#there have been many changes to approaches in ece in the us since then and i'm sure the same is true in japan. i dont care.

[awesomeifidosaysomyself]

raaah i hate reading what seems to be a really interesting researchh study in a different country and it ends up just being: here's what they do and why what we do in the u.s. is always good and their way is bad like. i think there can be more than one way to do things and that's okay

[fool-tarnished]

"Remember me" - Chapter 2 - Yamato/Tenzo x F!Reader

Synopsis : Born in Konoha, [Y/N] wasn't necessarily known as the most impressive or powerful ninja, but rather for her kindness and compassion. She became like an older sister to Naruto and a loyal, faithful friend to many ninjas in Konoha. Without even realizing it, she had earned a special place in the heart of one particular ninja with brown hair. But everything changed the day the Third Hokage entrusted her with a mission from which she would not return unscathed. Pairing : Yamato/Tenzo x Female!Reader

If you want to read Kakashi's version, you can find it here.

Warnings : Memory loss

List : Chapter 1 // Chapter 2 // Chapter 3 // ...

Inspiration : Remember me - d4vd

Words : ~ 4000 A/N : Hello there ! Here's the second chapter. It might not follow the same exact timeline and events as the books but i still hope you will enjoy it. And sorry for the mistakes, I'm not a native english speaker.

________________________________________

"[Y/N]?"

From atop the roof, Tenzo watched your figure as you moved through the street below. For a moment, he thought he was dreaming, a mirage brought on by his own longing. He was so focused on the distant image of you that he no longer heard the voices of his colleagues around him.

A hand on his shoulder snapped him out of his daze.

"She’s not reacting. Are you sure it’s her, Captain? Is this really the one the ninja at the gate described?"

The ANBU operative nodded silently, torn between the shock of seeing you again and the confusion consuming him.

“We’ll go down in pairs—two of us will block her from the front, two from the rear,” he instructed, his voice as steady as he could muster given the circumstances.

With that, he descended from his perch alongside a teammate, while two others moved into position behind you to cut off any escape route.

Tenzo took another brief moment to steady his breath and regain his composure, though the sight of your face after all this time made that nearly impossible. He had prepared himself for the worst: to find you injured, lifeless, or worse—to never find you at all and continue chasing the ghost of the woman he had grown to care for so deeply.

“I don’t know what you want from me, but I don’t have anything,” you said nervously, lifting your hands slightly in a gesture of surrender.

Your words jolted him back to the harsh reality of the moment. Did you truly not recognize him? Surely, you would know the mask he wore, the insignia of the ANBU you had once worked alongside for years. You had shared so many moments together. Was this some kind of cruel joke?

Yet there you stood, with no sign of recognition in your expression. Meanwhile, he hadn’t forgotten a single detail of your face—your [Y/EC] eyes he had so often lost himself in, your [Y/HC] hair that he had touched only on rare occasions, the softness of which lingered in his memory. But one thing was missing now: the smile that had been etched into his mind since the day you left.

“Don’t you recognize me, [Y/N]?” he finally asked, though his voice cracked under the weight of his emotions.

You tilted your head slightly, confusion evident on your face as you took a small step back. His heart sank as the realization hit him harder than he expected. Still, he moved closer cautiously, clinging to a desperate hope that perhaps, just perhaps, you’d remember him. Deep down, he longed for you to close the distance between you and embrace him as you once had.

But a darker truth gnawed at his heart: something was wrong. Something had changed. You no longer radiated the warmth he had known, and it left him adrift.

“You must be mistaken… I’m not [Y/N],” you replied, shaking your head.

“We’ve been searching for you for months,” he countered directly, his tone unyielding.

“I… Why? I’m just here to care for the elderly woman I live with. I don’t know who you are or what you want, but I don’t know you.”

A teammate approached him, speaking in hushed tones.

���Captain, are you absolutely certain it’s her? She doesn’t seem to recognize us. Is there another way to get through to her?”

If Tenzo hadn’t been wearing a mask, his face would have betrayed the storm of emotions raging within him: heartbreak, confusion, and pain. The mask, in that moment, was a shield he desperately needed. He knew he wouldn’t remove it—not now. But if you wouldn’t remember him, there was someone else he knew you couldn’t forget: Naruto Uzumaki.

“Did you decide to desert? And Naruto? Why are you hiding here?” he pressed, his voice sharper now.

Your headache flared, intensifying as emotions you couldn’t explain swirled within you. His voice—it was so familiar, yet so distant. It struck a chord deep within you, something indescribable and ungraspable. The haze that separated you from whatever truth lay buried in your heart grew thicker by the second.

“I-I don’t understand… What are you talking about?”

Your vision began to blur, darkening at the edges, and each breath came harder than the last. A chilling sensation crept over your chest as the figures before you faded further into a haze.

Tenzo saw your knees buckle and your body falter. He rushed forward just in time to catch you before you collapsed completely. For a moment too long, he stood frozen, gazing at your unconscious face, torn between heartbreak and relief.

“Captain, we can’t linger here,” one of his teammates reminded him firmly.

Snapping back to reality, Tenzo nodded and stood.

“Let’s take her home. We’ll resume the other mission later,” he ordered.

None of the team questioned him. Together, they moved swiftly, carrying you away into the night. ________________________________________

"Do you want me to take over, [Y/N]? You look exhausted."

Startled, you turned abruptly. The darkness of the night made it difficult to discern your surroundings, but the cold seeped into your bones, and your exhaustion was almost overwhelming. Before you could respond, a figure moved to sit beside you. A brief silence hung in the air as you struggled to make out the details of the face near yours. But no matter how hard you tried, everything remained blurry, foggy, unchanging.

"You worry too much about him. Don’t. He’s with Kakashi."

Kakashi? Who was Kakashi? Who was this person even talking about?

Though the topic of conversation was entirely alien to you, the voice sparked a faint recognition. You had heard it just hours earlier, while wandering the streets of Kumo—or at least, you thought you had been in Kumo. Had that even been real? And why were you here now?

"I should have been more vigilant earlier. I didn’t want you putting yourself in danger to help me," the figure said softly.

Frowning, you rubbed your eyes, hoping it would help clear your vision. But it was futile. Everything remained shrouded in that same frustrating haze. You tried to speak, but your voice seemed trapped in your throat, blocked by some unseen force. Your gaze returned to his face. Though the features remained indistinct, you noticed his short, brown hair and a headband with a rather unusual design.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, a gentle, reassuring laugh escaping his lips. "From the way you’re staring, you’d think we hadn’t seen each other in years."

Suddenly, the surroundings around you began to fade. Now, there was only him, sitting next to you, still shrouded in a maddening blur.

"Or… is it that you simply don’t remember me anymore?" he asked, his tone suddenly colder, sharper.

The warmth of his presence dissipated, leaving a suffocating darkness in its wake.

"So, [Y/N]? Have you already forgotten me? I always knew you’d leave me behind eventually, but so soon..."

A chilling laugh echoed from him, devoid of the softness it once carried. It sent a shiver down your spine.

"I knew you weren’t trustworthy. Weak, too."

Eyes wide, you instinctively recoiled. His form began to distort, shifting and twisting as though it were no longer entirely human. Still blurred, his silhouette now resembled a flickering mirage.

"Show me what a former ANBU is really capable of, will you? Make yourself useful."

His face morphed into something grotesque, resembling a spiraling vortex. The pitch-black void around you was suddenly pierced by flashes of vibrant color, swirling and distorting into shapes.

"Bring me the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki" he commanded.

With those words, the scene around you grew sharper, clearer. You could finally make out the figure: a tall man wearing a mask tinged in orange. Only one eyehole broke its surface, and from within it, a vivid red eye stared back at you, its intensity chilling you to the core.

Before you could react, his hand shot out, pressing firmly against your face. The pressure mounted as you finally managed to scream.

You woke abruptly, gasping for air, your chest heaving as your wide eyes darted frantically around the room.

To your right, Tsunade jolted, startled by the violence of your awakening. Quickly regaining her composure, she sat in the chair beside your bed and placed a hand gently on your arm.

The speed and force with which you yanked your arm away left her momentarily speechless. She let out a slow sigh.

"You’re back in Konoha, [Y/N]. You’re safe now," she assured you.

During the long days you’d spent in a deep sleep, the Hokage had performed numerous medical examinations. She had identified the head trauma you had sustained and had been waiting for you to wake up to determine the extent of the damage. She had also noticed something else—something unusual during her tests.

Your gaze, lost and confused, met hers.

"What am I doing here? Who are you?" you asked hurriedly.

"What do you remember?" Tsunade responded calmly, her tone steady despite the doubts forming in her mind about your possible memory loss.

Hesitantly, you recounted what little you could recall: Kumo, the strange days spent with Yubaba, and the fragments of events you didn’t fully understand. Tsunade listened intently.

Her attention drifted to a small vial resting on the table beside your bed. You hadn’t even noticed it until she picked it up, holding it out for you to see.

"This woman you mentioned—Yubaba. She gave you tea to help, didn’t she?"

"For my headaches," you replied simply.

"Mm. We’ll start you on a new treatment. Whatever she was giving you doesn’t seem to be effective anymore."

"Where is Yubaba?" you demanded abruptly, your voice sharp and cold.

"She passed away a few days ago in Kumo. She had lived a long life," Tsunade explained as she slipped the vial into her pocket and stood.

"I’ll check on you later. If anything comes back to you, I’ve left a notebook and pen on the table beside you. Write it all down."

With that, she exited the room.

Your eyes wandered to the notebook she had mentioned, sitting quietly by your bed. Why did she want you to write? Yubaba had passed away days ago?

How long had you been asleep here? ________________________________________

The Hokage had taken the time to summon Kakashi, Kurenai, Iruka, Asuma, Gai, and Genma to brief them on the situation. The meeting was meant to be short: she needed to inform them about your condition and, more importantly, urge them to stay vigilant, especially regarding Naruto, and to keep an eye on you.

"The ANBU team brought [Y/N] back to Konoha. I conducted numerous medical tests while she was unconscious, and I’ve concluded that she suffered severe head trauma—I fear she’s completely lost her memory," she began, eliciting surprised reactions from the assembled ninjas.

"You mean she doesn’t remember anything?" Kurenai asked, her concern evident.

"I’m afraid that everything before her accident is a total blank. And that’s not the only issue troubling me," the Hokage added gravely.

At her words, the group exchanged uneasy glances. Tsunade retrieved a small vial from her pocket and held it up for everyone to see.

"She was poisoned over several months. This concoction not only caused her persistent headaches but also weakened her physically. She couldn’t even attempt to use her chakra to relieve her pain... or for anything else, for that matter."

Kakashi sighed, breaking the silence that followed.

"Hmm. The real question is: who did this, and why?"

"Exactly," Tsunade confirmed. "I don’t believe the elderly woman she was living with would have randomly decided to poison her like this... and it seems highly unlikely that her sudden death in Kumo is a coincidence, either. [Y/N] returns to Konoha, and then the woman dies abruptly. Do you see where I’m going with this?"

"Do we have specific enemies in the Land of Lightning?" Iruka inquired.

"It could be a diversion," Asuma suggested, exchanging a glance with Kakashi.

Nodding, the Copy Ninja turned to the Hokage.

"We’ll need to be particularly vigilant, on all fronts—including with her."

"Exactly. As for Naruto and your students, they are not to be informed just yet. I’d prefer to wait before letting this news spread. Additionally, I’d like you all to evaluate her in the field once she’s recovered. Her chakra has changed significantly as well."

As the ninjas began to leave the room, Tsunade rose and gestured for Kakashi to remain behind. Once they were alone, she approached him.

"Tenzo is currently on a mission, but you can inform him when he returns. In the meantime, I’ll do everything I can to improve the situation."

Kakashi nodded, exhaling softly.

"He hasn’t reached out to me in a long time. I understand now why he’s isolated himself."

"She likely didn’t recognize him when he went to retrieve her. I think knowing the truth would help ease his pain, even if just a little."

________________________________________

A few weeks later, as Kakashi stood atop one of Konoha’s rooftops, enjoying the gift Naruto had given him, a certain ANBU operative appeared nearby.

"Hmm, I was starting to think you weren’t going to show up anymore, Tenzo," Kakashi remarked without looking up from his book.

"Missions have been piling up, Senpai," the ANBU replied simply, removing his mask before sitting down beside the Copy Ninja.

"There’s something you need to know."

A brief silence settled between them as Tenzo stared into the distance, his expression more somber than when he arrived.

"She lost her memory after a head trauma."

At those words, Tenzo turned to his friend, his eyes wide with shock. His gaze was filled with unspoken questions as Kakashi calmly closed his book and tucked it into his pocket.

"The Hokage is working to help her recover her memories, but she was poisoned for months—likely to keep her disoriented and compliant."

"Who would do something like that?"

"That’s the question we still don’t have an answer to. But for now, there’s little we can do about it. I know it’s hard, Tenzo, but... maybe you should go see her. Without the mask this time."

Kakashi knew he was treading on sensitive ground. Even though Tenzo would do his best to hide his emotions, the Copy Ninja wasn’t fooled. He’d long since noticed, through subtle yet telling reactions—both from Tenzo and from you before your mission—that something had been developing between you two, whether or not either of you realized it.

"Senpai… I don’t know. I don’t think she needs me anymore."

Kakashi stood up, letting out a soft sigh of disapproval.

"That’s where you’re wrong, Tenzo. If anyone can help her, it’s you. But it’s a decision only you can make."

Tenzo remained seated, his gaze fixed on the horizon as the Copy Ninja prepared to descend from the rooftop.

"I’m afraid she’ll never remember me," Tenzo murmured quietly.

________________________________________

After weeks of working with and caring for you, Tsunade had at least managed to make you less hostile and more smiley. As for your memories, that was another matter entirely. You hadn’t spoken to her about what you had seen during your sleep, after you lost consciousness in the Land of Lightning. Something told you that it wasn’t the right time to talk about it, and it might be better to piece everything together on your own before sharing those fragments of memory.

Still in the same small room as when you first arrived, the Hokage had done her best to provide you with things to occupy your time and help you reacquaint yourself with Konoha. You had spoken a few times with an Iruka, who had mentioned a certain Naruto—a name you had already heard before your arrival—and described him as particularly energetic. You had also had a few visits from a woman who was especially kind and gentle, someone with whom you felt strangely at ease. Her name was Kurenai, and her calm presence was greatly appreciated given the long, tiring days you had.

Aside from them, you hadn’t received any other visitors—at least, not until this evening.

The sun had slowly set over the village, and despite the growing fatigue, you couldn’t help but glance at the photos your visitors had brought. Some showed Naruto and his friends, while others featured people whose names you hadn’t fully retained.

The feeling of having seen them before, yet being certain you had never crossed paths with them, gnawed at you. The more you looked at the photos, the more you wondered if this was the key to unlocking the huge black hole that had haunted you for months.

A few knocks on the door pulled you from your thoughts, and you lifted your head toward it. "Uh? Yes?"

The door slowly creaked open, letting in the light from the hallway and revealing a silhouette. The figure approached your bed, and you recognized the uniform of the ninjas who had come to retrieve you from Kumo. However, his demeanor didn’t suggest anything ominous—on the contrary, he gave off a pleasant, reassuring aura. Another strange feeling surfaced, but you decided not to dwell on it for now. Instead, you focused on understanding who this man was and what he was doing here.

His eyes were downcast, and he looked tired and, above all, worried. After studying him for a moment, the color of his hair and the headband he wore strangely reminded you of the dream—or rather, nightmare—you had experienced upon arriving here. But as for his face, you couldn’t say for certain whether it was the same.

"May I?" he asked in a calm, hesitant voice, pointing to the chair beside your bed.

You hadn’t even noticed that he was holding a small box in his left hand, but you nodded nonetheless, curious. He finally sat down, as if your approval had lifted a weight from his shoulders. He seemed particularly stressed as he scratched the back of his head with his right hand.

"Are you one of the ninjas who came to get me from Kumo?" you finally asked, as he stopped scratching his head abruptly and met your gaze.

