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thefifthturtleismyicon · 6 years

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Glowing Pt. 2

TMNT × Reader

Warnings: violence, language???

The Ninja turtles run into a human like mutant who is after the same kind of ooze as them, but when they keep crossing paths, they realize they have a lot more in common than that.

(I want to do some fun things for this story, so its so cool that u you guys liked the first entry. I was thinking of posting my playlist for this story, and maybe doing smaller requests for turtles, so message me if you're interested!)

Part 1:

“So what do you think that was about?” Mikey asked, dropping into the sewer after he let go of the manhole cover with a thud.

His brothers looked back at him, expressions varying from annoyed that Mikey had brought it up, to impressed nodding in agreement. They had just left you up there- a human-like mutant that had would have kicked their shells if they hadn’t finally worked together.

Leo furrowed his brow as he followed behind Donnie, arms beginning to fold as he walked.

“I’m not sure. She didn’t talk very much… All we know was that she wanted the ooze.”

“She was wearing military issued gear.” Donnie replied, but sounded like he was almost talking to himself. His older brother widened his eyes, reaching forward to grab his shoulder. But before he could ask, Michelangelo interrupted.

“Psh. There’s no way you coulda known that. You’re just making stuff up.”

“She was wearing special kevlar fabric; breathable, but still sturdy. It’s used to equip fast moving ground combatants.”

“Her guns don’t look military grade.” Raph said, pulling out the weapons he had taken a few minutes earlier.

Donnie’s eyes widened and he snatched them away from his brother before he could react, turning them over in his hands.

“I forgot you had those.” Leo mumbled as he peeked between the red and purple clad turtles, watching as Donnie ran his fingers across the glowing pink lines that ran across the surface of the gun.

“It looks like they’re powered by the lights. I don’t see any compartments for bullets.” He ventured, holding the small guns in either hand and pointing, closing his left eye. “It’s almost as if…”

“Don-”

A loud bang echoed through the sewer, accompanied by two shots of bright pink light shooting down the tunnel, before falling into the water.

The turtles stared in shock, then looked up at Donnie slowly before erupting.

“That was cool!”

“Why did you pull the triggers?!”

“I didn’t mean to! The firing must be really sensitive-”

“Or not used to three giant turtle fingers.” Raph snickered, receiving a pointed look from Donnie.

The tallest turtle let out a shaky breath, dropping his hands as he shifted his grip on the guns.

“She could’ve used those guns on us. She didn’t.” Leo said as he walked forward, hands on his hips.

“That was nice of her.”

“More like dumb. If she really wanted the ooze than she should have tried harder.”

“No- Mikey’s right.” Leo said, pointing back at his brother, “She was holding back. Someone that experienced in combat wouldn’t have bothered to use their guns if they were as desperate as she was.”

“Well then why did she do that? Like you said, she could’ve easily shot any of us. Especially Raph.”

The brother mentioned glared at Donnie, who smiled back at him.

Leo thought for a moment, reaching the entrance to the lair as he did so. It was true that it didn’t make sense. You could have easily taken them out with your guns, but you didn’t use them. If you were militarily trained, why hadn’t you used those weapons?

Raph pushed past him as he thought, nudging him in the stomach.

“You know what? It probably doesn’t matter. We tied her up and we’re back at the lair. She won’t be able to find us now, so there’s no point in worrying right?” Raph tossed the canister in his hands as he turned to face his brothers, still walking backwards as he caught it, “This thing isn’t going anywhere.”

If only he knew how wrong he was.

You smiled softly to yourself, pressing against the sewer wall as the turtles walked inside the liar, more or less agreeing with their brother. Now all you had to do was wait.

****************************

You peeked around the corner of the sewer wall, watching as the last turtle disappeared to what looked like his bedroom. You had been waiting for… three hours? It had felt longer. You might have been able to sneak in while they were busy playing video games or training, but you hadn’t wanted to chance it. As soon as they knew you were here, they would team up on you again and the most likely outcome of the situation was that you would end up the loser.

You couldn’t afford to end up as the loser.

You stood up slowly, knees cracking loudly enough to cause you to pause, pressing back against the wall. You thought for sure that ninjas trained as well as they were would hear you. But after a few moments, you realized you had been wrong.

Peeking around the corner once again, you stared into the place the turtles called home, eyes scanning for any sign of the ooze. You saw a large open room that was almost as wide as it was tall, with ladders and poles- as well as a spiral staircase- leading into the bricked ceiling above. There was a kitchen tucked into an area on your left, framed by large circles in the wall above that you recognized to be fans. As you crept into the interestingly decorated home, you realized that it was even bigger than you thought. There were areas that sloped down and around furniture, or up into smaller room that used to be maintenance offices. You stepped forward and immediately recoiled, a wet piece of pizza unsticking from your foot and slapping to the floor. Your nose wrinkled in disgust as you stumbled back, careful to stay light on your toes as you braced yourself against a 70’s patterned loveseat.

Gross.

You shook the initial shock from your head and then tiptoed around the chair, gaze swiveling left and right. If you were a turtle, where would you hide the incredibly toxic and powerful chemicals?

Just as you began to think, the quiet bubbling of steam drew your attention to the left, landing on the desired canister. The sight almost made you cry out in frustration.

The can of ooze was sitting in a pot of boiling water, droplets of moisture beginning to gather on its surface. The turtles must have been trying activate the mutagen particles in the mixture!

If it had been any other time, you would’ve turned around and left, leaving the stupid, stupid turtles to their own devices. You had seen what that mutagen did to people, and there was no way that these guys were going to be able to manipulate the chemicals. If the scientists at Chimera couldn’t- then there was no way they could.

Unfortunately, you didn’t have a choice.

You let out a hiss of frustration and scrambled over to the kitchen area, this time careful not to step on anything that had been left out ( you just barely avoided stepping on a skateboard). Stopping in front of the dented stove, you peered into the boiling water and tapped the metal surface of the can, flinching when a flare of pain shot through your nerves. You hadn’t wanted it to come to this.

Your gaze snapped up to the hanging oven mitts, mouth set in a hard line as you carefully removed them from their hooks and slipped them on. You then carefully removed the ooze, shaking the can as the excess water dripped back into the pot.

A sigh of relief left your nose as you slowly backed away from the stove, the canister once again in your possession. You almost let yourself smile as you turned- that was of course, until you made the turn and saw the turtle.

Your mouth dropped open as you flinched backwards, staring up at the red clad ninja. What had they said his name was again?

Ralph?

The turtle in question recovered from his shock quickly, grabbing for his weapons- which turned out to not be there.

“Mikey!”

Your head snapped to your left, spotting the kitchen island and launching over it, doing so without knowing what was on the other side. You really should have checked before you did. What you did know five seconds before the jump was that the kitchen was the upper most area of their home, and looked out onto the lower levels. That meant you had just leaped into the air, with ground nowhere near you.

You stifled a yelp as you fell about 20 feet, landing in a shaky roll that sent you running across old wood tiling. It looked like… a skatepark.

They had built a skate park?

Of course they did.

You scrambled across the lower level, dodging between various ramps and pillars, seeing other miscellaneous items such as old arcade games, foosball, and dart boards. Colors of all kinds lined the wall and wood panels, matching the cacophony of memorabilia hanging from the ceilings and walls. It was a weird setup, almost as if five year olds had been the interior decorators. You turned around another ramp, sliding across the raising wood panels, head swiveling. Where was the exit?

Suddenly, the loud roll of wheels caught your attention and you fell against the sloped curve of the ramp, covering your mouth to try and silence your loud breathing. The ramp vibrated, and you felt a large thump shudder run through your back.

“Raph? What’s got you yelling?”

God.

He was right above you.

You bit your lips to keep from cursing, glancing up slowly. It was the orange one… Mikey. The one you that you had paralyzed in the arm.

You squeezed your eyes shut, fighting the temptation to band your head against the ramp. It was hard. At this point, you were again left with two options: run, or fight.

Those options were starting to get repetitive.

You peered back up at the turtle, watching him gesticulate and motion at his brother, yelling stuff you didn’t care to listen to. You needed to beat them one on one- because right now, you didn’t have your guns, and the canister was starting to feel warm through the cooking mitts.

You glared at the skateboard, shrugging to yourself. It was now or never, so you might as well play dirty.

Back at the front of the opening to the skating area, Raph watched as Mikey fell head over heels, disappearing behind the ramp with an almost girlish scream.

“Mikey?!” Raph let out a yell before he could stop it, rushing forward a few steps, “Leo, Don- we’ve got company!”

The largest brother looked around himself, eyes searching for anything that could be used as a weapon. Leo kept them scattered around the lair, just in case any of this ever happened. His gaze finally landed on one of the large bats that they sometimes used for baseball- that would work.

Back on the other side of the room, Mikey wasn’t having the same luck as his brother.

As soon as you had ripped the skateboard from under his feet, the turtle had fallen on his face, sliding down the other side of the ramp. You had swiveled around to the other side, throwing the heavy skateboard at the top of the turtles head.

‘Please don’t get up, please don’t...’

He got up.

You set your mouth in a hard line as he shook his head with wide eyes, realizing what had snatched his skateboard.

“Hey, you’re the girl from b-” Michelangelo was quickly silenced as you ran up the side of the ramp, launching off and into him.

The turtle backed up quickly, arms blocking the powerful kick aimed for his head. Your momentum carried you behind him, and you spun, sending a second kick into the back of his knee.

Mikey yelped in surprise, stumbling away as he turned to face you.

“Hey!” Michelangelo yelled, sticking his hands out to stop you with such force that it surprised you, and kept you from attacking, “So did you like, follow us home?”

You punched him in reply.

That hadn’t been the kind of conversation you had been looking for.

Mikey stumbled back and off of the platform, grabbing ahold of the metal railing that kept him from falling into the sewer below. He chanced a look back behind him, heart skipping a beat when he realized how close he was to falling into the warpool of trashy water. But, you weren’t that mean were you?

Mikey turned around to see you walking towards him, holding the canister of ooze like you were going to hit him with it. At that second, he believed that you would without hesitation knock him into the water.

Luckily, his brothers got there just in time.

Leo, Raph, and Donnie each came sailing down from a ramp, landing in a perfect circle, weapons pointed directly at you. You flipped rapidly, sizing the three up as your stomach began to fall, the ooze pressed hard against your stomach.

“Ooh, that was cool. Did you guys plan that?” Mikey asked, his voice still weak from the punch.

Your gaze snapped back to the orange turtle, eyes narrow.

“Miss, please don’t try anything. If you haven’t already noticed,” Leo gestured with his katana, meeting your gaze, “you’re outnumbered.”

You looked down at the canister in your arms, eyebrows furrowed. Honestly, you would have loved to give them the ooze. You didn’t really care about the chemicals, and you could see the turtles needed it for some reason. Not to mention how much it was taking to get it. A mitt traced across the large label on the front and for a moment, you almost gave it to them.

But of course, fate didn’t want you to have it easy.

A loud beep rang through the air, piercing through even the loud blaring of the rushing sewer water. Your gaze snapped down to the lit up watch on your wrist, paling as you read the display.

SEVEN HOURS LEFT

“Crap.” You sighed in resignation, looking back up at Leo slowly as you rolled your shoulders. You were never going to catch a break were you?

“Wait- what does that-”

“It means she’s not giving up without a fight.” Raph growled, beating you to the punch- literally.

You yelped and ducked as the turtle came at you, feeling the rush of air from the bat flying over your head.

“No Raph!” Leo exclaimed, watching as his brother claimed the first punch.

You shot up from your duck, catching Raph’s elbow as it was thrown back at you, leaping away as he kicked in the same direction. The sharp whistling of a staff alerted you to the purple brother’s presence, bending at the waist as the weapon passed over your head. You countered as the two brothers began to attack you at the same time, dodging and moving with the attacks, at one point even bending backward on one leg to avoid the both of them.

Leo sighed as he bounced on his feet, unable to stand by any longer as he bounced his katanas in hand. He rushed into the fray, leaving Mikey near the railing. You could feel him coming at you from behind, and your eyes snapped between the two turtles in front of you, an idea forming.

You dodged a swing from Raphael, and you grabbed his arm, pushing the bat into Donnie’s face, sending him scuttling backward. You lunged at Raph, pushing off against his bent leg and jumping into the air, flipping backwards as Leo swung down at the spot you had just been- catching Raph.

You landed in a crouch then took off to the right, having maneuvered you’re way out of the dead end.

“Ha. Cool.” Mikey mumbled, stumbling up as his brothers began to recover.

As they did so, you were shooting back through the ramps. Shouts of outrage and frustration followed in your wake, undiminished as you gained more and more distance.

You quickly made it back to the entrance of the skating area, gaze snapping up to take in the full view of the lair. Where was the exit again?

Before you could really figure it out, a hard kick sent you flying across the floor, smashing up against a stack of DVDS.

Leonardo had caught up- and you had gotten careless.

“If I was you, I would be tired of running by now.” The turtle quipped at you, earning a piercing glare thrown over your shoulder, lip cut from colliding with the case.

Didn’t they ever give up?

“If I was you, I would be tired of chasing me!” You yelled, throwing the DVD you had ripped from its case when your back was turned.

The disk cut through the air and Leo deflected it, eyes wide. He almost asked you what DVD that had been. And then you threw another. And another.

“Will you- Hey-”

You got up as you threw, putting more power into it with each disk.

“Those are fragile!”

“Good!” You yelled, grabbing a handful of cases and throwing them, trying to use it as a distraction to run away. Instead, they clattered to the ground, much lighter than you thought they would be. Leo looked at the cases and then up at you, a smile beginning to play on his face as you groaned.

With that he rushed forward, hoping to catch you off guard. Usually when someone had a sword and the other didn’t, the other usually gave up.

You didn’t.

Leo brought the katana down, aiming to scratch your arm, to keep you from fighting without really hurting you. Instead, you met the blade, catching it in between your palms.

Honestly, you didn’t think that would work.

Leonardo looked at your hands with wide eyes and you smiled, kicking him in the chest. The turtle stumbled backwards a couple feet, almost losing his footing. Karma.

By the time Leo looked back up, you were sprinting up to the sitting room. As he began to chase after you, Donnie pushed through one of the broken down fans that led from the skate area, skidding across the floor behind his brother. Raph followed after, and then Mikey came skating in from up high, having taken one of the extended pipe routes. They all landed behind you and now you were ducking and leaping around obstacles, hope growing in your chest the closer and closer you got to one of the spiral staircases. It wasn’t the way you had come- but it had to have been an exit.

Your mitted hand just barely brushed against the railing- your victory almost in sight- as you were caught around the middle and hoisted high into the air. You wriggled and squirmed as the grip grew tighter, turning you to face the huffing and puffing turtles as they caught up to you… and the giant rat.

“Sensei!” The four brothers spoke in almost perfect unison, clumping up uncomfortably in front of the tall rat that now held you aloft in his tail.

You simply stared down at the sleek furred, kimono-wearing mutant, unable to speak.

“Would any of you like to explain this to me?” The rat asked, shifting you to dangle closer to the turtles.

(Hit post limit, continued in reblog)

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krispyweiss · 5 years

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The Robert Cray Band, Marc Cohn feat. the Blind Boys of Alabama and Shemekia Copeland at Rose Music Center at the Heights, Huber Heights, Ohio, June 19, 2019

Singing with their "Hebrew buddy" Marc Cohn, the Blind Boys of Alabama provided healing salve to the blues that immediately preceded and followed their joint set at the Rose Music Center at the Heights.

Shemekia Copeland opened the June 19 threefer with her brand of high-test, guitar-based blues and the Robert Cray Band closed with a subdued performance of low-down songs of breaking hearts and his heart being broken. But it was Cohn and the Blind Boys, on the road together ahead of the Aug. 9 release of their Work to Do collaborative LP, who brought the spirit to suburban Dayton and played the concert of the night.

The music was the star of the three-plus-hour marathon as the artists played under minimal lighting and in front of a stark, black backdrop.

