#this can apply to most pets I'm sure I've just always had dogs

[arashi-no-saxlphone]

I don't like dogs cause they're needy and annoying but the thing is like, if you're mean to dogs I'm the first one to get violent about it. Because dogs are very good animals. They give out affection so relentlessly just for a crumb of that affection in kind. Loyal and full of love. Wolves decided that they would give up so much of themselves for safety and love and they're considered our "best friend" as a species all this time later. If you're mean to dogs I'll kill you. I get emotional about this because my dog annoys me so bad but I look at her and it's like "you're so unconditional with your love in a world that is cold and cruel, and in this moment I understand why you're always waiting at the window for my return - I wish people were like that too." I'm like the dad that goes "absolutelt not no pets we are not getting a dog" and then is the most attached to said dog. You have to be fucking nice to dogs.

[bloggingboutburgers]

Do you have any advice for someone traveling to Europe from the US for the first time?

Hi!! I'm so so sorry for replying so late TwT This week's been messy!! I hope I'm not too late TwT

Seeing as I'm the European one in my long-distance relationship with my queerplatonic partner, and THEY've had to come to Europe from the US for the first time to visit me, I took the liberty of asking THEM for some advice, which I feel would be more accurate^^ They've given a lot of input, so everything's under the cut! (Many thanks to them <3)

Okay I'm just going to be transparent here. If you're traveling to Europe by yourself, then be mindful of any testing or documentation needed for that travel. ( Good starting point is here [https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/travelers-with-special-considerations/schengen.html]) It's always good to make sure you have them at the ready since the international airport of where you live, will most likely check that when confirming your check in. Currently from my understanding, people from the United States will need the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) in order to come in to the EU. ( website over here [https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en]) That starts January of 2024. However, once you have it, it's good for three years. They're not accepting applicants at the moment but it's important to have that at the ready if you are planning to visit in the next following year and onwards. Aight, so that's the whole technical aspect of it. Here's like genuinely wish someone told me when I traveled by myself to Europe.

[16:37]Bruh, I underestimated how long the flights are. Absolutely get a airline that provides food regularly because you'll definitely be needing it or bring some food with you. The hunger factor gets to you! Also water, please do get that! During those flights, I've had window seats and they've been serving me well! Like honestly if the section is going for the restroom, you follow the herd, just to make it easier. Also, gauge if ya can chat with your seat neighbors! They've been pretty cool from my experience! (My first ever flight to Europe, there was a couple with a service dog with them! They kindly allowed me to pet the dear but sadly had to move to a better seating for them. Which I respected! Though as a result I had a whole lane for myself! Boi the leg space was a god send! Gosh! Yeah! The leg space in economy is cramped! In all transparency, I'm petite! I fit fine but for my fellow average and up companions...yeah it's a bit uncomfortable. Just be sure to do stretches before and after the flight!) Let's see...I've brought my own head phones which was solid for the movies provided at the flight and if you want some music while you read! I finished vol 1-3 of "The Adventure Zone: Balance" when I first visited with some nice tunes! Then I read some long fanfics from AO3, which were super solid. Nonetheless, whichever is most comfiest for you to spend hours doing for entertainment with slight constant movement is more power to you! It's okay to give yourself options too! Hmmm...once you land, at least where I landed, there was small letterings in English that assist in directing your way through the airport. Though more often than not, there's veterans that just know their way and usually the crowd is heading the same way. So know where your going but usually if you follow the herd of peeps heading to customs, ya know ya have arrived. Gosh, okay, I'll stop right there! Thank you for reading my Ted talk!

That's for my partner's advice! And as for a bit of mine:

Definitely don't forget about the ETIAS document if that'll apply to you. It's a fairly quick process but it's crucial.

Don't expect a great level of English proficiency everywhere in Europe. It can vary from country to country. Typically countries that speak latin languages (like France, Italy or Spain) tend to be less fluent in English and you'll have more trouble Englishing your way there. Of course, that's all evolving with time, but yeah.

...Overall honestly that's the European in me talking but don't expect too much from Europe Europe is kinda mid /j /hj

[mbrainspaz]

Still processing the fact that before this job I never had one where I haven't been harassed or abused in some way. I'm still not sure I believe it can last.