"I—Uh, yes. I’m sorry about that." After a short pause, he continued. "I just wanted to bring you something."

Your face softened as time passed, and deep down, the ANBU felt relieved to see you again. The road ahead would be long, but maybe Kakashi was right. Maybe, with time and effort, you would eventually remember him—and whatever it was you might have shared together. He gently extended the wooden box toward you, and you took it delicately, brushing your hand lightly against his in the process. Surprised, he pulled his hand back a little too quickly and looked away.

"What is this?" you asked after studying the box for a moment without opening it.

"Things that might help you, hopefully."

His voice was filled with both hope and reluctance: his intentions were sincere, but he didn’t seem completely sure of his actions.

"Can I know your name?"

The question caught him off guard, although he knew it was bound to come sooner or later. The first decision he had to make was whether or not to visit you, and now another one was upon him. Should he give you his name now? Or would it be better to wait until you remembered a little more before revealing anything?

Was he ready for a casual reaction?

No.

He wasn’t ready for that.

He stood up and made his way to the door, his hand hovering over it. His face turned toward you, showing the same sadness he had concealed during your reunion.

"Remember yours first, and then I’ll give you mine."

[lodelcar]

The EU’s Approach on the future of packaging

The following article was written in preparation for an intervention at a convention in Istanbul organised by Kapsam – Public Policy Research Centre and Boǧaziçi University and sponsored by TetraPak on 28-02-2023 (note: due to the earthquake disaster in Türkiye, the convention has been postponed) .

I was asked, in the context of a conference on the very exciting topic “Achieving zero waste. Innovation in food packaging.”, to explain the role the EU plays in tackling the (plastic) packaging problem worldwide, especially the one in plastic food packaging.

I would like to start from clear premises I foster. The EU has taken a leading role in the evolution towards a climate-neutral society. The instruments that are used for this are versatile:

a.       Create awareness among the population so that they implement a change in behaviour. This is a long-term task that the EU has been engaged in since the last century.

b.       Creating awareness among the industry so that it takes measures on a voluntary basis to reduce its CO2 emissions, but also takes measures to tackle the pollution and health problems caused by their products through innovation. The sectors that have the most impact on both CO2 emissions and are polluting are: fashion & textile, packaging, plastic, eWaste, construction materials, automotive industry, chemistry, agriculture & agro-industry

c.       The knowledge centres, which are often subsidized by government money, take the necessary steps to conduct applied research to find solutions in all the above domains.

d.       Moreover, the EU has consistently pursued a decentralized policy for several decades. A very large budget has therefore been reserved for decentralized programs such as Interreg and Horizon 2030, in which regional and urban authorities are invited to work together to tackle social and economic problems together.

e.       To get specific legislation into the national laws of the 27 member states through European directives, creating a market large enough to get unruly industries to cooperate. And try to influence other countries (trading partners of the EU) to do the same. The latter is part of the so-called “soft power” for which the EU has built a reputation.

The EU context

However, it is important that I first frame the EU before we move on to European eco-politics. Especially for an audience that lives in a country in the pre-entry phase.

As you all know, the EU started with cooperation between 6 countries: the two enemies of the Second World War, France and Germany, Italy and the Benelux countries. Funny in retrospect, and I'm not saying this to upset the ecologists, is that the first forms of coal and steel cooperation have emerged. That was on April 18th 1951. There was then a second step on March 25, 1957, the Treaty of Rome was signed by the same countries. This new treaty established the Euratom and the European Economic Community, and meant further integration at European level. We then arrive at a free trade association. But it quickly becomes clear that the European countries wanted to go much further than that: they wanted to pursue a common policy in several areas. Between 1993 and 2009, the European Union (EU) legally comprised three pillars. The European Communities pillar handled economic, social and environmental policies. It included

•         the European Community (EC), the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC, until its expiry in 2002), and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM).

•         The Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) pillar took care of foreign policy and military matters.

•         Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters (PJCCM) brought together co-operation in the fight against crime. This pillar was originally named Justice and Home Affairs (JHA)

The Environmental Law and thus Climate change was part of pillar 1 and therefore very soon already tackled by the EU.

The perspective of a joint effort on many matters was attractive enough to allow European countries to join. Over the years, the Union was steadily expanded, up to 28 member states, reduced to 27 since the Brexit.

Let us now treat the way Europe tackles climate change.

In 1996 the EU adopted a target of a maximum 2 °C rise in global mean temperature, compared to pre-industrial levels. Since then, European Leaders have reaffirmed this goal several times.

In June 2000 a European Climate Change Programme (ECCP) was launched by the European Commission, with the purpose of avoiding dangerous climate change. The European Union Emissions Trading System for greenhouse gases (EU ETS) is perhaps the most significant contribution of the ECCP, and the EU ETS is the largest greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme in the world.

A Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) was adopted in 2015 by the EU containing a comprehensive body of legislative and non-legislative actions, which aimed to transition the European economy from a linear to a circular model. The Action Plan mapped out 54 actions, as well as four legislative proposals on waste.

Among those actions, the EU identified plastics as a key priority and committed itself to ‘prepare a strategy addressing the challenges posed by plastics throughout the value chain and taking into account their entire life-cycle’. In 2017, the Commission confirmed it would focus on plastics production and use and work towards the goal of ensuring that all plastic packaging is recyclable by 2030.

By engaging policymakers across different policy areas and levels of governance, as well as various stakeholders, it has aimed to promote a collaborative approach. In this approach the EU believes in  smart, innovative and sustainable plastics industry, where design and production fully respects the needs of reuse, repair, and recycling, brings growth and jobs to Europe and helps cut EU's greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on imported fossil fuels.

In December 2019, the Von der Leyen Commission unveiled its European Green Deal, an ambitious plan to transform the EU’s economy into a fair, sustainable, and prosperous one.

The European Green Deal is the result of an evolution in the European Commission's thinking and of a series of policy developments across different areas since 2011.

Based upon that decision, the European Commission proposed a new circular economy action plan in the beginning of 2020. In this framework the EU increased its actions against plastic pollution.

From 3 July 2021, single-use plastic plates, cutlery, straws, balloon sticks and cotton buds cannot be placed on the markets of the EU Member States. In addition, the same measure applies to cups, food and beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene, and all products made of oxo-degradable plastic.

European directives must be transposed into national laws within a certain period of time. Countries often combine different directives in one law. And the speed and will with which national legislative work is done also shows how eager countries are to impose new laws on their industry. Other countries then see which way the wind blows and wait to see which way the more energetic countries are going.

For example, France and Spain have already passed and enacted stringent laws and have thus taken the lead in restricting the use of plastic packaging and single-use plastic. They should therefore experiment with solutions. This also means that France and Spain are attracting quite a few investments from major players to process the various types of plastics and to conduct research into the processing options for plastics that are still difficult to process.

Belgium and even England (note: not the UK) are also preparing laws or bills to curb plastic packaging in supermarkets.

In the Netherlands, on the other hand, which is nevertheless a forerunner in the field of circular economy, only recommendations have been written so far. The press, the critical fourth power, is therefore not tender in the latter country and denounces the procrastination.

Sometimes the ball is also mishit.[1] Plastic bags that were handed out at supermarket checkouts and markets, which became one of the biggest polluters of the oceans and ended up in our bodies as microplastics, were replaced in this century by elegant cotton totes. Neat cotton, which you could use again, and which carried a nice design or logo with which you became a walking advertising board again. A 2018 study by the Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark found that an organic cotton tote needs to be used 20,000 times to offset its overall impact of production. That equates to daily use for 54 years — for just one bag. oops! Not good again! It's a story of trial and error.

So there is still a lot of work to be done. But the directives create a research and experimentation dynamic in many countries. It speeds up the search for solutions. For example, I can quote a few articles here, from the Netherlands and France. In the Netherlands there is plenty of experimentation ongoing with deposits, washable plastic and edible chips bags. In France plastic containers to transport food from a collective catering kitchen to the various school restaurants are now replaced by stainsteel containers, heavier but unavoidable.[2]

Plastics require a multifaceted approach. On the one hand, there are thousands of types, of which only a small part is already recyclable. On the other hand, there is a petroleum industry that does everything it can to delay or boycott research into alternatives.  Of the seven major categories, there are only three that are already successfully reusable or recyclable.

But there is also improvement in sight. Large chemical multinationals such as Dow Chemical have turned to chemical recycling to process difficult plastics back into basic materials. [3]

What about paper bags and cardboard packaging?

Paper and cardboard are also materials that require a long incubation period. Both come from trees that are cut down and processed. Some trees grow quickly, but 10 years for a poplar is still a serious lead time. In addition, paper and cardboard are not moisture-resistant and are often coated with a chemical substance that appears to contain PFAS, an eternal chemical product that is not degradable and carcinogenic. So cardboard containers for Belgian fries are also banned in the Belgian bill.

Typical is Starbucks, who have made an icon of their disposable paper cup of coffee. They too have made the turn and are resolutely going for reusable cups.[4]

Paper recycling is not left to the most advanced countries in recycling in Northern Europe. Paper recycling champion is Italy: its recycling rate reaches 87.3% in the peninsula, compared to an average of 73.9% in the EU. This resulted out of sheer necessity: the country does not have resources for raw materials to meet demand. The largest hi-tech plant in Italy for volumes of paper and plastic was built by Iren close to Parma. The plant 100 thousand tons of paper and cardboard to close the entire system of collection and valorisation of flows in the provinces of Parma, Piacenza and Reggio.[5]

A last warning, published in February of this year in the New York Times:

Plastic waste is more than a local environmental pollutant. It clogs streams. It chokes turtles. It gets caught on a bare branch and blows in the breeze. It stews in landfills.

But it is also a climate pollutant. From the extraction of fossil fuels to make polymers to the transport and disposal of the waste, single-use plastics produced 450 million metric tons of planet-warming greenhouse gases in 2021 alone, according to estimates by Minderoo, a Australian think tank about the matter.[6]

Thank you for your attention

[1] Read also: https://at.tumblr.com/earaercircular/the-cotton-tote-crisis/vsvnvxk39rwe

[2] Read also: https://at.tumblr.com/earaercircular/in-a-years-time-company-canteens-events-and-the/tt1323wcxhn8 &

https://at.tumblr.com/earaercircular/the-collective-catering-restaurants-of/ztpogz6v7nsh

[3] Read also: https://at.tumblr.com/earaercircular/how-the-eu-can-enable-a-circular-economy-in/ghb9zhg1s7ic

[4] Read also: https://at.tumblr.com/earaercircular/starbucks-is-planning-to-phase-out-its-iconic-cups/3kqcjs30ly1y

[5] Read also: https://at.tumblr.com/earaercircular/iren-inaugurates-recap-in-parma-the-largest/82dbdbpriuzq

[6] Read also: https://at.tumblr.com/earaercircular/guess-what-more-plastic-trash/vkyl6i6imikn

[mikeywayarchive]

David Debiak & My Chemical Romance’s Mikey Way Talk New Project, Electric Century, & Overcoming Addiction

In a rare interview, former My Chemical Romance bassist Mikey Way discusses future plans with post-MCR project Electric Century, a collaboration with longtime friend David Debiak, which has already…

By Maria Sherman

May 24th 2017

Full interview under the cut:

Four years ago, My Chemical Romance disbanded. Since then, each of its members have pursued solo music endeavors in some capacity: Frontman Gerard Way and lead guitarist Ray Toro have unveiled solo LPs, and rhythm guitarist Frank Iero released two — under frnkiero and the cellebration, later adopting his current moniker, Frank Iero and the Patience.

The odd man out is bassist Mikey Way (Gerard’s brother), who, right after MCR’s dissolution, actually seemed to be the the most active musician. He quickly announced a new project, Electric Century, with longtime friend David Debiak (Sleep Station, New London Fire) and in Feb. 2014, released a debut single, “I Lied.” Almost as quickly as they began, things went south for the band, or so it seemed: when Way thought he was meeting his pal to finish their debut album that same month, Debiak had other plans, and drove Way to a rehab facility where he received long-needed treatment.

Electric Century’s journey has been a complicated one of personal growth, loss and addiction. They released their debut LP, ForThe Night to Control as a freebie in a 2016 issue of U.K. magazine Kerrang! The album will get an official release for the first time ever July 14 via New Jersey indie label Panic State Records. It’s an unusual approach to introducing a new band to the world — while Electric Century has been around since the end of My Chemical Romance, they’ve actually just begun.  

Confused? We were too, so we asked Way (EC’s multi-instrumentalist and backing vocalist) and Debiak (lead singer and also, player of several instruments) to break it down for us. Below, listen to the band’s New Order-channeling single “You Got It All Wrong” and read their first in-depth chat in years:

You guys have known each other for a long time now. How did you meet?

Mikey Way: We’ve known each other for 15, 20 years. Dave’s brother works at Eyeball Records [My Chemical Romance’s label] and we immediately hit it off. 

David Debiak: We shared a rehearsal space. The first conversation I ever had with Mikey, we were talking about music and I said, “Dude, want to play some bass?” He said, “Last week my brother asked me to start playing with him, so I think I’m going to give that a shot.” 

The course of history could’ve changed!

Way: New Jersey, like every scene, is incestuous. A bunch of my friends who went on to start bands that are still playing asked me to play something in their band. I was always like “Me and my brother, we’ve got this plan.” There are so many instances of like, “Wow, what would’ve happened?” 

When did Electric Century officially start? Was it right after My Chemical Romance called it quits?

Way: It did. I was doing a lot of soul-searching at that time. I still had a lot to say, musically. I had a lot of riffs and vocal melodies lying around. It was pretty seamless jump. There was no time between. 

Debiak: We started talking about doing something together when Mikey was on the last leg of the last My Chemical Romance tour.

At that time, were you aware My Chemical Romance was breaking up?

Way: If anything, I thought we were taking break. I thought, “Now is the time because we’re taking a break.” Eventually we all decided it should be more than a break. We initially thought it was going to be a break, then we all did some soul-searching and decided, “No, this is definitely the end.”

When you started writing together, did you know that this is the sound you were going to pursue? It’s different from My Chem — pretty goth-y, ’80s, English…

Way: Yeah! Britpop, new wave. I always wanted to scratch that New Order itch. Since I was a teenager, I wanted to do my version of New Order. I was in middle school when I came up with the name Electric Century. I was in science class, I remember. I used to write band names on my notebook. I came up with Electric Century and was like, “Whoa, I like that, I’m going to remember that one!” 

Did you immediately consider Electric Century a serious endeavor to pursue?

Way: Oh yeah. There was a ton of label interest. It got very serious very fast. We started getting attention that I didn’t see very often. Alternative Press had given us a cover at some point and we hadn’t ever played a show. MTV was talking to us as it was unfolding. People were excited.

“I Lied” is the first Electric Century song you released, back in Feb. 2014. That’s also when you conducted the MTV interview where Mikey told them, “I’m a drug addict, I’ve been a drug addict my whole life.” Lyrics aren’t always transparent but in that song you mention darkness, filling veins, lying — I think lying is a dead giveaway with addiction. Was it meant to be autobiographical?

Way: When we were writing that song, Dave saw what was happening. Drug addicts are notorious liars and at the time, I was a notorious liar about my addiction, that I didn’t have a problem. I was in denial for decades. It was fitting that it was the first song anyone could listen to and that it was released while I was getting admitted into rehab. All of it was this weird cosmic joke — art imitating life imitating art.

Electric Century spent most of that year in the dark. Later, Mikey, you revealed that it was because you went into rehab.

Way: I came home [to New Jersey in February] but I wasn’t there to record. [Dave] was going to take me to a facility. I thought we were going to finish the album. I woke up at Dave’s house, we went for coffee and I said, “When are we starting?” and he said, “You’re not here to record.”

Debiak: I lured you out here with the thought process that we were going to record and on your way out I researched what facilities were available and who had room. I drove you that day and not for a second did you put up a fight. It was more important for you to get help than for us to finish the album.

Way: It was a relief. It was something I put off for a very long time. That’s the thing about Dave, he cares about me like we’re from the same parent. You don’t run into many people like that in life. 

