#same as the vitamin d lamp. how you can like... you can feel its not normal light | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

akitokihojo · 6 years ago

Text

In Between: Chapter 4

Wow, I have nothing to say for myself. I lost inspiration for this for a little while there and actually completely forgot about this fic until I was scrolling through my wips folder. But hey! Look! It’s back and I sincerely hope you enjoy this chapter!

The previous chapters can be found in my fic masterlist, as well as on AO3 and ff.net

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

"I hope you aren't taking any of this personally."

She hadn't looked at the caller ID before answering the phone.

"Who is this?"

She'd blindly pressed the green answer button on her screen as soon as the call rolled in.

"It's not you I'm after, really."

She thought it was her mom. She'd been expecting her call, so of course she answered.

"But I sincerely hope you enjoy the gifts I sent as an apology. I know how much you love daisies."

She looked at the small table where a large box of chocolates and nicely wrapped bouquet of yellow daisies sat. She found them outside her door just before she'd gone to yoga this morning. Just before she'd changed her mind and stayed in. Suddenly, daisies were the most repugnant flower she'd ever set eyes on.

"That was... who are you?"

"Just know that none of this is your fault, Kagome."

"I don't understand."

"You're only involved for one specific reason."

"To hurt Inuyasha?"

"Precisely."

A clammy, uncomfortably thick sensation washed over her face, running down her throat and into her chest, a cold sweat dotting her forehead.

"Why?"

There was a breathy chuckle.

"You really should be more concerned about yourself."

"Answer me! Why are you using me to get to Inuyasha?"

"It's much more interesting this way. I like watching people break."

"You're sick."

"I'll see you soon, Kagome."

Three dull beeps in her ear let her know the call had ended.

Kagome stared at her phone in shock, the screen going black as she processed every riddling word just said to her. His voice sounded deeper than she'd initially imagined.

Even though it was just a phone call, she could feel her body wavering, her abdomen leadened and tingly, not a single part of her body holding the right amount of stability. She was scared, unnerved, flummoxed, and overriding all of that was the sudden surge of audacious fury. Kagome dropped her cell on the couch, stomping over to the table to scoop up the unwarranted gifts and toss them in the trashcan as aggressively as possible, the plastic bag losing its grip on the bin and dropping inward.

Who the hell did this guy think he was; calling her, pretending it was nothing but a courtesy, acting as if he was being kind by sending her chocolates and daisies, and giving a cheap explanation? He was scum. Horrible, terrifying, disgusting, worthless scum. What was Kagome supposed to do now? Tell the police? She had no valuable information to give them, and this time he took the liberty of blocking his number. He hadn't given any sort of idea to what "see you soon" meant, and she knew it would only be a waste of everyone's time.

She'd just have to swallow this one on her own.

Kagome paced back and forth in her living room, still donned in the yoga outfit she hadn't bothered to change out of. She'd figured that since she wasn't comfortable going outside today, thanks to the ugly flowers and distasteful candies, she'd just flow with her home practice, but then she'd received the call. Her nerves were flared, her muscles where trembling, an intolerable rush was coursing through her bloodstream causing her to be annoyingly antsy, and there was absolutely no hope of her staying still for more than twelve seconds at a time. Her apartment was suddenly too small and she wanted to go outside for a breath of fresh air, but then the world was too big. She was suffocating inside, and she was blind outside. Everything was a lose-lose, and Kagome wanted to yell, wanted to break something.

But what good would that do?

Why should she have to buy a new lamp just because some conniving creep thought he was cunning? She tried stilling for a moment, taking deep breaths to release at least a little stress, and very slowly she could feel herself coming together again. The cramps in her lungs were beginning to lessen, and her limbs began to feel closer to normal, a little gelatinous like they would after a workout, but better than they did moments ago. She wasn't there yet. She wasn't one-hundred percent okay. Maybe sixty-two percent, but it quickly snapped back down to ten the instant her phone's ringtone blared once more, her head whipping to view the illuminated screen laying on the cushions of her hand-me-down couch.

As if a signal was shot into her brain, Kagome began trembling all over again, an insurmountable amount of thoughts racing through her mind and holding her captive. He's calling again. Jesus Christ, he's calling again! He just called! Why is this happening? Stop calling me! Mom? It's mom. It's just mom. What if he has mom's phone? No, it's mom. It's okay. You're okay. Answer the phone. It's just mom.

She reached for the chiming device, constricting her chest muscles to control her heavy breathing and calm down. Who would have thought that a single attempt at contact, hearing his voice one time, would cause her to be such an inconsolable basket case? Her face was freezing from the dewy sweat glistening her face, some of it drying and tightening against her skin only to be dampened again with a new layer. Kagome lightly pressed her fingers over her sticky flesh, wiping the beads away, wiping away any physical evidence that she was not okay.

"Hi, mama." She'd barely managed to answer the phone before it went to voicemail, putting it on speaker so she wouldn't take the chance of dirtying the screen by pressing it to her ear.

"Hey." It was always easy to hear the smile in her mother's voice, a sense of smooth serenity flowing through. "How are you?"

"I'm okay. How are you? How's work?"

"You don't sound okay, Kagome. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, mom, I'm fine."

"Kagome..."

"I've just had a busier morning than I'd planned. How are you? How's Sota?" She tried again.

"I'm alright. Tired from the nightshifts, but it's nothing your mother can't handle. Sota's keeping his grades up and even seems to have a girlfriend, though he's in the too-cool-to-tell-your-mom stage. You know how that goes. When are you coming home to visit?"

"Soon. I can't wait to tease him for finally getting a girl to look in his direction."

"Kagome." She expected the tone to be more stern for her knock at her little brother, not one of concern. Was she that easy to read?

"Soon, mom. I promise. I just... I have a few things I need to take care of that've had me tied up on the weekends."

"Are you sure you're okay? I haven't heard much from you lately. I can't help but worry."

"I'm perfectly fine, mom. Just... busy."

"Alright. Well, we miss you."

"I miss you too. Tell Sota to use protection."

"Kagome!"

"Love you! Get some rest!"

"I love you too."

"Bye."

There was no way in hell Kagome would tell her mom what was going on. She couldn't take a chance of involving anyone else. If her mother knew, she'd insist she come stay at home until the police caught her stalker, but the creep already knew where her family lived. There was a photo taken of her and her brother the last time she'd gone to visit. This guy had invited himself into her home more than once, so who's to say he wouldn't do the same if she switched locations? There was absolutely no way she'd put her family in danger like that. They didn't need to know. She can't take those chances.

Still, Kagome was fidgeting in place. She needed to get out of her house. The windows had been closed up for too long and the stuffiness was getting to her. Although the conversation was brief, talking to her mom had calmed her down considerably. It was a super power of hers, and thanks to it, she felt stable enough to go outdoors. A quick walk would do her some good.

She didn't bother changing. She didn't want to give herself any time to talk herself out of it. The moment Kagome urged herself to go out for some fresh air, she grabbed her small backpack, something she opted for on the weekends that was easier to lug around than a purse, shoved her phone into the side pocket of it, squeezed her feet into an abused pair of sneakers she wore too often, and marched out the door, triple checking that it was locked like she'd done everyday since the break in.

The weather was substantially nicer than what they'd been enduring lately. The sun was out for the first time in at least two weeks, and she hoped the trace amount of vitamin D on her skin would be enough to lift her spirits. Even just a little. Still, it wasn't particularly warm, and Kagome was glad she never removed her thin, cotton sweatshirt or else she'd look like a shivering mess walking along her path. She didn't know where she was going. She let her feet lead the way. She had no place she needed to be, and no place she necessarily wanted to go. She just wanted everything to stop. For a small gap of time, she wanted absolutely nothing to happen.

Kagome tried keeping her mind busy to prevent it from floating back to the phone call she'd received this morning, and the ever-ominous, second, "see you soon," she'd gotten that held the potential of breaking her down again. She thought about future projects and lesson plans for her students, and thought about her brother going through his hilariously embarrassing, too relatable, teenage angst years, and thought about seeing her mom again, and thought about this funny-by-five-year-old-standards joke Shippo had told yesterday, and thought about some grading she needed to do, and then stopped altogether. She'd walked at least a mile, surprised at how successful she was in distracting herself, never once minding her whereabouts. Which could have also led her to trouble. From where she stood, she was probably asking for just that.

Feudal Knockout Gym

The air was dense, smelling of musty salt. For someone who had left the smothering state of her apartment so that she could breathe, she'd definitely come to the wrong place. In fact, Kagome didn't know why she'd come here at all. She had no business waltzing into the gym Inuyasha frequented, a gym she'd only been to a handful of times before only because he'd brought her along.

Inuyasha ducked, dodging the wrapped fist flying his way, guarding his face before throwing a punch of his own. There was sweat gliding down his forehead and over his brow, about to drip into his eye, and he could only hope the velocity of his kick would track the dangerous bead of salt away, even by a centimeter, just to delay the sting. He nailed his opponent, pushing him back just enough so he could use the wrapping around his knuckles to soak up the sweat, barely blocking his opponents quick moves as he came in swinging. The half demon took the punches as they came, blocking left and right, waiting for the assailant to show a sign of fatigue before making his move. At the first opportunity, Inuyasha punched at his opponent, knowing he'd easily block it, but also knowing the force of his throw would nudge him back, taking advantage of the space to nail him with a spinning heel kick.

As the guy stumbled to the side, Inuyasha caught a familiar scent, the sweet, warm aroma clashing with the stench of the gym that filled his nose, stealing his undivided attention as he turned to face the direction it wafted over from. Before he could say anything, or notice anything significant about her, the crack of knuckles to his face knocked him over, bringing him crashing to the ground.

"Here's a tip: you wouldn't have gotten decked if you kept your eyes on me."

"I didn't ask." Inuyasha grunted, taking the offered hand held out to him and rising to a stand, rubbing out the new ache in his jaw.

"I hope it bruises." He laughed, clapping the half demon on the shoulder before walking away. Inuyasha brushed it off, more concerned with the girl standing in the entrance. Kagome held herself awkwardly, undeniably uncomfortable, her shoulders slouching forward as she loosely wrapped her fingers around the straps of her bag. She was dressed in a grey sweatshirt, a loose t-shirt that used to be two sizes too large for her before she cut it, the new hemline of the thin cotton rolling up to meet her midriff, tight, rosy-colored leggings, and rundown, black sneakers. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail that gently wagged from side to side as she looked back and forth over the gym, every now and then meeting his gaze, but then glancing back over to a banister-draped wall.

On instinct, but with a cool control he forced himself to bring forth, he made his way over to her, stopping with a comfortable gap to mind the distance between them.

"What's up?"

Kagome took a deep breath, almost like she wasn't prepared for the question in the first place, her chest rising from the deep inhalation, lips twitching upward as she tried to force them into a prepared smile. "I-I... uh... I... wow, I'm sorry..." She said, chagrined, a pink hue tinting her cheeks as she looked away from him, chewing her bottom lip before trying to speak again. "I don't know what I'm... I-I...I think I just need to punch something."

Inuyasha could feel the twisted expression he wore, obviously worried. A dominant part of him wanted to press her into telling him what was wrong, because clearly something was, but shaking the truth out of her wouldn't get him what he wanted. There was no use in trying to talk about it right now. With the way she was fumbling over her words, her train of thought appearing scattered, if he even tried asking what was wrong there was a high chance that she'd snap. Instead, he stepped back, keeping up that control he couldn't help but be proud of himself for maintaining, holding his hand out to point her in the direction of the nearest punching bag. She gave a feeble smile, toeing her shoes off before stepping on the large blue mat and walking over to the thick, black punching bag weighted with water.

He glanced over at his gym buddy who was watching curiously as he packed his bag. It was quiet, mostly because classes didn't start until the evening on Saturdays. Surprisingly, mid-morning was the best time to fit in some peaceful and efficient practice with maybe a couple other people doing their own thing on the side. Until Kagome showed up, it was only the two of them. He gave a nod toward the door, hoping his friend would catch the hint, and thankfully he wasn't the prying type. He quickly finished shoving his shit into his duffle bag, zipped it up, and walked out.

Inuyasha looked back over to Kagome. She'd propped her small backpack against the wall nearby, standing idly in front of the bag, staring at it with weakly-formed fists laying at her sides. The air about her was heavy and tightly-wound. Something was wringing her dry, thieving away her positive and alluring energy, and she was doing a balancing act just trying to keep herself together. But what the hell was he supposed to do about it? She'd told him she wants nothing to do with him. She doesn't want his help, yet here she was stumbling into his gym looking thirty seconds away from a mental breakdown. He was jammed between a rock and a hard place. If he helped, or tried helping, there was a good chance she'd probably tell him to fuck off and mind his business. If he left her alone when she really needed him, she would probably tell him to fuck off for being an asshole.

He could handle mysteries. He could handle puzzles and riddles, algorithms and horribly long, tedious criminal cases that involved their psychologist having to come in and break everything down bit-by-bit, but by god, he struggled with the full spectrum of human emotions. More particularly, female emotions. Even more specifically, Kagome's emotions. So what was the right move here?

He was staring, she could feel it. No matter how hard she tried to ignore him, she was hyperaware of the sensation of those ember irises boring into her. The more he waited for her to do something, the more anxious she became. The last thing she needed was him witnessing her flimsy strikes against a bag that would probably end up inflicting more damage on her than she could ever do. With the pressure already resting on her shoulders, and the additional weight she'd just piled on top thanks to her dumb instincts and horrible speaking performance, she was feeling considerably more self conscious than normal.

"Can you not watch me do this, please?" Kagome asked sheepishly, glancing over her shoulder at him.

