#unfortunately for me I don't really like nuts or fish

[earthdeep]

maybe I should try taking cod liver oil supplements like I did as a kid. maybe that'd help my joints be less shit.

#unfortunately for me I don't really like nuts or fish #thinking abt it dad's a pescatarian I wonder if that contributes to him having the best joints in the house #earthdeep does life

[toshiirou]

One Mask, Two Masks, Three Masks, Four - Linkverse Writing

Ravio blinked, and between one moment and the next he was in a different time and place.

The smooth transition in world hopping travel should have been disturbing, with how easily one could get ripped away from their location and timeline - everything they've ever known - as easy as a blink.

Ravio thought it was unbearably cool. Much better than becoming a painting and getting sucked into a crack in the wall. That trip was nauseating and Ravio had only done it once compared to Link's dozen of times.

Maybe if they could harvest this time jumping ability... Ravio could start a holiday service venture! Bored of purple skies? Visit Hyrule! Only nine-hundred and ninety-nine rupees, Ravio is not liable for any damages, incarnation, or loss of life that occurs before, during, or as a result of the trip.

With nothing of any particular importance to do - all of his projects were on hold due to unavoidable circumstances - Ravio decided to take the opportunity to explore this new locale. As far as he could recall he had not yet visited, and if they had any interesting specialities he could rip off their ideas with none the wiser!

The sky was bright, the birds were singing. The town close to where Ravio appeared seemed to be having a market. Ravio explored eagerly, eyes bright and full of the joy of adventure.

In between one stall and the next he looked up to spot a familiar head of blond hair. Wasn't that one of the Links? The.... weird kid, right? There had to be a better name for him, but for the life of him Ravio couldn't remember it.

Ravio watched as he - the weird kid that is - walked blank face and unaffected past a lady yelling out the prices of her fish. That was a person, Ravio thought, who would appreciate his company.

Ravio jogged to catch up behind him, feeling a slight bit of strain at the other person's fast pace. How did he walk so fast?

Shaking his head, Ravio dismissed the thought and instead called out happily.

"Link!"

He caught up to the Link's left-hand side and fell into pace half a step behind him.

"Hi there! My name is Ravio. Although I suppose you already know my name, given the whole... uh trial thing that we had going on. Trial by sword? That sounds about right. That sounds like something a hero would go through." Ravio laughed.

"Oh but don't worry, me and Mr. Legend have since made up. Great guy, actually. All a misunderstanding. We could even be said to be best friends at this point! I baked him a cake and all."

The cake was an unfortunate casualty of time travel, but Ravio didn't think that was relevant enough to mention.

Ravio paused, waiting for a response. He didn't need a verbal response, of course. A break in their pace so they could face each other and communicate would be just as wonderful.

But when no response came he couldn't help but feel a bit disheartened. This group of Links really were a bunch of tough nuts to crack.

Well if nothing else his adventures with Mr. Legend had given him some more confidence. If this weird Link didn't want him around he simply had to sign so and Ravio would go. But he didn't appreciate being ignored like the unwanted burr on the bottom of one's foot.

"Hey, wait." Reaching out towards his shoulder, Ravio had hoped to stop them and speak his mind. Instead he found himself on the sharp end of a blade.

Again.

Would this become a regular occurrence?

Thankfully for his heart the dagger was stowed away quickly, and Ravio barely had any time to experience the bone chilling terror of being threatened with his life.

'Sorry.' Signed the weird Link. Ravio thought his expression must have been something to get such a quick apology.

'I didn't hear you.'

"What?" Ravio blurted out, surprised.

The weird Link tapped his left hear. 'Can't hear this side. Talk on the right."

Oh. Oh!

Feeling a bit embarrassed at how quickly he was to upset, Ravio could notice now the precision-like attention Link had towards reading his lips.

"No problem!" He said. "Well I was terrified for a brief moment but it was also my fault for coming up behind you." Ravio chucked awkwardly, feeling out of sorts from his quick rush of fear, and just as quick reassurance.

The weird Link's eyes were focused on him with arrow-like precision. He felt a little exposed.

'Let's go.'

Ravio startled, but before he knew it the weird Link had grasped his hand, firmly yet gently, and led him off to the side of the market to sit in a quieter street. The Link sat across him and handed him a water flask that appeared seemingly out of thin air.

Ravio could feel himself steadily calm down, and with it came the embarrassment.

"Sorry for that." He rubbed the back of his head. "Everyone tells me I'm easily startled."

'My bad.' The weird Link signed. 'I shouldn't have attacked.'

"Oh. It's..." alright, Ravio wanted to say. It was an accident, and Ravio very clearly triggered a fighting response in the other boy. But still, it didn't feel alright at that moment. It just felt unfortunate and bad.

'You don't have to lie. I'm sorry for scaring you.'

The weird Link was very straightforward, Ravio thought, taking a sip of water to avoid replying. It made it hard to argue against him, but it was refreshing. A nice, clean apology.

Accidental knife drawing aside, Ravio felt that this Link was refreshing and likable.

"Sorry for startling you as well." Ravio replied politely. "I want to make sure I can avoid doing that in the future, if you don't mind telling me about your-" Ravio waved his fingers around his ears. "Hearing stuff."

The weird Link nodded - and Ravio really needed another nickname for this kid. It didn't feel nice to call him "the weird kid" forever, especially while talking to him.

The Link nodded. 'Don't come up from behind. Don't touch without warning. If you want my attention you can wave at me or talk from my right.'

