She grabbed a straw, taking it out and sliding her glossy lips around it. She turned around and was startled to see the strange man. “What up, baby? Who told you to look that fine?” Y/N rolled her eyes and said “bwoy, bye. I don’t know who you are and I don’t care.” When she was about to walk away, he grabbed her arm tightly and said “come on. I know your ass ain’t got a man.” 

   All of a sudden, a tall man in a vintage Fresh Prince jersey, black basketball, and Air Force ones stood at 6′2. Broad shoulders, muscular legs, dreads braided back with a nice fade and all, stood behind Y/N. “You aight, baby girl? I was looking for your cute ass.” He gently took her hand in his big one but she did not snatch it back. All she can do was melt into his touch while looking up at him. The stranger looked at the harasser with a brow rose and asked: “ya ain’t tryna be all on my girl, are you?” The man nervously laughed and said “Nah, big man. I didn’t-” The man slid her hand down the woman’s round waist and asked “Princess, is homeboy here giving you problems? Want me to rough his ass up like that last one?” He made his chest bounce when he said it and it made her wonder if anything else can bounce. 

   She shook her head and he said: “Nah, lemme hear that voice I love so much.” She blushed and said “no, it’s okay. Thank you though.” The man took his sucker out his mouth and smiled. He looked back to the guy and wrapped his arm around Y/N’s neck. “C’ mon, baby. Lemme buy yo snacks and let’s get the fuck outta here.” As they walked away, he looked back at the guy and raised his brow.” Y/N placed her snacks on the counter (a snicker, a spicy pickle and a bag of Cheddar Ruffles) with her drink and pulled the money she made from her last client out her bra; the man stopped her. “I got you, don’t trip.” He handed the cashier a twenty, got his change, got Y/N’s bag and held her hand as they walked out. 

    He walked them over to his pine-green Ford Explorer and leaned on it. “What’s ya name,” he asked and she said “Y/N” with her hand out. The man saw the creeper walk out and pulled her closer to him. “I’m N’Jadaka. Homeboy is right behind us. Just start giggling” he whispered and she did so but it was a genuine one because he breath was on her earlobe. The man turned the corner and N’Jadaka slowly let go. “Sorry about that. Nigga was tripping back there. Ya alright” he asked and she smiled sipping her drink. “I’m fine. Thank you for helping me out. I would have sprayed his ass but I left my keys in my homegirl’s car.” N’Jadaka looked back and looked at her, eyes traveling from her feet to her locs. “How long you been growing yours?” She laughed. “Unfortunately, it isn’t mine. They are yarn locs.” 

    His head tilted to the side and he said “oh shit, they look more natural than mine. I like ‘em. You should grow real ones. They fit your cute face.” She blushed and said “thank you. Who does yours?” He shook his head. “Eh, no one out here. I used to go out a barber up north but gas getting expensive.” That’s when he got the idea. “You know how to do dreads and maybe a line-up?” She smiled and said “yeah, let me see. Hold this real quick.” She bent his head down and got on her tippy toes. He placed his right hand her hip as Kesha was about to go to the car but stopped so she can watch. 

   “Hmmm, they look crotched but most likely twisted and locked. Can give you a hot oil treatment and a nice wash. A few are actually locking together which isn’t bad but they can get natted quick. I can charge about, eh, 75 and that’s with the fade, too. You don’t need a fae right now but we definitely gotta get these dreads right, N’Jadaka. I can give you my number and you can make an appointment. I have a few tomorrow but I can squeeze you in for Friday, sounds good.” He took his blow pop out his mouth and said “yeah, we can do that. What time you want me to come?” She took her drink back, sipping it and said “come over at eleven am. It’s gonna take a while.”

  “Cool, I can come after my session at the gym” he handed her his phone to put her number in. She gave back to him and said “there you go. Thanks, again for the help and buying my stuff for me. That was sweet. I can pay you back.” He shook his head and said “don’t worry. It was my pleasure.” He put his cherry sucker back in his mouth as his eyes landed at the car behind her; he smirked. “Someone is waiting for ya, Y/N.”  She turned to see Kesha nosey self watching and once she was caught she slipped in. “Text me so I can save your number, okay?” He nodded as he got int the driver seat and pulled off. 

   “Sooooooo, who was that nice looking brotha” her friend asked. Y/N looked over at Kesha and said: “just a man who help me out.” Kesha smiled rolling her eyes “mhmm, a fine man to add” as she started the car. When they made their way to another location, Y/N’s phone vibrated:

  She smiled to herself as she saved his number. A fine man indeed, she agreed with her friend in thought.

~

Alright, loves. I love this so much btw. But let me know what y’all think and if I should do a chapter two and turn this into a series. I got A BUNCH of good ideas for this.

𝒯𝒜𝒢𝒢𝐸𝒟 𝐿𝒪𝒱𝐸𝒮

@muse-of-mbaku

@im5ftbutmythroat66

@chaneajoyyy

@melanin-samii

@theunsweetenedtruth

@doux-ciel

@unicornluvin8765

@vikkidc

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[immigrationquebeccanada]

21 Amazing Things You Should Know Before You Migrate to Canada

It's hard not to get eager about Canada migration. The place is delightful and the people are renowned for their good characters. You have a bowl of maple syrup for breakfast, ski to work and say 'sorry' to everybody en route. Simply be mindful so as not to chance upon any bears. We'd prefer to disclose to you all the most significant things about existence in the Great White North, from ice-hockey and twofold duplicates to packed away milk. So, read on!

1. Canada is huge

Canada's extraordinary for people who like it, in light of the fact that there's totally heaps of it. The nation is the second biggest on the world after Russia estimating almost ten million square kilometers. In the event that that doesn't mean anything to you, think about this: you could fit the United Kingdom into Canada more than 40 times. It would take you more than four years to walk its coastline, in the event that you ever wanted. The city of St John's in Newfoundland (east coast) is in reality nearer to London than it is to Vancouver (west coast). Wood Buffalo National Park is greater than the Netherlands. To make everything a touch more reasonable, Canada is divided into ten provinces and three territories. Simply take the nation each piece in turn.

  2. The cities are world class

Metropolitan life in Canada is the honey bee's knees. In the Economist's 2017 ranking of the world's most liveable urban areas, no under three Canadian urban communities put in the best ten. They were Vancouver (third), Toronto (fourth) and Calgary (fifth). The five variables were medical services, education, infrastructure, environment, and stability. It's hard to believe, but it's true, these urban communities are basically asking to be lived in. With regards to the significant stuff, the Canucks just ca-thump the ball directly out of the park. One thing to be cleared , the capital of Canada is Ottawa, not Toronto.

3. It’s very multicultural

People simply love moving to Canada, and Canada simply adores having them over. Over 20% of Canadians were conceived in another nation, and this is required to reach almost half by 2031. That is an insane pace of migration, however there's all that anyone could need space to go around. There are almost 200 nationalities the nation over (and more than 250 ethnic origins), including heaps of Aboriginal people. We surmise Canada is only a major, lovely rainbow.

  4. Two official languages

One authority language was insufficient for the Canadians, so English and French have equivalent status over yonder. In the event that you believe that sounds troublesome, envision being in Singapore (four official languages) or India (sixteen official languages). You don't generally see the Frenchness of the nation except if you're in the eastern territory of Quebec, where people are making a decent attempt to keep things as French as could reasonably be expected. There are laws upheld by the OQLF (essentially the language police) to ensure everybody utilizes enough French. In the event that a shop doesn't put French on its signs and welcome its clients in French, it's in difficulté.

  5. You’ve got good healthcare options

Canada's medical services are the jealousy of their American neighbors toward the south. It's an expense financed Medicare system where the government pays for people's fundamental health insurance, which is then conveyed by the private area. It resembles the NHS; in the event that you require any fundamental clinical services, you get them for free. It just includes a touch of waiting.

Indeed, Canada's hold up times aren't incredible; a 2017 Commonwealth Fund survey found that solitary 43% of Canadians see a medical professional around the same time as looking for help. Luckily there are heaps of ways around this, for example, being companions with a doctor, marrying a doctor,, or surely becoming a doctor. All joking aside, considering your private healthcare options is really reasonable, especially in the event that you need to evade those long holding up times.

