#only did like 20 minutes of extremely light exercise

[antique-symbolism]

I think as long as I can still float face up in the water and stare at the vultures circling at unfathomable heights in the sky things will be okay

#tried swimming for the first time since my Back Weirdness #only did like 20 minutes of extremely light exercise #treading and a couple very slow laps in dad's backyard pool #I'm a little achy back there but maybe it'll help in the long run #and the other goal is to help my hips and knees which are suffering arthritic pains from lack of movement #anyway. despite the pain i was relieved to be back in the water #like taking a deep grounding breath

[taikanyohou]

I'm starting to get into working out/exercise and wondered if you had any tips for a beginner, like what kind of equipment should I get? And what's your work out routine? I'd appreciate any advice!

hiiiii anon!!!!!

so i have days where i workout at the gym and days where i workout at home. i'd say definitely during the winter months (so october - march) i workout at home, and i go to the gym more during the warmer months (apr - sept).

but it honestly depends on what your goals are. mine are, personally, fat loss and muscle gain. for that, i focus more on strength and muscle training, and less on cardio or hiit routines. so i split my week into 4 days where i do strength training, 1 day i do just cardio and i have 2 rest days.

rest days are so so soooo important i can't stress that enough!!!! your body needs it to heal!!! hence why i also do like to consider my cardio day a kinda rest day too, bc i do liss cardio training (low intensity - steady state), not hiit (high intensity - interval training). so i do things like going on the exercise bike for 40 miniutes with maximum resistance on it but i go slow, or i just go hiking or for a really long walk at a steady enough speed and incline to get my steps in (i live in a very hilly area so i just hit the hills!). hiit just doesnt work for me personally, but if you enjoy it, then by all means do it! its not that i dont do hiit at all, i just dont do it often.

okay, so for strength training. i would hiiiighly recommend you buy yourself a decent pair of sports gloves, bc you wanna protect your palms and the skin, and a thick yoga mat, to support and reduce the impact on your back and your knees. also, barbells. oh my god. i use my barbell more than i use my dumbells, bc it just helps my form more, and its better and easier to hold, manage, maintain and it supports me better. i also do use and have my own dumbells and kettle bells too.

in terms of the actual weight you're lifting, honestly, its a long, slow process. i lift heavier now but when i started strength training, about 3 odd years ago, i started off extremely light. and its honestly focusing more on your form and increasing your reps, then your sets, gradually than it is working your way up the weights rack. you've just gotta find a weight that's comfortable for you as a beginner, and then slowly build your reps up.

so for example, if i'm doing a bicep curl with a 5kg dumbell and it's my first time doing so, i'd do 2 sets of 8 reps. then 2 sets of 10 reps. then 3 sets of 6 reps. then 3 sets of 8 reps. then 3 sets of 10 reps. go slow and steady, always, and when you feel like you can push yourself a little more, then do so. and that will take as long as it will depending on your readiness.

for a single set, honestly i'd only recommend 10 reps max. not more than that. and in between your sets, rest!!!!!!! i rest for atleast 3 minutes between my sets. so if i'm doing leg day, i'll only focus and choose 6 exercises that i'll use my barbell with (e.g, rdls, wide squat, good mornings, goblet squat, reverse lunges and hip thrusts) and do 1 set of 10 reps of each exercise, then rest for 3 minutes, then go again, until i've done 4 sets of 10 and then i finish my workout.

i'd also say dont try to cram in 20 different exercises into one workout. instead choose between 6-10 for your intended body part (like legs), and just do them over and over for how ever many sets and reps you are doing, then finish. then the next day, choose 6-10 for your arms. then when you have leg day again, choose a different 6-10 than the ones you did the previous leg day. hence, you're constantly switching it up and you won't get bored either and you can focus more on working on your form at a slow and steady pace.

which is so important! go slow. there's no need to think about speed, bc that most likely will cause injury. and i suggest that your workout shouldn't even be 60 minutes long bc that's madness. 45 minutes MAX. and stretch!!!! stretch stretch stretch!!! if you go onto youtube and type in growwithjo stretching, she has GREAT videos for all round mobility and flexibility or cool down and recovery stretching. i just use them all the time.

finally, i'd say hydrate. like. your muscles NEED water. and more obviously, try to get some food in with more protein content and carbs in it as soon as you can within the hour after your workout. typically, i eat a banana and have an americano 90 minutes before i workout, and then after i workout, i have a protein shake with my dinner (which sometimes literally can be a big bowl of oats topped with whatever i desire along with my protein shake bc i workout in the evenings after work so i get suuuuuper lazy to cook sometimes!) yes your body needs the protein for muscle growth, but it needs carbs to replenish your glycogen stores that you've used up during your workout!

and please do not believe in this myth that you should workout in the morning. no, you can workout whenever you feel like and you CAN eat past 7pm. typically i workout more in the evening bc i'm only free then since i work, and by the time i finish eating and all that, its like 7.30pm. but i sleep soooo well when i workout in the evenings which really helps me since i've struggled with sleeping ever since i was 15. so its honestly up to you when you choose to workout.

i hope that helps! if you have anymore questions you can come and ask anytime!

#faiza answers

[your-dietician]

How to Ease the Sciatic Nerve Pain

New Post has been published on https://backtherapyhealth.com/how-to-ease-the-sciatic-nerve-pain/

How to Ease the Sciatic Nerve Pain

Do you know what is the feeling of sciatic nerve pain? Did you ever feel an ache so strong that it was very difficult for you to stand up? Often people experience an unbearable pain just doing something very simple and they don’t know why. When this happens, the most probable diagnosis is that of “sciatica.”

How can you identify sciatica? Sciatica is a condition in which what’s called the “sciatic nerve” is affected by inflammation. This important nerve is positioned at the bottom end of the vertebral column and it goes down to the buttocks zone, and to various parts of the leg and foot.

Normally, the symptoms are only felt on one side of the body and they can vary from a burning sensation or tingling feeling to a strong pain that crosses the areas above mentioned. It is possible, in some cases, that the sciatic nerve pain is present on both legs.

This is what scares many patients because they don’t understand what’s happening. The sciatic nerve pain can be so strong that they are fearing even to become crippled.

In addition to the pain, which is sometimes very strong, a sciatica sufferer can experience muscular weakness, numbness, and difficulty in moving or controlling the legs. It is very important to exactly identify what are the symptoms, because the treatments for the sciatic nerve pain will vary according to the origin of the pain itself.

There are several different causes of sciatica ranging from arthritis to a slipped disc and from an abscess to a pinched nerve. Fortunately, almost always, sciatica is easy to cure.

The most common cure for sciatic nerve pain is to ease the pressure on the nerve root through surgery, drugs, or natural methods. If you want to avoid surgery there are many natural sciatic nerve pain cures. In alternative you can try a combination of natural and medical treatments that will often include physical workouts and stretching exercises.

In the case of an acute attack of sciatica it’s better to lay in bed for the first few days to avoid irritating the sciatic nerve by getting up and down repeatedly.

Warm baths are a pain killer for sciatica sufferers, at least momentarily. However it’s better to avoid them if the sciatic nerve pain is caused by inflammation, because the inflammation will be increased by a prolonged exposition to the heat – and the swelling will increase too.

A preferred therapy is the application of ice packs on the aching area for almost 20 minutes. This treatment can be repeated every 2 hours and it will be not so comfortable, but it will greatly reduce the swelling.

Another effective method to soothe the sciatic nerve pain, at least temporarily, is the use of mineral ice. On the contrary the use of some drugs, prescribed by some doctors, can be addictive and, in some cases, very dangerous. As you probably already know many medicines have unpleasant side effects on your body.

Finally there’s the massage therapy that can be very helpful to avoid surgery and to better align your vertebral column for longer time. At this stage light exercises will be very effective, and so will be stretching. The goal of this physical activity is to prevent your muscles from stiffening.

There are more alternative treatments that will be helpful to treat the sciatic nerve pain: actually there are a lot of techniques like acupuncture, biofeedback, acupressure, guided imagery, herbal therapies, homeopathy, etc.

And here we come to the last resort, the surgical method which consist in removing the part of the disc that’s causing the sciatic nerve pain. This is really an extreme solution to try only if the sciatica pain is too strong and nothing can relieve it.

Source by John Kerrylson

#sciatic nerve treatment

[sephiraa]

♥ How to re-mother yourself? A spiritual guide ♥

♥ How to re-mother yourself? A spiritual guide ♥

Following the previous pick a card reading (thank you for your likes and reblogs!) for healing your inner child, I got the feeling it could be useful to explain how re-mothering is done, and what it actually is.

It is not that radical to conclude that most people have had some sort of trauma early on in their life, whether minor or major. Most families are far from perfect, you see. So, for some it could be blatant abuse, for others something more mild, perhaps. In any case, many parents (especially in older generations, so Gen X parents, Baby Boomers, etc.) did not have sufficient knowledge on how to raise a child empathetically. I can explain that too, but it’s going to take me on a whole different angle of this topic. Experiencing a parental figure lacking in emotional availability and or empathy can leave you scarred in one way or another. Therefore, it is quite useful to try and remedy that. This is what we can achieve through re-parenting ourselves, and specifically for this post, I will focus on the aspect of re-mothering.

So right off let’s start by what is re-mothering?

Think about the ideal mother. It would be a figure that teaches you how to live your life in the best way possible, in the more empathetic sense of this notion. (The other part is re-fathering, but I’ll have to make a separate post for that). Basically to re-mother yourself is to give yourself what your maternal figure could or did not. It usually means more empathy, warmth, undertstanding and pampering.

Eat Well.

This is very personal but looking back at my childhood, my mother hated cooking, and ate either very little or way too much, depending on the season in her life. Food seemed like a punishment to me, as a child. And, as a teenager, I had some issues with limiting my food intake etc... thankfully, I did not succumb to these tendencies for too long. Instead, I had the insight that it is something much deeper I have to heal in regarding to food.

Food is our fuel, But, unfortunately we can get by on low-quality fuel, like junk food and cold snacks. To treat your energy better you have to eat better. It does not have to be the perfect keto/vegan/whatever diet, but just make little adjustments. Takeout food can be healthy, too, so don’t beat yourself up for using such service but just search for the healthier options. Don’t have time to cook? Eat fruit on the go, grab some nuts. These are simple solutions. 

Drink Well.

Listen, you gotta drink water everyday. Like really, a few full glasses of water. From a Chinese medicine point of view, they better be room temperature, not icy water. Can’t drink water? make some nice sweet tea.

Exercise AND stretch

You don’t have to be a ballerina to be needing a good stretch here and there! Most of us are living a sedentary lifestyle, sitting in front of screens the whole day. I feel like that has gained even more extremity specially ever since the pandemic has taken place. So, get off of your chair and stretch your arms, rotate your shoulders. Youtube has some really great tutorials for good stretches that only take a few minutes to do.

And excercise - I honestly think yoga/pilates are great but it’s not for everyone, so if you can at least try to fit it some light jogging/walking/cycling every day. Even 20 minutes a day is a great amount of excerise, and it does count, not only for your body but mostly for your soul.

Manage Your Expectations (from yourself)

I feel like a big part of being empathetic towards yourself in this day and age is simply being able to manage your expectations from yourself. Society expects us to deliver 150% on all fronts - Your studies, your day job, your side-hustle, your relationships, your friendships, your hobbies... but how is that even possible?

Being content with ‘just enough’ sometimes is a great way to heal yourself, especially if you were a child who felt the pressure of impossible expectations from your parents/teachers etc.

Manage Your Expectations (from others)

Being empathetic towards oneself, as a good mother would have been, also means to me. managing your expectations from others. Not in the sense that you have to lower your standards but in the way that if someone cannot give you something, you should give it to yourself. It could mean different things for different people,

Rest.

It all depends on your biorhythms and stress levels but re-think resting as a whole. In seasons when I work a lot I try to fit it little rest periods throughout my day. So I tackle a problem or assignments and then lounge for 20-30 minutes if I can. It helps me think. You may not be able to do that all the time or most of the time but if you can, try and find this sweet spot of fitting in a moment for yourself amidst the chaos of the everyday.

Pamper yourself  - Be your own best friend & lover first ♥

If there is one best advice I’ve ever gotten, it was the one given to me by my literature teacher when I was sixteen. She was telling our class something like “you gotta be your own best friend. Go to that noontime movie screening by yourself. Take yourself out for a coffee. That way, you wouldn’t need anyone and you will only attract the best people into your life, the ones who will really love you”.

And you know what? While I’ve still had my share of obstacles since I was sixteen, there is one thing I never struggled with - enjoying my life without waiting for anyone else.

♥ I hope this post helps in some way, please don’t hesitate to reach me if you have any more questions regarding the topic of re-mothering ♥

#remothering #reparenting #parenting #children #child #childhood #spirituality #healing #heal #childhood health #health #trauma #mother

[therenlover]

Would The Danny Bunch Survive A Holiday With My Family?

A/n: In the wake of recent life garbage, I have neglected to write a whole fic, and I’m sorry. In the interim, please enjoy this writing exercise I have put together in the hopes of nailing some characters I haven’t written for in the past in time for a larger project I’m working on! Cheers!

Characters: Laszlo Kreizler, Alex Kerner, Niki Lauda, Andrea Marowski, Ernst Schmidt, and Helmut Zemo

Rating: T

Warnings: Swearing, Mentions of Mild Misogyny, Mentions of Alcohol/Alcoholism, Mentions of Mental Illness, Non-Graphic Mentions of Death, Minor Spoilers for The Alienist Season One, Minor Spoilers for Goodbye, Lenin!, Spoilers for Rush (2013), Minor Spoilers for The Cloverfield Paradox maybe??? I haven’t actually seen the whole movie, blame Wikipedia if things are wrong. 

Laszlo Kreizler

NO

As the first of all of the Dannys to be put through the ringer, Laszlo Kreizler unfortunately would not survive a holiday with my family.

First of all, this man does not like massive huggy kissy crowds, so he’d already be off his game the second he walked into the packed house. That’s not why he’d die though, surprisingly.  

His downfall would be his status as an Alienist. 

There is simply so much mental illness and childhood trauma present at my family holidays that he would combust within 15 minutes of sitting in a room with all of my relatives.

Even if he were to somehow make it past the introductory phase, my family is nosey as hell, so they’d be grilling him about his arm and his own childhood trauma within the first hour. 

Laszlo, for all of his strength, simply wouldn’t be able to withstand it.

His death wouldn’t come from the initial combustion though. No, it’s not that simple. 

