#so i am definitely gluten sensitive

[guinevereslancelot]

gf gf (gluten free girlfriend)

[suzieb-fit]

It's been a very long, pretty challenging day.

Two workouts, then a 43 mile bike ride.

I wish I could say that means i will get a good night's sleep. But hey, who am I kidding? 😋

The ride itself was pretty tough, but made tougher still with a bad symptom flare up.

I decided recently to start adding the foods back in, that the intolerance test said I was sensitive to. That's separate to the gluten thing, lol. Definitely need to stay off that. I've been ok so far. Apples, peas, brazils and bananas don't seem to have much of an effect. A little bit maybe, but nothing serious. Today I tried soya. Had my costa made with soya milk. Huge, big fat NOPE. Ugh. Seriously messed me up! I was dreadful all the way back home on the bike. Still not good now. Cycling itself can set me off, but I was ok on the way there. Had the costa.....bang 😳.

No biggie. I can live without soya, just as I can live without gluten.

I'm exhausted! But it's the positive kind, after an active day and lots of time outside. Even if I desperately wanted it to be over and done with long before it was 😂

Good, healthy food, good fast time, good amount of exercise.

Forget the yucky part of today, I have those three fabulous reasons to smile!

[psychicreadsgirl]

BTS Park Jimin 2023 - 2024 Reading

This is what I can pick up from Jimin for his 2023 - 2024 year.

Health

Jimin's mental health for this period is like a swinging pendulum. Some days he's doing great. Other days he's suffering a lot with depressing/negative thoughts like about his looks/future etc. While he has tried to seek help, I am sensing that he doesn't find the help to be very useful and feels that counselling/therapy is a waste of his time. Perhaps he hasn't met the right therapist/counsellor for him or is scared that they will leak information about him, but it is best that he continue to seek help.

Jimin often feels very insecure about his future and about himself. This unfortunately makes him very anxious at times and also can make him jealous of those around him who seem to have it better/easier than him. He has a habit of comparing himself with others and forgetting about his own achievements. Jimin's constant comparing makes his mental health suffer too as he frequently feels he's not good enough or will never be enough.

Jimin's physical health is improving a bit as he is more focused on exercising and diet. However, his desire to maintain a certain look/weight can be unhealthy when taken to the extreme. He can be prone to overexercising, leading to injuries or a loss of weight that's too much for him. He can also resort to extreme dieting, especially during promotions.

Jimin's heart is on the weak side, so he may be prone to heart problems/blood circulation issues when he is older. Jimin is also prone to osteoporsis so it's important for him to intake calcium etc. Jimin's skin is starting to be more sensitive and his body is also becoming more sensitive to different types of food. He may develop some food allergies or intolerance of some types of food in the near future like potentially lactose products or gluten.

Jimin's digestive system is also weak. He often is constipated and bloated. It's no surprise that he had acute appendictis in the past. If he eats the wrong types of food like ones that are hard to digest for him/triggers his intestines or stomach, he will feel a lot of aching around his abdomen. He may also experience bladder urgency due to triggering food. He should avoid eating medicine without intaking food and definitely should not mix alcohol or take medicine with tea/coffee/alcohol etc. He's more prone to getting stomach/intestine/digestion related problems than the other members.

Family

During this period, there will be some tension between Jimin and his brother. For some reason they will likely have a lot of misunderstandings and miscommunication. There's an aspect of broken telephone at play. Jimin will feel that his parents side with his brother, while his brother will feel that Jimin needs to grow up/mature. The siblings may grow distant during this time.

Jimin may also experience some health problem within the family/some sort of unfortunate event related to a family member. It is possible for him to take some time off to spend time with family.

There may also be a wedding coming up within his extended family, which he's likely to attend.

Other

Jimin will run into some difficulties with his management company/executives/staff. He will feel pulled in many directions from now till 2024. Some things are not by his choice or were not done with his consent. He will often feel that his voice isn't being heard at work and at times he will feel like he is only a puppet of this company. He may feel the urge to break this contract earlier or not renew the contract. However, as of now, he is fearful of the repercussions of breaking the contract earlier and is really worried about not renewing the contract. The last time he renewed he felt very, very pressured by the management company to renew and also by fans and the media. While he appreciates being in BTS, he is not sure whether the concept of a group can be forever. He doesn't want to be forever known as BTS' Jimin. He wants to try to pave his own road and see what his own endeavors will take him.

In a way, Jimin feels rather caged by the name "BTS". He feels he is only defined by BTS, and whatever he does is in the name of BTS, not Park Jimin. It's as if whatever achievement that he has so far is because he's BTS' Jimin, not Park Jimin. Jimin is not as close to the members as before. In fact all of them have sort of gone their own separate paths.

Jimin is worried that what the management company has promised him will not actually happen. While he is happy that he had his solo, he feels that there were many things that could have been done better. He cant' help but compare himself with the other members and compare what the company has provided to the other members versus to him. As of now Jimin doesn't feel like he's getting entirely what he signed up for after the group renewed. He doesn't feel entirely appreciated by the company too and he doesn't have the confidence that he is headed in the right direction for his solo career. He is extremely worried that eventually he will be replaced by younger idols and will also be forgotten when he enters the military.

[bogunicorn]

cw for talk about weight, food, disordered eating, mental health, suicidal feelings (but only a little)

i am no longer the heaviest i've ever been.

i weighed myself... at some point earlier this year. the months are such a blur i honestly don't know. but i definitely was, at some point in 2023, 386 or 389 pounds, and i had a big breakdown about almost being 390 which is almost 400, because i've got it in my brain that 400lbs is some kind of moral point of no return or something. (it is not. if you're reading this and you're 400lbs+, please don't use my feelings about my own body as a judgement on yours. my depression and self-dislike is not a reflection on other people and does not mean that i'm actively judging other people. it just means that i, personally, am very physically uncomfortable and unwell. i hate that i feel like i need a disclaimer in this part but i know how sticky this is and i want to be extra careful. good? good.)

anyway, i weighed myself today just for the fuck of it, and i'm 379. so now i don't get to use "i'm the fattest i've ever been" to bludgeon myself with. granted, i've lost that weight by Being Poor and Depressed, basically; i've developed, like... just kind of an apathy. i don't have cravings, i no longer have the urge to binge, i don't get anxious or sad when i don't feel like finishing my food anymore (which was often the cause of binging, the feeling that if i don't finish my food i'm wasting it and therefore Bad and Stupid).

i've talked to my wife, because we're grocery shopping today or tomorrow, and i've decided to try going gluten- and dairy-free again. if i don't really care what i'm eating, i might as well eat healthier and be kinder to my insides. right now i'm literally only eating gluten and dairy because it's easy to get my hands on and i've been avoiding food until i'm actually sick, not because i want to eat it, and it's just doing nasty things to my stomach.

i also have a GP appointment in february and want to talk about food sensitivities, because i'm sick all the time. i ordered a new blank journal just to track my food and my stomach issues and menstrual stuff. no measurements, no calorie-counting, no concentrated attempts to lose weight. i want the best possible medical advice when i see my doctor, and have 6 months of information when i get there will really help, i think.

usually when i'm like "i'm gonna get healthy", it feels like this massive chore and i'm very put upon about it and resentful about giving things up. but i don't really feel like that this time? food feels neutral, finally. the idea of giving up gluten/dairy and then using that as an excuse not to snack is strangely comforting? i have to be careful that i don't swing the other way into complete avoidance, but that's what the tracking is for. i also saved some food prep containers on my amazon wishlist to buy when i have money.

i feel like some part of my brain just, like, snapped and went, "you can get your shit together or you can kill yourself but you have to pick one." and i want to be happier. i want to live. so i guess i'm getting my shit together.

