#potato disease management

[farmerstrend]

Breaking the Cycle of Late Blight: How Biotech Potatoes are Revolutionizing Farming in Kenya

Discover how biotech potatoes are transforming farming in Africa and Asia, with breakthrough resistance to late blight disease and impressive yield improvements. Learn about the latest field trials of late blight-resistant biotech potatoes, offering a sustainable solution for smallholder farmers in Kenya and beyond. Explore the remarkable success of bio-engineered potatoes, which promise higher…

[ohsalome]

What Ukrainians ate to survive Holodomor

(translated excerpts from an Історична Правда article): + images source

The villagers would dig up the holes of the polecats to find at least a handful of grain hidden by these animals. They pounded it in a mortar, added a handful of oilcake (from hemp seed), beetroot, potato peelings, and baked something from this mixture.

Those who managed to hide at least a little grain would grind it in iron mills made from wheel axles and cook "zatyrukha" (a concoction made from a small amount of flour ground from ears of grain).

Acacia flowers were boiled and eaten raw, and green quinoa was mixed with crushed corn cobs. Those who could - and this was considered lucky - added a handful of bran. This food made their feet swell and their skin crack.

The peasants dried the husked ears of corn and millet husks, pounded them, ground them with weeds, and cooked soups and baked pancakes. Such dishes were impossible to chew, the body could not digest them, so people had stomach aches. Pancakes, the so-called "matorzhenyky", were made from oilcake and nettle or plantain.

It went so far that peasants would crumble straw into small chips and pound it in a mortar together with millet and buckwheat chaff, and tree bark. All this was mixed with potato peelings, which were very poisonous, and this mixture was used to bake "bread", the consumption of which caused severe stomach diseases.

There were cases when village activists took away and broke millstones, mortars, poured water on the heat in their ovens. After all, anything found or saved from the food had to be cooked on fire, and matches could only be purchased by bartering for their own belongings or by buying them in the city, which was impossible from villagers that were on "black lists".

Chestnuts, aspen and birch bark, buds, reed roots, hawthorn and rose hips, which were the most delicious, were used as food substitutes; various berries, even poisonous ones, were picked; grass seeds were ground into flour; "honey" from sugar beets was cooked, and water brewed with cherry branches was drunk. They also ate the kernels of sunflower seeds.

Newborns had the worst of it, because their mothers had no breast milk. According to testimonies, a mother would let her child suck the drink from the top of the poppy head, and the child would fall asleep for three days.

In early spring, the villagers began to dig up old potato fields. They would bake dumplings from frozen potatoes, grind rotten potatoes in a mash and make pancakes, greasing the frying pan with wheel grease. They also baked "blyuvaly" (transl. "vomities") from such potatoes and oatmeal mixed with water, which was so called because they were very smelly.

They ate mice, rats, frogs, hedgehogs, snakes, beetles, ants, worms, i.e. things that weren't a part of food bans and had never been eaten by people before. The horror of the famine is also evidenced by the consumption of spiders, which are forbidden to kill in Ukrainian society for ritual reasons.

In some areas, slugs were boiled into a soup, and the cartilaginous meat was chopped and mixed with leaves. This prevented swelling of the body and contributed to survival. People caught tadpoles, frogs, lizards, turtles, and mollusks. They boiled them, adding a little salt if there was salt. The starving people caught cranes, storks, and herons, which have been protected in Ukraine for centuries, and their nests were never destroyed. According to folk beliefs, eating stork meat was equated with cannibalism.

The consumption of horse meat began in 1931, before the mass famine. People used to take dead horsemeat from the cemeteries at night, make jelly out of it and salt it for future use.

Dead horses were poured with carbolic acid to prevent people from taking their meat, but it hardly stopped anybody. Dead collective farm pigs were also doused with kerosene to prevent people from dismantling them for food, but this did not help either.

After long periods of starvatiom, the process of digestion is very costing for the human body, and many people who would eat anything would drop dead immediately out of exhaustion.

If a family had a cow hidden somewhere in the forest, they had a chance to survive. People living near forests could hunt/seek out berries and mushrooms, but during winter this wouldn't save them. People living near rivers could fish in secret, but it was banned and punishable by imprisonment/death.

[probablyasocialecologist]

Biodiversity loss in agriculture is a pressing threat to global food systems, reducing our ability to cope with climate change, environmental degradation, and nutritional challenges. Over the past century, about 75% of plant genetic diversity has been lost as farmers have shifted toward high-yielding, genetically uniform crops. Today, just nine plant species account for 66% of global crop production, with rice, wheat, and maize alone providing more than 50% of the world’s plant-derived calories. This reliance on a narrow set of crops undermines food system resilience, leaving us vulnerable to pests, diseases, and climate extremes. It has also created a monocultural vulnerability reminiscent of the Irish potato famine of the 1840s, when reliance on a single, genetically uniform crop led to catastrophic losses due to disease. Genetic diversity within and among species acts as a natural buffer against environmental changes. Different crop varieties respond differently to stressors, providing farmers with options to manage risks. When one crop fails, others can compensate, helping to safeguard harvests and livelihoods. However, as the diversity on our farms diminishes, farmers have fewer tools to adapt to the growing volatility brought on by climate change. Extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and heat waves are becoming more severe, and monocultures are ill-equipped to withstand these shocks. The environmental impact of current agricultural practices further exacerbates biodiversity loss. Agriculture is responsible for about 90% of global deforestation and contributes substantially to habitat destruction, driving the extinction of countless species. Excessive use of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides pollutes soils and waterways, disrupting ecosystems and degrading essential natural services such as pollination and soil fertility. Soil degradation now affects one-third of the world’s soils. In sub-Saharan Africa, agriculture is responsible for 80% of soil degradation on farmland, leading to reduced plant diversity because only the few species that can tolerate poor soil conditions survive. Moreover, the heavy use of nitrogen fertilizers and livestock manure, particularly in regions such as Asia and Latin America, has disrupted natural nitrogen cycles, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions such as nitrous oxide and methane. These emissions not only drive climate change but also accelerate biodiversity loss by reducing the resilience and health of ecosystems. The decline of agricultural biodiversity also impacts human health. Diets worldwide have become increasingly homogeneous, dominated by a few staple crops that are energy-rich but nutrient-poor. Less than 200 species currently contribute to global food supplies, and this lack of variety has serious health consequences. Low dietary diversity is now a leading driver of diet-related deaths, with about 11 million premature deaths annually linked to unhealthy diets. The decline in biodiversity means that fewer nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds are available, exacerbating malnutrition in all its forms, from undernutrition to obesity.

10 October 2024

[hellfirexwhore]

Forget What You've Heard E.M.

Line cook!Eddie Munson x Bartender!Reader

Sorry it took so long between posts! I've been working all day every day so it's busy over here. I hope you enjoy! 

I do not give permission for my work to be copied / posted as original work on any platform.

Your favorite co-worker's flirty nature is your favorite part of the workday, but is it genuine? Someone is feeding you lies just as your patrons are being fed mozzarella sticks and Eddie is determined to convince you he's not just playing games with your heart.

Misunderstanding, hurt/comfort, fluff, cursing, an asshole named Dylan (We all know one), use of Y/N

Wordcount 4.7k

You smile to yourself as you count up the tips you've made so far. Bartending has done wonders for your wallet, and it's totally worth it if you can look over the long hours on your feet, creeps trying to get into your pants, and going home smelling like sour mix and sweat. You just moved to Hawkins 6 months ago and since living on your own is expensive, you serve beers and shake cocktails at the karaoke bar downtown to make a living. It's easy work and you're good at it, but there's just one issue; your favorite co-worker is a huge distraction. Eddie is the cutest damn line cook you've ever seen with his curly hair always tied into a low bun and his smile that you're sure could cure a number of diseases, but those things don't make it easy to do your job efficiently. It's nearly impossible to grab a platter of nachos from the window without him throwing out a wink and calling you sweetheart, telling you you're doing a good job, or even sliding a basket of fries to you with a finger to his lips as a way of saying "Don't tell on me, honey." 

Tonight is no different. Eddie has been a total menace all night, flashing you that flirty smile, keeping you from your work with his corny pick-up lines that he insists will get him a date with you one day, making conversation, and giving you extra sides of ranch without making you ring them in first like the kitchen manager does. The second you walked into the back to set your bag down after arriving, he told you your hair looked absolutely ravishing even though it's just thrown into a clip like always, making you blush like crazy. It took nearly 20 minutes to get the scarlet red tint to leave your cheeks, and though you tried your hardest to hide it, Eddie sure as hell noticed, leaving a smile on his face throughout the busy evening.

"Hey sweetheart, I've got those wings for the bar top ready for you." You hear from behind you, snapping you out of your thoughts. You smile to yourself at the nickname and put the glass you've just finished washing upside down on the drying mat. 

You turn around to an always grinning Eddie leaning his elbows on the stainless steel of the mini counter under the window to the back of house and holding the ticket in between his index and middle digits. You take the slip of paper out of his hand slowly, letting your fingers touch for a moment before stabbing it through the small metal spike to your right. Every once in a while, you like to indulge in his flirtatiousness, though it makes you nervous. Eddie's fun, he's nice, and dishing back what he gives to you every day isn't hurting anyone. "Thank you, Eddie."

