#which is the best way to receive recipes imo

[mythrianalpha]

Adobo (not gravy version) recipe:

1 parts white vinegar : 2 parts soy (the reduced salt version also works) : 3 parts water (you’ll need to add more later if you use a lidless pot and it boils off)

Pork (basic option, I use chops since they tear apart nicely later anyway) or chicken (breasts tear nicely later as well, makes the whole dish sweeter so adjust taste as required)

Minced garlic (I use the jarred version for convenience, heaping spoonfuls - I usually go with 2)

Black pepper (bunch, go wild this soup is made of vinegar and soy sauce)

Bay leaves (3-4 and remove before serving, optional if it’s a pain to get but very nice if you have it)

Brown sugar (2 spoonfuls to start, you’ll more than likely add more later as this and water are our primary flavor controls)

If it tastes too sour, add brown sugar. If that doesn’t work, add more water. I honestly haven’t had to do anything else to corral the flavors, but I’ll happily experiment with suggestions.

Boil Like The Soup. Once the meat is safe to eat, it’s basically ‘done’. Typically I’ll let it go a few hours of stewing in the tasty juices while jacking with the flavor every 30min or so, but that’s because I enjoy it. Much like stew, it’s also way tastier reheated the next day or if it cooks a bit longer.

Serve over rice, or potatoes. Adding chopped potatoes directly to the pot can also help with the salty soy, but I’ve done it like once and can’t fully vouch (tasty tho). Broccoli is also fun ‘cause it disintegrates and adds textures, but they do slurp a lot of juice while whole and that can be kinda unpleasant to bite into (a sopping mess of salty sour mush).

Minor warning: the fumes may steal your nose hairs, so take general steam precautions because this steam has extra weapons.

[werealljustwinginit]

Tell us about what skincare ingredients and products you love!

Okay, so I LOVE TALKING SKINCARE. This is a huge topic for me and I often write up a blog post once a year where i recommend skin care products. So here is this year’s recommendation! An insanelyyyyy long and detailed post nobody asked for!! HERE WE GO: 

I am a long time skincare advocate...before it really blew up and people started really getting to know more about their products and ingredients. I’ve just always had very acne-prone skin so I’ve had to pay attention to what products and ingredients I was using and how their formulas worked for me. As a result, over the years I tried A SHIT TON of products. Many expensive, fancy, high end, etc. But now I have my skincare routine down to a much more manageable and quality ingredient list. Obviously everyone’s skin is different...but this is what I use on a regular basis these days:

Serums:

- Krave Beauty’s Great Barrier Relief Serum: Honestly, this is THE SHIT. My favorite moisturizing serum to really help balance your skins hydration barrier and stay hydrated. It’s thicker and almost feels like a moisturizer. It’s so great.  - The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Drops: Niacinamide is an amazing ingredient for your skin and can help a tremendous amount with clearing the skin, resurfacing, fading scars, and more. This really does a good job helping with my acne, so i really recommend to anyone. And I am pretty sure it’s like $5 cause it’s from the ordinary.

Moisturizers:

- CeraVe Moisturizing Cream: It’s a very cheap drug store moisturizer that has good, clean ingredients. After using fancy moisturizers for years, I finally gave into my dermatologist’s recommended lotion. LOL. They do have a lotion that is lighter, but my skin tends to be dryer, especially in the winter so I use the cream not the lotion. It’s thicker. (For high end junkies--it’s like comparing Drunk Elephant’s LaLa Retro to their Protini cream). I also sometimes throw in drops of a marula oil into this cream if I am really dry. Make myself a little face smoothie. 

Eye/Lip Creams:

- Mario Badescu Ceramide Herbal Eye Cream: Now honestly, I still haven’t found my perfect eye cream yet...but I have used this one for a few years now. It moisturizes well and is cheap to buy. It’s probs not the most effective but at least I am moisturizing my eye area. One day I will take on more eye creams that target certain things, but that is one day when I have money to spend lmao. -Glossier Bubblewrap Lip/Eye Cream: This is a very unique moisturizing product that is meant for sensitive skin like your eye area and lips. It does say it plumps a bit, which I don’t ever feel a plumping effect, but I do love to use it on my lips. It’s so moisturizing and is kind of like using a primer before you apply chapstick or lipstick. 

Exfoliators:

- Glossier Solution: The OG chemical exfoliant I tried and loved. These types of products aren’t great for everyone, and may have to be used less or more depending on skin type, but as an acne-prone human, I love a chemical exfoliant. This works and lasts a long while.

- Krave Beauty’s Kale-Lalu_AHA: Another chemical exfoliant. I recently tried this one because I do believe Krave Beauty uses better ingredients than Glossier Skin typically does (no shade tho). They were close in price, so I made the switch and have enjoyed the results so far. The packaging is also beautiful.

- Dr. Brant Microdermabrasion Exfoliant: This is NOT a chemical peel, this has aluminum oxyde crystals in it to polish the skin like a normal exfoliant would. It also has a lot of ingredients that help renew and refresh the skin while exfoliating. Now this product is HELLA expensive...I only have it because I once bought it for way cheaper when I had a subscription box. I don’t know if I would spend the full $80 bucks on it, but your skin does feel smooth.

- Tatcha The Deep Polish: This is an enzyme powder that you mix with water and exfoliate fro there. It is from when I used to buy the highest end products in hopes it would help my skin. It is pricey, but again does leave your skin feeling soft. So I rotate it in from time to time.

Masks: 

- The Ordinary’s AHA 30% BHA 2% Peeling Solution: AKA THE BLOOD MASK. Now hugely popular on social media, the “blood mask” is a chemical mask that peels off dead skin and essentially works to eliminate the top layers of your skin and begin rejuvenating a fresher layer for softer, healthier, plumper skin. I do this once a week and it is way cheap. I can compare it to Drunk Elephant’s Sukari Babyfacial and it definitely beats that expensive version.

- Glow Recipe’s Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask: This is an overnight moisturizing mask that you simply wash off in the morning. It really helps lock in moisture and feels nice on the skin. I use this when I am feeling really dry. 

- Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Mask: This one you have to mix the dry clay mixture with water and apple cider vinegar to create a goo that you can then let dry on your face. It may be intense for some, but I find it really helps dry out my acne spots and reduce redness in my skin. It’s always a fun one to do with other people too because you do have to prepare it. Good sleepover activity. 

- GlamGlow Bubble Sheet Mask:  This one is honestly more so used for when I am traveling and want to keep a mask on hand or when I am having a fun girls night or something. It’s a bubble mask--so to me that just means fun. I typically avoid sheet masks (unless I am traveling) because I think you end up throwing a way a lot of product you are paying for. But this one is fun, it’s cute, it’s different. I don’t notice a huge change in my skin tbh, but it is a fun activity for girls night. 

Honorable Mention/Random Products:

- Youth to the People’s Kale and Green Tea Superfood Cleanser: I stayed away from this one for a long time because it’s expensive and I could rationalize buying such an expensive cleanser, but I got a gift card to Sephora and finally decided to try it. And ya know what?? I guess I am fancy now because I really love it. It does not overly strip your skin at all, and for the first time in my life I really know what that means. It’s so great, it smells so good. Ugh. Can’t get enough of this bougie bitch of a face wash.

- The Inkey List Retinol Cream: A recent purchase, but I have enjoyed seeing the results. Everyone imo should be using an eye cream and a retinol. This is a nice introduction to retinol, so I recommend to those looking for one.

- Glossier Mint Balm Dot Com Chapstick: THIS AGAIN--IS THE SHIT. Many will say they would never spend more than two bucks but one tube of their’s is seven bucks and it is WORTH IT. I buy the three pack once a year and i’m good. This is the best chapstick you will literally ever use. Fucking buy it. If I could tell you only three products that are a must from this list this would be one of them. (the other two would be great barrier relief and the kale cleanser)

- Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask: I like this lip mask, it’s not needed everynight, but I do like to use a lip exfoliant (made or buy one, whatever) and then use this to really retextures my lips. 

- Bag Balm: Now this is a very unusual product to recommend lmaooo. Originally, bag balm is used for chapped cow udders on farms--which is how I discovered it. Farmers eventually noticed that it helped your skin retain moisture and repair cracked skin in their hands. So now it is known as a good thick ass cream for hands and feet. Now this shit is again--used on cows originally, so the formula feels thick and greasy. I like putting it on at night and letting it soak in for a while as I lay on my phone. It really works--I swear to you. 

- Sagely CBD Cream: I use their relief and recovery crea which smells like lavender and has a cooling effect when applied to the skin (kinda like biofreeze or icyhot would). This is only a 50mg CBD lotion, but I do like it. 

- Mad Ritual CBD Muscle Recovery Balm: Now this is thick and definitely a balm, not a cream. It is much higher strength though, so I break it out when needed and a little goes a long way. This one is 200mg of CBD. 

- Mario Badescu Drying Lotion: This drying lotion is now so popular but has been a staple of mine for at least a decade now. You leave it on over night and it really does dry up and reduce zit size. Helps a lot. There must be a reason why super models are told to use this shit before a runway show. 

- Tatcha The Essence: Essences are a new and kind of weird thing, kinda like priming the skin to allow for better absorption of a product. Now this product I received as a Christmas gift one year, but I am pretty sure it’s like $100...breaking the bank as always, tatcha. Anyway, it does allow for better absorption of products and feels light and refreshing on the skin. One bottle has lasted me two years now. I don’t know if I would recommend it, but I do use it somewhat regularly and it does make you feel like a bougie bitch. 

AND THAT IS THE END. Sorry that was soooo long. But like I said, I do a write up once a year of my skincare products anyway. So there you guys have it!! If you have any questions at all about your skin or skincare routine , honestly hit me up. Over the years I have slowly has friends come to me. Once I collect all of the I will have all of the infinity stones lmao. 

[avani008]

fic writer tag game!

Tagged by @allegoriesinmediasres and @partialdignity. Thank you both <3!

how many works do you have on AO3?

83.

what’s your total AO3 word count?

267, 880. (Oh...wow.)

how many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

Baahubali, Mahabharata, Ramayana, Jodhaa-Akbar, Padmaavat, Star Wars, Greek Myth, Arthurian Mythology, Fairy Tales, Genghis Khan-Music Video, Smallville, Devil's Cub, Ever After, Persuasion- Jane Austen, Idylls of the Queen- Phyllis Ann Karr, Bridgerton Series - Julia Quinn, Sliding Doors, Hamilton, Black Panther, Original Work.

(20, effectively)

what are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Copilot (342)- the eternal WIP which fills me with SHAME, because "Han adopts Rey" still objectively strikes me as a good premise for an AU, but (1) the subsequent films didn't seem to find their relationship as interesting as I did and (2) by now, I have no doubts some genius has already written it, and better than I could!

Coming Home (299) - Proof that therapy fic and tragic parent-child relationships are....kind of an Avani thing? Welp.

Kathodos (230) - I am delighted but also...kind of surprised this one is so popular??? Anyway, I enjoyed turning the Hades/Persephone myth on its head, and my recip in the challenge was both lovely and seemed to enjoy this, so that's what really matters!

Enchantment Passing Through - (193) Eventually I might finish this, I guess, but it would involve a lot more planning and outlining and HP-deep-diving than I particularly want to at the moment. But again, I am so grateful people seemed to have liked this little prologue and been so kind about it!

Nidhana (157)- The fact that--presumably--one hundred and fifty actual people have read this and enjoyed it never fails to bring a smile to my face. I love you all so, so much.

do you respond to comments, why or why not?

In theory, yes, but I've gotten so far behind it doesn't seem like I'll catch up for a bit!

what’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

*shifty eyes* Hahaha, angst? Me? Surely you jest. Seriously, though, one of the Tumblr Mahabharata break-it AUs? Or if it has to be on AO3, personally I thought Sarvaga was the saddest, but if any of you guys disagree, I'd be curious to know!

do you write crossovers? if so what is the craziest one you’ve written?

*laughs* Oh boy, do I ever. Um, aside from those already mentioned, there is a perma-drawer fic Baahubali/Black Panther crossover featuring dreamworld friendships, which is probably the weirdest thing I've actually even started to draft....

have you ever received hate on a fic?

If I have, I'm plainly too oblivious to realize it. Mostly, though, I think that this is because my readers are unbelievably kind to me.

do you write smut? if so what kind?

I don't, largely because I'm no good at it. I'll stick to innuendos and the occasional off-color joke, for everyone's sake.

have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to the best of my knowledge!

have you ever had a fic translated?

Not that I recall!

have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes! With the fabulous @parlegee, brainstormer/beta extraordinaire who patiently reads all my overenthusiastic drafts/notes and doesn't laugh.

what’s your all time favorite ship?

Ooh, this is a hard one. Um. Lois Lane/Clark Kent was probably an early one I imprinted on, but also Pratham/Gauri, the leads from a really terrible but also hilarious Indian soap from when I was a kid; Amarendra/Devasena probably works its way up to a lifetime one from all the thinking/ficcing/meta I've done about it; and honestly, I've been a Krishna/Rukmini stan since I was a wee one (Female agency and strikes against patriarchal-arranged-marriage FTW!)

what’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

Eventually, we will finish the Ramayana space AU because it really is the best of our crazy AUs. It just--might take a bit until then.

(On the personal front, I will finish this origfic someday? Mayyybe?)

what are your writing strengths?

Dialogue, characterization, plot, humor (I hope?)

what are your writing weaknesses?

Action scenes, smut scenes, That One Scene you need to get the plot from Point A to Point B but is boring as anything to hurry up and get done.

what are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

IMO, best used as a garnish/minimally--otherwise, you risk breaking readers out, even if they are familiar with the foreign language you are using. That said, there are always exceptions: in Sarvaga, linked above, I use the direct transliteration of dialogue in Tamil, because a translation wouldn't at all convey the duality or the intent of it after all.

what was the first fandom you wrote for?

Really bad Lois and Clark fic, IIRC, which were mostly syrupy missing-scenes and episode tags.

what’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

I think I have to go with Nidhana, simply because I can't believe I actually finished a multichapter fic with an actual plot!

Tagging @walburgablack @parlegee @queenofmahishmati @mockingjaypin @carminavulcana @holy-muffins @oldshrewsburyian @tuulikki and literally anyone else who wants to do this and wasn't tagged already!

[robinskey]

Lover (Steve Harrington x Reader)

A/N: GUYS as you’ve probably noticed, I’m incredibly excited about the release of @taylorswift‘s new album. IMO, Lover is one of Taylor’s best songs to-date, and I thought it would fit perfectly with a fluffy, domestic Steve one-shot. 

Warnings: Mild language, heavy fluff. Story under the cut.

We could leave the Christmas lights up 'til January

This is our place, we make the rules

And there's a dazzling haze, a mysterious way about you, dear

Have I known you 20 seconds or 20 years?

It wasn’t until you and Steve moved into your first home together that you realized how deeply in love he was with holiday decorations.

You had started the process of moving your belongings into the new place at the end of September. By mid-October, Steve had begun pestering you about shopping for Christmas decorations. You reminded him that you hadn’t even unpacked the last box yet, and Halloween hadn’t even occurred yet. Steve was persistent that you needed to get the lights up as soon as possible to “maximize the Christmas spirit.”

After a lot of convincing, Steve had finally agreed to wait until November. By then, you figured, he’d forget about it. I mean, this was the guy who couldn’t remember his social security number and occasionally wrote it on his stomach (“because I’m not dumb enough to keep it on, like, my hand, Y/N, where everyone can see it.” When when you suggested he just carry his social security card with him, he told you he didn’t trust himself not to lose it.) Surely, that guy would forget all about it, right?

