#so i’ve been getting mostly like 1 or 2 hrs sleep recently

[achilleslyre]

i got the most adorablest picture in the whole wide world of my nephew on the swings today. every time i look at it it makes me smile

[pebblysand]

[the thoughts on canon-compliance you did not ask for.]

last night between 2 and 3 in the morning (look, i couldn’t sleep, got up to write, then got caught up, okay? don’t judge me for my terrible sleeping patterns please) i had a super interesting discussion with a few people on the hinny discord channel about the definition of canon-compliant-ness. i think this is fascinating because to be honest, before getting into the hp fandom, i didn’t even think this was something one could disagree about. to me there was what was canon, and what wasn’t. a very black-and-white sort of system. i’m finding that it’s not.

through the discussions that i’ve had both on my fics and other people’s fics, it seems that i can narrow down - in the hp fandom - three elements of canon.

i. the events of the books/films

now, as a general disclaimer, you can obviously argue about whether the films are ‘canon.’ you can also argue whether cursed child is canon. there’s a lot of elements which differ between those and lots of opinions about how to look at them. personally, i tend to ignore cursed child. as to the books v. films, i pick and choose what suits my story more. generally, that’ll be the books. but for instance, i’m writing a harry&hermione friendship one shot right now, and there are a lot of movie-isms in that story because that is an aspect that was more explored in the films. however, for the purposes of this post, i’m mainly considering the source material to be the seven books. nothing more or less.

having said that, to me personally, that’s what ‘canon’ is: the events of the story and the characters that gravitate around those events, as described in the source material. things like: tom riddle killing lily and james, or harry, ron and hermione rescuing the philosopher’s stone. anything departing from that is, de facto, an ‘au.’ the whole world of what-if scenarios: what if Harry was sorted into slytherin, what if dudley was a wizard, all of those, to me, are aus.

generally, both as a reader and a writer, those are not scenarios i’m particularly drawn to. my default answer to those what-if scenarios is: ‘well, if harry is sorted into slytherin, there’s no story.’ or at the very least, there’s no story as i know it, and if there’s no story as i know it, then i’d rather read/write original fiction. it’s obviously a very personal preference and there are exceptions to this preference. i loved the changeling [1] for instance, and love the self-aware style of dirgewithoutmusic’s aus [2]. but as a general rule, that is not my preferred genre.

now, aside from the what-if scenarios, there’s also the question of filling in the gaps of the story itself. like, i find it interesting that we only make tsunamis [3] is labelled as ‘canon-compliant’ because i get the feeling that a lot of people would disagree that a fic in which hermione is harry’s first kiss is canon compliant. but, by exploiting the silence sometimes left by the author and turning it to your advantage, are you writing an au? is a negative space canon? is silence canon?

again, as a matter of personal opinion, i would not push my definition of canon-compliance as including blank spaces. to me, as long as it does not contradict the letter of the text, adding in events to the books to suit your story (i’ll address character in point ii) does not make your fic an au. to give another example that was brought up to me regarding my own work, i don’t believe that the events described in chapter nine of castles [4] are au because they exist in a blank space of the books. the fact that harry didn’t notice the 1:1s between ginny and amycus doesn’t mean they didn’t happen, it just means that they’re not in the positive space described by the books.

ii. the characters/characterisation

(as a quick vocab note, please note that below, i’m using the terms ‘ooc’ to mean that the characterisation of a character in a fic is not canon-compliant. they’re synonyms to me.)

now, while the above was pretty straight forward, i believe that this is where i perhaps differ from the masses in my interpretation of what “canon-compliance” means. more i discuss with people, the more i realise that i don’t really think there’s a real ‘canon’ characterisation. or at least not in the big things. like, yeah, it’s canon that harry likes treacle tart, because that’s a fact. but anything that is down to psychology or perspective of the character is, to me, generally up for grabs.

as a human, i believe that there’s things that people do, events that they go through, that condition them to act a certain way. while there is a core to every human being, i personally believe that in life, anyone would basically be capable of doing anything, given the right circumstances. i’ve recently - rightfully - been told my writing is all about the power of choice in our life, the reasons why we make those choices and the people those choices lead us to be. for example, do i think i might murder someone tomorrow? probably not. do i think i might be capable of murdering someone in wartime? perhaps? i don’t know, that’s not the world i live in and my life choices have not lead me to find out the answer to that. however, my point is: to me, good ‘characterisation’ is down to the circumstances and choices outlined in any work of fiction. hence, good characterisation is essentially, to me, equal to good writing.

i often say that good writing could make me believe anything and i mean it. i don’t tend to gravitate towards these fics because these ships are not my personal taste but i genuinely believe that good writing could make me believe in drarry or rarry if it tried. it’s funny because over the course of the discussion yesterday on discord, this was brought up ‘well, no one tags drarry as canon compliant,’ and i’m kind of like, i don’t know whether or not they do because i don’t read it but if they did and none of it contradicted the events as detailed in the books, perhaps it could be? like, that would take really good writing (imo), but good writing has - on occasion - made me believe in dramione a couple of times, so why not? in ‘til the sirens come calling [5], good writing made me 100% believe that harry and hermione would have an affair together. in we only make tsunamis [3], it makes me believe that they had this quiet little relationship building throughout hogwarts that we never knew about.

now, though, i suppose the question isn’t: do i believe it? the question is: is it canon? and, i think that’s where i differ from most people because to me, it is. to take ‘til the sirens come calling [5] as an example, i believe the fic is an au because hermione marries victor krum in the end. that’s going against the hard fact presented by the epilogue, and thus makes it an au. but i don’t believe the concept of a harmony affair is inherently au, because nothing is inherently au, character-wise. it’s about how you write it. how those people get to that place. that’s what makes canon-compliantness, in my opinion.

for example, for that fic, truth be told, we don’t know what those nineteen years include per canon, so they could very much include an h/hr affair. and whilst i don’t believe that the characters as they are in the books would have an affair together, i believe that the characters as they are presented in the fic, with the events and hardships that they go through, definitely would. good writing, to me, is - in part - recognising that characters are moving on a spectrum and that whilst their decisions/actions might not make sense in book-verse, they make sense in fic-verse. good writing is convincingly moving your characters from book-verse to fic-verse, and it not feeling ‘off.’

if it does feel off, that is bad writing to me, and that is also ooc-ness/non-canon compliant. it means that for whatever reason, the writer has not successfully transitioned and explained said transition through the events outlined in the story. with the right prose, you could make me believe draco decided to take on a career as a ballerina dancer after the war, and it would still be ‘canon-compliant’ to me. on the other hand, i have read fics (i won’t name them because that would be shit and also i don’t keep track of my ‘bad’ reads) where harry, ginny, hermione, or ron all act according to book canon and yet, their motivations felt off to me and completely ooc because the writing didn’t successfully lure me in. specifically, there was a lack of character evolution that i found uninteresting. i read mostly post-war stuff because i want to see my characters grow up [6].

as a last, additional note on characters, i also think that the characters in a story only exist within the prism of how we view them. this means that to me, locking my own understanding of a character's personality as 'canon' is particularly difficult because my understanding of a character is unique. i believe there are as many harry-s or ginny-s or hermione-s as there are readers. so i think saying someone's interpretation of a character isn't canon-compliant is odd because i don't actually believe there's any wrong or right answer. as i said, do i believe it likely that draco would become a professional ballerina? no. but if that works within your understanding of his character as described in the books, who am i to say that is or isn't canon compliant? i'll admit, the idea makes me sort of lol though.

iii. tone

lastly, i’ve come to find (in potter particularly) that canon-compliance might include tone. as in: hp is a story that is a) written in a certain style and b) written for children/young adults.

regarding style at a), this is honestly the main reason why it took me 15 years to write potter fic, despite the fact that i’ve been a fan for even longer than that. i genuinely thought you had to write like jkr. and i, well, don’t write like jkr. i love the books, but i don’t even particularly like her style. i like: camus, and sorj chalandon, and sally rooney, and dirgewithoutmusic and copper_dust [7]. i have zero ambition to write like jkr and don’t particularly want to read stuff that is written like her stuff either. it’s a style that imo works for her, but it doesn’t work for me as written by other people. i don’t particularly think you need to stick to her style to be canon-compliant.

which brings me onto my actual point: b) hp is a story written for children. young adults perhaps, for the later books. it sometimes explores dark themes but the writing style, the tone, etc. is lighthearted enough that it appeals to a younger audience. there’s snogging but there’s no sex, there’s violence but the torture is mostly off-screen, etc. issues like sexual assault, substance abuse, etc. aren’t explicitely brought up in the books, although they would one hundred percent fit in a book about a war that wasn’t necessarily aimed at children. the question is whether this setting and tone is part of what we call ‘canon-compliance.’

honestly, i don’t know. i didn’t think so until it was brought up to me that castles might be a dark!au and i was like: maybe? like, if you want it to be? i know what i like to read in fanfic: i love the exploration of serious themes that were not explored in the books, or explored differently due to the fact that they were written for children. one thing i will say and insist on is that i don’t think castles is all dark. i actually make a point of having lighthearted moments in each and every chapter, even just a notch, because i am attached to the fact that life as a concept is a mixture of good and bad, and you could laugh at the funeral of someone you loved, again in the right circumstances. but yeah, to me the post-war world is dark. so if tone is part of canon-compliance, then yeah in that way castles (as well as most of the stuff i read, to be honest), is a dark!au.

as a last side note, i’m not sure what that means for my other, lighter stuff though. like are the wolf’s just a puppy [8] or slipped [9] more canon-compliant than castles? i never thought about it in those terms but perhaps? it really opens up a world of questions in my mind and i don’t really have the answers to them.

conclusion:

so in sum, as a reader, what i mean as ‘canon compliant’ is basically a) the events as described in the source material and b) the characterisation of characters as they are at the start of the fic. if character evolution is sufficiently justified and well-written in the following thousands of words that the fic has, then said characterisation can still be canon-compliant, even if the characters act different than they would have in the source material itself. i’m a fan of good writing and good writing can make me buy into literally anything. it takes me places that i've never been before and convinces me that those places are the ones i should be in.

as a writer, i hope that regardless of 'compliance,' whatever i write at least makes ‘sense’ to people within the universe, even if they don’t consider it canon-compliant, per se. i feel like i can’t really be the judge of that. from the discussions we had last night, i feel like there are as many versions of what is and isn't canon-compliant as there are people.

.

.

---

[1] the changeling by annerb

[2] the boy with a scar series by dirgewithoutmusic

[3] we only make tsunamis by disOrdely

[4] castles by yours truly

[5] ‘til the sirens come calling by vexmybones

[6] as a side note and to take my own stuff as an another example, i totally agree that harry in castles isn’t harry in the books. i don’t think there’s much debate to be had in that assertion. i wrote him like this frankly because every other fic i’d read didn’t. they often had him sort of continue to be perfectly himself after the war, which i felt wasn’t speaking to me on a deeper level. imo, i think the war’s done a lot of scarring and the fic is about him growing into a new version of himself. so, to me, if i get a comment that says ‘i don’t think harry would act this way but i really love your writing’ it’s somewhat flattering but also confusing because i don’t really understand how one can enjoy the writing but not the characterisation. to me, they’re so intrinsically linked. what the comment tells me is: i think you did a very poor job at explaining character evolution and justifying character x’s [harry’s] choices but i still like your writing, somehow? i suppose that’s nice, but it doesn’t particularly compute in my brain. like, if the character feels off, it means the writing feels off and thus, why are you still reading? i appreciate all and every comment that i get but it doesn’t mean they always make sense in my own brain. if i’m honest, these comments often send me into an ocean of self-doubt about how shit my writing must be.