Knowing Laszlo, once he had combusted and entirely lost his composure the first time, he would become extremely intrigued about the interconnected nature of everyones issues with each other and he would start asking questions. 

That’s where the problems would begin. 

Because it’s one thing if my drunk great aunt starts badmouthing her sister at the table for abandoning her 90 year old mother for a lake house with her new boyfriend. That’s fine. 

But when Laszlo hops in and starts picking apart the mommy issues and underlying reasons for their decades long sibling rivalry? 

Oh it would be over for him. 

The yelling would never end. 

And, I have no doubt that Laszlo would start to psychoanalyze whoever started to yell at him, which would only lead to more yelling. 

In the end, someone would throw a probably full and probably fresh out of the oven casserole dish at his head and he’d be unable to defend himself because of his weak arm. 

We’d have to cart him out in a wheelchair and even if he were to technically survive, he’d never come back. 

Therefor, Laszlo Kreizler would fall victim to my family and die before we even got to dessert. 

Alex Kerner

YES

Ah, little baby Alex! A great contender here for holiday survival.

He seems relatively young in comparison to most of the Dannys on this list, though I don’t actually know how old he’s supposed to be. 

Based on his relative youth, he would automatically get points with the fam for not seeming like a creep or sugar daddy. Instead, he could be just about any dude I brought home from college. 

His skillset as a semi-skilled laborer would also earn him some points, seeing as several members of the family are in similar professions.

Alex might get lost in some of the more complex conversations about the local organic scene or the fine details of running a fine art gallery, but he would fit right in with the majority of the younger members of the family, smiling and nodding his way through the conversation. 

His enthusiasm and optimism would brighten the room and leave everyone excited to see him around again. 

There’s also the semi-small detail of him caring for his mother, which would earn sympathy from the older members of the family as they are in charge of caring for my deaf, blind great grandmother. 

Now, all of these aspects have already set Alex up for a successful survival of a holiday dinner with my family, but the real secret weapon he has up his sleeve is what really cements him in place as a survivor. 

What is his secret weapon, you may ask?

Lies.

Alex Kerner is really, really good at lying, and is even better at figuring out increasingly convoluted ways to keep his lies straight. 

If he managed to hide to fuckin’ Berlin Wall coming down from his mother for as long as he did, he could keep a couple of white lies up for appearances if he was asked any potentially embarrassing or weird questions that would make him look bad. 

He could also lie about enjoying my great aunt’s cooking, which is a vital skill for holiday survival in my family. 

Therefor, at the end of the day, Alex Kerner would not only survive a holiday with my family, but he’d probably enjoy it and get invited back for every subsequent holiday he could possibly attend. 

Niki Lauda

NO

Niki is another Danny that falls very firmly into the category of characters that would absolutely not survive a holiday with my family, for many, many reasons. 

First of all, just like Laszlo, Niki is not huge on going to big huggy kissy parties. 

Both adults and children would be all over him the second he walked in the door, which would probably make Niki get very uncomfortable and cagey. 

Little does he know at that point that people aren’t just all over you when you get in the door. 

No, no, no; from the moment you show up to the moment you leave, if you’re at a holiday with my family you are being basically accosted with questions and hugs and conversations that get weirdly personal. 

It doesn’t help that the whole entire house is packed and there are eyes on you at every moment, so he wouldn’t even be able to sneak in a break for air or a cigarette. 

If my own mother can’t sneak out for a smoke when she’s been going to these events her whole life, the new guy who’s still being vetted by the family sure as hell won’t be able to either.

Needless to say, Niki would start to get really, really tired of it all in an hour tops. I’ll give him until dinner at most. 

That’s where things would start getting really sticky.

See, a lovely little fact about the Niki Lauda that lives in my brain, as portrayed by Daniel Bruhl in Rush (2013), is that he’s just a little bit misogynistic. No more than would be period typical, but a little misogynistic.

Another fun little important thing to note is that my family is entirely matriarchal in nature. 

There are only 4 reoccurring male guests at family holidays out of about 20 to 25 guests at each event; My great aunt’s husband of many, many years, the two male siblings my mother has that live in the area, and the young son of one of those siblings. 

Men, specifically boyfriends, simply do not last in my family. They are considered pretty disposable and easily banned from family events after breakups or small mishaps. 

So, not only would Niki not have any other manly men there to chat about sports with over a scotch and a cigarette, he would be surrounded by so much estrogen that he would definitely struggle with his inner asshole even more than usual. 

In fact, we never have sports on, even on Thanksgiving. Poor Niki would be stuck hearing conversations about artisanal candlemakers and how to hand felt a woodland elf puppet.

Back to his downfall, the second he made a slightly sketchy joke about women in the kitchen at the dinner table to my great uncle, his fate would be sealed.

If you thought the yelling at Laszlo would have been bad, this yelling would be ten times worse, because he would be surrounded by like 20 very angry, very defensive, and very strong women waiting to beat the shit out of him and I would not be any help. 

He dug the hole, so he can climb out of it. 

In the end, his death would come when he tried to light a cigarette and calm himself down at the dinner table while trying to rescind his earlier statement, because smoking inside around all the precious textile art? Thats a big no no. 

My great aunt would grab the lighter right out of his hand, light up whatever cocktail she had at the moment, and throw it all directly into Niki’s face.

It would be like crashing his car all over again, only this time he would be surrounded by people who would rather he burn than try to get him out of the situation. 

Moral of the story, Niki would die within the first few hours of a holiday with my family because he made an asshole comment to a room full of women who don’t put up with that shit. Don’t be like Niki, even if you think you won’t get killed for it. 

Andrea Marowski

YES

Andrea is pretty much the polar opposite of Niki here, and I love him for it. 

He is very soft, very kind, very pure, and would never dare to say something rude at the dinner table like a certain racer we all know.

He couldn’t even say something rude if he tried to, because he probably wouldn’t have the English in his vocabulary to say the things he wanted to say even if he intended to say them out loud. 

But let’s be honest here, Andrea would never. 

Even with his limited English, Andrea would appreciate being surrounded by a whole bunch of people who think he’s the sweetest little thing since the invention of cake. 

My great grandmother, despite being almost entirely blind and deaf, would say he looked darling and he would immediately be a member of the family from the moment he stuttered out his thanks. 

Andrea, like Alex, is also relatively young, so he would get points for not being old enough to be my father. 

I feel like, because Andrea was shown living happily in a tiny village by the ocean with two old ladies, he would have an appreciation for craft, so he wouldn’t mind sitting quietly as my great aunt pawns off a handmade blanket from my great grandmother to him. 

He would also happily sit with the younger children and do whatever craft or simple game one of my aunts brought for them that time. 

The cherry on top with Andrea is his skill with the violin. 

My family is one that appreciates fine art a lot, but more than anything we appreciate music. 

I wouldn’t say that any of us are anywhere close to Andrea’s proficiency, but we definitely aren’t terrible, and we all can appreciate the effort, practice, and talent that goes into getting truly good on an instrument like Andrea is on his violin. 

He would be encouraged to play, of course, and he would happily oblige. 

If he felt comfortable enough, I could even see my great uncle grabbing his guitar, my cousin sitting at the piano, and my sister bringing out her own violin to do a little quartet with some simple song they knew as everybody else sang along. 

By the end of the holiday evening, once dinner was served and people were heading to the cars, Andrea would definitely be considered a member of the family. 

Needless to say, he’d survive and pass their tests with better than flying colors, even despite the language barrier. 

Ernst Schmidt

NO

Now, Ernst was probably the most difficult one on this entire list to put into the living or dying category. In the end, though, there were a few things that couldn’t be overlooked that send him into bad territory. 

To be fair, though, he would last the longest out of everyone who would die tragically at one of my family’s holiday gatherings. 

He, like the past two victims, would not be exactly suited for the mushy crowding that’s inevitable when it comes to my family. 

That being said, I think he would deal with it a little bit better than the other two did and would make polite conversation with the family when he could. 

The fact that he was trapped in a packed house filled with drunk people who have several generations worth of beef with each other, though, would start to get him eventually. 

If we consider all of the shit that happened while he was in space to be canonical minus, you know, the earth getting really fucked up, he would probably start to go a little bit nuts while packed together with that many passive aggressive people.

The second someone burst into tears on the way to the bathroom he would start to lose his shit. 

Still, I think Schmidt would probably be fine-ish until dessert was served, because that’s about the time where all the adults are absurdly drunk, so insanity ensues. 

They would start poking at him about his credentials and experiences as a physicist. 

He would answer their questions at first, but, unfortunately for him, the questions would turn more and more personal and uncomfortable as time went on. 

Did he ever still think about what happened up in space? Did he blame himself for not getting things to work correctly? How much did he miss his old world and old life? Did he ever have nightmares about what he saw? How much did it hurt to get shot?

They’d poke and poke and poke in their drunken state until poor Schmidt would snap at them, flying into a slight rage at their insistent probing. 

From there, he would be swiftly asked to leave and then “accidentally” run over while calling an Uber to take him to wherever he’s staying as my drunk great aunt tries to back out of the driveway to drive down the block to her house. 

In the end, Schmidt and his wit would be really close to surviving a holiday with my family , but he would, unfortunately, let his anger get the best of him, and it would be the last thing he ever did. Literally. 

Helmut Zemo

YES, BUT ONLY BARELY

Okay, so my earlier comment about Ernst being the most difficult out of everyone was incorrect. Zemo was, by far, the hardest to put into one category or the other. 

His wit and charm won out in the end, though, and I determined that he would survive one single holiday with my family. 

If he ever came back for a second he definitely wouldn’t make it, but he would succeed in living past the first one. 

Helmut’s problems start, surprisingly, not with the fact that he is a criminal. In fact that doesn’t even cause any problems for him. 

No, instead they start with the fact that he is 43.

I am 99% sure that my mother is 43, and I know for a definite fact that he’s older than one of my uncles who would be present. I, at the time of writing this, am 18. 

Needless to say, literally everyone would be massively suspicious of him and his intentions the second he walked through the door. The amount of money in his bank account definitely wouldn’t help in this situation either. 

The family would warm up to him eventually, though, because if there’s one thing Helmut is good at besides killing people, it’s making people like him even if they absolutely shouldn’t. 

With his expansive knowledge of what feels like literally everything rich and niche, he would slowly win over the older members of the family. Who knew the strange old man Jac brought home was so well versed in the American pottery scene, or that he could name specific jewelry artists from across the world that my family had done business with for years?

My family definitely wouldn’t. At least, not at first. 

Oh how they’d learn, though. 

Another nice thing about Zemo that would allow him to survive is his aggressive politeness.

No matter how many weird glances or dirty looks he got over the course of dinner, he would simply continue to be the best version of himself in the hopes of impressing everyone. 

He would even pretend to enjoy my great aunt’s cooking and get himself seconds, because I’m sure it would be easier to scarf down than whatever he and his EKO Scorpion squad had to eat while serving in the Sokovian special forces. 

On the tail end of reasons he would be accepted, Helmut Zemo drinks alcohol like it’s water, so he would fit right in drinking white wine and cocktails through the night with the rest of the adults. 

((I think he’d totally tease me about not being able to drink with him, but that’s a story for another time. Anyways...))

His slight downfall would come from something entirely uncontrollable by him or anybody else. 

And that something would be my flirty aunt. 

I love my aunt. She’s wonderful in her own special way. 

That being said, I know if a hot Sokovian baron with a nice smile and a fat pocketbook showed up to one of out holidays, even if he was introduced as my partner, she would be going for the kill all night long. 

This would make Helmut more and more uncomfortable as she got more and more drunk, because lets face it, he’s probably not very comfortable with being touched by near-strangers anyways, and being touched by a drunk member of his partners family who is very obviously coming on to him? 

That’s even more difficult to deal with. 

That being said, Helmut is a man who has been shown to be extremely in control of his emotions. 

He would swallow down whatever awkwardness he felt, make it to the end of the night, and, once he had escaped her clutches, he would politely say that he was never going back to another holiday function with my family again, though he would be happy to facilitate me still attending them. 

So, in the end, Helmut Zemo would survive one holiday with his sheer stubborn politeness alone. 

I will say that his patience would absolutely wear thin if he attended a couple more holidays and he would eventually die of a stress induced heart attack after being unable to politely decline my aunt’s advances. 

For now, though, he’s safe.

#zemo #baron zemo #helmut zemo #daniel brühl #daniel bruhl #niki lauda #andrea marowski #ernst schmidt #laszlo kreizler #alex kerner #jac rambles #imagine #the danny bunch

[hard-coreprocrastinator]

Speak out loud

 If you just read in your mind, you hardly use one sense, i.e., the sight. But when you read whatever you are studying loudly, you utilise many more senses such as eyes, ears, mouth. This allows your brain to grasp and remember what you’re studying.

Create connections 

Creating mental associations is one of the best study tips. Though it is a bit time-consuming, still it is extremely effective. It comes naturally to those with creative minds.

Pictures speak louder than words

 Nothing can beat the power of visual memory while studying. Drawing diagrams and flowcharts have proved effective for almost every student.

Watch videos related to the subject

 If you cannot understand certain topics, google it out or watch videos related to it to save time and understand better. Do not wait till the next day to ask the teachers as you might forget to do so.

Mind your space

An untidy study table will discourage you to study. Therefore, always keep it clean and place the table in such a way that it is near all the equipment needed during studies.

Practise makes a man perfect

The more you practise, the better you get at it. Also, practising old question papers can come in handy during answering exams.

Create flashcards and write all formula

Write all the important notes in it. Also, write down all the formula in one page and go through it every day.

Listen to Pandora music

Pandora music is relaxing and will help you concentrate better.

Listen to recorded lectures

To save the time of reading the whole topic, listen to the recorded lectures.

The magic of times new roman

Times new roman is one of the fastest fonts to read. So use this fact effectively to read online content and study materials.

Watch documentaries

If you find subjects like history tough, watch docomentaries to learn and even entertain yourself simultaneously. Not only can you learn several details in a short time but also fix it in your memory forever.

Pretend as if you are talking to someone

Imagine someone is sitting with you and pretend to explain to him/her while jotting down the notes.

Pomodoro effect

Breaks are very important! Give yourself 5-10 minutes to break after every 25-30 minutes of studying. After three such breaks, take an hour break. This is known as the Pomodoro effect. It takes in to account how long can the brain function and grasp information effectively without causing any adverse effects.