Wrong. On November 1st, you were nursing a Halloween-candy hangover when Steve dragged you to Goodwill. You returned home with enough decorations to light up a mansion and spent the rest of the afternoon stringing them all around your tiny one-bedroom house. After dinner, you and Steve headed outside. As the sky faded to black, Steve wrapped an arm around your shoulders, and he watched in wonder as your small townhouse transformed into a winter wonderland.

“Look at that, Y/N! We did that,” he said. The various colors of the lights reflected in his eyes as he gazed down at you.

“I didn’t know King Steve Harrington could get so excited over Christmas lights.” Your smooth teasing was foiled by a strong gust of wind that left goosebumps on your arms and caused you to shudder.

“I’m full of surprises,” Steve said as the two of you started back towards the front door. “For example, you probably didn’t know, but I can make the best cup of hot chocolate in the state of Indiana.”

“Oh, really?”

“Oh, yeah. Grandma Harrington taught me her secret recipe.”

Even though you’d known Steve for years, you learned new things about him every day. You wondered if you’d ever run out of things to learn about the boy you’d known all your life.

Can I go where you go?

Can we always be this close forever and ever?

And ah, take me out, and take me home

You're my, my, my, my lover

We could let our friends crash in the living room

This is our place, we make the call

And I'm highly suspicious that everyone who sees you wants you

I've loved you three summers now, honey, but I want 'em all

Dustin Henderson started referring to your place as “our house” before you guys even moved in. He dropped by several times a week with updates on the newest happenings at Hawkins Middle or questions about how to handle a Suzie situation. At least once a month, Dustin crashed on your couch after a weekend movie night. 

On one occasion, you and Steve returned home from a date night to discover half a dozen adolescents gathered around the television in your living room. A curly-haired kid carried around a bag of chips in one hand and waved cheerfully with the other. He flashed his infamous toothy grin, which you met with a half-scowl, half-squint of confusion.

“Dustin? How did you get in here?”

Dustin spoke through a mouthful of Doritos. “My mom dropped us off. And then I used my key.”

Your glare switched targets. This time, you directed it at Steve. He clamped his hand down on his face; you weren’t sure if it was to avoid your gaze or express his frustration.

“Dude, I gave you that key for emergencies only.”

“This was an emergency!” Dustin threw up his hands, sending an army of cheesy corn chips into the atmosphere. After falling back to earth, bright orange triangles wedged themselves into your new white rug. “The season premiere of our favorite show is tonight, and we didn’t have anywhere to watch it.”

You crossed your arms over your chest. Your eyes scanned over the gang sprawled across your couch, armchairs, and carpet. Judging by the boxes of candy and cans of soda littered across the floor, Dustin must have raided your pantry. Apparently, the kitchen wasn’t the only place he infiltrated, since almost your entire linen closet was spread out over the living room. Lucas and Max shared the recliner beside which Dustin was currently standing. Will sat on a pillow with his back against the coffee table, his attention still focused on the television screen. You turned your attention to Mike, who was curled up next to El under a crocheted blanket you’d received from your grandmother. 

“Doesn’t your family have a TV, Mike?” 

"Yeah, we do, but my mom kicked us out so she could watch a soap opera or some shit. She and Nancy love that crap.”

Nancy. 

That name ignited the flame of jealousy in your chest. You knew it was totally irrational; she and Steve hadn’t dated since high school. They’d both moved on-something Nancy did almost instantaneously. Steve had told you the whole saga of their mostly-one-sided relationship, and you were fairly certain Nancy never really loved him.

Still, Nancy was Steve’s first serious girlfriend. She was the first girl-the only girl, other than you-to whom he’d said “I love you” and meant it. Nancy was, and would always be, Steve’s first love. There wasn’t anything you could do to change that.

“Y/N? Hey, babe, you good?”

Steve’s voice jolted you back to reality. You shook your head slightly to clear it, then nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.”

You pretended not to notice the way his mouth twitched downward slightly in concern.

“Great. So we can stay?” Dustin interrupted. The hopeful gleam in his eyes was too much to resist.

“I guess,” you sighed, earning a chorus of triumphant “yeah!”s from the kids. “Your show’s probably about over by now, anyway, isn’t it?”

Dustin furrowed his thick brows, as though that was the most blatantly incorrect assumption you could have made. Lucas let you know that “it doesn’t even start for three more hours.”

“Won’t that be, like, midnight? Your parents aren’t going to freak out if you come home at two in the morning?” Steve asked.

“Actually...” Dustin drew out the word until he finally ran out of air. Then, he spoke the next few words in one breath. “We were hoping you’d let us spend the night here?”

You and Steve exchanged glances. Between your schoolwork and Steve’s work schedule, the two of you hadn’t been able to spend as much quality time together. You’d finally both managed to secure a responsibility-free night and a cheesy rom-com to watch while cuddling on the couch. (Steve pretended to hate those movies, but he almost always teared up at least once during the show.)

None of that mattered now, though, because your boyfriend could never say no to his favorite child-or so you thought.

Steve scratched the back of his neck. He glanced at you out of the corner of his eye before saying, “Actually, Dustin, tonight’s not the best night for a sleepover. Y/N and I kind of had plans.”

Lucas raised his eyebrows suggestively. “Plans, huh? What kind of plans?” he said, earning a smack on the arm from his girlfriend.

Color rose to your cheeks; Steve picked up a pillow someone had haphazardly tossed on the floor and launched it at Lucas’s head. Instead of hitting its intended target, though, the cushion collided with Max’s face. Ever the hothead, the ginger quickly contorted her neutral expression into a deep frown. She chucked the pillow back toward Steve with tremendous force, along with a few other throw pillows. Only one actually hit Steve. The rest rained down on you.

And, as a mature, homeowning adult battling literal children, you knew there was only one correct response: to hurl each and every one of those pillows right back.

It didn’t take long before the scene devolved into utter chaos. Fluffy rectangles flew across the living room, smacking into bodies or simply into walls. The kids outnumbered you and Steve three-to-one, so you were doomed from the start. However valiant of an effort you two gave, the party still overcame you, burying you and Steve under an avalanche of pillows.

“Clearly, we won this fight,” Dustin said as he loomed over you. Steve had tried to act as your human shield, so he laid beside you on the floor. “I think that means we earned the right to stay.”

“Dustin-“

“No, Steve, it’s okay,” you said, turning towards him. “I know it’s not what we originally planned, but maybe a sleepover with the kids would be fun.”

Steve looked at you with admiration glittering in his chocolate eyes. “Yeah?” he asked softly.

“Yeah.” You shifted a few pillows to get closer to Steve and plant a gentle kiss on his mouth. He smiled as your lips brushed his, and for a moment, you forgot about the gang of gangly tweens in your living room.

Then, a symphony of “ew”s and “aw”s and “can you not”s and “I think it’s sweet”s erupted throughout the room.

Steve shot into an upright position, pointing his finger in the general direction of the sitting area. “Hey, this is my house, and my girlfriend, and if I want to kiss her, I will. And if you dweebs want to stay here to watch your stupid show, you’ll keep your mouths shut.”

“As long as you keep yours shut,” Dustin quipped. “I think I can speak for everyone when I say we’d rather not see you and Y/N sticking your tongues down each other’s throats.”

You tossed the last pillow throw of the night at Dustin but agreed. You and Steve kept the PDA to a minimum that night. They were just kids, after all, and you didn’t want to corrupt them. However, when Nancy came to pick up Mike the next morning and Steve waved to her from the porch, you didn’t hesitate to flounce out the front door in your robe and draw Steve into a passionate kiss.

You just had to make sure Nancy knew what was yours.

Can I go where you go?

Can we always be this close forever and ever?

And ah, take me out, and take me home

You're my, my, my, my lover

Ladies and gentlemen, will you please stand?

With every guitar string scar on my hand

I take this magnetic force-of-a-man to be my lover

My heart's been borrowed and yours has been blue

All's well that ends well to end up with you

Swear to be overdramatic and true to my lover

And you'll save all your dirtiest jokes for me

And at every table, I'll save you a seat, lover

Your favorite part of the day was coming home to your best friend.

Steve more or less memorized your schedule. You arrived home around the same time every evening, so Steve knew when to start listening for the sound of gravel crunching under the wheels of your car. He would then meet you on the porch with a “hello” kiss and a “how was your day, honey?” You always feigned indignance as he took your bags, murmuring something about how weak he must think you are to not be able to carry them two more steps. But, secretly, you spent your entire commute home anticipating the interaction.

This was especially true on the stressful days, the ones you felt would never end. Even though Steve was completely clueless in most situations, he could typically tell when you were in a foul mood. Those were the times he pulled you a little closer to his heart, hugged you a little tighter, loved you a little extra-just in case you needed it.

Today, you really, really did. It had been one of those days where everything seems to go wrong. You couldn’t wait to crawl into bed with Steve and snuggle all your sorrows away.

As you pulled into the driveway, your heart beat faster in anticipation. You watched the front door swing open. It took you a second to realize that the figure standing on the porch wasn’t your boyfriend. Rather, it was a short, stocky kid with a halo of golden curls. If it hadn’t been for the unmistakable hair, you might not have recognized him; you’d never seen him sans ballcap but plus a paisley-print bowtie around his neck and certainly never with dish rag was draped over his arm.

“Hey, Dustin,” you said. When he responded by simply smiling back at you, you asked, “What...what’cha doing here, kid?”

“Hello, Ms. Y/L/N. I’ll be your server for the evening,” he responded without missing a beat. 

“My server?”

Dustin bent his head slightly in what he must have considered a sophisticated spin on a nod. “Indeed. Now, if you’ll follow me, ma’am...”

You kicked off your shoes and set down your purse before wandering after your guide down the dimly-lit hall. Something crinkled under your footsteps. You quickly noticed small ovals scattered across the wood floor. As you stepped on one, it felt like silk against your bare feet. 

Petals?

You were too busy staring at the flowers scattered across the hall to realize you’d reached your destination. Dustin stopped, and you ran right into his back. You stumbled before regaining your balance and taking a look around the room.

The “server” had escorted you to your own kitchen-a place you were quite familiar with, since Steve couldn’t cook a decent meal to save his life. (To be fair, though, you weren’t much more skilled with the stove, so approximately 90% of your diet was comprised of takeout and peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches.) However, you’d never seen the kitchen quite like this.

It was the cleanest it had been since move-in day. Not a dish sat on the counter or even in the sink. The crumbs typically scattered across the floor had been replaced by rose petals. Sparkling white Christmas lights stretched across the room, and Elvis Presley crooned over the record player in the corner of the room. You didn’t even know Steve owned a record player. (As you later discovered, he didn’t. He’d borrowed it from Jonathan Byers.)

In the center of the room, your cheap card table was draped with a lace tablecloth. Wedged between two covered silver platters that looked like they belonged in a castle, a flickering candle cast shadows on the face of the boy sitting beside it. As soon as his eyes fell on you, he scrambled to his feet and over to you.

“Hi,” Steve said, winding his arms around your waist. He sounded breathless, even though he’d literally just walked a few feet.

“Hey.” Your eyes flicked from his slicked-back hair and freshly-shaven face to his crisp button-up and newly-polished shoes. “What’s-um-what’s all this?” you asked, vaguely gesturing around the room.

“Oh, you know.” Steve pressed a quick kiss to your lips before taking your hand and leading you to the table. “I just thought I’d do something special for you tonight.”

"That’s...really sweet.”

Steve scooted your chair in before placing himself back into the seat across from you. Dustin disappeared into your pantry, then returned with a bottle of sparkling grape juice. As you watched the teenager carefully pour a splash into each of your glasses, you asked whether Steve had bribed or tricked him into spending his Friday night playing restaurant.

“This is my full-time job, ma’am. This is how I earn my living,” Dustin answered dutifully before breaking character. “Besides, four of my stupid friends are on a double-date, and Will’s sick, so I had nothing better to do.”

“Way to sell us on the idea that you want to be here, dipshit,” Steve remarked.

“Hey, show our waiter a little respect!” you teased, gently kicking Steve under the table.

“Thank you, Y/N. But, actually, I prefer the term server,” Dustin corrected. He proceeded to produce a notepad from his pocket and read you the specials-or, rather, special, considering there was only one: spaghetti with meatballs. “On our regular menu, we also offer a wonderful noodle dish with a marinara sauce for the same low price as the special-zero dollars.”

You quirked an eyebrow. “So...just spaghetti again?”

Dustin clapped a hand over his heart in mock offense. “Excuse you, madam. It’s spaghetti without meatballs, which is a completely different experience.” Dustin glanced around as though someone might overhear before quietly adding, “Personally, I would recommend the spaghetti with meatballs, unless you want grubby hands digging around in your dish to pull out the meatballs, which may or may not already be incorporated into the pasta.”

You rolled your eyes but laughed nonetheless. “I guess I’ll have the spaghetti with meatballs, then.”

“Excellent choice. And for you, sir?”

“I’ll have the same,” said Steve.

“Well, you’ve both made this very easy for me. Pardon my reach,” Dustin said, leaning over to pluck the covers off the platters. A heaping hill of noodles, red sauce, and meatballs lay underneath. 

Dustin took the lids and disappeared into the living room. You weren’t sure if Dustin was just trying to stay out of the way or if he was going to attempt to wash them in the bathroom sink. It definitely wouldn’t have been the weirdest thing he’d done in your house; once, you and Steve caught him trying to explain morse code to a squirrel in your backyard. That kid was truly an odd duck. 

And speaking of weird behavior, you were still seriously questioning what was happening. Steve was a sweetheart, and he did everything in his power to make you happy. This definitely wasn’t the first time he’d surprised you with a thoughtful gesture, but it was probably the most all-out he’d ever gone. The last time he even attempted to cook for you was during senior year of high school, when you first started dating. As an after-school snack, Steve had popped some pizza rolls in the microwave and promptly forgotten about them...until, of course, the kitchen appliance burst into flames.

As strange as it was, you didn’t want to ruin the moment by verbally expressing your curiosities. You simply swirled slightly-soggy spaghetti around your spoon and savored the small talk. Eventually, Dustin reappeared to clear your plates and ask if you wanted dessert. 

“What are my options?”

Dustin’s excellent waiter facade faded for a second. He glanced at Steve with wide eyes. His gaze begged for guidance-which Steve failed to provide. He simply squinted at Dustin as if to say, Figure it out for yourself.

The entire ordeal lasted about fifteen seconds. It was too long for Dustin to turn back to you with a tight-lipped smile plastered on his face as though nothing had just happened between them.

“The final course is-the dessert, uh-it’s a surprise.”

Out of the corner of your eye, you could have sworn you saw Steve offer a nod of approval.

“Okay...” You drew out the word as your mind jumped to every conclusion possible. “Is it a good surprise? Or is it, like, a somewhat-edible science experiment that might actually poison me?”

“Oh, no, no. It’s a good surprise. You’ll like it. I promise,” Dustin said. “I-uh-I’ll go get it,” he said, then disappeared once more. 

“Steve, why did Dustin just head toward the bathroom? I swear, if he made Jell-O in the toilet or something, I’m going to lose it.”

Steve just shrugged. He avoided your gaze, and a few beads of sweat had broken out across his forehead. That pretty much solidified your suspicions that Steve and Dustin were pulling some weird sort of prank on you.

Dustin returned a few minutes later with yet another silver platter. (Seriously, where was he getting these things?) This time, though, there weren’t any noodles on the plate he unveiled. Instead, a small velvet box sat on the metal.

The next few seconds happened in a blur. You recalled Steve rising from his chair and reaching for the box. Then, suddenly, he was on one knee in front of you. The box opened like an oyster. Instead of a pearl, though, its treasure was a glimmering diamond ring. 

Tears began clouding your vision before Steve’s lips even parted. As soon as he spotted the water in your eyes, Steve started to get choked up, too. He tried to power through, but his voice became more strained with each syllable.

