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mira-nicodiangelo-grey · 4 years

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SIX & Queens- The Nico di Angelo Story

A musical-type album where Nico tells his story, reveals and celebrates who he is. It’s taking him Six years to learn, accept, love, and embrace who he is. He wants to thank the important women in his life for without whom, he wouldn’t be where he is today and this is his way of celebrating that. Obviously different lyrics but same melody. There is more to the story and certain dynamics are changed to fit this story.

Blacksleeves (Ex-Wives) - a song announcing he’s done living in the shadows and is ready to tell his stories and dispel the myths about him. This is a Six-part harmony so he’s got a backing track of himself singing the harmonies when he performs live. He gives an introduction to who he is, where he comes from, how he earned his name and that there’s so much more to him than just the Ghost King. For the intro solos, it’s a little blurb about the expectations about him he’s going to dispel; including being the son of the god of death (which he’s not), the under world and of wealth, of his secretive side, his identity as a child who lost his family, a survivor and somehow as a kinky seductor (he swears he isn’t. He wouldn’t be this outwardly promiscuous as a good Italian boy from the thirties. He’s looking at those who see him as an oversexed lil shit.) This was fun to write, practice for and a bitch to record and mix. He had to do it six times for each harmony BUT it came out sounding great. He dreaded recording it but he knew he had to. At least he didn’t leave it last.

No Way feat. Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano - a song where he says he’s done with the Emo death kid trope and saying fuck you to stereotypes, something he could not do on his own before he found two homes with help from Reyna. This is song to the people who see him as constantly emo and challenges that idea with an upbeat song an emo person would not choose. He loves performing and recording this. He uses this song to promote his show and album. He loves the Latin influences in this song. When he listens to the song, it feels so energizing and it helps him to remember Reyna, a person he considers his home.

Don’t Lose Ur Head feat. Alex Fierro - a song where he parties it up with his cousin Alex, flirts with a couple of guys and get into trouble. Alex helped Nico become more comfortable with who he is today even if it’s landed him in some small trouble but hey! Don’t lose your head just because he’s having fun. This one is technically a Valhalla and Co (Alex Fierro’s band) song but Nico wrote it. In the end, Alex said she didn’t want it and gave it to Nico. At first, it sounded out of place with the rest of album but Nico realized it fit with the theme he was going for. Also he needed a fun song and this song works great for marketing purposes. He often uses this so market in his tiktoks. This song includes a music video of him and Alex getting in trouble in the Tower of London and Alex nearly getting beheaded.

Heart of Stone (Family Anthem) - an anthem of love to his sister Bianca and mother who’ve left him too soon. Originally it was a lullaby his mother invented on the piano and his sister Bianca wrote much of the original lyrics. Nico sings it when he misses her and decided to blow it up into a full song. To give it a touch of originality, to cement his own voice into this family song, Nico changed the first verse (see the original Edinburgh lyrics sang by Holly Musgrave) and the bridge before the big break is more of a response to Bianca’s original “soon I’ll have to go, I’ll never see you grow...” In his opinion, this is the most vocally challenging song of the album but by far his favorite. Something that makes this his favorite song is because he found a voice recording of his mom and Bianca singing a verse and a chorus from back in the thirties. Nico had Leo and Cecil add their voices to his in the recording studio so he can have his family singing the choruses at the end while he riffs. He cries often after singing the big break so he’s grateful Piper suggested having a chorus of their friends sing this with him when performing live so that he gets a bit of leeway to shed a few tears in the final choruses. This includes the Seven, Reyna, Will, Lou Ellen, Cecil and Rachel, joining him center stage from the chorus as he sings this. Fans love to record this when performed live while waving the light of the cameras, swaying with the song. This one of the most popular songs of the album due to the raw emotion. When he appeared on Hephaestus TV for an interview, he revealed the added part about his family which is why he titled this song “Heart of Stone (A Family Anthem.)”. Fans went crazy and cried over this new detail each time they listen to this song. So now everyone cries with Nico.