"Any time, sugar." He replies, winking and turning to grab a new ticket and drop an order of potato skins in the fryer. You shake your head, smiling from ear to ear, turning to serve the hot plate to one of your regulars. 

The rest of the shift goes great. Your tips are higher than you had planned, nobody had to be thrown out for fighting, and you got to hear a wonderful rendition of "My Heart Will Go On" sang by a very intoxicated older gentleman during the karaoke session. As you clean up the bar for the night, as always, you can't stop thinking about Eddie. You think tonight might actually be the night you ask him to hang out with you outside of work, though he's invited you to go get some late night pizza before, playfully pouting when you have to decline, telling him that you're exhausted and have to go back to the bar to open the next day. You've wanted to say yes, but Eddie makes you nervous. You're feeling bold tonight though, and you're optimistic. 

Unbeknownst to you, Eddie is in the kitchen cleaning the fryers, taking out the trash, and scrubbing the floors absentmindedly, almost like he's in auto-pilot because he can't get you out of his head. He wants so badly to ask you out, but he's tried that and you don't seem interested. He realizes you probably just flirt with him for fun, a harmless workplace friendship with some winks and pet names sprinkled in, but over the past four months, he's developed a serious crush on you. 

There's just something about you that makes you so different from everyone he's ever dated or been interested in. He doesn't feel like he has to change who he is for you. There's nothing better for Eddie's ego than how easy it is to make you smile, and goddammit what a beautiful smile it is. Every time you look at him through your lashes, blushing at something stupid he's said, Eddie feels like he could lift the entire building up with one hand and not even break a sweat. He fears he's in too deep at this point, the innocent flirting leading to him finding himself thinking about you even once he's gone home for the night. 

"Hey Eddie boy, I think you missed a spot." Eddie rolls his eyes at the irritating voice coming at him from his left. Dylan is one of the most insufferable people he's ever met and of course, he has the honor of working beside him at least 3 nights out of the week. 

Eddie doesn't turn his attention to Dylan, just continues wiping down the steel counter top. "Bite me, jackass." 

"Wow, someone's sassy today, huh? What, you didn't get enough attention from your little bartender tonight?" He smarmily replies, a disgustingly annoying grin on his face. Dylan, to Eddie's dismay, has picked up on the little "situation" between you two, making a joke of it every chance he can in an attempt to piss him off. 

Eddie laughs humorlessly, throwing his rag down and turning to the bane of his existence, crossing his arms over his chest. "Dude shut the fuck up."

"Hey look man, I get it! I'm just saying it's embarrassing watching you stare at her like a fucking creep all day. She does look pretty smokin' in those jeans though, so I don't blame you. Hey maybe I'll ask her out tonight, see if I can get some tail. Think she'll give up the goods?" He's smirking while Eddie's blood is raising in temperature. He can practically feel smoke coming out of his ears hearing this sorry excuse for a man speaking about you like you're just a piece of ass and not the sweet, funny, beautiful person you are. 

"I swear to God, I'll bust your teeth in." Eddie seethes, trying to keep his cool, at least while you're in the building. You're blissfully unaware of their hatred for one another and the last thing he needs is for you to see him throwing his fist into Dylan's face for talking about you. That wouldn't be very "innocent flirtationship" of him. 

"Guys! Come on, finish cleaning and knock it off. I don't have the energy for your cat fights tonight." The kitchen manager huffs, stepping between the two of them with a severely annoyed look on his face. Wordlessly, Eddie takes one more look at Dylan, picks his rag back up, and continues his task of degreasing all of the surfaces. He wants to get it over with and be able to clock in time to catch you before you leave and walk you to your car.

Dylan, the vindictive man he is, takes the opportunity to make his way through the swinging kitchen door and into the main bar area while Eddie isn't paying attention. You look up, expecting to find Eddie standing there, but confused when it's the guy you barely speak to heading in your direction.

"Hey Y/N, you do good tonight?" He asks, leaning against the bar. You smile politely, still wrist deep in soapy water from washing the bar glasses and beer mugs. 

"Yeah, better than I expected actually. Did you need something?" You ask, not rudely, but assuming he came for something specific seeing as he's never made small talk with you before.

Dylan takes a breath and rests his elbows on the hard wood of the bar top, shaking his head like he's trying to think of how to tell you what he sauntered up to you for. You begin to dry your hands, getting a little nervous thinking that maybe the manager had sent him up here to tell you something you've done wrong. You're still relatively new and you've never gotten in trouble here before, but you can't think of anything else he would need to say to you. "Look, I know you and Munson are friends, and I see the way you look at him. You like him, and before you deny it, just listen to me." 

Your heart starts to race. Did he tell Eddie? Did Eddie say something to him? How are you going to face him when apparently other people are picking up on this? Are you this obvious? You can't take it anymore so you nod, waiting for more information as you toy with your hands. 

"You seem sweet, okay and I don't want to see someone like you hurt by someone like him. Eddie and I are cool, but this is what he does. he flirts with the new ones, takes them home, and never speaks to them again. When another newbie comes in, he starts it all over again. I just thought you should know since I'm sure you're a genuinely nice person and I'm certain Eddie is taking advantage of that." Your heart drops at his words. You feared you were being played with, but you didn't want to believe it. You fell for Eddie's charms, and now it's time to face the harsh reality that you had completely misunderstood this whole situation and made yourself look like an idiot in front of everyone. 

"Um, wow. Well thanks for telling me, I appreciate it. I'm gonna finish up here and head out. Have a good rest of your night." You say, rushing through so you don't tear up mid-sentence. Dylan nods, not saying another word but offering a sympathetic smile before turning on his heel and going back through the door he came. You pull the plug to the dish sink, gather your signed receipts to shove into the drawer, and give the glazed wood one last wipe down. You hear Eddie say your name through the window but you act like you can't hear him. 

This whole thing could have been avoided if you wouldn't have fallen for the good looks and quirks of the fuzzy-headed, wild-eyed line cook. You never should have caught feelings in the workplace; that's like rule number 001 in the service industry. Never, under any circumstances, canoodle with your co-workers. You thought maybe this was an exception but now here you are, proven wrong. 

Heading through the swinging door to the kitchen, you avoid eye contact with everyone, especially Eddie, as you walk straight to the back to gather your things. You feel humiliated and giving Eddie the satisfaction of seeing you upset is out of the question so the sooner you can get out of the building, the better. You give quiet goodbyes to the managers and make a quick escape, or you at least try to before a hand reaches out to hold your forearm. 

"Hey, wait for me. I'll walk you to your car." Eddie says softly, giving you a soft smile. You can't bear to look him in the eyes, so you gently pull away, shaking your head. 

"It's fine Eddie, thanks though." You reply, turning to finally leave. Eddie watches as you throw your bag strap onto your shoulder and hurriedly make your way to the exit. Hurt washes over him and he's more confused than when he learned what a tampon is in middle school. He furrows his brow and slumps his shoulders, going back to his final task before he can leave for the night. He doubts you're still going to be in the parking lot by the time he can get out there, but his heart is racing like he might have a shot at catching you before you leave. 

Did he say something? Did his flirting finally make you uncomfortable tonight? He racks his brain trying to come up with some sort of reason why you would be upset with him. Normally, he would suggest that maybe you're just tired but even when you're on the verge of falling asleep where you stand, you can still manage to give him a sleepy smile and a breathy laugh at another one of his terrible jokes. Maybe he took it too far. Maybe he weirded you out or gave you the wrong idea. It wouldn't be the first time he's scared someone off.

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

You continue to go to work as normal, doing your best to not entertain anything Eddie had to say. The more distance you can create between the two of you, the less likely you'll get hurt. The time for stepping away from him to protect your feelings ended long ago but now it's time to do some damage control before you get worse. You get attached to people, and unfortunately that includes the bad people too. 

You thought long and hard about whether or not you actually believed Dylan. I mean it's his first time actually talking to you and he breaks the news to you that Eddie just wanted to get into your pants? Why would he care? After going back and forth with yourself over it for your entire day off, you don't know what to think but what you do know is that if they really are friends and if Dylan actually does care, then the safe bet is to just stay away. If he's telling the truth and you ignore that to continue growing your feelings for Eddie, you're in for a world of hurt and that's just not something you can deal with right now. 

You're not mean to Eddie when you work now; you just treat him like everyone else. You say "please" and "thank you", you ring in your extra sauces when you need them, you greet him just like you greet every other cook, and you don't flirt or bat your lashes at him anymore. Eventually, he is going to ask why but until he does, you can't bring yourself to ask him about it. It's humiliating and if he does have bad intentions, he's not going to be honest about it anyway so what's the point in starting that conversation? 

Eddie is trying everything. These past few days have been hell for him and he's grasping at straws. He offers to make you fries, you tell him, "Thank you, but I'm not hungry." He tries to ask you about your day, you apologize and say you're busy. He tries to catch you before you leave at night, but you practically sprint for the door the second you're finished with your side work. 