Mikey, do you think the end of My Chemical Romance, something so tied to your identity, acted as a catalyst for your self-destructive behavior?

Way: 100 percent. The band ended, and I was going through a divorce at the same time. I do the most stressful things in clumps. The way I knew how to deal with that, through life, was to self-medicate so that’s what I did. The tail end of My Chem was so dark for me — I was in a fog. Life caught up with me at that point, and I was getting by. I was in the ocean with the water by my lips. I was trying to stay up and I was failing. I had always self-soothed through narcotics from an early age. 

When you get out of rehab, especially as much damage as I had done to myself, you’re basically starting over. You’re standing outside of this house that you built, you’re lighting it on fire and you have to start over again. You have to learn how to get back what you had without being high. For me to be me, sober, that was the true journey afterwards. When you get out of rehab, that’s when the real s–t starts. 

Debiak: I came up to visit you in rehab and we did “Let You Get Away.” We borrowed someone’s old school boom box to play music on and we talked about that song a lot.

That song is the next one you shared, in 2015. Then you released a self-titled EP for Record Store Day — it reads like you were easing back into the project post-rehab. Were you testing the waters, gauging interest, or is that how you work — you release things when you have songs to release? 

Debiak: Both. Watching Mikey come back together again — he had to rebuild his life — I was in no rush to make him do that faster than he needed to. As he started feeling better, we starting talking more Electric Century. There was a period were we didn’t talk at all because he was going through the pains of growing and learning how to be sober. That was more important than Electric Century.

Last year you released your debut LP, For theNight to Control, through U.K. rock publication Kerrang! It seemed like you wanted to make something temporary because it’s limited edition and only a few people would ever hear it. 

Way: I was trying to emulate the excitement of when we were teenagers. Like, “Ok Computer comes out at this time, let’s go to the city and wait in front of HMV and we can buy it at midnight.” The only way to do that is to couple it with something. I wanted to give it away. The money thing isn’t a factor. I thought it was more of a statement. We’re releasing it to one part of the world. It’s still not out yet, technically. If you bought the magazine, you have a copy, but it’s not out.

Why give it an official release now?

Way: I was waiting until my life finally made sense again. I woke up one day last summer and it was like, “Yo, there he is!” I had finally gotten myself back 100 percent. Prior to that, I started to creep back into it. I did the Alternative Press Music Awards where I played bass with [Black Veil Brides’] Andy Black. Over the summer I had secretly gone out and played bass with Waterparks on their U.K. tour. I was doing things again. I was re-establishing myself with music again. We didn’t immediately jump back into the machine, which would’ve been a mistake. It’s purely for the joy of it.

What’s in store for the future?

Way: Me and Dave are working on the second Electric Century record. We’re planning two shows: one in New Jersey and one in L.A. It’s a matter of when. I think, down the line, I would love to play the U.K. and Japan with this. I could see us touring this, but I don’t want to jinx it. The project has been around so long, but it’s still new to us.

For The Night to Control is available for pre-order here.

You can read the interview here

[wellimaginethat]

Reputation

Pairing: Adam Ruzek x (female) Reader

Word Count: 3207

Author’s Note: Another Request! Thank you! Also I love Adam so much. I’m super nervous about this one because I had no idea where to go with it. I loved the request, but I wasn’t sure how to go about it.

Trigger Warning(s): Shooting, non-fatal injury, drinking

Disclaimer: I don’t owe nor am I affiliated with any of the Chicago shows, I just like to play with the characters

Summary: Adam is head over heels for Y/N, but she’s worried because she knows his reputation

Y/N = Your Name

Y/LN = Your Last Name

Y/EC = Your Eye Color

You had been working with Intelligence for a while now, not as long as the rest of them but long enough to have formed friendships and bonds with your coworkers. And long enough to know of a certain someone’s reputation with women.

You had to admit, he was good looking and you could understand what they saw in him, but you were determined not to fall for his good looks and charms.

However, Adam didn’t seem to get the memo.

He flirted with you, a lot. At first, you didn’t notice, not until Kevin pointed it out to you.

“He is not.” You laughed it off, shaking your head.

Kevin gave you a look before scoffing. “Yes, he is.”

“Whatever.” You rolled your eyes, still laughing a bit.

“He’s totally into you, Y/N.” Kevin persisted. “Anyone can see it.”

“I think you’re reading too much into it.” You told him, waving it off.

“He’s been flirting with you nonstop all week.”

“He’s Adam, he flirts with all the women.” You countered.

Kevin shook his head. “Alright, believe what you want, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

You rolled your eyes again, turning back to your paperwork.

You really wish you would have headed Kevin’s warning, because when Adam asked you to join him for drinks that night, you thought nothing of it. That is, until you showed up at Molly’s and it ended up being just you and him. You had assumed that there would be someone else from the team there.

You approached him. “Hey, where’s everyone else?”

Adam gave you a strange look. “What do you mean?”

“Well when you asked if I wanted to grab drinks, I thought that meant with the team.” You told him, suddenly realizing that he had meant just the two of you.

He shook his head. “No, I meant just you and me.”

“Oh, okay.” You nodded, still telling yourself it didn’t mean anything, as you took a seat on the bar stool next to him.

“You wanna grab a table?” Adam asked, standing up as you were taking a seat. “It’s a bit more private.”

And intimate, you thought but didn’t say. You nodded. “Yeah, let me just get a drink and then we can move to a table.” You were still trying to tell yourself it didn’t mean anything.

After you got your drink, the two of you moved over to a table. You took a seat and he sat across from you, flashing you a grin after a moment.

You looked at him and raised a brow. “What’s up?” You asked, wondering just what was going on.

He shook his head slightly and gave you a halfhearted shrug. “Nothing, why?”

You paused, trying to think of a good response. “Well I was just wondering, you know, since it’s just us here…”

Your comment didn’t seem to faze him. “So what do you like to do outside of work?” He asked. “I feel like we never talk about that.”

“Because we’re always at work whenever we really talk.” You told him, it wasn’t because you didn’t like each other, you just never seemed to hang out outside of work unless it was everyone. Out of everyone on the team he was probably the only one you hadn’t hung out with alone, you had even drank with Voight a few times, not on purpose, but still.

“Yeah, I’m thinking we should change that.” Adam told you, leaning on the table as he watched you.

You paused again, trying to piece together just what was happening and getting the feeling that you were his newest romantic target. “I don’t think so.” You shook your head, making a move to stand.

Adam’s expression twisted into a confused one as he watched you get up. “What? Why?”

You gave him a polite smile. “Because I just...don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Adam frowned slightly. “Why not?” He asked again. “You hang out with everyone else?”

You stopped, feeling embarrassed because you’d misread the situation, but you somehow managed to hide it as you looked at him again. “I-.” You stopped and laughed some, shaking your head and taking a seat again. “I’m such an idiot, I thought you…”

“What?” Adam asked, tilting his head.

“I thought you were implying something else.” You shook your head, still laughing a bit as you felt your cheeks finally start to heat up. “Kevin was saying something about you flirting with me earlier, I told him that he was nuts but I guess it had me on guard.”

“Well I have been.” Adam stated as plainly as one would say the sky was blue.

You stopped and looked at him for a moment. “What?” You asked after a moment, confused.

“I have been flirting with you.” Adam told you in the same simple tone.

You frowned. “Now I’m confused.”

“What’s there to be confused about? I like you, that’s why I’ve been flirting with you and why I asked you out tonight.” Adam explained, watching you.

You faltered, trying to collect your thoughts.

“And I thought maybe that’s why you and I haven’t hung out, why you hang out with everyone else but me.” Adam told you, leaning on the table again, waiting for you to say something.

You shook your head. “That’s...that’s not why.” You told him, getting up again and heading towards the door.

“Y/N!” Adam called after you, but you ignored him as you walked out. He was quick to follow you. “Y/N! Hey, wait up!” He jogged to catch up to you.

You just shook your head, continuing to walk until he grabbed your hand, causing you to finally look at him. “No, Adam.” You told him, pulling your hand away.

He looked at you, confused. “Why?”

“Because I know your reputation.” You stated simply. “And I’m not going to be just another name in your little black book.” And with that, you turned and left him standing there as you walked to your car. 

You got home and you didn’t know if you wanted to scream or cry, you were confused and a bit angry, at what, you didn’t really know. You felt stupid for not noticing it, and for letting his flirting continue like it had been. If you had any idea that he was getting the idea that you’d be another one of his flings, you wouldn’t have let it go on for so long. You would have made it clear from the beginning. But in all honesty, his flirting hadn’t bothered you and you kinda liked it. And maybe if you didn’t know his reputation with women, maybe, just maybe, you’d give it a chance, despite Voight’s rule about dating within the team.

The next few days had gone by and it was only slightly awkward. You and Adam didn’t talk to each other because you made a point to avoid him, which actually wasn’t that hard to do. However, you could feel his eyes on you every time he would look at you.

It was on the third day that he cornered you when you were taking a break to get yourself a soda.

“You’ve been avoiding me.” He commented.

You didn’t look at him. “No I haven’t.”

He laughed a bit and shook his head. “Yes, you have.” He sighed. “I’m sorry for putting you on the spot like that.” He told you, even though he didn’t really think he had put you on the spot.

You finally looked at him after you got your soda, you took a sip while you thought of what to say. You ended up shrugging. “It’s okay.”

Adam shook his head. “I was trying to be straightforward and clear with you.” He told you. “I like you, a lot, and I want-”

You held up a hand to cut him off. “Don’t.” You told him. “Not here, or anywhere for that matter.”

“Why?” Adam asked you, still trying to figure out what he was doing wrong.

“Because one, we’re at work. And two, I told you the other night that I wasn’t interested in being another one of your flings.” You told him simply, keeping your voice low so no one else could hear you.

Adam shook his head. “That’s not what I want.”

“Oh really? Look at your track record, Adam.” “I know I have a shitty track record, Y/N.” Adam told you firmly, stopping you. “I know, but this is different.”

You scoffed. “How many times have you said that before?”

Adam shook his head. “I’m serious.”

You shook your head and went to walk around him but he stepped in your path, causing you to nearly collide with him.

“Just hear me out.” Adam said softly, eyes meeting yours. “Please.”

You sighed and took a step back, looking at him and nodding. “Go on.”

“This is different.” Adam told you. “And I know that sounds cliche, and I know this will sound cliche too. But since you started working here, I’ve been drawn to you. Everything about you is alluring to me; your personality, your smile, your laugh.” He reached out to take your hand. “Give me a chance, Y/N. Please.”

You hesitated, looking down at your hand in his. You’d be lying if you said you didn’t like him, but you had been hurt in the past and didn’t want to take a chance on someone who just seemed destined to hurt you. You shook your head as you slowly pulled your hand out of his. “I-I can’t. I’m sorry.” You couldn’t even look at him as you walked away, heading back to your desk.

Over the next few days, the team had gotten a new case and you tried to focus on that. But you couldn’t get Adam out of your head. You avoided Adam as much as you could, but every time you looked at him he looked sad. You tried to tell yourself that it wasn’t because of you, but you couldn’t shake the feeling that it was. Your rejection had really hurt him.

“You and Ruzek go question him.” Voight’s voice brought you out of your thoughts and you nodded, heading out. You didn’t even question why he would pair you with Adam, because you were still somewhat lost in your own world as you went outside.

The two of you weren’t expecting it, but one minute you were knocking on the door, and the next you were chasing after the guy that you were just supposed to be questioning. Halfway up the street, after the two of you had called for backup, he stopped and pulled out a gun.

“Gun!” You shouted, grabbing Adam’s arm and pulling him towards a parked car for cover as the man shot at the two of you. Adam pulled out his gun and you did the same, looking around the car for the gunman. You didn’t see him.

“We’ve lost sight of him.” You spoke into your radio when you noticed blood dripping on the pavement next to you. You looked at Adam. “You’ve been shot.” You stated, your heart dropping into your stomach.

He grimaced. “Yeah, I know.” He told you, still looking for the gunman. “It’s not that bad.”

You frowned. “Not that bad? Adam, you’re bleeding pretty badly.” You said as you started to apply pressure on his wound one one hand, grabbing your radio again with the other. “We need a bus, we got an officer down.” You said, pulling Adam down to a sitting position, pushing him to lean against the car as you kept pressure on his lower abdomen.

Adam grunted slightly at the pressure and looked at you. “I’m gonna be fine.”

“I know.” You nodded, although your eyes were glued to your hands, which were turning crimson with his blood.

“Voight’s gonna have our heads.” He forced a laugh.

You rolled your eyes. “I’ll deal with Voight.” You told him. “He likes me more than you.” You teased.

This time he didn’t have to force the laugh, but it was cut short because of the pain he felt. “Don’t do that.”

“Don’t do what?” You asked, looking at him.

“Be all cute like that.” Adam told you, shaking his head. “It makes it hard not to flirt with you.”

You shook your head, a small smile finding its way onto your face. “You’re really something, you know that? You just got shot and all you do is joke around.”

“I’m not joking.” Adam told you.

“That makes it worse.” You informed him with a laugh, shaking your head.

Soon enough backup was there and Adam was being loaded into the ambulance. Once he got to the hospital, he was treated. It ended up not being as bad as what it seemed, and he was released the same day with orders to take it easy.

He walked out and saw you there.

“I’m driving you home.” You informed him with a smile.

He nodded and followed you out of the hospital.

“You feel up to grabbing a drink?” You asked him, looking over at him.

Adam nodded. “Yeah, I think after today I could use a beer.”

You chuckled and nodded. “Sounds good.” You head over to your car, you drove the two of you to the bar and were greeted by the rest of the team when you walked in.

About an hour passed before Adam walked over to you and nudged your arm. “Can you drive me home now? I’m starting to get sore.” He spoke quietly, trying to keep attention away from him because he didn’t want to get ridiculed.

You nodded and stood up. “Yeah, no problem.” You smiled gently at him and walked out.

“Thank you.” Adam spoke after the two of you were in your car.

“It’s really no problem, Adam.” You told him honestly.

He fell silent for a minute. “Y/N I still really like you. I know I said I’d stop flirting with you, and I have.” He paused for a moment, expecting you to stop him, and he was surprised when you didn’t, so he continued, turning to you. “If you give me a chance, I can guarantee you won’t regret it.”

You were quiet as you drove a little bit, staring ahead at the road in front of you, but you could feel his eyes on you and see him out of your peripheral vision. You remained quiet until you got to his apartment building and put your car in park.

He let out a slow sigh and nodded. “I’m sorry-” He started as he reached for the door handle. “I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

You laughed and shook your head. “Adam, you’re in no shape to be working tomorrow.” You told him, looking over at him. “How much have you had to drink? Do you remember that you were shot?”

“I can still do paperwork.” Adam countered you.

“Yeah, but why would you want to?” You asked, confused.

“Well if I go to work, I’ll at least get to see you, even if you stop talking to me.” He told you before sighing. “I’m sorry, I did have some to drink and I can’t stop thinking about how good you and I could be together.” He added. “I can’t just give up, not when I feel like this about you. I tried and I can’t.”

You sat there, facing him. You didn’t know what to say.

“Say something.” Adam said quietly, brown eyes meeting your Y/EC eyes. “Please.”

You reached over and took his hand in yours. “Adam.” You spoke softly, and you could see the sadness wash over him, causing you to pause.

He nodded, swallowing hard. “Sorry, I just needed to get it off my chest.” He said quietly, not looking at you anymore. He reached for the door handle again, only stopping when your grip tightened on his hand.

“What makes you think this is going to be any different?” You asked quietly, looking at your hands together.

He was quiet for a moment, adjusting in the seat to look at you again. “Because I’ve never felt like this before.” He told you softly. “Everyday I fall in love with you more and more.” He sighed softly and squeezed your hand gently. “I love you, and I’ll walk away if that’s what you really want, but not before I at least try to show that I mean it.”

Your eyes snapped up to meet his eyes when he said that. “What?”

He ran his free hand over his face. “Yeah, I just said that.” He spoke, but not directed towards you, as he looked forward and leaned back in the seat.