“Y/N. These past few years with you have been the best of my life, and I never thought...shit." Steve blinked rapidly, attempting to clear away the tears. “I never want to spend my time with-with anyone else-damn it,” he murmured as a drop of water finally escaped his tear duct and rolled down his face. “I’m sorry, Y/N. I had this whole speech prepared, but now I’m a mess-”

You stopped his ranting by placing a gentle palm on his cheek and a kiss on his forehead. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I love you for the whole-ass mess you are.”

Steve leaned into your touch for a moment and whispered, “I love you, too, Y/N.” Then, he straightened up, cleared his throat, and softly asked, “Will you marry me?”

“Of course.”

Steve barely had the patience to slide the ring on your finger with his shaking hands before he picking you up and swinging you around. He kissed all over your face, and your happy tears mixed with his in a joyous saltwater solution. 

The kiss fest didn’t end until Steve, caught up in all the excitement, accidentally pressed his lips to your nostrils. The two of you burst into a fit of giggles amplified by the ecstasy of the emotions you were feeling. Your hysteria lasted for several minutes and ended with you and Steve laying on the floor, lungs devoid of oxygen and limbs tangled together.

“Are you guys really that happy, or are you, like, on something?”

You both glanced toward Dustin, whose presence had completely slipped your mind. Luckily, Steve had a response ready. It was cheesy and cliche, but nothing could have fit the situation more perfectly:

“No, dude. We’re just high on life.”

Can I go where you go?

Can we always be this close forever and ever?

And ah, take me out, and take me home (Forever and ever)

You're my, my, my, my

Oh, you're my, my, my, my

Darling, you're my, my, my, my lover

***

Taglist:  @novaddictx @anabundance0ffand0ms @rexorangecouny  @broadwayandnetflix @explode-a-pult @whormotional @loulouloueh  @readinthegarden12 @lacunaclouds

If you want to be added to the tag list for a specific character/my writing in general, leave a reply or send me a message! Thanks again for reading. <3

If you want to check out more of my writing, here’s my masterlist. :)

[everydayanth]

I don’t think I ever thought directly that the best stuff would make me happier, but I  do use physical things as checkpoints and rewards. 

When we buy bookshelves someday, I know we’re not moving for a while and can start focusing on more confident root-building. 

When we buy a bed I know we’re planning on staying in the area at least (we did that ^-^).

When I complete task x, I can purchase this book or reward-thing. 

I think it’s not that we value extreme quality or whatever the news wants us to believe, more that we value time and products that offer efficiency, to free up our time to reflect more on ourselves and our world rather than be consistently overwhelmed by it, are supposed to make us happier. 

And there’s a truth to that, I think. All of these companies know what we want: time. And they do their best to sell it to us with products that provide that. 

Consuming them all at once, I think, would be overwhelming to anyone, and by doing so, doesn’t actually experience the efficiency they’re supposed to be offering. If you’re not wasting time looking for a mattress or spending three hours shopping for new wines, if you’re not stressed by making dinners every night or getting angry at your stupid carry-on, then these products aren’t actually catered to you, imo. These businesses have the Millennial pulse, they know we’re overwhelmed and over-worked and looking for any ethical shortcut that can free up time to actually make friends and develop personal ideologies and skills worth all the work we’re doing in the first place. 

They’re selling time and we’re buying it, because how the heck do we combat our shortage of it in the first place?

I wonder how many of these products are actually largely consumed by Millennials and how many are simply marketed as such and criticized as such and therefore consumed as such? I’ve never heard of most of these, but maybe I’m just a bad Millennial? 

Marketing to Millennials is not a difficult concept. We want time, to explore the world and ourselves, to try new things and experience life. We’re tired of making so many choices in a day, we want limited options and synthetic solutions that solve many problems at once. And lastly, we want to be individuals, still retaining some semblance of our self while being mostly-exhausted and serving agendas that are not our own, we want to abide by our own ethical codes, to trade fairly, to consume responsibly, to create environmentally, to have a positive impact on the world. Mostly we want time to make those other things happen. Also, we’re poor as shit, so we want things to be efficient for a long time, quality that lasts is worth the extra dollars... until it isn’t. Those wealthy among us are few and far between. We just want time and to be ethical consumers. 

So here’s how I think a few of these brands are smashing through Millennial poverty and job-insecurity to rack up sales that AREN’T BASED ON OUR OBSESSION WITH AESTHETIC as some outlets are determined to focus on. These are a look at the tone, voice, and branding of the company’s marketing and how it might apply to Millennial psychology, not sponsorships or ads or whatever. The links are so you can confirm for yourself, just fyi. 

Casper promises a good night’s sleep so that you can spend your days rested and ready, utilizing the most out of your 6-hour nights, you perfectionist workaholic, you. On top of that, they focus on the direct-to-consumer model and quality long-lasting material that feeds on the idea of using up less time finding and receiving a mattress as well as keeping or worrying about replacing one.

The Away Carry On is about the idea of using that extra time to travel and explore the world and yourself. Their About page doesn’t even feature a full photo of their product, it’s an ideology. They’re also selling you the time you would spend looking for another option, comparing style and design, they’ve done it for you, created a one-size-fits-all solution, of course it will solve your problem. 

We value access over aspiration, and exploration over escape. For us, all time away is time well spent.

Glossier Makeup promises to be your go-to, you won’t have to stand in those stores of exhaustingly similar shades unless you want to because you’ll already have efficient makeup that doesn’t require reapplication (because that takes time and costs money).

We’re not out to make you into someone else or complicate your routine. We just want to bring you the best makeup products - the ones you’ll reach for every day.

With Parachute we find the same story of long-lasting quality materials, environmental for those who can afford it, that will make your home comfortable, so that the time you spend relaxing is the most relaxing as soon as possible. Efficient comforts that remind you of the life you’re working toward and all the free time you’ll have once you get there. 

With Outdoor Voices, again, we have a focus on experience, the apparel is sold with the encouragement to exercise every day without the pressure of being the best or first, so you can efficiently utilize your time working out AND having fun! The products are quality that won’t have to be replaced as often, and they are fashionable and cute, so you won’t have to waste time on deciding what to wear for your fun social workout. Combined with the focus on community, experience, and activism through social media and events, their campaigns are often focused around the ideological message, their products become a simple representation of it.

#DoingThings is about being active on a daily basis and having fun with friends, without the pressure of being the first or the best. 

Allbirds pursued a similar method of quality-focus, but included much more of their environmental platform, essential for Millennials and our ethical attempts at consumption through the climate crisis. Allbirds makes note of its non-flashy design, making the shoe efficient and adaptable for many scenarios (we minimalists love adaptability and efficiency), and their comfort means you won’t have to waste time picking shoes out either, just stick with the same pair every day, more time to explore the world, less time making decisions or feeling guilty about your shoes. 

An entirely new category of shoes inspired by natural materials, and an ongoing mantra to create better things in a better way.

MeUndies touts the small-wins, having a quality pair of underoos that will last you a long time to start your long day with a positive swing. They’ve accepted that you have little time, and that your life is full of negative outcomes and work that is often unrewarding, so here is a special something to indulge in.

Sometimes it’s the little things that give your morning that well-needed win.

Everlane is feeding that ethical-environmental Millennial with the efficiency of a brand you can trust, shop without spending time looking at labels or investigating, don’t waste time on expensive clothes that aren’t quality or fair.

At Everlane, we want the right choice to be as easy as putting on a great T-shirt. That’s why we partner with the best, ethical factories around the world. Source only the finest materials. And share those stories with you—down to the true cost of every product we make. It’s a new way of doing things. We call it Radical Transparency.

HelloFresh is all about simplifying your meal-making routine by sending recipes and ingredients right to your door. Sure, you pick them out for a minute, but shopping? Debating between organic butter lettuce and the other one that says organic but doesn’t have the sticker? Who needs that, you can trust their ingredients, you can customize your plan. Efficiency, adaptability, ethical trade, and experience, they were made for Millennial culture. No marketing necessary, the concept itself fits all the bullets. And they do an outreach program, which is becoming consistently more important for us ethical consumers to gain our pseudo-experience through. I might not have time to volunteer or money to donate because I can’t even afford a barely-livable apartment, but I can purchase and support my own necessities through companies that provide what I cannot (hence the effective longevity of companies like TOMS or Bombas or Yoobi, and other companies found here, many do social media campaigns, so they donate to charities or their own products as a reward for marketing through social media or sharing, including Everlane and Parachute listed above).

And last for this little thought experiment/analysis thing, we have Leuchtterm 1917 notebooks. I see these all the time, I pick them up with a hefty this might be nice and then see the price and scoff as I set it carefully back on the shelf and return to the spiral bound notebooks, where I belong. Quality is the supreme marketing strategy here, and I would argue it’s not as “Millennial” as the Moleskines as far as “luxury” notebooks go. Moleskines are marketed alongside stationary and journals in bookstores, as the affordable extra, individually minimalistic with hundreds of custom options and colors, they are the features of the Pinterest art and journaling craze and trends (Inktober anyone?). 

The Leuchtturm1917 notebooks offer more of a corporate vibe, imo, but maybe that’s the point, they are the Millennial whose start-up has sold or is prospering, they are the symbol of old-world success, an unnecessary luxury meant to motivate more than adapt. Which banks on the Millennial desire for experience and aesthetic encouragement, in that way, I can understand how this company would fit here. 

Also, the author mentions specifically using this notebook for bullet journaling (which I tried and failed once), so I understand the Millennial application. Bullet Journaling as a concept is meant to free up time and organize your goals so they are accomplishable, offering experience, creativity, and time to reflect and follow those organized colorful dreams. Why not organize those dreams in fine leather and quality paper that encourages you to work harder?

Experience and consistency are important requirements for quality. quality gives ideas a solid foundation on which they can develop. We are convinced that small details can make a big difference.

These companies are advertising on Instagram and sponsoring popular podcasts or Youtube creators. They know who and where their audience is and are often genuinely trying to make life more efficient, among the superfluous world’s most comfortable X titles. But whether or not they work, or if they just add extra work to our lives (extra billing, extra passwords, extra clutter), is based on our choices and routines. A few years ago Netflix streaming might have been included as a Millennial extra, and Amazon shopping before that. But those have proven useful, efficient, time-saving, essentials whose winning of the test of time has auctioned them off into mainstream consumerism, rather than this bubble of marketing we Millennials get defined by. 

I want time and efficiency, I am exhausted of making choices, I would like products to last a while, to reduce the risk of purchase, and to reassure me that I have agency and power in my life, products that encourage me to live it. Who the heck doesn’t want that? But none of these specific products, so far, has been useful enough to my weekly worries and time-obligations to warrant their cost. Is this really the Millennial dream life, or is the marketing-campaign of these companies similar enough to group them together and make us form a disjointed idea of what Millennials want. Social shopping is fun, obligatory money-spending is stressful, we fear for our time in our commutes and celebration of workaholism, and getting this much in the mail seems exhausting if not occasionally unproductive. 

I don’t think Millennials just want aesthetic, I think that’s what we are, but we want to be more. We want the time to make ethical choices, we want the money to sponsor products that utilize ethical choices. We want to matter, to make a difference, we want to be seen. We want friends and experiences together, we want laughter and fun and meaning beyond agendas that aren’t ares. These companies let us wear those desires while maintaining our survival as we shuffle off to our unpaid internships and our hopeful start-up salaries, they sell us hope. 

Anyway, I really liked this article, but the more I sat on it, the more I got annoyed with the disjunct of purpose vs. use. Maybe that’s a marketing ploy, and maybe I fell for it, but I wouldn’t expect any of these products to make me happier, because none of them would take me less time, make me less anxious, or offer less stress than my normal routine. That means that this illusion of Millennials that’s getting propagated is based on the false understanding that we value elaborate quality and are frivolous spenders, rather than the reality that Avocado toast is a great source of good fats (Jake’s not home, I can’t ask him for the 500th time to explain it again, sorry), and good grains and good proteins and good spices that will keep you full for a good amount of time and is therefore healthy and efficient when it comes to meal choices (and delicious lol). 

So yeah, I don’t think we Millennials are as image-obsessed as we seem, I think it’s all part of a desperation for time. We are told that we deserve time after we are successful, we may travel after we retire, we may find ourselves after we raise kids, and the only way I think we see around it is money. If we can support ourselves independently, then we don’t need to fill anyone else’s agendas, we are free to use our time as we please, on things we are passionate about, on ourselves, on thought, on politics, on friendships, etc. 

So there’s my thing, I’d love to hear thoughts about Millennial stereotypes through technology and consumer habits that might be deeper rooted in an attempt to gain time and freedom and identity and happiness. (It’s been a theme lately). I really hope someone skims this ‘cus man, the number of repeat ads I’m going to get from going to these websites is going to be exhausting. 

[masterlocksmithla]

Must-See Restaurants In New Orleans, LA

If you're visiting New Orleans, there's no way that you can leave without trying local cuisine. But what's the best way to get a taste of all that Creole and Cajun food? Well, we've got you covered with five must-see restaurants in New Orleans, LA:

GW Fins

GW Fins is a seafood restaurant in the French Quarter. It’s right on Bourbon Street, so it’s easy to find.

The food is great and they have some really fun appetizers at this place. The seafood is also amazing! I had the shrimp po boy sandwich and it was delicious!

This restaurant is open for dinner only so make sure you go during their hours of operation if you want to eat there for lunch or brunch!

Cochon Restaurant

Cochon is a Cajun restaurant located in the Warehouse District, which makes it an ideal spot for lunch or dinner. Since it opened in 2007, Cochon has become famous for serving up delicious southern cuisine. The atmosphere at this New Orleans hot spot is lively and fun, making it an ideal place to bring your friends or family members when they visit town.

In addition to its great food and atmosphere, Cochon has received numerous awards over the years for being one of America's best restaurants:

2013: Southern Living Best New Restaurants

         2014: Wine Spectator Award of Excellence

         2015 & 2016: OpenTable Diners' Choice Award

Brennan's

Brennan's has been around since the 1950s and is located in the French Quarter. The restaurant is a place to get classic Southern food and is known for their Bananas Foster, which was invented by Brennan's own Owen Edward Brennan in 1951.

Antoine's Restaurant

Established in 1840, Antoine's Restaurant is a Creole restaurant that has been serving its guests exceptional food for more than 175 years. Located in the French Quarter, this historic landmark is known for their Oysters Rockefeller and turtle soup. They were also one of the first restaurants to serve breakfast!

Trenasse

Trenasse is a great place to visit if you'd like to experience New Orleans' French Quarter. It's got a great location and offers delicious food, so it's easy to see why this restaurant is one of the most popular places in the city.

The atmosphere at Trenasse is very laid-back—you'll find plenty of local art on display, as well as live music that can be heard during their happy hour (5:30 pm - 6:30 pm). The staff are friendly and helpful, so don't hesitate to ask them any questions regarding your meal or anything else while you're there!

These restaurants have great food and have been open for a long time!

New Orleans is known for its rich history, unique architecture and of course, food! If you are looking for a restaurant with great food in New Orleans that has been open for a long time then look no further. Below we have listed some of our favorite places to eat in New Orleans:

Antoine’s Restaurant - This is one of the oldest restaurants in Louisiana and has been around since 1840! It is located right on Bourbon Street so you can enjoy some amazing dishes while enjoying the sights and sounds of New Orleans.

Arnaud's French 75 Bar - Located right on Bourbon Street as well, this bar has been open since 1918! They have an amazing drink menu filled with classics like Sazeracs (which they claim was invented at their bar) along with other drinks like Pimm’s Cups or Brandy Stizzas if cocktails aren't your thing.

Jacques-Imo's Café - This restaurant serves up Creole cuisine from Chef Isaac Toups who opened it back in 1986 when he was just 21 years old! It has since become an institution serving some delicious Creole favorites such as Shrimp & Tasso Mac & Cheese or Crawfish Étouffée over dirty rice (a staple side dish).