Colour codes

Take notes using different coloured pens to help you with your memory. You can also use a highlighter to highlight important parts. Though many benefits from this, there are a few who feel this is distracting. You need to figure out if you are comfortable doing this and if it is benefitting you in any way.

Keep the room well lit

Do not use just a table lamp. Instead, keep your room well lighted to avoid creating a cosy environment.

Sit on a chair

Do not study sitting on the bed. Maintain your posture by sitting on a chair to avoid feeling sleepy. You will undoubtedly fall asleep if you study on the bed, not only because of the comfort it provides but also because your posture is incorrect.

Avoid heavy meal at night

Heavy meals will make you drowsy and lethargic. Therefore, avoid heavy dinner. Also, stay well hydrated to stay alert.

Understand how your brain works

Understand if you can study better at night or early in the morning. Also, avoid studying difficult subjects at night.

Use apps to block distracting sites

Several social media sites might pose a threat to your concentration. Therefore, use apps that block such sites during your study hours.

Move around during breaks

You will feel drowsy if you keep sitting in one place. Move around and stretch during the breaks.

Read out loud

Apart from other advantages of reading loud as mentioned above, reading aloud helps you stay awake.

Write and learn: 

Again, if your visual power is high, write and learn along with drawing diagrams. It will help you retain information.

Have a snack

If you intend on staying awake for long hours, have a snack to restore energy. Also, you might feel hungry since you had a light meal at night.

Wear comfortable clothing

 Wear comfortable clothes to focus all your attention on your studies and not get distracted by any ill-fitted or tight outfit.

Time yourself: 

As mentioned before practice old question papers and time yourself. Some of the common complaint students have are ‘lengthy paper’ or ‘did not get enough time’ after the end of the paper. Practising old question papers will not only help you with these issues but also give you an idea of repeated questions.

Sleep well before the exam: 

Your brain requires a minimum of 6 hours of sleep to work the next day efficiently. It is useless to sit late before exam since your brain will be unable to recollect what it learned due to inadequate rest.

Walk before the exam:

 Walk before the exam as it energises certain parts of your brain. Exercise will boost your memory which can improve your performance to a large extent.

Reach the venue at least 20 minutes before the start of the exam: 

This is equally important to study tips. You stress your mind more by getting late for the exam. You need to reach early and give yourself enough time to relax.

Group studies

Not only does group study help you explain what you learned and thus be thorough with the topic, but not it can also help you understand better as your friends will be teaching you. You learn a lot by group studies even at the last minute.

Mediatate

Once in the examination hall, relax and meditate. Breathe in and breathe out. This helps with reducing the exam stress. There is nothing more powerful than a calm mind.

Stay hydrated

 One of the most important studying tips as pointed out earlier, stay hydrated! Drink as much as you can

#studyblr #study notes #education #student #learning #studyblog #100 days of studying #study motivation #studying #study blog #100 days of self discipline #100 days of productivity #together as 1

[cherubcow]

“Invincible”, Season 1 (2021) Review

Somehow both very cool and very fucking stupid :D

About Created and written primarily by Robert Kirkman (principle writer for The Walking Dead comic and TV show), this Young Adult cartoon basically synthesizes a number of comic book characters (e.g., Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Hellboy, Wonder Woman, Gambit) and tries to balance their heroism with cynical twists and dark realities. It's an exercise like Brightburn (2019) in that it mirrors existing comic writing all too closely in order to make violent twists. The cool stuff arrives pretty much immediately. You can tell right away that the physics have some level of realism, and it quickly gets serious because of this. The easy comparison would be to The Boys (also by Amazon, also about violent heroes, and also very well-produced). So, if you like The Boys (2019–), you'll probably like Invincible only a little less.

(( Some spoilers but nothing too specific ))

Wrong Focus But, the stupid stuff comes from the same error that the Kick-Ass movie (2010) made: it focuses on the wrong person(s). In Kick-Ass, the error was focusing on.. well.. "Kick-Ass", an irredeemable loser and waste of screen time. Invincible makes the same mistake, focusing on.. well.. "Invincible", a (so far) irredeemable loser and waste of screen time. So, despite its virtues, this show cannot escape that it made the decision to go for the Young Adult viewing demographic. It reminds me of Alita: Battle Angel (2019) in that way too: some very cool adult concepts ruined by the dramatic devices of unrepentant teenage stupidity and irrelevance. I didn't even like that stuff when I was a teenager, though Jordan Catalano gets a pass.

Main Cast and Characters The supporting characters were also very stupid. The most annoying was definitely Amber Bennett (voiced by the otherwise cool Zazie Beetz from Deadpool 2 (2018) and Joker (2019)), 

who is supposed to be attractive somehow to Mark Grayson ("Invincible", voiced by Steven Yeun, who played Glenn on The Walking Dead) 

despite the fact that she constantly judges him, fails to understand him, often fails to give him any kind of benefit of the doubt, and continues to scowl at him and be hurtful towards him even when she has information that should change her outlook towards him. And because she is part of the love triangle shared between herself, Invincible/Mark, and "Atom Eve"/Samantha (voiced by the awesome Gillian Jacobs from Community (2009–2014)), 

audiences simply have to bear with it that Amber's annoying character will be present and wasting time until Mark can realize that Amber is in fact toxic and that Eve actually understands him and can improve him in more positive directions. That love triangle should have been a 20-minute distraction, but I'm guessing that it will eat up a season or two more, especially if the writers become cowardly and fail to change things for fear of messing up a perceived "winning" formula. In my ideal story line, they would skip ahead 10 years, drop the teen drama, the love triangle, and the stupid jokes and have Invincible and Eve paired in defense of Earth, with the main tension being from their worry that the other would be horribly gored in front of them during lethal fights against cosmic enemies ;)

Aside, I am aware of Amber’s motivation for being a bad person, I just think her justification is not based in understanding, empathy, and a regard for the gravity of Invincible’s situation. In a strict political sense, Invincible should not commit a lie of omission by keeping her in the dark about his identity — even if for the “noble lie” reason of protecting her — but in a real sense, he is a fucking teenager who just developed his super powers. For her to pretend that he should reveal his entire identity to her — a potentially transformative and even dangerous decision — after a few months of teenage romance paints an absurd portrait of her mind. It does, however, align her with Omni-Man, because where Omni-Man forces Invincible to become an adult in the fighting sense (pushing with full force early on), Amber forces Invincible to become an emotional adult by getting him to understand that toxic people such as herself need to be given boundaries — and he needs to learn to clearly delineate and communicate his real desires. By knowing that he does not want Amber, people who regiment his free time, or people who do not suit him, for instance, he can realize why Eve was an obvious decision: Eve understands, can make time when they have time, and will let him find his decisions. Part of a coming-of-age story tends to be realizing what one actually wants, and Invincible’s hesitation in telling Amber his identity shows that he does not truly want her. This separates Invincible from, say, Spider-Man, who avoided telling Mary Jane his identity not because he did not want her but because he wanted at all costs to protect her.

The next most annoying character has to be Debbie Grayson (voiced by TV-cancer Sandra Oh and who luckily was not animated to look like the real Sandra Oh and who should have been voiced instead by Bobby Lee due to Lee's successful MadTV parody of Sandra Oh). 

Debbie basically fills the role of Skyler in Breaking Bad, except that Debbie's character tends to be slightly more understanding before her inevitable and toxic Skyler-resentment and undermining behavior. Despite having an 8-episode arc of change, Debbie's character flips too quickly and lacks the empathy and Omni-Man motive-justifying that would make her interesting (the comic's development may vary). For instance, if she refused to believe that Omni-Man meant his own words, that would make her empathetic and perhaps virtuous even if misled, but instead she dropped their "20 years" of understanding after viewing Omni-Man in action, which makes her appear shallow, easily manipulated, and unsympathetic. That was a definite "Young Adult" genre move because it shows immaturity by the writers to break apart a bond of 20 years so quickly. Mediocre teens might accept such a fissure because their lives have not yet seen or may not comprehend that level of time, but adults know that even long-standing and problematic relationships (which, beyond the lie, Omni-Man's and Debbie's was not shown to be) take a lot of time to break — even with lies exposed.

Omni-Man The biggest show strength for me was of course Omni-Man, who in a success of casting was voiced by J.K. Simmons in a kind of reprisal of Simmons' role as Fletcher from Whiplash (2014). 

The Fletcher/Omni-Man parallel shows through their being incredibly harsh but extremely disciplined and principled, forcing people to become beyond even their own ideal selves (this via Omni-Man's tough-love teaching of Invincible — comically, Omni-Man was actually psychologically easier on Invincible than Fletcher was on Whiplash's Andrew character). Despite the show's attempts to villainize Omni-Man, he, like Fletcher and also like Breaking Bad's Walter White, becomes progressively more awesome, eventually representing a Spartan will, an unconquerable drive, and a realistic and martial understanding of a hero's role.

To the show's credit, while it wrote Omni-Man to be outright genocidal and from a culture of eugenicists (again, Spartan), they could not help but admire him and his "violence" and "naked force" (for a Starship Troopers reference), giving him a path to redemption. That redemption comes in part because — despite the show's attempt to be often realistic and violent — its decision to be directed at young adults via dumb jokes, petty relationship drama, the characters’ reckless lack of anonymity and security in their neighborhood (loudly taking off and landing right at the doorstep), and light indy music also made the portrayed violence far less literal. With a less literal violence, the real statement becomes not that Omni-Man really did kill so many people (though he certainly did kill those people within the show's plot) but that he was symbolically capable of terrible violence but could be reformed for good. That's the shortcoming with putting violence under demographic limitations. If it's a PG-13 Godzilla knocking down cities, the deaths in the many fallen skyscrapers don't matter so much (the audience will even forgive Godzilla for mass death if it happens mostly in removed spectacle), whereas if it's Cormac McCarthy envisioning a very realistic fiction, every death rides the edge of true trauma.

By showing light between the real and the symbolic, it is much easier to identify and agree with Omni-Man. For instance, when Robot (voiced by Zachary Quinto of Heroes and the newer Star Trek movies) 

shows too much empathy for the revealed weakness of "Monster Girl" (voiced by Grey Griffin), the audience may have thought, "Pathetic," even before Omni-Man himself said it. And this because Omni-Man knows that true and powerful enemies (including himself) will not hesitate to use ultra-violence against these avenues of weakness. "Invincible" can make his Spider-Man quips while in lethal battles, but he does so while riding the edge of death — something that Omni-Man has to teach Invincible by riding him to the brink of his own.

Other Cast/Characters and Amazon's Hidden Budget It was impressive how many big-name actors were thrown into this — a true hemorrhage of producer funding. Amazon has so far hidden the budget numbers, perhaps because they don't want people to know that the show (like many of its shows) represents a kind of loss-leader to jump-start its entertainment brand.

Aside from those already mentioned, the show borrows a number of actors from The Walking Dead (WD), including.. • Chad L. Coleman ("Martian Man"; "Tyreese" on WD),

• Khary Payton ("Black Samson"; "Ezekiel" on WD),

• Ross Marquand (several characters; "Aaron" on WD)

• Lauren Cohan ("War Woman"; "Maggie" on WD)

• Michael Cudlitz ("Red Rush"; "Abraham" on WD)

• Lennie James ("Darkwing"; "Morgan" on WD)

• Sonequa Martin-Green ("Green Ghost"; "Sasha" on WD) 

There were also connections to Rick and Morty and Community, not just with Gillian Jacobs but also with... • Justin Roiland ("Doug Cheston"), who voices both Rick and Morty in Rick and Morty,

• Jason Mantzoukas ("Rex"),

• Walton Goggins ("Cecil"),

• Chris Diamantopoulos (several characters),

• Clancy Brown ("Damien Darkblood"),

• Kevin Michael Richardson ("Mauler Twins"), and

• Ryan Ridley (writing)

That's a lot of overlap. They even had Michael Dorn from Star Trek: TNG (1987–1994) (there he played Worf) and Reginald VelJohnson from Family Matters (1989–1998) and Die Hard (1988), and even Mark Hamill. Pretty much everyone in the voice cast was significant and known. Maybe Amazon got a discount for COVID since the actors could all do voice-work from home? ;)

Overall Bad that it was for the Young Adult target demo but good for the infrequent adult themes and ultra-violence. Very high production value and a good watch for those who like dark superhero stories. I have heard that the comic gets progressively darker, which fits for Robert Kirkman, so it will likely be worth keeping up with this show.

#invincible #tv review #robert kirkman #invincible tv series #invincible tv show

[shaykappa]

I know people love saying that when it's summer or spring you feel better mentally, and take this from someone who lives in Greece: whenever I complain about anything happening here they tell me that I should be grateful I live in Greece because it's sunny. And let me tell you something: that's bullshit.

The Greek education system won't get better because we have warm summers, the economics won't get better because we have warm summers and my depression won't get better because we have warm summers.

Do you want to know how summers are for me? Here.

1. I am laying in my bed all fucking day with the lights off because it's already hot like I live in hell and the fan is at full speed, but I am still sweating because my hand was touching my shirt for over five minutes.

2. I am drinking tons of water and I feel like I just ate a six course meal but I still need to drink more water because my throat is drier than the Sahara dessert.

3. I can't eat properly because cold food it's gross and warm food makes me want to puke, because it's already warm outside.

4. Exercising was already impossible but now it's pure torture.

5. I can't go out to get milk because being outside sucks, and I am so sweaty that it's hard to put on socks.

6. If I want to go outside I have to go when it's darker and colder, but guess what? In summer days are longer so it's dark after eight o'clock, which would be fine if the stores weren't closing by then.

7. Even if I want to go for a walk at eight o'clock, I can't because I have no energy, and the heat makes me feel even more tired and bored.

8. I have to take a shower every fucking day as if I have enough energy for that.

9. I sweat a lot, and that makes me feel like my body is even more gross, and I already feel like my body gross because my family likes fatshaming me and I have body hair, which is a problem because I have a vagina and boobs.

10. Since it's so hot I am being pressured into wearing short pants. But I don't like short pants and even if I did, I wouldn't be confident enough to wear them because when I wear them at home, mum tells me that I have to shave my legs, and that I have to sit properly because my underwear is showing and "dad is here" but that's not a fucking issue when dad sleeps only with underwear on or goes around shirtless and hairier than our cat.