Ravio almost wished he had paper to note this down on. He nodded enthusiastically. "So you can hear well out of your right side?"

The Link made a so-so gesture.

'I can hear. Not well. Can't hear at all from the left.'

Ravio understood. So he wasn't just ignoring the loud yells of the marketplace after all.

Ravio sat quietly, fiddling with the water flask in his hands. The Link relaxed in the silence, seemingly more than content to exist without conversing.

Eventually The Link struck up conversation again. Ravio couldn't help but suspect that it was for his own benefit.

'Do you want to know why I can't hear?'

"Well, only if you want to share." Ravio said. He was fine either way.

Weird Link shrugged, seemingly unconcerned.

'I don't care. People think it's a funny story.'

Ravio perked up. "Well I do love a funny story."

Weird Link nodded seriously like he had achieved a point in a task list.

Then he signed.

'Bomb mask.'

Ravio blinked, surprised. "Bomb mask?"

Weird Link nodded, expectant.

"What... is a bomb mask, if you don't mind my asking?"

'Mask goes on face. Then it explodes, like a bomb.' Ravio finally saw a change in expression when Weird Link made a little smile. 'Never run out of explosions.'

Feeling like he was missing something Ravio asked. "Wouldn't that hurt you?"

After a moment of contemplation he replied, 'little bit. Very loud.'

Ravio wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh or cry at the idea of repeatedly blowing up your own face. As an inventor he couldn't fathom what went into the design of such a thing.

But he did end up feeling better, to his surprise. The bizzare story finally let him relax out of the feeling of vigilance that followed him around so unpleasantly. Especially when he noticed the expectant look in the other boy's eyes, so earnest about trying to cheer him up with a story that wasn't funny outside of a morbid consideration, did Ravio end up laughing.

Weird Link relaxed imperceptibly.

'I thought I was dreaming,' he explained. Which made sense, Ravio thought, if you ignored the multitude of questions that explanation brought up. Who would think an injury could follow you out of a dream?

"So, Mr. Bomb Mask-"

The Link waved his hands and Ravio paused. 'I have over twenty.'

"Over twenty masks?" Ravio asked, impressed. Mr Multiple Masks nodded. "That's really cool! Do they all do something as interesting as blowing up?"

Mr Masks' eyes lit up.

#txt #mywriting #linkverse

[palialaina]

For some reason while I'm fishing I've starting saying "Heeeeere fishy fishy fishy!" and then I start giggling. I don't know what I'm remembering, but I suppose it's funny?

Unfortunately, it still hasn't netted me the fish I want.

Rude.

The Maji Market is supposed to open soon, and I admit, I'm pretty darn curious. I kind of want to ask Jel if he'd take me, but he's going to have so much work, I should probably just go alone.

Or maybe when we're being besties in Insomniac Club we can go? Who knows, he might get some inspiration out of it! I think, as far as muses go, I'm not really that inspiring as far as clothes go (really, I just want to be comfy), but he's always so happy to see me anyways.

Caleri's request that I get close to Tamal is... hard to fulfill. I have so much else to do when I'm in Bahari, I kind of... forget. And going to Tamala's neck of the woods, literally, always leaves me feeling a bit creeped out and jumpy.

Maybe I'm just being paranoid. The only magic things in the bay that I've found are the Proudhorns, and some weird white Chappa-looking thing. That apparently clones itself if you shoot it, according to what some other humans have said.

At least my garden looks awesome. The blueberry bushes are amazing, and the apple tree, wow! It's grown so fast! I really want to climb it, but I also think if I do, I'll get stuck... It's weird, gliding around is fine, but the minute I look down from any high spot, it's like my brain nopes out of the view.

So far, I haven't really fallen on accident. (And we're not telling anyone how many times I've fallen on purpose.)

Oh, and I got another letter from Orion, and I just...

Berry,

A stuffed animal got me banned from City Hall. Let me explain. Zeki gave me a coin for his gacha machine. Despite my undying hatred of all things gacha, I gave it a spin. I got a medium-sized stuffed animal called a Ranch House Cottonbean. It’s cool but I don’t really have anywhere to put it so I just dropped it on my floor. Eshe heard about it and came to talk to me. She acted like I’d just done something Very Significant. I have no idea what that woman is thinking. I thought maybe she was trying, in her own way, to get me to give her the stuffed animal so she could give it to Kenyatta. I don’t know Kenyatta very well so I have no idea if she’d even want it. I asked Eshe what she thought.

Have you ever mentioned Kenyatta to Eshe? Not a good idea. Eshe acted like I’d just thrown up in front of her. Then she said something… not nice. About her own daughter. I took exception to this. There was a… rather loud discussion. It ended when Eshe banned me from City Hall. Now if I need anything I have to stand outside the doors and wait until someone can pass a message along.

Frankly I consider it a small price to pay for not having to interact with Eshe for awhile. I still think something’s driving her to act like this, and someone should help her, but it ain’t gonna be me.

Word spread (from Eshe, obviously) and now Kenyatta and Reth are throwing me a party. I’ve already invited Tish and Nai’o, would you like to come too? It’s tomorrow at noon in front of City Hall.

-Orion

I suppose that's one way to get rapidly on Eshe's bad side. Sheesh... I mean, I can't really blame him, but honestly, Kenyatta's old enough to tell her mother off herself. And if she does, I wanna be tehre with macarons to watch the show, no lie.

Who knows if I'll remember, of course. Sometimes my brain loses things like this. But I suppose it could be worse; Eshe could have tried to ban him from the village entirely.

