#winter dental health

[paulganjian]

Ultimate Guide: How to Get Vitamin D in the Winter for Dental Oral Health

Ultimate Guide: How to Get Vitamin D in the Winter for Dental Oral Health

Vitamin D widely refers to as the “sunshine vitamin” because it plays a crucial role in the synthesis of vitamin D in the body. Exposure to UV light from the sun triggers the conversion of a certain form of cholesterol in your skin into vitamin D. Nevertheless, obtaining an adequate amount of sunlight can pose a challenge for individuals residing in regions with frigid winters. Receiving…

[enlichened]

These meds I'm on work the best of any antidepressant I've ever taken but the side effect of "dry mouth" might be the worst ever somehow

[dramarnathandentalcare]

Dental health in the winter season: 6 dental problems you should avoid- Best Dental Clinic in East Tambaram - Dr Amarnathan's Dental Care

Are you ignoring the dental problems in winter while you are enjoying the season? Simply reading the entire blog will clear up any doubts. https://www.dramarnathansdentalcare.com/dental-health-in-the-winter-season-6-dental-problems-you-should-avoid/

[drandymancini]

#friday at #dentaloffice #weekend #dental #smile #brushteeth #dentist #pediatricdentist #winter #december

[vodika-vibes]

It's Not That Complicated

Summary: You have a complicated relationship with Crosshair. More than friends but less than a couple. Friends with benefits might be the closest descriptor, but even that doesn’t feel right. When a mission goes wrong, Crosshair takes the chance to clear the air.

Pairing: Rebel! Crosshair x F!Reader

Word Count: 2636

Warnings: None

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni @imabeautifulbutterfly

A/N: This is based in the same setting as my Imperial!Tech fic. Because it's a fun setting and I kind of love it.

“No need to panic,” You call over your shoulder as your hands fly across the console of your ship, doing everything in your power to keep the ship level. “Everything is fine.”

“Really?” Crosshair asks as he glances out the window, “Because I think that was an engine.”

“Well, we only need one.” You say cheerfully, just as another explosion rocks your ship.

“...that was the second engine.” Crosshair offers mildly, as if commenting on the weather.

“Still no need to panic. We’re fine.”

Your hands fly even faster across the console, as you manage to keep the ship level. You pause for a moment to fasten your harness, and then you go back to work.

There’s a ripping noise, and your fingers pause, while Crosshair glances out the other window, “Ah.”

“What?”

“We just lost a wing.”

You’re silent for a moment, “It’s fine. Not a problem.”

“At what point does this become a problem?” Crosshair asks as he also fastens his harness.

“Oh…in about 10 minutes when we want to land.”

His sharp eyes snap to the back of your head, “Please tell me you're joking.”

“Yes, of course.” You flash a small, cocky grin in his direction, “I am the best, after all.”

“If you were actually as good as you think you are, we wouldn’t be in this situation.” Crosshair points out.

“Stow it.” You snip, “And brace for impact, we’re going to land hard.”

“Of course we are.” Still Crosshair does as you ask, at least, you assume that he does, you’re a bit distracted with making sure you both survive this.

You slow the ship and drop the landing gear, and carefully, very carefully, bring the ship down. It’s harder, with only one wing, but you manage it.

The ship lands hard, hard enough that it rattles your teeth in your head, and you can hear the landing gear snap as the ship slides on the ice. And then, it comes to a stop and topples to the side, leaning against the singular remaining wing.

“...well. Any landing you can walk away from, right?”

Crosshair shoots you a look, “You have got to be kidding me.”

“Nope.” You unfasten your harness and get to your feet. Bruised and battered, but still alive. “You alright?”

“I think my teeth rattled out of my head.” Crosshair bitches as he unfastens his harness and makes his way to the door. He has to pry it open, and he kicks the emergency slide down.

“Good thing we have excellent health and dental.” You chirp as you pull on winter weather gear and grab your kit.

Crosshair rolls his eyes, “Come on, kitten. Off the ship.”

“Yeah, yeah.” You scramble over to him and, with his help, you slide down the emergency ramp and land in a pile of snow. “Cross! This planet sucks!” You call up to the ship.

“Deal with it!” He calls back, “I’m sending the pack down to you.” He sets a large pack on the ramp and slides it down to you, before he slides down himself. 

You watch him get to his feet, before you hand the massive pack to him, and then you cast your gaze over your ship, “I’m going to give her a once over. I might be able to fix her.”

Crosshair’s face isn’t noticeable, due to his helmet, but he tilts his head in a way that you are very familiar with. “Go ahead. But we can’t stay long.”

“Yay! Thanks Cross.” You grab your kit and hurry over to the ship, effortlessly scrambling back up the ramp and climbing up onto the roof to take a look at the damage. 

You’ve been a pilot for the Rebellion since the fall of the Republic, and, before that, you were a pilot for the GAR. Of course, the GAR didn’t need any natborn pilots, because of all of the clone pilots, so you had often been confined to the hangar and playing maintenance. 

With the rise of the Empire, you lost your job completely. Your supervisor had been very apologetic when he canceled your contract, claiming that the Imperial Army couldn’t afford mechanics of your caliber. And then, privately, he told you that the new policies barred women from being pilots. 

At the time, you had been incensed. 

Even with the nice payout you got for them breaking your contract.

It was a stroke of good fortune that you were snatched up by the Alderaanian Military as soon as the contract was canceled. And, as it happens, the Alderaanian Military to Rebel Alliance pipeline is very real.

That is how you met Crosshair, and his kid sister, Omega.

As you understand it, Crosshair’s chip never activated when the Purge began (and wasn’t that a trip and a half to learn, that all of the clones had control chips in their brains that would overwrite their freewill), but all of his brothers did, and Crosshair had been forced to run with Omega when his older brother tried to kill them.

He doesn’t like talking about it. But Omega can be bribed with the right candy or food, and she’s happy to talk about how she came to be a part of the Rebellion.

From the start, you and Crosshair were often paired up. The best pilot in the Rebellion partnered up with the best Sniper in the Rebellion. Your job is to get him in and out of hard to reach places, and his job is to keep you safe.

It’s really no surprise that you got close. 

Long nights, alone, with nothing to do but get to know each other. Long conversations about anything and everything. 

You’re not surprised that you fell into bed with him. It was inevitable, really.

You are surprised you developed feelings for him.

And, if you’re a little disappointed that he seems happy with the friends with benefits situationship and doesn’t want more…well, that’s okay too. Your feelings are valid, so long as you don’t make them his problem.

But, all of this is a problem for later. 

Now, you need to try and figure out how to make your ship space faring with no engines and only one wing.

Easy.

Crosshair leans back on the rock he’s sitting on, his gaze locked on his Kitten as she scurries from one side of the ship to the other. Odds are, the ship is a total loss. But it’s better to let her come to that decision.

There’s the sound of a speeder approaching from behind, and Crosshair turns as an Imperial Speeder comes to a stop several yards away. “Kriff.” He stands and turns as three men climb out of the speeder.