You knew he’d had some to drink, which caused you to question what he was saying. You patted his hand gently with your other hand. “Adam, let’s talk about this when you’re sober.” You said softly.

He looked over at you for what felt like a long time, it felt like he was looking into your soul honestly. “I meant it.” He told you honestly. “I love you, but if you tell me that you really don’t want me, then I’ll stop, but I need to hear you say it. I need you to tell me that there’s no chance for us.”

“Adam, you’re drunk.” You whispered.

Adam shook his head. “I’m not that drunk that I don’t know what I’m saying.”

You looked at him for a moment. “I’m scared.” You said quietly. “You have a reputation-” You stopped and shook your head some.

“I know I do.” Adam told you quietly. “But I swear this is different and I’ll wait as long as it takes.”

“You’d actually wait?” You asked quietly.

“For however long it takes.” Adam answered you honestly. “I’d do anything to prove to you that this is different, Y/N.”

You watched him for a moment before leaning over and kissing him, he was taken off guard but was quick to kiss you back.

He was the one to pull back and lean his forehead against yours, but he didn’t say anything, his eyes remained closed.

You remained quiet for a moment before sitting back in your seat, putting distance between the two of you. “I want to take this slow.” You said quietly, getting his attention.

He watched you for a moment before smiling and nodding. “I have no problem with that.” He replied softly, still watching you. “We can take it as slow as you want, I’m willing to put in the effort.”

You smiled softly and leaned over to kiss him again. “You should get inside and get some sleep if you really intend on going in to work tomorrow.” You whispered softly.

He hummed. “I will in a minute.” He told you softly before kissing you once. “I’m not ready to say goodnight yet.”

You laughed softly. “Go. You need rest, Adam.” You told him softly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He grinned at you as he got out and walked into his building, stopping at the door to wave at you.

You waved back and waited until he was inside to drive home.

[purplesurveys]

1125

survey by nadine07

[..Introductions..]

First Name: Robyn.

Middle Name: I don’t think I’ve shared it on here and I doubt I will.

Last Name: Not providing it either but it starts with a C.

Birthdate: April 21st.

[..First Things First..]

What was the first thing you did after you got up? I rushed to the rooftop so that I could see the sunrise. I also got in the random mood to do a time-lapse of it, but the sun took forrrrrrrr-freaking-ever to come up entirely. I was holding up my phone for like 15 minutes and nothing was happening, so I quit halfway through lol.

What was the name of your first pet? Goldie, because it was a goldfish.

Who was your first big crush? Gabie, I would say.

Where was the first place you drove after you got your license? Chelsea’s 18th birthday dinner was scheduled right after I happened to get my license, and the event took place in a small, quaint little restaurant in Marikina. 

There’s a bit of a funny story here, too – Aaron needed a ride to get there and so I offered to drive him. I picked him up and we were having small talk in the car, and he asked me how long I’ve been driving. I told him that moment was my literal first time driving out and that I just got my license the day before, and he is my first-ever passenger (at that point I’ve never even tried driving solo yet). The horror and immediate distrust on his face was something I will never forget HAHAHA. We got to the place unharmed, but it’s still one of my favorite stories to tell.

Who was your very first friend? It was a kind girl named Kaye back in kindergarten. We were always next to each other in our class lists, so it was inevitable for us to befriend one another. She transferred schools in first grade and I have not seen nor heard from her since.

What was the first thing you ate today? I had another bag of salted egg chips. I’m extremely hooked, lmao.

What was your first job? I work as an associate at a PR agency.

[..Colors..]

Name something red in the room you are in: We have an unopened bottle of wine here on the dining table and there’s still a red ribbon wrapped around it.

Is orange one of your school's team colors? No, neither of my schools had orange as one of its colors.

How many yellow shirts do you own? I can think of 5 tops hanging out in my wardrobe at the moment. Two of them are class shirts from high school; the others were tops I bought when I started getting into mustard yellow.

Name someone you know who drives a green car: I believe Angel, a classmate from high school who also studies in UP, also drives a Mitsubishi Mirage, albeit a lime green one.

Is it a blue sky outside right now? Yes for the most part, but the sun is setting soon so the sky is bound to change into many pretty colors as it usually does at this time of the day.

What is the first thing that pops into your head when I say 'purple'? Barney the dinosaur, and ube.

Are the walls in the room you're in white? Yes, all our walls indoors are white.

Does black make you think of depressing things? Not always, but if used specifically in that context, it definitely helps boosts the mood.

Jewelry: gold or silver? Silverrr, always.

[..Phone Stuff..]

Who is your provider? Nothing you would be familiar with, but I use Globe.

How long have you had your current phone? It’ll be three years this year. It would be nice to upgrade, but I’m also still happy with my current phone so it doesn’t really matter to me.

What did your last text say? The last one that came through that didn’t come from my mobile services provider was from someone in the media. It was his birthday last Friday and I messaged him if he’d like to receive a gift from us, on behalf of one of our clients; he just replied with his confirmation and details.

If you woke up naked next to the last person to call, would it be awkward? Yep and I’d feel like throwing up almost immediately.

Was your last missed call male or female? It was from my mom.

Who is your 10th phone contact? It’s from Jum, who I realize is still listed as Ate Jum on my phone. That’s cute hahaha; I must have gotten her number when we weren’t super close yet. Anyway, she’s been super MIA for like the last two years...basically, ever since she graduated. I believe she has also since moved back to Bicol, so it’s become virtually impossible to see her again. Bums me out and I look forward to the day we somehow end up in the same room once again.

How did you meet them? I met her in my very first journalism major class. I had mixed feelings towards her at first since I found her to be super loud in class, and I initially thought she would only be a one-time classmate and nothing more; but I got to know her more and we even ended up as orgmates, and it turns out she is literally the most hilarious person I know.

Are you related to your 17th phone contact? I have absolutely no clue who it is. I no longer remember what led to it, but Gabie and I swapped the SIM cards in our phones at one point, and for some reason it made me have access to her contacts; the 17th contact on my phone is someone from her list. And since I never hang out in my Contacts app, I’ve never gotten around to deleting those extra numbers I received.

How long have you known your 1st phone contact? Around 6th or 7th grade. I can’t remember the exact grade level she transferred to my school as a new student.

When was the last time you saw them? It’s been at least a year. I remember seeing her on campus very briefly when I was on my way to a certain building for class, while she was walking out of it.

Who is your 4th phone contact? LMAO, again, it’s from her contact list. Said person is one of her older cousins, I believe.

Have you ever kissed that person? No, and that is very weird and uncomfortable to think about.

When was the last time someone drunk dialed/texted/left a voicemail? Andi drunk messaged me a few months ago. November, I think.

[..Friends..]

Who is your #1? No Myspace but I’d say my top best friend is Angela.

How long have you known them? It will be 16 years this year.

Have you ever kissed? Oh my gosh, hell no. It would be like kissing a sister haha. She’s super affectionate and will sometimes kiss my shoulder or cheek, though.

Are you dating this person? No, never did and never desired to.

Do you have nicknames for each other? Not really exclusive to each other, but I call her Anj (and only a few people call her so) and she will occasionally call me Reben or Rolayn, both from past inside jokes.

What is your #2's full name? I am not sharing that, but I refer to them as Andi (you may remember them as Andrew from the past times I’ve mentioned them).

Do they live within 20 minutes of you? If there is zero traffic, I can probably make it to their place within that timeframe, yeah. But realistically, no they don’t.

How did you meet? We initially met in an anti-Marcos protest/rally – I approached they first because they had a wrestling shirt on, heheh – and that’s when I learned we were from the same college. But they rubbed me off the wrong way from our first meeting as they were too extroverted for my liking, and I spent a good chunk of time ignoring him whenever we crossed paths, lmfao. Eventually we were put in the same class at some point, and they even joined my org, and an intensely close friendship started from there.

Could you live with this person? Sure. I think they would never be a boring roommate.

Who is your #3? I’m gonna go with Kate for this one.

Where are they right now? I have no idea. We don’t really catch up with each other’s lives on a regular basis; we have a very chill, low-maintenance friendship.

When is this person's birthday? January 1st.

Has this person ever seen you naked? I don’t think so.

What is your #4's full name? I don’t think I have a 4th-tier best friend haha, but I’m gonna pick Tina.

When did you last see them? Last year, on the last normal day I was able to be on campus. She was set to present one of her projects at a journalism conference that was taking place in campus that day, but I was able to hang out with her for a short time before the event.

Have they ever dated one of your other friends? No. I knew she had a crush on someone from the college, though.

Do you know their favorite movie? I’m not sure about her favorite movie but I do know she loves Adam Sandler. I was never able to figure out if her interest was ironic or genuine but yeah, she enjoys a good number of his works.

[..Randomosity..]

What time is it? 6:20 PM.

Are you supposed to be doing something other than this? I wouldn’t say so. I do have deliverables for work but since it’s the weekend, I’m not thinking about them nor do I have the desire to touch those tasks until Monday.

Do you live on your own or with your parents? I live with my family. Considering my monthly income, it’d be close to impossible to sustain myself in my own place this early in my adult life.

Are you more of a cat or a dog person? Dog, for sure.

Are you allergic to anything? I don’t believe so.

Does your shirt have anything written on it? Yeah, it says “UP Fighting Maroons” styled in a varsity font since that’s the term for our sports team.

Have you ever tie-dyed something? I have, but only back in like Grade 6 when we had to do it for a home ec class. I remember wanting to buy a tie-dye set recently so I could revisit the activity, but I never got around to it.

Who can you always count on to cheer you up? Angela for the most part; but I also don’t want to be too reliant on my friends in this way. Sometimes I simply allow myself to be sad or upset, and sometimes I count on myself to cheer up.

How many places have you been today? I have been nowhere but at home today lol. I’ll be going to BGC tomorrow to have lunch with my godfather and my cousins, though.

Are you a forgiving person? No.

When was the last time you felt let down? Last night when I read the news that the government will be making All Souls’ Day, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve working days this year. I already know I’ll be half-assing my way through those days lmao because whyyyyyyy the fuck would you make people work on family-centric holidays such as those

What is the title of the nearest book to you? There are no books here at the rooftop.

Are you wearing anything that belongs to someone else? Nope.

Can you whistle? Only through my lips. I can’t do the kind of whistle where you put your fingers in your mouth as well.

Do you look more like your mother or your father? My mom.

Are you still in high school? I’m well past that chapter.

Are you the oldest, middle, youngest, or an only child? I’m the eldest.

Has anyone ever told you that you talk in your sleep? No, because I don’t.

How many people have you kissed this year? None.

Is there anyone of the opposite sex you trust fully? Hmm, no one comes to mind.

Are you a night owl or an early bird? More of a night owl.

If you could have an exotic pet, what would it be? No thanks. I’ve never had the desire to have one.

Would you rather go to Brazil for the weekend or Finland for a month? I’d have to go with Finland. I feel like the cultural differences would be a lot more marked, plus the vacation is longer so that is an instant win for me.

[..And Finally..]

Where did you go the last time you drove somewhere? I was driving to the local coffee shop to spend some time with myself, and do a liiiiiiiittle bit of work as well.

Where did you last go out to eat at? Ramen Nagi. I was initially hesitant to show up there and ask for a table for one on a Sunday evening...but it turned out to feel incredibly empowering and freeing. It was definitely awkward at first, but it got a lot easier once I realized literally no one gives a fuck. Or if they did, they didn’t do anything about it and let me mind my own business. That evening was a crucial step in reclaiming my happiness, so I’m glad I made the choice to suck it up and enter the restaurant.

When was the last time you let someone borrow something from you? Last week, when Angela needed our abaca mat as an aesthetic for her grad shoot.

Was your last breakup a bad one? Yes.

What was the last song you listened to? Just checked my Spotify and the current song I have on pause is Descansos by Hayley Williams. 

What was the last movie you watched? Midsommar.

Did your last kiss happen in a public place? Not technically, but it did take place outside of my house so we were outdoors for some neighbors to see.

How did you meet the last person to leave you a comment? It was Andi, and I already explained how we met earlier in this survey.

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Since the news of Stan Lee's death I've wanted to write something meaningful about my own feelings for him, what he represented to me as a creator and as a human being, and what kind of impact his life had on my life. For many reasons (I was dislocated by the Woolsley Fire and haven't fully settled down since our return) I haven't had a chance to give such an in-depth appraisal much thought. Honestly, I doubt I could do a full appraisal of Stan's importance in my life even under the best of circumstances. His work and presence as an icon and as a human being helped form who I am today. To write a full appreciation of Stan I'd have to write my autobiography.

Among my most vivid childhood memories is my discovery of the Fantastic Four with issue 4, the first appearance of the Sub-Mariner. I was nine years old, and I'd been a comic book reader for years at that point. I knew about Superman, I knew about Batman, I'd read the early issues of Justice League. I was a compulsive reader, voracious (still am)-- devoting hours a day to books and stories and comics and even my parents' newspapers. (Both my parents were avid readers. My dad read science fiction, my mom loved mysteries.) I vividly recall the astonished joy I felt when my mom took me to our local library and got me my first library card. I was six, I think, and the reality of a roomful of books just for kids seemed like a gift from heaven. I won all the reading awards at school-- any competition for reading the most books in a year was over as far as I was concerned the first week. By nine, I'd already graduated from "age appropriate" books for pre-teens to Heinlein's juveniles, Asimov's robot stories, and the collected Sherlock Holmes stories of Arthur Conan Doyle. I was a total reading nerd.

And then came Fantastic Four.

I've never been hit by lightning but I have to imagine the shock might be similar to what I experienced reading that early adventure of Reed Richards, Sue Storm, her kid brother Johnny, and Ben Grimm. If you weren't a comic book reader at that time you cannot imagine the impact those stories had. There's nothing comparable in the modern reader's experience of comics-- nothing remotely as transformative. (To be fair, I suppose both "The Dark Knight Returns" and "Watchmen" come close, but both remarkable works built on prior tradition and were perhaps a fulfillment of potential and creative expectations. The Fantastic Four was _sui generis_.) Over a series of perhaps five issues, a single year, Stan and Jack Kirby transformed superhero comics in an act of creative alchemy similar to transmuting lead into gold, and just as unlikely.

They also changed my life. Because Stan credited himself as writer and Jack as artist, he opened my nine year old eyes to a possibility I'd never really considered before: I could be something called a comic book "writer" or "artist."

Think about that, for a moment. Before Stan regularly began giving credits to writers and artists, comics (with a few exceptions) were produced anonymously. Who wrote and drew Superman? Who wrote and drew Donald Duck? Who wrote and drew Archie? Who knew? (Serious older fans knew, of course, but as far as the average reader or disinterested bystander knew, most comics popped into existence spontaneously, like flowers, or in some eyes, weeds.)

Stan did more than create a fictional universe, more than create an approach to superhero storytelling and mythology-- he created the concept of comic book story creation itself. Through his promotion of the Marvel Bullpen, with his identification of the creative personalities who wrote and drew Marvel's books, he sparked the idea that writing and drawing comics was something ordinary people did every day. (Yes, yes, to a degree Bill Gaines had done something similar with EC Comic's in-house fan pages, but let's be honest, EC never had the overwhelming impact on a mass audience that Marvel had later.) He made the creation of comic book stories something anyone could aspire to do _as a potential career_.

That's huge. It gave rise to a generation of creative talent whose ambition was to create comics. Prior to the 1960s, writing and drawing comic books wasn't something any writer or artist generally aspired to (obviously there were exceptions). Almost every professional comic book artist was an aspiring newspaper syndicated strip artist or an aspiring magazine illustrator. (Again, there were exceptions.) Almost every professional comic book writer was also a writer for pulp magazines or paperback thrillers. (Edmond Hamilton, Otto Binder, Gardner Fox, so many others-- all wrote for the pulps and paperbacks.) Comic book careers weren't something you aimed to achieve; they were where you ended up when you failed to reach your goal.

Even Stan, prior to the Fantastic Four, felt this way. It's an essential part of his legend: he wanted to quit comics because he felt it was stifling his creative potential, but his wife, Joan, suggested an alternative. Write the way you want to write. Write what you want to write. Write your own truth.