[7] copper_dust’s work and profile.

[8] the wolf’s just a puppy (and the door’s double locked), again by yours truly

[9] slipped (and said something sort of like your name), same.

[maryam0revna]

First Lines

I got tagged by @mego42 (bae)

Rules: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favorite opening line. Then tag 10 of your favorite authors!

Okay I do Not have 20 stories recent or good enough to pull from (but I'm like 5 chapters from a ((second)) finished manuscript SO it's fine) so let's delve into my shadowy back catalogue, shall we? Here's 12, roughly in order of most to least recent, starting with original fiction and ending in fanfic.

Original Fiction

1. "My gran always warned me that running my mouth about magic would get me into trouble."

-Hell or High Water

2. "It was the sharp jab to her ribs that sent an otherwise promising fight straight downhill."

-Flowers and Glass

3. "The silence was a long and damning one before the fair-haired young man finally spoke."

-Lady Lust

4. "'It was not that bad,' said Minerva Hardwicke, vaguely and around a mouthful of orange."

-Untitled Minerva Hardwicke expansion

5. "5 April, 1855

At the townhouse

Finally arrived in London today; cannot decide if it is hotter here or at home."

-Tactical Magic

6. "Living in a world where the supernatural is mostly regarded as nonexistent, there’s something pretty wild about seeing an actual vampire."

-Untitled Shitty Book Fan Saves The Day short

7. "Going into your senior year of college, one of the worst things that can happen to you is finding out that you somehow still need a Gen Ed credit to graduate."

-Another untitled Shitty Book Fan Saves The Day short

8. "Leaving Edinburgh had been, in hindsight, the single most important decision in Maura Kerr’s very long life."

-Mute

9. "A sharp rush of autumn air swept across a city of people who could not afford to sleep past six and found its way through a pair of yellow curtains."

-The Prodigal Salesman

Fanfic

10. "Aelin Galathynius was officially done being a pilot."

-Something I Can Believe

11. "In the end, she found him before he could find her."

-I've Been Living in the Red

12. "'You know,' Clarke mused, 'it’s ironic that you agreed to this with the stipulation that I wouldn’t have to participate if I didn’t want to-- which I appreciate, obviously-- and you’re the one that’s freaking out.'"

-The One, Epilogue

Things I Learned:

Naming fanfic for songs is low-hanging fruit and I will cram that fruit directly into my mouth.

Opening in media res is my shit, whether it's in the middle of a conversation or a fight.

I always try to open with something that sets the tone, either for my narrator's voice or the setting.

Historical is fun-- 6 of my 9 OF pieces are either HR, historical fic, or high fantasy with that historical vibe.

I think my favorite in terms of polish and style is The Prodigal Salesman, which I spit-shined to hell before submitting it to a contest 6 years ago*.

In terms of liking the whole opening, Flowers and Glass takes it. Writing it has been a slow plod, but it feels less in need of Massive Revision thanks to taking that extra time. Here is the opening paragraph, because I love it.

"It was the sharp jab to her ribs that sent an otherwise promising fight straight downhill. In Fiona's experience, a good duel was like an argument, where winning came by degrees. A single blow rarely determined the outcome of a fight, even when it was only to first blood, but there were always exceptions to the rule. She had made the mistake of getting close to Jo, to kick her leg out from under her, but her cousin had caught herself and bought time to stand by hammering a punch into Fiona's ribs. Jo's hard knuckles had slipped right between the front and back pieces of the cuir bouilli armor. Now, something in her side felt very wrong."

Action! Establishing a Dynamic! A broken rib! What more could you want?

*I did not place, but one of the judges reached out to say that I was a good writer and should keep submitting, which I appreciated. In hindsight, I think the piece goes a little too off the rails-- it's like "Murder Mysteries" by Neil Gaiman (which I was not yet skilled enough to pull off, and I still might not be!) but Southern and with a touch of Supernatural. Yike.

Tagging @ofsinnersandsaints because I KNOW you have 20 stories to pull from.

[woahpip]

get to know me!

@dasakuryo -- thank you for thinking of me and tagging me!

1. Name: Heather/ Heather LeAnne

2. Nickname: Pippi

3. Zodiac sign: sun=Aquarius, moon=Scorpio, rising=Pisces

4. Height: 5′2″

5. Languages: just English! i keep practicing my french and spanish but i know i couldn’t do them in real life.

6. Nationality: American

7. Favourite season: i love ALL seasons!! i look forward to when things change.

8. Favourite flower: hydrangeas, peonies and roses

9. Favourite scent: garlic and onions sauteeing! milk and honey bodywash! daisy travel perfume i haven’t used up in like 5 years but love anyway

10. Favourite colour: purple, recently gotten REALLY into yellow

11. Favourite animals: i love my cats and miss my dogs.

12. Favourite fictional character: I feel like this often changes but currently I love Jyn Erso.

13. Coffee, tea or hot chocolate: I love all three. I drink coffee the most though.

14. Average hours of sleep: i take meds that make me sleepy so usually a nice 10 hrs a night...but the current state of the world has me up later now.

15. Dog or cat: I like BOTH but right now i only have cats.

16. Number of blankets you sleep with: 2: a throw and then a comforter.

17. Dream trip: I would really like to go to France; obviously I want to see Paris, but there are some smaller places near the German border I’d like to visit as well. In the US I really want to go to the Florida Keys, and almost all the way up the Eastern coast to visit Portland, Maine. My family isn’t big into traveling so now that i’m out of the house there are a TON of places i want to eventually go.

18. Blog established: this blog for a few years, only active in like the past 9 months or so. I had one in high school and college that was super active/had lots of followers but I was a hot mess and used it as a personal journal which made me sad. lol so I deleted it.

19. Followers: I literally have like 100 followers but it’s fine i know everyone and I like it.

20. Random fact: The past few years after graduating college it’s been so hard for me to read books!!! my therapist thinks it’s mostly my anxiety. anyway i’ve been reading more the past few months and it makes me feel good. thank you to my therapist and psych docs. (i know a bunch of yall folks have gotten these: @amukmuk, @coredrive, @thejeditexts yall are tagged if you wanna join in!)

[threeracha]

20 questions tag!

tagged by: @reosian​ @1jcy​ (actually u tagged my main but just bc i dont wanna do this twice LMAO SLDKJFLSDJF) [ty both sm tho!!!!] <333 much loves 4 u twooooo tagging: @hyuunjins​ @himeaegyo​ @hyyunjinn​ @realstraykids​ @hyunnlix​ @hyunsungg​ @felixeslee​ @bangchant​ @kimwoojin​ @seoulseungmins​ @jeojangins​ @seungminty​ @seungchanie​ skdjflsdkf i cant get to twenty ppl im blANKING LSKDFSDFJSLKDJFLSJD + IM SUPER LATE IDK WHOS DONE THIS OR NOT BUT ! :~DDDDDD

rules: answer 20 questions, then tag 20 bloggers you want to get to know better 

name: jasmine

nicknames: jas usually my bff calls me jelly / jelzzy tho 😩💗💕💞💖 in case my gif tag was ever smth anyone was ever wondering abt SLKDFLSJ why do i talk so much ;_____; 

zodiac sign: sagittarius !!!! lezz go my fellow centaur creatures

height: 160cm  💪🏻👅💪🏻

languages spoken: english, viet to an extent, spanish....to a very.......very...minimal extent - graduated level 3 hs spanish so i could probably smash together some good ol spanglish if need be 😩🤙🏻👏🏻

nationality: viet-american

favorite season: summer !!!!!!!!! my only stress free second out of the whole year 

favourite flower: peonies ! so pretty :( or cherry blossoms hav been RLY comin for me

favorite scent: coconut / vanilla 

favorite color: muted anything mostly blue, pink, red tho!

favorite animal: hhhhhh i love corgis and red pandas OH AND i saw djungarian hamsters at petco the other day... i was legIT 👌🏻👌🏻this heckin close to buying one :(((( 

favorite fictional character: tomoe from kamisama hajimemashita LMAO lit one of the cheesiest animes in the World but LSKDJFLSKDJ or kaonashi in spirited away <3 both so cute :( my Entire childhood tbh ...and....still nowtho ..butklsdflsdkfjclk

 coffee, tea or hot chocolate: omg i love them alL tho :( i prob drink coffee the most,,, vanilla lattes r my only source of life every morning 

average sleep hours: 5-6 but i’ve been tryna UP MY GAME 💪🏻 by an hr or two lately bc ive not been able to wake up to my alarms for a whole month now lMAO SLDJFLSKJF ;______; 

dog or cat person: i would probably love a cat for myself more! i somehhow always manage to have dogs jump on me, k.o. me, n start biting my clothes smh but i love them still :(((((

number of blankets you sleep with: winter - 4, summer - 0/1, spring / fall - 2 .... the weather is quite Moody where i live ;_______;

dream trip: hmm id love to see more of se asia sldkjflsdkj the scenic hotspots made my heart 💕💓💘🌸✨ (only in the winter tho,,,, i legit thought i would have a heat stroke everyday when i first went to vietnam) 

blog established: hhhh october???????? i think slkdjflskdjf

followers: 2*** hit a milestone recently thank uuuu all!!!!!!!!!!!! :~~) 💕💗💖💞

random fact: hmmmm i’m actually also part chinese n french! i just like... dont kno the cultures / langs all that well cough at all so rip :( sad sad :[[[

[flemingtech]

TIME FOR CoViS SCREENING!

*Ever wonder why the sky is blue or has a red hue during sunset, the answer is at the end of the article.

It's been pretty hard trying to convince Cheryl I've not turned on ghost mode on her. I understand that I have that James St. Patrick aura, but this time I'm a wanted man running away from the feds. It all began when I was surfing the web, and Google gave me a reCAPTCHA test. After successfully proving my humanity to a bot that suspects we are of the same kind, a "What turns me on" survey pops up. As soon as I reject that survey, my mama tells me there are cops outside. The bottom line is that there is no way they are getting hands-on my browsing history and learning what turns me on. My freedom was now like an elephant on a cliff that discovered it could not fly, but I could dive out of the window into a fugitive life.

 From that long story, you can pretty much tell I spend a lot of time on my electronic screens. Now that most of us are working from home to keep CoViD-19 at bay, a new battleground for CoViS emerges due to increased use of electronic displays. Stats never lie and the increase in CoViS related cases like near-sightedness are on the rise. It's sad that electronic device manufacturers have not educated users on the harms of electronic displays. However, there are features incorporated to offset these negative impacts. Let's, therefore, get right into the topic and discover the dangers and solutions that your screen poses to your eye and mental health.