Get Down feat. Persephone - a major flex showing off the finer things in his life to prove he is above pettiness and is proud of where he is now. This is also Nico’s way of showing how much fun Underworld raves are. The stage literally becomes a party. Persephone was asked to sing this with him and she absolutely agrees. Nico grew on her and she was touched when he asked her to sing this with him. Not only to showcase their new relationship but to flex on Hades’s wealth. And the fans LOVE this stepmom stepson relationship cuteness. Obviously Persephone can’t always show up for concerts so when she’s not there, Nico does some audience participation and asks a few people to come and dance with him onstage. People were living their Y/N moment with him thanks to this song. This way people are conflicted whether or not they’re hoping Persephone will be featured or not.

All You Wanna Do - a song telling how he’s been hurt and manipulated by people and how he won’t stay quiet about it. It’s the most difficult song on this album in terms of subject matter. By the end of the song, it does get vocally challenging. Originally, Nico did not want to include this song because of its raunchiness and heavy subject. It was just a therapeutic ditty Nico came up with. He originally came up with it when he was playing around with Jason on the piano then he wrote out the first verse and chorus. He first shared it while in group therapy. Eventually his support group and friends thought it’d be perfect for the album so Nico made it into a full song and insisted he sang it on his own as a kind of therapeutic release and healing. It got a lot of positive reviews and yes it spurred the “protect this cinnamon roll too pure for this world” viewpoint of him but because they understand more of him now. This song is also fun because it has a sexy tune with it thus portraying his scarred persona with a sexy undertone to address his oversexed persona people somehow attribute to him. Also the song can be slightly vague as to what his relationship was with the people he mentions in the song. Was it sexual? Platonic? Either way, Nico leaves it up to debate (because that’s how art works) but as long as they get the idea that he was looking for connection and got hurt anyways, then he did his job.

I Don’t Need Your Love feat. Hazel Levesque- a song where tells his story and how far he’s come and how he shouldn’t just be remembered as the Ghost King. He’s done because there’s more than that to him; he loves mythomagic, he enjoys music, he’s still a kid. Why can’t he tell that story? Cause in history, it’s the Ghost King, Son of Hades that’ll be remembered. So consider this Nico’s way of leaving his mark (as Nico, finally free of his Son of Hades baggage) and Hazel is the person who’s helped and encouraged him with that. He also thought Hazel was the best person to sing this as a fellow child of the underworld who gets the same reputation as him. This is one of Nico’s faves, too, live performance wise . All of his featured artists and friends join him on stage and belt off the ending together. But really he leaves the riff to Hazel because she sounds awesome doing it. He copies her when she’s not there to sing with it or he improvises the riff but always makes sure he ends IDNYL with a bang.

SIX - a celebration of Nico’s life and how there are so much more in store later on. All he knows now is that he was the ghost king. But there could be so much more. At this point, he gets the audience involved and dance along.

There’s also a chance of a Megamix where he mixes all the songs into one medley. He tried it out once, didn’t like it. He tried it again with a fewer number of songs. It went better but he keeps this for his Cameo videos.

This is something I’ve thought of for a while now. Please don’t hate. I may add a couple of tracks later on.

#hazel levesque #reyna avila ramírez arellano #bianca di angelo #alex fierro #nico di angelo #six the musical au #six the musical #Persephone #maria di angelo #my posts

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no-longer-an-alley-cat · 4 years

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A myth (or collection of myths) for a goddess of a particular pantheon heavily inspired by @thestalkerbunny’s “Grandmother Beetroot” comic.

Tabha is the goddess of familial ties and volcanoes. Within the pantheon she is associated more with the sun god, which means that she does not abide outright lies and does not kill.

Also worth noting: Rozia is the goddess of privacy, medicine, and magic, and the River Zed is domain of Zayla, an aromantic, asexual goddess whose preisthood serves a legitimate way for people to escape the obligations of marriage in this setting. ‘Jadda’ is an anglicisation of the Modern Standard Arabic for grandmother.

Jadda Tabha

Jadda Tabha lives high up on the slopes of the mountain, growing her crops in the rich volcanic soil. She does not live alone; the hunting cats and soaring eagles keep her company and she keeps many hives. When people ask her about what sort of company such wild companions can provide, she laughs and tells them that the creatures help her keep an eye on things. She never specifies what things.