He did, and the rest, as the saying goes, is history.

When I picked up that issue of Fantastic Four, I was a nine year old boy with typical nine year old boy fantasies about what my life would be. Some were literal fantasies: I'd suggested to my dad a year or so earlier that we could turn the family car into the Batmobile and he could be Batman and I could be Robin and we could fight crime. After he passed on that idea I decided we could be like the Hardy family-- he could be a detective and I could be his amateur detective son, either Frank or Joe. Later I became more realistic and figured I could become an actor who played Frank or Joe Hardy in a Hardy Boy movie. In fact, by nine, my most realistic career fantasies involved either becoming an actor or an astronaut, and of the two, astronaut seemed like the more practical choice.

Stan and Marvel Comics gradually showed me a different path, a different possible career. By making comic books cool, by making them creatively enticing, and by making the people who created comics _real_ to readers-- Stan created the idea of a career creating comics.

Stan alone did this. We can argue over other aspects of his legacy-- debate whether he or his several collaborators were more important in the creation of this character or that piece of mythology-- but we can't argue about this. Without Stan's promotion of his fellow creatives at Marvel there would have been no lionizing of individual writers and artists in the 1960s. Without that promotion there would have been no visible role models for younger, future creators to emulate. Yes, some of us would still have wanted to create comics-- but I'd argue that the massive explosion of talent in the 1970s and later decades had its origin in Stan's innovative promotion of individual talents during the 1960s.

Nobody aspires to play in a rock band if they've never heard of a rock band. The Marvel Bullpen of the 1960s was comicdom's first rock band.

That was because of Stan.

For me, Stan's presence in the world gave direction and purpose to my creative life, and my creative life has given meaning and purpose to my personal life. I am the man I am today, and I've lived the life I've lived, because of him. From the age of nine on, I've followed the path I'm on because of Stan Lee. (So much of my personal life is entangled in choices I've made as a result of my career it's impossible for me to separate personal from professional.)

My personal relationship with Stan, which began when I was seventeen years old, is more complex and less enlightening. It's a truism your heroes always disappoint you, and I was often disappointed by Stan. Yet I never stopped admiring him for his best qualities, his innate goodness, his creative ambition and unparalleled instincts. People often asked me, "What's Stan really like?" For a long time I had a cynical answer, but in recent years I realized I was wrong. The Stan you saw in the media was, in fact, the real Stan: a sweet, earnest, basically decent man who wanted to do the right thing, who was as astounded by his success as anyone, and who was just modest enough to mock himself to let us know he was in on the joke. I imagine Stan was grateful for the luck of being the right man at the right place at the right time-- but it's true he _was_ the right man. No one else could have done what he did. The qualities of ego and self-interest that I sometimes decried in him were the same qualities needed for him to fulfill the role he played. In typical comic book story telling, his weaknesses were his strengths. And his strengths made him a legend and a leader for all who came after him-- particularly me.

This has been a rambling appreciation, I know. Scattered and disjointed. Like I said, trying to describe the impact Stan had on my life would require an autobiography.

When I started thinking about Stan in light of his death I realized, for the first time (and isn't this psychologically interesting?) that Stan was born just a year after my father. When I met him, as a teenager struggling with my own father as almost all teenage boys do, Stan probably affected me as a surrogate father figure. Unlike my own father, Stan was a symbol of the possibilities of a creative life. He was a role model for creative success, like other older men in my life at the time. But unlike them, he'd been a part of my life since I was nine years old. A surrogate father in fantasy before he partly became one in reality.

Now he's gone. Part of me goes with him, but the greater part of me, the life I've led and built under his influence, remains.

Like so much of the pop culture world we live in, I'm partly Stan's creation.

'Nuff said.

[10minus6cosm]

Hepatitis E from Pork

This story from my perspective begins on the 28 December 2015- at 5.27 pm precisely. I know because that exact moment is captured on the WhatsApp chat on my handphone.

That’s my virology colleague remarking that he was signing out more Hepatitis E results than he expected. I’m no virologist but it did seem odd to me too. Hep E virus (HEV) is a positive-sense, single-stranded, non-enveloped, RNA virus that is spread by the faecal-oral route. When I was a microbiology trainee I was taught it was a disease mainly of developing countries due to ingesting contaminated water and shellfish. The sanitation in Singapore is relatively good. Unless travellers were importing the infection, there was really no reason to find many cases of Hep E in Singapore. So why should there be a spike in cases when there really should hardly be any cases in the first place?

You can follow our train of thought below as we approached this conundrum.

The suggestion that it was zoonotic was a bit of a stab in the dark on the basis that HEV is acquired by ingestion. Given we have access to clean water in Singapore, a contaminated food source seemed a more likely explanation. We were also influenced by recent experience of a large Group B Streptococcus acquired by eating raw fish.

With some judicious googling, my colleague soon stumbled on a link between pigs and HEV which I had hitherto been unaware of.

Even if you find the virus in food, it still needs to be ingested in an infectious form. Aren’t people normally aware that you should only eat pork that has been thoroughly cooked (to avoid parasites)? Coincidentally, a few days before this conversation I had first hand experience of a potential risk exposure event (top photo). One of the local dishes in Singapore is congee where raw pigs liver is placed on top of hot rice porridge. As anyone who likes eating offal knows, there is nothing more dreadful than overcooked liver, so the connoisseur will try and time it such that the liver is barely just cooked. It was still bloody when I bit into it.

So we had a working hypothesis. Over the next few days a bit of digging around revealed a number of interesting facts.

1. When we looked up the Ministry of Health’s Weekly Infectious Disease Bulletin, we found that there were more cases of Hep E (97) than Hep A (70) reported in 2015.

2. A lot of other developed countries were noticing unexpected increases of Hep E cases and these were increasingly linked to undercooked pork products (particularly sausages and pates).

3. Hep E had been already been studied in Singapore in 2013 (Tan LTC et al, 2013). At that time the association with pigs had in fact been considered but there was insufficient evidence to draw a firm conclusion about the food source, partly because the molecular tools to genotype HEV were not widely available at the time. HEV genotypes 1 and 2 are restricted to humans and cause the traditional outbreaks found in developing countries as a result of poor sanitation. Genotypes 3 and 4 may be found in humans but also have animal reservoirs, in particular pigs. 

So we embarked on a new study together with colleagues in the National Environmental Agency (now Singapore Food Agency) which has finally been published (Wong CC, 2019).

The findings can be summarised thus.

1. Hep E has been increasing in Singapore. From 0.92 cases per 100,000 population in 2009-2011 to 4.1 cases per 100,000 population in 2016.

2. The increase is predominantly in the Chinese population. Chinese (86%) were over-represented among those HEV IgM positive compared to Indians (5%) and Malays (2%), even taking into account the National ethnic distribution.

3. The majority (85%) of HEV were genotype 3. 15% were genotype 1 and 1 was genotype 4. Genotype 3 was found in both pig livers and human infections among the Chinese.

4. A different genotype of HEV which is not associated with animal sources was found in the Malays (unsurprising since Muslims do not eat pork).

During the long gestation time for this paper, a number of other local studies have been published.

A fatal case of chronic Hep E in  a solid organ transplant recipient (SOTR) in our hospital triggered a retrospective review of 16 cases, eight of which were SOTR (Teo EC et al, 2017)*. 88% were HEV genotype 3. 

Earlier this year another team of Singapore investigators  (Zhu YO, 2019) published on viral sequences from 15 immunocompromised patients with chronic Hep E at the National University Hospital. All were HEV genotype 3. Interestingly they found two patients who shared extremely similar viruses who had residential addresses, which were within one kilometre of each other suggesting  the possibility of common food sources.

So the conclusion is that eating raw or undercooked pork products may contribute to the majority of Hep E cases in Singapore.

What are the risks?

In most healthy people, Hep E is a mild infection and may not even be noticed.

However it may cause chronic infection in those with pre-existing liver disease and more severe infection in the immunocompromised.

There are implications here for public health and food for thought for those looking after immunocompromised patients and those running blood banks.

Preventative food safety precautions may be found in some of the links given below.

UK Food Standards.

https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/hepatitis-e-virus

Center for Food Safety Hong Kong 

https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fm_01_15_HEV_pig_liver.html

https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/multimedia/multimedia_pub/multimedia_pub_fsf_54_01.html

European Food Safety Authority

https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4886

Tan LT, Tan J, Ang LW, Chan KP, Chiew KT, Cutter J, Chew SK, Goh KT. Epidemiology of acute hepatitis E in Singapore. J Infect. 2013 May;66(5):453-9. (no free access)

Wong CC, Then SM, Ng Y, Kang JSL, Ng TY, Chau ML, Koh TH, Chan KP. Seroepidemiology and genotyping of hepatitis E virus in Singapore reveal rise in number of cases and similarity of human strains to those detected in pig livers. Zoonoses and Public Health. 2019 (early view online). (no free access)

Teo EC, Tan BH, Purdy MA, Wong PS, Ting PJ, Chang PJ, Oon LL, Sue A, Teo CG, Tan CK. Hepatitis E in Singapore: A Case-Series and Viral Phylodynamics Study. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2017 Apr;96(4):922-928. (free access)

Zhu YO, Aw P, Aung MM, Lee HK, Hibberd M, Lee GH. Patterns of mutation within an emerging endemic lineage of HEV-3a. J Viral Hepat. 2019 Jan;26(1):191-198. (free access)

*Spot the daughter-father team on this paper. Clue-one of them was Chief of the Viral Hepatitis Laboratory at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

[lolatirling-blog]

TOEFL VS IELTS

First some context concerning the TEFL/ESL/TESOL labour market to believe. The marketplace for English language learning within the world is booming. Compare the planet currently thereupon of twenty years past. Communism in Russia and jap Europe is in its death throes, China is starting the transition to capitalist economy, South America is rising from a decade of turmoil and despotism, the EC is deciding to become the eu Union, the net and email is in its infancy, however increasing speedily. of these international changes since then have unleashed the force of English as a worldwide language and it's important to grasp that there area unit billions of greenbacks spent on learning it per annum. it is time to bring a number of those greenbacks your approach.

Yet why once there area unit billions of greenbacks spent on English learning per annum, do jobs still advertise solely one thousand US greenback salaries a month? Well, sadly the labour marketplace for TEFL/ESL/TESOL attracts individuals from Western countries UN agency, due to their want to measure abroad, area unit happy to measure on nothing. The economic reality is that wages in TEFL/ESL/TESOL area unit dragged down as a result. the key to high TEFL/ESL salaries area unit knowing the native English learning labour market. simply follow these eight techniques to land yourself a moneymaking, extremely paid job teaching English.

1. Get Qualified

In the provide of and demand for English lecturers, teaching qualifications are getting the rule, not the exception. TOEFL VS IELTS  to square an opportunity of obtaining employment, in addition to a high wage, you have got to take a position the time and cash into obtaining qualified. Entry level TEFL/ESL qualifications comprise basically of the Cambridge CELTA/CertTESOL. These area unit month-long coaching courses that value around $1500-2000. By 2009, it's clear that the CELTA is changing into the business norm. This course is warrant finance in, not solely as a result of it'll teach you the way to show, however employers currently expect it.

To get a wage raise from CELTA/CertTESOL aim to realize the highest grade the course offers. In CELTA this is often a pass B, followed by a pass A, whereas the CertTESOL doesn't formally award grades. Achieving on top of an easy pass shows you are a competent teacher and you're dedicated to the profession. this could be mirrored during a company's pay scales or will be utilized by you to barter a better wage. so it's important to require these coaching courses seriously and prepare comprehensively for them.

Do not even think about doing a web or distance teaching course. These area unit a poor investment of your cash and area unit pass by unscrupulous organisations keen to govern people's fears of finance plenty of cash in a chic course like CELTA/CertTESOL. however why throw $500-1000 at a course that no faculty can recognise, let a lone provide you with pay-related credit for? For CELTA/CertTESOL qualified lecturers, think about raising your wage through additional qualifications. Once you have got gained 2 years expertise think about finance within the next level diplomas - these area unit the Cambridge DELTA/DipTESOL severally. whereas each courses need an excellent larger investment in terms after all prices, you'll be rewarded by being eligible for promotion to a job like DOS/ADOS, with comprehensive pay advantages.

2. select Your Country sagely

Study the marketplace for English learning terribly rigorously. whereas the sound of a brilliant-white sandy beach about to a college in Asian country will sound tempting, bear in mind that it's additionally tempting for thousands of others and this may be mirrored during a low wage. think about the execs and cons of the subsequent TEFL/ESL/TESOL countries;

Western Europe - supply high salaries with (usually) high prices of living. a number of the most effective TEFL salaries will be found in France, Germany, the united kingdom (summer schools), giving EUR2000+ a month, whereas additional south, salaries area unit drastically lower (only EUR1000+ a month). Eastern Europe and Russia - presently experiencing a TEFL boom with provide of lecturers considerably below demand. Salaries on par with southern Europe already, with individuals having a way a lot of dedicated work ethic. The marketplace for non-public students in Russia is especially moneymaking. The Middle East - salaries area unit still riding high on the rear of oil, with a number of the most effective high salary/low tax deals. value of living is additionally terribly low, with several very good amenities provided in Saudi, UAE and Muscat and Oman. Teacher freedom and happiness may be a major issue, however. Japan, Korea, Taiwan, urban center and Singapore - high salaries combined with an inexpensive normal of living. Long hours area unit the norm, however saving thousands of greenbacks a year may be a realistic goal. South East Asia and China - experiencing a TEFL/ESL boom finally, however this has not been matched with corresponding high salaries. The cities supply the most effective opportunities. Expect massive will increase within the future as markets mature. South America - not an area to travel if you wish a high TEFL wage. Currency instabilities combined with market immaturities mean that this is often a risky place to line yourself up. Brazil offers the most effective opportunities for serious cash creating.

3. the duty Search

Do not apply for jobs on-line through sites like TEFL.com/Dave's ESL restaurant  if you're serious concerning creating cash. the most effective job deals area unit rarely on-line - it's much better to be proactive and travel your most well-liked destination and conduct the duty search on the bottom. this is often helpful for many reasons. Firstly, you'll be able to apply to a spread of employers and cherry decide the most effective deal. Secondly, you'll be able to discuss yourself higher terms and conditions by being instantly out there. Thirdly, you'll be able to examine the place and language colleges to induce a thought of whether or not you will love it there. Forthly, you'll be able to scan the marketplace for non-public students to examine however moneymaking it's. If you're petrified of travel way due to the danger, think about this; most cash creating needs risk (stocks, shares, property etc). this is often no totally different.

4. select a school terribly rigorously

Do not be desperate and go running to massive company language chains like English 1st, International House, Language Link etc. Such colleges supply miserable salaries relative to alternative native professions. what number times does one see massive TEFL/ESL colleges advertise salaries online? they do not as a result of they're thus low. they need a high turnover of workers, and like lecturers with no/little expertise thus salaries area unit unbroken at a minimum. instead of living through tutorial quality, they like better to profit on their logo/brand perceptions. Instead, scan the native TEFL/ESL market terribly rigorously thus you understand however it works and the way you'll be able to create it add your favour. whereas the massive chains appear dominant, there area unit typically a myriad of smaller, better-run, a lot of skilled outfits that area unit trying to find lecturers. Often, they recruit regionally from the expat community, therefore their lack of presence on-line.

5. Get your own pack of personal students

Once you have got established yourself during a non-public school in your country of alternative, create a trial to induce a number of non-public students weekly. reckoning on the native provide and demand of lecturers, you'll be able to charge what you wish. non-public student rates area unit nearly invariably considerably beyond faculty rates. If you're quality, word of mouth typically spreads terribly quickly, and you'll have a lot of privates on your hands than you'll be able to handle. Keep the foremost profitable ones and expend with unreliable, poorly paying ones. you do not invariably need to be well-established during a native faculty. If you have got simply arrived somewhere, merely get out there and advertise.