 COMPUTER VISION SYNDROME (CoViS)

In a world of 7 billion people, 6 billion people own a cellphone. That's some pretty shocking stats considering only 4.5 billion people have access to a working toilet. On average, people spend 7 hrs on their screens but in this lockdown age, those stats are bound to rise. This screen time has been proved to be dangerous to your brain and eyes, leading to Computer Vision Syndrome.This is a catalyst for nearsightedness(Myopia). Humans didn't evolve to stare at bright screens all day; thus, we can comfortably blame evolution for this syndrome. An estimate of 58% of people who work on computers experiences this disorder.

 SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CoViS

Its symptoms are:

1. Eyestrain

2. Blurred Vision

3. Headaches

4. Neck and back pain

Long term effects of these screens can be damaging your vision permanently. Opticians have recorded an increase in near-sightedness (Myopia) in this digital age, and they are partly linking it to screen time. In places like Asia, 90% of teens and adults are near-sighted. The catch is that it's not just the brightness that affects us, but also the colour.

 THE CAUSES OF CoViS

Our screens use three types of light to achieve colour on your screen. It's known as the RGB pixel system (Red, Green, and Blue). Adjusting the brightness in this RGB pixels brings about a wide range of shades of colour projected on your screen. The colour black is a exceptional case as it is not formed by the above process. It is formed by blocking off the light by pixels to achieve the dark shade in all types of screens except OLED &AMOLED screens.

 The blue light wave in sunlight helps keep our sleep rhythms in sync with the environment; thus, our sleep cycles are highly susceptible to the blue wave. When the sun sets, we produce the hormone melatonin, which regulates our sleep rhythms. It helps us feel tired and fall asleep. The presence of blue light in our screens at night suppresses the production of this hormone, as recent studies have shown.

 When a sleepy me decides to look at his social feed at night, my sleep vanishes into the blues. Studies have shown the effects of using your phone at night are:

1. Increased alertness

2. Longer time to fall asleep

3. One is prone to wake up more tired the next morning.

Studies show that the effects are more adverse for kids as it impairs their brain cortex. This region is responsible for processing information from our five senses. A study showed that kids spending more than 2 hours on screens scored lower on thinking and language skill tests. The effects of screen time on kids are still under study on its long-term effects.

 WAYS TO REDUCE COMPUTER VISION SYNDROME

1. Get a comprehensive eye exam- Its best to do this annually. In the exam, tell the eye doctor how often you use your computer and digital devices at home and work. Also, measure how far your eyes are from your screen when you sit at your computer and notify the eye doctor so that he/she can test your eyes at that specific working distance.

2. Use proper lighting- Eye strain is mainly brought about by excessively bright light, be it outdoor sunlight or harsh interior lighting. When using your computer, minimize external ambient light by half by closing drapes. Position your computer so that windows are to the side instead of in front or behind it. Avoid working under overhead fluorescent lights. It's better to use floor lamps that produce a soft white LED light.

3. Minimize glare- Reflection of light off computer screens can cause computer eye strain. Manufacturers are producing laptops and computers with anti-glare/matte finish screens. You can buy an anti-glare screen and install it on your display.

4. Adjust your computer display settings

Brightness-Adjust the brightness of the display, so it's approximately the same as the brightness of your surrounding workstation. As a test, look at the white background of this Web page. If it seems like a light source, it's too bright. If it seems dull and grey, it may be too dark.

Colour Temperature- Go to your display settings and set your colour temperature to warm colours(orange/red hues) This reduces the blue wavelength. Windows 10 have Night Light; Androids call it Eye Comfort/Eye Care which are automatic blue light filters. As their names suggest, they are of much help when using your screen at night.

5. Blink more often- Blinking lubricates your eyes; this prevents dryness and irritation. To reduce dry eyes when using computers, after every 20 minutes, blink 10 times by closing your eyes as if falling asleep. This helps to rewet your eyes.

6. Exercise your eyes-Another cause of computer eye strain is focusing fatigue. To reduce your risk of tiring your eyes by always focusing on your screen, look away from your computer at least every 20 minutes and gaze at a distant object (at least 20 feet away) for at least 20 seconds. Some eye doctors call this the "20-20-20 rule." Looking far away relaxes the focusing muscle inside the eye to reduce fatigue.

7. Take frequent breaks at least 10 minutes per hour to reduce eye strain, neck, and back pain. You can move about and stretch your arms, legs, back, neck, and shoulders to reduce tension and muscle fatigue.

8. Modify your work station

Light your work station properly. You may want to use a desk lamp, but make sure it doesn't shine into your eyes or onto your computer screen. 

Poor posture also contributes to computer vision syndrome. Adjust your workstation and chair to the correct height, so your feet rest comfortably on the floor.

Position your computer screen, so it's 20 to 24 inches from your eyes. The centre of your screen should be about 10 to 15 degrees below your eyes for comfortable positioning of your head and neck.

 Near-sightedness is a problem that can be well contained by this set of guide rules. My screen time has been cut by my fugitive lifestyle, and I'm pretty sure the lemonade of my situation is therapy for my eyes. Cheryl, I'll come back to you with eyes that will be able to focus on you and handle your glow better. Now I know she'll believe my tale. I'll drop the answer to the fun fact below (the answer lies in the blue wave of light), till we meet next time, keep it fleming.

 *Sunlight reaches Earth's atmosphere and is scattered in all directions by all the gases and particles in the air. Blue light is scattered more than the other colours because it travels as shorter, smaller waves. This is why we see a blue sky most of the time.

*At sunrise and sunset, sunlight travels a long path through the atmosphere to reach our eyes. Long red-light waves are scattered the least by gases and particles in the air, and the short blue light wave has been mostly removed, leaving primarily long red and yellow light remaining.

[steamishot]

2 months in

it’s now about 2 months into WFH/stay at home order, which was recently announced it’ll likely extend until august - to an extent. beaches and hiking trails are opening up, and a few other businesses that were deemed non-essential before are opening up for pick-up. ucla guaranteed that all employees have job security until june 30. today is my supervisor’s birthday. she announced that we MAY be returning to work in june - which i really hope is not the case. our sister team, staff HR, currently only has 1 person doing all the work. the two analysts who were working on the team left- one right before this whole pandemic happened, and the other a few weeks into the pandemic. our team offered to help out, but the staff HR manager said she had everything under control - until she didn’t. their plan is for me to help out on staff’s side since we’re in a hiring freeze. we can only do internal hires in an effort to “save” our employees from being out of work. since i have the least seniority, they wanted to help me out by making me look like a stronger/more essential employee. i don’t mind at all - i’ll have more things to add to my resume. 

in my mind, if this WFH thing continues into august, i would wanna pack up my things and have an extended stay with matt in NYC. it would be a change of scene for me, and when else would i be able to do this? we would test what it would be like living with each other for a period longer than 2 weeks, and how i would cope with him barely being home. 

i made a new internet friend on reddit - my first one ever from reddit. we met on the medspouse subreddit and have been chatting a lot since a week or two ago. we have a lot in common - 28, UX design, asian american, living in a major city, enjoys traveling, board games, and hiking, and is partnered up with a resident in a fairly young relationship. we’re in a similar boat. i’m trying to move to NYC to be with my partner. she and her partner are both currently in boston, but she’ll be moving to LA (a city she doesn’t really like) to be with her bf as he starts his program here. she’s been with him a few months less than i’ve with been with matt, but i feel like our relationship maturity may be about the same since hers is in person and mine is LDR. i’m happy to finally have a medspouse friend. 

running progress: when i first started running, i was so exhausted and able to plop on my bed and fall asleep at the end of the day. things started getting weird last week when i began having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. my body was definitely tired, but my mind was awake. i would wake up multiple times throughout the night. i’m not sure what the cause of it is, but it could be that my body is experiencing shock and adjusting to my new exercise regimen. after i ran 4 days straight at 3 miles each day last week, i tried to run on the 5th consecutive day but realized my body needed a break. i did 2 miles instead of 3 and did not run for 2 whole days after that. on my rest days, i was able to sleep SO. MUCH. more easily and better. it made me realize why it was so hard for me to continue being disciplined in the past, because my body is literally fighting against the new changes and adjusting to the new normal. 

although i wasn’t as mentally excited to go for a run today, i still did it and am getting better each time. at the start of may, it took me about 35:15 min to do 3 miles (11′40″/mi). today, may 18th, it took me 32:40 to do the same (10′52″/mi). i’m almost down an entire minute/mile after only 3 weeks. it’s definitely awarding to race against myself. having an apple watch and tracking my time makes me try harder. 

now that there’s a lot of things i’m not spending as much money on - eating out, gas, ucla parking, social activities, traveling, going out clothes, i turned my consumerism towards athletic wear in an effort to make me work out harder. i was going to pay to sign up for a virtual run - so that i can get a medal for my efforts, but after some thought, i decided i’d rather reward myself with nice athletic wear instead. using matt’s frontline worker discount, i bought some new nike running shoes. hope they fit well. i also went crazy on lululemon after i found a 25% off discount code (which never happens). after my SIL got me my first lululemons, i’ve been wearing them a lot and am now obsessed with the brand. the quality exceeds any of the cheap leggings i’ve ever bought and made me realize, i’d rather have one quality piece that i love than 3 mediocre ones that i don’t really care to wear. i received my first lululemon sports bra two days ago and it fit perfectly and was flattering. i thought of all the other ones that i bought that were affordable but didn’t fit me well or were uncomfortable - and those are all lying in my drawer without use. as i get older, i definitely want to replace all my cheap clothing with more quality pieces. i also made matt get himself a lululemon shirt and shorts so that we could match lol. 

i bought matt a yoga mat and 8 lbs dumbbells, so that he could work out with me at home. we did our first dumbbell workout yesterday, following the blogilates wine bottle video, and he died. we’ve mostly followed asian female workouts - blogilates, chloe ting, and emi wong - and i’m grateful that he’s willing to do these female workouts with me haha but i want to start doing peloton so we can utilize the weights. 

some other things: currently working on a 1000 pc puzzle. i had no interest in puzzles before quarantine, but was so bored one day that i found a 252 pc puzzle lying around that i’ve never completed. wanted something more challenging so i asked to borrow g’s puzzle. drove 45 min out to hang out at castaic lake with my family - it was nice to be out but next time would just find a closer park. also, this was the longest time i’ve gone without threading my eyebrows so it was the first time in a very long time that i saw my eyebrows in it’s natural state. it was too bushy for me, and i decided to pluck them yesterday. it was also the first time in a very long time that i’ve plucked my own eyebrows - it turned out a little weird, but whatever.

[joannawoo]

Mental Health is Important

It's been a long time since I've written a longer post. My last one was around my birthday, just as I was about to embark on my birthday trip to Australia. Today is World Mental Health Day so I figured it'd be a good time to talk about that and what I've experienced since the end of March. 

I ended my last post with the words that I can now look back on and laugh at, "I know that no matter what happens, I’ll maybe not enjoy the whole ride, but at least I’ll probably get a good story out of it. :)" By far the most interesting chapter of my career so far, but also a very important one related to my mental health. Recently, I started reading The Empath's Survival Guide by Judith Orloff. I find that I have better control over how others affect me now, but I was really struggling from the beginning to April right up until the end of August and there were so many different factors that contributed to it. 

