teatimejellyfish

[teatimejellyfish]

[teatimejellyfish]

This helps us walk up things!

I feel like a lot more fitness attention is given to squats and lunges - and understandably so. Those are great exercises. However, because we get better at what we specifically train, we can consider adding in some step ups to aid our upward trajectory!

In particular, some people struggle with joint pain as they go DOWN stairs. This sometimes puts more force through the knee because of the angle (upward usually involves the hips more). We can learn to adapt to this by practicing the reverse step up.

You don't have to do these. Squats are great. They're just another option to explore.

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Hold onto your horses. Trailer tomorrow.

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If you see this on your dashboard, reblog this, NO MATTER WHAT and all your dreams and wishes will come true.

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Training some "unusual" grip positions can help us better use the strength we build from training!

Like many things I discuss, this is low hanging fruit. It's not necessary, but a little training here goes a long way.

Spend a few minutes after your workout training your grip and you may be pleasantly surprised at how many daily tasks become slightly easier - and that's always fun!

Have a wonderful day!

[teatimejellyfish]

Udon Soup

Easy to make comforting Udon Soup! Popular simple Japanese noodle soup. Slippery al dente udon noodles with well-balanced savory broth.

Get Recipe: Udon Recipe

[teatimejellyfish]

Lyra, my beloved cat of 13 years, passed away this year on Father's Day. She's been by my side through very difficult times and was my little rock of steady and unrelenting love. I struggled a lot drawing this, and struggled a lot posting it, but I know I would've wanted to read a comic like this that validated my grief for her when I lost her.

Wherever you are, Lyra my little summer star, I love you always! Thank you for being the best thing in my life.

[teatimejellyfish]

FISH QUIZZZZ!!! FISH QUIZZZ!!!! TAKE IT!!! special request from my friend avery shoutout avery <3 it's right up my alley anyways... im so jellyfish coded !!

quiz made: june 2024

[teatimejellyfish]

Goth Dividers

Please like and reblog if you use or save.

Requested by @broody-lesbian​​​

Requests are OPEN!

Dividers List

[teatimejellyfish]

animated dividers ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

like or reblog to use ♡

[teatimejellyfish]

Emergency cleaning: Unfuck your whole house in the shortest time possible

So, your landlord/parents/home inspector/favorite movie star is dropping by, and your place is a disaster. You don’t have much time to clean it up. You’re in emergency mode. Let’s get started.

Don’t panic. Panic leads to fear, fear leads to procrastination, procrastination leads to the dark side. You can do this, but you have to stay calm.

Unlike maintenance cleaning, we’re not looking to completely unfuck one space at a time. Instead, we want to decrease the overall mess in stages, spread evenly across the whole area that we’re concerned about. If you think your home is at Level 10 filth, we want to bring the whole thing down to a Level 9, and then down from there. One really clean spot in an otherwise messy home is not going to be helpful here.

Get prepared. You’ll want to shut the computer down (or turn the modem off if you need your computer to play music). Trust me. Get your music going. Gather up trash bags, your vacuum and mop, some rags or paper towel, sponges, and other cleaning supplies. Use what you have on hand. Don’t get distracted running to the store and spending an hour browsing cleaning supplies. A multi-purpose cleaning concentrate or a jug of vinegar will be just fine.

Breaks are very important. Depending on your time constraints, work in 20/10s (20 minutes working, 10-minute break) or 45/15s. But take breaks because otherwise you’re marathoning, and marathon cleaning is no one’s friend. Keep hydrated, don’t forget to eat, and check in with yourself frequently to make sure you’re physically doing OK.

Make your bed. This will be your home base if you get overwhelmed or need somewhere clear to take a break.

Start with the garbage. Going from room to room, throw out anything that is obvious trash. Once you fill a bag, take it out. Repeat as many times as necessary.

Move on to dishes. Gather the dishes from all over your house and bring them to the kitchen. If you can, start them soaking in a sink of hot, soapy water or start loading the dishwasher. After the dishes are all in one place, spend one 20/10 getting started getting them under control.

Now it’s time for your flat surfaces. Countertops, tables, dresser tops, etc. Clear them off and wipe them down. Don’t get distracted in too much sorting and organizing. We’re in crisis mode here. There will be time to get in-depth once this is all done. The same applies to cabinets and closets. Unless you have reason to believe people will be opening closed doors, leave these alone for now.

Attack the floordrobe and shoe pile. Get your clothes either put away or in the hamper. Start a load of laundry if you need to, but keep in mind that laundry and dishes have three steps: wash, dry, and put it away, goddammit!

