#strawberry sunday: meta

[starlightkun]

I finished reading tdhea yesterday and it was a beautiful experience for me, for sure. It was a beautiful story and I enjoyed/loved reading every chapter of the book. The relationship between ji and the reader, chenle and ji's relationship, the group (dreamies + the reader's) relationship, human renjun, everything was beautiful, tdhea is beautiful, the strawberry sunday universe as a whole is really beautiful!! It's my read & relax space now. And I found the jasmine & pearls Shotaro character appearance cute. And this book made me more curious about the strawberry sunday universe, How many types of mythical creatures are included in this universe? And do all of the neos have a short character desc for them by now like their background and stuff like that? And did you decide the personality of each character by their personality as a person or.. by the mythical creature assigned to them or both, for example, both jaemin and haechan are dryads and how do you decide the differences between their character personalities? - 🌺

youre really so sweet this ask made me so so happy. i kept going back to read it so many times while i was at work today <33 i was looking forward to answering this one when i came home ahhh

i know i didn't go into siren!taro or the boba shop a lot in tdhea, but a lot like jeno's cameo in rid, we'll see more of him in another fic (changer!)

so i did just count actually, and including humans, there are officially 14 kinds of creatures in the strawberry sunday universe: basilisk, dragon, dryad, fairy, gryphon, human, phoenix, siren, sphinx, unicorn, vampire, werewolf, witch, wyvern*

*we haven't officially seen a wyvern character in any strawberry sunday fic, they were just mentioned in tdhea as part of renjun/reader's curriculum (their class on "basilisks, dragons, and wyverns")

tdhea spoilers under the cut for those of u who haven't read it

i think all of the neos have been included/mentioned in some fic (or wip) at this point so they all definitely have a physical description, and a lot have a general background in my mind, but i'm still learning a lot about my characters. like i used to never understand those authors that were like "oh my characters just do things themselves" but there are some scenes i fr dont know what these bitches r doing until im like "ohhhh because then THIS is going to happen and thats why THIS happened earlier i get it now." like in tdhea, the last big scene with the whole group where chenle, jisung, and reader were supposed to be pranking the others but then it was all going horribly wrong, i was writing it to be 100% serious at first (aka the others fully believed them/didn't know it was a prank) and by the time i got to mark telling jeno to grab the reader, i was just thinking to myself "this doesn't feel right, i don't like this, they wouldn't do this, im going to have to take this whole scene out and then change the scene before with chenle completely" but i just kept letting them go and then finally i was like "oh my god THEY'RE playing a prank back on them! chenle's being a double agent of course! he's a fairy, duh!" like it rlly felt like i had got got by my own fic and characters 😭😭 as crazy as that might sound idk. and i hadn't even decided chenle was a fairy prince until i was writing the dialogue in the scene where reader says "I like Chenle, but a fairy prince isn’t exactly representative of humans." (i write/plan things very out of order, that was one of the first scenes i had written) and then bam, chenle and jisung's entire backstory together had coalesced in my mind. and even then, chenle/the dreamie's whole deal wasn't fully explored in tdhea (it was sort of alluded to/explained with jisung befriending chenle first, and the others just came along with chenle. but how did chenle and the other dreamies meet?? i do know SOME of that one actually. ha.)

when i went to assign beings to the neos, i went based off how i perceived (some of) their irl personality traits and gave them creatures with powers/lore/etc. that i thought either reflected those traits and/or could manifest well with them. like chenle irl can for sure just be a menace. so, take that one little tendency of his, dial it up a lot little, and make him a fairy, who are known to be mischievous folk. jungwoo is also a fairy, and irl i also see him as a jokester (he's constantly making the ilichils laugh) but less in the way of pranks like fairy!chenle and more like a tease (see: all of strawberry sunday lol). soo, still a mischievous fairy woos, but slightly different than our other fairy.

while i could've easily put hyuck in with our impish fairies too, i feel like a lot of fics tend to focus on his tendency to be a little shit (mine r no exception) and i wanted to acknowledge and embrace his softness too. he's our lovely fullsun, and i adored the idea of him laughing so hard that he just sprouted flowers, and sleeping under his own blanket of clovers, and underneath his outwards tendencies to be a little shit, he really is in touch with what his friends are feeling and need, and just wants the best for them. as for the difference in hyuck and jaemin, since they're both dryads, i made a more conscious effort to keep (what i perceive to be) more of their irl personalities in moreso than the other neos. and i hope that comes across? like they'll both tease and poke fun and have those down to earth moments, but in different ways? hyuck is more overtly meddlesome, mischievous, and generally is a little shit except for those rare, sincere moments. meanwhile jaemin shows (tdhea) reader how to weave clover crowns, nags, lectures, and overall has more....idk nurturing vibes?

i wont go into depth for every single neo for fear of this being wildly longer than it is and boring (some were a little more arbitrary than others. i def spent the longest assigning the ilichils i think), i do want to touch on my humans briefly. i was going back and forth on having johnny be a gryphon or a human for a while, actually. i finally settled on human not only to have a little comedic relief (bc literally all of these guys r comedic relief truly) but to have a parallel of human (strawbsunday) reader who grew up around magical creatures and is all used to this, and human johnny who is getting used to it but is just so chill and has this open mind, but still needs that human reassurance every so often that he's not about to die right now, actually. and slightly unhinged magical creatures studies human renjun who is like a walking talking encyclopedia of weird and magical who gets clowned on by said weird magical creatures for believing in aliens was just too funny of an opportunity to pass up. it was too perfect imo. like setup punchline, slam dunk on that boy constantly i love you my perfect sweet human renjun

[tinykyti]

｡ﾟﾟ･｡･ﾟﾟ｡ ﾟ。 saturday, sept . 2 - 8

　ﾟ･｡･ﾟ

╭┈ • ┈ ୨୧ ┈ • ┈╮

𝓜𝔂 𝓭𝓲3𝓽 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝔀𝓮𝓮𝓴

+ Saturday sept. 2

already had a bagel with cream cheese but no more food for the rest of the day , just water

+ Sunday sept. 3

5 saltine crackers (70 kc) and an iced tea , water

+ Monday sept. 4

One popped rice cake and iced tea, water , light fruit

+ Tuesday sept. 5

Try not to have anything, just tons of water

+ Wednesday sept. 6

Meta day 3at at least 900 kc

+ Thursday sept. 7

Frozen strawberries (3) and iced tea

+ Friday sept. 8

One rice cake & some fresh fruit , water, iced tea

╰┈•┈୨୧┈•┈╯

𝒾’𝓁𝓁 𝓊𝓅𝒹𝒶𝓉ℯ 𝓎𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓌ℯ𝓉𝒽ℯ𝓇 ℴ𝓇 𝓃ℴ𝓉 𝒾 𝓈𝓉𝒾𝒸𝓀 𝓉ℴ 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓅𝓁𝒶𝓃

-

𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘩4𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘺;

• sleep

• play games

• watch a movie

• read the rest of JM ‘s book (talks about ÈD)

• watch ss v ss

• write

• sleep lol

[janiedean]