While they probably didn't even think anything of it, for months, I felt awful for not always checking in with the North folks who were let go. I started my role at HelloFresh, learning about things and relationships before my start date. Between wrapping up my time at Mappedin and starting at HelloFresh, I never took the time to reflect on my trip to Australia and there are still hours of unedited underwater footage from when I did my dives in the Great Barrier Reef. Now, the trip seems like a very distant memory. To this day, I still feel bad about not checking in with everyone, but have realized that they would've reached out if they needed help and that I am not responsible for their happiness. 

Prior to moving to Toronto, I knew that loneliness would hit me like a brick wall. I had pre-emptively set up a doctor's appointment in for 1 month into my new job just to make sure I'd have professional help if needed. I also tried my best to find a community there. I signed up for ultimate frisbee and reached out to a Krav Maga gym. Neither of those really worked out as I was working 14-16 hours a day and didn't have time. I also asked friends to reach out to me, drag me out, invite me out, and that actually worked decently well. I had several friends over to cook with me, making sure I was eating right, and got to connect with certain people a lot more. I tried to date in Toronto as well, but again, didn't have time nor did I have the mental capacity to do that. I ended up having to see my doctor at least once a month and was referred to start seeing a therapist as well. It just kept spiralling downwards to the point where I knew I needed to move back to KW and get away from all that was associated with Toronto. Somehow being physically closer to friends and family resulted in me seeing everyone less. For months, I wasn't eating, wasn't sleeping, hated everything, was severely depressed, and just barely got through each day. Having to decline coffee dates and refusing to find time to help others made me hate myself. I knew it wasn't me. Every trip I took during those months, my enjoyment was taxed. For several nights each week, I'd just either stare blankly at the TV or cry. At some point, I stopped asking for help because for once, I didn't even know how to ask for help any more. I'm the type who doesn't ask for help generally. The first time I ask, it's mostly because I desperately need it. When I'm too far gone, I no longer have the strength to ask. My usual tactics didn't work. I completely lost myself. It really sucked.

I'm very lucky in that I had the option of just throwing in the towel and deciding to move back to KW. I am so thankful for my family doctor because after one of our sessions at the end of July when I scored much too high on her depression assessment, she asked if I had considered just moving back. Right after that, I made my decision. A month later when I had a follow up appointment, I scored significantly better on that same depression assessment. Friends who had the opportunity to see me in July vs September have mostly all commented on how much visibly happier I was. I started having time for myself again and even had a little bit extra to help others again. The move back has made me feel whole again. The lunch, coffee, and dinner dates haven't really stopped since moving back and I'm back to a very full schedule of activities again which I love. 

With seasonal affective disorder, my mood just takes such a sharp downturn around October/November. I cannot imagine how bad it would've been if I was still in Toronto right now. Being a leader in HR, I've always felt the need to remove barriers for others. I try to open up conversations around mental health whenever I can because I know how lonely it can be. I share my stories of success and failure hoping that others might benefit from them. I love hearing other people's journeys as well because we're all so different. 

People comment all the time about how open I am, but I've been talking about mental health for so many years now that it just seems like a normal thing to do for me. The scariest part this time around though, was that my normal methods of dealing with depression didn't work. Normally my 3-step process is 1. Eat dark chocolate. 2. Exercise. 3. Reach out to friends. This time, I just kept drowning further and further. Let that sink in (no pun intended). I've had about 20 years of experience dealing with depression and had a foolproof science-backed solution to repair myself / re-balance brain chemicals...and I still couldn't get myself out of it. Mental health issues are fucking hard. Love yourself and be kind to others.

[tessaractwasp]

1-140 question meme

wait you want me to do all of them?? Ok I guess (that actually makes me kinda happy lol)

3 Fears losing people, never getting away from home, and that everyone hates me

3 things I love music, reading, writing

2 turns on intelligence, muscular, socialism

2 turns off misogyny, speech impediments, capitalism

My best friend @queercedricdiggory​   

Sexual orientation not sure tbh. Maybe pan? Maybe lesbian? Who can say. Not me.

How tall am I 5′ 2 3/4″

What do I miss right now my friend Shannon who doesn’t want anything to do with me anymore

Favourite color purple

Do I have a crush yes

Favourite place nature. there’s a brook in the woods at the bottom of the hill I live on. its magical.

What am I listening to right now my spotify playlist “A Very Specific Mood Brought To You By Probably Non-Lesbian Lesbian Icons” currently Mitski’s “A Horse Named Cold Air”

Shoe size 6.5 usually

Eye color cockroach brown

Hair color brown/black (ft hidden rainbow)

Meaning behind my URL oh god I was like 15 when I made it so tesseract from the first avengers but tessaract bc my name is tessa, and wasp bc she was my favorite marvel character. 

Favourite song favorite song????? uuuuuhhhhhhhhhh right now probably Mitski’s “Pink in the Night”

Favourite band pdofjsodifjolikdsjf uhm IDK my top artists rn are Mitski, Hozier and Florence + The Machine

How I feel right now frustrated.

Someone I love @azirahell​

My current relationship status single and READY to flaMINGLE

My relationship with my parents hahahahahahahah better than most I guess. But strained af atm

Favourite season SPRING

Tattoos and piercing i have navel and ear piercings

Tattoos and piercing i want WAY more ear piercings, I wanna get that custom “constellation piercing” thing but $$$$ also tattoos for each of my immediate family members (so far a turtle and elephant on opposite ankles, a power symbol on the back of my neck probably, an origami rose on one tricep, a wolf silhouette on the other)

The reasons I joined Tumblr fandom probably? and peer pressure. thx nadia

Do I ever get “good morning” or “good night ” texts? only when Im actively texting someone when we go to bed

Have I ever kissed the last person you texted? I dont know have you? (Im kidding, I think I have tho)

How long does it take me to get ready in the morning? depends on where Im going. Anywhere from 5 mins to like 1.5 hrs lmao. But on average, probably 20 mins

Have you shaved your legs in the past three days? I haven’t shaved my legs in the past three years

Where am I right now? My living room

Do I like my music loud or at a reasonable level? LOUD

Do I live with my Mom and Dad? yes

Am I excited for anything? not really atm

Do I have someone of the opposite sex I can tell everything to? if by sex you mean gender then yes

How often do I wear a fake smile? lmao all the fuckin time

If I could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be? wow uuhhhhhhh I dont know! maybe Lana Parrilla lmao idk honestly!

What do I think about most? how much i suck lmfao

Do I prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it? I guess behind, but I dont mind being in front

What was the last lie I told? oh god Im taking care of my little siblings i have no idea

Do I perfer talking on the phone or video chatting online? depends on the person but usually video chatting

Do I believe in ghosts? How about aliens? no, yes

Do I believe in magic? not really

Do I believe in luck? depends on the day

What’s the weather like right now? warm. It’s almost 80, but its getting dark out so it feels nice.

What was the last book I’ve read? rn Im in the middle of Scythe by Neal Shusterman (bc hes putting my name in the third book in the series!!)

Do I have any nicknames? Tess, T, T-Cake, Tessticle

Do I spend money or save it? SPEND lmao

Can I touch my nose with a tounge? no

Favourite animal? hmmm I guess dog

What was I doing last night at 12 AM? lying on the couch on tumblr

What’s a song that always makes me happy when I hear it? oh boy idk

What is my favorite word? people have favorite words?

My top 5 blogs on tumblr bruh idk I dont pay attention to anything

If the whole world were listening to me right now, what would I say? be fucking decent already

Do I have any relatives in jail? not at the moment that Im aware of

What is my current desktop picture? Thranduil Tauriel and Legolas lol

Had sex? depends on ur definition

Bought condoms? GLOW IN THE DARK

Gotten pregnant? nope

Have I ever kissed somebody in the rain? no

Had job? yes

Smoked weed? yes

Smoked cigarettes? no

Drank alcohol? yes

Am I a vegetarian/vegan? no

Been overweight? technically I think? But not really

Been underweight? yes

Gotten my heart broken? yes

Been to prom? yes

Been in airplane? well yea but I was 4 so I dont remember it so I dont count it

Learned another language? bruh i tried

Wore make up? yes

Dyed my hair? yes

Had a surgery? yes

Met someone famous? yes

Stalked someone on a social network? who hasnt??

Been fishing? yeah but I dont really remember it

Been rejected by a crush? yes

What do I want for birthday? Idk dude thats so far away

Do I like my handwriting? sometimes

Where do I want to live when older? i have no idea

Have I ever got caught sneaking out or doing anything bad? never snuck out but yeah Ive been caught doing “anything bad”

What I’m really bad at everything lmao. Sports I guess

What my greatest achievments are my writing probably

The meanest thing somebody has ever said to me one time when I was like 14 my mom and I were arguing and she told me it wouldnt be long before I was selling myself on the streets of new york

What I’d do if I won in a lottery ugh pay off my debt and buy a few of the things i want the most

What do I like about myself hairrr

My closest Tumblr friend like tumblr-only? probably leakedinlondon bc shes the only person ive ever talked to on tumblr lmao

Any question you’d like? what

Are you outgoing or shy? yes

What kind of people are you attracted to? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ femme wlw mostly i guess???

Do you think you’ll be in a relationship two months from now? no but i wish

Does talking about sex make you uncomfortable? no

Who was the last person you had a deep conversation with? my friend Kate who lives in AZ now :(

What does the most recent text that you sent say? “Yeah I just did, nothing yet”

What are your 5 favorite songs right now? Mitski, “Nobody” Florence + The Machine, “Grace” Hozier, “Wasteland, Baby” Mitski, “Pink in the Night” Mitski, “Strawberry Blond” in no particular order

Do you like it when people play with your hair? YESS

Do you think there is life on other planets? yes

Do you like bubble baths? yes but has tiny tub :(

Do you like your neighbors? i dont really know most of them but the ones I do, yeah for the most part

Where would you like to travel? All over the place, but Cuba more than anything

Favorite part of your daily routine? cuddling w my doogggggg

What part of your body are you most uncomfortable with? muffin toppp

What do you do when you wake up? try to go back to sleep

Do you wish your skin was lighter or darker? yes

Do you ever want to get married? idk maybe

If your hair long enough for a pony tail? lmao yea????

Would you rather live without TV or music? TV

Have you ever liked someone and never told them? yea

What are your favorite stores to shop in? theres this little like toy store but it has so many funny or adult things that I love. Its called Play

Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance? not everyone

Do you smile at strangers? usually

Have you done anything recently that you hope nobody finds out about? only in my dreams (like literally, I dont want ppl to know what I did in my dreams)

Ever wished you were someone else? always

Favourite makeup brand? dont have one

Last thing you ate? chicken and pasta

Ever won a competition? For what? yeah, a writing competition

Ever been in love? i dont know

Facebook or Twitter? facebook

Twitter or Tumblr? tumblr

Are you watching tv right now? no

What colour are your towels? purple

Favourite ice cream flavour? cookies and cream

First person you talked to today? my lil brother Ben

Last person you talked to today? talking to both my lil sibs rn

Name a person you hate? fucking CHRIS

Name a person you love? Rebecca <3 ( @parkour-margaret)

Is there anyone you want to punch in the face right now? chris always

Do you tan a lot? BURNN

Have any pets? FOUR

Do you type fast? relatively yeah

Do you regret anything from your past? OH yeah

Ever broken someone’s heart? idk

Have you ever liked someone so much it hurt? YUP

Is cheating ever okay? it really depends on the situation but 98% of the time no

Do you believe in true love? yeah.  but not just one. everyone can have more than one

What your zodiac sign? aries

Do you believe in ghosts? this question was already asked? no

Get the closest book next to you, open it to page 42, what’s the first line on that page? “‘Never mind, do not weep,’ answered the frog, ‘I can help you, but”

[microsstinatir-blog]

Hiking the Greenstone Caples Track – a great alternative for the Routeburn Track

Welcome to this article about the Greenstone & Caples Track. If you have come to this article to read more about this amazing hike, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve written a complete hiking guide of the Greenstone Caples Track for you below and hope you’ll find it useful. I’ve hiked this trail in 2018 and a few weeks later I hiked The Routeburn Track for the second time in my life. Even though I have to admit that the Routeburn Track is stunning, the Greenstone Caples Track proved to be a worthy alternative for the Routeburn Track. It’s almost as scenic, much cheaper, way less crowded and well worth your time. So sit down, relax and enjoy my article below.    

