#how to become forensic anthropologist

[forensicfield]

How To Become A Forensic Anthropologist?

A forensic anthropologist can analyze human remains and identify a person's cause of death, such as whether it was suicide, homicide, accidental, or natural, using their knowledge of bones. With a high degree... #forensicanthropology #forensicscience

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#career in forensic field #career in forensic medicine #career in forensic science #forensic anthropologist #forensic anthropology #Forensic field #Forensic science #how to become forensic anthropologist #what is forensic anthropology

[box-architecture]

In the Forensic Anthropologist AU, what happened to Dream? Why does he have lots of scars and a cane? What happened? 

How do all of their coworkers react to finding out SamDream are dating?

…is there a Punz?

-

Dream had a split in his lip, a small scar from the accident he didn't talk about. Sam thought about it sometimes. He thought about how it stretched a little when Dream laughed, how it had the slightest texture when Dream let him cup his cheek.

It was a passing thought now, with Dreams lips wrapped around his cock. How pretty he must look, scars and all, and how Sam could only appreciate how he looked from this angle, looking down.

A mirror. Sam should get a mirror.

-

Schlatts business on paper is pretty typical capitalism. Off paper its pretty typical "assassinate anyone who tries to get in our way."

Quackity was working for Schlatt as the person who did the killings, so Schlatt wouldn't have to do the actual work and could focus on the business. Quackity has a normal, great life with his two partners who he's going to get married to. And Sapnap has always liked to talk about how cool his friends are, and sometimes they even all meet up for dinner, so Dream and Quackity are acquainted and friendly.

And then one of the bodies get discovered, poker chip in their mouth, tying back to Schlatt and Quackity, and suddenly he's a suspect and it's Not Looking Good.

And of course this means that Quackity is straining under Dream's calculating gaze, enough to try to complain to Sapnap, who gives Dream a hard time about it, because Obviously Quackity couldn't do those things, we know him.

And there's ice in Dream's veins as he digs further and further into the rabbit hole and thinks about how Quackity sleeps in Sapnaps bed, how Sapnap could be in danger.

So of course he urges Sapnap to think and look at the facts, and of course Sapnap takes that personally and goes to George, who has been trying to get Dream to stop focusing so much on his work for months. George seeing this as Dream pulling away from them and shredding all of Dream's case files he can get his hands on, and when Dream gets mad he can only yell about how dumb Dream is being to care more about his stupid work than them and their needs. And Dream packs his shit and stays at the lab, working tirelessly until he solves the case, trying to put it all out of his mind.

He's too close to unraveling their operation, so Schlatt has Quackity go after Dream. Dream has most of what happened buried in his mind as deeply as he can, but he does remember the taste of blood in his mouth while the FBI stormed the place Quackity had him.

(Sapnap and George don't come to the hospital. Sapnap isn't sure how he's supposed to apologize and George is having 500000 meltdowns in his house. So they don't come, and Dream quietly packs up his apartment and transfers to a different lab, as far away from everyone as possible.)

In the end, there's enough evidence to arrest Quackity and Schlatt. Quackity gets imprisoned, Schlatt manages to skeeve by because they can't prove he ordered the hit.

Schlatt is the first victim when Quackity breaks out. Dream recognizes his suit, even covered in grime as it is.

Serial killer Quackity breaking out of jail and leaving his poker chip calling cards. Dream arrives at a crime scene and sees one and just. He dissociates a little and Punz is looking super worried but Dream brushes it off and gathers the crime scene stuff together and goes home.

Only to get there and receive a phonecall or a letter from Quackity and things suddenly feel Very Unsafe Forever.

(when Dream gets panic attacks he gets angry, hates that he can't control himself, hates that this still has to matter even all these years later.)

-

When Dream and Sam get together, there's a sort of sigh of relief. Finally, everyone seemed to think. Maybe they can stop acting like they're in a soap opera. This is incorrect because they simply become more insane about each other in different ways, but for a Single Day there is hope.

For FBI Agent Punz, its a bit of a different story.

They're meant to investigate the murders that Dream solves, collect info and interrogate people. Protect Dream and keeps him from getting hurt on cases. Dream starts out as very lukewarm to cold with most people, and the agent assigned to him is no different. It takes a lot of work to win Dream's trust, and Punz doesn't even have to be friends with him to work together, but They Want To Try.

Sam comes to the forensics lab after Dream has gradually warmed to Punz, and they're at the beginnings of what could be romance. And then Sam shows up and suddenly he's in Dream's space So Easily So Happily and Dream is incredibly tender with this man Punz has never met.

And that's annoying as fuck.

Punz has learned the ins and outs of Dream, has come to love him fiercely, nearly In Love, and suddenly Sam Is Here.

And Sam thinks Punz is Good for taking care of Dream, keeping him safe, Punz is wonderful, so pretty and handsome and powerful and could lift Sam off the ground- But Don't Worry About That.

Sam doesn't think of Punz as Enemy Rival Number 1, he thinks of Punz as Potential New Friend At Job Who Also Understands How Important Dream Is, Surely.

Punz had a very comfortable, calm, unobtrusive thing going between him and Dream and now there's a very pleased creeper invading his space and touching Dream and being way too nice.

Punz is not used to people being that nice.

If this were a tv show the theme of like half the season would be Punz trying to navigate this new person who everyone else insists is perfectly normal (they have to be lying. There has to be some dark secret here. Dream doesn't smile like that for other people. He's vulnerable and there's a Threat. Why is Sam offering to get lunch with Punz???)

Sam is very bad at flirting with Punz. Mostly because he doesn't realize he's flirting with Punz. Punz also doesn't realize he's flirting with Punz

Its not Sam's fault Punz is just!!!! So strong, the epitome of a strong protector, the thing Sam always wished he could be. Punz's laugh is more like a bark and when he puts his hand on your shoulder and squeezes its like a promise of safety.