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest, giving her an ambivalent look before walking away to find his own duffel bag. He meagerly distracted himself by toweling off the drying sweat on his forehead, neck, and bare chest, listening to her fists smacking the material of the punching bag as he pulled a black tee over his head, drawing his ponytail through before the hemline could snag it and loosen the messy knot. She kept going, small grunts escaping her throat as she started punching harder and harder, the rough sounds of knuckles against the bag coming quicker as she finally felt comfortable incorporating her left hand. He could tell she wasn't hitting right. He knew her. He always had to remind her how to do it, and the harder she went, the more likely she was to get hurt.

"Hey, I'm not watching or anything, but keep your wrists tight. Like I taught you." He said before taking a swig of water from his bottle.

Kagome looked over, making sure Inuyasha was telling the truth, reassured that he was only figuratively looking out for her. She adjusted her fists, rolling them out real quick and then flexing the muscles to hold them straight like he'd shown her several times over, her punches coming much more solid.

It didn't take long for her to start imagining the bag was her stalker, punching him hard right in the gut. It wasn't good enough, though. Without a face, a body, a build, anything other than his deep, raspy voice to go off of, the fires in her stomach remained raging. So, she imagined the guy that paid a visit while she got coffee, and threw her fist right at his arrogant smile. Still not sufficient. He was the go-between, the delivery boy, but he wasn't the one that taunted her on the phone this morning. He obviously wasn't the mastermind to all of this; he just so happened to carry out the mastermind's orders. Even so, imagining him didn't feel half as good as she thought it would. What the hell was it gonna take? Kagome punched harder and harder, her throat burning from the ragged cries her body gave to provide more force. Her knuckles were stinging, but she kept pushing. Her biceps and shoulders were fatigued, but she continued to hit as violently as she could muster. She was exhausted and scared and hunted and alone. It was her fault. It was entirely her fault. She refused to bring any of her friends and family into the mix, and she pushed away the one person that could, and even wanted to help. She isolated herself, let her pride call the shots, threw a temper tantrum, and still had the impertinence to imagine the punching bag was now Inuyasha. Kagome swung one more time, gasping as her middle knuckle slid against the leather, clutching her fist to her chest just as she noticed the half demon standing next to her.

"I'm fine!" She snapped, throwing her hands up and turning away before he could say anything. There was a click in his breath as he stopped himself from speaking and it was enough to topple her barely-held restraint over the edge, so she turned back to him, lost in her reverie, her dark ponytail whipping her cheek from her spin. "No, you know what? Screw you, Inuyasha! I can't believe you'd just leave like that!"

"What the hell are you going on about?" He asked incredulously, trying to bite down the shock of her huffing and puffing before him.

"You always want to play the hero, so why would you throw this golden opportunity in the gutter, huh? Tell me the truth! I can handle it! I'm handling everything else just fine, so lay it on me!"

"Yeah, clearly."

"What ever happened to, "I won't let anyone hurt you, Kagome?”" She deepened her voice, giving her best attempt at mocking the half demon.

“Did something happen!?”

“Stop! You don't get to pretend like you care right now! You left my case!”

“How the hell did-"

"Was it because of what I said!?"

"Kagome!"

"I don't know what to do, Inuyasha!"

"Calming down is the first step!"

"I'm sorry! Is that what you wanted to hear? Because I am!"

He didn't rebuttal that time. Inuyasha dropped his hands to his sides, fists clenched, chest swelled, waiting for her to explain what the fuck was going on since he could sense her self-defeat. Kagome's breathing was labored and her cheeks were a furious red, lips almost the same color from the way she kept pressing them together and biting down on the bottom.

“I know I was out of line. It was wrong of me to treat you the way I did. The way I have been.” The tension radiating from her was finally easing, her anger waning, changing, shifting into sadness. No, guilt. Tears lined the brim of her tired eyes, spilling over as she blinked, her fingers gliding through her mess of bangs. “I was a jerk and I said things I shouldn't have. You were right, okay? I was still upset. I didn't expect any of this to happen, though! One minute, everything was fine, the next I've got both you and a stalker in my apartment! My ability to process things was, I don't know, shaken I guess. I know I probably deserve this, but a part of me never considered you’d hand over my case to anyone else.”

“Who the fuck told you I did?” Inuyasha asked, a fierce expression on his face, setting his jaw to silence his growl.

“I went to the station the other day and Hojo said you weren't on my case anymore.”

“So you just assumed I left it?”

“Well y-“

“You idiot.” He grunted, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I didn’t willingly leave it! I was kicked off! I’m involved in more ways than one, so our defense attorney said in order to make sure there’s a chance of a prosecution at the end of this, we had to do it by the book.”

Kagome stared at him, mouth sealing shut as she realized she never wanted to talk ever again, her belly gurgling with the unsettling humility she'd sheathed herself in. He hadn't abandoned her. Using the sleeve of her sweater, she hastily swiped away the tear stains on her cheeks, hoping that if she rubbed hard enough, she'd be able to erase her blowout from ever happening.

"You could have called me if you were that upset. I would have told you." Inuyasha said, crossing his arms over his chest, a subtle roll in his eyes.

"I was... I was mad at you."

"Face it, you still are." He said, holding his palm out so she'd give him her hand, wanting to see the knuckle she kept rubbing.

"No, that's not... I don't want to talk about that." Kagome looked away, unable to fight off her embarrassment, not wanting to meet his gaze.

"Me neither." He scoffed, grabbing her wrist when she didn't give it over, inspecting her reddened skin. Luckily, she didn't hit hard enough to split the delicate flesh, but she'd burned it pretty well. It'd be sensitive, but she'd be fine. "So, are you gonna tell me what happened, or are we gonna stand around in this awkward silence for a little while longer?"

Kagome took back her hand, gently massaging the tender area once more. She was right to assume the punching bag would do more harm than she ever could.

"I don't know... everything just became too much." She replied, giving a minute shrug. "Y'know, it took me two days to get my apartment back in working order, and I had to call out of work for one of those because I had to wash all of my bedding and clothes. Now, this morning, I wake up to gifts outside my door and a phone call from this guy saying he's sorry. Sorry." She chuckled cynically at the last word, too caught up in the audacity of her stalker to notice Inuyasha's stiffened reaction.

"What!?"

"No, it's-" Kagome caught herself, knowing that if she said it wasn't a big deal, Inuyasha would fight her into the cold ground. "There were chocolates and flowers, and I threw them in the garbage."

"He called you? Give me your phone!" Inuyasha ordered.

"It was with a blocked number this time." She turned to kneel in front of her backpack, doing as he said and fishing her phone out.

The hanyou snatched it up, glaring at her recent calls list in an attempt to scare the phone number into appearing. Even if it did, even if the perp hadn't bothered using star-sixty-seven like a little bitch, chances were it was just one of his burn phones. This guy just liked to appear all over the place to throw everyone off. The more you switch it up, the less there is to expect. "What did he say to you?"

"He gave me this cheap apology."

There was more. He could see it in the way she fluttered her lashes and continued to avoid eye contact. She was an awful liar.

"What else?"

She shook her head.

"Kagome, what else did he say?"

She looked up at him, her big, brown eyes riddled with perturbation, loosely wrapping her arms around her front. The discomfort spilling from her spiked, making it hard for Inuyasha to stand there idly until she was ready to speak. What had this fucker said to her? Something grotesque? A threat? He needed to know and he needed to know now before he lost his shit like she had. What the fuck did he say to make her mentally topple over this way? He opened his mouth to push her once more, his breath halting in his throat as she gave in.

"He said he's only using me to get to you." She said, her voice timid and small.

"Is that it?"

She nodded.

"Okay." He breathed, slightly relieved, allowing his shoulders to relax and his chest to deflate. He didn't like that the piece of shit was trying to play mind games with Kagome, but he couldn't help but be thankful that it didn't turn out to be anything worse. And in his line of work, he's heard so much worse. Inuyasha didn't blame her for her outrage. He didn't blame her for how exhausted she seemed, or how tiny she tried to make herself appear. The amount of stress she was under was incredible. It was only a matter of time before she broke down.

"Okay?"

"I kind of already figured that out."

"What? How?"

"Intuition. Look, don't worry about the nitty gritty right now." He tried to soften his tone, stepping forward an inch and hovering a hand beside her arm to see if she'd flinch away. She didn't. Instead, she seemed to ease her hold on herself, her fingers unfurling from the cotton of her sleeves. Slowly, gently, he gripped her shoulder, giving a small squeeze of reassurance. "That's my job, not yours. The only thing I need you to do is trust me. Once we have more substantial information, I'll let you know. Otherwise, premature details will only freak you out further."

"But you're off the case. How can you do anything if-"

"I'm helping, I just can't be in the immediate investigation. Everyone's still communicating with me. They let me know you stopped by and what happened. I was going to drop in and check on you, but I wasn't really in the mood to get yelled at." He retracted awkwardly, handing over her cellphone.

"Okay, yeah I kind of blew my top, but in all fairness, you egged me on." She stated, grabbing the phone and dropping it on top of her bag to be forgotten.

"I did not!"

"Can you get your head out of your ass for like twelve seconds and talk to me?" She mocked again, crossing her arms and cocking a brow to mimic his usual stature.

"First of all, you dick, I sound nothing like that."

She scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Second, I said to talk to me. Not call me names and chew me out!"

"You just called me a dick."

"You called me an inconsiderate ass!"

"Maybe so." Kagome shrugged, not bothering to argue that one away. "You were pushing me to do it, though! You told me, and I quote, to get the pent-up aggravation off my chest!"

"You can't say "and I quote" if you're going to change my words around." He huffed.

"Oh my god, Inuyasha! You wanted reciprocation for your efforts, and that's all I had for you! You wanted to talk about a sensitive subject at the worst possible time! What did you expect, pleasantries!?"

"A civil conversation, maybe!" He barked.

"Oh, because you're captain of civility." Kagome responded sarcastically, almost laughing.

"I can be civil!"

"Mhm, like right now?" She smirked, shrugging her brows in a challenging expression. This was the most fun she'd had in weeks. Mostly because she knew she had him backed in a corner.

"What's your point?" Inuyasha asked, stiffening as he bit back his irritability in support of his argument.

"Only that you get all frustrated and pushy when things aren't going your way, and lose all traces of basic manners. Look, I take full responsibility for what I said, but you instigated my temper. There's a time and a place, Inuyasha, and that was not it."

"Maybe so." He echoed, the hint of sarcasm tainting the remark. "Would it have actually made a difference if I brought up the topic at a later opportunity? Because, I don't think it would have."

"You don't know that."

"Shut up!" Inuyasha groaned, shaking his head. "I know you. I fucking fear your temper. No matter what, you were bound to lose it."

"Not necessarily! There probably would have been less pillow throwing!"

Inuyasha inadvertently chuckled, nodding in agreement. She had him there. Kagome was never one for physically offending a person.

"In my meager defense, I wasn't prepared. For any of it; for my apartment to be turned upside down, for a screaming match in the middle of the night, or even to discuss what happened in the first place. It was kind of overwhelming." Kagome shrugged, partially conflicted with the whole matter. On the one hand, she knew she had the right to be upset with Inuyasha. He broke her trust. He'd crossed a line four months ago. On the other, she didn't deserve any sort of defense for what she'd said to him. She'd intended to hurt his ego. In turn, she'd crossed a line four days ago.

"Yeah, yeah. I get it." Inuyasha brushed off. "Neither was I. Hope you got it all off your chest, because what you need to learn to grasp now is that I'm here. I'm not fucking going anywhere, especially after this, so get used to it. Either we forget about what happened, or we hash it out. Those are our options." He knew he sounded brash, but he also knew he was getting his point across. He wasn't going to leave her.

Not now.

Not ever.

It was never supposed to happen at all. It was one giant clusterfuck of a situation, but at this point in time, he didn't give a damn. As frustrating as she was, as horrible of a fall out as they'd had, he loved Kagome too goddamn much to let her slip away again; to let her deal with this bullshit alone. Even if they never reestablished whatever they used to have, he was fine with that. That wasn't what mattered. Being her friend wasn't even what mattered right now. Everything came second to her well-being.

Eventually, Kagome gave an acknowledging nod, releasing a large sigh as she gave a feeble smile. He knew she wouldn't opt for talking about things right now, and a part of him couldn't help but be grateful. It wasn't necessary. Not at the moment. Her head wasn't on straight, which was more than understandable. While he knew the ins and outs of victimization, she didn't. This was new to her, and obviously she wasn't handling things very well anymore. Hell, she'd hung on longer than he'd expected, though, and credit was definitely due there.

While her skin may be delicate, her mindset and her heart were not. Kagome was tough, and in many ways, much stronger than Inuyasha. She didn't know this, and if he had his way she never would, but not too long ago one affectionate graze from her had him mentally, and almost physically, debilitated for hours. Pigs would fly the day he ever saw Kagome literally swoon the way he pathetically had.

"Look, um..." Inuyasha cleared his throat, clenching his fists to resist the thirst he had to run his fingers through her bangs. "Like I said, don't worry about anything else right now, okay? It's not important. You still need to hit something?" He asked, walking towards a large equipment closet at the other side of the gym.

"That's probably not a good idea with the show I just put on."

"It'll be fine. Catch."

She flinched, barely snagging a small punching pad before it slipped through the crack in her arms, looking up to see him on his way back over with another, similarly sized pad in his grasp. He gave a small chuckle at her clumsiness, taking the object from her as soon as he closed the distance, dropping them both to the floor. Inuyasha began undoing the wraps protecting his knuckles, the long, black material unfurling and reaching the mat.

"Come on." He gestured for her to put her hand out before him, and Kagome mindlessly followed suit, watching as he began to wrap her palm with the black lining in a design that covered both her knuckles and wrist.

"Gross, it's sweaty."

"Deal with it. I didn't bring any extra." Inuyasha murmured, securing the fit before undoing his next hand and wrapping her other one over. "Tight enough, or too tight?"

"No, it's good." She replied, curling and uncurling her fingers to test the padding he'd created.

