#ok . buying an air purifier...

[thegodwhocums]

polythiest asks: 19, 11

Oh my gosh! I meant to reblog @flamingkorybante 's responses but you're right, I posted an ask meme! Ok let's do this.

19. How have your Gods affected your life?

Hoooooo… more than I can say. When I was about 13 and just getting into Wicca, which was all I could find (it was like 2001), I tried plugging into the Celtic pantheon and Brigid in particular and it just never clicked. I made some futile efforts towards Artemis when I was older, and Athena, and Apollo, all Strong or Logical or Independent or Rational gods that look like white people in the picture books, and nothing clicked. Dead air, no signal. Closed that chapter, moved on.

In 2007, I became a professional drag king and started describing myself as transgender and genderqueer. In 2011, I started thinking about Dionysos. I found that strange, internally, bc what does the party god have to do with my uptight, basically straightedge ass? Drunken debauchery? No thank you. Then I read Hermaphrodeities by Raven Kaldera (I'll let someone else explain who that is). That book described a Dionysos I could relate to - queer, mixed divinity, mixed race, an outsider, mad; someone with the freedom that I in my Spartan anhedonia craved. In February 2012, my partner channeled the god and he spoke to me. I still have the exchange.

Since then I would say that Dionysos has been instrumental in me taking steps to become more comfortable in my skin, my brain, and my heart. I have made friends, built relationships, and been places that never would have occurred if not for the shared enthusiasm for D. (Some good, some bad, of course, but all definitely influential.) He was with me as I prepared for surgery, and his mentor Cybele was there to receive our blood offerings when Rocket and I had healed. He was with me onstage, in the doctor's office, in forests and mountains and fields, as I mythologized my suffering and found a way through. He was with me when my mental health bottomed out and he was with me on the hotline when I begged for help not dying. He was with me as I went onto head meds, and then he was quiet, and when I went back off head meds he was there waiting for me. I think my heart has opened, I have become kinder, and my spirit has become freer with the help of Dionysos. I am still learning to love and enjoy my body, and he is still there helping me to do so.

There are other deities but he has always been at the center of my practice, and in many ways of my world.

I have an ancestral practice as well, so if we want to include those spirits as "deities," they have helped me buy a house for my chosen family (and the house next door as we grew!), find financial stability, keep my family safe, and quiet those who would do us harm. Seriously, if I were to embed one piece of advice in this response, it would be that your ancestors want you to thrive, let them help you.

11. Do you pray? If so, what do your prayers look like?

For a while I had a daily devotional practice, but at this point in my life prayers are more for special occasions. I don't usually need to ask the gods for anything - and usually I know what they want me to work on or bring them, so the only purpose in communicating is to say thank you. When I do that, the format is usually:

light a candle particular to that deity

burn some incense

purify myself some way (it varies)

invoke them by name and with a series of epithets

read or sing a prayer or hymn (orphic, etc), or a poem

say what I need to say

sit quietly for a while

say "thank you"

bow

put out the candle

The one regular practice I do have is that every week I change out the water in all the offering glasses on both altars (personal deity altar and house ancestor altar), and when I do that I do invoke each entity or family line and say thank you. I usually dust and reset or redecorate the altars monthly.

[sugarchains]

ok so i had forgot that i get educator/professional passes for nycc so i WILL be going to nycc23 this year

and you know. have my air purifier and make all my cosplays have masks

BUT its looking like the cosplays will be tinkerbell, and spiderpunk

but i may make my spiderpunk one and buy the tinker bell one

bc lets be real-ive been DYING to be any version of spiderman my whole life ok hobie is just one of my favs

[fiverenvironment]

Air quality and it's bacteria can be a serious concern. If you are one of those who suffer from allergies or asthma respiratory conditions you know that clean air is the most important. Not being able to breathe is truly scary. Germicidal UV can make the difference. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) frequently reported that indoor air can be more polluted than the air outside. Whether you have a health condition or not, you could definitely benefit from breathing cleaner air with UV purifiers for your home.

How do these devices work? Germicidal UV Cleaners use filters and Ultraviolet light to purify the air inside your home. You might be surprised but microscopic allergens like dust, mold, mildew, pet dander and pollen live in the same indoor area as you do. Air pollutants come from any source, furniture, rugs, carpets, toys, pets you name it and even the household cleaning product.

Maybe you are not one who suffers from these health conditions but maybe you are sensitive to other smells and bad odors, cigarette smoke, or dog and cat smell can be enough to drive some people totally insane. The greatest thing about germicidal UV systems are their ability to remove these microorganisms offenses and leave your air feeling clean and truly breathable.

OK UV (ultraviolet light) is only one part of your air purification system but you already have air filters. Although it is a must you change these at a regular times. The regular filter catches dust particles now is when you need to finish the cleaning action. Germicidal UV lights destroys microorganisms like bacteria, mold, and viruses that lurk in your home. Did you know that germicidal UV air purifiers are effective at removing up to 99% of allergens and microorganisms that make you sick, air pollens, mold spores, and dust mites. This would be your best insurance for quality air.

Still not convinced ask your local hospital or your city administrator about ultraviolet germicidal. You will be surprised to find just how many places it being used. In most cities water sterilization plant.. Hospitals use germicidal UV on instruments for operations and in many rooms customers occupy. Some offices use them in their customer waiting areas. Germicidal UV is used in so many other locations and application in your everyday life.

Universities like University of California Davis have and are doing extensive research in the ultraviolet field. This ongoing technology is ever surprising scientists. UV light sterilization for water plants that feed Las Vegas Nevada making water available for tens of thousands every day. States like California would not be able to survive without this technology. Almost every state uses one form or another of the Germicidal UV. Although it has been available to every home owner it is only in the last few years that every day people are learning and understanding all the benefits of the UV world.

Making this one of your home protectors will save you money. Just think no more chemicals to clean the air handler and ducts. Having less service calls lowering your every day operating cost because parts are running clean reducing wear and tear. Germicidal UV is here today and will continue improving your environment. Look closely at this technology, Newinavations.

Hope you enjoyed this article written by Jerry Wang. Germicidal UV is for the very best air quality. UV light sterilization for clean water.. Save your money. Get what you and your family need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. There is much more information available for your asking. also before you buy get your discount coupon at https://fivergroup.com/uv-lamp-1.html.

[sstarsstuff]

please read if youre living in the UK and are having to find ways to keep your house ok and safe in the weird weather

// tw mold //

the other day we had a flood in the house due to frozen pipes and then after moving a box i found my walls and carpet covered in green and black mold and now i want to share how we've been trying to avoid it and tips from the people who helped us.

for anyone that can, open your windows just a crack and keep your inside doors open as much as you can to get the air moving around the house as we've spent 2 days clearing mould off of furniture, walls, and the carpet just in my bedroom alone.

you can clean off mold with bleach and water or, like us, use floor cleaning wipes or multipurpose wipes that are 75p from wilkos, also a regular carpet cleaner is able to clean mold off carpets / rugs then once its dry and clean hoover the area.

also for those that have a washing machine at home, wash your clothes on a hot wash every now and again to keep the pipes warm because we've also been dealing with a flood in our house due to frozen washing machine pipes that couldve been avoided if we did a warm wash.

this might be well known knowledge but if youre not doing this then start because i dont want anyone to have to deal with the mess that we've just had to deal with for the past 3 days we've just been doing what we were told but it didnt work.

also if you have the ability / money to, buy a dehumidifier and air purifier to circulate the air around your room we bought a pack of 2 small dehumidifiers from asda for about £6 ish ( im not exactly sure ) and air purifiers from ikea start at £29 which is where we got ours.

i didnt know what pipe lagging is but basically theyre pipe insulators and at b&q you can get different sized ones starting at around £2 or on amazon an extra long one is around £10 that you can cut yourself.

