#very good points and that video mainly talks about like actual PUBLISHED books but that still very much applies to fics

[nomazee]

a month ago i said i would yell about misogyny and patriarchal themes in fanfiction and eventually i will but there are so many thoughts and feelings in my head that it will take me forever to type it down. But i will say this

Be critical of the things you read. i’m not saying you CANT read for enjoyment—you CAN and SHOULD read for fun. But i’m saying that sometimes you should take notice of the themes in writing and think “wow, i wonder why that’s written like that. Is this harmful or is this helpful?”

it’s a given that fanfiction is widely heteronormative because society and media blah blah blah We know all of this … but in my opinion i think it’s important to think about why women in hetero fics are portrayed the way they are sometimes. I think reader insert fics have gone a long way in being more inclusive and less harmful than they were years ago BUT. Do not let that stop you from recognizing themes in the works you read right now

like; Why are misogyny-affected people written a certain way?? Why are there often degrading themes in a lot of tropes and fics regarding women?? Why are there certain roles that misogyny affected people are expected to fulfill even in fiction?? why are women often the “default” for fics with male characters?? think about any of these questions for like longer than two minutes, read a bad fic, and you will probably see where i’m coming from

[vicea]

dream merch discord recap (june 12, 2021) - disclaimer: i may have missed some things or mistakenly heard other things, apologies in advanced for that!

he has not played the new minecraft update

dream “knows” the date george is coming to florida but he’s not saying it :p

dream doesn’t have anyone muted on twitter

dream guesses his favorite disney princess is belle

sapnap has seen dream’s feet before

he’s not actually connor’s dad in the dsmp lore

dreamnap do not have nicknames for each other D:

dream likes olives but especially black olives

his mother makes homemade pickles

he doesn’t have a phone case

he has dropped his phone from his ear onto concrete in the parking lot before and the screen didn’t crack

dream has six fingers /j

he pours cereal first not milk when making cereal

dream calls sapnap nick most of the time :D

what’s your dream car? “idk the one that gets me to point A to point B consistently”

he finally fixed his sleep schedule, woke up at 8 am today

mrbeast owes dream a tesla because he never sent dream the audio file

dream is a very analytical person - he thinks with numbers/data

creativity is one his strengths that he is the most proud of

3 to 4 years ago, dream used to say george looks like shawn mendes a lot, now he doesn’t resemble him as much

patches is currently sleeping <3

swimming is very relaxing to dream, he swam the other day!

many houses in florida have pools than other places, even the cheapest houses in orlando have pools

dream has merchendise defects (misprints on merch) + milestone merch and he wants to give them away to those who live in orlando (probably to anyone but the event will be held in orlando) though he doesn’t want it to be a covid super-spreader thing so once you pick up your item you gotta dip. just all an idea though

he has been donating them to charity too though :)

dream has likely read Heroes of Olympus before a long time ago

he says that he’ll do a give away of his childhood books with his signature on it

he was obsessed with the series (Percy Jackson) 

he really liked the Alex Rider series

has all of Maximum Ride books, 39 clues books

has read the legend series, the twilight series, and the maze runner

has all/read of the harry potter books, divergent, eragon

he would read all the time, to the point he would read more than one book a day (a book worm he says)

dream had a goal to read 200 books in a year and he wind up reading about 150

he doesn’t want to call it a library but- growing up he had something like that that had 600 or 700 or more books in it (privileged he admits it)

he has not read a book since he started youtube (about 2 years)

dream has a folder called Book that has his own writing in it

word count: 76000 words for one of his stories 

another one he wrote 5 chapters of

he sounds very excited/embarrassed talking about the stories he wrote he’s so endearing

the very first paragraph of one of his stories (he was young when he wrote this) “What exactly is darkness? is it the lack of light? is it a pit of nothingness? ... your mind is full of darkness...” then he couldn’t continue.

the story is about a kid who wakes up in a cell and has no idea where he is with other people who are in the same situation

dream has a world building document

he has a sequel to the first book he has ever written

he found a query letter that he wrote because he wanted to get his book published- he finds it very funny

he’s calling himself a nerd but idk it’s kind of endearing

“as you can tell i’ve always been incredibly cool and not a nerd at all! ever.”

he cringes at his own old videos

dream took a lot of inspiration from witches and wizards by james patterson for writing

the story is written in a way where the main character is actually writing the story so you’re getting input from the main character during it. there’s a lot of sarcasm in it and it’s making dream laugh

very first person narrator

he feels like it’d be very cool if he were to publish his works he wrote when he was 16 on amazon or something but he probably never would because he’d have to read through all of it and it’s just embarrassing for him

dream used to video call sapnap fairly frequently- even before youtube

he strictly remembers, a very long time (at least 7 to 9 years) ago he was at his old childhood house he video called sapnap. he was wearing a (technically) suit and he remembers specifically that he was giving sap a tour... 

“snazzy in a suit”

he had no reason to put on the suit (wow time is a flat circle huh)

drista is pretty close to sapnap’s height, she’s like 5′7″ but sap is still taller than her

dream filmed the whole thing when he and sapnap met but... it’s... gone because when he was clipping that one clip for twitter... it edited the whole video

he’s sure when they meet up with george they will film that too :D

DREAM IS PRETTY SURE THAT HE AND GEORGE WILL MEET THIS YEAR-- HE SAYS A 95% CERTAINTITY the five percent is like either restrictions or visa issues

dream does not play any instruments but he had a guitar hanging on his wall when he was younger...

dream is convinced they’re the same height but also sapnap is probably taller??

they had george compare his height to a door frame and dreamnap were googling for any doorframes to find any possible chance that george is taller than 5′8″ ... nothing came up

there’s a chance they’re both lying about being 5′8″

sap and george will literally just show up in stilts to prove they’re taller than each other /j

dream without shoes is between 6′2″ and 6′3″ with shoes he’s 6′3.5″

dream is talking about awesamdude’s fake height arc again LOL

dreamnap are very private people so they don’t bother each other but george doesn’t care and would just barge into their rooms and start bothering them- they were all joking about that over a voice call

he will visit europe

he thinks that greece would be a cool place to visit because sapnap’s family is from there :) so it’ll be like a nice “treat” to go back with sap :D

dream isn’t entirely sure that the dream team meet up will happen this year but he’s working out the details because he wants to make sure it’s safe

he’s talking to youtube about his face reveal

it’s up to george if he wants to eat healthy when they finally move in

dream just has a lot of meat and vegetables in his house

spinach with chicken is good

not much fruit (only apples and tomatoes)

“DRISTA IS 5″ is trending on twitter LOL (her height got cut off)

dream doesn’t want people flying to different places because he doesn’t want to encourage travel so he wants to do all of the meet ups with a two day heads up at most

he thinks that it’s awesome that ranboo and tubbo are meeting soon !! :D

it’s very cool to dream to see how far everyone’s has come since the beginning of the dsmp. everyone has done so much

dream finalized his youtube plan a couple weeks before he uploaded his video and he was talking to drista about how he was gonna be a big youtuber in a parking lot :”)

she was the first person he really ever talked to about it

dream would love to teach george how to drive it’d be really funny :D (a very good video or a livestream idea) 

dream knows how to ride a bike, he used to have to bike to school

he can’t explain dnf.gay he has no clue he is not responsible. sapnap was the one who found it LOL. he is adamantly exclaiming that it was not him

dream doesn’t worry about views/likes/dislikes a lot- mainly views but that’s for the new uploads

he hasn’t uploaded in like a month and a half (*cries*)

he wants to stream at some point but he doesn’t know when 

he wants to play geoguessr but not now... he doesn’t want to alt stream rn- maybe tomorrow!

he is insisting that the splash text on his minecraft home screen is by callahan

he asked callahan to send him bunch of text files that are dream team related so that the splash can rotate through it but callahan thought it was funny (it is) to put only dreamnotfound <3 so it doesn’t ever change at all and dream doesn’t even know how to change and he has asked callahan to change it but he said no (even though dream pays him LMAO)

the video referenced in the padilla’s video is still in the works, it might be handed over to sapnap though !

he has no idea if he will be in MCC pride yet

padilla got dream’s input for the video, dream found him to be a very nice guy ! :) it’s the first interview that dream did that wasn’t by a person with a negative opinion of dream

dream felt relaxed doing the interview with padilla 

?????? he’s blaming callahan for his “dnfisreal” nickname in bedwars 

he’s blaming callahan for a lot of dnf-related stuff

callahan runs the dream fanart account thus the liking of dnf content

he’s so insistent that it was callahan

dream admits that he was lying about the twitter and other stuff but for sure callahan did code the splash text in LOL

dream liking that tweet “the chances of george doing a hot tub stream is the same of dnf dating” was “funny” he wasnt trying to do any commentary...

the inside joke of “oh it’s all just a joke to you” originates from george and sapnap actually always fighting (like them yelling and shouting at each other) and george said something really mean and sapnap was hurt then geroge said “it was just a joke” and sapnap replied with that line and ever since then it’s been a meme LOL

he says that everyone does the hand-on-the-passenger-seat-while-reversing thing

dream is offline raiding with his chat with 6k people

dream appreciates us and will talk to us soon! 

[lucy90712]

Being an author (hc)

request: hi! could you write something about reader being an author? tysm :D

~ George:

He really likes reading your work and he is always amazed at your creativity and intelligence which is shown in the way your write. He is literally your biggest fan and will reread all of your work over and over because he loves them and you so much.

If you just write for fun he would definitely encourage you to publish your books and would help you do all of it along with deciding on covers and things which he isn't as good at because of the colours but he is good with designs. When the book is officially available he would promote it as much as he can without telling you because he wants it to go well for you so that you feel confident enough to do more because you are so good and he wants you to feel like you are actually good at writing because sometimes you don't believe you are.

When your books start to do really well he's so excited probably more than you because you are very critical of yourself but he makes sure you know that what you achieved with just your first book. He would also encourage you to publish more so you do because he seems to know what he's on about and think that you can do well doing more. He would also help and support you in leaving your current job to be a full time author which is something you never thought you would do but George is so excited that you get to do something you are good at and love your dream like he does.

As you become more established as an author and people start to recognise your talent he becomes ire and more proud like when you get to do interviews about your new book he's so happy even though he misses you while you are gone.

Dream:

As soon as he read your books he is shocked to start with that one person could write with some much emotion and description. You don't think that what you write is that good but as soon as Clay has read your work that doesn't happen anymore, he is just so in awe of your talent.

Reading the way you write would inspire him with the lore and would ask you if you would like to write about what has happened on the smp. He has such good ideas and with your writing style you create an amazing series of books about the smp from the point of view of the main character in each storyline, to start with they aren't your favourite things you've written until you look back through them and feel like you are in all of the situations.

Clay is so proud of what you did together that with all his connect he gets the series published but he doesn't give himself any credit even though it is definitely deserved I mean the server is his and he was the one who came up with the idea. Despite that he promotes the hell out of it and it does really well with all of the fans loving the way you've written their favourite characters and then on he encourages you to publish more and take advantage of the audience you already have.

From then on Clay encourages you to write as much as you can because you are so good at it and anytime you need a break he will be there to give you something else to think about. If you get writers block he helps you to work through it and get back to your usual creative self.

Sapnap:

Not the biggest reader but he loves reading your books in fact they are the only things he will read and when you don't work on them for a while because you are busy he misses reading which is something he never thought he would say. He encourages you as much as he can and will take on some of the things you have to do if it gives you more time to write.

Would love for you to make a living out of your writing because he thinks that it is the thing that you would enjoy the most especially because you are studying English at college so he would take your work to publishers without you knowing just to see if they agree with him on how good your writing is. Once he gets replies he would surprise you with what the publishers say which has you shocked and really start consider what you can do after finishing college or while still in college.

If you decided to actually publish one if your books Sapnap would be so proud that you are already a published author while still in college. However life becomes a lot more stressful with endless deadlines to meet from college as well as publishers that you almost give up but he keeps you in track and reminds you that soon college will be over and your life will be a lot less stressful. He is the one that keeps you going when things feel overwhelming and encourages you to keep going because you love writing and no matter what it will always make you happy.

Wilbur:

The two of you would work together quite a lot because when Wilbur comes up with a song idea you make it into a story which sometimes helps him write the lyrics or come up with music video ideas. Everything is a collaboration which the both of you love because it makes it easier for the others of you as ideas can bounce off of you both and create something much better than if one of you was alone.

Once he had finished a song he will always get your help with the music video in directing it because you are so good with stories and structuring it correctly. He also has endless praise for you and your ability so will always tell his stream chat when you have been involved on a project even if it's the smallest part he likes to give you credit because it makes more people interested in what you do which is all he wants for you.

Does everything in his power to help you out and promote your things when you will allow him because a lot of the time you don’t let him because you feel bad for his viewers having to hear about all of your projects when they probably don’t care. However you don’t know that the viewers love your stuff and love hearing about what you have been doing mainly because Wilbur gets so excited when talking about what you’ve done.

[miohmy]

general kuroo/tsukishima headcanons (sfw and nsfw)

I’ve had this rambling draft saved for over a year but for @alfonse I’ll make it public <3

general/sfw HCs for kuroo

His love languages are quality time and physical touch, obviously.

He’s a Scorpio sun, but I imagine his rising sign is Capricorn and moon sign is Gemini >:)

Needs at least 8 hours of sleep each night or he will be grumpy the next morning. He’s a deep sleeper and moves around a lot.

Kuroo may act thick-headed at times, but don’t be fooled, he’s smart, intuitive, and incredibly aware of his surroundings. Moreover, he has a strong memory and never forgets anything. This makes studying for him relatively easy. He tends to do well in school with little effort, especially in the subjects he cares most about (i.e. chemistry and physics). His grades in other classes like history and literature are more on the average side, however.

(this was before Kuroo was a confirmed capitalist) Kuroo would study something in line with these interests at university. I envision him becoming a chemical engineer and doing research in a lab setting (pls take this moment to imagine him in goggles, gloves, and a lab coat).

Kuroo sometimes falls back into his shy habits from time to time. Volleyball has gotten him out of his shell and he’s fine making friends at school, but if he’s in an uncomfortable situation, he tends to be on the quieter side.

Once he decides he likes someone, he really likes them. Kuroo isn’t the type of person to half-ass anything, especially relationships. He either loves you, hates you, or is indifferent.

Kuroo is a naturally good dancer and he knows it. He’s got surprising rhythm and has no shame showing off his skills.

He’s a total lightweight when it comes to drinking. He doesn’t drink often, so whenever he does, the alcohol hits him hard. Generally, he’s a happy, giggly drunk. He’ll start off the night loud and talkative, but eventually the sleepiness will set in and some unlucky soul (usually Kenma) will be tasked with taking him home.

general/sfw HCs for tsukishima

His love languages are quality time and acts of service. Tsukishima is bad when it comes to open communication. Rarely does he say “I love you” to his friends/family. He’d rather let his actions and service speak for themselves.

He’s a Libra sun, but I imagine both his rising sign is Aquarius and moon sign is Virgo.

A light sleeper. Tsukishima averages about 6-5 hours each night.

He is the worst dancer you’ve ever seen and you couldn’t pay him to make a fool of himself in front of other people.

Furious reader. Reads about 70-100 books each year. Prefers reading non-fiction, speculative science fiction, classics, and mysteries.

He’s definitely a night owl, as it’s when he gets his work done. In the mornings he has a hard time waking up and needs 1-2 hours of peace and quiet to prepare himself for the day.

In school, Tsukishima excels at most subjects (because he works hard), but he’s especially passionate about literature and English. I envision him working as a translator or an editor when he’s older (just something in the publishing industry).

The kind of music that Tsukishima listens to ranges. He mainly loves alternative, but he’s also into the weird, experimental stuff too.

He’s more of a casual drinker than Kuroo. He enjoys wine, sake, and certain IPAs. He also knows his limits well and will stop before getting too tipsy. Very rarely will he allow himself to get drunk. 

general/sfw relationship HCs (living together edition)

Whenever Tsukishima sings in the shower, Kuroo will stop by the bathroom door to record videos. The first time he did, it was meant to be a joke, but eventually it became a habit. As it turns out, Tsukishima is a great singer.