  6. The landscapes are beautiful

Indeed, the urban areas are good, however the spaces between the cities are far and away superior. 90% of Canadians live inside 100 miles of the American borders, which implies there's a genuine measure of space for investigating in the north. In the event that you need to move away from different people for some time (or surely forever) at that point the open door's there. Beside bubbling deserts and tropical rainforests, Canada basically has each scene going. There's the tough coastline of Pacific Rim, the supernatural Meadows in the Sky, and the rock piles of Gros Morne, to give some examples. The Alberta Badlands are especially very nice in the event that you need to feel like a cowpoke in an old western film. Yee-haw!

  7. Lakes, lakes and more lakes

You know the familiar axiom: everybody's either a freshwater individual or a saltwater individual? Indeed, with the longest coastline on the planet and 20% of the Earth's lakes, Canada has the best of the two universes. New people and pungent people can live respectively in concordance. There are around 2,000,000 lakes in Canada, including the totally walloping Lake Superior, which is about the size of Maine. You can do all the fun watersports that the Australians do, however without stressing over the sharks. It's one major straightforward sprinkle party over yonder.

  8. It’s freezing cold

There's a bad situation for words like 'chilly and 'nippy' in Canada. At the point when we state it gets cold, we mean truly ridiculous cold. Aside from the nation's west coast in British Columbia, no place else in Canada does the normal temperature surpass zero in winter time. Tremendous pieces of the nation can plunge as low as - 30°C or - 40°C, which makes going outside genuinely unenjoyable. Toss in the serious breeze chill and nature are an off limits. The coldest temperature ever recorded in North America was in Yukon, Canada in 1947 at - 63°C, which is truly equivalent to the surface temperature of Mars. Out of nowhere those lakes don't appear to be engaging.

  9. They’re obsessed with ice-hockey

Hitting a weighty item around with sticks wasn't hazardous enough for the Canadians, so they chose to do it on ice. What else would you say you are intended to do with each one of those solidified lakes in the winter? Referred to just as "hockey" over yonder, the sports is fundamentally a religion. Just to give you a thought, the Canada versus USA men's hockey last at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010 was the most watched in front of the TV broadcast in Canadian history. There's even an image of children playing hockey on a solidified lake (known as shinny) on the Canadian $5 bill. It turns out the game was really developed in England, but don't tell any Canadians that.

10. Milk comes in bags

On the off chance that you think purchasing a major plastic sack of milk sounds odd, you are completely right. It's a peculiar practice that goes on all through Ontario and Quebec. Three individual bags of milk are set in one bigger sack, which the sharp Canadian milk-consumer at that point hauls home. The customary container of milk appears to work for every other person, yet in certain pieces of Canada it's the bag or nothing. When the nation changed to the metric system in 1970, milk makers needed to change every one of their machines so they could create diverse estimated bottles. Bagging it up just appeared to be much simpler. So here we are.

  11. Everyone loves poutine

Poutine is Canada's public dish. "Poutine" is slang in Quebec province for "a mess", which is essentially what you get. Chips shrouded in sauce and half-dissolved cheddar curds. It doesn't seem like an especially humble supper, yet the Canadians love it in no way different. It was invented in 1957 when a driver requested that somebody put cheddar on his chips and sauce. One person needed a touch of cheddar and out of nowhere a public dish was conceived. Gourmet specialists around the nation have attempted to make it a touch more extravagant, tossing in things like lobster and foie gras, however it's a losing fight. Simply keep an eye out for those calories; a side request of poutine in Burger King contains 740 of them. Heavy meal.

  12. And maple syrup

Truly, the generalization is valid; Canadians are distraught for maple syrup. That sweet, sweet goo can be found in virtually every kitchen the nation over. The stuff basically courses through their veins. Maple trees are all over Canada and they're wonderful, turning a brilliant red shading in the fall. Some time ago, locals in Quebec told the French the best way to gather the sap from maple trees, and afterward the French bubbled it to make the syrup. It was an upbeat coordinated effort that Canada is extremely glad for. The bubbling cycle expands the sugar content in the sap from around 2-8% to a monstrous 70%, which is completely unfortunate for your teeth. Today, Canada produces 71% of the world's maple syrup, and the US is their greatest client. In 2012, thieves attacked Canada's maple syrup holds and took US$30 million worth of maple syrup. That is one sweet heist.

  13. They had a flag design competition

How would you make a public banner that the entire nation is happy with? You request that they plan it. In 1965, Canada understood that they actually didn't have an official banner, so the people at the top concluded they ought to get one. Different nations had just taken all the straightforward plans, so the Canadians needed to get imaginative. Furthermore, kid did they convey! An aggregate of 3541 banner plans were put together by residents the nation over, with the vast majority of them including either a maple leaf, a beaver, a fleurs-de-lys or a Union Jack (and now and then each of the four on the double). The triumphant passage originated from Colonel George F. G. Stanley, with his basic red and white maple leaf plan. The one we as a whole know and love. Also, the one that all Canadian voyagers demand having on their knapsacks.

  14. The education is top notch

In Canada, school is cool. With regards to showing their children, the Canadians don't play. In the OECD's 2017 positioning of nations' grown-up training levels (in light of the level of long term olds with a degree), Canada started things out with 56.27%. It may be awful for your teeth, however maple syrup unmistakably accomplishes something for the mind. In the event that you end up in a bar test against a lot of Canadians, it's likely best to return home before it gets excessively humiliating.

  15. Learn the slang

'Canadian English' is an extraordinary sort of English. The Canucks talk their own language and it can confound the hellfire out of any ill-equipped outsider. There are just so often you can request that somebody rehash themselves before you simply gesture and grin. The most popular expression is 'eh', which Canadians like to slap on the finish of practically any sentence. Explanations, questions, affronts, orders; everything is reasonable game with regards to 'eh'. In the event that somebody goes to the "biffy" at that point they're set for the latrine. In the event that it's cool, at that point you'll require a "hat" (a beanie) on your head. A $1 coin is a "loonie" and a $2 coin is a "toonie". The lively word for a kilometer is a "klick". On the off chance that anybody converses with you about "the 6ix", they're discussing Toronto. At the point when they state "about", it seems like "aboat". It's all exceptionally overpowering.

  16. Sorry!

"Sorry" is Canada's most significant word. Each Canadian is only edgy to apologize to different Canadians at some random chance. They're a broadly obliging pack, and "sorry" is their meat and potatoes. Toss enough "sorry"s at a circumstance and there is no reason to worry. Stroll down a road or through a grocery store and you'll hear constantly it. Actually, Canadians utilize the word such a great amount of that in 2009 they needed to pass an 'Expression of remorse Act' in Ontario. It implies that if any Canadian says 'sorry' at the hour of a wrongdoing or episode, it won't consider an affirmation of blame – only a declaration of compassion. Without this, there'd presumably be a ton of regretful Canadians in jail.

  17. Timmies is everywhere

In a rundown of exceptionally Canadian things, Tim Hortons is likely third – soon after maple syrup and expressions of remorse. Referred to warmly as 'Timmies', it's a chain of espresso and doughnut shops and there are branches all over the place. They're in shopping centers, train stations, films, public stops, the rundown goes on. Practically every town across Canada has a Timmies. On the off chance that a space opens up on the high road, it will get loaded up with a Timmies. Leave your nursery sufficiently long and it will in the end grow a Timmies. Evidently eight out of each ten cups of espresso bought in Canada are from Timmies (source: Timmies). A public most loved is the Timmies "twofold", which is an espresso with two sugars and two creams. An additional huge one of those has 340 calories. Have too some twofold pairs and you'll be in a tough situation inconvenience.

  18. Canada’s furry friends

The moose and the beaver are Canada's public mascots. They're both on the cash, and the pair of them were lining up directly behind the maple leaf to go on the banner. Nonetheless, likewise with most public creatures, they've gotten somewhat of a bug. A moose regularly weighs between 350-450kg (contingent upon sexual orientation), which is fine. Be that as it may, they simply love to go across streets, and they're not awesome at it. Moose-vehicle impacts can be intense, so you'll see heaps of caution signs on Canadian streets. The beavers are planning something sinister either. They're assaulting canines, gnawing hands, flooding streets and just for the most part causing devastation. Certain people have attempted to separate them however it's exceptionally disputable. Simply take a gander at how adorable a child beaver is (called a unit). Envision separating that.