I also deleted all my diet and fasting apps. that's a firm boundary I need to set for myself. no calorie tracking, no deliberate fasting.

[sweetwitchythings]

Kitchen Witchery: Basil Pesto Lasagna

If you know anything about me, you'll know that I love being in the kitchen! I love trying new recipes and cooking, especially if it's part of my craft. So I thought maybe I would post a couple of my favorite recipes that I use to enchant for my family. My whole family loves this delicious lasagna that I made the other day, and it's super easy and not too expensive to make. If you're a witch on a budget, then you'll definitely appreciate the yummy leftovers from this meal!

I do not have any dietary restrictions, but my sibling has a gluten sensitivity, so if I make it for them, I substitute the regular noodles for certified gluten-free noodles. If you're vegan or vegetarian, I'm sure you can substitute the meat and cheese with something else, but I am not either of those things and don't know anyone who is, so I don't really have any suggestions for substitutions on those. So! Without further ado, let's get into the recipe! I will also list the correspondences that I associate with all of these ingredients, as well as common associations.

This recipe makes a rather large pan of lasagna, so feel free to downsize. My family has several people in it, so I often make larger meals to accommodate.

You will need:

Oven-bake lasagna noodles (I associate prepared foods with pretty much anything. Just sent your intention on this ingredient and keep going. Since pasta soaks up whatever it's put in, I like to think that pasta specifically is kinda like a white candle: it can mean anything!)

2 jars of tomato sauce, in any flavor you like! Witch tip: Get a glass jar to use for spells later! It's a super good way to recycle! (Tomatoes are acidic, so I associate them with protection. People often associate them with love, especially sex, but it's all about your intention, so it doesn't have to mean that for this particular recipe.)

Ground meat of your choice, a larger size package if you're feeding a lot of people. I like ground turkey because it's less oily, but I've also used ground beef and I'm sure ground chicken would work too. I like to give special thanks when I make something with meat, to the universe and to Life and the cycle of Life. (I don't really have an association for meat, so sorry about this one.)

Ricotta cheese, in a regular sized container. Last time I made it, I accidentally got a small container and it wasn't enough in my opinion. (Cheese is filled with protein, which means strength and resilience to me, so that's what I associate it with.)

Small jar of basil pesto. You won't use all of it for this recipe, so the smallest one will be just fine. (Basil is a very versatile herb, so you can use it for many things! I usually try to make the whole recipe mean similar things, as to not muddle the intentions, so I would recommend setting a protection or banishment intention for this one. Also, pesto is usually made with olive oil, which is sacred to certain deities, so extra magick is involved!)

Mozzarella cheese, shredded. You're welcome to shred your own, but this witch has chronic pain, so bagged is the way for me! I use low-moisture, personally. I get about 2 pounds of it. (More cheese means more strength!)

The recipe:

Put your choice of meat in a large pot or pan to brown. Break it up to ensure even cooking and stir clockwise to manifest your intention. For the sake of an example, I'm going to use my intention from the other night, which was strength and protection. Preheat your oven as the directions on the back of the oven-ready lasagna tells you to.

While the meat/substitute is cooking, get out the rest of your ingredients and set them out to make things easier to reach.

Get out a good-sized mixing bowl, large enough to fit the entire container of ricotta cheese. Open up the container and dump the whole thing in there. Mix in about two or three large spoonfuls of the basil pesto with a spatula or mixing spoon. I wouldn't recommend using a slotted spoon, because that cheese can be hard to wash off, especially if you don't have a dishwasher. Think about your intentions as you stir. I personally like to imagine power in the form of white or yellow light coming from my heart/chest, down my arm, into the spoon and into the mixture, filling it with intention.

After your meat is done, drain it well and get ready to layer up your lasagna! With every layer, I concentrate on my intention, layering it with the food. Get a good-sized casserole dish. I use a glass one, but I'm sure a metal one would work just as well.

The first layer is going to be the meat. Put half of the meat or meat substitute in the bottom of the dish, then set aside. I would recommend coming up with an affirmation or a short incantation to say or think between layers. Let's say that this could be something like "I imbue this meal with strength and protection for all that eats it, so mote it be!"

The next layer is going to be your sauce. If you make your own, that's great! But I don't because I don't know how and also that's a little more labor-intensive than I usually have time for. Pour one jar over the meat, saying/thinking your incantation as you do so. Make sure the sauce is evenly spread. You can use a spoon or a spatula to do this.

The next layer is going to be the pasta. Say your incantation again as you lay the dry pasta over the sauce and meat. The awesome thing about oven-ready lasagna is that you don't have to cook it before you put it in. It cooks in the oven and soaks up the pasta sauce and it's sooooo delicious! Again, if you have dietary needs, gluten-free lasagna is totally an option.

The last layer is going to be the ricotta cheese and pesto mixture. Use a spoon or spatula to spread it across the top of the pasta. I find it easier to spread the soft mixture over the hard pasta, so that's why the layers are like they are. Don't forget your incantation!

Repeat the layers one more time, saying your incantation each time. When you're done, put the entire bag of mozzarella over the top, saying your incantation one last time.

Look on the back of the pasta box and bake for the recommended time, or until the cheese on top is nice and bubbly and the whole thing is warmed through.

Serve and enjoy! I like making some cheesy garlic bread with it, to sop up the sauce. The leftovers are just as delicious and will keep in the fridge for a little less than a week.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading! I love simply kitchen witchcraft, and this protection lasagna is a wonderful, hearty meal for the whole family. If you use this recipe, I'd love to know! Feel free to reblog and share your own variations! I'd love to see them!

Happy cooking and witching! 🔮✨🍳

[brigittas-writing-nook]

Wheat allergy, Celiac, and NCGS: Wait! They're not the same?

"What to expect from Wheat allergy, Celiac, and NCGS: Wait! They're not the same?" Disclaimer: None of the information provided in these posts should be taken as medical advice. Please consult with your doctor before trying recommendations or if you have concern Some posts may contain affiliate or third-party links. Okay, I said last week that I was going to cover the elimination diet this week, but I’m still researching it. Which means I’m going to cover about a topic I don’t really have to research (much) to talk about.

Meet my nemesis, Gluten

As I have mentioned before, I have several food allergies, and one of them is wheat. It happens to be one of the top nine food allergies listed in the US, but it is similar to a couple of other gluten-based issues. So this week, I’m going to talk about the differences between a wheat allergy and both celiac disease (CD) and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS or GS). Because there is a lot of confusion surrounding these gluten-based irritants, let’s take a closer look at these conditions.

Wheat allergy

A wheat allergy, like all other allergies, is an immune response. The body creates immunoglobulin (IgE) antibodies to protect the body from the usually-innocuous protein in a food. In the case of a wheat allergy, that protein is gluten, which I’ll go into more detail on in a future post. People can react differently to a wheat allergy. Some people only experience symptoms when they consume something that contains wheat. Others can react to simply breathing in wheat particles, even without eating them. Common wheat allergy symptoms include: - Anaphylaxis - Headache - Hives or skin rash - Nausea and vomiting - Runny nose, congestion or sneezing - Wheezing or asthma attack Testing for a wheat allergy follows the usual allergy testing procedures, and doctors can choose from any of the common tests to help them make a diagnosis. Our next condition, however, requires a different approach.