I suppose I'll have to talk with him about how to delicately address a situation. Jeez. My friends are all nuts, I swear.

#palia #palia online #singularity 6 #berry plays palia #palia game #palia journaling #palia journey #palia mmo #palia roleplaying

[encyclopika]

Abdhdh hi! I really want to go into marine biology, but it seems like there’s so little information out there about which specific programs or degrees take you in which direction (for ex. many programs I see are more environmentally focused and I’m more interested in sharks and cephalopods etc) do you have any tips on what path(s) to take and college programs/degrees to look into?

Hello! I got a similar question from @fish-themed-shitposter on my other ask, and I figure addressing you both would be the best so I don't miss anything. They're questions was: "It's my dream job, but I've heard the field is pretty competitive. Any advice before I go into highschool? What secondary education should I be aiming for?"

If you're passionate about learning and willing to make the commitment to work hard, that's the first thing you need. I'm not sure which countries you both are from, so I can only speak from my experiences in the USA. And, unfortunately, there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to doing this. If you have a particular subject you're into, ie: sharks, use that as a jumping point and source of willpower to persevere. Honestly, allowing that interest to expand is my advice. For example:

My original dream was to go out and study sharks, but that is *so hard* to do. Everyone wants to focus on the big, charismatic megafauna. Oh you like sharks, and dolphins, and seals, and turtles? Get in line. XD Slowly, I expanded my interests into all fish and marine invertebrates, which eventually lead me into fisheries. Through fisheries work, yeah, I don't get to see and tag and study exclusively sharks - unfortunately, my biggest project right now focuses on the Striped Bass. But! There is always potential to see and deal with sharks, and that is definitely good enough for me. Try to generalize your dream so you have more options and paths that you would be comfortable and happy to do. Be flexible. Maybe instead of cephalopods, you're into their coral reef habitats? Maybe you're passionate about conserving them in associated fisheries? I'd recommend doing some reading in Google Scholar when you have time. Type in your passion animal, and look at what's being done for them in the field. Maybe you'll see something that sparks your interest even more.

If you're going into high school, and you're very sure about your goals to join the marine bio field, then maybe one day during this summer when you've got nothing going on, start searching on Google for colleges/universities that have great biology majors and marine science classes. Go nuts. Look at the University of Hawaii - who gives a damn? Just get a feeling for it. Make a dream list of the ones you would love to apply to, and look at what courses they require you take to complete the degree you'd pick. Then, make sure you take similar classes in high school. For instance!

Any sort of biology coursework is going to include Math, Chemistry, Physics, and Statistics - all things I hated - but they absolutely have been relevant in my career. As were "intro to bio" courses that covered the meat and potatoes of bio - cell bio, ecology, and physiology. Take those introductions in high school so that, when you get into college, you're not starting on the first floor. Use high school like pre-college. College is insanely expensive and I hope they eliminate student debt for you guys, but in the meantime, you don't want to have to pay for the same class twice. Those foundational classes that will feel like a slog and make you question your career decisions, will take up at least the first two years of your undergraduate career, alongside the "classes that make you a well-rounded person hopefully", like history, english, and foreign language courses that may be required (and you can absolutely just take them at your local community college for cheap - check out how transferring credits works). Again, look at what the school wants you to do to get that degree. See if any of those classes overlap with another major or minor (I did this with my Environmental Studies minor - it's worth doing if the only difference is like, one class that might be fun, but irrelevant. I took a class about Primate Conservation, but it ended up giving me a lot of conservation perspective anyway, so they're worth it). And yeah, look for courses that are just plain fun and up your alley - you'll never know how that fits into your life. I took a class about King Arthur, and I LOVED it. The professor was a riot! Maybe it made me a better writer? Being a good writer helped me land my current job, because grant writing is important. Who tf knows?

Then look at the courses that are actually relevant to you - the marine bio, the fish ecology, the invertebrate zoology, whatever - they offer and what they entail and how that fits into your goals. If you're into cephalopods, you probably want to go somewhere that offers courses that focus on invertebrates in whatever capacity. Also keep in mind that you should also pick a type of bio you are into, as well. I was always into ecology (how ecosystems work is fascinating!) and that leads into conservation, which, put together with fish, equals a job in Fisheries Management and research on commercially important species, fishing gear, and the industry. Go down the rabbit hole and see what you come up with.

Look at the faculty of the bio and/or marine bio departments. Each one is not going to just be a teacher, they are also the head Principle Investigator (PI) - the head scientist, if you will - of their own lab, usually. See what they're researching right now. Look at what they have researched already - chances are, they have a passion animal or topic that they have zeroed in on, and if that matches yours, you should bang on their door and ask when you can volunteer to help around the lab when you're accepted at their university/college. Perhaps see if there is undergraduate research credits you can take on and get your feet wet doing real science on an "easy" project the PI has for an undergrad. And remember, just because the PI's interests match yours, doesn't mean other PIs won't be better suited for you. Some of them are actually assholes, and you shouldn't stay in a lab run by an asshole because you're desperate. In undergrad, any experience in a lab is a good thing, even if you're the poor bucket-cleaning shmuck. Someone's gotta clean those buckets! It's important! Oh, and read their scientific journal articles and get a feel for exactly what they do - it's flattering for them and shows your commitment when you've done that homework.