Jadda Tabha has a mane of grey hair that glimmers with gold when the sun hits it. It frames her face like an old lion’s mane, making her stone-grey eyes seem fiercer and her olive-brown skin more weathered. This is merely an appearance, however, she is always pleasantly warm whatever the weather and gives the best hugs.

Like many old people, Jadda Tabha moves slowly. She makes her way down the mountainside at the same steady pace in torrential rain as she does in the blistering sun. Travellers who have accompanied her up or down say that the paths she knows are less steep than the ones they can find on their own. Children who take it into their heads to attempt to climb to the peak are guided back down in less time than it takes to organise a search party with their scrapes tended to and their fears soothed by a piece of honey candy.

If you make the journey up to Jadda Tabha’s hut, you can hear the magma inside the mountain bubbling away in the crater further up the track and it sounds almost like a huge cauldron. She smiles when people tell her this and says that she has no need for a cauldron that big, she is only cooking for herself. Much of the food she grows she gives to the village people — she says she plants so much to give the bees something to do.

It is easy to talk to Jadda Tabha. She is a solid presence.

Dependable.

Once she overheard a young man boasting that he would marry only the ugliest eligible person because they were sure to be grateful and not ask him to do work around the house. Jadda Tabha gave him a cream to rub on his face before bed that would surely make even the prettiest person grateful to marry him.

He did so but noticed no change, so he when he next saw Jadda Tabha in town, he accosted her. “The cream did not work,” he told her. “I haven’t received any proposals since I used it.”

“Ah,” she said in her slow and steady way, “what did you do in the waking hours before you used the cream?” The man spluttered that he didn’t see how it mattered, but under her inexorable stare he admitted that he had spent the days lying around his parents’ house and drinking with his friends. Jadda Tabha clucked her tongue. “The cream requires the sweat of a day’s labour to work,” she explained. “Do you have a patch of land to clear, perhaps?”

“Why?” the young man demanded, brash like young men often are. “What sort of medicine are you giving me that requires me to help it?”

“Would you rather I give you someone else’s sweat to rub on your face?” Jadda Tabha asked, and the man admitted that he would not.

And so he went to work, tilling the plot of land his ageing parents struggled with and applying the cream to his face each night. Each day he needed to do slightly more work to work up a sweat, and before the tub was half done he was tending to the farm all by himself and attracting many admiring glances from those that valued a committed partner who knew how to moisturise.

One time a pair of feuding siblings came to her, a frosty silence hanging between the two broken only by pointed remarks made to a third party. It was difficult to tease out the reasons for the broken relationship, but Jadda Tabha was patient and while the siblings broke their silence to scream at each other she pieced together that a new baby sister was at the centre of the current storm. The elder sibling, having moved out before the arrival of the sister, accused the younger of trying to keep her away from the baby while the younger accused her sibling of trying to ‘steal’ her little sister from her.

“A baby is not a toy,” Jadda Tabha said, easily making her voice heard over the warring siblings. “Just because she can’t talk yet doesn’t mean that she’s an object to be stolen.”

“Yes, Jadda Tabha,” the siblings chorused, showing that they had been taught their manners, at least. But Jadda Tabha discerned that these were just words, and the sentiments here would not be so easily changed.

“Perhaps there is a way to test which of you is best equipped to play with this child,” she said carefully. “There are a few kittens I have been nursing after their mother tragically died. You will each take one and look after it for three nights; when you return them they will tell me which of you did the better job.”

The siblings agreed eagerly, enthusiasm waning slightly when Jadda Tabha presented them with a pair of fuzzy cheetah cubs rather than the housecats they had expected. After listening intently to Jadda Tabha’s instructions, they took the cubs home, each determined to procure the very best toys for the small creatures.

They spent their respective evenings keeping the cubs entertained with feathers and balls, but when night fell, they did not grow less active. They squeaked constantly and wriggled out of blankets, no matter how cosily they were arranged. They refused to eat, seeming to prefer instead to stand at the window and cry piteously at the moon. For such small creatures, they seemed capable of shockingly piercing cries. Finally, the younger sibling bundled her cub up and rushed to her other sibling, finding her in a similar sleepless predicament.

No sooner had she entered the home of her eldest sibling than the cheetah cub had wriggled itself free, flung itself on the other, and soon the pair of them lay in a purring heap. The eldest sibling silently made up a bed for her younger sibling and the two of them went to sleep as quietly as possible.