Because of their differing sleep schedules, many nights encompass Kuroo bothering Tsukishima, not-so-subtly hinting for him to come to bed. Tsukishima will often resist and insist that he needs to finish work. Kuroo is stubborn, however. On more than one occasion he has put his foot down and manually shut Tsuki’s laptop so that he has to come cuddle.

Speaking of cuddling, you would think that Kuroo is the big spoon, but he actually likes to sleep on his stomach. That, combined with the fact that Kuroo moves around a lot, makes cuddling difficult. Sometimes Tsukishima will sleep on his back with Kuroo draped over him like a weighted blanket. Mostly, however, Kuroo will sleep on his stomach, head stuffed between the pillows, with Tsukishima folded beside him, holding on to his shirt.

Kuroo said ‘I love you’ first. Tsukishima then proceeded to freak him out by responding with ‘I’ll get back to you on that’. After two weeks of radio silence, he finally responded with an out-of-context ‘same’. Kuroo never forgave him for that.

On the rare occasions where Tsuki gets drunk, Kuroo takes full advantage of his vulnerability and coaxes embarrassing declarations of love from his inebriated boyfriend (filming them, of course). Lots of “tell me how much you love me” and “who’s the best boyfriend in the world?” The poor defenseless Tsukishima will gush unabashedly, only to wake up the next morning with a massive hangover, tormented by Kuroo as he plays the videos on repeat with full volume. 

“Look at how cute you were, Tsuki!”

“Delete that right away or I’ll punch you.”

Kuroo doesn’t know that much about music (in comparison to Tsukishima) so he tends to stick with what’s popular/on the radio. The only time he branches out is when Tsukishima makes a curated playlist for him. Even if he doesn’t love all the songs, he’ll listen through the entire playlist on repeat, just happy to have a gift from his boyfriend.

Despite his confidence and posturing, Kuroo was honestly not that experienced when it came to relationships, dating, or sex before Tsuki. They were both each other’s first time, first love, and cannot imagine dating anyone else. 

nfsw HCs

To no one’s surprise, Kuroo is the more kinky one of the pair. There’s a lot of stuff that Kuroo wants to do with Tsuki. Actually getting him to agree to the ideas, however, it another matter entirely.

The kinks that Tsukishima will indulge include: light bondage (blindfolds, hand cuffs), sex toys, mild dom/sub play, hair pulling, shower sex, spanking, and filming.

Kinks that Tsukishima has refused include: public sex, choking, ball gags, and more elaborate role play scenarios.

Tsukishima moans very softly during sex, if at all. Kuroo, on the other hand, can’t seem to shut up. He loves to narrate how Tsukishima looks, tease him, and ask pointed questions (”How does it feel?”, “What do you want me to do?”, etc;). At first, Tsukishima hated this part of him, but it’s gradually grown on him.

Tsukishima and Kuroo are equally clever, confident and domineering people. Therefore, their power dynamic in bed is rather fluid.

Generally, Kuroo likes to be in control and have Tsukishima at his mercy, especially when the latter is acting prideful and condescending. At the same time, Tsukishima is not the type to be submissive to anyone. Sometimes Tsuki will surprise Kuroo by suddenly giving orders, just to spice things up ;)

In terms of praise and degradation, Kuroo enjoys the latter. There’s a reason he fell for Tsukishima, after all. He low-key likes to be called names during sex. Nothing too harsh, of course. He just really enjoys indulging that bitchy, rude side of his boyfriend while simultaneously making a mess of him.

For Tsukishima, the opposite is true. Though he would never admit it to anyone, Tsuki loves to be worshipped by Kuroo. In fact, the quickest way to get him to melt is to be showered with sincere compliments and praise, especially when he’s getting close - nothing will push him over the edge more than being told he’s doing such a good job.

Put frankly, Tsukishima and Kuroo just have a lot of chemistry in bed. The sex is always good and even when their relationship inevitably mellows out from the honeymoon period, they are able to maintain that electric spark that first endeared them to each other.

[cuttlefishkitch]

hello! i haven't talked to you before, but ron said that i could ask you for some advice on writing eds? (i'd like to know things to avoid/common things that could come up in everyday life that would be good to mention/the sort of aids and stuff they'd have maybe?/anything else you think is relevant)

Hi! Sorry this took so long, a combination of ADHD and chronic pain slowed me way the fuck down. Thank you for being patient! 

EDIT: WEIRD HEEL THINGS I FORGOT!!

So, before I get into this I should probably say I technically haven’t been diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS for anyone reading) because it’s one of those syndromes that takes forever to get diagnosed with (it took a friend of mine’s mother over 30 years to get dxed). Many doctors, and everyone I know who does have EDS agree with me that it’s probably what causes my chronic joint pain and some of my other chronic issues. But just because three separate doctors have said “Yeah Probably” doesn’t mean I’m diagnosed!! Only a geneticist can do that!! And they had two-three year waitlists BEFORE the apocalypse happened.

I am diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Small Fiber Neuropathy, and potentially misdiagnosed with Fibromyalgia (once I get properly tested for EDS I might get undiagnosed with this because I don’t have most of the main symptoms of Fibro, but I got diagnosed with it anyway because it’s what doctors misDX you with when they don’t know what’s wrong with you and don’t want to do more tests).

All that said, I’ve done a lot of research about EDS (mainly because it’s the only thing that explains all my symptoms since doctors seem incapable of doing so), and know a few people who have either confirmed or suspected EDS, so I’ll link to some stuff, talk about the symptoms that often come with EDS, explain how the symptoms I have affect me, because just because someone’s not diagnosed doesn’t mean they aren’t having symptoms, and probs elaborate a bit about writing physical disabilities and chronic pain in general because it’s super important to me! 

So RESOURCES aka how to make sure your post never sees the light of day because you’re linking things and tumblr hates it when people give other people information!!

Youtubers! If you want to know about the day to day of living with EDS or any disability or chronic illness I super suggest finding a youtuber that makes videos about their life. My EDS favorites are

Jessica Kellgren-Fozard

Annie Elainey

Amy Lee Fisher

Websites! If you’re asking random folks on tumblr I’m assuming (and hoping) you’ve already done the basic WebMD google searches and looked over the seemingly ridiculous lists of symptoms and related conditions, so here are a few websites that are made more for people than for doctors.

The Ehlers Danlos Society

OhTWIST (That’s Why I’m So Tired)

ChronicPainPartners (the fact that they have an entire section of articles called “Dealing with Doctors” should really tell you something)

Books! If you feel like doing actual reading! I suggest reading books written by people with Ehlers Danlos, to get a feel for how they portray themselves. I’m not saying steal, but it’s probably a good point of comparison to see how your portrayal feels. (haven’t actually read these b/c my ADHD doesn’t let me read)

Ria Ruse by Morgan S. Ray (a superhero book with a disabled super MC!!)

Mysteries of Maybelle by Imani Benfell (Imani is still in high school and has already written and self-published a book cause she didn’t have enough representation for herself how cool is she!!)

Bodies in Motion by Liana Brooks (tw for pregnancy problems and miscarriages in the link, because it’s a blog post talking about integrating EDS symptoms into the story without explicitly naming them as such)

OKAY, now for some rambling about EDS SYMPTOMS!!!

Ehlers Danlos is one monster of a genetic condition in complexity and variety. There are THIRTEEN different identified types of EDS, it often comes with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) and/or POTS, and can lead to various other conditions like gastroparesis, chiari malformation, craniocervical instability, and/or bad teeth. So if you’re going to be writing a character with EDS consider what other comorbid conditions they might also have. I’m mainly going to be talking about Hypermobile EDS (hEDS) because it’s what I probably have and what I’m most familiar with. That said there is a lot of overlap in symptoms with the other varieties.

I started typing this section and realized I was going to have to break it down even more so we’re going to talk about Chronic Pain, Unstable Joints (Dislocations and Subluxations), Skin Things, Mobility Issues, and Other Weird Shit and how those things get addressed separately.

Gonna get the Other Weird Shit out of the way first. Because EDS is a malfunction of connective tissue it can fuck up all sorts of random things. For instance, I and many other people w/ hEDS have trouble swallowing. Shit gets stuck in my throat, I sometimes choke on and have to cough up food, and pills can be hard to swallow, which sucks cause I take A Lot Of Pills. If it doesn’t cause full-on gastroparesis it can cause IBS or other digestive problems b/c the digestive tract is mostly made of connective tissue. It can potentially cause heart problems even if they aren’t as big of a risk as in some other forms of EDS. Premature osteoarthritis is common because what you need is more joint pain. And Fatigue OH BOY THE FATIGUE. And of course the headaches, can’t forget those pesky migraines can we!

AND piezogenic papules!! I completely forgot!! Piezogenic papules are little white bumps that appear when you put weight on your heel. In some people they hurt, but in others they don’t. They’re technically tiny little herniations of fat peaking through the fascia in the heel. They were added as part of the diagnostic criteria for hEDS in 2017!

Now for Skin Things cause it’s not as big a thing in hEDS as it is in other forms. Basically, in a lot of forms of EDS, the skin is extra stretchy and extra delicate. It bruises and tears easily, people with the extreme versions of this can accidentally scratch something into an open wound if they aren’t careful. My skin is pretty soft and sensitive, I def have the typical velvety skin, and as is pretty par for the course of someone with hEDS my skin is a little stretchy, and sorta delicate. I’m not as tissue-papery as some people get, but I almost always have at least one mystery bruise or scrape b/c existing is hazardous. Most of scars are also pretty normal, unlike the extremely papery and atrophic scars (though I have a few tiny acne scars that are atrophic) that are common with other kinds of hEDS. Something that I DO have is Lots of Stretch Marks, all over my thighs, and even down to my calves. Which wouldn’t be abnormal, except for the fact that I’ve never been over 145 lbs and I’ve never been pregnant. Having a lot of stretch marks or striations in the skin without due cause happens because the structure of the skin isn’t as strong as it is in people with a normal amount of connective tissue.

I don’t have to worry as much about my skin but people that do are usually very careful with adhesives because they can irritate or tear the skin, which sucks when you need a lot of bandaids cause your darn skin won’t do its job.

Now on to the meatier stuff and since I’m mostly working backward let’s do Mobility Issues!! These can happen in loads of ways, but a lot of what causes these in people with EDS are the other two things I wanna talk about. Unstable joints lead to increased risk of injury when doing stuff people with fully functioning joints can do.

For context, I’m an ambulatory wheelchair user, meaning I can walk, but a lot of the time it’s better if use a chair. Mine is mostly for my POTS symptoms, but the fact that my legs aren’t also in absolute agony is a big plus. I use a custom manual wheelchair with a SmartDrive (b/c I’m very fucking fortunate and have good insurance) whenever I leave the house and have to be “walking” for more than a few minutes at a time. I can’t fully self-propel in a manual chair because it would be damaging to the joints in my arms and hands, but the smaller chair is easier to maneuver in less than accessible spaces (like almost everywhere). There was about a month-long span where I used a very cheap and very bulky electric chair while I was waiting on the ideal set up I have now. Before that, I also briefly used, and sometimes still use, an up-right posture cane.

People with EDS have widely varying mobility issues because of how uniquely it can manifest. My cane only gave me a little help with balance because if I used it in any prolonged capacity any pain it took away from my legs was relocated to my arms, and as an artist, my arms are more important to me!

If you’re going to write a character with EDS having mobility issues as a result of their EDS the best thing to do is to narrow down their specific needs. Are their knees complete and utter garbage but their shoulders and wrists strong? Maybe they can get away with using a cane. Can they not stand for longer than 5 minutes because of the vertigo from their POTS? Maybe they need a manual wheelchair. Would propelling themself damage their back and arm joints? An electric chair might be necessary! Plenty of people with EDS use all sorts of combinations of these aides to get around their life, consider how your character’s good and bad days would be. Do they have back up plans if they overestimate themselves? There can be a lot to manage, but don’t let it scare you off! Sometimes I try and make it into a resource management game (because I’m a game designer and that’s what I do), to make evaluating my energy and mobility needs more fun!

But now let's tackle some of the reasons those mobility aides might be needed. Unstable Joints.

Ever stepped wrong and rolled your ankle? It hurts for a few steps and then kinda fixes itself, or maybe it bothers you for the rest of the day and you put it up and ice it when you get home? When I was walking around outside my house that would happen AT LEAST once a month, usually more. Some times I’m sitting wrong and when I get up my knee isn’t a knee anymore and decides to just give out from under me. My knuckles are made of unruly popcorn and they Don’t Want To Stay Home!! Oh! And my shoulder is more often out a little out of its socket than it is fully in.

Unstable joints lead to Dislocations and Subluxations of varying intensity, and some people get them more frequently than others. Some can be severe enough to necessitate hospital visits and even surgery, some subluxations are so banal (like my fUCKING SHOULDER) that you just learn to live with the pain.

If a character is going to be in high action, combat-heavy scenarios, chances are they’re going to be popping out joints left and right. Hell, depending on the severity of their joint laxity they could be doing the same sitting at a desk. Again, it’s incredibly varied. I’d suggest setting some sort of baseline for yourself, of what a character’s joints can and can’t stand up to, and maybe do some research on which joints are most likely to pop out in general (hips and shoulders are big culprits being the wacky ball and socket motherfuckers they are). Then maybe have something pop out or hold up every so often when it shouldn’t cause hey! EDS is kinda just like that! Unpredictable!

Some ways people manage joint laxity is with braces, KT tape, and physical therapy. Braces come in many different forms, since I’m currently getting pretty much no treatment for my shitty joints I use mostly compression braces made for sporty people. It really is amazing how much a bit of tight fabric can do to keep my wrist in place.

More specialized braces often have solid parts to prevent the joints from hyper-extending (bending the wrong way) and causing further damage. If you ever see someone with what looks like diamond shaped rings around a bunch of their finger joints, chances are those are Ring Splints, and are there to keep the finger shaped like a finger. I want to get my hands on some and get some on my hands Very Badly, because my fingers hyper-extend SO MUCH when I type, and it makes my hand pain way way worse.

KT tape is another thing people often use. It’s stretchy tape you put on your skin and it basically functions kinda like a second ligament as well as reinforcing the joint and keeping the bones mostly where they’re supposed to be. The problem with this is a lot of people with EDS have very sensitive and fragile skin like I mentioned before, so KT tape can cause allergic reactions, chronic skin irritation, or just straight up take the skin with it when someone goes to remove it. Hence a lot of folks are really careful with it.

Physical Therapy is kinda the best (and only) treatment for joint laxity aside from Very Invasive and sometimes Highly Experimental surgery. It focuses on strengthening the muscles around the joints so they can do the work all those bone ropes made of body glue can’t. The problem is finding a physical therapist that 1) knows what EDS even is, 2) knows you have it, and 3) knows how to treat it without doing stuff that’ll Phucking Hurt You Worse!! Because exercising wrong with EDS can do Permanent Damage!!!

Again most folks use a combination of all of these things, or have next to no access to them b/c healthcare sucks.

Anyway, on to one of my favorite topics, Chronic Pain!! One of the reasons this post took me so long!!!

Chances are if your character has chronic pain as a result of their EDS there are gonna be some things they hate, including stairs, rain, thunderstorms, stairs, hills, uneven terrain, oh and did I mention stairs??? It’s going to vary person to person, but almost everyone I’ve met with pain from EDS has complained about their knees. For me the most debilitating pain is in my fingers and wrists. They’re by far my least stable joints but I use them constantly for stuff like drawing, typing, and sewing.

Because my joint pain is so wide spread, like most people’s with hEDS, it effects every single part of my day to day life. I can’t carry a heavy ceramic plate, open a bottle, or even use my computer without pain. It’s practically impossible for me to get comfortable in any position be it sitting or laying down, and as you can imagine that makes it hard to sleep a lot of the time. Moving too much hurts, but so does sitting still. I’m constantly taking braces on and off or cracking/stretching my joints so they pop back into place and hurt less.