Internship opportunities and organizations that focus on your passions are places you want to apply to and get real job experience, whether that's over the summer, or you work it in between classes. Maybe you're into marine mammals? Volunteer with the local marine mammal and sea turtle rescue/rehab place. Maybe you love talking nonstop about the ocean and everything - look into educational jobs at aquariums, zoos, and other non-profits that do education or kids camps outdoors.

You do not absolutely need to have an even higher degree (master's, phD) in order to be in this field. There are plenty of places looking for technicians with a bachelor's to do grunt field work and there's nothing shameful about being the one doing it if you love it. A master's may open doors for you that include a little more research, you may be able to write grants, or be put in charge of the grunts in the field. A PhD may land you work with a university or big lab doing important research. Who knows? You go as far as you can. Life will get in the way. Do not sacrifice happiness in other spaces in your life because this is your dream. If you keep at it, it should come in whatever capacity. I refused to leave New York, so my job search was extremely limited but...I wanted to be with my now-husband. Life happens!

And my best advice of all? Don't give up. One bad grade isn't going to ruin everything. Pick yourself up and keep trying. When I earned my Master's, I had to get a job at Walgreen's to make money while I waited for opportunities to open up. It was degrading af. But you don't give up. You get on the internet everyday and apply to jobs, programs, state tests - throw as much shit at the wall and something is bound to stick (you'll learn that in your stats classes! XD).

Don't give up. But accept when and if your interests change. It could happen. You could wake up late for Physics again and say "ya know what? Fuck it. Time to switch to the Business major" and that's totally valid. Don't stick with something just because young you thought you loved it. This is really hard to do.

Anyway, if you make strides, I'd love to hear all about it. I am proud of you for even going for it. Feel free to message me anytime. ^__^/

#marine biology #I am sorry this is so long #but I said I didn't wanna leave anything out! #make your dreams a reality #change your goals when they don't suit you anymore #study hard

[noco7]

Hi! I just read your post on Nemma and Noah's characterization in RR and, although I actually really like Nemma, I totally agree with you about how nuts the writing was. But it made me curious so I decided to ask: what are your thoughts on Emma as a character? I quite like her, but I prefer Kitty lol.

Hello! Nice to hear from you, and I'm glad n*mma worked for some people. As for Emma, I'm going to be honest - I don't know what to make of her. The first (and last) time I watched RR, I really tried to like her. I didn't want to be one of those people who hated the female love interest for getting in the way of their gay ship. And I accomplished that, I don't hate Emma. But I don't love her either. Perhaps I should love her. She's a bit like Courtney - not as extreme and so not as interesting imo, but she's still a mean girbloss. And I like evil women. Hell, I like Amy from Pakhitew and the only thing she ever did was be mean to her sister. And I enjoyed every second of it. That girl was so evil it crossed into camp. Considering all those things, Emma should have been easy favorite. But ehh, didn't happen. And I think that's more on me. The more I force myself to like something, the more attention I pay to the flaws. The more people tell me something's bad, the more I look for the good things. It's like I always want to prove someone wrong, whether thats myself or the public. But enough about me, let's talk about Emma:

IMO, Emma has three main things going for her during RR. Her relationship with her sister, her relationship with Noah, and her trust issues regarding alliances. 1) The sister plot. I have mixed feelings about how this plot began, because yeah, Emma was pretty mean. Which I should like, because I liked Amy. But I was never supposed to like Amy, so I did. But I was supposed to like Emma. Emma's a protaganist. So I didn't. 💀 That being said, even I can't deny how well this plotline resolved. Her problem had been her putting the competition ahead of her sister, but for her to accept defeat because her sister was more important? Chef's kiss. Masterful writing. Great message for the kiddies and adults alike.

So yeah, mixed feelings, but overall, I'd say it was Good. 2) Her relationship with Noah. Yeah, no. You already saw me diss this ship, which, sorry. But I will be nicer this time! Despite my dislike, It does solve the problem of her not being over her ex. That's good, that she could find love again. And tbf, I think it does make sense that she likes Noah, or at least more sense the other way around. Since she's allowed to dislike him first, it's not insta-love. And once Noah proves himself by always trying to impress her and help him out, like.. yeah of course she likes the guy who's dedicated to being her simp. I too would grow to like someone who liked me. So what's the problem? Ehh, it's her weird comments. She compares Noah's ass to apples, when the guy is flat af. Emma says Noah's funny in his least funny season, then laughs at one of Noah's jokes, before admitting she doesn't get it. Like, it feels like the writers weren't sure of how to make Noah appealing without making Emma a little insane. The family thing, the hair fish thing, the obession over him even when he's gone. I know that's her thing, that Emma is slightly obsessive. (And I'd be a hypocrite to hate Noah's SO being slightly obsessive. Like that isn't the whole plot of my Noco fic. But uhh, I use it as a way to deconstruct anxiety, neglect, and talk about the importance of consent. TD doesn't do that with Emma. It's just a funny weirdo thing she does 😜)

And perhaps that would be fine and quirky. Not everything has to deep. And that's true. Unfortunately, I'm an ex BNHA stan. For those who don't know about the manga, good, but also there's uhh some Sexist Writing in there. In this specific case, I'm talking about Deku and Ochako. Deku is the main hero guy, and Ochako is the love interest. They both start off as capable heros with their own unique motives, yet as soon as Uraraka started liking Deku, everything became about him. Every fight she thinks of him, 99% of her plot and screentime becomes about him. She stops being a character on her own and more a sattelite that revolves around Deku.