Get random stuff up off the floors. If something is trash-worthy, throw it away now rather than just move it around a bunch of times. Otherwise, put stuff where it belongs.

Take another 20/10 or 45/15 to catch up on more dishes, if needed.

Head into the bathroom. Pour some cleaner in the toilet bowl, fill the sink with hot water and cleaner, and either spray the tub and shower with cleaner, or fill the tub up with some hot water and add cleaner and let it soak. Put everything away that’s out and shouldn’t be, clean the mirror, counters, and toilet seat. Sweep or dry mop the floor. Wipe down the sink and tub/shower, and give the toilet bowl a scrub. Mop the floor.

Sweep and mop the kitchen floor.

Vacuum everything you can, and sweep everything you can’t.

Walk outside of your house (don’t lock yourself out, please). Walk back in and see what catches your eye first. Go and deal with that.

If you’re being inspected or your landlord is coming in for repairs, spend time on whatever area they’ll be focusing on.

Give the whole place one more once-over and pay attention to anything you’ve missed so far.

It’s an old trick, but if your place is a little funky-smelling, put a pan of water on the stove on low heat and add some citrus or cinnamon or vanilla. Don’t leave it unattended or forget about it.

Take a shower, put on something clean, and eat something.

You can do this. It’s overwhelming, yes, but it is not impossible. You just need to do it. You have a list. You have directions. You have a whole bunch of Internet strangers who have been there before and who are cheering you on. You can do this, but you need to get started.

Why are you still here? GO. START. NOW.

[teatimejellyfish]

Here are 3 mobility exercises that actually improved my day-to-day function

It's a bit particular to me, but I still tried to pick exercises that broadly cover:

-back mobility -front mobility -side mobility

There are other great mobility exercises out there like standing pancakes and pigeon pose - I just don't end up using them as often.

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While it may seem obvious to some, I feel like there are misconceptions about strength training in calisthenics.

It's very intuitive to people when they lift weights that more weight = more strength.

However, in calisthenics, some people just fall into the mindset of "only increase reps."

While we can increase strength by increasing repetitions to an extent, eventually we will need more resistance.

This doesn't have to be weight. This can be a harder progression. Like Full Pushups to Narrow Pushups.

If we want to continue increasing in strength, we need continually increasing resistance.

Just something to think about!

Interestingly enough, some studies have shown equal muscle growth with relatively low resistance... As long as the study participants went to failure.

[teatimejellyfish]

Resources for The Beginner Cat Rescuer

Note: Please keep in mind that I am located in the US. This guide may not be applicable everywhere.

Before I started working for a cat rescue, I was caring for and taking in strays on my own. Doing this by myself became unrealistic. The out-of-pocket cost of veterinary care was extremely expensive, the wait for appointments was too long, and it was difficult to find and screen potential adopters.

While it can be stressful for a single individual to try and make an impact on cat overpopulation and homeless cat issues, even small actions count. Below you will find a few resources that helped me when I was first starting out. Some of these are not only helpful for animal rescuers, but for cat owners with limited income who may need help with food and veterinary care.

Outdoor Shelters

Outdoor shelters help keep strays warm and comfortable during winter, especially lost or abandoned cats who may not be used to colder temperatures. Additionally, this will help attract the local strays, allowing you to start keeping track of them, watching for injuries, disease, and pregnancy. This way, you can assess each cat's situation and act accordingly.

Below you will find links to an outdoor shelter guide and video by Alley Cat Allies. This is the resource I used when building my own shelters.

Links here:

Outdoor Cat Shelter Guide

Cat Tips: DIY Cat Shelter (video)

A couple tips:

For bedding, only use straw. Never use hay, blankets, or any fabric that could absorb moisture. Straw will also be used to insulate the shelter.

Check your local laws on outdoor shelters. Some districts only allow a certain amount per property.

Veterinary Care

If you can afford to use your regular vet and they agree to provide care for strays, great! It's always better to work with a practice that you know and trust. However, this usually isn't the case. Many of us can't go through our primary veterinarian for rescue-related care, usually due to appointment availability and cost.

This is where Community Veterinarians come in. These are veterinary practices that offer subsidized rates to people who qualify. They are open to everyone, but many of them have income requirements that you must meet in order for you to receive the discount. If your income exceeds their requirements, you will end up paying the full price.

The reason that I like community vets for rescue is because they are usually feral-friendly and offer discounted services for sterilization and vaccination of ferals. If you can find any community vets near you, call or check their website to see if they have a feral program.