  19. Beware of the bears

Canadian bears. They're somewhat less "fun and fleecy" than the beavers and a smidgen more "large and perilous". In the event that a bear needs to murder you, it can and it will. There are three sorts of bears to stress over, from least to generally terrifying: wild bears, mountain bears and polar bears. Wild bears don't will in general go close to people except if they're really starving. They're incredible tree-climbers and there are around 500,000 of them the nation over. Wild bears are a lot greater (around seven feet tall when standing), so they can't climb trees however they can run more than 30 mph. Numbering around 20,000, grizzlies are considerably more liable to assault people than their little dark siblings. At last, there are the polar bears. There are around 17,000 polar bears in Canada, which is about 70% of the whole worldwide populace. Super cold, these ones need no encouragement to assault you. Inhabitants of Churchill, Manitoba really leave their vehicle entryways opened on the off chance that somebody needs cover. Fortunately polar bears actually haven't turned out to be the means by which to open a vehicle entryway.

20. There are bridges for animals

One answer for all the creature vehicle crashes in Canada is to assemble spans for them. Also, it really works. The extensions are lush, verdant and only a stunning method to go across the street. They're a raving success with the creatures in Banff National Park; somewhere in the range of 1996 and 2012, eleven types of enormous vertebrate were recorded utilizing these scaffolds more than 150,000 times. This incorporates moose and bears – creatures that would positively have caused a genuine mishap in the event that they took the standard street course. Certain moose were so quick to utilize the extensions that they were traverse them before they'd even completed the process of being assembled. Banff has started the precedent and now puts across Canada have connect fever, for example, British Columbia and Alberta. It's a success win for all.

  21. Pekwachnamaykoskwaskwaypinwanik

It may seem as though a feline has quite recently strolled over the console, yet this is really a spot in Canada. It's a lake and its name (in the local Cree language) signifies "where the wild trout are gotten by fishing with snares". Magnificently, there is no deficiency of crazy spot names in Canada. A few people simply haven't accepted the position genuinely enough. Look at these towns and towns: Goobies, Dildo (Newfoundland), Balls Creek, Lower Economy, Mushaboom (Nova Scotia), Punkeydoodles Corners, Crotch Lake, Ball's Falls (Ontario), Finger, Flin Flon (Manitoba), Mosquito Grizzly Bear's Head Lean Man, Eyebrow and Big Beaver (Saskatchewan). The best part is that there's Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! In Quebec. Indeed, there are really two 'Ha!'s.

Final Thoughts

Ideally you're feeling beautiful Canada-insane in the wake of understanding that. It's a tremendous, lovely and multicultural nation with all that anyone could need enjoyable to go around. Get yourself a hockey stick and a bag of milk and you'll be an out and out Canadian before you know it. What's more, you shouldn't let the bears put you off – they simply make going external a smidgen all the more energizing. Now are you excited to move in Canada?

[sambergscott]

The Most Romantic Heist Of The Year

because the idea of them using any holiday to heist now is my favourite!! concept!! ever!! 

holt + kevin invite all the couples round to their house for a valentine’s day dinner party + for team bonding, or so the email claims

jake + amy, rosa + jocelyn (PRICE!), charles + genevieve, terry + sharon and hitchock + scully all show up in the formal wear requested by the hosts

amy actually wears the red dress from the party ep because a) she looked super hot in it b) it’s valentine’s day c) jake thinks she looks super hot in it

hitchcock is in shorts obvs

when they arrive they quickly realise this is not a dinner party it’s a HEIST

holt + kevin announce the rules: they have until midnight to find a stuffed bear holding a heart that says “happy valentine’s day”. it’s couples vs couples. “we’ve been planning this since we got home from shaw’s bar on cinco de mayo,” kevin says, an evil gleam in his eye. “we’re going to wipe the floor with all of you.... + i hope you enjoy your evening in our humble abode”

holt has never been more in love with his husband

hitchcock + scully somehow find the valentine’s bear first. nobody knows how. they don’t have it in their possession long

predictably, charles + genevieve spend most of the evening in the kitchen looking through holt + kevin’s cupboards + feeding each other

when hitchcock + scully walk in LITERALLY HOLDING THE BEAR IN THEIR ARMS genevieve grabs it off them + charles is so turned on they start making out in the captain’s kitchen

hitchcock + scully sit there the entire time eating a lasagne

jocelyn (PRICE!) is new to this heisting thing + is super confused by everyone’s weird energy

but also she recognises how important it is for rosa to win for the very first time + manages to swipe it off genevieve when she’s getting them more drinks

jake + amy have been in the library the entire time scheming/flirting

they’ve also been listening (mostly disgusted) to everything happening in the kitchen..... a buttdial from scully may for once work to their advantage!!!

holt + kevin of course have secret cameras and mics everywhere + are watching from their bedroom with cheddar ready to enact their plan at the perfect moment

ok back to terry + sharon

terry is RIDING HIGH after his cinco de mayo win + is determined to extend his reign as champ, whereas sharon is just enjoying holt + kevin’s fancy wine + a night away from the kids

it’s 22:50. jocelyn + rosa are locked in a guest bedroom with the bear, planning on waiting it out until midnight

however, a locked door is no match for terry jeffords!!!! he breaks the it off his hinges with his bare hands while sharon watches in shock, downing the rest of her wine as she thinks about how much that door is going to cost them to replace

(they’re supposed to be taking the girls to disney!!!! they can’t afford to be reimbursing his boss for broken doors!!!!)

then terry tries to tackle rosa to the floor to steal the bear

unfortunately for him, rosa pulls a large knife out of her skin-tight jeans

“ugh fine you win”

“great!” sharon exclaims, thrilled this is over and she can get back to drinking wine with her gorgeous husband “heists are dumb”

jake and amy are not so submissive

jake somehow climbs through the window in a white vest John McClane Stylez, distracting the couple, while amy grabs the bear from the floor where rosa had dropped it in the midst of the action

she stuffs the bear under her dress like a fake pregnancy belly + heads for the library

she is stopped in her tracks by cheddar the dog

she immediately sneezes bc Allergies

when she tries to escape in the other direction, another corgi appears

then another

and another

it’s basically antoni porowski’s dream

amy, however, can’t breathe

before she can shout for jake, holt + kevin emerge from their master bedroom

“hello, imbecile” kevin says à la shawn from tgp

amy gasps, clutching her oddly shaped belly

“give us the bear,” holt says, enunciating every word

“whaaaaat? i don’t know what you mean. i don’t have it. i don’t even know what bear you’re talking about”

“the one under your dress, santiago”

“there’s not a bear under my dress. i’m pregnant. jake knocked me up. it’s a girl”

“yeah right,” holt scoffs “i gave you that one last year”

“fine. i do have the bear but you’re not getting it. in less than one hour jake and i will regain our rightful positions as the greatest couple in the nine-nine”

“not if i have anything to say about it” (again, read that in shawn’s voice) “cheddar... ATTACK”

cheddar + all cheddar’s brothers + sisters excitedly bound towards amy, tails wagging

she screams, letting the bear fall to the floor “make them stop!!!!”

cheddar bites the head off the bear before holt + kevin can get him to back off. they grab the beheaded bear + retreat to their bedroom while amy runs downstairs to get the epipen from her purse

but alas!!!! there is one last twist!!!!

at midnight, holt + kevin are of course smug af with their teddy bear until rosa pulls an identical one from out of her leather jacket

(nobody knows how she hides these things, everyone is too afraid to ask)

“you never specified WHICH bear was the real prize since you didn’t know jocelyn gave me an identical one this morning AND since our bear is the only bear that is intact, i believe that makes US the winners”

holt + kevin are opening and closing their mouths like goldfish. they’ve been played

the rest of the squad congratulate rosa + jocelyn (PRICE!) on their victory

many alcoholic beverages are consumed

holt insists they cheated and demands a rematch

“.... easter egg hunt anyone?”

[fionabasil]

What are the ProMind Complex advantages?