Of course Sam would want that for Dream. Of course Sam wants that. Its only natural.

When Punz says "no I'm busy" or politely rejects Sam's offers of lunch or Getting To Know Each Other, Sam is just a lost puppy who assumes If he Tries Again surely Punz will be his friend.

(and of course it does eventually because Punz is not immune to friendship, much to their despair.)

#awesamdrunz #ask boxed #forensic au

[kaija-rayne-author]

Something I hardly ever see in video games is people in the game complaining about how much all those corpses used as set dressing would stink. (There was one comment, IIRC, in DAI, in the bog level.)

CW mildly graphic discussion of scent relating to death. Mention of emesis and bowels.

Putrescense, the 'smell of death/decomposition' is something you can sorta get used to? (Not really, but you can learn to breathe differently and become more inured to it. You can learn tricks of the trade, vaporub really does work to some extent.) I mean, I was a stereotype of people who can eat and work on cadavers, but it’s an incredibly strong smell. And it's not like I have a dull sense of smell. I'm a supertaster/smeller genetype. (I was a Forensic anthropologist/crime scene tech for a while after uni, that's how I know.)

People who haven't been around it enough to get used to it are likely to vomit. The rookie upchucking on scene isn't a stereotype for no reason. Even though I'd built up some tolerance, at this point I haven't worked in that field for decades so even I would likely get sick from it. And it's an odor you never forget.

Putrescine and Cadaverine are two organic chemical forms that a cadaver often produces, and they're both often on the list of 'worst smells known to humanity'.

The Indonesian Corpse flower smells exactly as advertised and is often as high as number 2 on those lists.

Add in the char on some of those set dressings, (burning human is not a great combination of smells, I guarantee it) or the saponification likely in water burials, or the blight itself and dear gods these people would be gagging all over the place. And what about the scents of released sphincters that often occur around death? People don't usually enjoy the outhouse smells that often come with a dead body.

It's also something people can smell a long way off. Roughly a quarter to half a mile away, depending on climate and wind direction. It's also a smell that clings. You get around a dead body, all your gear, your hair and skin, it's all going to stink of it.

But it's really rare to even get a mention of it. I know, I know, bad smells aren't fun or sexy, but it's actually enough for me to get thrown from immersion because of it.

Even if you posit that they'd possibly be used to it because of the world being so brutal, I'd find that incredibly arguable.

People really don't like the smell of death, and we do a lot to get rid of it. We're hard wired, brain wise, to avoid it or get rid of it. It makes us uncomfortable. And the blight hadn't been seen for, what? 400 years? So very little way to get used to that. This isn't even getting into all the 'lack of insects and other scavengers' issue. In Thedas especially, there's damned good reasons to, I dunno, not leave corpses around so they don't get demon possessed and come home for dinner, too. (Yes, I think I'm hilarious 😆.)

Death stinks. Set dressers, writers, and game devs could probably consider that.

#dragon age series #dragon age #dragon age inquisition #dragon age confessions #dao #da2 #dai #forensics #video games

[pray4saint]

SAINT i need show recs, and you seem like you have amazing taste, so... any ideas?

down the rabbit hole we go, im big on crime shows soooooo most of them are

psych (2006-2014, 8 seasons) ; i've watched it from start to finish 3 times and even know i go back and watch my favourite episodes (prime video)

summary ; the mc (shawn spencer) is very observant and gets called in bc the police think he's in on all these crimes bc he keeps calling in tips, but he lies and says that he's a psychic.. and keeps it up for YEARS, subplot slowburn romance is SO YUMMY familiar faces ; shawn spencer (james roday rodriguez) in a million little things, burton guster (dule hill) in holes, other familiar faces + there are also 3 psych movies & the the creators are planning out the 4th, they're just waiting for a producing company to pick it up with funds, (peacock)

bones (2005-2017, 12 seasons) ; i'm currently watching this & i'm obsessed but try not to get too attached to any characters, i like how a lot of the characters are in some way autistic (like me) and they don't ever have to point it out bc that's just how the characters are, be aware, the remains are kinda gross but i'm goos w it (prime video/freevee)

summary ; a forensic anthropologist (temperance brennan) working with an fbi agent (seeley booth) to solve crimes using just the bones, lots of main & side character betrayal and deaths + the finder (2012, 1 season) ; this is a spinoff of bones, i'd wait until the episode in bones where they go to the finder before watching this (disney+)

leverage (2008-2012, 5 seasons) ; this show brings me an inexplicable amount of dopamine when i watch it & the subplot slowburn romances are SO GOOD AND SILLY EHEHEHEH (prime video/freevee)

summary ; nathan ford (an ex-insurance claim investigator) and several criminals are tricked into stealing something, but end up becoming a team familiar faces ; eliot spencer (christian kane) in not since you, the librarians, & just married, other familiar faces + leverage: redemption (2021-present, 2 seasons) ; the sequel show, v similar but without nathan ford bc the actor got into trouble right before the show and with a couple new faces, still a 10/10, lgbtq+ rep too (prime video/freevee)

alex rider (2020-2021, 2 seasons, possible s3) ; i watched this with my mom during the pandemic, keep in mind i've never read the books, and MY GOD it was so good, it's british and there's episonage and they're teenagers and mystery (prime video/freevee)

summary ; a teenager (alex rider) is recruited by a division of mi6; the department of special operations and he's sent into a 'corrective academy' where wayward teens of rich people are sent bc they all come back PERFECT

#saint's inbox !! #saint txt !! #eheheheheh #saint's friends: reign !! #psych tv #leverage #leverage redemption #bones fox #bones tv #alex rider tv #i can get more if anyone would like :3

[ogdoadfates]

Vox Machina Bones AU (yes the crime show)

Keyleth ( entomologist), percy (weapons expert), and scanlan (FBI special agent OR FBI physcologist)  are new hires/transfers to the old/current team consisting of Vax (FBI special agent), Vex ( forensic artist ), Pike (forensic anthropologist), Grog (Pikes assistant). Keyleth, Percy, and scanlan were all part of the same team till transferred to the new one hence them knowing each other rather well. Allura is the director, Gilmore is the co director, Kima is a CIA agent.