It’s easy to see why New Orleans cuisine is so beloved. With so many unique flavors and recipes, you’re sure to find something that suits your tastes. Whether it’s fried alligator, crawfish étouffée or shrimp & grits, there are plenty of dishes that will take your tastebuds on a journey through the city’s culture and history. The best part about celebrating Mardi Gras in NOLA? You can enjoy these mouthwatering meals before, during and after Fat Tuesday with family & friends!

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[your-dietician]

Factor_ Is a Meal Subscription Service for All Kinds of Diets (Including Keto)—But Is It Any Good?

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/health/keto/factor_-is-a-meal-subscription-service-for-all-kinds-of-diets-including-keto-but-is-it-any-good/

Factor_ Is a Meal Subscription Service for All Kinds of Diets (Including Keto)—But Is It Any Good?

As a food writer and home cook, I’ve always been a bit wary of ready-to-eat meal subscriptions. Most seemed too expensive (convenience is pricy, y’all). And despite the time a heat-and-eat meal saves in the kitchen, I wasn’t convinced that it’d be that much tastier than something I could make myself in 30 minutes or less. But when I got an opportunity to try a week’s worth of meals from Factor_, a dietitian-designed, chef-prepared meal service that boasts fresh (never frozen) dinners, I set out to challenge my own assumptions, one bite at a time.

RELATED: The 16 Best Food Subscription Boxes (So You Can Skip a Grocery Run This Week)

Value: 16/20

Functionality: 18/20

Quality: 18/20

Aesthetics: 19/20

Taste*: 18/20

TOTAL: 89/100

What Is Factor_ and How Does It Work?

Factor_, an offshoot of HelloFresh—one of the leading recipe-driven meal kits on the market—is a ready-to-eat meal subscription service. Every week, subscribers can choose from a new batch of more than 20 dietitian-designed, chef-made dinners made with wholesome ingredients. Once you confirm your menu, based on your current diet and food preferences (there are options for various different lifestyles, including keto, low-carb, plant-based and dairy-free dishes), the fully cooked meals are shipped straight to your door. Once they arrive, all you have to do is store them in the fridge until mealtime, then heat them in the oven or microwave to enjoy. The concept? To make eating nutritiously more attainable by cutting out most of the work.

Starting at about $11 a meal, Factor_’s dinners are free of hormones, antibiotics, gluten, added sugars and GMOs. (There are also a handful of breakfast and dessert options available, like their tasty, protein-rich smoothies and shockingly satisfying keto cheesecake.) Better yet, each subscription includes a 20-minute consultation with a dietician, who can help you choose the best meals for your wellness goals and lifestyle.

Read on to hear about each dinner in my meal plan (and see unedited photos of what the food *really* looks like).

Story continues

Wild-caught shrimp with house-made aji verde sauce; red pepper organic cauliflower grits; roasted broccoli with chili-garlic butter

Nutrition: 560 calories, 48g fat, 14g carbs, 24g protein, 5g sugar

If you couldn’t tell from the stats alone, this dish is keto-friendly, since a bit of fiber brings the carb count down to 10 net carbs. And honestly, it was probably my favorite of the lot in terms of flavor. The cauli grits were tender, decadent and creamy with the slightest bit of heat, thanks to the red pepper sauce. The shrimp were *huge* and just the right texture (not at all rubbery, like you might expect from a ready-to-eat meal). Dunked in the garlicky, citrusy aji verde, they were even tastier. The most underwhelming part was definitely the broccoli; it tasted like plain steamed broccoli rather than roasted. The chili garlic butter helped but could’ve been more flavorful.

Taste: 19/20

Chickpea vegetable curry; forbidden black rice and basmati rice blend

Nutrition: 530 calories, 26g fat, 65g carbs, 14g protein, 8g sugar

This dish is a great example of Factor_’s plant-based, vegetarian offerings, and it was hands-down my favorite meatless meal of the three I sampled. The curry had pleasant, subtle heat and bold, warm-spiced flavor. In addition to the chickpeas, which were tender yet firm, there were also greens, red bell peppers and coconut milk in the mix. While I was happy about the rice’s texture (reheating cooked rice is a tricky feat), its flavor was pretty bland; so, I spooned the curry on top and mixed it all together.

Taste: 17/20

Braised grass-fed beef chuck; creamy celery root purée; roasted Brussels sprouts and pearl onions

Nutrition: 560 calories, 29g fat, 28g carbs, 53g protein, 8g sugar

This comforting dish is neck-and-neck with the Peruvian shrimp bowl in terms of deliciousness. It’s soul-warming and cozy in a rustic, homey way. The mashed celery root purée is super creamy and cheesy, while the beef is impeccably juicy and tender. I did expect it to be a tad spicier or smokier because of the name, though. The Brussels sprouts are solid but nothing exceptional; on the other hand, I’m a sucker for pearl onions, and these offered a nice textural element to the dish.

Taste: 19/20

House-made saffron risotto and roasted carrots; red wine tomato sauce; roasted green beans with hazelnut gremolata

Nutrition: 590 calories, 37g fat, 58g carbs, 13g protein, 17g sugar

The aroma of red wine smacked my senses the moment I took it out of the oven. If you’re wondering where the risotto is, it’s buried under all that tomato sauce. It had a great texture but was sort of one-note in flavor, since the tomato sauce basically dominates the plate. I was impressed at how toothsome and fresh tasting the carrots were, unlike mushy reheated or frozen veggies I’ve had in the past. The green beans were buttery and crisp.

Taste: 17/20

Marinated, antibiotic-free chicken breast; house-made creamy Parmesan sauce; roasted broccoli and tomatoes

Nutrition: 670 calories, 49g fat, 17g carbs, 41g protein, 6g sugar

This keto dish clocks in at 13 net carbs, since it’s essentially all protein and produce. The chicken had a nice char that offered a barbecue-inspired smokiness to it. The sauce was creamy, garlicky and cheesy, but I felt it could have used just a touch more salt. The broccoli was like that of the shrimp bowl, but I was so happy to have the juicy blistered tomatoes there for a burst of sweetness.

Taste: 18/20

Fresh salmon with blackened seasoning; house-made roasted mango salsa; coconut-lime black beans and rice

Nutrition: 500 calories, 18g fat, 46g carbs, 40g protein, 13g sugar

Both seafood dishes whole-heartedly impressed me. The salmon fillet itself was super flaky with a buttery, tender texture. The rub on the fish was slightly spicy, so it was just the match for the sweet, summery salsa made with mangoes, tomatoes and bell peppers. The rice had a really mild coconut flavor and was slightly undercooked for my taste; I also didn’t detect any citrus, despite the name. It would have been nice if there were more beans in the rice, too.

Taste: 18/20

Pasture-raised pork chorizo chili; shredded cheddar cheese; sour cream

Nutrition: 570 calories, 44g fat, 13g carbs, 34g protein, 5g sugar

I honestly can’t complain much about a savory heap of meat, cheese and sour cream. (Though I wouldn’t have minded a vegetable in that spare compartment—the empty section of the tray held the cheese before I sprinkled it on top of the meat.) It’s tomatoey, indulgent and comforting. I didn’t notice too pronounced a difference between the chorizo and ground beef chilis I’ve had in the past, but the chorizo did impart some additional heat to the dish. The chili was made with lots of green bell peppers, and I was happy to find sliced scallions in the sour cream.

Taste: 19/20

Green lentils and spiced brown jasmine rice; house-made zhoug sauce (spicy cilantro sauce); caramelized onions; toasted pine nuts

Nutrition: 610 calories, 41g fat, 55g carbs, 14g protein, 7g sugar

This plant-based pick was my least favorite of them all. To be honest, I felt that it would be pretty flavorless without the zesty, herbaceous chimichurri-like cilantro sauce. The toasted pine nuts added crunch and texture, but they weren’t as crispy as they would’ve been if I’d toasted them in the oven myself (after all, they’d been sitting in the fridge all week with the rest of the meal). Some of the lentils were also a bit undercooked.

Taste: 16/20

Price is a major deciding factor. You can score meals for $11.50 a pop if you subscribe for a dozen. If you opt for eight meals a week, they come to $12.38, and for four meals a week, they’re $16 each. At the very least, that’s $64 for four dinners, while the best bang for your buck gets you 12 meals for $138. Personally, $138 gets me about two weeks’ worth of groceries, so Factor_ is on the pricey side for my budget. But I will say it was so nice not having to think about what I was cooking for dinner (and being left with zero cleanup).

My one general complaint would be that every meal took longer to cook than the package read. While the instructions said it should take about 7 minutes tops, each one took about twice that long to be heated through.

At the end of the day, the convenience and price are only really worth it if the meals are actually tasty. IMO, all of them tasted pretty darn good to me, and it was a bonus that they’re made with nutritious, high-quality ingredients. I loved that I didn’t have to worry about my freezer giving the food a funny texture or taste either, since they’re stored in the fridge. If Factor_ is within your budget, the meals’ flavor definitely won’t disappoint.

I’ll also say that if you’re on a low-fat diet, your menu options may be limited. For instance, I used to be on Weight Watchers (now WW) and decided to track some of the dinners in my app to see how many points they’d clock in at—most were at least 19, about 60 percent of my daily allotted points. Alternatively, if you’re on keto or another high-protein, high-fat diet, Factor_ could save you a ton of grocery planning and cooking time. It all comes down to your budget, wellness goals and dietary preferences.

Buy it ($11+/meal)

*Our final taste score was based on the average of the taste scores of each individual meal.

The PureWow100 is a scale our editors use to vet new products and services, so you know what’s worth the spend—and what’s total hype. Learn more about our process here.

RELATED: The 22 Best Food Delivery Services to Try in 2021

PureWow may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was created independently from PureWow’s editorial and sales departments.

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[lizacstuff]

Liza, poke, poke, what are you thinking about all things ouat?

Hi there. I���m guessing from the poke you must have sent me a question I haven’t answered? I do have a lot of anons, how about I pick a few to answer under the cut?

First, to answer your question I still find myself feeling ambivalent towards all things OUAT.  Same as I have all hiatus.  

Anonymous said:Colin’s way of talking about the surprise coming. Makes me 100 percent believe its a CS kid. Thoughts?

I’m not sure which quote/spoiler you’re referring to.  Recently, when I’ve heard Colin talking about the big spoiler in ep 2 I feel like he’s referring to the two Hooks thing and the way that the show is planning to preserve the CS happy ending.

However, I still think there is a CS baby, too much foreshadowing about them trying to get pregnant. Why even bring that up in Emma’s last episode unless that is the point?

My guess is that in some quotes he’s referring to the first spoiler, and in others the second, or perhaps both.

Anonymous said:i think a lot of people have already gotten their hopes up but do you really truly think a cs baby is a possibility in next week’s episode? i want it so badly that i think my hopes are already beyond up. i know we’ll find out next week anyway but i just can’t come up with any other reason for emma to be talking the way about second chances and what not. i don’t know. what do you think?

I think we will know in a week.  I would advise tempering your expectations, because you never know with this show, but at the same time I fully expect there to be something about a CS child. 

Anonymous said:Oh my shit, Liza! Two Killian’s! There really is two of them! Us clone Hook theorizers aren’t crazy! There’s only one problem: it would be just like Adam and Eddy to send Hook #2 home with Emma, and real Killian cursed to Seattle. Even though that would be beyond cheap and meaningless. I really hope they don’t do that. What tgey made Outlaw Queen settle for was bad enough. Do you think there’s much chance theyll pluss that here, with CS?

Yes, those of us who have read the breadcrumbs and have speculated that there may be two Hooks have been on the receiving end of a lot of shade from people who were pretty haughty at times. I’ve been leaning toward the forking!Hook theory myself, I guess we’ll see next week what nonsense they have cooked up. Interesting that they guarded this secret so carefully all hiatus, and then teased it in the promo.

As for giving Emma some second copy or wish version? Gross. I’m not even going to have that discussion.  If they do something that disturbing, I’ll be out. 

Anonymous said:So I just read some facebook comments and it looks like the GA audiences are not impressed with ouat. I haven’t watched the ep but they say the acting is really bad. What did you think?

I think that is going to be a lot of people’s opinions.  You can read my thoughts on the episode here. 

Anonymous said:not surprise, when colin said that those were the best scripts he read I rolled my eyes.

I know. It’s obviously the way he’s chosen to try to sell this season. I’m not saying he’s lying… just being overly positive and thinking that him saying that will get viewers to turn back in. It’s his job to try and convince people to watch and unfortunately he’s not been given a lot of other things to work with.

Anonymous said:If clone regina ended with wish robin, then clone hook has to find the other version of emma, not a randon LI

Well I have no idea what that second Hook is (I still think a past timetravel-type forking version is more likely.) 

But PREACH.  I will accept NO alternate love interests for any version of Hook. Either he doesn’t have one, or it’s Emma.  I accept (and will watch) nothing else. 

It’s a deal breaker.

Anonymous said:Shouldnt clone or double or any version of Hook feel and be incomplete without Emma. I mean the last scene with Rogers looking at Emma’s page in the book means something = Rogers feels for Emma, that connection. What is the point of true love & soulmates if its not maintained in any version & time. Clone or not i think this shUd overall stay true (hence i do not ever see a love interest for Rogers (never did) coz to me seeing Emma in the book again highlights that connection & true love of CS)

Okay, sounds good to me! However, I have no idea what they’re doing yet with the two Hooks so I can’t even speculate on something like this. To me, we need to know how and why there are two Hooks before we can begin to have this conversation. 

Anonymous said:Can I ask what you thought of Lana this episode? I’ve seen a lot say that they enjoyed her. I thought the scene where she stands up to Tremaine to be a little cringy.

We all know I’m not her biggest fan.  I thought she had very little impact, a non-entity.  If we didn’t know who she was, I’d think she was a guest actor we will never see again.  I didn’t cringe, but I also wasn’t impressed. Nothing special there at all. 

Anonymous said:I think people are just shipping Shoe Believer because the show has just instantly made up the couple and story so there is no room for intrigue (not that its wrong but i dont think they will ever achieve the status CS were in popularity & fan faves & actors, & snowing) I feel like A&E think all fans of rumple, regina, hook will like henry/jacinda just like that, why would they fight. I am surprised no one is shipping Roni off with Jacinda… her DIL, they did it with her step grandaughter lol

Well, “people” can like anything they want and ship anything they want. I can see why someone would be drawn in by the Shoe Believer storyline in that ep.  There were some good scenes of them at the ball and it’s cute how Henry found the slipper and that’s why he decided not to go back and like I said earlier, they had a moment in the bar that Andrew sold pretty well.  

That said, some of us recoil about being force fed.  For me, shipping is about discovering the chemistry and feeling it, so being told that something is going to be an epic love story and having the writers force it, instead of letting it happen slowly is not a good recipe for me. But that’s me. Everyone is different. 

I don’t think there is any question that anything on this new iteration will ever reach the heights of Captain Swan. Captain Swan was lightening in a bottle, one in a million. You can’t just decide you want it and make it happen. It’s the convergence of a lot of things going right and it’s rare. 

As for shipping Roni and Jacinda, I’m sure there are people who will, that’s the nature of fandom. 

Anonymous said:WOuld you say that Henry and the new Cinderella are like snowing in a shipping sense? Or CS? Like adam said lol.

I think they are nothing like CS (but what is?) IMO, the way they’ve been set up they are a cross between Snowing and Outlaw Queen.  Their origin story and meeting feels similar in style to Snowing, but the way it’s been forced and predestined reminds me of Outlaw Queen. Time will tell which path they end up taking. 