The very next day, they returned the cubs to Jadda Tabha.

“We see what you were teaching us,” the elder sibling said respectfully. “When we force each other away, we bring suffering.”

“And that something small and cute can be insufferable,” the younger added.

“I’m glad to see you are such fast learners,” Jadda Tabha said, lifting a cub into her lap. “Though I half hoped I could spend another two nights without little claws tearing up my floors.”

The siblings accepted the compliment and beat a hasty retreat before Jadda Tabha could think of more lessons that could be learnt by fostering cheetah cubs.

Once a young woman climbed the mountain to knock on Jadda Tabha’s door. She accepted the cup of honeyed tea that she was offered, but almost before the proper observances had been made she requested a healing balm. Her excuses about being clumsy and prone to accidents shattered on Jadda Tabha’s stony stare and before she knew it she was detailing her husband’s rages, how he told neighbours that she was crazy and made her half believe it herself, how he never hit her where it showed. Jadda Tabha clucked her tongue.

“Ah, child,” she said, “this is more hurt than one of my balms can heal. Why don’t you head east, where a temple of Rozia sits on the banks of the River Zed? They will be able to help you more there.”

“Oh, but my husband!” the woman cried. “He will be angry that I’ve been away as long as I already have been.”

“Don’t fret, child,” Jadda Tabha said, getting to her feet in her slow and steady way. “I will explain to your husband.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” the woman said. But Jadda Tabha would hear none of it, providing her with provisions and sending her on her way before she made her own journey to the village. The young woman and her abuser lived on the outskirts of the village, so it was not as long a walk as it might have been. Jadda Tabha did not hurry, however, and arrived just as night began to fall.

As soon as the man heard footsteps on the porch he started shouting, only to stop and stare in disbelief when the door opened to reveal Jadda Tabha. “Where is my wife!” he demanded, scowling.

“Away,” Jadda Tabha said calmly. “I’ve come to tell you that she will not return for some time. Possibly ever.”

“Where did she go? What did she say to you? The dumb bitch is always lying,” the man sneered.

“I know a lie when I’m told it,” Jadda Tabha said, her grey eyes sharpening to something more like steel. “You should worry less about what she has told me and more about what you are telling me now.”

“Insolent old woman!” the man proclaimed and he moved to hit her, as he had learned that this was a way to escape truths that he’d rather not hear. This is not true.

And, particularly in the case of Jadda Tabha, a mistake.

The man screamed as his hand broke across the old woman’s cheek. “You would be better off beating the mountain,” Jadda Tabha said as the moon rose in the east and the air rang with the cries of night hunters. She sighed, looking down at him as he sat crying in his own doorstep. “Ah, what am I to do with you, child? The priests of the sun would have you do penance, the priests of the moon would have you hunted. Either way, you would end up dead.”

“Mercy,” the man begged and Jadda Tabha raised an eyebrow.

“You ask for mercy? You, who hurt those you think can’t or won’t hurt you back? Who spread lies to hide your misdeeds? You ask me for mercy? Very well.” Jadda Tabha stepped back, holding the man in place with her steely gaze. “Perhaps you will be redeemed, after all. But if you harm another living being, it will be the end of you.”

And with that, Jadda Tabha turned him into a bee; another worker for her hives.

It is said that if a person is being abused by their family or lover and can not make the trek up to Jadda Tabha’s hut, it is enough to tell the bees. Even if uttering the words is too much, it can be worthwhile setting up a hive. The bees are eager to earn Jadda Tabha’s forgiveness. They help her keep an eye on things.