Always double check that you are reaching out to an actual community vet and not a state or city-run shelter, and that they will not euthanize. I say this because my local Humane Society offers low-cost veterinary services and technically has a TNR program, but will euthanize any feral or wounded stray that you bring in.

Food and Supplies

Even while fostering for a rescue, the cost of food, litter, and enrichment can add up. I recommend joining your local Buy Nothing group. These groups are usually joined through Facebook and you will have to find one specific to your town or neighborhood. This is a great way to get free food, litter, toys, and even supplies like beds and scratching posts.

Search Tools for food and veterinary services:

For Rescuers: Alley Cat Allies has a great tool for finding community resources and local help. You can search for vet care, food, TNR assistance, and more. Link is here.

For Pet Owners: Pet Help Finder is a tool for finding local food pantries and low-cost veterinary services. Link is here.

Lost and Found Pet Resources

As you probably know, not every outdoor cat is homeless or abandoned. If you suspect that an animal you found is either lost or someone's indoor/outdoor pet, there are a few resources to help you determine this.

Your Local Veterinarian

This is the quickest and easiest way to locate the owner of a lost animal or outdoor pet. Many veterinarians offer same-day microchip scans for free. In fact, any cat you take in should always be scanned for microchip.

Community Forums and Pet FBI

Posting on your neighborhood social media group can be helpful with locating a potential owner. Pet FBI is a free database that allows you to create posts for lost and found animals and will connect you with potential matches.

Just remember that people are not always truthful. Always confirm ownership by asking appropriate questions. Don't be afraid to request photos, vet records, or answers to questions only the owner would know (if the animal is spayed/neutered, paw pad colors, unique or identifying markings not visible in your photos).

Paper Collar Method

This can help prevent you from potentially stealing someone's outdoor pet. This method is best used for healthy-looking cats who are in no immediate danger Link is here.

(Note: This is an opinion. But if the cat looks otherwise healthy but is very hungry, following you around, or desperate to get in your house, it's likely that it needs help. The paper collar method may not be applicable in these situations.)

Care and Behavior

The Kitten Lady is great for fosters who work with pregnant/nursing cats and orphaned kittens. She has many guides and instructional videos. She also has a YouTube Channel.

Jackson Galaxy is pretty good for information on cat behavior. He uses a lot of buzzwords and I really don't like that he recommends essential oils, but he genuinely loves cats and is passionate about their care/quality of life.

He's a decent resource for cats with behavioral issues, shy cats, and cat introductions.

The Importance of Animal Rescues

If all of this sounds overwhelming, that's because it is. Even with an ocean of information and resources at our fingertips, burnout is still very likely. This is why it's important to work with a rescue.

Fostering and volunteer work allows you to help with the cat overpopulation issue without having to pay medical costs or screen potential adopters. They are also more willing to help with an animal you found if you are already a foster parent or volunteer.

Even if you can't work with one right now, many rescues will answer questions and direct you to safe and appropriate resources.

Before volunteering, research your local rescues and compare them. A good rescue should hold 501c3 nonprofit status, pay for vet care, and be transparent about all behavioral or health issues before transferring animals to fosters or adoptive families.

Personally, I prefer to work with cat-only rescues. They are just more specialized in terms of medical and behavioral knowledge. My current rescue is a foster-only organization without a facility. Since volunteering, I have experienced far less burnout and compassion fatigue than I would have if I had continued working alone.

[teatimejellyfish]

Here's a quick tip to heal muscle soreness faster that I've used for years!

It seems obvious to some, but others take their sleep as time to "stretch" and "even out their posture" when our muscles will heal much better if we keep them relaxed while resting.

Hope this helps!

[teatimejellyfish]

What's "good" pain VS "bad" pain (in fitness)?

While there's not a perfect definition since people perceive "pain" differently, this is how I differentiate.

Good "pain" is just the effort associated with exercise. Some might call it exertion, burn, or intensity.

Bad pain is what I'd consider "actual" pain. Imagine lifting something you know you shouldn't lift - either too awkward, too heavy, or both. Think about the strain you feel before a muscle tear or significant injury.

If you feel bad pain, I recommend lowering the weight, temporarily reducing range of motion (adding bands and chains if desired and appropriate), or both.

Have a wonderful day!

[teatimejellyfish]

3 more exercises that made my life easier in unexpected ways

This has been a fun series but this is probably the final installment. I'll move on to other topics

Fitness app and free fitness routine on my profile for those who want it.