Anonymous said:Not that I’m being cynical or anything- but I have to believe that they purposely released the CS sneak peak hoping people wouldn’t realize it is for the following episode and tune in tonight. ABC has to have seen that CS is the big seller and they are using it while they can…

It’s proof they know that CS sells and that many CS fans have already left. They are desperate and scrambling. 

[ivelostmyspectacles]

a DAMN GOOD IGNIS MOMENT.

But really, the more I watch it the more I realise it’s not only a fantastic Ignis moment, it’s a fantastic Chocobros moment in general? REALLY LONG POST AHEAD + UNFINISHED GAMEPLAY WRITING BUT THIS SCENE

Lemme start with Ignis because duh (if you’ve seen anything out of me the past two weeks, it’s probably been Ignis related). He’s been pretty passive about losing his eyesight up until this point. He calls it a minor sacrifice in the grand scheme of things. When Noctis and Gladio fight on the train, Ignis says nothing, even though part of the argument is his own injury. He only tries to stop Gladio by saying his name; Prompto is the one who tries to break it up (more in a moment. anyway not that Ignis really could break it up rn but you know) He’s been optimistic enough about it, though. “I’ll manage somehow” when you invite him into the mines. “This is considerably harder than I expected” he says about fighting. But sometimes you hear the boys say something and Iggy just sort of sighs. They’re dancing around him, and his injury, and the argument, and this scene is where it culminates.

The first time he actually says that it isn’t okay is because of their friendship hitting a low point, rather than his actual injury. But he is so, so aware of that injury and how it has the potential to drag them down. He still says “I would remain with you all. Til the very end” because these are his brothers and he damn well plans to, but that said.

This is the first time we hear Ignis raise his voice, I think. Not including battle cries and the like. Which is saying a lot because this boy is very, very calculated on his emotions. (ie later on when Prompto falls off the train, you hear the very audible difference in Noctis’s voice vs Iggy’s) He’s Crownsguard, Noctis is his king, he will do anything for him, and believes he has no reason to complain even if he has gone blind. But that’s a Big Thing. His yelling in this scene exactly “I know full well!” is finally, finally his frustration coming out and it’s triggered because of their bickering (or anti-bickering, since they aren’t really... speaking much).

He says he is willing to bow out if he starts to slow them down, which imo is like asking him to suffer a physical injury all over again (he is Crownsguard, Noctis is his king, he will do anything for him) but he still will DO IT because he won’t be a burden.

He goes on to give Noctis what, I think, is a much needed confidence boost. “A king pushes onward always, accepting the consequences and never looking back” and in the opening sentences for the next chapter, it literally uses those same words to describe Noct’s reaction to Ardyn’s trick: never looking back. (Also never looking back is exactly what Ignis is doing right now, which is why the choice to focus the camera so much on his scars in that moment is AMAZING.)

He continues with that to tell Gladio that Noct will be king and he will rule, but “only once he’s ready”. And this is SO important. Gladio’s interaction with Noct is painful at least and rage inducing at worst (more below) but not only does Noct need to hear this, Gladio does, too. They can push Noctis into that throne but he will never be able to lead until he is ready, and that involves coming to terms with some very, very heavy stuff that’s been happening. Everybody doesn’t handle grief the same way and they’re all having a hard go at it in very different ways thanks to the events of late.

So all of this makes this the DAMN GOOD IGNIS MOMENT. But it’s also really good for the rest of them, both in mentioned ways and others, but since I’m apparently waxing poetic 

Prompto, Gladio, and Noctis under the cut ↓ (note: 150% zoom for easier reading)

Okay, Prompto, my dear, sweet Prompto. Literal ray of sunshine. Prompto isn’t one for confrontation. This boy is our peacekeeper. We see him trying to get Gladio and Noctis to stop fighting on the train. He still takes photos while they’re in the mine “I took some more pictures today... do you want to see them?” “No. Not really” “Yeah, okay” (paraphrasing, I was busy crying over the fact that all of our recipes are gone), he is endlessly cheerful, and when they finally get to the tomb, he says “We did it! Together!”. He spends most of the time in the mine helping Iggy, too; every time Iggy fell, Prompto was there to help him back up.

Which leads into him being defensive over Ignis when Gladio says he doesn’t agree that he should continue with them. (“We’ll be there” which at this point it’s basically only Prompto taking 90% of Iggy’s care into his hands, Noct’s too numb and Gladio does help out in cutscenes rather than gameplay) When he tells Gladio that Ignis should be free to choose, look at his face. This is the closest thing we’ve seen to our ray of sunshine being angry at one of his friends (iirc, it’s been a long couple weeks). It’s not even a down and out screaming match, it’s not pushing and shoving, it’s just that look on his face. I’m not even sure how to describe it. The point is he isn’t standing there being peacekeeper; he’s standing up for Ignis now. (Which I wish we saw more of this because you know this boy loves his friends more than he loves his own life.)

When Ignis says the bit about Noct being ready, Prompto spins on Gladio and nods. (it looks like a nod, even if it wasn’t intentional I’m sticking to that) It’s that kind of yeah moment. You know, when someone’s being ignorant and they get told and you’re like WHAT NOW. Ignis is telling Gladio something he doesn’t want to hear and Prompto is actively agreeing without needing to trip over words that ring with confrontation himself.

I would normally say he’s getting an attitude, or growing a spine, but neither of those are particularly accurate especially because Prom does have a spine (that Niff weapon thing they use to fight Leviathan! jumping out of the train to help Noct fight! going after Ardyn! this is all just in the same chapter or two!) but he’s not sitting there and being silent around his friends when this serious situation has come up. And he really hasn’t had a chance to speak up about anything as serious because this is the first time the Chocobros have been fighting, anyway, so this is also a good growth scene for him.

Onto Gladio. He is not my favourite person right now. Will he redeem himself? I’m sure. Will that make up for my opinion of him now? Who knows. (this is my first playthrough) But regardless of if you love Gladio or hate Gladio at this point in time, he does have his reasons for acting the way he is - even if it is, imo, misguided anger. That’s a whole different post, though.

When Ignis says “when Noctis is ready” (this is integral, people, lol) yes, he is subtly telling Gladio that he needs to back down a bit and yes, that isn’t what Gladio wants to hear because Noctis is their king and he should be handling it better. But this is also a lesson Gladio desperately, desperately needs to learn just then.

Above I said everyone handles grief differently and Gladio’s handling it in his way and Noct’s way of handling it is pretty much not handling it at all, so it makes it seems like he isn’t making any progress. But here Ignis calmly, ideally tells Gladio “He’s going at his own pace. He needs to do this himself. You need to let him do this himself. He will.” I feel like this is Gladio getting reminded that Noctis is only a twenty year old who’s just lost his father, his fiancee, and let one of his best friends receive a life-altering injury. He’s king, and he has the weight of the world on his shoulders, but he is human. I feel like Ignis is the one who can get through to Gladio the most and even though Gladio blatantly looks at Noctis when he says that they had better all be ready, it isn’t nearly as aggressive as his previous “get your head out of your ass”.

And when they leave the mine, Gladio says that they can stop at Tenebrae if it’s going to help Noctis move on. Granted he doesn’t say “if it’ll help you”, just “if it’ll help him”, but still: growth.

And Noctis, who has surprisingly the least amount of meta inducing action in this scene, gets to hear what he needs to hear. When you talk to Gladio before entering the tomb you get the message that Gladio’s words have lit a fire in Noctis’s heart even if you show frustration (idk what happens if you pick show resolve) but personally I feel like he gets so much more out of what Ignis says.

“Only once he’s ready.” Only once you’re ready, Noct. (I N T E G R A L)

(And here’s the thing: he’s saying almost exactly the same thing Gladiolus is, but in a different way. He’s still saying you need to move on and face what’s happened to be our king. But he is also saying when you’re ready. Because it won’t work otherwise.)

There’s just so much about this scene that I love? And a lot of probably comes out as disjointed but that’s my take on this moment. It’s literally painful because the whole game has been one giant road trip full of fun and food and photos and fish and now this happens all at once but this is. so. real. It’s subtle enough but there’s so much crammed into this minute and a half that reminds me, despite the flaws, just how freaking amazing this game is.

[messier-45]

GoRA Kizuna Meeting #6 Q&A

Q&A from Kizuna Meeting in Ikebukuro on Jan 22nd. This is really long so I categorized them into 5 groups: ①Munakata, ②Fushimi, ③Scepter 4, ④Homra, ⑤K Project, including K7S.

Munakata

Q: Did Munakata study abroad out of his own intention? Red: He received government grant.

Munakata's major was information engineering. (I saw a dozen tweets regarding this. Shocking, isn't it?)

Q: Is there more setting about Captain's studying abroad? Green: The government recommended him to, since it's about time for the country to become more open.

Based on every GoRA member's opinion, Munakata's awakening gotta be an airplane incident. There was a proposal of crashing the plane, making Munakata the only survivor. But... Red: Once we decided that Awashima should be by his side in his awakening, it turns out this way. Green: The only timing for their encounter... Red: That's right. As with Tatsuka & Kusanagi being by Suoh's side when he woke, we want Munakata to have Awashima by his side.

Q. How did Munakata suppress the hijackers? Green: I think he practiced battle skills such as martial arts. Oh and his swordsmanship isn't amateur either. Basically, he's like a superman.

Q: Did you appoint the "Producer Munakata" in R:B? Green: Oh. It was random. I picked the most interesting one among the designs (kimono and such) I received.

Q: Does Munakata-san have any friends besides Mikoto-san? Green: Lol. Umm how should i say this. I think, in school days he hung out with classmates, but that was different from with Suoh. I guess in terms of friends like Suoh, the answer is no.

Q: What's the age difference between Munakata and his older brother? Red: It's decided. But I don't have the notes at hand, so I can't give the exact number right now.

Q: Did Munakata read the documents in "E Archive"? Red: I think he did. Q: Did he talk to the Special Ops about it? Red: No way. He was like reading by himself and thinking, "So that's how it is."

Q: What happens to the sand castle in the short novel "Sand Castle"? Yellow: Not decided yet. It's interesting if it remains. But without the power of the slate, it might crumble a bit.

Fushimi

(Fushimi got especially many asks since Yellow is the only one who can answer them, yet she doesn’t participate in Kizuna Meeting often.)

Q: What happened to Fushimi's uniform and saber after he left (in anime #8)? Yellow: Hidaka brought it back, I think. He'd be flustered like "What should I do? What should I doooo???"

Q: Does Fushimi know that Munakata paid 30 million Yen to save him? Yellow: I'll have to ask Orange to confirm this. But if he knows, I think he'd say things like, "Are you stupid or what?"

Q: In R:B, Akiyama and Benzai fought Fushimi. Do they remember this battle? Green: Since all three of them are intelligent, they can get along well while knowing, "yep, so he was that guy back then."

Q: Can Fushimi drink? Yellow: He doesn't have high alcohol tolerance, but can handle social drinking.

Q: After the ending of season 2, would Fushimi's attitude toward the Special Ops change a bit? Yellow: Sure will! I want to write about what happens afterwards.

Q: Fushimi, in spite of being excellent, values himself low. Does he ever give himself 100 points? Yellow: Um. Rarely, I think, such as when he got something done really well.

Q: Is there any food Fushimi likes? Yellow: Nothing to the extent of "like". If you ask him what food does he like, you'll get "nothing" as a reply.

Q: Does he have a favorite dish in Yata family's cooking? Yellow: Didn't really think about it. I think he'd say "hmm so this is family taste".

Q: In LSW, while being attacked in Jungle mission, did Fushimi feel that Totsuka protected him? Yellow: I wrote "like bathed in sunlight" in the novel. Yes. Fushimi felt it, since the beginning.

Q: What do Fushimi think of Totsuka? Yellow: He doesn't dislike him, but thinks he's annoying. ("Not dislike" is already special, comparing to what he said to Aya.)

Q: When Fushimi left Homra, what were Kusanagi's and Totsuka's reactions? Yellow: They both saw this coming, especially Totsuka. Now that I think of it, Kusanagi would feel so lonely.

Q: Will Fushimi interact with Kusanagi in the future? Green: As the important intelligent units of their clans, they will.

Q: Does Fushimi visit Bar Homra after the ending? Yellow: Basically no, since he feels awkward to. But if invited, he might.

Q: Who has better alcohol capacity? Fushimi-san or Yata-chan? Red: About the same. But Yata seems weaker. Q: What alcohol do they drink? Red: Um... Calpis Sour, like students do.

Q: Would Yata and Fushimi meet Aya again after season 2? Yellow: Not decided whether they should meet or not. Q: I'm curious about how Aya's doing afterwards. Yellow: Thank you. It'll be great if I can write something about it.

Q: Does Kisa know that Fushimi joined Homra and Scepter 4? Yellow: Homra is underworld, so she doesn't know he had been there. Scepter 4 is a government institution, so she's aware of this, I believe.

Q: Will Fushimi and Kisa reconcile? Yellow: Not in the near future, but it'll be nice if they come closer.

Q: Why did Niki marry Kisa? Was it some plan? Yellow: Niki, in his own way, loved Kisa.

Q: Why is Saruhiko's hairstyle like Niki's? Yellow: This can't be explained with reasons.

Q: What's Fushimi Niki's parents' family like? Yellow: It's a family of ancient extraction. Niki was a maverick among them. (Note: Fushimi's family being quite grand isn't really surprising. It was hinted in LSW when mentioning "head family [本家]". If it's an ordinary family without some heritage, no one cares about head family or branch family.)

Scepter 4

Q: Does Saruhiko set his hair every morning? Yellow: Yes. With hair wax, I suppose.

Q: Does Akiyama set his hair every morning, or is that the result of his hair naturally disarranged during sleep? Red: You'll have to ask the anime director regarding this.

Q: Among Munakata, Fushimi, and Enomoto, who has the worst eyesight? Yellow: Munakata. Not decided who comes second, but Munakata has the worst eyesight IMO.

Green: Scepter 4 members goes to family restaurant often. Especially Special Ops, since unlike Munakata, they are common people with common people taste.

Q: Who has the best alcohol tolerance in Special Ops? Red: Akiyama drinks quietly, but he's really good at it. It seems that he often enjoys drinking nice and slow with Benzai.

Q: When did Akiyama and Benzai first meet? Red: When they were students, attending the same school. They've known each other since long ago.

Q: Doumyouji kept going to blind dates (in Countdown manga). Any luck? Red: I think yes. He has good looks to begin with. But in the end, he gets no progress.

Q: Is Konomura (in Case Files of Blue) doing well? Red: Good as ever. He's still travelling around the world. BTW I plan to write about this too.

Q: What's Kusuhara's role in Idol K? Red: He joined Scepter 4, but didn't make a debut yet. He might have the chance to.

Homra

Q: Is Kusanagi-san happy? Green: Don't worry. He finds happiness in bringing happiness to the people around him. So he gets his happiness alright.

Q: Does Kusanagi-san have various recipe for red bean paste cocktail? Green: I heard that red bean paste cocktail does exist in reality. But Kusanagi improved his in trial and error, day by day.

Q: In the after story, did Munakata drink that red bean paste Martini? Green: Kusanagi can make red bean paste Martini tasty. However, the one he made for Munakata was deliberately not.

Q: What brand of cigarette does Kusanagi smoke? Green: What does that dude smoke? ...Nothing weird, just ordinary brands.

Q: Does Kusanagi get to fight in K7S? Red: Oh will he? Um... (really long thinking) ...Ah! He will!

Q: Did Suoh know the arrangements in Bar Homra's kitchen? Did he step into it at all? Red: I think he went in once for dish washing. He basically wouldn't set foot in the kitchen though.

Q: Will Anna attend Ashinaka Academy? A: Not decided yet, but this sounds like a nice idea.