11. My parents tell me I should come to the beach with them at seven o'clock in the fucking morning, even though I don't like swimming, the sand is burning, it's seven fucking o'clock so I just want to be sleeping and I can't wear a swimsuit because swimsuits are extremely revealing and I don't feel comfortable showing my legs or my belly because once again, I have to shave and if I do wear a swimsuit my parents will fatshame me. To be fair, they stopped commenting on my weight after my psychiatrist told them not to do so and that they were just being dicks, but I know they are judging me, because I am not as skinny as my underweight brother that has great metabolism even though he eats more than I do. Also, both my parents are overweight.

12. I can't wear my favourite clothes, which are hoodies, jackets and flannels, and don't show any skin. Once again, I don't want my skin showing because my parents like fatshaming me.

13. We don't have school, which normally would be great but after months of extreme anxiety and strict schedule I have absolutely nothing to do and no schedule at all so I forget to take care of myself or my cat.

14. Since I don't have school my parents expect me to do more chores around the house, but I can't do this because I have no schedule or energy. And if I don't do those chores it's because I am lazy and irresponsible.

15. It's now August and I am supposed to plan my next year and get tutors because the education system sucks, so it relies on tutors. If I don't get tutors, I am going to fail the end-of-year exams that are literally testing how much I remember from the school books. The teachers are obviously supposed to explain to us the things that are written in school books but some teachers just don't make sense, or decide to tell us about how God helped them find a parking spot instead of teaching.

16. When school starts it will still be hot for the first month or so. Yet, the first school day is literally just standing in the sun for three hours as the teachers talk about things no one cares about and then a preacher saying some stuff from the Bible or something and throw us drops of water with some parsley. Then we get the school books (yes all 20 of them or so) and we carry them all the way to our houses, and guess whose house is 20 minutes from our local high school? Yep, that's me.

17. This school year I will be in 11th grade, so I have to worry about Panhellenics, which are basically official exams for the end school that measure how much you remember from the school books and other things that aren't mentioned in the school books or taught at school but we have to know them anyway because some lawyer from the political party that won the last elections became minister of education so she is now in charge of those things. But she also doesn't give a shit about us.

Bonus: Next summer, which will be the summer before 12th grade for me I won't have only those struggles, I will also be having tutors most days of the week to prepare for Panhellenics. Getting good grades in panhellenics is the only way to be accepted in a greek university, and those grades also matter to some universities in other countries.

Thankfully for me, I am moving out of Greece as soon as I can, and I am probably not going to study because I don't have the money or the grades for that because guess what? I have depression.

But thank God we have the sun. As one of my P.E. teachers said after pressuring me to talk to her about my problems: "Why do you have depression? It's a nice day, the sun is shining."

#greece #education #school #summer #heat #rant #education system #depression #parents #anxiety #fat shaming #shaving sucks #boredom #high school #teenagers #greek life

[wlw-lovestruck-fiction]

Also since i imagine it would go very differently, MC inviting Runa to meet her parents (and whatever anxious angst that idea conjures in Runa) including the meeting?

Written by @shootingstarwithagrudge

Runa’s hair shone brilliantly in the sunlight as I watched her through the window at the front of the Cafe. This was always my favorite way to see her, when she thought no one was looking and could really let all her walls down. Her face was calm and serene even as she picked at her nails, obviously nervous. When I had first brought up the prospect of meeting my parents, Runa had paled at the thought. But after explaining to her that once we were married, they would be her family too, she began to warm up to the idea. I think deep down inside, the thought of having a normal family that didn’t try to manipulate her at any cost, was extremely important to her. I make my way through the cafe door, and Runa quickly turns her attention to me.

“What were you even doing in there? Physically sewing a new outfit to wear?” Even with her eyes narrowed I can tell she’s only slightly annoyed. More from nerves than anything. I’ve come to know Runa’s defense mechanisms pretty well by now. Even though she had come so far from the angry waitress I first met, she still depended on her walls when she was feeling nervous.

“Sorry - I saw this beautiful creature through the Cafe window, and I just had to stop for a moment and admire her” I give her my most disarming smile, which only gets me an eye roll.

“Yeah, OK. Dork.” Her words are a little sharp, but she has the slightest shade of pink to her cheeks as she says them.

“You think I’m a dork? Just wait until you meet my parents” I laugh. My parents were the epitome of average. Their most prized possession being a complete set of encyclopedias from the eighties. And the idea of them finally meeting this wild and fiery woman I was in love with, brought me so much joy.

“Yeah…” Runa replies with a far away tone. She’s been stressing pretty hard over this night, so I remain quiet until she’s finished. “I just hope I don’t say anything dumb. I’m assuming since you’re such a nerd, they’re probably pretty smart for a couple of humans.”

“Runa, they’re going to love you. Just be the amazingly charming woman I fell in love with.” I give her a cheeky grin and she scoffs.

“I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, babe… charming not being one of them.” She quickly falls in step with me as we make our way through the bushes separating our two worlds.

After a few minutes of walking in silence we reach the only bus stop walking distance from the Cafe. Luckily I don’t have to explain too much of how public transit works since Runa was more familiar with the human world than most magicians. And other than the two exceptionally ripe travellers that decided to sit a seat over from us, our ride is supremely uneventful. As we finally approach the stop in front of my parents house, I’m overcome with giddiness. It’s like two complete polar sides of my life were finally merging. Not being able to contain my joy, I audibly squeal as we exit the bus.

“Oh my god. How did I fall in love with such a nerd?” I turn to face Runa prepared to give her back a little lip, but the look on her face was one of pure affection. I feel myself immediately blush as I take her hand in mine. She smiles at me before taking a deep grounding breath.

“Well, it’s now or never.” She let’s out with an exhale as we make our way towards the front door. A part of me was a bit surprised at just how much their house hadn’t changed. I guess since so much in my life had changed, I inexplicably expected theirs to have as well. I can hear the tv as we reach the front step and I laugh. Nat Geo was on. Too perfect. I give Runa one last reassuring smile and swing the door open.

“Mom! Dad!”

Just as expected, Mom was in the kitchen preparing a veritable feast. I could tell she’d been cooking all day by her slightly frazzled appearance, but she still looked amazing. She makes a beeline for us before I can say another word.

“Willem! You’re offspring is here!” She yells towards the direction of the study before bringing me in for a bone breaking hug. “Oh, honey.. We have missed you.”

“Missed you too, Mom.” I left out with a laugh.

“Hey there, Cupcake!”

Dad walks in with a newspaper in one hand and an old mystery novel in the other. One I’ve personally seen him read at least 20 times. When I turn to give him a hug, I catch Runa’s eyes and she looks like she’s about to burst with laughter as she mouths the word “Cupcake?” to me. I narrow my eyes and she chuckles. I look up from Dad’s hug and motion to Runa awkwardly.

“Mom, Dad this… is Runa.” With the smile that reaches my face, it’s pretty transparent how much I love her. Dad and Mom both excitedly make their way over. Shaking her hands, and topped with the ever so awkward hug. My heart swells with the image of them three together. My two worlds colliding.

“Runa, dear. It’s so nice to meet you!” Mom gushes. Runa gives a nervous laugh before Dad claps her on the back in total Dad manner.

“So, Runa! That’s such an interesting name! Runa. Where does it come from?” Runa’s eyes go wide as my Dad waits for an answer. She looks to me before trying her best to answer coherently.

“Uh.. W-well M-mr.. ah-. M-Mr. Wellem.. Uh, sir.”

She pauses and tries to center herself. Taking a long, deep breath, she opens her eyes looking slightly more centred. I look down to find her doing her finger exercises.

“Uh.. So.. Runa was my Great Grandmother’s name, actually. She was the only other one in the family born with pink hair.” My parents eyes go wide at that and Runa immediately realizes her slip up. She pales slightly, swallowing hard as I subconsciously try to figure out how I’m going to explain this. But before I can even respond, both of my parents start laughing.

“Oh, she’s a funny one, Cupcake. You better hold onto her.” Dad waggles his finger at me as he shakes his head.

Runa finally releases the breath she’s been holding, and I let out a nervous laugh.

“Haha - Yeah, Runa here is a regular card.” I playfully clap Runa on the shoulder, pulling her closer.

“Y-yep. Th-that’s me. Ol’ hilarious Runa.”

My parents are still laughing as they lead us towards the dining room. I give Runa a smirk and she rolls her eyes, taking my hand. She stops abruptly though when we reach the armour with all my childhood photographs. My breath catches while I wait to see which photo has caught her eye.

“Oh my gods, babe.. Is this you!?” She holds up a particularly embarrassing picture of me from my 4th grade Science Fair. I groan loudly. “I mean. Of course it’s you! Look at my cute little dork being all nerdy and cute.”

I laugh at her unique choice of affections, and take the picture in my hands. I can’t believe my parents still had this thing framed. My completely out of control hair, white lab coat and over sized goggles made for one of the nerdiest sights to ever exist.

“Uh. Yep. Let’s just put that back where it came from.”

Runa laughs as I quickly put the photo back. I look up to meet her eyes, and her smile has turned so fond that I immediately blush. She leans in for a kiss, which I gladly return. My heart so overwhelmed with joy, I was almost certain it would burst all over my Mom’s hard cooked meal.

“Come on, let’s go before your human food gets too cold to tolerate.”

Runa takes me by the hand and leads me the rest of the way down the hallway and into the dining room. Mom had done such a beautiful job at setting the table that it almost felt as magical as something we would set up at the Cafe. I quickly take a seat across from my parents with Runa seated next to me. I point out all the tasty foods she should try and realize this probably looked a little weird to my parents, but they make no indication as such, so I continue.

“So Runa.. what part of Europe are you from? I’ve been trying to pinpoint your accent, but it’s so unique.” Dad’s question catches us both off guard. Runa’s eyes growing wide as she looks to me. Shit. I had totally forgotten I’d told my parents in my first letter that I was in Europe. This was something neither of us had a prepared answer for.

“Uh, Runa is actually from a town not too far from here, Dad. She just happened to be spending a bit of time in uh.. Belgium.. while I was there.” I spit out the response so quickly, without giving it much thought, hoping it would suffice my Father’s curiosities. He hums in thought before speaking again.

“And how did you like your time in Belgium Runa? How was it there?” I can tell Dad is just trying to be friendly by getting to know her, but I can see the fork shaking in Runa’s hand while she tries to think of an answer.

“Um.. it was nice? Very uh .. Belgium-y? And they had really good… waffles?”

Her answers come out more like a questions as she tries to remember any facts about Belgium. Lucky for us though, Dad doesn’t pry any further and goes back to his roast duck. I can hear Runa release a sharp exhale with a chuckle. Obviously glad to have dogged that bullet. I meet her eyes and mouth the words ’I’m sorry’ which she immediately waves off.

As the dinner goes on, I can’t help but just sit back and watch. When I had first realized my feelings for Runa, I never in my wildest dreams thought she’d be sitting here, in my childhood home, at the dining room table where I used to color, eating a human dinner, with my extraordinarily human parents. The ring Runa gave me sparkling in the dim light. The pink glow bringing me out of my thoughts as it catches my eye. It looked brighter somehow. Warmer. And as I catch Runa’s face, it comes to my attention that the ring was feeding directly off of Runa’s emotions. She was happy. Exceedingly so. She had a family now. And that was all I could ever ask for. I run my finger across the small jewel before trying my best to jump back into the conversation, which had taken an odd turn into laundromats. I laugh, knowing deep down inside that this was everything I could have ever wanted. I was more content than I had ever been, and I had no one but Runa to thank for that.

#Anonymous #lovestruck #women of lovestruck #runa amberthorne #runa x mc #sweet enchantments runa #se runa #sweet enchantments #fluff

[girlactionfigure]

Plan Z

In the Fall of 2012, Bibi Netanyahu and then Minister of Defense Ehud Barak had a plan to destroy Iran’s capability to make nuclear weapons. The plan was not executed because of opposition from the Cabinet, the Israeli security establishment, and of course the Obama Administration, which was facing an election and secretly negotiating with Iran toward what would become the JCPOA.

The “nuclear deal” that was ultimately signed in 2015 provided Iran with cash for its Hezbollah terrorists and its expansion into Iraq and Syria, as well as fully legitimizing Iran’s nuclear project in 10-15 years. Even before then, the JCPOA lacked adequate safeguards to prevent cheating, and Iran took advantage of the loopholes to pursue development of uranium and plutonium bombs.

The Obama Administration was following a playbook developed – in part by advisor Ben Rhodes – in the 2006 Iraq Study Report, which intended to extricate the US from Iraq and bring about overall stability in the region by appeasing and empowering Iran and Syria (there was still an independent Syria then) at Israel’s expense. It seemed to me then, and still does today, that the negative consequences for Israel from the plan were not simply an unfortunate byproduct of it, but rather a desired outcome.

President Trump took the opposite tack, choosing to weaken Iran and empower America’s traditional allies in the region, Israel and the Sunni Arab states. He took the US out of the JCPOA, re-imposed sanctions on Iran, recognized Israel’s sovereignty in the Golan and Jerusalem (the 2006 plan envisioned Israel transferring the Golan to Syria), and encouraged an alliance between Israel and the Sunni Arab states.

If Trump’s policy to build up a strong countervailing power while weakening and isolating Iran would continue, then it might be possible to force Iran to give up its nuclear dreams without military action. But if, as seems likely, Joe Biden takes office as President of the US on 20 January 2021, then everything may change.

The following is sheer fantasy. I don’t know what the PM of Israel is thinking, I am not acquainted with anyone in the Trump Administration, the Biden team, or Israel’s defense establishment, and I have no insider knowledge about anything.

By Chanukah 5781 [10 December 2020], it became clear to the Prime Minister of Israel that President-elect Biden, although personally not particularly anti-Israel, was assembling a team heavy with individuals that were less than sympathetic to our point of view, like Susan Rice, Jake Sullivan, and Daniel Benaim. Biden had also made appointments that were concessions to the extreme left wing of the Democratic party that had almost defeated him in the race for the nomination. Intelligence reports showed a continuous flow of communications between Biden and the headquarters of the group led by Barack Obama, located only about 3 km. from the White House.

The PM of Israel was worried. Biden had already announced his intention to re-engage with Iran, which would probably mean a loosening of sanctions. The PM knew that the Iranians had recently made significant progress toward the development of a nuclear arsenal. He had no confidence that the Biden Administration would have the will to stop them; he could imagine a repeat of the JCPOA process, in which Iran made a fool of US negotiators.

Israel would have to stop Iran, or nobody would.

The PM knew that during the Obama Administration the Americans considered Israel a prime target for intelligence-gathering. The Americans had been operating a radar installation in Israel since 2008 that could spot air activity anywhere in the country, even small drones. Electronic communications in Israel’s defense headquarters, the Kiriya in Tel Aviv, have been tapped for some time. It would be very hard to take almost any kind of military action against Iran without the Americans finding out.