Amazing how you can erase and twist everything someone says and not even bother to check things before launching in your 1000 words answer where you repeat the same things over and over again. When I say “Theon’s story is about destroying death”, I AM talking about his trauma and abuse. I’m not saying that Theon is a superhero, I’m saying that Theon’s story is literally about surviving and saying no to the dying of light, he’s always been trapped between life and death. How is that less meaningful than Jon being AA just because he’s special. Jon is stereotypical, not matter how much you deny it. He is the bastard son of the “good” Ned Stark that everyone seems to venerate, he becomes important, he’s actually a prince, and heir to the kingdom, he’s going to come back from the dead and apparently it’s not enough because he’s also AA. Also “I search for AA and see only Snow”, how is that not a red flag? Didn’t you think that it could be about Ramsay hiding Theon? I didn’t say that everything is about mythology and ancient literature, I said Theon has a lot of connections to it, connections that are hard not to notice, that actually make sense and are not taken out of nowhere like everyone in this fandom does. Theon’s story is about himself, not about Bran or any Stark, you’re just obsessed with throbb. Theon is connected to magic and to the gods, Theon is the rightful king of the Iron Islands, so why it’s so amusing to people when someone suggests that Theon has something to do. I’m not saying that Theon has to be important for his story to count, but why it’s so amusing to people the idea that Theon is an abuse and rape victim and at the same time he has something to do. When it comes to female victims, they want them to do great things, when it comes to Theon they constantly reduce him to poor say boy, but Theon is not like that, Theon is in pain and he wants everything to end, but he’s also angry and he wants to be free. I didn’t say that he has to explore the sea because he’s an Ironborn, you said that, not me. I think that that’s something Book!Theon would want to do if he survives everything. Because he would be free and he would go into the unknown. That’s not true Theon has no connection to the sea, the Drowned God himself wants him as king and he likes ships, there’s also the fact that he never learned how to use a ship because he was kidnapped at 10. Also what’s so wrong about him connecting with his culture? He could change things, he wouldn’t be a viking, he would be an explorer. The way you talk about it, it’s like dealing with trauma means closing himself in an house. And about the prophecy, what’s so amusing about saying that Theon has a lot that fits? I know that the prophecy is vague, but Davos and Stannis don’t come close to it as Theon does. Theon died in almost every possible way and managed to come back on his own. He keeps saying that he died in Winterfell. Read the last chapters in ACOK, it’s all there and it all happens at the same time, and still there’s so much more, so many things. And it’s like this HAS to be true, but you say no to everything, you don’t even think that he has something to do with the Iron Islands, you just think he has to “atone” to Bran, so how are you different from D&D? Theon doesn’t have to atone to Bran, Robb or anyone else called Stark, his story is about identity. And Bran is talking to Theon and yes, Theon took Winterfell, but it’s not the only reason their stories are connected, Theon taking Winterfell from Bran was a foreshadowing to them interacting in the future for different more important reasons, that was always clear to me

... anon never mind that I hadn't talked about this in ages so like you came into my inbox with some 500 words of replying at 8 am on a sunday morning and idk how *I* am supposedly twisting things when

you brought this out of nowhere

I hadn't talked about the AA thing nor anything wrt theon's ending in like... a year

you are basically making up half of what I said or didn't because like 'oh I didn't say he had a tying to the sea because he's an ironborn' but two lines later you say 'what's the issue if he reconnects with his ancestry' which.... means that he'd have a tie to the sea because he's an ironborn so what's the truth here

'you're obsessed with throbb' I didn't mention robb once in my entire answer nor throbb nor I have written throbb meta recently like... I ship throbb but I don't see how that has any relevance to an answer where I literally didn't mention it and I said theon's sl can't be just about the starks

idk why you seem to think I have great stakes re jon snow and 'he's stereotypical no matter how much you say he's not', I'm saying that for a chosen one archetype he's a deconstruction so he's not stereotypical in the way h*rry p*tter is or aragorn is or whatever and it's like objective text and honestly I have fic to write and stuff to do and I could have like completely ignored your ask and said 'I think you're wrong' instead yesterday I spent half an hour answering you like... you don't need to sound that aggressive or come at me with this entire block of text when I wasn't even the one starting this conversation

what’s so amusing about saying that Theon has a lot that fits?

anon I explained in those 1k reply or whatever all the reasons why everything theon has that fits is something every single other character has at that point dany has the exact same reasons for fitting it and I told you all the reasons why jon has extra things that fit that no one else has, like.... it's my opinion, I haven't changed my mind since 2012 on it, you aren't going to change it and no one is until grrm writes different, you don't need to convince me or look for me to validate your reading because you can have whichever reading you want and no one stops you, I just don't think it's correct, the end

The way you talk about it, it’s like dealing with trauma means closing himself in an house.

anon you keep on saying I say that but you are aware that if I say I want char X to get their little house in the village/woods/city of their choice and grow strawberries with their loved ones and be happy I'm not saying what you said and I'm talking abt endgame? jaime and brienne both also deal with trauma and when I say that I hope they get married on tarth have fifteen kids and never set foot in a court again I'm not saying having children is the only way to deal with trauma like.... one thing is the endgame one thing is how you get there, where did I say theon is gonna lock himself in a cottage in wow and stay there until ados? nowhere, like.... please a bit of chill here? you read a thing and arbitrarily decided it meant stuff it doesn't mean but I am the one twisting and erasing? like sorry but it sounds like you want a fight about it or smth and believe me fighting about who is AA is not on my list of to-do things for today, also 'I died in winterfell' is like... yeah, theon greyjoy died in wf then he became reek then he became theon again, it's metaphorical, jon literally died, also like if AA wasn't a main fiver then it'd probably be someone completely out of left field that no one gaf about and for that matter there's a character who has been dying and coming back to life who has a flaming sword since like acok, but do I see you telling me it's textual proof beric is AA? no, but that would make more textual sense than theon imvho so *shrug*

in short: anon sorry but it sounds like being that theon is your fave - which... I mean he's in my top three so I agree that he's a great fave choice - you want him desperately to have the main role in the main storyline which is imvho not the case and again... even if jon was stereotypical (which we can argue on but like... from your wording I think you hate jon ngl which fair enough everyone has their dislikes) it wouldn't make the textual evidence less evidence and like... idk how to say it nicely but not liking the protagonist is more common than not and if you don't whatever but that doesn't mean he's not and that the textual stuff indicating he has the mystical hero storyline doesn't exist, I'd suggest you make peace with that concept and with the concept that your fave doesn't need to have any specialness in their sl to be a legitimate fave, also like... in asoiaf everyone who is special™ has a shit life and when grrm says he wants a bittersweet ending like in lotr, do I have to remind anyone what was lotr's ending? samwise gamgee goes back to his little house and children and wife in the shire and says he's home and we're all happy that the dude who deserved it most got it great, if that's what he's aiming for I really don't think presuming everyone gets the magical great™ storyline is in the cards X°D but most of all: again, everyone who's had a sl being full of magic prophecies and shit in these books has had a crap life and hated every second of it that was related to those prophecies and I want theon to be happy at the end so in lack of any imvho text proof that says it's anyone but jon I'll stick with that because it means none of my faves is in line to hate their life, which is exactly what happens to jon if he's AA and exactly what I think is gonna happen and I don't particularly like that for him either bc I do want jon to have nice things but idt he'll get them, doesn't mean I'm trying to find any textual reason to decide on my own that AA is dany (a char I care a lot less about) so that she gets the brunt of it because that's now how it works, I made peace with it too X°D

[drinkhv]

Never mind the Super Bowl, Beer Advocate’s Extreme Beer Fest takes over the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston this weekend on Friday and Saturday, February 1st and 2nd, 2019. I first attended this amazing festival last year as a brewery rep, and over two days still wasn’t able to try everything I wanted to. This year, returning solely for fun, I knew I had to make a plan of attack. Over 400 different beers from 120+ breweries is too damn much for one regular 3 ½ hour session, and so this list was born, highlighting the beers I most want to try. Keep in mind I’m leaning towards big stouts, especially barrel aged, barleywines, breweries I’ve never tried before, generally not available in the NYC area, and beers that just seem downright insane that were brewed one time for this event.

Seeing as this took me a few hours, I figured why not share it, as I’m sure some other people might appreciate going in with a little bit of a plan.  Breweries are listed alphabetically for easy lookup on the fly. If I could offer a few other tips, go in with food in your stomach, drink water throughout, use the buddy system for waiting on line/getting beer and get the beers you MUST try as soon as possible. Enjoy the show and hopefully BA will add a combo ticket to get a Saturday session with Friday too at a small discount next year, I know I would buy one! Got a beer I shouldn’t miss? Hit me up at DrinkHV @ Gmail.com!