Also being in pain makes everything else That Much Worse. I get tired way faster than I did before my pain was this bad (I had chronic pain for a while before actually realizing it wasn’t normal to not be able to walk down the block without feeling like your foot bones are trying to escape). My sensory issues and anxiety disorder are more easily aggravated because my base level of comfort is way worse. It fucks with my depression. And OH BOY does it make my ADHD worse because being in pain is fucking distracting as hell and makes it harder to make decisions and switch tasks. Also my ADHD often makes my other symptoms worse cause I forget to take my meds, don’t drink enough water, or can’t find my fucking braces because the item eating black-hole that comes with ADHD stole them. The intersection of mental and physical disabilities is probably a rant for another time though, so back to chronic pain.

Does it suck? Yes, undoubtedly. Is this incredibly debilitating? Of course it is, I spent the last several months unable to feed myself without assistance because there was a staircase between my room and the kitchen and I could only manage to climb it once a day. Is it overwhelming? Definitely, I’ve frequently broken down crying from a combination of pain and frustration because I’m having a bad day and there’s no relief to be found. Am I able to predict when it’s going to rain with uncanny accuracy because any change in barometric pressure makes me feel like every bone in my body is trying to kill it’s neighbors? You bet your fucking ass I am!! Does it sometimes make me irritable, angry, and occasionally dismissive of when abled people get cold or a temporary injury because the stuff they’re complaining about is my life every single day and all avenues of treatment and recovery I have could take years and still not entirely solve my issues? Yeah, and while I deserve a little extra patience I also have to be sure to check myself because I don’t want to turn into someone who’s nasty to be around. Do I sometimes need to sleep for 17 hours straight because it’s raining, I have migraine, and I’m in too much pain to be conscious? Yup, sometimes a few days in a row. Does living in constant pain mean I’m unable to do all the things I want to and does that sometimes make me wanna curl up in bed and never leave? Yeah, it happens.

But! And here’s the big important but, that’s not everything! I still write, draw, and talk to my friends!! It might take me a little longer but I get there. I’m still happy and excitable and make the time to write out five page long posts about EDS because it’s something I’m passionate about! My chronic pain doesn’t stop me. I refuse to let it. I never really wanted to go mountain climbing anyway, so I’m perfectly happy being able to make it up and down the six steps in my house, even if sometimes I have to sit and bump down them on my ass, or crawl up them like a cat. Chronic pain isn’t all I am. It isn’t a fate worse than death. It isn’t the only thing your character should talk about (though I do talk about my pain a lot cause I’m a complainer about almost everything). You can have your character be hindered by their pain, realistically they would be. You can have them seek comfort, support, and relief. Other characters can commiserate and be sympathetic, but it doesn’t mean their whole life is going to be one big pity party, that would be incredibly fucking boring. I know I’d be bored out of my mind.

All that said dealing with chronic pain, especially from EDS, is Complicated. Physical Therapy is the gold standard, but like I said before it can be a long and difficult process, and isn’t always accessible. Stabilization methods like I talked about before can help prevent pain, or reduce it by keeping bones mostly where they belong. Heat and cold help joints, relax muscles, and reduce inflammation but keeping them applied is rough and the relief doesn’t always last. Doctors prescribe anti-depressants, anti-anxiety, and sometimes even anti-epileptic medication to help manage pain, but everyone’s mileage with those varies. And I’m not at all qualified to talk in-depth about narcotics or other heavy duty pain-meds, but suffice to say the war on drugs fucked shit up for people that legit need that kind of help BIG TIME.

Now for my closer/bonus rant about EDS and Disability Writing in General!

Everyone always says write what you know, so if you really want to do disabled people justice, get to know disabled people! Make friends with disabled people, get involved with advocacy groups, consume content made by disabled creators both about disability and not! Disabilities are so fucking diverse, even EDS is such a complex disorder, and comes with so many potential co-morbidities, that practically everyone with it has a unique experience. There’s no way I can fully explain everything in a tumblr post. Hell, even if I could talk to you for hours probably couldn’t give you enough info to answer all your questions (especially since I’m still in diagnosis hell :,) ), so talk to a wide range of people with EDS and other disabilities!! I know it sounds like a lot of work but trust me, disabled people are some of the strongest, raddest, coolest, people you will ever meet that it won’t feel like it.

And don’t be afraid either, the fact that EDS and other disabilities are so wildly varied means that you have a little bit of wiggle room with your character’s experience. There’s so little disability rep out their I think people are WAY to scared to try their hand at writing it. So long as your character is a fully developed person in addition to being disabled, you give some logical thought as to how it would affect their life, and you don’t make their disability the butt of any joke it isn’t difficult to avoid ableist writing. PLEASE WRITE MORE DISABLED PEOPLE AND PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC PAIN/CHRONIC ILLNESS!!

Okay that’s it, again sorry it took so long for me to get back to you! My fingers were being little pests about it, and my ADHD (which is honestly more disabling than everything else a lot of the time lmao) was being an asshole! Hope this helps, and feel free to ask me more questions if you need clarification! It might take me a bit but I do love talking about this stuff.

[saltpepperbeard]

A Jotato’s THG Story (novel?)

So a few days ago, the lovely @everlarkedalways asked me to Weave My THG Tale™. And, in being VERY on brand in regards for my THG Story, I’m late to the party lol! Mostly because of work, partly because I was avoiding Ballad spoilers, and a tad bit because...I’m a potato. BUT, now that I am free of any large projects and finally have Ballad in my hands, I’m finally able to look past my potato roots and talk about how a certain wATER POTATO ARCHER CHANGED MY LIFE lmao.

Ara has jokes though, let me tell you. “Keep it short” l m a o; THIS IS ABOUT TO BE A NOVEL AND WE KNOW IT. ARE YOU READING BALLAD? HERE’S A NEW 500 PAGE BOOK FOR YOU TBH-

I’ve told this story a few times before, but it’s always delightful to look back on things and see all the twists and turns I’ve experienced with this franchise. The most notable being, I started out HATING Hunger Games lol!

I was in ninth grade when THG started to become like, a global phenomenon. Everyone was reading it, everyone was talking about it, and it was everywhere. And for whatever reason, instead of actually sitting down and, idk, GIVING IT A TRY LMAO, my reaction instead was to DESPISE IT. Guess it was that edgy, irate, “I’m ABOVE the general masses ha look at me,” fresh-out-of-middle-school mentality. And also, my justification for hating it so much was along the lines of, “Wow it’s just a series about kids killing each other? WHAT’S THE APPEAL???”

Which like fjlksjdksds...If I could look back on my early 2012 self?

She had no idea what was in store for her lmao.

Anyway, the premiere of the movie came and went, and I was still hard set in my ways. THAT WAS, until that same summer. I can’t exactly remember which clips I stumbled upon first? But I know I came across the Joshifer+Liz Banks interview, and also a ton of Perfectly Legal Movie Clips™ on YouTube. Both of which silently chained my soul without me realizing LMAO. I remember thinking that the main actors were so cute and played off each other well (AGAIN LMAO, GIRL, BIG STORM COMING), and also remember being totally intrigued by all the clips I watched. It was mainly clips of Katniss in the arena, and I think it made me realize that wow hey, there’s an ACTUAL STORY HERE, WITH A FEMALE PROTAGONIST NO LESS.

The story gets a tad fuzzy for me here, but I do believe I got the books and quickly read through them shortly after I essentially watched the entire movie on YouTube through clips jdksljdks. I can’t really recall what I thought about the books really? Because, I think I BREEZED through them. I was so excited that I just ZOOMED TF THROUGH. I inhaled the series in one GIANT GULP. I think I even read THG in a single day jdlsjklaads. It definitely wasn’t a cautious read through to get a better sense of the detail and literary devices. 

BUT, despite my excitement, I still hadn’t reached the God Tier “OBSESSIVE” stage yet. The light bulb hadn’t fully come on yet. It wasn’t until late 2013 when Catching Fire came out that I REALLY STARTED TO GO BALLISTIC LMAO. Actually, one of my fondest THG memories comes from this time, because I think it was really like, the OFFICIAL starting block for my obsession.

I was riding on a bus to a Theatre Competition, and my best friend had just gotten the CF Soundtrack for us to listen to. I remember being absolutely enamored with it- Mirrors, We Remain, and Lean in particular. And idk, something at that point just kind of told me that Catching Fire was going to be my anchor. Sure enough, after the competition was over, said friend and I went to go see the movie together.

And I astral projected lmao. I ACHIEVED HUNGER GAMES ENLIGHTENMENT. THE LIGHT BULB SWITCHED TF ON.

I was quick to see it again the following day, and I think saw it another two times in theaters after that. I also started drawing fanart of it, and looking for more pictures/interviews. And the want for more content, the DESIRE to go crazy about it, is what eventually lead me to finding the fandom here on Tumblr. I had had a Tumblr since 2012, but never really used it with a purpose. But when I realized there were people posting all sorts of stuff about THG? Boom- another light bulb. I followed tons of people, and officially changed my url to what it is today. “Star’s” for my internet alias at the time, and “Mahogany” for my love of Effie/that Iconic Line.

HOWEVER LOL, Tumblr would lead me towards a different side, something I didn’t expect to get pulled into so hard at all. Because, I distinctly remember coming on one night in December of 2013, and seeing @joshmopolitan and a few others posting about Josh going to the UK game. And that of course, lead me down the Celebrity Rabbit Hole, and lead me towards the Chaotic, Wonderful, Crazy-

JOSHIFER FANDOM.

((Also, before you crinkle your nose, *raises cane* BACK IN MY DAY, EVERYONE SHIPPED JOSHIFER LOL. *Snow voice* DON’T LIE. Like, everyone thought they were cute to some sort of degree, or believed they were going to get together. Shoutout to the Joshifer Golden Days, man.))

And thank goodness for it tbh. Because it was JUST when I was itching to write fanfiction with everyone else, and just when I was struggling HARDCORE with writing Everlark. @joshmopolitan and @youarebeingridiculous were sort of my introductions into RPF, with @youarebeingridiculous giving me nudges towards my first Everlark fic, before also nudging me towards my first Joshifer fic. And when my first Joshifer fic garnered attention/when I had a blast writing it? ANOTHER. LIGHT. BULB LOL.

So I was dead af from that point on. I was absolutely drawn in. Even though I was still invested in THG, Joshifer was definitely my main focus from 2014-2016ish. I was there for the typical ship wars, there to read and write all the fanfiction, there to read all the theories, and there to partake in all the crazy moments. Shoutout to Cannes 2014 in particular lmao; I was in the car and my phone started going off like CRAZY, with many of my friends SCREAMING at me about the events/articles that had transpired.

Being attached to Joshifer also allowed me to write my first, and so far only, full length, These Words are a Lie. It started out as just a four part series, two parts of which I actually published. Befffooorrre getting to the third part and realizing I had WAY too much to deal with/explain/write, which consequently lead to me pulling them down and expanding upon them! And thus my messy, lovely, 25 chapter peanut journey started lmao. Though I look back on it now and realize how disjointed it was, I’m so thankful I was able to see that story completely through. I’m also very thankful for the SUPPORT and following it got. Wouldn’t have gotten through without y’all! 

ANYWAY LMAO, because this is my THG story and not my Joshifer story, let’s get back to that. 2014 was WHACK because...LG was utterly tripping with its promotional material. And to think, it was just the START of odd/lacking promo, seeing as they were SOMEHOW WORSE WITH MJ2 LMAO. But even though I was incredibly salty at the time, it was so fun to be mad and chomping at the bit with everyone else lol. The SUFFERING OF NOT HAVING ANY NEW CONTENT BROUGHT US CLOSER TOGETHER. Also, going to Best Buy to watch the teaser trailer under Heavy Guard??? Was an EXPERIENCE LOL??? But man was I so stoked to get my poster and pin, because that was some of the first merch I got!

ALSO, MJ1 was the time where I got the idea to create a small YouTube series called “Tributes React.” I really really wish I could have been in the fandom earlier, because it would have been, dare I say, FIRE LOL to react to more than just the MJ1 and MJ2 trailers. But it was so so fun regardless, and everyone’s participation was incredible! And now all of our early, embarrassing, INTENSE fangirling is stuck here/memorialized forever PFFFF.

And, not to mention, Fran Solo himself watched one of them. Someone tweeted the video at him, and he tweeted back that it made all the hard times worth it. MY GREATEST FANDOM ACCOMPLISHMENT RIGHT THERE???

And finally getting to watch MJ1 in theaters lmao omg. I went with my friend before, and also one of my guy friends. And the entire time, he was HARD STARING AT ME WAITING FOR ME TO CRY LOL. SO HE COULD TEASE ME. AND HE GOT HIS WISH BECAUSE OF COURSE THE LAST 30 MINUTES OR SO UTTERLY RUINED ME. I remember shivering so so SO bad when the rescue mission for Peeta started, and having to hold my friends’ hands when they were creeping through the Tribute Center, and utterly SOBBING when Peeta attacked Katniss. Because...hello...I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again...WAY WAY MORE INTENSE THAN THE BOOK LMAO??

And then came the beginning of the end. I remember that promo time was even DRYER for MJ2 lmao, and that we were all DYING. Like, I think the big trailer didn’t release until like, SEPTEMBER??? WHICH...LG WHAT THE ACTUAL-

And we were also back to watching trailers in Best Buys jfkssdkdlsk. My Best Buy was also DUMB and didn’t have any posters, but @infinitegraces​ was awesome enough to send me numerous copies! Bless you, thank you; I had them on my wall all through college lol! DESPITE THEM BEING A HAUNTING REMINDER OF HOW HARD LG SMACKED US LMAO.

Despite my salt towards the INITIAL promo though, the premieres and what not definitely lead to MJ2 having a special place in my heart. I had just gone off to college, and was a timid, lonely little freshman with nowhere to turn. But the fandom was there for me, and MJ2 promos/premieres gave me something to be excited for. It all kept me going through that ROUGH first semester, and was there for me before I met my best friends. So thank you MJ2, and thank you all for sharing that excitement with me! <3

Also, I’d like to mention that I was SO desperate to continue the tradition of seeing the premiere with my friend thaaaaatttt...I left for Thanksgiving break two or three days early/skipped class JUST to make it back home in time to see it with her lol! I WASN’T HERE TO PLAY GAMES, Y’ALL. THG > ACADEMICS APPARENTLY PFFFF.

After that though, things kind of quieted down. I found friends and activities in college, the movies were done, and Joshifer was dying out. It lead me to use Tumblr sporadically, not posting AS much as I had before. I still had tons of love for everything, and still enjoyed coming on whenever I did!

Then I sort of stumbled upon our “renaissance,” like the lovely @everlarkedalways​ posting re-reads and re-watches. It tugged me in again, and made me excited to post content! I also branched out and began to write Everlark, and began talking about them/the books/meta more than I did in my earlier years. 

And of course, said renaissance lead me to attending TOASTCON LMAO. Which I somehow managed to name. On accident. *Dabs unironically*

That of course, was such an amazing experience. Going to movie filming sites has always been on my bucket list, so getting to go to HUNGER GAMES SITES??? WITH FANDOM PEOPLE???? GOD TIER??????

I was also suffering from major panic/anxiety problems that summer, having just graduated college and being thrown out in the Real World™. So once again, THG and its fandom were there for me when nothing else could be. And despite me feeling off mentally, despite me feeling plagued by fatigue, I still thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone/having such a once in a lifetime experience. Also, getting to FLEX on my friends when we watch the movies and go like “I WAS THERE! I WAS THERE!! I WAS THERE!!!” is...A Time PFFFF.

Then of course, I started working a full time job, and shifted a bit away from Tumblr/the fandom. Not DELIBERATELY; more like, I was too Mentally Tired to really do much after work. But now that Ballad is here, and now that we have new content once more? I feel like I’m waking back up. Hell, I even went to Atlanta to see MORE film sites right before the virus started to make its rounds.