It's been over a decade since I started working. My very first job in college I had a coworker who would cuss me out every day at 7am because he didn't want to be there, which wasn't worth the minimum wage pay. At my first office job the boss joked I should dance on a table and coworkers debated how easy it would be to assault me. In 2021 I had a coworker who would show up and follow me around on his time off just to criticize me and call me an idiot. When I tried reporting him the boss defended him and did nothing. So many people treated me like I was stupid and incompetent to the point that they almost had me believing it. Even once I stood up for myself I had to work through 2 years of useless corporate Karens talking down to me like I was a teenage peasant instead of an expert running their whole business from the dirt up. Another coworker made a hobby out of yelling at me every chance he got and trying to stop me from doing my job because he didn't believe it was 'women's work.' Everyone knew he was bullying me and just expected me to cope. Nobody (except one part time high schooler) ever used the right damn pronouns for me. My parting Christmas bonus was the corporate boss making up false accusations in an attempt to get me fired because she effed up the budget.

Now I walk in to work 5 minutes late. There's no time clock. People smile and greet me in the hallway. The department boss gives me a cheery 'good morning!' I settle into my cubicle with the fluorescents turned off and my top end mac they got me with my coffee. An hour later my boss stops by for a chat and we exchange notes on the tasks for the day. He's always the picture of professionalism. He asks me how my horse is doing. I ask him if the latest freak storm destroyed his house. He says it missed. Nice. I spend the next 8 hours doing the 4 hours worth of work I've been given and then drawing or writing my novel. Eventually my cubicle neighbor shows up and we exchange a friendly greeting. Sometimes the gen z girls from social media swing by and ask me if I want to go get coffee. Everybody still gets my pronouns wrong but they correct themselves on the next pass, even my boss's boss who gives me slightly bad vibes. The director stops by to say hi and pet whichever dog I brought into the office with me because that's allowed here. Just before 5 someone taps my shoulder and says there's leftover cake in the break room. The pay isn't making me rich but it's enough for now. I'm not any more or less competent, skilled, manly, valuable, or intelligent now than I was at any other job I've ever had, from the sandwich shop to the last horse stable. If anything I'm applying fewer of my skills than I've ever had to use to get by. Suddenly people see me when I walk past. They want to know my name. They treat me with respect. I did nothing different to 'deserve' this. At most I crossed paths with the right contact at the right time thanks to a funny bumble profile that I designed to ward off christian men.

[lavender-synapse]

My study blog!

Hello, call me izzy or lavender or nothing at all. Welcome.

I am a sophomore who just transferred to a new college that is supposed to more difficult as it is a technology uni, so I am balancing my cs classes with a humanity + social science. While I am not a freshman, I'll be experiencing a new college so it kind of feels like I'm one.

My main weaknesses are drinking too much caffeine, not being able to focus on one thing for an extended period of time, and lacking motivation. I hope creating this blog will help me focus on my goals.

What I'm studying:

I am a computer science major. For Fall 2024, I am registered for computer organization, data structures and algos., a Shakespeare class, and intro to cognitive psychology. These are the classes I will be sharing my progress in this semester. I plan on adding a neuroscience minor when I can.

Academic goals:

Maintain good grades while also working on my mental health

Learn a lot in my cs classes and stay ahead, delve deeper into topics than just what is on the syllabus

Make computer science projects and start leet-coding

Value my non-stem classes and really enjoy my chance to learn about Shakespeare and psychology

Academic interests:

In the future, I am most excited to learn about the intelligence side of computer science including topics about deep learning and machine learning. I want to apply neuroscience and cognitive science to these topics. I also am excited to learn some of the hardware side of computer science. Also, cybersecurity sounds interesting to me. One day, I hope to study computational neuroscience and/or cognitive science.

Other interests:

I love detective stories, especially Sherlock Holmes.

Currently watching: Law and Order SVU, Gilmore girls, and Sherlock Holmes movies.

The Hunger Games books and movies, PJO and HOO

Pets! I've had rats, hamsters, fish, dogs, and a bearded dragon. Currently I only have a fish tank with a snail and some plants though. I love researching about pet care so I am knowledgable about it.