450 North These guys have a lot of hype coming in hot from Indiana, especially with their Slushy series, which will probably go quick. Sushy Peach Dessert- Berliner Weisse with peaches, vanilla, cinnamon, lactose, graham crackers and brown sugar Flap Jack Nuggets- Milk stout with maple syrup, cinnamon, brown sugar and lactose Slushy XXL triple berry-Berliner Weisse with blueberries, blackberries and raspberries Against The Grain Can’t wait to see what the subversive ATG crew does this year after pissing off a lot of people with their short order diner-style order taking system for samples last year. Meta Boost- 11% beer they claim is both stimulant and depressant with capsaicin (hot pepper) and adaptogens (de-stressing herbs) 1776- Dark Ale with molasses and herbs Aslin Enjoyed Aslin’s no-frills booth approach last year with literally a jockey box and that’s it.  The beers however are all-frills, get some early. Genius Kitchen- 15% imperial stout with Nutella, coffee, maple, cinnamon & strawberry Time for That- Barleywine with blueberry, brown sugar, cinnamon & vanilla Baxter Bourbon Barrel Wickid Dark- 10% stout with cinnamon, hazelnuts, cocao nibs, black and chipotle peppers. Rum Barrel Innuendo- 10.5% imperial white stout with cacao, coffee, vanilla beans and lactose aged in rum barrels. Beer Tree Love trying a new NY state brewery, these guys from Port Crane are bringing some interesting brews Double pineapple coconut Creamsicle- Double NEIPA milkshake style minus the lactose Fruita Con Tajin- sour conditioned on mango, cucumber, chipotle and lime Scoby Snacks- low abv ale brewed with raspberry, passion fruit, ginger, lemon and kombucha scoby Black Hog Leaves a Mark- peanut butter- 11.5% imperial stout with real jars of peanut butter Citra Seltzer IPA- 2% super session brut ipa as close to beer seltzer as they could make. No body, no haze just hops and bubbles. Brownie Inception- Wake up Leo this is a brown ale made with brownies made with the brown ale before it had brownies added. Best movie beer award. Boston Beer Co. (Sam Adams) Utopias- this is traditionally a timed release, so check in to see when they start pouring. How could you not get a couple of ounces of Utopias poured for you from a pitcher? The value alone is worth about half your ticket. Brewery Vivant Another big buzz brewery from Michigan, bringing some nicely named unique beers Emergency PTA Meeting- Mezcal barrel aged smoke beer with ancho peppers Wizard Burial Ground- one of the few Belgian style quads at the show, aged in bourbon barrels Burley Oak Maryland’s new sour darlings, get those JREAMS early or you will have nightmares about missing them. Gnarly Waffles- imperial stout brewed with waffles Apple Pie JREAM- sour with flavors of apple pie Cambridge Brewing Company The local guys always get super crazy for EBF Burnt Weeny Sandwich- named after Frank Zappa’s favorite snack (and one of his albums), it’s a smoked cream ale with mustard, charred hot dogs and toasted buns!!! Best music reference award. Banryu Ichi- 15% beer-sake strong ale aged on sugi wood Civil Society Look for the huge line and you’ll find Civil Society from Florida Bulkshake- milkshake IPA with strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and vanilla BA Bella- rum barrel aged imperial stout with maple & cinnamon Crooked Hammock Banana Hammock- 15% belgian quad with bananas and roasted cacao nibs DC Brau Pickled Pils- pickle juice pilsner Third Eye- 2.25% kombucha pilsner radler Dewey’s Beer Co. Nashville Hot Fried Chicken and Waffles- 10% stout with waffles, fried chicken, spicy honey and maple syrup conditioned on piri piri peppers Secret Machine Tiramisu- Berliner Weisse conditioned on boysenberry, blueberry, coffee, ladyfingers, vanilla and organic cacao Dogfish Head Mother Tree- 11% barleywine aged in bourbon barrels and brewed with elderberry, maple syrup, cinnamon tree leaves and black walnuts Possibly The Next Top Rated Beer on Beer Advocate- EBF collab beer 9% Brewed with maple syrup, toasted coconut, lactose, vanilla beans, cocoa powder, & cold-pressed coffee. Served with an optional dose of hops-infused glitter whipped cream. Down the Road Pickle Man- spicy dill pickle sour collab that has a tremendous local Mass. cult following Due South Trench Toast- Imperial Stout with spices, crafted to taste like a couple of slices of french toast Breakfast Trench- Imperial Stout made with spices and coffee, to recreate an early morning breakfast of a coffee roll Epic Big Bad Bbaptista- 12% Whiskey Barrel-aged Imperial Stout with Coffee, Cacao, Vanilla & Cinnamon Quadrupel Barrel Big Bad Bbaptista- Imperial Stout aged in Whiskey and Rum barrels with roasted cacao, barrel-aged coffee, barrel-aged almonds, & barrel-aged coconut Exhibit A These guys have been getting a lot of accolades as the new kids in Mass. Testify- This imperial stout was aged in Elijah Craig bourbon barrels for one year Cake!- brewed with cinnamon coffee cake, cinnamon, vanilla and light roast coffee Finback 2018 Bourbon Barrel Aged BQE- Salty Caramel-  Chocolate, Coffee Stout with Sea Salt and Caramel Firestone Walker Firestone’s barrel aged beers are to die for, or in this case, to wait on line for, especially these rare variants. Mole Merkin- Barrel Aged Imperial Stout with chili, cinnamon, & cocoa nibs Old Man Hattan- a barrel-aged mashup of two classic drinks: the Old Fashioned & the Manhattan! The base beer is a blend of Velvet Merkin, Bravo & Stickee Monkee aged in whiskey barrels. The twist comes from select lots of Parabola & Helldorado that were aged in Woodford Reserve barrels previously used to mature cherry bitters, orange bitters & aromatic bitters. Four Quarters Pickleback- Heaven Hill aged table beer conditioned on honeydew, cucumbers, and fresh dill. Waffle Star- imperial stout with lactose, maple syrup, and coffee, conditioned on toasted waffles and bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup Great Divide Chocolate cherry Yeti- a new variant on the classic imperial stout with cacao and sweet and sour cherries Barrel aged Hibernation- 10.5% Old age aged 12 months in whiskey barrels Great Notion Portland, Oregon’s hype beasts bringing two of the most sought after beers in the trading scene with 4.5 BA ratings. Double Stack-11% imperial stout brewed with an irresponsible amount of maple syrup & aged on whole bean Sumatra coffee   Blueberry Muffin- Berliner Weisse meets blueberry muffin Gun Hill PB and Void- GABF award-winning export stout with what sounds like every legal sidestep of ‘Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups’ from the description Ft Ticonderoga Barrel Aged Barleywine- 11.5 % aged 10 months in rum barrels and fortified with molasses, toffee, almond croissants, macerated cherries, prunes, and rum balls Jack’s Abby Gingerbread Barrel Aged Framinghammer- 12% gingerbread variant of their solid baltic porter series aged in bourbon barrels Jackie O’s Bourbon Barrel Dark Apparition - 12.8% imperial stout aged on Vanilla & Coffee Beans Port Dark Apparition- 10% imperial stout aged in port barrels for over a year Carrots and Sticks- 13.9 % strong ale brewed with walnuts, spices, lemon zest and raisins that was fermented with carrot puree, conditioned on vanilla beans and aged for 14 months in bourbon barrels   Kane This is a double liner with these two and also BB aged Sunday Brunch and Mexican Brunch. One of the first booths out of beer last year. A Night To End All Dawns- S’mores- Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout with cocoa nibs, graham cracker and marshmallow   A Night To End All Dawns- Peanut Butter Cup- 12% Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout with peanut butter and cocoa nibs