Celiac disease

Celiac disease is an intolerance to the wheat protein gluten as well as gluten found in barley and rye. With celiac, the body develops an auto-immune response that attacks the small intestine and damages the villi, leading to a difficulty in absorbing nutrients. It is a genetic condition often triggered by stress, trauma, and other environmental factors. Testing for CD usually involves several types of blood tests and possibly a biopsy of the small intestine. Your doctor can discuss with you what your best testing options are. Common CD symptoms include: - Bloating, gas, and constipation - Brain fog, fatigue, and headaches - Depression - Diarrhea and nausea - Joint pain - Rash (dermatitis herpetiformis) Ironically, some of these symptoms are similar to our last gluten condition, non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity

Symptoms in NCGS are usually more focused on digestion issue, such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. This sensitivity is a little harder to define, largely because scientists haven’t quite figured out how it works. It isn’t an immune response (like the wheat allergy), but it also isn’t an auto-immune response (like celiac). Some scientists think it could not be related to gluten at all. One study proposes that NCGS might be a sensitivity to another protein, amylase/trypsin-inhibitors (ATIs), found in wheat, barley, and rye. Testing for it is challenging, because doctors must first rule out both a wheat allergy and celiac. If the patient tests negative for these two conditions but still reacts to gluten, the conclusion is NCGS.

Are you sure what you have isn’t celiac disease?

Short answer: maybe? The first test I had was a blood test, which isn’t as reliable as the scratch test I had two years later. The blood test checked for IgE antibodies and tissue transglutaminase IgA antibodies (tTG-IgA). All of these tests came to the same conclusion, though: I am definitely allergic to wheat. I first found out about this allergy in 2008, right before I lost a contract job and was “unemployed” and freelancing for almost two years. Talk about a bad time to have to adjust to an expensive diet. And, trust me, eating gluten free isn’t cheap, though prices are getting a little better.

Life is never simple (for me, at least)

Thankfully, my symptoms don’t include anaphylaxis, but they do include inflammation, rashes (probably from the eczema), joint pain, and digestive upset, and some of these symptoms also occur in celiac disease. Also, I react negatively digestion-wise to barley, though I can’t say for sure with rye, because all of the rye products I’ve been exposed to also include wheat (which pretty much defeats the purpose of trying to determine a potential intolerance). Since there is an allergy present, I don’t qualify for NCGS. And, though my tests don’t show it as a genetic marker, I still show some of the same symptoms as celiac. Bodies are weird, as a friend of mine says. And none seem to be more so than mine. Ah, well. That’s life. That’s all for this week. Next week I’m going to talk about what foods you can use to replace the wheat in your diet. Want to share a story about these conditions? Leave a comment below. Be safe. Eat safe. And savor life! Want to receive posts in your email? Subscribe below. Read the full article

[her-reawakening]

Hi, bitches.

*Gossip Girl intro voice*

Her Reawakening is inspired by my very own frontal lobe developing. Let's give it up for her! (applause emojis)

I've found myself in a life long rut. For some reason, I'd thought my life would magically take a u-turn and everything would work out in my favor without my having to work for it. I don't know what kind of delulu I was in but to my shock life doesn't work that way, and it's much harder without a plan.

So let me hold myself accountable here. My future self will definitely read this, and then I'll feel embarrassed about not having done a gotdam fuck thing.

It might have to do with the poison of Social Media which I am apparently very susceptible to, but I have this immense pressure and anxiety to be HER. I want to tear my skin off and put a new one on overnight and reawaken as Her, She. It's so frustrating not being able to do that. You know? Hehe...

I know I can become that version. And you can thinkpiece as much as you want on the dangers of women's toxic and impossible beauty standards on social media but I don't care. *laughs evilly* This is the world we live in and I'd rather enjoy the benefits of being an Angel on Earth. I've only just accepted that I'm starting at a certain point to reach my ideal version, so we're off to a good start. Hopefully whoever reads this will be able to learn from my experiences.

And this is not just the embodiment of beauty, but physical excellence, mental wellbeing, mindfulness, spirituality, social experiences, academic achievement, financial stability etc etc. <3

I want to sleep like a baby knowing I am doing my best to create the life I ENJOY living. I want to be the cuntiest, most solid version of myself. Every breath I take will be proud of me just because I am so excellent.

I have a few goals in mind at the moment.

Eat whole foods 95% of the time.

I am a particularly sensitive person, inside and out. My organs won't accept heavily processed food without making me feel sick, especially with gluten and dairy included. In my experience I have to eat as close to Whole as I can so I will actually feel like a real and functional person. To put this in perspective, eating this way for me is like putting the most expensive oil made for your car and also deep cleaning and detailing inside and out and getting brand new tires and a new paint job. It is a truly incredible feeling and I highly recommend anyone tries it out.

Also, cut out caffeine. I don't want to shock my poor body by going cold turkey so I'm going to slowly cut down my dosages everyday, take it early in the morning (but after two hours of being awake) and drink a lot water with it as well.

Green juices are amazing and my go to for breakfast. They help me feel so revitalized and give me a serious buzz.

I will grocery shop on Wednesday and Prep on Thursdays to avoid feeling overwhelmed of doing it all in one day.

2. Exercise regularly

Workout out 4/wk and Yoga 3/wk

I'm starting out with running since I'm not familiar with the proper forms you need for weight training. I add progression to my workouts of course, one minute longer, .5 miles longer, etc. I also do stair masters, and some leg machines that don't scare me. The glow I get from combining exercise and eating well is insane. It does take a week of 100% commitment for me to get to this 'candlelit within look' but I've done it before so I know I can do it again! I'm going to work out Mon/Tue and Fri/Sat and do an hour of yoga Wed/Thur/Sun! :)

3. Gua Sha/Face massage

I hold all of my tension in my face and traps, so I plan on getting masseter botox for a softer face and TMJ, which is a huge pain for my jaw! In the meantime I will face massage deeply every other day, at 8PM. I eventually want forehead botox as well to help with my frown lines. As an alternative I stick with forehead stickies and it makes a difference.

This is all I want to incorporate right now. They are my most bother some insecurities so I'll do myself the favor and create habits that support them :) I don't want to overwhelm myself and give up completely by too many goals.

Cheers to an update by next Monday!

Xoxo

[andromeda3116]

oh my god these cookies (which i do every year!) have been a complete clusterfuck like

i realized that i didn't have enough butter when gathering the ingredients, which is frustrating, but like, there's a walgreens on the end of the block, i can just walk up there and grab some. problem is, all they have is salted butter, which is not what you want when baking. however! i think, i also only have all-purpose flour rather than the self-rising that the recipe calls for, so i was already planning to add salt anyway. i'll just add a little less. this actually ended up not being a problem, but i should have seen it as a sign

one of my coworkers is gluten-free (mild sensitivity, not allergy), so i picked up some gluten-free flour and intend to set aside some of the mix and make some gluten-free for her. i get overeager and pull aside mix before adding eggs. in fact, i forget the eggs entirely until after i've added the flour

cue rapid googling "gluten-free egg substitutes you can find in your pantry"

peanut butter, apparently, can be used in place of eggs. i have absolutely no idea how much to use, since i didn't really measure a specific amount of mix to pull aside. i just kinda dollop some in there until the consistency looks right and hope for the best

right also i fucking forgot to put the eggs in until after the flour was in

i cannot stress enough that i make cookies quite often, and this specific recipe every year for the holidays

my bowl -- the largest bowl i have -- is not quite large enough and bits of dough keep falling out over the side or getting slung into the netherworld by the mixer

(this recipe makes over three hundred cookies. not hyperbole)

my kitchen is a fucking mess

my mixer gives up the ghost halfway through blending the flour and sugar mixture

this recipe calls for three different kinds of chips, walnuts, and oats, none of which i have yet added

i'm about to get fucking j a c k e d

i'm literally tossing chips and nuts and oats into the mix with salad utensils

i realize that i have forgotten the cinnamon and nutmeg, which i was supposed to sift into the flour, and which are fairly crucial parts of this recipe's flavor profile

I HAVE MADE THESE COOKIES MANY TIMES

I AM NOT DRUNK OR ANYTHING THIS IS JUST LIKE. AN ADHD ATTACK

i am a cup short on oats because of fucking course i am

"oh well," i think, "it won't make that big a difference, right?"

it has definitely made a difference

or maybe my salad tossing* was insufficient to mix the oats in properly

(*intentional)

like, it's not bad. but the cookies are just a little too sweet with too few oats to balance them out, and the texture is just slightly off from normal

otoh, the gluten-free ones actually came out good, considering it was my first attempt at gluten-free, i eyeballed everything that went into it, and the Egg Fiasco. they're a little powdery and drier than i'd like, but still good

i'm four pans down and you cannot tell i have made a dent in the bowl of cookie dough

[harleythealter]

So I volunteered this past week at a music festival. 7 days of working in the sun, here’s a lil list of ailments.