I wasn't sure how to format this post, but thank you to anyone who read some of it! I will start posting more once my school starts in about a week.

This blog will always be a safe space for poc, queer people, people with a disability, and everyone who is anti-oppression. I am not that good at being an activist yet, but I will always educate myself on the world around me to become a better one and my beliefs will probably show up on this blog. Thank you and until next time.

[draslihanxfahri-bailey]

Asli couldn't imagine her life without the cats. Sure, while Oliver and Eve were originally Eli's, it's becoming evident even before they officially started dating that they were just as much her cats as they are the man's. And the same applied with Kemet. Admittedly, the anthropologist had been dreaming of potentially getting some more pets with her boyfriend, especially some dogs. But she wasn't sure if that dream was a possibility right now due to everything. "Perfect, he's going to love her. The other two might be cautiously curious, though. I believe Alex is the biggest tiny human they've met and would be dumbfounded to realize humans can be tinier." The thought of the cats meeting the baby had been one of the happier thoughts she's had during this pregnancy. She truly wasn't sure who'd be the most over the moon and who'd be the one not having it the most (her money is on Eve for that last one, though). She chuckled slightly. While she didn't know the two that well, she could imagine Maggie being extremely happy. "Maybe someday, it could happen. Have you been checking out any homes or plots out there, just to get a feel and imagine it all better?" Aslihan waited quietly. She was hoping that Maggie would want to play with the toys, that she would feel comfortable and hopefully less shy. Fortunately, with Sage's encouragement, that seemed to be the case. Causing the brunette to smile as she whispered warmly, "You're welcome, sweetheart." Glancing back at the other blonde as she stood up, Asli straightened up. "I can get you a chair or a floor pouf, if you'd like to sit," she offered.

Alex was an ever curious child, wanting to learn as much as possible. However, she still acted on her child wonderment and pursuits, which made Asli happy. Growing up, she never really felt like a child and had been rather grown up, always mistaken for being older than she actually was. Then she started uni in Cairo and it became glaringly obvious just how young she was. While Alex was so much like her, Aslihan hoped that she got to be a child. Which, fortunately, seemed to be the case. "Yeah? What position were you? I mean... If you're ever up for it and would like to test that out, I'm sure Alex would love to play with you. Oh my gosh, I truly underestimated just how fast a toddler can be. Especially a very persistent toddler who does not want to take a bath." Chuckling, she shook her head at the memory. While Alex was better concerning bath time now, there were still days where her two year old antics came back out to play. Freezing at her words, she couldn't express just how true that was. Swallowing quietly, she nodded. "You got me there," she said gently. Though, she was right about the good times as well. Yet her question made her pause again. Over the years, she's noticed her accent becoming slightly fainter, yet still rather prominent from time to time. She nodded quietly. "I, um... I was born in Turkey. My parents adopted me from an orphanage in Istanbul, but I grew up all over the place with home bases in London, Rio de Janeiro, and Cairo." Why did she decide to stay? "Because of them," she said softly. "Alex and Atlas... My boyfriend, Eli... All of my friends, my students, my coworkers... Even you and Maggie. My family's here now as well, both my adoptive parents and brother and also a cousin on my biological side. I have my jobs at the university and the history museum, plus this institute I'm working on with my parents. I have so many people here that I still want to meet. I have so many things that I want to do and work on. I have many reasons why I've stayed, and they outweigh reasons to leave. Providence Peak's become my home and I have a life here. A lot's happened and it hasn't been easy... But it's nice to have roots somewhere, right?" She echoed her words, giving Sage a gentle smile. "What about you? Have you always wanted to stay in Providence Peak or had you thought of leaving and finding someplace else to be your home?"