He watches through the window as you smile at your last patron of the night, desperately wishing that smile was for him. You haven't paid him any mind in 3 days and it's driving him crazy. It might be a little better if he actually knew what he did, but he's completely clueless. The awkward interactions are eating away at Eddie, and he knows if he doesn't say something soon, he'll explode. He starts his cleaning and breaking down the line as quickly as possible in an attempt to finish before you do so you don't run away from him again like you have been. If he doesn't get this straightened out, he doesn't know what he'll do. 

Your last tab is cashed out and you begin your cleaning, causing Eddie to pick up his pace. He knows it'll take you 20 minutes max now that you and him aren't chatting throughout to slow you down. As long as nobody gets in his way, he's determined to finally be able to talk to you tonight. Not playful banter, no pick up lines, just a real conversation. The sooner he gets back into your good graces, the better. 

"Trouble in paradise?" Eddie turns to see Dylan smirking with his arms across his chest. So much for nobody getting in his way. 

Eddie laughs humorlessly and goes back to his work. "Fuck off, dude." 

"Look man I'm just saying it seems like there's a little riff between the lovebirds lately. I wonder what happened, hm?" Dylan replies, his tone condescending as ever, doing his best to get a rise out of Eddie. To his dismay, it's working. 

"You don't know shit." Eddie mumbles, wringing out a sanitizer rag, his fingers already becoming little prunes extended from his hands from the extensive cleaning. 

"I don't know about that one, Ed. We had a really riveting conversation, seriously it was interesting, and I'm sure I know a little more than you think." This stops Eddie in his tracks. He breathes hard through his nose and turns on his heel, grabbing Dylan by his shirt and shoving him against the wall. 

"What the fuck did you say to her? Huh? Are you the reason she won't fucking talk to me? What the hell is wrong with you, you jealous son of a bitch?!" Eddie shouts. The manager on duty is already trying to break the two of them up and you hear the commotion from the front, peering your head into the window to see what the hell is going on. 

"Ooh Munson is mad! I just told her exactly what you're up to, that's all." Dylan says, calm as ever, a disgusting smile on his face. "Punching me won't undo it, so go ahead." 

"Enough! I swear to god, I will kick you both out." Eddie reluctantly loosens his grip on the boy's clothing, only pulling away completely when he's certain the risk of getting fired isn't worth hitting Dylan, even though the want to is overwhelming. 

 Eddie looks to you, his heart breaking at the disappointed look on your face. He decides this ends now. He has no idea what filth and lies have been planted in your head, but he needs to fix it and fast. He gives one last scowl to the man he was just threatening, and backs up, walking out of the kitchen door. 

He approaches the bar and you freeze. You don't know what you're supposed to say or do, so you do and say nothing. He has a soft look on his face, one very different than the one he was wearing in the kitchen just a minute prior. It's almost as if his rock hard persona turns to cotton candy when he's in your presence, and if you ask Eddie, that's exactly how that works. 

"Look, I know you don't want to talk to me and I'm still not entirely sure why, but please wait for me. Please talk to me, let me figure out what the hell happened, and let me fix it." He pleads. You think it over quickly, trying to figure out of this is something you even want to get into right now. You question his motives, still confused as ever. Helpless, you nod and see the relief wash over his entire body, giving you the same feeling as when you're in the middle of a horrific thunderstorm, and in an instant, the sun comes out of the dark clouds. Whether this conversation leaves you feeling like a sunny summer day or it leads to another crack of thunder, you're unsure but you have half an hour before you find out. 

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

You sit there at the bar having finished your closing work, waiting for Eddie to finish his. Against your better judgement, you're happy to talk to him again but nothing can stop the knot in your stomach from growing tighter. All you wanted to do today was make some money, go home, cook dinner, take a bath, and watch a movie in bed but now, you're sitting here, anxiety building up in your body like a tower of mix-matched Lego pieces. 

You're taken out of your thoughts when Eddie exits the kitchen and walks toward you, not looking any less nervous than he did earlier in the evening. "Hey, sorry I took so long." 

"It's okay." You say quietly, standing up from the bar stool and pulling the strap of your backpack up onto your shoulder. "Do you want to talk outside?" 

Eddie nods, giving you a tight smile. He leads you out of the front door and around to the side of the building to the employee parking lot, not saying a word just yet. the silence is broken by the flick of your lighter, illuminating the tip of a cigarette freshly placed in your mouth, inhaling the smoke and feeling the tiniest amount of tension wash away. 

You lean against your car waiting for him to speak, still not really sure what you're supposed to say. He's the one that needed to defend himself, he's the one who wanted this conversation to happen. 

"Look, I don't know what Dylan told you but I can assure you it was a lie." He starts. He's fidgeting with his fingers, avoiding eye contact. He's lost every ounce of confidence he once had when he's on the other side of the wall passing you a basket of chicken tenders. 

"If you don't know what he said, then how would you know that?" You reply, taking another drag of your cigarette. You're hoping he's being genuine and not just defensive right off the bat, but if someone is lying about you, you'd feel defensive too. Everything is still fuzzy and figuring out this mess is like putting the pieces of a clear puzzle together.

"Because he fucking hates me. He does shit just to piss me off." Eddie shakes his head, pulling his own pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, lighting one between his lush lips. 

"Why would he hate you, Eddie? What did you do?" You don't mean to point blame at him but he had to have done something to make someone hate him to the point of making up a lie to make you ignore him for days.

"When I first started, he thought I was flirting with this girl he had a thing for, and she got a crush on me. She didn't want to hang out with him anymore and he thought I just swooped in and stole her. I didn't even like her like that but since then, he's made it his job to make my life a living hell when he's here. That includes fucking this-" Eddie gestures his hand between the both of you, "-up for me." 

"He told me you're fucking with me." You say, suddenly fixing your eyes on your sneakers. You almost shudder thinking back at the way your heart dropped to your stomach when Dylan first spoke to you. "Said you flirt with the new ones to get into their pants and then move on to the next one." 

Eddie's eyes widen, looking like he's a child being told Santa isn't real. The genuine look of shock is very convincing, and you're close to dropping every allegation from that expression alone. "Jesus Christ. Y/N, I promise that's not what's going on here." 

"How can I know that for sure? I felt like an idiot after he told me that. I was humiliated thinking I fell for some sleazy game you were playing." You're trying not to tear up. You can feel the thickness in your throat as you speak, hoping Eddie doesn't pick up on it. Six months of growing feelings for someone isn't something to fuck around about, and you might have taken this more seriously than it was intended, but when you're in that close of proximity with someone for that long, itching for the other to make a move, it's hard to not be heartbroken when something happens to it. 

"Sweetheart, I flirt with you because I like you. At first, it was just fun and I thought you were cute, but now I have a big, fat, stupid crush on you and I think about you all the time. I don't ask you to hang out with me after work so I can take you to my van and get your clothes off. I ask you to hang out with me because I like the way you make me feel." Eddie responds, making eye contact with you finally, searching your eyes for any trace of doubt. He wants you to know how serious he is. This isn't just a fling for him, much like it never was for you. You had a feeling this could turn into something special, though it goes against everything people tell you about workplace relationships. 

"And what would that feeling be?" You inquire, not breaking the contact between his chocolate pools and your own, finding a boldness in yourself that you didn't know existed. 

"You make me feel like I'm the coolest guy in the world. You laugh at my stupid jokes, you compliment me, you're interested in what I have to say.." He trails off with a fond smile on his face. There's a softness about him that balances out the roughness of his edges, endearing you even further. He reaches out to grab your soft hand with his rough one. "I really fucking like you." 

"I really like you too. I was going to ask you out the night Dylan dropped a bomb on me." You admit, rubbing your thumb over the skin of his hand. 

"That motherfucker." Eddie shakes his head, getting angry all over again at the fact that he finally had his chance and it got ruined for him in an instant. "I'm going to kick his ass." 

You pull your hand out of his and smack him lightly on the chest. "No, you can't get fired! Who will I talk to all day?"

"You've been doing just fine not talking to anyone." Eddie jokes, raising his eyebrows and bringing his cigarette to his lips, inhaling the smoke that seems to make this whole thing easier. After having a sick stomach for hours, he skipped his smoke breaks, partially leading to his angry outburst.

"Yeah and it was miserable! Do you know how much I hated having to go through my shift without hearing you call me sweetheart?" You laugh, a sound Eddie missed, even for just three days. 

He smiles down at you, dazzling as always. You missing him as much as he missed you is actively washing away his worries one by one like a salty body of water washing away a structurally questionable sandcastle. "I won't deprive you anymore." 

"I appreciate that." You grin, taking his hand back into yours. 

"Does that mean you believe me? You can ask anyone, I'm serious. I talk about you all the time. The guys make fun of me for my "heart eyes" the entire time you're here. Ask Adam, Levi, Grant, Brandon-" 

"Okay, okay." You cut off his adorable rambling. "Yes, I believe you."

Eddie breathes a sigh of relief. You can see his shoulders relax, his jaw loosen, and his posture seems straighter. "Good because I mean it. I'm sorry this was such a mess for you. Hopefully I can make up for it?"