"Make a fist." He said, waiting for her to show him so he could adjust her thumb and wrists. "Jeez. Every time, Kagome."

"It's been months!" She defended. Inuyasha retrieved the punching pads from the floor, sliding his palm into the gloved portion at the back and securing the strap around his wrist. He handed the other one over to Kagome as she aided him in getting it secured, watching him smack the two circular cushions together before holding them out in front of him.

"Okay, now remember to pivot into your- get in the stance. Come on."

She did as she was told, angling her form with her left hip and shoulder facing Inuyasha, knees slightly bent, bringing her fists up to protect her face. "Pivot my back foot for more force. I remember that much."

"You can remember that, but you can't remember to keep your wrists straight?"

"It's not-"

"Wrists straight, Kagome!"

She quickly adjusted her wrists, guarding her face from his flying, padded hand as he gently swatted her head. "Okay! I'm sorry!"

"Remember the combo?" Inuyasha asked.

"I think so."

"Good. I want you to go until you can't anymore. Aim for the pads, not my face."

"I wouldn't do any damage."

"You've damn near given me a concussion before."

"Hush. You're just a sissy."

"Yeah, yeah. Show me what you got, baby." Inuyasha slapped the pads together once more as he steeled his position, a loud smack bouncing off the walls of the gym.

#inuyasha #kagome #Kagome Higurashi #inukag #Inuyasha fanfiction #Inuyasha fanfic #Inuyasha fic #inukag fanfic #inukag fic #in between #my writing #akitokihojo

41 notes · View notes

arthurandabolition · 6 years ago

Text

College Students and Consumer Culture

Electronics

1. Toshiba laptop with charger - want

2. Wireless mouse - want

3. DVD player - want

4. CD player - want

5. Smart Television - want

6. iPhone 6 with chargers - need

7. iPhone 4 with chargers – want (now; it’s my old phone)

8. iPod - want

9. USB portable charger - want

10. Batteries (AA, AAA, C, and D) - want

11. Remote controls - want

12. Blue earbuds - want

13. 2 Canon camera kits (with stands and external lights) - want

School Supplies (in total)

1. Three-in-one Solo Briefcase/Backpack - need

2. 5 bookbags – want

3. 13 notebooks - need

4. 20 page protectors - need

5. 4 packs of lined paper - want

6. 50 pens (roughly) – need (but not that many)

7. 25 pencils (roughly) – need (but not that many)

8. TI-84 Calculator - need

9. 100+ books, magazines, textbooks, bibles - need

10. 4 binders - need

11. 10 folders - need

12. Post-Its and notecards – want

13. Highlighters, colored pencils – want

Clothing and Accessories

1. 10 sweaters and long-sleeve shirts – need (but not that many)

2. 10 pairs of pants [lol “pairs” - because on “pair” of pants is technically one item, but it’s also a pair haha … ok let’s continue] – need (but not that many)

3. 100 shirts (roughly) – need (but not that many)

4. 10 suits – need (but not that many)

5. 5 scarfs – want

6. Wallet - want

7. 4 bracelets - want

8. 4 necklaces – 1 is a need (personal), the other 3 are wants

9. 4 watches - want

10. 20 hats (incl. beanies, snapbacks, buckets) – want

11. 12 belts – need (but not that many)

12. 10 pairs of shoes – need (but not that many)

13. A lotta’ underwear – need (but not that many)

14. 25 pairs of socks - want

15. My glasses? (with a case, cleaner and wipes) – need (without contacts)

16. My contact lenses? (with holder and solution) – need (without glasses)

Grooming items

1. 2 hair clippers (w/ adjustment combs) - want

2. 4 hair brushes - want

3. 2 hair combs - need

4. Hair scissors - want

5. 2 2-in-1 Suave Men’s shampoo and conditioner - need

6. 3 deodorant sticks – want (society pressures)

7. Bath & Body Works NOIR 2-in-1 hair and body wash and Ultra Shea Body Cream – want

8. 1 200-pack of One-a-day Men’s Vitamin vitamins - want

9. 3 colognes - want

10. Dove soap (unscented) - need

11. Aquaphor Healing Ointment – need, but can be substituted

12. Body lotion - need

13. 40 towels (all sizes) – want

Additional items (transportation, household furnishings, appliances, and more)

1. Lamp - want

2. Dresser - want

3. Nightstand - want

4. Adidas travel bag – need, when traveling

5. Two bookcases - want

6. Furnished bed - want

7. Car (2018 Hyundai Elantra) - need

8. Photographs of friends and family, signs of affirmation, calendar - want

9. Planner - want

10. Debit and Credit cards - need

11. 30 Envelopes - want

12. Best birthday cards I’ve received (about 60) - want

13. 98 DVDs - want

14. 50 CDs - want

15. 60 cards (birthday, holiday, and special event) - want

16. 10 gift bags - want

17. 3 pieces of luggage – need, when traveling (but not that many)

18. Bb trumpet (with cleaning kit) - want

19. 6 posters - want

20. 4 yearbooks - want

21. Misc. business and personal documents and papers – need because security

22. Napkins, toilet paper, tissue, paper towels - want

23. Toolkit (ex: screwdriver) - need

24. Business cards - want

[The home that I live in has the following appliances]

25. 2 full bathrooms

26. 1 half bathroom

27. Dishwasher

28. Kitchen

29. Washer and Dryer

30. 2 Refrigerators

I took this assignment very seriously. I made it personal. I was on a quest to understand how much I take things for granted. Today, there are places in the world where people will sacrifice their lives for a portion of what I have in my possession to be given to their family. If you’re reading this, the same probably goes for you too. We have the agency to contest damaging things that linger in our cultures, like consumerism. Somehow, one of the cultures I belong to enforced the idea that Nike, Adidas, Toshiba, Suave, Bath and Body Works, and other “brand name” companies deserve my loyalty. What I love about this assignment -at least at this moment- is: I’m questioning how and why I have things. Some things I have were given as gifts, while other things were bought at a price that I could’ve bought the same thing, with the same quality, at a fraction of the price. Some are brand new, some are worn. Some things look or feel better than others. But one thing is for sure, most of these things are wants. I don’t need most of this stuff. So, I ask myself: if a fire broke out on the third floor of my home, and I had a few minutes to grab all that I wanted or needed, what would I grab?

Five wants

1. 4 watches – two are gifts, two I bought. I was raised to believe to never believe a man without a watch, because he will not value your time if he doesn’t value his own time. However, a man does not necessarily value time by whether he is wearing a watch. Plus, I can just check my phone, look at clocks, or ask people what time it is.

2. Post-Its and notecards, highlighters, colored pencils – all these things are great to make papers organized and pretty, but they aren’t a need. I can just use pencils and pens to supplement to achieve the same purposes.

3. Bb trumpet (with cleaning kit) – I was a trumpet player from 6 years in grade school. I played in concert, marching, and jazz band. I was gifted with a mid-grade Bb Trumpet from my mother when I hit high school. So now, I keep it for sentimental reasons.

4. Bath & Body Works NOIR Ultra Shea Body Cream – This was a gift

5. 3 deodorant sticks – Most of us wear deodorant to keep our natural smells hidden due to society pressures. Some of us wear it so that we prevent our armpits from producing a lot of sweat. I consider the former a more valid point.

Five needs

1. iPhone 6 with chargers – My iPhone is a need because I need a phone for emergency purposes. For example, I commute to campus. I drive for hours on the freeway super early and super late at night. On the other hand, I don’t need to have such an expensive phone with so many features and instead of multiple chargers, one charger is sufficient.

2. Car (2018 Hyundai Elantra) – Yea, I’m questioning why I bought a new car too. Minor mistake but I’ll be alright. Similar to the iPhone, I do need a car, for car stuff, like transportation. I need my car to run errands, go to school, go to work, and more. But, I could’ve bought a hooptie and went on my mary way.

3. 10 pairs of shoes – I have a decent number of pairs of shoes, but I don’t need these many shoes. I need two pairs of shoes: one pair of sneakers to walk around campus in and one pair of dress shoes for work.

4. Three-in-one Solo Briefcase/Backpack – I can’t carry around all of my books, notebooks, and supplies in my arms all day, and I need these things for my classes during the day, so I need my backpack so that it can hold everything for me as I carry it around comfortably.

5. 12 belts – I do need a couple of belts. One for dress pants for work, and one for a pair of shorts and/or jeans. The rest are extra and not needed.

Please feel free to reply/comment!

#collegestudentsandconsumerculture #collegestudents #consumerculture

7 notes · View notes

brontehaglundspace400 · 5 years ago

Text

Windows and Lighting

“This leads to the fact that the choice of illumination has a more and more significant impact on the adequate processing of information. At the workplace, the illumination is mainly a part of ergonomic guidelines. Besides the fact that light does influence the personal well-being and health, it has also a positive impact on the motivation and performanceGlare Controlled window tint

Insulation Blind layers

To help with the Natural Light in the building i want to bring in as much natural light as possible to help keep up the Vitamin D levels and also brightness in the room. That can also come with the negative features of too much sun, too bright or too much glare or a very hot room if it’s north facing.

Windows

I am researching into glare controlled window tin. Window Tint can be different colours depending on the type conclusion you want in your space. Thankfully now the technology you can get glass that doesn’t even look like it has a tint on it which could be very effective in a building and especially with my hope of a high wellbeing office design.

For the window tints i want would be low reflectiveness, which shows a normal window, something that still keeps the natural light and sun in by keeps off too much heat and too much glare in the room. Here are some examples for business’ with Sun Control Prestige window film series..

http://www.glasstint.co.nz/heat-and-glare.html

https://www.glasshield.co.nz/uv-window-film/

As shown you can see the glare on the left side and how in that space it can be harsh on the eyes and also quite warm, where as the right side has next to know glare, looks a bit cooler but still having the beauty of natural light shine in and looks a like a very comfortable space to be in.

“Smart glass or switchable glass (also smart windows or switchable windows in those applications) is a glass or glazing whose light transmission properties are altered when voltage, light, or heat is applied. In general, the glass changes from transparent to translucent and vice versa, changing from letting light pass through to blocking some (or all) wavelengths of light and vice versa.” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_glass

ULR 80 (Ultra-Low Reflectivity) window film - http://www.suntamers.co.nz/quality-window-film/sun-heat-glare-windowtinting/

Using an advanced ceramic technology, ULR 80 has a high VLT* coupled with good TSER* so it’s spectrally selective – it’s nearly invisible while cutting the heat! Among its many benefits ULR window film offers exceptionally low interior and exterior reflectivity plus a subtle blue hue that accentuates the natural colours of the sky and trees when looking through it.

Ultra low reflectivity

Blocks more than 99% of damaging UVA and UVB rays

Infra-red rejection of 84%

Industry-leading clarity for unaltered visibility

Outstanding scratch-resistant coating for long product life

Colour stability

Low reflection with good TSER (total solar energy rejected)

Spectrally selective

*VLT – visible light transmission *TSER – total solar energy rejected

Solar control window film will reduce the temperature within a room. Its proven heat rejection properties will reduce your company’s carbon footprint because your air conditioning doesn’t have to work so hard. Your work environment is more comfortable, cost effective and environmentally friendly.

With just this tint, can keep windows bright and open all day along- may not even need blinds- although the option could be good? Be able to help with the wellbeing aspect of ‘control’ use of blinds around your area?- then have lighting options, which lights are best for our eyes, layout of the lights

Blinds

When temperatures are colder outside than inside, glass conducts the heat from inside the house to the outside where it disappears. The air next to the glass inside, having lost its heat, becomes cold and dense and falls to the floor drawing in new warm air from above. This cycle continues until you lose all your warm air outside. Firstly they must fit perfectly within the window, able the heat to stay trapped and the cold to stay out or vis versa.

Thermal layer with blinds, this thermal layer is to help with keeping warmth in the building by having blinds or curtains shut. BRANZ did a study that 42-45% of heat, in houses insulated to Pre-2007 requirements, is lost through windows. Which was where double glazed requirements became about, but now with this layer can help people avoid that if they need or help with that. This will help with heat loss and also keep in light with the use of colour layer of the blinds. E.g like a light grey or white colour blind?

Insulating Linings, which are sewn-in separate linings with a thermal coating.

https://www.lewiss.co.nz/the-art-of-curtains/insulating-curtains-and-blinds/

There is also Thermacells (also known as Honeycombs) which are a pleated cellular blind option with a concertina look, with will help with cooling properties for warmth in winter and coolness in summer. These are also a nice simple option which has it all in one, easy and different colours.

https://kiwiblinds.co.nz/thermacell-blinds/

Thermal roller blinds - 0.7mm foam acrylic backing// The thermal backing is designed to act as an additional layer of insulation to your window.

https://mrblinds.co.nz/our-blinds/roller-blinds/thermal-roller-blinds/

Lighting

For my work place i want to use light that isn’t warm enough to feel light and cozy on the eyes of light that isn’t to harsh and blue on the eyes. I want to find a good in between that helps the office workers be awake, productive and motivated but also helps their mind and eyes at the same time.

For the evaluation of quality of illumination, a variety of parameters is analyzed. The major criteria are lighting level and illuminance, harmonic brightness control, light color, direction of light and restriction of glare and shadiness. Those parameters, influencing visual environment, comfort and performance, are frequently noted in scientific and practical approaches.

For workplace design lighting, we need to think about it being flexible, easy to use, easy to change and also energy saving. The lighting will depend on the tasks that are in the building, which will commonly be computers, note writing, meeting rooms, maybe even projection rooms all have to come into consideration. This requires balance for indirect and direct light sources and a balance of daylight and artificial light. Ideally i would love to have more daylight than artificial and help work with the daylight to make it easy and non-thinkable in the workplace but of-course artificial lighting is required, with daylight savings when the rooms are darker at evening or morning or if people are working late. I want the best lighting for them.