The PM decided that if Israel were to take action, it would have to be before 20 January, when Biden would be inaugurated. Indeed, considering the precedent of the incoming Obama team which aborted the ground invasion of Gaza in January 2009, it would have to be before Biden’s people got themselves organized. Otherwise, he was sure the Americans would act, diplomatically or even kinetically, to prevent Israel from striking the Iranian nuclear program.

Such an operation would not be simple or easy. The Iranian assets that would need to be destroyed are buried deeply underground and defended by surface-to-air missile batteries. The moment Israel attacked, the Iranians would unleash Hezbollah in Lebanon, which had some 130,000 short range rockets and longer range missiles, some with precision guidance. They are fitted on mobile launchers and ensconced in the homes of civilians. Hezbollah has plans to invade across the northern border, and kill Israelis and take hostages.

But the IDF has been preparing for this for some time. There is a plan called tochnit zayin [Plan Z]. The Prime Minister convened his mini-security cabinet, a subset of a subset of the cabinet, including the Minister of Defense and several others, together with the IDF Chief of Staff and a few key officers, including the Air Force and Navy commanders. The meeting took all of 15 minutes. The clock began to tick on tochnit zayin.

The IDF announced that it would carry out a defensive exercise on our northern border. It was not a massive exercise, and only a small number of reserve units were called up. Several days later an Israeli submarine moved into position in the Persian Gulf (or, if you prefer, the Arabian Gulf). At 0200 on the 4th day of Hanukah, the submarine fired a missile almost straight up. The missile contained a small nuclear bomb designed to maximize the production of gamma rays, and it exploded high in the stratosphere at an altitude of about 100 km. A person on the ground might see a small dot of light if he knew where to look; he would not be injured or even feel anything.

Most of the gamma radiation from the explosion was absorbed by the air. The gamma rays ripped electrons from atoms in the air, and the electrons spun downward; their motion in the Earth’s magnetic field produced a powerful pulse of electromagnetic radiation, lasting only one millionth of a second but containing an enormous amount of energy. Much of Iran was blanketed by this pulse. Electrical conductors that it passed over had high voltages induced in them, and semiconductor devices, especially those connected to power lines or antennas, were reduced to inert lumps of silicon. Telephone and cellular networks, broadcasting equipment, internet routers, the power grid, and countless other things became inoperative. Even emergency generators, with their solid-state controls, didn’t start.

When Israeli aircraft arrived to bomb the nuclear sites with multiple bunker-busters, Iranian radar was dark. When eyewitnesses tried to alert their commanders, they were unable to do so. When they finally drove to Teheran to inform their leaders (most vehicles were still operative, especially older ones), their leaders could not communicate with each other, or, importantly, with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Lebanon is too close to Israel to receive the same treatment, but units of Israeli special forces penetrated its borders and destroyed communications infrastructure and cut cables at key points. A bombing campaign followed, aimed primarily at the nervous system of the country – the power grid and communications systems. In 2006, the IDF was surprised by its inability to intercept and interrupt communications over Hezbollah’s fiber optic network. Since then, it’s been documented and mapped. It was quickly destroyed. Since 2006 the IDF has collected good intelligence about Hezbollah’s installations, including the hiding places of mobile rocket launchers and weapons depots. Many of them were destroyed almost immediately.

The Hezbollah leadership was targeted; unlike in 2006, the IDF knew where they were and was able to kill them. Without a head and a nervous system, and without support from Iran, Hezbollah was demoralized, and was unable to sustain a massive rocket attack. There was some damage to Israel’s home front, but Iron Dome and Arrow antimissile systems significantly reduced it.

All this happened in a couple of days. By the time Hanukah was over, the Lebanese government – less Hezbollah – was suing for peace. In Iran, economic paralysis had begun to set in.

The US and the Russians, who had been informed only an hour before the operation, offered to help Iran and Lebanon to rebuild, as did Israel and the Gulf states – on condition that the mullahs in Iran and what was left of Hezbollah in Lebanon would have no role in the government. They accepted.

By the time Joe Biden became president, he faced a whole new Middle East.

Abu Yehuda

[novelistash]

Life Simulators

Tinkering with life simulators are a guilty pleasure for me. The chaos of procedurally generated lives keep me far too interested. My mind fills in the blanks creating the story of these rich lives. It kind of goes against what I was talking about yesterday, but I think I said it was an issue up for debate? Well, if I didn't, you can basically say that about everything. Newtonian Physics was the only way to view the Universe until it wasn't after all.

Anyway, I'm going to drop the life of Alexandra Miller, a character who was able to live most of her life with perfect stats. Is this for posterity or just for me to keep a semi-obsessive record? Also this might be in multiple parts. Hmm, maybe I should turn this into an exercise.

Born in Sydney, Australia, my parents conceived me on a nude beach. Cate Miller, my mother, never knew who my father was, and never cared to find out. She was a 40 year old history teacher. She quickly found and married Samuel Hornsby, a 33 year-old army enlistee with a son, Kobe.

Alexandra (Lex) had trouble getting along with her new family at first. Samuel didn't want to take 3 year old Lex to the zoo when she asked, and she got into a fight with Kobe where she got so mad that she licked him on the forehead.

To help Lex feel welcome, Cate got her daughter a boxer named Baxter! Lex was very serious about taking care of Baxter, giving him baths at the age of 4 and feeding peas for treats. Her family warmed up to her, with Kobe talking to Lex about how scary the toilet was and Samuel discussing Lex's imaginary friend.

When Lex started school, she was anxious about the other kids. Some of them didn't seem to like her. In particular Ariana was always giving Lex the stink eye. Lex tried to be her friend. Ariana responded by telling Lex to jump off and calling her a sausage shark! Lex gave up on trying to make peace with Ariana and instead tried to be nice to everyone in class, showering them with compliments. She became friends with Ayla, the first girl to talk to her, as well as the smart cookie Clive. Lex cared so much about her grades in Kindergarten that she studied until her eyes were sore.

At the age of 6 Lex went to Pompei with her family and starting taking piano lessons. She learned to enjoy reading, finishing Corduroy and Stellaluna by herself.

At age 7, Lex became friends with revolutionary Archie and stylish Eleanor. One of her fondish memories of her father Samuel happened this year, when he took her sky diving! Afterwards, he gave her a compass that had been in his family for three generations. Whenever Lex was lost, she could look at the compass and know where to go.

When I turned 8, Lex's step brother Kobe became a cadet for the Sydney Police Department and moved out of the house. Continuing this theme of people leaving her, Baxter ran away from home. With compass in hand, Lex looking for her dog and found him hiding in a bush! They ate lemons together and hated it. In addition to piano lessons, Lex started taking taekwondo and voice lessons and dreamed of becoming a pop star.

An avid reader and compulsive studier, Lex was having trouble with her eyes at age 9, but the optometrist said she wouldn't need glasses if she just studied in the light. When she got a yellow belt, she learned how to perform the eagle strike in taekwondo.

Lex was content that some people would never like her, but those that showed her kindness, she'd always go out of her way to talk to them. She felt extremely luck to have so many amazing people in her life.

Kobe became a Patrolman, but Lex's 11th year would be anything but safe. Lex fell out of bed and hurt her jugular. She was bed ridden for 5 days. Baxter got in a street fight with another dog and died. Ayla helped Lex get over losing her dog and the two became best friends.

Sixth grade was the year of the great Disney movie debate, where Lex's entire class argued about which was the best Disney movie. Clive wanted to sneak into a neighbor's house to get a box of Reese's Puffs, but Lex stopped him from taking a suspicious risk. Lex was finally old enough to go to the library by herself and she started going there every week.

At the start of secondary school, Lex joined the school's orchestra! She did 26 hours of babysitting for a neighbor. She tried out for water polo but had too much trouble breathing to focus on the ball at the same time. She started going to the local gym and focus on breath control. Lex found that diving helped her get better and ended up joining the diving team instead. She started working with her mother on the garden. Her mother Cate said that the garden always reminded her of Lex.

Lex will always remember the day before her fourteenth birthday, because she met a boy from another school, Chase Edwards. After spending some time together, Chase asked to kiss her and she gave him her first kiss. When she felt him opening his lips she pulled back and decided not to spend any more time with him. A few months later, Lex went to a party with Ayla. Ayla spun the bottle and it landed on Lex. Ayla seemed like she wasn't sure if she was ready to kiss a boy, so Lex went into the closet with her. Once they were inside, Lex realized that she wanted to kiss Ayla, but didn't have the courage to try anything. Their seven minutes in heaven turned into seven minutes that were very much on Earth. Lex vowed to not live life in fear and focused on her taekwondo, earning her blue belt. While at the gym training for dive, she was asked out by Connor Robinson, and agreed to date him. Lex did work as a babysitter and lawn mower, and used that money to pay for her first mani-pedi. She joined instagram just to show off her nails. She was meditating a lot on the nature of the world and joined her school's recycling club. If all of that wasn't enough, she started taking guitar lessons.

Lex and her acne ridden boyfriend, Connor, snuck into Lex's attic, and found her mom's camcorder. There wasn't anything interesting. Lex became her orchestra's section leader and her mom, Cate, gave her a BMW after acing her driving test. Feeling like an adult, 15 year old Lex decided to go on birth control, and her mom had no objections. Ayla joined the art club, and Lex partied with her and her friends. She realized that she still had feelings for Ayla, but Ayla confessed that she was into one of her club mates and so Lex decided not to act on her feelings and stay with Connor. Ayla got a boyfriend and Lex felt like she was ready to commit to Connor.

Her sixteenth birthday was an emotional high point for Lex, and she felt like she was happy for no real reason. She became concertmaster of her school's orchestra. Everything was going great and she decided that she wanted to take things to the next level with Connor. Connor wasn't interested in sex before marriage, so she broke up with him. Her friend, Clive, helped her get over the break up by getting mani-pedis with her and they became best friends. Ayla had recently become single and so against Clive's advice, Lex decided to ask Ayla out on a date. Ayla rejected her, but said that she was willing to still be friends. Lex wasn't over her but gave up after her attempts at flirting continued to go nowhere. Lex's tutoring gig let her work with grown men from college. Clive thought one client was a pimp.

Kobe became a Corporal, Lex became dive team captain, and the family had a big party to celebrate. Lex told all of her friends that she was pansexual and everyone was more interested in going to the movies.

Lex decided to study biology at university. She met Charlie Edgecliff at the gym and asked him out. On their first date Charlie took her yodeling. After going to the movies, Lex gave her virginity to him. Lex joined the university's orchestra and swim team. For Charlie's 20th birthday, Lex took him cliff diving. They had a serious talk about cloning and decided that it would be cheating to hook up with a clone of your partner.

Lex's ex boyfriend Connor went to Lex's 19th birthday party and tried to get back together with her. Lex told him off without needing to use her brown belt in taekwondo. Between swim team, uni, and hooking up with Charlie, Lex was not only busy, but happy.

Lex became the section leader in her orchestra and somehow found time to do tutoring to pay for the many dates she went on with Charlie. She wanted to look her best for him and got Brazilians and laid on the tanning bed. She loved her body and her boyfriend, but one day at the tanning bed, she got out and threw up all over the floor. When she went to the doctor, they told her she had skin cancer. Lex had maybe five years to live. Lex couldn't accept that, she needed to try other options. When Lex talked to Connor about going to see a witch doctor, he laughed at her. She broke up with him and saw a spiritualist from Mexico. The woman told Lex to eat chihuahua hair as part of a ritual. Lex did and her cancer was miraculously gone! The 20 year old Lex had a new lease on life and she wasn't about to spend that life being single. She met the buff Kylie Mills, and dated her. Within a week they were not only girlfriends, but they were talking about moving in together.

At the age of 21, Lex took her girlfriend Kylie to Kobe's marriage. Sergeant Kobe had married a school teacher, Kiara. At the reception, Lex's old friend Archie joked with her about how weird it was that he was dating one of his mom's coworkers, even if she was only 34. Lex liked Archie's dark humor and the two became best friends. Lex kept tutoring, swimming, playing, studying, and dating. She climbed up onto a try with Kylie and school children taunted them to kiss. They made out while the sun set.

The love of Lex's life, Kylie, graduated and became a Pilot Trainee for Salls Air. Kobe and Kiara divorced after having only been together for thirteen months. Six months later, Kobe was a father to a little girl named Kylie. After graduation, 22 year old Lex got a job as a Jr. Environmental Scientist at Pacific Consulting.

Not hindered by his divorce, Kobe got promoted to Inspector. 23 year old Lex, put everything she had into her job, working more and more overtime. She was determined to buy her own place and marry the woman she loved. Things wouldn't be the same as Kobe.

Kobe had another daughter, a girl named Hazel. No one really talked about who the mother was, but they were proud of him for taking her into his family. Lex's research discovered that used condoms were threatening the lives of duck billed platypus, so she engineered a biodegradable condom. This got her a promotion at work. Feeling like she could do anything, the 24 year old Lex read War and Peace. She purchased a ring of alexandrite and proposed to Kylie. She said "yes." They were going to get married!

At Cate's retirement party, Lex realized she'd been with Kylie for 5 years! Thought the two were madly in love, Kylie's financials were in doubt. She had a lot of debt and her job wasn't even covering her student loans. At Lex's mom's retirement part, she learned that Cate was actually independently wealthy, owning some 3 million dollars in stocks and bonds. Lex's brother was the one who brought this up, because he was pretty sure the two of them were going to get a million dollars each. He told Lex to look out for Kylie, because she could divorce her and take hundreds of thousands from her. Lex knew in her heart that she could trust Kylie, but when she saw a male proustite on the street, she found herself tempted. Maybe their relationship wasn't perfect. The still Jr. Engineer, Lex, asked her boss for a promotion, but despite having come up with a new condom, she was denied.

For Lex's 26th birthday, she went to Comic Con with her coworker Bella and her friend Eleanor. Eleanor became her best friend. Lex worked while sick with the common cold and got a raise. She applied for a mortgage and bought a town home on Evans Manor. Her mom had to help her pay for the place, because Kylie's financials were all tied up in her debt.