And so here I am lol! A SEASONED THG VET WITH SEVEN YEARS AND COUNTING UNDER MY BELT. I would very much love to tag everyone who had an impact on me, and/or who I’ve interacted with and shared fun times with over the years. But A. Everyone really out here CONSTANTLY CHANGING THEIR URL’s, and B. The number would be Too Great and I would inevitably forget someone on accident.

SO THEN, if you’re reading this, and we’ve ever shared some kind of THG experience together, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. THG has been such a wondrous experience for me, and it’s lead me to meet all sorts of amazing, talented individuals. It’s also been there for me during darker times, and has supported me in every way possible.

I love you all, I love being here, and HERE’S TO MANY MORE TAGS/RAMBLES IN THE FUTURE LOL! Like lmao, a new movie, you guys??? WHAT??? TRIBUTES REACT ANYONE???

-Jotato Out <3

[oddlyunadventurous]

BOOK REPORT 2020

I’ve always been a sparse reader but 2018 and 19 had me accelerate my reading habits to the point that I think I’ve read the most books this year that I ever had. I suppose I’ll count them all here, just to make sure!! I said something or other about the Moomin books at the end of last year’s Inkt*b*r so, this being the month of traditions, let’s make a new one by tallying up my literary “yays” and “nays” at the end of the season.

Video game text boxes don’t count, online publication articles don’t count, psych/aesthetic papers and 1000 page biosemiotic textbooks don’t count, but they have sure pursued me in my sleep during the year as well. This list is really mostly for my benefit (and no I won’t get a Goodreads account tyvm), so under the cut you’ll find a list of titles in roughly the order I read them, along with short notes. I’ve done longer reviews of these books elsewhere and I need not bore you with them here. 

K. Stanislavski - An Actor Prepares (1936) I started reading this book in 2012, then dropped it because I couldn’t understand it at the time. Kostya attends acting school and gets lessons from The Director. He learns to sleep like his cat.

K. Stanislavski - Building a Character (1949) Supposed to have been published along the first one in a single volume. Kostya continues his lessons. A lot of thoughts on walking, gaits, eloquent speech, phrasing, etc. Both these books are wonderful looks into the author’s artistic life. It’s very heartfelt and down to earth, considering it’s quasi-fiction made to edutain. Very inspiring.

M. Polanyi - The Tacit Dimension (1966)  A book on the origin of knowledge, the integrated performance of skills, the emergence of life and other phenomena in the universe, marginal control between levels of reality, the moral death of the communist regime caused by the unbridled lucidity of the Enlightenment, the responsibilities of science, and thoughts about open societies of the future. This is one of the two shortest books I’ve read in the list, it covers all of this under 130 pages and manages to do it well.

B. Rainov - Eros and Thanatos (1971) A communist propaganda book attacking western mass media and escapist culture. It gets no points for being correct, as the author mostly swiped the truths from french philosophers. Very variable in its intellectual prowess, almost as if it picks its arguments in order to push an agenda. Informative but also infuriating. Also expectedly homophobic.

J. Hoffmeyer - Signs of Meaning in the Universe (1997) A somewhat pop-sciency book about biosemiotics. Forgettable but also humbly written and explicative.

A. Noë - Varieties of Presence (2012) An unimpressive book about sensory perception. Noë’s theory on sensorimotor action is worth considering but the book is poorly edited and mostly spent arguing with peers.

E. Fudge - Quick Cattle & Dying Wishes (2018) A look into a registry of last wills and testaments from the period 1630 - 1650 in Essex. The book is about early modern people’s relationship to their animals and what they meant to them in life, as well as in death. Fudge’s argumentation is sharp and her style is modern. Being a scholarly book it is really overwhelming with the footnotes sometimes, but otherwise satisfying. One gets beautiful glimpses of family relationships, thoughts and feelings that people now dead for 400 years once held.

G. Márquez - One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967) The Buendia family get all their sons killed. The Banana Company sucks. People love each other. A lot happens, generally. It is a hundred years, after all. The upper class sucks.

K. Polanyi - The Great Transformation (1944) The Industrial Revolution sucked. England sucks. It reduced all its workers to subhuman wretches. Every single decision made after the empiricists made labour and land fictional commodities has been a band-aid to the essential contradiction that the market economy wants to annihilate its human host. Laissez-faire sucks. It caused WW1. Fuck everything. Fun book.

R. Coyne - Peirce of Architects (2019) Talks about architecture and the ideas of logician/father of pragmatism Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914). Informative about both. Brisk and not very in-depth, but to its benefit rather than its detriment.

R. Williams - Culture and Society (1958) A survey of the 18th and 19th century England, and the emergence of the concept of “culture” as defence against the horrors that the Industrial Revolution inflicted upon society. Consists of some two dozen outlines of contributors to the romanticist tradition, from Adam Smith, through Ruskin, to Orwell, their beliefs, contributions and literary works. Very eloquent and interesting.

E. Fudge -  Brutal Reasoning (2006) A fantastic book about much: early modern views of the difference between a human and an animal, the Christian discourse of reason, the logical fallacies that lead to its implosion, the advantageous use of dehumanisation by imperialists in other to genocide natives, Montague and Shakespeare, and the ethical hell of animal murder that led Descartes to deem animals as machines so as to allow his buddies to perform live vivisections on dogs without feeling guilty about it (this is the real reason, don’t let anybody tell you otherwise). There is even space for an entire chapter about an intelligent horse who could tell a virgin from a whore and learned Latin at Oxford. This is my favorite book I read this year, so it gets an extra long review.

R. Williams - The Long Revolution (1961) A sequel to Culture and Society that’s worse. The start and end are brilliant but the middle sags. It contains some historical reviews of English cultural elements, like the newspaper industry, the Standard English vernacular and the realist novel of the 19th century, but honestly if the book was just about about the creative state (intro) and Marxism (outro) it would’ve been fine, if not better.

P. Klee - The Thinking Eye (1956 & 1964) Bauhaus boy in 1920s Germany! Love you Klee, xoxo. You really have to read his thoughts to understand his work imho. You can appreciate it just fine on the surface level, but his completely eccentric (though very self-consistently logical and sharp) views on art creation open a new outlook into his primitive approach.

F D.K. Ching - Architecture: Form, Space & Order (1979)  A staple book for architecture students. Or so I hear. Steeped in gestalt psychology. Very good, though not necessarily stuff I don’t know already. Very nice looking pencil illustrations, Ching looks to be an accomplished technical draughtsman.

H. Wölfflin - Principles of Art History (1915) A strong contender for second place in the tier list. The book examines the transition between Classical to Baroque in Italy and Germany (and all the Germany clones, like the Netherlands). It is a systematic, precise aesthetic treatise that reveals much by conceptualizing and grouping characteristic art features in which the two styles differ, then explaining their bearing on their decorative content as well as the outlook on life that they embody. Lovely.

M. Porter -  Windows of the Soul: The Art of Physiognomy in European Culture 1470-1780 (2005) A historiographical treatise about early modern views on physiognomy. The book deals mainly with the extant literature on the subject and tries to gleam what it could mean for the customs at the time - palmistry reading, occultism, persecution of the “gypsies” and the Christian scientific project of attaining meaning. Macro- and microcosms, as above so below, hermeticism, that sort of stuff. It’s an interesting read but it’s too long, the quality of writing varies greatly from chapter to chapter, and it is far too expensive. Wouldn’t recommend it.

S. C.Figueiredo -  Inventing Comics: A New Translation of Rodolphe Töpffer's Reflections on Graphic Storytelling, Media Rhetorics, & Aesthetic Practice (2017) This is the shortest book I read, mainly translating Töpffer’s 1845 "Essay on Physiognomy" along with giving his biography and some other paraphernalia. It’s not worth the price for the content contained within, but  Töpffer is the father of the modern comic book, so I thought I’d learn what his philosophy was. On that front, at least, very interesting! If only I knew French I’d save myself the trouble and read the original, which is now public domain.

D. Bayles - Art & Fear (1985) A useless self-help book. Not entirely bullshit but completely banal from all angles. Shouldn’t even be on this list but I did read it, so...

I. Allende - The House of the Spirits (1982) A child rapist gets a redemption arc. Well, kind of. All women are queens. Men are awful. The poor are wretches and it’s their fault. Oh no, the communists are going to take our land! Pinochet’s concentration camps sucked. Overall a better magical realism book than 100 Years of Solitude, to be honest. Very well written characters.

R. Arnheim -To the Rescue of Art: Twenty-Six Essays (1992) What it says on the tin. Wide range of subjects, from art appreciation, to schizophrenic and autistic child art, to gestalt psychology, to philosophy of science, to Picasso’s Guernica and the fate of abstract art, to reflections on the 20th century and the writer’s life in pre-nazi Germany and America. I love Arnheim, I’ve read many of his books and I’m glad I picked this one up.

R. Arnheim - Film as Art (1957) A book about cinematography, one of his earliest, actually, mostly a personal translation from an original German book he published in 1933. Somewhat outdated, but foundational. Not as informative to me but I don’t regret reading it.

G. E. Lessing - Laocoon; or, On the Limits of Painting and Poetry (1766) A book by a greekaboo about a fucking dumb poem and a statue of a naked dad and his two sons getting fucked by snakes. It’s misogynistic and authoritarian in several places, and altogether awfully full of itself. 100 pages of interesting observations stretched over 400 pages of boring Greco-Roman literary discourse.

L. Tolstoy - Childhood, Boyhood, Youth (1852, 1854, 1856) One story serialized in a magazine then later collated in three separate books. Aristocrat boy grows up in pre-revolution Russia. A very, very relatable coming-of-age story. Tolstoy is a lovely writer.

F. Dostoevsky - Poor Folk (1846) An epistolary novel consisting of letters between literally Dobby from Harry Potter and his maybe-niece, whom he wants to fuck. Starts bad, gets better by the end. A bit rough and tumble for Dostoevsky’s first, so I forgive him for wasting my time a little bit. A decent character study of the middle/lower classes, at least.

L. Tolstoy - Family Happiness (1859) An amazing romance novel for the skill employed in writing it. It is very short yet delivers so much emotion. Rather simple narrative at its core, but executed with such bravado one cannot help but be impressed.

F. Dostoevsky - The Double (1846) In which the Author starts swinging. A pathetic, neurodivergent old man gets used and abused by the people around him and nobody cares. Satirical and biting, better than his first.

A. Lindgren - Pippi Longstocking (1945) I last read this when I was 6 years old so I thought I’d refresh my memory. I remember disliking the book then and I can see why. Pippi’s kind of an asshole. Still very enjoyable to read. I know it’s meant for a younger audience’s reading level yet I cannot help comparing it with Tove Jansson’s books and how much better the prose in there is. Sorry.

***

I think that about rounds them up! That’s about 30 books, give or take. For next year I’m hoping to:

Finish Tolstoy’s and Dostoevsky’s bibliographies

Read more econ and marxist writing (low personal priority but i have to, in THIS economy *rolls eyes*)

Finish the Tintin and Moomin comics, as well as Jhonen Vasquez’s collection of edgy humor

Read more about botany and biology in general

Get started on Faulkner’s and William Golding’s bibliographies

Read more children’s books

Search for more Latin American fiction from the Boom

Read more psych/aesthetics/pedagogy literature, which seems to have become my main area of interest

Thanks for sticking till the end of the list, hope you’ve learned something and maybe you’ll pick one of these up if it took your interest. I don’t have to be a philistine just because I’m drawing video game fanart! Bye now!

[kellyvela]

Love your blog💕 what would you say to the ppl who think GRRM didn’t write Fire and Blood as a precaution/warning about the Targaryens? IMHO it’s pretty blatant that he’s anti-Targ restoration but I see Targ fans saying the contrary and using quotes he’s said about relating to Dany in the aspects of not having a home, etc. Plus the fact that he’s made a whole book about them and they’re having their own prequel show (😩🙄).

Hi! Thanks Anon :D

About Targaryen restoration, I always wondered WHY and HOW so many people in the fandom firmly believe that ASOIAF is mainly about House Targaryen and its restoration. And because of that belief I had to read words like these: “The notion that Daenerys Targaryen and her House are not the collective heroes of this saga is ignorant to the point of idiocy.” Or I had to watch and listen to certain very popular spoiler youtuber saying that “if GOT doesn’t end in Targaryen restoration, the story has no sense”.  This person even claimed several times in his videos that GRRM himself has affirmed that ASOIAF is in fact about House Targaryen and its restoration. And I always was like: HOW? WHERE?

Apparently GRRM once said that ASOIAF was about “the return to glory of a great family”, so people immediately thought that that great family was House Targaryen…     

I don’t have the original source for that, but if GRRM has specifically said that ASOIAF is about “the return to glory of a great family”, that family is no other than HOUSE STARK; because even if he doesn’t use the exact same words, GRRM has actually said several times over the years that THE STARKS are the heart/center/main characters/heroes of the story. And this affirmation has been supported by Bryan Cogman and even D&D in several interviews/events. 

About GRRM relating to Dany and House Targaryen, let’s read those quotes:  

From an early age George was aware of a lost fortune on his mother’s side of the family, the Brady family, who once owned a successful construction business, a dock and a grand house, all lost in the Great Depression of 1929. “I had a walk past that house every day on my way from the projects on 1st Street to 5th Street, and it’s like, well, that used to be our dock, that used to be our house. Now we don’t have a house, we don’t have a yard, but I had always had the sense of, yeah I’m poor, but I come from royalty, or I come from greatness that somehow was destroyed by the depression, by corrupt politicians, by things like that. So maybe that gives me a little of the emotional temperament to understand somebody like Daenerys Targaryen.

Sources: [x] [x] [x]

More recently, while promoting Fire & Blood Vol. I, he repeated this part of his personal story with these words:

“From my mother’s stories, I always had this kind of sense that I was like disinherited royalty. Here was this dock that my great-grandfather built, it wasn’t ours anymore. Here was this house that my mother had been born in, we didn’t own this house anymore. We didn’t own any house, we had an apartment. So it was like, ugh, I came from greatness, like Dany! And (talking with a voice and tone similar to one of Dany’s outburst and banging the table) ‘I will take back what is mine with Fire and Blood!’ HAHAHAHAHA. So I think on some level, that must’ve gotten to me.”

—In conversation: George R. R. Martin with John Hodgman

But when he wasn’t promoting Fire & Blood Vol. I, this is what he said:

The house where my mother had grown up … the house her father Thomas had built (…) the Brady house. But of course it wasn’t. Someone else lived there now, someone we did not know.

I walked past that house twice a day, five days a week, for nine years. And every time I stepped outside my front door, I saw the dock across the street. The dock was surrounded by a chain link fence, but sometimes my friends and I would climb it. From the dock it was easier to reach the oily rocks along the shore when the tide was out. There was a watchman on the dock, though, and if he saw us he’d come out of his shed and shout at us. “Get out of here, you kids,” he’d yell. “You got no business here.” Yes, I do, part of me always wanted to shout back, you’re the one who’s got no business, my great-grandfather BUILT this dock. I was a shy kid, though, so I never said a word.

Sources: [x] [x]

And then I would walk to school; we lived in First Street, my school was on Fifth Street, I would walk to school and I would pass the house that the Bradys had owned. I would pass it twice a day going and coming from school. This big house my mother had been born in and her family had grown up in, but had lost. And other people lived in what had been our house. And I think it always gave me this, this sense of a lost golden age of, you know, now we were poor and we lived in the projects and we lived in an apartment. We didn’t even have a car, but God we were… once we were royalty! It gave me a certain attraction to those kinds of stories of I don’t know, fallen civilizations and lost empires and all of that.

Source: [x]

As you can see, GRRM took inspiration from that part of his personal story and applied it to Dany and House Targaryen. Thanks to that part of his personal story, GRRM can understand Dany to a certain extend (So maybe that gives me a little of the emotional temperament to understand somebody like Daenerys Targaryen); but he is not Dany, he hasn’t dedicate his entire life to re-take his family lost properties with fire and blood. 