The important relationship between diabetes and the gut microbiome

The trends of metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease, have grown at alarming rates in most developed countries. More than 600,000 Americans die from heart disease each year. Type 2 diabetes remains common as a precursor to cardiovascular disease and its complications.

According to the World Health Organization, "Type 2 diabetes is one of the main reasons of death worldwide by 2030". Ultimately, this disease results in heart attacks, strokes, cardiac arrhythmias, and heart failure. Similarly, obesity levels could be another reason.

However, current research is pointing to another possible reason for metabolic disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease; it all has to do with your gut microbiome.

How can type 2 diabetes be related to the gut?

People with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease have a lack of microbial diversity in their stools; The gut microbiome has a limited number of friendly bacteria, but it is overwhelmed with bad bacteria.

This has already been studied before, however, more systemic studies are still needed that offer greater information potential.

Eventually, in the not-too-distant future, you may see “gut-targeted” glucose-lowering treatments that seek to harness the great benefits of improving gut health and how this relates to diabetes. The microbiome will become an essential part of treating these and other common metabolic diseases.

What is the gut microbiome?

Bacterial cells live in the skin, nose, mouth, and digestive tract. Your GI tract contains a collection of microbes called the gut microbiome. This includes bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. Due to the high amounts of acid in the stomach, these organisms generally exist only in the large intestine or colon.

Friendly gut bacteria try to keep bad bacteria in check; they constantly multiply to leave less room for the bad ones. Good bacteria play a role in the production of vitamins, neurotransmitters like serotonin, and constantly improve the immune system.

This set of microbes varies from person to person and there is no real consensus on what makes the "perfect human microbiome." The microbiome is really the study of "The genetics of bacteria." Your specific biome might work just fine for you and no one else.

So understanding the microbiome can provide answers for conditions ranging from obesity to type 2 diabetes to cardiovascular disease. It has even been associated with type 1 diabetes.

What does an adult have in his microbiome?

A healthy adult harbors between 500-1000 bacterial species or 2 kilos of microbes in the gut. We have 39 trillion bacteria in the human body, that is, we are more microbes than cells.

Additionally, the breakdown consists of approximately 23% Bacteroidetes used to process protein and carbohydrates in the gut and 64% Firmicutes which process dietary fat in the gut. There are other types and smaller amounts of germs.

People with diabetes tend to have a change in the balance of their biomes, having fewer Firmicutes and more Bacteroidetes; having germs out of balance can cause illness. When in the right balance, gut bacteria can regulate hormones, synthesize vitamin K, folic acid, and vitamin B12.

What affects the gut microbiome?

·       It all starts with your DNA and a process called colonization.

·       Come into the world for vaginal delivery versus cesarean section Vaginal delivery provides the baby with germs from the mother while a cesarean section provides germs from the hospital.

·       Breastfeeding supports the development of the microbiome. Being formula fed changes things.

·       The gut biome generally stabilizes by 2-3 years, but is always in flux.

·       Antibiotics - especially when taken in early childhood, disrupt the development of the microbiome. Antibiotics kill both good and bad microbes.

·       The components of the diet - the modern western diet, refined, processed and sugary foods cause a negative change in microbes. A high-fat, red meat diet leads to poor changes in gut microbes; It allows for greater intestinal permeability leading to obesity and insulin resistance.

·       Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) affect the microbiome.

·       Possible negative effects of artificial sweeteners (research is still being done on this topic).

·       High levels of physical and mental stress alter the biome.

·       Disturbed sleep cycles and disrupted circadian rhythms.

·       Antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers kill good and bad bacteria.

Ultimately, the health of the microbiome is based on genetics, diet, age, environment, lifestyle, and lifetime exposure to antibiotics.

What have we learned?

Several major studies have reported that "dysbiosis" or alteration of the gut microbiome can be a factor in obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. Stress, medications, toxic agents, genetic factors, and age also affect the gut microbiome.

It is also affected by the environment, past and current infections, gastrointestinal surgery, and certain foods. It is known that early in our lives, the development of the microbiome can affect our vulnerability and predisposition to certain diseases later in life.

Our microbiome is constantly changing as we are exposed to different factors throughout our lives. We also know that probiotics could be very helpful, but that each person will respond differently to the probiotic.

Some microbes form toxins and enter the intestine. A bad gut biome can lead to leaky gut, intestinal inflammation, decreased insulin sensitivity, and a change in metabolism.

Less variety and diversity in gut bacteria can also lead to ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, IBS inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer, food allergies, arthritis, migraines, and NASH-liver disease.

Strong yeast formation and bad bacteria in the gut can lead to skin diseases, vaginal and urinary tract infections, and colds. Having a beneficial diversity of the gut biome helps maintain gut integrity.

For example, it provides protection against pathogens and improves the immune system to be able to fight disease. In addition, it helps you metabolize your medications properly and digest and absorb complex foods, obtaining all the nutrients and energy from them.

What about probiotics?

As mentioned above, probiotics appear to be beneficial to the microbiome, but not all probiotics work the same way for everyone. Different strains of probiotics treat different health problems. At this point, there is no specific recommended daily intake for probiotics.

There are systemic studies, but they still lack definitive information. The facts that we already know include: probiotics are live microorganisms that can offer health benefits; They seem to eliminate diarrhea caused by the use of antibiotics.

They are also given to improve constipation problems, in place of stool softeners and laxatives.

What can probiotics do for diabetes?

·       They can modulate or change blood sugar levels and insulin levels.

·       They decrease systemic inflammation: Inflammation promotes insulin resistance, which is how type 2 diabetes starts.

·       They reduce the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) that indicate inflammation.

·       They decrease stress on pancreatic cells and stimulate the immune system.

·       They can aid in weight loss.

·       They improve heart health.

·       Improve mental health: depression, poor memory and anxiety.

Also, probiotics have enough bacteria that survive food processing. Probiotics include plain yogurt with live cultures (bifidobacteria and lactobacilli) and certain aged cheeses (gouda, mozzarella, brie, feta, gruyere, cheddar, and cottage cheese).

Fermented foods are great for getting friendly bacteria. The fermentation process creates lactic acid; This helps preserve food and promotes the production of beneficial enzymes, Omega 3 fatty acids, and friendly bacteria. Simply put, the process transforms certain foods into something totally different.

Some examples of this would be converting milk to buttermilk, soybeans to miso and tempeh, cucumbers to pickles, and cabbage to sauerkraut. Other fermented foods include sourdough bread, kefir, kombucha (tea drink), and kimchi (Korean cabbage). Pickled gherkins and pickled onions are also fermented and very beneficial for the intestine.

If you decide to start taking a probiotic supplement, always consult your doctor first. Choose one with multiple strains, at least 10-30 billion CFU (colony forming units). Make sure it is verified by the USP (United States Pharmacopeia), as that will guarantee that it contains the actual ingredients listed on the label.

And the prebiotics?

Prebiotics are natural plant fibers that the intestinal tract does not digest. They are also a food source for the bacteria that live in your colon. Prebiotics are generally found in fruits and vegetables. They also help the body grow friendly bacteria in the gut and aid in the absorption of calcium.

Prebiotics improve your metabolic health. Some excellent food sources of prebiotics include bananas, garlic, onion, soybeans, peas, Jerusalem artichokes, jicama, soy sauce, chicory root (inulin), asparagus, oats, apples, flax seeds, leeks, dandelions, whole wheat foods and wheat bran.

Possible dietary aspects to take into account if you have diabetes

Many people with diabetes try to eliminate carbohydrates completely or follow an extremely low-carbohydrate diet, as they affect blood sugar. This often leads to a diet rich in animal fats. Unfortunately, this diet limits dietary fiber, which is crucial for intestinal function and the growth of friendly bacteria.

Consider eating more fiber, as it reduces your appetite by making you feel full, prevents spikes in blood sugar, and is good against insulin resistance.

High-fiber carbohydrates also help produce friendly bacteria. People with diabetes often have "dysbiosis," an overgrowth of bad bacteria.

Possible ways to improve gut health even if you don't have diabetes

·       Eat a plant-based diet. Having a high fiber / low saturated fat diet helps provide intestinal diversification. Indigestible carbohydrates stimulate the growth of friendly bacteria.