The right light level at the workplace avoids tiredness and lack of concentration. This can be regulated by the illuminance which is measured in Lux (lx). A minimum of 500 Lux is stated for the brightness at computer work stations. Generally speaking, an increase in illuminance boosts the visual performance and positively influences the detailed and fast visual information processing. An illuminance between 500 and 1000 Lux can also be seen as stress-free.

To achieve a balance between natural and artificial light and to avoid shadows and glare, it is recommendable to place lights parallel to the window and the working place. If the visual comfort is directly compromised by light sources with a very high illuminance in the visual field, lighting experts refer to glare as a parameter of illumination. Reflection is the second phenomenon that negatively influences the lighting quality.

https://www.lightingdeluxe.com/lighting-journal/workplace-lighting-best-practices-for-office-lighting-design

https://www.luxreview.com/2016/04/25/6-lighting-hacks-for-healthier-more-productive-workplaces/

People are attracted to light places, make those places the common and meeting places.

Create a mixture of different lighting. This will guarantee flexible change of light setting. Use illumination that supports a space’s identity

Adapt lighting to the seasons- easy to use/ change

Change of lighting for personal needs, e.g if someone is working late and need light during the day they can change it to a lighter brightness to keep them awake and concentrated, it is also noted to have lighting that can change to more warmer and low-intensity lighting which will calm the body down and help switch off better after work.

Have different lamp types and colour temperatures at your working area. Warm light sources at your desk can be combined with indirect and general lighting with different colour temperatures, for example 3500K and 5000K

Blue Light screens, use of settings to bring warmer light- like apple does bring awareness to it

0 notes

hopemcilroy · 6 years ago

Text

Infographic Research - Chilean Mine Disaster

Where was the mine located?

The San José copper–gold mine was located in the Atacama Desert 45 kilometers (28 mi) north of the regional capital of Copiapó, in northern Chile.

What are some facts about the mine?

Coal mines are typically a lot shallower than gold and copper mines. In the United States, gold and copper mines can go as deep as 8,000 to 9,000 feet (2,400 to 2,700 meters), while the deepest coal mines are only around 2,000 to 2,200 feet (609 to 670 meters) deep, Kravitz said.

Coal mines also usually run horizontal to the earth's surface, while gold and copper mines can run any way.

Copper and gold mines don't leak methane gas and thus don’t present this risk. Copper and gold mines also can have large pockets of oxygen, which allowed the trapper miners in Chile to survive.

Copper and gold mines also are typically "wet mines" which drip water from the walls that can serve as a drinking supply.

Who owned the mine?

The mine is owned by Empresa Minera San Esteban, a company notorious for having a poor safety record and suffered a series of accidents. In 2007, an explosion in the San Jose mine is reported to have killed several workers.

What caused the disaster?

The cause of this mine was a cave - in. The mine that collapse had a history of instability that had caused previous accidents, including death. Chile has a long tradition of mining, during the 20th century they made it as the world top producer of copper. According to a review of data collected by the state regulatory agency (Sernageomin data), since the year 2000, it is found out that there is an average of 34 deaths every year due to mining activity in Chile, with a peak of 48 in the year 2008. (Ethiraj, 2010)

How many men were involved?

33 men in total where trapped. When the collapse occurred there were two groups of miners. A dust cloud rose during the collapse, causing enduring eye irritation; blinding the miners for six hours. A first group of miners were near the entrance of the mine and escaped straight away without incident. The main group of thirty three miners was deep inside the mine—that consist of local workers and some subcontracted employees from a different company; who was unfortunate because they would not normally have been with them (Ethiraj, 2010).

How long were they trapped?

They were believed dead for 17 days before they made contact to rescuers, but were trapped in the mine for 69 days overall.

What food did they survive on?

Every 48 hours they had 2 spoonfuls of tuna, half a cookie and half a glass of milk each. After 17 days food, water and medicine (hydration gel, soup)was lowered to them. The men quickly established a regular meal schedule - breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. Doctors then transitioned them to a meat and rice diet, strict 2200 calorie diet - this kept them slim enough to fit in the evacuation chamber. The was a 3.19-inch-wide supply line made which provided them with food, water, and nutritional supplements such as vitamin D, which can replace the nutrients they are not getting from sunlight.

What did they do while they were there?

They split into 3 teams taking 8 hour shifts at either - working(they helped the rescue efforts), sleeping(they used lights/lamps to simulate light) and playing/entertainment(they played cards, dominos, live feeds of Chile football games, small music players, Bibles and smokers had nicotine gum). They had a small high-definition camera which allowed them to record their situation - where despite the disaster they made jokes on film. Working in shifts 24 hours a day, the miners had to keep the passage clear with the industrial-sized battery-powered sweepers, shovels and wheel barrows trapped in the mine with them. The miners had to remove on their own a total mass of drilling cuttings estimated at up to 700 metric tons.

When did they first make contact to families?

They were able to make contact via letters to their family and a 20 second voice conversation 20 days after they were initially trapped. Although, 10 days later they were able to have a video call with their families when a cable was lowered.

What were the health risks?

Decades of research has shown the human body is built to function on the rhythm of the rising and setting sun. If sunlight doesn’t tell our brains when we should be asleep—and if we don’t eat, exercise, and sleep on a fairly regular daily schedule—humans can develop all sorts of health problems over time, from irregular metabolism to heart disease to deficiencies of key vitamins. To feel the effects of those disruptions each day would be like trying to live life in a constant state of jet lag. A tired miner could sink slowly into depression, leading to debilitating emotional issues before or after he returns to the surface. He could make a mistake as the group works to build the bottom part of its rescue shaft, injuring himself or another miner at a time when none of them has access to emergency medical care. A miner already at risk for diabetes could develop it if he lacks a daily eating and exercise routine. All these risks only grow with time.

How did they survive the darkness?

One way to keep the miners on a daily routine is to simulate light and dark periods during each day. The men have already designated light and dark areas in the roughly half-mile-long tunnel where they are living, but the battery-powered lamps in the lighted areas may not be bright enough to trick the men’s internal clocks into thinking it’s daytime. “If you have really dim light, you can still read a newspaper, but that’s not enough to synchronize a 24-hour clock,” says Charles A. Czeisler, who directs the sleep medicine division at Harvard Medical School. Chilean authorities, were aware of these risks, and made the miners’ daily routine a priority. Each miner had daily jobs to do as said above.

What was the environment like?

The mine was 2km long and 625m deep(2 eiffel towers) where temperatures rose to 35oC with 95% humidity.

How were they rescued?

An escape shaft was completed over 41 days and finished on October 9th which lead to the emergency rescue chamber for them to be rescued. There were 3 plans to drill down to the miners. A huge rock the size of 2 Empire State buildings was rescued.

Plan A - Plan A used an Australian built Strata 950 model raise borer type drilling rig often used to create circular shafts between two levels of a mine without the use of explosives. The drill was provided by South African mining company Murray & Roberts, who had a recently idled machine in Chile for a separate mining contract. The drill had just finished a shaft for Codelco's Andina copper mine in Chile and was immediately transferred to San José. Since it weighed 31 short tons (28 t), it needed to be shipped in pieces. The Strata 950 was the first of the three drills to begin boring an escape shaft.

Plan B - Plan B involved a Schramm Inc. T130XD air core drill owned by Geotec S.A. (a Chilean-American joint venture drilling company) that was chosen by Drillers Supply SA (the general contractor of Plan B) to widen one of the three 5.5 inches (14 cm) boreholes that were already keeping the miners supplied with palomas.The Schramm T-130 was directed to bore toward the workshop, a space that was accessible by the miners. The T-130 became operational on 5 September and worked in three stages. First, it needed to enlarge the 5.5 inches (14 cm) hole to a 12 inches (30 cm) hole. It then needed to drill the 12 inches (30 cm) hole into a 28 inches (71 cm) diameter hole. “If we tried to drill from a 5.5 inches (14 cm) hole to a 28 inches (71 cm) hole, the torque would be too high and it would ... put the drill bits under too much pressure,” said Schramm, Inc. Latin American Regional Manager, Claudio Soto. However, by reusing the same hole, there was still added pressure on the drill. Delays occurred because of issues with the neck of the drills caused by the angle of the drilling. Rescuers couldn’t drill vertically since that would require placing the heavy rig on the unstable ground where the cave in had happened. And the rescuers also had to avoid drilling into the production tunnels that wind above the shelter. Soto added, during the rescue, “It’s a difficult hole. It’s curved and deep. The hard rock has proven to be abrasive and has worn out the steel of the drill.”

Plan C - Plan C was a powerful Canadian built RIG-421 oil drilling rig operated by Calgary-based Precision Drilling Corporation and was the last drill to become involved in the rescue process; it began drilling on September 19.The rig is a special drill used for oil and gas drilling that could drill a wide enough escape shaft in a single pass without a pilot hole. RIG-421 is a Diesel-Electric Triple that was 43 meters (141 ft) tall and needed 40 truckloads to bring its pieces from Iquique, Chile to Copiapó. It suffered a setback due to the difficulty of aiming the larger drill at a 2.5m x 2.5m target and the hardness of the rock when the drill diverted from its course. The drill then needed to be removed, resized and repositioned, which slowed its progress.

“We’ve drilled wells all around the world. The actual drilling of the hole in the ground isn’t that difficult. When you’re given a target to aim for it’s a little more difficult,” said Shaun Robstad, superintendent with Precision Drilling.

RESULTS OF DRILLING

The widened shaft of Plan B's Schramm T130XD reached the trapped miners at 08:05 CLDT on 9 October after a 10-hour stoppage to change the drill-bit. By 8 October, the Plan A Strata 950's pilot hole had reached 598 meters (1,962 ft) deep (85% - it had not yet started its widened shaft). Plan C's RIG-421, the only machine at the site which drills a shaft wide enough immediately, reached 372 meters (1,220 ft) (62%).

What was the role of the Phoenix?

The Chilean engineers alongside the US Space programme built this escape capsule - safety device. The capsule, dubbed "Phoenix" after the mythical bird that rose from the ashes, carried the men nearly half a mile through solid rock in a shaft just wider than a man's shoulders as their two-month ordeal came to an end.The miners were kitted out with special lightweight, made-to-measure waterproof clothing for the rescue. They also wore a heart rate monitor which measured their vital signs as they were lifted to the surface. They wore a small oxygen mask and headphones and a microphone allowed them to be in constant contact with the surface. Elastic bandages around the lower legs were used to prevent blood circulation problems on the ascent.Doctors had been worried about the miners' eyes after the months they have spent without any sunlight. Each man was given dark glasses to avoid damaging their eyesight.If the capsule had got stuck, the men could have released a series of levers inside the capsule allowing it to be winched back to the bottom of the mine.But in the end, the journeys up and down the shaft were without incident. Journey times also sped up as the rescue progressed - from about 20 minutes per ascent at the start, to about eight minutes towards the end.

Rough timeline of events.

August 5th - The miners were believed to be dead.

August 22nd - Rescuers found them and there was a note sent up from the miners to let all know they were all alive.

August 23rd - Food, water and medicine was sent to the miners

August 25th - 1st contact with family

August 29th - The miners moved to a dry room a little deeper and more spacious than where the initial cave-in was.

September 4th - The miners were bale to make contact with their families as cabling was lowered allowing them to have video calls.

September 17th - After the drilling had started, Plan A reached the miners but the problem was it needed widened.

September 18th - Plan B drill now reached the miners but it also needed widened.

September 19th - Plan C drilling starts after both Plan A and Plan B look that they are going to fail.

September 30th - The families of the miners claim $12million dollars in damages.

October 13th - First miner is safely rescued.

October 14th - All 33 miners alive and rescued.

The aspect of faith helping them through.

"You have to have faith," Galleguillos said. "You can never lose your faith. Faith is nourishment ... Faith is life."

Faith, even without hope. Shift foreman Luis Urzua was the first person to be heard once verbal contact was made with the miners. His first words were, "We are well and hoping that you will rescue us." Urzua said he doesn't believe in luck, but he does believe in faith -- even when it seems like there is no hope."The devil couldn't do anything because God was present," he said. Urzua recounted a time in the mine when one of his colleagues became ill. The prayers of the other miners, Urzua said, healed him. "We made a prayer, we prayed in front of him," he said. "The next day, he was better. ... He was doing better than all of us."That power of prayer stayed with the miners throughout their time underground."When we prayed, we didn't pray to get rescued; we prayed for the people outside not to abandon us," he said.It was another answered prayer.

What was life like after the rescue?

The miners had to wear special glasses to protect their eyes from the sunlight they hadn’t experienced in nearly 70 days. The miners had to go under a medical investigation, sent to a field hospital need the mine and once the condition of the miners was stabilised they were transferred to a medical centre in the Copiapó region.