Lord Hobo Caviar Godmother- 12% imperial stout Godmother kissed with kilos of caviar Lost Abbey Dead Man’s Game- 15%  Blended Belgian strong dark ale aged in Rum and Bourbon barrels Mortalis Looking forward to trying these crazy concoctions from this NYS brewery I’ve not yet had Icarus w Golden Ggrahams- 10% golden imperial stout aged on Golden Grahams and cold steeped with coffee Milk of the Gods Strawberry Cheesecake IPA- milkshake style with Vanilla, Graham Crackers and Strawberries New England Brewing Company Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout Trooper- O.G. cease and desist imperial stout Fluffy Puppies-  Mixed Fermentation IPA with Citra, Galaxy and Mosaic hops debuting at the fest Night Shift El Lechador- 10.5% Horchata-style milk stout aged in bourbon barrels with poblano peppers, cinnamon, nutmeg & vanilla beans with a hint of pepper and a splash of bourbon Marilyn- 11.9% Blonde barleywine-style ale aged in rye barrels The North Worked next to these guys from upstate NY last year and enjoyed their stuff Trap Klouds- 4.5% extremely thick stout brewed with lactose, vanilla, marshmallow & almond God Complex- 9.5% Hazelnut Mocha Chilli Stout RAR 10 Layer- Dessert Ale with coconut, macadamia nuts, lactose and vanilla Relic Caribbean Kettle- 11.5% barleywine aged on rum soaked oranges Kola- 10% imperial porter brewed with kola nuts and kola syrup Right Brain These guys are bringing 8 pretty extreme beers from Michigan, these are the three I’m zeroing in on Apple Pie Whole-  Amber ale fermented with real whole apple pies Johnny’s Lunchbox- Brown ale brewed with house-made peanut butter, grape jelly puree and donuts Thai Peanut- Pad Thai-inspired brown ale with house-made peanut butter including coconut, Thai chilis, dry-hopped cilantro, and a touch of lime. Spicy yet balanced Pist. Avocado- Milk stout with real avocados with a nutty aroma & finish from house-made pistachio butter

Sierra Nevada Barrel Aged Maltiple Personalities- Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Brown Ale with Carolina Reaper peppers 3 Become 1- 10.5% Whiskey Barrel-aged Imperial Lager with ginger and cayenne Sixpoint Horchata Beans- 13% horchata inspired bourbon barrel aged imperial porter with tiger nut, cinnamon & coconut Master Blend- 13.8% imperial stout aged a year in first-use bourbon barrels Solemn Oath BBA Coconut Goldmund - Barrel-Aged Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout w/ Coconut Unholy Water- Tartshake IPA with mango, tamarind, lime zest, and coconut to create a sweet and sour refreshing encounter with many layers Somerville (Slumbrew) Saturday Morning- 9.2% tripel with Captain Crunch cereal, cherry puree, blueberry puree Springdale Grain Reaper- 12.7% American Barleywine-style ale aged seven months in ex-bourbon barrels Throwback Fat Alberta- 10% Chocolate Peanut Butter Imperial Stout made with cocoa husks and peanuts BBQ Campfire-  BBQ pork rub-infused smoked robust porter Transient Grainbro Connection- Rye barleywine. Muppets, yeah? Velvet Sea- 15%  Imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels blended with whiskey Foeder aged imperial stout Trophy Monkey Way- Salted Caramel Sweet Stout fermented on an outrageous amount of bananas Weldwerks Looking forward to trying beers for the first time from this buzz brewery out of Colorado Mexican medianoche- 14% imperial stout aged in Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey barrels for 20 months, then aged on Papua New Guinea and Madagascar vanilla beans, Vietnamese cinnamon sticks and Ghanan cacao nibs Coffee Maple Aromatic- Imperial stout with tons of chocolate malt, huge additions of maple syrup, and Peruvian coffee DDH Juicy Bits- NEIPA with Citra, Mosaic and El Dorado

[gogocrazygo]

Soooooo in these already boring times ( being stuck at home due to COVID-19), I have decided to get my running game on. I just bought new pair of running shoes so there is no stopping me right, or at least that’s what I thought.

When the lockdown started just under 2 months ago, I have moved in with my parents and started working from home. I feel lucky to be able to work this way, since I am aware that a lot of people have been put on furlough, lost their income completely or physically have to go in to work, putting their and others health at risk. To stay fit and generally SANE in these very different times, I have decided to run at least 2 – 4 times a week, normally 5 km, and sometimes even getting my little brother to tag along but on his bike. Other physical activities I would include in my stuck at home fitness venture  would be resistance exercises, finger strength training for climbing and yoga for flexibility.

Unfortunately few weeks ago, a pain in my left shin (which I have had already for few weeks) has become so unbearable I could not walk on that leg after a run. I gave it some rest for a week and tried running again. That was a mistake! The pain came back even worse and sometimes I would struggle to even fall asleep. I gave myself another week off from running and tried to do it for the second time. Again, very silly mistake! Pain was so bad I through I must have shine splints of some sort, or damaged muscle.

Luckily one of my fellow climbing club buddies is a Podiatrist, so I thought I’ll seek some advice over the phone. After explaining my pains and what I have been doing around the time it started, he have unofficially diagnosed me with tibia stress fracture.

All  joys, no more running for 6 weeks, just loads ice and chill for my leg 😦

So what can I do if I can’t put much pressure or consistent impact on my left tibia?

Some yoga and exercises can’t be bad right?

Anyways, I have decided to dedicate 30 min to 2 hours per day, 4 times a week at least for exercises including upper body and arms, loads core strengthening, yoga flows in morning and evening, and even some Joe Wicks with my little brother.  I also thought there must be other things I can do to improve my fitness if I can’t do much cardio, so I have come up with few points that can help expand genera fitness and well-being knowledge:

Food for writing inspiration

gain a bit more understanding about physics behind running and exercise. How does the body work and what to do, to get the most out of your workout (check out these free online courses with  Open University)

get more information about the right nutrition for your own little fitness plan ( check out these free online courses with Further Learn)

explore and map out exciting running events. These are normally inexpensive and fun to complete alone or with a team (one that I have been introduced to and attended 2 times already is the Wolf Run which is a 10 km mud run)

research what to do to get back on track in the most stable and safe way, and create a recovery plan. I find Youtube is very good tool for this type of research, with loads good reviews and ideas from other fitness individuals.

challenge different parts of the body with resistance training.

if running was your main fitness training, maybe look into working out your upper body, work on core or try and become more flexible. To do this successfully I would suggest giving yourself some goals e.g do 5 pull ups after 2 weeks training for it, train to plank for 2 minutes, get closer and closer to a split every week, hold yoga poses for few extra breaths etc.

add weights where appropriate into your normal workout .This will help you keep pushing your body where you can

turn to cycling if you have a bike

try and do some meditative practices. Simple 15-20 min relaxing body scans can really make you aware of sensations you have in your body. I think it helps me to concentrate energy in areas I want to work on

explore some nice new running routs for when you are back in the runners shoes

other activities I could think off all include being in closer contact with people or include being in public space like a swimming pool, which is most likely to be closed off during COVID-19

I think these areas are worth looking into if you want to keep up with good fitness practice and make yourself feel good, especially if you cant run. Of course if you already have a fitness plan in place, or following instructions given by physiotherapist, these might not fully apply to you.

If you are recovering from an injury like me, during COVID-19, I suggest not pushing it. Rest and recover to avoid further damage. If I have stopped, stepped back from running weeks ago and seek help, I might be at the end of my recover period. Instead, I have about 4 more weeks to go if not longer since I have made it worse by thinking it’s nothing serious.

I can imagine the lockdown or an injury could have some negative impact on our motivation, but this is the best time for self reflection and exploration of new challenges to set your mind to. Goal setting is very good for mental health, especially if you are reviewing them on daily bases and pushing yourself that little bit extra.

The above photos are from my random adventure, where I went to explore possibilities for a new and longer running rout. This was almost 10km, with good mixture of on and off road running. Best time for a walk right now is very early Sunday morning, unless you are isolating.

  Fitness Channels I recommend:

MadFit real time workout channel (targeted at females, also include vegan food ideas)

Yoga With Adriene my favourite yoga channel with some awesome easy flows

HASfit fitness for all

  Podcasts I listen to while getting ready for work, driving or running:

The Plant Proof Podcast by Simon Hill. His passion for plant based diet got him to interview doctors, nutritionists, sports people and individuals who have turned their life around thanks to plant based nutrition. My favourite podcast of all as he is so genuine and some of the interviews he has got are just mind blowing.

NutritionFacts Podcast by Dr Michael Greger- well renown physician, public speaker and advocate for whole-foods, plant based diet gives fact and figures on different foods we can eat or avoid to improve our health.