Cohn and his band - upright bass, percussion (not drums) and keys - opened with "Dig Down Deep" before the Boys, whose roots stretch to 1939, were led on stage in matching maroon suits with their hands on one another's shoulders for guidance. They quickly joined Cohn for "Walk in Jerusalem" before being left to their own devices for rousing, uplifting renditions of "I Shall Not be Moved" and "Amazing Grace." The latter was set to an arrangement not unlike "The House of the Rising Sun" and found Jimmy Carter and his partners standing to deliver their respective lines before sitting to sing the chorus in harmony.

When Cohn returned, he said the Boys make him think, "My people, the Jews, didn't have it right all along."

The rest of their 65-minute set included the title track from Work to Do - a neo-gospel classic in waiting - and radically revamped versions of "Walking in Memphis," with Cohn on acoustic guitar, and "Silver Thunderbird," which found organist Randall Bramblett singing the intro; Cohn, on piano, taking the midsection; and the Blind Boys bringing it all home.

When the performance ended with a gospel-tinged rendition of "If I Had a Hammer," the power of church music was palpable and it seemed a blessing the singers were unable to see how few fans attended the half-full shed. And the rousing applause as the audience rose to its collective feet belied their small numbers as the Blind Boys smiled, waved and sauntered off the way they'd arrived.

At 65, headliner Cray still looks and sounds almost the same as he did more than 30 years ago, playing a compact brand of blues with his eponymous three-piece - organ, bass and drums - Band that is traditional enough for purists and commercial enough for people who just want to be happy.

By Cray's high standards, this was a sleepy affair, something that probably wasn't helped by the number of people who decamped after Cohn and the Blind Boys' set, leaving the Rose fairly empty and the audience lethargic. In response, Cray and his cohorts occasionally took the music down so low, the traffic whizzing by on Interstate 70 just outside the venue drowned it out. But when he and his mates dug deep and Cray dived into his axe - such as on the instrumental "Hip Tight Onions" and the sultry "Chicken in the Kitchen" - both the band and audience perked up and the energy that typifies most Cray shows appeared.

Low-key though it was - and thus not representative of the raw power of the Robert Cray Band - this 85-minute set was nevertheless quite solid and probably would have seemed more so if the quartet hadn't had the misfortune of having to follow what came immediately before.

In her 35-minute opening slot, Copeland used her awe-inspiring pipes to make mediocre, cliché-ridden songs of togetherness such as "Ain't Got Time for Hate" and "Would You Take My Blood?" - written about a man awaiting a heart transplant but insisting the organ come from someone who looked like him - sound better than they are. And when she stepped to the lip of the stage to sing her father Johnny Copeland's "Ghetto Child" without a mic while two guitars, bass and drums played behind her, the Rose erupted in a standing ovation that was as deserved as it was hard-earned.

In that moment, Copeland owned Dayton.

Grade card: Robert Cray Band, Marc Cohn feat. the Blind Boys of Alabama and Shemekia Copeland at Rose Music Center - 6/19/19 - B+/A+/C+

6/20/19

#marc cohn #the blind boys of alabama #the robert cray band #robert cray #shemekia copeland #the animals #johnny copeland

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yeolkisses · 6 years

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All the evens

Wkbpwbjpe Maddy you’re trying to kill me I swear (but thank you this kept me busy lol and it was fun to do)

2 - do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day?

Yessss I love it. Cold air is a blessing.

4 - how do you take your coffee/tea?

For coffee, I put a ton of creamer in. Tea is just a no for me.

6- do you keep plants?

Yes! A bonsai, a couple cacti, and an aloe vera.

8 - what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings?

Does writing count??? I’m not very artistic 😅 but I consider myself a decent writer and poet. I feel like words are the easiest way to explain yourself so others can understand you better. It’s specific. Painting and drawing, etc. are also good too of course, I’m just not any good at them 😂 and I feel like they’re a bit more questionable. They have different meanings to people. But that’s what allows people to connect over them; seeing different viewpoints of the same thing. It kind of shows what type of person you are.

10 - do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach?

My side or my back. I can’t do stomach 😂 it’s just too uncomfortable for me.

12 - what’s your favorite planet?

Hm. I don’t really know. I guess Neptune or Uranus??? They’re pretty.

14 - if you were to live with your best friend in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like?

TBH I don’t even know who my best friend is anymore lately Well it would probably be a bit of a mess 😂 but messy in an organized way??? We’re pretty tidy people, at least when it comes to our rooms, but we (or I, at least) am still a little bit cluttery. I think it would look nice. Not necessarily modern, but just kind of homely.

16 - what’s your favorite pasta dish?

Spaghetti & meatballs OR chicken alfredo. Probably spaghetti and meatballs though.

18 - tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up.

God they just brought it up today. I swear I’m not as stupid as they make me seem though!!!!! So one time at lunch (like YEARS ago) they were talking about sports and I wasn’t really paying attention (because I’m not a sports person) and they asked me something and I think I said, “I’m not into baseball.” And of course with my luck they were talking about football. So :)))) There are always exaggerations about how I must think a homerun is in basketball, etc.

20 - what’s your favorite eye color?

I mean…it doesn’t really matter to me?? I don’t like thinking about eyes which you already know, so I’ve never really considered a favorite eye color. But I hateeeee the colored contacts people wear, especially when they wear two different colors (one of my friend’s ex-boyfriends used to wear one silver and one bright green one and it was hideous). Anyway, if I had to choose a color, I guess I’d say brown. It’s under-appreciated sometimes 🙂

22 - are you a morning person?

It fluctuates. Sometimes I am, sometimes I’m not. Especially if the reason I’m waking up is to go to something I don’t want to do, then I am NOT a morning person at all.

24 - is there someone out there you would trust with every single one of your secrets?

Honestly, probably not. I just really don’t trust people to keep their lips zipped or to not judge me.

26 - what are the shoes you’ve had for forever and wear with every single outfit?

My oldest pair of shoes rn are probably the ones I’m wearing (or at least they look the oldest since I wear them pretty much daily). They’re black and white cheetah print converse, with cheetah eyes on the side. They’re super comfortable.

28 - sunrise or sunset?

Both are nice, but I like sunsets better. It’s the end of the day, time to rest, and it just looks cooler imo. More fiery.

30 - think of it: have you ever been truly scared?

In all honesty, I don’t think so. I get scared easily, but I wouldn’t say I’ve been truly terrified.

32 - tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends.

Already done~

34 - tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it?

Done~

36 - which band’s sound would fit your mood right now?

Oof I don’t know. American Authors maybe? I feel really happy and free rn.

38 - tell us about your pet peeves!

Oh boy. I could go on and on. One: the sound of people chewing. It’s awful but you can’t tell them it’s annoying because that’s rude but it makes me. Want. To. Hit. Someone. It is SO irritating. Another thing: my brother doesn’t flush the toilet :)))) and that drives me insane. Another one: people who spit on you when they talk. People in band who, rather than not playing on the parts they don’t know and working on them later, just play whatever they want and mess everyone up. People who don’t put things back where they found them. People who nitpick every little thing about something that someone else did. I could just keep going on.

40 - think of a piece of jewelry you own: what’s it’s story? does it have any meaning to you?

I’m just gonna choose the ring I wear all the time. I got it at the fair, it was only $12 😂 it doesn’t really hold much meaning, I just like having it so I can fidget with it when I’m nervous or something.

42 - do you have a favorite coffee shop? describe it!

I actually haven’t gotten to experience any coffee shops :/ just Starbucks lol. But once I’m on my own I think I’ll check more places out.

44 - when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything?

I honestly don’t know. It’s been some time.

46 - tell us the worst pun you can think of.

I’m not good with punssss! I don’t know. I can’t think of anything.

48 - what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today?

Hm I was afraid of a lot of things and I still am. I’d say pretty much the same things, more or less. Things that aren’t even closely real, things that my mind just comes up with. And now I’m actually scared of more things, I think. Realistic situations and whatnot.

50 - what’s an odd thing you collect?

I collect rocks, but I think that’s pretty normal, right?? I also collect piggy banks and hedgehog knick knacks.

52 - what are your favorite memes of the year so far?

God I don’t even know. I guess maybe the spongebob ones, the Patrick ones.

54 - who’s the last person you saw with a true look of sadness on their face?

Oh wow. Hm. I really don’t know. I really, truly, do not know.

56 - what are some things you find endearing in people?

Hmm…it differs from person to person I suppose. But I guess, like…the way people smile, the different ways people laugh when they’re truly laughing (even if they find it obnoxious it’s a part of them and it’s just kinda cute and funny), when a person who doesn’t usually dress up dresses up all fancy and gets all shy about it. I don’t know. Just little things I guess.

58 - who’s the wine mom and who’s the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why?

Oof I don’t really know. I think Morgan would be the vodka aunt. But wine mom…I don’t know.

60 - do you like poetry? what are some of your faves?

Yessss I do. Hm, favorites…it depends on the mood I’m in, I suppose. When I was little though I really liked Shel Silverstein’s poems.

62 - do you drink juice in the morning? which kind?

Nopeeee I don’t really like juice 😕

64 - what color is the sky where you are right now?

Kind of a soft baby blue? Idk but it’s quite nice.

66 - what would your ideal flower crown look like?

Baby blue eyes and daisies, I think. Just blue flowers in general would be good enough for me 👍

68 - what’s winter like where you live?

Not cold enough!!!!!!!! Although this year it snowed more than I expected it to. Still, it’s not very cold and we don’t get much rain 😕

70 - have you ever used a ouija board?

No, and despite my belief that it’s absolute bull crap, I would never use one because I’m a wuss.

72 - are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you’ll forget it?

It depends, some things I remember and some things I don’t.

74 - describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns.

Oof well I’ve pretty much mentioned all my IRL friends and they’re kinda predictable 😂 so I’ll choose an Internet friend. They’re extremely sweet, and do so, so much for other people, even when they’re already so busy with their own life. They’re always caring and genuine, and put others before themselves (even though I wish they wouldn’t sometimes). They’re super patient, which is good because sometimes I can be a bit slow 😂 and just so, so amazing and beautiful and talented and hardworking and they deserve to go far. I hope they’ll keep holding on strong and keep on fighting. And I hope they truly know how much I admire them. (Damn I kinda described all of my internet friends there?????? I had a specific one in mind though I swear)

76 - is there anything you should be doing right now but aren’t?

Yes 😂 homework

78 - are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub?

I’m on the fence actually 😕 it’s not like I hate them with a burning passion or anything but I think they’re kinda milking it for all it’s worth at this point, which usually happens with movies.

80 - what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why?

3 white walls and a light bluish tealish wall (with a border of music notes in silver paint on the teal wall). I got to redecorate my room a couple years ago for my birthday and I love the color blue but I didn’t want something that would darken the room (although I keep my curtains mostly closed lol). The music notes were from a piece I played that year in the school band, it was my favorite.

82 - are/were you good in school?

I’m a procrastinator but I do get good grades 😁 I’ve never had an -A or lower. And I’m kind of a teacher’s pet 😂

84 - are you planning on getting tattoos? which ones?

Definitely not. I don’t see the point in basically paying someone to stab you with a needle over and over again. If I did get one, I think it would be a clef heart or 아리엘.

86 - do you like concept albums? which ones?

I can’t really think of any specific ones (???? maybe I’m just being dumb ????) but I do like the idea of them.

88 - are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy?

Ehhh, I’m not exactly an art buff, so idk what to say. I think that as long as it carries emotion and makes the viewer feel something or think of something, then it must be pretty good. The style doesn’t define what story it tells, it just helps set the mood.

90 - talk about your one of you favorite cities.

I haven’t really traveled so I’m gonna have to skip this 😶

92 - are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch?

Honestly I prefer just butter on my pasta but if I’m putting on cheese then I’m going all the way.

94 - who was the last person you know to have a birthday?

Well I mean idk if it counts since I know her online so I’ll go with the closest one that I know irl. My aunt just had her birthday, it was a couple days ago.

96 - do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot?

I usually procrastinate them 😅 because it always asks me when I’m in the middle of doing something and I don’t wanna stop what I’m doing.

98 - when’s the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it?

I don’t remember…but probably not 😂

100 - if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why?

The past. I’d like to do some things differently. Be a better person. Make myself become a better person and have better habits. The future can still be changed but my past is set in stone. Although, if I go 5 years back, I might not end up on this site, so overall I’d rather just stay in the present 😂

#next time you reblog a question thing I’m gonna make you do all of them #ask #sehuns-vivi #mutuals

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sadpottedplant · 7 years

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1: when you have cereal, do you have more milk than cereal or more cereal than milk? more milk

2: do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day? no

3: what random objects do you use to bookmark your books? whatever paper is lying around

4: how do you take your coffee/tea? i take tea w honey

5: are you self-conscious of your smile? actually no

6: do you keep plants? i try

7: do you name your plants? no

8: what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings? pen and pencil

9: do you like singing/humming to yourself? sometimes

10: do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach? side

11: what’s an inner joke you have with your friends? NANA?

12: what’s your favorite planet? saturn or neptune

13: what’s something that made you smile today? being able to talk with nina on the way home from school

14: if you were to live with your best friend in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like? lots of windows and plants and books and bedding! also rlly high up!

15: go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is! there are more suns in our galaxy than there are grains of sand on earth

16: what’s your favorite pasta dish? whole wheat angel hair with butter and parmesan

17: what color do you really want to dye your hair? blue

18: tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up. one time ioffered to sub for this guy i didnt relly know and i said “hashtag helpful” out loud and he as so disgusted ug

19: do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it? I want to ! And I want to write about thhings i like and draw lil doodles and paint in it!

20: what’s your favorite eye color? BROWN

21: talk about your favorite bag, the one that’s been to hell and back with you and that you love to pieces. well i dont really love my bag but i had this purple backback all throughout elementary and middle school

22: are you a morning person? no

23: what’s your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations? look up things to draw and play mindless games

24: is there someone out there you would trust with every single one of your secrets? i dont think so. i wish though

25: what’s the weirdest place you’ve ever broken into? in 8th grade i had to break into my own house

26: what are the shoes you’ve had for forever and wear with every single outfit? maybe my old converse

27: what’s your favorite bubblegum flavor? watermelon

28: sunrise or sunset? i wish sunrise but reaistically sunset

29: what’s something really cute that one of your friends does and is totally endearing? one of my friends always leans forward whenever I break when I drive my car. And another one gets really excited bout numbers and its adorable

30: think of it: have you ever been truly scared? yes one time i thought my house was getting broken into and another time i thought i was lost int he woods

31: what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? really, just talk about socks. I like socks that have cute patterns and are warm

32: tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends.

33: what’s your fave pastry? brownies

34: tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it?

35: do you like stationary and pretty pens and so on? do you use them often? i wish i did but that shit expensive

36: which band’s sound would fit your mood right now?

37: do you like keeping your room messy or clean? clean bu its always mesy

38: tell us about your pet peeves! broken nails anpying and people wo are ompetetive about everything and make you feel bad about yourself

39: what color do you wear the most? blue

40: think of a piece of jewelry you own: what’s it’s story? does it have any meaning to you? i have a sun necklacce that my sister gave my mom from mexico that i “borrow”

41: what’s the last book you remember really, really loving?

42: do you have a favorite coffee shop? describe it!

43: who was the last person you gazed at the stars with?

44: when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything?

45: do you trust your instincts a lot?

46: tell us the worst pun you can think of.

47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe?

48: what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today?

49: do you like buying CDs and records? what was the last one you bought?

50: what’s an odd thing you collect? i used to collect beads

51: think of a person. what song do you associate with them?

52: what are your favorite memes of the year so far? the transcending brain meme

53: have you ever watched the rocky horror picture show? heathers? beetlejuice? pulp fiction? what do you think of them? no but i want to

54: who’s the last person you saw with a true look of sadness on their face?

55: what’s the most dramatic thing you’ve ever done to prove a point? slept in the attic to rove i should have a bedroom there

56: what are some things you find endearing in people? being funny and optimistic and talkative

57: go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics? excited and yes

58: who’s the wine mom and who’s the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why? rache is the wine mom and ella is the vodka aunt

59: what’s your favorite myth?