·       Eat nutrient-dense foods and buy organic produce whenever possible, including grass-fed meats, wild fish and eggs from free-range chickens.

·       Add high-fiber foods: legumes, nuts, seeds, berries, and low-starch vegetables.

·       Eat foods rich in Omega 3 such as wild salmon, ground flax seeds or walnuts to reduce inflammation.

·       Get outdoors: go to the field, to a camp, to your garden; Any outdoor activity can diversify gut health.

·       Stop smoking.

·       Avoid refined and simple sugars. Avoid processed foods with a long shelf life.

·       If you really have a food sensitivity, avoid gluten and dairy.

·       Get a good night's sleep, reduce your stress levels, and get more physical activity.

·       Metformin - an often prescribed diabetes pill has "therapeutic effects" on the microbial makeup.

·       Polyphenols - foods rich in polyphenols: Green tea, berries, grapes, olive oil, coffee, and wine can diversify the gut microbiome.

·       Wash your hands with normal soap and water, avoid hand sanitizers.

Yes, there is a connection between diabetes and your current intestinal flora. More studies are still needed targeting the gut, type 2 diabetes and its treatment.

There is still a lot to prove and more research is needed, but we know there are many strong connections.

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[tournesoldansunjardin]

(C) Clr’18. Inspired by the jazz playing in the cafe

Dear Emma, May 30th Vancouver day trip

I decided to go into Vancouver since it was the only place I could purchased the CBD cream for my knee. Well, what I am saying? If CBD is good for aches and pains, my goodness it should do wonders for all my aches due to Fibromyalgia. I will just get it and slather it all over the sore areas…which are plenty.

My host was kind enough to drive me to the bus stop, which saved me a good 30 minutes. I had loaded extra $ on my Compass card, so was not too worried of transfers and getting to the Waterfront in Vancouver. What I had not anticipated was the bus did NOT drive into the city as a few locals had told me last night. The bus stopped at Bridgeport SkyTrain station and I saw everyone get off. I walked up to the front and asked the driver if this was the end of the line…yuppers!

I remembered Waterfront line since it is close to our Vancouver office and chose that line to get in town.

I had the address of the Cannabis Lounge where I was hoping to get my cream. In BC you don’t need a prescription to get it but in Montreal we do. I have my request put in for that when I get back from vacation but I wanted to try it now since my knees were so painful as well as neck and shoulders, so what had I to lose? My intention was to buy it, try it and then mail it to me in Quebec because there was no way I was flying with that or going through customs with it. There is barely any THC in it and it does not affect the brain/mood but it is supposed to be healing and soothing for inflammation…so they say!

(C)Clr’18 Vancouver, GasTown, Hastings Street

I got in town and started walking in circles…yes, that is me. I look at Google Map on my phone and argue with it thinking I know better well, that means I go in circles and get so fed up, I give in to Google and voilà I found the place

  I was a bit apprehensive since it is on Hastings Street and there is a section that is quite sketchy but this place was not that far East…phew! As I walked in, there were three clerks at the centre of the shop on a raised platform surrounded by a counter. There were so many smoking paraphernalia and most I have never seen…well, maybe in a movie! As I walked in, one clerk was lighting up a joint and then gave it to his colleague and calmly [they sure ARE calm!] asked if he could help me.

I started, “I come from very far…” and explained that I heard the MJ Pain cream was very good for joint pain. One of the clerks said he uses it regularly on his wrist and it works…I doubt it was just the cream…[wink wink]

The small jar was $45 and the larger one $100…so I took the small one. I left and looked around for a comfortable café where I could put the cream on my knees, neck and shoulder and sit and relax with an Americano and wait for the magic. I found a Starbucks on an nice corner with a terrace, so I stood in line for the washroom first. After a good fifteen minutes, I entered and put the cream on, and placed the jar on the toilet paper shelf. As I put it there, I told myself, “I had better not forget it now!.” Why the hell did I not put it in my bag straight away? I wanted to wash my hands first.

I ordered my double shot Americano and sat comfortably in an armchair and relaxed…I felt a tingling in my neck but still pain. My knees had not budged…I mean the pain did not subside even a little. My shoulders were the same but my upper arm seemed painless. Hmmm, well, maybe I need to slather this on a few times before seeing any difference.

After an hour of reading and writing on my iPad, I messaged a colleague who now works in the Vancouver office and asked if I could take her out for dinner on her hour break later. I am so glad I did. She brought me to this funky bar called The Taco Shop actually just across the street from The Cannabis Lounge…another coincidence?  I was thrilled hearing the jazz music as I walked In.   I was so delighted. Of course I ordered seafood burritos with guacamole and chips to start. My friend chose the local beer for me as she had a good idea on what I preferred. It was great!!

We could only eat half so we doggy bagged the rest (which I will be eating as my bedtime snack tonight) and I went to join her at the office. I wanted to show her my jar of magic potion. I looked in every section of my backpack…then she looked for me and then an image flashed before my eyes ‘Brown jar marked MJ Cream’ on the shelf above the toilet paper’. I slapped my forehead with the palm of my hand out of sheer frustration! Darn!!! I forgot it there.

Then I remember the woman going into the washroom after me, I warned her that there was no more toilet paper (for which I was pleased I had carried Wet ones in my bag). I saw her later and she looked at me weird…NOW, I know why. She was probably waiting for me to ask the clerk if anyone had found a jar of cream. But I had not realized it at that time. Well, my coffee ended up costing me $55.00 (including Americano and a danish).

I was kicking shelf but then I finally let it go and figured if anyone who more pain and fell upon it, then I’m happy someone can benefit it. I know I will not order it online, having tried it, I need something stronger which I noticed they have another blend for arthritic pain. In any event, I shall discuss it with my rheumatologist before I try that again, since I am sure he has referred many of his patients to alternative pain relievers.

Walking back home away from home slowly and stopping often to take in the v

Getting back home on the sky train was fine (I double checked with a local to make sure I was taking the correct line since it was getting late and late transit is not so great outside of the city). I got at the bus stop at 10:30pm and looked on my app Transit to check the stops to make sure I got the right transfer. When I got at the stop at 11:15pm, there was no one waiting for a bus, so I asked another local and the lady was going to call the transit company not trusting my phone app. Just then the 321 transfer bus arrived, so we checked and the driver said this was the right line. The bus was a fifteen minute ride and the driver told me to just keep walking straight ahead and the road will become the street I needed to get to. WELL HE WAS WRONG!!!!

(c) Clr’18 When I crossed this overpass, I knew I was lost!

I walked onto a highway crossing and realized I could not be going in the right direction. Thank goodness the moon was so full and bright but boy was I getting frustrated, tired and after 30 minutes of turning in circles, I was getting scared. I did not meet ONE person on the streets where I was walking. This is so different than back home. My phone was losing juice quickly at 7% and often it closes down at 5%…I didn’t want to call the host of my AirBnB as I knew she turns in early (compared to me) and I wished for once that Uber existed in B C. If I would call them (like I did once in a similar situation when it got too dark in San Diego to retrace my steps) I called Lyft (similar to Uber) and they catch us on their GPS and pick us up straight away. I have to say we should have that service at least outside of major cities where transit is scarce. I could not have called a taxi, since they don’t have the GPS system Uber has. My last resort if I could no longer find the house was to call the police.

There was 1% left on my phone and it stayed on by pure miracle …yes, I said a few prayers too! And I finally got home at 12:30. I had walked 12km that day but 5km just getting home since it was supposed to be 2km!

Oh well, at least it gave me something to write to you about, Emma. Right? I took a nice hot shower when I got it to soothe every aching muscle and slept like a baby.

May 31st,

Today I woke up at 8 am but my body wouldn’t budge. I picked up my phone and finished reading an e-book, then I snoozed a bit off and on and did not get out of bed until noon. It took me a while to get moving but I took my time. And now here I am at a café

  (c) Clr’18 White Coffee and Ice Cream

  I started with a cappuccino and called my uncle in Ontario to wish him happy 90th birthday and then treated myself to a double scoop (did not realize they were so BIG) of rainbow chocolate…YUM!!

I sat inside to savour the ice cream and the music turned to Jazz which seemed to attract my muse and voilà, I just finished another post!