Generation V by Nimai Delgato is all about plant based nutrition in sports and fitness sector. Again very factual and interesting to listen to.

What to do if I can’t run? Soooooo in these already boring times ( being stuck at home due to COVID-19), I have decided to get my running game on.

[myweightlosstodaycom]

Plate with a keto diet food. Fried egg, bacon, avocado, arugula and strawberries. Keto breakfast.

Review

“Anita Bean is the woman to keep you well fed and motivated.” ―Irish Examiner

“[Anita Bean] knows how to use a vegetarian lifestyle to eke out the best in you sports-wise.” ―Scotland on Sunday

“advice and quick recipes to fuel an active lifestyle” ―Waitrose Weekend

Read more

About the Author

Anita Bean is an award-winning registered nutritionist, internationally published author, health writer and former athlete. She specializes in sport and exercise nutrition and is passionate about helping people improve their health and performance. She is the author of The Runner’s Cookbook, The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition, and The Vegetarian Athlete’s Cookbook, among other titles.

Read more

[amz_corss_sell asin=”1472960645″]

Vegetarian Meals in 30 Minutes: More than 100 delicious recipes for fitness Paperback – February 25, 2020 Review “Anita Bean is the woman to keep you well fed and motivated.” ―Irish Examiner “ knows how to use a vegetarian lifestyle to eke out the best in you sports-wise.” ―Scotland on Sunday…

[thelocalnewsma]

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day's papers, Sunday, June 9

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day’s papers, Sunday, June 9

Two early crops from the garden combine to make a delicious dessert.

Boston Herald The Eagle-Tribune The Boston Globe Top image by InfoWire.dk via Flickr

[omgketoyum-blog]

Strawberry Muffins

Low Carb Strawberry Muffins are easy to make and delicious. You will never believe these are low carb - they're that good.

Strawberry Muffins : An Amazing Low Carb Muffins recipe

When you make these Strawberry Muffins you will be in for a low carb treat. I made these muffins last Saturday for my family’s brunch. Every Sunday around my house we end up making brunch complete with eggs, bacon, and avocados however something was missing. We were missing something sweet and these Strawberry Muffins certainly do hit the…

[starlightkun]

okay im back so the post i linked to that was deleted was something along the lines of like "when my wife leaves for work i sit and face the wall and wait for her to come home" which was very changer and buzzer beater sungchan to me.

I did notice that your archived some of your old fics cause like another recent anon i have been reading your works since like 2019 (home was my first fic of yours and then the sleeping cinderella series and three kept me coming back) and yeah i get it there is a difference between some of your old fics and your fics from like three onwards and as a longtime fan its really nice to see how you've grown as an author.

as for the height inclusivity, i do completely understand cause there are many gorgeous, tall women out there but your comment about how kun is 1 inch taller than you was really funny to me cause like, you really said they ain't shit 💀💀💀 as for myself im 161cm so i know that if i was to meet renjun id probably reach his eyebrows or maybe his hairline if i was really lucky but in spirit im the same height as xiaojun, renjun, taeil and ten and if we met id like to imagine that we'd all be mischievous little gremlins together. (random side note i watched the fnaf movie the other day and josh hutcherson is like 165cm, he's bestie babygirl height but you wouldn't know it cause he's got a bit of a beefcake build and most of the movie was solo shots so you didnt have many chances to compare him to other people. on the other hand, matthew lillard, who plays the bad guy, is 192CM! there was a scene where hes standing at a desk as josh hutch leaves the room and it looks like matthew is standing on a platform cause of how big the height difference is). also you're right that sicheng is kind of considered tall now in comparison to the rest of wayv cause now that dozen left, its literally just one tall dude and 5 toddlers (also have you seen that clip of wayv being lowered off the stage standing all cool and shit like the avengers or something but the thing doesn't lower enough and they all have to duck and run off stage?) but yeah inclusion is super important and it really does detract from fics for me when im supposed to be a curvaceous blonde with blue eyes 💀

yeah when i was talking about the loserxloser typewriter content i was referring to baby fangs i just got confused cause of all the teeth related wip names (im slowly losing it i swear) but i didn't think that the bite would also have loser content? from the description i definitely thought it was just an enemies to lovers which personally isn't my favourite trope just cause when i dont like someone i find it really hard to see them as attractive at all but like it seems like its becoming more of an idiots to lovers instead and i am SO EXCITED because single parent aus are one of my favourite things.

yeah idk as someone who's short the centimetres or inches don't really matter to me when it comes to tall people cause either way they're gonna be taller than me (when it comes to other short people it matters very much because im competitive) so like people taller than me are either shorter than a fridge (average) or taller than a fridge (big boi bodacious/daddy long legs/step on me mummy)

also yeah i did really love how you showed how delusionally whipped love bites reader was for sungchan as well and i wouldnt be suprised if taro moves out within the next week from how his mathletes career was belittled.

I CANT BELIEVE YOU DIDNT REALISE THE INNUENDO BEFORE OH MY GOD i guess you were in big brain author mode when you were writing it and i was in gremlin 13 year old boy mode when i read it but the idea that you wrote it being completely genuine is SENDING ME. just werewolf sungchan making someones hole ache :( ❤️. I am so sorry for ruining your wonderfully crafted wholesome moment with this thought lmao (i remember you talking about wattpads feature to comment on individual paragraphs and now im wondering if anyone there has a dirty mind and picked up on it like i did or were moved by sungchans sweet apology instead)

as for the timeline, i did not expect romance is dead to be around the middle but then again i didnt really know much about how it fit contextually anyways. I also need to brush up on my american college language and term structure cause like freshman, sophomore, junior, senior like i kinda get but like sophomore sounds really fancy and junior is well, junior so i thought they would be flipped. Also in australia our school year starts at the beginning of the year and ends at the end cause summer is dec-feb but i forgot that its all flipped for you guys (the way the dreamies release really summery tracks in july but im listening to them as i sit indoors, wrapped in blankets)

also yeah i didnt expect pupsick to be before tdhea just cause of how present jeno was and you're right, he didn't do too much meddling in tdhea and was just kinda there but i genuinely just attributed it to being a personality thing cause there is no world where i can imagine him being more scheming than chenle, jaemin and hyuck 😭😭😭. but you saying "he was just kinda there......bc he had nothing better to do while pupsick!reader was at study sessions 😔 very conveniently-timed study sessions and bakery shifts without jeno that leave jeno completely free to be in every relevant scene for tdhea... aw shucks 😔😔😔" killed me. this poor little sad puppy man has to spend time with his friends cause his wonderful gf has a job and responsibilities :(

also love the note you added to the recent reblog of nipplejun. he is my little whore and i love him. the way i cheered seeing him show off his nipples like they're accessories made me feel like a supportive friend watching my small, shy bff transform into a small beefcake male stripper. also yes his bone structure is insane it continues to be insane like the lines created by his eyebrows, cheekbones and jaw make him snatched like a tiktok beauty influencer. desperately need him and bella hadid to meet cause 1. shes bella fucking hadid, 2. her name is bella and id love to see jun kinda awkwardly yet endearingly try to explain that to her that she shares the same name as his dog, 3. shes taller than him and would probably be wearing heels if they were meeting at an event so i would love to see him staring up at her 4. the FACE that would be served if they were in the same room?!

love you lots as well, i'm so happy that you enjoy my messages and that they make you smile :)

- ✨anon

under the cut bestie <33

omg "i sit and face the wall and wait for my wife to come home" is soooo changer!sc-coded ur so right (bb!sungchan does unfortunately have a collegiate hockey career or smth to attend to while his gf is away 😔)

and omggg another starlightkun veteran wow 🫶🫶 im really happy with the growth that i've made and im so happy that you've stuck around for so long 💗💗💗🫂🫂🫂

i remember josh hutchison being short but i didnt remmeber how short omg. also matthew lillard being so tall just feels right.