#ixd104 #ixdbelfast

0 notes

spidergvven · 7 years ago

Text

tips for dealing with depression and suicidal ideation

given todays news i thought some people might need this, all of it is based of my personal experience w depression and mental illness so here goes:

things that are easy for everyone else will be insurmountable obstacles for you, people will definitely make you feel bad for this whether they intend to or not, look in a mirror and say “fuck them!” say it again, yell it as loud as you can, FUCK THEM!

you probably haven’t showered in a week and thats ok, baby wipes and dry shampoo are your friend

feeling grimy and gross will make you more depressed though, if you can get up and brush your teeth and splash water on your face you will feel better if only because you accomplished something (if you feel like brushing your teeth isn’t an accomplishment go back to tip one, it is and you are doing great!)

take care of what you can when you can, remind yourself to not feel bad for not doing what you cant today

your room/apartment/house is probably a mess, thats ok. don’t try to clean up everything at once, you will not be able to do it and you will get more depressed when you don’t succeed. clean up one (1) thing and i truly do mean one, put a dirty item of clothing where your dirty laundry goes (not a pile on the floor, get a hamper/basket/cardboard box anything that will help your brain file it as organized instead of clutter) put one cup from your room in the dishwasher. the magic of this is once you do one thing you start to feel a sense of accomplishment and the bigger tasks don’t seem as scary, before you know it all the dishes are clean or you’ve done all the laundry.

reward yourself for doing the hard stuff, even if thats just getting through another day. you do not have to suffer a certain amount before you deserve nice things that make you feel good.

get some vitamins. depression destroys whatever healthy eating habits you may have had and honestly no one is getting enough vitamins these days anyways. vitamin b and d deficiency can contribute to fatigue, chronic pain and depression. 15 minutes in the sun gets you your daily dose of vitamin d, so get a sun lamp or just sit outside once a day, you don’t have to do anything, except maybe drink some water since its july. vitamin b supplements are pretty cheap, they taste like candy and give you an immediate energy boost. a multivitamin w iron will help your body get the nutrients it needs and give you more energy as well. no vitamins wont cure mental illnesses but when your body feels physically like crap along with your mind it makes everything that much worse.

exercise if you can. the catch 22 of depression is that everything that will make you feel better is almost impossible to do when you’re depressed. the reason exercise is always recommended though is because it does help release those happy little chemicals in your brain as well as helps you form a routine. which means anything that gets your heart rate up and that you can commit to doing on a regular/semi regular schedule counts as exercise. dont think you have to become a gym rat or someone who loves running to get this benefit. anything you can do to get your body moving is a good thing.

square breathing and mindfulness will reduce tension in your body and mind (it should be noted that if you are prone to dissociation traditional mindfulness can make that worse but you can also practice a modified mindfulness while doing a task to keep you present and in your body) for square breathing- sit up straight or lie on your back and breathe in through your nose to the count of four, hold for a count of four, breathe out through your mouth to a count of four, then hold for a count of four and repeat. if you cant do a four count three or two is also fine, the idea is simply that you are breathing in and out and holding for the same count. breathe as deeply as you can from your diaphragm, since so many of us spend so much time hunched over devices and computers you may need to use a back roller or a particularly firm pool noodle to open up your chest cavity and breathe properly. (this will also help your body not feel like crap because so many people have alignment issues without even realizing it, straightened out your spine and and tailbone can affect your brain patterns so much it’s almost unbelievable) its laughable when you’re supper depressed and people try to ask you “well have you tried meditation/yoga” but yoga breathing techniques and practicing being present and feeling your body and the sensations you are experiencing is actually helpful. theres a reason yoga is such a culturally important practice that has existed for centuries and its only now that western medicine is starting to recognize the science of treatments that have long been dismissed as homeopathic folk remedies. most of my physical therapy exercises now include yoga breathing and square breathing to retrain my body’s neuromuscular patterns and they always leave me feeling better emotionally too. how you breathe really does affect your brain waves.

being present in your body is hard but it helps, turn on a fan and lie in front of it, concentrating on how the air feels on your skin, the sound of the fan that you hear, your hair moving in the breeze, reconnect with your senses and surroundings. also you get the added benefit if lying in front of a fan when its hot as hell which is always nice.

dont feel bad for wanting to hurt yourself because it will only make you want to hurt yourself more

snap a rubber band against your skin or hold ice in your hand to simulate the feelings and relief of self harm without doing permanent damage buy cheap dishes from goodwill and smash them all to relieve the impulse to destroy without hurting yourself (dont do this if youll be tempted by the sharp edges of of the broken dishes) write everything you hate about yourself, your life, and the world down, then destroy it, rip it up or burn it and breathe. imagine letting it all go. you wont let it all go but it might feel a little lighter and thats good too.

make a list of reasons to stay alive, like not some philosophical big deep reasons for living, just shit you want to do. really love marvel and cant wait to see the movies they’re releasing next? thats a reason to live. cant go to the premiere of infinity war if you’re dead.

despite what some might say feeling suicidal absolutely can be triggered by other peoples actions. this doesnt mean other people are responsible for your mental health but you don’t deserve to be treated badly because your depressed and if you’re in an abusive environment you dont deserve how you’re being treated at all, you deserve to live happily and safely.

if none of these tips work for you it’s not your fault. you’re not broken. this is what ive found helps me but treatment and recovery look different for everyone and you’re not a failure bc a list of tips didn’t cure your depression. you are trying and thats what counts. please keep trying, try someone else’s tips, try therapy, try some shit that you just made up because it hurts no one and helps you even if it feels silly. just keep trying because you are worth it.

#depression #suicide #self care

4 notes · View notes

morganbelarus · 7 years ago

Text

7 Ways To Feel Happier In The Winter When You Have Seasonal Affective Disorder

I know a lot of people who cling to the idea of summer like a security blanket, who shudder at the mere thought of the sun setting before 6 p.m. But there’s a big difference between muddling through winter blues and figuring out how to manage seasonal affective disorder. SAD is a very real, very serious mood disorder that annually overlaps with the seemingly happiest time of year, and it’s that much harder to deal with when everyone else in the world seems to feel so merry and bright through the holiday season.

While those who suffer from SAD should seek professional help and take the proper medication when necessary to counteract feelings of depression, there are also small ways to cultivate strategies that help you feel your best despite the struggle. The more you know about the disorder, the better equipped you'll be to combat symptoms and offer helpful tips to loved ones who may be suffering from seasonal depression.

One of the most important things to remember when dealing with SAD is that, again, it's a medical condition that affects someone both mentally and physically. In addition to talking to a therapist and/or taking doctor-prescribed medications, consider some of these little ways to help you cope with seasonal affective disorder, because you deserve to feel your best all year round.

1Invest In A SAD Lamp

verilux

HappyLight Touch LED Light Therapy Lamp, $99.95, Verilux

According to WebMD, even though experts aren't 100 percent positive about what exactly causes SAD, a main factor could be the dramatic lack of sunlight in winter compared to warmer months.

Millennial life coach Jess Hopkins tells Elite Daily that heliotherapy, which involves "using a lamp designed specifically to replicate some of the beneficial effects of natural sunlight," can lift the spirits of those who struggle with SAD.

For example, the HappyLight Touch made by Verilux, featured above, is customizable with adjustable light intensity settings for effective light therapy. It's also portable, so you can take and use on the go as needed.

2Pay Attention To Your Eating Habits

I've said it over and over again, but the truth remains: You are what you eat.

We are a product of our environment, and of the foods we put into our bodies. Obviously it's super comforting to snack on sugary carbs and heavier foods, but they literally and figuratively weigh us down.

Health expert and author of Rachel Kelly tells Elite Daily that "happy" foods — like leafy greens, lean proteins, dashes of cinnamon, and pieces of dark chocolate — "boost your supplies of the feel-good hormone serotonin." In other words, spare a cookie or two and try nibbling on a hearty salad when the urge to anxiously eat your feelings takes over.

3Take An Interest In Plants

Giphy

Kelly tells Elite Daily that soil actually contains friendly bacteria that have "the same effect on the brain as taking antidepressants." Of course, this absolutely does not mean you should substitute taking care of a ficus for taking the meds your doctor prescribed you, but it can definitely enhance the benefits overall.

Skeptical? There's actually a ton of research backing up Kelly's claim. reports, for example, that a study analyzing the positive impact of nature on human condition shows that even just bringing nature into your home can "lower blood pressure, raise productivity," and "improve well-being."

4Take A Vitamin D Supplement

A lack of sunlight is one of the main causes of SAD, and when the human body isn't exposed to this natural source of vitamin D, it may need a supplement to compensate.

Behavioral scientist Clarissa Silva tells Elite Daily that aside from its many physical health benefits, vitamin D can also "reduce some depressive symptoms," so it's important to supplement using either a pill, foods rich in vitamin D, light therapy, or spending as much time outdoors as possible whenever the sun peeks through those winter clouds.

5Take A Tech Break Before Bed

Giphy

We're all aware by now that fiddling with our phones right before we fall asleep can negatively affect our sleep cycles. But according to founder of GraceSpace.co Grace Smith, this is particularly crucial because our brains are in a deep meditation state about 20 minutes before we fall asleep, as well as right after we wake up which, she explains, is a "direct access point to the subconscious mind."

In order to keep your thoughts light and stress-free, Smith tells Elite Daily that anyone who suffers from SAD should go the old-fashioned route and swap their cell phones for an alarm clock instead.

"Think about all the things you love about your life, all of the things you're grateful for, relive your happiest memories as you drift off to sleep. When you wake up, do the same," she says. "Protect those 20 minutes before sleep and upon first waking by staying away from all technology and marinating yourself in gratitude."

6Record Your Feelings On Paper

Giphy

I may be a tiny bit biased considering my profession, but my motto has been this: "When in doubt, write it out."

Chris Kernes, licensed marriage and family therapist and co-founder of LARKR on-demand video therapy, tells Elite Daily that one of the simplest things you can do to turn your mood around is to journal for a minimum of 30 seconds (and who doesn't have 30 seconds to spare?) and jot down anything you might be feeling.

What's great about journaling is, even if you only have a few minutes during your lunch break or before class to scribble down a few sentences, putting anxious thoughts to paper can be incredibly therapeutic. It's a physical way to take something so emotional inside your brain, and let it all out into the world.

7Take A Hot Yoga Class

Giphy

Endorphins make you happy, remember? Well, according to Donna Rubin, co-founder of bodē nyc, getting super sweaty in a yoga studio can also put you in a fabulous mood.

"Doing yoga, especially in heat, helps with SAD disorder because it flushes your brain with oxygenated blood and stimulates the release of hormones, which put you in a better mood," Rubin tells Elite Daily.

Because the studio can get as hot as 105 degrees, the body warms up through the movements and room temps, therefore stimulating the release of that feel-good hormone. Hey, it's worth a shot, right?

More From this publisher : HERE ; This post was curated using : TrendingTraffic

=> *********************************************** Source Here: 7 Ways To Feel Happier In The Winter When You Have Seasonal Affective Disorder ************************************ =>

7 Ways To Feel Happier In The Winter When You Have Seasonal Affective Disorder was originally posted by 16 MP Just news

#16 MP Just news

0 notes

centralparkpawsblog · 5 years ago

Text

How to Puppy Proof Your House

https://www.centralparkpaws.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/51kqZvQ4ooL.jpg

Last night I was at a Mom’s Night Out event and was chatting with a friend, Julie, about her new puppy.

She had adopted a little poodle mix in September and was telling me all about her puppy’s daily antics and challenges.

Julie said one of the biggest challenges in puppy training was when the kids were “watching” the puppy.

She said that her teens had about the same attention span as the pup, which resulted in the puppy wandering off find to find its own form of entertainment.

Also, she said that kids aren’t great about picking up after themselves, so several shoes, clothing, and a backpack have all suffered the wrath of a teething puppy.

How can you save your house from a puppy’s wrath?

Puppy Proofing Your Home

Puppy proofing your house before the arrival of your puppy is vital to both your puppy’s safety and your sanity.

Puppies explore their surroundings using all of their senses, sight, smell, taste, and feel. Puppies often pick up anything they see on the floor or ground.

Puppies don’t always chew on or pick up items with the sole intent of eating them.

Much of the time, they are figuring out if that item is edible, chewable, or something of no real interest.

Other puppies like Daisy will also explore by pushing things with their noses.

Daisy would smell something and then give the item a nudge with her nose before she decided to put said item in her mouth.

So, when considering how to best puppy proof your house, you need to consider, from a puppy’s level, what they may chew on, nose, or try and eat.

And when I say see things from their level, I mean get down on their level and see what might look appealing to a puppy.

Also, remember puppies can explore standing on their hind legs, so keep things way up out of their reach.

Additionally, when puppy-proofing your home consider using gates to help keep puppies confined to smaller areas of your home.

Using gates will do two things; first, it will help with housetraining, and second, it will make it easier to supervise your puppy’s activities.

Dangerous Items Puppies Chew On

Cords

Cords pose a significant danger for puppies.

They are often appealing because they are at the puppy’s level and usually hidden behind or under furniture.

The apparent threat for a puppy chewing on a cord is electrocution, but additionally, wires can be a choking hazard as well.

Easy ways to keep cords from being chewed on are:

Covering the cables with rugs

Taping the cords down

Attaching a cord channel over the cord to keep it protected and hidden

Product Recommendations

D-Line Cable Grip Strip Check Price

Belkin Cord Concealer Check Price

D-Line Cable Raceway Check Price

Chew Deterrent Sprays

Sprays can be used to deter dogs from chewing cords and other objects.

The drawback of using a spray is that it evaporates and requires consistent reapplication.

Product Recommendations

Rocco & Roxie No Chew Extreme Bitter Spray Check Price

Bodhi Dog Bitter Lemon Spray Check Price

Granicks Bitter Apple Taste Deterrent Check Price

Garbage and Recycle Bins

Dogs of all ages love getting into the trash, and why not?

I am sure it smells like a buffet of goodness, at least to them.

Not only is it a huge unwanted mess to clean up, but there are dangers in the garbage that can cause serious harm to your puppy. Things like:

Bones

Cans

Poisonous foods (A list can be found below)

Fatty foods (which can cause pancreatitis)

Because of my 29 pounds of Awesome, also known as Sophie, we have our garbage attached to the wall in four points (see image).

We previously only attached it at the top of the can but she literally ripped off the wall.

I’m not saying that you need to bolt your can to the wall like us.

Usually, a covered receptacle or one tucked behind a cupboard works just fine.

Common Hazardous or Toxic Household Items

House Plants

Several common house plants are considered safe for humans but are poisonous to our canine companions[1].

Some of these plants include:

Aloe

Emerald Feather

Asparagus Fern

Amaryllis

Ribbon Plant

Arrowhead vine

Dieffenbachia

For a full list of plants, both indoor and outdoor, check out the ASPCA website.