please please dont ignore this please i thought my house was going to be ok but it's not and it's cost money, time, and some of my stuff now has to either been thrown away or moved out to let the walls breathe and its so anxiety inducing

please be safe

[mildmayfoxe]

ok good news everyone. i did do all these things (everybody clap i managed to change my sheets even after my dangerous big salad tonight queen) AND i also cropped some stuff (a couple shirts, a couple jeans into jorts (i'll have new shorts soon >:))) AND i also went through a bunch of stuff in my dresser and made two whole bags of things to send away to fabric recycling and a bag of stuff to put in the basement to sell later, including all those stupid clothes i listed on depop that nobody's buying bc i'm so tired of shuffling them around every day. of course now that those clothes are in the basement they're going to vanish from my brain but at least they're not actively in my way anymore. and then since i'd finally cleared room in my dresser i was able to PUT AWAY MY LAUNDRY YAAAAAY!!! and i had room for my new pants!! i didn't tell you guys about this but i hit the jackpot with some cool cargo pants from old navy of all places which i immediately ordered in another color. and i DID get a pair of linen blend elastic waist pants from asos. big win. also i started three (3) sets of returns from the big orders i placed after i finalized what i was keeping. still have to bring the kohls stuff in person but everything else is taken care of as soon as i drop them at ups. there's so much less stuff on my bed now that i got rid of all those clothes. oh also i brought my little air purifier from before i upgraded in JANUARY down to the basement finally so now i won't feel like there's an obstacle keeping me from opening my bottom two drawers of my dresser and maybe i'll put stuff away more often. wouldn't that be nice

i really think the only things i’m going to manage today are to put in my new ac, take a shower, and change my sheets. that’s it

[oars]

my room gives me allergies so easily im wearing a mask rn

[kitty0boy]

Marichat May Day 3 promt: Dirt

As always Marinette is 17, and Adrien is 18. Chat can use multiple Cataclysms and Marinette can’t yet.

——————————

Another day, another Akuma. Today we see an angry florist who had just lost her shop to a Ms. Chloe Bourgeois who had her Daddy buy her a building for a nail salon. How was he still in office? We’ll never know. What Adrien did know was that this villain only like one thing more than plants, and that, was Disney movies. This was made apparent when she trapped Marinette in a giant hour glass reminiscent of the one from Aladdin. It would be much cooler if it weren’t for the fact that it had the exact same function. He needed to get to her and break the glass but there were vines wrapped around him keeping him hostage, and out of reach of his Cataclysm. He could easily destroy the building behind him but the sounds of people screaming inside rang out loud and clear.

He watched helplessly as Marinette banged on the glass, pleading for escape. The dirt from the top had just reached her hips. “Hold on Mari, I’ll get you out of there!” But no matter how much he twisted and turned in the vines, they wouldn’t budge.

“Get out of my way!” Shouted an angry woman from inside the building. He looked back only for the glass window behind him to be broken and a fuming Alya poked her head out. Using a shard of glass, she cut the vines off of his arm and he called out for his “Cataclysm.” Destroying the rest of the plant. “Go free my best friend.” The blogger called from the window, and Chat didn’t stick around for a second longer.

You know, for years now, he’d had the sneaking suspicion that Alya knew something he didn’t. Of course her and Marinette had their secrets as best friends do, but there was a flip in their dynamic as besties ever since Alya’s last akumatization. Not that he was watching the girls closely or anything, but something had happened between them. For now though, he focused on saving his princess.

The dirt had reached Marinette’s neck now and she tilted her head up. “Cataclysm.” He yelled before destroying the hourglass and catching his princess. She coughed and gasped for air. While none of the dirt had gotten in her mouth, she did have a lot of weight on her chest and legs. She practically melted in his arms and he quickly picked her up and fled.

“Marinette are you ok?” She was still panting, “Yeah, I would just rather not do that again.” He stopped at the Eiffel Tower. He helped her sit down before checking their surroundings. “Do you think you’ll be ok here?” He would be lying if he said he wasn’t scared. She looked faint and he had to hold her shoulders so she wouldn’t fall over. “Once Ladybug does her cure everything will be fixed. You need to go help her.” Her eye lids looked heavy and as she spoke, her head fell forward against his shoulder. “I still don’t want to leave you here alone Marinette, you can barely breathe as it is.”

Out of no where a little red Kwami flew up from under the tower. “Hello Chat Noir, it’s nice to see you again.” Marinette was still breathing hard against his shoulder. “Tikki? But where’s Ladybug.” Tikki frowned, “Unfortunately, she’s out of commission today. But I can still help you.” “I thought Kwamis were too dangerous without an owner.” She smiled, “The only dangerous thing I can do is summon Lucky Charms, but I will be able to purify the akuma and preform the miraculous cure without much risk.” Marinette slowly raised her hand to grip his arm. “You need to go Chat, I’ll be ok here.” He furrowed his brows before Alya ran up to them.

“Is she ok Chat Noir?” He sighed in relief, “Yes but she’ll need some company until I can get this akuma sorted. Think you can watch over her?” Alya nodded “You don’t have to ask me to help my friend kitty.” Alya knelt down to their level and he carefully transferred Marinette from his shoulder to hers. Marinette looked up at him and smiled in a comforting way, he leaned down and placed a kiss on her temple. “I’ll comeback to get you two after ok?” She nodded before clutching her stomach. “Just the one of us actually, Nino will be looking for me after. Seriously, the akuma couldn’t wait until after our date, so rude.” He laughed, “I’ll get this sorted out quickly then, so you and Nino can get back to your romantic endeavours.” He wiggled his eyebrow at her suggestively before leaping back into action.

The fight was simple enough. While Chat Noir distracted the akuma, Tikki stole the wrist watch from her pocket and threw it to Chat who destroyed it. The only downfall was that the Ladybugs didn’t leave once Tikki used her cure. At least Paris was safe, they could deal with a small Ladybug infestation. He bid the Kwami of Creation fair well before racing back to his princess who stood leaning against the railing waiting for him.

——————————

That’s all for this fic!

[welcome-to-afterlife]

au prompt 17 with our boi Licht please! thank you

“Ell! Make it stop!” The manager screamed as they hid under Licht’s desk. Blue beams flew in the air, zapping a potted plant into a pile of ash. 

    “I don’t know how!” Ell yelled from under the bed, taking protection from Ghilley’s messy ball of clothes. 

“What do you mean? Didn’t you read the manual?” Jamie shouted behind the cabinet. 

Ell began sneezing. “Mori sold me this mind-reading gun, but he didn’t give me any manual. All I had to do was press the red button, point the gun at my opponent, and shoot!  I tried testing it out, but it won’t turn off!”

    “I’m going to call Mori!” Licht said from behind the dresser. 

    “Do you have your phone on you?” The manager asked. More lazers shot in the air.

    “No, but I’m going to make a run for it! After all, anything to save you my darling.” Licht took a peek from the dresser. His phone was resting on his bed, just a few steps away. All he had to do was grab it, come back to the dresser, and not turn into dust. After all the vengeful spirits he’d purified, this seemed doable. 

    The manager took a step outside. “Licht, I’m going to go for the gun! That way I can direct the lasers at the floor while you get your phone.” 

    The reaper nodded. “Alright, on the count of three we’ll go together. One-”

    “No Licht, I’m-” The manager started

    “Two,”

    “To grab the gun firs-”

    “Three! I’m counting on you, manager!” Licht sprung from the dresser, leaping towards his bed. The manager shook their head and stepped out, narrowly avoiding a whizzing blue beam.

    The reaper was quick on his feet. Licht dodged the beams and climbed on his bed, scouring for his phone while using his pillows as a temporary shield. After a few seconds of strategic crawling and dodging, the reaper felt something hard under his blanket. He threw it in the air, revealing the phone in mid-air. 

    “I’ve got it!” Licht called as he grabbed the phone in his hand.

    Meanwhile, the manager had crawled back under Licht’s desk and decided to push it towards the location of the gun. They weren’t making much progress, but it was better than being turned into dust. Part of them was hoping that Licht would be able to manage on his own, so they felt a rush of relief when he got his phone. But that was only half the battle-- Licht had to return back to the dresser.

The manager let out a sigh. They weren’t getting anywhere with the stupid desk and Licht was still in danger. It was time for them to come out of the desk and make their move. The manager took a deep breath before charging into a sea of blue lasers, watching them fly over their head and scorch the walls. After a bunch of haphazard dodges and clumsy tumbles, the manager had found the gun laying in the middle of the floor. Finally, it was over.

They grabbed the device, not noticing the beam that shot at the mirror beside them.

“Miss Manager, look out!” Ell said.

The manager turned, meeting a blue laser face-to-face. The beam shot straight through them, knocking them off their feet. Unlike the previous beams, it bounced off the walls instead of disappearing or leaving any scorch marks. It grew faster and faster, until the beam turned into a blur.