listen i do think that kun is one of the most gorgeous men i've ever seen. but i also am not so delulu that i think that one inch height difference is gonna do shit teebeeaych. like his official height is 176cm which is the same as donghun from a.c.e (i ult average-height kings apparently), who i have been face-to-face with (and physically touched, his hand was so warm 🥹💗) at a hi-touch event and he (and all of a.c.e) lowkey looked tinie to me lol 🫶

when it comes to ppl irl being taller/shorter than me i was always kinda tall growing up (usually one of the tallest in my class at school), then around high school i stopped being considered "tall" by the other kids bc the boys my age finally hit puberty and i stopped growing at 172cm/5'8" so i stopped considering myself to be tall and just sort of....average? except NOW i work in a weirdly short office. like my coworkers are all so short that i feel tall again 😭 truly height is relative. we have maybe 3 ppl in the whole office (out of 30+ employees) who are 180cm/6ft or more and NOBODY is over 187cm/6'2. i s2g most of the men are shorter than me, i feel like i could step on them and there is only one woman who is taller than me and she's probably only an inch or two taller than me, not considerably so. height soooo relative tbh 😭😭

as for taro in love bites, he for sure says he's going to move out like one a week but he would never, he loves bickering w changer!mc too much

SUNGCHAN WAS RLLY JUST TRYING TO BE THE SWEETEST BOY EVER AND APOLOGIZE FOR MAKING READER SO SAD WHEN THEY WERE BOTH PINING SEPARATELY AND MEANWHILE I HAVE LITTLE GREMLINS READING MY FICS 🫵🫵🫵 but honestly i should have realized what "aching hole" sounded like 😭 bc i can now never unhear it thanks 😭😭😭 (and no, nobody on wattpad has pointed it out if they've noticed lmao)

i never thought abt how the flipped seasons would change your school schedule but that makes complete sense! i always hear abt ppl in the southern hemisphere going to the beach on christmas (we also did that in florida to be fair, but it wasn't quite warm enough to go in the water)

yeah i do default to northern hemisphere season and usamerican university years/semesters bc that's how the flow of time makes sense in my brain and that's how it's easiest to keep track of the timelines in fics for me as i'm writing since it's what i'm accustomed to, but i'm sure it can be disorienting for ppl whose countries don't work like that, that's why i generally try not to make it too overt if it's not relevant to the plot of the fic. the timeline was just a fun little extra thing i was curious about if anybody had picked up on

literally the way dejun was holding the sides of the jacket open specifically to show off his nips like bestie at this point just unzip the jacket all the way 😭 and universe aint even anywhere close to a stripper song either he was wildin for naurrr reason i love his dramatic ass so much truly 💗💗💗

im always happy to hear from u and i hope you're doing well 🫶🫂💗

[mystlnewsonline]

Man finds father's body in Alabama tornado wreckage

Man finds father’s body in Alabama tornado wreckage

BEAUREGARD, Ala. (AP) — Picking through the twisted debris that had been her Alabama mobile home, Carol Dean found her wedding dress and a Father’s Day note to her husband reading, “Daddy, I love you to pieces.” But the storm took the 53-year-old husband and father.

Dean was on the clock Sunday afternoon at Walmart while her husband was home in Beauregard. As forecasters warned stormy weather was…

[nbntv-blog]

Contaminated strawberries found in punnet bought in Adelaide Hills

Contaminated strawberries found in punnet bought in Adelaide Hills

Updated September 16, 2018 23:57:33

South Australia Police is investigating after a needle was found in a punnet of strawberries purchased from a supermarket in the Adelaide Hills.

Police say the punnet was from Mal’s Black Label strawberries, and was purchased on Saturday afternoon from Kloses’s Foodland supermarket at Littlehampton.

When the fruit was eaten on Sunday morning, a needle was…

[oovitus]

Creating the World’s First Autoimmunity Institute: Meet Dr. Susan Manzi

Patient room in Dr. Manzi’s office.

Dr. Susan Manzi, Chair of the Medicine Institute at Allegheny Health Network (AHN), always keeps a photograph with her. The image captures the essence of vitality, and of youth. The picture is of a former patient.

“Her name was Jessica, she was diagnosed with lupus when she was 12, and this picture I carry is of her — she has a rash on her face and strawberry blond hair with freckles. A classic young lupus patient,” says Dr. Manzi.

When Jessica was 27 years old, she arrived at the emergency department complaining of shortness of breath. Dr. Manzi received the call right away from the hospital staff, explaining Jessica’s condition and relaying that she was desperate to go home. It was the night before Thanksgiving, after all.

“I told them, ‘Put her on the phone.’ And then I told Jessica that she couldn’t go home, even though she was begging me to go,” continues Dr. Manzi.

Dr. Manzi had co-authored a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology that found that young women with lupus have an increased risk of cardiovascular problems, including a 50-fold increased risk of heart attacks between the ages of 35 and 45. Dr. Manzi knew Jessica had no choice — she must be admitted. The chances of her shortness of breath being related to a cardiac problem were high.

“We had a heightened sense of concern — otherwise, she’s 27, she would have simply gone home,” Dr. Manzi recalls. “We kept her, but that night she died from a cardiac event. Her young innocent face, that picture, it motivates me to never let that happen again. The last 20 years of my career have been dedicated to research to better understand why young women with lupus have premature heart attacks and strokes.”

She continues, without pause, “I was drawn to a career caring for and conducting research in lupus, not only because of the science behind what causes these types of autoimmune conditions, but because lupus impacts young people, especially young women — I thought to myself, this is where I need to be.”

A Sensitivity to People’s Suffering

Susan Manzi grew up in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in a small town named Crabtree. In a 2000 census, the population was 320 people comprising 98 families — a very small town. Dr. Manzi’s roots were formative, and pasta-filled.

“My family was first generation Italian immigrants and my father owned an Italian grocery store,” she says. “We went to my grandmother’s house every Sunday for dinner. All of my aunts, uncles and cousins crammed into a little space. There was a time in my teenage years that I dreamed of getting away from it all. Everywhere I turned, I was either related to someone or they knew my family.”

She and her sister were the first of their family to go to college. Dr. Manzi enrolled at the University of Notre Dame without any defined path to follow. Her Italian roots, paired with a love of the sciences, eventually steered her toward medicine. Being away from home and living in a different part of the country also gave her a growing appreciation for how lucky she was to have a large, extended and supportive family.

“I think people would describe me as compassionate and empathetic,” Dr. Manzi explains. “I always felt like I had a sensitivity to people’s suffering and that I genuinely cared about them. As a junior in college, I made the decision to go to medical school.  Some say that you become hardened to human suffering once you practice medicine for a long time, but not me — I still find myself fighting back tears when I have to deliver a difficult message to my patients.”

She adds another truth that many live with but don’t dare to say out loud: “You’re pushed to make decisions when you’re very young and you just hope that you make the right one — that you make one that will turn into the right career for you, that it’s not a job but it’s a passion,” she says. “I have to say, I feel like I did. I got lucky. It’s been the best ride and I’ve loved every minute of it.”

Becoming a Leader in Treating Autoimmune Diseases

Dr. Manzi’s type of “luck” was built on long nights hitting the books, work days that didn’t seem to have an end, and conversations, presentations and publications that had purpose, and an empathetic touch.

She was intrigued by immunology — the study of the immune system.

“Your immune system is your defense against bacteria or foreign bodies,” she says, then goes on to explain what are called autoimmune diseases. “Typically, your immune system will detect this bacteria, or foreign body, and get rid of it and that’s a good thing. However, for reasons we don’t understand, the immune system can begin to recognize ‘self’ as foreign and it mounts an attack.”

According to the American Autoimmune Related Disease Association, more than 50 million Americans have an autoimmune disease. It’s estimated that there are more than 100 different types of autoimmune diseases, which mainly impact women; for example, 90 percent of people diagnosed with lupus are women.

In 1997, Dr. Manzi and her peers published the seminal article mentioned above on the links between lupus and increased risk of heart attack — one of Manzi’s 200 published materials.

“That article changed the field in the sense that everyone started focusing on premature heart disease in these young women. From there, my career truly took off, especially in terms of looking at heart disease in autoimmune diseases,” she says. “Finally, it culminated in the American Heart Association in 2011 recognizing lupus as a high-risk population. That was fulfilling for me — to be on a mission to spread the word that young women can die from this and we need to know that. The AHA gave us that recognition.”