I started the week just fine. A bit anxious about how much hard work was about to come.

Day one and two, Monday and Tuesday, were fine. Hot, sweaty, but okay. We went home at a decent time. My body recovered well. I only felt violently ill from my lunches which consisted of donated Chick-fil-A fried chicken sandwiches. (Still grateful I was fed).

Day three, Wednesday, I broke out in sun hives by 10 am. From an inch and a half above my elbow to two inches above my wrist, my skin festered into mild hives, but they itched incredibly bad. I also got a patch of a rash or something odd in the crook of both elbows—I suspect it’s just a heat rash or something similar. It was glossy and textured. My uncle brought sensitive skin sunscreen and I started using it twice a day from midday Wednesday.

Thursday was the same as Wednesday, but I remembered to bring my own Benadryl instead of going to medical for help. This was key because Wednesday I spent trying not to crash from the drowsy options medical had. My brother, who has a severe case of Athletes foot, contributed to my ailments. I had to put a bandaid on my big toe cuz I kept rubbing that one and the one next to it together, which was incredibly painful. Additionally, I was developing heat rash/sun hives behind my knees. Using the sunscreen kept it tamer. I used a lot of witch hazel to cool my skin which contributed to Friday…

Friday I didn’t need the Benadryl, my skin was cool and at this point, I had been able to start leveling most of my meals with a massive amount of salad in addition to the food that was provided. On Friday, my phone connected to the internet for a few minutes and I was able to do research as to what was happening, what caused sun hives etc. I suspect that it’s the histamines flooding my system due to eating too much dairy and gluten—which was due to that being the food provided. But then the mild reaction festered when I was out in the sun for 12 hours every day (or more). And then it exploded when I had a mild reaction to heat. It’s something about the sun reacting with the histamines in my body and if my system is flooded with histamine, it’s just bad bad bad.

Saturday was essentially like Friday, except I was wickedly hot and my skin was drying out. I ended up working in the rain from 23:30-3am of Sunday and that’s when my feet started seeing long lasting issues. The skin was sitting and soaking in water. I was so far past pruning that my skin held onto the texture of my footwear for hours and pinched areas took just as long to return to normal. I’d wear a pair of socks, change them every three hours, wash my feet to help avoid a growing ecosystem, and then keep rotating three pairs of socks. My jean shorts were soaked in the rain, and so I slept(really it was the length of a nap) in a camper on top of a blanket. Thankfully I brought my queen blanket cuz the good sleep didn’t start until I pulled that one out.

Sunday I woke at 7:30 am. Four and a half hours of sleep. My leader said I could sleep in, my body protested both sleep and being awake. Sunday was no different from the rest, rotating socks, applying sunscreen. I drank a bottle of water every 20 minutes but only peed every two hours. Just to put it into perspective how much I was sweating and using that water. I was severely concerned about how many minerals I flushed from my system. I was handling shit-mud covered things and so I could no longer scratch any part of my skin with the concern of infecting it with what was on my hands or under my nails.

Today, Monday, I woke up, sun hives are nearly gone but definitely there. I have to keep applying Lotramine to my feet and wear socks to bed, which is so disruptive to my sleep. I also looked in the mirror and have developed three large patches of eczema on my neck and face, which is baaaaad. It’s a different kind of eczema, as it regularly shows up in my hair and eyebrows. So I’m trying to figure out what went wrong. Im grateful they only provided sodas I disliked during meals because I wasn’t tempted to crash my diet like that. I also woke up today with my eyes hardly able to open due to drainage flushing into my eyelids and five hours later, one eye is still affected. My feet are drying out and calloused, although the drying only really happened around late morning—that’s how unbalanced they were

Anyways. That’s an ailments vent.

[meditating-dog-lover]

Eczema update 03/14

So my allergy patch test showed up as negative. I did not react to any of the patches, at least not strongly. I still have to wait until tomorrow just in case anything may develop, but it seems like this isn't the cause of my eczema. But the test was definitely worth taking.

I got the results for my food sensitivity test back and it was inaccurate. It says I'm sensitive to gluten, egg white, and cow milk. But I do not react or experience inflamed skin when consuming these, and I know gluten, dairy and eggs are common triggers for some people. While I do get inflammation after eating certain foods, like tomatoes, I doubt it is the ultimate root cause because I've eaten these foods in the past with no issues.

I take vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids, which are key anti-inflammatory nutrients that can help with eczema and most people are deficient in, but I'm not seeing a huge change unfortunately. I got the air purifier and its built-in sensor says the air quality in our house is clean. But our house is dusty and finding ways to effectively deep clean it while making it fun and not boring should be necessary. I vacuumed a lot over the weekend, the next step is to clean tables and counters and to clean my car.

My hands are red, inflamed, and dry. They are more red than the rest of my arm and the color shade and texture and dryness is different as well. I have a spot on my neck and by my left collarbone. I have redness around my mouth and cheilitis. Thankfully it is looking slightly better today and is less inflamed. But it still needs some time to heal of course. Perhaps the liver detox supplement is helping? Though it's too early to tell, I need maybe 1-2 months.

This got worse since I got back from Cyprus.

I can narrow this down to 2 things - gut health and detoxing. I vacuumed the house, cleaned the vents, ordered an air purifier, and started taking liver detox supplements. My patch test was negative and my food sensitivity test was inaccurate. Vitamin D, zinc, and omega 3 fatty acids did not sufficiently help me, though flaxseed helps to an extent for sure.

I have a phone call with a functional doctor next week and we can go over some solutions and tests related to gut health and detoxing. I've heard of many people who cleared their eczema through detoxing. When I say gut health, I don't really mean probiotics. I mean that the gut, just like the liver, lungs, and kidneys, is a detoxing organ and can accumulate junk and toxins and pathogens from some of the stuff we eat and swallow every day. So a safe yet effective detoxification method can help get rid of these triggers and can clean the gut. Probiotics/adding good bacteria to a compromised gut isn't going to solve it. The solution is to detox the gut. Same thing with the liver, which is why I'm taking milk thistle and dandelion.

I just started Anthony William's book "Cleanse to Heal" where he talks about detoxification that is useful for those with autoimmune conditions, which he states is due to the abundance of pathogens (like viruses and harmful bacteria) and toxins (like heavy metals and pesticides). All of us are exposed to environmental toxins and pathogens on a daily basis, and for some people this can cause irritation and even autoimmunity. I started the book today and I'm already on Chapter 7, and it's almost 600 pages long. I haven't gotten to the cleansing chapter yet, but I'll get there tomorrow as it's 2 chapters ahead from where I currently am. He is a fan of juicing, especially celery juice. I made some on Sunday and hated the taste. But if there is some healthy juice or tea I can prepare that can help with the cleansing process along with the dandelion and milk thistle, then I'll give it a shot. Of course I don't want to overdo it. I am drinking herbal hibiscus tea at work, but I'm drinking it because I like the taste and it helps me relax as I read, not to "cleanse'. I don't know if that's making any difference.