“Everything alright here?”

Crosshair folds his arm over his chest as he realizes that these men are vod’e, “We had something of an incident.” He replies as he gestures to the ship.

“So I see.” The man pulls off his helmet. He’s older, clearly, with a full beard. He looks exhausted, and injured. “Names Mayday,” He casts his gaze to the ship, “That your pilot?”

“Yup.” Crosshair winces when he hears a yelp.

“I’m okay!” She calls from the top of the ship, “Just an ice patch.”

“Enough!” Crosshair turns to the ship, “Enough, Kitten. You’re not going to be able to repair the ship. Get down before you kill yourself.” 

She stands on the ledge of the ship, her hands on her hips, “How dare you! I am the mistress of the land, sea, sky, and space! I will make my baby space worthy again!”

“Yeah? Where are you going to pull another wing from? Your ass?”

She scowls at him, “I…am working on it.”

“Spunky.” Mayday murmurs, “Miss,” He calls up, “The temperature is about to drop. We can’t let you stay out here overnight.”

“It’s fine! I can stay on the ship.” She calls.

“Son of a kriffing-” Crosshair steps closer to the ship, “If I have to come up there after you, I will throw you off the ship.”

She pauses, as if considering her options for a moment, and then her shoulders slump, “Fine.” Carefully she climbs down, and hops on the emergency ramp, allowing herself to slide down to the ground. “But, I want you to know that I’m agreeing under protest.”

“Noted.” Crosshair offers her his hands and she takes them, allowing him to hoist her to her feet.

“Pilots are the same all over,” Mayday notes with an amused smile, “Hop in the back. We’ll go back to our base.”

“Come on, Kitten, in you get.”

“But, my tools.”

“I promise that no one here is going to steal your tools.” Crosshair says with a roll of his eyes, “I don’t think there’s anyone to steal your tools.” He ushers her to the speeder and helps her climb into the back. 

“Yeah, but you don’t know that! They were a gift from Queen Organa-!”

“If someone steals them, I will personally replace them. Sit down!”

She huffs and drops into a seat, her arms folded, and Crosshair folds himself next to her. Finally pulling his helmet off and dropping it onto her lap. “Hold this.”

She wraps her arms around his helmet, “Your hair is all messed up. I told you the tail was a bad idea. You should have gone with a knot.”

“Yeah, well, when it grows out enough I will.” Crosshair leans back slightly.

Mayday climbs in the back of the speeder, his gaze locked on Crosshair, “I should have pegged you for a vod.” He notes, “I thought the voice was familiar.” He glances at her, and Crosshair shifts, using his body to shield her a little bit, “You stationed on Alderaan?”

She leans forward, “Senator Organa requested several clones to come to Alderaan,” She says brightly, “Cross, here, often gets stuck on bodyguard duty.”

“Yeah, because the last time you tried to use a blaster you nearly shot your foot off.”

“I don’t recall that.” She sniffs, “Anyway, I often get tasked with transporting medicine to different planets, anti-venoms and the like, so I get my own personal bodyguard.”

Mayday looks concerned, “Do you have anything like that on you right now?”

“Nope. We were on our way back after a delivery.” She smiles at him brightly. 

“Well that’s something.” The speeder starts, and Crosshair nudges her back, “We don’t have a lot of space, so the pair of you are going to have to share.”

“That’s fine. It’s my preference, honestly.” Crosshair says with a shrug, “Not that I don’t trust you, but-”

“But you don’t trust us.” Mayday says with a nod, “I understand.”

The speeder falls silent, and Crosshair’s gaze flickers to the side when his Kitten leans her head against his shoulder, her gaze distant as she trails her fingers over the paint on his helmet. If he has to guess, she’s thinking of what she needs to repair her ship.

He nudges her gently, and her gaze flickers up to his face, and she flashes a small smile before she bumps him back. “I’m okay.”

“Never had any doubt otherwise.” Crosshair replies.

“It won’t be long until we’re back at base,” Mayday says, “You can just relax.”

And true to his word, the Speeder pulls up to the base less than fifteen minutes later.

Mayday leads them to a small room, “Sorry. There’s only one bed, but there’s a cot in the closet.” He says as he opens the door, “If you need anything, don’t be afraid to ask. We don’t have much, but what we do have, it’s yours to share.”

Crosshair frowns, and he glances at his Kitten, judging by the frown on her face, she sees the same thing as him. “Commander,” She says, “I can’t help but notice that there aren’t many people here.” It’s a question disguised as a comment.

“Well, the Empire hasn’t been sending us supplies, and…” Mayday pauses, and laughs bitterly, “We’re the only ones left.”

“I’m sorry.” She says softly.

“Don’t be.” Mayday replies, “It’s hardly your fault.” He glances between the pair, and then turns, “Have a good night.”

And then they’re alone, and Crosshair turns to his kitten, “Shirt off, Kitten. I need to check your injuries.” He says as he pulls his armor off and sets it next to the door.

She frowns at him, but crosses the room to the bed, and pulls her winter gear off, and then she pulls her shirt off. Crosshair hisses when he sees the dark angry bruises crisscrossing her body. 

He walks over to her, and lightly trails a finger down a bruise, “Looks painful.”

“Better bruises than a concussion.” She replies lightly, a small smile on her lips. “Are you okay?”

“Better bruises than a concussion,” Crosshair mimics, a smile crossing his face as well. His hand comes up to cup her cheek, “We’ll be okay. I’m sure we can borrow a ship.”

She frowns, “I’m worried, Cross. The men here will die if we don’t do anything. And Commander Mayday’s injuries-”

“We’ll handle it.” He interrupts as he presses his thumb against her lips, “We always do.”

She presses a light kiss to his thumb and, for a moment, Crosshair melts.

“I was thinking,” He murmurs, “That this might be a good time to talk. We’ve been…avoiding it.”

“I’m listening.”

“About us. About our relationship.”

She tilts her head, “You mean our complicated situationship?” She teases, using the words that other members of the Rebellion use to describe the pair of you.

Crosshair leans in and bumps his forehead against hers, “It’s not that complicated.”

“They disagree.”

Crosshair rolls his eyes, “Of course they do.” He pauses, “And it occurs to me that, maybe, you might be on the same page as them.”

She frowns, “I’m content with how we are, Cross.”

He scans her face, “I don’t doubt it. But you’re not happy with it either.” Tellingly, her gaze flickers to the side. She’s always been shit at lying to him. “You want more.”

“I’ll take whatever you can give me.” She corrects.

“Oh, kitten,” He sighs softly, and traces her lower lip with his thumb, “I…care about you. A lot.”

“I know.”

“You don’t.” She blinks at him, surprised. “I’m used to people not wanting me, be it the Regs…or my own brothers.” There’s something bitter in his voice and she reaches up to stroke his cheek.

“It’s not their fault, Cross. The chips-”

“Hunter swears that their chips were removed.” Crosshair says quietly, “And they still tried to kill me.”

“I…they were lying. Probably. Maybe.”