The World’s First Autoimmunity Institute

Dr. Manzi joined AHN in 2010.

As AHN’s Chair of Medicine, she was instrumental in establishing the world’s first Autoimmunity Institute. Introduced in February 2018 and located at West Penn Hospital, the AHN Autoimmunity Institute combines multispecialty care with cutting-edge research, patient education and advocacy to advance the treatment of autoimmune diseases and accelerate discovery of a cure for more than 100 different disease types.

“We realized that patients diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder often need more than one specialist in their care, and as a result, many were getting lost trying to navigate the health care system,” she explains. “So, we set out to create an institute that brings together more than 25 clinicians representing 12 different specialties, including but not limited to cardiology, pulmonary, rheumatology, gastroenterology, allergy, dermatology, nephrology, nutrition, and behavioral health. This team-based approach is the future model for all health care. The Autoimmunity Institute has already had a major impact on people’s lives — patients are coming from all over the world. It facilitates care not only for our patients, but for their families, too.”

In addition to her work with the Institute, Dr. Manzi works across various disciplines to help clinicians develop innovative programs and initiatives to advance care and increase accessibility for patients. Committed to a holistic, team-based approach to health care, she is also leading care model transformation for those impacted by chronic diseases like diabetes, congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases for Highmark Health.

“We need to change the way health care is delivered in the United States,” she says. “The experience for patients and their families is not optimal and the cost is too high. We have to move away from focusing only on treating diseases, to addressing all of the needs of the people impacted by these diseases, such as mental health and social determinants of care like transportation, cost, housing and other potential barriers to good health outcomes. We are doing that at AHN with support from Highmark Health. I love my job. Even with the challenges, ups and downs, I look forward to coming to work every day.”

”Find Your Passion and Go After It”

Her passion for her work isn’t boastful, but it radiates from Dr. Manzi with a sense of pride and has an infectious quality — there is an undercurrent of encouragement, a whisper of “you can do it, too.”

When asked what advice she would bestow on her younger self and to young women getting started in their career, she responds like she’s thought of it before — clear, concise and quick.

“First, you have to find your passion and go after it; the first job may not be right, and the second one may still not be it. Life is long, so find what makes you want to get up in the morning and don’t feel like you’re stuck in whatever path you took,” she says. “Second, negotiate for yourself. In my job, I sit across the table from hundreds of doctors who negotiate — I see that men do it and women don’t do it. It’s okay to ask for what you want, don’t ever shortchange yourself. Lastly, we as women need to help one another — embrace each other and help each other advance.”

In other words — find your own version of Jessica’s picture. Find it and hold onto it and stay close to what motivates you to make a difference.

Creating the World’s First Autoimmunity Institute: Meet Dr. Susan Manzi published first on

[sewgeekmama]

Hope everyone had a great week! Mine was kind of crazy with prepping for the Comic Con at the library and dressing up for three different events. I did the beaches parade, an appearance on the Ch. 4 Morning Show and Beaches Library Comic Con. I’m worn out and ready to just wear a tank top and shorts for a while, lol.

Princess Parfaita and Luke Piewalker from Sesame Street Star S’mores

  I’m looking forward to Mother’s Day next week! I really enjoyed working on a Babbleboxx campaign where I got to try all kinds of different great gifts and blog about it. I feel like I’ve been celebrating Mother’s Day all week already! I’ve been doing a lot of sampling and reviewing lately and trying to have fun with it. I get really bored with blogs that are just one product after another, so the product has to be something I can tell a story about or create a story around. I also try and think about ways to make the photos a little more interesting than a standard stock photo. The hubs has been pretty good at coming up with photo ideas. This is my favorite shot for Edible Arrangements because it’s kind of silly, but totally true because I do really love getting those things! I’ll take a chocolate covered strawberry over a flower bouquet any day.

OMG! I get to eat this!

Right now I’m literally sitting around waiting for paint to dry so I figured I’d do a quick Sunday blog post before I head back out into the yard to finish sanding and painting the lamp posts. I have one more to finish and I’ll have finally completed a project I started a few weeks ago! Next I’m planting some cucumbers on a trellis in the backyard and working on the mailbox area. Lots of house projects in the works!

And speaking of that, pretty sure it’s time for the 2nd coat on those lamp posts so back to work for me. How was your week?

Happy Sunday! How was your week? Hope everyone had a great week! Mine was kind of crazy with prepping for the Comic Con at the library…

[freethinkingmom-blog]

I love my slow cooker because I’m able to produce big, hearty and flavourful meals with just a little preparation on my part. Set it at night for fresh oatmeal in the morning or set it in the morning/ early afternoon for a nutritious evening supper. You can leave it going while you go out or to work and it requires very little mixing (if at all). Although not listed below, I also use my slow cooker for cooking onions for my curry bases, making the curry sauces smooth and rich.

Onions before

Onions after

Basic stock ingredients

Here are my all time top 10 slow cooker recipe ideas:

1. Steel Cut Oatmeal

Batches of slow cooked porridge are perfect for the whole family. I like using steel cut oats with water and set it going overnight so it’s ready to eat in the morning. For the kids, I add a dash of heavy cream. The great thing about porridge is that it can be customized to individual’s taste. For example, I enjoy mine with a sprinkle of brown sugar topped with sliced strawberries, bananas and almonds as shown.

2. Whole Chicken

A roast chicken is hard to beat but you do have to watch the oven so instead try slow cooking a whole chicken. The meat will be very tender and falling off the bone. Depending on the size of your pot, you may be able to fit a whole (small) chicken in. Failing that, you could cook the chicken in pieces. You don’t even need to use any cooking liquid. Simply throw a few chunky vegetables at the bottom and place seasoned the chicken on top. Note: since the meat will be falling apart, it might be tricky to get out of pot and serve as one piece (unlike a roast for example).

3. Baby Back Pork Ribs

Marinated Ribs

Slow-cooked Grilled Ribs

These are definitely a staple in our household; I used to buy pre-packaged/ marinated ribs (which I still do on occasion when time is tight) but making them in a slow cooker couldn’t be easier. My pot can hold around three 12-inch length baby back pork ribs. You can also cook spare ribs which are larger and a bit less tender (but cheaper!). As per this recipe, to finish the ribs by simply brush BBQ sauce on both sides and broil/ grill (or bake) in oven for a few mins on both sides.

4. Pulled Pork

My favourite sandwiches from Benugo’s at Regent’s Park in London were the juicy pulled pork buns. So good that I had to make it at home myself. I usually use half pork shoulder for pulled pork. Simply brown some onions, season the meat and place in stock as per this recipe. The secret is to add BBQ sauce at the end and shred apart with two forks. Serve alongside coleslaw and ciabatta bread – yum!

5. Salt Beef

Before leaving we London, we threw a NYC themed leaving party where we served sliced salt beef (known as corned beef in the U.S.) with mustard and gherkins/ pickles in fresh bagels; needless to say they went down a treat! These meats are cured in brine making the end result rather salty so I usually wash the meat with cold water prior to cooking (and don’t bother adding much, if any extra salt).

6. Dhal (Indian Lentil Soup)

Lentils, beans & pulses can take time to cook and tenderize which makes them ideal candidates for the slow cooker. For dhal, simply throw in some lentils with water (with salt, ginger and a chopped tomato). Then once cooked, make the ‘temper’ (onions, garlic, spices) and add to lentils. Serve with rice, pitta and Indian pickles. Vegetable soups are even easier to make and take less time; simply slow cook the vegetables in stock or water then use a soup hand blender to smooth.

7. Lamb With Puy Lentils and Sun Ripened Tomatoes

After first trying a roasted version of this dish at a Sunday lunch, I decided to make a slow-cooked version which turned out great; even the kids loved it! Lamb shoulder is the best cut for this recipe and for a kid friendly version, leave out the red wine. I like to serve with mash potatoes and peas.