"And how do you plan to do that, Munson?" You tease, giving him the flirty look he had been wishing to see from you again. He can't take his eyes off of the way you look at him through your thick lashes. 

He moves closer to you subtly, moving slowly so he can relish in the moment. "Can I start with that date?" 

"You sure can." You say just above a whisper. You're lost in his eyes once again, but this time, it's not just playful. There's a brand new feeling getting introduced here and it blows your mind that it was first kindled in a greasy kitchen. 

As long as Eddie is here, things are easy. You have your flirty boy back and being at work is a little easier again. With Eddie right behind you serving up winks and pet names just as often as he serves up appetizers, going home smelling like beer and deep fried cheese is worth it. 

[derinthescarletpescatarian]

hey! so i hope this isn’t too creepy/nosey, but im a medical student and i was reading your possible fibromyalgia post and have a couple ideas lol. full important disclaimer that im only partly into my studies and im currently in the hypochondriac phase and also your summary was amazing but a real doc would ask way more questions, so please consult with an actual doc and take everything i say with a grain of salt! but like your symptoms aren’t nothing so i would def encourage finding a doc that you trust to do a proper exam and run some tests. also im operating under the assumption that you’re under 50 lol, bc if you’re over 50ish that’s a whole diff list of possible diagnoses.

so the thirst thing you’re talking about is often called polydipsia and is commonly associated with diabetes insipidus. that’s not the normal diabetes you think about, but happens when your body can’t regulate fluids in your body properly. id think of this if you’re also peeing a lot lol. your doc would have to do some kidney tests for that, which wouldn’t be part of the blood panel you mentioned. i’m a little skeptical that it’s hypokalemia bc that would’ve showed up on your blood test results. it could be transient electrolyte imbalances when you exercise so have one of those electrolyte packets when you exercise lol, bc it never hurts to try the easy solutions first, but chronic low potassium should’ve shown up? tho eating sweet potatoes has never hurt.

other things it could be is a lower motor neuron problem bc you mentioned twitches and muscle weakness which is typical for those. i def can’t say more without tests, but look into/get your doc to look into myasthenia gravis or LEMS and see if either of those fit. i think it’s possible bc these often also start with face/upper body symptoms, but would need way more questions/tests to know. it’s unlikely but could also be a glycogen storage disease called McArdle disease bc you describe a second wind thing when you exercise along with exercise intolerance. that’s super rare tho so it’s unlikely unless someone in your family has it/has similar symptoms.

also look into autoimmune stuff like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and sjögrens disease. i have way less useful info on that bc we haven’t gotten to it in class yet lol, but sjögrens looks promising bc you often get dry mouth with it, and it often goes along with rheumatoid arthritis which could explain the joint stuff possibly.

it’s also totally possible this is fibromyalgia, but i would be cautious diagnosing it bc it often comes with fatigue and cognitive stuff which you didn’t mention. it’s also more of a pain thing, and doesn’t include your twitches/dry mouth. it’s def possible, and it was def something i thought of when i saw your symptoms, but personally i would want to rule out other stuff first bc fibromyalgia is pretty vague and often a diagnosis of exclusion when other things don’t fit.

sorry for overwhelming you!! i just saw your post and was like hmmm those symptoms sound like Something. again take my advice with a big grain of salt, but i do really think it’s worth asking your doc about it and getting tests done, bc even if there aren’t cures there are def treatments to help with a bunch of this stuff. it doesn’t sound urgent, but at least from your post your symptoms don’t sound like run of the mill aches and pains. hope you figure stuff out!!

The problem with 'muscles don't work right ouchy and I am also tired' is that it's a symptom for Absolutely Everything That Can Be Wrong With The Body. Is it cancer? Is it a terrible diet and sleep schedule? Who knows!

The doctor ran a diabetes test with the blood panel and it came up negative, but I don't know if that checks for weird kinds of diabetes. (Diabetes does not run in my family until we get very old.) That test was memorable because I have stupid fragile veins that freak out and collapse at the mere sight of a needle so I had to get stabbed nine times, they didn't manage to get the middle reading at all, and in the end they resorted to just stabbing my thumb with one of those diabetes home blood test thingies and manually squeezing my blood out into a tube drop by drop.

I looked up polydipsia and I don't think I have that. I think I just prefer my mouth to be wetter than my salival glands want it to be. 🤷‍♀️I think most of my problems are probably not related to any rare chronic disease, but just run-of-the-mill autism making it hard to look after myself or properly notice and process my physical condition and adapt accordingly. I don't eat enough fresh foods because it's hard to plan with the very short timeframe to prepare and eat them in. I'm uncoordinated and damage my body a lot through overwork or using muscles incorrectly because autism makes it hard to keep track of those things. My mouth feels dry and my skin feels itchy and my muscles feel sore because that's what being autistic feels like. My sleep schedule is garbage because my executive function is garbage and even once I do manage to get myself into the bed I can't just "go to sleep", I pass out when I'm ready to pass out.

I'm not saying it's impossible for anything else to be going on, but I think the known factor is the simplest explanation here. It's 2:30pm and I've been putting off breakfast for five hours. Every time I go into the kitchen I get distracted by housework instead. I am very hungry. This is not behaviour that is conducive to a well-functioning body.

[sunnysorcerer]

Last night I had to say goodbye to Scamp, my westie and little brother, my best friend in the whole world. I got him on my 18th birthday, 12 years ago. He's always been by my side and kept me company, and he was the biggest comfort for me when I was housebound and my mental health was at its lowest.

I've never owned a dog before him and have never felt the pain of losing one. Last night was the worst night of my life but I'm also relieved and happy that he's not in pain anymore. He was diagnosed with a lung disease back in February but has still managed to thrive until now. He was always so strong for such a little dog.

He went to sleep peacefully with his family around him. Every day I would tell him two things, that I love him and he is a good boy. I told him that for the last time and gave him so many kisses.

I'm taking a short break from here until life eventually feels normal again. I'm still expecting to hear the little taps of his tiny feet in my house. It's so quiet and life just feels empty right now.

Love you so much, Scamp, my sweet potato pie, I will never forget you.

🤍 June 5th 2011 - October 12th 2024 🤍

[terramythos]

I decided to play a game of Rimworld on the mechinator start, I wanted to try the robot minion mechanic out so whatever, sure. You start with one character and 2 robots in this scenario. I spawn into a temperate forest, start building a shelter, all the standard stuff.

First pop up/event of the game comes up. The ONLY character in the colony immediately gets Malaria. And has 0 medical skill. I have her use medicine to treat it anyway and it looks like she will live, the immunity is progressing faster than the disease. Cool.

A few minutes pass and I get the second event of the game. Now she ALSO has the fucking Plague. Keep in mind I'm still on the first day of the game. This is some insanely bad luck, diseases almost never spawn right away. This is not good. I tend the Plague, too, but it's progressing much faster than the Malaria.

Long story short, after a point she collapses. Because she's incapacitated, she can't use medicine. and since she is the only pawn in this colony, and neither of her robots can rescue her, she lays there and dies of the Plague. Or maybe the Malaria. I get a game over notice, but opt to keep the map running.

Events spawn in, some people crash in a shuttle, and with no one to rescue them, bleed out and die. A pack of manhunting guinea pigs spawn in, scream for a few days, then leave. With their master dead the robots go feral and join a mechanical hivemind. I wait for a while watching random events play out. FINALLY, a new pawn wanders onto the map, and I can play as him.

Fuck it, I'll keep the game going.

Meet Thamas. His backstory is he's some dude's spare clone that escaped by joining the military, which he then deserted. He's not terribly smart, or good at anything but planting stuff and punching stuff, but he's got the spirit. He hauls out the rotting corpse of my starter character, whose name I no longer remember, and takes over the ruins of her base.

Thamas is horrible at construction, but construct he must. He fails often. When he doesn't fail, he builds awful quality furniture. Thamas also sucks at cooking, but cook he must, or he will starve. By some miracle he only gets food poisoning one time.

Two and a half seasons pass and winter is approaching. I have a stable supply of potatoes but Thamas, who is bad at construction, can't build any temperature control items. So there's the distinct possibility of frostbite if I can't get enough firewood, and I can't refrigerate the potatoes so they might rot.

Sometimes we get attacked but Thamas punches everyone to death and hasn't been downed yet (an instant wipe, in this situation). A feral cat bites off his pinky finger. He manages to capture one raider and to try and recruit him, because at this point I'm desperate for someone to do even just basic stuff so Thamas can catch a break.

It's going OK, but it will take a while to recruit this guy and I'm one bad raid or manhunter pack away from a wipe. That's when I get it. THE event.

A notification pops up. Someone's shuttle crashes LITERALLY right next to Thamas' shoddy house. Cool! Her name is Midori, and she will immediately join the colony if I rescue her. Great! But she has paralytic abrasia for 30 days so can't move. Huh. Well. I'm probably gonna die soon anyway I might as well try and keep her alive.

Then I read it. The final line.

"Midori has a relationship with a colonist. She is Thamas' ex-wife."