Crosshair smiles at her, “You’ve always wanted me around. Have I ever told you how much I appreciate it?”

“Well, not in so many words.” She replies, “But I know. You tell me in all of the ways you make sure that I’m safe.”

“I should do better.”

“It’s okay. I don’t mind.”

“You deserve better.” Crosshair corrects himself, and she doesn’t answer him for a moment, something thoughtful on her face.

“Crosshair, where is this going?” She finally asks.

“I want you to be mine. And I want to be yours.” Crosshair says, “No more flirting with other people. No more dates with other men. Just you and me.”

She exhales slowly, “...yeah?”

“Yeah.”

A bright smile crosses her face, “I want that too.”

With that, Crosshair crashes his lips against hers. Sure, they’re still trapped here, for now, but he can’t bring himself to care about that when he finally has her. Really and truly has her, in the way that he’s wanted for months now.

He has faith that she’ll come up with a way to get them off this planet and back to the Rebellion. But, until she does, he’ll just have to entertain himself with her.

[darkmaga-returns]

As undeniable evidence mounts that fluoride harms children’s brains, a historic ruling by a federal judge—and a report the government tried desperately to bury—may finally end the practice of adding this toxin to America’s drinking water.

For over two decades, scientists have warned about the harmful effects of fluoride exposure on the developing brain. Since 63% of the U.S. has fluoride in its drinking water, this is a critical issue affecting millions of Americans! Unfortunately, government agencies like CDC—along with the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics—dismissed concerns and stubbornly continued to champion water fluoridation.

This all changed last month with a pivotal court ruling. But, first, some background: In 2016, the NIH’s National Toxicology Program (NTP) was charged with analyzing the large volume of studies on fluoride’s neurotoxicity. Shortly after, an advocacy group sued the EPA in a bid to force it to remove fluoride from drinking water. Knowing that a report from NTP was forthcoming, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen stayed the case until the report’s release. Little did he know how long he would have to wait.

Not only did it take NTP six years to complete the report, but when it was ready to publish in May 2022, officials at CDC and HHS betrayed their duty to the American people by trying to suppress the report! Ultimately, it took another year and a court order from Judge Chen for the report to be released. As HighWire viewers may have suspected, the report did not bode well for water fluoridation.

This September, with the NTP report finally in hand, Judge Chen made his historic ruling: “[T]he Court finds that fluoridation of water at 0.7 milligrams per liter (‘mg/L’) – the level presently considered ‘optimal’ in the United States – poses an unreasonable risk of reduced IQ in children.” He concluded:

[T]here is substantial and scientifically credible evidence establishing that fluoride poses a risk to human health; it is associated with a reduction in the IQ of children and is hazardous at dosages that are far too close to fluoride levels in the drinking water of the United States. And this risk is unreasonable under Amended TSCA.

The court then ordered the EPA to “to engage with a regulatory response,” but the even better news is that many townships aren’t waiting to protect their kids from this toxic exposure. Abilene��(TX), Hillsboro (OR), Lebanon (OR), Yorktown (NY), and Winter Haven (FL) have already decided to end, or forego starting, fluoridation in the wake of the Court’s ruling, and many other communities, including Lyndon (WA), Monroe (WI), Naples (FL) and Tampa Bay (FL), are considering the same. Visit the Fluoride Action Network for materials you can use to demand action in your city.

Congratulations to the legal team, with a special kudos to current Siri & Glimstad partner Michael Connett who has focused on fighting the fluoride issue, and the plaintiffs, for this landmark win that will have a lasting impact on the health of all American children! For more details, watch The HighWire interview with Connett.

[mariacallous]

Oulu is five hours north from Helsinki by train and a good deal colder and darker each winter than the Finnish capital. From November to March its 220,000 residents are lucky to see daylight for a couple of hours a day and temperatures can reach the minus 30s. However, this is not the reason I sense a darkening of the Finnish dream that brought me here six years ago.

In 2018, moving to Finland seemed like a no-brainer. One year earlier I had met my Finnish partner while working away in Oulu. My adopted home of Italy, where I had lived for 10 years, had recently elected a coalition government with the far-right Matteo Salvini as interior minister, while my native UK had voted for Brexit. Given Finland’s status as a beacon of progressive values, I boarded a plane, leaving my lecturing job and friends behind.

Things have gone well. My partner and I both have stable teaching contracts, me at a university where my mostly Finnish colleagues are on the whole friendlier than the taciturn cliche that persists of Finns (and which stands in puzzling contradiction to their status as the world’s happiest people).

Notwithstanding this, I feel a sense of unease as Finland’s prime minister Petteri Orpo’s rightwing coalition government has set about slashing welfare and capping public sector pay. Even on two teachers’ salaries my partner and I have felt the sting of inflation as goods have increased by 20% in three years. With beer now costing €8 or more in a city centre pub, going out becomes an ever rarer expense.

Those worse off than us face food scarcity. A survey conducted by the National Institute for Health and Welfare found 25% of students struggling to afford food, while reductions in housing benefit mean tenants are being forced to move or absorb the shortfall in rent payments. There are concerns that many unemployed young people could become homeless.

Healthcare is faring little better. Finland’s two-tier system means that while civil servants and local government employees (including teachers) paradoxically enjoy private health cover, many other people face long waiting lists. Not having dental cover on my university’s plan, I called for a public dental appointment in April. I was put on callback and received a text message stating I’d be contacted when the waiting list reopened. Six months later, I am still waiting. A few years ago I could expect to wait two months at most.

The current government, formed by Orpo’s National Coalition party (NCP) last year in coalition with the far-right Finns party, the Swedish People’s party of Finland and the Christian Democrats, has been described as “the most rightwing” Finland has ever seen – a position it appears to relish.

Deputy prime minister and finance minister Riikka Purra – the Finns’ party leader – has been linked to racist and sometimes violent comments made online back in 2008. The party’s xenophobia is clearly influencing policymaking and affecting migrants. As a foreigner, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to feeling a certain chill as anti-immigrant rhetoric ramps up.

A survey by the organisation Specialists in Finland last year found that most highly qualified workers would consider leaving Finland if the government’s planned tightening of visa requirements went ahead (that proposal, which extended residence time required for Finnish citizenship from four to as many as eight years has now become law). Luckily, I am a permanent resident under the Brexit agreement.

With the coalition intent on ending Finland’s long history of welfarism in just one term, there is a risk (and hope among progressives) that it may go too far, inviting a backlash. We arguably saw signs of this in the European election in the summer, when Li Andersson won the highest number of votes for an EU election candidate in Finland. Andersson, who was education minister in Sanna Marin’s former centre-left coalition government (which lost to the NCP in April 2023), ran on a progressive red-green ticket of increased wealth equality and measures to tackle the climate crisis. She has also been critical of emergency laws blocking asylum seekers from crossing Finland’s eastern border, arguing that it contravenes human rights obligations.