“The manager is down! Licht, be careful!” Ell shouted.

But the warning was sent too late. Licht had jumped off his bed, only for the beam to collide with his feet. He tumbled over, clutching his foot in his hands, and dropped the phone. The beam had disappeared, but that might have been his darkening vision playing tricks on him. The last thing he saw was Ell rushing to his aid before everything went black.

-------------------------------------------------- 

    The manager woke up with a throbbing pain in their head. They rubbed their heads with their arm-- which was longer and heavier than usual. In fact, their entire body felt heavier than usual. Moving their legs required more effort than usual. Maybe the lazer depleted their strength as a side effect. However, their theory was shattered when running their fingers through their hair. It was short, messy, and smooth-- nothing like their usual hair. They looked down and saw the Mane uniform in place of their regular outfit. Who changed their clothes? How did they find extras in their size? Why would they even put the manager in a uniform meant for reapers? 

    “Are you feeling alright?” Ell asked, checking them for any wounds.

    “Yeah, I’m fine but what about Licht?” The manager responded.

    Ell made a face. “Uh, Licht? Are you sure you’re ok?”

    “What do you mean? I’m the manager, I’m not-” They paused once their eyes saw their own body getting up from the floor. 

    “Ell, hand me the nearest mirror.” 

    The angel handed them his camera phone. When the manager saw their face, they let out a scream.

    “Oh my god! I’m in Licht’s body.” 

    Licht shook blinked as he watched the manager panic, stuck in his own body. That was quite the problem they got themselves into. But if they were in his body, then that meant………

    He ran to the nearest mirror and smiled. “Darling, I think I’m in your body! This is going to be an amazing experience.” 

    The manager-in-Licht’s-body grabbed him by the shoulders. “You better not do anything strange or perverted while you’re in my body. Or else I’m going to have you sent to the Underworld!”

    “Relax darling, I’m a gentleman. I’d never do such things. Although you’ve got to promise me that you won’t do the same.” Licht-in-manager’s-body winked.

    The manager cringed. Is that how they looked when they tried flirting? They replayed every wink they’d given someone, burning their head in their hands. No wonder their love life wasn’t doing too well.

    Ell went to fetch Mori and Ghilley, to see if either reaper knew how to undo the body swap. In the meantime, the manager and Licht had to come up with a plan.  If they went on like this, it would raise suspicion and they’d face serious problems during the next mission. The manager didn’t know anything about being a soul reaper and Licht didn’t know anything about the manager’s spirit-sensing abilities. Besides, the manager had to meet with Nyang Lead Manager in an hour. How were they supposed to do that if they were stuck in Licht’s body?

    “Licht, do you have any idea how we can deal with this mess?” The manager asked, staring at their own body. It felt strange to ask themselves such a weird question.

    “We should stick together throughout the rest of the day. That way, you can step in if anyone requests for the manager. While you might be in my body, you still have your mind. Like for that meeting you have with Nyang Lead Manager, I’ll come up with an excuse to have you (Licht) give the presentation.”

    “You sure Nyang Lead Manager will buy it?” The manager asked.

    “I know so. After all, how could they say no to this beautiful face?” Licht grinned as he admired himself in the mirror. “I feel so fortunate in swapping bodies with you. It’s a type of intimacy that even lovers can’t reach, no?”

    The manager sighed. “I have such a bad feeling about this.”

[l-na]

ok no legit ummmm it turns out some ppl didnt know this

find out if the air purifier you own has an ionizer in it immediately

if this option can be turned off, turn it off and tape it over, make sure it never gets turned on again. if it cant be turned off, find a safe way to dispose of your air purifier. it is not purifying your air and is possibly hazardous to your health, like breathing in smog. not worth it.

consult the website mentioned here and above for info about ionizers.

fuck you ionic air purifiers all my homies hate ionic air purifiers

[joyousnudibranch]

Here in Japan, May 5th was the last day of “Golden Week.”  Several big cities were (and still are) under state of emergency or some stricter COVID-19 measures. But there was no strict lockdown and a good number of people traveled across prefectures. I guess most of us here in this country know what to expect in about 2 weeks or less... ゴールデンウィークはいちおう終わり。県外ナンバーの車も結構多かった。 2週間しないうちにどんなことになるか、みんなある程度の予測はしている模様。

Under such a circumstance, we opened our twice-a-month community cafe this morning for 2 hours, doing our best to prevent COVID-19. Since more than 90% of the customers are the elderly, we -- the cafe staff -- want our preventive measures to be effective. But this cafe is a part of local-government-led project and today I was like, “GIVE ME A BREAK” when I heard this rumor about what one of the government employees said. He supposedly said that if we’d only buy an expensive air purifier for this room and open the windows a few times during the cafe hours, there will be NO need for all the partitions and even face masks. そんな中、今朝は私たちの地元での、月2回の地域カフェ。 行政主導の活動であっても、私たちスタッフは、お客さんの90%以上が高齢者のこのカフェで、ホントに予防したくてコロナ対策をちゃんとやりたいと思っているのですが。

After the cafe, I enjoyed this indigo-dye workshop at Geopark Center. :D 午後は、ジオパークセンターのジオカフェ前で、藍染ワークショップを堪能！

The workshop was held outside in the terrace-like space right outside of Geo Cafe in the nice breeze. It wasn’t crowded at all and I could take time to try this particular tie-dye method. ワークショップは、ジオカフェのすぐ外のテラスっぽい場所で、ナイスなそよ風の中。すいていたので、じっくり時間をかけて、この染め方法��試させてもらえました。💗

Last time I tried it, they called this, “ chashao method” but this time it was advanced to “kebab method.”  Getting internationalized, huh? ;) 前回このやり方で染めた時は、『チャーシュー染め』と名付けてくれたんだけど、今回は『ケバブ染め』に昇格しました。インターナショナルになってきたゼ。ｗｗ　^^）

I dried this at home and took this photo. Interesting pattern, isn’t it? :D :D I heard that it’s OK to combine persimmon dye and indigo dye, so that’s what I’m trying next time. Can’t wait! これは持って帰って来てから干して、写真を撮りました。 オモシロい柄でしょ？ 柿渋染めと組み合わせるのは可能だと教えてもらったんで、次回はそれを試す予定です。 楽しみ～～！！！💕

.

[sweet-xoxo-thatcares]

Just found out Grandma has cancer and she's moving in with the hospital bed package I helped put together today at the house.

The lady says she weighs less than 100 pounds and needs an oxygen tank.

This don't even feel real.

I'm helping the lady setup the bed, lifting stuff, and cleaning out the bunch of clothes and junk that nobody uses and it really didn't kick in...

It still hasn't.

My heart Andy hand was shaking as I had to sign the delivery note.

Not even a "Good luck with your Grandma" or "Condolences to you and your family" I told the delivery lady she had cancer and we're talking about it like its a happy topic on the news. She had music to keep her going as she picked up stuff off the truck. I wanted to tell her come back, wait...like are you sure you got the right house?

Like are you sure mom and dad or grandma isn't playing. Cause I haven't seen her in like a month. My clothes and stuff is still at her house in Grand Rapids.

And I don't wanna run into any arms. Like I don't wanna hear nothing but silence for the next 3 or 4hrs.

I'm trembling, shaking, paranoid.

I almost had a panic attack after that lady left. Well let's be real, I did.

But the fact that everybody else in this family is acting like this shit is normal and everybody wants me to behave....I can't say or do shit about it.

Like my room is connected to her room. Imma have to get used to walking past her bed just to use the bathroom. And eat?

I don't even know if I will, cause here's the thing....mom and dad are most likely gonna put me on duty. And last time when I spent a week with her, taking care of her...I was so stressed out, that I didn't even eat.

And cancer did pop in my head as a worst case scenario, because we had no clue what she had and she seemed ok when I got kicked out in March.

She avoided doctors and the hospital for years after her surgeries. I just....

I don't even know if I wanna know what stage she is at. Cause last time I stayed, when we had that argument, she wasn't eating too good, cheeks sunken in, I knew something was wrong. Even her house, her dishes were all piled up with black mould on em from being in the sink of dirty water too long. It felt like we stepped into a resident evil house from that one in the country. Even momma said that's not like her, because old ocd Clara, does not play about cleaning dishes. Soups did her no good and she was only getting down like 2-4 pieces of watermelon that daddy had brought. And her house in the summer is hot as heck, so I'm glad daddy had bought her that air purifying fan. She just did not go to the hospital. She said no for the longest when we offered to take her.