Q: If Anna goes to junior high school while Suoh and Totsuka were still around, what will they say? Green: They'd be like overly-fond parents, won't they! Tatsuka would be acting like a big brother, while Suoh getting a bit jealous about it.

Q: Did Yata's mom name her children Misaki, Minoru, Megumi for a reason? (Note: Misaki means flowers beautifully blooming. Minoru means fruit. Megumi here means spout. Nope, Misaki does not mean vanguard. That's a pun.) Yellow: She gave them plant related names, representing her hope in them growing fast and well like plants.

Q: Are details of Kusanagi-san's siblings decided? Age and stuff. Green: Kusanagi? (Turns to Yellow) Say, any plans for Kusanagi's siblings? Yellow: Eh? We haven't discussed this yet. Green: That's right. Pending.

K Project

Q: How are K characters' birthdays decided? Green: We decided together. "This character should be this zodiac sign. What do you say?", sort of like this.

Red: Ady's middle name might be revealed in the future.

Q: I wonder about Kokujouji's tomb and funeral. A: I think he had a quiet and solemn ceremony.

Q: Did the slate just get wracked without having actual settings? A: We didn't have time to show it in anime, but we did come up with settings, which might be revealed if necessary.

Q: What happens to Homra insignia after the slate is gone? Red: It remains. Q: Including Fushimi's? Red: Yes.

Q: Is there a reason why Neko and Nagare both got heterochromia? Green: Kagutsu Incident did a great deal of damage. Their heterochromia is due to its effect as well.

Q: Will Habari Jin show up in K 7 Stories? Red: Habari in K7S? Eh... Well... Q: Is this a secret? Red: It's a secret.

(This one was from last week's Q&A.) Q: Will Fushimi show up in K 7 Stories? Red: Yes. I suppose every character will. Q: Including Kagutsu? Red: We have visual of him. Can't say if he's gonna speak or not. I guess that counts as yes.

Q: Will some clans' past be elaborated in K7S? Red: Yes. Oops, I shouldn't tell. Please look forward to it.

Red: Last year was for making preparations. This year we'll show the world!

[thepaleadventurer]

I don’t know about y’all, but I have a weakness for yoga attire, mostly for the comfortable wear all the pieces are designed to provide, but also for the durability of the clothing. I’ve worn so many clothing items that don’t last longer than a month of usage, just from low-quality materials used. I know, I know, you’re probably thinking, “Why don’t you just save money and invest in better quality clothing?” My issue with that is that I’ve bought higher-end labels, and ended up with the same results. A lot of time those higher prices come from attention to detail, more than quality of material. What I mean by that is that brands will use a more hands-on manufacturing process, rather than everything being done by machines, but at the end of the day, certain types of material aren’t going to hold up whether someone stitches it by hand or if a machine does it.

I’m not bad-mouthing anyone’s profession, because I know tailoring is hard work and it’s rough on people’s bodies, especially their hands. My issue is with the material, not the attention-to-detail. Yoga attire just suits my lifestyle so perfectly because I live a very casual life, filled with yoga, hikes, brunch, beach days, and the like. I’m not saying I never wear nice clothing, I’m just saying that yoga clothes are (generally) made to be more durable for the versatility of being able to be worn in different situations.

Yes, I am also that person who almost always lives in yoga clothes, hate me if you must, but I’ve learned that life is a whole lot happier and easier when you’re comfortable. Insert one of the best clothing subscriptions I’ve seen to date, YogaClub. My issue with most other clothing subscriptions is that they charge you to put together an outfit, AND you still have to purchase whatever pieces you want to keep after that. WHAT?! Sounds like some kind of Ponzi scheme for clothing. Okay, that may be over-dramatic, but if you’re like me, you were probably also thinking that “opportunity” sounds like the biggest ripoff, because we work hard for our money and it feels like companies like that try to pull the rug over us. Oh, and the products they send you are sold to you at retail, so you don’t even have any kind of incentive from it, they just want to get as much money out of you as they can.

Okay, I’ll stop hating on shady business practices (IMO) and get to the good stuff. So, YogaClub starts you off with a PERSONALIZED style quiz, meaning they pick out products that fit your lifestyle and taste, so you don’t have to worry about getting sent some cookie-cutter outfit that hundreds of other people will get that you may not even like. For example, I don’t care so much for patterns or bright colors, just because I know I am planning on working out in these clothes and I don’t want to have to baby them like I would a dress for a special event. I also don’t like shorts, so they never send me those, and a great feature is they ask if there are any areas you’d like to draw attention from, for me, that’s my midsection. I’m not the skinniest of women, and I’m okay with that, but I also want to dress appropriately for my body type and not have to feel self-conscious about people judging me. With that being said, that is a personal preference ENTIRELY. If you have features that others have bullied over, but are still confident wearing whatever pieces make you feel comfortable in your own body, work it! I am not at that point yet, so I set those preference accordingly.

My only issue is that I have to wait around 2 weeks to get my box, but that’s more on me being impatient than the company not being of great quality, because they truly are. I have been a loyal customer and bigger fangirl of this company LOOONNNGG before they gave me the opportunity to be an affiliate. Once my box arrived, it was like Christmas, every single month. I get 3 pieces that make a great outfit, all for a fraction of the price they’re sold online or in store. I’m talking a huge fraction, too. A lot of the times, my pants are the price of the box, and everything else is pretty much free, based on their retail value.

What’s really admirable about this company is that every box that’s purchased, they provide a free yoga class to someone who isn’t fortunate enough to have the ease of access to it regularly. If buying comfortable clothes at a severely discounted rate is enough to persuade you to love this company, helping someone less-fortunate and your karma is just a pretty awesome bonus.

Now, I’m just going to get on with the unboxing and let y’all see for yourselves.

Here’s how the package arrives:

Let’s see what’s inside:

So, this month, I received a sports bra, top, and pants.

The bra is from Glyder Apparel and provides great coverage for this busty yogini, but there is an issue with the side-boob area where it kind of sticks outwards. It’s weird, but not a deal-breaker. The support is on the very light side, but I put that on the aesthetic of the back design. Most of the time, you won’t have good support for busty customers without thicker straps, it just is what it is. I’m still someone who would rather wear a sports bra over a regular bra any day, so I just do what my old chiropractor recommended and layer up on bras. I know that might seem weird, but it’s still a heck of a lot more comfortable for me than having underwires aching my chest and straps digging into my shoulders all day. So, here is what the bra looks like:

The top is from Vie Active, another great brand and its fitted quite nicely. Yes, it does fit my midsection, that area I’d prefer to cover, but I think the pattern and the compression from the pants help counter that. It’s breathable for any workout and I don’t have to re-adjust it constantly during the day, like I do with a lot of fitted things. The reason with that is most clothes are made very cookie-cutter. Sometimes it feels like clothing companies shape their pieces into boxes, as if you have to be proportionate throughout your body, and that’s not the case for most consumers, so I don’t understand why companies still do this to us. Either clothes fit my waist, but not my chest, or vice versa and no matter what, it isn’t flattering and I’m left uncomfortable and self-conscious as all heck. This shirt provides not only comfort for casual wear, but it gives me the confidence to put it through the ringer with workouts, knowing that it’ll stay put so I can focus on improving my body and not yanking my shirt one way or another. Oh, inverted poses? Yeah, they’re safe with this guy. That was a huge plus. I have a bunch of yoga tops that are very flowy and super comfy, but are not ideal for inverted poses, so the shirts must come off, no biggie. But with this guy, I can live another day hiding my undesirable midsection, without having to get over my self-consciousness and remove my shirt for inverted poses.

Here’s what this ride-or-die looks like:

Now, on to the pants. At first, I was less-than-enthusiastic about them because I’m not the biggest fan of mesh and when I first joined, that wasn’t something they asked in the style quiz, now it is. So, these pants have mesh patterns in them which I thought was a recipe for disaster because that’s the material that will falter first, and then there is no saving the pants after that. After wearing them, I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked them. The company stayed true to the color scheme I like to keep to, so I appreciate them for that. The outfit contained colors I prefer, including the pants, so I wasn’t going to make a stink about a return since I ended up liking them. Now, they do ask if mesh is an issue, which I selected yes, because not every article of clothing will end up being a winner like this, because they work with TONS of brands and not everyone gets it right, so I decided not to risk it, but I still don’t fault the company on that. This is probably TMI for some people, maybe everyone, but if I’m being completely honest, I don’t like to shave every day and that was also a concern of mine with the mesh material, because I assumed I’d have to shave to be able to wear them or people could see my stubbly legs underneath. Nope. The mesh material is pretty tightly woven so you don’t really see if I haven’t shaved, but you can still tell that it’s see-through. Speaking of see-through, I know that transparency is a huge issue for people when it comes to yoga pants showing their undergarments when we squat or bend, but I’ve been a subscriber for years and never had a pair of pants that I couldn’t do gymnastics in without being 100% confident that the color of my undies remained a secret.

Here’s how they look:

Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Well, how well do those pieces actually wear together?” Worry not, for I shall show you, my pretties. Disclaimer: I am not a model and as I’ve mentioned before, I do not have the skinniest or fittest frame (and I’m not ashamed of that because every body is beautiful), and I also don’t have a fancy studio or a team that will make me look flawless. Part of why I want to blog about my experiences is to show what results really look like without photoshop or any kind of altering or manipulating. What you get is 100% me with all of my awkwardness and that’s it. I have nothing against people who do alter their content, because it’s all a personal preference and that’s how they express themselves through their content, but my choice is to do the opposite and hope it works out.

So, flaws and all, here is how the entire outfit wears, first with the top, bra, and pants:

Then, with the bra & pants:

As I’ve mentioned, I am now an affiliate of the company, so I do receive compensation for purchases made through my links, but my reviews have been and always will be 100% honest. I will never work with a brand that I wouldn’t trust putting my own money into and I hope that y’all continue to hold me to that standard. With that being said, I am so grateful to this company for choosing me to be an affiliate for them, but I want to support companies I love, so I continue to pay for this subscription myself, nothing from this company has been sent to me for free. I think they’re already doing so much good by helping provide free yoga classes to those without easy access to them and I want to continue to support such a generous cause.

If you do want to try this subscription out for yourself (heed my warning: you will fall in love with them), you can follow my link here: YogaClub.

Thank y’all so much for spending some time on my blog to check out this post! If you enjoyed the content, please give this post a like and let me know your thoughts in the comment section and don’t forget to subscribe so that way you get notifications when I post new stuff.

Namaste ❤️

Unboxing: YogaClub (May 2018) I don't know about y'all, but I have a weakness for yoga attire, mostly for the comfortable wear all the pieces are designed to provide, but also for the durability of the clothing.

[travelonlinetips-blog]

New Post has been published on https://travelonlinetips.com/regional-queenslands-best-restaurants-worth-the-detour/

Regional Queensland’s best restaurants worth the detour

If you’ve been there, done that, eaten at these legendary restaurants, it’s time to take your taste buds on tour; regional Queensland is calling.

Beyond the capital, you’ll find world-class restaurants hiding among palm-fringed beaches, tropical islands and scenic mountain tops – combining scenery with scrumptious food.

If you’re epicurious about what we’re on about, pack your appetite and seek Queensland’s most awarded restaurants worth driving for.

Wasabi, Noosa

Say ‘konnichiwa’ to Good Food Guide’s (2019) highest ranked regional Queensland restaurant, Wasabi which claimed two hats this year. Two was the lucky number for Wasabi in 2019 as it also been awarded two stars in the Gourmet Traveller‘s Australian Restaurant Guide.

Food miles are sliced down around here much like their sashimi, with this Noosa restaurant growing much of its produce on its own farm on the Sunshine Coast.

The Japanese experience starts with traditional Tatami-style seating and finishes with a seven or nine-course Omakase menu, featuring a series of plates so far from the kind you’d pile up at your local sushi train.

From wild Mooloolaba king prawns cured with house-made mirin and cedar barrel aged soy, blonde miso carrot and asparagus, to Bincho-tan charcoal roasted Banyard quail, with hijiki, burnt lime sato imo and corn, this is the kind of menu that needs a bold flavour warning.

Looking for more places to eat in Noosa? We’ve got you covered with this food and wine lover’s guide to Noosa.

Spirit House, Yandina

We’re not sure if the tropical gates of Spirit House have a Harry Potter-esq magical power, but you won’t be the first person to feel like you’ve apparated from Yandina and into Thailand the second you cross the threshold.

What was once a swamp in Yandina has cemented its place into TripAdvisor’s Top 10 restaurants you must try in Australia – no mean feat for a restaurant 20km from the nearest beach in a destination renowned for its coastline.

If its TripAdvisor pole-position isn’t convincing enough for you, the fact you have to book (often) months in advance shows Spirit House is not just a foodie-favourite among the critics, but us muggles as well. Lending weight to the wait is the coveted one hat from the Good Food Guide (2019).

There’s a special focus on group dining here, and the banquet menu encourages passing your bowl around the table for moreish meals like the hot salmon coconut soup and whole crispy baked fish.

The Fish House, Burleigh Heads

There’s nothing fishy about this seafood saloon, which wears crowns for both its wining and dining with a 2017’s Open Table Diner’s Choice Award and 2015 Gourmet Traveller Australian Wine List of the Year Award. The Fish House is proving it’s not just a flash in the pan taking a single hat and star in the Good Food Guide (2019) and the Gourment Traveller Australian Restaurant Guide (2019).

With water views as good as the menu itself, The Fish House has been savoured by Gold Coast foodies since it opened its bifold doors in 2013.

It’s no surprise though, The Fish House is cut from Simon Gloftis’ cloth, the restaurateur who brought Nobby Beach’s famed Hellenika (and now James Street’s too), which you might have seen in this list of best Gold Coast restaurants. (Simon has since sold The Fish House.)

Whole-cooked fillets make up the bulk of the menu, with everything from Patagonian Toothfish to Petuna Ocean Trout in the lineup – all prepared with the same trawler-to-table philosophy.  

Staying on the GC and want more regional flavours? Check out this list for the restaurants and cafes you can’t miss.

Tamarind, Cairns

Not many menus come with a glossary of terms but Tamarind’s encyclopedic menu is one that will require your reading glasses if you want to thoroughly examine what’s on your plate.

Thai food is the main event here, delivered in a low-lit dining room that gives nothing away about the casino (Pullman Reef Hotel Casino) just outside its doors.

From organic Tablelands pork sustainably farmed in a sow stall-free environment to desserts concocted using dairy products by the Italian Gallo family who emigrated here in the 1920’s, the ancestry of every ingredient is traced on Tamarind’s menu.

The pièce de résistance is the Penang Duck Curry, defined by its sweet and spicy sauce of caramelised pumpkin, peanuts, chilli, coriander best poured over scented rice.

Looking for more foodie finds in Cairns? Put your taste buds in transit around Cairns, Port Douglas and the Atherton Tablelands with these guides.

Pebble Beach, Hamilton Island

Just like Olympians, some restaurants are overachievers and Pebble Beach (of qualia fame) could easily be the Michael Phelps of the dining world.

Set inside the award-winning qualia (the 2017 Luxury Travel Magazine Best Australian Romantic Property and Australian Traveller People’s Choice Awards Best Luxury Resort, just to name two of its accolades), the food at Pebble Beach has the same attention to detail as the resort’s interior design.

It’s not just us who think it, Chef Doug Innes-Will has taken out a 2018 Chef’s Hat from the Australian Good Food Guide for his dishes, which could be confused for works of art.

Can’t decide what to have? Let chef decide with a signature six-course tasting menu that plays out across four-hours, showcasing the best of North Queensland’s produce (including plenty grown in the Whitsunday region itself).  

With an inevitable food coma served with each sitting, you’ll have plenty of cause for activities from our 48 Hours on Hamilton Island guide. That, or more cocktails by qualia’s infinity edge pool. We’ll let you decide.