Andersson’s party, the Left Alliance, chose a new leader this month, the charismatic feminist author Minja Koskela, who was elected to Helsinki’s council in 2021 after a period as secretary of the Feminist party, and as a member of parliament in 2023. Koskela argues: “People are widely frustrated with the government’s discriminatory policy and cuts to culture, social and health services, education and people’s livelihood. It is possible to turn this frustration into action.” (Full disclosure: I’m a member of the party and have helped coordinate its local approach to immigrants.)

It remains to be seen if she can build on Andersson’s EU success. Although the popular media-savvy figure appears to relish the challenge of turning the party into an election winner, Koskela faces a huge challenge. The party struggles to poll at more than 10% nationally, aside from a brief high of 11% in July. A place in government is nonetheless possible. But Marin’s Social Democratic party (SDP) of Finland (now led by Antti Lindtman), has topped the national opinion polls 12 out of 14 times since April 2023.

Meanwhile, the Finns party is polling at 16%, down from the 20.1% vote they gained in the election. These figures point to one thing: another possible SDP-led coalition government in the next parliament by the summer of 2027. This would probably include the Left Alliance and the Green League, among others. And such a coalition would aim to undo a lot of the damage done by the right.

But until then, there will be more damage to come. So while there is clearly hope for an end in sight to the country’s political darkness three years hence, this will bring little solace now to poor people, migrants, and the squeezed middle class as the long Finnish winter closes in.

[kojoty]

Hey it's friday. Let's celebrate by telling me something that you're really proud of accomplishing this week. It's hard sometimes during the winter months to feel like we're getting work done, and it's easy to feel stagnant, so think about something and tell me one thing you're really proud of yourself for this week.

For me, it's that I went to the dentist and I got some problem teeth filled. I have a pretty crippling phobia of Dentistry and it has caused me to put a lot of my dental work off, and it's caused some issues with my teeth health, and I'm really proud that I managed to with the help of my husband and my own methods of 'doing it scared,' got the work done and now these problem teeth are fixed.

So yeah tell me something that you're proud of please

[milkoomi]

₊˚⊹ ᰔ how i romanticize my life ᝰ.ᐟ

living life isn’t easy. this shit is HARD. just simply trying to get through a single day can be so draining, but it’s so important to give yourself a reason to keep moving forward in your life. one reason could be living for your own sake; living so that you, yourself, can feel happy and at peace. live for you. live and love for you.

disclaimer: my life isn’t perfect lmfao. i genuinely feel like my life is just at the point where it feels like it’s finally about to really start. i’m still in school, i work, and i quite honestly enjoy my days off by simply doing nothing. but there are some aspects of my life that i choose to romanticize, even if it’s something really small and simple. my life can be boring and lack luster sometimes, but i still try to make things even the slightest bit more interesting if i can (and if i even have the energy) !!

let’s begin !!

ᝰ.ᐟ creating a morning & night routine

most of my day consists of me attending class, studying, or clocking into work. luckily, i’m on winter break so i have a bit more free time, but since i work i still have most of my days consumed by my job. which makes it even more important to me that i create some kind of morning and night routine!!

having a routine (even if it’s only in the morning & evening) allows me to prepare myself mentally for the day or helps me unwind and relax after the day!

MORNINGS

up @ 7:30am - 8:00am, get out of bed immediately, morning stretches, drink a glass of water, make myself breakfast & coffee/tea, watch a few episodes of my fav show, skincare/morning hygiene routine/get dressed, and finally prepare my bag with all my essentials

EVENINGS

change out of work uniform/clothes i wore outside & put on house clothes (i have house clothes and sleeping clothes), eat dinner @ 5:30pm - 6:00pm (7:00pm - 7:30pm if it’s a late day), shower (i do an everything shower at least once a week, typically on fridays since that’s the end of my work week), dental hygiene, skincare & haircare, unwind in my bedroom (gaming or watching a show/youtube), and finally - about an hour before i sleep - i journal whether it’s finding a prompt to write about or just reflecting on how my day went! i’m usually heading to sleep around 9:30pm - 10:00pm!

ᝰ.ᐟ practicing self care

whether it’s doing my skincare, taking an everything shower, journaling, or simply saying affirmations to myself in the mirror, it’s really important for me to practice some kind of self care throughout my day!

everyone always talks about the importance of self care, and i’m just going to reiterate just how important it really is!

taking care of yourself, no matter how big or small the action is, is one of the major keys to finding happiness and peace within yourself and your life. i found that neglecting my own needs or myself in general just made me more miserable and made handling my own mental health a real struggle. i know that having mental health issues makes even just getting out bed the most difficult thing, but if you truly want to romanticize your life or just even feel an ounce better about yourself and your life you have to put in the work for yourself. it’s definitely easier said than done, but i promise that starting small will make the biggest difference ㅤ♡

side note: if you find yourself struggling, please reach out to your loved ones/your support system. i promise there are people who are more than willing to lend you a helping hand and be there for you when you really need someone. asking for help is always 1000% okay!

self care examples

skincare / haircare

playing your favorite video game(s)

drinking water

making a little snack or meal for yourself

watching a comfort show/movie

disconnecting from social media for a day (or however long you want to!)

talking with a friend/loved one (either through facetime or physically hanging out with them!)

journaling (if you need to let some emotions out, write it down!! or simply just writing about how your day is going or a big accomplishment you made or whatever!)

cleaning your room

going for a walk, going to the gym, doing some yoga (get yourself moving!)

breathing exercises / meditation

find a self care routine or self care tasks that work for you and make you feel good!!

ㅤᝰ.ᐟ taking myself out on dates

while i’m happily engaged to the love of my life, sometimes i need some alone time to just be with myself and enjoy time with myself, and that’s okay! i will say though, i do struggle with social anxiety and a few years ago it was really severe and it had gotten to a point where i couldn’t even run simple errands without the company of a loved one. but!! encouraging myself (and honestly almost forcing myself) to go places by myself helped me a lot.

solo dates have been so freeing for me! i personally get myself all done up and ready as if i were going on an actual date with my partner, and it makes my solo date experience 10x better! it helps me feel more confident when i go out and go on my little adventure and, for some reason i honestly can’t really explain, makes me feel more accomplished once my solo date is over!

solo date ideas

go to a café! maybe bring a book to read or something to journal with! i have an ipad so i’ll bring that with me because i can journal on there, watch a show, play some games, or (if i’m actively in school) i can study and write my notes!

movie theatre! i personally have not done this yet, but i have friends who have gone to the movies by themselves and they really enjoyed it!! &, if you get lucky, you could have a whole theatre to yourself!!

go to the mall! i LOVE taking myself on a solo mall date! i brought my headphones with me and i went to all of my favorite stores to browse around (or even treat myself to something if my paycheck hit hehe)! there’s also not a lot of local boba shops near me, but at the mall i go to there’s two boba places so i’ll also treat myself to a little drink!

go for a nature walk! if the weather permits it, walking outside and just enjoying nature can be so peaceful! i’m lucky to live in an area where there are lots of forest preserves that have great trails to walk through! of course, be safe when you head out for a nature walk & be sure to plan accordingly!

run errands! idk if people would really consider this a “solo date”, but running errands by yourself is such a fun experience! and, if you’re like me, it really helps to make you feel like your own individual! just grabbing any essentials you might need or even getting groceries by yourself can make you feel so productive!

take yourself out for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner! treating yourself to a nice meal can be so rewarding! you can get yourself all nice and dressed up and just enjoy a delicious meal!