I'm glad she finally said yes.

But I don't know how far along she is. Everything has changed so much in less than a year.

I don't even know if I'll be the same after this. And I got a giant ear and toothache that keeps creeping in when I get too stressed like this.

I pray I stay away from drinking. Cause my hallucinations get worse after drinking...I really need to see a psychiatrist about that.

I just hope mom and dad don't start fussing again at home, it's already tight, mom is still going through alzheimers grief with our other grandma. Like she forgot her name already once. And these two strong black women that I grew up on are near 70. Clara, with cancer 67.

I don't even know what my father feels about this and that's what scares me the most. Cause he's mostly been the type to say he's okay, doing fine or alright if I ask him how he feels, buy he doesn't ever really change unless something super pisses him off...like cars parking too close when there's empty spots, drivers doing wide turns, people walking 8 ppl wide on the sidewalk at an amusement park or public event.

Or if he gets into with momma, but they haven't fought as much since I left in March...

But idk. With those two both on edge, the only time they can talk about emotions in a calm way is when they drink or go out to the bar, eat some wings, and get some drafts going while watching the game.

But that was younger dad, and this is now. Now...I assume he's gonna do a lot more golfing...

Idk how they're gonna manage us helping out.

But I pray I find my own job and apt soon. I wouldn't wanna live in chaos. Nor do I wanna fight about it either with my family, that have been known to push duties on me without really helping or noticing the people pleasing problem I learned from serving them all these years. I've never been allowed to say no to my mother and father. They always get upset with me when I do.

I don't wanna go through this alone, but as God showed me the ppl who really were a bad influence on my life, I don't have many friends to rely on to support me and pour my heart out too. After being hurt even when I dealt with the aftermath of that fight with mom, I found myself alone much more often than I thought. Missing the wrong ppl.

I'm not making that same mistake again. I'm not gonna make that silly mistake and call a guy only for him to take advantage of me sexually. I'm not having sex or making out with anybody unless we're committed to each other and he's already proven he's with me for love and not just sex.

Cause there are nice guys who try to outsmart women who would rather have sex after commitment, only to play them after giving the gf title.

How the fuck did I get to this topic, and I just found out Grandma Clara has cancer and we don't know how long for or what stage she's at?

See how far my mind overthinks in critical situations like this?

Now I'm off to watching Kenny Rogers cause I'm feeling a country craving right after I just cried my tears and helped clean her room, assembled her bed..

Ppl don't usually prepare for having a family member you didn't expect to take care of for cancer, it sorta feels low, because I don't know what to expect when she comes tomorrow...I don't know exactly what's gonna happen, but I pray I get a job close by so I can at least have a place to stay away from my already crazy home, and get moving on goals and dreams.

But I know why I feel so obligated to leave and to stay for grandma in flint...because I don't know what's going to happen to her or to me. And she's been apart of me for such a long time. She used to be the only person who understood me when I would get to sensitive or have depression, separation anxiety, seeing or feeling dead people, reading dreams intuitively together. Me and her was like the grandpa off of Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka story. She was the older version of me, and nobody understood me like her. Everybody else in my family would make fun of me for being like her. Whenever mom thought I did something that reminded her of Clara, she'd called me by her first name "Clara." Cause she raised me awhile when dad and sometimes mom went to work. Daddy at football games in college, but I think he had to drop out after me....I kinda thought back and thought I was a burden as the reason why they always seemed to overwork me so young as the oldest. Put a smile on your face and go to your room to cry. Kinda like cinderella. Well grandma Clara said it....she always worried about that when she visited.

Her personality was similar to how Ms. Lisa was on Sister Sister. Ms. Talkative, except her favorite color was purple 💜 and she always had an ego, and intuitive perspective on alot of things. She could see things as if she knew what was gonna happen next, like predicting a chess move. Very determined, independent, she hates being wrong, and she'll bark her mouth off if you tried to debate with her. She liked dressing up and going out. But when she's frugal, she'll cook something at the house. Oh, and she loved sweets. And she loved to talk.

I mean lots. I would say our usual was 2hrs, but that was so long ago. I definitely feel the change settling in. Only time will tell.

[nicole-macasaet]

I know for a fact that we are all in a mission to find more ways on how we can protect our family during this pandemic. Aside from eating healthy, taking supplements to boost our immunity, doing extra measures to keep ourselves and our environment clean, wearing mask, and using essential oils, I found another way to make sure that the air we breathe is clean.

I recently discovered @petitbebeph and their personal air purifier. So how does it work? It constantly emits a large amount of negative ions to actively protect us against pollutants including PM2.5, smoke, pollen, dust, and bacteria. And since Thalie cannot wear a face mask yet if ever we have to go outside, I decided to get this one for her. (PSA: If your child is under the age of 2, the CDC specifically says that they shouldn’t wear a face mask because it’s likely to become a choking hazard or may cause suffocation.) 

Here’s Thalie wearing her protective face shield hat and her @petitbebeph  personal air purifier and she’s ready for her next pedia visit. But I keep on thinking, does this thing really work? So I decided to have a little experiment.

Watch the experiment I did in this video.

In a matter of seconds, the personal air purifier was able to clear out the air in the container. I was amazed! It really works!

So Thalie, we will not be leaving the house without this little gadget, ok?

Aside from the air purifier, the box also contains a lanyard, USB power cable for charging, user guide and a clip holder (yes, you can also use this on your desk, in the stroller or in the car)

This little wonder is sold at Php 3,500 and is available in colors pink, white, and black. It has a battery life of 12 hours with a charging time of 1 hour.

It is recommended for people with asthma, allergic rhinitis, kids, seniors and those who are immuno-compromised.

I think it’s a good buy specially during this pandemic.

You may visit www.petitbebeph.com to order or you may drop them a DM on their Instagram account.

[fiverenvironment]

Air quality and it's bacteria can be a serious concern. If you are one of those who suffer from allergies or asthma respiratory conditions you know that clean air is the most important. Not being able to breathe is truly scary. Germicidal UV can make the difference. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) frequently reported that indoor air can be more polluted than the air outside. Whether you have a health condition or not, you could definitely benefit from breathing cleaner air with UV purifiers for your home.

How do these devices work? Germicidal UV cleaners use filters and Ultraviolet light to purify the air inside your home. You might be surprised but microscopic allergens like dust, mold, mildew, pet dander and pollen live in the same indoor area as you do. Air pollutants come from any source, furniture, rugs, carpets, toys, pets you name it and even the household cleaning product.

Maybe you are not one who suffers from these health conditions but maybe you are sensitive to other smells and bad odors, cigarette smoke, or dog and cat smell can be enough to drive some people totally insane. The greatest thing about germicidal UV systems are their ability to remove these microorganisms offenses and leave your air feeling clean and truly breathable.

OK UV (ultraviolet light) is only one part of your air purification system but you already have air filters. Although it is a must you change these at a regular times. The regular filter catches dust particles now is when you need to finish the cleaning action. Germicidal UV lights destroys microorganisms like bacteria, mold, and viruses that lurk in your home. Did you know that germicidal UV air purifiers are effective at removing up to 99% of allergens and microorganisms that make you sick, air pollens, mold spores, and dust mites. This would be your best insurance for quality air.

Still not convinced ask your local hospital or your city administrator about ultraviolet germicidal. You will be surprised to find just how many places it being used. In most cities water sterilization plant.. Hospitals use germicidal UV on instruments for operations and in many rooms customers occupy. Some offices use them in their customer waiting areas. Germicidal UV is used in so many other locations and application in your everyday life.

Universities like University of California Davis have and are doing extensive research in the ultraviolet field. This ongoing technology is ever surprising scientists. UV light sterilization for water plants that feed Las Vegas Nevada making water available for tens of thousands every day. States like California would not be able to survive without this technology. Almost every state uses one form or another of the Germicidal UV. Although it has been available to every home owner it is only in the last few years that every day people are learning and understanding all the benefits of the UV world.

Making this one of your home protectors will save you money. Just think no more chemicals to clean the air handler and ducts. Having less service calls lowering your every day operating cost because parts are running clean reducing wear and tear. Germicidal UV is here today and will continue improving your environment. Look closely at this technology, Newinavations.