[morhath]

Oh I’m very very interested in your nonfiction book recs 👀

EDIT: ykw I'm gonna make this a little more organized

I listed a bunch in this post (the last question) but lemme see if I have any additions because I know I was kinda trying to keep it short when I wrote that. (But that being said, that post is the Top Faves Of All Time, so go for those first.)

Freaky medical shit I also liked:

The Fever: How Malaria Has Ruled Humankind for 500,000 Years by Sonia Shah

The Barbary Plague: The Black Death in Victorian San Francisco by Marilyn Chase (I just read this a few weeks ago and OOUUUGGHHHHHH IT'S LITERALLY JUST. LIKE THE RESPONSE TO COVID.)

The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic—and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World by Steven Johnson

Political shit I also liked:

Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century edited by Alice Wong

The Viral Underclass: The Human Toll When Inequality and Disease Collide by Steven W. Thrasher

Immigrants, Evangelicals, and Politics in an Era of Demographic Change by Janelle S. Wong

History I also liked:

Triangle: The Fire That Changed America by David Von Drehle

The Hamlet Fire: A Tragic Story of Cheap Food, Cheap Government, and Cheap Lives by Bryant Simon (between those two you can tell I was on a bit of a "workplace tragedies caused by lax regulations and bad management" kick)

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore (I think everyone knows about this book, including it for completeness)

Promised the Moon: The Untold Story Of The First Women In The Space Race by Stephanie Nolen

The Women's House of Detention: A Queer History of a Forgotten Prison by Hugh Ryan

Butts: A Backstory by Heather Radke (this is nowhere near as fun and cute as you'd assume from the title)

Memoirs I also liked:

The Less People Know About Us: A Mystery of Betrayal, Family Secrets, and Stolen Identity by Axton Betz-Hamilton (I read this before I really got into nonfiction and it was WILD, I tell people about it all the time)

The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui (this one is a graphic not-novel-I-guess-memoir)

Know My Name by Chanel Miller

Other:

Playing Dead: A Journey Through the World of Death Fraud by Elizabeth Greenwood

A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America by Ken Armstrong, T. Christian Miller

Lost Feast: Culinary Extinction and the Future of Food by Lenore Newman

It Came from the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror by Joe Vallese

AND here are a few on my TBR that I'm really excited for! I decided not to categorize them because they're almost all history:

Silk and Potatoes: Contemporary Arthurian Fantasy by Adam Roberts

Refusing Compulsory Sexuality: A Black Asexual Lens on Our Sex-Obsessed Culture by Sherronda J. Brown

All the Young Men by Ruth Coker Burks

The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara by David I. Kertzer (I am actually partway through this right now but in a bit of a dry/confusing section)

The Broadcast 41: Women and the Anti-Communist Blacklist by Carol A. Stabile

The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History by Kassia St Clair

A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell (have just barely started this)

Time to Dance, a Time to Die: The Extraordinary Story of the Dancing Plague of 1518 by John Waller

The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyŏng: The Autobiographical Writings of a Crown Princess of Eighteenth-Century Korea by Lady Hyegyeong

Miss Major Speaks: The Life and Times of a Black Trans Revolutionary by Miss Major Griffin-Gracy

Too Hot to Touch: The Problem of High-Level Nuclear Waste by William M. Alley, Rosemarie Alley (I'm in the middle of this but it's surprisingly, um. not exciting.)

Going Postal: Rage, Murder, and Rebellion: From Reagan's Workplaces to Clinton's Columbine and Beyond by Mark Ames

Pressure Cooker: Why Home Cooking Won't Solve Our Problems and What We Can Do About It by Joslyn Brenton, Sinikka Elliott, Sarah Bowen

Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder

The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World by Virginia Postrel

Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times by Elizabeth Wayland Barber

Medieval Gentlewoman: Life in a Gentry Household in the Later Middle Ages by Ffiona Swabey

Hitler's First Victims: The Beginning of the Holocaust and One Man's Fight to End It by Timothy W. Ryback

I am soso normal and have very normal interests that are not at all grim :)

[alexrose000]

Diet. Workouts. Lifestyle

We are now entering a period wherein we adopt the culture of South Korean artists, especially their food, exercises, clothes, dramas, and music.

Have you ever wondered why K-pop idols and actors are so skinny?

K-idols and actors balance and are strict with their lifestyles, including their workouts and food intakes.

Who wouldn't like to be as skinny as them? Let's start to be fit before the year ends.

First, be determined to workout once or twice a week at your convenience for thirty minutes to one hour. There are a lot of workout exercises on YouTube right now; you just have to do them and make a choice on which exercise is best for you. For me, cardio workouts standing I usually do once a week. First year of pandemic, usually I do workouts every day. Yeah, I was satisfied. In two weeks, I did achieve abs and became skinnier. Some of us hit the gym to become fit, which is also good.

But let's see how K-pop idols and actors do their workouts. As they said, before you make your debut in a group, you must undergo a series of training sessions in proper exercise, diet, singing, dancing, etc. Let's focus on their workout.

4th Generation Le Sserafim workout routine: 100 jumping jacks, 4x25 burpees, 2x10 jump squats (holding ears), 1 song plank crawl, 2x10 plank up and down, 2x10 plank twist, and 75 crunches

Girls Generation leg workout routine: 15 thigh hovers, 20 squats, 10 side planks, 20 inner thigh lifts, 15 hip kicks, 15 high knees, 10 lunges, and 19 hip raises

Blackpink Jennie Kim does pilates exercise for one to two hours for five days in a week. This helps to be flexible, strengthen, and tone the body.

BTS’s Jungkook Workout Routine: Knowing Jk, he does boxing exercises in his Weverse Live, but he also does 20 squats, 20 pushups, 20 jump squats, 20 pike pushups, 10 planks, 20 mountain climbers, 15 burpees, 20 crunches, 20 leg raises, and 20 Superman’s exercises to achieve his amazing toned body.

Exercise has advantages; it helps our brains improve, helps us manage our weight, strengthens our bones and muscles, improves our daily activities, and has a low disease risk (don't abuse it too much because it may also have a great risk in our body).

Second is food. Who doesn't like food? Do you know kpop idols and actors are forbidden from eating condiments, sweets, fried chicken, tteokbokki, pastry, ice cream, noodles, hamburgers, and jokbal before they debut as artists because they need to have a slim or skinny figure? They undergo really strict diets.

In the Philippines, there are a lot of fast food chains and restaurants opening from time to time.

Salt is usually what we put in our food, but have you heard that if we intake too much salt, there is a bad risk to the body? Salt intake in excess can be associated with disease, weight gain, and much more, but for us Filipinos, we can't remove it from our foods. We are fond of eating noodles, junk foods, fast foods, and restaurants. I read a lot of articles about how some salty foods can cause swelling. Sweets can gain us weight, and articles show they tend to give us acne or pimples. As per my experience, I am very observant about it. Back when I was in high school, I loved eating sweets like chocolates, candies, and much more, which gave me acne on my face and on my back. In time, I stopped eating chocolate, any sweets, and milk too. It slowly disappears, but then again, consult a physician for more information. Meat is really delicious, but the fatty part is no good if eaten too much, especially if you are really on a diet. The breadings, sauces, and ingredients we put on them are sometimes bad for our health. chicken, preferably the breast part for those on a diet.

Let's see how K-pop artists eat.

For IU, apple, sweet potato, and protein shake for a day

Suzy Bae ate one chicken breast and a banana for breakfast and drank a glass of milk. For lunch, she ate brown rice and a small vegetable salad. She finished the day with two sweet potatoes.

Blackpink Jennie's low-sodium (salt) diet, detox juices, and salad with avocado

That’s why they could lose weight in a short period of time. Remember to drink water.

I'm not saying it is bad, but in moderation, did you know that home-cooked food is still the best for me because we can control it on our own? Eating vegetables and fruits can also help us in our diet, but it really depends on a person's lifestyle and diet. There are a lot of apps now that you could try to help us plan our meals and exercises. We just need the determination within ourselves.

Wait for Part 2! for a more extensive how-to diet

[marvelmusing]

In Another Life

The General’s Crown

Pairing: Aleksander Morozova x Reader

Summary: In an attempt to escape the attention of being a living saint, you retreat into the fields and create flowers for the local children. It isn’t long before your husband finds you. Based on a request from @ellooo0ooo

Warnings: set not long after the events of In Another Life so there’s spoilers for that series

My Masterlist • Series Masterlist

With the creation of the singular Ravkan army, you and Aleksander were often asked to visit the military base at Poliznaya.

Whilst your husband valued your opinion, and you had helped him establish the army towards the end of the war, you often preferred to let him handle the majority of the training assessments and manage the officers vying for promotions.

He had a lot more experience than you, and the time he spent with the troops allowed you to visit the nearby villages.

Using your new power was easier with each passing day, and it had become a habit to seek out the fields of produce whenever you visited a village.

Some people were still cautious of Grisha, and you tried to not take it to heart when they eyed you with suspicion. But those people were greatly outnumbered by the ones eager for your help.