If you have any of these plants in your home, you will want to move them out of your puppy’s reach.

Also, even if a plant is safe for your puppy, be aware that they may see the planter as something fun to dig in. Daisy enjoyed digging, regardless if it was outside in the yard or a potted plant.

Trust me, it’s a huge mess you will want to avoid.

Air Fresheners

The majority of pet parents like using products listed as organic or natural; however, those two words do not equate to safe.

There are pet safe air fresheners, though

Most commercial air fresheners, including ones containing my beloved essential oils, often contain volatile organic compounds[2] (VOC).

Products that fall under the VOC heading are deemed hazardous or toxic according to US Federal law.

Air fresheners cause two potential dangers:

First, if your dog breathes in VOCs from air fresheners, it can cause significant respiratory issues.

And, second, if your puppy consumes the air freshener, it can cause severe GI upset, tremors, weakness, and unsteadiness.

By simply walking through a room air freshener has been used, a dog can pick it up on the bottoms of their feet.

Ingestion can happen just from your puppy licking their paws or fur after it comes in contact with the air freshener.

Remember that puppies are more sensitive than full-grown dogs, so please don’t assume that since your adult dog has not had any issues that it is equally safe for your puppy.

Cleaning Supplies

We may not always think about cleaning supplies because they are behind a cupboard door.

But dogs, especially bored puppies, can be tenacious and curious, which isn’t the best combination.

Additionally, if your puppy is hanging out with you while you clean, simply inhaling the fumes can cause harm to their respiratory system or cause skin irritations.

Also, like air fresheners, if a dog walks over or lays on surfaces that have been in contact with some of these chemicals, it can cause toxicity issues.

Common Chemicals Harmful to Dogs

Window Cleaner

Ammonia

Drain Cleaner

Products Containing VOCs

Products Containing Bleach

Oven Cleaner

Human Food

Many dog parents are familiar with some of the more common foods toxic to dogs, but if you are a new dog parent, you may not know that some of our favorite foods are not safe to share with your pooch.

Common Toxic Foods

Chocolate – The darker it is, the more toxic it is

Grapes and Raisins

Macadamia Nuts

Alcohol

Caffeine – Coffee, energy drinks, etc.

Xylitol – This is commonly found in gum, toothpaste, baked goods, and sugar-free foods[3]

Onions and Garlic

For a full list of foods not safe for your pup check out the ASPCA’s website.

Medications

As stated by the Pet Poison Hotline, 50% of the calls that come in are due to dog’s ingesting human medications.

Both prescription and over the counter (OTC) drugs can be toxic to dogs.

Puppies can chew right through child-proof caps!

Common medications that are harmful to dogs are:

Ibuprofen – Example: Advil or Naproxen

Acetaminophen – Example: Tylenol

Anti-Depressants

Blood Pressure Medications

ADD/ADHD Medications

Sleep Aids – Both OTC and Prescription

Thyroid Medications

Vitamins

If your dog consumes any medications not intended for them, you should call the Animal Poison Control Center at (855) 764-7661.

Harmful Products Found in the Garage or Shed

There is a multitude of products found in garages and sheds that are incredibly toxic to dogs.

Antifreeze – Antifreeze is said to have a sweet flavor that is very appealing to dogs. Even the smallest spills or drips of antifreeze can cause significant harm to your dog[5].

Weed and Pest Control Products – Though no one loves weeds, rodents, or insects invading their home or yard, these products pose a serious danger to your dog’s health. Keep in mind that many rodent control products use things like nut butter to entice the rodents to eat the poison. Many pups will find these equally appealing.

Paint and Varnish – Paint and varnishes are not only toxic when consumed, but the fumes can be hazardous to your dog’s health as well.

Fun Items to Chew on that Make Mom and Dad Upset

Not everything your dog is going to chew is harmful to their health, but that doesn’t mean we want them to chew on it.

Below are some common household items puppies enjoy gnawing on but pet parents would prefer they didn’t.

Furniture

Some puppies enjoy chewing on furniture, especially teething puppies.

Puppies enjoy chewing on harder objects to relieve the discomfort of teething.

If you find your puppy gnawing on your favorite piece of furniture you can:

Redirect them to an appropriate dog chew such as a teething bone or invite them to a game of puppy play.

Use a deterrent spray on the furniture your dog is attracted to. Be sure to test it in on a small area first to ensure that it won’t ruin your furniture.

Understand that to a puppy, furniture is no different to them than any other object. So, in the beginning, they will not decipher between appropriate and inappropriate chew items.

This is all part of puppy training.

If you have enrolled your puppy into a puppy class, they will likely be teaching you and your dog the “off” command, which will significantly help in saving your furniture.

Floor Lamps

Must have been a large puppy Photo by John Bracken (CC BY 2.0)

Daisy tipped over a floor lamp when she was a puppy and it scared both of us!

Thankfully, that scare was enough to keep her from nosing the lamp again.

We were fortunate that the lamp didn’t break on impact, but if it had, it would have been a massive mess of dangers glass.

To prevent your puppy from tipping a floor lamp, you will want to create a barrier so your puppy doesn’t have access to it.

Remote Controls

(Both for the Entertainment Center or Gaming Center)

Remotes are covered with our scent, making them a popular item dogs enjoy chewing.

In addition to needing to replace a chewed remote, there are a few possible dangers for your puppy.

The dangers of chewing on remotes are:

Cutting themselves on shards of plastic

Consuming parts or all of the remote

Chewing on or eating the batteries

So, keep those remotes up and out of your puppy’s reach.

Anything with Your Scent

Dogs love us, and when we are not around or available to play, dogs will seek out items that smell like their favorite humans.

You might be thinking, “Aww, how sweet?” but though it is sweet, it is also infuriating and sometimes dangerous to your dog.

Common Personal Items Dogs Love to Chew

Clothes

Shoes

Eye Glasses

Retainers

Hair Brushes

Cosmetics

Wallets

All of these items can cause choking hazards, but not all dogs eat what they chew on.

And you may be wondering if they love us so dang much why would they destroy the things that remind them of us?

It’s because chewing is a natural behavior and not seen as a negative thing.

I have a basket full of toys that look like they escaped misfit island because they’re missing various appendages, but I don’t chuck them because they are often my dog’s favorite toys.

The only way to prevent this is to put your stuff away in an area that is not accessible to your puppy.

Final Thoughts

When I was working as a dog trainer parents would come in and tell me about all the things their puppy chewed on like their cell phone, shoes, etc.

I always asked them, “Where was this object, and where were you?”

More often than not, my question was answered with an embarrassed silence.

It was not my intent to shame or embarrass the puppy parent, but instead to get them to think about who was truly at fault.

I know it can be quite emotional when you see the library book you checked out torn to pieces, but I guess I shouldn’t have left it at Daisy’s level before hopping in the shower.

We are all guilty of it, but we all need to remember who the parent is and who the puppy is.

It is called puppy training for a reason because they are puppies and don’t know any better

Remember, in the canine world, pretty much everything to a puppy is fair game to chew on, it’s only the human’s rules that make it taboo.

I know that this list feels overwhelming, but trust me, you will thank me later when you don’t have to replace your home furnishings, and you aren’t making a monthly visit to the emergency vet.

Your puppy loves you and doesn’t do things to get revenge or upset you; all they want is your love and attention.

Resources

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants

https://www.petmd.com/dog/care/air-fresheners-and-pets

https://www.petmd.com/dog/emergency/poisoning-toxicity/6-dangerous-and-surprising-items-contain-xylitol?page=3

https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-owners/basics/top-10-human-medications-poisonous-to-pets/

https://www.vets-now.com/pet-care-advice/antifreeze-poisoning-in-dogs/

The post How to Puppy Proof Your House appeared first on Central Park Paws.

from https://www.centralparkpaws.net/dog-training-tips/how-to-puppy-proof-house/

#dogs #cats #pets #reviews

0 notes

sustainhealthmagazine · 5 years ago

Text

Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder With These 7 Mood Boosting Tips

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Summer is slowly coming to an end and the long winter nights will soon be here! “SAD is a seasonal depression, in which sufferers feel depressed during the dark winter months, and experience relief during spring and summer. The symptoms can include feeling depressed, oversleeping, craving carbohydrates and sweet foods, and also lethargy.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

It is interesting that some animals hibernate during the winter and even those who don’t their activity can reduce. So it is thought that maybe SAD is a normal response to the winter months as it was helpful to our ancestors and that nowadays some people may be especially sensitive to the changes in season,” explains the UK’s leading Nutritionist and author of The Natural Health Bible for Women, Dr. Marilyn Glenville (www.marilynglenville.com).

Don’t let the winter months get you down – Our experts are here to help, with their top mood boosting tips…

1. Switch Up Your Snacks For Bananas And Peanuts

“Tryptophan is an important amino acid for mood and depression. Your body makes serotonin (the ‘feel good’ brain chemical) from tryptophan. Tryptophan occurs naturally in foods such as dairy products, fish, bananas, dried dates, soya, almonds and peanuts. Tryptophan is converted into serotonin unlike conventional anti-depressant which don’t ‘supply’ serotonin but act as SSRIs, serotonin reuptake inhibitors which keep the level of serotonin high in the brain,” explains Marilyn.

2. Don't Rely On The Sun For Vitamin D Between October To March

“You may be more affected by SAD because of a lack of vitamin D, as it is thought of as the ‘sunshine vitamin’. Vitamin D receptors are present in your central nervous system and vitamin D can affect neurotransmitters like serotonin, which are linked to depression.”

“We need exposure to sunlight within a specific UVB spectrum for the production of vitamin D through our skin and we struggle in the UK between October to March,” adds Marilyn.

If you can, get a liquid vitamin D3 and drop it under your tongue. It will go into the blood vessels under your tongue so it is absorbed quickly, rather than having to be digested if you take a capsule. Try NHP’s Vitamin D3 Support, (£12.97, www.naturalhealthpractice.com) free of preservatives, sweeteners and is suitable for pregnant women, children and adults.

3. Laughter Really Is The Best Medicine

Having a laugh is one of the best remedies for stress and low mood – it triggers healthy changes in our body. “Many studies show that laughter boosts our energy, decreases stress hormones, improves immunity and diminishes pain. But what’s very important for anyone, who is stressed or feeling down, is that laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the natural feel-good chemicals that make us happier and relaxed,” explains Marilyn.

4. Happy Gut = Happy Mind

“We’re learning more about the importance of the ‘friendly’ bacteria and other microbes that live in our gut. Our gut is often referred to as the body’s second brain as it is teaming with billions of bacteria that help influence immunity, mood, digestion and even brainpower,” explains Nutritionist and Fitness Instructor Cassandra Barns.

Natures Plus GI Natural Powder (£33.75, www.naturesplus.co.uk) goes far beyond the many microflora, enzyme, and gut health products on the market today. The highly active microflora, whole food enzymes and prebiotic fibre deliver powerful synergistic activity to ensure total digestive wellness, reducing oxidative damage in the gut and minimising the symptoms associated with gut issues.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

5. Bring The Light To You

“If you feel especially down on dark mornings, consider using a special light lamp alarm clock. The lamp gradually turns itself on (and gets brighter and brighter) to mimic natural dawn sunrise, to wake you up slowly before your alarm goes off. Research has shown people feel more positive and find it easier to get out of bed in the darker months after using this kind of device,” says Nutritionist, Cassandra Barns.

6. Stress Less

“When you are stressed your body releases the hormones cortisol and adrenaline so the more stressed you are the more of the hormone, cortisol is released that is connected to SAD,” explains Marilyn.

Top Tip: Nutritionist Alix Woods explains how CBD oil, such as the Cannabigold classic 500MG CBD oil (RRP £29.90, www.planetorganic.com), can help to stabilise your mood, “Studies show that CBD oil has a stabilizing effect on mood as it works on the endocannabinoid system, (ECS). The ECS is responsible for maintaining homeostasis in physiological processes like sleep, pain perception, memory, mood, digestion, cognition and immunity. For its mood enhancing effects it indirectly stimulates the 5-HT1A serotonin, ‘happy hormone’ cannabinoid receptors and exerts an anti-anxiety stable happy mood effect. The cannabinoid receptors targeted are the same receptors that anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medications target but without the side effects.”

7. Anyone Up For A Gym Class On Their Lunch Break?

“Exercise could be helpful in combating the symptoms of SAD as it helps to release brain chemicals called ‘endorphins’, which help us to feel happier, more alert and calmer. It may also be helpful to exercise during the daylight hours if you suffer from SAD e.g. lunchtime rather than early morning or evening so you get the benefit of the light as well as the exercise,” advises Marilyn.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

READ NEXT

#health #fitness #lifestyle #good health #brits

0 notes

gethealthy18-blog · 5 years ago

Text

How to Create a Morning Routine (That Lasts)

New Post has been published on https://healingawerness.com/news/how-to-create-a-morning-routine-that-lasts/

How to Create a Morning Routine (That Lasts)

I’ll admit — I am not naturally a morning person and if I didn’t have a family to take care of, my morning routine would probably look something like this:

Wake up when I feel like it, shower (alone without kids asking for breakfast), take supplements, drink coffee, go for a walk, eat breakfast, then start working.

My current state in life doesn’t allow me to have such a leisurely morning routine. In fact, all those things tend to be an unspoken message to my children to come ask for something!

But because of this, a morning routine is incredibly important for a productive day. I sometimes get asked how I “do it all” (which is simple enough to answer, because I don’t) but making the most of the morning hours goes a long way toward a productive and relatively stress-free day.

A Realistic Morning Routine for Moms

Oh the ever elusive morning routine … there are books about it and websites that sing its praises, and it always seems like such a great idea… until the alarm goes off. And while these tools are great, I felt like a more practical resource for moms like us was needed.