After celebrating Lex's niece Kylie's birthday, her fiance, Kylie wanted to get married. Lex was still house poor and asked her parents to pay for the wedding. They agreed. They were going to be wed within the year. Lex had a short battle with athlete's foot. She was really starting to think of her own mortality and the mortality of her mother. After going paintballing with her step father, Lex decided that Kylie needed to sign a prenup. When Kylie refused, Lex made her promise to wait to get married until Kylie could stand on her own two feet. Kylie wasn't happy and the two stopped having sex. Lex begged Kylie to go to couples counseling, but Kylie wouldn't try. It was then that Lex knew she needed to end things with her fiance. The 27 year old Lex cut down on her hours at work and decided to focus on herself. She had a one night stand with Archie Irvine and realized that it wasn't for her. She wanted something long term and went online to date Ariana Evans. Their first date was a parkour exercise. And even though things went well, Lex wasn't ready to start getting physical with Ariana. Ariana told Lex that she was willing to take things slow.

After giving her all to a company that didn't seem to appreciate her and a fiance that wanted everything, it was only after Lex stopped caring that things finally started to change. At age 28, Lex was finally promoted to Environmental Scientist. Ariana took Lex for a photoshoot to celebrate and the two finally got physical. It was then that Ariana admitted to Lex that she didn't need to work. She was independently wealthy, being worth nearly 5 million dollars from her family's wealth. Lex threw a party at her house and Ariana was content to live separately.

Lex was falling for Ariana, but she didn't want her to think she was after her fortune. She asked her mother to pay for the wedding, and Cate agreed. Lex bought a $500 platinum ring and proposed to the millionaire, Ariana. Lex took Ariana to a football game and proposed on screen. Ariana said "yes!"

At the age of 30, Lex finally married Ariana. There was only one catch, a prenup. Lex laughed and agreed to the prenup, explaining that her mom was also wealthy. When the time came to go on a honeymoon, the two women realized they'd rather just stay local and be with friends and family. Lex took Ariana's last name, becoming Alexandra Evans.

[naturecpw]

The Six Morning Routines that Will Make You Happier, Healthier and More Productive

Start your morning off right with these simple but effective routines.

Scott Young

 Of all the different things you can try to improve your productivity, a morning routine is one of the most effective. There are a few reasons why morning routines are so useful. The first is obvious to anyone who has ever procrastinated, just getting started is often the hardest part. If you can start out with the right momentum towards your goals, you’ll avoid wrestling with yourself in the morning to get started. The second is that the morning, particularly before the workday officially begins, is a quiet time with fewer social obligations. For many of us, the rest of the day can present a chaotic, ever-changing blast of responsibilities, urgent errands and unexpected interruptions. The morning, in contrast, is often the most consistent part of your day. Morning routines also set the tone for your upcoming day. Do you want your workday to begin quiet and contemplative? With vigorous exercise? Silent meditation? Creative and productive? Your morning habit can push you along a current which will carry throughout the morning and allow you to maximize whatever aspect of your personality you want to be most important. In this article, I’d like to explore a few different morning routines you can try. But first, let’s talk about what comes before the morning ritual: sleep. When Should You Wake Up? How Much Sleep Should You Get?

When you talk about productivity, there seems to be two camps. Some argue in favor of waking up extremely early to maximize those early-morning hours. Others say getting enough sleep needs to be the priority. If you can’t go to bed by 8pm, you should wake up only after you’ve gotten 7-8 hours of sleep.

I believe the scientific case is fairly clear: when it comes to productivity, getting enough sleep is essential.

A lack of sleep causes enormous cognitive declines, it impacts your ability to form memories, and may even increase the risk of certain diseases (including cancer). Research indicates that 7-8 hours per day is a nearly universal requirement, so those who claim to get by on four or six hours per night might be kidding themselves.

Worse, the cognitive impairment of a lack of sleep can accumulate, even if you think it has leveled off. Any morning routine you develop needs to accommodate your sleeping rhythms.

Key Lesson: Your morning routine should allow you enough sleep. Pick a time you can wake up consistently and also get 7-8 hours of sleep on a normal night.

Creating the Perfect Morning Routine

I’ve experimented with a ton of different morning routines. Waking up super early, waking up without an alarm, exercise, learning, work and many others.

In all these different experiments, I’ve found that there isn’t one perfect routine that will make you rich, ripped and happy overnight. Instead, there’s different routines for different purposes, and so I tend to think about my routines as trying to match my most important goals of that moment.

If I’m really focusing on health and fitness, starting with exercise or putting in the time to eat a healthy breakfast might go first. If I’m working like crazy, getting straight to work on my most important tasks may be better than cluttering up my morning with different tasks. Different goals, different routines.

Therefore, instead of suggesting one routine, I want to suggest six. These different routines have all served me during different parts of my life, and so you can see which feels like the best fit for you.

The Six Key Morning Routines

1. Exercise and Energy

This routine is simple: right when you wake up you go and exercise. Before eating breakfast, checking your phone and emails or watching some television—go out and move.

I’ve done this before with running, swimming and even just push-ups. 
The first benefit of this is that it puts fitness in that all-important first slot of the day. If you’ve struggled with staying on a regular exercise schedule in the past, this can be a good way to make sure it is a priority.

Second, this habit can wake you up. Exercise can keep you alert and mentally functioning at your prime, when a coffee may only be able to slightly prolong your later-day crash.

Recommended for: If you struggle with grogginess, you’ve had a hard time fitting exercise into your schedule and if you want to make fitness your top priority.

2. Meditation and Stillness

Contrary to the first one, this starts with daily meditation. I’ve done this before with 30-minute meditation periods.

It’s important to do seated meditation and not do so lying down in your bed, or you’ll be likely to fall back asleep. I sit on the floor, not a chair, which is not terribly uncomfortable, but also a position that requires enough muscle tension that I’m unlikely to fall asleep.

I’ve found this helpful because it tends to leave me calm and focused. Useful if you expect to have stressful days ahead to start yourself off with a quiet mind.

I also find that one of the challenges of grogginess is keeping your eyes open. Meditation allows your mind to wake up without strain so by the time you hear the final gong you’re fully awake.

Recommended for: If you want to be calm and less anxious in your day, if you’ve wanted to make meditation a priority but haven’t had time, as an alternative if you don’t like exercise first thing in the morning.

3. Get to Work!

The key to productivity is just doing the work. This routine underscores this by making getting some work done your first priority, so that your first break is the chance to eat breakfast, shower, shave and do the normal routine you’d do in the morning.

I did this during the MIT Challenge. I even have old schedules I wrote on paper which had “6:55 – Wake Up,” “7:00 – Start studying,” written on them. I’d wake up, and in five minutes I’d be doing practice questions, listening to the next lecture or working on a programming assignment. Only after I did 30-60 minutes of this would I take a break to “get ready” to start my day.

This works because it not only maximizes your time, it shifts your productivity much earlier. You finish much earlier in the day and can enjoy a less cluttered evening without guilt that you’re slacking.

The second benefit is that you get to take a break when you need it. Too many people take their break before starting, so that when they have to work they can’t take a pause for fear of not having enough time to finish.

Recommended for: If you have important goals and projects that take a lot of time. If you expect to be working a lot and you’re worried you won’t have time to do everything.

4. Learning First

When I was planning my year-long trip to learn four different languages, the early morning was the only time my roommate (who went with me on the trip) and I had to do some pre-travel practice. 

Therefore, we woke up at 6am each day and did a half-hour of Pimsleur lessons before he got ready to go to work and I got up to start my day.

In other times I’ve done learning goals where I’ve read books, watched lectures, practiced skills or studied first thing. This is often useful for the same reason it’s useful for meditation and exercise: it puts something you struggle to schedule first thing in your day, so you won’t forget it.

Recommended for: When you want to work on an important learning goal but never find time.

5. Plan Your Day

Mental rehearsal is a key strategy elite athletes use to ensure performance. By imagining each movement vividly, they can perform better under pressure when the big event comes.

You can exploit a similar impact by planning out your day in the morning. Don’t just jot down some to-do items, but actually imagine working on them. What will be the complications? Where will you have gaps in your schedule that need filling? What will you need to focus on?

Doing this planning first thing in the morning can be a good way to prime your day for success.

Recommended for: If you have a hectic, busy schedule. If you want to focus your mind on work and productivity, but can’t start working right away.

6. Make Your Bed

Making your bed, brushing your teeth, showering, shaving, doing makeup, pressing your clothes and more are all little tasks that can put you in good form for the rest of your day. Such morning routines were pretty much expected a generation or two ago, but nowadays many people skip out on some of these steps as the culture has become looser.

An advantage of this more traditional routine is that in putting your house and appearance in order, you put your mind in order as well. As one admiral William H. McRaven put it, “if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made — that you made — and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.”

This approach can be taken on its own, or it can be synced up with one of the other two—say fifteen minutes for some key preparation activities followed by exercise, work or study.

Recommended for: Creating a sense of order and dignity in your day. Giving you a foundation of meticulousness and conscientiousness to approach your later tasks.

Add an Evening Routine

Morning routines are great for managing the first part of your day, but they also depend crucially on an evening routine to complement them. If you do decide to aim for an early rising schedule, you need an early-to-sleep routine to match it. Similarly, if you plan to work or learn first thing in the morning, you should plan out your day the night before so you know what to work on.

A good evening routine should minimize blue light (a good rule is to have no screens after 9pm), so that the melatonin circuit that controls your circadian rhythm can start to adjust for better sleep.

I often like to plan out my day ahead of time and either read a book or listen to an audiobook with the lights out for 20-30 minutes before sleeping to make it easier to doze off.

Matched to your goals a good routine is the foundation for success. It can help you become more productive, healthier and happier by tweaking at one of the most consistent and important points in the day.

More from Scott Young

Easily Distracted? Use Orienting Tasks While Learning.

Lesson #2: The most effective learning tactic (as found by a comprehensive study)

Lesson One: What most people get wrong about effective     learning

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-six-morning-routines-that-will-make-you-happier-healthier-and-more-productive?utm_source=pocket-newtab

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#Morning Routines

[blogpost66]

Tips for Easy Jacket Back Needlework for PATCH DESIGNER

Master 2 necessary variables-- hooping as well as positioning-- for much less complicated, gratifying sewouts.

It's that time of year once again. The environment is obtaining cooler, the dropped leaves are modifying colors and likewise individuals are attracting jackets out of storage rooms. As an embroiderer, why not benefit the possibility to market even more embellished things in this apparel group?

Coats as well as coats can be terrific moneymakers. They are much more pricey as well as supply themselves to higher margins. In addition, if a client desires a large style on the back, you can obtain optimal manufacturing from your equipment, which suggests optimum income if you are a PATCH CREATOR.

I made use of to dislike doing big formats on coats. They are harder to hoop as well as also the huge designs take a long time to run; I utilized to think such styles were eating my maker time. I ultimately understood my thinking was incorrect. Yes, the coat was on the equipment for a long time, nevertheless the layout still was producing cash for me-- and additionally at a better price than a great deal of my left-chest logo layout sewouts.

Let's say I'm running a 5,000-stitch logo on golf shirt. I can get perhaps eight runs an hour. If I'm charging $1 per thousand stitches, that's $40 a hr (per head). On the other hand, if I have a 60,000-stitch style, it is mosting likely to take a human resources as well as 20 minutes to sew. Nonetheless, I'm obtaining $60 for the layer back format. That exercises to $45 per hour and also I truly did not require to function as hard. I might sit back and likewise relax as well as likewise the enable the maker do the benefit a hr approximately. This remains in addition to the reality that there normally is far more revenue margin in the markup of layers as a result of their high cost factor.

Since it's evident that coats can be as rewarding-- otherwise a whole lot much more so-- than the "typical" things most embroiderers stitch, allow's take a look at the challenges of managing layers. First of all, there are various coat ranges. From wind breakers and additionally warm-ups to Varsity jackets as well as workwear, they are available in all products as well as additionally thicknesses. Some are shiny, tough, thick and also slim-- and afterwards, certainly, there's all-natural leather. Learning to take care of all the variants takes a while along with technique, yet there are some principles you can follow-- despite the kind of layer you are dealing with-- that will definitely aid guarantee success.

MAINTAINING AND HOOPING

Prior to beginning any kind of kind of task, it is required to choose the appropriate stabilizer. The good news is, the selections are simple when it comes to coats. For light-weight layers, like wind breakers and likewise different other nylon layers, a sheet of tearaway stabilizer require to be enough. For thicker layers, little or no stabilizer whatsoever is needed.

When making your option, remember that the secret is just how much an item stretches. Thick layers have little stretch and so much mobile lining that consisting of one more layer of something is not absolutely helping anything. If you stress over distortion, toss a thing of tearaway stabilizer behind it which will certainly be more than adequate. The only time an exploded view stabilizer is required is when you're stitching stretchy weaved layers.

Hooping coats, specifically thick ones, constantly is a barrier. They are larger than a normal-size garment. Frequently, embroiderers do not have a theme for the mounting board to fit the back hoop measurement and likewise there are extremely couple of suggestions for you to know whether the layer is hooped right.

If you sew a lot of coats, it pays to purchase or make a mounting theme for your framework board, or have a table that appropriates for hooping these bigger items. It does not have to be expensive; I utilize a traditional workdesk. I find it is the perfect dimension for the layer and also it similarly allows me to use more descending pressure as I try to push thick jackets right into a hoop.

LINING IT UP

The point of using a hooping device is to help in getting points aligned frequently from product to piece. Coats can be a little tough when it worries alignment, particularly when they do not have numerous marks or joints. Facility joints produce very easy alignment, as well as likewise lots of coats have a seam up around the shoulders, that makes a fantastic, straight line to referral. Simply ensure the design stays listed below that shoulder joint for proper placement.

If there are no joints or numerous other reference marks, start by noting where you desire the facility of the style to be. Positioning guides state to place the layout 7-10 inches listed below the neck. This depends upon the measurement of the design along with the style of the layer.

You frequently can reference the sleeves and also lowest level of the layer, too. Line up the clips on the hoop with the sleeves to aid straighten out the layout. Afterwards, to guarantee straightness, step from each side of the hoop to the bottom of the coat to guarantee it is even. I make use of the tab on the hoop where the steel clips are screwed on for the referral point on each side of the hoop.<br>

PUSHING THINGS IN

Hooping a slim layer isn't really a big deal. Thick coats, nevertheless, are one more story. Relying on its density, there are different strategies you can utilize to obtain the coat onto the embroidery machine, as well as additionally there are some standard and also not-so-conventional methods for attaining this.

A great deal of coats you sew will definitely fit in a hoop; they just require a great deal of initiative along with strength to do so. In these instances, you can attempt to loosen up the adjusting screw greater than what need to be required to hold the coat prior to hooping. When the product is hooped, just tighten up the screw.