It is such a treat to by typing my post in front of the ocean…time to leave and sit on the shore now…one last time. Then walk the 4km back.

I picked up s few souvenirs at Whitby’, a place recommended by a grienf who used to live here in White Rock  I wanted so much there but the owner said I could order online too.

I sat on the beach taking in all I could , meditating and trying to be st one with my surroundings.  After half an hour I decided to walk back home slowly hopefully my to find a spot tovrst closer to my lodgings.

Unfortunately, I did not find a restaurant or fish and chip place open after nine. Boy!!! it’s a bit like Toronto was like in the early 1990’s. Ih well I guess ti each its own.

There were some other places further away from my lodgings, so I thought about the half seafood burrito I saved from last night.  Phew!  I also brought some good aged cheddar from Montreal. I am all set for my last night in BC.

Unpredictable Whimsical and enchanting Like Mother Nature

Unpredictable The weather In Canada

Whimsical and enchanting Getting to know A new lover

Like Mother Nature Humans influenced by the moon And the stars

(C)Tournesol’18-05-31

Daily Moments – unpredictability- May 31-18 (troibun)

Dear Emma -III – May 30-31 Vancouver (GasTown) (C) Clr’18. Inspired by the jazz playing in the cafe Dear Emma, May 30th Vancouver day trip…

[girlyandunruly]

Quarantine Days

Kevin and I have been making the best out of staying indoors. Two things we are very grateful for:

We are healthy (though Kevin gets paranoid from time to time “my stomach hurts, do I have the rona?”)

We still have our jobs. Luckily our jobs can continue to be done remotely. That being said, everyone’s hours at my company, Barr Engineering, have reduced to 32 hours a week, reducing my pay. And Kevin has been having a bit of an issue lately trying to sell services with the current situation. Nonetheless, things could be worse. We could be one of the 22 million people filling for unemployment.

We spend our weekdays very busy working until 5pm. Kevin upstairs in his “Business Center” he calls it, which is basically a camping table set up in our bedroom, with a chair from our dining room and a monitor from his office. I’m downstairs in the office area, I already had a monitor and standing desk since half the time I already worked from home. So I was set.

When 5pm comes around, we do home workouts. Either online yoga with friends through zoom, boxing class, HIT (High Intensity Training), ab workout class, dance class with my mom… we are trying to stay active.

When we’ve had nice days, we go outside to the park to play frisbee, bike or go for a run.

Last time I saw any friend/coworker (people I normally interact with) was March 10th. It’s strange to realize it’s been over a month now. Time has passed by really fast for me. Luckily, I have many hobbies and things I’ve been wanting to do but never had enough time. Well, I’ve been doing all of them now!

1. I created two new hats for upcoming Kentucky Derby parties (yes, for the years 2021, 2022). That’s how far in advance I plan and here’s one of them, garden gnome themed:

2. I’ve gotten back into my Rosetta Stone studying French. My daily goal is to do 30 mins. I’ve been pretty consistent!

3- I sewed a bunch of clothes I’ve been wanting to hem/fix.

4- I’m finishing D-Day Girls book.

5- Reorganized EVERYTHING

The tool box (as in go through every crew and tool and categorize them).

My tea collection, separated them by type in different cans (green, black, chamomile, fruity, etc).

Went through my clothes to decide anything I don’t wear anymore.

6- I’ve been doing some Instagram challenges like putting a t-shirt on while doing a handstand:

7- Online shopping hasn’t ended for me, eek! I mean, I had to get some comfy cute quarantine clothes like this one:

And also cute “Rachel Green” dress when things go back to normal, gotta be prepared ;)

Kevin has found new pastimes:

1. He dusted off his x-box and has been playing Grand Theft Auto – never seen him play before but he now plays a bit every day.

2. He made a delicious moist banana bread for the first time.

3. He’s gotten into every kind of home improvement project he could think of:

           A. Pantry Upgrade:

                 A.1. He removed everything from the pantry.

                 A.2. Painted the pantry walls.

                 A.3. Bought new shelves and installed them.

           B. Painted the windows.

           C. Changed all the old electric plugs.

           D. Currently upgrading our lights from the ceiling ** IN PROGRESS**

           E. Done some intense cleaning!

                 E.1. Moved the refrigerator/WD/oven to clean under (SO DISGUSTING!)

                 E.2. He cleaned the oven with a power tool:

4- He cut his own hair!! I, on the other hand, made a hair salon appointment for May 12. Fingers crossed I can still make the appointment because this hair needs some work!

We order groceries to be delivered. And we obsessively clean the packages when they arrive. We also splurge once a week and order food from our neighborhood sushi, thai, pho, Greek or Venezuelan place (those are our go-to joints!). Gotta support our local restaurants!

I’ve been getting creative with my vegetarian meals:

Besides working out together, other activities we do together:

1. We play board games

Santorini has been a new favorite.

I even bought a new board game: Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Life.

Giant Jenga - Apparently Kevin has never lost in his life. Winning steak continues.

2. Watch a movie every other day. A few favorites so far:

JoJo Rabbit

Parasite

Molly’s Game

Knives Out

3. We have our rooftop to enjoy lunch and drinks with city and mountain views. We’ve recently discovered we can see Red Rocks Amphitheater from our rooftop. Might be the lack of industrial activities clearing up the air pollution.

4. Take many bubble baths.

5. Participate in #FormalFriday where we dress up, cook a fancier dinner and have cocktails.

6. Every night at 8pm we howl at the moon and hear the neighborhood play drums, trumpet, put out christmas lights. We pulled out our vuvuzela which I got in South Africa World Cup 2010.

Even though we are away from our friends and family, we’ve been staying connected quite often:

1. Do a weekly Happy Hour call with friends (pretty consistent with Kate and Rayelle) through GoogleChat and HouseParty app.

2. Do a weekly yoga class with Kevin’s friends.

3. We celebrated both our dad’s birthdays through Zoom and GoToMeeting. Their birthdays are 7 days apart (April 2, April 9).

4. I sent flowers to abuelita cause poor thing, she hasn’t seen anyone and needs more attention.

5. Emailed grandparents photos so they are up to date with what we are doing.

6. Mailed my brother a couple of books – one for Demi and one for him.

7. Mailed Kate her favorite popcorn (Kettle Head Popcorn Jalapeno Cheddar flavor).

8. Mailed Carla a 4-pack energy drink we used to drink in South Africa back in 2010. I randomly saw it on amazon and made me remember such a great time we had together. And thought it would brighten her day to remember our South Africa trip.

I’m not the only one that have been sending surprise packages. My family has been very sweet to me:

Parents have sent surprise Venezuelan treats in the mail

Grandpa sent me a book: American Dirt

When I do have to leave the house to run errands like drop off packages at UPS or USPS, I wear a “mask” (made out of a bandana) and wear gloves. Everyone around is wearing masks as well and staying far apart. Feels very doomsday.

Overall, things have been going well for us. That being said, we are extremely privileged to be able to do all these things. Unfortunately there are others that cannot work from home, have filed for unemployment, have lost their health insurance due to it or have kids in the house which makes it harder to work and homeschool their kids. Domestic violence has skyrocketed. There are families that cannot afford internet and their children cannot do their school work online. Single mothers who work multiple jobs cannot be at home to help their child with homework when school is expecting for parents to take over. There are older people that are struggling with the new technology changes and it’s giving them increased anxiety and stress to learn how to use online conferencing (I know it seems normal to most of us, others are really having a hard time). There are people with health issues that have increased anxiety of contracting COVID-19. Healthcare workers, grocery store workers, delivery services, waste management services, cleaning services... they are all putting their health at risk everyday to help us continue to live “normal” lives. 

They are the true MVP.