And at this point I think is relevant to state that a house is not a home.  

Now, about Fire & Blood Vol. I. After finished reading it I said this:

*GRRM WROTE AN ANTI TARG BOOK*

As if the ASOIAF Books weren’t enough, GRRM gave us Fire and Blood.

He warned us all. He always did. It’s a good day to remember it.

GRRM said it himself: 

Esquire: How will Fire & Blood deepen our understanding of Daenerys and her dragons?

GRRM: This is a book that Daenerys might actually benefit from reading, but she has no access to Archermaester Gyldayn’s crumbling manuscripts. So she’s operating on her own there. Maybe if she understood a few things more about dragons and her own history in Essos, things would have gone a little differently.

—Esquire - 2018

Even though he was promoting Fire & Blood Vol. I, and his interviewers were very enthusiastic about dragons, he wasn’t sharing their enthusiasm: 

GRRM: “People read fantasy to see the colours again,” he says. “We live our lives and I think there’s something in us that yearns for something more, more intense experiences. There are men and women out there who live their lives seeking those intense experiences, who go to the bottom of the sea and climb the highest mountains or get shot into space. Only a few people are privileged to live those experiences but I think all of us want to, somewhere in our heart of hearts we don’t want to live the lives of quiet desperation Thoreau spoke about, and fantasy allows us to do those things. Fantasy takes us to amazing places and shows us wonders, and that fulfils a need in the human heart.”

THEM: And the dragons?

GRRM: “Oh sure, dragons are cool too,” he chuckles. “But maybe not on our doorstep”

—The Guardian - 2018

I mean, he is proud to be named after Saint George The Dragon Slayer: 

John Hodgman: That’s how I can’t sue you, If you steal from history and add a dragon. I can’t sue you.

GRRM: I’m working off my own, you know, karma here, because I’m George, and what’s he known for? He killed the dragon, you know, come on. Come on, I was almost abolished at one point when the Catholic Church was reviewing all the saints, I was terrified that George would be abolished, because they abolish a lot of fiction, I said George is only known for killing a dragon, how can they keep him in, but they did so, that was, that was good.

John Hodgman: I’m glad you stayed anointed.

GRRM: That’s right.

—In conversation: George R. R. Martin with John Hodgman

Here a graphic representation:

And about the Targaryen having their own books (Fire & Blood Vol. I and II) and their own prequel show based on Fire & Blood, let me tell you a couple of things:

Last month GRRM attended an event in London #GRRMLive organized by Harper Voyager UK, and Adam Whitehead, a friend of GRRM, was present in the event and reported this:

Confirmation that Fire & Blood was written by accident: originally it was sidebar material for World of Ice & Fire that got out of control. He wrote hundreds of thousands of words in a few weeks and scared his publishers and had to stop so Elio & Linda could compress it down.

And the first prequel show actually ordered by HBO, that is already in post-production, is not about Targaryens and it has no dragons:

What’s it about? Taking place thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones, the series chronicles the world’s descent from the golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour. From the horrifying secrets of Westeros’s history to the true origin of the White Walkers, the mysteries of the East to the Starks of legend, only one thing is for sure: It’s not the story we think we know. [x]

Also, after the news of the “Targaryen prequel”, GRRM himself said this: I do want to point out that “moving closer to a pilot order” is NOT the same thing as “getting a pilot order.” 

So that’s it Anon. GRRM is writing a series of SEVEN BOOKS and THE STARKS are the heart/center/main characters/heroes of the story. Meanwhile Fire and Blood was apparently an accident made of sidebar material…

And to finish this answer, I will leave you with one of my fave GRRM quotes:

Source [x]

[angeltriestoblog]

I figured out what I want to do with my life! And made a vision board!

It came to me in a flash, really. One minute, I was watching a handpainted narration of the life and death of one of the greatest painters of all time, and next thing you know, I've abandoned it completely and started furiously typing away at my laptop about what I envisioned myself to be in five years' time. And I know I've had my fair share of false alarms in life: I thought I had what it takes to be a lawyer after seeing Legally Blonde for the first time while on my way to a school field trip, and seriously considered pursuing a career as a fashion blogger or MTV VJ because I was kind of fed up with school.

But this one just makes sense. Advising and assisting clients in producing content, collaterals, and campaigns according to their business objectives and based on collected data! It marries my love for writing, my knack for snooping around (the academic term is research!), and the specialty in technology and management my university ensures I'll have at the end of my four-year degree. i have yet to see how it’ll allow me to give back to society since that’s also a factor I want to consider in looking for a dream job but I’ll make it work. I found it hard to sleep that night, thanks to this nerdy, giddy kind of adrenaline rush I had. I broke down this big idea into smaller and smaller action steps until all I had left was a refined list of ideas and intentions, and a splitting headache.

I needed to make sure I was constantly reminded of their existence so all my choices and decisions would serve as a step closer to reaching all of them. So I caved in to the wishes of the "law of attraction" side of the Internet, and created my very own vision board! Simply put, this act of visualization is a powerful technique that can be used to manifest desires and reach goals. Our subconscious minds mainly recognize symbols and images: by merely looking at our vision boards everyday, subliminal messages are being sent to our brains, which will encourage them to work tirelessly to achieve the statements we are feeding to them. I can't find any explanation for this that's less abstract but since many people seem to swear on it and I have a lot of free time and printer ink, I figured why not, right?

It was convenient that I had this small corkboard from Daiso already stuck to one corner of my bedroom wall with several layers of double-sided tape. It used to be a year-long calendar of birthdays but I realized that I've never referred to it and often have to rely on either Facebook reminders or stock knowledge--there is no in between. All I had to do was to look at my list of goals, and compile photos that correspond to each of them, cut them up and arrange them in an aesthetically pleasing manner. You'll see below that I lacked the stereotypical luxury car and beachfront mansion with a walk-in closet and that's because I decided to focus on my goals for the next five years so it looks even a little bit more achievable.  

Here's the finished product, along with explanations for each picture, to make this how-to more personal and to also hold myself accountable.

 Make my girl Jenna Rink and everybody at Poise proud by writing for a magazine | I had listed a specific one at the time, and if you follow me on Twitter and Instagram, you already know what it is and how this endeavor turned out - but on this blog, I'll shroud it in a little cloud of mystery for now and talk about it more in a future post. I'm very happy producing content for this space of mine and have no intention of stopping any time soon. But at the same time I know that I'd be missing out if I didn't take the chance to be part of a community that leads me to like-minded individuals, allows me to grow even more in my craft, and "gives creators a space to speak their minds and push the limits of their artistry, without imposing any restrictions or expectations", as I stated in my application form.

 Be active in three organizations next school year | (I had to blur one of them out because I'm not a member yet and I don't want to jinx it.) I know it's bold of me to assume that we'll be returning to school any time soon, but if we are ever lucky enough, I want to outdo myself when it comes to the orgs I'm a part of. I have been a good follower throughout my first two years of college but now I believe it's my time to try my hand at leading a group of people and being more involved in the conceptualization and execution of projects.

 Go on a trip to Europe | Not even just a specific group of countries anymore (I used to be a France, Italy, Spain supremacist)--I mean the entire continent! (But then again, with its rich history and culture, picturesque tourist spots, diverse cuisines... even the sheer adrenaline rush that comes with being in a land completely different from the one you come from, how could anyone not want to go?

 and 12. Get the job of my dreams | I actually nicked these photos from the website of a cooperative I want to work for once I graduate from college. I know that I can't plan out the rest of my career trajectory as early as now: things are bound to change at some point, but I hope that I stay in a field that combines creativity and business strategy to craft campaigns, create meaningful content, and market solutions to brands.

 Expand my network | I acknowledge how knowing people who know people who know people can open windows of opportunities that I wouldn't have been able to have anywhere else. But I also look forward to building genuine connections with people from all sorts of industries. Talking to the same circle of friends can sometimes feel like you're trapped in an echo chamber: there is certainly much to learn from others' viewpoints.

 Volunteer to teach kids | I don't think the written word could have changed my life as much as it did, had it not been for the presence of English teachers who believed in the power of the language to shape the minds of the youth. I guess this is just me trying to give back and help the next generation express their ideas and bring them to life by channeling my inner John Keating.

 Maintain a clean workspace that is conducive to productivity | Especially during these days, I spend a solid 18 out of 24 hours sat at my desk, trying my best to make magic happen. It's very important that I keep it a constant and active source of inspiration, free from any distractions, and at the right level of comfort. Although it's not as minimalist as I hoped it would be and my table is about an inch too high for my liking, I'm still pretty satisfied!

 Document memories consistently, be it through a physical or online journal | Speaking of clearing out my room, I recently found around 20 notebooks I had filled up over the years. Though maintaining them must have been such a hassle especially as I got older and reading through them was a distraction from completing the task at hand, I am thankful I painstakingly chronicled everything going on in my life and kept them in good condition. Seeing the goals I had set for myself all those years ago and how I achieved most of them without making a conscious effort has inspired me to do my older self a favor by putting in the work now so she can reap the rewards. (While I'm on this note, can anyone recommend a good app for journaling? I keep all my current entries in my Mac's Notes app because even though I am more of an analog person, I seemed to have lost the patience and persistence required to keep a physical journal. But at the same time, I'm scared of my laptop suddenly cr*shing and wiping out everything I had stored)

 Stay focused on my work always | I didn't know how to show this without having to spell it out in words so I Photoshopped my face onto the head of a woman working in a cafe because those who study in coffee shops along Katip always look like they're getting stuff done.

 Keep learning about the world even when I'm outside of the classroom | And this is not limited to frequenting the nearby museum, although that does sound like a great idea right now. This could also mean attending seminars, workshops, and talks, buying books and binge-watching documentaries or YouTube videos about a topic that I find interesting, engaging in discourse with someone (plus points if they have a different viewpoint!)

 Write my own book | Before I even found out that humans were destined to pick a career and work until they died, I already knew that I wanted to spend my days as a writer. Specifically, I wanted to see my name on the cover of a book: By Angel Martinez. (Please refer to the 4:32 of this video and look at how far this dream actually goes back.) But once I realized that I wanted to enter the world of business, I thought I would have to give this up altogether. Thankfully, I now know that one's ability to get published is not reliant on their career--I mean, even beauty gurus get book deals these days. I'm not really sure what it's going to be about but I'd honestly be down for anything: even if it's just a compilation of my best entries on this blog.

13. Go all out when I take myself on self-care dates | I'm talking about picnics at the beach, with a basket full of fruits, a posh looking hat, and a good piece of classic literature! Or fancy dinners for one complete with as many glasses of red wine as I can down! People watching at Downtown Disneyland like my paternal grandmother in hand, with a plastic bag of souvenirs on one hand and a cream cheese pretzel on the other! (The possibilities are endless and I'm already mapping most of them out.)

14. Be financially stable enough to re-enact that one scene in Pretty Woman where Vivian Ward struts down the streets of Beverly Hills in a chic white dress and black hat, an endless number of shopping bags in tow | The part where I humiliate a sales lady who snubbed me the day before because she didn't think I could afford what she was selling by saying, "You work on commission, right? That's right. Big mistake, big, huge." is entirely optional.

I also included some two inspirational sayings that were originally laptop wallpapers from The Everygirl. I feel like they perfectly sum up the attitude I want to have as I forge my own path and accomplish everything I have set out for myself. If I was somehow able to convince you that this activity serves as the perfect springboard for all your dreams and aspirations, here are a couple of tips that could hopefully help you make yours!

Be ready for some intense introspection | Though it may look like a simple arts and crafts activity at the surface, making an effective vision board simply cannot be achieved if you're not willing to do some much needed reflection and watch it balloon into a full-on existential crisis. Identify which areas of your life are most important to you and how you would like to see them evolve over a period of time.

Specificity is key | The trick is to make your goals as concrete as possible, then translate them into visual elements. I know some people who wanted to get into particular universities, who have Photoshopped their names onto acceptance letters and pinned those to their corkboards. As stupid as that may sound in retrospect, I reckon it's an elaborate way of claiming something that's right within your reach.

Design it any way you want | Don't feel pressured to make it look like it's worthy to be on someone else's Pinterest because that's exactly how you lose sight of why you're doing it in the first place. The only person your final output has to resonate with is you.

Don't get discouraged | Although a vision board can attract positive energy and manifest your intentions to the universe, one thing it isn't capable of doing is granting your wishes in an instant. Don't be upset if what you have cut out and stuck on has yet to happen: I truly believe in the saying that the more you look for something, the more it seems to avoid you. Instead, continue to work hard and focus on the progress that you have already made.

Have you made a vision board of your own already? How has it turned out, and how many of the things you had put up have come true? I know you may be a complete stranger from the other side of the world but I'd be happy to hear from you anyway! Wishing you love and light always, especially during trying times such as this. Wash your hands, pray for our frontliners, and check your privilege!

[x--daughters-of-darkness--x]

Interview: Infected Rain “Music, the stage, live shows, this is my therapy.”

Infected Rain have been steadily building a fan base for a few years now. Latest album Endorphin is getting some well deserved critical acclaim. They got a lot of UK fans excited recently when they payed their first visit to the country touring with Lacuna Coil and Eluveitie. Gary Trueman took the opportunity to have a chat with vocalist Lena about the new album, Moldovan roots and why singing on stage can be so cathartic.

It’s your first time in the UK so how have we been treating you?

“Very good actually. It’s sad that London is our last day in the UK, hopefully we will be able to come back next year because we’ve loved it.”

A lot of people won’t know that Infected Rain are over ten years old. Are you still as hungry musically now as when you first started?

“I think even more than before because we get to play bigger venues with bigger crowds and we are just eager for more. We will not stop. It’s like when you give candy to a kid and the kid will want the candy over and over again. Music is our candy.”

You’re from Moldova which for those who are wondering sits between the Ukraine and Romania. How has coming from there been in both good and bad terms when it comes to reaching people musically?

“I don’t know how it is for other bands who come from somewhere else. I do know that our ethnicity and background gave us a lot of passion because we come from such a small and poor country. We’re fighters who never give up. We just work, work, work because we know it’s the only way to get things done.  Coming from Moldova though, there aren’t that many bands hanging in there continuing to do what they love. Sooner or later they just give up, but we never did.”

We mentioned earlier that this is your first time in the UK but you have played all over Europe regularly. Were you afraid we bite?

“Haha, no not at all. Unfortunately we need visas to come and visit you guys.  It’s very expensive and very tricky to get a visa, especially when you are an independent band. We had to be signed and we had to have a lot of people on board that could help us. We still payed so much money to be here. Even then our guitar player lost his passport and now we are without one member of the band. He is joining us for the other shows (in Europe) but it was sad. What if my passport got lost? That’s the only reason we never visited the UK before.”

Your new album Endorphin is a bit of a beast, it’s brilliant. It’s a great showcase for the band as you are now and it’s also a very personal album theme wise and lyric wise. Do you sing mainly about your personal experiences?

“Yes, I am the one writing for Infected Rain so I’m writing about my personal experiences and my personal life and things that bother me or make me happy. Endorphin is very specific and very special for me because in the past year I’ve been through a lot of difficult moments and a lot of emotions that I wasn’t really ready to confront. It did give me good material for Endorphin and that’s why I think the album is very dark. It’s a catharsis listening to and finishing the album. I needed that, and I still do. I’m still fighting with a lot of anxiety and depression because of what I’ve been through, and my music helps me so so much.”

Is it also a cathartic thing to get up on stage and belt those lyrics out and give vent to your feelings?

“Definitely. I go through a roller coaster of emotions on stage and it makes me cry very often. I get goosebumps to feel all these emotions over and over again. But I need it because it’s like my therapy. Music, the stage, live shows, this is my therapy. It’s the only thing that helps me to go on and survive, and believe in myself and be confident.”