To make the foremost out of personal students, think about running them as micro-classes with 2 to 3 students gift. Not solely can this be a lot of fascinating for you because the teacher, you'll be able to grade the costs thus every student pays less on an individual basis, however as a full contribute over one student. Also, think about teaching non-public in-company categories as they will be far better paying. Approach corporations together with your credentials and supply to show them in their lunch break for many weeks. create (achievable) guarantees to whoever is organising in-company English categories, so that they will see however effective you're as a tutor.

6. Be Entrepreneurial

Do not consider your job being your sole supply of revenue. change thus you have got alternative means that of transferral home cash through TEFL/ESL. you have got most likely already created quite an few room handouts. create them look skilled and approach the massive 3 publishers; Pearson Longman, university Press and Cambridge Press. albeit they do not {want|they refuse} your concepts they'll want you to try and do alternative moneymaking work for them. instead, if publishers aren't your factor, think about merchandising your handouts on-line. all over lecturers want resources and also the on-line marketplace for TEFL/ESL supplementary handouts is in its infancy.

7. Get Promoted

Teachers of English area unit typically astounded to listen to the right smart pay gaps between themselves and their superiors, ADOSs and bed down. If you're in TEFL/ESL for the long-term, gain a lot of expertise and qualifications to get up the career ladder. The perks area unit typically great; extra money clearly, higher operating hours and conditions, an organization automotive even. If you discover yourself during a company with no apparent system for promotions; get out. don't invest your precious time and energy during a company that won't progressing to reward you.

8. Expand your teaching expertise through test courses like CAE, FCE, TOEFL, and IELTS  TOEFL

To many individuals, learning English is solely a matter of passing AN test therefore the next stage in their lives will be unbarred. The Cambridge exams, in conjunction with IELTS and TOEFL supply individuals a standardised level that they have to bring home the bacon so as to figure and study abroad. Gain expertise teaching these area unitas primarily as a result of students are extremely intended to pass such exams. this is often mirrored in however you'll be compensated. If you have got decent expertise apply to become AN examiner for one amongst these exams. you'll be compensated well ANd incline an insight into the examinations method, that students are going to be willing to pay over the percentages for.

[marjaystuff]

Elise Cooper Interviews Lynn H Blackburn

One Final Breath by Lynn H. Blackburn is the last in the Carrington County, North Carolina Sheriff's Department Dive Team series. Fans of these books will enjoy this action-packed, suspenseful, romantic read, but will also feel a bit melancholy since these characters will be put out to sea as this nail-biting series ends.

The plot begins with a gunshot.  A teenager has been discovered murdered as he and his friend are swimming near a dock across the cove. The team, who was having a picnic nearby, jumps into action, grabs a boat, and rescues the body as well as another teenager in the lake. Blackburn excels at putting the reader into the investigation as they feel the depths of the water.

The heroine, Anissa Bell, captain of the dive team investigators, has had a problem with Gabe Chavez since before he was on her team. He worked undercover and would only dive once or twice a year, not enough in her opinion to stay up to speed with the rest of the team. Now they must figure out how to put their issues with each other aside and work to solve this case. Yet, because of the comradery of the whole team they have become friends and start to realize that there is an attraction between them. Both of them realize that they are fascinated and frustrated with each other.  

As the investigation takes hold, dive team captain Anissa Bell discovers a link to her past and suddenly her life is in extreme danger as she becomes the killer’s next target. She wonders if it has anything to do with a cold case that directly involved her. Anissa grew up with missionary parents and planned on joining them, after finishing college, on the Micronesian island of Yap. But she remained stateside, determined to solve the crime that haunts her, the murder of her best friend and the disappearance of a three-year-old child. While working both cases Anissa and Gabe must find the killer before more bodies pile up, while attempting to keep each other safe.

Unlike many authors, Blackburn allows the reader to enjoy all her characters. Throughout the series she inserts them into each other’s featured book. Readers enjoy their comradery whether they are working together, or just enjoying each other’s friendship that has become family-like. Previous characters are revisited from the series, but reading the earlier books isn't necessary to enjoy this one.

This story will take readers’ breath away as they hold it wondering how the suspenseful story will end. People who enjoy a good mystery sprinkled with romance should read this series.

Elise Cooper: This year you lived in the Hurricane area?

Lynn H. Blackburn:  It was not that bad for us, not like in the Bahamas. But the storm that came last year in Florida is something I had never seen before.  It had to be a really big storm, a category 5. The storm actually sucked all the water out of Tampa Bay.  This was a phenomenon that literally pulled out all the water.  It sucked the bay mostly dry. People were actually walking around where there used to be water. It was really freaky looking. As the storm passed it released all that energy and created floods.

EC:  Being a mystery writer did you think about a story?

LB:  I did think that it would be interesting if someone threw something into the bay thinking it would never be recovered. Then the hurricane comes and after pulling the water away it becomes discovered.

EC:  Why the environmental angle with this story?

LB:  Having a degree in Chemical Engineering, my first job was as an environmental engineer with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.  Part of my job was dealing with water treatment. I thought of the potential threat to the water supply. Because the lake and divers are always in my story, I decided to do something along this line. Since I still have friends working there I brainstormed with them for ideas.

EC:  There is also the part of the story where a child is kidnapped and sold to a parent?

LB:  Sometimes as writers we do terrible things to our characters.  I wanted something to happen to the heroine that would keep her in the states instead of going with her parents on a mission to Yap. I understand it is a fragile thing, to want a child and not be able to have one.  There is also the fact that adoption is so expensive. All of a sudden someone comes up with this opportunity to have this person able to sell a child.  I had thought if I wanted the adoptive mother to know or be in the dark regarding the kidnapping.  This was a case of, ‘if it is too good to be true it probably isn’t.’ But having that level of emotion is easy to overlook because we want it so badly to come true.

EC:  How did you find the disease Cryptosporidium?

LB:  There was a couple of cases in the 1980s where there was a run-off with a lot of fecal material that contaminated the water supply.  It is a horrible disease where people can actually die. For most people, it is a bad stomach virus, but for some it can affect those that are immunocompromised.  The young, the very old, anyone who is currently on chemotherapy, is HIV-positive, or has had an organ transplant are at risk.  

EC: The characters in your series do not drift off into the sunset after their featured book?

LB:  I have a lot of readers comment on how they like seeing the friendship grow between the six characters.  It was not something I set up intentionally with this series, but it is something I will do with the next series.  It was a lot of fun not having to say good-bye to all the characters.  What I do differently is that for the featured characters I get in their head.  Each character has their voice, but in their book, I flush them out to give them a unique voice, something that is sometimes a challenge.

EC:  How would you describe Gabe?

LB:  Fun, charismatic, the life of the party, and does not think he wants to be serious in a relationship. Gabe is a tease. He was the class clown, but Anissa sees his deeper side where he is loyal and compassionate.  Some of the humor and sarcasm is a defense mechanism on his part. His relationship with Leigh is like the little pestering brother.  No one can stay mad at him for long.

EC:  How would you describe Anissa?

LB:  Serious, confident, and loyal. She comes across as more rigid that the others. Justice is important to her.  She has a cold case, which is the hallmark of her existence, and is something she cannot let go.  Anyone wronged or mistreated will have her help.  I think she is a pragmatic leader who is kind, smart, and intense. She does have survivor’s guilt because of the cold case.

EC: Where did you come up with some of the personality traits of the characters?

First, Getting up on the wrong side of the bed?

LB:  My sister and I used to share a Jack and Jill bathroom. I never spoke to her after both of us just got up.  If I started to have a conversation too early it was not going to go well.  She was the type like Anissa, ‘leave me alone until I have three cups of coffee.’  When she approached me, then it was safe.

EC:  Do you dive?

LB:  I was certified last year in the lake I used for a prototype of the fictional Lake Porter in my stories. Most lakes are murky and can be a little claustrophobic with a visibility of 10 to 15 feet. Last summer I got to dive in the Florida Keys.  It had such clear water and visibility of about 50 feet. We were able to look up and see the bottom of the boat and all the fellow divers.  It is just amazing.  Diving in the Keys helped me to understand why people dive.  But diving in the lake helped me to understand what my character divers would go through.  Diving in the lake requires more of a reliance on touch.

EC:  Do you eat cupcakes like Anissa where you tear off the bottom and make a cupcake sandwich?

LB:  No, but I did try it for research.  I actually do not like icing.  If someone gives me a cupcake with a ton of icing I scrape 75% off.

EC:  Did you write the Spanish phrases?

LB:  I took a course in college.  I also went on a mission trip where I learned to read and write it.  But that was many years ago.  For Gabe’s Spanish phrases, I had my friend who is Puerto Rican help me out.  I told her what I wanted to say and she helped me with the syntax.

EC:  How do you name characters?

LB:  I usually give my bad guys with names that begin with K, D, or X, because they have a lot harsher sounds.  I try to make sure I do not use the same sounds or names. Because my divers already had their names I would avoid ones that start with R or A. I don’t want it to be confusing and have readers get mixed up.  The only time I did have my characters start with the same letter is when I did it intentionally, such as when I had all of Adam’s family all start with the letter A.

EC:  Next book?

LB:  This series was released between 7 and 10 months apart.  The absolute minimum I need is 9 months.  With the new series, I told my publisher there is too much change in my life so I need a longer deadline.  I am truly thankful for it.  The new series will come out in February 2021 and the focus is on the US Secret Service.  The setting is not in Washington DC, but in a local resident office in North Carolina.  If I get into the groove, I may try to write a novella tying in the two series.

THANK YOU!!

[kjs-s]

Color my world

Fandom: Pete’s Dragon

Pairing: Gavin Magary x Reader

Soulmate AU

Words 2233

Plot  You will be able to see the world in full color once you meet your soulmate but until then, you can only see the world in the eye color of your soulmate. However, you can alter the color your soulmate can see, for example, by wearing contact lenses. Like if you wear blue contact lenses, your soulmate sees the world in blue, purple makes them see the world in purple and etc. And you realize each day/week you get to see the world in a different color because your soulmate is being all cute and would want you to see every color there is and they probably have a huge collection of contact lenses by the time you both meet.

A/N: This is my entry for @bookcaseninja‘s soulmate AU challenge. I hope you like it. I flipped the prompt and made the reader the one who has the contact lenses because Karl’s eye color is beautiful and changes sometimes on its own. I’m also happy i found this site to help https://www.millhaven.nz/ 

(Y/EC) Your eye color  

Warnings: None i can think of

@musikat18 @bkwrm523  @yallneedtrek @outside-the-government @annathewitch @meganlpie

‘’(Y/N) could you come to my office for a second?’’ Your boss called for you. His tone suggested the urgency of whatever was happening. Your anxiety caused you to start making scenarios in your head even though you were one of the best forest rangers in the city.

You were born and raised in Portland. Both your parents used to work as park rangers so you decided to follow in their footsteps. During your training, you fell in love with the forest due to how beautiful the trees look from your view. You hadn’t found your soulmate yet so you couldn’t see the world in full color, you could only see the color of your soulmate’s eyes. And you got lucky in that department.

Whoever he was, one thing is certain. He has gorgeous eyes. It is not just a color you see every day. His eyes are a breathtaking mixture of green and hazel and those two colors change occasionally to create another unique sight. You assumed that depended on the light and you hoped to meet him soon to tell him how beautiful his eyes are. And if he had guessed how many contact lenses you own.

Due to your eye color being one tone you thought that he would have been bored to see just that for so many years. Therefore, you came up with a little trick to reimburse him. You bought a variety of lenses in every color available in the eyewear store. Your soulmate had given you the opportunity to see the world in a variety of colors and you would pay him back the same way. That’s how you started changed them every week. You had used almost two thousand so far.

‘’Is there something wrong Bill?’’ You closed the door behind you in case you were being reprimanded for something.

‘’Depends on how you take it.’’ He pointed at a chair across from him and continued after you sat down.

‘'We received a request from the Millhaven department. One of their rangers is about to take a maternity leave and they need someone to fill in for her.’’ He gave you some a moment to process the information.

‘’And you are thinking of sending me or did they specifically ask for a woman?’’ You asked while contemplating whether you would agree to move or not.

‘’They didn’t. What they did ask though was for someone who can facilitate a safety program, train volunteers and be good with kids on a school trip about the forest. Not only you are one of the few who ticks all the boxes, you are the best at each one of them.    He stood up from his chair and gave you a piece of paper.

‘’I would like you to ponder about it and let me know within the week. Millhaven is in Douglas County only five hours from here. They are expecting someone as soon as possible.’’ He handed you the message they have received from Millhaven asking for a ranger.

You saw the message and you immediately felt like you needed that transfer. Maybe a change of scenery would help you figure out how to find your soulmate, or even better he could be in this new city.

‘’I won’t need a week. I was already thinking of taking some time off to go on a trip so maybe getting to see a new place and experience life in a quieter town can be relaxing for me. I will start packing tonight so let them know I will be there tomorrow and that I can start the day after.’’

As you were driving you were sightseeing. Your sight once again changed. The green you were used to seeing had become deeper and the hazel was almost nowhere to be found. You were fascinated by the colors and combining it with the view along the road you were happy to be traveling. Something inside you made you believe you were closer to him.

You reached Millhaven in the afternoon and after settling in the Forest Lodge you visited the chief of the forest rangers to familiarize yourself with the department before starting the next day.

The chief was glad to see your enthusiasm and that you were willing to get to work. He informed you about some basic rules and regulations and the girl you will be replacing would fill you in on all the details the next day. She had work to do at the forest tending to a wounded animal the lumberjacks found.

You met her the next morning waiting for you. She had brought cupcakes to welcome you with. You were pleasantly surprised nobody commented on your unusual eye color.

‘’Hi (Y/N) nice to meet you. I’m Grace Magary the ranger you will be replacing obviously.’’ She caressed her baby bump.

‘’Nice to meet too. How far along are you?’’ You already like her because she seemed trustworthy and glowing from the pregnancy.

‘’I am due on about three weeks. My leave starts on Monday so we get two days to work together so I can show you around and prepare you for the job. I heard the best from your boss when he called to let us know you were coming.’’

She explained everything you needed to know. Millhaven was a small town so you wouldn’t be too busy. Your duties would be almost the same as they had been back in Portland so your adjustment was bound to be smooth. You told her that you already felt right at home there and that you would love to be able to see everything in their natural color.

Grace wanted to learn a few more things about you so she invited you to have dinner at her home. Her husband had chaperoned their kids on a school trip and she needed the company.

‘’How you been living here your whole life?’’ You asked your host while enjoying the delicious food she has prepared for you.

‘’Yes, I never even thought of moving. This town is small but it’s my home. I wouldn’t give up the relationship I have with the people here for anything. And the forest is absolutely breathtaking. You will get to experience it tomorrow.’’

‘’The chief told me about the new road flares we will be testing. And doing so in a clearing in the forest means that if something goes wrong, we will be able to put out the fire.’’ You looked at Grace to see if she understood that you were clearly joking.

‘’Hope that doesn’t happen. It would just be more work for us.’’ She cackled and adjusted her seat due to back pain.

‘’So (Y/N), I don’t want to pry in your business that you mentioned earlier that you still only see one color. You haven’t found your soulmate yet, have you? You know, that was rude, you don’t have to answer.’’

‘’It’s ok. No, I haven’t yet but I have a feeling it will occur soon. At least I’m lucky to see the world in the most scenic combination of colors.’’

Grace seems interested so you carried on.

‘’My soulmate’s eyes are green and hazel but that sometimes changes. Maybe it depends on the light or his mood. That’s why I wear contacts. I felt blessed to see something wonderful and I felt bad that he would be stuck seeing (Y/EC). I change it every week. The optician labeled them so I won’t wear the same twice.’’

‘’How long have you been doing that? It’s so sweet of you.’’  

‘’Since I was twelve. I had a difficult time at first but I managed it. He is worth it.’’

The next day went by uneventful, waiting for the flares to arrive. Thankfully Grace made sure to give you another little tour of the town, to make sure you won’t get too bored.

The flares had arrived when you showed up the third day but you couldn’t find Grace. According to the boss she had a rough morning due to an allergy she had developed during her pregnancy and stayed home. You wondered if someone would accompany you to test the flares but nobody was available. Besides you were trained and trustworthy to handle it by yourself according to the boss.