Sage had adopted Springsteen shortly before the accident and subsequent split from her wife, never having a pet growing up (outside of the occasional carnival-won goldfish that always mysteriously disappeared a few weeks later) she'd struggled with caring for the retired search and rescue dog after the loss of her daughter, but after making it through to the other side of her grief, with the Bernese by her side, she truly couldn't imagine a life without him. Once her hiking partner, now a best friend for Maggie, and the last thing she cared about was whether her house was covered head to toe in pet hair — the happiness he brought the family was more than worth it and she assumed that the cats Aslihan spoke about were the same for the woman. "I bet she would like that, it's good to have exposure," Sage started before continuing with a slight quirk of her lips. "Sometimes I think about selling the house and buying some land in Bighorn with a few goats and maybe some pigs, probably never going to happen, but I'm sure Maggie would love it. She is obsessed with any animal you put in front of her." As the tote and the stuffed panda were set in front of the tiny blonde, Sage kneeled beside the toddler and pointed out the toys in the tote, prompting Maggie to say thank you to the woman who offered her the toys. The thank you came quietly, barely more than a mumble of the first word with a muffled toddler pronunciation to it as the little girl proceeded to take a seat and pick up the stuffed red panda, her tiny toddler fingers poking at the eyes of the toy.

The older blonde stood once Maggie was comfortable, brushing her hands on her thighs. She was impressed with the level of knowledge the other's daughter seemed to hold, between what she knew from what Atlas told her and what Aslihan mentioned, it was clear that Alex was talented. "I'm not sure about Greek or jiu-jitsu, but I do know a little about soccer. I used to play in high school... not so much anymore. These days I can barely keep up with a toddler." A soft laugh trickled from her lips, wondering how long it would be before she wouldn't even be able to keep up with a toddler. She liked to believe she kept herself in shape, but at some point in time, there was only so much a person could do before age took its toll. "Sometimes sticking around where the memories are isn't such a great thing," The blonde mentioned, not able to count how many memories she had of her mom and her daughter in those four walls, and knew that it would have been possible to climb her way out of her pit of grief after the accident if she hadn't been in the same place where there used to be little footsteps running down the hallway and tiny laughs filling the living room. "But it's nice to have roots somewhere and the good times always outweigh the bad." She took a breath before continuing with a question directed at the other. "So you haven't always been in Providence Peak," Sage started, knowing that much from the past situation with Atlas not knowing about his daughter. "Why did you decide to stay? I imagine it's difficult not having family in the area... I currently live with my little sister and I'll owe her for eternity for helping me out with Maggie."

[trainingfaith]

Hey, I live in MS and I was wondering if you could help me about service dogs. I have two forms of PTSD (two unrelated traumatic events that both gave me PTSD), and I'm not really sure how to go about getting a service dog/training my own. I've read quite a bit on the subject but still not quite sure on where to go or what to do. Sadly, even if I did have one, I'd be absolutely terrified of what people would think when I brought it out in public.. I don't want everyone to know my disability.

Hey Anon! The first step would be to talk to your doctor and see if you two are on the same page. If you are going though a program​, your doctor will most likely have to write a recommendation for you stating that you are in fact disabled, and why you need a service dog. This is not needed if you are owner training, but it is good to have on hand if you plan to travel with your service dog on airlines or live in non pet friendly housing. I had to provide this letter before I got approved to live in a college dorm. 

Once you and your doctor are on the same page about you getting a service dog, you need to think about what the service dog would be trained to do. Think about what you cannot do for yourself, or all the ways that your disability limits your life. Once you have that list, next to each item write a task that a service dog could be trained to help. A good starter list of tasks are here (general) and here (specifically psychiatric related). The possibilities are endless! Be creative, but also be realistic.

Once you have your list of tasks down, it’s time to decide if you would rather owner train, or apply to receive an already trained program dog.  If you have never owned a service dog before, or do not have extensive dog training knowledge/experience, then I highly recommend going though a program. Programs typically have a 1-3 year wait list, and prices range from $7,000-30,000 depending on the program and the tasks you need trained. If however, you feel confident that you can train your own service dog, than you can explore the option of owner training. Even owner training requires help though. It is always best to enroll in obedience classes, and work with a professional service dog trainer. Keep in mind though that the cost to buy, train, and care for your service dog prospect will equate to the same (or sometimes more!) as purchasing a program trained dog. Seeing as it takes 2-3 years minimum to fully train a service dog, the wait time will also be the same or more as a program dog. 