ᝰ.ᐟ self photoshoots

if i ever need a confidence boost, i’ll put makeup on, put together a super cute outfit, and start taking pictures of myself! just getting myself ready and capturing how good i look just makes me feel so much better about myself. seeing my own beauty and taking those aesthetic photos of myself makes me feel so so good!

now, i don’t use a fancy, professional camera, i literally just use my phone and i don’t have any fancy lighting other than a small ring light and a sunset lamp but i’ll still get myself set up to take some good pics!

ᝰ.ᐟ signature scent

i have always loved and adored perfume, but recently i’ve been trying to curate and perfect my signature scent. having a signature scent just adds a little something to you and your aura! i was finally able to land my signature scent (at least for the winter season) and every single day i’m getting compliments on how i smell and it’s genuinely one of my favorite things ever!

play around with perfumes and scents! find something that makes you feel beautiful and confident!

if you wanna know my signature scent…

Lattafa Now Rave Women perfume (yes, i got it off of tiktok shop), Victoria’s Secret Tease perfume, EOS Vanilla Cashmere lotion, & Vaseline Cocoa Radiant body oil

𝜗𝜚 final notes 𝜗𝜚

these are just a few things i do (or try to do) to romanticize my life! and, just to reiterate, live for yourself! live and love how you want to! life isn’t perfect, and it doesn’t have to be, but if you want to add a little spice, fun, or flavor to your day or week or month, live how you want to live!

live and love, babe.

sincerely, juno ⭑.ᐟ

[chronicallycouchbound]

Unhoused Solidarity In Action

This is a non-exhaustive list of resources you might have access to, or know of, that can be used to aid unhoused community members directly. Many of these focus on direct mutual aid as individuals but can be helpful to consider when in community organizing settings. - What do you (or someone you know) have access to, that you can provide to the community? - Can they be accessed, used, or provided: regularly, occasionally, only in emergencies, weekly, daily, sporadically, consistently, etc.? - Consider seasonal needs (winter coats don’t help us when it’s 90 degrees out!) - Remember to practice active, informed consent with individuals and ask if these would be helpful! Don’t take it personally if your offer isn’t helpful to someone, it might help someone else. - These should be realistic and not compromise your safety or well-being. Remember to prioritize safety over comfort.

Housing

- Consider your relationship with this person (generally, don’t offer complete strangers into your home)

- Location matters a lot. Unhoused people often need to be near “hubs”/cities, close to resources and systems of care.

- Some people can’t live in hotels, couch surf, or any of these options without losing their housing vouchers, and in some cases health insurance or other assistance programs. Legal definitions of homelessness (used by voucher programs) usually don’t include people living in hotels/motels, or couch surfing (including most of these options). Check with the individual to see if this might be helpful.

Extra bedrooms

Campers, trailers

Couches

Apartments

Land/yards to camp on, park at, etc.

Donate funds or points for a hotel room

Shelters

Floor space

Safe parking lots to sleep in your car in (sleeping in your car is considered legal homelessness in most places)

Time

- Emotional capacity and minimizing the risk of burnout are important here especially

Do outreach with a community org

File for grants

Provide education materials

Share knowledge regarding resources

Emotional support - build genuine connections with your local unhoused neighbors

Reach out to companies for donations

Create or add to lists of resources, open bathrooms, etc.

Transportation

- One of the biggest barriers to accessing existing resources is transportation (also mailing addresses, internet access, and active phone service)

Personal car, ride-sharing/carpooling

Bus tickets/passes

Old/not frequently used bikes

Taxi services/vouchers

Uber/Lift gift cards

Carpooling

Coordinate rides for people

Food

- A lot of unhoused people prefer “comfort foods” to “health foods” - Ask about dietary restrictions, the cooking ability of the unhoused person, the cooking equipment, etc. - Soft foods are frequently more accessible to us as dental issues are very common - 100$ in fast food is significantly less than 100$ in homemade food

Can cook hot meals

Can pay for meals

Knows someone (person, business) who can supply food

Inviting people over for a meal

Gifting food (be sure to be considerate of dietary restrictions, cooking ability, equipment needed to cook, etc.)

Have a community dunkin gift card

Make or add to a fruit tree map (fallingfruit.org, community gardens, federal university campuses)

Money

- Money should be freely given, with no strings attached - Ask what form works best for them— cash apps/virtual, physical cash, gift cards, quarters, etc.

It is best to provide cash donations directly to impacted individuals (or organizations) with no strings attached

Provide relevant, local chain store gift cards (Grocery stores, coffee shops, restaurants)

Coordinate fundraisers

Apply for grants

Supplies

- Ask individuals what they need most!

Purchase and donate supplies directly to individuals or organizations

Reach out to businesses

Donate old phones or computers

Add someone to your family phone plan

Donate professional clothes for interviews

Donate an outfit you would actually wear

Talents, Trades, Skills

Your hobbies might be helpful! Crochet is extremely trendy right now (easy to learn, you could make hats/scarves for community members)!

Professional ties/experience Examples: You’re a cosmetologist who can do free haircuts for an hour each week, or you’re a graphic designer who can create a website for an organization for free, or you’re a nurse who can provide wound care to encampments

Community gardens

Connect with and partner with non-profits or community-based organizations in your area (or help start one if there’s none!)

Allow people to use you as a reference for job interviews

Bathrooms

- Not just toilets, but showers and mirrors are important too

Ask businesses to pledge to have open, public, accessible, and free restrooms

Your personal restroom

Make a list of local public restrooms

Free gym memberships or add someone to a gym plan

Services

- In order to access most services, you need most, if not all, of the following: transportation, identification, important paperwork, printing/faxing access, mailing addresses, internet access, active phone service, free time during business hours, and emotional and mental ability (and capacity) to complete everything required (forms, applications, phone calls, interviews, annual reviews, verifications) in a timely manner (usually on a strict deadline)

Case management experience you can volunteer

Peer support for service navigation (great option for people with prior lived experience)

Advocacy within services

Offer to provide a P.O. box or use your address to receive mail

Housing skills

Allow someone to use your library card for books, computers, the internet, etc. (most libraries won’t allow unhoused people to get a library card)

Volunteer at a shelter

Allow someone to use your home wifi, printer, phone number, mailbox, email, etc.