Or that’s what he thought.

You had been given ten boxes to test two flares of each one. The first few times worked as expected. However, you found a defective one in a way you would never forget.

You looked around to check if anyone was close so that they won’t get scared. Nobody was close enough but you failed to hear footsteps approaching you.

Gavin was working on a part of the forest and when he had his break he decided to walk around. The clearing was his favorite spot since he was a little kid. He used to play there with his brothers throwing water balloons at each other. It was his idea because every time their mother reprimanded them, they claimed to water the forest that way.

He heard a noise and when he tried to see what it was a bright light came out of nowhere blinding him. He didn’t know what was happening and he feared that he could be dying.

The brightness wouldn’t have blinded you too if you didn’t wear protective goggles. A horrifying sound came from next to you followed by a loud bang. You turned around and saw Gavin unconscious on the ground. You run and asked him if he can hear you. When he didn’t respond, you began first aid by checking his breathing and pulse. Since no CPR was needed you called an ambulance, packed the flares and followed Gavin to the hospital.

Only when you made sure he was being treated by a doctor, you sat down and realized you could see all the colors. That handsome man you had sent to the hospital was your soulmate. You had no idea how to feel, happy for finding him or terrified he would be angry at you.

When you returned the flares to the station and filed a quick report, you spotted Grace. She seemed nervous but you couldn’t wait to share the news with her.

‘’I thought you were supposed to be resting, what brings you back here?’’  

‘’I needed to take care of some files before I take my maternity leave. But I will be out of your way in no time.’’

‘’No, please stay. I need to tell someone what happened today.’’ You waited for her to sit and get comfortable before continuing.

‘’I found my soulmate...Well not exactly found since I sent him to the hospital but I'm sure he is the one.’’ You couldn't stop smiling even though you were sure he wouldn’t share your feelings.

‘’I heard about that when the doctor called me. You see the person you blinded, his name is Gavin Magary.’’ You stared at her with eyes wide open in an expression of stunned surprise.

‘’Magary? As in....?’’ You looked at her hoping that she wouldn’t say what you were thinking of.

‘’No, (Y/N) no. He is not my husband, he is my brother in law. They just called me because Jack is still away with the kids. I am so happy for you.’’ She hugged you and instructed you to visit Gavin when he wakes up.

Two days later you were standing next to him when he opened his eyes and moaned due to his head hurting.

‘’Try not to move around much I will call the doctor to check on you.’’

‘’Thank you, but who are you?’’

‘’We will talk afterward, now let me find your doctor.’’

His eyes were thankfully not damaged and his head would be fine eventually.

‘’You are my soulmate, aren’t you? I had been seeing this shade of grey for a few days. Nice to finally meet you.’’

‘’I’m (Y/N) and I’m the one responsible for blinding you. I’m so sorry about that I really didn’t hear you.’’

‘’Don’t worry, the doctor informed me about the flare you were testing and that you gave me first aid. Besides, you have been so cute to allow me to see so many colors that I would forgive everything you would do. Missed your natural one though I would love to see it again. Did you just move here?’’

‘’Yes, I was sent to fill in for Grace during her absence.’’ His face fell knowing you would go back to wherever you were from.

‘’However, I am sure that if I found something or someone to make me want to stay here I can work out an arrangement. Grace assured me they can hire one more ranger and my boss in Portland can find a replacement easily.’’

‘’Well, I will be in the hospital for a few more days. But what do you say, that I show you around when I get discharged? You can show me your collection of contact lenses and I can find something that you would want to stay around for.’’

‘’I believe I already found that.’’ You kissed his cheek and he leaned forward to give you the most passionate kiss you had ever experienced. And at that moment, you felt like everything stood still. You knew that you had found the person you were looking for.

[purplesurveys]

589

Have you ever been served breakfast in bed? Sure. When we don’t feel like having breakfast at the table together as a family, my mom just brings up food for us when we wake up. What is the most challenging meal you have ever cooked? I don’t cook or bake at all but back when we had to do it in home ec, I remember how hard macarons were to make (if this counts). Baking in general demands precision, it’s just that the skill needed to make macarons is pumped up to the max. Are you one to approach others, or let them approach you first? I let people approach me because I’m shy most of the time. When was the last time you took painkillers? Saturday. My toothaches struck once again and I didn’t want to be burdened while at dinner with Gab, so I had to take a painkiller for the second time that day. Have you ever picked flowers out of someone else's garden without asking? No. That’s kind of a dick move.

Who did you give them to, or did you keep them for yourself? What is your favorite thing to do as a little kid? I loved being allowed to play outside. My grandma was very strict with us and would sometimes not allow us to go outside and play with our neighbors – if we were allowed, we only could from 4 to 6 PM. So whenever we got to go out and play it was always really fun, even though I almost always went home sporting a new gash, cut, or wound. Then when we came back home, Nickelodeon would usually have an awesome program schedule, followed by changing the channel to Cartoon Network at 7 so we could watch Pokemon, then we’d flick the channel to Disney because Mr. Bean airs around 9 PM. Are holidays as fun for you now as they were when you were younger? I looked forward to holidays more when I was a kid because it was before a bunch of my relatives migrated to different countries. It’s never the same without them, which is often the case these days. Do you find non-fiction to be boring? I find fictional works to be boring, but I can spend hours reading non-fiction content. Are you a punctual person? Or are you always late? Yes, I hate being late.  Do you own a thesaurus? Do you actually use it? I owned a thesaurus because I had to back in grade school, but I’m not sure if I actually ever threw it out or not. Nowadays Google can easily be a thesaurus if I need it for that purpose. What is the longest essay or research paper you have written? It was our final paper for my communication research class last semester. If I remember correctly, it has about 90 pages.  Do you ever write your own short stories? I tried doing it when I was 12 or 13, but I didn’t find it fun. Also I was never creative enough for it and got bored real quick. I envy people who can write very good short stories. Have you ever won money by entering a contest/raffle? Raffles are a Filipino favorite and we have a lot of them, so yeah I’ve won some cash here and there. Have you ever lost something very valuable? Of course. The first valuable thing I ever lost was my first ever cellphone, given to me as a 7th birthday gift by my parents; I lost it while on a school field trip. I’ve always felt bad about that. Have you ever lost something with a lot of sentimental value? In high school, I lost a watch that my mom gave me. It was a super pretty watch and again, I haaaaated myself when I realized I had misplaced it.   Have you ever been close to drowning? Yes. When I was nine, my cousins and I went for a swim in our clubhouse’s pool. I was swimming at the deep end – which I normally could handle by myself – but suddenly one of my cousins grabbed at my legs which kept me from being able to lift my head above water because it felt like I was being dragged further down. Have you ever had a panic attack? Yes. I haven’t had one in a couple of years though, so I guess that’s good. What stores do you go into when you go to mall? I’m not a big store person when I go malling, but when I do stop by shops, it’s usually stationery stores, bookstores, or stores that sell cute novelty stuff like weird coasters, flasks, alarm clocks, etc. Do you ever stop to eat in the food court? Only if we want a quick snack to get by, like shawarma or corndogs. As much as possible I like eating in sitdown restaurants. Do you find it easy to relate to other people? These days, yeah. I’ll admit that when I was younger, I used to put a premium on being ‘not like other teenagers’ BAHAHAHAHA YUCK, but tbh there’s no shame in being able to relate to many others in terms of music or TV shows or other similar interests. It helps me gain friends, which is always a plus. Who is your favorite philosopher? I hate philosophy more than anything else in this planet. What is your favorite song to sing? OMG Thinking of You by Katy Perry easily takes the cake for this one. Do you consciously try to be unique, or do you just be you? I’m just me for the most part. Do you worry about being judged by other people? Sometimes, but it’s usually for stuff like having to borrow a pen in class, or having to ask for a piece of yellow pad – basically stuff that would make people think I was irresponsible haha. If someone doesn't like you, do you usually want to know the reason? Yes, just out of curiosity. But I wouldn’t feel like it’s the end of the world if I never got to know why. When was the last time you told someone something really important? A couple of weeks ago; I had to tell Gab I passed out quietly for a few minutes in the restroom in the middle of PE. The workout was too difficult and I didn’t have my water bottle with me that day, so I felt queasy quickly. Have you ever lost a large amount of money? Thankfully, no. The only time I lost my wallet, there was only around ₱600 in it. Have you ever tried to blame something you did on someone else? I mostly did it when I was a kid and blamed my little sister or brother for something. Did that person get in trouble, or did the plan fail? Failed, obviously.

What is the weirdest hairstyle you have ever had? I never went with weird hairstyles but my worst look will always be rebonded hair. I have a square face with a very strong jaw; completely straight hair has never suited me. Describe the ugliest pair of shoes you own? I don’t think I’ve ever allowed myself to wear shoes I thought were ugly, haha. How many times a day do you look in the mirror? For how long? Maybe a few times. Once before I leave the house, then maybe one or two times from my webcam just so I know how I currently look while in school, then again when I get home. Are you ashamed to leave the house when not looking your best? Not ashamed, just uncomfortable. If you are antisocial, WHY are you that way? That’s a legitimate personality disorder and I prefer we didn’t throw that word around like it’s nothing. Are you modest? Well I used to be, back when I was in Catholic school. I still hold some traditional sentiments here and there but I wouldn’t call myself modest. What is your favorite singer? Beyonce or Hayley Williams, for sure. If you could relive one day from last year, what day would it be? Why? April 21, 2018! It was my birthday and my first time driving out of town by myself. Gab and I went to Nasugbu for a day trip to the beach and Tagaytay for dinner. It was soooooo so fun even though we were exhausted afterwards and I was fighting to keep my eyes open while driving by that evening.   What is something that you are afraid to fail at? Something I’m supposed to be really good at, like writing. What would happen if you did fail at it? I’d feel insecure for a long time and for that period, no one would be able to encourage me and make me feel better. Do you ever worry about your loved ones dying? Ever since my grandpa and now Nacho passed away, yes. What is the cutest thing a guy could do for a girl? The cutest thing anyone* can do for anyone* is making time for them, I guess. I’m not very picky when it comes to showing love. Stuffed animals--immature, or should everyone have one? Neither. I don’t mind them but I don’t hate them. What do you like in your breakfast burritos? I don’t think I’ve ever had a breakfast burrito. What restaurant would you choose to go to for breakfast? Rustic Mornings, La Creperie, or Eggs For Breakfast! How much money do you think you cost your parents? Millions. Do you have good hand/eye coordination? Only when it comes to table tennis. I generally wouldn’t call myself skilled at catching stuff. Can you do a flip on a trampoline? I haven’t tried, and I think I’d be too scared to anyway. Do you remember the last time you climbed a tree? I don’t think I’ve ever climbed a tree...most trees here are riddled with red ants. Did you ever lie on your back and pick shapes out of clouds as a kid? Sure, but I didn’t do it all the time nor does it feel nostalgic to me. Do you watch any Japanese anime? Other than watching Pokemon when I was a kid, no. Is there a foreign culture you are interested in learning more about? I’m always interested in learning all foreign cultures. Do you let your emotions get the best of you in a fight? Sometimes. Do you know anyone whose reputation has recently been ruined? That’s what happened to Nach. It’s why I was always more gentle in dealing with him than everyone else, because I knew just how damaged his rep was after what happened. I didn’t want to add to that anymore. When did you first get a cellphone? I got my first one on my 7th birthday. Do you have your own laptop computer? Yes. How about your own digital computer? Like...a cellphone or calculator? I guess, yeah lmao. Do you drive your own car, or your parents? I’ve been given my own car for me to drive, but my parents bought it and own it. Say something inappropriate? Cunt. Always been my least favorite bad word. What were you doing before you started taking this survey? I washed the dishes. Describe the best summer you ever had? I don’t like my summers. It’s not a part of the year I look fondly on. Do you eat any meat other than turkey on Thanksgiving? I don’t celebrate that holiday. Did you attend a pre-school? My only other school apart from UP has a preschool, elementary, and high school. I studied there for 14 years. We also have a college, but it’s in our Makati campus.  Do you remember what it was like to learn to count to 100? Not really. What is something you lost in the process of growing up? The concept of looking to my mom if I have any problems. Do you wear any wristbands? If so, what's on them? Nope, I do not. What was the last picture you were in? We took a family photo over lunch yesterday. Did you have required reading material in high-school? We had required reading material from Prep all the way to senior year in high school. Do you keep your room organized? I try to. It becomes messy slowly over time but I always end up tidying my room. Do you vacuum daily? I don’t. How many board games do you own? A couple. I have Scrabble, Pictionary, and Trivial Pursuit. Own any books? ...Of course. Recently checked any books out from the library? Nah that was about a month ago. I recently returned a (overdue) book though. Does your cat give you kitty kisses? My dog gives me a single lick to the face whenever I come home from school. What’s in your make-up bag? I don’t have one.

[maggyme13]

Freeing the Fury

ASK:

Could you do a series where the reader is kidnapped by hydra and turned into the winter soldier and can also shape shift into a night fury please

AN: Well, it turned out as just a one shot, but I hope you like it still :) @symonedg20

I opened my ASK box for requests for my 300 Follower celebration!

Wordcount: around 2000

Warnings: a bit cursing, mention of torture but nothing explicit

Pain. That had been the only thing she had felt for a very long time.

It burned through her veins and every single cell in her body felt like it was on fire.

Make it stop. Stop! Please!

Every breath felt like she was inhaling burning air.

“The experiment is working; her cells react with the serum and the radioactivity. If she survives, we will have our own Hulk.”

“Excellent. She will be the best Winter Soldier we ever created. Heil Hydra!”

She heard in the distance, before the pain was too much to stay conscious.

“You said they did experiments with the serum in this facility?” Steve Rogers aka Captain America asked is oldest friend Sergeant James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes also known as the Winter Soldier.

“Yes. They kidnapped children and teenagers they think no one would miss. They tried the serum on them. And other things they created in their laboratory.” Anger was evident in the ex-assassin’s voice, he knew what they had to go through and what they would find there: Torture, pain and death.

He had been there, shortly before he got his memories back, and remembered a young female with (y/hc) hair and piercing (Y/ec) eyes. She hadn´t been there long and it had been his task to train her.

She had a bruised covered body, and he knew other trainers had gone ruff with her and she had been afraid of him. Who wouldn´t be, he had been THE Winter soldier after all.

She had been cautious to move around him and every time she thought she had done something wrong, she had flinched away. But he had never raised his hand, there was no need to injure her further, a dead person or one beaten to a pulp can´t be trained and that had been his mission. To train her and not to kill her.

He wondered what had happened to her.

“Buck, you in there?”

“Yes. Let´s roll out.”

 Four hours later the soldiers got ready to exit the jet, alongside the Black Widow, Falcon and Iron man.

“Remember, they experimented with the serum here and it is has to be reckoned with super soldiers and other unusual opponents.” The captain informed the team one last time.

“Ready? Then let’s clean this base out!”

Upon breaking through the main gate an alarm started and everybody cursed.

“That’s it with the surprise moment! Get ready for enemies!” Starks voice said over their headset.

“Cap and Frosty, you go inside and get the information, we will clear and secure the perimeter. Hurry up.”

“Got it. Come on punk! The room we are looking for is in the centre, three floors down. But we have to go through laboratories.” Barnes said and motioned for his friend to follow him.

They encountered around a dozen hydra agents (the two soldiers got quickly got rid of them) before entering a big room.

“This one is new.” Bucky frowned, taking a step towards one of the walls to take a better look.

“Those are claw marks, what the fuck did they had in here.” He mused.

“I don´t know, but it must be strong, look at these retainers, Hulk would have to work to get out of them. And do you see the ceiling? Its burned.” Captain America added.

“Let´s get the information before it comes back.”

“Good call punk.”

Twenty minutes later, the two of them were on their way to join the others again, when they heard a loud explosion and curses. “What is going on? Guys answers!” They screamed into their mics.

“Something shot a plasma ball at us.” Stark informed and the soldiers looked at each other.

They had an idea what happened out there.