Main romantic pairings: Vax/Keyleth, Percy/Vex, and Scanlan/Pike

Main platonic pairings: Keyleth & Percy (sibling like relationship, when left alone together unsupervised and bored they get into a lot of chaos which tends to lead to explosions), Keyleth and Scanlan (Daughter Father like relationship due to keyleth helping him connect with his daughter. He keeps this rather close to the vest tho) Vex & Vax (well duh), Vex and Keyleth (tho it starts out rather rocky they grow closer the longer they work together.) Pike and Vex (besties), Grog and Pike (no duh), Vax and scanlan (they have to work together a lot as partners, Scanlan ends up kind of being a father figure to Vax (Scanlan is just becoming everyones father figure in this I guess)), Percy and Scanlan (protective pact of their friends and trauma buddies aka they talk to each other about heavy stuff), basicly every combo is a main platonic pairing!

For fanfiction I think this works best as either stacks of one shots or a very very long series that way their can be alternating focus of the cast and give everyone a ton of ‘screen time’! Of course if going along the lines of the show a lot of it is gonna be Vax, Scanlan and tho I’d say Pike, Pike doesn’t act like bones and weirdly I do think Keyleth would be more so the one to random tag along (even more so if you give Keyleth a love for random knowledge maybe the Ashari are known collectors of random artifacts and other such oddities) (god I’d love to read it, I also love watching the show bones and would be more then willing to give info on episodes for inspiration and how to work similar situations from the show into the AU!)

This au has tons of space for angst, hurt and comfort, mystery, suspense, romance, deep friendships, friendships tested, betrayal, and more! (with the added bonus of no one of the main cast dieing since none of the main cast dies in bones dies (except some assistants and sweets/the phycologist but we can just ignore that in this au :’3))

#criticalrole #critical role #criticalrole fanfic #critical role fanfiction #critical role fanfic prompt #fanfic #fanfic prompts #fanfiction prompt #vaxleth #vax'ildan #keyleth #vex #vex'ahlia #percy de rolo #percahlia #percy x vex #vax x keyleth #keyleth x vax #vaxleth fanfic #vaxleth fanfiction #percahlia fanfic #percahlia fanfiction #bones show #crime show #crime show bones #bones au #vox machina #vox machina au #vox machina bones au #alternate universe

[hermitdrabbles56]

X-files line up so far?:

Time: was retired from the FBI but came back to make sure these idiots don't get themselves in too much trouble. Exaughsted dad TM.

Malon: Is actually in the medical feild but has become a consultant for the boys. Also Exaughsted mom TM. And part time nurse for these idiots and their shenanigans.

Wild: local conspiracy knowledge bank. He just eats them up and knows just about every conspiracy in existence. If he hears of one he doesn't know? He deep dives until he does. Also knower of uncommon or ancient languages. Somehow they got him a consultant license.

Warriors: Run of the mill agent who was assigned to the task force to keep an eye on the group. Has since seen some shit. He's still very skeptical but it's getting harder and harder for him to not get sucked in.

Legend: psychic/empath consultant that's to tired for this shit and has been involved in way to many things for personal comfort. But that was all before he became a part of the group and being around people who don't act like an asshole too him is really nice even if he won't admit it. Actual job unknown.

Twilight: was originally a fish & wildlife warden who lived in a small rural area deep in the woods. But after an incident was encouraged to move to the city. He transferred to working as a uniformed officer for a brief period, then was recruited to the FBI where he quickly gained a reputation for being an oddball.

Hyrule: Cryptozoologist consultant, but any science to do with bugs, flora, fauna and anything of the sort.

Four: Forensics/crime scene investigatior.

Sky: Was a police detective and had been partners with Wars before the later transferred to the FBI.

Wind: I genuinely don't know what this little gremlin is doing here or how he's involved but he is. I don't think the others know why he's here either.

Ravio: No one...is entirely sure what he does. Legend claims he just works odd jobs and survives off of selling weird things on Ebay. But he's also terrifyingly good at procuring hard to get information that while..questionable, has never necessarily been illegal. Also has almost as many strange tales as Legend.

Shad: Anthropologists who used to go to school with Twilight. They lost touch when the other became a warden but reacquainted upon his return.

#linked universe #lu time #lu malon #lu warriors #lu wild #lu legend #the x files boys #lu twilight #lu four #lu hyrule #lu sky #lu wind #loz shad #lu ravio #four buddy why are you so hard to think for #i love him but goddamn finding what to do with him is a nightmare #wind too sweet nutmegs

[starthereligious]

What did Jesus Look Like?

This has been a question hotly debated among Christian scholars and theologians for decades. I'm not going to pretend that I'll be the one to figure this out, but simply compile the evidence and let you come to your own conclusions.

Before we attempt to create an image of Jesus, there are some cultural considerations to be made.

First off, we know that the modern image of Jesus with long brown hair, white skin, and blue eyes is entirely facetious. This version of Jesus is speculated to be based on Cesare Borgia, a 15th century politician rumored for years to have been romantically involved with Leonardo da Vinci. Scholars often decry this claim, since there is no concrete evidence that da Vinci and Borgia were romantically involved, but it doesn't take much to see that da Vinci probably at least took inspiration from Borgia to create his image of Jesus.