Best thing we can do is to stay home, stay positive and find creative ways to have fun. Here is Kevin faceswap with a barbie:

[keto]

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara I have never posted this, and I unfortunately do not have any photos of it.BUT! I make it all the time for family and friend gatherings for the past several years before realizing it was Keto Friendly and EVERYONE LOVES IT!Nutritional Values are at the bottom with macro percentages. All nutritional values utilize the standard recipe with no alternates from the notes with 6 servings.If you use this, let me know how it turns out for you! :)COOK TIME: Approximately 45 minutes (give or take based on your cooking skill and how you cook your squash)YIELD: 3-6 servings (depending on how hungry you are)INGREDIENTS1 large spaghetti squash (about 5lb)1 medium onion (white or yellow) diced1/2 lb of bacon, chopped5 mushrooms, destemmed and sliced1 large zucchini (about 1 lb) diced or chopped3 egg yolks1 cup Asiago, shredded (or desired pungent white cheese like garlic white cheddar, parmesan, or fontina)1 splash of heavy cream (optional)3 Tbsp Kerrygold Butter2 handfuls of spinachAdditional water (may not need depending on the quantity of fluid in pan)Season to tasteDIRECTIONS1. Cook your spaghetti squash first. See notes for suggestions on doing this.2. While squash cooks, throw your bacon and your onion into a large pan with tall sides or dutch oven. Stir it occasionally until the bacon starts to look less raw and more shiny (BUT NOT FULLY COOKED).3. Add your mushrooms and zucchini, and stir them until they begin to release their fluids and start to shrivel. Stir gently, and put a lid on it. Turn the heat down to medium low or low and tend to your squash while everything blends into one fabulous flavor.5. Fork your squash into stringy bliss. Then add it to your pan once your bacon and hardy veg is cooked to your preference.6. Stir the butter into the spaghetti squash carefully, folding everything together. Put the lid back on and let it simmer and think about itself for a bit.7. Separate those egg yolks into a bowl. DO NOT ADD YET.8. Stir the Carbonara and see if there is any fluid in the pan. If there isn't, pour a heavy splash of water in there (or white wine or a light colored beer, if you're like me and totally drinking right now). You need the water to reach the same temperature as the rest of the food.9. Temper the eggs (see notes on Tempering).10. Pour the yolk sauce in and quickly stir everything in together, coating all the strings in yolky goodness.11. Get out that fabulous cheese and just dump it in a heap on top of everything while continuing to stir. Then pour your cream in and fold your spinach in there. If you want that stuff. Doesn't TOTALLY need it, but who DOESN'T want Heavy Cream in their life?12. You can either be done, or you could add some seasonings before plating. Like pepper or maybe some basil.NOTES• SQUASH COOKING:1) I impale my squash with a fork several times and then microwave it on high for about 12 minutes. Make sure you impale it plenty, though, or it WILL explode! Then, carefully, cut only the top and bottom off, so you can see the seeds on both sides, set it on its end, cut around the seed pulp with a knife and pull the squash up to let them fall out.2)You could also cut it in half, which takes a lot of muscle, and bake it with a coating of oil on the flesh in the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes to an hour but it takes too long. I'm hungry. Feed me now.3) If you cut it horizontally (long ways across the gourd), you'll have short strings, and if you cut it vertically (short way down the gourd) you'll have long strings and loops.• TEMPERING: While stirring the egg yolks, slowly and gently stir in hot fluid directly from the pan, one spoonful at a time, into the yolks. This prevents them from scrambling as soon as you put them in the pan. Keep adding hot fluid until the eggs are about as hot as you think they're probably going to get. Which will probably be about doubling the amount you started with in your bowl, maybe a little more..• Substitute the bacon for pancetta or guanciale. Well, any meat, really.• Substitute the Zucchini for other hardy vegetable you want to throw in, like peas or sun-dried tomatoes or eggplant or something amazing. Or maybe add artichoke hearts. Yum! Who cares as long as you're tracking that ish, amitright?• Sometimes throwing a lump of cream cheese is a great idea. If you know what I'm sayin'..NUTRITION VALUESCarbs: 3%, Fat: 75%, Protein: 22%calories 513Total Fat 43 gSaturated Fat 14 gMonounsaturated Fat 1 gPolyunsaturated Fat 0 gTrans Fat 0 gCholesterol 168 mgSodium 790 mgPotassium 159 mgTotal Carbohydrate 5 gDietary Fiber 1 gSugars 2 gProtein 28 gVitamin A 28 %Vitamin C 14 %Calcium 4 %Iron 5 %(Edit: Entering line breaks, cuz I didn't realize reddit wasn't rich text)

[havecats-willtravel]

a blue dot in a red state: austin, texas.

“are you doing anything fun this weekend?” everyone asked. “i have no plans, except i’ll be in austin.” “you’ll love it! go here... and here... and here.”

this was the conversation over-and-over as i started planning for my weekend getaway in this part of liberal texas. after four jam-packed days in austin, it’s everything they said it would be, and exactly what i wanted it to be. 

it’s one of the youngest cities i’ve been in, but the lularoe leggings were few and far between (thankfully!). austin brings to the table the booming tech industry and has a river that runs through it (win-win in my book). and no matter where you are in this town, they’ll be a bar and a dog. 

what i am glad i packed: comfortable shoes! austin is an active city (ok even if that means the activity is going to a bar) so you’ll definitely want to bring some footwear with support, like classic converses or trendy tom’s.

what i am sad i left at home: sunscreen and a raincoat! in a city where you are doing a bunch of on-your-feet exploring, the weather is going to dictate quite a bit of your plans. one day the severe thunderstorms made for a lazy morning, yet magically later that afternoon it was so sunny that my skin quickly turned pink. be flexible, but be prepared.

our recommendations:

we stayed at the uber luxurious jw marriott in downtown; a truly stunning hotel with gorgeous views of the city and the river. if i could have found a way to take that shower home with me, i would have. for a convenient, yet yummy, bite to eat, grab a seven-layer salad (romaine, adobo chicken, roasted tomatoes, corn, black beans, avocado, cheddar, smoked pepper ranch, $15 and on the late night menu too!) and a 10 span chardonnay from the central coast on the patio of the corner restaurant. 

staying on the food and drink train, second bar + kitchen just across from the jw marriott is an ideal place for rose with girlfriends or an after work beer to decompress. the swanky, modern interior still provides the cozy vibe, while the outside patio is breezy and refreshing, and always my recommendation. the avocado fundido (asadero, house chorizo, chipotle corn chips, $12) is a must!

after work, meet up with your friends on the rooftop of handlebar. this old school vibe hangout is guaranteed to be overflowing with young adults drinking fancy beers out of tall boy cans. but they have happy hour deals so cans up!

post work drinks or pre-game of late night, swing into irene’s cafe for tasty sandwiches in a diner-like atmosphere. we recommend the smoked turkey sandwich (bacon, havarti, bibb lettuce, poblano aioli on toasted white bread, $12) and the pulled chicken and avocado sandwich (smashed black beans, spicy cabbage slaw, pickled jalapeños on a milk bun, $12)

take a stroll down south congress street where shops and restaurants abound. the storefronts are all designed to showcase their own character (checkout farm to market grocery, uncommon objects for example), while low-hanging tree branches covered in white lights (i’m looking at you perla’s) complement the movie-like appeal of this area. stop in to apana’s coffee + beer while walking back toward downtown to grab one of their craft brews on tap or specialty coffees. or bring your laptop and setup your own office for the day.

if you’re like me and you can never get enough mexican food, do not miss a chance to dine at torchy’s tacos, which will satisfy your craving while keeping your budget in mind. get there early for the breakfast tacos (we didn’t, sadly), but if you can’t, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. we recommend the baja shrimp taco (hand-battered fried shrimp with cooked cabbage slaw topped with pickled jalapeños and onions, queso fresco, cilantro and a wedge of lime; served with chipotle sauce on a corn tortilla) and dirty sanchez taco (scrambled eggs with a fried poblano chile, guacamole, escabeche carrots and shredded cheese, served with poblano sauce on a fresh flour tortilla.) do not skip on the queso (served with homemade chips, this delicious green chile queso is topped with guacamole, queso fresco, cilantro and diablo hot sauce!)

for brunch, dine at swift’s attic for dollar mimosas and the best french toast (called the “tcb” it is brioche french toast, peanut butter, house cured bacon, salted caramel, bananas, $12.) others at the table were dining on shrimp remoulade (frisee, lardon, roasted potatoes, poached vital farms egg, hot sauce, $16) and the turkey hash (holy trinity, house-smoked turkey, roasted tomatoes, homefries, dos lunas “chee-zee” egg, $12.)