Hope you enjoyed this article written by Jerry Wang. Germicidal UV is for the very best air quality. UV light sterilization for clean water.. Save your money. Get what you and your family need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. There is much more information available for your asking. also before you buy get your discount coupon. [https://www.fivergroup.com/] and [https://www.fivergroup.com/uv-air-sterilizer-1.html]

[wecarebest-blog]

Why WECAREBEST  Organic Series?

Why WECAREBEST  Organic Series?Benefits of WECAREBEST Organic Soap

What is the number one benefit of Organic soap? Organic soap is simply better for your skin. It contains natural ingredients such as plant-derived base oils, glycerin, and essential oils. By contrast, synthetic, mass-market soap is made of petroleum-based lathering agents, synthetic fragrances, harsh dyes, and dangerous preservatives. It’s not surprising, then, that a lot of our customers say that their skin feels better after using organic soap, and that it sometimes helps to improve skin conditions such as eczema and acne, rather than producing further irritation.

But not only is WECAREBEST organic soap better for you, it’s also better for others. It’s better for the environment because producing its ingredients has less of an environmental impact, and because those ingredients break down easily and cause fewer problems after they go down the drain. It’s better for animals because its ingredients are already recognized as safe, so no animal testing is necessary. And finally, organic soap is better for the economy, because it is often made by small, local producers, so the dollars you spend on it stay in the community.

What do I mean by organic soap?

When I talk about organic soap, most of the time I’m talking about natural and organic soap. Natural soap is made out of fats or oils, water, lye, and often essential oils and natural dyes. Organic soap also has the added benefit of being made of ingredients that are produced with organic farming practices, that is, farming practices that don’t use pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. So organic soap is natural soap, but it is also one step better.

WECAREBEST Organic soap is made from Organic eatable ingredientsthat are better for your skin!

Organic Base Oils

WECAREBEST Organic soap is made from natural ingredients, and in most cases, those ingredients are also organically farmed.Such as organic olivia oil, organic coconut oil, organic grapeseed oil... The majority of the soap bar is made of what are called base oils. We use some of the same base oils for soapmaking that you can use for cooking. So if it’s safe to eat, it’s probably also safe to put on your skin. In the case of our latest recipe, those oils are coconut, olive, and castor bean oil. (We used to use palm oil but are phasing it out because of the massive amount of environmental destruction that it takes to produce.)

Premium Essential Oil

Another ingredient in our soap is essential oil. Essential oils are the volatile or fragrant compounds in certain plants. Most essential oils are distilled from things you would eat such as citrus fruit or herbs. Two examples of essential oils we use are lemon essential oil and rosemary essential oil. Experts say you shouldn’t put pure essential oil on your skin because it is very concentrated and can cause irritation. However, essential oil diluted with another oil is just fine.

Planted Based Glycerin

WECAREBST organic soap also contains glycerin. Glycerin is a natural product of the soapmaking reaction. A lot of mass-market soapmakers and some small-batch soapmakers take out the glycerin because it makes the soap bar last longer or because they can sell the glycerin to use in other cosmetic products. However, when glycerin is left in the soap bar, it acts as a humectant, or a substance that attracts moisture from the air into the skin. Two other natural humectants are aloe and honey.

What about lye?

Lye is a purified natural substance that does not meet the definition of “organic.” Lye does have it’s origins in wood ashes, so it is plant-based. But it doesn’t seem like something you’d want to put on your skin. So what gives? Well, one soapmaker explained there is a difference between “contains lye” and “made with lye.” Soap is made in a chemical reaction between lye and oil. So, if done properly, there is no lye left in the soap once the soapmaking reaction is complete. There are only sodium ions, fatty acids, glycerin, and a bit of water. (And essential oils and whatever else you put in the bar.) If you have any more questions about how this works, google knows the answer, or you can send and email to wecarellc@bestcare.us, and we can grab a beer and chat about chemistry.

Soapmaking and cooking

A few years ago a friend bought a house, and her father came to visit to help her with a couple of carpentry projects before she moved in. We were all having dinner one night, and he said something that stuck with me. If you start with the best ingredients, and manage to combine them with a little bit of skill, you’ll probably end up with a pretty good dish. If you think about it, this makes a lot of sense. Imagine buying a salmon right off the boat, which you could when I was growing up on the Oregon Coast. Imagine taking the salmon home and cooking it over an open fire in the back yard. Pristine ingredients. And sure, it takes a little bit of skill to cook fish over a fire. Now imagine fish sticks that you buy in the freezer section of the grocery store. Imagine all the technical steps and machinery it takes to make fish sticks. Now which tastes better? In my experience, soapmaking works the same way.

A few of the bad things found in mass-market commercial soap. Three ingredients I’m going to examine are surfactants, parabens, and artificial frangrances.

Surfactants

Surfactants are the chemicals responsible for the cleansing properties of a particular product. Surfactants are made of long molecules with two different ends. One end of the molecule sticks to water, while the other sticks to dirt and oil. Surfactants, as a category aren’t automatically bad for you. Soap is technically a surfactant. But you have to be careful about which surfactants you put on your body. One of the most common surfactants in personal cleansers and shampoos is sodium lauryl sulfate. Sodium lauryl sulfate, or SLS, is made from coconuts, but it is contaminated with toxic byproducts when it is manufactured. SLS has been linked to skin irritation, toxicity, endocrine disruption, and cancer. Another unsettling fact about SLS and many other synthetic substances is that your body doesn’t have the enzymes to break them down, so they may accumulate in your tissues over time.

Parabens

Parabens are a specific type of preservative used in a wide range of cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. More specifically they prevent growth of mold and bacteria. Paraben is actually short for “parahydroxybenzoate.” The reason we should avoid parabens is because they act like estrogen in the body. Too much estrogen can lead to breast cancer and reproductive issues. One piece of good news is that there are a lot of newer safer preservatives available, so a company that is still using parabens is really just being lazy. When inspecting labels on cosmetic products you should look out for the three most common parabens: butylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben. Or you can just opt for a simple, natural product such as  WECAREBEST organic soap!

Artificial fragrances

Let me tell you a story about artificial fragrances. Back in the early days of Metaphor Organic, we used some of them. (Hangs head in shame.) We bought all our essential oils down the street at a little bulk herb shop, and the artificial fragrance oil was right next to the essential oils. We didn’t know any better! But the more research we did, the more we realized we should phase them out. For example, there was an artificial vanilla that we used in some of our scent blends. Then we tried to find natural vanilla, but it was very expensive and it didn’t smell very distinctly. So we wrote to the manufacturer of the artificial vanilla to try to find out what was in it, because maybe then we could justify putting it in the soap. But they wouldn’t tell us! Artificial fragrances recipes are protected as trade secrets. So maybe they are fine, but other sources report that the majority of artificial fragrances are derived from petroleum.

Other ingredients

There is a long list of other synthetic ingredients that may be found in mass market cleansing bars, but listing them would make this article way too long. The best place to look for info on just about every additive to personal care products (and food) is the Environmental Working Group, or EWG. It’s their job to stay up to date on all the latest research on potentially harmful chemicals.

Why do companies use chemicals?

Ok, technically everything is made of chemicals, but you know what I mean. Why do large skin care companies use synthetic ingredients? For one, they’re cheaper than natural ingredients. For another, they’re easier to process and store. And finally, it’s easier to get them to produce exactly the desired result, such as super intense colors and scents. Remember that artificial vanilla we found at the herb store? It smelled like an hyper-natural BLAST of vanilla. Unfortunately, a lot of natural scents aren’t able to translate into soap. You can distill the essential oil out of a certain number of plants, mostly strong-smelling herbs, but I’ll bet that blueberry-ice-cream-scented soap is synthetic. Likewise, many flower scents are incredibly expensive to distill in their natural form, so, for example, if you want a jasmine bar of soap that costs less than $25, you have to use synthetic.

Regular Soap that isn’t soap!

As a final note on artificial soap, you might have noticed that a couple paragraphs ago I used the term “cleansing bars.” That’s because, legally, soap has to be made out of mostly oil, water, and lye. If it’s not, they have to call it something else, such as a detergent or “syndet” bar. That doesn’t mean that some companies don’t make actual soap and then put a bunch of other stuff in it. Dove soap is a great example. One ingredient is listed as “sodium tallowate,” which is just another way of saying tallow, or beef fat, that has reacted with the lye catalyst. Maybe not very delicious, but it is natural. But Dove also contains cocamidopropyl betaine, a synthetic surfactant. Likewise, Lush soap, even though we love its minimal packaging, contains SLS and parabens.