Now, TD didn't do this with Emma. She is still her own character after Noah is gone, and arguably a better one. But still, her continuing to think about Noah to the point of getting distracted rlly bothers me. It's like war flashbacks to 2018. So no, I don't think N*mma was a successful plotline for Emma, because while it did solve her problem ✅ and did kinda make sense ✅ it made her annoying to watch. ❌ And I hate Nemma, so BOOO! Negative points!!

3) But what about her thing about not being able to trust people? And I don't mean men, I mean alliances. There's this whole thing where Kitty tries to get Emma to consider alliances. The Nowen one works, sorta. (You know, if Noah was a true boyfriend, he would have continued the competition, just so he could stay and help his GF. But apparently Noah's just one of those guys who like... is lazy and annoying, meets a girl he likes, puts massive amounts of effort to woo her - then once he gets the girl, he stops. Oof. 💀) But what about the other alliance? The Adversity Twins. Uhhh. Emma kinda betrayed them. For Noah! A good cause! But it kinda weakens her trusting other people, and willingness to help her competitors, when one of her Big Moments was throwing them overboard for her bf she wasn't even dating yet. Wow. I'd be so pissed if I were the Adversity Twins, lmao. This moment isn't bad in itself, but it confuses the message. She's trying to learn how to make alliances, but she throws one alliance to save the other. Net gain 0. And if I'm remembering wrong, she also didn't trust the Surfer Dudes later on? So uhhh. Tl;dr Emma had 3 main things in RR, she aced one of them, flopped in the other, and kinda... nothinged the third. At least for me. So in the end, it all cancels out. I feel like if I watched RR again, I might like her more. And if I liked N*mma, like you do, I might have liked Emma too. Unfortunately, I have taken the path into darkness.

If you're wondering if my fic will bash her, the answer is no. She doesn't have much of a presence in this fic for obvious reasons, and if she appears, it will be brief, and as Noah's friend. Emma the dog, however, will be making consistent appearances. I feel less bad about the overlapping names now that the new TD Season also has another Emma. Thank you TD, for assuaging my guilt. They really do care about their fans. 🤧 And if you're wondering why I named the dog Emma, when I could have just not... I took a Jane Austen class in college, thought Noah would like Austen, Emma is Austen's best book imo, thought the coincidence funny, starting thinking of how to insert his Austen like in the narrative in subtle ways, thought of his dog, and well. Yeah. That's the main reason. Should I have just named her Elizabeth or smth? Yeah. But Noah hates the monarchy :(

#td rr #td askbox #this was a really long way to say im neutral #you expect the long fic writer to stop at a few words? #never #and its past midnight so everything feels Deep #you know? #tbh maybe i should blame my rebellious psyche on my kpop days #where fans were basically required to agree that everything an artist put out was good #you could not be a if you went against the grain #so now im programmed to spot any way to go against the grain #i make it sound like it was a cult #it wasnt it was just kpop twitter being kpop twitter #which is #annoying #you say you go against the grain and yet you ship noco and wt is your favorite season #okay maybe im not that much of a hippie i guess

[meditating-dog-lover]

Eczema - oranges and potatoes

So good news. Yesterday I went to the grocery store to buy an orange and some potatoes so I can test if I'm sensitive to those.

I had the orange yesterday. I didn't react to it, maybe just a bit of itchiness but that can be caused by something else like a reaction to cold weather. I have an itchy spot on my neck that recently formed, and I was itching it yesterday night. But thankfully I did not have a bad flareup.

I react badly to tomatoes, which are a part of the nightshade family. So are eggplants, peppers, and white potatoes. I wanted to see if I had a general nightshade sensitivity or to tomatoes only. So I had some small white potatoes for dinner (I seasoned them with avocado oil and non-pepper spices, and baked them). They were very good and thankfully I haven't flared up from them. I'll wait until tomorrow morning, but I'll be happy if I don't develop a reaction because I would hate to cut them out of my diet. I ate them with the skin (the skin is the inflammatory part, not so much the potato itself). Despite that I feel fine.

I'm going to eventually test for peppers (both bell and spices); they are also nightshades. But I'm happy to find out that I don't react negatively to wheat, dairy, citrus, eggs, fish, nuts, peanuts, caffeine/dark chocolate, nor potatoes.

I met with an allergist today who suggested I do a patch test because I have signs of contact dermatitis. I booked that for next week. I get it on my mouth and hands which suggests there is likely contact dermatitis, as opposed to me developing eczema all over my body (thankfully I don't). I feel like doing this test is 100% worth it and I'm looking forward to seeing the results.

I'm also going to consider ordering another food sensitivity test because collecting enough blood for the first one I ordered was so frustrating and the collection method for this new kit I found is much easier. I would normally get this done at a doctor's office, but unfortunately most doctors do not recognize food sensitivities like they recognize allergies. Allergies mediate an IgE response, sensitivities mediate an IgG response. So they're a bit different. Food allergies will manifest as hives, swelling and anaphylaxis whereas food sensitivities will manifest as inflammation (migraines, joint pain/arthritis, gastrointestinal discomfort, and eczema/skin rashes). So food sensitivities may sound gimmicky to some doctors, but if you're someone like me struggling with an inflammatory condition, then you know they're 100% real.

So I think both the patch and food sensitivity tests will be very helpful for my eczema. I've noticed my skin healing and looking less inflamed. I'm avoiding tomatoes which is a great start. I'm also glad I don't react badly to citrus nor potatoes. Later this week I'm going to test out if I react to peppers (I might buy a bell pepper or some spices; and on Friday I'll try buffalo wings instead of pizza from the pizza store I like to get food from for my family at the end of the week). Pizza of course has tomato sauce, so that's not good for me.