just downstairs from swift’s attic is this hole-in-the-wall jazz club called the elephant room. it’s the perfect date night place, keeping jazz cool way before before la la land did. order a cool in the basement lemonade signature cocktail and cozy up to the one you love under the flickering lights of the red candles.

another unique spot is a little speakeasy called firehouse lounge hidden in a hostel. once you figure out how to get inside, the dark and cozy interior invites you to melt into its leather seats and enjoy live music while sipping on fancy cocktails. treat yourself and order the jack rose (applejack, lime, house pomegranate syrup, $12) or the moscow mule (vodka, lime, touch of simple, ginger brew, $8.5.)

for late night, head over to sixth street where the roads get blocked off to bring the city’s hottest entertainment area to life. there are so many bars/clubs to choose from that you’re bound to have one that fits your vibe. take an ID, but leave the cash at home -- zero covers! grab some grub at one of the many food trucks or swing into p. terry’s burger stand for a late night cheeseburger ($2.65!) and fries ($1.75!)

for sunday fundays, hit up rainey street where rows of houses have been transformed into individual bars oozing of character and charm. like much of austin, there is a house-turned-bar that fits every need. we soaked up the sun over hops at craft pride, bar 96 and bungalow.

our shoulda, coulda, wouldas:

the colorado river is constantly populated with paddleboards, kayaks, paddleboats, etc. you can rent one from several places, just get outside and get in the river.

speaking of the river, just before dusk, hundreds of people gather on the congress avenue bridge to watch the bats rise in the summer. apparently this bridge is home to the world’s largest bat colony, with some suggesting there are approximately 1.5 million bats living under this bridge in the hot texas summers! it’s weird and creepy and touristy and yet i wanted to experience it. we saw people lining the bridge waiting on the bats, but our fasten driver said it was too cool out so they were wasting their time. silly tourists.

while not unique to this area, i heard nothing but good stuff about these massive donuts at voodoo doughnut based out of portland. unfortunately, i didn’t have the time to grab one to taste for myself. i’ll be back for them (i’m looking at you old dirty bastard doughnut: raised yeast doughnut with chocolate frosting, oreo's and peanut butter) because in my world, calories don’t count on vacation.

apparently there’s this beautiful spot about thirty minutes outside of austin called lake travis with wineries (bent oak winery for example), breweries (oasis texas brewing company for example) and some other cool shops and restaurants. do a car share with car2go, pack a picnic, let down your hair and enjoy the drive. 

grab barbecue at salt lick. unfortunately, i didn’t have the time to get to the actual restaurant, so i picked up a pulled pork sandwich (romaine lettuce, sliced tomato, purple onions, special sauce, $9.95) with potato salad at the airport. still worth it and certainly makes me want to get out to the real deal.

final tips and tricks:

there’s no uber or lyft in austin (i know!) but don’t panic. we recommend an app called fasten or ride austin.

still want one more good cocktail? slip into the vietnamese cafe and french bakery of elizabeth street cafe and order a shady blonde (sparkling wine, lillet blanc, grapefruit and thyme, $8.) you made it this far through the austin blog, you deserve some bubbly for crying out loud!

and finally, head next door to criquet shirts. if you’re into polos with a solid business model, you won’t be disappointed by their office-meets-retail shop. and give a shout out to our new friends here that welcomed us as strangers into their final four party and can throw a kick-ass frat party that even makes a thirty something feel young again. 

from boozy bungalows to sunset bats, this blue dot in a red state has everything and more for any type of traveler. if you’re a frequent visitor or lover of asheville, north carolina you’ll fall in love with this part of texas as quickly as i did. so if you’re heading to austin any time soon, let me know and i’ll happily share a google doc with you that has all of this information and more in an easy-to-access file for your smartphone. and if you need a traveling buddy, let’s go!

until the next adventure, cheers to a life well traveled!

[billinghamn]

2018 Mar – Phoenix Hols: Day 2 - Sun 25 Mar 2018 - Bucharest to London Heathrow

You can tell the Hilton Garden Inn is a brand-new hotel – it’s sparkling clean, and very modern. The room was fresh and the bed nice and firm. It’s a great place to spend the night, although it would be much nicer if we had more than 5 hours in the hotel!

We arrived last night just before midnight. We were in to our bed very soon after, but we were immensely disappointed to be told that the clocks were due to go forward at 3am. So that meant that instead of 6 hours kip, we were only going to be allowed 5 hours. Worse was to come when Vick’s phone alarm went off an hour early! So it was 3 hours of decent sleep, followed by an hour of dozing. On the bright side, we are off to the States today!

We checked out just after 6am, and it was the same young lady on duty that checked us in late last night. She was charming, but she wasn’t quick! Anyway, once we were checked out we ordered our Uber, and within 5 mins we were on our way. Slightly more expensive on the way back to the airport. It was 34 RON (about £7) from the airport, and it was about 50 RON (about £10) on the way back.

The airport was very quiet – unsurprisingly so since it’s a Sunday morning! The last time I was here I was on the same flight but it was a Fri morning, and it was heaving. Security was empty, and we were soon walking in to the Mastercard Business Lounge. Nothing much going on in here, but it was a comfy place to sit, warm, and offered yoghurts and coffee. Although 6:30am seems to be the time they clean out the coffee machine here – it’s the second time I’ve been in at this time and I couldn’t get hold of a coffee straight away!

Flight: BA0885 Equip: A320 Sched Depart: 08:30 Actual: 08:59 Sched Arrival: 10:05 Actual: 10:12 Takeoff: 09:07 Landing: 10:04

We headed down to Gate 6 and there was a throng of passengers crowding the gate area and no group boarding signs. That was easily explained when Vick highlighted that this flight was heading to London Luton! Doh! So having checked the departures board, we headed over to Gate 38.

The aircraft was still stationed on a remote stand, so jumped on a bus as we headed through Gate 38. We could have walked faster to reach the aircraft which must have been 200 yards away. We positioned ourselves well and we were first on the aircraft to bag our overhead locker space.

It’s been an interesting trip out to Bucharest. Vick’s saved me from: 1) going through the red channel on arrival at the airport last night; 2) attempting to go through the diplomatic passport control channel last night; 3) boarding a plane to London Luton rather than London Heathrow. I knew there was a reason I invited Vick along.

On board we settled down in to seats 1D and 1F. Once everyone was on board, the captain announced there was an ATC restriction in place and we would be on stand for a further 30 mins or so. That meant we would be arriving into Heathrow a little later than planned, and we only have 1 hour 25 mins anyway, so it could easily be a lot tighter than desired. If only BA would deploy Special Services to get us to our flight to LA, which is likely to be leaving from a C gate. We will see…

Interestingly, we noticed that the woman sat in seat 1C was on our flight last night – we had switched sides with her. She was in 1D last night. I guess she’s doing something similar to us. Might even have a brief chat with her at the end of the flight.

Breakfast was served about 30 mins after taking off. Vick had the veggie breakfast and I had the meat version. I don’t like scrambled eggs, but the eggs that I got were very fluffy; the bacon was well cooked; the sausage tasty; the mushrooms nice but the tomato was tasteless. Overall a good effort, and I noted to the Vickster that BA is dependable when it comes to in-flight meals.

Vick’s meal wasn’t as advertised unfortunately. Apparently, it was supposed to be scrambled eggs with ricotta and spinach, mature cheddar cheese toast, mushrooms and vine-on cherry tomatoes. Instead she got an omelette, a potato thing, mushrooms and the standard tomato. I think she was a less happy customer than I was.

We both dozed for the last 90 mins or so, until the captain announced that we may be held up for 20 mins by ATC, with a potential landing slot of 11:25 – that started raising our concerns and Vick was keen to ask the cabin crew about what we should do. I was happy to sit tight – things change very quickly whilst in the air, and the Billinghams need to make a tight connection. As expected the captain came back on the blower and told us that we had avoided most of the hold, and that we would be on the ground by 11:05.

Unfortunately, we arrived on to a remote stand (A24) which meant a bus to take us to arrivals. However, good on BA to lay on a bus dedicated to Club Europe passengers, so we were off fairly sharpish and by the time we had reached passport control we found it empty and we were soon through.