To help you hone your power, Aleksander had found several gardening guides and plant encyclopaedias, so that you could understand the needs of plants in order to ease them into flourishing.

Now, you could talk with avid gardeners and farmers alike. You could discuss their crop yield, and help their produce thrive.

It’s as you’re visiting the village closest to Poliznaya, that a bunch of wide eyed children inch closer to where you’ve perched yourself on a low stone wall. When the smallest girl steps within arms reach, you turn a blade of grass into a daisy in full bloom with a long stem, and use it to tap gently against her nose.

She retreats quickly, but you hear her excited giggle and you smile, twirling the stem between your fingers. You couldn’t create a plant from nothing, but as long as some plant matter was within reach you could manipulate it into whatever you wanted.

After that, you’re surrounded by curious children who are all eager to see your power on display. They ask a flurry of questions, which you answer as best you can.

The tallest boy, Gregor, is one of the local farmers’ sons, and you had seen him earlier when you cleared the disease from half of their potato harvest. He asks if you can make a pink lily for his mama.

You make three for him, and he beams at the beautiful flowers that he takes with delicate hands and a spiel of thanks.

From then onwards, you create a variety of different flowers for the children. Then you find your hands moving into a position that you have only tried a handful of times.

Whenever you were waiting for Aleksander to return, you would attempt to fabricate your creations into something else. A decorative bundle of flowers, or an intricate bouquet.

This time, you weave a sprig of cherry blossom into a small circlet, like a delicate tiara.

The children are delighted by your creation, especially when you place the circlet onto one of their heads. Soon, they’re all clamouring for a crown of their own in their favourite flower. You create crowns of daffodils, daises, bluebells and irises.

You watch with a smile as they all admire each others crowns, some offer to trade with one another, whilst others are trying to claim different objects as their royal dominion.

A few of the boys try to claim the wall as theirs, before they settle on portioning it. The girls discuss their titles, trying to decide which one they prefer. From what you can hear, so far there’s two princesses, a duchess, and a queen.

The smile on your face widens when you spot a familiar figure making his way along the dirt pathway through the field.

“How was it?” You ask as Aleksander nears you.

He presses a kiss to your forehead in greeting, then he shrugs lightly.

“As we expected.” You nod in acknowledgement, and he frowns as he looks between you and the field separating you from the village. “You don’t usually venture this far from the village.”

“I’m hiding from the church.” He raises a brow at you as he sits up on the wall by your side. “They kept asking for me to give people blessings.”

Looking down at your hands, you create another circlet of flowers. Deep red roses with no thorns.

“Usually I would just do something to appease them.” You admit, before adding quietly, “But I’m not feeling particularly saintly today.”

Despite the weight of Aleksander’s eyes trained on your face, you manage to keep your gaze on the flowers in front of you. Then Aleksander’s hand enters your eye line, as his fingers curl around the ring of flowers.

Letting him take it in his hands, he holds it up to the light, admiring each and every bloom.

“Perfect.” He praises, and your cheeks warm in response. “May I?”

Frowning a little, you watch Aleksander gesture to the crown in his hands. You nod in consent, and a smile spreads over your lips as you watch him place the flowers on his head. He smiles, raising a brow to bring your gaze back up to the roses.

“What do you think?”

You hum softly, brows scrunching in thought before you lift your hand and encourage a few daisies to bloom alongside the roses. Weaving the stems into Aleksander’s hair to ensure the crown would remain stable despite the summer breeze, you smile once you’re satisfied with your work.

When your gaze falls back to meet Aleksander’s eyes you find him regarding you with such adoration that the world stops for a moment.

“Very handsome, Sasha.”

The tops of his cheeks turn rosy with a soft blush, and your heart flips. He looks so much younger, with flowers in his hair and love in his eyes.

The two of you watch the children playing for quite some time. Then Aleksander looks up at the sun shining down on you, and appears to figure out exactly what time of day it is.

With a sigh, he pushes himself off the wall, and his feet land on soft grass. He extends a hand to help you down, as he says,

“Come. We have a meeting to attend.”

“Together?”

“Of course.”

Hand in hand, you walk along the stone wall which leads back to the village so that you can retrieve your horses and journey back to Poliznaya.

Throughout your walk, you regularly glance over at your husband, admiring the sight of him in the afternoon sun. The flowers in his hair make him look like some sort of forest god, luring you away into the countryside.

It’s only once you reach the edge of the village that you finally say something.

“Sasha, love?”

He turns to you with a raised brow.

“Yes?”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” You gesture towards his head with an amused smile.

He smiles back, shaking his head slightly.

“No, I don’t believe I am.”

With that, he tugs on your hand, and the two of you walk into the village.

Aleksander holds his head high, and strides with the usual poise of Ravka’s newly appointed High General. The flower crown on his head doesn’t seem at all out of the ordinary, he fully embraces his new look, despite the stares from the villagers.

Pride blooms in your chest, as he flaunts your power casually. You feel the same sense of pride when Aleksander floods a room with his shadows. His skill is yours and vice versa.

As much as you appreciate Aleksander’s dedication to complimenting your gift, you’re thoroughly surprised when he doesn’t remove the flowers when you arrive at Poliznaya.

He dismounts from Nocturne, and you slide out of the saddle on Luna’s back with a mixture of amusement and confusion on your face. You walk at Aleksander’s side, casting several glances at him as he steps into the large tent at the centre of the camp.

He continues to wear the flowers during the meeting the army Kaptains.

No one dares to mention them.

Ivan takes it in his stride, merely glancing at the flowers for a moment before he reads his report. Throughout the meeting Fedoyr casts knowing looks at you, and you know if you catch his gaze you will both laugh.

You’re hardly surprised that Aleksander doesn’t want to remove them, even when the meeting is over. Sitting on the table with Aleksander’s body placed snugly between your thighs, you reach towards his hair.

“You can’t keep them in forever, Sasha.” You reason, laughing softly when he pouts. “I can always make you more.”

Threading your hands through his hair, you carefully shake the flower stems loose from his dark locks. Aleksander’s eyes flutter closed at your attention, as you slowly pull out the flowers and place them on the table beside you.

A few petals end up falling into his hair, but you pick them out with tender motions. You don’t want to tug too harshly on his hair. Aleksander shivers lightly when your nails scrape over his scalp, and his eyes open slowly.

He blinks at you, and you smile softly.

Pressing a kiss to his lips encourages his own smile to return.

“I love you.” He whispers, cupping your face in his hands to kiss you firmly.

A soft hum leaves your lips as Aleksander retreats, nuzzling his nose against yours as you lean your forehead beside his.

“I love you too.”

»»---------------------►

marvelmusing Tag List: @dreamlandcreations @blanchedelioncourt @idaofinfinity @slytherheign @ellooo0ooo @vixenofcourse @dumb-fawkin-bitch @jane-arthur

In Another Life Tag List: @parabatai-winchester @dangerousbluebirdpoetry @jambolska-grozdova @mxacegrey @budugu @cynthianokamaria @scarlettqueen190 @eloquentree @sharp-cheekbones-locked @sorrow-and-bliss @biblophilefox82 @tartiflvtte @rainbowgoblinfan @savagejane1 @sande5098

Aleksander M Tag List: @nyctophiliiiiaaa @jazmin2211

BB Characters Tag List: @rachlovesactors @noortsshift @aikeia

[farmerstrend]

Dehaulming in Potato Production: Methods, Benefits, and Risks

“Learn about dehaulming in potato production, a crucial practice for hardening tuber skins and minimizing post-harvest damage, with insights into different methods and their impact on crop health.” “Discover the importance of dehaulming in potato farming, including the benefits, risks, and methods like haulms cutting, pulling, and paraquat spray to optimize your harvest.” “Explore how dehaulming…

[rphelperblog]

Stalking Jack the ripper book quote rp meme

book series by Kerri Maniscalco - feel free to change or edit change pronouns for rp purposes

“Roses have both petals and thorns, my dark flower. You needn’t believe something weak because it appears delicate. Show the world your bravery.”

“I think you’ve broken one of my ribs. Was that really necessary? Next time you tackle me, be sure it’s in one of our bedchambers.”

“Everyone deserved to live freely and in honor of themselves. A basic right should not be a luxury.”

“She’s the muscle. I’m clearly the charm.”

“Curiosity was a disease that plagued me, and I'd yet to find a cure.”

“Hearts were beautifully fierce yet fragile things.”

“One fact was slowly taking shape: I was in jeopardy of admiring him against my better judgment.”

“If you can dream without limits, you can soar to great heights. Let the magic of your imagination set you free.”

“No matter how much death and horror existed, there were still things of beauty left to find.”

“You’re both so intelligent in matters involving the mind, but the heart? It’s as if beings from other galaxies are puzzling out fried potatoes.”

“Sometimes you need to stand out in order to blend in.”

“Life was beautiful even during the darkest hours.”

“Mistakes were a learning experience, not the end of the universe.”

“Monsters were supposed to be scary and ugly. They weren't supposed to hide behind friendly smiles and well-trimmed hair.”

“What is a man's soul made of that a woman's is not?”