60: do you like poetry? what are some of your faves? yes

61: what’s the stupidest gift you’ve ever given? the stupidest one you’ve ever received? i gave a set of lobster claw gloves. I received an eraser.

62: do you drink juice in the morning? which kind?

63: are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be? i leav them be

64: what color is the sky where you are right now?

65: is there anyone you haven’t seen in a long time who you’d love to hang out with? ella, or shana

66: what would your ideal flower crown look like?

67: how do gloomy days where the sky is dark and the world is misty make you feel?

68: what’s winter like where you live? pretty at first but cold and oo slushy and gross at the end

69: what are your favorite board games?clue and rack-o

70: have you ever used a ouija board?no

71: what’s your favorite kind of tea? lemon

72: are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you’ll forget it? kin of

73: what are some of your worst habits? procrastination

74: describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns. they always strive to be the best and they are quiet when you first meet them but loud and funny and competetive once they are comfortable with you

75: tell us about your pets! i have a guinea pig who is paralyzed

76: is there anything you should be doing right now but aren’t? my pyschology paper

77: pink or yellow lemonade? yellow

78: are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub?

79: what’s one of the cutest things someone has ever done for you? taken me out to cheesecake factory for my birthday

80: what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why? cream color but i hate the color and i wish i had chose blue i am really indecisive

81: describe one of your friend’s eyes using the most abstract imagery you can think of.

82: are/were you good in school? i am pretty good in school

83: what’s some of your favorite album art?

84: are you planning on getting tattoos? which ones?

85: do you read comics? what are your faves? calvin and hobbes!

86: do you like concept albums? which ones?

87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives?

88: are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy?

89: are you close to your parents? yes

90: talk about your one of you favorite cities. i love the vibe o san fransisco, everything is so pretty. i also love new ork city because there is so much going on

91: where do you plan on traveling this year? im goign to the galapagos islands in 10 days (im nervouse)

92: are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch? drowns

93: what’s the hairstyle you wear the most? ponytail

94: who was the last person you know to have a birthday?

95: what are your plans for this weekend? draw and pack for an upcoming trip and do homework

96: do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot? it depends

97: myer briggs type, zodiac sign, and hogwarts house? idk, cancer, hufflepuff

98: when’s the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it?

99: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them.

100: if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why? past, because i have a lot of regrets and i reallly would like to fix them

#me #bc why not #no one else has to see this

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gethealthy18-blog · 5 years

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302: 5 Ways to Move for Improved Posture, Sleep, and Health With Align Method

New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/news/302-5-ways-to-move-for-improved-posture-sleep-and-health-with-align-method/

302: 5 Ways to Move for Improved Posture, Sleep, and Health With Align Method

Child: Welcome to my Mommy’s podcast.

This episode is sponsored by Fabletics, my go-to source for all types of athletic wear. Fabletics creates clothing that’s made to inspire physical activity in any type of setting. Moreover, Fabletics always aims to create fashionable, on-trend workout clothing at an exceptional price point. Their mantra is ‘Live Your Passion- every day.’ And Fabletics is your ‘one stop shop’ for affordable athletic wear. They have yoga, running, gym gear, sports bras, shoes, accessories and more. In fact, I am wearing leggings and a jacket from them right now. Here’s how it works… After taking a super quick, 60 second style quiz, you’ll receive a personalized showroom of pieces specifically catered towards your own unique style. This takes the guesswork out of what styles are best suitable for you and with just a few clicks, Fabletics is doing all the homework for you. Right now, you also get 2 leggings for only $24 ($99 value) as a VIP by going to fabletics.com/wellnessmama. I personally love (and am currently wearing) the high waisted powerhold leggings and they have some really cute new patterns with cut outs and designs that I am loving. That price is less than half of just a sports bra and some other brands, and just as good of quality. Also, here is a pro tip – make sure you enter your email address at the end of the quiz, as you’ll receive exclusive monthly discounts and the inside scoop about new collections that haven’t been released yet. You will always get free shipping on all orders $49 or more! There is international shipping available. Best part is that there is NO commitment to purchase monthly. All designs are done in-house- you can’t find these pieces anywhere else and you’re going to get a much cheaper price that most stores and a 45-day workout guarantee – Sweat it out for 45 days and if it doesn’t perform, return it for a full refund! Again, check it all out and grab your leggings at fabletics.com/wellnessmama

This podcast is brought to you by Radiant Life Catalog. Radiant Life is a woman-owned, family-run online health and wellness company specializing in food-based supplements, nutrient dense foods, eco-friendly housewares and water filtration and purification. After spending over 20 years in the health industry, Radiant Life realized that one of the overlooked components of wellbeing is access to clean, healthy and hydrating water. Now, they have a range of water filters that fix this for every type of house and budget from counter top units to under counter and even whole house like the one we have. Their systems are crafted with a focus on health and wellness. They improve the taste and smell of water but, more importantly, they remove a wide range of potentially harmful contaminants. They also have and in-house water expert is available all the time to guide you through the system selection process and answer all of your questions via phone or email. Their systems are also designed and built in the USA and really high quality. Go to radiantlife.com/wellnessmama and get $200 off a Whole House or 14-Stage Water System with the code WMPODCAST.

Katie: Hello, and welcome to the Wellness Mama Podcast. I’m Katie from wellnessmama.com and I’m here today with Aaron Alexander who is a Manual Therapist and movement coach, who has worked with the world’s best athletes, celebrities and everyone in between to relieve pain, increase strength and optimize their movement. He hosts the top rated Align Podcast, which features the worlds thought leaders on all things movement and wellness.

He is the founder of the Align Method, an integrated approach to functional movement and self-care that has helped thousands of people to relieve pain and move optimally in daily life. He just released his first book, “The Align Method – Five Movement Principles for a Stronger Body, Sharper Mind, and Stress Proof Life”. It came out on December 24th and I highly recommend it. It’s a fascinating look at whole lot of easy ways you can improve your movement in day to day life. And he shows you how your posture and body alignment are tools that you can use for peak performance for approaching the world with a new sense of confidence and many other things. And in this episode we go deep on the mind body connection of movement, movement vs exercise, the real deal of high heels and if you should wear them or not and so much more. I know you will enjoy it as much as I did. Without further adieu, lets join Aaron. Aaron Alexander, welcome, thanks for being here!

Aaron: Thank you so much for having me. Having me back? Did we do this before? This is the second time? This is the second time. Thanks for having me back. I appreciate it.

Katie: Yea, absolutely. Last time was in your sauna and we got to do lots of cool things. This one is remote, not quite as fun. So excited to have you back.

Aaron: Yeah, absolutely. I appreciate it.

Katie: Several reasons I wanted you back is that I wanted to mention you have an amazing book coming out that I got to read ahead of time that I highly recommend and will be linked in the show notes and is available anywhere books are sold. It builds on what we talked about in the first podcast and I wanted to go deeper on today. Which is, just how important movement is, we understand how important it is physically, but I don’t think people really fully grasp how important it is for every aspect of life, including mental and emotional health and relationships and truly everything. So, I would love to start hearing from you more of the mind body connection of movement and all the things you have found in your years of research.

Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. Well, so, I mean, I think that the research started very experientially of just feeling very insecure in my own body. And so that transitioned into just packing on as much muscle as I possibly could as a means of protection, kind of like self-validation and all of those things. Perhaps the story associated with that is like there was a sensation of feeling a bit unsafe. And then that translated into wanting to pack in my body and make my biological home feel as safe as possible. And from there, that led into lots of imbalance and then injuries and kinda like anxiety and chronic pain and things that I kind of just considered to be very normal. And, you know, if I would ask somebody else if they didn’t have like back pain all the time or, you know, knee pain or some kind of like just ongoing pain in their body and the answer was no, which was pretty rare to find, actually, I was, like, surprised because I just thought that was a part of life.

And so it was an interesting thing to get to witness how my environment shifted to then have a physiological translation, which was like, there’s a one-to-one connection of how we feel in ourselves, in our home, in our relationships, in our work, feeling like we’re on purpose in our lives and the way that we move in our physical bodies. And so that was a really fascinating experience for me to get to kind of watch from the inside. And then that was kind of 16 years ago was the beginning of like professionally paying attention to that. And then the book journey started, you know, a couple of years ago. And then there’s a lot more research of like, “Huh, what is all that?” And then the podcast was like five years ago and it’s just been an ongoing journey of kind of divulging, figuring out what the heck is going on with this whole mind-body connection. Now, we’re at the point of the book.

Katie: which I love. The book ties in so much of what you said so effortlessly. I’m curious as well, and you talk about this in the book, but what do feel people get wrong with movement?

Aaron: Well, one would be, so the way that we finished the book is essentially suggesting that people forget about the book. You know, like we have all of the principles and the fundamentals in there that any person would need to effectively operate their body in daily life, things that we never really get taught in grade school. You know, so physical education ought to be something that is a part infused into literally every classroom, not just PE where you’re like hucking kickballs at each other’s faces and, like, run around bases. Physical education is the way that you communicate yourself in any situation. You know, there’s the, I think we might have mentioned it before, but Albert Mehrabian is a UCLA professor that came up with a thing called the 55-38-7 principle back in the ’70s and essentially it was that 55% of our communication comes from body language and then 38% is the tonality of our voices, and then 7% is the words that we’re actually saying to each other.

And so if there’s any incongruence between what my tone and my body language communicates to you, you will, 93% of the time, I would say it’s even more than that, trust my tone and my body language over the actual words that I say, you know? And so the way that we inhabit ourselves, is the language that we use in the book, is something that we can start to pay attention to 100% of the day. And as you do begin to pay attention to that and also having the education and feeling like almost like an authority in your own body, I think very few people really feel like they’re the boss of their own body. And yeah, I do know how to pick up that couch or I do know how to, you know, “Oh, we’re wrestling. Okay. I don’t feel unsafe. Like I’m going to blow out my back or my knee or something like that. Like I know how to navigate this terrain in such a way that I feel safe and strong and confident and autonomous in myself, my physical movement patterns,” you know. But we just don’t get those fundamental educational points like you would if you learned to, like, drive a car. You know, we go through classes of like a, “Here’s where the turning signal on the brights and here’s how you change your oil,” and all that.

For some strange, wacky reason, Western culture does not receive any form of education around how to operate the body. And it says exactly what the book is, it’s like it breaks all of that down. But yeah, I think that we, it’s interesting that we don’t pay enough attention to the way that we inhabit ourselves. I think because our attention is in large part pulled away from us into phones and tablets and computers and advertisements and TV and, you know, your attention is the most valuable commodity out there right now. You know, and so we think that, you know, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Like we think that Instagram and Facebook and all that stuff is free. It is not free.

You know, you are paying in your conscious bandwidth. So any extra bandwidth that we have to operate on that we could be using to cultivate our mind and our body and making some beautiful project or creating community, any extra bandwidth that’s on the table, they’re looking for it and they’re trying to grab it any way they can. So if we could take some of that bandwidth back and put it into how we inhabit ourselves, it’s the beginning of like a, you know, a beautiful journey in your physical existence.

Katie: I love that. And I feel like your book is very much a user manual on how to use your body the right way. And you’re right – this is not taught. It’s kind of like parenting – there is no manual. You have to figure it out as you go – it’s trial by fire. And I love the idea of the 55% being our body language and then our toneality and then our words. Are there any specifics of how we can learn to be cognizant of our body language in ways that help us in relationships to communicate trust, for instance. Or to connect more deeply with people through our movement?

Aaron: Yeah, absolutely. Well, one… So, connecting more deeply with ourselves, I think, is kind of the first thing, and, you know, there was some research that we mentioned in the book of people washing dishes and just bringing more attention. There’s two groups. One group was, more attention was brought to, you know, the way they’re standing as they’re doing it and the warmth of the water on their hands and the bubbles and the sun shining through the window as they’re doing it. And the people that are, and then the other ones are not cued to just essentially pay attention. And the people that are queued to pay attention, they end up doing better on creativity tests and they end up reporting less stress. And because they’re taking their conscious bandwidth back and paying attention to the magic of this experience, this moment, i.e., like what your kids do all the time, you know, that’s why kids are our greatest teachers. You look down, you’re like, “How do they do it?” They are just totally immersed in whatever they’re doing. They’re…you know, they have a stick that’s a military man. And then it’s jumping out of a parachute and they’re like, “Wow,” like they’re really in their world. It’s so beautiful.

You know, and so just the simple act of paying attention, all of a sudden, it lowers stress levels and it makes you be a more creative adult or human being in general. If you are a less stressed, less anxious person, then all of a sudden, you have more attention to focus onto relationships, more attention to focus onto work. You know, or anything that you wanna be able to contain your fire hose of attention. You know, most of us have a bunch of holes throughout the hose. If we just start to bring that awareness back into what we’re doing in the moment, as simple as noticing the weight of the feet and they both, or the weight of both of my feet going into the ground, you know, or notice my breath into my lower back or into my abdomen or the side of my ribs. Notice the carriage of my shoulders and my breathing through my nose. Maybe doing a little extra exhalation because that helps activate more of that rest-digest side of the nervous system.

You know, so we’re always in control of what’s happening in this autonomic nervous system of ours, which is like, it’s auto, it happens without us, but we have the power and the control to augment our environment, which then in turn affects this autonomic nervous system of ours. So it’s not nearly as autonomic as I think we would like to believe. Like we actually have more control of ourselves than what we think. You know, so first step to being able to have deeper connection with others, which is kind of the original question, I think, is just to start to pay attention. And then once you start to pay attention, then that gathers up enough bandwidth to be able to put into relationships and have deeper connections.

Katie: That makes sense. And you also talk about, and you’re a great example of this for anyone that follows you on Instagram, the difference between movement and exercise. And I want to talk about this a little more. Because I think people sit all day or stand at a standing desk all day or do a particular thing all day and then make sure they get to the gym to exercise for maybe 30 minutes or an hour and hope that’s kind of enough. I would love for you to break down the difference between actually integrating movement in a holistic way into your life vs just the importance of exercise.

Aaron: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, that’s what the book is about, is how do we start to make our whole life be fitness and be yoga and be dance and be martial arts. And like you, like in West Africa and all throughout Africa, I think, in large part, you know, it’s more common for it to be believed that like, no, you’re like, you’re always singing. You know, like you’re always dancing. There’s not, “Okay, cool, I’m doing the, I’m in choir, I’m officially singing.” It’s like, you know, every time you communicate with somebody, you are singing a song, you know, and you are literally tuning that person’s nervous system based off of the tone of your voice and your body language and etc. You know, so with fitness, and it’s the same thing with dance. You know, when you’re dancing with somebody on the dance floor, you know, there’s certain moves that you can do to invoke a certain sensation in your partner or partners and there’s certain other moves that you could do to, you know, go another direction.

And so it’s the same thing as we’re communicating to each other, we’re literally dancing to each other. You know, that’s like if you start to draw back a little bit and observe one’s life for more of that perspective of like, “Huh, this is like, I’m like in a musical,” it is like a big song and dance that we’re doing, you know? And so if you could start to pay attention to that and allow your dance to spill outside of the dance hall and go more into your life, then you can start to pay attention to, like, some of the things we mentioned, pay attention to your breath, which we have a whole chapter breaking down exactly what that means and how to do that and why it matters.

There’s another chapter on the value of beginning to hinge from your hips. You know, so as you are… The common tendency for many people from, like, a, even if it’s just like a superficial vain perspective is this kind of ugly, rolled forward shoulders and forward head posture and kind of like hyperkyphotic hunchback spine type thing. My knees drop in the middle into that valgus position, it just, the body feels kind of flat. In the book, we refer to that as the mopey archetype. We break down five different postural archetypes and their personality translation of what that is in there, the way they think and feel.

You know, but if you start to pay attention to the way that we’re moving on a momentary basis and say as you are washing those same dishes we mentioned before, what if as I’m doing that, I start to kind of let my booty go back a little bit? I hinge my hips a little bit, I get a little bit of length through my spine. I kind of pulled the shoulders back just a pinch and let my, that elongation through my cervical spine so my chin comes back, and all of a sudden, I’m practicing this strong, upright, creative, confident, winning pattern.