A portrait of Borgia, left, contrasted with the restored Salvator Mundi by Da Vinci (right). [1][2]

It's important to note a margin of error in both of these images. We have no way of knowing how accurate the portrait of Borgia is, nor do we know if the restoration is 100% accurate. But if you look closely, Borgia's hair clearly indicates that it normally curls into ringlets, reflecting the image of Jesus, and on the Salvator Mundi, there is a shadow indicating what may have reflected Borgia's beard.

Da Vinci and Borgia did have, at the very least, a diplomatic partnership [2] and it is widely accepted among scholars that Da Vinci was attracted to men, citing a 1467 sodomy accusation where he, at 24, was said to have consorted with a 17-year-old sex worker.

As for the actual image of Jesus, we do know some things for certain. Jesus was described as a Jewish Galilean in Rome-occupied Israel/Palestine*. He held no Roman citizenship and was a second-class citizen due to his heritage. Many theologians draw connection between this position in society under occupied rule and the current conflicts in occupied Palestine; to say that Jesus was Palestinian is, therefore, both honors his Jewish heritage while placing him as a symbol of resilience against an oppressive system [see 3 for a great article by a Palestinian Christian about this!].

We know for certain where Jesus resided and his heritage; it's a major point in many stories of the Bible. Our question becomes-- what did Jewish Galileans look like 2000+ years ago?

Richard Neave, a forensic anthropologist, paints a very different picture of Jesus than that painted by da Vinci or Michaelangelo. Using an Israeli/Palestinian skull dated back to the 1st century, he created a digital reconstruction of a man that may have, hypothetically, been one of Jesus' neighbors.

A 2001 digital reconstruction of a first-century Israeli/Palestinian skull.

This is likely the closest we'll ever get to the image of Jesus, and it corresponds pretty closely to the only description of Jesus, which is present in Revelations 1 14:15.

" His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. "

This description is of Jesus after he had risen, but some scholars take it to mean that his hair was wooly in texture.

So what did Jesus actually look like?

Well, we may never know his exact appearance until we meet him ourselves. According to the Bible, he was just a normal, poor-looking dude from 1st century Galilee, born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth. The question becomes what people looked like back then, 2000 years ago?

[buy me a coffee]

[1] [2] [3] [4]

* I am not fully educated on the Israel/Palestine conflict; the Bible describes Jesus' homeland as being Israel, but the word Palestine is just as old historically, and the Bible is not a historical text.

#witchblr #witchcraft #witch tip #folk catholicism #grimoire #italian folk magic #catholic #religion #txt

[archaeologyfjones]

when does digging up a body go from grave robbing to science? cause I wanna dig something up know for science but im not sure if I can yet at least in span of time .

"I'm gonna have to stop ya right there dude. First off, if y'think you've found human remains, contact a local authority such as your police department. If it ends up bein' something of archaeological importance, an archaeologist or forensic anthropologist may be called in later. If you think you've found a cultural artifact and you're curious, I'd suggest leavin' it where ya found it, but taking a picture if yer so inclined. You could try n' ask a local museum or university about it. I've seen some with websites that have links to identifying finds or contact info for an expert.

"But to answer your question...well, it's somethin' we still debate in archaeology today! I've heard some make the joke that it becomes archaeology 'once no one cares about the remains anymore,' but that ain't necessarily true. It ain't about time, it's about permission. Grave robbers often just dig stuff up for money or for collecting. Us archaeologists gotta be professional about it - though plenty ain't - and we need to be conscious of permitting and allowance. Consent is king, kiddo!

"I speak mostly fer American archaeology, but here you gotta go through the State Historic Preservation Officer for a permit for any type of site. I'll use Texas as an example, but the Antiquities Code of the state of Texas requires a project to have a permit - and any other permissions necessary - before the archaeologist can even set foot on the land. The SHPO can reject a permit, too. Then it's a whole process of accreditation with other professionals, and then you can bring on student or volunteer workers. And these staff have to come on after signing contracts. Archaeology is waaaaaay more paperwork than it seems!"

((Alfred has forgotten to mention Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs) as well. A THPO is necessary if the find is potentially indigenous in origin. If you really want to try your hand at digging, that's perfectly fine! Try your backyard (with permission) first. You can look up or ask us how us dirt surgeons set up units and try to take a methodical approach to survey and excavation. But permission, I would say, is the biggest takeaway here.))

#ask archaeology boy #archaeologyfjones #from the editor's desk #got a bone to pick #hetalia #hetalia ask blog #aph america #hws america #alfred f jones

[miz-chase]

Bones angst Au of the week:

B&B split for whatever reason, but end up working together a few years later. Brennan is brought in to investigate a fatal military “accident.” The instant Brennan sees Booth there, she turns on the spot to leave, but he begs her to stay for one last job, one last thing.

Turns out the “accident” was a drone-strike on civilians, and CID Agent Booth was put on the case to very quietly shut the investigation down. Maybe it’s the years of listening to Hodgins, or maybe it’s just how very small the bones are, but Booth has no intention of doing this quietly. If he just had Brennan’s expertise and reputation backing this, there would be no hiding this story. He still believes in the American military, and that’s why he has to do everything he can to prevent something like this happening again. The public has to know and there has to be consequences. It’s the only real way to stop things like this.

It’s career suicide and they both know it. But Booth was always a man looking to throw himself in front of danger to protect others, to do the right thing.

So, with gritted teeth and clenched fists, she says yes. Her reports are meticulous, her manner professional, her words clipped. The rude, quiet forensic anthropologist produces reams of notes, so much that no one notices when a few pages go missing. The case closes quietly, Brennan leaves with hardly a goodbye.

They give it a month more. Booth goes through the formal channels, because he has to give it a fair shot. He’d been working the case for nearly a year before Brennan was even called in, to no real effect. After the final month of nothing, post-investigation, she starts making calls. Lawyers first, then a senator, then a journalist, and a quiet story filed away in CID storage becomes an international scandal.