“Diamonds were everything I hoped to be; beautiful, yet containing unimaginable strength.”

“The world is neither kind nor is it cruel. It simply exists. We have the ability to view it however we choose.”

“Our hearts are curious things. So sentimental and easily misguided. Pull the right strings or snap the correct cords, and poof!”

“Most stories are too good to be true. That's what makes them enchanting.”

“Magic is science. It’s simply a fancier term for showing people the impossible is attainable.”

“Let's play act a murder,”

“I’d like to see you carry on with a corset digging its bones into your rib cage, and manage a skirt still covering most of your breeches and whipping around your thighs in this wind.”

“Always foster and grow that unquenchable curiosity of yours."

“Perhaps you should comment on the excellent cut of my suit. I look rather handsome today as well. Don’t you think?”

“Pretend I am as capable as a man? Please, sir, do not value me so little!”

“Passion and annoyance were fire, and fire was alive and crackling with power.”

“I wondered how I could appear so whole and serene on the outside when inside I was thrashing with turbulence.”

“Do not turn your back on a love that could jump the barrier between life and death.”

How exceptionally wonderful for him. I wished them both a lifetime of misery with ill-mannered children. I swallowed my annoyance down and plastered on a smile. “

“Pretending a monster wasn't there didn't make it go away. It only made one vulnerable to its attack.”

“Let’s have some wine and dance inappropriately. You’ve already dressed the part for me—let’s take advantage.”

“For there are no limits to the stars; their numbers are infinite. Which is precisely why I measure my love for you by them. An amount too boundless to count.”

“Love strangles intelligence, even in the best of us.”

“Humans were the true monsters and villains, more real than any novel or fantasy could invent.”

“Monsters were in the eye of the beholder. And no one wanted to discover their hero was the true villain of the story.”

“I refuse to believe you've misinterpreted my affections. I am wholly in love with you. And it is permanent.”

“Monsters are only as real as the stories that grant them life. And they only live for as long as we tell those tales.”

“You are yours to give.”

“I’ve already fallen hard. Perhaps you should have warned me sooner.”

Most people ignore what’s right before their eyes. They believe they see, but oftentimes only view what they want

“Those who deserve respect are given it freely. If one must demand such a thing, he'll never truly command it.”

“There’s nothing better than a little danger dashed with some romance.”

“Fear is a hungry beast. The more you feed it, the more it grows.”

“I love you... More than all the stars in the universe. In this life and ever after. I love you.”

“Wield your assets like a blade. No man has invented a corset for our brains. Let them think they rule the world. It’s a queen who sits on that throne. Never forget that.”

“The dead speak to those who listen. Be quieter than even them.”

“Some ghosts should remain good and buried,”

“Seeing the truth was never easy, especially when it revealed those closest to us could be monsters hidden in plain sight.”

“People were always providing in death what they would not do in life, it seemed.”

“Someone screamed; perhaps it was me. Though it would have made me happier if it were him.”

“Death was not prejudiced by mortal things such as station or gender. It came for kings and queens and prostitutes alike, often leaving the living with regrets.”

So there will be no children or any beautiful paradise in our future. Most of the time I cannot even tolerate his presence. His arrogance is… I don’t know. Annoying.”

Your association with me is growing more beneficial by the hour. Your intelligence is quite… attractive,”

“Sit here and I’ll rock you gently until you or I or both fall asleep.”

“Why don’t you talk to me about what’s really troubling you? What emotional dilemma needs sorting out?”

No man has invented a corset for our brains. Let them think they rule the world. It’s a queen who sits on that throne. Never forget that. There’s no reason you can’t wear a simple frock to work, then don the finest gown and dance the night away. But only if it pleases you.”

“I needed no man to empower me. I had my father to thank for that much; his absence in most everyday things had prepared me well enough to stand on my own.”

“Whenever I scared him, he turned into some foreign person. One who was both frightening and frightened at once.”

“One needn’t be strong in only physical matters—a strong mind and will were fierce to behold as well. “

“Most people ignore what's right before their eyes. They believe they see, but oftentimes only view what they want.”

“If you wish to go, I’ll never make you stay. I might not do and say the proper thing all the time, but I do know that I love you enough to set you free.”

“We women could be called creatures, if only the men who said such careless words accepted our claws were fearsome things when we decided to scratch.”

[stellocchia]

This fic got so out of hand... it was meant to be around 1k words of angst. It's now 5k and it's hurt/comfort instead. I should really stop making plans.

Anyway, this time I decided to go with a "what if Tommy never actually managed to escape his exile and Dream succeded in his plan to put him in prison instead?" kind of scenario, and yeah... poor Tommy man.

Also, there is quite a bit of lashing out, complicated feelings, and not perfect choices. But every single person here is traumatized as fuck, so it's to be expected.

Summary:

Tommy was locked in a too-small cell with nothing but death to occupy his time. He tried to end it all in several different ways. He jumped in the lava. He starved himself. He smashed his head against the wall. He even tried provoking Dream into getting rid of him a few times… but Dream would only walk away. He kept doing that every time Tommy did something that displeased him. He would leave and he wouldn’t talk to Tommy for what felt like days. Not even through the intercom. He would wordlessly let the dispenser give him raw potatoes automatically. He even turned off the camera in the cell. He cut off any means Tommy had of communicating. That Tommy hated even more than all the beatings he received in exile. He could recover from a broken bone with some rest and care, but constant loneliness was a disease. It chipped away at his mind, leaving him as more and more of an empty husk. - or, Tommy never escaped his exile

[adamrosner]

Exploring Special Diets: Gluten-Free, Keto, and Other Healthy Eating Plans

As awareness of health and wellness grows, more people are turning to special diets to meet specific health needs, manage conditions, or pursue better lifestyle choices. Popular dietary plans like gluten-free, keto, and other specialized diets are not just trends—they represent meaningful ways to optimize nutrition and address medical concerns. However, cooking for these diets can feel complex, especially for those unfamiliar with the requirements. This article will explore the essentials of cooking for special diets, the benefits of each, and how to create delicious, healthy meals that adhere to these unique dietary guidelines.

The Gluten-Free Diet: Essential for Some, Beneficial for Many

Adhering to a gluten-free diet is essential for the health and well-being of individuals with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or wheat allergies. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition in which consuming gluten—a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye—triggers an immune response that damages the lining of the small intestine. Even those without celiac disease but with gluten sensitivity may experience bloating, fatigue, and digestive discomfort when consuming gluten.

Cooking gluten-free meals involves more than just removing gluten from the diet; it requires careful substitutions to maintain taste, texture, and nutrition. Luckily, gluten-free alternatives have become more widely available, including products like gluten-free bread, pasta, and flours made from rice, almonds, or coconut.

A simple way to begin gluten-free cooking is by focusing on naturally gluten-free foods, such as vegetables, fruits, meats, fish, and dairy. For example, grilled chicken with roasted vegetables and quinoa is a naturally gluten-free meal. When baking, gluten-free flour like almond or rice flour can replace traditional wheat flour. However, these flours may require adjustments to liquid ratios in recipes since they behave differently than wheat flour.

Using naturally gluten-free grains such as quinoa, buckwheat, or millet also ensures that you can create satisfying, hearty meals without compromising taste. A significant consideration for gluten-free cooking is preventing cross-contamination, especially in kitchens where gluten-containing foods are also prepared.

The Keto Diet: High-Fat, Low-Carb for Energy and Weight Loss

The ketogenic (keto) diet focuses on high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carbohydrate intake, designed to force the body into a metabolic state called ketosis. In ketosis, the body burns fat for energy rather than carbohydrates, leading to fat loss and, for many, better overall health markers. Originally developed to treat epilepsy, the keto diet has become a popular choice for weight loss and managing conditions like type 2 diabetes.

The cornerstone of the keto diet is limiting carbs—usually to under 50 grams per day—while consuming plenty of healthy fats like avocado, nuts, seeds, and oils. Protein intake comes from sources like fatty fish, eggs, and meats, and vegetables are chosen from low-carb options such as leafy greens, broccoli, and cauliflower.

Cooking for the keto diet involves finding replacements for traditionally carb-heavy foods, such as bread, pasta, and potatoes. Cauliflower rice, zoodles (zucchini noodles), and lettuce wraps are great low-carb swaps that still provide volume and flavor to meals. For example, a stir-fry made with chicken, cauliflower rice, and low-carb vegetables offers a satisfying, keto-friendly alternative to a typical rice-based dish.

One critical challenge with keto cooking is creating sweet treats without traditional sugars. Fortunately, keto-friendly sweeteners like stevia, monk fruit, and erythritol allow for the creation of low-carb desserts such as cheesecake, fat bombs, or keto-friendly chocolate treats.

Paleo Diet: Back to Basics with Whole Foods

The paleo diet, inspired by the eating habits of our hunter-gatherer ancestors, promotes consuming whole, unprocessed foods while avoiding grains, dairy, and refined sugars. The idea behind this diet is that our bodies are better adapted to the foods available to early humans, and modern processed foods contribute to various health issues, including inflammation, obesity, and chronic diseases.