Jam, Townsville

Jam has made its mark on the restaurant scene in Queensland’s third-biggest city, Townsville, in the same way its namesake condiment sticks to your fingers (read: this restaurant has a reputation that’s not going anywhere).

It’s so good in fact, that Jam has been awarded an Australian Good Food Guide Chef’s Hat Award four years running.

Start the day in Queensland’s sunniest city on the sweet side with a batch of apple crumble pancakes with warm caramel sauce, white chocolate and walnut crumb, and cinnamon ice-cream. Or simply stick to tradition and order the dish that’s been on the menu for eight years straight – the Asian chicken omelette, made with Saddle Mountain eggs and loaded with snow pea, bean shoot, fried shallots and chilli jam.

More than just serving Townsvillians their most important meal of the day, you’ll also find this foodie-favourite packed Tuesday – Saturday for both lunch and dinner.

Dinner comes a la carte or degustation style, but the real surprise is the vegetarian menu which has no resemblance to rabbit food – gnocchi with shimiji, pickled eggplant, torched goats chevre, cured egg, anyone?

Want more? Get familiar with some of Townsville’s other hero menus by checking out this list.

Zev’s Bistro, Toowoomba

Collecting an Australian Good Food Guide Chef’s Hat Award for every year it’s been in business (that’s two for anyone playing at home), Zev’s Bistro proves Toowoomba ain’t no small country town when it comes to its culinary game.

Delivering modern cuisine that’s both on-trend and tasty, the Zev’s kitchen serves up a mixture of hearty and homely dishes.

The lamb neck is the jewel in Zev’s crown, cooked to perfection so chewing is almost optional as you devour it along with onion puree, julienne turnip and enoki mushrooms.

If you’re thinking about trying these meals at home, there’s no need to deconstruct your meal –  you’ll find recipe-book pages adorning the restaurant’s walls, overlaid with art.

Hemingway’s, Airlie Beach

This Airlie Beach haunt wasted no time in winning big, receiving a 2018 Australian Good Food Guide Chef’s Hat Award just seven months after opening its tropical doors.

While it might be named after a certain literary genius (thank you Ernest), it’s this restaurant’s food that will punctuate your Whitsundays adventure.

The must-try for dinner is their duck with mushrooms, foie gras, huancaina and Bunya Nut quinoa. The dessert menu reinvents itself daily, so finish your dining experience with a sweet surprise.

Looking for more eats during your time in Airlie? We’ve got you covered with this list.

Chapter One Restaurant and Bar, Port Douglas

Set in the Balinese-inspired Niramaya Villas and Spa in Port Douglas, Chapter One’s story starts with the 2018 Australian Good Food Guide Chef’s Hat.   

The plotline hits a high around lunchtime when the restaurant serves up its main character, a 45-day dry aged saltbush mutton.

Local ingredients are the protagonists, which pair traditional and modern cooking styles in an exciting fusion of menu-page turning techniques.

We look forward to seeing what’s next for this Port Douglas hot spot. Perhaps, Chapter Two?

Coast Restaurant and Bar, Hervey Bay

The equation for a good time at Coast Restaurant and Bar in Hervey Bay is simple:

Good food + fine wine – the fuss x by feast = Coast Restaurant and Bar and the folk at Coast Restaurant and Bar have clearly done their maths correctly.

Everything on the menu is designed to be shared, from small bites to tasting plates to larger, meaty servings.

While you might like a few friends to go halfsies on the roast peanut and chilli chicken, you won’t be blamed for going solo on the signature dessert – a banana cake with chocolate mousse, caramel peanuts and candied corn ice-cream on the side.

Still hungry? We’ve got all your foodie needs covered in this 48-hour guide to eating in Hervey-Bay.  

The Peak Restaurant at Spicers Peak Lodge, Maryvale

Even though you’ll find The Peak at Spicers Peak Lodge 1100m above sea level, this regional favourite hasn’t let the altitude or its 13 cumulative Australian Good Food Guide Chef’s Hats go to its head.

The dining space makes the most of its Scenic Rim location with an open stone fireplace, cosy seating and outdoor terrace.

Chef Minh Le’s Moreton Bay Bug with cucumber, radish and miso broth creation, takes centre stage and is in good company with dishes like the hay farm rabbit, young vegetables, brick pastry and plum jus.

Looking for a romantic getaway? Here’s some ideas on how to spend your Scenic Rim rendezvous.

The Cottage Restaurant, Ipswich

Winner, winner, Ipswich dinner!

The Cottage Restaurant took home the Australian Good Food Guide’s Reader’s Choice Awards in 2017 and 2018, putting Queensland’s most underrated city, ‘the Switch’, front and centre on the regional food map.

Set inside a heritage home that screams ‘Queenslander’ louder than Suncorp Stadium on State of Origin night, you can expect to dine in old-world bedrooms which have been transformed into intimate dining spaces.

The double cutlet and belly of lamb with truffled potato puree and beat hotpot is mouth-wateringly good and makes damn sure your first time to The Cottage will not be your last.

Looking for more? Read a local’s guide to Ipswich’s food scene.

Have you tried any of these regional restaurants? What did you think?

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[hudsonespie]

10 Ways to Ensure WellBeing Of Seafarers At Sea

With the rising importance attached to mental health, it is no longer a topic of taboo as it once was, whether out at sea or on shore. As opposed to physically evident ailments, mental health issues are hard to diagnose and have always had a social stigma attached to it.

Seafaring being a job primarily requiring a tough mental constitution, seeking help with regard to mental health issues is daunting even on a personal level, seemingly perceived as a jab on one’s weakness. Due to the fear of being judged or perceived a certain way, often such issues are left undiagnosed and unspoken, piling up over time to cause behavioural changes in the individual (over and above the stress that comes with the professional commitments). With the rising number of cases pertaining to such conditions, there has been a widespread focus on this issue, promulgated through celebrity endorsement as well as a general awakening of the masses about such conditions.

Specific to seafaring, one often comes across individuals that seem visibly distraught, purposely relating the unease to work-related ‘stress’. Long hours, hard labour, the perils of the sea, being away from family, being part of a highly professional workforce with little to no room for weakness, an absence of a personal life are among the many reasons that make the case a lot harder for seafarers.

Related Read: Impact Of Connectivity On Seafarer Mental Health

Add to that the cases wherein wages remain unpaid, shore leaves get cancelled/not allowed, repatriation becomes a hassle and you have yourself a recipe for thorough distress. While it not a competition, it is certainly difficult for a non-seafarer to understand the level at which one needs to operate in order to keep the vessel running safely and having to deal with these other aspects is bound to break an individual’s spirit.

Related Read: Rights of Seafarers to Arrest A Ship in Indian Port for Unpaid or Underpaid Wages

There are organisations that come onboard in port to preach the necessity of having faith in the Almighty or even to speak to seafarers about the problems, however, one barely has any free time to tend to these sessions, rendering them vulnerable to the repercussions of sliding such personal problems ‘under the rug’.

Indeed, IMO has implemented the Maritime Labour Convention in the interest of seafarers, but the fact remains that there is a huge gap between the operational reality than what is listed on paper; by default of being away from immediate scrutiny, compliance to the MLC remains questionable.

As listed out on IMO’s website, the matters regarding the welfare of seafarers revolve around:

Shore leave

Abandonment

Mental health

Wages

No criminalization

Repatriation

Resources available to Positive Mental Health

MLC convention

Seafaring is a profession that is rarely understood and often misinterpreted to be a life of comfort and travel, a profession driven by individuals that are unappreciated and yet unfazed. Let us explore the above causes of stress onboard ships and how one can approach/tackle them to ensure the well-being of seafarers.

1. Increasing Shore Leave: Shore leaves remain to be one of the best and only forms of relaxation available to the seafarer. One the biggest perks of the job are the travel involved, an aspect that is gradually dwindling owing to quicker turnaround times. There’s also the prospect of not being allowed shore leave in a certain country – something that is rather disappointing especially after a long voyage. Many a time there is also a case wherein shore leave is cancelled by the Master for a specific individual from a disciplinary standpoint or even for the whole vessel due to operational requirements.

While the cause for cancellation is mostly legitimized by citing rules and regulations, one cannot take away the fact that the situation wherein one isn’t able to go out and visit the city is extremely saddening. From a personal viewpoint, shore leave should be mandatory unless there is a security concern. There are many other ways to tackle a disciplinary action or an operational requirement, and cancelling shore leave shouldn’t be one of them.

Related Read: 7 Ways to Make the Best of Your Shore Leave

After constant hard work and days on end out at sea, the least that a seafarer yearns for is a good meal, some sightseeing and a change of surroundings; taking that away from them is as harsh as it can get. A lot of the above depends on the Master and all once can expect is the judicious use of that authority especially when the overall well being of the other ranks depends a great deal on the Master’s approach.

2. Preventing Abandonment Of Seafarers: There have been a few cases of abandonment of seafarers in the recent past that have been widely highlighted. Cases where the vessel, under limited resources, have been abandoned by the owner for the lack of funds in payment of dues to certain entities. Being out at sea (or even in port for that matter) is hectic enough, why is this not under the purview of legislation which forbids such occurrences or safeguards the seafarers as a contingent to such occurrences happening. Would the same happen on shore with the controlling person going scot free? The organizations looking out for the welfare of seafarers have ensured that the seafarers are taken care of in these situations but they cannot become the monitoring and correctional authority in these matters. There needs to be an overhaul in the perception of seafarers being an essential force in the supply chain and not just a hard-working set of people that can be left to fend for themselves.

Related Read: 10 Important Organizations Seafarers Can Contact For Help

3. Steps To Improve Mental Health: It’s high time the industry and the concerned authorities take steps to enhance the mental health of seafarers. Shore-based offices have the HR departments to approach in case of an anomaly, counsellors and other mental health professionals for a frank session, lawyers to safeguard their rights – what do seafarers have? As stated before in this article, it’s not a matter of comparison but one of concern that the mental health of those onboard is taken for granted. How hard would it be for a shipping company to have a helpline or to employ a counsellor onboard in order for the seafarers to have someone to open up to and not let the pain fester within?

Related Read: 5 Behavioural Techniques For Seafarers to Reduce Stress at Sea

4. Improving Global Wages Of Seafarers: Seafarers are the most honest people with little to no scope for stacking up on illegal cash. While it is understood that the remuneration is higher than that on shore at the entry level, a seafarer’s income is clean and earned through a great degree of hard work. That applying, it is unfortunate to come across cases wherein wages withheld, deducted or even delayed for that matter. Again, at a shore establishment, it is rare to see such an occurrence. There is also the aspect of wages have remained the same over the years and in some instances, even have decreased. A sea-based job does, while tax-free and USD based (For some countries), seafarers do not have other company supported benefits such as a PF and other allowances, and the wholesome income has to be allocated wisely for the future. A revision in the pay scale, as well as timely deliverance, is hardly much to ask for.

5. Taking Steps To Prevent Criminalization: Commercial pressures have rendered the aspect of vessel operations tight and even more demanding than ever with the ever mounting paperwork and adherence to legislation. While the company may not specifically ask seafarers to take shortcuts, it might sometimes the only way to tend to the various demands of the voyage. A slip up with regard to the marine environment, while unacceptable, can also have drastic consequences with the repercussions falling directly on the team onboard. This issue is one that clearly needs dialogue at the highest level so as to make elementary changes in the system. No person would be directly motivated to cause harm to the marine environment. Considering the MARPOL Annex V (Garbage), only for the purpose of explanation – to what extent can waste generated onboard be stored onboard. Yes, there is a facility in place on all ships but the problem arises on very long voyages where the generation far out does the storage capacity, with the additional headache of not having a shore reception facility. What then?

Related Read: 9 Types of Maritime Crimes

6. On-Time Repatriation: Every single seafarer can relate to the fact that they are most elated on the day of sign off after the completion of the contract; months of endless hard work finally comes to an end with the friends and families eagerly waiting for the individual’s return. Often, plans are made and more importantly, minds are made up about signing off only to know that it can only take place at the ‘next convenient port’. Heartbreaking as it is, it is only possible to request the company to make arrangements as soon as they can for there is hardly much one can do being out at sea or in a totally different country. Sometimes, wages are deducted for not adhering to the contract, which, albeit legitimate, causing a great deal of distress. As all seafarers will agree, only they know the work that goes into earning that dough! One can only hope that timely repatriation won’t just be the practice at the top firms but across the spectrum.

Related Read: 10 Things Seafarers Must Remember Before Signing Off From Ship

7. More Accessible Support From Organizations: There are several organizations which work for the betterment of the seafarers. However, most of the seafarers do not know how to contact them when in need. While some do tend to contact them in an emergency, but there is a common complain that most of them don’t receive any reply. No doubt, some organisations are leaving no stone unturned to assist seafarers, for e.g. ISWAN’s initiative to address the mental health of seafarers is commendable, now available in four additional languages and two infographics produced using extracts from the guide. But a lot still needs to be done. Who knows – maybe the day is not far where we have mental health professionals onboard or on demand to help seafarers get through their tough times. Read more here.

8. Proper And Stringent Implementation Of MLC Convention: The Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC) is an international agreement of the International Labour Organisation (‘ILO’) which sets out seafarers’ rights to decent conditions of work. It is sometimes called the seafarers’ Bill of Rights. The biggest problem with the Maritime Labour Convention of 2006 (MLC) – as is the biggest problem with bureaucratic regulation in general – is that it’s so long and boring. Also, compliance with it is often only on paper with little to no emphasis on the actual situation onboard. Everyone will admit to the fact that the ‘work and rest hours’ form is hardly adhered to, for the simple reason that the job is sometimes way too demanding to be set into a daily schedule. The purpose behind the MLC is excellent, driven towards the welfare of seafarers but it is a long way to go before having absolute compliance to the MLC.

9. Better Internet Facility: A recent survey revealed that 95% of seafarers view connectivity as having a positive effect on onboard safety, whereas 92% of seafarers reported that Internet access strongly influences their decision on where to work. Internet access at sea has become an important aspect for seafarers when to comes to emotional well-being as it makes communicating with family and friends easy. It also helps seafarers to stay aware of the happenings in the world, preventing total disconnect. Though there are both pros and cons of internet on board ships, it is something seafarers definitely want at sea.

10. Keeping A Check On Fraud Agents and Corruption:  With increasing imbalance between supply and demand of seafarers leading to insufficient jobs in the market, there is a growing dissatisfaction among young professionals. This dearth of jobs has created an opportunity for fraudulent agents who are duping fresh graduates with fake promises. It is imperative for government and maritime organisations to prevent such malpractices in order to protect the hard-earned money of seafarers and also to avoid tarnishing the industry image.

Related Read: 6 Recruitment Scams Every Mariner Should be Aware Of

At Marine Insight, we want our readers to remain connected to the industry and initiate dialogue on the issues. The purpose of bringing up such issues is not to solely criticise the existing conditions but to make the prospect of working at sea an attractive and valuable proposition for the future, bring about positive changes in the seafarer’s life, and in general keep the discussions running and engaging. The purpose of having a dedicated day for seafarers is to ensure that the due recognition and attention is directed towards the betterment of the industry.

For us, #GoodDayAtSea is one where we have had a professionally challenging and fulfilling day in an amiable work environment that fuels my personal growth as well as add to the operational betterment of the vessel.

We at Marine Insight wish all the seafarers a very happy seafarers day. May you have fair winds and calm seas.

Disclaimer: The authors’ views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Marine Insight. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendation on any course of action to be followed by the reader.

The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared or used in any form without the permission of the author and Marine Insight. 

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[racingtoaredlight]

RTARL’s Fantasy Football Guide, Part 2

The NFL season is just around the corner, and that means fantasy football drafts are in full swing. Is fantasy football fun, rewarding, and a productive use of your time? Not really! But, millions of people still play it, myself included. We are a society of morons and we fully deserve the cleansing fires coming our way.