Normally, it is not suggested to utilize tools to aid in tightening up the screw-- yet I make an exemption in the case of thick, durable products like substantial coats. It sometimes calls for a lot more make use of than can simply be created by even the best of fingers. A collection of pliers (or screwdriver, depending upon your changing screw) might remain in order.

Most of the moment, jackets should be hooped inverted because of the reality that the midsection has a larger opening than the neck. That suggests less product will certainly be accumulated in the back, and also it makes the coat much less complicated to jump on and additionally off the maker. It additionally is a lot less most likely to catch on something or push the hoop off the gadget.

There are numerous hoops on the market with countless credit to assist with these problems. Allied's Grid-Lock collection consists of a really prolonged readjusting screw that enables the hoop to open broader. These hoops also consist of grid lines to assist with positioning.

When pushing the internal ring into the hoop, begin with one side and also afterwards the various other rather than trying to press the whole hoop in entirely. This "heel-to-toe" method helps for take advantage of as well as additionally to line things up. Let's state I'm making use of the top-shoulder joint as a mark. I can line up and likewise establish that side of the hoop at first, after that press in the bottom side.

Another alternative is to use a larger-than-necessary hoop. I understand this breaks the conventional wisdom that states to make use of the smallest-possible hoop, but in some cases it is almost hard to acquire a thick coat right into hoop of a smaller sized dimension. The additional location in a larger hoop makes this possible. This periodically holds true, especially with smaller positionings.

The hoop popping apart is one of the most disheartening things that can occur when managing thick coats. This normally occurs right after you get it hooped and additionally are relocate to the equipment. Also even worse is when it occurs while embroidery. To ease this trouble, I utilize plastic springtime clamps around the beyond the hoop. You need to take care to guarantee they do not strike anything, yet that they assist maintain the hoop with each other while sewing.

Whatever you do, some layers simply will certainly not fit in a hoop. Do not stress and anxiety. There are suggests to obtain points onto the needlework tools that aren't in a hoop. For newbies, when utilizing a regular hoop in addition to glue stabilizer, you can stick the product into the hoop. To do this, hoop the stabilizer with the peel-away paper still on it. Once it is hooped, score the paper to in addition to peel it away. Put the hoop onto the machine and afterwards align the layer over it. It is a good concept to utilize basting stitches at the start of the style to better safe it to the stabilizer. Basting stitches are absolutely lengthy (9mm-10mm) running stitches around the beyond the style that can be utilized to tack it down prior to the needlework begins. The size makes them simple to get rid of as quickly as the style is completed.

This coincides concept as the Fast Frames and the EMS HoopTech Quick Change structures use. These supply a less complex methods to get the coat onto the maker in contrast to hooping absolutely thick points.

Nevertheless, there are a few disadvantages to utilizing this approach. First is the placement. Because the hoop is on the within, there is no aesthetic recommendation that will definitely recommend whether it is straight. Second, the layer's cellular lining will certainly stick, leaving the external layer to move. To overcome this, I connect the plastic spring protects around the outside of the hoop to hold things together.

You can currently actually excitedly expect the cooler weather and also the subsequent layer orders you will certainly get this period. They might need a little a lot more job, but the repayment is absolutely worth it. You can loosen up in addition to value the appealing autumn leaves while your manufacturer winds up those long, profitable jacket back runs.

[blackdreamsoffashion]

It’s August 7th and unfortunately, things have gotten exponentially worse…. in the U.S. because the rest of the world has generally gotten their shit together.

As things continue to worsen and we wait for the ticking time bomb that is K-12 schools and universities opening for F2F instruction… prior to having a vaccine, there honestly doesn’t seem to be a real end in sight (unless I move to Canada, and I may or may not have been researching how to become a Canadian citizen).

Most of the time, I’m ok with this. I’m a big girl, I understand that life is hard, things happen, “it is what it is” (barf), but there are some days where the realization that I’ll be living through these Covid times indefinitely, truly knocks the wind out of me.

While I’m generally a home body, I do like the option of being able to leave my house. I miss being able to visit family and friends without worrying about infecting each other. I miss the gym, and coffee shops, and Marshall’s, and thrift stores. I could go on and on about what I miss, but I’ll spare you since I’m sure everyone has things they’re missing right now.

On these hard days, and throughout the pandemic in general, I’ve tried to find ways to feel somewhat “normal”, and luckily with the help of my therapist and suggestions from friends, I’ve felt ok most days and I don’t curl up and cry on the floor for hours on the hard days either (even though a good cry is always good for the soul).

So, I thought I’d share my tips.

Being a teacher and all, it’s in my nature.

1. Tip 1: Keep a loose schedule

In the beginning of the pandemic, I found that I was trying to just go with the flow. I didn’t have any sort of schedule and I quickly learning that everything just started to blend together, in a negative way. When you come from a structured life style, i.e. teaching classes, waking up, eating , working out, dissertating, etc. all at a set time, having no structure feels hard after a while! So, I created a very loose, very flexible schedule, as I found it gave me something to look forward to, while helping my life to feel more normal. For example, my days are generally: wake up around 7:30/8, listen to a podcast or two while eating, from 9 until 12 it’s open to what I want (maybe running, going for a walk, reading, cleaning, etc.). 12:30 is lunch followed by coffee and a dessert. 1-5 I try to complete some school/work related tasks. 5:30-6:30 I cook and have dinner. After dinner, we might go for another walk… or another dessert. I might dance to ratchet music for 20-30 minutes (also good for the soul, trust me), or I might do some things around the house. 9:30-11:30 I watch Netflix. So as you can see, it’s super loose, and the only things that are truly set are my meal times… otherwise I’d be eating constantly all day. The first month of covid, we spent about $600 on food….for two people…. and our budget is 250-300 a month #yikes. By having some things to look forward to though, it helps my days to run a bit smoother. But let’s be honest, we all know it’s the dessert after lunch that keeps me going LOL.

2. Tip 2: Find you hobby

Considering the way American culture and society is set up (insert side-eye here), our lives are often centered around work/school and other obligations, and we rarely have time to pursue other things. Therefore, I’ve tried to really take advantage of having to be home by incorporating some old hobbies back into my life, and even trying new ones. I’ve been flying through angsty Mangas and Animes and repurposing/revamping thrifted furniture/ people trash.

I even made a children’s book for my nephew centered around him and my sister!

I’m also trying to expand the inventories of bread I can make. I’m happily at a solid 1.5 different loaves. I say 1.5 because the second type only comes out well 50% of the time LOL.

  There are so many things you can do such as an online cooking class, a Zoom paint-with-a twist, drawing, photography, running, gardening, learning a new language or skill, becoming an indoor plant mom, etc.

I am especially biased towards activities that involve moving the body. NUMEROUS studies (no I’m not looking them up/linking them b/c I do enough of that as an academic, so you can look up studies yourself!) have found that exercise helps with anxiety and depression (I can attest to this), with mental clarity and focus (I can also attest to this), it helps you sleep better, and it also helps with your immune system, blood pressure, and hormone regulation. My moods are always consistently better when I exercise vs. when I don’t. When I don’t I can become a crazy bish….

3. Tip 3: Take social media breaks

I do this and I have several friends who do this as well. Yes it is important to be connected and social media can facilitate that. However, it is extremely important to monitor/control what we consume. The world, especially the U.S. is NOT a pretty place right now. Our feeds are filled with Black men and women losing their lives to police, families being ripped apart due to Covid-related deaths, thousands of deaths in Lebanon, a humanitarian crisis in Yemen, and the list goes on and on. Taking breaks from constant exposure to that is crucial to maintaining our mental health. I know it’s easier said than done, and studies have shown that social media is a literal addition, but I find that it helps to set small goals, which can be done easily with i-phones. Simply set a limit to the amount of time you’re able to use social media apps (through the i-phone settings), and it will lock you out of the app once you reach that time limit.

4. Tip 4: The Calm app

I cannot express how in love I am with the Calm app. I believe it’s $70 a year but given that I use it everyday, that’s essentially .20 cents a day.  Trust me, it’s wellll worth it. The app includes things like guided meditations, bedtime stories, daily mood check-ins, sound scapes, 7-days of gratitude, and help for anxiety, confidence, relationships, stress, emotions, etc. etc. TBH, you should have bought it when I said .20 cents a day! This app helped me through graduate school as I struggled with stress, anxiety, and sleep deprivation, and it continues to help me with those same things as I transition into a new work environment and of course, Covid.

Lastly, I’m not sure whether this is a tip or not due to its broadness but, if I’ve learned anything from all of this craziness, it’s to do things meaningfully and with intention. It’s soooo easy to agree to 1000 Zoom get-togethers when you’re not interacting with other humans, but it gets to a point where we’re just doing things to do them. Like social media. We scroll just because. We binge shop online (maybe just me…), we watch a million shows on Netflix, we eat ALL the cookies/make constant trips just because. Although it’s not easy, I try to be in tune with myself and my needs by being present, and asking myself WHY. Why are you going in the fridge again, Sherez? Are you hungry, or eating to eat? Why did you say yes to that Zoom hang out when you just spoke with that person two days ago (what could have possibly happened in two days during Covid LOL).

I do slip up, often, but I try my damn best. Trying helps me to make it through the hard days, and it makes the other days as close to normal as it’s gonna get, for now.

Any who, I hope this is able to help someone out there in the black void that is the internet.

Goodluck my friends! Sending back the love + light that I’ve received from so many of you. We’ll get through this, poco a poco, and we are in this together…… despite American society’s push for individualism (*cough, cough*).

Until the next one!

S.M.

Sharing is caring. 

Surviving the pandemic hard days: Tips from me + the community It's August 7th and unfortunately, things have gotten exponentially worse.... in the U.S. because the rest of the world has generally gotten their shit together.

#community #Covid #health #society #tips

[meditativeyoga]

Pain is Your Friend: A “Painfully Honest” Messenger About Your Yoga Practice

Anyone that is struggling with chronic discomfort is already stating, "What is this moron speaking about?" Having suffered my very own reasonable share of extreme discomfort, I must state I would gladly have actually murdered that "pal" and hidden it at the end of the garden. In this article, we will certainly concentrate on sharp pain, the type of pain that might occur during your technique, or within the subsequent day approximately. We will check out the typical scenarios that might trigger discomfort, and the course of activity you need to follow.

When you experience pain, it is, in effect, your body attempting to speak with you. Possibly it's claiming that it's not delighted with the aberrant placement it locates itself in, the damages that has actually been done to it, the tension patterns that are developing, or on a positive note, that structural adjustment is happening. Usually, it is claiming, "Back the heck off."

When doing asana (the physical technique), it's easy sufficient ahead throughout pain, either during the technique, directly after, or a number of days later on. For a pursuit concentrated on balancing and opening up the body in a gentle and controlled method, it occasionally appears we are instead putting our bodies with the wringer.

I invest 6 months yearly in Goa assisting yogis with their injuries, as well as it's reasonable to state I discover it tough to discover enough time to see everybody. Many individuals come to yoga with existing injuries, intending to utilize asana as a healing technique. Regrettably, a reasonable number of us manage to injure our bodies with our technique. Ideally, as yogis, we are extra sensitive to what's taking place in our bodies, more quickly seeing inequalities, tension patterns, and pain, yet this is only possible if we take regard. It is extremely easy to obtain captured up in desiring to take our technique to the next degree, neglecting what our bodies are attempting to inform us.

Pain During Yoga Practice

Every time we step onto the floor covering, we are asking our bodies to relocate into positions that may offer the possibility for soft tissue damage. At certain threat of injury seem to be shoulders, reduced back, wrists, hips, knees, ankles, and neck (not much left). We might put stress on the joints as well as their sustaining frameworks (tendons and also cartilage material) or particular muscles or groups of muscular tissues (e.g., hamstrings). So exactly how do we interpret what our bodies are saying?

Padmasana (Lotus Posture) is the perfect yoga exercise pose, and also thus, our enthusiasm to achieve a form of the stance appears to load our ears with cotton wool. If your hip joints do not conveniently externally turn, you are more than most likely to experience discomfort in the knee (either medially or laterally) and/or the ankle (typically simply below the front edge of the side (outdoors) ankle bone). This discomfort is because of the tendons being stressed also much, as well as your body is stating, "Maintain going, and also damage will certainly happen."

Ligaments are only gently flexible, permitting for maybe only a 6 percent stretch before tissue damages happens, and they do not repair easily due to a very little blood supply. Unless your tendons are chronically reduced due to some previous trauma, there is absolutely nothing to be gained by overstretching them. Their task is to provide architectural stability to joints by limiting activity in undesirable instructions. By loosening them, you are not becoming extra versatile. Instead, you are threatening their function.

So if you discover yourself in this scenario, don't hang it out in the posture assuming that by suffering the discomfort, you will at some point open that location. You might harm on your own before you obtain there. Rather, leave it and exercise other poses that concentrate on the location where you wish to enhance flexibility. Revisit the position several weeks later on to see if it is a lot more comfortable. This is not the exact same situation as actively placing light tension on the joints to elicit a favorable reaction, such as with Yin Yoga.

In the situation of Padmasana, it is essential to recognize that a viewed absence of "openness" in your hips may not be associated to soft tissue inflexibility. It's totally feasible that inhibited exterior turning results from the construction of your hip joints. If that holds true, no amount of extending will enable you to exercise full Padmasana-- and also that's alright.

Another location of usual injury as well as discomfort is where the muscles connect to the bones using tendons (their origins and also insertions). In this circumstances, the pain is sharp. Its specific area is quickly determined.

Repeated extending near your limit of flexibility might emphasize these areas, causing damages to the tendon fibers, causing inflammation. Due to all the forward folding in yoga, a constant website for this kind of discomfort is where the hamstrings connect to the ischial tuberosity (sit bone).

If you ignore this pain, which might start out as more of a worrying inflammation, the injury is likely to worsen, become persistent, and also start to hurt not just when you're ahead bending, but additionally when you're resting as well as strolling. In these instances, you must change in order to enable the swollen location to recover. If you are feeling pain in a position, you need to withdraw until it does not harmed. This may look like usual feeling, but I bet that at lot of times throughout a yoga course, there are people just attempting to disregard some pain or various other, wishing that the later repercussions will not be too bad.

So what around when we feel an abrupt acute pain while practicing, and also it hurts to relocate the angering limb (to varying levels)? Do we plow on wishing that it will relieve? I would claim no, the longer you go on, the most likely you are to make things even worse. It is very easy for the visibility of endorphins and also the distraction of the technique to mask truth level of the damage.