Most of the books and articles I’ve read about creating a morning routine talk about “thinking about what you need to get done that day” and “spending 30 minutes of quiet time meditation” or even “follow the exact same routine at the same time each day.”

Those are all well and good … unless you have a nursing baby, a potty-training toddler, an early morning dentist/doctor/vet appointment, or someone peed in his/her bed or spilled a gallon of maple syrup on the kitchen floor before you even woke up. (*Ahem.*)

Figuring Out Your Own Routine

I’m nowhere close to perfect at keeping a morning routine, but when I do, I definitely have a better day. Of course, our days vary quite a bit depending on scheduled activities and just by the nature of having young children around, but I’ve found that a 30-minute routine in the morning is doable if I plan ahead.

These are the factors that make the difference for me and I work everything else around these:

1. Get Up Before the Kids

To actually accomplish this routine, I find that I have to wake up before the kids by at least 30-45 minutes, which is easier said than done at times. Like I said, I’m not a morning person by nature and I don’t like getting up any earlier than I have to (aka, when the first child wakes up and asks for breakfast).

I am definitely a happier mom when I get some time to focus and have quiet before the hustle of the kids’ morning routine, and the early wake up is worth it.

2. Lemon Water

I’ve written before about the benefits of drinking lemon water in the morning, and how this can give you an energy boost, help promote good digestion and clear skin, and flush the body of waste that accumulated overnight. This water usually gives me a boost of energy and makes me less likely to want to head back to bed.

3. Pray, Journal, or Meditate in Natural Light

Focusing my thoughts through prayer, journaling, and meditation really helps me gain direction for my day and prepare for the chaos when the kids wake up. I’ve also tried the five minute journal in the morning and it is a quick way to journal effectively in a short amount of time while focusing on gratitude.

I try to do this outside in natural light if possible, or around a sun lamp (link to mine below). This was a tip from my doctor and the purpose is to help correct cortisol levels and balance the adrenals.

4. Exercise

Movement of some kind helps get the blood flowing. For me, this varies by day and may be as simple as stretching, rebounding, taking the dog for a walk, or may be sprints or swinging a kettlebell. It just depends on the day.

There are so many benefits to regular movement, and getting your blood flowing first thing helps you have more energy for the rest of the day. For me, this is the best time to workout before the kids wake up so I’m not dodging toddlers while trying to do a workout DVD or taking a parade of kids on a morning walk.

5. Shower

If I don’t shower before the kids wake up, it is usually a dry shampoo kind of day because there often isn’t time the rest of the day. When I do shower, I also dry brush before showering for an energy boost and softer skin.

6. My “Most Important Thing(s)”

Several books I’ve read have suggested figuring out the single most important task that must be done that day and writing it down so that you can tackle it first.

It is a great idea, but a single task was never realistic for me, so I always write my top three tasks for the day. Sometimes, they are as simple as finishing a few loads of laundry, or writing a blog post, but writing these down really helps them get done.

7. Breakfast

At this point, the kids are usually awake and I start preparing breakfast. I try to prepare something protein-rich that contains at least one vegetable. Check out my list of recipes if you need some healthy breakfast ideas.

How to Stay Motivated to Keep the Routine

I find it is often easier to “do it all” than to try to do some of it. It’s easier to have a schedule and clean the house, teach the kids, cook three meals, blog, work outside, and read a book all in one day than to only get one thing done and have everything else looming over me.

It’s the reason that baseball teams are more likely to hit when they’ve already been hitting, and athletes are more likely to win if they’ve already been winning.

Action breeds motivation, not the other way around.

The journey of a thousand miles does begin with a single step, but sometimes that first step (in any direction) is the most important.

An object in motion stays in motion (thanks Newton) and it is easier to adjust the course mid-step than to start moving in the first place.

Practical Application

So how do we apply this? How do we take the first step without waiting for another Monday? Pick baby steps and make them one at a time.

Don’t try to change your diet, lifestyle, and schedule completely overnight. That’s not practical and is completely overwhelming.

Decide on one baby step and start there. Drink lemon water, wake up a little earlier, quit drinking soda, walk for 15 minutes a day. Just make a small change and focus on that. To make sure it sticks, try tracking it with a habit app or in a journal.

Once you’ve done that for a few weeks, introduce another small change.

Make a list of the changes you eventually want to implement and work backward to implement them.

Plan the Day

I’ve found that I’m much more efficient if I have a pre-planned schedule and checklist for each day. Creating a rough daily outline enables me to focus on those items that are most important and assign chores to the kids to help get everything accomplished that needs to be done for home management.

How I Manage Our Daily Routine

I keep all the information I need to run our household and stay healthy in one place. I have lists for cleaning, organization, major chores, etc. and I store all of this in the notes app on my phone for easy reference. While I used to keep everything on printed pages in a binder (which I termed “the football”), I now find myself using my iPhone to keep track of these items since I always have it with me, and especially for meal planning, which is so easy now!

In this binder/my phone I keep:

my daily outline & schedule

important tasks & top 3 things to accomplish

weekly routine of cleaning & other tasks

monthly items that occur once a month

meal plan for the week

my health journal

room cleaning checklists

daily chores

I recommend printing out a list of daily tasks and referring to it often (or keeping them organized on your phone for easy reference). Mine include: Daily Outline Sheet, Daily Chores Sheet, Weekly Routine Sheet, Monthly Routine Sheet, Meal Plan Sheet, and Room Cleaning Sheet, along with my daily “To-Do List” Sheet. (Get all of those printables here.)

What My Typical Day (Usually) Looks Like

As I mentioned earlier, my daily routine can vary from day to day, but it typically includes some of the following:

My Morning Routine

Around 7 a.m.: Wake up and drink a glass of warm water with lemon or salt. Take a swig of sesame oil or coconut oil for oil pulling. Dry brush skin and hop in to shower (or do a sauna session with the hubby if time allows before showering).

In shower: Still swishing for oil pulling. Oil cleansing on face, use homemade soap on skin and clay shampoo on hair.

Get out of shower, spit out oil, rinse with salt water, and brush teeth with remineralizing toothpaste. If needed, I also use a lotion bar on my skin. This is also when I make time to get some wave vibration and use my red light to get my lymphatic system functioning optimally.

If I don’t have time for a shower, I use homemade dry shampoo and DIY beach waves spray and throw on some homemade deodorant. Since almost everything is homemade, my bathroom counter is filled with glass jars filled with homemade products … not fancy, but it works. If you’d like to try some of the DIY beauty recipes I use, you can find them all here.

7:45ish: Then, I spend some time outside or in front of the 10,000 lux light while I pray/meditate and journal. (This doesn’t happen every day but it is really helpful when it does).

Family Morning Routine

8:00 a.m.: Family breakfast time! I try to cook a protein-rich breakfast (usually one of these recipes). We take most supplements at breakfast time, so I give these out too.

8:30-11:00 a.m.: Morning time includes exercise with the kids, school time, time outside for the vitamin D/barefoot time, etc. Also includes morning chores for all of us.

Afternoon Routine

Keeping a solid routine the rest of the day makes a morning routine possible. Our routine doesn’t end at noon …

12:00 p.m.: Lunch time is usually some form of salad with protein or leftovers from the night before.

1:00-4:00 p.m.: Afternoon is work time and time to get the house clean(ish), fold laundry, and play with kids. I also usually make any needed household supplies during this time or do regular kitchen jobs like brewing kombucha or water kefir, restocking my pantry order, etc.

Evening and Bedtime Routine

5:30 p.m.: Family dinner time. We try to eat early to give our bodies time to digest before the kids go to bed.

6:15 p.m.: Family time until the kids go to bed. We all do evening chores and bathe and get PJs on. About an hour before bed we dim the lights and start putting aways electronics to start winding down for sleep. Often, we take magnesium and drink herbal teas in the evening before bed. I also rub magnesium oil on kids (and my own) feet before bed to help improve sleep and take a probiotic before bed most nights.

8:00 p.m.: Kids go to bed. The husband and I get some time to talk, and I try a few nights a week at least to take some time for a little more self-care. I might take a bath for relaxation after the kids go to bed or do another red light therapy session to wind down.

Of course, this day just includes the health aspects and doesn’t include the running kids to activities, extra chores that need to be done, appointments, etc., but it gives the very basics I try to stick to daily. Most of these extra things happen in the afternoon window so they don’t interfere with our routine too much.

Bottom Line: If At First You Don’t Succeed …

Try, try again!

With homeschooling and working from home, our routine allows us to get everything done with the least amount of stress. This exact routine won’t work for you, and it took me quite a while through different stages of kids to find what’s working now.

Hopefully these examples will be helpful in finding your own optimal morning routine. The important is to start experimenting and stick with what works for your situation and stage in life.

If you’re looking for a little extra help resetting or creating a routine that works for a family, the book A Mother’s Rule of Life has been extremely helpful to me in finding balance and sticking to a routine in all aspects of my life. I’ve found this book to be beneficial to all mothers for the organization and daily routine suggestions.

Do you have a morning routine? What does it look like?

Source: https://wellnessmama.com/55187/morning-routine/

0 notes

theleaderdotinfo-blog · 6 years ago

Text

Overcoming Seasonal Affective Disorder During the Hard Winter Months has been published at http://www.theleader.info/2019/01/12/overcoming-seasonal-affective-disorder-during-the-hard-winter-months/

New Post has been published on http://www.theleader.info/2019/01/12/overcoming-seasonal-affective-disorder-during-the-hard-winter-months/

Overcoming Seasonal Affective Disorder During the Hard Winter Months

At first glance, seasonal affective disorder (or SAD) seems like “the blues” in capital letters. Psychology Today defines it as “a type of recurrent major depressive disorder in which episodes of depression occur during the same season each year,” usually the fall and winter months. Symptoms include feelings of hopeless, irritability, changes in appetite, and even suicidal thoughts. It makes life a real struggle when the weather is cold and the sunlight is scarce. Overcoming this disorder is not easy, though common practices associated with self-care go a long way in achieving that. Self-care techniques should include healthy eating, exercise, meditation, getting enough sleep, and giving your mood a quick boost through pleasurable activities, such as having a massage or getting a haircut. Here’s a closer look at how these measures, along with others, help sufferers of this mental illness get through the hard times and hopefully learn to smile again. Eat the Right Foods And a writer with EatingWell has a few recommendations linked to the causes of the disorder itself. According to research, it’s caused by a lack of vitamin D, which is normally produced in the skin when exposed to sunlight. Fatty fish contain that vitamin in high amounts, as do fortified milk and egg yolks. Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids may also help. Spend Time Outside Of course, if vitamin D is produced thanks to the skin’s exposure to the sun, then heading outdoors in the morning or afternoon makes a lot of sense, even if it’s only for an hour or two during your lunch break. The resulting increase in mood will only be enhanced by the wildlife and trees that give nature its endless charm. Find a Fun Physical Activity Those who suffer from SAD often have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, let alone going for a jog. However, as exercise is known to relieve symptoms of depression and boost one’s mood, it’s a necessary part of any therapy. The key is to find something enjoyable, such as a team sport, for example — this could provide all the motivation necessary you need. Practice Mindfulness One of the most accessible ways to practice mindfulness is through meditation. One woman who suffered from years of depression turned to this ancient practice by following instructions via a smartphone app after medication failed her. In the Washington Post, she shares how her negative thought patterns began to change for the better after just one week. Develop a Sleep Routine A sleep routine starts with a strict bedtime, then sticking to it every evening. There are ways to induce drowsiness and doze off more quickly, such as taking a warm shower, sipping an herbal infusion, or reading a book. Of course, consuming caffeine late in the day is a definite “no.” These efforts should lead to healthy sleep and the mood regulation it brings. Hang Out with Friends Depressive disorders tend to keep their victims shut inside their own home, too tired, and anxious to pursue a social life. However, that only exacerbates the symptoms, whereas a meal or a drink with the gang would do a world of good, and it’s worth making a regular thing. Wake Up with a Dawn Simulator This is little more than a lamp that lightens up gradually in the morning, mimicking the rising sun during the spring. The goal is to trick your body into thinking that it’s waking into a warmer and brighter day. A light box can be used for a quick pick-me-up whenever necessary. The warm weather will be back soon, along with the healing rays of the spring sun. This should provide some hope, and with some help, seasonal affective disorder sufferers don’t have to dread the rest of the winter. It can be wonderful with the right lifestyle changes. Image via Pexels

#Depression #SAD #seasonal affective disorder

0 notes

sauradevelopers · 6 years ago

Text

7 Tips to Properly Light Your Office <a href="https://www.savidevelopers.com">Savi Developers</a>

There is no such thing as “the perfect office.” There is, however, such thing as having an office that’s lit well enough for your employees to perform their best every day. Here are several tips for properly lighting your office.

Follow Regulations

Did you know that there are regulations concerning the lighting of your workplace? It’s always wise to talk to a professional regarding these laws. Laws that you could potentially break if they aren’t up to regulation standard. Following these laws and regulations is the best thing you can do for your office.

2.LEDs

It is well known by now (by nearly everyone) that LED lights are significantly brighter and far less expensive than regular incandescent bulbs and fluorescent tubes. While they may have been expensive in the past, they are far more affordable these days – considering they are brighter than regular bulbs in every single way.

Remove Flickering Lights

Flickering and buzzing lights are annoying and distracting. For anyone. It can even cause tremendous eye strain, as it forces our eyes to focus more. This puts undue weight on our eyes and causes headaches more frequently, affecting work quality. This problem can easily be solved by upgrading your lighting system to LED light fixtures. You can use the help of commercial lighting suppliers who will swap out all your fixtures with LED alternatives, which are more cost-effective and health efficient in the long run.