Regarding your concern for people knowing your disability in public.... NOBODY (NOBODY!!!!) HAS THE RIGHT TO DEMAND TO KNOW YOUR DISABILITY!! You can choose to be as open or as private as you would like. Even if you are listing your dog’s tasks, you don’t have to say “she alerts to flash backs.” You can just say “medical alert” :) 

I wish you the best of luck on your service dog journey!​

~ Lex (& Faith)

[spookystudentgui]

Salt about pet ownership.

Well here it is! Here's my first real Salt. Grab some tea or whatever because I'm about to throw it down!

Context: I've been working in the veterinary industry for five years (cumulatively). I have Seen some Shit™. I'm also happy to answer whatever non-medical questions you might have.

My Salt:

1. If you can't afford the general medical care for basic pet needs (vaccines, parasite prevention, office visit, etc) you should strongly reconsider getting a pet.

1.2. If you don't believe in vaccinating and you think your precious baby won't get sick... don't even bother getting a pet. Because they will get sick and it WILL be your fault. Most pet diseases are always going to be way more expensive to treat than to prevent. And treatment is not always guaranteed to be successful.

2. Consider this: you more than likely will outlive your pet in most cases. Prepare yourself emotionally and financially for this possibility ahead of time. Yes, it will still hurt. Yes, we know you won't want to let go. But if you're keeping your pet alive only for yourself while they're visibly suffering, then you seriously need to reconsider your priorities.

3. Along that same vein, the same day you bring puppy or kitty home, decide which pet crematorium you'll be using in 10-12 years. Some vet clinics will do a "general disposition" and take care of the pet's remains for you (this applies only if you don't want ashes back). There is usually a charge for this service. If you're just gonna bury Fluffy in the backyard after they depart from this life, be aware of pet burial laws in your city/county/state/country.

4. Don't dump your pets if you no longer want them! Not only is it inhumane, it is also a crime in most places. Also, we've had some literal idiots who dumped their dogs after microchipping them. Guess who always forgets to update their contact information and gets charged (or in rare cases end up getting their pets back anyway)? The pet dumpers! D'oh!

5. Stop picking up pets off the side of the road unless you want to take responsibility for their care and/or become financially responsible for them!! There's this weird ideal out there that if you "rescue" a pet off of the side of the road they get cared for for free and you get to go about your day with good vibes... NO!! No and no! Do not let me discourage you from doing a good deed but be aware that even if an owner is located for a stray pet, you may have to travel, feed and house the pet at your own risk and expenditure, the pet may need medical attention, etc... Or in most cases, we at the vet clinic simply say: "congratulations on your new pet!" because their care is yours now because there was no microchip or tags. And even if you dump them back onto the street, you could be charged for the crime, even if the pet wasn't yours to begin with!

6. You always have the right to ask for a treatment plan AFTER the veterinarian does the initial exam and before they charge for anything else. If your vet doesn't follow this practice, you may want to look for a new vet (your wallet will thank you).

7. Don't be shy or play dumb if you know your animal is aggressive. Tell someone. Use a muzzle. Be responsible. If you need help bringing your pet into the clinic, you can usually call from the parking lot.

8. The veterinary clinic is NOT a damn dog park so stop letting your dog roam around! Also: throw away your retractable leash and get a real leash!!

9. If you think you know more about medical care for your pet than the vet does, or believe a homeopathic remedy will surely cure the tumor in their nose... why the hell are you even there at the vet in the first place??

10. People who shoot dogs for fun should not own pets. That should be a given but we've had some weirdoes before..

11. Your female dog isn't spayed but there's a male dog in the house. The male hasn't been neutered but you don't think the bitch won't get pregnant? Congratulations, not only are you a damn idiot, but I hope you can find homes for all of those puppies that you will inevitably have. I hope your bitch also doesn't need an emergency c-section.

12. You could be the president of the damn USA but if you're late to your appointment, you WILL be rescheduled. Your cat doesn't understand the concept of time so don't blame him/her.

13. Stop calling the clinic to demand diagnoses over the phone. We can't do that. And descriptions don't help, either. Just bring your pet in.

14. Learn general care for your pet BEFORE you go to get one. I literally had a lady once ask me how to use litter... Right as she brought in a brand new kitten from the humane society. Like.... Wtf!!