How I got to know about the Greenstone Caples Track

Ever since my first visit to New Zealand back in 2002 I knew I’d come back in the future. It took a while, but I returned in 2011 and again in 2018. The latter two trips were mostly dedicated to hiking New Zealand’s famous trails. In 2011 I mostly hiked The New Zealand Great Walks but on my most recent trip, I decided to get off the beaten path a bit more and explore some lesser known trails. I had already hiked The Routeburn Track and The Kepler Track back in 2011 and was now looking for some alternatives that would be less crowded but as scenic.   A few years ago, a New Zealand friend of mine, who actually lives nearby my hometown in The Netherlands, pointed out to me that the Greenstone Caples Track is a great alternative to the famous Routeburn Track but less the crowds. I immediately wrote that down in my notebook with ‘hikes I want to make one day’ and knew that during my next trip to New Zealand, this one would be on the top of my hiking list, together with the Angelus Hut hike in Nelson Lakes National Park.   This is how I found out about the Greenstone & Caples Tracks (which can in fact also be hiked separately) and when spending three months in New Zealand in 2018 I knew this was going to be my number 1 bucket list item.   Planning a trip to New Zealand? Make sure to also read my complete travel guide for New Zealand here!    

About the Greenstone Caples Track

If you wish to hike the full round, the Greenstone Caples Track is 4 days in length. Department of Conservation classifies it as an easier tramping track, meaning that it’s a generally well formed tack for comfortable overnight tramping/hiking trips. You cannot book the huts beforehand and need to purchase a Backcountry Hut Pass or Backcountry Hut Tickets beforehand, which you can do for example at the DOC Office in Queenstown. The DOC Huts on this track are serviced in summer months, have mattresses and running water. You’ll need to bring your own food, cooking material, sleeping bag and anything else you may need on this trip. As opposed to the Great Walks, stoves are not provided so you’ll need to carry those as well.   The Greenstone Caples Track will take you through two valleys and is a loop walk, so you’ll eventually get back to the trailhead, unless you decide to combine this trail with the Routeburn Track. The trailhead is at Greenstone Road End, 86 kilometers from Queenstown. As I wanted to get an early start I decided to stay overnight in nearby Glenorchy which is about an hour from the Greenstone Road End.   The trail is generally well marked and not too difficult. I solo-hiked it and found it rather easy compared to other mult-day hikes in New Zealand. There were some minor unbridged stream crossings along the way as well as some knee-deep mud sections, but nothing major to worry about.    

How to get to the Greenstone Track

Before I’ll give you a detailed day to day description as well as alternative hikes, I’ll tell you more about how to get to the Greenstone and Caples Track. Most trampers will start this hike from the Greenstone Road End, along the shores of Lake Wakatipu. You can also start from the Howden Hut on the Routeburn Track, but more on that later at the alternative routes section.   If you are driving, then it’s 86 kilometers from Queenstown or 35 kilometers from Glenorchy. From Queenstown it’s about a two hours drive, from Glenorchy one hour. The majority of the road past Glenorchy is on a gravel road and past Kinloch there will be various rivers to ford. If you have a rental vehicle, make sure to check whether you are insured for river crossings, most likely you won’t be though. While I drove it on the way over to the Greenstone Road End the crossings were okay, however on the way back it got a bit more trickier as it had been raining and the fords got wider and deeper. In case of heavy rain, the fords may become impassable.   If you don’t have your own vehicle, you can use the service of a track transport operation service such as Info & Track who have organized transport all around Queenstown. I have not personally used them so cannot recommend them from my own experience, however they are advertised on the Greenstone Caples Track brochure by DOC.    

In which direction should you hike the Greenstone & Caples Tracks?

Since the main track is a loop track, you can hike it either way. However, I ran into a guy who had hiked it before and he advised me to hike it anti-clockwise, so starting with the Caples Valley. This is the narrower one whereas the Greenstone Valley is wider. As I wanted to take advantage of the good weather I had, I decided to stick to his suggestion. The track is also described by DOC this way, however there is no need to walk it anti clock-wise. Below you will find a detailed day-to-day description of my hike!    

Day 1: Greenstone Road end to Mid Caples Hut (2-3 hrs, 9 km)

Day one of the Greenstone Caples Track leads you along the Caples River. In this part of the valley you’ll find a lot of stock so don’t feel worried if you feel something is looking at you. After you’ve passed the confluence of the Greenstone and Caples Rivers, follow the Caples Track to your right. The trail will stick to the bush edge most of the time but in some parts, you’ll walk along with the cows in the grassy parts.   Tip: do not forget to look behind you every now and then. The views of the mountains behind you are truly stunning and turned out to be some of the best views of the whole track. The walk to Mid-Caples Hut is relatively short (it took me about 3 hours, the mentioned 2 hours are rather fast I’d say) plus time for pictures.   After the first two hours it became cloudy but luckily I had already enjoyed some amazing views. Just before you get to the hut, you’ll cross an incredibly scenic gorge with bright blue water. I decided to first drop my gear at the hut and head back to the gorge for pictures later, as I wanted to make sure I’d had a bed for the night. It actually turned out to be pretty quiet at the hut, there eventually were less than 10 people for the evening.   Note: the location of the hut is incredibly scenic, however the sandflies are a pain. If you decide to head out after your arrival, cover your arms and legs and be prepared for a sandfly attack!  

  Day 2: Mid Caples to McKellar Hut (6-7 hrs, 22 km)

The only (somewhat) alpine section of the Greenstone Caples Track awaits you on day two, when you cross McKellar Saddle into the next valley. I started my day early as this is generally a rule when I hike solo without cell phone connection (read more here about tips for safe solo hiking as a female). The first section of today’s hike will take you through the forest and you’ll gradually climb up to McKellar Saddle. From here the views are stunning, I had overcast but I can imagine it’s even more beautiful on a clear day.   As the saddle pretty much marks the half way point of day 2, I decided to grab lunch here. The majority of the walk on the saddle is on boardwalks in order to protect the fragile nature. The highest point is at 945 mts and after the saddle you’ll gradually walk down to the Greenstone Valley floor. Just before McKellar Lake you’ll get to a junction, from here you can hike to the Howden Hut on the Routeburn Track (more on that below) or McKellar Hut, the final destination for today.   DOC describes the McKellar Hut as one hour away from the track junction, however it took me a little longer. Once again the views are amazing and the location of the hut is awesome.  

  Day 3: McKellar Hut to Greenstone Hut (6 – 7 hrs, 18 km)

You’ve now reached the Greenstone Valley which is much wider than the Caples Valley. The hike from McKellar Hut to Greenstone Hut is across the bottom of the valley and stunning all the way. There’s a few minor rivers to be crossed as well as an old landslide you’ll walk across.   The Greenstone Hut is a 10 minute walk away from the track and is quite a but busier than the huts for the previous nights, since people who hike the Te Araroa Track (New Zealand’s long distance tramp) can also overnight here. I arrived at the Greenstone Hut mid afternoon and spent an awesome few hours enjoying the sunshine and overlooking the amazing views in the distance. Note that the hut was full well by the middle of the afternoon so arriving early is wise.  

  Day 4: Geenstone Hut to Greenstone Road end (3-5 hrs, 12 km)

I woke up after a rainy night and decided to quickly pack my bags and hike the final section of the Greenstone Caples Track. The first part of the hike was quite dry and led me through the forest most of the time. Slip Flat is a large open area and according to the track brochure, there should be an emergency bridge to cross the creek. The creek indeed turned out to be rather large so I decided to find the emergency bridge upstream. It seemed like there was a trail afterwards, but somehow I lost it and I got a bit confused. If you decide to go for the emergency bridge, my suggestion for you is to follow the creek back to the original track rather than trying to find your own way. There were many ‘sort of trails’ which I thought were right but eventually it took me quite a while to find the main trail back. I later realized they may have been stock tracks which confused me.   The final part was rainy and wet and I decided to hike quickly back to my car, as I wanted to make sure to get out in case the rivers on the Greenstone Road would become impassable (I was a bit worried as I didn’t have vehicle with high clearance and there’s no cell phone connection in the area).   If the weather would have been good, I’d have done the additional walk to Lake Rere but given the downpour, I figured it wouldn’t be worth it in the end.   After I got back to my car I changed into a dry outfit and decided to hit the road in order to get the crossings over and done with. Two of them had become rather deep and I was glad I got through them okay.  

  Greenstone Caples Track Map and Brochure

You can pick up a copy of the Greenstone Caples Track Map and Brochure at the Queenstown DOC office. They will also be able to provide you will all necessary information regarding the track as well as potential closures etc. You don’t really need a topographical map as the track is well marked with orange poles and signs in some places. Other than losing the track for a moment after the emergency bridge, I found it rather easy to find. With the Routeburn Track becoming more and more popular, I heard this is becoming a more hiked alternative for the Routeburn Track as it doesn’t require advance reservations and staying at the huts is cheaper than the Great Walk Huts.    

Routeburn Greenstone Track

It’s possible to combine the Greenstone track with a section of the Routeburn Track. If you wish to do so from the Greenstone Valley, my suggested itinerary would be:   Day 1: Greenstone Road End – Greenstone Hut Day 2: Greenstone Hut – McKellar Hut Day 3. McKellar Hut – Howden Hut or onwards to The Divide Day 4: Howden Hut – Lake Mackenzie Hut (you can also combine day 3+4 into one long day) Day 5: Lake Mackenzie Hut – Routeburn Falls Hut Day 6: Routeburn Falls Hut – Routeburn Shelter   Note that reservations for all huts on the Routeburn Track are required and need to be made well in advance. I hiked it in March 2018 and booked it in November 2018 and most of the spots were already booked up.  

Lake Mackenzie on the Routeburn Track

  Routeburn Caples Track

You may also combine the Routeburn Track with the Caples Track. In this case, my recommended route would be:  

Day 1: Greenstone Road End – Mid Caples Hut Day 2: Mid Caples Hut – Howden Hut Day 3: Howden Hut – Mackenzie Hut Day 4: Mackenzie Hut – Routeburn Falls Hut Day 5: Routeburn Falls Hut – Routeburn Shelter   If you wish to end at The Divide, you can overnight in Howden Hut and from there hike to The Divide. From here, you can catch a bus back to Queenstown or combine it with an excursion to Milford Sound like me and my friend did when we hiked the Routeburn Track.    