And then when I’m finished with those dishes, all of a sudden, I show up to my wife or husband differently. I show up to my kids differently. I show up to that phone call differently because I’ve been practicing being in my body as a winner. I’ve been practicing being in my body as someone that I love and someone that’s worth eating better food and someone that’s worth better relationships and, you know, someone that really matters in the world as opposed to practicing a slumpy, collapsed, depressive, “depressive” in the literal translation of “depressed,” which is to bring down, posture. And then when I get on that phone call or I meet up with my kids or I, you know, go out for that date, I have to unwind that with quickness in order to get back into a place of feeling confident, I have to show up as my best self. And that’s a broken system.

As long as that’s the system that we’re operating in, we’re gonna have, like, our foot on the gas and the brake the whole time and it’s this continued yo-yo effect. If I feel like crap, I will, “Okay. I feel better. I’m a winner and I feel like crap. Okay. I’m feeling better.” By following the principles that we broke down in the book, essentially it’s a guide on how we can start to maintain awareness in more of that productive physical state. And then also embracing rest. You know, you don’t always need to be like, stick up your butt, upright posture guides. Also, there’s a whole aspect which is the other side of the coin, which is embracing, you know, kind of like the fitness of rest, you know, or the positioning of rest. We can get into that deeper as well.

Katie: Yea, I think that’s a perfect segue to talk about rest. And I want to talk about sleep posture, too. Because that’s another thing like breathing, we do it everyday, and I don’t think many of pay attention to how we are doing it and we’re not very intentional when we breathe or sleep. And I love this about you, because you’re so balanced. In our first episode we talked about how all these studies say sitting is bad, but you offered the counterpoint that sitting isn’t bad, it’s doing the same thing that is bad. Standing in one place is also bad. So I’d love to hear your take on how to integrate rest and how to be intentional about that. And the same with sleep. What can we be aware of when we go to sleep?

Aaron: Yeah, it’s such a great question and because it’s not something that’s overly applauded in our culture. There’s certain kind of niches, voices like yourself where it’s like we’re actually talking about that and realizing the value of it. But if you look at any, you know, as growing up as a young boy, I was looking at Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Pumping Iron,” and reading “Men’s Health,” and, you know, “Men’s Journal,” and all that stuff. And it’s just like bicep curls, muscle-ups, wind sprints, and chics, you know, like, that’s where we’re just, “Go, full go.” And there wasn’t a lot of emphasis on the foundation of all of that. And you could probably say that’s kind of like a cultural trend where, you know, like the patriarchy, the damn patriarchy, you know, which is, you know, the masculine go, you know, more of that young, make it happen. Whereas the other side, the thing that contains the masculine and contains the go and contains the “Get this stuff done” is that nurturing home and the listening and the support. And we don’t really prize that as much in the present cultural model that we’re in. I think it’s starting to shift.

You know, and so your rest practice is equally valuable to your activation practice. There’s no one that’s more or less valuable, just like, you know, feminism isn’t right. And, you know, the opposite of feminism isn’t right. It’s like it’s not masculine/feminine. It’s both, like we are in this thing together. As long as the pendulum swings too far to the other side, then we’re just equally confused. It’s just confused from a different angle, you know. And so the rest practice is the way that you are positioned as you are resting, is literally, it’s like a tuning mechanism for your body. You know, so your body naturally has these positions that we’ve been going on, going into for millennia, which we break them all down in the chapter about floor sitting and the value of that in the book.

You know, so most of us, for the most part, our rest practice is kind of dropping into a couch, stuffing ourselves into that and oftentimes bringing a cell phone out in front of our face and looking at that and checking our Instagram notifications. And then we’re done with that, we’ll get the computer out and we’ll throw on some Netflix and then our vision goes out maybe four feet instead of, you know, two feet. And then after that, maybe we’ll throw on the TV screen. And now our vision goes out to maybe 10 feet instead of 4 feet and we’re inside this little compressed, collapsed box. So structurally, our postural patterns are kind of going into that collapsed position. And then our vision isn’t even able to actually come out of contraction because it’s continuing, this is kind of fancy, unnecessary talk, but it’s refracting that light. So it’s bending the light when you’re in closed walls. So when you’re looking at a screen, when you’re looking at, you know, walls 10 feet away from you, you literally have to, your eyes need to contract the lens in order to bend that light so you can perceive it.

Our eyes, our vision, that’s even a…that’s a major component of our rest practice or our activation focus practice. So we don’t think of how as we’re sitting down in that couch and we are going into that same repetitive position that we’ve been in very likely for, throughout most of the day/our lives. And we think that we are resting by taking a load off and looking into our phone. We are in fact activating that autonomic nervous system because we’re tuning our autonomic nervous system based off our environment. We’re putting ourselves into a container of staring down and contracting our vision and putting us into more of a place of focus and fight/flight, get it done.

You know, so there’s a great fellow/friend, researcher, Stanford researcher, like, amazing mind called Andrew Huberman that he reviewed the whole psych chapter, we have a chapter in the book notes. The way the leverage side is a tool for fitness and wellness and focus and all the things. And he was gracious enough to go through and actually review and make edits on it, which was just amazing. He has done a tremendous job with breaking down research around how our vision is a part of our fitness just like anything else. And we can literally control our physiology by controlling those toggles in our vision. So when we go into that looking out into the distance, it’s this, “Ah, wow,” you’re looking out into the ocean or the mountains. Just like, “Wow, I just wanna like have a snuggle and take it all in.” You know, whereas when I get my phone out, I immediately go into, you know, tunnel vision, executive function, get stuff done, and that’s affecting us at a deep level.

It’s a similar way, more specifically as like the rest practice stuff, vision’s a part of it. But then you call them the postural archetypal positions of repose would be like unnecessary long polysyllabic waves of describing putting a little bit more intention into the mechanics of rest, you know. So as you are doing something like we recommend in the book, just getting a comfy area in your house with a comfy rug and some floor pillows or cushions and poufs and throw a foam roller down or a yoga mat. By you just having that space… So right now, I’m doing this conversation with you, I’m sitting on the ground, I’m sitting on a foam roller actually, and I’m on, like, a low coffee table and I’ve been alternating my hips as I’m going through this. You know, so I’m literally mobilizing my knees and my hips and circulating lymphatic fluid and all that interstitial stuff and blood, you know, I’m expanding, contracting my pelvic floor muscles. It’s like I’m literally doing a massage. You know, I’ve signed up for a massage session while I did this conversation with you.

You know, and then in tandem, I’m doubling up on some of those beneficial health benefits because I’m getting to connect with community and somebody that I love and care about. So I’m getting to have this, like, health sandwich as opposed to making my rest practice be that same slouchy postural pattern that I’ve been in for most of the day, which kind of like backs up my fluids in a sense. And then staring down into the phone. So your rest practice is very valuable is what I’m kind of trying to say here.

Katie: Yeah, absolutely. And I think like you mentioned, like, just movement in play and how much we can learn from kids, I think rest gets discounted in today’s world, just like play does. And you’re right, I think men are more prone to that, like must accomplish, must, whatever. But I think it’s so built into our culture right now, even in the mom culture, that’s almost always the default answer I hear from people like, “How are you?” People are like, “Oh, so busy,” or, “So tired, or, “So…” And you see that immediate, like, posture change.

And I think that’s something so many of us are not even aware of. It’s just built in to this, like, stress response and this, like no need for rest and we’re supposed to be busy as almost like a badge of honor. And we’ve lost the importance of rest and also play because of that. What about sleep? Is there, I know there’s been all these debates, I’ve read articles that kind of debate the best posture to sleep in. Is it actually better to sleep on your back? Did you find any evidence of anything that can help with sleep posture?

Aaron: Yeah, there’s all sorts of things. So, one, you know, so I had the, like you, I have the amazing opportunity, which I’m immensely grateful for, to be able to reach out to past podcast guests that are like the world’s leading expert on various different subjects. So I pretty much did that with each of the chapters. And so I had a few different people, but Dr. Michael Bruce is known as the sleep doctor. He’s done, like, all the shows and all the things and all that. Yeah. So I reached out to him to kind of go through that chapter and he, before, most of the research that I was seeing was that side sleeping is the most effective for the healing of your, even like your, the circulation of the amyloid beta plaque in the glymphatic system of your brain. So when you go to sleep at night, you move out all of these various different kind of byproducts your brain produces throughout the day and when, if you get backed up with those, they’re called tau proteins and amyloid beta plaque and these things. If you get backed up with that, that’s strongly associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia and cognitive decline of all sorts.

And so if we’re not sleeping effectively and allowing that glymphatic system to come in and kind of clean our brains, I think of like a hose going through there and kind of getting all the nooks and crannies, that stuff backs up and it’s problematic. And so the research that I found with that was with mice and they found that mice on their sides would, it was much, the glymphatic system would come online much more effectively compared to being on their back. I haven’t seen research with humans particularly. You know, but you see in nature, you’ll see, you know, apes and various different of our potential ancestors, maybe not, well, you know, whatever your belief system is, sleeping on their side as well.

When you are sleeping on your back, it can do a couple things. If you’re a person that isn’t in much like hyperlordosis or a lot of, like, extension in your spine, then sleeping on your back won’t be such a big deal. But if you are, when you’re laying down on your back like that and your legs are straight, you will put your spine into a little bit more of extension, a little bit more compression. And then also a tendency that may happen depending upon, you do want a pillow to kind of support your neck. If not, then you would end up allowing your neck to kind of go forward a little bit and crunching that cervical spine, which will induce mouth breathing, which there’s a whole nother chapter and reasoning around why that’s problematic.

You know, so side sleeping, you kind of elongate that spine a little bit and allow that chain from your sacrum all the way up to your head to kind of relax throughout that night and also allows the mouth to close, putting you into a nose-breathing position. And there’s also like various different research and more like hypothetical around it being better for circulation of lymph and even blood with, like, the positioning of the heart. But I think some of that stuff to me feels a little dubious, but nonetheless, it’s like, it’s what people talk about. I think in the end with sleeping, you need to sleep. You know, so whatever position you’re gonna fall asleep in, I think, do that. And maybe you could play tinker with try laying on your side. Maybe throw a pillow between your arms, maybe throw one between your legs, prop your head up so it’s just neutral so that your neck isn’t kinked up to the left or to the right and you have that side bend on the cervical spine. You know, tinker with that.

And then, you know, but in the end, I care much more that you’re getting a really rock-solid night’s sleep than you trying to finagle yourself into some perfect position that may be perfect for 95% of culture but not you. You know, so in the end, what I care most about is that you’re sleeping and then from there, we can draw back and say, “Okay, let’s play with some of these other aspects.”

Katie: For sure. And I know like when, for instance, when you’re pregnant, they tell you to sleep on your left side because that’s supposed to be better for circulation and lymphatic.

Aaron: Yeah.

Katie: Yeah, I’m actually really glad to hear you say that it’s better to sleep on your side because I hate sleeping on my back and I’ve heard people say like, “You should,” I’m like, “I don’t want to.”

Aaron: Yeah, me too. Yeah, you probably don’t need to. I mean, it’s more unanimous from what I’ve seen and there are people that will absolutely disagree with that. But from what I’ve gathered in the research, it seems to be more unanimous that side sleeping is of value. I mean, and I don’t, it’s really hard to be like, “This one is the best.” But the whole letting yourself in that extended position throughout the night, it’s not…I personally, from what I’ve gathered from it, I don’t think it’s optimal personally. But I, again, I think it depends on the person and yeah, you’ve got to feel into your own body with it.

Katie: For sure.

Katie: And speaking of, like, pregnancy, a lot of the women listening are moms. In fact, the majority of the women listening are moms and have either been in that phase of pregnancy or are currently in that phase of pregnancy. And so you mentioned like hinging at the hips and some different things that can help with posture. I know it’s probably not from personal experience, but from working with people, do you have any advice for women, especially like I would say post-pregnancy, when you’ve been in these kind of altered posture for a long time because of, like, this baby growing inside of you and then you’ve been nursing, so you’ve been hunched over for all these months. Are there things we can do to, like, slowly correct that?

Aaron: Certainly. Yeah. So when you’re in that position of having a human in your belly there, you are gonna go into a lot more of this, that extension like we’re talking about. You know, so if you’re being pulled forward like that, you’re gonna have, your spine is gonna be kind of like that Brazilian booty, hyperlordosis type position. And then that can even manifest itself into like diastasis recti where you have the abdominal muscles kind of coming open out to the side, and to be able to re-contain that abdominal, that torso, that container, that cylinder that is your torso, practices that a person could do to start to bring a little bit more support in that area would be another one of the chapters in the book, which is spending some time hanging. And as you’re hanging, you’re decompressing the spine, you’re literally restructuring the shape of the shoulder girdles.

There’s a whole book by a guy called John Kirsch, Dr. John Kirsch, orthopedic surgeon, that broke down how hanging with patients that were gonna go through surgery, he said 99% of the time, the patients that he worked with and he took them through this hanging protocol that would heal their pain, the pain would go away and the structure of the shoulder would change and the impinge would go away. Something we could do to make that be more about bringing more integrity to the tummies of a woman would be bringing the, or a man, but in this case with pregnancy, but bring the knees up as you’re in that hanging position and starting to go into what’s in, like gymnastics, it’s called a hollow position. So you’re kind of tucking the ribs forward and you’re kind of raising the knees up a little bit and just kinda like reclosing that abdomen that was splayed open for the last, you know, six months.

Now, it’s starting to where it’s like, “Oh, how do we repair this and kind of bring it back and bring integrity back into that space?” So the door was wide open. Okay, now we need to kind of slowly close the door and re-contain ourselves. This is something as simple as that of get a pull-up bar or, you know, find a tree branch or something. Spend some time decompressing the shoulders, elongating that spine, and then you can, again, compound effects and raise those knees up. You could blow your air out, right? And so start engaging some of those deep intra-abdominal muscles. And yeah, that would be a great start. And then stack more variables on top of that and maybe do this outside, you know, expose your skin to sun. Expose your eyes to sun. Don’t go outside and always feel the need, especially if it’s winter time. Like if it’s winter time, that sun becomes a scarce commodity that, like, anytime you can get it, you gotta get it on there and that will heal your tissues, you know?

So looking at this, how do we restructure our bodies is beyond just a purely mechanical conversation because your exposure to that light, those photons, that’s a mechanical thing. You know, like every aspect of your life, there’s mechanics to it. There’s movement to all of it, you know. And so that would be a fine starting point. Then the same thing with the blowing the air out, that’s a really powerful tool to start to turn on, like, the TA and all those deeper muscles. You could lay on your back and you could bring both of your knees up so that they’re kind of like, almost kind of like you’re, well, laying on your back, your hips will be about 90 degrees, knees up in the air, blow all that air out and hold your hands onto your abdomen. Feel those deep, deep, deep, deep muscles starting to come online, feel the ribs kind of tucking. And then from that position, try to maintain that integrity you just created in the abdomen and then you could slowly play with reaching one foot forward and then pulling one foot back and then the other foot forward and then the other foot back. So you’re elongating the lever that you’re putting that stress on the abdomen while you’re maintaining that integrity. And that would be another really simple way to start to get a little more strength in that space.

Katie: Awesome. And okay, so to talk a little bit more about hanging, because this is something I learned from you and it’s now very much a part of my house and my life. My kids have all kinds of hanging contraptions in their room kind of how you do in your living room.

Aaron: Great. Cool.

Katie: Why do you think hanging is so important for all of us? Because it’s definitely not just reserved for pregnant women or those with shoulder injuries. Why is hanging so important?

Aaron: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, the prelim thing is just, I like to stack variables, you know, so it’s like, okay, we don’t need to necessarily do like, “Okay, you have this physical thing going on. Okay. This is the perfect exercise for you.” It’s like, for the most part, if we’re doing good movement, it’s kind of like a shotgun. It covers a lot of terrain, you know, so hanging is one of those things that does that. You know, so as you’re in that position, that hanging, I mean, it does a lot of things. One, it elongates that space or creates some spaciousness in between your ribs, allowing you to get some more spaciousness in your lungs and your viscera, your heart and your stomach and your liver and your gallbladder, all that. They aren’t these just isolated floating bags.