4.Color Temperature

Believe it or not, there’s a science behind or circadian rhythm (sleep clock). Notice how you get tired usually when there’s a low level of light (including screens)? Having low light levels and blue levels will instantly make employees and colleagues feel far more tired than they should be during working hours. This is why color temperatures (such as 5000k to 6000k) are perfect for maintaining the “feeling” of natural sunlight to prevent sleepiness.

Take Care of Shadows

Shadows have a tendency to pop up where you least expect them – and where you least want them. To prevent this, overhead lighting will reduce the shadowy spots that regular desk lamps and floor lamps can’t get rid of. At the same time, lighting that has the same hue, temperature and “feel” as all the other lighting feels very flat and uninspiring. Uniform lighting, as it’s called, is great for making offices feel predictable, boring and bland.

Tasks

Each department inside the office needs its own lighting system specific for that department’s function. This is why it’s necessary to have separate lighting systems within the office, instead of an open plan office with one overhead fluorescent lighting system.

Use Natural Light

By far, the best way to properly light your office is to use daylight. Not only because daylight is one of the brightest sources of light, and not only does it adequately fulfill our daily vitamin D requirements, but because it can increase office productivity and usefulness. Lighting offices naturally cuts down the use of electrical lighting, as well, which reduces your electric bill.

Conclusion

Without an office space lit for concentration and productivity, your workers won’t feel like doing what they can to help your business thrive and succeed. Implementing these lighting tips can help you to inspire your workers. As we’ve just reviewed, these tips don’t take a lot of work to implement and can be easily done in a few days’ time.

The post 7 Tips to Properly Light Your Office appeared first on The Architects Diary.

from The Architects Diary http://bit.ly/2H1u6SK via SAVI Developers

#https://www.savidevelopers.com #The Architects Diary <a href=>Savi Developers</a>

0 notes

nisestylez · 7 years ago

Photo

40+ Chic Classy Nail Art Ideas

In the sea of ideas for decorating and upgrading nails, its more and more hard for ladies to make choices. Workers in the salons have become true masters in their work because they make a real little masterpiece on women’s hands. There is a lot of ideas, and in our gallery you will see some of the ideas that this week were very interested and did not leave us indifferent.

Whether you prefer long or short nails, they must first of all be tidy. And then should be colored. If you do not have a lot of time and you’re in a hurry, use a simple nail polish and get out, but do not leave hands careless. You may believe that you do not have time for that, that you are more than that, but really you will feel more secure if you put nail polish. If you feel better, you will have more confidence. And if you have confidence, it’s easy to get everything that you want.

Very femine manicure, the color is gentle and the diamond glow makes it very luxurious.

Source

Almond shape for nails is still the absolute hit, especially among the younger generation. Since entered on the big door in the world of manicure, its popularity has not diminished. Whether the nails are shorter or longer, with this shape will be extremely modern. The oval and square fingernails are superfluous because they are classic in the world of manicure. With this form there is no mistake, you only have to choose the shape that best suits your fingers and the shape of the nail plate.

If you upgrade nails every month, for at least a week make a break between two upgrades. And during this time, treat your nails with protective and nutritious creams. In this way, regardless of constant filing, it will remain strong and health.

Keratin is an integral part of hair and nails. If your body produces more keratin, your nails will be healthier and stronger. Hair too. Milk is one of the most important foods for strong hair and nails. Because of the lack of iron, your nails may be brittle. Milk is rich in calcium, proteins, vitamin D and biotin, and will greatly contribute to your nails and hair. Eggs also contain biotin and iron, so also consume them. Carrot and pumpkin are rich in vitamin A. Foods rich in vitamin A will make nails less dry . Hydration is very important. Drink lot of water, thanks to water nutrients from these foods are transferred to the nail and hair follicles.

Green leafy vegetables contain vitamins A and C. Eat cloves and spinach. Vitamin C helps absorption of iron in the body. Vitamin A accelerates hair growth, and vitamin C is good for the health of the skin of head.

As you can see, our lifestyle, the food we enter, physical activity, greatly affect the health of our entire body, and so hair and nails. Eat healthy, drink plenty of water and do sports – your body will be grateful to you. This will also affect your exterior. Enjoy each day and love yourself.

Spring manicure, very delicate details like flowering branches are very pleased.

Source

If you want to be sexy and desirable, this manicure is the right choice. No one will remain indifferent.

Source

Metallic-colored nails broke the monotony of the French manicure.

Source

Earth tones like brown and beige have not been out of fashion for years. They are popular, trendy and easy to combine with wardrobe and makeup.

Source

With such short nails you will do all the activities very easily.

Source

Monochrome matte manicure looks very rich thanks to numerous golden rings.

Source

And short nails can be remarkably sharpened. There is almost no warderobe with which this manicure will not go well.

Source

Ladies with style will not bypass this manicure.

Source

One of the most famous brands of nail polish is Zoya. These lacquers do not contain formaldehyde, formaldehyde wafer, dibutyl phthalate, camphor and toluene.

Source

Zoya nail polishes do not contain harmful substances and pregnant women can freely use them.

Source

One more example of how effective jewelry affects the visual experience of manicure.

Source

Almond shaped nails are very sensual and provocative. Combine different styles in painting, freely combine classic French manicure with metallic shades, zircons and Indian patterns.

Source

If you are a fan and Glisten & Glow you have no reason to worry. This brand offers everything from nail polishes, to balms for cuticle, nail and hand care products. They have a wide range of quality products that you can see on their site.

Source

The shine and rhinestones enriches everything so the manicure. If you are indecisive and do not know which pattern to draw on your nails, simply sprinkle the jewels and it will be quite enough.

Source

Flower details are especially popular during spring and summer.

Source

Blue and pink combinations can be performed in various ways, childish, gentle but also very classical and feminine.

Source

If you do not have time to color your nails every third evening, choose a gel nail polish that varies in UV lamps and lasts up to three weeks.

Source

The black and white combination is evergreen in every aspect of fashion.

Source

Beige tones stand well to everybody, and they are very gentle. Thanks to them, hands look very nurtured.

Source

Here’s another sophisticated way to combine black and white.

Source

Manicure with marble effect has gained many fans among the members of the more beautiful sex.

Source

Complete the glamorous look of red matte nails with an effective gold ring.

Source

Gold tones and rhinestones look very luxurious and powerful with whatever color to combine.

Source

Very gentle, almost imperceptible ombre. Its popularity is the same today as the first time when appeared.

Source

Golden nails are a modern solution for a luxurious manicure. This color is synonym for wealth and luxury. It leaves no one indifferent. The golden color looks very nice in autumn and winter months, but be free to take it whenever you want to look elegant.

Source

Black is a temperamental shade that will highlight your individualism.

Source

Dots are the old all-knowing way to decorate your nails.

Source

Gentle colors that spill over into each other. Very skillfully made manicure with effective pattern.

Source

The white polish is sensational and chic. When you are saturated with strong and pastel shades, choose white color.

Source

Neon colors emphasize tanned skin and stand nicely on any length of nail.

Source

You can get metallic manicures in many ways. You can choose between the nail polish in these colors, and some metallic nail films.

Source

You can get a very elegant manicure with a combination of different shades of one color.

Source

In order not to be a monotone, this manicure is complemented with the same color just glossy at the base of the nail.

Source

A modern version of the French manicure. Two shades do not have a clear passage and gray color is used instead of white on top.

Source

The lace on the nails looks very elegant but in combination with this dark red color look and very extravagant.

Source

If you marry, choose manicure like this, for example. The lace was created for brides.

Source

Extravagant green with extravagant rhinestones. For the best effect, combine matte and glossy shades.

Source

The world of fashion will never be oversaturated of shine, jewels and the color of gold.

Source

French manicure is always a popular and good choice for every occasion.

Source

The combination of nude shades and gold colors looks a bit exotic.

Geometry always finds places in fashion. Lines, triangles, squares can all be placed on a nail.

Source

The manicure for the most important day of life can look like this.

Source

The dark lines and geometric shapes made this slightly boring manicure more effective.

Source

Violet color with diamond gloss is a common choice of ladies of all age groups.

Source

Another matte manicure that has been made more effective thanks to effective rings. Hmmmm or vice versa?

Source

https://nicestyles.ca/art/nail-art/40-chic-classy-nail-art-ideas/

#Art #Classy #Ideas #Nail

0 notes

fearoffailure123 · 7 years ago

Text

How 5 Real Women Cope With Seasonal Affective Disorder

This winter, most of us have had days when it was tough to get out of bed in the morning, or we felt a little gloomy looking out the window in the afternoon and realizing that the sun was already on its way down.

But for some women, winter brings on something more serious than just a temporary dip in energy or mood. The arrival of cold, dark days triggers seasonal affective disorder. SAD, as it's known, is related to depression, but symptoms only occur during certain times of the year—most often, during the winter months.

RELATED: These Are the 5 Top-Rated Light Therapy Boxes for Seasonal Depression on Amazon

Cold temperatures can play a role, says Angelos Halaris, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at Loyola University Health System. But for most people with SAD, the biggest factor is the dearth of sunlight. “With SAD, there’s a lack of motivation to engage in regular activities, to go to work or see friends or do things that are normally fun,” says Dr. Halaris. “You aren’t seeking out pleasurable activities, whether it’s sex or social activities or exercise or just getting out of the house.”

For people with SAD, the cold weather months pose very real emotional and physical challenges. We spoke with 5 women who opened up about how they are coping with this reality now, in the middle of winter.

“I have crying outbursts for no reason”

“When it’s cold and dark outside, I feel depressed: I have crying outbursts for no reason, everything feels heavy, and my body physically hurts. The thought of getting dressed in all those layers to just leave the house—and then get where I’m going and take all those layers off again—just feels like so much work, it’s overwhelming. This past weekend I actually went out with a friend, but half an hour later I just wanted to go home and be in bed next to the radiator.

RELATED: 8 Ways to Cope With Seasonal Affective Disorder

I’ve been to therapy a few times, and the seasons have come up as part of the reason I feel this way. I know that I feel better when I go to the gym, but it’s hard to motivate myself to get out of the house, and I usually just feel too tired. I’m still hopeful I can find something else that helps, besides just sticking it out and waiting for the spring and summer.”

—Maia Senderowitsch, PR professional

“Lately I've been the most negative and bitter person”

“I’m from Los Angeles but moved to London last year to be with my British husband. The move to a cold, rainy, and gray destination has been extremely challenging, especially because I work from home. This winter, I’ve felt low energy and had no motivation to go outdoors—which only enhances my feelings of depression. I’m usually very positive, but lately I’ve been the most negative and bitter person. It feels very taboo to complain about the weather, but when I see it snowing outside it makes me want to cry.

RELATED: 12 Types of Depression, and What You Need to Know About Each

My husband recommended I buy a SAD light, and I’ve started spending time in front of it while I work in the mornings. And I’ve finally managed to establish a workout routine at a studio down the street from my house, which definitely helps. But I’m genuinely considering moving back to Southern California because the effects of the weather are too much; they’ve even impacted my productivity levels for my business. Everything feels foggy and it's difficult to focus.”

—Alexandra Jiminez, travel blogger

“The shorter days put me in this terrible inertia”

“There’s something very real about the way the shorter days put me into this terrible inertia. Recently, I posted on Facebook about how the combination of seasonal affective disorder, my therapist closing her practice, and a number of other variables was making it so that I was having a hard time leaving my apartment and walking literally around the corner to my office.

But just talking about it, and getting so many responses from people reaching out or offering advice, really did help me feel less alone and less depressed. I’ve also been taking Vitamin D and trying to exercise; finding a workout class right down the street has been helpful, since there’s not the added hurdle of getting in the car and driving somewhere."

—Sari Botton, writer and editor

RELATED: What Is High-Functioning Depression, and Could You Have It?

"SAD feels like anxiety and depression"

“For me, SAD feels like anxiety and depression specifically during, and triggered by, the winter months. Feeling more anxious than usual or more frequently depressed and low-energy can be signs of SAD, as well as having these feelings for persistent lengths of time as opposed to a day here or there.

Many years ago, I was speaking with a co-worker about feeling low during the winter months, and she said she was reading a book about SAD called Winter Blues. She loaned it to me and it was very enlightening. I got a light box and began using it (and recently wrote about my experience). It's meant to mimic sunlight, so it's definitely not the same as just staring at an ordinary lamp.

I strongly feel that the positive effects of using a light box begin pretty quickly, after only about two weeks. Consistent use helps, too, so it's not just about sitting in front of the light box when you feel blue, but making it a daily part of your routine. And definitely for some people it might not be the sole way to address their SAD—maybe using a light box along with other treatment like medication or therapy might be helpful."

—Luisa Colon, writer

“I have a limited amount of energy every day”

“As every August comes to a close, I start to feel this rising sense of panic; my chest feels heavy knowing what’s coming over the next few months. For a long time I thought it was normal to feel this way, but through therapy I’ve been able to understand that it's actually a response to knowing that my day-to-day life is about to get much harder.

RELATED: 10 Signs You Should See a Doctor for Depression

That’s one thing I want people to know: For a lot of people, Fall isn’t just a beautiful crisp, autumnal, pumpkin spice time; it’s the beginning of a month-long process of building coping mechanisms to get through the winter. For example, I take a very low dose of Zoloft for anxiety year-round, but I up my dose in September and lower it back down in April when I’m starting to feel my energy come back.

I think people also don’t realize how tired you get with SAD: The idea of leaving the house after 5 p.m. seems impossible to me most nights. I feel like I have a limited amount of energy each day, and in the winter, there’s no way to recharge. If I blow through it too early, it’s going to be a real trudge for the rest of the day.

To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Healthy Living newsletter

It could be easy for me to think, ‘There’s something wrong with me,’ but I’ve learned that it’s not actually me; it’s a disorder that I live with. In one sense, that mindset helps me suck it up and get out of bed or leave the house and socialize, but in another it allows me give myself some slack and not push myself too hard.”

—Shana Gozansky, theater director

0 notes