Do you find that you get fans saying that your lyrics mean so much to them because they’ve gone through similar things?

“I get that a lot. I know a lot of people can relate because I receive a lot of emails and a lot of messages regarding that. It makes me happy that people can relate to it and that people can find a cure through my words.”

You’ve recently signed to Napalm Records who are very well known and respected. How’s that working out?

“We are very happy about having professional people on board that love us and our music the way it is, and don’t want to change us. Their job is to bring us to a new level and to promote us and they’ve been doing such a great job.”

You’ve said that some years ago you hurt your voice and that you were helped by a vocal coach called Melissa Cross.

“I was self taught in the beginning and obviously just like learning to walk and run you will fall a few times and ruin your knees and bleed sometimes. That’s what happened to me and I know a lot of musicians that went through that. Thanks to hard work and Melissa Cross who is amazing I can control things a bit better and can go on tour for 40 or 50 shows and not care. It still happens sometimes that I get a hoarse voice but mainly because I try to talk to fans and scream over the loud music because I am very friendly with my fans. I have to save my voice after a show but they want to talk and I want to talk to them.”

For any singers reading this what did Melissa teach you specifically?

“Basically everything. She teaches all the technical things but most important she taught me to be more confident and to feel my voice instead of listening to my voice. I was always trying to listen to what was coming out of my mouth but that is a big mistake. She gave me the confidence to feel which is very important because I am a very emotional person and deliver so much emotion through my lyrics.”

In a way the voice is an acoustic instrument isn’t it?

“It is, absolutely.”

Do you think modern metal vocals are often misunderstood by the wider public and even wider music press?

“Yeah, but that was something that was always there. When Metallica started, and then Nirvana. Everything that is grungy and loud is always a little bit underground and not for everybody. Who the fuck cares? There’s a good audience for everybody.”

Has coming from Moldova shaped your music in any way?

“It hasn’t. We don’t have any folk parts to our music. We don’t sing about Moldova. We don’t add any local instruments. So it hasn’t really.”

Do you have any kind of an alternative scene in Moldova?

“Not really. We have a lot of talented musicians but we don’t really have any clubs to play.”

We know you front Infected Rain and that you also model but what other jobs have you done in the past and would you still go back to them at any point?

“I wouldn’t want to go back. I would like to get into publishing some books, maybe lyric books, maybe a biography. I used to be a hair and make up artist for almost 12 years both before the band and during the band. I do my own make up and hair for music videos and stage and things like that. Music has a very special place in my heart and I will do my best to continue doing that for as long as I can.”

If you could perform on stage with anyone living or dead who would you choose?

“If we were choosing living then I would go for The Deftones because I’m a huge fan of them. I’d loive to play on the same stage or maybe even do a song together. If we are talking about people who are no longer with us then Nirvana and Kurt Cobain.”

If you could go back in time and give a 16 year old Lena one piece of advice what would it be?

“It would be simply, believe in yourself.”

[claudeteemonds31]

What Is CPA Marketing | Guide On Starting

What Is CPA Marketing?

If you have looked for ways to make money online, you’ve probably heard the term “CPA” marketing. It is likely you’ve heard of CPA as some underground secret society where individuals are making fortunes online. This was the view that lots of have when they first begin examining exactly what CPA is, I know since I was one of them. I keep in mind questioning whether I was even qualified to be investigating them when and my really first interview.

The extremely first network I joined was MaxBounty and as they re-launched their updated website today, it got me considering my very first experiences going into the world of CPA. I decided that I ‘d get a short article out there to dispel the myths about CPA and give a brief introduction of exactly what it is.

CPA: Back to basics To begin out any sort of introduction I’ll initially share my definition of what CPA is. It might not be dictionary perfect but it’ll at least give you a design to deal with whilst thinking about the points throughout this article.

CPA (Cost Per Action/ Cost Per Acquisition): This is an advertising model where publishers are paid for an action that is taken as a direct outcome of their marketing. This differs from normal affiliate marketing because you may not necessarily need to make a sale to earn money within a CPA network. Payments are typically based on lead generation such as submitting a phone number or e-mail address to get some free product or information.

As you can picture the fact that you can get paid without even having to make a single sale can make CPA networks extremely appealing to the “make cash online” crowd and can possibly leave a lot of space to be made use of. When allowing individuals into their network, this means that CPA networks will normally be a little stricter than your normal affiliate network.

When individuals hear that CPA networks are more stringent they frequently get scared off. You shouldn’t let this take place to you since the fact is, if you are an honest upstanding affiliate or intend on becoming one, they actually do desire you involved. It’s actually the fraudsters and spammers of the world that they will try and weed out.

Methods of CPA Promo There are many varying methods to promote CPA campaigns, some of which include having your own website, some that don’t. The fact is that CPA marketing is really not all that different than other types of marketing. At it’s a lot of standard you simply need to spend some time to consider the product that you are promoting and where you will really discover a market that is interested in either discovering more or buying an item.

Having said all of that I will note a couple of examples of the more popular CPA promotional methods that you might discover:

Evaluation Site– Typically these types of websites will consist of 3 of more items within a specific niche i.e. Weight reduction Tablets or Lawn Fertilizer. They will then give you a short intro to each product, a review of the items performance and then normally a star score out of 5. Each of these products will usually be ranked in order and all will include links to either a customized landing page (presented below) or direct to the merchant. Sales/Landing Page– This site is generally more of a direct sales page and will likely present a lot more info on the product that it goes over. It will normally be a really difficult sale and work to get it’s reader either clicking through to the merchant there and then or at the very least signed up to the site owners sending by mail list. Some sales pages will really try to do both of these things, though it can frequently be beneficial to have one direct path through a landing page. A lot of alternatives can eventually suggest losing clicks. Splash Page– This is usally content light and will have flashy graphics with some punchy headlines and copy to encourage readers to input their information or click through to the merchant. Product information is typically minimal and these types of pages are often booked for items that need little explanation or are already popular i.e. competitors for an iPhone or Macbook. Quiz/ Fun Landing Page– Similar to the spash page but even simpler. There will typically be a concern with 2 or more responses that can then be clicked through big prideful buttons. In some cases some sort of game might be utilized in page of this style and it is certainly not the sort of page that somebody will be revisiting. It’s only purpose is to get that click-through and get it now. Having actually given you all these examples of sites that are utilized do not be misinterpreted into thinking that you can only market through your own website. Other possible techniques of promoting CPA Deals consist of posting to message boards, emailing a list of contacts, adding links to videos on YouTube and as soon as you’ve increased the capital perhaps even text-in adverts in publications or regional/national TV.

CPA: How difficult is it really? I understand you’re questioning how easy it is to enter all this. I indicate everything sounds excellent in theory however what’s this talk of nationwide TELEVISION? The reality is you needn’t go to these type of lengths to earn money in CPA. Whilst it’s great to understand that it’s possible to go to these lengths, there are ordinary people out there making thousands of dollars each day simply by running CPA promos online. I desire you to realise through this short article that it’s not some secret society and it’s definitely not some pie in the sky concept. It is still a service design and it will take work to make it. You ought to truly discover for yourself that with a little bit of work to obtain began you too can have success worldwide of Cost Per Action Marketing.

How To Get Accepted into CPA Networks Practically without fail this is one of the first concerns that pops into peoples minds when they hear that you have to apply to sign up with most CPA networks. Whilst there is not one simple method to get accepted each time, there are manner ins which you can increase your likelihood of being accepted. You ought to always bear in mind that if initially you do not prosper, try and try once again. As much as I want to claim that I’m best, I have actually been both accepted and rejected in the past. That’s the method that life works, nevertheless if you follow the steps in this short article you will be offering yourself the finest chance of success.

Obtain a Site– If you don’t already have a site, then now is the time to get your very first one. Whilst it is possible to get accepted to some networks without your own website you may also provide yourself the very best chance of success. Then can use with your existing domain, if you are a significant publisher or an experienced marketer and plan on running the CPA advertisements on your site. Nevertheless it’s most likely that you will have a number of smaller sites or none at all. In this case you will wish to produce a site that brands yourself as an online marketer and explains the locations that you work in. A good choice of ability sets to consist of are your experience with PPC, SEO, Email Marketing or any other methods that you might utilize. Selecting a name such as SOMETHINGmarketing.com will also give you a more expert feel. If you can’t or do not desire to create the site yourself then work with someone to do it for you within a CMS (Content Management System) such as WordPress so you can edit yourself at a later date. Use an e-mail on your domain– I got this information on excellent faith from a market expert a while back. If nothing else you will wish to use an e-mail that looks a little like this ‘yourname@yourdomain.com’. If you mainly utilize a GMail account or comparable you will want to do this and set up a redirect, even. Many CPA networks will immediately turn down any applicant who utilizes a complimentary e-mail address as they are so easy to set up and they have no verification you are really the individual who owns your website. Open & Honest in All of Your Communications– Whilst this might get you denied by some of the more selective CPA networks I really think that sincerity is very important especially in this area. If you say that you intend on driving 1000 keyword targeted leads from monthly from PPC and they telephone you up and it’s clear that you’ve never even used Pay Per Click it will start to raise flags about other locations. Whilst you may believe that stating you can do everything will help your case it may really injure it. As CPA networks usually offer you your own rep/manager you can typically get extra assistance in the areas where you are lacking, even if it’s simply a prod in the right instructions. Your success is where they will be making their cash. Be Proactive When Applying– Lots of CPA networks will require an interview over the phone or via instantaneous message prior to approving your account. In some cases it can take up to a number of days before they get an opportunity to call you back. If they provide a contact number or IM contact details then you ought to utilize them. You will have all the information that you have actually offered fresh in your head and even if they can’t talk to you on the area it proves that you are major about joining and they will likely identify your name when calling back. There you have it, equipped with the following information you ought to be well on your way to getting accepted into your very first couple of CPA networks. And on that note it’s worth stating that you ought to likely request a few of them. Even if you do get accepted into them all you will find that a number of them have different offers available that others don’t.

In Conclusion …

Ideally you have not been too overwhelmed by the quantity of info included within this post however I felt it needed to offer a full summary of precisely what CPA is and how you can get involved. You’ve learned a few of the approaches that CPA affiliates are utilizing today to make money online. Even equipped with the information you’ve discovered today you are method front of the typical individuals level of understanding about CPA so please don’t lose this opportunity.

My individual obstacle to you is this: If you’re thinking about entering CPA Marketing then either register with a network or set the wheels in motion today! A lot of individuals read details online and then forget about it after a couple of hours and never return. If you actually wish to be successful in any online marketing endeavours the genuine key is informed action. This article has actually offered you the power to take your primary steps into CPA, now what you finish with that info is up to you.

Get Going Today with the MaxBounty CPA Network

Source

Source: https://yourmoneymakingmachine.com/what-is-cpa-marketing-guide-on-starting/

from Your Money Making Machine https://ift.tt/2QsESTw

[elnatbrooksmi]

What Is CPA Marketing | Guide On Starting

What Is CPA Marketing?

If you have looked for ways to make money online, you’ve probably heard the term “CPA” marketing. It is likely you’ve heard of CPA as some underground secret society where individuals are making fortunes online. This was the view that lots of have when they first begin examining exactly what CPA is, I know since I was one of them. I keep in mind questioning whether I was even qualified to be investigating them when and my really first interview. The extremely first network I joined was MaxBounty and as they re-launched their updated website today, it got me considering my very first experiences going into the world of CPA. I decided that I ‘d get a short article out there to dispel the myths about CPA and give a brief introduction of exactly what it is. CPA: Back to basics To begin out any sort of introduction I’ll initially share my definition of what CPA is. It might not be dictionary perfect but it’ll at least give you a design to deal with whilst thinking about the points throughout this article. CPA (Cost Per Action/ Cost Per Acquisition): This is an advertising model where publishers are paid for an action that is taken as a direct outcome of their marketing. This differs from normal affiliate marketing because you may not necessarily need to make a sale to earn money within a CPA network. Payments are typically based on lead generation such as submitting a phone number or e-mail address to get some free product or information. As you can picture the fact that you can get paid without even having to make a single sale can make CPA networks extremely appealing to the “make cash online” crowd and can possibly leave a lot of space to be made use of. When allowing individuals into their network, this means that CPA networks will normally be a little stricter than your normal affiliate network. When individuals hear that CPA networks are more stringent they frequently get scared off. You shouldn’t let this take place to you since the fact is, if you are an honest upstanding affiliate or intend on becoming one, they actually do desire you involved. It’s actually the fraudsters and spammers of the world that they will try and weed out. Methods of CPA Promo There are many varying methods to promote CPA campaigns, some of which include having your own website, some that don’t. The fact is that CPA marketing is really not all that different than other types of marketing. At it’s a lot of standard you simply need to spend some time to consider the product that you are promoting and where you will really discover a market that is interested in either discovering more or buying an item. Having said all of that I will note a couple of examples of the more popular CPA promotional methods that you might discover: Evaluation Site– Typically these types of websites will consist of 3 of more items within a specific niche i.e. Weight reduction Tablets or Lawn Fertilizer. They will then give you a short intro to each product, a review of the items performance and then normally a star score out of 5. Each of these products will usually be ranked in order and all will include links to either a customized landing page (presented below) or direct to the merchant. Sales/Landing Page– This site is generally more of a direct sales page and will likely present a lot more info on the product that it goes over. It will normally be a really difficult sale and work to get it’s reader either clicking through to the merchant there and then or at the very least signed up to the site owners sending by mail list. Some sales pages will really try to do both of these things, though it can frequently be beneficial to have one direct path through a landing page. A lot of alternatives can eventually suggest losing clicks. Splash Page– This is usally content light and will have flashy graphics with some punchy headlines and copy to encourage readers to input their information or click through to the merchant. Product information is typically minimal and these types of pages are often booked for items that need little explanation or are already popular i.e. competitors for an iPhone or Macbook. Quiz/ Fun Landing Page– Similar to the spash page but even simpler. There will typically be a concern with 2 or more responses that can then be clicked through big prideful buttons. In some cases some sort of game might be utilized in page of this style and it is certainly not the sort of page that somebody will be revisiting. It’s only purpose is to get that click-through and get it now. Having actually given you all these examples of sites that are utilized do not be misinterpreted into thinking that you can only market through your own website. Other possible techniques of promoting CPA Deals consist of posting to message boards, emailing a list of contacts, adding links to videos on YouTube and as soon as you’ve increased the capital perhaps even text-in adverts in publications or regional/national TV. CPA: How difficult is it really? I understand you’re questioning how easy it is to enter all this. I indicate everything sounds excellent in theory however what’s this talk of nationwide TELEVISION? The reality is you needn’t go to these type of lengths to earn money in CPA. Whilst it’s great to understand that it’s possible to go to these lengths, there are ordinary people out there making thousands of dollars each day simply by running CPA promos online. I desire you to realise through this short article that it’s not some secret society and it’s definitely not some pie in the sky concept. It is still a service design and it will take work to make it. You ought to truly discover for yourself that with a little bit of work to obtain began you too can have success worldwide of Cost Per Action Marketing. How To Get Accepted into CPA Networks Practically without fail this is one of the first concerns that pops into peoples minds when they hear that you have to apply to sign up with most CPA networks. Whilst there is not one simple method to get accepted each time, there are manner ins which you can increase your likelihood of being accepted. You ought to always bear in mind that if initially you do not prosper, try and try once again. As much as I want to claim that I’m best, I have actually been both accepted and rejected in the past. That’s the method that life works, nevertheless if you follow the steps in this short article you will be offering yourself the finest chance of success. Obtain a Site– If you don’t already have a site, then now is the time to get your very first one. Whilst it is possible to get accepted to some networks without your own website you may also provide yourself the very best chance of success. Then can use with your existing domain, if you are a significant publisher or an experienced marketer and plan on running the CPA advertisements on your site. Nevertheless it’s most likely that you will have a number of smaller sites or none at all. In this case you will wish to produce a site that brands yourself as an online marketer and explains the locations that you work in. A good choice of ability sets to consist of are your experience with PPC, SEO, Email Marketing or any other methods that you might utilize. Selecting a name such as SOMETHINGmarketing.com will also give you a more expert feel. If you can’t or do not desire to create the site yourself then work with someone to do it for you within a CMS (Content Management System) such as WordPress so you can edit yourself at a later date. Use an e-mail on your domain– I got this information on excellent faith from a market expert a while back. If nothing else you will wish to use an e-mail that looks a little like this ‘yourname@yourdomain.com’. If you mainly utilize a GMail account or comparable you will want to do this and set up a redirect, even. Many CPA networks will immediately turn down any applicant who utilizes a complimentary e-mail address as they are so easy to set up and they have no verification you are really the individual who owns your website. Open & Honest in All of Your Communications– Whilst this might get you denied by some of the more selective CPA networks I really think that sincerity is very important especially in this area. If you say that you intend on driving 1000 keyword targeted leads from monthly from PPC and they telephone you up and it’s clear that you’ve never even used Pay Per Click it will start to raise flags about other locations. Whilst you may believe that stating you can do everything will help your case it may really injure it. As CPA networks usually offer you your own rep/manager you can typically get extra assistance in the areas where you are lacking, even if it’s simply a prod in the right instructions. Your success is where they will be making their cash. Be Proactive When Applying– Lots of CPA networks will require an interview over the phone or via instantaneous message prior to approving your account. In some cases it can take up to a number of days before they get an opportunity to call you back. If they provide a contact number or IM contact details then you ought to utilize them. You will have all the information that you have actually offered fresh in your head and even if they can’t talk to you on the area it proves that you are major about joining and they will likely identify your name when calling back. There you have it, equipped with the following information you ought to be well on your way to getting accepted into your very first couple of CPA networks. And on that note it’s worth stating that you ought to likely request a few of them. Even if you do get accepted into them all you will find that a number of them have different offers available that others don’t. In Conclusion … Ideally you have not been too overwhelmed by the quantity of info included within this post however I felt it needed to offer a full summary of precisely what CPA is and how you can get involved. You’ve learned a few of the approaches that CPA affiliates are utilizing today to make money online. Even equipped with the information you’ve discovered today you are method front of the typical individuals level of understanding about CPA so please don’t lose this opportunity. My individual obstacle to you is this: If you’re thinking about entering CPA Marketing then either register with a network or set the wheels in motion today! A lot of individuals read details online and then forget about it after a couple of hours and never return. If you actually wish to be successful in any online marketing endeavours the genuine key is informed action. This article has actually offered you the power to take your primary steps into CPA, now what you finish with that info is up to you. Get Going Today with the MaxBounty CPA Network