As a civilian contractor, she can skirt the worst of legal ramifications and has no problem never working for the federal government again. Booth, on the other hand, is in direct violation of military law, is court-marshaled, spends time in jail, and generally has a miserable time of it. But he’s not sorry.

When he gets out, she’s there waiting for him.

Much, much later, when it’s grown hazy enough that they can laugh about it, Booth credits Max for the whole thing. After all, if you wanna earn Temperance Brennan’s forgiveness, doing some time behind bars to prove a point seems to work just fine.

#stopping myself from skimming military law too much #*handwave* it’s angsty and works out and whatever #good enough #bones tv #bonestv #booth x brennan

[visceravalentines]

If it's alright to ask, how did you become a Mortician? I've wanted to be a Mortician since I was a child(Mortician or Forensic Anthropologist; it's the idea of being one of the last people to posthumously aid a person through their final send off), but it feels like a very difficult field to get into. In your opinion, do you think 26 is too old to start?

Omg please ask!! That's so great that you've had it in mind for so long. I found out about the mortuary science program at my local community college at a time when I was not really sure what direction I wanted my life to move in beyond knowing I wanted to do something that helped others, so I gave it a try and loved it!

The funeral industry is actually pretty easy to get into, but kind of hard to stay in. Every state has different requirements for licensure (and Colorado does not require a license at all), but generally speaking, you have to graduate from an accredited mortuary science program (most of them earn you an associate's degree), pass a state-based exam dealing with laws and practice in your state, and pass the National Board Exams administered by the American Board of Funeral Service Education. You typically also have to complete an internship or apprenticeship by working in a funeral home for a period of time (in my state, it's a year).

Interest in the industry is low and demand just goes up every year now that the boomers are dying. So most funeral homes are eager to hire people and many of them are starting to implement better working conditions to encourage people to stay. When I say it's hard to stay in the profession, the burnout rate is high. It's a taxing job emotionally and physically, the hours are long, and funeral homes are frequently mismanaged. But if you can find a good working situation and some effective coping mechanisms, it's an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable profession for a lot of reasons.

And 26 is absolutely not too late! I started mortuary school after graduating with a bachelor's degree I realized I didn't want. I was 23. I have many colleagues and friends who started in their 30s or 40s or even later. In some ways, a little more life under your belt is beneficial.

I'm always happy to answer questions about mortuary things! Feel free to DM me if you ever wanna chat about it.

#asks #spookieloop #just mortician things

[rockislandadultreads]

Libby Spotlight: True Crime eBooks

Still Life with Bones by Alexa Hagerty

Throughout Guatemala’s thirty-six-year armed conflict, state forces killed more than two hundred thousand people. Argentina’s military dictatorship disappeared up to thirty thousand people. In the wake of genocidal violence, families of the missing searched for the truth. Young scientists joined their fight against impunity. Gathering evidence in the face of intimidation and death threats, they pioneered the field of forensic exhumation for human rights. 

In Still Life with Bones, anthropologist Alexa Hagerty learns to see the dead body with a forensic eye. She examines bones for marks of torture and fatal wounds—hands bound by rope, machete cuts—and also for signs of identity: how life shapes us down to the bone. A weaver is recognized from the tiny bones of the toes, molded by kneeling before a loom; a girl is identified alongside her pet dog. In the tenderness of understanding these bones, forensics not only offers proof of mass atrocity but also tells the story of each life lost.  Working with forensic teams at mass grave sites and in labs, Hagerty discovers how bones bear witness to crimes against humanity and how exhumation can bring families meaning after unimaginable loss. She also comes to see how cutting-edge science can act as ritual—a way of caring for the dead with symbolic force that can repair societies torn apart by violence.

Weaving together powerful stories about investigative breakthroughs, histories of violence and resistance, and her own forensic coming-of-age, Hagerty crafts a moving portrait of the living and the dead.

The Science of Murder by Carla Valentine

Agatha Christie is the bestselling novelist of all time, and nearly every story she ever wrote involves one—or, more commonly, several—dead bodies. And the cause of death, the motives behind violent crimes, the clues that inevitably are left behind, and the people who put the pieces together to solve the mystery invite the reader to analyze the evidence and race to find the answer before the detective does. Nearly every step of the way, Christie outlines the nuts and bolts of early 20th-century crime detection, relying on physical evidence to tell the real story behind the facades humans erect to escape detection.

Christie wouldn't have talked of "forensics" as it is understood today—most of her work predates the modern developments of forensics science—but in each tale she harnesses the power of human observation, ingenuity, and scientific developments of the era. A fascinating, science-based deep dive, The Science of Murder examines the use of fingerprints, firearms, handwriting, blood spatter analysis, toxicology, and more in Christie's beloved works.

Lost in the Valley of Death by Harley Rustad

For centuries, India has enthralled westerners looking for an exotic getaway, a brief immersion in yoga and meditation, or in rare cases, a true pilgrimage to find spiritual revelation. Justin Alexander Shetler, an inveterate traveler trained in wilderness survival, was one such seeker.

In his early thirties Justin Alexander Shetler, quit his job at a tech startup and set out on a global journey: across the United States by motorcycle, then down to South America, and on to the Philippines, Thailand, and Nepal, in search of authentic experiences and meaningful encounters, while also documenting his travels on Instagram. His enigmatic character and magnetic personality gained him a devoted following who lived vicariously through his adventures. But the ever restless explorer was driven to pursue ever greater challenges, and greater risks, in what had become a personal quest—his own hero's journey.

In 2016, he made his way to the Parvati Valley, a remote and rugged corner of the Indian Himalayas steeped in mystical tradition yet shrouded in darkness and danger. There, he spent weeks studying under the guidance of a sadhu, an Indian holy man, living and meditating in a cave. At the end of August, accompanied by the sadhu, he set off on a "spiritual journey" to a holy lake—a journey from which he would never return.