Ever since the problems in Gaza started, my eczema got worse. I'm certain this had an effect on my stress levels, even though I may not notice it too well because I unfortunately deal with stress and anxiety all the time.

Nutritional deficiencies in anti-inflammatory nutrients, like vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids, also cause eczema. Most people are deficient in these, so supplementing can help. This, as well as stress reduction and identifying your allergy and sensitivity triggers, can help with addressing the root cause of eczema and hopefully lead you down the path to clear and healthy skin. I really cannot wait, I will find a solution just like how I found a solution to all my other health issues.

I've also heard that there is a link between leaky gut and eczema. But I haven't looked into this enough, nor have I been tested. I also hardly experience gastrointestinal discomfort. L-glutamine is good for leaky gut.

Just as a note: I'm not a dietician nor a nutritionist. I'm just a scientist and an average everyday person who unfortunately struggles with a chronic, inflammatory skin condition. I know I talk about food sensitivities and cutting out foods in this post, and I actually hate the constant fear mongering around food that I see online by people who are not qualified nor specialized in the field. As a scientist, I love researching the diverse causes of various health conditions, and it happens to be the case that my condition can be caused by food sensitivities. My goal isn't to fear monger about food, it's to find solutions for my condition. If you don't have any sensitivities (to certain food groups or to all foods) and you don't have any chronic inflammatory conditions, then don't cut foods out. Enjoy your life.

Update: I am writing the day after and I did not wake up with a flareup. So potatoes are perfectly fine for me to eat

[olderthannetfic]

hi hi history-non again, sorry I know it's a very

ahem wide and girthy ahem

ask, and i'm sorry for not narrowing it down farther my brain is smooth as butter and the dart board, so to speak, is. big. i feel like im throwing my dart in the ocean of 'what i don't know' and trying to spear a fish who might speak to me like the queer elder i never ha d ;lkasjd;flkas damn you small conservative town ANYWAYS

i guess okay maybe do you have any favourite figureheads? whats your fave pieces of lgbtqa+ media (like books or shows?)

thanks again and sorry for.

uh.

big.

--

Lolololol. Yes.... it’s so... big...

In the 90s, the writers of nonfiction who I found really inspirational were Susie Bright and Kate Bornstein. My Gender Workbook was a classic. I gather there’s a new edition.

I was a massive, massive nerd, so my actual favorite queer book as a 14-year-old is one that will be a bit... uh... much if you’re not feeling very intellectual. It’s Third Sex, Third Gender: Beyond Sexual Dimorphism in Culture and History. This thing is a massive doorstop of a book that collects academic journal articles on third gender roles from various cultures. I was obsessed with this thing. Again, it’s academic journal articles, not popular nonfiction, so expect that level of impenetrable prose.

I was also a giant weeb, so I read a bunch of books on the history of gay sex in Japan. It’s pretty interesting how much people assume the “m/m sex = sin” shit was worldwide and how much it just was not.

In terms of fiction, I’ve always struggled to find f/f media I relate to. I really like the tv adaptations of Fingersmith and Tipping the Velvet. Lots of fucked up problematicness and gorgeous visuals. Gotta love the lady with the strap-on and the gold body paint!

For other queer media, I was a big fan of Velvet Goldmine and of Pedro Almodóvar’s older films, which are full of every problematic kink you can think of. They also have a lot of het I like, like the lady being coerced into sex (that she enjoys) by the drag queen who impersonates her famous mother she has a lot of mommy issues about... except said drag queen is really an undercover police officer. Just... whut. (All the “straight” stuff in Almodóvar’s films is also bugfuck nuts and often kind of queer.)

I really, really, really loved Crash. Not the shitty one that won an oscar: the car crash perverts one full of weird UST. There’s a ton of straight sex in this too, along with every gender combo and a laundry list of upsetting kinks. It’s just every kind of weird perv thing. (”Weird art film full of sex and problematicness” is pretty much the defining feature of movies I liked as a teen. I loved Kissed, that het necrophilia movie too.)

Stage Beauty is probably my favorite film for bi vibes. It’s this meditation on identity as the English stage was changing over from having men play women to having actual actresses. It ends in f/m, but it’s definitely a very queer film.

If you want slice of life stuff, I guess you could try Dykes to Watch Out For (the comic that’s the source of the bechdel test) or the Tales of the City novel series. These will both give you a sense of what was going on in certain queer communities in the late 20thC. If you want something relatively fluffy, Maurice is a historical costume drama with a happy ending. I found it awfully slow as a college student, but it does have naked Rupert Graves (Lestrade from Sherlock), so...

----

See, this is hard to answer because I came of age and did all of my reading of that kind a long time ago. I pretty quickly moved on to fangirl media, which I have always liked a lot better than other arguably queer stuff. Back in the 90s, that meant Japanese stuff and fic. Later, I had access to more flavors of by-fujoshi-for-fujoshi media.

So my actual favorite m/m books are a bunch of “m/m romance” (i.e. American BL being sold as ebooks on amazon). If you want live action TV and fandomy vibes, you’re better off with Trapped (hot cop/mobster action!) or one of those Thai series about schoolboys or something than stuff made by cis gay men in the US.