Organic soap has many other benefits

In the last part of this article, I’m going to talk about why organic soap is the best choice if you’re concerned not only about what sort of products you put on your skin, but also, the greater impacts of the production and disposal of those products. Organic soap is generally better for the environment, for animals, and for the local economy.

Better production

One reason organic soap is better for the environment is that its plant-based ingredients are grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. There is a ton of writing on why these substances are harmful so I’m just going to give a couple examples. Pesticides and artificial fertilizers can kill beneficial insects along with the ones that damage crops, they can harm other animals and plants, they can contaminate soil and water, and they can make people sick if they are exposed directly.

Better disposal

Another reason organic soap is better for the environment is that it breaks down easily after it is washed down the drain. Some of the ingredients that are bad for you in mass-market soap are also bad for fish and other organisms. Compounds such as parabens that mimic hormones are especially harmful, as they can disrupt these creatures’ life cycle.

Better for animals

Organic soap is better if you’re concerned about animals for a couple different reasons. For one, most organic soap is not made out of animals! There are some natural soaps that do use animal fat such as lard or tallow. If you’re looking to avoid these ingredients, check the labels, and look up the ingredients if you’re not sure. Sometimes ingredients are listed under names such as sodium lardate or sodium tallowate, which are the technical names for the free fatty acid salts that make up soap. Organic soap is also better for animals because usually, no animal testing is required. Organic soap ingredients are listed by the FDA as GRAS, or generally recognized as safe, and most new recipes are simply variations on older ones.

Better for the economy

Finally, organic soap has greater social benefits beyond personal safety and the environment. Most organic soap is made in small batches by local crafters. Studies have shown that the majority of money spent in local businesses stays within the community. At farmer or crafter markets, you can buy directly from the producer and attach a face to the product. And even if they don’t sell directly at markets, usually small-batch makers are more accessible than their corporate counterparts in case you have questions or suggestions for improvement.

Conclusion

After going through all these reasons, it’s easy to see why  WECAREBEST organic soap is a great choice.

When we started, it was also the beginning of a larger maker movement, as producers and consumers shift back to smaller, more local, more unique products and better for your skin.

#Soap # Organic Soap #health #castile soap

[lunettependragon-blog]

Let it All Out: A Post-Puppeteer 2 One-shot

***Puppeteer 2 Spoilers****

Sometimes there's an episode that just has to have a one-shot based on it. So, for everyone throwing a huge fit over Puppeteer 2 (I'm right there with you!) here is a one-shot taking place later that night. Because, seriously, this had to be written.

I do not own Miraculous Ladybug, but Thomas Astruc if you read this and want to steal it and, you know, MAKE IT HAPPEN, by all means, please do! That's all.

"Miraculous Ladybug," she called out half-heartedly, tossing the broken bracelet into the air as Chat Noir handed baby August back to his mother. It had been a routine akuma attack. For whatever reason, Hawkmoth seemed convinced that a midnight tantrum was someday going to be the duo's downfall. This night, however, Ladybug was thankful for the routine. It had only taken a few minutes to break the bracelet, purify the akuma, and restore the peace; all without the use of her lucky charm or Chat's cataclysm.

"Good job, milady," Chat told her as he returned to her side, patiently waiting for her fist to meet his. "We should consider a career in babysitting."

Ladybug barely heard him as her horrific day replayed over and over in her mind. The pain of it all was still coursing through her despite Tikki's small pep talk. Adrien didn't love her. He loved someone else. And, to top it all off, she had made the most embarrassing love confession ever only to try and deny it later. Thankfully, Adrien had seemed to buy her lie that she was pranking him as well, but that only made it worse. Now she could never confess. Not after that whole fiasco. And especially now that she knew they were only friends and would never be anything more.

"Milady?" Chat's voice pulled her back to reality. They were alone on the empty street. "Are you alright?"

His green eyes glowed in the darkness and she knew that he could see much better than her. Her body was shaking and suddenly, she felt as if she might burst. Tears started flowing down her cheeks. She didn't want to cry in front of him, but suddenly, she wasn't able to hold it in anymore. All the pain, the embarrassment, and the heartache started pouring out of her. Chat was quick to gather her in his arms and Ladybug didn't even notice he was carrying her until they were sitting on a rooftop.

"It's alright, milady," he whispered to her as he continued to hold her. "Let it all out. I'm here for you."

"I'm such an idiot, Chat!" she cried between sobs, not sure why she was even talking about this to him. "Why was I so stupid?"

"You aren't stupid, milady. You are the smartest person I know."

"But then why? WHY? Why do I have to be such an idiot?" she questioned herself more than him.

"Milady, why don't you start at the beginning? Tell me what's happened."

Ladybug looked up at her partner whose eyes were full of compassion and support. She didn't want to tell him. She didn't want to tell anyone. She hadn't even bothered to call Alya. But she also knew, somewhere deep inside, that she needed to talk to someone. Someone she could trust; who better than her partner.

"Chat, you don't have to listen to me," she said, conscious of his feelings towards her. "I don't want to hurt you."

"If it's about the boy you like, don't worry. I'm still your friend and I still want to help you, bugaboo."

His words made her heart ache all the more. She realized, then, that this must be how he had felt this entire time. He had loved her since nearly the beginning of their time together. And, while he had made his feelings known all too often, she had told him time and time again that she loved someone else. Even earlier, after her embarrassing moment with Adrien, he had reassured her of his feelings towards her.

"How can you do that?" she asked, her tears beginning to slow down. "How can you know that I like someone else and still be my friend? Doesn't it hurt?"

"It does, but you're still my friend," he admitted with a shrug. "Besides, I'll never give up hope. You never know what life will bring you."

"My kwami said something like that earlier," Ladybug added. "I just...I just don't see how you can do it. It hurts so much."

"Milady, why don't you tell me about it? Just talking about it might help."

"Ok, I'll tell you, but promise you won't laugh?"

"Cat's honor," he smiled gently. Ladybug wiped her tears away and looked out across the Paris skyline. Taking a deep breath, she chose her words carefully, making sure to protect her identity.

"I...I was practicing my confession to the guy I like. But, not in like a serious way. I was just fooling around, being overdramatic. Just...you know...stupid."

"How can confessing your feelings ever be stupid?" Chat asked. She narrowed her eyes at him and he quickly looked away. "You mean, like me. Don't you?"

"You times ten," she added.

"Ooof! That bad?"

"Yep. That bad. Really, really bad."

"Alright, let me guess. He heard you?"

"Worse," she explained, but then thought twice about explained how Adrien had been pretending to be a statue. "But, yes. Basically, he overheard the whole thing."

"What do you mean worse? What happened?"

"Just leave it at that, please," she begged, the truth much too embarrassing to share.

"As you wish. So, he overheard you. Then what?" Chat asked, his eyes begging her to continue.

"Then...then...well, there was that akuma attack. But you know how that went down."

"Oh, so that is why you were asking me how I can so easily tell you how I feel! Because you can't!" Chat chimed in, a little too excited. Ladybug punched him in the chest with her elbow. "Well, now he knows how you feel at least."

"Not...not exactly."

"Don't tell me you denied it?" Chat asked, his eyes growing wide with shock. Ladybug nodded and he gasped. "And he believed you?"

"Yeah, well...he was trying to pull a prank on me. So, I said that I knew he was joking, which I didn't, but I said I did and that...that...the confession was me pranking him back."

"Wait...what?" Chat let go of her and started rubbing his temples.

"And then, the worst part," she continued, ignoring Chat's request to clarify, afraid that she wouldn't be able to finish. "Was when we were going home and he explained that he thought we weren't friends, but I told him we were and we agreed 'no more jokes' and...and...then he said that the girl he loves tells him he's bad at jokes! He loves someone else! I'm such an idiot!"

Another fit of tears and sobs took over and Ladybug buried her face in her hands, ashamed of all that had happened. Her heart felt like it was breaking all over again as she told the story to Chat. The memory of Adrien's words echoed in her ears. She wasn't sure how long she cried, but Chat waited patiently by her side.

"Are...are you sure you aren't the girl he loves?" he asked as her sobs died down.

"Kitty, I have never, ever, told him anything remotely close to 'you're bad at jokes'."