Source

from Your Money Making Machine https://yourmoneymakingmachine.com/what-is-cpa-marketing-guide-on-starting/ from Your Money Making Machine https://yourmoneymakingmachine1.tumblr.com/post/189888134683

[johnshintze1]

What Is CPA Marketing | Guide On Starting

What Is CPA Marketing?

If you have looked for ways to make money online, you’ve probably heard the term “CPA” marketing. It is likely you’ve heard of CPA as some underground secret society where individuals are making fortunes online. This was the view that lots of have when they first begin examining exactly what CPA is, I know since I was one of them. I keep in mind questioning whether I was even qualified to be investigating them when and my really first interview. The extremely first network I joined was MaxBounty and as they re-launched their updated website today, it got me considering my very first experiences going into the world of CPA. I decided that I ‘d get a short article out there to dispel the myths about CPA and give a brief introduction of exactly what it is. CPA: Back to basics To begin out any sort of introduction I’ll initially share my definition of what CPA is. It might not be dictionary perfect but it’ll at least give you a design to deal with whilst thinking about the points throughout this article. CPA (Cost Per Action/ Cost Per Acquisition): This is an advertising model where publishers are paid for an action that is taken as a direct outcome of their marketing. This differs from normal affiliate marketing because you may not necessarily need to make a sale to earn money within a CPA network. Payments are typically based on lead generation such as submitting a phone number or e-mail address to get some free product or information. As you can picture the fact that you can get paid without even having to make a single sale can make CPA networks extremely appealing to the “make cash online” crowd and can possibly leave a lot of space to be made use of. When allowing individuals into their network, this means that CPA networks will normally be a little stricter than your normal affiliate network. When individuals hear that CPA networks are more stringent they frequently get scared off. You shouldn’t let this take place to you since the fact is, if you are an honest upstanding affiliate or intend on becoming one, they actually do desire you involved. It’s actually the fraudsters and spammers of the world that they will try and weed out. Methods of CPA Promo There are many varying methods to promote CPA campaigns, some of which include having your own website, some that don’t. The fact is that CPA marketing is really not all that different than other types of marketing. At it’s a lot of standard you simply need to spend some time to consider the product that you are promoting and where you will really discover a market that is interested in either discovering more or buying an item. Having said all of that I will note a couple of examples of the more popular CPA promotional methods that you might discover: Evaluation Site– Typically these types of websites will consist of 3 of more items within a specific niche i.e. Weight reduction Tablets or Lawn Fertilizer. They will then give you a short intro to each product, a review of the items performance and then normally a star score out of 5. Each of these products will usually be ranked in order and all will include links to either a customized landing page (presented below) or direct to the merchant. Sales/Landing Page– This site is generally more of a direct sales page and will likely present a lot more info on the product that it goes over. It will normally be a really difficult sale and work to get it’s reader either clicking through to the merchant there and then or at the very least signed up to the site owners sending by mail list. Some sales pages will really try to do both of these things, though it can frequently be beneficial to have one direct path through a landing page. A lot of alternatives can eventually suggest losing clicks. Splash Page– This is usally content light and will have flashy graphics with some punchy headlines and copy to encourage readers to input their information or click through to the merchant. Product information is typically minimal and these types of pages are often booked for items that need little explanation or are already popular i.e. competitors for an iPhone or Macbook. Quiz/ Fun Landing Page– Similar to the spash page but even simpler. There will typically be a concern with 2 or more responses that can then be clicked through big prideful buttons. In some cases some sort of game might be utilized in page of this style and it is certainly not the sort of page that somebody will be revisiting. It’s only purpose is to get that click-through and get it now. Having actually given you all these examples of sites that are utilized do not be misinterpreted into thinking that you can only market through your own website. Other possible techniques of promoting CPA Deals consist of posting to message boards, emailing a list of contacts, adding links to videos on YouTube and as soon as you’ve increased the capital perhaps even text-in adverts in publications or regional/national TV. CPA: How difficult is it really? I understand you’re questioning how easy it is to enter all this. I indicate everything sounds excellent in theory however what’s this talk of nationwide TELEVISION? The reality is you needn’t go to these type of lengths to earn money in CPA. Whilst it’s great to understand that it’s possible to go to these lengths, there are ordinary people out there making thousands of dollars each day simply by running CPA promos online. I desire you to realise through this short article that it’s not some secret society and it’s definitely not some pie in the sky concept. It is still a service design and it will take work to make it. You ought to truly discover for yourself that with a little bit of work to obtain began you too can have success worldwide of Cost Per Action Marketing. How To Get Accepted into CPA Networks Practically without fail this is one of the first concerns that pops into peoples minds when they hear that you have to apply to sign up with most CPA networks. Whilst there is not one simple method to get accepted each time, there are manner ins which you can increase your likelihood of being accepted. You ought to always bear in mind that if initially you do not prosper, try and try once again. As much as I want to claim that I’m best, I have actually been both accepted and rejected in the past. That’s the method that life works, nevertheless if you follow the steps in this short article you will be offering yourself the finest chance of success. Obtain a Site– If you don’t already have a site, then now is the time to get your very first one. Whilst it is possible to get accepted to some networks without your own website you may also provide yourself the very best chance of success. Then can use with your existing domain, if you are a significant publisher or an experienced marketer and plan on running the CPA advertisements on your site. Nevertheless it’s most likely that you will have a number of smaller sites or none at all. In this case you will wish to produce a site that brands yourself as an online marketer and explains the locations that you work in. A good choice of ability sets to consist of are your experience with PPC, SEO, Email Marketing or any other methods that you might utilize. Selecting a name such as SOMETHINGmarketing.com will also give you a more expert feel. If you can’t or do not desire to create the site yourself then work with someone to do it for you within a CMS (Content Management System) such as WordPress so you can edit yourself at a later date. Use an e-mail on your domain– I got this information on excellent faith from a market expert a while back. If nothing else you will wish to use an e-mail that looks a little like this ‘yourname@yourdomain.com’. If you mainly utilize a GMail account or comparable you will want to do this and set up a redirect, even. Many CPA networks will immediately turn down any applicant who utilizes a complimentary e-mail address as they are so easy to set up and they have no verification you are really the individual who owns your website. Open & Honest in All of Your Communications– Whilst this might get you denied by some of the more selective CPA networks I really think that sincerity is very important especially in this area. If you say that you intend on driving 1000 keyword targeted leads from monthly from PPC and they telephone you up and it’s clear that you’ve never even used Pay Per Click it will start to raise flags about other locations. Whilst you may believe that stating you can do everything will help your case it may really injure it. As CPA networks usually offer you your own rep/manager you can typically get extra assistance in the areas where you are lacking, even if it’s simply a prod in the right instructions. Your success is where they will be making their cash. Be Proactive When Applying– Lots of CPA networks will require an interview over the phone or via instantaneous message prior to approving your account. In some cases it can take up to a number of days before they get an opportunity to call you back. If they provide a contact number or IM contact details then you ought to utilize them. You will have all the information that you have actually offered fresh in your head and even if they can’t talk to you on the area it proves that you are major about joining and they will likely identify your name when calling back. There you have it, equipped with the following information you ought to be well on your way to getting accepted into your very first couple of CPA networks. And on that note it’s worth stating that you ought to likely request a few of them. Even if you do get accepted into them all you will find that a number of them have different offers available that others don’t. In Conclusion … Ideally you have not been too overwhelmed by the quantity of info included within this post however I felt it needed to offer a full summary of precisely what CPA is and how you can get involved. You’ve learned a few of the approaches that CPA affiliates are utilizing today to make money online. Even equipped with the information you’ve discovered today you are method front of the typical individuals level of understanding about CPA so please don’t lose this opportunity. My individual obstacle to you is this: If you’re thinking about entering CPA Marketing then either register with a network or set the wheels in motion today! A lot of individuals read details online and then forget about it after a couple of hours and never return. If you actually wish to be successful in any online marketing endeavours the genuine key is informed action. This article has actually offered you the power to take your primary steps into CPA, now what you finish with that info is up to you. Get Going Today with the MaxBounty CPA Network

Source

from https://yourmoneymakingmachine.com/what-is-cpa-marketing-guide-on-starting/

from Your Money Making Machine - Blog https://yourmoneymakingmachine1.weebly.com/blog/what-is-cpa-marketing-guide-on-starting

[yourmoneymakingmachine1]

What Is CPA Marketing | Guide On Starting

What Is CPA Marketing?

If you have looked for ways to make money online, you’ve probably heard the term “CPA” marketing. It is likely you’ve heard of CPA as some underground secret society where individuals are making fortunes online. This was the view that lots of have when they first begin examining exactly what CPA is, I know since I was one of them. I keep in mind questioning whether I was even qualified to be investigating them when and my really first interview. The extremely first network I joined was MaxBounty and as they re-launched their updated website today, it got me considering my very first experiences going into the world of CPA. I decided that I ‘d get a short article out there to dispel the myths about CPA and give a brief introduction of exactly what it is. CPA: Back to basics To begin out any sort of introduction I’ll initially share my definition of what CPA is. It might not be dictionary perfect but it’ll at least give you a design to deal with whilst thinking about the points throughout this article. CPA (Cost Per Action/ Cost Per Acquisition): This is an advertising model where publishers are paid for an action that is taken as a direct outcome of their marketing. This differs from normal affiliate marketing because you may not necessarily need to make a sale to earn money within a CPA network. Payments are typically based on lead generation such as submitting a phone number or e-mail address to get some free product or information. As you can picture the fact that you can get paid without even having to make a single sale can make CPA networks extremely appealing to the “make cash online” crowd and can possibly leave a lot of space to be made use of. When allowing individuals into their network, this means that CPA networks will normally be a little stricter than your normal affiliate network. When individuals hear that CPA networks are more stringent they frequently get scared off. You shouldn’t let this take place to you since the fact is, if you are an honest upstanding affiliate or intend on becoming one, they actually do desire you involved. It’s actually the fraudsters and spammers of the world that they will try and weed out. Methods of CPA Promo There are many varying methods to promote CPA campaigns, some of which include having your own website, some that don’t. The fact is that CPA marketing is really not all that different than other types of marketing. At it’s a lot of standard you simply need to spend some time to consider the product that you are promoting and where you will really discover a market that is interested in either discovering more or buying an item. Having said all of that I will note a couple of examples of the more popular CPA promotional methods that you might discover: Evaluation Site– Typically these types of websites will consist of 3 of more items within a specific niche i.e. Weight reduction Tablets or Lawn Fertilizer. They will then give you a short intro to each product, a review of the items performance and then normally a star score out of 5. Each of these products will usually be ranked in order and all will include links to either a customized landing page (presented below) or direct to the merchant. Sales/Landing Page– This site is generally more of a direct sales page and will likely present a lot more info on the product that it goes over. It will normally be a really difficult sale and work to get it’s reader either clicking through to the merchant there and then or at the very least signed up to the site owners sending by mail list. Some sales pages will really try to do both of these things, though it can frequently be beneficial to have one direct path through a landing page. A lot of alternatives can eventually suggest losing clicks. Splash Page– This is usally content light and will have flashy graphics with some punchy headlines and copy to encourage readers to input their information or click through to the merchant. Product information is typically minimal and these types of pages are often booked for items that need little explanation or are already popular i.e. competitors for an iPhone or Macbook. Quiz/ Fun Landing Page– Similar to the spash page but even simpler. There will typically be a concern with 2 or more responses that can then be clicked through big prideful buttons. In some cases some sort of game might be utilized in page of this style and it is certainly not the sort of page that somebody will be revisiting. It’s only purpose is to get that click-through and get it now. Having actually given you all these examples of sites that are utilized do not be misinterpreted into thinking that you can only market through your own website. Other possible techniques of promoting CPA Deals consist of posting to message boards, emailing a list of contacts, adding links to videos on YouTube and as soon as you’ve increased the capital perhaps even text-in adverts in publications or regional/national TV. CPA: How difficult is it really? I understand you’re questioning how easy it is to enter all this. I indicate everything sounds excellent in theory however what’s this talk of nationwide TELEVISION? The reality is you needn’t go to these type of lengths to earn money in CPA. Whilst it’s great to understand that it’s possible to go to these lengths, there are ordinary people out there making thousands of dollars each day simply by running CPA promos online. I desire you to realise through this short article that it’s not some secret society and it’s definitely not some pie in the sky concept. It is still a service design and it will take work to make it. You ought to truly discover for yourself that with a little bit of work to obtain began you too can have success worldwide of Cost Per Action Marketing. How To Get Accepted into CPA Networks Practically without fail this is one of the first concerns that pops into peoples minds when they hear that you have to apply to sign up with most CPA networks. Whilst there is not one simple method to get accepted each time, there are manner ins which you can increase your likelihood of being accepted. You ought to always bear in mind that if initially you do not prosper, try and try once again. As much as I want to claim that I’m best, I have actually been both accepted and rejected in the past. That’s the method that life works, nevertheless if you follow the steps in this short article you will be offering yourself the finest chance of success. Obtain a Site– If you don’t already have a site, then now is the time to get your very first one. Whilst it is possible to get accepted to some networks without your own website you may also provide yourself the very best chance of success. Then can use with your existing domain, if you are a significant publisher or an experienced marketer and plan on running the CPA advertisements on your site. Nevertheless it’s most likely that you will have a number of smaller sites or none at all. In this case you will wish to produce a site that brands yourself as an online marketer and explains the locations that you work in. A good choice of ability sets to consist of are your experience with PPC, SEO, Email Marketing or any other methods that you might utilize. Selecting a name such as SOMETHINGmarketing.com will also give you a more expert feel. If you can’t or do not desire to create the site yourself then work with someone to do it for you within a CMS (Content Management System) such as WordPress so you can edit yourself at a later date. Use an e-mail on your domain– I got this information on excellent faith from a market expert a while back. If nothing else you will wish to use an e-mail that looks a little like this ‘yourname@yourdomain.com’. If you mainly utilize a GMail account or comparable you will want to do this and set up a redirect, even. Many CPA networks will immediately turn down any applicant who utilizes a complimentary e-mail address as they are so easy to set up and they have no verification you are really the individual who owns your website. Open & Honest in All of Your Communications– Whilst this might get you denied by some of the more selective CPA networks I really think that sincerity is very important especially in this area. If you say that you intend on driving 1000 keyword targeted leads from monthly from PPC and they telephone you up and it’s clear that you’ve never even used Pay Per Click it will start to raise flags about other locations. Whilst you may believe that stating you can do everything will help your case it may really injure it. As CPA networks usually offer you your own rep/manager you can typically get extra assistance in the areas where you are lacking, even if it’s simply a prod in the right instructions. Your success is where they will be making their cash. Be Proactive When Applying– Lots of CPA networks will require an interview over the phone or via instantaneous message prior to approving your account. In some cases it can take up to a number of days before they get an opportunity to call you back. If they provide a contact number or IM contact details then you ought to utilize them. You will have all the information that you have actually offered fresh in your head and even if they can’t talk to you on the area it proves that you are major about joining and they will likely identify your name when calling back. There you have it, equipped with the following information you ought to be well on your way to getting accepted into your very first couple of CPA networks. And on that note it’s worth stating that you ought to likely request a few of them. Even if you do get accepted into them all you will find that a number of them have different offers available that others don’t. In Conclusion … Ideally you have not been too overwhelmed by the quantity of info included within this post however I felt it needed to offer a full summary of precisely what CPA is and how you can get involved. You’ve learned a few of the approaches that CPA affiliates are utilizing today to make money online. Even equipped with the information you’ve discovered today you are method front of the typical individuals level of understanding about CPA so please don’t lose this opportunity. My individual obstacle to you is this: If you’re thinking about entering CPA Marketing then either register with a network or set the wheels in motion today! A lot of individuals read details online and then forget about it after a couple of hours and never return. If you actually wish to be successful in any online marketing endeavours the genuine key is informed action. This article has actually offered you the power to take your primary steps into CPA, now what you finish with that info is up to you. Get Going Today with the MaxBounty CPA Network