Lost in the Valley of Death is about one man's search to find himself, in a country where for many westerners the path to spiritual enlightenment can prove fraught, even treacherous. But it is also a story about all of us and the ways, sometimes extreme, we seek fulfillment in life.

She Kills Me by Jennifer Wright

In every tragic story, men are expected to be the killers. There are countless studies and works of art made about male violence. However, when women are featured in stories about murder, they are rarely portrayed as predators. They're the prey. This common dynamic is one of the reasons that women are so enthralled by female murderers. They do the things that women aren't supposed to do and live the lives that women aren't supposed to want: lives that are impulsive and angry and messy and inconvenient. Maybe we feel bad about loving them, but we eat it up just the same. Residing squarely in the middle of a Venn diagram of feminism and true crime, She Kills Me tells the story of 40 women who murdered out of necessity, fear, revenge, and even for pleasure.

#true crime #true crime books #nonfiction #nonfiction books #nonfiction reads #ebooks #libby #library books #reading recommendations #reading recs #book recommendations #book recs #tbr #tbrpile #to read #booklr #book tumblr #book blog #library blog

[polyamorouspunk]

I really try and focus on my followers for my sleepover fridays because I like talking to you but I kind of just need to get my thoughts out rn so please excuse me and feel free to ignore.

The idea of maybe going to med school is kind of a trip. I mean the other day when I got a 98 on my test I started to realize maybe I could and like should I go into nursing because on places like tumblr you hear all these horror stories of being treated like shit by cishet nurses and how people want doctors and nurses who “look like them” (aka POC, queer people, fat people, etc. people they can relate to besides the image of an upper class white girl) and I’m like maybe I should do that and later that day I ended up talking about what I did want to go into and I realized this is my passion and I really want to persue this.

But my OTHER passion really is infectious diseases and I always said to myself “well I’m going into psychology because I can’t go into med school” and I always had an excuse, you know as a kid it was “well I want to be a vet but I have a fear of needles so I can’t do that” and then it was “well I’m bad at math so I can’t go into med school” and now it’s like “well I’m going into psychology so I don’t need to go into med school” but like. I’m interested in the medicalized side of psychology. I don’t really care to sit in a room and have people tell me their problems, though I’m totally fine with that, and I’m thinking maybe when I’m older like 50s that might be good to like “retire” into, what I want to do is find out WHAT causes pedophilia and HOW we can try and stop CSA from that angle. Like I want to go into prisons and be the Mindhunter but with pedophiles instead of serial killers. I want to look at scans of their brain and find out what’s different from you or me- if there even is anything. And honestly we may already know all this (last time I did a paper on pedophilia was like 2018 so that was 5 years ago and of course in medical terms 5 years ago is already outdated for some things) but more research isn’t going to hurt. Like you can’t have too much research. And I wouldn’t even mind being some sort of therapist for child victims of CSA to hear their side of things too.

But I love, love, love infectious diseases. I’ve had a lot of people tell me I should go into English and be an author or a teacher because I’m “good at it” and I’m like yeah but I have no interest in making a career out of it, and I’ve had people tell me I should go into epidemiology and I go yeah but I’m not smart enough to or I would. But like. Maybe I am. Like honestly maybe I could. And there’s totally ways out there to combine my love of psychology and epidemiology. Like I just answered in @/safety-pin-punk’s ask (go follow) I just saw an interview with a neuro-something psychologist talking about the effects of true crime and why people love it (very complicated reasoning but I’m one of those people [who RESPECTFULLY consumes true crime]) and it’s like if you’re a neuro-something you need to have some medical training. Not really sure pedophilia and infectious diseases really fit together besides like I know you can literally “become a pedophile” after a head injury so it’s not that far of a reach to say you can “become a pedophile” if some sort of infectious disease messes with your brain but like. I mean honestly for years the dream has been to like be a forensic anthropologist (I LOVE Bones, that show influenced me a LOT) and then kind of switched towards like loving epidemiology and like honestly yeah sometimes I day-dream about being able to work in Hot Zones and be on the ground in Africa combating Ebola outbreaks I mean MAN what a dream but like… it was always a dream, you know? Not a reality. Like I read The Hot Zone and I was like oh my god this is SO COOL and like I watch WAY too many Outbreak-type movies because they are my favorite genera of movie besides war movies (Contagion? 28 Days Later? Literally any zombie out break movie ever? LOVE LOVE LOVE). And like *flaps hands* AH I just love that shit but like fuck man. Idk. Idk. Like obviously I’m going to start looking into what it takes to actually really do that which is just… something I never did because I never seriously entertained the idea beyond a dream. I just don’t know. I love both ideas. I had picked psychology because it was easier and I didn’t think I could do epidemiology. But maybe I can.

Edit: yeah like you need like a fucking doctorate and I’m like do I really want to go and get a doctorate or should I just settle for psychology-

Edit 2: I might need a doctorate for psychology research anyway so like fuck man idk maybe I should just work in retail until I’m 65-

(Also my mom keeps telling me this is why I need an advisor, I do not have a good college advisor, she didn’t even register me for my classes, some random guy did 😑)

So I guess I really need to talk to an advisor yeah 😑

Edit 3: like if I already need a doctorate for psychology should I just say fuck it and switch idk yk? I would have to redo a lot of schooling though because I’ve tailored my classes as best I could to psychology but like at the end of the day I’m only getting a BA in Arts. Man I need an advisor skhdkdhsjs.

#don’t you love questioning your major #ugh #anyway sorry long post #personal #if you have input it’s welcome

[kyidyl]

Excuse me, you're an anthropologist, correct? I want to go into forensic anthropology and was wondering if you had any good resources to look through as a sort of preliminary overview of the field.