The finest program of action is to quit as well as initiate the RICE protocol (rest, ice, compression, elevation) as soon as possible. If you didn't require it, no damage would be done, yet if you did, you would profit from punctual activity. The topping, in particular, will certainly decrease swelling in the area and aid decrease the quantity of damages, and the earlier it is used, the better.

When icing, never ever put the ice straight on the skin unless you are mosting likely to keep it relocating (such as with an ice massage therapy), as well as restrict the moment of application to 20 minutes for more fleshy locations (e.g., thighs) and also 10 mins for bony areas like the feet and also hands. You might ice often. Simply enable a space of a minimum of half an hour in between applications. A good indication that it is risk-free to reapply ice is that the skin and tissue have actually gone back to normal temperature. Just bear in mind icing for too lengthy can create tissue damage, especially on the fingers as well as toes-- think about frostbite.

Pain After Yoga Practice

Okay, you have a good method, and after that the following day, or the day after, you get that sensation like you've aged ten years over night. Muscle mass soreness, inflammation, and rigidity permeate your body, as well as you seem like anything however a bendy yogi. The experience might be very local, restricted to one or 2 muscle mass, or it may cover a larger area. When the angering areas are in the resting setting, you do not feel discomfort. It is just when the muscles are gotten or stretched that you experience the complete magnificence of what is happening.

This body response is called delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS for short. If you have actually really offered on your own a looking at, it may last 5 to seven days, however generally 2 to four sees the rear of it. The factor might be that you are brand-new to yoga exercise, yet this experience is by no methods limited to the beginner. If you have had a long term break, amped up your practice, or started doing some poses that use extra stamina than common, you may well sustain a little suffering.

So what's the cause, and also what can you do regarding it if it happens? A few of you could currently enter with "an accumulation of lactic acid," and I will certainly claim, "err, no." It is now currently accepted that lactic acid build-up might assist produce the tiredness pain connected with intense task, yet is not responsible for postponed beginning muscle soreness, as the degree of lactic acid in the muscle mass has actually been revealed to return to typical within one hr of exercise termination.

As a dual "no," lactic acid is linked with anaerobic workout. Because of the intensity of the exercise and the high power demand of the muscular tissues, the body is compelled to produce energy without making use of oxygen. Consequently, lactic acid ends up being manufactured therefore of the metabolic waste produced by this methods of power manufacturing. Sprinting might create this, but yoga exercise not a lot. (Well alright, you might feel this kind of melt in Titibasana (Firefly Pose) B, C, and also D if you have limited hamstrings as well as are striving with your quadriceps to straighten your legs. That's a "yes" for me).

What Causes Postponed Start Muscle Mass Soreness?

There is still much difference regarding the specific reason for delayed start muscle soreness, but it seems to steam down to a mix of elements (e.g., swelling, boosted level of sensitivity of nerve receptors) arising from microdamage experienced by muscular tissue fibers and the connected connective cells. This damages is more probable to occur throughout eccentric contraction (antagonizing a load while lengthening).

For example, the triceps muscles are functioning eccentrically when we lower down right into Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Team Posture).

This pain is not necessarily all negative. Postponed beginning muscle soreness is a sign that your body is adjusting to the brand-new anxieties to which it is being subjected. It must not be puzzled, however, with repetitive pressure injury, which is a much sharper pain and stands for damages being done instead of adaptation.

Delayed start muscle mass discomfort may, in certain scenarios, also be used as a barometer of practice intensity. I keep in mind several moons earlier, in my fitness center days, that if I really did not obtain delayed beginning muscle mass soreness the day after training, I would think about that I hadn't educated hard enough because session, which motivated me to work more difficult next time. Thankfully I utilized a split regimen (different body parts on various days), which allowed me to avoid revamping the area impacted by postponed start muscle mass discomfort for numerous days.

I am not suggesting right here that you ought to lay out in your yoga technique to experience delayed start muscle mass discomfort, however sometimes it's not a bad thing. As postponed beginning muscle soreness is really felt just in the muscle mass that have been striven (either by tightening or stretching), it can actually tell you rather a lot. Say, for instance, you have made a decision that your method has been overlooking your quadriceps, so you include in some postures that you believe may make a hit. If you experience postponed beginning muscular tissue pain in that location, you can be guaranteed you have obtained it right.

On the various other hand, if your educator may have recommended you to attempt and engage a particular muscle mass when doing a particular position. Delayed beginning muscle discomfort may show that you were doing what you assumed you were. Of course, if you utilize this muscular tissue a lot already, you might not experience delayed start muscular tissue pain. On the other hand, you may occasionally get a sign that you are utilizing specific muscle mass also much.

What To Do Regarding Delayed Start Muscular tissue Soreness

So a little delayed onset muscle discomfort can be wonderful. Yet excessive, as well as we need a treatment. It may hurt to relocate your sore muscular tissues, however in fact, that's specifically things to do. Light workout, such as gentle biking, will assist ease those uneasy feelings. Light extending is additionally great, so a gentle yoga method is additionally fine. Remember: much like the health club training, if you intend to still practice strong, that's also great, yet you need to change the asanas you do so that you are not functioning the afflicted area strongly.

If you like the "unpleasant medication" training course of action, an ice bathroom will aid for certain. Top athletes often have an ice bath directly after a tough session to try to decrease the effects of postponed start muscular tissue pain and also promote a quicker recuperation. As high as I wish to claim or else, massage therapy, although extremely useful for treating many injuries, may give short-term remedy for delayed onset muscle mass pain yet will certainly not quicken the duration of the symptoms.

What About Rigidity After Yoga Exercise Practice?

I understand that I have actually most likely babbled on for far as well long already, yet right here's simply one more point. Sometimes you obtain a feeling of rigidity and soreness the following day that seems a little bit like delayed onset muscle mass pain. Possibly this limits your series of motion a little bit as well as may create aches when resting. Common websites for this kind of feeling would be the neck and also reduced back. What you have actually most likely done here is to worry the tendons because location. What your body is doing right here is tightening up the muscular tissues bordering the area that you have overstressed in an attempt to splint as well as rather paralyze the area.

Unlike postponed beginning muscular tissue soreness, where you may be ready to think, no worry, modification is underway, in these circumstances you need to check and look at what you are performing in your practice and also make changes. It could be that you are being too aggressive in your forward bends, or maybe there's as well much stress on your neck in Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand Pose) or Sirsasana (Headstand Pose). Or perhaps you're making use of a little head flick in the infamous Urdhva Dhanurasana (Wheel Posture). Whatever the cause, require time to determine what you require to do to remove the pressure you are putting on these areas.

It is usually claimed that as yogis, we can heal a lot of our injuries on the floor covering. I would claim that this is fantastic guidance, yet just if taken the right method. What it does not suggest is to keep with what you have been doing, waiting on the pain to go when in some way yoga exercise amazingly kinds it out. In my mind, what we are discussing is making use of every sensitivity you have established in your technique to figure out where the issues are emerging from and after that making adjustments as needed. Concentrate on opening those areas that might be triggering stress and anxiety to be experienced in various other areas. Most of all, pay attention to your body and also allow it direct you.

#asana #healing #meditation #Yin yoga #Yoga #yoga practice

[angelwingsl3]

Summary: “Quarantine?” Shepard scoffed, stuck on the word. “What do you mean, quarantine?”

Pairing: F!Shakarian, FShep/Garrus

Rated: T

Beautiful art embedded by @blueboxness

Just a little something to help with your self-isolating blues. We’ll be back every day until Shepard and Garrus’ quarantine is over! 

Chapter 1 - Spacewalk

---

Looking across the dark strip of space between the Normandy’s airlock and the opened cargo bay of the asari transport, Shepard swallowed thickly. Before her first ship went down, spacewalks had never spooked her, hell she was a spacer by birth, damn it! This 20-metre jump with a tether shouldn’t phase her in the slightest.

But somehow it did. The Commander’s stomach flip-flopped as she gazed out into the open vacuum. Stars flicked at the edge of her vision and made her world spin. Stupidly, she looked down into the void instead of straight across the gap. She took a step back, deeper into the safety of the Normandy.

“We can find another way, Shepard,” Garrus said at her side as he bumped his shoulder into hers. Even through the comm, she could hear the reassuring buzz of his subvocals. He must’ve swapped to their private channel, no way he’d let anyone else hear his voice as soft as it was now. He’d joked too many times about his reputation as the big-bad-Archangel. “You don’t have to go.”

She shook her head to clear it. “No. I-- I’ve got this.” Shepard closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath. She held it for a moment before letting the air waft out into her helmet and fog her visor for a brief second. “Okay.”

Garrus’ steady presence stabilized her, and when she leapt, he was at her side. Weightlessness lasted a bare ten seconds before they slammed into the artificial gravity of the asari ship. She landed hard, her knees buckling as she hit the deck.

“All right, Commander?” Miranda asked in her ear as she held out a hand to help her rise. The ex-Cerberus Operative had leaped first, and Shepard had watched her gracefully land on her feet, rather than stumble.

“Fine.” Shepard took Miranda’s hand and stood. “Thanks.” She turned in time to see Garrus closing the doors behind them and watch him engaging the safety protocols. Anxiety rose in her throat as he fiddled with the controls. “Is it breathable yet?”

“Good to go,” Garrus announced when the light blinked green, and an audible alarm sounded off to let them know the bay had pressurized.

In a second, Shepard had her helmet off, and she took a long, deep breath of the stale air. “Oh, that’s better. I do not like that at all. Nope. Nuh-uh.”

Garrus walked over and put his hand on her shoulder before squeezing gently. Shepard couldn’t help but turn into his embrace. One hand found the back of her neck while the other reached up to remove his helmet. “You’re all right, Shepard. Just breathe.” They stood wrapped together for a while until Shepard’s heart stopped pounding quite so hard in her ears. Having her partner’s even breathing to match herself to, helped. “That’s it,” he cooed warmly in her ear, making her smile.

Meanwhile, Shepard could hear Miranda moving about the area. Her heels clicked against the decking as she checked for survivors. They’d answered a distress beacon from the Akkeema a few hours ago. The Normandy had been the only ship in range. When they arrived, no one answered the comms, so Shepard took it upon herself to investigate. Scans didn’t show any life signs, but she couldn’t in good conscience leave them, not when her crew had waited for rescue a lifetime ago.

A good Spacer never left anyone behind.

“Okay.” Shepard disengaged herself from the embrace. He let go easily enough, but she lamented the lack of warmth almost immediately. “Let’s go--”

“Commander!” Miranda yelled from the other end of the cargo bay. She and Garrus sprinted over with weapons out only to find Miranda on her Omni-tool, leaning over some sort of pink mould. “Get your helmets on!” she snapped upon looking up at the pair. Even behind the thick Cerberus-branded helmet visor, Shepard could see her glare.

The Commander didn’t think she’d ever slammed her helmet on so fast, and she could hear her partner doing the same thing. She hovered over Miranda’s shoulder. “Shit, what is that?”

Garrus had his ‘tool out now too, and he took a scan. “Nothing good,” he hummed. “I’ll send a sample to Mordin for analysis. Maybe he knows.”

Helmets now securely fastened, the trio explored the rest of the ship. They didn’t find any survivors. It hardly took ten minutes to search both decks, storage units and all. They could account for all the cargo, and while the two asari aboard the ship had passed on, neither appeared physically harmed. Miranda turned off power to the emergency beacon when they reached the cockpit. There was no use leaving it on now.

“Commander,” Mordin’s voice piped in over the comms. “Found a match for mould. Prognosis not good. Appears to be a toxic variety, airborne spores. Very dangerous. Must not inhale.”

Shepard shared a look with Garrus.

“How dangerous, Mordin?” she asked, pressing a finger to her comm unit.

“Lethal, given enough time.”  

Again, her stomach dropped and damn Mordin for choosing this moment to give her single sentence answers. Usually, it took minutes to find a place to interrupt his rants. “How much time?”

“Few days. Good news, curable. Bad news, extremely contagious. Should return to the ship. Airlock decontamination cycle sufficient to remove spores from armour. No danger to ground team in hard-suits.”

“What--” she swallowed. “What if we breathed the air?”

Mordin sniffed sharply in the way he did when he disapproved of something. “Breathed air? Would be bad, Shepard. Very bad. Require quarantine measures, medication, clean room. May take weeks to cure.”

“Quarantine?” Shepard scoffed, stuck on the word. “What do you mean, quarantine?”

---

Setting the Akkeema up as a quarantine site made the most sense. There was no reason to risk contaminating the Normandy, and it gave Shepard and Garrus the most space to move around rather than being confined to just the loft. While the ship wasn’t frigate-sized, it gave them access to all the amenities they’d need: sleeping quarters, a kitchen, the cargo bay to exercise, and the cockpit for sitting around.

It would be enough for just the two of them. Thankfully Miranda had kept her helmet securely fastened instead of hastily removing it as Shepard had. She felt bad enough that Garrus had taken his helmet off to comfort her, she would have felt even worse had Miranda done the same, too.

Mordin came aboard and, along with Miranda, they cleaned the ship of all traces of spores and mould. They removed the bodies, too and notified the Asari Republic of their status. Doctor Chakwas performed medicals on both Shepard and Garrus via vid-comm, as she would do every day until she cleared them to return home. It could take up to fourteen days for any signs of illness to show, Karin had told them.

Mordin vaccinated them against the virus, but they would have to be isolated for a full two weeks to ensure they didn’t get anyone else sick and the vaccine took.

Supplies were shipped over, and contingency plans created. At least they didn’t have anywhere to be just yet. The crew had destroyed the Collector base, repaired the Normandy, and left the Cerberus name in the dirt-- where it belonged. Other than the looming threat of Reapers somewhere along the horizon, they had nowhere to be.

“That’s it then, Commander,” Miranda said as she packed up the last of the cleaning gear. “Is there anything else you need?”

“You’ll be right next door.” Shepard tried and failed to smile. “Take care of the Normandy until I get back, all right?”

“Of course, Shepard.” Miranda’s hand landed on her shoulder for a brief moment before the woman stepped away and headed for the Normandy. When the airlock closed, Shepard and Garrus were left alone and quarantined for the foreseeable future.

- - -

#F!shakarian #female shepard #Garrus Vakarian #me2 #fluff #fluff overload #quarantined #mild swearing #maximum cuddling #Mass Effect #mass effect fanfiction