Things to consider when hiking the Greenstone & Caples Track

As I mentioned, it’s a generally easy multi-day tramp if you are an experienced hiker and are physically fit. Do not forget to pack all I mentioned above as well as raingear, since you are hiking in one of the wettest parts of New Zealand.   As it’s way less busy than The Great Walks, you may find yourself alone most of the time. At least, I did. If you’d like to hike in solitude, your best bet is to get up early before everyone else does. I only ran into a handful of people each day (maybe not even) and would just see other people at night in the huts.   If you want to camp on the Greenstone Caples Track, you can do so at along the bush edge and 50 meters from the track. More information and rules for campers can be found on the track brochure.  

  What’s the weather on the Greenstone Caples Track

This part of New Zealand is among the wettest in the country, meaning that you will most likely get wet. Parts of it lead you through Fiordland National Park, which is known for it’s insane rainfall. During this same trip I also did the Routeburn Track and the Hump Ridge Track, both located in Fiordland National Park and I got soaked to the bone most of the time. I don’t want to discourage you, moreover be realistic. I had two days of sunshine, one day of overcast and one day of rain on the Greenstone Caples Track. Not a bad score if you ask me!    

Conclusion and disclaimer

Looking back on this hike, I found it one of the highlights of my most recent trip to New Zealand. The track was incredible scenic, quiet and not too difficult. Yes, the Routeburn may be more famous, but looking back on it, I’d rather to this one again.   Note that this blog contains affiliate links and that I may earn a small commission if you decide to buy or book anything through one of these links. This is of course at no extra cost to you.

The post Greenstone Caples Track: a great alternative for The Routeburn Track appeared first on we12travel.com.

[yumikoflare]

tagged by looser @inspiringnokias ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ thank u!

- Nicknames: yumi / nighty - Star sign: aquarius!

- Height: 5′1′’  - Last thing I googled: 'the eye infinite’ comes up first bc i search it a lot a;sdlasas; the actual last thing was ‘naan bread’ bc @gay-trash-cats and i were talking abt bread and i googled it to make sure LOL

- Favourite music artist: it’s always gonna be after the rain!!!! i’ve also been rly into infinite recently (´,,•ω•,,)♡

- Song Stuck In My Head: THE EYE......

- Last Movie I Watched: i thiiink it was suicide squad?

- Last Tv-show I’ve watched: i don’t watch tv shows LOL uummm last anime though would have to be kuzu no honkai...... not a fan

- What are you wearing right now: it’s literally almost 8pm and i’m still dressed in my phys ed uniform smh

- When did you create your blog: sep 2014 wow

- What kind of stuff do you post?: seasonal anime, memes, and interaction w mutuals/followers are probably my main things .. i have such awfully sporadic content i’m surprised people follow me LOL

- Any side blogs?: yeah!! but for now i’m only comfy w sharing my stim/aes sideblog, daylight-trail!

- Do you get asks regularly?: only when i rb ask memes! 

- Why did you choose your url?: copy-pasted for the 400th time: “yumi is a nickname from the name yumiko, which is half of the name yumikoflare. during the time i made the name, i was self-studying japanese (still am!) and i thought japanese names were really beautiful. so i was looking through a list and liked ‘miyako’ and ‘yumiko’, but happened to like yumiko better. i wanted an actual name that could be used on a majority of social media, so obviously just yumiko wouldn’t work if i wanted something that wasn’t taken. so, the kanji for yumiko was 弓子 meaning ‘archery bow’ and ‘child’ and for some reason the word ‘flare’ matched with archery bow to me, so i slapped it on and bam’ + as an addition, i’m pretty sure there was another kanji for it? something like how the ‘yu’ was beauty and ‘mi’ was wisdom or something? and ‘ko’ is still child, but yeah”

- Gender?: female

- Hogwarts house: ravenclaw :00 - Pokemon team: mystic - Favourite colour: not picky but i like dark purple - Average hours of sleep I get: usually 6-7 hrs - Lucky number: 2, 5, and 12 - Favourite characters: ashiya hanae, abeno haruitsuki, yuuri katsuki, and isana yashiro come to mind - How many blankets do you sleep with? 1 - Dream job: anything that i’ll be happy with that has steady pay! - Following: 366 blogs

i’ll be tagging: @gay-trash-cats | @edgypastels | @mukyami | @adventuringonline | @blepwoof !!! i tagged mostly new people this time so if you don’t want to do it you don’t have to~

[n-ph]

2k16

wow it’s been awhile since i’ve written one of these. i just realized that i totally didn’t write one last year. anyway i dont even know where to begin. 2016 has been an interesting year to say the least. i was rereading some of my old posts and i said omg a lot. the days just seem to go by in a blur nowadays, so i will try to recap 2016 as best as i can. i dont have a word to encompass this year though.

went to seattle in january. tried some really expensive sushi..twice..holy crap. the quality was a1 but man the bill was something else. seattle was nice though. definitely had a san francisco vibe to it, except for when you go to the waterside and look back at all the construction. i guess we kinda ran out of things to do bc on the last day we went to chinatown and the area seemed really dinky. also gained a ton of weight in seattle though u_u

in february we tried 5a5 steakhouse. and let me tell u. it is the best beef i have ever had. it is also the most money i have ever spent on a single meal. oh my god. i dont know if i'll ever be back, but i would like to, some day.

thus far, the semester was pretty okay. let's see..i had government accounting with a moody professor who would throw tantrums whenever no one participated. i also had business law with this old guy who was really lively and fun. i had strategic management with a bryan cranston look alike. the class was really interesting though and i learned a lot and it got me started on reading the economist lmao im so old. i miss having so much free time that came with school. 40 hour work weeks are not the life (even if i barely do anything at work).

went to LA during spring break. and at a good time too bc it was still the soft opening of harry potter world so the lines were v manageable. butterbeer was dope. the entire hogsmeade village just felt so real. had sooo much good food in LA omg. got to see some friends as well. had some of the best steak frites ever.

i cant believe i particpated in asu's talent show this year. much has changed in asu since i joined. it makes me wonder if i was behaving that way when i first joined. it seems a lot more clique-y and high school and drama filled but hey maybe it was that way when i was active but i just never noticed. had many fun lunches with my grand little but man there is a lot of drama in asu and im just glad i wasnt in any of it. i kinda miss the old asu days of staying out late to eat or do nothing at all but also i dont miss it bc i get enough sleep and im a lot more productive without asu lmao. finally ended things with tram for good. maybe things turned out the way they did for the better. the entire friendship was such a roller coaster. im glad its over.

the end of the semester rolled around!!! and i graduated!!!! :') attended my sisters graduation which was pretty boring bc high school students have such a narrow view of life (not to say that college students are any better). attended my own graduation. felt really fortunate to have jessa and anthony there. this one kid in my graudating class gave a speech about accomplishments...and he revealed the wrestling belt he was wearing underneath his graduation gown...and then he made the grads stand up and chant thank yous to the friends and family sitting behind us. it was so embarrassing and extra omg.

shortly after graduation i was on a plane headed back to the motherland. and let me tell u. i hated most of it. it was super hot and humid and my sister and i shared about 100 mosquito bites between the both of us. also. i know i shouldnt but..vietnam is so dirty. i know its not their fault that theyre a developing country but man there are exactly zero sanitation standards and i dont even know why we were there bc the water had recently been polluted so none of the fish were edible and my mom didnt trust the food stands to have clean food either. i guess i made some new friends and visited some cool places but at what cost??? also i think my entire fam got sick bc we slept with the ac on but either way, the meds i took made me lose my sense of smell i think and i couldnt taste or smell anything for two weeks. the ac air also dried out my nose and gave me a skin infection (which i will discuss later). during our trip to danang a small ferry got flipped on the big river and a bunch of ppl died and the government tried to cover it up bc bad publicity etc. they played it off as if only a few ppl died rather than most of the ppl on the boat. our tour guide in danang was in the know tho so he told us everything and w o w that really could've been us on that river bc it was a boat the left the dock about half an hour after our boat left. crazy.

after the long and arduous journey abroad i finally made it back home...and then headed to hawaii. hawaii was dope af. 10/10 would recommend, would go back. battled the tides when we went kayaking and sadly the tides won and i lost my hat but also almost lost my flip flops if it weren't for some kind random strangers who swam out to get my flip flops. we stayed on oahu and maui. hiked up a v steep mountain in oahu. lost my hat from kayaking. got caught in the rain when we went looking for a beach on the first day. had some of the best shaved ice ever. attended my first luau. fell asleep during the first part of a fire dancing show (bc the fire hadnt started yet). essentially pulled an all nighter to try oahu's famous bakery that opened at 3am. flew to maui but due to poor planning we arrived 4 hours earlier than check in lmao. the house we had in maui was so beautiful though omg. it was ocean side so we could hear the waves every night and it just felt so peaceful and tranquil to sit on the balcony in the mornings, just staring out at sea. in maui we went snorkeling. the last time i went snorkeling was like...10+ years ago...in cancun...and the water was freezing...and i also thought i was lost in the middle of the ocean on our way to the snorkeling location... but anyway! the snorkeling this time was so cool omg they had prescription swimming goggles so i could see EVERYTHING. they also provided lunch which was dope. it started raining on our way back to shore though lmao. the next day we drove all the way up the volcano in maui...to find that the top was foggy af and we couldnt see anything. the road up was pretty nasty bc super windy and 10000 ft elevation. it got really foggy after like 6000ft so we basically drove in all fog until the top which was still foggy but also like 20 degrees colder than the rest of maui. maui is super rural omg. we tried to find a place to eat after our trek but there were barely any food places in sight. we picked a random spot in the middle of nowhere and then decided to take the road to hana (which is on the opposite side of where we were staying, and was about 3 hrs away. and boy did we mess up. we took the alternate road there and it was scarier than going up the volcano bc 1) windy 2) small ass roads which were unpaved at certain points and 3) cliff hugging roads..i cant believe i made the drive there and back it was so terrifying omg. not sure if i would go back. at one point there was a big ass cow in the middle of the road. once we got to hana though, the hike was really nice despite the humidity. almost died crossing the river at the end to see the waterfall. all the rocks had big ants on them!!! how was i supposed to cross the river!!! we missed out on the wading pools though but we were so starving by that time. made the 3 hr drive back and everyone was dead. spent the last day on maui not doing much bc rainy and we were all so dead.