To tame the itching for now, I ordered an anti-inflammatory cream from Amazon that has very good reviews (Eau Thermale Avène XeraCalm A.D Lipid-Replenishing Cream). I put some flaxseed oil and steroids on my hands this morning. I put steroids on because I cannot put up with the discomfort and redness anymore. But applying an anti-inflammatory topical can help because I've been using petroleum jelly all this time and it's not necessarily anti-inflammatory.

In the healing journey at the very least I can apply an anti-inflammatory topical, but not a steroid of course. It's the only anti-inflammatory I have that isn't drying and doesn't leave a white cast (like zinc oxide does, even though it's harmless). Topicals would give some immediate relief as I'm healing and recovering slowly internally. And it's fine to use topicals, I just don't believe it is the only solution (again eczema isn't skin deep, it should also be treated internally) and believe it should not be a steroid.

I am mentally all over the place now and am frustrated and annoyed. But like I did last year, I will heal myself again and again. I've never gotten my detoxing and gut health professionally evaluated. So when I do, I feel like it can offer some useful insight. And I'm exposed to stuff all the time, in my car, walking outside, in my house, the foods I eat even if they're healthy, the water I drink, filling gas, etc... I absolutely cannot avoid any of these, but I can find ways to take a break and cleanse effectively.

And I may end up spending a lot of money on this, but it is worth it in the end because I don't believe a single cent I spend on my health and wellbeing is a waste (except for the food sensitivity tests, boo).

I'll do what I can now, clean the house, avoid tomatoes (temporary goal until the inflammation is tamed), take the detox supplement, use my air purifier, use an anti-inflammatory topical (non-steroid), meet with the doctor, maybe drink some juice along with the liver detox supplement, etc... Even though I don't want to overwhelm myself with supplements.

But detoxing can help definitely, though it takes time. And I'll get my gut health evaluated to see if I a absolutely need something like l-glutamine in case there are signs of leaky gut (this can also contribute to eczema because loose gaps in the gut lining can allow pathogens and toxins to enter the bloodstream and create inflammation and autoimmunity). I doubt I have any gut problems though, it anything I barely experience gastrointestinal discomfort. So I'm assuming I just need a detox boost. I'll see what the doctor recommends.

[whatwrenreads]

1.5 - 2 stars

Before I get in the weeds as to why this book is rated so low, I have to say Ali Hazelwood definitely improved her male lead in this book, it's just unfortunate it takes a painful 75% of this book to get to that point. The best part was the end, if you can even get that far.

I am begging authors who swap to writing YA to stop throwing in random "gen-z" references every sentence, it's extremely jarring and the flow of the writing is completely disjointed because of it. Plus, the references are outdated and random.

Earlier in my reading update I described the writing of this book as like someone who refuses to download tiktok and gets their trends from tiktok reels like a year or 2 later. I stand by this description even after finishing it.

I'm disappointed, because beyond my distaste for the writing, the plot is interesting. Chess drama is extremely topical with the surge of popularity right now, but I imagine anyone reading this who does have a background/knowledge of chess would cringe at the constant use of the same joke (it's like she only learned about 'castling'?? nearly every chess reference or joke was about castling)

You know a read is going to be rough when your computer is filled with screenshots of 'what the fuck' moments, and I had about 14 from the first couple chapters. (A starbucks drink that they haven't sold in years, discussions of tentacle porn, "like tony stark briefing the avengers", 4 uses of the insult 'dickbreath' within a few paragraphs, her thinking gluten sensitivity isnt real, bill nye erotic fanfiction, an experienced chess player not know what professional chess means) I could go on.

The book tries to make a statement on misogyny in chess, but its extremely surface level. There is significant work being done currently to address this issue, and the book hardly digs past the base level knowledge of the history of gender inequality in the sport. The misogynistic characters are stale and stereotypical, and there's no real discussion of it beyond "sexism exists!"

I leave you with a reference the book makes at one point that made me open a drink. A character describes someone as young by saying they could shove their nipple in their mouth and "you wouldn't be able to latch on"

thank god this only took me 3-4 hours to read.

p.s as others have said, this definitely is not YA, but more NA. There's so much in this that made me question how it was categorized as young adult.

Thanks to Penguin Canada & Netgalley for access to the arc

originally posted on Goodreads

[palomascorcafava]

PURADROP REVIEW ⚠️((Puradrop Reviews))⚠️

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[tearlessrain]

Giant Masterlist of Cathar Facts (that I completely made up but nonetheless rigidly adhere to)

I am an unstoppable force and disney should have killed me when they had the chance (that chance was splash mountain when I was seven and as you can see I survived).

Under a break because it is way too long and covers really quite a lot, much of which I will probably never even need. But researching and writing this kind of thing is what I consider a fun afternoon so here we are.

General basic stuff

Cathar are basically felids evolved to fill a similar evolutionary niche to humans in the absence of any viable apelike species on their native planet, in the same way hyenas evolved to fill a niche normally occupied by canids. 

They are pursuit predators but not terribly efficient ones outside their home planet. In terms of both speed and strength they can outperform humans on average in the short term, but have noticeably less stamina especially when it comes to running or walking long distances. They greatly outmatch any quadrupedal felids for stamina, however. (Mandalorians are an invasive species)

They run hotter than humans, around 100-102F.

Though height varies quite a bit, cathar are taller on average than humans and build muscle easily, making them extremely formiddable opponents in hand-to-hand combat.

The average face/skull shape of cathar is largely based on assumptions that they evolved under weirdly similar conditions to humans evolving from early hominids, aka shortening of the face, larger cranium, smaller mouth, etc.

While they are obligate carnivores and do have elongated canines, their teeth are more even in size than wild felids, and while they do still have barbed tongues, the barbs are relatively small/soft and more similar to a housecat than anything of comparable size (aka they won’t literally take your skin off if they lick you).  They also have somewhat thinner skin than wild cats, though they are still more damage resistant than humans.

They do not have retractable claws because that’s not how fingers work, but they do have narrow, naturally pointed claws rather than humanlike fingernails. Many cathar choose to either dull them or file them down for convenience, but losing/damaging them, as per that one ambient dialogue on Dromund Kaas that I can never find when I need it, is extremely traumatic for them. 

They have tails because I want them to, used for both balance and communication. Cathar tails are approximately lion-like, thin with a coarse tuft at the end regardless of markings (ie. a cathar with stripes won’t have a tiger tail), with the tip the same shade or a few shades darker than the darkest part of their coats. occasionally those from colder regions will have longer fur over the whole tail, or look like they don’t have a tuft due to longer fur overall. 

Variation and a lot of bullshitting about genetics

Wookiepedia describes Cathar as “a planet of savannas and rough uplands” but I refuse to believe that all these habitable worlds are all one consistent climate/temperature across the whole globe. The weirdly ubiquitous infrastructure/cultural info I can kind of forgive since 90% of them were wiped out by Mandalorians and the rest left, and I’m charitably assuming there were a lot less than 7 billion cathar to begin with, so a lot of smaller or more isolated cultures across the planet were lost entirely. 

They have less sexual dimorphism than SWTOR implies, though females are a little smaller on average and tend to have shorter/finer manes that are closer to their base color. In terms of relative strength/mass the difference is minor and female cathar are still very capable of fucking you up (the conventional assumption in the Empire that females are weak/docile and males are too uncontrollable to enslave is not remotely true in either direction). 