Fundraising

- If you can’t donate your own personal funds, fundraising is a great way to help out

Community mutual aid asks (in person or online)

Art walks

Skate competition

Concerts

Tip jar

Gift basket raffle

Clothing and food drive

Game tourney

Live streams

Start a GoFundMe for individuals/orgs

I strongly encourage you to look over the matching slides I created for this workshop: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VDngImsMByUFmKX611zAJ43a0UcYIfMBxrbh_g1IJvc/edit

As a disclaimer: I have been homeless/unhoused for over half of my life. My experiences of homelessness have included while being a infant, toddler, young child, preteen, teenager, and young adult. I am 24 years old. My most recent experience of being unhoused was last year, and I am currently precariously housed (meaning: at high risk of losing housing again). My experiences of homelessness have included sleeping outside in a tent, sleeping on park benches and under freeways, walking around all night to avoid hypothermia and freezing to death (something that has happened to several of my friends), couch surfing, sleeping in cars, squatting, sleeping in motels, living in a shelter, and institutionalized. I have been homeless with family a few times during early childhood and again when I was 15. All of my other experiences of homelessness have been on my own starting at age 9 or 10, and the last time I lived with a parent I was 16. I have been homeless in both rural and urban areas. I have been homeless in New England/Northeast United States as well as the Pacific Northwest.

In addition to this, I have many contributing factors to my experience, including being disabled, a person of color, trans, queer, a survivor of child abuse and CSA, being trafficked, and a drug user and a SWer, amongst other marginalized experiences.

That being said: my experience of being unhoused/homeless is not the universal experience. While I know many people of all different demographics who I’ve met on the streets, I cannot speak to every single person’s experiences. I especially cannot speak to experiences outside of the United States, aside from what I hear secondhand.

This is meant to serve as a general guide to accompany a workshop I created, and might not be helpful for everyone. If it’s not helpful, I hope it inspires others to offer creative solutions. I’m always working on expanding this list. Thank you for reading.

[dramarnathandentalcare]

Dental health in the winter season: 6 dental problems you should avoid

Winter, from November to February, presents challenges to oral health, including cold weather and holiday indulgences. This blog discusses six common dental disorders and offers advice on avoiding them. Protecting teeth and gums is crucial for maintaining good oral health.

Dental problems in the winter season

Winter dental issues are characterised by colder weather and other seasonal factors, presenting distinct challenges such as:

1) Sensitivity to tooth decay

Winter tooth sensitivity is a common illness caused by cold temperatures and dry environments, resulting in increased sensitivity or pain in teeth due to tooth enamel thinning and exposed dentin, exacerbated by dry air and dehydration.

How to Avoid:

Regular Oral Hygiene: Brush your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste.

Desensitising Toothpaste: Use toothpaste that has been specially developed for sensitive teeth.

Limit Acidic Foods: Reduce your consumption of acidic foods and beverages.

Cold Weather Protection: Cover your mouth with a scarf or mouthguard in cold weather to reduce direct exposure and irritation.

If tooth sensitivity persists or worsens, it's vital to contact a dentist to determine the root cause and the best treatment option.

2) Dry Mouth 

Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, is a condition where the mouth produces insufficient saliva, exacerbated by winter factors like dry air and indoor heating. This can lead to poor breath and increased dental issues like cavities and gum disease.

How to Avoid:

Keep Hydrated: Drink plenty of water despite the cold to avoid dehydration and dry mouth.

Indoor Humidifiers: Humidifiers can be used to compensate for the drying effects of heating systems and to maintain adequate moisture levels.

Lip Balm: Use lip balm on a daily basis to prevent chapping and dryness caused by mouth breathing.

3)Cracked Lips

Cracked lips are a common winter condition characterised by dry, chapped skin, often accompanied by fissures or splits. The cold, low humidity, and strong winds exacerbate this condition, causing discomfort, agony, and an unappealing appearance.

How to Avoid:

Hydrate Regularly: Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and prevent your lips from drying out.

Lip Balm Application: To provide a protective barrier against dryness, apply a moisturising lip balm on a regular basis.

Avoid Licking Lips: Licking your lips should be avoided since saliva can increase dryness and produce cracks.

Indoor Humidifiers: Use humidifiers to counteract dry air indoors, especially during the winter heating season.

Lip Covering Protection: Use a scarf or a sunblock-containing lip balm to protect your lips from the cold and wind when going outside.

Incorporate these measures into your winter routine to avoid and reduce cracked lips pain, promoting a healthier and more comfortable oral environment.

4) Bruxism

Bruxism, a condition characterised by teeth grinding, can be exacerbated by increased stress during winter months, such as Christmas preparations, leading to jaw pain and headaches.

How to Prevent:

Stress Reduction: Use stress-reduction measures to relieve tension, which is a typical cause of teeth grinding.

Mouthguard for Sleeping: At night, use a custom-fitted mouthguard to prevent tooth grinding.

Compresses that are warm: Before going to bed, apply a warm compress to your jaw muscles to relax them and lessen the possibility of grinding.

Stimulants should be limited: Limit your evening coffee and nicotine consumption, as these are known to aggravate bruxism.

Drink Water: Stay hydrated throughout the day to avoid dry mouth, which contributes to bruxism

Visiting a dentist is crucial for the accurate diagnosis and management of bruxism, regardless of the season.

5) Cavities

Cavities, or tooth decay, can be influenced by factors like sugary holiday meals, acidic beverages, dental care disruptions, and indoor heating drying effects, not just during winter.

How to Avoid:

Maintain Oral Hygiene: To reduce plaque and prevent cavities, brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss on a regular basis.

Limit Sugary Treats: To lower your risk of cavities, limit your intake of sugary foods and beverages, especially during the holiday season.

Keep Hydrated: Drink enough water to encourage saliva production, which aids in acid neutralisation and tooth decay prevention.

Use Fluoride Products: Include fluoride mouthwash in your regimen, and if your dentist suggests it, try a fluoride supplement.

Regular Dental Visit: Make regular dental appointments for professional cleanings and the early detection of potential cavity issues.

Implementing these measures into your winter routine can effectively manage and prevent cavities, ensuring a healthy and cheerful smile during the colder months.

6) Cold Sores

Cold sores from HSV-1 can occur in winter due to weakened immune systems, dry lips, and increased stress during the holiday season.

How to Prevent:

Lip Moisture: To keep your lips from drying out and becoming more prone to cold sores, use an SPF lip balm.

Avoid Trigger Foods: Foods that can cause cold sores, such as chocolate, nuts, and acidic foods, should be avoided.

Water Level : Drink enough water to stay hydrated, which can help with overall lip health.

Stress Management:Stress is a typical trigger for cold sores, so practice stress-reduction tactics.

Sun Protection: When exposed to sunlight, use an SPF lip balm or cream, as UV radiation can cause cold sore outbreaks.

Herpes simplex virus has no cure, so if cold sores persist or become severe, seek healthcare professional advice for specific treatment options.

Conclusion:

Maintaining good dental health is crucial throughout the year, especially during the winter season. Recognizing and avoiding dental diseases like dry mouth and tooth sensitivity can help maintain a healthy smile. Regular dental visits, maintaining good oral hygiene, and staying hydrated can help lower the risk. Dental specialists can provide tailored advice to help maintain good teeth health during winter. Take responsibility for your dental health now.