"Ok, but I mean...maybe he thought you said that?"

"Chat, I can barely talk to him. Trust me when I tell you, I've never spoken to him like that. I love everything about him. I would never tell him something like that."

"Never say never," Chat Noir muttered under his breath as if he didn't want her to hear.

Silence fell between the friends after that, but it didn't feel awkward. Chat started lightly scratching her back, which Ladybug found quite comforting. Crickets were chirping in the distance and Ladybug found herself staring at the lights of the Eiffel Tower in the distance.

"Milady," Chat said, breaking the silence after a while. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," she muttered, not sure what he was going to ask her.

"What makes him better? Than me, I mean. Why do you like him and not me?"

"Chat...I..." Ladybug tried to look him in the eye, but he was avoiding her gaze. She cringed as she realized how much he had to be hurting inside. After all, she had just poured out all her emotions about Adrien to a guy that liked her. "Chat, it's not that he's better than you. It's just...just...I fell for him first. After that, there just isn't any more room in my heart. Does that make sense? You are my partner and my friend. And I love you for that. It's just in a different way."

"That...that makes a lot of sense, actually," he said, looking up into the sky. "There wasn't any more room in your heart. So, yeah. Of course, I'm just a friend to you. It makes perfect sense."

"Thank you for understanding Chat," she added, thankful that he didn't seem to be hurting even more than he probably already was.

"Of course, milady." he said, turning to face her. "But can I ask another question?"

Ladybug rolled her eyes, not liking the childish grin on his face.

"I guess. But it better not be something stupid."

"What would you want to say to him?"

"What?" she asked, shocked at the strange question.

"Your confession. You, obviously, didn't say what you would have liked to so I want to know how you would confess. Really confess I mean."

"Oh, I don't know, kitty," She said with a sigh, "It doesn't even matter now. You can't confess to someone who is in love with someone else."

"I beg to differ," Chat smirked, earning himself another playful elbow to the ribs. "Come on, just tell me."

"Well, I guess I would just tell him how I feel."

"Alright. So how do you feel about him?" he prodded.

"I like him. A lot. And I mean really like him. He's the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing before I go to sleep. I just want to be around him as much as possible. I can't explain why. He's just...amazing. Inside and out. He's kind and caring. Thoughtful and always there to help his friends when they need it. I...I love him. I've loved him ever since he gave me his umbrella. Before that I actually hated him, but that's another story."

Chat was silent after her speech and he had stopped scratching her back. Looking over, she saw that he was staring off into the distance, deep in thought. He had a smile on his face, which was much softer than his usual grin.

"Why are you smiling like that?" she asked, certain that hearing her feelings for Adrien must have hurt him. Surprisingly, he shook his head.

"No reason," he answered, turning his face back towards her again. "I'm just thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

"About how late it's getting," he said as he stood up, offering his hand to help her up. She took it and got to her feet as well. It was late when they had first started their akuma battle and she wasn't even sure how much time had passed since then. Luckily, it wasn't a school night.

"Is that really what you were thinking about?" she asked, knowing her kitty too well to buy his lame explanation.

"Well, yes, but I was also thinking about pretending to be a statue tomorrow. This time, I'm not going to pull away from that kiss." He pulled out his staff and quickly bowed to her as he often did before leaving. "I'll see you around, milady."

Chat Noir turned to leave, but Ladybug quickly caught hold of his tail and pulled him back. Their eyes locked as she studied him intently as her brain tried to catch up with what he had said.

"Chat, I didn't say anything about a statue." She said, a knot forming in her stomach as a certain truth started to form in her mind.

"You didn't need to," He said. "I was there. Had a front row seat to the whole thing."

Ladybug felt her head spinning as she tightened her grip on Chat's tail. A million thoughts and questions came pouring in, but utter shock kept her from voicing any of them. As if in a dream, she watched as Chat Noir was replaced with Adrien Agreste in a flash of light. His green eyes were soft and gentle, waiting for her to finish processing.

"Milady," he said, grabbing hold of the hand that had previously been clinging to his tail. "I am so sorry that I hurt you."

"A-Adrien," she whispered, reaching out to lightly touch his face with her free hand. "How...How is this possible?"

"I've been asking myself the same question, believe me. You've been right here, this whole time."

"Adrien," she repeated with more confidence. "Chat Noir is Adrien Agreste?"

"Yes, milady," he said nodding. "And it just so happens that he's madly in love with you. So much so, that he was blind to the amazing girl that sits right behind him in class. As you said, his heart was already full so Marinette could only be a friend."

"Yeah, but also because you were too busy making out with that Ladybug body pillow!" Plagg's voice broke in. Adrien's face turned beet red as he turned to face the black kwami of destruction.

"PLAGG!" he cried out, as Ladybug started laughing. "Milady, it's not funny!"

"Oh it is! It is!" she argued as she doubled over. "You...you have a body pillow?"

"YOU tried to make out with a WAX statue!"

"Yeah, but it wasn't wax, now was it?"

"Pft! But you didn't know that at the time." Adrien stated as he crossed his arms, clearly embarrased.

"I'm sorry, Adrien." Ladybug confessed. "I'm just...just shocked is all. After all, I have all those pictures of you in my room."

"Wait...so those upside-down spades?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah...those are hearts. I was going to tear them down today." she said as her own face started to turn red as well.

"How about we replace them?" Adrien suggested, reaching out for her hands.

"Replace them?" she asked, letting him pull her closer.

"Yeah, with pictures of us."

"I...I don't have any pictures of us."

"Then we'll take some. On our date."

"Date?" she asked, not believing what she was hearing.

"Well, I like you and you like me so I figured we could...you know...date?"

"Adrien Agreste is asking me out on a date?" Ladybug asked, feeling like she might faint at any second.

"Yes, for about the hundreth time." He said, a grin breaking out across his face that was clearly Chat Noir's. "I'm hoping I'll get a different answer this time."

Of course, she realized at last. He's Chat Noir. He's been asking me out all this time. He's liked me this whole time!

"We really are a pair of idiots, aren't we?" she asked with a soft smile.

"If you are referring to the fact that we've been in love this whole time and never realized it. Yes. Yes, we are idiots."

A large smile broke across her face as the truth set in. This was Adrien. Who was also Chat. It made perfect sense to Ladybug. She looked at him in a new light, finally seeing how the boy of her dreams and her beloved partner were two parts of one amazing whole.

"Milady, can I ask you one more question?" Adrien asked, to which Ladybug quickly nodded. "Will you try to kiss me again?"

"If you're good, maybe kitty." she teased.

"Oh come on! Two kisses I can't remember, one that I backed away from because I didn't know it was you! It's not fair!"

"Alright, alright!" She said as she giggled at his pained expression. "On one condition."

"What is it, milady?" he asked.

"I get to be your girlfriend."

"Don't do it, Adrien!" Plagg cried. "We bachelors need to stick together!"

"Tikki, spots off." She said and then waited for the red kwami to appear before her. "Can you make him shut up?"

"Gladly," Tikki growled as she turned to Plagg. There was a loud squeak and then the two kwami disappeared into the night with a sigh of relief from both Adrien and Marinette.

"You were saying?" Adrien asked with a smile. "Something about us going out?"

"Yeah, that is...if you want to." Marinette answered, feeling nervous now that she was no longer wearing her mask. "If...if you don't that's fine..."

"Marinette Dupain-cheng," he said sternly, pulling into a tight hug. "I love you. I accept your terms. Now, about that kiss."

Marinette laughed at her own silliness. Of course, Adrien would go out with her. He was, after all, Chat. He had loved her and she had loved him, even when they couldn't see it. Standing on tip-toe she pushed her lips onto his and, this time, he didn't pull back. Instead, he returned the kiss full force.

The world melted away as Marinette lost herself in his kiss. It was warm and sweet. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight, afraid she might faint from excitement. Finally, they had found each other and when they finally broke apart, she buried her face in his shirt, never wanting to leave the warmth of his embrace.

"Um, Marinette?" he asked after a moment. "How are we going to get home? Our kwamis flew off."

"I'm sure they'll be back for us," she muttered. "I'm not in a hurry. Are you?"

"Nope," he said, squeezing her tight. "I could stay here all night, milady."

"Me too, kitty. Me too."