Variation in fur/metabolism/ear and nose shape depends on which region/s of Cathar they come from (or their ancestors come from), but they don’t recognize different “races” the way humans do, particularly in the wake of the Battle of Cathar. 

On average, cathar originating closer to the equator have shorter, finer fur, larger and more tapered ears, a tendency toward slender, lanky builds, and coloration that leans more toward golds/reds and higher pigment density. whereas those closer to the poles are much stockier and can be extremely fluffy, sometimes with an undercoat, with paler colors and less vivid/extensive markings. None of the above is universally true and cathar didn’t necessarily always stay in the region where their ancestors come from (and thus sometimes you get people like Riska, who is all limbs but has fairly northern features and entirely too much fur)

Cathar mostly left their planet in groups, so in some parts of the galaxy you’ll run into whole colonies that originate mostly from one part of the planet and have distinct appearances/cultural idiosyncrasies from other colonies.

They mainly follow the same general rules that apply to most felids in terms of coloration/pattern.

Markings can be stripes, spots, or less commonly rosettes (definitely some version of Taqpep variants) and mostly lie along Blaschko’s Lines, though it’s more obvious on some individuals than others and it isn’t always perfectly precise. Even spotted individuals usually display some striping on the tail and around the eyes, though not always. 

“Default” coloration is black-based, with dark markings on a greyish or brownish base. 

Countershading falls pretty much along patterns you’d expect and usually lightens the chest/stomach, lower face, palms/soles, and inner thighs. Specific distribution and patterns vary quite a bit, and sometimes express in odd ways (hence whatever is going on with Khatte). Darkest points tend to be the tail tip, nose bridge, and mane.

Genetically solid cathar are incredibly uncommon; much more common are genes that affect the appearance/distribution of markings, sometimes rendering them almost invisible. Even ones who appear mostly solid (aka Khatte) usually still have some faint striping around the face and/or tail.

Khatte is basically some loose equivalent of ticked tabby, which mostly just looks like weird countershading but leaves some faint striping on his face and tail.

Jial-ro’s coloration is the result of a gene that suppresses all eumelanin production, and a sepia-like form of partial albinism. 

Riska has something similar, along with something that reduces the size/spread of spots.

Food 

They’re mainly carnivorous and have different nutritional requirements from humans (similar but not identical to those of a cat), which can be a problem in places like the military where standardized rations are the norm. In the Republic a cathar can usually put in a request for rations designed to accommodate carnivores (or supplements, failing that), though they might have some trouble on more isolated or undersupplied planets. The rare cathar in the Imperial military have to procure supplements out of pocket, though it’s technically possible to get reimbursed for it if they’re willing to wade through the bureaucracy.

Cathar are perfectly capable of eating raw meat with few to no ill effects, and have a subgenre of cuisine centered around it (and while they didn’t invent sushi, they have enthusiastically embraced the concept). They also have plenty of ways of cooking meat and readily adopt any new ones they come across. 

Their “natural” diet apart from meat mainly consists of fruit, root vegetables, and eggs, though the closer to the poles you get the less likely you are to encounter fruit in a dish. Cathar never cultivated grain and it holds no meaningful nutritional value for them, so bread, rice, and similar products simply do not appear in traditional cuisine. This does not stop some of them from eating grain products in small amounts, as they can still enjoy the taste, but it isn’t any healthier than processed sugar is to humans and they have a high rate of gluten intolerance as a species.

All cathar have a heightened and refined ability to detect savory/umami type flavors, but around 30-40% of cathar, and the vast majority of those from colder regions, have no taste receptors for sweetness at all. This has resulted in the cathar equivalent of the Cilantro Debate centering around desserts, even though they’re all perfectly aware that it’s genetic, and some who can’t taste sweetness still enjoy some desserts for the other flavors present. Those who do have sweet taste receptors are about as sensitive to it as humans, but it tends not to have the same addictive quality for them and a lot of them don’t like processed sugars in anything but small doses. They would appreciate a lightly sweet creme brulee but most of them would find soda absolutely disgusting.

Citrus is right out.

They suffer no more ill effects than humans from drinking alcohol, and due to generally having a fair amount of mass they can usually drink a lot of it.

Social minutiae

They use a fair amount of feline body language, particularly with others of their own species. While facial expressions play a part and they do smile, scowl, and generally express broad emotions, they have a reduced range of facial mobility compared to more humanoid species and no eyebrows to speak of, which leads to a lot of them having what humans perceive as resting bitchface. It also results in humans underestimating the range and depth of their emotions, and can be a problem in the medical field with human medics/doctors who haven’t been trained to work with less humanoid aliens and won’t necessarily recognize severe pain or distress.

Their ears are less articulated than a cat’s but still have some degree of mobility that serves more of a social function than a practical one. They also express a lot of emotion through their tails, to the point that it can be a detriment in some situations if they haven’t practiced consciously keeping control of it.

Bumping foreheads is a common way to express platonic/familial affection, or can be the equivalent of a chaste kiss between partners. They also squint and slow blink, though it doesn’t always translate clearly to other species.

They have a wider range of vocalization than humans; while their voices are often humanlike and they’re just as capable of articulate speech, they can also growl, purr, and make sounds outside human hearing range. Those raised among humans or near-humans tend to do this less, if at all, while cathar raised in more insular communities of their own kind can come off as very taciturn due to heavier reliance on nonverbal communication.

Sense of smell is much stronger and more refined than a human’s and plays a more significant role in how they perceive and navigate the galaxy. They can occasionally be mistaken for Force-sensitive by humans due to their knack for picking up on emotional distress or the presence of particular species/people by scent. This is more true with people they’re familiar with; they won’t pick out distinct members of the other species by default but will eventually be fairly reliable in identifying the scent of a friend or anyone else they spend a lot of time around.

The exception to the above is other cathar, who they can easily tell apart on an individual basis. They have scent glands around the jaw/neck that come into play for identification, conveying broad emotional states, in some situations can aid medical diagnoses, among other things. They also play a part in building connection and familiarity between friends, family, or romantic partners.

The ~horny section~

Cathar don’t really kiss the way humans do by default, but they can, and usually do so unless they’ve somehow had no contact with any near-human species at all. Their equivalent is gentle biting around the neck and jaw, which is another situations where the scent glands are relevant, and when aroused that whole area becomes an erogenous zone for the vast majority of cathar. 

Plenty of humans (particularly if they don’t encounter a lot of aliens day to day) will avoid kissing cathar anyway because they have sandpaper tongues and dry mouths and fangs, and it feels fucking weird if you aren’t prepared for that. 

They tend to be very bitey in general unless specifically asked not to. It only becomes a problem if the cathar in question is inexperienced with humanoids and hasn’t figured out how much bite force is acceptable for a species with thinner, more sensitive skin.

Their dicks are fairly humanoid in size and shape, though somewhat more conical at the head, but they do have a sheath rather than a foreskin. after maturity they don’t actually retract into the sheath more than about two inches when flaccid, and tend to be slightly less sensitive than the average human (same keritinization factor that affects circumcised humans). It also makes them more vulnerable to damage, but since it’s customary to wear pants on most civilized planets, that never really becomes a problem in the course of a normal day. The base of the shaft that’s usually covered has noticeably higher sensitivity. There are probably individual exceptions to most of the above.

Conventional understanding is that cathar don’t have barbs, which is true the vast majority of the time, though about 60% of them have some amount of vestigial non-keratinous bumps over their head that have no noticeable affect on anything aside from occasional increased sensitivity in that area. Rarely an individual might develop a few actual barbs at the onset of puberty, but they have no practical function and pose a risk of discomfort and injury, and can easily be removed via a fast and mostly painless medical procedure, so the number of adults who have them is close to zero.