about two weeks after i got back from hawaii was training week in sac for my first big girl job. ngl but i felt super homesick that first night. idk why since i would be home by the end of the week anyway. probably just overwhelmed by how fast everything was happening. graduation and now transitioning into a full time job. scary stuff. but i did make a really good friend in sac so it didnt turn out so bad!!! training was pretty fun bc our presenter was pretty engaging. except when we went over the boring stuff and i was v close to falling asleep. did get to catch up with some of my sac friends though which was nice. went to the state fair for the first time as well. it was..exactly as expected but hotter lmao. my family went to san diego at this time bc my sister was going to comic con but i couldnt make it :(

got back from training and started my first big girl job. im not sure what i expected but it was easy but also hard? my first engagement i was only with one other senior and she was super nice and pretty and really good at lettering. i dont feel like i learned much? i only really did the tasks given to me but i feel like half the time i wasnt even sure what i was doing. i also hated the commute all the way back from walnut creek. the going there wasnt so bad bc i got a ride out to oakland but man it would take forever to get home. :'( my second engagement was just me and a partner and i feel like she expected me to know everything...but i didnt know anything...so i mostly sat around a lot??? esp bc she wasnt on site every day so i had zero supervision. :/ towards the end of the second engagement i got an email from the city saying that they were accepting me into their accounting position and i was like oh shit. i ended up taking the job, which gave me a week in between quitting the first job and starting the second, which i used to go back to LA lmao bc i had a season ticket to universal. actually ate at the three broomsticks this time. it was defs filling and i thought it was a good bang for buck. attempted to go to the walking dead tour..chickened out..twice. i probs would've died in there tbh. also went to disneyland!!!! that was lit. their macone-roni and cheese was da bomb. saw world of color for the first time except it was the 50th anniversary edition so it wasnt so great. bumped into the couple that was in jbieb's love yourself video. tried some new food places in LA and saw some old friends, again.

started my second big girl job. all my coworkers are super nice except the big boss is kind of crazy and anal. but we deal with it. my supervisor is so nice :'( work isnt so bad bc i dont do much lmao. the hardest part sometimes is just staying awake if im being honest. getting paid to do nothing is the life tho.

spent my birthday weekend in monterey. we were supposed to go atv-ing but ended up going wine tasting but also not really bc we liked the first wine so much we got a bottle of that to share. it was really cold that weekend surprisingly so we stayed in and then went to this spa place on a whim and it was definitely an interesting experience.

went as a rice bag for halloween and i think that was probably my greatest costume to date. except we ended up going to a party full of white ppl...and i was like the only asian there gdi

tagged along w my sister when she went to sd. got to see many friends!!! went clubbing as well and that was lit. took michelle clubbing for her 21st birthday, also lit. squadsgiving and christmas were super fun. got some supplies for bullet journaling so guess thatll be my new years resolution. but also to take more photos bc i didnt buy that camera for nothing.

okay so in conclusion. i did a lot of stuff this year. it feels like it was mostly all highs. or maybe i just block out the lows but im pretty sure there were way more highs than lows. 2016 was a great year tbh. oh yeah i also passed two of four parts of my cpa exam!!! woot. in 2016, i learned a lot...of accounting lmao. plus i ran my first 5k!!!!! oh yeah and i joined a gym and now im getting swole af. im not sure what my reflections are. i guess, if i were to compare 2k16 kim to 2k14 kim i've for sure come a long ways. i wasnt afraid to try new challenges and conquer them. i stepped out of my comfort zone multiple times, sometimes with the help of alcohol. i got my shit together and really focused in school (which got me a 4.0 during my last year of college). i also got my shit together and studied my ass off for the cpa (which is still ongoing i crey). i really wanna say this was probably one of my best years with everything i was able to do and everything i achieved. so here's to you, 2016, and may 2017 be even better!!!

[soysaucevictim]

Woops, this got long... again.

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July 16

Meant to get up earlier, but I hit the snooze button too many times and woke up to the van honking outside. I decided not to go to the facility, didn’t feel like rushing out.

Slept in until a bit after 11AM.

I spent a good deal of my day with the usual nonsense.

First, today’s DD. 20 windshield wipers with EC. Not much to really say other than I found that this was manageable.

(After getting royally distracted and getting the rest in way later than I should’ve... not helped by overeating. :I )

Second, Day 9 of the T10C. 10 sets of 2x20″ squats + 20″ of punches. Relatively breezy - found myself shortening the rest period to roughly half the specified time. I also tried to improve my squatting form a bit - perhaps minding whether my knees were angled valgus-like whilst doing them (youtuber orthopedic surgeon Chris Raynor got me interested in checking my form... especially since my knees have been a bit irritable in recent history). I think my knees liked how I was doing things... even if some hamstrings cramped a bit. :P

Last, Day 9 of the CCC. 40 torso twists in one go. Pretty straightforward.

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July 17

I got up a little earlier than yesterday.

Not much to show for today other than doing dishes, making some brownies, and getting in my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 1′ tree pose with EC. Because I knew 30"/30" would be too easy for me, I decided to double it for 1'/1' instead! Yay, for all the balancing progress. Also, I always love how meditative this pose is! :D

(After many hours of distraction...)

Second, Day 10 of the T10C. 5 sets of 1′ climbers + 1′ flutter kicks. Let’s just say I was glad that I was able to rest 2′, because that was pretty brutal. Even if I had to do things at a deliberately slower pace for sustainability. I also decided to allow my feet to tap the floor and my head to rest for the flutter kicks. Too late and too tired to be dealing with over-exertion and strain. :P

Last, Day 10 of the CCC. 100 side legs raises in one go (50/50). This was very doable and fairly fun.

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July 18

I got up a bit before 8AM.

Got to the facility, socialized, went to WRAP Group, and picked up some paperwork while I was out and about, today.

Shortly after getting home and doing some of the usual, I decided I needed a nap.

After I woke up and while watching YouTube and whatnot.... I  got some major anxiety from a possibly dire health-related realization. Threw me for a loop and took awhile before I decided I needed to reach into some coping tools.

One of them being the therapy HW and the other being exercise (a lot later than intended.)

First, today’s DD. 30 push-ups with EC. I debated on whether this was going to be a good idea for me, given the nature of what just lit my nerves on fire today. But I just wanted to get it over with. :P

Second, Day 11 of the T10C. 10′ non-stop punching. I counted 1074 punched thrown, but I may’ve made a counting error. I did enjoy this experience, as expected.

Last, Day 11 of the CCC. 40 torso twists. Breezy work.

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July 19

I woke up at around 9AM.

Went to an emergency eye appointment I made a bit later in the morning. Good news is I didn’t have signs of retinal tears. I’m relieved that the flashing disturbance was probably just mild PVD.

Not much else to show for my day outside of that, dishes, dinner, and exercise.

I pretty much only did the DD. 30 single leg deadlifts with EC. This was reasonably fun to do, especially after a few good and mixed things happened this morning. :P

(Also, looks like I didn’t get that job. But I have amicable feelings about how the news was made.)

-

July 20

I got up a bit before noon.

I did mostly the usual, but also some music exploration and Twitter rambling for the downtime bit.

Only really productive thing I got around to doing was my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 50 prone reverse flies with EC. This got pretty tough in the last 20 or so reps, but was still quite doable and fun. :D

(After getting really distracted...)

Second, Day 12 of the T10C. 10 sets of 2x30″ high knees + 30″ jumping jacks. Did a warmup set of modded down exercises. Definitely got me right winded and regretting drinking so much damn coffee today... orz

Last, Day 12 of the CCC. 110 side leg raises, done in one go (55/55). Very doable, although it did take a bit of time to get the HR down after everything.

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July 21

I woke up around the same time as yesterday.

A lot of the same old, same old. But I did get around to catching up with my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 1′ raised leg elbow plank with EC (30″/30″). Tough, but still manageable. Steady breathing is key, yet again. :U

Second, Day 13 of the T10C. 7 sets of 30″ punches + 30″ shoulder taps, with 3′ of punches as a finisher. The shoulder taps were made more challenging by deliberately avoiding rocking. I did enjoy all the punching.

(After a bit of distractions and waffling...)

Third, Day 14 of the T10C. 5 sets of 1′ squats + 1′ flutter kicks. Again, glad I got 2′ of rest. But I did have to vary how I executed the flutter kicks, some durations with head held up, some down, some keeping the legs above the floor, and others where I allowed them to tap.

Last, Days 13+14 of the CCC. 40 torso twists + 120 side leg raises, done in one go. Got a bit dizzy with the former, but I did the latter pretty handily in 60/60.

-

July 22

I woke up again around the same time in the morning.

A lot of the same, including exercise.

First, today’s DD. 50 crunches with EC. Tough, but still manageable. Steady breathing is key, yet again. :D

Second, Day 15 of the T10C. 10′ non-stop side-to-side leg raises. Was a bit too distracted to keep count, so I just dropped that and just focused on getting through the duration. Left hip complained more than the right, but it felt good to be able to manage this task.

Last, Day 15 of the CCC. Just 40 torso twists again. Breezy work.

-

July 23

I woke up pretty much at 8AM.

The first thing I did while at the facility was the DD. 1′ chest squeeze with EC. Very doable, the trembling is an amusing consequence of holding this contraction. :,D

Went to Seeking Safety and did a bit of housekeeping with all the handouts I’ve collected from the course. I then spent the rest of my time there socializing and working on a drawing.

Spent some time at home doing dishes, making dinner, gaming, and watching Black Mirror with Pops.

I would have done my exercise, if the power didn’t go out before I could. I spent most of the outage talking with the family and playing a puzzle game (Brick by Brick, physical game pieces... didn’t want to drain my computer’s battery.)

By the time the power came on, it was too late to bother getting in my workout. *Shrugs.*

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July 24

I got just a bit earlier than yesterday.

I don’t normally go to the facility on Wednesdays. But I got an RSVP for a meeting there today. I spent my time leading up to that doing some socializing and drawing.

The meeting was with an organization aiming to assess how our county can use tech for wellbeing. Got a free sandwich and 25$ gift card out of it. Decided to buy a new cooling fan for my laptop. :,D (But for real, I actually do like the thought of getting involved and feeling valued for my contribution.)

Got home, did a lot of the usual before getting in my exercise for the day (despite sleep debt and feeling a bit overtired.)

First, today’s DD. 2′ wall-sit with EC. Oof, that felt a bit harder than usual. Doing this specific thing while watching something funny is just a smidge better than listening to music as a distraction from the burning quads. :,D

Second, Day 16 of the T10C. 4 sets of 1′ jumping jacks + 1′ punches, with a finisher of 2′ sit-ups. I liked all three exercises,  but I had to slow down the jacks and sit-ups because of my energy level (and kinda full stomach).

Last, Day 16 of the CCC. 130 side leg raises, done in one pop (65/65). Given PBs, this is still very doable.

With that... I ought to get some dishes taken care of and move toward winding down for the night.

[agricultureproud]

2019… my big goal for the year is sticking to the plan. Last year, I fell short of my BHAG and I’m bound and determined to reach that 100k mark this year. Part of that plan involves completing a distance of at least 50k for a long run each month, hopefully with a few 50 milers in the mix. In January, I reached that with Arches Ultra in Moab. This month, I headed to Kansas City for an icy Pscho Wyco 50k.

I had planned for a run near Bellingham, Washington, but apparently, those PNW folks can’t handle a little snow. So, I changed my flight (thank you, Delta Skymiles) and headed to Kansas City last minute.

I found this run on UltraSignUp – a very dangerous place to hang out, and my options for 50k were limited for the end of February. Luckily, MCI is an easy airport to get to from Denver on Delta (trying to burn those miles since I’ve switched to United).

Psycho Wyco 50k

The Psycho Wyco run takes place west of Kansas City in Wyandotte County, Kansas with distances of 10 miles, 20 miles, or 50k. The 10.4-mile loop in Wyandotte County Lake Park is all single-track dirt trails. But this weekend it was all ice and mud.