I also came of age in an era when “queer” media was very Cis Gay Men And Sometimes Cis Lesbians with an occasional nod to bi people existing... maybe. Kate Bornstein and a few others were raising the profile of MtF transsexuals (the term in use at the time) who wanted surgery or even, gasp, maybe didn’t want bottom surgery in some cases. Anything about FtMs or nb/agender/etc. identities was practically invisible. I saw the term ‘genderqueer’ around a bit, but it was mostly in contexts that were very tryhard and unappealing to me.

(You haven’t given any details, but I’m going to go out on a limb and guess you’re like much of tumblr and the flavors of queerness you relate to aren’t so much the Cis Gay Men Only culture that makes up quite a bit of queer history and older queer media.)

I can tell you what I liked as a teen, but not everybody is into fucked up art films that may not have happy endings. I can try to rec things about queer culture in the 90s, but I probably don’t have great recs for way earlier or later than that... unless it’s so much earlier that I’ve researched it while writing fic of some historical canon or other. A lot of how I learned about queer culture myself was from magazines or from reading soc.bi on usenet or just from living through the 90s--not typically from books that are easy to unearth and just hand to someone now.

I tend to just not like anything in the contemporary romance or slice of life genres, regardless of gender and orientation, so while I’ve watched/read a bit more queer stuff like this, especially in the past when I had less access to queer media, it’s not a space I’m great at reccing in. And that’s unfortunate because a lot of that type of art gives you a better sense of what other queer people were like in other eras and/or it’s a safer rec than some bananas crazy BDSM film.

I was, and am, very kinky (though pretty lazy in terms of actual practice), so a lot of my reading and media interest was bound up in that also. Obviously, I was quite interested in the drawings of Tom of Finland or the photography of Robert Mapplethorpe, but are you going to be into photos of some guy shoving a whip handle in his ass? I love the movie Cruising... it’s about serial killers and leather and homophobia and is every bit as potentially traumatizing as that sounds.

I feel you on the problem of finding queer elders. There isn’t really an obvious way to go about this.

#queer history #queer media #Anonymous

[canaryatlaw]

god I'm tired. today was good I guess, I just feel shitty at the moment. I slept in at least, but when I got up we pretty soon started getting ready for the wedding. I'm kind of out of practice doing my makeup since I've rarely been doing it for a year now, so it could've been better but it was fine. the dress was a bit of an ordeal, it had a bunch of complicated straps in the back and I didn't really realize pretty much the whole back is open, which I felt kind of awkward about. I ended up ditching my bra completely and I think it worked pretty well from there. We were getting ready to go, but my brothers' girlfriends were taking forever getting ready, so we left late, and then god I swear, my mother has the worst sense of direction, she couldn't even follow the gps in the car, it was driving me nuts. we made it there thankfully, then there was a whole to do about parking, but whatever, it worked out. the wedding was outdoors and then there was a tent set up for the reception. the wedding was really beautiful, it was all in an arboretum with just really gorgeous scenery everywhere. after that they did the whole appetizer thing while they did photos and such. We were there because the groom is the son of one of our close family friends, we've spent tons of thanksgivings and christmases with them, so we're pretty tight, and they've been really good in providing support after my dad passed, so that's been much appreciated. they have a daughter a year older than me whose name is ironically also Rachel, and she was living in Chicago for a bit before moving to Maine (something about a boyfriend and a lobster catching business) that I'm like legitimately friends with, but she ended up not being able to come because someone she worked with got Covid and she had to quarantine, which means I was left at the family table they put me at expecting her to be there haha so it was just me, my mom, her sister, her dad, and her aunt. their mom didn't end up making it....she has an alcohol addiction unfortunately and has really been struggling with that, which has just been heartbreaking to watch, especially knowing addiction is a disease and not something you can magically make go away. sigh. anyway. the reception was nice, I somehow ended up with the vegetarian option because I guess my mom put that down for me and she got the fish so she said we could always trade? lol but hers ended up being salmon, which I've eaten exactly once in the last like, 15 years (not counting sushi, that's a different category) but the vegetarian option ended up being gnocchi in a thick tomato sauce with some fresh mozzarella melted on top, which was pretty good, the gnocchi were pretty huge though. We danced around for a bit, I'm not super fond of dancing at these kind of events, but we jammed out for a bit, and that was fun. they didn't really end up having a cake- they had a small one that was set out but it didn't actually end up getting served, so I don't know what happened there. the tent was open on the sides and it was getting pretty chilly, so I was really cold and also started getting mosquito bites (once I realized I put on some bug spray that I have in my giant purse but it was too late for a few) so I was kinda meh for the end but made it through. getting back to the hotel with the 6 of us jammed in the 5 seater car was a whole to do, with my brothers being peak obnoxious, so I really just didn't want to deal with them. we made it back eventually, there was supposed to be an after party taking place at the hotel in a little bit but I was definitely done for the night, so I just went straight to my room and took a shower, felt a bit better after that at least. I went on my laptop a little before I started writing this, and it's just after midnight, I'm not sure when we'll have to leave in the morning but I'd like to maximize my potential sleeping time, so I'll end this here. Goodnight loves. Hope you had a marvelous Saturday.

#daily journal #May 2021 #hello May #be good to us please

[webrokethemoon]

ALL OF THEM O_o for the jjba ask thingy (jkjk you don't have to do all or them or any of them if you don't want to^^)

Doll, you know ily, and I am hella bored, but why?

Star Platinum – Your thoughts on the stars?I freaking love the stars

Magician’s Red – Do you know any magic tricks?Does doing witchcraft count?