Females do have (mild, easy to suppress if desired, and mainly not at all disruptive) heat cycles. Other cathar can generally tell by scent, but not to a distracting degree, and it’s considered rude and inappropriate to point it out with anyone but a close friend or partner. It should go without saying that males don’t have heat cycles, but I’ve gotten enough weird DMs about this to know that I need to say it. Unless said male is trans, and not on any sort of HRT, that’s not how that works. 

They kind of have breasts but unless actively nursing they’re barely noticeable if at all, especially under clothing. Cathar have much fewer hangups about going topless regardless of gender than certain human cultures do.

[natsspammityspamspamham]

Why You Should Watch SKET Dance

Why You Should Watch SKET Dance

If I were to tell you what I took away from SKET Dance from old lessons to new, I would say that it said something along the lines of this:

“You are not the mistakes you made in the past. You are not defined the person you were before. If anything, the past is something that you cannot change, but you can surpass those regrets and try to change for the better. Trauma is something that cannot be left behind, but it can get better, especially when you are surrounded by the right people and support. Helping people doesn’t always change the world, but it can change the world of that person and maybe even yours.”

That cheesy quote took a while to write (so did this whole post), but that’s because I wanted to get it right. I wasn’t even sure where to start with this post of sorts.

I will warn ahead of time that if you aren’t familiar with anime, SKET Dance might be an overreach. It does have some references that are niche, and it has a lot of “manzai” (tsukkomi/boke) jokes with tons of mentions. There is fanservice, but no more than you’d see in some of the other series that were released under Shonen Jump. Sometimes the humour and everything can be a little cringy, but I think that’s a given with the fact that you are watching anime.

(This is spoiler-free, gluten-free, no trans fat, and took me too much time.)

Story

I get that it’s like Gintama, but I wouldn’t say it’s a “poor man’s Gintama”. Instead, take it for what it is. It’s like comparing a younger sibling to the older sibling. You’re not letting SketDan shine on its own, and it deserves to.

SketDan has a really simplistic story. It’s about a school club that wants to help people. There is no big war, massive battles, or over-the-top villain that needs to be crushed. I can’t say that it’s episodic, but it definitely leans towards the more “slice-of-life” approach. It has its own arcs that come one after another in good bits and pieces. This series balances itself so well with its drama and comedy. The backstories were done so well, and they didn’t even get to all of them! In fact, one of the best ones was left just in the manga.

The story is made by the characters. It doesn’t rely on the environment or the world around them. Instead, the world to them are the people they are surrounded by. No aliens, samurai, ninjas, or great big event, it’s just them, their high school, and their unconventional club.

Characters

This has got to go down as one of the best ensemble trios in anime. All of them do get their time to develop, and they balance each other out so well. You’d think these characters were friends for their entire lives. I can’t even say who’s the best because I think they’re all the best!

Bossun is a sensitive guy who’s insecure about being the main character of this series (yes, he does mention that). He doesn’t have any spectacular “Shonen Jump” skills. He has no “bankai”, “rasengan”, or “Kamehameha”. He has a hat and goggles. His power is concentration. These are completely valid reasons to be worried about your character status because, on the surface, Bossun sounds downright pathetic (and he knows it). But through the story, you get to see why he’s actually one of the best main characters out there (even if the cast doesn’t want to acknowledge it).

Himeko is one of the coolest characters in this series. I haven’t seen a weapon of that kind… ever. She isn’t afraid to slap the stuff out of anyone and will do anything for a friend. I don’t want to get into her character too much due to spoilers, but it’s revealed early on that she is quite legendary. She’s quite important for the humour of this story. It’s often brought up that she’s the “tsukkomi” (the one who responds to the “boke” stupid).

Last but not least of the great trio, we have Switch. This is probably the character I was most blindsided by. Even though I knew his backstory beforehand (nobody stops me from clicking from “show spoiler” button, it’s quite a problem). He’s the local otaku and database. And he’s probably the most observant. Even though he never “talks”, he’s one of the funniest characters in the series even when he isn’t in the limelight. I legally cannot dig into more about his character due to spoilers. You really need to see it for yourself.

The supporting cast is nothing to put aside either. A lot of them become more and more important as time passes, and the roles they play soon play right into the main plot of the story. We’ve got someone who speaks in “yabasu”, a ghostly occult member, a samurai, a captain, a tsundere, a visual kei star who doesn’t speak in any actual language, a 1.8m tall woman who can literally murder you with a slap, a voice actress idol movie star, and a teacher who makes drugs and bombs. That doesn’t even touch on the student counsel. Anyways, discovering these characters is part of the charm.

Art

There are too many good faces in this anime. While the art isn’t always consistent, it’s never “bad”.

The faces in this anime are on-par with other comedy anime. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Music

*downloads all the music*

I’m going to pretend like I haven’t listened to some of these on repeat since I finished the anime. Not all anime will literally have a designated band that are made after the characters. That was a really nice touch. There are a ton of special insert songs that go with certain arcs too.

SKET Dance is like any other anime in a way. It benefits from having a good OST. A good OST will add to the story. It will add to the anime, and it will convey all the right feelings. It helps with the comedy, the drama, and the random “what am I watching” moments.

Seiyuu

I wanted to save this category for last. This anime actually changed the way that I look at all the main seiyuu of this anime. It’s not that often that the Vomics (voice acted comics) have the same cast as the anime. They fit their characters so well, and I really can’t express that enough. I associate their voices with their character. It’s like how you can look at a picture of your favourite character and remember exactly what they sound like (or maybe that’s just me).

I haven’t actually heard a lot of lead roles by Hiroyuki Yoshino because he has such a uniquely odd voice. I think the last anime I watched where he actually played the protagonist was Kekkaishi which was quite a while ago. He did well for that role too. Another anime where he played one of the main characters was in Hai to Gensou no Grimgar which didn’t have a very enjoyable cast compared to other anime including SKET Dance (but still worth checking out if you like tamer isekai). I’ve also seen him play a suave character, but I actually skipped most of his lines going, “Not this again.” Present Mic is a character that he seems to be popular for, but those specific niche characters didn’t give him nearly the range that Bossun did. From the moments we were laughing with him and at him to the serious moments that really made me go quiet, it felt like he was truly the character.

Ryouko Shiraishi is such an underrated seiyuu. She admits that she doesn’t have a very cutesy voice, and due to that, the number of female characters she can play goes down, but I wouldn’t dismiss how great she is. For one, she’s really good at the Kansai dialect. Second, she plays a lot of younger male characters. She makes Himeko really cute but also really tough and spunky. She carries a lot of the humour as the reactor “tsukkomi”. And if you’ve watched Demon Slayer, she plays one of the demons and is so good at it. I really like her unique voice because it deviates from the norm just like Himeko’s character.

Gintoki—I mean Tomokazu Sugita is great as Switch, and even though sometimes we forget that he’s a legitimate voice actor who can actually voice act and not just scream on command. Of course, he’s funny. That goes without saying. Almost all of his well-known characters are known for being funny. Even the guy in real life is really funny. I’m not sure how much explanation would be needed for him.

Summary

Overall, I had such a good time with this anime. It made me laugh, feel the feels, and really smile (I mean the type that people really ask you what the heck you’re watching because you’re smiling like you just watched someone you hate fall down the stairs). It reminded me of what I liked from comedy anime, but it also reminded me what I like about anime that take it to basics with just its characters. Actions and battles are good once in a while, but the characters are the heart, soul, and being of this anime. If you’re looking for a good laugh or smile with a ton of gags and jokes with a great ensemble cast, look no further! SKET Dance is here!

I’m going to recommend this anime to anyone who has read this, @azroazizah​, @brettyblease​, @tsukiomoon​, and anyone else who likes those Shonen Jump shenanigans.