The area had received a few inches of wet snow in the days leading up to the run so there would be plenty of snow and ice on the course. And the forecast for Saturday was a high of 40 degrees with a good chance of rain.

Registration and bib pickup was easy enough at the Comfort Inn close to race location. I grabbed my bib and received a cheap packable cooler and a cool hoody sweatshirt with the colorful race logo. Then it was back to the hotel for a steak dinner and sleep.

With a welcomed 8:00 a.m. start time, the morning wasn’t a big rush. The start line parking is reserved for volunteers and 50k runners. All others are bused from a parking area just a few minutes away.

Psycho Wyco Course

No big fanfare at the start line – literally a staked flag in the ground. The first half mile isn’t really on a trail, but rather a run across the open field in the park. Then we jump on the single track.

As expected, our feet would not stay dry and that proved to be true starting at mile 0.25. The entire course is on dirt trail, with some areas opening up to allow for easy passing. With recent snow, there really wasn’t much mud until the third loop late in the day.

Photos above look muddy, but it was mostly compacted snow turned to ice with water on top. Picture running atop a giant sonic slushy.

There were 3 aid stations on course with one at the start/finish line. Each had experienced volunteers who were in good spirits and knew what we needed. There may have been bottles of Fireball and beer available all day. Oreos, Peanut Butter, and Coke were plentiful, so I wasn’t complaining.

Psycho Wyco 50k Loop 1

On the first loop, I wasn’t looking forward to the wet feet and my toes were frozen at mile 3. There was a good pack of runners to roll with for much of this loop. The trails were rolling with a few switchbacks, water crossings, and small hills.

I had set out to make this my long training run, so the goal was to keep the HR and pace in check. The icy conditions kept my pace plenty slow. And I took the conservative approach on the climbs. Between miles 3 and 5 we found some good downhill climbs. Yes, it was slick and steep descents. More power to those who ran the whole thing.

When I made it back to the finish at mile 10, I was feeling good. And catching a glimpse of the advertised warm chili that would should be waiting on us at the finish was a good motivator.

Psycho Wyco 50k Loop 2

On the second loop, you know what’s coming. So you either dread it or head out with an ambition to tackle the challenge. In my mind, I wasn’t looking forward to frozen toes again, but at least I knew what was ahead.

On this loop, we caught up with the 10-mile runners who started an hour later. The course was icy with compacted snow. Going downhill was more of a slide than a run. I met up with a firefighting crew in partial gear (kudos to them!) on a few descents. They had to hang on to a few trees just to find the brakes.

I was having fun on this stretch, keeping things in check. At this point, my feet were wet but warmed up between wet stretches. Some light rain started, but luckily I had grabbed a light jacket from the race bag before starting. The race winner passed me in the final yards before the end of this loop. Eh, a few more hours to go!

Psycho Wyco 50k Loop 3

At this point, you might as well have some fun with it. Some sections of the trail were beginning to turn to mud between runners, temps above freezing and some rain falling. Runners on the final loop were spaced out. I was looking forward to spending some time alone to avoid the temptation of pushing harder than intended.

At mile 24-ish, I stopped at the aid station and chatted for a couple of minutes while savoring some peanut butter on an oreo. I say -ish because my Garmin wasn’t accurate in the hills and switchbacks. And you never pass an aid station on the trails without grabbing at least a few calories.

The crew joked that I looked fresh and must have just started running. Either I looked like crap and they were trying to be nice, or I really was just having fun on the trails for the day. No matter the intention, it reminded me of my goal – to enjoy the day and get in some solid miles. I left with a bigger smile on my face that carried for the rest of the run, so mission accomplished.

Psycho Wyco 50k Finish

Not going to lie, when I reached that final muddy hill of the last loop, I was ready to be done. It was a fun day, but I was hungry and ready for some dry socks.

That chili and beer I had my eye on during the previous two loops were on my mind and I was looking forward to warming up. So you can imagine my surprise when I crossed the finish line to find a volunteer packing up all the food. All that was left was a water cooler, a little fruit, and half a Coke. Umm…

So, I asked. Is all the food gone? Yes. We just gave out the last of it. Is there at least a cup for the Coke? You’ll have to find your own. What? I was a little confused. He said, “Yeah, some people had two or three servings. Maybe we should have saved some.

I was frustrated and luckily aware I was rungry (runner hungry), so I just turned around before I said something regrettable. I didn’t want to be that guy. I finished at 7:29 and thought I may be one of the last runners to finish, so I figured that’s what you get for being at the end of the run.

BUT, when I saw the results online later, I was disappointed. Not so much for me, but also everyone else behind me. I finished 48 out of 80 runners. There were still 32 finishers (almost 2 hours) behind me who wouldn’t find any food at the finish. That sucks. Especially on a chilly, wet day. I get it, supplies run short. But you don’t advertise warm food and beer at the finish line and leave the last half of your field out there to “find your own cup.”

Yeah, it left a bad taste in my mouth and I’ll think twice before signing up for another run in this series.

Mission Accomplished

But let’s not let’s not let that ruin a good day. I had fun out on the trails with my first ultra in Kansas. The volunteers out on the course were all friendly and ensured we had a good time. The trail was challenging, easy to follow, and weather conditions made it a good challenge.

I look forward to finding March’s long run. But first I need to wash all this mud out of my shoes.

31.1 miles (Garmin cut it short) 7:29:31 (definitely banking time on my feet) Altra Lone Peak Nathan Fireball Race Vest

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Psycho Wyco 50k – Kansas City 2019... my big goal for the year is sticking to the plan. Last year, I fell short of my…

[diplomaticspoonie]

I’m just going to fill this out...

But the way I feel like it.

Get to Know Me Uncomfortably Well

1. What is you middle name? Nice try, identity thieves.  (Then again, my real face is on here. Hm.) 

2. How old are you? Five short of two score

3. When is your birthday? St. John’s Day

4. What is your zodiac sign? No.

5. What is your favorite color? Purple.

6. What's your lucky number? I don’t really have one?

7. Do you have any pets? 2 dogs and 2 cats.  (I love animals!)

8. Where are you from?  Kentucky!

9. How tall are you? 5′6″

10. What shoe size are you? 11ish.

11. How many pairs of shoes do you own? 4? I think? 

12. What was your last dream about? Something about my cats.

13. What talents do you have? I’ve a good knack for languages after studying so many of them. 

14. Are you psychic in any way? No.

15. Favorite song? Today, it’s Parabola by Tool.

16. Favorite movie? Casablanca.

17. Who would be your ideal partner? My wife really is ideal.

18. Do you want children? No.

19. Do you want a church wedding? Didn’t have one either time.

20. Are you religious? No.

21. Have you ever been to the hospital? Oh, yes.  

22. Have you ever got in trouble with the law? I’ve had a speeding ticket...

23. Have you ever met any celebrities? I’ve met some famous politicians.  I was near Richard Gere once. 

24. Baths or showers? Shower.

25. What color socks are you wearing? No.

26. Have you ever been famous? Locally, in Togo.

27. Would you like to be a big celebrity? God no.

28. What type of music do you like? Most anything, but especially metal.

29. Have you ever been skinny dipping? No.

30. How many pillows do you sleep with? 2

31. What position do you usually sleep in? Side.

32. How big is your house? 2 stories and a basement.

33. What do you typically have for breakfast? Anything.

34. Have you ever fired a gun? Yes, twenty years ago.

35. Have you ever tried archery? Yes.

36. Favorite clean word? Awesome.

37. Favorite swear word? Goddamnit.

38. What's the longest you've ever gone without sleep? 24 hrs?

39. Do you have any scars? A couple.

40. Have you ever had a secret admirer? Yeah...

41. Are you a good liar? Not really.

42. Are you a good judge of character? Maybe?

43. Can you do any other accents other than your own? Not well.

44. Do you have a strong accent? I don’t think so.

45. What is your favorite accent? Some of the British ones, esp. the one where “my” becomes “me.”

46. What is your personality type? I don’t know what this means. (If it’s Myers-Briggs, it’s “fuck off, MB is pseudo psych BS.”)

47. What is your most expensive piece of clothing? Probably one of my suits?

48. Can you curl your tongue? No.

49. Are you an innie or an outie? Innie.

50. Left or right handed? Left.

51. Are you scared of spiders? Definitely not.

52. Favorite food? Duck.

53. Favorite foreign food? Beijing duck.

54. Are you a clean or messy person? SO GODDAMN MESSY.

55. Most used phrased? I’m not sure.

56. Most used word? See above--Awesome.

57. How long does it take for you to get ready? Depends on the what it’s for and how bad I’m flaring.

58. Do you have much of an ego? No. I have crippling depression instead.

59. Do you suck or bite lollipops? Suck.

60. Do you talk to yourself? Occasionally.

61. Do you sing to yourself? Oh yeah.

62. Are you a good singer? Nope!

63. Biggest Fear? Death.

64. Are you a gossip? God yes.

65. Best dramatic movie you've seen? Casablanca.

66. Do you like long or short hair? Don’t care.

67. Can you name all 50 states of America? Yes.

68. Favorite school subject? Depended on the teacher. Geography, probably.

69. Extrovert or Introvert? Eh, either?

70. Have you ever been scuba diving? No, but I want to.

71. What makes you nervous? Fucking up.

72. Are you scared of the dark? Sometimes.

73. Do you correct people when they make mistakes? Sometimes.

74. Are you ticklish? Yes.

75. Have you ever started a rumor? Probably by accident.

76. Have you ever been in a position of authority? Yes.

77. Have you ever drank underage? Only a little.

78. Have you ever done drugs? As a teen, my stepdad gave me some painkillers to help me out when he had to perform minor surgery on my foot.  That’s it.

79. Who was your first real crush? A girl in my middle school. She was a violinist, hella smart, really sweet, and jaw droppingly beautiful.  

80. How many piercings do you have? 0

81. Can you roll your Rs?" No.

82. How fast can you type? 60 wpm? Maybe?

83. How fast can you run? Ha ha.

84. What color is your hair? Brown.

85. What color is your eyes? Brown.

86. What are you allergic to? Everything? Grass, mostly.

87. Do you keep a journal? No.

88. What do your parents do? They’re dead. Thanks for asking. (My dad had been a restaurant manager, my mom worked mostly in utilities as a secretary, but had recently switched to working at Amazon at a shitty job before her car accident.)

89. Do you like your age? 35 is all right.

90. What makes you angry? Injustice, mostly.

91. Do you like your own name? It’s pretty cool.

92. Have you already thought of baby names, and if so what are they? Thought of lots of them..but I don’t want kids.

93. Do you want a boy a girl for a child? Have you noticed the “I don’t want kids” thing?

94. What are you strengths? Languages, compassion.

95. What are your weaknesses? Over empathy, crippling self-doubt.

96. How did you get your name? First name from my dad, first middle name from my great-great-grandfather, second middle name from mom’s dad.

97. Were your ancestors royalty? Ha ha ha. Oh god no. Poor white trash for generations.

98. Do you have any scars? You already asked that!

99. Color of your bedspread? Right now? Green? Brown? 

100. Color of your room? White?