I like to rank the players myself instead of relying on the pre-ranks of whatever host site my league is on. Is this worth it? Definitely not. But, I need something to do during my refractory periods. I already had these rankings done for my own purposes, and in addition, I couldn’t think of a damn thing to write about today. That’s a classic recipe for blog content. Plus, I know at least one or two readers also play fantasy football, so publishing these counts as a good deed, in my opinion. Makes me feel a little better about drowning that kid.

This installment will cover RBs. The QB and TE rankings can be found here. I’m not doing kickers and defenses, because come on. I’m splitting the players into tiers, because that’s how I do it when I actually draft a team. The guys occupying the same tier are pretty much interchangeable, but I do have them listed in order of my preference. Oh, and these are for PPR leagues, so if that’s not your jam, *shrug*. Let’s go.

Running Backs

Tier 1: David Johnson, Le’Veon Bell

These two guys are unreal, and are the top two fantasy players overall, imo. There’s really not much to say, if you get one of them, you’re in great shape.

Tier 2: Devonta Freeman, LeSean McCoy, DeMarco Murray

I’m a teensy bit nervous that the Bills will decide to go full-bore into tank mode and sit McCoy under the flimsiest of pretenses imaginable. But, when he’s on the field, he’s great. Murray was a beast last year for the Titans, and hopefully as their offense improves, they’ll produce more red zone trips, which means more chances for DeMarco TDs. The Falcons just gave Freeman a contract extension, so any worries about Tevin Coleman stealing his touches should be calmed a bit. 

Tier 3: Todd Gurley, Melvin Gordon, Jordan Howard, Leonard Fournette

I can’t quit Todd Gurley. He was dismal last year, but the hope is that a coaching staff that actually has some semblance of a clue will get the Rams offense headed somewhere toward respectability. I’m a tad lower on Melvin Gordon than any other rankings I’ve seen. I have no real reason for it, I just don’t think he’s that great. Fournette is guaranteed a ton of touches, and I think he’ll do a lot of damage with them.

Tier 4: Christian McCaffery, Lamar Miller, Dalvin Cook, Jay Ajayi, Ezekiel Elliot

I think McCaffery’s receiving ability is going to make him gold for PPR leagues. All of those catches will dull the pain of Cam stealing his goal-line carries at least somewhat. I refuse to believe Jay Ajayi is anywhere near as good as he was last season. Cook is in line for a lot of touches, but the Vikings offense is a little dicey. Everyone knows the deal with Eilliot. He’d be a top five overall pick if not for the suspension. Six missed games is just too much for me to take the plunge anywhere near where he’s being drafted.

Tier 5: Isaiah Crowell, Mark Ingram, Carlos Hyde, Spencer Ware, Joe Mixon, Ty Montgomery, LaGarrette Blount, CJ Anderson, Paul Perkins, Terrence West

Woof. This is not an exciting group of players outside of Mixon. But, they are reasonably assured of touches, and that’s more than half the battle. As for Mixon, if he was the unquestioned lead back he would vault into Tier 3 for me. As it stands now, COACH MARVIN LEWIS is saying that Jeremy Hill is his starter, despite being horrible. We’ll see how long that lasts. Ingram is the best of the remaining bunch, but Sean Payton HATES him. Blount should be able to grind out enough short TDs to have some value. 

Tier 6: Frank Gore, Marshawn Lynch, Derrick Henry, Adrian Peterson, Matt Forte

Other than Henry, these guys are old as fuck. Derrick Henry is a beast, and I think he might actually be better than DeMarco Murray. If something were to happen to DeMarco, Henry could be a league-winning pickup. I’ve seen a lot of enthusiasm for Marshawn’s fantasy potential, but if I recall correctly he kinda sucked last in his last go around with the Seahawks. Was that due to him slipping as a player, or was it more the terrible O-line in front of him? Probably both! 

Tier 7: Doug Martin, Rob Kelley, Mike Gillislee, Ameer Abdullah, Bilal Powell, Thomas Rawls, Eddie Lacy, Jeremy Hill, Tevin Coleman

These guys all have various degrees of uncertainty around their roles. Doug Martin has a weird pattern of alternating awesome and awful years, and he was awful last year. He’ll rip it up this year, book it. BUT, he’s suspended for the first three weeks of the season. I have no idea how much work Gillislee is going to get, and I think Rob Kelly is a stopgap at best.

Tier 8: Shane Vereen, Danny Woodhead, Darren McFadden, Jacquizz Rodgers, Duke Johnson, Theo Riddick, James White

Most of these dudes will haul in a shitload of passes. Not very exciting, but they offer a relatively safe floor in PPR formats. McFadden and Rodgers are nominal starters while Zeke Elliott and Doug Martin are suspended.

Tier 9: Samaje Perine, D’Onta Foreman, Kareem Hunt, Jamaal Williams, Wayne Gallman

Might as well end things with some rookies. I think Perine ascends to the starting role in Washington at some point, and none of these other guys have world-beaters in front of them. They’re decent lotto tickets near the end of the draft.

That’s it for today, I’ll finish up with the wide receivers on Monday.

[hudsonespie]

10 Ways to Ensure WellBeing Of Seafarers At Sea

With the rising importance attached to mental health, it is no longer a topic of taboo as it once was, whether out at sea or on shore. As opposed to physically evident ailments, mental health issues are hard to diagnose and have always had a social stigma attached to it.

Seafaring being a job primarily requiring a tough mental constitution, seeking help with regard to mental health issues is daunting even on a personal level, seemingly perceived as a jab on one’s weakness. Due to the fear of being judged or perceived a certain way, often such issues are left undiagnosed and unspoken, piling up over time to cause behavioural changes in the individual (over and above the stress that comes with the professional commitments). With the rising number of cases pertaining to such conditions, there has been a widespread focus on this issue, promulgated through celebrity endorsement as well as a general awakening of the masses about such conditions.

Specific to seafaring, one often comes across individuals that seem visibly distraught, purposely relating the unease to work-related ‘stress’. Long hours, hard labour, the perils of the sea, being away from family, being part of a highly professional workforce with little to no room for weakness, an absence of a personal life are among the many reasons that make the case a lot harder for seafarers.

Related Read: Impact Of Connectivity On Seafarer Mental Health

Add to that the cases wherein wages remain unpaid, shore leaves get cancelled/not allowed, repatriation becomes a hassle and you have yourself a recipe for thorough distress. While it not a competition, it is certainly difficult for a non-seafarer to understand the level at which one needs to operate in order to keep the vessel running safely and having to deal with these other aspects is bound to break an individual’s spirit.

Related Read: Rights of Seafarers to Arrest A Ship in Indian Port for Unpaid or Underpaid Wages

There are organisations that come onboard in port to preach the necessity of having faith in the Almighty or even to speak to seafarers about the problems, however, one barely has any free time to tend to these sessions, rendering them vulnerable to the repercussions of sliding such personal problems ‘under the rug’.

Indeed, IMO has implemented the Maritime Labour Convention in the interest of seafarers, but the fact remains that there is a huge gap between the operational reality than what is listed on paper; by default of being away from immediate scrutiny, compliance to the MLC remains questionable.

As listed out on IMO’s website, the matters regarding the welfare of seafarers revolve around:

Shore leave

Abandonment

Mental health

Wages

No criminalization

Repatriation

Resources available to Positive Mental Health

MLC convention

Seafaring is a profession that is rarely understood and often misinterpreted to be a life of comfort and travel, a profession driven by individuals that are unappreciated and yet unfazed. Let us explore the above causes of stress onboard ships and how one can approach/tackle them to ensure the well-being of seafarers.

1. Increasing Shore Leave: Shore leaves remain to be one of the best and only forms of relaxation available to the seafarer. One the biggest perks of the job are the travel involved, an aspect that is gradually dwindling owing to quicker turnaround times. There’s also the prospect of not being allowed shore leave in a certain country – something that is rather disappointing especially after a long voyage. Many a time there is also a case wherein shore leave is cancelled by the Master for a specific individual from a disciplinary standpoint or even for the whole vessel due to operational requirements.

While the cause for cancellation is mostly legitimized by citing rules and regulations, one cannot take away the fact that the situation wherein one isn’t able to go out and visit the city is extremely saddening. From a personal viewpoint, shore leave should be mandatory unless there is a security concern. There are many other ways to tackle a disciplinary action or an operational requirement, and cancelling shore leave shouldn’t be one of them.

Related Read: 7 Ways to Make the Best of Your Shore Leave

After constant hard work and days on end out at sea, the least that a seafarer yearns for is a good meal, some sightseeing and a change of surroundings; taking that away from them is as harsh as it can get. A lot of the above depends on the Master and all once can expect is the judicious use of that authority especially when the overall well being of the other ranks depends a great deal on the Master’s approach.

2. Preventing Abandonment Of Seafarers: There have been a few cases of abandonment of seafarers in the recent past that have been widely highlighted. Cases where the vessel, under limited resources, have been abandoned by the owner for the lack of funds in payment of dues to certain entities. Being out at sea (or even in port for that matter) is hectic enough, why is this not under the purview of legislation which forbids such occurrences or safeguards the seafarers as a contingent to such occurrences happening. Would the same happen on shore with the controlling person going scot free? The organizations looking out for the welfare of seafarers have ensured that the seafarers are taken care of in these situations but they cannot become the monitoring and correctional authority in these matters. There needs to be an overhaul in the perception of seafarers being an essential force in the supply chain and not just a hard-working set of people that can be left to fend for themselves.

Related Read: 10 Important Organizations Seafarers Can Contact For Help

3. Steps To Improve Mental Health: It’s high time the industry and the concerned authorities take steps to enhance the mental health of seafarers. Shore-based offices have the HR departments to approach in case of an anomaly, counsellors and other mental health professionals for a frank session, lawyers to safeguard their rights – what do seafarers have? As stated before in this article, it’s not a matter of comparison but one of concern that the mental health of those onboard is taken for granted. How hard would it be for a shipping company to have a helpline or to employ a counsellor onboard in order for the seafarers to have someone to open up to and not let the pain fester within?

Related Read: 5 Behavioural Techniques For Seafarers to Reduce Stress at Sea

4. Improving Global Wages Of Seafarers: Seafarers are the most honest people with little to no scope for stacking up on illegal cash. While it is understood that the remuneration is higher than that on shore at the entry level, a seafarer’s income is clean and earned through a great degree of hard work. That applying, it is unfortunate to come across cases wherein wages withheld, deducted or even delayed for that matter. Again, at a shore establishment, it is rare to see such an occurrence. There is also the aspect of wages have remained the same over the years and in some instances, even have decreased. A sea-based job does, while tax-free and USD based (For some countries), seafarers do not have other company supported benefits such as a PF and other allowances, and the wholesome income has to be allocated wisely for the future. A revision in the pay scale, as well as timely deliverance, is hardly much to ask for.

5. Taking Steps To Prevent Criminalization: Commercial pressures have rendered the aspect of vessel operations tight and even more demanding than ever with the ever mounting paperwork and adherence to legislation. While the company may not specifically ask seafarers to take shortcuts, it might sometimes the only way to tend to the various demands of the voyage. A slip up with regard to the marine environment, while unacceptable, can also have drastic consequences with the repercussions falling directly on the team onboard. This issue is one that clearly needs dialogue at the highest level so as to make elementary changes in the system. No person would be directly motivated to cause harm to the marine environment. Considering the MARPOL Annex V (Garbage), only for the purpose of explanation – to what extent can waste generated onboard be stored onboard. Yes, there is a facility in place on all ships but the problem arises on very long voyages where the generation far out does the storage capacity, with the additional headache of not having a shore reception facility. What then?

Related Read: 9 Types of Maritime Crimes

6. On-Time Repatriation: Every single seafarer can relate to the fact that they are most elated on the day of sign off after the completion of the contract; months of endless hard work finally comes to an end with the friends and families eagerly waiting for the individual’s return. Often, plans are made and more importantly, minds are made up about signing off only to know that it can only take place at the ‘next convenient port’. Heartbreaking as it is, it is only possible to request the company to make arrangements as soon as they can for there is hardly much one can do being out at sea or in a totally different country. Sometimes, wages are deducted for not adhering to the contract, which, albeit legitimate, causing a great deal of distress. As all seafarers will agree, only they know the work that goes into earning that dough! One can only hope that timely repatriation won’t just be the practice at the top firms but across the spectrum.

Related Read: 10 Things Seafarers Must Remember Before Signing Off From Ship

7. More Accessible Support From Organizations: There are several organizations which work for the betterment of the seafarers. However, most of the seafarers do not know how to contact them when in need. While some do tend to contact them in an emergency, but there is a common complain that most of them don’t receive any reply. No doubt, some organisations are leaving no stone unturned to assist seafarers, for e.g. ISWAN’s initiative to address the mental health of seafarers is commendable, now available in four additional languages and two infographics produced using extracts from the guide. But a lot still needs to be done. Who knows – maybe the day is not far where we have mental health professionals onboard or on demand to help seafarers get through their tough times. Read more here.

8. Proper And Stringent Implementation Of MLC Convention: The Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC) is an international agreement of the International Labour Organisation (‘ILO’) which sets out seafarers’ rights to decent conditions of work. It is sometimes called the seafarers’ Bill of Rights. The biggest problem with the Maritime Labour Convention of 2006 (MLC) – as is the biggest problem with bureaucratic regulation in general – is that it’s so long and boring. Also, compliance with it is often only on paper with little to no emphasis on the actual situation onboard. Everyone will admit to the fact that the ‘work and rest hours’ form is hardly adhered to, for the simple reason that the job is sometimes way too demanding to be set into a daily schedule. The purpose behind the MLC is excellent, driven towards the welfare of seafarers but it is a long way to go before having absolute compliance to the MLC.

9. Better Internet Facility: A recent survey revealed that 95% of seafarers view connectivity as having a positive effect on onboard safety, whereas 92% of seafarers reported that Internet access strongly influences their decision on where to work. Internet access at sea has become an important aspect for seafarers when to comes to emotional well-being as it makes communicating with family and friends easy. It also helps seafarers to stay aware of the happenings in the world, preventing total disconnect. Though there are both pros and cons of internet on board ships, it is something seafarers definitely want at sea.

10. Keeping A Check On Fraud Agents and Corruption:  With increasing imbalance between supply and demand of seafarers leading to insufficient jobs in the market, there is a growing dissatisfaction among young professionals. This dearth of jobs has created an opportunity for fraudulent agents who are duping fresh graduates with fake promises. It is imperative for government and maritime organisations to prevent such malpractices in order to protect the hard-earned money of seafarers and also to avoid tarnishing the industry image.

Related Read: 6 Recruitment Scams Every Mariner Should be Aware Of

At Marine Insight, we want our readers to remain connected to the industry and initiate dialogue on the issues. The purpose of bringing up such issues is not to solely criticise the existing conditions but to make the prospect of working at sea an attractive and valuable proposition for the future, bring about positive changes in the seafarer’s life, and in general keep the discussions running and engaging. The purpose of having a dedicated day for seafarers is to ensure that the due recognition and attention is directed towards the betterment of the industry.

For us, #GoodDayAtSea is one where we have had a professionally challenging and fulfilling day in an amiable work environment that fuels my personal growth as well as add to the operational betterment of the vessel.

We at Marine Insight wish all the seafarers a very happy seafarers day. May you have fair winds and calm seas.

Disclaimer: The authors’ views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Marine Insight. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendation on any course of action to be followed by the reader.

The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared or used in any form without the permission of the author and Marine Insight. 

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from Storage Containers https://www.marineinsight.com/life-at-sea/10-ways-to-ensure-wellbeing-of-seafarers-at-sea/ via http://www.rssmix.com/