I am, yes. Sadly, I'm not a forensic anthropologist and I really don't have a ton of info for you, especially bc I'm not sure exactly what you're looking for here. Job prospects? What the they actually do? How to become one? All of the above? I'll give you the quick and dirty of it. =D

Job Prospects: middling. There's not a ton of full-time forensic anthropologists in the world, but there are *some* and there's no reason it couldn't be you. Plus there are a number of part-time ones, and so you could do what one of my profs did and teach while also being a forensic anth.

What do they do: Forensic anthropologists are called in by the police when partial or fully decomposed human remains are found to do a few things. The first thing is determine if the remains are contemporary or historical. If they're historical they calls someone with qualifications similar to mine: Biological Archaeology, or just an archaeologist in general (especially in the US bc there are very specific laws.). If they're contemporary, then the remains are collected from it whilst treating it as a crime scene. Then the forensic anth evaluates the remains and determines things like age, sex, race, height, etc. I've mentioned this in my bones posts before, but this is done so that it's easier to match people up with the missing persons database and not because anthropologists are taught gender or race essentialism. They also look for cause of death - which is way harder than you'd think - so that the cops know if it's a murder, accident, etc. If it is murder then they often have to testify in court. They also deal with way more squishy bits than you'd think, so you need a strong stomach. They do work with coroners, but coroners aren't taught to evaluate heavily decomposed remains like forensic anthropologists are.

Becoming one: You need a bachelors in Anthropology, because most schools won't have a forensic anthropology degree. Anthropology is comprised of 4 fields: cultural, biological/physical, archaeology, and linguistics. When you get an anthropology degree in the US you learn about all 4 (which is actually very helpful even if you specialize.). Forensic is a subfield of bioanth, so when you're choosing a school, it's best to choose one that offers a lot of bioanth classes. After that, you'll need a graduate degree in forensic anthropology. Whether you need an MSc or a PHd depends on the country and you'd have to do some research there.

Anyway, hope that helps a little and if I have any forensic anth followers pls add on. ^_^

[ideasatemynights]

15 Questions for 15 Mutuals

I was tagged by the wonderful @dakotawritesif (check out their games!!) and forgot to check the notification until now because it’s been one of those weeks

1. Are you named after anyone?

No, my parents just happened to find my name in a book of old Welsh baby names, but I was almost named Nerys after Kira Nerys from Star Trek: Deep Space 9!

2. When was the last time you cried?

I don't cry very much, so I think the last time was a couple months ago?? My emotions were feeling really pent up, so to purposefully make myself cry, I put on the Smiths, laid face down on my bed, and sobbed. I honestly felt really really good afterwards, so I wish I could cry more often!

3. Do you have kids?

Nope, though I do regularly confuse people by referring to my cats as my twin sons. I do want to adopt kids from foster care someday though!

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

Oh yeah definitely. Combine that with the fact that I tend to be very deadpan about most things and my regular voice sounds very sarcastic and I've uhhhhh accidentally mislead people a lot before.

5. What sports have you played?

I've played pick up games of most things, but formally I've done archery, horseback riding, and fencing, all of which I'm good at it, and cross country and swimming, both of which I was exceptionally slow at. I also almost joined varsity bowling in HS, but I couldn't make the time commitment because of marching band.

6. What's the first thing you notice about someone?

Probably just their general vibes?? Like do they seem kind, approachable, etc. Physically though, I definitely notice people's hair first.

7. Eye color?

Gray!

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

Probably a mix of both? My favorite stories are ones where things get really dark and kind of fucked up, but because people care about each other and are willing to put in the effort to make things better, they manage to earn their happy ending.

9. Any special talents?

I'm not really sure what qualifies as a special talent, but I can fit my entire fist in my mouth?? I've also been told I have an unusually good memory, though I'm not sure that's really a talent.

10. Where were you born?

I was born in Ohio in the US (yes, I am corn boy 😔)

11. What are your hobbies?

I like reading and writing a lot, I play video games with my sister, I draw pretty regularly even though I'm not any good at it, and I really like going down random research rabbit holes!

12. Do you have any pets?

Yep, I have my two cats, Bingo and Bongo! They're a bonded pair from the same litter and absolutely act like human terrible twins. I also live with my sister and she has a cat too!

13. How tall are you?

5′4″!

14. Favorite subject in school?

It really depended on the year because despite loving learning, I hated school so much. I consistently liked band though and I had some good years in English and History! I also really liked my forensic science and neuropsychology classes even if the uhhhh teachers weren't amazing.

15. Dream job?

My dream job is becoming a xeno-anthropologist, but given that that's literally only possible in dreams, I would love to become some kind of storyteller (author, scriptwriter, game dev, etc) eventually!

#tiegan talks #get to know me #tag game #feel free to take this as your tag if you want to do this btw!!

[chocobothis]

Javi Reyes Headcanons

(Cause those ship infographs gave me Brain Rot.)

He’s such a foodie who is all down for the Experience of things. It leads him to microbreweries, hipster places, pop-ups, etc. He tends to drag Nico with him but the circle widens as he makes more friends in Albany. Once him and Piers get along (and Javi drops The Grudge) he’s a frequent accompanier. But, things really shine when him and Leon get actually Serious.

Speaking of Leon: They absolutely got married before they were really dating. It was more of an arrangement of convenience starting out. They already knew the clicked well as friends, Javi never saw himself getting married for romantic love, and Leon needed an Emergency Contact that wasn’t the US Government. So, the idea comes up and they agree on it because there’s legal perks worth having. Then it turns out they’re actually really compatible on nearly every level. Javi still wouldn’t call what he feels for Leon “romantic love” (he identifies as aromantic) but it’s certainly something he’s only felt once before.

Javier Reyes Valencia had a huge Twilight phase. He was so into the books, saw the movies, has some merch, etc. Because he’s a sucker for romances; its as much his own personality as growing up with a household that loved telenovelas. He’s just the right age to have been ahead of the craze and well...it stuck. 