P.S. It is totally worth picking up the manga after watching the anime.

[pretty-volatile]

Thursday, November 4, 2021 3:02 am

Lol I haven't posted a journal entry in here since January. Which like to touch up on the situation with my father's wife, still no resolution, but I'm still not happy with her and like whatever I guess. Fuck that. My middle sibling is pan & genderfluid and I'm so happy for them, especially for figuring it out at a much younger age than me which makes me inner child happy too because that's all I want for others, to find themselves. My youngest sibling just got a phone and I adore her as well. They're both like me tbh just at like different stages in my life and I love them so much. Aside from my partner, they're also my reason to keep going because I want a relationship with them that's not just visits, but like they can talk to me whenever about whatever.

But as far as a mental health update: I self diagnosed with autism in like August/September. It started as an advocating for others thing, to finally giving in and realizing that those were some of my own experiences too and I had a little voice in my head about it for a while now, but it wasn't until this year that I really did A LOT of research and self tests and listening to videos and listening to the real life experiences and relating with it a lot to myself.

I still believe I have BPD, but I have cut myself off from people a lot because of the fp/person hyperfixation/social anxiety shit so the most it comes out now is with my partner/at work but I've been working on that and realizing that a lot of it coincides with my autism/ADHD/OCD.

I still think I have bipolar w/ psychosis because even with the meltdowns/shutdowns/burnouts I can still tell that I get manic and I still have to deal coming close to psychosis and my moods still have a sort of cyclical type pattern to them.

I definitely have PTSD/cPTSD. Individual events trauma and then the abuse & masking I've had to endure. Triggers are everywhere, ugh.

I still struggle with my eating disorder. My autism/ADHD really fuck with it though. My interoception is so off.

I most certainly have OCD, but a lot of it overlaps with my autism too.

Oh yeah still have ADHD. Executive dysfunction sucks, time blindness sucks, hyperfixation (at inconvenient times) sucks, etc.

I think it's likely, though not ready to assign the label so to speak, that I could have symptoms of AvPD and DPD. I wouldn't be surprised, there's enough trauma and disabled family history that I could really just be that goofed up. But then some stuff could overlap with the other shit, but honestly all of my disabilities are like knotted together anyway so...

However! On top of discovering that I too have autism, I started paying attention to my gut. Because it started going back to that super stressed out immense pain hurting and realizing that gut issues are a common thing for autistic folx and being like huh. So I started to become more aware of my body and all the pain I was just storing away or something or just ignoring, idk. But I remembered how my anxiety/stress would affect my digestion, but then recently I also noticed how a lot for the symptoms I have...it kind of points to a gluten sensitivity. Possibly even Celiac's. Which really fucking sucks. Because I struggle to eat as it is and now I might have to change my "diet" around to be gluten-free or at least until I can be diagnosed officially at least very little gluten. Yes I know I have to eat my normal amount that I would once they do blood tests. I've also obsessively researched this too. My autism/OCD really coincide when it comes to researching...oh and especially when you sprinkle in some ADHD hyperfixation, oof, off we go, 3 hours later.... Lol. Which I've noticed feeling weak, and I've had a lot of fatigue and joint/muscle pain and headaches, and I've always had skin issues. But I think I may have iron-deficient anemia and I'm probably low on vitamin D since I'm not absorbing nutrients as well. Bruising easily.

I could possibly have POTS, or it could be the anemia. But birth giver has it, so it's possible....

I still think I have endometriosis and my partner pointed out the possibility of PMDD. Birth giver has endo too.

Last but not least, I think it's possible I could have EDS, possible specifically kEDS. While not officially diagnosed, scoliosis has been mentioned by a doctor during a physical and I feel SO much pain in my spine. My knees are fucked up. My shoulders are fucked up, right one has dislocated a few times. My hip pops out of place sometimes. My skin is soft and stretchy, not just loose skin either. My scars do a similar thing that I've seen on others. Sometimes it even feels like my knees give out. I'm double jointed/hyper mobile in my hands, elbows (kinda) and knees. So on and so forth, I'm tired.

But yeah lots of shit. It sucks. I've been overwhelmed/stressed/shutdown/burnt out ever since the quarter started and I haven't been able to attend classes since then with all this pain and gut issues I'm having. Plus the social shit exhausted the ever loving shit out of me.

For the celiac, POTS, and EDS I want to be tested for, which I may consider a formal diagnosis of autism if I'm already doing all that work, idk. It's not as important for me unless it'll help with the other diagnoses.

[feralgoing]

how to “solve” eczema

Over the years I have gotten so much advice from well wishers about how to cure my eczema/topical steroid withdrawal (because in my case, the condition that changed my life was TSW, which was caused by the treatment of eczema). While some of the suggestions may be useful, more often than not they aren’t, and it may not be because the advice is something I’ve already tried or something outlandish. It may be more so because advice about a single aspect in my life to change doesn’t do anything impactful, because eczema’s root cause can be anything but singular.

I know some people are lucky: they remove the allergen (mold, gluten, soy, eggs, nightshades, dairy, dust), they decrease their stress, they exercise more, they find a supplement that really works, and bam, no more eczema. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people.

My root cause seems to be tied to many different aspects, from overuse of topical steroids, to unresolved emotional issues after familial deaths, to increasing sensitivity to foods (on top of food allergies I was born with), to increasing discomfort with specific exercises and a sensitivity to heat and sweating, to insomnia and other sleep issues, etc. So being given a new product to try doesn’t really solve the other issues preventing me from quickly recovering from each flare.

What I do find interesting, is people that have learned to live with eczema (and/or topical steroid withdrawal) and the various lifestyle changes they have done to help keep their flares under control. I came across a post a while back called The Metaphysical Meaning of Eczema – Do People Get Under Your Skin, which I thought would just be talking about how my emotions cause my eczema, but I was pleasantly surprised to read the author’s inclusion of a whole host of other things she does in her life to help. Because yes, I am sensitive, both skin-wise and emotion-wise (I can now flare-up from heightened nervousness from public speaking, or due to misunderstanding over trivialities at the store) but, and I am indignant about this, my sensitivity didn’t cause my eczema, and it definitely didn’t cause my topical steroid withdrawal. It probably is the reason it takes me so long to heal (on top of the constant flow of changes in my life… e.g. getting married, moving 4 times, leaving my graduate program, buying a house, having a baby- all within the last 3 years). I have learned to be zen about skin-related sleep deprivation, about hives from foods I normally can consume, over having to adjust all forms of activity I enjoy, over forgiving myself for making “mistakes” that then provoked a flare, etc. I know I still have a ways to go to consistently help my emotions flow naturally and not build up stress, but I have made immense progress and my skin doesn’t always reflect that. Hence why I get up in arms when people try to reduce my condition down to me “just not doing x”.

Woof, okay so now that I’m done that rant, back to my initial idea around today’s topic. The point is, eczema can be a multifaceted b*tch of a condition, with varying twists and turns that dictate how it goes for different people. If you don’t believe me, try reading the experience of Daniel Boey in his book Behind Every Itch is a Back Story: The Struggles of Growing Up with Rash, or peruse any number of personal blogs out there these days about someone going through TSW.

My point is that while I am happy for people who find ways to rid themselves of eczema flares through a singular method, I find it frustrating when we see the gimmicks of “anyone can cure their eczema if they just do x!” and find it somewhat damaging to reduce all people with eczema into the same world because said singular solutions don’t work for everyone. I appreciate people that talk about the myriad of changes they have had to do, because it shows that the cause of eczema, as it is still unknown for the most part, requires different management for different people, hence why it is so hard to “solve”.