[nobodyfamousposts]

Missing

@lenoreofraven Not sure this is quite what you had in mind and I know it’s not as good as it could be, but figured I’d at least give it a shot despite being half asleep and writing this up in an hour. I hope you enjoy.

For everyone else, who wants pain?

Some days, Marinette wished she could just disappear.

Sometimes that was when she was feeling particularly anxious and letting her own imagination jump to the worst possible result and destroy all her dreams.

Sometimes that was when dealing with particularly troublesome people and feeling like the world was against her. Chloe had always been good at bringing out that feeling. Lila, it seemed, was even better at it as she duped all of her friends with petty lies and so easily manipulated things. Marinette had been slowly feeling like she was sinking in a way as she struggled to not lose the people she cared about and not fall for any of Lila’s games. It reached the point where every day was like a constant battle of wits where the score board was hidden and she had no idea how well she was doing or if she was playing into the enemy’s hands.

Times like this, Marinette was grateful for the Miraculous and the mask it let her wear to be able to take a step back and away from the mundane problems of life and manipulations of certain persons.

Then there were times when she was reminded that there were worse things. Like the akuma.

She was luckily already transformed as she dodged a blow from the akuma’s strange staff. It looked for all intents and purposes to be like an eraser, though that may have been more due to the color than anything. What was up with Hawkmoth and his awkward designs, anyway?

It almost seemed like another Pixelator situation. The people this akuma touched didn’t fade away, but instead disappeared altogether almost immediately. She didn’t know what the full effect was supposed to be, but she was certain that one shot would be all it took to remove someone from the fight. Both she and Chat Noir had made every effort to avoid the blasts from the staff, but the akuma was able to attack from long range and it was difficult for either of them to be able to get in close enough to grab his possessed item.

Marinette grimaced behind the mask and dodged another blast. She could not risk letting this akuma hit her. Without her, there’d be no Ladybug and no Miraculous Cure. But when she saw Chat get cornered, she knew she wasn’t about to let her partner be taken so easily either.

“Chat Noir! Look out!” She shouted. Quickly, she wrapped her yo-yo around the akuma’s arm and pulled it away from Chat’s direction, ruining his aim and making him miss. However, this brought his attention and direction of his staff pointing to her now, and soon enough the akuma was firing upon her.

Panicking, she released her yo-yo’s hold on him and pushed herself to the side to try to avoid the hit. She could have sworn she felt something brush her arm and couldn’t help the wince. She half expected to end up in some sort of void or feel pain. She tensed, bracing herself and expecting the worst.

But nothing happened.

She was still there.

Ladybug breathed a sigh of relief. The akuma must have missed her.

“Are you alright?” Chat called, fear lacing his words.

She nodded in response. “I’m fine. Just don’t let your guard down and don’t let him hit you!”

“Of course! I’m a pro at tag!”

Ladybug rolled her eyes at her partner’s antics, but kept her sights on the enemy. She could not afford to let him get that close again.

And she wouldn’t. With a cry of “Lucky Charm!” and a rather unorthodox use of a folding chair, the akuma was soon caught in the equivalent of a human-sized mousetrap that had Chat looking particularly wary even as he joked about the circumstances. With a wry grin, Ladybug soon had the object broken and captured the akuma.

“Miraculous Ladybug!”

It was to much relief that the Cure brought back the numerous civilians who had disappeared. Ladybug still didn’t know what exactly the akuma’s power had done to them. The formerly missing Parisians seemed a bit disoriented, but little else was clear about where they had gone or the full effects of the akuma’s abilities.

It was probably for the best.

She waved away the ladybugs that had gotten a bit too close to her. The loveliness of ladybugs seemed uncertain or perhaps unwilling to leave, though she didn’t understand why. She was fine. It’s not like the akuma had gotten her, after all, and there was the rest of the city that still needed fixing. She nodded in satisfaction as they flew off, albeit appearing almost hesitant to do so. How strange. They'd never done that before.

Ladybug turned to Chat Noir with fist raised, which he returned with a smile. “Pound it!” They cheered together as they bumped fists over another job well done.

A single shrill beep filled the air, and a quick glance at the source found Chat Noir’s ring was down to two paw pads left. “I’d better split. Till next time, My Lady!” He proclaimed with a grin, giving her a bow before turning away.

And just like that, her partner escaped to run off back to wherever he goes when there isn’t a conflict. She should probably do the same as well since the battle was over. Now she just had to hurry and get back to—

Ladybug paused, confused.

She had to get back.

...

Get back to where?

...

Where was she supposed to go?

Her eyes furrowed in confusion and a sort of growing uneasiness she couldn’t quite stem.

…Was she supposed to go somewhere?

The akuma was defeated. She wasn’t needed anymore. And suddenly, she felt lost in a way she hadn’t before.

Didn’t she normally leave after a battle? She could swear there was somewhere she normally went when there wasn’t an akuma. She couldn’t always be fighting. There was a time limit, wasn’t there?

But…for what? Why did she need a time limit? She knew Chat Noir had a time limit before he detransformed, but she didn’t have that as far as she knew.

She was Ladybug.

She was always Ladybug.

Something felt off, but for the life of her, Ladybug just couldn’t think of what. The akuma was purified and everything was back to normal. Paris was restored. Her Cure fixed everything. But if that was the case, why did it feel like something was missing?

She shook off her worry and the creeping sense of anxiety that something wasn’t right.

Fighting the akuma must have messed with her head, she reasoned. Maybe she just needed a break and some air? She nodded to herself and jumped off, enjoying the strength and feeling of near-flight as she used her yo-yo to swing to the rooftops. Ladybug lived for moments like this. Freedom. No crime. No conflict. Just going where she pleased and seeing the city at peace.

But somehow, the further she went, the more she felt that she was going in the wrong direction.

11/30/18

Alya: Hey, Marinette! Did you see the fight? I can’t believe the footage I got!

Alya: The akuma was making people disappear! Turns out it just erased them completely! It’s like they never existed! How crazy is that?

Alya: It almost looked like Ladybug got hit, but she took him down crazy style!

Alya: I love it! <3

Alya: NEway, we’re still on for later, right? The other girls are planning to meet up at the cafe after school. You said you’d be there.

Alya: Lila’s coming, too. She said she has an uncle who owns a world famous patisserie! Maybe you two can bond over that?

Alya: Get back to me. I have video footage to show you.

11/30/18

Alya: Hey, where r u?

Alya: We were supposed to meet up at the cafe remember?

Alya: r u really going to act like this over us inviting Lila? C’mon girl, we’ve been over this!

Alya: Now Lila’s sad and everyone’s upset. You ruined the entire day.

Alya: Can’t you put aside your jealousy and try to get along? Just because another girl likes Adrien is no reason to cause such drama.

Alya: You need to apologize to Lila and everyone. And you’d better make it good.

Alya: Lila has already been through enough. She doesn’t need your attitude on top of things.

Alya: Pick up already.

Alya: Don’t ignore me.

Alya: You and I are going to be talking at school tomorrow. This isn’t okay.

12/1/18

Alya: Nice try staying home to get out of it, but I will be hunting you down.

Alya: You’d better have a good explanation when I get to your house.

Alya: And I’m not buying any “sick” excuse.

Alya: You could at least answer your phone. It’s just going straight to voicemail.

12/1/18

Alya: OK, where are you? Your parents said you never came home yesterday!

Alya: I know you didn’t run away.

Alya: You better not be pranking me.

12/2/18

Alya: The rest of class knows and they’re all set on searching for you.

Alya: You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?

Alya: Is this what you wanted? Everyone’s upset and worried about you. You have everyone’s attention like you want. I hope you’re happy because when I see you I’m going to give you a piece of my mind for scaring me like this.

12/4/18

Alya: Marinette, this isn’t funny.

Alya: Call me ASAP.

12/7/18

Alya: Look, I know things haven’t been great and I’ve been kind of harsh, but enough’s enough.

Alya: We can talk about this. 

Alya: Whatever’s going on, it can’t be this bad.

Alya: Girl, text me back.

12/9/18

Alya: I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry about not listening. I’m sorry I pushed you off. I’m sorry about not giving you enough credit. You’ve made your point.

Alya: You’re a wonderful person and you deserved better. I should have taken your feelings into account.

Alya: I was a jerk. I’m sorry.

Alya: I’m really, really sorry.

Alya: I’ll apologize as much as you want.

Alya: Just let me know you’re all right.

12/13/18

Alya: Please