Paleo cooking focuses on whole foods like meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Processed foods, legumes, grains, and dairy are eliminated, making the paleo diet rich in nutrients while also helping reduce the intake of inflammatory ingredients. Cooking paleo meals involves using alternative ingredients such as almond flour, coconut flour, and sweeteners like honey or maple syrup.

For example, a paleo breakfast might consist of scrambled eggs with spinach and avocado, while a dinner could include grilled salmon with roasted sweet potatoes and a side salad. Paleo baking involves using grain-free flour, such as almond or coconut flour, to create treats like muffins, pancakes, or bread.

Vegan and Plant-Based Diets: Focusing on Plants for Health and Sustainability

Vegan and plant-based diets focus on whole, plant-derived foods. Veganism excludes all animal products, including meat, dairy, and eggs. A plant-based diet is more flexible, allowing some animal products but still prioritizing plant foods. These diets are praised for their potential health benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart disease, and their positive environmental impact.

Cooking vegan or plant-based meals requires creativity to replace animal proteins with plant-based alternatives. Staples include legumes (such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas), tofu, tempeh, and whole grains. Nuts, seeds, and oils provide healthy fats, while leafy greens, fruits, and a variety of vegetables ensure a balanced nutrient intake.

One challenge in vegan cooking is ensuring adequate intake of nutrients such as vitamin B12, iron, and protein, which are typically found in animal products. Fortified plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, and a wide variety of legumes and grains can help meet these nutritional needs.

Vegan baking often uses flaxseed or chia seed as egg replacements, while aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) can mimic egg whites in recipes. Desserts can be made using ingredients like almond milk, coconut oil, and natural sweeteners to create indulgent treats like vegan brownies or ice cream.

Tips for Cooking Special Diets

Ingredient Substitutions: Finding creative substitutes for restricted ingredients is critical. Almond flour and coconut flour are versatile replacements for wheat flour, and cauliflower can replace rice or potatoes in many dishes.

Meal Prep: Planning and preparing meals ahead of time ensures that healthy, diet-compliant meals are always available. Batch cooking and freezing meals can make adhering to a particular diet more manageable.

Experimenting with Recipes: Don’t be afraid to try new recipes or modify existing ones to fit your dietary needs. Many classic dishes can be adapted using alternative ingredients, ensuring you don’t feel deprived.

Cooking for special diets—whether gluten-free, keto, paleo, or plant-based—may seem challenging at first, but with the right approach, it becomes a rewarding and sustainable way to eat. These diets offer numerous benefits, from managing medical conditions to promoting overall wellness, and with the abundance of available alternatives and resources, following them has never been easier. By embracing dietary changes and finding joy in experimenting with new ingredients, anyone can cook healthy, delicious meals tailored to their unique needs.

[bretongirlwrites]

from the worldbuilding prompts - #30 for Julianne?

30. Dubious at-home cures for mild ailments

(or: why shepherd's pie has the cure disease attribute)

‘O damnation,’ said I, ‘o damnable, damnable thing! – I have got a cold.’

I must have got it in the before-times: since damnable and inconvenient the plains of Oblivion had been, I could not recall any daedra sneezing on me; the same however, could not be said of the mages, who’d come in droves from the snow into the Guild-hall. I should sooner have a thousand sneezing mages than a single moment in the Deadlands: but waking up after the latter fact, with one’s throat dryer than in the fires of Oblivion, and one’s nose running fit to flee some dremora, – it is the last straw.

‘I ought not to complain,’ said I looking at Corinne and Martin quite piteously: ‘I shall survive at least.’

‘Oh!’ said Corinne: ‘both you and Martin know a good deal of healing-magics, –’

‘Would it surprise you to learn, my dear Corinne,’ said I, ‘that try as we might, – and it’s our collective headache,’ my head pounding a little with the effort of it, ‘– no mage nor alchemist nor healer has ever managed to cure the common cold?’

Martin, who had been building our fire, looked at me with such astonishment, that I wondered at his ignorance of it: considered that people had surely come to him with the most terrible of diseases and afflictions and ailments, – but never thought, in the grip of such a pathetic malady as this, to go to a priest. Corinne, likewise baffled, could only pity me; and from some deep devoted place in her Blades armour, offer me her handkerchief. 

‘And especially not,’ said I, ‘in the middle of absolute nowhere. – Damn it all. – What do we still have in rations?

‘There used to be,’ I persisted, while Corinne was fetching the bags, ‘a woman of questionable skill in the City, who purporting to be a healer, sold her cure-alls at such remarkable prices, that the Society for Concerned Merchants was overwhelmed by the real alchemists; and the University investigated. – What on this beloved planet is this?’

‘Dried mutton,’ said Corinne, ‘I think.’

‘It turned out,’ I went on, ‘that this woman, unable to afford and maintain the proper equipment, did a sort of rudimentary alchemy in her marmite. In essence she was making soup. The remarkable thing is that, – though it did not cure anything, – her soup actually worked for certain reliefs. A sort of advanced wortcraft. – I presume this is a potato?’

The thing was so grubby, that even after washing it, I still feared to mistake it for a boulder, and lose it. Corinne however, who had got the water up to the boil, encouraged me to do whatever it was I was doing; and Martin, who was too tired to do anything but watch, awaited with a smile, the continuation of the story.

‘She held this against us,’ said I, ‘and the case stood. It’s the City… after all. She was allowed to continue practising, so long as she did not use the word potion. Such a word implies proper alchemy, and you know how it is… it did not much matter anyway. The last I heard of her, she’d gone over to Skyrim. Apparently they are fond of soup over there; and not so much of potions, – o my voice is going, –’

It had not been much of a dawn, – what with my cold; and the fog; and the memory of tribulations past: but when the water was bubbling, and our thoughts were all turned to sustenance, we may stretch our legs a little, and yawning, smile round at each other; no voices necessary. I almost forgot all else, in my memory of the story, the City which lay faint on the horizon: and when my experiment was ready, said only, and with increasing frogs:

‘I admired her. I really did. There’s a sort of expectation on us, to do things properly. Her things did not work as well as ours did: but they worked, they damn well worked. I haven’t often imitated her, until, – called by necessity, –’

Whereupon I, with a flourish and the nearest stick to a spoon I could find, poured out my creation into a bottle that Martin held out. 

‘There you have it,’ said I, ‘a potion, of fortify health, of restore fatigue: a soup-potion! I cannot cure a cold: but it will keep me going until Bruma, –’

‘It’s a shepherd’s pie,’ said Corinne at once voice rising: ‘a liquified shepherd’s pie. – A shepherd’s pie, in a bottle. – You could have made a damn shepherd’s pie.’

I fell silent halfway to drinking it. – Corinne looked at me. – I sheepish, looked away, at Martin. – And he though consternated, – and she though troubled, – and I though in the midst of the most inconvenient cold of my life, – raised a toast of pie-soup: and burst out laughing.

[narcissisticpdcultureis]

npd culture is everyone talking about how important things are, but for whatever the fuck reason, somehow always manage to miss things that specifically relate to you. idk if im just stupid fucking unlucky or if this is one huge cosmic joke but nobody gives a shit about anything i happen to be or deal with. everyone talks about how difficult to live with POTS is (and it is, dont get me wrong) but nobody talks about how awful Cushing's disease is (which just so happens to be what i am almost certainly suffering from). like, man im on 20+5mg of blood pressure meds daily just so im not at risk of heart attacks but fuck me i guess my issues are Ignorable and Not Important and also being irish! people talk a whole fuck ton about how everyone else has dealt with oppression and stuff but not a single goddamn person is talking about how ireland has spent a majority of its history being fucked over by england purely because we were unlucky enough to be geographically beside them. ireland only got some semblance of independence in 1916, england has a very fucking annoying habit of either stealing credit for, or completely denouncing the existence OF, irish achievements, and. oh. yaknow. taking some of the only potatoes ireland had. during the fucking famine. and replacing it with grain Nobody knew how to cook, and writing the fucking instructions for it IN ENGLISH. which, a) nobody fucking knew and b) hardly anyone could fucking read. the population dropped so fucking severely its not even back to where it was NOW.

like. god man, what the fuck EVER. yeah, perfectly cool to just, by pure fucking chance, ignore every fucking thing that affects me. "ermmm pots is so bad to live with" I AM AT CONSTANT FUCKING RISK OF HEART ATTACKS AND STROKE. MAYBE TALK ABOUT THE FACT MY CHRONIC GODDAMN ILLNESS IS ONE THAT IS ALMOST COMPLETELY IGNORED, DESPITE HAVING THE CAPACITY TO FUCKING KILL ME. "ermmmmmm [fucking whatever country dealt with oppression at some point]" MOTHERFUCKER. ENGLAND TOOK 6 OF OUR FUCKING COUNTIES AS """PENANCE""" AFTER HAVING LITERAL FUCKING PLANTATIONS. IN IRELAND. FUCKING INCLUDE IRISH PEOPLE IN YOUR CONVERSATIONS SOMETIMES. PLEASE. IM FUCKING BEGGING YOU. FUCK!!!!!

-A VERY FUCKING IRATE 🐢

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