8. Pork Mushroom Stroganoff

The first time I tried stroganoff was a few years ago in Portugal; our lovely housekeeper/ cook Natalia made it for our family. It is a flavourful dish that lists sour cream, mustard and smoked paprika as some of its ingredients. Pork tenderloin works well but I’ve also made whole pork chops using the same recipe (can also use beef or chicken).

  9. Lamb Vegetable Stew

When the kids were babies, stews were perfect; easy to make, flavourful and soft to eat. Stews are so versatile and recipes can be adapted to your taste; just use whichever meat and vegetables you prefer. My favourite is lamb (neck fillet) with carrots and celery served alongside mash potatoes and green vegetables (peas, green beas or broccoli). I haven’t tried it yet, but this Moroccon lamb stew served alongside couscous looks and sounds delicious!

10. Rice Pudding

Rice pudding takes me back to my childhood days. This rice pudding recipe lends itself very well to slow cooking resulting in a thick, creamy texture. You just need pudding rice and milk (plus sugar if desired).

Which Appliance?

I have this Hamilton ‘searing’ slow-cooker which I bought a couple of years ago. The inner aluminium cast can be placed directly on stove top allowing you to braise/ sear the meat prior to slow-cooking. My MIL owns a crock pot which is also a top brand name for slow cookers. More recently, Instant Pots have been on the market and one friend swears by it; great for pressure cooking, slow cooking, steaming and even making yoghurts! For less than $100 plus a little free cupboard space, these cookers are well worth considering if you are tight on time. Finally, here are six slow cooker recipe books if you are in need of further ideas or inspiration.

  10 Best Slow Cooker Recipes I love my slow cooker because I'm able to produce big, hearty and flavourful meals with just a little preparation on my part.

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Plate with a keto diet food. Fried egg, bacon, avocado, arugula and strawberries. Keto breakfast.

About the Author

Elmer L. Towns is dean emeritus of the School of Religion and Theological Seminary at Liberty University, which he cofounded in 1971 with Jerry Falwell. He continues to teach the Pastor’s Bible Class at Thomas Road Baptist Church each Sunday, which is televised on a local network and Angel One. He and his wife, Ruth, live in Forest, Virginia.

Read more

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The Daniel Fast for Spiritual Breakthrough Paperback – February 12, 2010 About the Author Elmer L. Towns is dean emeritus of the School of Religion and Theological Seminary at Liberty University, which he cofounded in 1971 with Jerry Falwell.

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Strawberry Yogurt Overnight Oats

This post has been sponsored by Dannon & Mott’s®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Say goodbye to sugar loaded breakfast battles with these super easy, make-ahead Strawberry Yogurt Overnight Oats made with Dannon Light & Fit Strawberry and Vanilla Yogurt. A family favorite, even my 3 year old can't get enough!

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Prior to having my son I never put much thought into breakfast. In fact, before he was born breakfast usually consisted of coffee and toast or a cup of yogurt. Simple, easy, grab-n-go; the best kind of breakfast for anyone who only has to think about themselves.

Fast forward four years and only two things remain constant: coffee and grab-n-go. 

Over the past several years, and especially now that Octavian is fast as lightning, stubborn as a mule and as clever as a fox, I always have to be one step ahead of him. Full disclosure- this only happens about two percent of the time, but that two percent is so worth it!

Fortunately, I discovered one breakfast solution that makes the WHOLE family happy- overnight oats.

Protein packed and loaded with fiber, these Strawberry Yogurt Overnight Oats taste amazing are super healthy. Plus, they meet all my must-have criteria for an awesome, easy breakfast-

Simple, healthy ingredients.

Can be made ahead-of-time.

Can be made in bulk for the week.

Can be taken in the car, to work, to school, etc.

Minimal amounts of sugar- aka the healthy (fiber, protein, etc.) outweighs the sugar content.

Octavian will eat it.

Finding something that meets all this criteria is not easy. I have about two, maybe three, of these miracle breakfasts up my sleeve and these Strawberry Yogurt Overnight Oats are BY FAR the favorite with the two boys in my life.

So what's going on in there?

Goodness. That's what. I'm actually getting seriously hungry as I write this since, despite the multiple jars of overnight oats I prepared, they were gone in less than 36 hours.

One growing boy and one grown boy can eat a lot of food...

Thankfully, these bowls are packed with tons of protein.

Already full of protein from the oats and milk, I loaded these bowls with Strawberry and Vanilla Dannon Light & Fit Greek Yogurt to give them that little extra punch of protein. I recently discovered Dannon Light & Fit Greek Yogurt from my local Ralph's store and I am obsessed! Right there in the yogurt section, I don't know what's taken me so long to pick up a package (or 5).

Just 80 calories per cup, these delicious and creamy yogurt cups have 12 (yes, TWELVE) grams of protein EACH and just 6 grams of sugar. A yogurt with twice as much protein as sugar is a rare find in the yogurt world.

Anywho, where's the fiber? The oats. Those quick cook oats have 4 grams per serving and I added some chia seeds to boot.

Since Mondays are hard for everyone in my house, I have started preparing a big batch of overnight oats on Sunday night to get us ready for the week. Strawberry has been the overwhelming favorite, however, sometimes I give Octavian the option to pick the flavor of the week. Raspberry or blueberry are his other favorites (not surprising, my child is a berry fiend). Since Octavian sometimes takes a jar to school or my husband will sneak a jar for dessert, they don't last long (the dog likes the spilled leftovers, too).

Which reminds me, a bowl of spilled overnight oats is about a million times easier to cleanup compared to a bowl of cereal.

And when you're a mom, with a to-do list a mile long and clean laundry that never gets folded, those few extra seconds are everything.

Depending on your mood or your family preference, you can mix up your overnight oats in a big bowl, cover, refrigerate and leave it as is (this is how I do it 90% of the time) or you can be fancy and put them in jars.

When I first started making overnight oats I always put them in jars as a way to entice Octavian into eating. I soon realized that wasn't necessary since he loved them so much. Now I usually just put them in jars if I'm trying something new, need a few ready and available as a grab and go snack or lunch, or people are coming over for breakfast and I don't feel like cooking.

Or as a special request from my husband because the man would happily eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

To make my life extra easy I also keep Mott’s 100% Juice Pouches and Danimals on hand for those emergency "omg!! we're already five minutes late" mornings or as a quick on-the-go snack for Octavian. 

In fact, Octavian loves the Danimals Smoothies so much that I usually save them as his dessert or use them as a reward. Totally fine by be as Danimal Smoothies are high in vitamin D and Calcium, contain no artificial colors or flavors and have no high fructose corn syrup.

And the new Mott’s 100% Juice Pouches may just be my new bff since Octavian has yet to squeeze the juice out all over his lap. Give him a juice box and half of the stuff ends up somewhere other than his mouth. They're also non-GMO, have no added sugar, are 100% real fruit juice and give your child much needed Vitamin C to help protect them against germs (better known as school).

And now SAVE $2 with load to card digital coupon when you buy Dannon Light & Fit Greek or Regular Yogurt (4 pack); Dannon and Danimals Smoothies (6-pack or larger); AND Mott's Apple Juice any variety (8-pack).

Visit www.ralphs.com or the Ralphs mobile app to find the savings.

Strawberry Yogurt Overnight Oats

Prep Time: 5 minutes + 4+hours | Cook Time: 0 minutes Total Time: 5 minutes (hands on) + 4-12 hours (hands off) Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

2 cups quick cook oats 2 cups milk of choice 1 cup Dannon Light & Fit Greek Yogurt (Strawberry) 1 cup Dannon Light & Fit Greek Yogurt (Vanilla) 2 cups chopped strawberries 1 tablespoon chia seeds 1-2 teaspoons honey (optional)

Additional toppings: chopped strawberries, strawberry jam (1 teaspoon per cup), granola

Instructions

Mix together all ingredients in a large mixing bowl until ingredients are fully combined. Transfer to individual jars, layering with strawberries, strawberry jam or additional Dannon Light & Fit Greek Yogurt, if desired. Cover each jar with a tight fitting lid and transfer to the refrigerator.

Store in the refrigerator for 4-12 hours to thicken.

Enjoy!