To get full details, read the full blog: https://www.dramarnathansdentalcare.com/dental-health-in-the-winter-season-6-dental-problems-you-should-avoid/

For More Tips & Details Visit

Website: https://www.dramarnathansdentalcare.com/

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[drandymancini]

#letsbuildasnowman #winter #fall #autumn #november #snow #staysafe #staywarm

[helioshellion]

Another yakuza hc dump from the bucky brain.

Majima

He is one of the few to actually graduate instead of dropping out. He was pushed by Shimano to finish because a man ain’t worth shit if he doesn’t have the smarts to back it up.

Isn’t an animal person one bit. He doesn’t get along with dogs or cats. He likes wild animals like birds and squirrels and stuff like that though. If he had the time he could be one of those grandpas that throws seeds at pigeons. His way of endearment is to insult and curse at them like “hey shiteater have some seed”

Prefers younger kids over older kids he doesn’t get along with teenagers or older kids because they remind him too much of himself therefore he sort of self-hate projects onto kids. However he loves babies and a deep down part of him gets baby fever each time he gets close to one. He wants to hold a baby and kiss its head and lay it down to sleep. He doesn’t want to argue about homework with a “brat” (once again he is projecting)

His car is a shitty mid to late 90s truck covered in rust and scratches. It roars like a son of a bitch and is the perfect spot to have depressed sack of shit benders. There are stains in the seats and burn holes from cigarettes. There’s probably a sexy woman keychain dangling from the rear view mirror.

Teeth are very yellowed and spotted and dirty and he should keep an eye on his dental health but with the rate he smokes there’s not much he can do unless he commits to a steady routine of caring for his teeth. His gums bleed and he gets freaked out so he stops.

Ends up always getting pneumonia or bronchitis in the winter. Every time. He’s immunocompromised so he gets easily laid out by sicknesses.

Actually is interested in metalworks but pretends to think metal sculptures are stupid as shit but he’s got the brain of a middle aged grilldad so he loves watching metal get real hot and make cool object.

Starts using nicotine patches when he’s older. He never quits, but he’s able to cut pack to less than a pack a day.

When not shirtless his attire consists of spotted gross tank tops and jeans of the dad variety, Also ripped and spotted. He’s kept the same bunch of clothes since 1995 essentially. He is a man trapped in time.

Growing up in poverty, Majima tries to keep ahold of the stuff he cares about. His father was much much older and essentially was a generation behind. There’s two sides of Majimas brain where one encourages him to hold onto stuff and the other encourages him to let go and not grow sentimental to things. It causes a lot of migraines.

Back on cars. He actually loves driving. Driving is something he holds a lot of value in and he’s good at it. He encourages seatbelt usage and will hit anyone driving him if they don’t belt up first.

Personal headcanon that his modern relationship with Saejima is. Tumultuous. They care about each other deeply but Majima has never had to live with someone for a long long time and has a lot of habits he’s accrued due to that meaning there’s a certain incompatibility they never had when they were young considering the fact that Majima never lived with Saejima in the 80s. Majima deals with a certain nervousness having someone in such close proximity and Saejima has to essentially relearn how to move and interact around Majima. There’s a part of both of them that somehow just knows what the other has been through, especially in regards to Kugihara’s torture on Saejima and Majima in the hole. They never talk about it, but they feel it.

His leg bounces as a nervous tick, and his teeth grind extremely loudly when he sleeps. It’s uncomfortable for everyone to hear. He snores softly, but needs to be pushed onto his side because he chokes easily on his back on his spit and the coughing wakes him up.

Kiryu

The kind of addict that’s never really able to quit fully. He’s tried, god he’s tried. He’s tried a lot of different routes but it never works. He gets extremely hostile when he doesn’t smoke and he has at times taken it out on the kids in morning glory leading him to the decision to just. Smoke and not try to quit. He cant handle the pain and the possibilty of him yelling at the children again for something that’s not their faults. He smokes more than a pack a day, even in his peaceful times, because his brain never really relaxes. He’s never at peace, not really.

In opposition to Majima, Kiryu prefers older kids. He likes guiding them and helping them and doesn’t like dealing with diapers or hand feeding them or anything like that. He likes talking to them like people.

He eats the kid’s leftovers. (Father overload)

Since my Kiryu is trans, he has genuinely considered at times to carry a child to term. They weren’t that serious but he did consider it. However he went through early menopause in his 40s so it isn’t happening. Before menopause, His testosterone levels fluxuate due to him not keeping a good schedule so theres usually a time where he’ll just menstrate and be like. How could this have happened. And it’s because he didn’t do his injections bitch.

During his transition in the 70s-80s, because of there being no real dictionary for him to really explain how he felt, he ended up falling in with a lot of different crowds in Kamurocho. The city life really helped him reflect. He found a lot of comfort within the small butch lesbian community in the bar scene, and identified with them a lot. It was through the shared support and love that he was able to recognize what masculinity meant to him and how he wanted to be viewed by others. He also engaged with the gay scene as well but felt a strong disconnect due to being transgender, and being fed fearmongering by Kazama. Kazama attempted, but it was his own fears that led him to feed Kiryu harmful anxieties about how he’d be treated and seen by everyone, and told him the only way to survive if he wanted to be yakuza was to stay in the closet about both his gender and sexuality. Kiryu didn’t.

While Kiryu is extremely. Sexually active to put it best (fucks like a beast and gets pussy like a frat star), he is still mostly closed off. It’s through interacting with Majima that Kiryu attempts a level of intimacy he didn’t allow himself before.

The kids are his alarm clock due to not having an internal clock. If they don’t wake him up he can sleep all during the day and completely miss the kids coming home from school. It upsets him knowing that sometimes Haruka will intentionally let him sleep to get everyone ready herself, but he can’t verbalize how it makes him feel.

While he does have a very deep intimate relationship with Majima, most of his conversations on a deep level come from interacting with Date. Date is his closest friend, and is one of the few with a more level head. Date is a regular civilian, and so has civilian advice. It helps Kiryu a lot in his darker times. Sometimes he just needs a pat on the back and a shared beer and be told to keep his chin up, bucko.

Would probably be really good at riding mechanical bull.

He talks to the kids like adults and sometimes that works well sometimes it doesn’t, because sometimes it results in him not giving the proper amount of care and attention in something, because sometimes you need to talk to a kid like a kid. He wants to protect their innocence but he can’t really help himself. Thjs is what happens when adults don’t have adult friends. Sorry kiryu.

As he gets older he has freeze-ups. He will go still and his brain will just. Freeze. It lasts for a couple seconds and it scares him. Nothing scares him more than losing control.

He has a neverending sadness and the only thing that satiates that is blood. He wishes he wasn’t like that. He wishes he was somebody else. He wants to feel comforted by his head on someone’s lap, their hand in his hair, but he can’t help that he just. Is himself. He wants to hurt people and he wants to be hurt because that’s all life is to him. He wants to be held.