Hermit Purple – Show a photo of yourself!No

Hierophant Green – What’s your favourite shade of green?Emerald, forest, or sea foam green

Silver Chariot (Requiem) – How much sleep do you need on average?It varies…a lot. But maybe like 6 hours at the most

The Fool – Tell us a joke!Why did Adele cross the road?To say hello from the other side! *ba dum ching*

The World - A place you want to visit?Africa, all of it.

Crazy Diamond – What do you treasure the most?My friends and my grandfathers pocket watch

The Hand – Do you like your hands?Only when I have long nails

Echoes – Your favourite sound?The sound of a thunderstorm

Heaven’s Door – Share a secret!I ate a cockroach as a little kid

Killer Queen – How would you like to die?I want to be one of those stories parents tell their kids at night. I want to walk into a forest one day and never come out. People will say that I’ve become one with the forest and my ghost resides there helping people who have lost their way or that I’m out caring for the creatures, so basically a guardian of the forest.

Bad Company – What kind of character trades do you dislike?I think meant to say traits and I don’t like when the character that is weak and acknowledges it, but does nothing to change that.

Red Hot Chili Pepper – Can you handle spicy food?Hell yeah I can

The Lock – Anything you feel guilty about right now?Not atm, but pretty soon I probably will

Love Deluxe – Are you secretly in love with someone right now?Yes, myself

Pearl Jam – Your signature dish?I love all food

Achtung Baby – Do you want kids?Do animals count? I’d probably adopt, but other than that not really.

Harvest – Do you pick up coins in from the street?Depends

Cinderella – Which part of your body do you like the most?…

Atom Heart Father – How is your relationship with your father?It’s okay. We don’t talk much, he’s not around a lot, but whatever

Enigma – What is puzzling you currently?How people can manage to prove that they truly are idiots and have the worst and most unqualified person going into a major power. (If you don’t like what I have to say about him, unfollow me rn.)

Earth Wind and Fire – What’s the best classical element?Water

Stray Cat – Cats or dogs?Both

Gold Experience – A precious experience you have not shared with your followers?I took care of a baby bird one time. He was adorable, and I’m glad I could help him.

Sticky Fingers – Zippers or buttons?Buttons

Moody Blues – A song that makes you sad?Battle cry by sia ft. Angel haze

Sex Pistols – Have you ever shot a gun or riffle?Nope, but I’d like to learn how just in case

Aerosmith – Are you afraid of flights?Nope

Purple Haze – What makes you really anrgy?When people fuck with the ones I care about or when they act like they’re superior than others

Spice Girl – Your favourite spice?Cayenne for daaayyysss

King Crimson – Is it possible to predict the future?Maybe, but I believe it can be altered

Black Sabbath – How easily do you trust people?Too easily, it’s bad

Man in the Mirror – Do you like looking into the mirror?Fuck no

Beach Boy – Have you ever been fishing?Defiantly not

The Grateful Dead – What do you want to be remembered for?Being there to support and help people when they need it

White Album – Your favourite CD?Too many

Talking Head – Are you a good liar?I’m okay

Baby Face – Your thought on babies?Wouldn’t want one of my own, but they’re okay

Metallica – Do you like listening to metal?No, not really

Green Day – Ideal way to spend a day off?Being a burrito in my bed watching a good anime

Oasis – Best place for a holiday?Home

Stone Free – Are you a indoor or outdoor person?Outdoor to an extent

Kiss – Who would you like to kiss or get a kiss from?This list is too damn long and half them aren’t even real

Burning Down the House – Ever destroyed something and then regretted it?My life

Foo Fighters – Your favourite drink?Mellow yellow

Diverdown – Your thoughts on diving?Never done it, but I would love to one day

C-Moon – What would you do for your friend’s sake?Anything

MadeinHeaven – What do you believe happens after you died?I’m not really sure. I think everyone has a choice of how they want it, so you get a choice to be reincarnated, sent to heaven or hell, wander the earth as a ghost, etc. it depends on what you believe.

Weather Report – Your favourite weather?Thunderstorms and fog

Whitesnake – Your thoughts on snakes/reptiles?If you know Dr. Montgomery Montgomery from Series of Unfortunate Events, basically him

Tusk – Tea or coffee?Both

Ball Breaker – Your favourite ball game?Water polo or volleyball

Oh! Lonesome Me – Do you feel lonely right now?Yes

Scary Monsters – Your favourite dinosaur?Brachiosaurus

Cream Starter – Do you usually wear make up?Sometimes, but not often

Catch the Rainbow – Your favourite colour in the rainbow?Blue

Ticket to Ride – What was the last ticket you bought for?Green Day at Wrigley field ayyeeee

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap – Do you believe in the multiverse? Yes

In a Silent Way – Do you enjoy complete silence?It’s nice sometimes

Soft & Wet – Shower or bath?Both

Paisley Park – How good are you with reading maps/directions?You do NOT want me telling you directions ask @yourvegetasmellsbad

Nut King Call – How good are you at assembling/constructing things like Ikea furniture?Okay, but not the best

Paper Moon King – Can you do any origami?Hell no

King Nothing – Your favourite smell?Lavender or the smell of earth just after it rains

BornThisWay – A strange habit you have?My pillows have to be puffy and the tag on the blanket must be at the end near my feet

Les Feulies – Your favourite plant?Lavender

Fun Fun Fun – Something you really enjoy doing?Being outside

California King Bed – What size is your bed?Queen

#asks #mo talks #jjba