They are directly connected to the way that your body stretches and elongates and goes through contralateral motion, AKA walking or hanging as you’re going up in that range of motion. You’re literally, you can think of your organs kind of like as, like sails, you know, and so for a sail to be, or a kite, for that sail to fly or that kite to fly, you need the wind to be able to fill the whole entire surface area of it. For your organs to be able to fly and allow you to fly, you need to fill all those nooks and crannies with fresh, new fluid. They need to be able to, there’s a term, “motility,” where your organs, they each have this individual kind of rotational pattern where they rotate in towards the midline or towards your spine. And then away from the midline and then towards the midline and away from the midline.

And if that gets, and that’s how they circulate and that’s how they function is through that subtle movement along with your more kind of gross movements of walking and running and playing. You know, so hanging is a great way to think of… You can almost think of it as like visualize your organs like sails and as you hang, it’s like you’re opening them up and allowing some wind to come through and start to kind of open those sails so they can function more effectively. So we recommend just going through and that’s like going beyond the shoulder pillow conversation, you know, whereas like our, one, our shoulders arguably are, you know, they are built to hang just like, the arguable part is like, whether it’s really to, like, our ancestors, you know, but like monkey bars is a misnomer. Like they should be human bars or ape bars.

You know, humans are more effective hangers than monkeys. The shape of our collarbone, the shape of our hands and the ratio of the, you know, all the bones throughout the arm. We’re heavily, it’s like a part of our evolutionary code, our primordial roots to reach up into trees or anything and grab some stuff out of there. Reach up into the tree and grab that apple as opposed to reaching down into the supermarket and grabbing it off of the thing right in front of you. And so this is kind of going out in the woods a little bit, but the digestion is a larger process than just food goes into my face and then I start the whole process of chewing and the amylase and all the, you know, the whole circuit through.

It’s like, no, no, no, that’s not the first step of digestion. The first step of digestion is you use your eyes to look up and see that apple in the tree and then you figure out and then you use your mind to figure, “How am I gonna get that apple?” And then you say, “Okay, I’m going to think about climbing it and I’m gonna twist and then I’m gonna turn my body. And then I’m gonna reach on that wall. Then I’m gonna…” Maybe I was almost scared for a second and I was already up. I thought it was gonna fall. You know, which creates this whole new electrical storm adaptation throughout my physiology. And then I grab the apple, and then I come down and then I, maybe I did teamwork to build the apple. So it was community, it was a part of that digestive experience. And I passed the apples down to my friend, you know. And then, finally, we start what we conceive as to be the first step of digestion. But I would say the first step of digestion is using your eyes to look out and grab that thing.

And when we put all of that digestion, you know, the movement part of digestion into I press buttons on my Amazon membership thing and they send food or I have somebody bring groceries back to my house and then they’re already pre-made and I just throw the plastic thing away and throw it in the microwave and then put it into my face. We’re missing out on this whole beautiful symphony of digestion, we’re just taking that out entirely. And then we’re wondering, you know, “Why isn’t my body working right?” There’s a lot of layers to it. So anyways, the question was about hanging, hanging is good for you.

Katie: I love that and I think it’s… I mean, I have six kids. I get to watch them daily and I think they’re actually really good teachers in a lot of the things that you say and that a lot of us have to learn as adults to go back and do because kids will naturally climb anything if it’s there. And they naturally just move so much more in daily life. And in fact, my kids’ rooms, like I mentioned, have multiple, they each have multiple ways that they can hang, like Olympic rings, yoga swings, aerial silks, even, I think it’s called a stall wall for the gymnastics. They can now do these like sideways things.

Aaron: Yeah, even the stall wall, good for you.

Katie: Yes. They have all these fun things and they just naturally move. Like they’ll sit on the floor and play and then they’ll get up and have to like climb something and then they’ll get back down and sit on the floor. But the other thing is they’re sitting on the floor and we’ve moved away from chairs more and more in recent times and the kids don’t have any chairs in their rooms whatsoever. So they’re always sitting on the floor. This is another big thing for you and something I’ve tagged on Instagram quite a bit is floor culture. So explain also like, first of all, why it’s important to sit on the floor and how we can incorporate that in our daily lives a little bit more.

Aaron: Yeah. Well, one, as you’re saying that, it’s like chairs take up so much space. You know, you throw a chair and then you have a desk and you’re like, “Okay, like, that’s the room.” You know, I go into that position that’s the same. So there’s nothing wrong with that position. That’s the big thing that you alluded to before of like, I’m not, like, fire and brimstone, like if you sit for 40 minutes, you’re gonna, your eyes are gonna explode. Like it’s not, there’s no problem with sitting. There’s no problem with slumping over. There’s no problem with being sad. There’s no problem with being scared or being ashamed, you know? I don’t know about ashamed. I don’t love ashamed so much actually. But there’s no problem with having those different postural patterns. The issue only comes when it’s like you could think of that pattern of, like, flexion of the spine. That’s a thing you do in yoga, forward fold. It’s in the book.

So like that, no issue there. The issue is when you take that, which you could consider it like, you know, say that was like a pineapple, you know, you eat one pineapple and you’re like, “Cool, that was cool. It’s a good experience. I really enjoyed that. Thanks. That’s a nice pineapple.” You know, but when you just are slammed with a thousand pineapples a day since you’re, like, a toddler and you get put in a child seat in the car and then you’re put in a stroller and then you go to kindergarten and then you’re in that same position. And then we put the screens in front of you and then it’s like, and then the weight machines at the gym, you’re doing seated rows. Like, “Why are you sitting on a thing? You’ve sat all day, you sat in your car to get to the gym to do a seated machine.” Like what are we talking about?

You know, so that’s the only issue is we’re just like completely inundated in these seated pineapples, you know? And so now our bodies are getting sick from too much of the, you know, what was at one point a healthy thing. So cultures that spend time on the ground regularly, what’s inherent with spending time on the ground, you know, in the book, I’m like, I’m intentionally using a superlative. Like, it is the best, you know, it is the best because it’s not a static thing. You know, if it was a static thing, then it wouldn’t be the best. Spending time on the ground is the best because it’s so many things. You know, you go into your hips naturally when I’m like, okay, so right now I’m in a 90/90 position. Not that anybody really cares, but just so you know, like I’ve been changing this whole time as we’re talking, you know, and then I’ll go 90/90 is like both legs are in, like, 90-degree angles.

And then I’ll rotate to the other side and then I’ll, maybe I’ll cross my legs, criss-cross applesauce or Sukhasana and maybe I’ll straddle position. Then maybe I’ll sit on my shins and do like a Zesa position. You know, then maybe I’ll lay on my belly, you know? So as you do that, again, you’re in a yoga class, AKA life. And you are massaging all of your parts, circulating all of your fluids, allowing…if you were a pond, you want to be a well-circulated pond. You don’t want to get like the 100-gallon-per-hour pump when you actually demand like a 1,500-gallon-per-hour pump. Like, you want to move that water. You know, so cultures that end up spending time on the ground with regularity such as the places that have been observed, would be like Northern Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asia, they have very low incidence of arthritis of the knees, minimal incidence of it in the hips. Like fall risk is just like a thing that’s like, “What are you talking about?”

Like, we don’t all of a sudden just become 60 years old and our body just becomes shitty. Like it’s not like, “Oh, there it is, we’re done.” You know, like we just jumped off the cliff. It’s like, no, no, no, you gradually shift your body into, eventually, if we don’t take advantage of all of these nooks and crannies of ourselves, you know, then we end up losing them. They become darker and darker and darker until eventually it’s too scary to enter that room, you know. And then that jump between my hips sitting at 90 degrees flexion and all the way down to the ground, that chasm, that jump between that space, it gets bigger and bigger every day that you don’t do it. And if you go enough days without doing it, what was once an inch now becomes a mile and you’re like, “I could never make that jump,” and now fall risk.

And so that’s not something that just happens and it’s just inherent in the human animal. It’s something that our environment is throwing us into. And then our belief systems get wrapped up in age and the meaning of age because we’re looking at averages and norms. Averages and norms are way off. You know, so those are products of a broken environmental mold. Nothing against anything. You know, like I’m not saying anybody needs to burn their couch or needs to do anything crazy like, we can respect the tribal norms. And we can also just make subtle little shifts within our ourselves in the way that we occupy that modern environment that will make all the difference. You know, so a chair is just a tool. There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s all how you use it, you know, so a hammer is just a tool, you know, the analogy with it.

Katie: Yeah, I think that’s such an important and balanced perspective. And another topic I would love a quick overview of your balanced perspective on is women wearing heels because this is another thing that’s gotten a bad rap and I have recently re-loved to learn wearing heels. I, like, actually really enjoyed them. And so I wanna, like, set the record straight on this because I know you have a great, I think a synopsis on this as well that I’ve heard you mention before in person.

Aaron: Yeah. That’s so funny. Yeah. So I, essentially, in the book in the how to align your clothing section, I essentially break down, like, a fairly thorough history of heels and they’ve been tools throughout history. So they were like, originally they were used by Egyptian butchers to keep blood off of their feet and then they were used by Persian soldiers on horseback so that they could keep their feet more stuck into the stirrups while they’re riding and shooting arrows. They’ve been used throughout… It was a king. You probably remember better than I do. It was King Henry XIII, I think, was the original guy that was wearing big, tall, red high heels as an indication of royalty. So all of his royal cabinet would be wearing these heels. No one were taller than his, his were like five inches. And, like, the whole, that’s like the history of heels.

One thing that’s kind of interesting is, predominantly from what I’ve gathered, predominantly masculine, which is very interesting. You know, and so present-day heels are still a tool. I personally, I think you could get by through your life quite well never owning heels and there’s not really any reason for it. But there’s not reason for a lot of tools. You know, so if you want heels for a job interview or for a gala or for something where it’s like, “I wanna be, like, my full sexy self, you know, my like, my booty to pop, I want my legs to be tight, I wanna be a little taller. And they’re like, ‘Whoa,’” you know, because this whole, like, embodied cognition stuff, like we become the way that we feel in our bodies. You know, so if all of a sudden, I get a little taller, I’m like, “I feel a little more confident.” You know? It’s like, it’s this little filter change-up. They’re like, “Well, I’m looking down at, you know, the world.” I’d be like, “I feel, like, tall, strong and like a power position here.” If that’s what serves you in that moment to get whatever it is, whatever directionality you want in your life, I’m all for it.

Once you become addicted to that, it’s like the pressing like the NOS button, like “Fast and Furious” in your car, you don’t wanna just ride around on NOS. You know, but if you, for an hour, you’re doing a thing and you’re like, “We’re pressing the NOS tonight, we’re going for it,” I’m like, “Go press that NOS. Like, have fun. Like, enjoy it. Embrace the experience.” And if you have enough of a healthy buffer of healthy practices that we break down in your life, heels just become a moment for adaptation. It’s only when you adapt to that point that it becomes cemented into your neuromuscular makeup, that’s when we really have an issue, you know.

And then there’s even interesting research that, again, I don’t stand behind or anything. It’s just things I read on the internet. There’s some research people look up on PubMed that correlated schizophrenia with a high use of heels because it throws off that, it’s called the dopaminergic circuit in the brain because your ankle range of motion, your brain is not, just like your organs are not these floating bags floating in this vacuum in space, nor is your brain. Like, you are your brain. You know, your ankles are your brain. Your hands are your brain, your viscera is your brain. Your sexual organs is your brain, your throat. If anything goes sideways in any parts of your body, it affects the way that your brain functions. So taking your ankles through that full plantar dorsiflexion range of motion is valuable not just for, like, the health of your calves and your pelvic floor. Like, it literally affects the way that you think and the way that you feel, the way that you perceive the world. So yeah, so heels, I would say, are a tool. You know, you just don’t want to, all the time, be running around swinging hammers. Like sometimes I put the hammer down. You know, it’s okay.

Katie: Yeah, I feel like that’s such a wonderful recurring theme throughout the whole book was this balanced approach. Like you kind of, I feel like people get hung up in these little, like, tangents. Like, “No, heels are always bad. We should be only barefoot or in minimalist shoes,” or, “Sitting is bad. We should only be standing,” and all these things. And you kind of take a much higher level approach and really break down both the science and the history of human physiology and say, “No, no, no.” Like, “None of these things are inherently bad.” I think that’s my favorite part of the message of all this. None of it’s inherently bad. It’s how you use any of it.

And it’s the fact that we’re doing singular things too much. We’re not balanced. And so, to me, that’s the overarching theme of all of it is how do you actually work in human balance into life in a way that’s fun and it’s play and it’s supporting your physiology and also supporting community and supporting confident posture and all of those things. So I’m just really grateful for you and the work you put into that because I think it just nails all of that. So, congratulations, by the way, on that.

Aaron: Cool. Yes. Thank you. I appreciate it. Well, it’s the same thing that I always mention is kind of walking on a little bit. Anytime you bring up the word “feminism” or like any of it, just the relationship, masculine, feminine, I’m always like, “Oh.” My sphincters clench up a little bit because I don’t wanna say the wrong thing. But that’s, it’s a similar thing where like the pendulum swings too far. You know, you’re like, “No,” and, “Sitting’s giving you cancer,” like, “You can’t do it.” It’s like, wait, hold on, hold on. Like, you have to sit. Like, you’re not gonna not sit. Sitting is not the new smoking, which…I love James Levine and, like, his research and, you know, “non-exercise activity thermogenesis” is a great term that I got from him. Like the way that the calories that we’re burning passively through doing non-exercise related activities throughout the day is really a big deal, which is in large part what the book is about.

But where I disagree is that sitting is the new smoking because it’s just not a complete sentence. And I think he knows that. I haven’t talked to him about it personally, but yeah, we have to watch out for, and this is very apparent, you know, we have to watch out for attention-grabbing captions and, you know, headlines because it’s not the whole story. And then typically what happens is we live in this echo chamber, for the most part, people that are grabbing headlines and then it’s repeated and then it becomes a thing and then you’re like, “Okay, here it is.” You know, but if we look into it a little bit deeper, you know, I think within the whole minimalist shoe thing and, “Sitting is the new smoking,” and, you know, all of that, I think that the pendulum can swing a lot, maybe a little too far on that as well.

I tend to be, my pendulum hangs out a little pretty far over to that side, personally. But I can acknowledge and respect people whose pendulum has not swang out of control. And I think that’s the best way that we’re able to actually communicate messages is by looking at people in their shoes. That’s a kind of a heel pun. You know, putting yourself in their position and really truly doing your damnedest to see it from their eyes. And then from there, then we can start to talk. You know, but it’s like the, I mean, Martin Luther King talked about that, you know, if there’s…if you have like an underlying sensation of contempt with your enemy, then you’ll never be able to make peace. He didn’t say that but something along those lines. Like if we’re going into a conversation and there’s this knowing of like, “I’m right, you’re wrong.” You’re like, “Well, good luck,” that’s not gonna disappear, you’re not, you won’t be able to communicate. It’s just gonna be two monologues kinda talking at each other. So, I think it’s very valuable that we see the world from other people’s perspectives as well.

Katie: I 100% agree with that. And I wanna make sure I respect your time, but a couple of, just kind of rapid-fire quick questions as we wrap up. What are you experimenting with or excited about right now?

Aaron: Oh, man. Sounds like some new-age Venice stuff but opening my heart. You know, so that’s like…and this is something that’s been a recurrent thing since we’ve been talking, it’s been kind of like a project of sorts for the last little while. But not being, that’s how I finished the book, actually. I don’t have the book sitting here, but anyway, something along the lines of life is too short to live, to limp through with a guarded heart. So the sooner that you can get to the point of loving yourself entirely, loving those around you entirely, loving the evil of the world entirely, whatever “evil” means, you know, like that’s… When the light is shined on a thing, it illuminates. You know, there’s no angles or twists. It’s like if you can just bring love into a room for yourself, for every part of your body, if there’s any part of your body to be ashamed of, I think today, our main priority ought to be figuring out how do we love that part.