He has several tattoos including an outline of the Andes where he grew up. All of this tattoos tend toward a delicate style that would be considered “feminine” because he loves the aesthetic. They’re gorgeous and he loves them. He has a flower tattoo for Nico and she has a crow for him.

He hates living alone. As the middle of five children, until the Outbreak, there were always people around. When TerraSave moved him to Caliban Cove, post-outbreak, he lived with his guardian/surrogate older brother and two dogs. After training in the BSAA it was Nico until she moved in with Claire. Then it became Jake Fox. Things are too quiet and he gets too lost in his mind that way.

His handwriting is immaculate. It’s unfair.

Had he not experienced zombies he would have gone on to become a paramedic. His father was a doctor, his mother a nurse practitioner, one older sister was studying to be a forensic anthropologist and the other a medical doctor as well. The twins were still young enough to consider “Indiana Jones but Better” as valid career wants.

While he was close to fluent in English before moving to Caliban Cove, Maine, he still clearly had a Colombian accent. It’s lessened over the years but it does come out strong at times. He also has a weird mixture of Southern Accent mixed in because he practiced English the most with Nico. In return, her Spanish very clearly has a Colombian accent to it. They also argue back and forth in the two languages.

He had a crush on Chris Redfield when they met. Yes he gets blushy when you tease him about it.

The medical staff, and everyone really, at the BSAA loves him because he doesn’t fight them. If he’s injured then he seeks attention. He also attends his therapy sessions if at all possible; guess who has Healthy Coping Skills? Him.

He isn’t neurotypical but honestly didn’t know it until at least his senior year of high school. His mom and dad realized something was off and supported him. They taught him how to handle overstimulation, emotional swings, etc. Because they loved their son as he was. It meant he had a 120 count box of coping skills so he handles his traumas a little better because he’s got such a strong foundation to work from. Naturally, he picked Nico Bright, the most neurodivergent person in their program in high school, as his ride or die. 

When he picked his Vice he decided that it would be putting his dick in crazy, intentionally. He sees red flags, knows they are red flags, and is like, “They’re gonna be good for a night or maybe a weekend.” because he’s not looking for Serious. It still has resulted in him had the wildest stories to tell because why the fuck are you picking this people intentionally, Javi? 

When him and Leon get more serious he actually encourages him to take a sabbatical from his work (”If the DSO wants to fight you then sic Hunnigan, Rebecca, and Nico on them. No one argues with those three and wins in any way that matters.”) which was hard for him at first. Then Leon settled into it more and mostly retired to be a house husband who consults or occasionally freelances. Javi loves coming home from work to see Leon, Cat, and whoever is possibly over. He doesn’t mind being the one primarily working because Leon’s done more than enough for the world. Let him have this break without more traumas. Seeing his husband smile is enough.

Leon takes his last name because Reyes is Important to Javi. It’s one of the only things he has left of his family. Leon also was happy to be someone else beside Leon Scott Kennedy.

Javi’s hobbies include video games, specifically handheld ones, because they’re one of the most engaging ways to tell stories. He loves reading too and gets really immersed whatever caught his eye. Genrewise, he’ll play a little of everything but doesn’t care for zombie or military things because that’s his everyday life.

His greatest fault is that he can hold a grudge like no other. Everyone he loves he protects like no other, so hurting them leaves someone perpetually on his shit list.

He’s a Capricorn Sun, Scorpio Moon, and Scorpio Rising.

In any supernatural sort of AU, he’d be connected to Mohana/Madre de Agua for his powers. Water, healing, having a supernatural beauty; it just fits him.

In a Pokemon AU, two of his signature pokemon would be a shiny milotic and a sylveon.

He shaves his chest because he grows very little body hair and is self-conscious about it.

That long, curly hair and skin though? Oh there’s so much effort put into carrying for it because he’s a little bit of peacock and enjoys looking good. Loves dressing up his friends/lovers too. 

#character lore #resident evil ocs #javi reyes

[displayheartcode]

Ask Game To Get To Know You

tagged by @runawaymarbles and @oswlld.

open to all!

What book are you currently reading? a scatter of light by malinda lo!

What’s your favorite movie you saw in theaters this year? it would have to be glass onion. i had so much fun watching this with my cousins.

What do you usually wear? dark jeans, dark t-shirt, sneakers/boots, some kind of hoodie or sweater. I like to wear layers.

How tall are you? i'm shoooooooooort - 4'8.

What’s your Star Sign? Do you share a birthday with a celebrity or a historical event? scorpio and idk.

Do you go by your name or a nick-name? just rachel. only immediate family calls me rach and that's pushing it.

Did you grow up to become what you wanted to be when you were a child? lmao no. becoming a forensic anthropologist was doomed the second i had a medical incident with my vision.

Are you in a relationship? If not, who is your crush if you have one? no.

Dogs or cats? grown up with dogs but have a soft spot for cats.

If you draw/write, or create in any way, what’s your favorite picture/favorite line/favorite etc. from something you created this year? hmmmmm. i think never say there is only death for you, a moon knight fic that explores the relationship the system has with judaism. the research was fun!

What’s something you would like to create content for? i don't know!!!! i think more original content would be nice.

What’s something you’re currently obsessed with? making the perfect loaf of crunchy bread for my family before i head back to my place.

What’s something you were excited about that turned out to be disappointing this year? life after graduation. oops.

What’s a hidden talent of yours? arm wrestling! it could be cerebral palsy, it could be the years of mixed martial arts, but i have strong yet tiny hands.

Are you religious? no, not really. i grew up somewhat observant but that predicatbly faded after getting my bat mitzvah.

What’s something you wish to have at this moment? sleep. my dog kept whining at six in the morning because he wanted me to carry him to my bed. dude, you have legs. you can easily reach the bed!

#rachel in real life