15. If your pet is obese, and your vet brings it up... Believe me, it's not a personal attack on you. We just don't want your pet to suffer from joint/heart/breathing/etc. problems later.

-----

Guh. I'm tired. I have more salt but I'm typing this on mobile and my thumbs hurt. I need to go take my office scrubs off, too.

Here is a cute photo of one of my happy, healthy sons as a token of my gratitude for reading this far:

Student Gui out.

[purplepollywog]

Idk where you live and I hate to be a Debbie downer, but most of what I've been hearing are people snitching on their neighbors for every small infraction (I had a woman call in and complain that her neighbors had New York plates because they'd just moved into the neighborhood....a fun fact about the interstate quarantine or going out at all is that you can't just be pulled over for being out; an officer still needs a reason to do it; if you cross state lines an officer would have to witness it in order for their to be charges) and ammo being sold out for some absolutely ridiculous reason. I hate to think if this gets deeper how many domestic situations we'll have. Most of what we've had to deal with at my job are those and people feeling suicidal. Also I live in a area where like...95% of the population are heavy drinkers. At some point that bubble's gonna burst because people will go stir crazy. And the parties people have here are MASSIVE social gatherings that the state police and national guard have been sent out to break up because people are fucking dumb. I'm talking 30+ when the limit to any gathering is ten.

And what about everyone, who at the end of this, are going to lose their fucking homes? How can you even think about having a fun time when you've been laid off and can't work from home? People also probably don't realize the resources that exist to help. If you have a home mortgage you can check with the company it's through to have payment help (NOT a deferment; that means it's waived for a couple months and the at the end you have to pay all of the back payments owed at once; there's a specific option for covid relief, though make sure you get ALL the details before agreeing to anything). Most people probably realize they can apply for unemployment, but I'll add it just in case. The stimulus checks everyone is getting are not something individuals have to pay back (though god help us when this is over...), and if you are still working your job can't preemptively take the pay out of your check (this sounds absurd, but it's already happened).

Extra fact time though; because this is a state of emergency, landlords aren't allowed to evict you. They would have to wait until the emergency has been lifted. It's illegal to do otherwise. All evictions have been suspended. All utilities must also remain ON. If your landlord turns them off or locks you out of your residence, at least in Maryland, you can break into the home or cut the locks to regain access. HOWEVER, once it is lifted they're free to file for an eviction. I can't even imagine how many people our agency will have to dump out on the street. The goddamn landlords gouge here anyway because it's a college town.

In Maryland you can also still go out to recreate, you just can't gather in groups larger than ten. You want to go fishing? Go ahead, just stay the proper distance away. You want to walk your dog in the park? Sure! But don't use the pavilions or other public buildings on the property. They're technically closed. No one's going to care if you want to take a walk on your lunch break, just as long as all twenty employees don't decide to start a walk-a-thon and huddle together up the street.

I'm not sure how other states work (I imagine it's probably much the same), but you can always go to your state's government website to find out what is and is not considered essential. If you type in the statename.gov it'll take you directly to the homepage. Most, if not all, sites have links to resources on the front page if you have questions. The gist of it is that getting groceries, caring for family members (this means also buying groceries for someone unable to leave the house like an elderly or disabled person, or if they need a caretaker in general), taking pets to the vet, taking your kids to their other parent for court-ordered custody visits, etc are acceptable reasons to travel. Though, again, I would check the state websites for specifics.

say what you will about the world ending and 2020 being hell. since quarantines started, the air is filled with laughter and talk. i hear kids playing in backyards with their family. i hear people talking happily on the phone with loved ones. everyone has their doors open to the porches at our apartment. you smell cooking, see the lights of backyard firepits, hear children delighted to spend time with parents that are never home. i love the videos of people playing music with their neighbors, playing bingo from their balconies, pranking their family members, and streaming with their friends. i love that my mom and dad keep stealing access to netflix because they are home from work and finally have a chance to watch movies together. my neighbors wave at me when i take the dog out while they laugh with each other over a beer. i know more than anything its a commentary on capitalism but it’s still great to see people being people. its good to know there are still humans and that they are being relentlessly, beautifully human, regardless of what happens.