Because any aspect or component, intentional shame that one carries will literally be an anchor and a weight that you carry around and it becomes a dam and it slowly builds up and it becomes thicker and darker and darker and darker until it’s something that’s out of control. And now you need to seek out some remedy that, you know, it’s a lot easier to prevent things than it is to fix them. You know, so I think that a large part of the disease that we experience culturally comes from an initial core of contraction, shame, fear, resistance. And if we can bring love into that place and acceptance into that place, all of a sudden, it’s the beginning of that darkness being able to speak, you know, and come out and have communion and relationship and connection, and be like, “Wow, man, that thing was just misunderstood the whole time,” you know.

And this in relation to, like, kids, it’s like, yeah, the more you, like, you don’t want to beat your kid, you know, because he did a thing. You ask him like, “Why did you do that?” Like, “What’s going on?” Like, let’s draw back and see where this comes from. Because they probably have some reason, you know, and it’s just, it might not be the most apparent reason that you see in that day. Maybe this is a reason it’s been building up for four years and all of a sudden, they did that thing and you’re like, “Okay, I see this. This was something that happened when you were two, you know, was I was involved in the reason that you punched that kid in the face today.” Or like whatever the real, whatever… I don’t know. You know parenting better than I do. You know, but I think that the more that we can go into acceptance and love of all of ourselves and kind of like audit, “Is there any part of myself that I am ashamed of?” And if you can find those parts and figure out how to love them, or afraid of, you know, any of those things as contracted states, I think that’s like the foundation of health.

Katie: I love that. And I love your idea, too, of, like, never wasting a trigger. Like, let those things be a teacher for you. And I love the quote, “Amor fati,” which means basically, “Love what is,” or, “Love your fate.” In fact, I’m sure it’ll spark controversy, but that will probably end up permanently on my body at some point in some way just because I think it’s a good reminder. But yeah, I think that’s actually a perfect place to end and we’ll just have to do another round one day and I can ask you some more questions then.

Aaron: Yea.

Katie: But yeah, I highly recommend your book and it will be linked in the show notes, but you guys, go find it anywhere books are sold. Yeah. Any parting advice you wanna leave with the listeners today?

Aaron: Oh, man. I mean, I think that would be the thing, would be just life is far too short to live in a contracted state. And if at some point you die, which you will, you know, then whatever happens after that, who knows? But at some point, like, this body is absolutely temporary. It’s gonna go. There’s no way around it. And if you, when you’re in that moment, you look back and say, “Dang it, I was too afraid to actually express myself entirely and sing my song because I was scared of what people would say, and to tell that person how much I care and how much I loved them because I didn’t want them to potentially shoot me down.” If that, that will be regret, you know. And so the sooner that you can put yourself in the position of your dying self and have that guy or girl be your coach for now, that’s gonna be a good way to live life, I think.

Katie: I love it. Aaron, as always, thank you for being here, for sharing, and for your book and your work and all that you do.

Aaron: Yeah, absolutely. I look forward to having you back on the podcast. We’ll do it next time you come back out. We’ll do a round two. I look forward to it.

Katie: Me too. Sounds great. And thanks to all of you guys for listening. I hope you’ll join me again on the next episode.

If you’re enjoying these interviews, would you please take two minutes to leave a rating or review on iTunes for me? Doing this helps more people to find the podcast, which means even more moms and families could benefit from the information. I really appreciate your time, and thanks as always for listening.

Source: https://wellnessmama.com/podcast/align-method/

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urxviteas · 7 years

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do the rest of the numbers you haven't already done

1.What is you middle name?Elaine!!

 2. How old are you?21!

 3. When is your birthday?Dec. 4

 4. What is your zodiac sign?Sagittarius

 5. What is your favorite color?Light purple

 6. What’s your lucky number?7!!!!

 7. Do you have any pets?Two cats that live with my mom!

 8. Where are you from?Lawrenceburg, IN

 9. How tall are you?5'7

 10. What shoe size are you?9!!!

 11. How many pairs of shoes do you own?Uhhhh like 10 I think

 12. What was your last dream about?It was a very good dream about the bf 👀

 13. What talents do you have?I can play 5 different instruments and sing, but also can overthink just about ANY and EVERY situation I come across.

 14. Are you psychic in any way?Nah

 15. Favorite song?OH DUDE Woodwork (Acoustic) -Knuckle Puck

 16. Favorite movie?ANASTASIA

 17. Who would be your ideal partner?If we’re talkin in general, someone who is kind and sweet! And will put up with my dumbass LOL

 18. Do you want children?I haven’t really given it much thought, maybe one day?

 19. Do you want a church wedding?Eeeeeeeehhh. That depends on who I end up with and there are a lot of factors that could make or break that decision.

 20. Are you religious?I wouldn’t exactly call myself religious but I’m somewhere in the middle??? I don’t know really.

 21. Have you ever been to the hospital?Oh god plenty of times LOL

 22. Have you ever got in trouble with the law?Nope!

 23. Have you ever met any celebrities?I met a country singer, because they played at my school??? And I was working the sound and light booth. Uhhhh RYAN SCOTT GRAHAM AT WARPED TOUR 

24. Baths or showers?Showers I guess

 25. What color socks are you wearing?I’m not wearing socks

 26. Have you ever been famous?I WISH

 27. Would you like to be a big celebrity?I would like the cash, not so much the lack of privacy.

 28. What type of music do you like?I like a little bit of everything!!! As of late it’s mostly been Indie Alt and musicals.

 29. Have you ever been skinny dipping?Once, yeah!

 30. How many pillows do you sleep with?At least four.

 31. What position do you usually sleep in?You know the one where one leg is straight and the other brought up??? Idk if that makes sense.

 32. How big is your house?It’s decent sized!! 4 bedroom 3.5 bath!!

 33. What do you typically have for breakfast?I don’t generally eat breakfast, but if I do it’s eggs.

 34. Have you ever fired a gun?Nope!

 35. Have you ever tried archery?Yes and I’m TERRIBLE AT IT.

 36. Favorite clean word?HECK

 38. What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without sleep?Two full days

 39. Do you have any scars?Oh hell yeah. I have a scar on my tongue from getting hit by a drunk driver. Scars on my knees bc I was a clumsy kid. I could go on and on

 40. Have you ever had a secret admirer?Nope

 41. Are you a good liar?That’s debatable, I don’t think so!.

 42. Are you a good judge of character?NOPE

 43. Can you do any other accents other than your own?A slight Irish one??? But i can only do it while reading “twas the night before Christmas.

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

 45. What is your favorite accent?I’m in love with Aussie accents wowwie

 46. What is your personality type?INFP

 47. What is your most expensive piece of clothing?I have a dress that I paid like 135 dollars for that I only wore to Haley’s wedding LMAO

 48. Can you curl your tongue?Yes!

 49. Are you an innie or an outie?Innie

 50. Left or right handed?Right

 51. Are you scared of spiders?Y E S

 52. Favorite food?Mac n cheese

 53. Favorite foreign food?Chicken paprikush  

54. Are you a clean or messy person?

 I’m in the middle!

55. Most used phrase?I don’t know???!!!

 56. Most used word?Uhhhhhhhhh probably heck

 57. How long does it take for you to get ready?About 15-20 if we’re talkin full face of makeup, 5 without!

 58. Do you have much of an ego?I try not to have one at all tbh

 59. Do you suck or bite lollipops?Suck

 60. Do you talk to yourself?Only when I need to remember things

 62. Are you a good singer?I don’t think so, I think I’m pretty mediocre tbh

 63. Biggest Fear?Loosing the people I love.

 64. Are you a gossip?People come to me to gossip, and if I do gossip it’s mainly only with Donuts.

 65. Best dramatic movie you’ve seen?Not a fan of dramatic movies tbh

 66. Do you like long or short hair?All kinds of hair

 67. Can you name all 50 states of America?Yes but not right now

 68. Favorite school subject?MUSICA

 69. Extrovert or Introvert?Ambivert, but more leaning toward introvert.

 70. Have you ever been scuba diving? 

nope

71. What makes you nervous?Almost everything tbh

 72. Are you scared of the dark?Nah

 73. Do you correct people when they make mistakes?Only if it’s big enough for me to care about.

 75. Have you ever started a rumor?Nope!

 76. Have you ever been in a position of authority?Yes, several times. Wasn’t what it was cracked up to be tho.

 77. Have you ever drank underage?LMAO yeah

 78. Have you ever done drugs?Ive smoked weed like twice.

 79. Who was your first real crush?Oh god. First grade, his name was David. I heard he’s married now, good for him.

 80. How many piercings do you have?Just my ears!

 81. Can you roll your Rs?Yes!

 82. How fast can you type? I can type at a speed

 83. How fast can you run?????? Who honestly gauges themselves??? I know my last mile time was 8:02 SO IDK

 84. What color is your hair?Medium brown

 88. What do your parents do?My mom is a manager at a restaurant, and my dad is a nurse!

 89. Do you like your age?It’s okay, but it’s nothing special.

 90. What makes you angry?A lot of things, to be completely honest

 91. Do you like your own name?It’s okay??? I guess

 92. Have you already thought of baby names, and if so what are they?I’ve always liked the name Max for a girl, and Everett for a boy!

 93. Do you want a boy a girl for a child?I don’t care either way tbh. If that should ever happen, they will be loved no matter what

 94. What are you strengths?I give good advice sometimes, and I am a good listener.

 95. What are your weaknesses?I literally ruin everything

 97. Were your ancestors royalty?According to my grandma, yes?? But she does that ancestry.com bullshit so who knows

 98. Do you have any scars?This is on here twice??? Weird

 99. Color of your bedspread?Yellow!!!

 100. Color of your room?Boring old white walls

#long post #asks #ty anon

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dakotashorror · 7 years

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1-70 for the asks bro

Bitch for real

01: Do you have a good relationship with your parents? No not really :(02: Who did you last say “I love you” to? Bear03: Do you regret anything? Yes pretty much everything I’ve done I regret04: Are you insecure? Yes very much 05: What is your relationship status? Very single and I’m keeping it that way06: How do you want to die? Idk… suicide07: What did you last eat? a cheeseburger that me and my dad made08: Played any sports? I used to play soccer but I had a serious injury and now I have chronic pain and can’t 09: Do you bite your nails? I used to10: When was your last physical fight? Like a few weeks ago11: Do you like someone? I have school yard crushes most of the time but I can’t uphold a relationship12: Have you ever stayed up 48 hours? Yes I do it a lot13: Do you hate anyone at the moment? Yes I hate almost everyone in my life 14: Do you miss someone? Yes I miss my friend who passed away a while ago15: Have any pets? I have a doggo named ruby 16: How exactly are you feeling at the moment? Numb and sort of angry17: Ever made out in the bathroom? Many a time18: Are you scared of spiders? Let’s see… yesterday I was at my neighbors house and their cat was on the stairs so I didn’t go up them I put my hand through the gate to keep you from falling and there was a spider on the wall. I froze and whined for a moment and backed away and went around the house to lock up rather than pass it.19: Would you go back in time if you were given the chance? Absolutely 20: Where was the last place you snogged someone? Their house21: What are your plans for this weekend? I’m going to the pool with my friend to help her babysit them22: Do you want to have kids? How many? I don’t like kids23: Do you have piercings? How many? I only have double piercings on my ears but I plan to get a lot 24: What is/are/were your best subject(s)? English and history25: Do you miss anyone from your past? Yes pretty much everyone who’s abandoned me 26: What are you craving right now? Cuddles 27: Have you ever broken someone’s heart? Yes28: Have you ever been cheated on? Yes29: Have you made a boyfriend/girlfriend cry? Yes30: What’s irritating you right now? The fact that my life is fucking fine but I still want to die31: Does somebody love you? I guess32: What is your favourite color? Red or black33: Do you have trust issues? Very much so34: Who/what was your last dream about? It was a m*a*s*h dream. I came into the 4077 with a busted up knee but couldn’t remember what happened so they were trying to figure it out. Charles came by and so did hawkeye but no one could figure it out. Then BJ came over and was like, “let’s give this kid a break, would you like to see the rest of the compound?” So I said yes and radar brought a wheelchair and they showed me around! 35: Who was the last person you cried in front of? I don’t cry in front of people often but I guess my therapist36: Do you give out second chances too easily? Very much so 37: Is it easier to forgive or forget? Forget38: Is this year the best year of your life? So far no39: How old were you when you had your first kiss? 1440: Have you ever walked outside completely naked? Yes I did yesterday 51: Favourite food? Mexican 52: Do you believe everything happens for a reason? I hate that way of thinking tbh 53: What is the last thing you did before you went to bed last night? I looked at the moon and fell asleep in her light54: Is cheating ever okay? No 55: Are you mean? Kind of yes. 56: How many people have you fist fought? A lot57: Do you believe in true love? I believe in compatibility 58: Favourite weather? Rain rain 59: Do you like the snow? Yes60: Do you wanna get married? Idk 61: Is it cute when a boy/girl calls you baby? Yeah I like it but only from certain people 62: What makes you happy? My dog, markiplier, bear, and kat63: Would you change your name? Well I have but I’d like to change it legally 64: Would it be hard to kiss the last person you kissed? Not at all65: Your best friend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do? Tell them I like where we are. Too many times have I messed with that and it ends up being messy66: Do you have a friend of the opposite sex who you can act your complete self around? Yes67: Who was the last person of the opposite sex you talked to? Bear 68: Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with? A kid I haven’t talked to since 8th grade and we talked for a while and suddenly we were both talking about our drug addictions and stuff69: Do you believe in soulmates? Yes. I believe in them in a way that they will find you, not that you are perfect like a puzzle piece but that you’ll be compatible and safe with them. Also doesn’t have to be a love way too70: Is there anyone you would die for? Yes. 4 people.

#about me #ask box

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urbanadventureleague · 7 years

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Portland is about 70 miles from the Pacific Ocean, at least “as the crow flies”. Close enough that we all know its there,* but still just far enough away that it’s not the easiest place to get to regularly. By car it’s a 90-120 minute drive. By bus, maybe three hours. By bike? At bare minimum, one long day of a ride.

And anyone who lives in Portland and bike tours hears the clarion call of the waves at least once a year. So plans to “go to the Coast”** are made. Now, one can take a couple different buses with bike in tow to get out there, but there’s that itch that can’t be scratched, called “biking to the coast”.

As I said, at bare minimum it will take you the better part of a day to get out there, and if you want to take it easy, two. The big problem is there is no great route to the coast. The most direct ways are the most busy, so to avoid them, you’re either doing something circuitous, or hard, or both. Some people go for the Advanced Studies of figuring out an all-gravel route over the Coast Range using the tangle of unmarked logging roads criss-crossing the slopes. While rewarding in its own badassitude (and solitude), it’s not for the faint of heart or those without good GPS units.

The weekend of May 20 was turning out pretty nice in Portland, which was really nice after such a damn long winter. Several days in a row without rain? Sign me up! Originally I was going to have a “three day weekend” starting Sunday the 21st, but at the eleventh hour it remarkably turned into a four-day one starting Saturday! Pack the bags, it’s time for a mini-tour!

With four days to play with, I had the time to take a two day ride out to the coast, and even ride back if I wanted to. There were many different options, but I decided to go with this one: Ride from my house over the St Johns Bridge and north on US 30 to Scappoose, then take the Crown Zellerbach Trail over the Nehalem Divide, then follow the Nehalem out to the ocean at Nehalem Bay. I’ve only done the Crown Zellerbach once before in 2014, so I was ready for another expedition. I had never been down the Nehalem all the way, though I almost did in 2013.

I got a late start on Saturday, pretty typical. The ride through North Portland and over St Johns Bridge was pretty smooth for a weekend day. US 30 was okay for a bit, but Dirty Thirty lived up to its name, as a piece of metal pierced my rear tire outside of Scappoose. Ugh. Yeah, I don’t know if I’m feeling the supple tire action for these conditions. I replaced the tube with my spare and soldiered on.