Kazumajiiuurrtghhhh

Sex to them is staring at each other from across a bar. Sex to them is tasting each other’s blood after a fight. For all the sex they have they sure aren’t having sex. It works out, though.

Nothing will stop the beast in Majimas heart telling him to settle down and have a family and hold his kids hand and kiss their foreheads and kiss his spouse on the cheek and go to work and- none of this can really exist in the real world, not with Majimas turmoil. He imagines it, though. For how separate their lives are, Kiryu certainly exists in the life Majima deeply wants. Maybe there’s a small jealousy, or some type of envy. Or maybe it’s sadness that Majima and Kiryu can never meet in the middle. It’s an either-or, despite Kiryu being constantly in the middle. Kiryu will always be a bit of a hypocrite.

Kiryu pretends to be asleep when he wakes up, because Majima is always awake first and Kiryu likes to pretend to sleep and just exist in Majima’s space without expecting anything. He’s embarrassed to admit he once groaned in his “sleep” to pretend to be having a bad dream and Majima came over and sat down next to him and put a hand on his head and Kiryu very very enjoyed it. He’s not going to admit that, though.

Majima could literally be the most stable thing in Kiryus life if Kiryu and Majima were able to meet in the middle and see if they can live together, either earlier or in the orphanage. Majima keeps a schedule, Majima is stable, works hard, keeps track of things when he can. Majima would cook dinner, Majima would clean Kiryu’s space without being asked. Majima would stir and stir in his newfound life and never be able to truly settle down like his brain wants. Eventually it would come crashing down, but it wouldn’t be. Destroyed. Everything changes. Deep sigh.

Anyways, Majima can pick and throw Kiryu around and it makes Kiryus brain go hooray and yippee. They kiss like nasty ass gross men because they rarely ever actually kiss. So the times they do it’s very noticeable and nobody likes it. That’s why they only kiss when they’re alone.

[sterlingpokeresearch]

Feraligatr

Feraligatr 💧

The Feraligatr line is an ancient species of Pokémon, spanning all the way from the time of dinosaur Pokémon to now.

While they primarily hunt and eat fish Pokémon, if hungry they can actually eat anything they can fit into their mouths (and it's not always meat!).

The red spikes on their neck and back are a deeper color in males, and during mating season the most pristine and largest spikes get the best girls!

Feraligatr have a signature move known as the "death roll", where they grip onto their prey and spin underwater to rip parts off and drown their victims.

Male Feraligatr can be quite territorial, be careful around freshwater lakes and rivers if you see a red-spiked fin in the water.

Female Feraligatr carry their baby Totodile first in their mouths, then on their heads as they swim around.

Training Tips

Keep your Feraligatr inside or around warmth as much as possible during the winter! The cold makes these cold-blooded Pokémon very sluggish and drowsy.

It's important to raise your Totodile-Croconaw-Feraligatr to not just associate your hands with food, because they do have a habit of biting!

Check your Feraligatr's teeth regularly. These guys are prone to dental issues as they do a lot of chomping, and a broken tooth is very painful.

As always, if you have any health-related questions about Pokémon, head to your local Pokémon Center!! :)

[kumoriyami-xiuzhen]

Hakuoki Tsukikage Kazama Short Story

This is the last translation to make up for March (only four not five since i don't count a week because of my bday)... I'm probably just going to translate the rest of what I can for April...

Also I hate tax law. Taxes themselves are something I'm okay with to a degree since I'm probably more federalist and like health care and the idea of dental care, but looking through who knows how many statues and laws from the CRA for just one thing is something I wish I didn't subject myself to lol.

ANYWAY.

The story for this translation was originally published in B's-LOG 2019年11月号.

the last of these I'll be able to translate are the Souji one with the books, the Saito story with the flower in winter, the Harada story and the one for Souma.... i think those haven't been translated?

Hakuoki Tsukikage B’s Log 2019年11月 Kazama Short Story “Nagatsuki (長月)” [meaning the 9th month of the lunar calendar]

Translation by KumoriYami

"This was all that could be prepared."

"No, it's nothing. I should be the one apologising for forcing you to do this."

With a plate in my hand that I received from the hostess who bowed her head to apologise, I greeted her before going back to the room.

On our journey to Aizu, this was the only inn we could find.

The closer to the battlefield, the fewer people there were, and the once lively stores and inns tightly shut their doors.

This was something that had been realized after camping out several times, [though] Amagiri-san found that there was inn operating at the end of the road/street [not sure about the first half here].

(It was thanks to Amagiri-san...)

Chizuru sighed as she thought this.

"...Too slow."

Back in the room, Kazama-san had already put on his yukata and was relaxing as he looked out the window.

Ever since we left Edo, Kazmaa-san had been wearing simple western-style sleeves.

Although that really suited him, I still thought he was more attractive while wearing a kimono.

"Out of kindness, the hostess provided me with a choushi. What do you think about this?"

According to ChatGPT (since I could not find a response I liked through google): "In Japanese, 铫子 (choushi) is called "yakan" (ヤカン) which refers to a kettle or a pot used for boiling water or heating liquids, often made of metal or ceramic. It is commonly used for making tea or coffee, but can also be used for warming sake or other alcoholic beverages." T/N: the raw itself uses "铫子"

"Hmph… this sake is not to my taste, but if you want to pour it, I'll drink it."

In response to his arrogant statements, I smiled wryly and poured some sake for him.

I wasn't used to his behaviour before, but now I've completely accepted it.

(He is actually a very emotional person…)

I already know that now.

As I listened to the sound of insects in the distance, I poured sake into his cup.

In this private room [In private?], he was unexpectedly quiet, and was fond of silence, so I didn't have to force myself to greet him.

His posture as he looked up at the moon was so graceful, like the appearance of someone in a painting—

(What am I thinking...)

For some reason, I was now very concerned about Kazama-san's inner thoughts/opinions.

"It's almost the fifteenth night [Alternatively, this can be interpreted as "the night of the full moon" like in the Juugoyabana drama].

"This sake is no good, but I can it's not bad as a side dish to appreciating the moon."

In contrast to his sarcasm, his eyes were gentle.

"When you're satisfied and aren't asking for more, it's easy to get what you want. In this world, there are too many foolish fossils [term is for people out of date or have fallen behind] who have forgotten this."

His words penetrated deeply into my heart.

With my own eyes, I have witnessed what people who pursue profit and those who have robbed others to satisfy their own desires. I saw firsthand what that looked like to the state of my hometown.

If Kazama-san wasn't at my side, perhaps I wouldn't be able to endure it.

"...So, are you satisfied now?"

"What a foolish question."

The corners of his mouth curled into a smile at the me who was feeling shy.

"If you want me to feel satisfied, let me satisfy myself first… it is useless to have another's person way of thinking/thoughts fulfilled by someone else."

(...He truly is a gentle person.)

The words I heard were a comfort to me who was worrying about those still fighting, and those yet to fight.

As he looked up towards the moon again, and I silently thanked him.

---end---