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from Your Money Making Machine https://yourmoneymakingmachine.com/what-is-cpa-marketing-guide-on-starting/

[norafinds]

ATWWV - Karolina Żebrowska

It is very exciting for me to click publish on this interview with Karolina. I first spotted her exceptional style on Instagram, but almost immediately found her YouTube channel (which brings me so much joy!). I really wanted to get to know her so I just had to feature her on the Around the World with Vintage series. This lady has a great sense of humour and her vibrant personality really shines through her photographs and videos. She’s definitely one Instagrammer I’m dying to meet because I think we will get along like a house on fire! On top of her great personality I am in love with her versatile fashion choices - she wears anything from Victorian to reproduction and damn she pulls them off really well! 

What did you study in Scotland?

I studied film and specialized in film directing. I did my bachelor on film studies back in Poland, but I was missing the practical aspects of filmmaking.

You said you started wearing vintage when you moved to Scotland, what decades did you start with?

As many people, I started off with being fascinated by 1950s and then realized I enjoy the 1940s styles and silhouettes more. So my wardrobe at the very beginning was sort of a mix of both – turtlenecks and circle skirts, buttoned up blouses with A-line skirts, depending on the mood. I think finding your style when it comes to vintage can be a long and confusing process that many people don’t realize!

Photo by Klaudia Balazy

What decade do you wear day-to-day now?

Now I’m leaning towards the more simple styles of the 1940s. I like going a bit extra every now and then, with hats, heels and matching accessories, but my wardrobe is a mix of original and reproduction/vintage style clothing at this point, so usually it’s not so over-the-top. I also hate heels, which in terms of creating an authentic 1940s look is a little bit tricky!

I know you originally fell in love with 19th c costumes and started making historical costumes, do you also sew other decades? How do you come up with the pattern and the details? Do you think it’s important for your sewing techniques to be authentic?

At this point I pretty much sew whatever I feel like at the moment, though the 19th century is usually a priority. For some reason sewing more modern clothing, such as 1940s style dresses, is much more difficult for me than making, let’s say, a Victorian bustle era dress. It might have something to do with a fact that it’s much easier to find free old patterns, because the copyright have expired and a lot of them are available online. On the other hand, 1940s and 1950s dresses and clothes could often pass as “modern”, so I feel like there’s a big interest in vintage patterns now, which makes it harder to obtain them. That’s why I often improvise when it comes to 20th century patterns, and that is also why it’s more tricky. When it comes to the sewing techniques, I used to choose whatever gives the fastest results (haha), but now I tend to focus more on how the garments were made back in the day. The techniques and tricks they used were usually thought through, often created especially for the particular silhouette, and affected the fit of the garment. That’s why they give you the most authentic results.

How do you find the confidence to wear antique or antique-inspired pieces when you’re out and about? How do people react?

I don’t wear my historical costumes every day, it’s usually only a matter of getting to a particular spot where a historical event/photoshoot/meeting is held, though it does require a bit of courage. It’s always a lot easier when you go around the city with a friend or a group of friends who are also dressed like it’s 1894, because the chances are you aren’t all insane. When I’m on my own though – it get’s a bit tough. My favorite method is pretending there’s nothing unusual with the fact that I need to lift all four of my petticoats when getting on public transport. My resting bitch face usually scares people off quite well, though there are times when strangers are chasing you with a camera without asking for your permission to take a picture. It’s moments like this when I think to myself “Well, this is why you don’t dress like that every day”.

Is there a big vintage community in Krakow and in Poland?

I think it’s growing really fast. I used to recognize most of the people that dressed vintage or were retro/pin up inspired, but there’s more and more of them. Same goes for vintage themed events, vintage shops and fairs and so on. It’s actually very exciting.

How did you decide to use YouTube as your main platform? Do you have any background in video production or acting?

I actually started out with my own blog, just like you – but then gradually realized that YouTube and it’s format fit my needs best. I had some doubts at first, mainly concerning “putting yourself out there” – internet critics can be harsh and while you can pick your best shots for the blog, you’re suddenly becoming very self-aware when on a video. Do I do something weird with my face when I speak? Will they hate my voice? Is my English even good enough? I did some acting, filming and editing back in my high school days, so I had some background, which I think helps tremendously when you’re starting out with YouTube. The thing I’ve learnt though is to constantly stay up-to-date with the newest content, even if it doesn’t have anything to do with what you specialize in.

You successfully inject humor and popular culture into your videos - how did you decide on what kind of content you want to produce and how do you regularly come up with ideas for new videos?

I remember myself a couple of years ago, thinking “I love vintage style, I love the elegance, but there’s no way I could ever be like all those sophisticated Instagram ladies – I’m just too goofy for that”. What I used to think was my weakness turned out to be what some enjoy the most about my channel. They like to see vintage style being “normalized” or “modernized”. All the beautiful models we see on Vogue covers from 50s and 40s can give you a very wrong idea of what these eras looked like. Also, there’s no point pretending it’s not 2019. I can dress up all I want, but I will scroll through Instagram in my 1940s suit, and I will eat a cheeseburger in a Regency dress, because I’m hungry and have no time to change. I think it’s the contrast between the eras I’m talking about in my videos and the fact that I’m doing it now, in the age of memes and pop culture, that makes it all so funny.

When it comes to particular ideas, it’s usually pretty random. I sometimes come up with an idea and write it down on my phone. Then, when I have the time I dig the ideas up. Either that or I just start setting up the camera thinking about what I’ll be shooting today - unless it’s a topic that requires some deeper research or preparations.

Tell us a bit about the process of your video productions? Do you have a regular cameraman or audio person etc.

No, I do everything on my own. I think as long as it doesn’t lower the video quality significantly I’ll keep doing it myself, because working with other people always slows down the whole process. My sister is my camerawoman sometimes when we go outside, and it’s hard enough to work around our schedules. Most of the videos I do are also quite spontaneous. Very rarely I do some actual planning – usually I wake up and think “Hm, it’s been a while since the last video. I should probably shoot something today”.

How did you decide to do YouTube full-time? Does it free up your time to pursue other interests as well? Tell us about your book and any other project!

I never really decided anything, it just sort of lined up with what happened in my life – I just finished my master’s degree, moved back to Poland, didn’t have the slightest idea what’s happening next. But I kept doing the videos, because there were people out there waiting, and after a little while it was enough money to keep me going. To be honest I still see it as a sort of a “side job” – I’m hoping to be still working on other projects while “youtubing”. Last year it was my book on Polish 20th century fashion which I started working on around March and it came out in December. This year I have a couple of things lined up, but I’d rather not say yet. You’ll have to wait and see

Photo by Klaudia Balazy

What is the one thing you’d like the readers to know about you?

That I often dress up especially for my videos. Same with Instagram - I only post pictures of myself when I’ve actually put an effort into my outfit, which is not too frequently. The internet lies, I’m not that fancy every day!

[diabetese009]

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11 ways to start reversing type 2 diabetes today

by Dr Rangan Chatterjee / November 11, 2015

Whether you have a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes or or you’ve been told you’re at risk, read on for 11 ways to start reversing the effects immediately.

Type 2 diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions. There are 3.9 million people living with diabetes – 90 per cent those of being affected by type 2 diabetes. Here’s another shocking statistic: 1 in 3 UK adults has prediabetes, the condition that precedes diabetes.

As you’ll soon see on BBC One’s Doctor in the House, it is entirely possible to both prevent as well as reverse type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, a lot of the advice that is given for the condition is, in my opinion, unhelpful and misguided. Most people think of it as a blood sugar problem but this is the ultimate effect rather than the cause.

WHAT IS TYPE 2 DIABETES?

Type 2 diabetes is a condition that is characterised by chronically elevated blood sugar levels. However, the main cause as well as the driver for this condition is something called Insulin Resistance. When you eat certain foods, particularly refined carbohydrates, that food is converted to sugar inside your body. Your body’s way of dealing with this sugar is to produce a hormone called insulin. Insulin moves the sugar inside your cells so that it can be used for energy. Sounds great, right?

Well, yes and no. When working efficiently, this is a fantastic system that helps your body to function well. But when you have type 2 diabetes, prediabetes or significant abdominal obesity, that system does not work so well.

Eating too many refined carbohydrates elevates your insulin levels for long periods of time and your cells start to become resistant to the effects of insulin. Think of this a bit like alcohol. When you start to drink, a single glass of wine can make you feel drunk. Once your body becomes accustomed to drinking, you need more and more alcohol to achieve the same effect. This is what happens in diabetes. You need more and more insulin to do the same thing. The problem is that too much insulin is toxic to the body.

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF RAISED INSULIN LEVELS?

It causes water and salt retention, which causes raised blood pressure

You become at risk of atherosclerosis (“furring of arteries”), which can lead to heart attacks

Raised insulin levels increases VLDL (very low density lipoprotein), a type of blood fat and one of the “bad” forms of cholesterol

Can drive the growth of certain cancer cells

In women, it can cause the ovaries to produce more testosterone, which is associated with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Significantly increases your risk of getting type 2 diabetes

The only way to effectively reverse type 2 diabetes (or even pre-diabetes) is to deal with the underlying cause – Insulin Resistance. Trying to address the blood sugar levels (with medication) without addressing the insulin levels is treating the symptoms, not treating the root cause. It is similar to using a bucket to remove water from an overflowing sink rather than actually turning off the tap!

The most important thing to do is to stop adding fuel to the fire. If Insulin Resistance is driving the condition, you need to firstly stop consuming foods that increase insulin production. Secondly, you need to make some lifestyle changes so that you can become sensitive to insulin once again

SO, WHAT FOODS INCREASE INSULIN PRODUCTION

All carbohydrates – to some degree at least – will raise your blood insulin levels. That is why I consider type 2 diabetes a form of “carbohydrate intolerance”. Protein can also raise levels but to a much lesser degree. The only macronutrient that keeps your insulin levels and, therefore, your blood sugar stable is FAT! Therefore, if you are trying to reduce insulin levels, you need to reduce your amount of certain carbohydrates and replace them instead with healthy, natural fats.

What does that mean in terms of actual FOOD CHOICES though?

When I say healthy, natural fat – think nuts and seeds, avocados, omega 3 fats (found in almonds, flax seed and cold water fish, like wild salmon, herring, mackerel and tuna), extra virgin olive oil and whole eggs.

And when I talk about reducing certain carbohydrates, I mainly mean reducing your intake of refined carbohydrates such as pasta, rice and bread. Non starchy vegetables (such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower) are fine and can be eaten in abundance. Many fruits are packed with carbohydrates, so if you’re trying to reduce your carb intake, try and limit your intake to low-carb fruit, such as rhubarb, watermelon, berries, peaches and blackberries.

It is really important to say that I do not believe that there is one perfect diet for everyone. Different people respond to different diets.

However, if you have a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes or if you have been told you are at high risk or if you have significant abdominal obesity, here are 11 ways to start reversing the effects immediately:

Avoid ALL refined carbohydrates. That means no pasta, rice or bread (even wholegrain bread will spike your insulin)

Avoid ALL added sugar. If your body is already in a state where you cannot process carbohydrates and sugars properly, you are going to have to take steps to fully eliminate all sugars, at least in the short term.

Avoid ALL sweet drinks. It is best to stick to water, tea, coffee.

Do not be scared of good quality, healthy, natural fat – avocados, olives, almonds etc. Don’t worry about this causing you to put on weight. A study published in 2003 showed that people who supplemented their diet with almonds lost more weight than those who supplemented with so-called “healthy, complex carbs”

Do not waste your energy counting calories. Concentrate on the quality of the food that you are eating and the calorie control will take care of itself.

FEED YOUR GUT BUGS, not just yourself. There are trillions of bugs that live in your gut – their health is critical in determining your health. Many studiesshow links between the state of your gut bugs (your microbiota) and type 2 diabetes. Start improving the health of your gut immediately by eating five servings of different coloured vegetables each day. The non digestible fibre in vegetables is the preferred food for your gut bacteria and when your gut bugs are happy, you will be happy. The wider the variety of colours, the more phytonutrients you will be getting.

Do my 5 minute kitchen workout once a day. This could be before breakfast, lunch or dinner – whatever works for you.

If you like to snack, keep some high fat healthy snacks with you, such as olives, nuts or hummus. When you snack on refined carbohydrates such as biscuits, you go on a blood sugar rollercoaster that results in you feeling hungry shortly after. Fats, on the other hand, will keep you fuller for longer.

Include high quality protein and fat with EVERY single meal. This helps to stabilise your blood sugars and promotes satiety and fullness, making it less likely that you will want to reach for dessert after your meal.

Eat your meals sitting down at a table. Eating on the sofa while watching TV encourages a mindless form of eating – this can lead you to eat higher quantities than you otherwise would. If you sit at a table and concentrate on what you’re eating, you are more likely to enjoy your food, feel satisfied at the end of your meal and eat less.

Consider a form of regular fasting (more to come in a later blog), such as intermittent fasting or time-restricted feeding (TRF). TRF means eating your calories during a specific window of the day, and choosing not to eat food for the rest. It’s a great way to reduce insulin levels in your body and help undo the effects of chronically elevated levels.

As always, I’m here to answer any questions, so please get in touch via Facebookand Twitter if you’d like to chat.

— Dr Chatterjee

para

DISCLAIMER: The content in this blog is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this blog or on this website.

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