The Crown Zellerbach Trail was tougher than I thought it would be! It’s an old logging railroad, mostly unpaved, and used for years as a logging truck road. I had to get my loaded bike over a downed tree in the first couple miles and worried that this would be a regular occurrence. Thankfully that was the only one, at least on the section of trail I completed. The rest of the trail alternated between peaceful and sublime moments interspersed with steep climbs and mud. I reached the top of the Nehalem Divide, saw the “trail closed ahead” sign (most likely because of logging activity, but I heard afterwards there’s more downed trees on this section), and decided to descend on the paved Scappoose-Vernonia Hwy instead.

I ended the night at Anderson Park in Vernonia, almost fifty miles in.*** The nice thing about this park is it’s right on the edge of this small town, so all those conveniences are readily available. I ate dinner at a nice Mediterranean place, and in the morning had breakfast at the cafe. And…there was another bike tourist at the campground! Robyn was heading from Portland out to the coast, but instead of going to Nehalam, she was planning a 90 mile day using the Westport Ferry across the Columbia and then eventually to Astoria! It was tempting to join her, but I didnt’ feel like a 90 mile day**** and really wanted to check out the Nehalem. (But man, I do need to get to Astoria at some point!)

The road ahead was mostly peaceful, as I was following a river down to the sea. The route (OR 47 to 202 to 103) was mostly quiet too, though there was a vehicle at least every couple minutes. The “store”***** at Birkenfeld was open, which was surprising, as it’s often closed. I had a nice cold lager, which was so refreshing at that point. I took a break at the store in Elsie (junction of 103 and US 26), then grit my teeth for a couple miles of 26 until the turnoff for the fabled Lower Nehalem River Road.

This road is a secret back door to the coast, not well known and lightly trafficked. It was closed for a few years due to a washed out bridge, but another reason why it’s off the beaten path is because about 20 miles of it is gravel. The first five miles from 26 were paved, and brought me to Spruce Run Campground. The campground was pretty nice and besides the Nehalem. I was already 50 miles in and considered staying, but fuck it! I really wanted to see the ocean tonight! So I pressed on. Also, since I haven’t ridden a real long distance for a real long time, I wanted to push myself and see if I was still capable for the long haul.

The first section of the gravel was actually pretty nice and level, which lulled me into complacency. However, when I crossed into Tillamook County by the Salmonberry River crossing, things changed. The gravel got chunkier, and there were several small but very steep hills that sapped my energy. Plus, I saw signs for a road closure at Wolf Creek. Am I on Wolf Creek Road? I don’t think so, but nothing is well signed here and damn, I haven’t seen a car coming in quite some time. So then I started to panic, and push on harder. A road closure would mean the promise of the coast would be denied, and I would have to turn around and come back the way I came.****** I was not in a good mental state. Eventually, a car approached from the opposite direction and I flagged it down to ask the question. Yep, the road goes through to the coast! My mood was lifted for a bit…until I noticed my front end getting squishy. Damn. Slow leak? I hate them, since sometimes you can’t find the leak. And I had no spare tube. (I typically repair the damaged tube at camp, but I had forgotten that the tube I pulled out the rear had sealant in it. No go.) Plus, getting the tire on and off the rear was a total pain. Would the front be the same?

I put some air into the front. It seemed to hold, so I pushed on. Thankfully, the pavement began back up, so I didn’t have to worry about another rock causing a pinch flat or something. I rolled into the town of Nehalem around 7 pm, and found myself at a pizza place where I devoured a small pie. Then I rode the couple miles to Nehalem Bay State Park and dumped bike and gear at the hiker/biker campsite. I ran over to the beach, where I just missed the sunset. But it was still great to see the Pacific Ocean in all its glory!

There were people camped in the hiker/biker campsite, but no one was present or awake, which gave the place an eerie presence in the twilight as I set up camp. Exhausted after an 80 mile day, I slept good that night.

I awoke Monday morning, May 22, with no real plans. I knew I wasn’t going to ride all the way back to Portland, so I just needed to be in Tillamook by 1 PM on Tuesday to get home on time. I could stay here at Nehalem Bay for another night, but I decided I wanted to explore. First things first: fix the front flat. Thankfully, the front tire was easier to remove and mount, and the leak was obvious. I patched it and I was good to go.

First I biked the couple miles into nearby Manzanita, a cute li’l beach town, where I got some supplies and got an underwhelming lunch. (My preferred option was closed.) I rode south along US 101 for about 20 miles to get to my destination for the night, Barview Jetty. Oh sure, I could have ridden another 25 miles to my favorite campsite on the coast, Cape Lookout. But I felt like taking it easy, and I had never been to Barview. Barview was a real nice campground, but expensive! I’m used to the state park hiker/biker sites costing $5 to $6 a night. But Barview is a Tillamook County park, and the site was $20! Yeeps! Still, I was really close to the beach, and I had a good sunset.

Tuesday morning I packed up camp, rode about 13 miles south on 101 to Tillamook and caught the bus home. My coast mini-tour was done.

All in all, it was a decent trip. But the ride to the coast was longer and tougher than I planned, at just about 130 miles. Since I hadn’t ridden anything that long in a long time, it felt harder. But it was nice to know that I could push myself to do this, especially with some good touring plans on the horizon. As it was, this was the first time I had camped two or more consecutive nights since my Vancouver Island-San Juans Tour in September/October. I had only done two consecutive nights then, so this trip was a good test of my touring setup and my ability to get a decent nights’ sleep on the road. And I did, at least after the first night. This shakedown gave me the confidence to go out on a longer tour soon.

And man oh man, I love the coast! It’s been too long, Pacific Ocean. At certain points in my life I was quite the “beach rat” and got to know some beaches on the Atlantic coast. The Pacific is more awesome in many ways, except for the fact I can’t swim in it. And I realize that I need to get out to the coast more often. Will I bike out the next time? Probably not. I’ll load my bike onto one of the buses to bring me most of the way, but the ride to the coast makes me realize how much I just want to be on the coast. The way out is nice at times, but there’s nothing spectacular, few points of interest. And there’s no perfect way. Yet.

They are working on the Salmonberry Corridor Trail, a path that would follow the abandoned Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad from Banks to Nehalem. This would mean a car-free way to the coast on a gentle rail grade. I’m really looking forward to its completion, though it’s going to take a few years. In the meantime, Washington State has the Willapa Hills Trail, and I need to get back there at some point. I can dream…

*Which is good for people like me who have never lived more than 70 miles from any ocean.

**If you say you’re “going to the shore” or “going to the beach”, everyone will know you’re from out of town.

***It would have been easier and more logical to end at Big Eddy Park, as going to Vernonia requires back-tracking. But Big Eddy was closed so I had to go with what was available. I passed by Scaponia Park on the way in, which I thought was closed, but it looked like it might be open.

****Of course, I ended up doing 80 miles as it was…

*****When I first visited it in 2001, it truly was a country store. Now it is basically a roadhouse/bar/music venue.

******Yeah, I could turn onto 26, but that road is too busy and narrow, and features some serious climbs.

A tour to the coast: May 20-23 2017 Portland is about 70 miles from the Pacific Ocean, at least "as the crow flies". Close enough that we all know its there,* but still just far enough away that it's not the easiest place to get to regularly.

#barview jetty county park #crown zellerbach trail #nehalem bay state park #nehalem river #Oregon Coast #pacific ocean

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theclydesdaleyogi · 7 years

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Hard Work Doesn’t Have To Hurt

Like many people, I have had a strange lifelong relationship with work, discipline and discomfort. I began playing music in sixth grade and for years it was my main focus. Through middle and high school and into college, I practiced for hours every day. The consistency of practice made me feel safe. However, I was so serious that my perfectionism made me strive, never being good enough for my own self-judgment. And with that, I took the fun and joy out of playing music. I changed majors.

I then took self-discipline very seriously academically. I spent many Friday evenings studying and judged people for having fun. I believed that not having fun was a sign that I was smarter, that I was working hard enough. I then spent my masters program going between the extremes of being a social butterfly to spending my time constantly studying. Finding the middle was so foreign to me I probably laughed at people who mentioned it. I took that with me into my PhD program until I woke up on the side of the highway after a motorcycle accident.

My injuries were minor, but I wasn’t able to be physically active. I hadn’t for a while, because I thought being active required extensive workouts. My teens and twenties were spent between extremes of striving for rigorous training and nutrition and inactivity and a poor diet. I hated team sports and biking was a calming way to move. When I’d tried exercising in gyms for 20-30 minutes just to make it a habit, personal trainers or others would make fun of me. For a while after the accident, junk food and beer became the way. But with the awareness that I had a chance to live that many people in motorcycle accidents don’t, I wanted to live better. I decided it was time for discipline.

I made academic success my focus, changed my diet and became active. I lost something like 70 pounds in the process. Yoga and meditation went from occasional things to essential things. I juggled work, life, my dissertation, and endurance sports like triathlons. I completed yoga teacher training. With every goal I accomplished, a temporary sense of reward came, but then dissipated. Discipline for the sake of getting a reward wasn’t fulfilling. All this self-work was rooted in the idea that I wasn’t enough, and living for external goals couldn’t last. Believing that “if I could just do X, then I would finally be happy” simply wasn’t true. Enduring pain to prove I can endure didn’t lead me to being awake. Running a half marathon didn’t make me love my body. The feeling that I had to be burning the candle at both ends to be “productive enough” or exhausted for a workout to be “sufficient” was unhealthy, unsustainable and no longer helpful. I felt lost.

When I finished teacher training last May, I’d already been teaching for a few months. I learned that the “this one way is the only way, go until it hurts and practice yoga every day” model didn’t work for me and wasn’t something I wanted to share. I continued to learn more about the human body, how to teach a class that goes beyond curating an experience, and how to hold space for the slow and subtle. I examined my relationship to practice and realized that vigorous yoga wasn’t the only thing I wanted, and wasn’t even what brought me to yoga in the first place. I needed more ease and less effort.

I started lifting weights again, this time ignoring the idea of “no pain, no gain.” I wanted to be strong in my whole body, in ways a yoga practice doesn’t build. I focused on finding strength to feel good. I found a trainer who listened to me. And when I had the opportunity to let go of a secure corporate job and take a fellowship to finish my PhD, I took it and let the moving pieces of my life settle down.

A few months ago, I learned I had high blood pressure. While changing my habits with exercise, I didn’t change my diet and my body was letting me know I needed to. The math is simple, right? Simpler isn’t always easier. But knowing what lay ahead by falling into unhealthy habits, I sought a balance that would last. When an acquaintance said these words, it was like a catalyst: “hard work doesn’t have to hurt.”

For the first time in my life, my efforts are grounded in self-care. I eat well, work hard and get stronger because I want a better life. My fitness goals are to be healthy and able to move in older age. I work hard when I exercise, but I don’t strive anymore. I don’t care if I ever reach an ideal. I do it because I’m worth it, and self-discipline is an act of self-care. So far, I’m down 18 lbs, but I’m as worth it today as I ever was or will be, and while losing weight and changing my diet are necessary for my health, they aren’t measures of my worth. I eat a balanced diet while rejecting a diet culture that shames me for liking donuts. I stay active while rejecting a fitness culture that says burpees are the measure of my worth. And I am sharing this because I know I’m not the only one who struggles with this. Instead focusing on getting to the top of the mountain, I’m paying attention to my next step.

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noonetosmilefor · 7 years

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1-100 💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼

xx1: when you have cereal, do you have more milk than cereal or more cereal than milk? - More cereal than milk. I only started eating cereal with milk last year.

2: do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day? - Yes.

3: what random objects do you use to bookmark your books? - I only use bookmarks.

4: how do you take your coffee/tea? - I don’t drink coffee. And tea without anything.

5: are you self-conscious of your smile? - No.

6: do you keep plants? - I’m desperately trying to atm.

7: do you name your plants? - Nah.

8: what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings? - Photography, I guess.

9: do you like singing/humming to yourself? - YES.

10: do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach? - Depends, but very often stomach.

11: what’s an inner joke you have with your friends? - There are too many and all I can think of right now is: “Da bin ich raus.”.

12: what’s your favorite planet? - Mars.

13: what’s something that made you smile today? - A video of cute little kittens meowing and the fact that it’s a snowy day today.

14: if you were to live with your best friend in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like? - There would be a lot, A WHOLE DAMN LOT, of cat hair.

15: go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is! - You can’t cry on space because your tears won’t ever fall.

16: what’s your favorite pasta dish? - I love pasta with scampi or any other kind of seafood.

17: what color do you really want to dye your hair? - Something with a red shimmer.

18: tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up. - My best friend always tells me that I get my arm under her pillow when I sleep beside her and she think’s that’s pretty funny and brings it up every day.

19: do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it? - No.

20: what’s your favorite eye color? - Green.

21: talk about your favorite bag, the one that’s been to hell and back with you and that you love to pieces. - It’s a little black backpack and there isn’t much space in it but I always bring it with me when I travel somewhere.

22: are you a morning person? - Not at all.

23: what’s your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations? - Sitting in bed, reading & drinking tea.

24: is there someone out there you would trust with every single one of your secrets? - Yes.

25: what’s the weirdest place you’ve ever broken into? - I’ve never broken into any place.

26: what are the shoes you’ve had for forever and wear with every single outfit? - My black ankle boots, but I don’t wear them that often anymore.

27: what’s your favorite bubblegum flavor? - Mint.

28: sunrise or sunset? - Sunset.

29: what’s something really cute that one of your friends does and is totally endearing? - My best friend always brings me sweets and I love her for that.

30: think of it: have you ever been truly scared? - Yes.

31: what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? really, just talk about socks. - I love my black fluffy socks, they’re so cozy but also a hair magnet.

32: tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends. - We ate Pizza, sat in silence and were kind of happy although we knew that we’re parting ways in a few hours. That’s a moment I’ll always remember no matter what might happen. Not really an adventuring story but it makes me happy every time I think about it.

33: what’s your fave pastry? - I love cupcakes.

34: tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it? - It was a black/white striped tiger and his name was Louis. I once puked all over him, but he still loved me, I swear to god. Unfortunately it burned down at a fire in my neighbors house.

35: do you like stationary and pretty pens and so on? do you use them often? - No, not really.

36: which band’s sound would fit your mood right now? - All Time Low. Every day.

37: do you like keeping your room messy or clean? - Clean.

38: tell us about your pet peeves! - People who insult others.

39: what color do you wear the most? - Black.

40: think of a piece of jewelry you own: what’s it’s story? does it have any meaning to you? - I got a ring from my best friend. He found it in a store and bought it for me because he thought it would fit perfect.

41: what’s the last book you remember really, really loving? - A Monster Calls.

42: do you have a favorite coffee shop? describe it! - Yes. It’s around the corner of my work place and it’s tiny, but there are 4 or 5 bookshelves and cozy blankets and pillows.

43: who was the last person you gazed at the stars with? - A person I don’t want to think about anymore.

44: when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything? - I can’t remember.

45: do you trust your instincts a lot? - Yes.

46: tell us the worst pun you can think of. - If Cinderella was a baking slave instead of a cleaning slave, would she be called Mozzarella? (I only read that today, and it’s so bad, I love it.)

47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe? - Broccoli. I hate it.

48: what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today? - The No-face from the film “Spirited Away” and I went to a therapist because I had such nightmares that I didn’t want to sleep anymore. It’s still the same fear.

49: do you like buying CDs and records? what was the last one you bought? - Yes, I love it. ‘Afraid Of Heights’ by Billy Talent.

50: what’s an odd thing you collect? - Lego architecture.

51: think of a person. what song do you associate with them? - ‘Last Young Renegade’ by All Time Low.

52: what are your favorite memes of the year so far? - The Italian gesture one.

53: have you ever watched the rocky horror picture show? heathers? beetlejuice? pulp fiction? what do you think of them? - Yes. I kinda had a love/hate relationship with all of these films. But I really, really enjoyed Beetlejuice.

54: who’s the last person you saw with a true look of sadness on their face? - My dad.

55: what’s the most dramatic thing you’ve ever done to prove a point? - I can’t remember rn.

56: what are some things you find endearing in people? - Their smiles, the honesty amongst other people. The way their faces light up when they talk about things they really love.

57: go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics? - It made me feel 10 years younger.

58: who’s the wine mom and who’s the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why? - The ultimate wine mom is @hopedreamssoul for sure and the vodka aunt is my best friend Marcel.