“We are on our way! Be careful, we found refrainers that could hold hulk for some time.”

“Got it.”

“Good dammit, that thing is fast, I can´t get a scan on it. Only thing I know, it is fast, silent and around eight meters long and has wings.” Iron Man cursed.

“We will be there any second now.” Bucky shouted as they ran the last meters to the main entrance.

Just when they stepped outside, a loud “SHIT!” was heard from falcon and a big black shadow smashed into the earth, ten meters away from the rest of the Avengers.

“Sam you alright?”

“NO! I am under that thing and it looks furious!” The man in question groaned in pain.

“I think it broke a few rips. Yes definitely broke them.”

“We get you to safety, don´t move.” “This weights like a ton. I am going nowhere.”

Natasha tried to sneak up to the creature, but it must have heard her, because it turned its head towards her and bared its teeth.

“Wow. Calm down there. We are not here to hurt you.” She spoke, hoping the creature could understand her and turn its attention from the others.

But to no avail, the second Steve took a step forward, a blue energy ball exploded at his feet making him jump back.

The (y/ec) irises dialled and stared him down. A deep warning rumble escaping its throat.

“Guys help?” Sam whined.

The alarm going off woke her up from her sleep and soon Hydra agents joined her.

“There are intruders on the ground. You will eliminate them. If not, you know what will happen. Don´t you?” One of them asked, while another freed her wings and hindlegs from the cuffs.

She knew what he meant. Either she did as told, or pain would come for her. And she didn´t like pain.

After what felt like years, she was able to stretch her black wings and she first didn´t know if they would be able to carry her.

It had been years since the last time she had been in her human form, Hydra didn´t allow it and when she had turned on her own, they had tortured her so bad the marks could still be seen on her scaled skin.

Do as they tell, and I won´t be in pain. At least I can move a bit for a change.

Getting outside (through a secret exist) and jumped into the air.

For a few seconds she enjoyed the wind under her wings and the open sky. It would be so easy to just fly away and never come back, but they would find her; she knew she had a tracking advice somewhere in her body.

Knowing her black skin gave her the perfect camouflage in the night, the young woman rose up into the sky to get an overlook of the situation at hand.

Beneath her hydra agents were eliminated by strangers, a man in iron armour, someone with a wingsuit (stupid, the sky was her territory) and a woman dressed in black.

Deciding she needed to intervene, or her punishment would be severe, she spit a plasma ball at the attackers, but missed. If it was over too fast, she would be get back into her personal dungeon.

One Hydra agent after the other fell (one was on her, he had to jump to where she had aimed a ball) and her body shook in anticipation of the beating she would get because of it.

Shit.

She had moved as fast as her possible. But when the winged man crossed her path, she wasn´t able to avoid him, and they crashed into each other.

More on instinct as on anything else, she griped him by his arms and tried to protect him from the impact, but she was able to hear his bones break none the less.

“NO! I am under that thing and it looks furious!” She heard him groaned in pain as an answer to someone over his mic. “I think it broke a few rips. Yes definitely broke them.”

Sorry about that. And I am not a thing, thank you very much.

“This weights like a ton. I am going nowhere.” Oi!.

She was just thinking about what to do, she heard someone sneak up to her and she turned towards the source.

The woman stood closer than she liked, and fear began to rise within her.

What will happen to her if she loses against the strangers? Will they kill her? Imprison her? Torture her?

Not wanting to face her fate jet (y/n) decided to show the woman her teeth hoping that would keep her at way.

“We are not here to hurt you.”

To many people told me that. Prove it!

Another movement caught her attention and she send a plasma ball flying near the approaching man.

He was dressed in a tight body suit showing the American flag, behind him her eyes found the sparkle of metal.

Her past flashed in her memories and she recognised the man with the metal arm. It was the only Hydra agent she had ever met, that didn’t cause her pain. The winter soldier; the biggest traitor in Hydra history and a possible ally on her way out of the pain.

That must be Captain America then.

Slowly and very carefully, she didn´t want to accidently step on the injured man beneath her, she took a step back and lowered her head. Indicating she was willing to surrender.

“What is it doing?” Stark.

“I think it is surrendering.” Steve.

“Why should it do that?” Natasha Romanov.

“I don´t know if you can see that, but there is almost no place on its body without scars. Maybe it realised we are the good ones.” Sam Wilson groaned, sitting up slowly.

“But why now?”

“Let´s find out.Oi, thing. We are the good ones. Do you mind if I get my friend over here, so we can look at his injuries?” Stark asked and slowly began to walk towards his companion, the creature shook his head and took another step backwards.

“We promise we mean no harm. We saw the room with the restrains, they were for you, weren’t they? You could come with us, let us look at your injuries and if you wish you could stay or leave and be free.” Steve said with sincerity in his voice and the creature seemed to think about the offer.

“What do you think? Do you want to come with us?”

They waited, and their eyes widened, when its form changed and suddenly a young woman stood in front of them. Naked like the day she was born, her body covered in scars. All in all, she looked miserable, her skin was pale and her hair dull. The only thing that looked alive where her (y/ec) eyes filled with hope.

“Yes please.” She mumbled and slumped down to the floor, the morph had cost her a lot of energy.

Bucky’s heart clenched. It was the young woman she had thought about before the mission. What had they done to her?

Pulling the shirt, he was wearing beneath his armour, over his head, he stepped forward and offered it to her. There was no need for her to be walking around naked and he couldn’t suppress a smile when she took it and got dressed.

“I am sorry girl. Sorry that it took us so long.”

“Not your fault. You were the only one, that was nice to me over all these years and now, I am free again.”

She told him thankful and sincere.

(y/n) knew she was save now and Hydra wouldn’t be able to get her.

Finally some peace.

  From that day on, she was known as the Night Fury, the Avengers very own dragon shapeshifter.

   AN 2.0; So what do you think about my first requested Oneshot?

I got this a few weeks back, so it was naturally the first one to write.

Feel free to reblog/comment and please let me know what you think :)

I have a writing challenge runnig, check it out ;)

[thecbdmagazine]

Can you use CBD oil on teeth and gums for pain

Uncomfortable periodontals can make it hard to comb your teeth, eat your food and also leave to sleep. In many cases, discomfort in the periodontals can be an indicator of condition or incorrect oral health. Nonetheless in other situations, it's an all-natural result of mouth level of sensitivity or hormonal agent adjustments. In either situation, CBD oil for gum cells pain might have the ability to help thanks to its pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory as well as anti-bacterial properties. This brief write-up will examine its advantages for treating gum tissue pain as well as the absolute best means to use it in the house.

Identifying the resources of periodontal cells pain

If you're struggling with awkward, irritated or bleeding gums, this may be due to rough or inadequate dental health, a mouth ailment or hormonal adjustments. Managing discomfort in your teeth is your body's signal that something is failing.

For the most part, gum tissue pain is simply a result of the method you handle your mouth as well as teeth. As an instance, utilizing an extreme toothbrush or flossing as well strongly can make your periodontal tissues a great deal more fragile. In time, your periodontals can become swollen as well as likewise start to hemorrhage. This is your body's ways of enabling you know that you should be gentler with your brushing.

Sometimes, people can have an allergy to tooth paste or mouthwash. So if your periodontals have actually begun injuring promptly after you've modified products, this might be the cause.

For some individuals, unpleasant periodontal tissues can be an indication of something more major, like gum disease. The most common sort of periodontal tissue condition is called gingivitis. It's an infection of the periodontals set off by excess microbes. If left unattended, gingivitis can come to be periodontitis, a substantial gum issue that can totally harm your teeth. If your periodontals feel continually irritated as well as additionally uncomfortable, as well as if you begin to really feel pain while eating, it's an indication you might have gingivitis. We recommend you see your dentist, that will absolutely have the ability to take the proper treatments to stop the spread of the infection.

Delicate periodontals can likewise be a result of hormone changes, specifically in females. So if you experience uncomfortable periodontals before your period or throughout your pregnancy, there's no demand to worry. This is flawlessly normal along with will absolutely disappear on its own. Distressing periodontal cells are additionally added typical while pregnant as well as menopause.

The length of time does periodontal cells discomfort last?

There are several elements you could experience gum discomfort This makes it hard to assert how much time it will certainly last.

If your painful gum tissue tissues are caused by an extreme tooth brush or mouth laundry, you can anticipate to see a reduction suffering and likewise swelling a variety of days after switching to more gentle mouth treatment.

If you're dealing with a gum condition like gingivitis, maybe a lot longer. The pain will certainly just give up after the infection has actually been treated. This indicates you will certainly require some type of anti-bacterial treatment or antibiotic prior to you quit handling unpleasant periodontals.

Gum tissue discomfort activated by hormone modifications has a tendency to find and go. For instance, several females discover it comes to a head right before their duration and likewise disappears as quickly as they go into a brand-new cycle. Addressing any kind of hormone inequalities is the very best approach to get rid of that discomfort entirely. Yet there are additionally solutions that can aid you minimize your gum discomfort in the meantime.

Simply how do I get rid of pain in my periodontal tissues? All-natural treatments for gum cells discomfort.

Our ancestors have in fact been taking advantage of everyday parts in addition to medical natural herbs to take care of gum discomfort for centuries. As a matter of fact, all-natural options are frequently far more effective than nonprescription medications when it comes to mouth discomfort.

Yet before you look for all-natural approaches to treat your gum tissue pain, you require to ensure that it isn't an indication of an additional considerable medical trouble. If you're dealing with agonizing, puffy or bleeding gum tissues consistently for over a week, you might have some type of gum tissue health problem. Since situation, you'll need to see your dental expert to heal the problem before it contaminates various other areas of your mouth.

Numerous of the very best compounds to ease periodontal pain are necessary oils like clove, pepper mint and also oregano. They are commonly utilized to manage mouth issues due to their natural painkilling and additionally anti-inflammatory properties. You can use them directly to the gum tissue tissues after mixing them with a carrier oil or some water.

Certain medical herbs like clove powder and also turmeric can also help. You can blend them together and add some water to create a paste, after that apply that combination to your periodontals and also leave it on for a few mins. This easy solution has the possible to relieve both discomfort and inflammation rapidly.

Eventually, CBD oil for periodontal pain could be an excellent solution thanks to its capacity to soothe pain, battle swelling as well as increase circulation. The second part of our review will uncover just exactly how it functions, as well as just how you can utilize it to remove periodontal cells discomfort.

What is CBD?

CBD is a fragment located in the cannabis plant, renowned for its numerous wellness benefits. Particularly, CBD can eliminate discomfort and swelling along with reduced hypertension, in addition to reward depression as well as anxiety.

The many advantages of CBD originate from its task on the endocannabinoid system. When we take in CBD, this compound binds with receptors CB1 in addition to CB2, sending signals to the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is a natural system that is partly in charge of controling pain, frame of mind, appetite, immune function and lots of numerous other elements of human wellness

This makes CBD extremely useful in handling various signs at the same time. For example, it can aid people with psychological health and wellness as well as wellness by raising their state of mind as well as decreasing their stress and also stress and anxiety. It can additionally aid individuals with IBD by reducing swelling, queasiness or throwing up, and likewise associated indicators like joint pain In the case of undesirable periodontals, CBD could be used to alleviate discomfort, reduced swelling along with secure the mouth from gum disease.

Can I legally get CBD? CBD is lawful on a government degree in the USA, as long as it consists of less than 0.3% THC. However, it is still forbidden by particular state policies and doesn't have FDA consent. We urge you to get in touch with a physician before you start taking CBD.

The benefits of CBD for gum tissue health and wellness.

CBD minimizes pain.

Cannabis has in fact been used to relieve pain for many years. Today, we comprehend that CBD is partly responsible for its painkilling structures. As a material, CBD has been found to minimize all various types of discomfort: from the severe to the consistent, as well as likewise from inflammatory discomfort to neuropathic discomfort.

CBD is specifically effective when utilized locally. As an example, we recognize that applying CBD on the skin can provide virtually instantaneous remedy for joint inflammation pain. This is given that we have hundreds of endocannabinoid receptors located merely under the surface area of the skin. When we apply CBD to the skin, it permeates the first layer of skin in addition to binds with these receptors, beaming that can reduce discomfort because location.

The skin of the mouth is specifically permeable. This indicates using CBD there could be really reliable in eliminating pain.

CBD relieve gum tissue swelling and also swelling

Periodontal cells discomfort usually includes swelling. If your gum tissues are red along with inflamed, it's a sure sign that your swelling levels rise. Often, puffy periodontal cells can additionally start hemorrhaging when you eat or brush your teeth, which can make gum tissue pain much more irritating to handle.

CBD oil for gum discomfort is an efficient compound when it worries inflammation. Research research studies have disclosed that it can decrease swelling just as well as several of the most usual anti-inflammatory medicines. Applied on the skin, CBD is a valuable anti-inflammatory treatment for both pain in addition to swelling.

Although there have not been any type of research study studies on the anti-inflammatory effects of CBD on the mouth, it's most likely that it can in addition lessen periodontal swelling via the exact very same devices. CBD works as an anti-bacterial

CBD is a product with anti-bacterial influences. This could be handy in the treatment of periodontal cells discomfort, especially considering that a few of its most common factors are microbial infections. It also makes it beneficial in keeping our mouths tidy in addition to protecting versus periodontal condition or dental caries.

We have thousands of different germs staying in our mouths. Most of that germs is harmless, as long as it does not recreate also immediately! Eating wonderful foods and not cleansing or flossing properly can trigger the development of plaque in the mouth, which is a slim film of germs. In time, dental plaque can create periodontal health problem as well as additionally oral decay.

In a 2020 research, scientists observed the influences of cannabinoids (CBD, CBC, CBN, in addition to CBG) on the advancement of oral plaque in a petri dish. They located that cannabinoids lowered the microbial nest in dental plaque substantially when contrasted to products like Oral B as well as Colgate toothpaste.

We currently understood that CBD oil for periodontal pain was anti-bacterial, yet the fact it might be much more efficient than well-established dental health items is definitely a shock. It means that utilizing CBD can not just lessen your periodontal pain, yet in addition keep your mouth healthy so you can stop gum problem in the future.

Just how to utilize CBD oil for gum pain

If you want to supply CBD a pursue minimizing gum pain, after that the most efficient ways may be to place it straight in the mouth. As we have actually seen in the second part of this article, CBD features well at treating pain and additionally swelling when applied straight to the skin. Positioning CBD in your mouth could similarly be just one of one of the most reputable technique to remove plaque, which can prevent future periodontal discomfort.

To do that, you can take advantage of a CBD oil cast in addition to carefully massage therapy it into your periodontals for a couple of minutes. Be light, as inflamed periodontals begin bleeding easily! If you don't such as the choice of CBD oil, you can clean it off after a number of mins. Yet if you don't mind it, you'll pay back much better occur from leaving it on your gum tissue cells over night.

Another alternative is to use a CBD mouthwash or a CBD tooth paste. There are a couple of CBD manufacturers that have currently begun creating CBD-based dental health items, which you can find internet. Nevertheless, these might still be testing to acquire, depending upon where you live. An excellent selection would absolutely be to make your extremely own CBD mouthwash utilizing pure CBD oil and all-natural active ingredients.

Takeaways

With all-natural painkilling, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial buildings, CBD is just one of one of the most valuable natural energetic components when it relates to dental wellness. If you experience unpleasant, irritated periodontals, after that applying simply a few drops of CBD oil to them can make a great deal of difference. Yet keep in mind, gum cells pain can in some cases indicate mouth illness-- so do not be reluctant to consult your dental professional if indicators proceed.

Bibliography

Benefits of CBD for pain relief

2018 review of research on cannabinoids and pain 2008 study on the effects of CBD for pain management 2016 study on the effects of CBD on arthritis in rats

Benefits of CBD for inflammation

2010 study on the effects of topical CBD as an anti-inflammatory 2003 study on the anti-inflammatory effects of topical CBD on mice 2010 review of studies on cannabinoids for inflammation

Benefits of CBD for mouth health and plaque reduction

2020 study on the effects of cannabinoids on dental plaque