59: what’s your favorite myth? - The norse mythology.

60: do you like poetry? what are some of your faves? - I love poetry. One of my favorites is “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost.

61: what’s the stupidest gift you’ve ever given? the stupidest one you’ve ever received? - I’ve ever given: An inflatable doll in 10th grade. The stupidest I’ve ever received: A chewing bone for a dog.

62: do you drink juice in the morning? which kind? - Not really. But if I do, orange juice.

63: are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be? - I keep them in bookshelves.

64: what color is the sky where you are right now? - Grey and snowy.

65: is there anyone you haven’t seen in a long time who you’d love to hang out with? - Yes, but that’s not possible anymore.

66: what would your ideal flower crown look like? - Just tulips.

67: how do gloomy days where the sky is dark and the world is misty make you feel? - Home.

68: what’s winter like where you live? - It’s cold and it’s snowing heavily or not at all. I love it.

69: what are your favorite board games? - Monopoly.

70: have you ever used a ouija board? - Yep.

71: what’s your favorite kind of tea? - Tea with a lot of fruits.

72: are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you’ll forget it? - Nah.

73: what are some of your worst habits? - Being lazy af.

74: describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns. - kind, beautiful, always listening, funny, chaotic.

75: tell us about your pets! - They’re all unique and beautiful.

76: is there anything you should be doing right now but aren’t? - Nope.

77: pink or yellow lemonade? - Yellow.

78: are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub? - Hateclub.

79: what’s one of the cutest things someone has ever done for you? - Listening to me without judging.

80: what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why? - Yellow and white. I chose those colors. Why? I really don’t know.

81: describe one of your friend’s eyes using the most abstract imagery you can think of. - Sparkling deer.

82: are/were you good in school? - Hahaha, no.

83: what’s some of your favorite album art? - “Ghost Stories” by Coldplay.

84: are you planning on getting tattoos? which ones? - Yes. A soundtrack of an important line from a song.

85: do you read comics? what are your faves? - I don’t read them anymore but I used to read a lot of DC comics.

86: do you like concept albums? which ones? - Yes. I ADORE “21st Century Breakdown” by Green Day.

87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives? - The Lord Of The Rings movies.

88: are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy? - Not really.

89: are you close to your parents? - Not really.

90: talk about your one of you favorite cities. - Vienna. Where I actually live. Vienna is so beautiful and I always feel in peace whenever I come home.

91: where do you plan on traveling this year? - Toronto/New York.

92: are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch? - I DROWN IT IN CHEESE!

93: what’s the hairstyle you wear the most? - Open and a teeeeeeenie, tiny bit wavy.

94: who was the last person you know to have a birthday? - A good friend of mine.

95: what are your plans for this weekend? - Doing absolutely nothing and maybe watching “Riverdale”.

96: do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot? - Errrr, wait till my computer is almost dying.

97: myer briggs type, zodiac sign, and hogwarts house? - INFP, Cancer, Ravenclaw.

98: when’s the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it? - A few years ago. I really enjoyed it.

99: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them. - ‘Eyes Shut’ by Years & Years, ‘Hear Me’ by Imagine Dragons, ‘Satellite’ by All Time Low.

100: if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why? - 5 years into the past. I could change so many things. But the most important thing, I could save people who are gone by now.

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dragonbornoflegend · 8 years

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1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45,46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, and 100. My hand hurts now.

Lord have mercy upon my soul 1: when you have cereal, do you have more milk than cereal or more cereal than milk? I always try and have a decent balance with the two, but I lean towards more milk. 2: do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day? It depends. If I've just left a warm place, it feels refreshing, but if I'm already outside and cold then it feels like death.3) what random objects do you use to bookmark your books? Right now I'm alternating between an astrology card I got from a fortune teller machine in a Spinelli's and a dollar bill that has the word "BONER" written on it. 4: how do you take your coffee/tea? Coffee sweet with shit like chocolate or pumpkin spice, and tea usually iced with enough sugar to taste the diabetes.5: are you self-conscious of your smile? Yep 🙃 I lost my retainer in the 8th grade so my teeth are Fucked Up™6: do you keep plants? I certainly try, but I'm kind of like Timmy's mom from Fairly Odd Parents7: do you name your plants? Yep! I used to have a bromeliad named George before I accidentally killed it. 8: what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings? I tend more to just bottle them up lmao but if I had to pick one it would be writing 9: do you like singing/humming to yourself? I do, but I refrain from doing so in public out of respect for others 10: do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach? I'm a stomach sleeper. It's painful. 11: what's an inner joke you have with your friends? Most of my jokes honestly. "Just watch some porn and eat more chocolate", "you got a 30 on your ACT", the implication that I on the reg put it in @fuckthepersonthattookmyusername's ass, stuff like that. 12: what's your favorite planet? I feel like I should say Earth since I live on it? But I also highkey relate to Pluto bc I, too, constantly struggle with validation. 13: what's something that made you smile today? My dogs. My Big Dumb one is chasing his tail in front of me as I type this. 14: if you were to live with your best friend(s) in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like? Spacious, with lots of plants and a goat skull hanging on the wall. A nice kitchen. My dog is there and healthy. 15: go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is! I don't have my glasses on and at first glance I thought this said "weird spice fact" and I got really excited. I did google a space, fact, though, and I learned that Neutron stats can spin at a rate of 600 rotations per second. 16: what's your favorite pasta dish? Does "all of them" not count? If I had to pick one, right now it's tortellini. 17: what color do you really want to dye your hair? Silver. I do love my red, though. 18: tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up. Basically everything I do that exemplifies how dumb I am lmao. I almost didn't graduate high school and they nag me parent-style about that one a lot.19: do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it? I do not, I've tried before but I've never known what to write in it. Plus I'm always way too paranoid that someone will find and read it. 20: what's your favorite eye color? @stripper-boots's 21: talk about your favorite bag, the one that's been to hell and back with you and that you love to pieces. The only bag I really have that's lasted a while (I abuse my bags lol) is an orange drawstring with a skull printed on it. It's got some weeaboo buttons on it bc for a while it was my convention bag. Now I mostly use it to collect buttons on. 22: are you a morning person? Absolutely not. If allowed to I will sleep until 2 pm with no issues.23: what's your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations? Usually just sit around and watch YouTube/Netflix or play video games. Today is actually one of those few days, actually. I've got plans on running to the local farmer's market too so I can plant some herbs later on. 24: is there someone out there you would trust with every single one of your secrets? I have people I would trust not to tell anyone else, but I still wouldn't ever tell them. It's less a trust issue and more that I just don't want anyone knowing some of these things. 25: what's the weirdest place you've ever broken into? An abandoned church compound. It was a big lot full of tons of old buildings. Some of them were used for storage and had a bunch of newer stuff in it but some of them looked like old schoolhouses and dorms. The desks inside had schoolwork dated from the 70s in them. The place has since been leveled, though. It's a shame. 26: what are the shoes you've had for forever and wear with every single outfit? My combat boots. They've seen hell, basically. 27: what's your favorite bubblegum flavor? I can't remember the name, but 5 gum has these two that are great. One is a fruity flavor that kind of tastes like Monster and one is a mint that's great because it's not as harsh as most other mint gums.28: sunrise or sunset? Sunset, probably. I'm usually awake to see that one more. 29: what's something really cute that one of your friends does and is totally endearing? Exist. 30: think of it: have you ever been truly scared? On one hand, I think so, but on another hand I do have that "could be worse" issue. Yesterday I was woken up by a man I didn't know knocking on my door and then literally climbing on my roof. After he got down he started banging on my door and yelling. That was pretty terrifying but I do feel like it could have gone much worse. 31: what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? really, just talk about socks. I do enjoy weird patterned socks, I think they're cute. White socks are demon spawn tho. I also despise sleeping with socks on. I went through a phase in middle school in which I exclusively wore fuzzy socks. Never again.32: tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends. Boy do I have a story to share. I once went out to watch Rogue One with @stripper-boots and another friend, and somehow the night ended with us picking up another person, stealing a grocery cart from a CVS near my school, and driving through our old high school's parking lot while someone sat in the cart and held on to my van. We would then hit the brakes and the person in the cart would let go and see how far they would keep rolling. It was absolutely amazing. 33: what's your fave pastry? Listen, I'm a baking and pastry student, I can't pick just one. If I had to narrow it down, I love making turnovers and scones. Blackberry and sage scones are absolutely amazing. 34: tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it? I kept (and currently keep) two stuffed Dalmatians named Spot and Pongo (I was a creative kid, I know). I've had them since I was born and they're both incredibly dear to me. 35: do you like stationary and pretty pens and so on? do you use them often? I always want to, but almost every time I end up too afraid to use them because I want to wait and find something that would be worth using them for (spoiler alert: I never do). So I've stopped getting them lol36: which band's sound would fit your mood right now? Probably The Neighborhood or something like that. I'm feeling pretty mellow today. 37: do you like keeping your room messy or clean? I like to keep it super clean (even if it occasionally gets messy thanks to depression). The people I live with are pretty messy and it gets to me pretty badly so I try to have at least one clean area that I can retreat to.38: tell us about your pet peeves! Hoo boy, here we go. I cannot stand it when people chew with their mouths open (people that have to due to some sort of disability or something don't count, ofc). It is seriously one of the grossest things in the world to me and it honestly makes me uncomfortable to the depths of my very soul. Most of my family and a few of my friends do it, too, and it absolutely kills me. I also can't stand it when people put their feet on things or when they do something I've asked them not to because they find it humorous. 39: what color do you wear the most? Black. I'm still a little emo kid at heart. Plus I own all dark haired animals lol. 40: think of a piece of jewelry you own: what's it's story? does it have any meaning to you? I wear a collar around my wrist that belonged to a dog we fostered. It's from when he was a puppy, which I think is pretty great because as he grew up he ended up coming up to my hip with his shoulder. Seriously, he was huge. 41: what's the last book you remember really, really loving? Both of the books in the Kingmaker, Kingbreaker series. I read them my sophomore year of high school and I still think about them a lot. I'm not even sure why, they just struck a chord with me and I absolutely love them. 42: do you have a favorite coffee shop? describe it! I feel obligated to say the one that belongs to my school. It's basically the only one that I really frequent, anyways. The cafe mochas are amazing. 43: who was the last person you gazed at the stars with? Honestly, I can't remember the last time I actually stargazed. It's definitely been a while.44: when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything? Probably before I was born. My mom smoked a lot of weed while pregnant with me so I'd imagine I was a pretty chill little fetus. 45: do you trust your instincts a lot? Anxiety won't let me. 46: tell us the worst pun you can think of. Basically any pun my chef instructor this past quarter told us lol. Or anything that comes from @stripper-boots47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe? Candy corn 48: what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today? I was always terrified of tornadoes, to the point that some nights I would just lay awake and cry because I was afraid that a tornado would come crashing through my house, even on nights with nice weather. I'm no longer that afraid of them, but I do still get really nervous when it storms out.49: do you like buying CDs and records? what was the last one you bought? I love CDs! I haven't bought one in a while, but the most recent one I "acquired" (aka stole from my dad) was the Cloud Atlas soundtrack. 50: what's an odd thing you collect? Sadness. 51: think of a person. what song do you associate with them? I associate the song "Fuck You" with my mom. Because fuck her. 52: what are your favorite memes of the year so far? All of them53: have you ever watched the rocky horror picture show? heathers? beetlejuice? pulp fiction? what do you think of them? I've seen Rocky Horror and parts of Beetlejuice. They're both pretty awesome. 54: who's the last person you saw with a true look of sadness on their face? Myself in the mirror lmao55: what's the most dramatic thing you've ever done to prove a point? I try not to be dramatic that much? Idk. I'm answering all 100 questions of this rn to prove that I'm not a little bitch. 56: what are some things you find endearing in people? Genuine care. Like honestly, someone can act caring towards me once and there we go, I think they're great and want to be their friend. 57: go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics? You mean there aren't people that dramatically reenact the lyrics? 58: who's the wine mom and who's the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why? @thenomoreotaku is the self-proclaimed wine mom. I feel like @stripper-boots is the vodka aunt. 59: what's your favorite myth? Listen I love mythology, do not get me started. Just all of them. 60: do you like poetry? what are some of your faves? I really like "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening" from Robert Frost and basically anything from Neil Hilborn. 61: what's the stupidest gift you've ever given? the stupidest one you've ever received? Every gift I give is stupid. I'm not very good at giving gifts. 62: do you drink juice in the morning? which kind? I'm not really a fan of juice. 63: are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be? I want to be organized but I am Not. 64: what color is the sky where you are right now? Kind of a light gray with some blue. It rained last night. 65: is there anyone you haven't seen in a long time who you'd love to hang out with? I haven't seen my friends since Saturday night, does that count as a long time? 66: what would your ideal flower crown look like? Anything with bright flowers (probably red) and maybe some Quartz on it too. I actually plan on making some soon. 67: how do gloomy days where the sky is dark and the world is misty make you feel? I like the melancholy feel but I hate how humid it is when it's misty so I'm kind of on the fence about it. 68: what's winter like where you live? Normally I would say Fucking Cold but this winter was actually pretty warm so?? Thanks global warming. 69: what are your favorite board games? I really like Betrayal at House on The Hill, and I appreciate the cutthroat factor of Monopoly. I was also recently introduced to Arkham Horror and it was pretty lit. 70: have you ever used a ouija board? Nope71: what's your favorite kind of tea? I have this black tea that's cacao mint flavored and I love it 72: are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you'll forget it? YEP73: what are some of your worst habits? All of them. 74: describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns. Listen I have like, 3.5 friends this is going to be a pain to choose one. I have one that's pretty saint-like lately. Bc they're holey. 75: tell us about your pets! They're all amazing and I love them. I have a 6 year old blue pitbull named Jinxx, 3 year old Presa Canario named Murdoc, a 9 year old brown tabby cat named Tiger, a fluffy black cat named PJ that's somewhere between 7-9, and a betta fish named Radicchio. 76: is there anything you should be doing right now but aren't? Going to the farmer's market and cleaning my house. 77: pink or yellow lemonade? I don't like lemonade 😐78: are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub? I will hate minions until the day I die 79: what's one of the cutest things someone has ever done for you? My friends literally made me a bedroom. 80: what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why? They're just white. I wanted to paint them but I never got a chance before we moved in. 81: describe one of your friend's eyes using the most abstract imagery you can think of. He much will everyone hate me if I use "azure pools" 82: are/were you good in school? Definitely not lol. I think I'm getting better now that I'm college though. 83: what's some of your favorite album art? I really like some of the drawings from Alesana's album The Emptiness. That's all I can think of off the top of my head.84: are you planning on getting tattoos? which ones? I currently have one tattoo of my cat, and I plan on getting something baking related (probably a quote about bread) and something Wizard of Oz related. 85: do you read comics? what are your faves? I always mean to but I've never actually gotten around to it. 86: do you like concept albums? which ones? I love concept albums. Alesana did three concept albums in a row that were all related and I absolutely adore them. 87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives? Cloud Atlas, Uno: The Movie88: are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy? Do Snapchat filters count 89: are you close to your parents? Occasionally with my dad, but not with my mom 90: talk about your one of you favorite cities. The one I live in lol. Louisville is pretty lit. Lots of good food. 91: where do you plan on traveling this year? I'm hoping to make it to Sandusky for ColossalCan in the beginning of June.92: are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch? There is never enough cheese 93: what's the hairstyle you wear the most? My sidecut. It's basically my most recognizable trait at this point. 94: who was the last person you know to have a birthday? My stepbrother's birthday is the 14th 95: what are your plans for this weekend? I'm not sure, but I'm hoping to chill with the D&D squad and play some more board games. 96: do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot? I can't remember the last time I installed an update on my computer 97: myer briggs type, zodiac sign, and hogwarts house? ISTP, Libra, Slytherpuff98: when's the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it? Probably year or so ago. Hiking is lit. 99: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them. Stressed Out from top because I'm always stressed 🙃100: if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why? I wouldn't press either tbh. Leave that shit how it is.

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