#my characters #tabha #my writing #oc mythology

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dream-realm · 4 years

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When you claim that socialist policies will make people dependent on the government or that the demand for them is proof that people want to be lemmings I don’t understand. What is the role of a government to you? Not trying to pick at you I am curious. What are your ideas for how I’m supposed to make sure I can get medical attention or a home? do I build my own and treat myself with herbs? Okay I’m teasing but I’m genuinely curious because I could learn maybe

(no worries, not taking you in bad faith) sorry to be long. id be curious for any thoughts, despite the vagueness..

not totally sure what you mean here. what would the role of the govt be with respect to those policies, how theyre implemented, function, etc. ? or what, in my opinion, should the role of govt be in a more general sense? i think i was more so venting about and criticizing the former than providing or developing any concrete thoughts on or about the latter, mostly because the role of govt per se is a large and obviously complicated issue. and i dont think we need an exhaustive normative theory of the role of govt to critique how it functions now and would function should policies of that nature be adopted.

the policies (i know we are being incredibly vague) will make people dependent on the govt, and are proof of their being lemmings lol, in the sense that they encourage us to organize ourselves and live our lives in a way that doesnt allow for or promote real self reliance and healthy reliance upon others. nothing most anyone does nowadays is done independently or with a small community: youre educated by the state, you are not involved in growing any of your food or producing any of your medication, youre under serious surveillance, even if you own a house or land you must always pay tax on it, etc etc. im quite aware that we cant all synthesize insulin at home, so hopefully you get what im suggesting. also, where its possible, i do think it would be good to build our own homes and treat ourselves and those we know medically, again, where its possible.

consider the universal healthcare example. im not *morally* opposed to this idea. nevertheless i seriously doubt that if e.g. sanders became president and got this legislation through congress the program would work as people hope. sorry, though the logic works in the sense that, if everyone was forced into the program, there would be more money payed into it, etc etc, this doesnt “prove” that it would function effectively at all. nor does comparing the united states to other countries with far different population, demographics, history, govt. “prove” that it would work. people must realize that they are trying to shoehorn this idea into our govt system, the one that exists as we speak. there will be no grand overhaul of our govt and administrative state in one fell swoop.

think about how this applies to something like coronavirus specifically. people have pushed the idea that if we had a universal healthcare system, we could have better adapted to the virus. for starters, as weve seen, the healthcare system itself is far from the only factor at play in terms of effective, unified response. we have a strong executive, and state govt, and thats not changing. theres also this idea surrounding how funds are moved around. govt says e.g. “we dont have the money” etc. we know they have it. but overhauling the healthcare system does not necessarily change how the govt budget works. in our system, the funds are earmarked for different places. there may be emergency clauses, but thats how it works. what makes you think that executive and state govt wont complicate the process of moving funds from one place to another, even during emergency? thats a dynamic literally playing out right now. and nothing about universal healthcare *necessarily* changes that.

sorry to be so long, but i do enjoy this, though i dont have the attention to make really detailed arguments on here so i apologize for being abstract. suppose everything went perfectly, control was centralized to the healthcare and relevant govt bureaucracy, they have the discretion to use funds how they see fit, and especially suppose somehow everyone involved in this process at every single level is benevolent. do you know the type of data theyd have on you? everything health related. and everything could be justified: tracking, forcing you to stay inside, etc. and people would accept it because they wanted this system and this is the only way it can function effectively and efficiently. it only works better with increased coercion, and you know the means for this are already in place, and it obviously already happens in other ways. think especially now about what it means for the police to function “effectively” and whats justified to that end.

i dont want faceless uncountable bureaucratic control over every aspect of my life. i dont care if it functions perfectly out of sight. in my mind this continues a way of living our lives thats very much disconnected from humanity and community. the uncritical demand for these things is, to me, reflective of--sorry to be melodramatic--something like a new epoch in human history. im not interested in living in a world in which we dont attempt to directly take care of each other to the extent that we can. people often rightly criticize the myth of the nuclear family, and im quite aware theres many ways in which its state sanctioned, but god, at least many people can live through that in such a way that they love and care for their families, neighborhood, etc. where your care for other people is real and tangible and not facilitated through tax contributions from faceless nobodies. im not a critic of electoral liberal govt because i dont think we should help people, or that everyone has to pull themselves up, look out for only themselves etc. im a critic of it, and these socialist policies as existing within it, because they function with a conception of humanity and human life that i find completely alien and perverse. the willingness to think of myself and others in highly abstract terms that are neatly serviced by a benevolent govt is not natural to me. nor do i believe a system like this would foster already existing and dying forms of community. we are upholding a system that is allowing people to be born into the world in such a way that thinking of human life in these terms is natural for them, it becomes hardwired to some extent. im not that human, and im not interested in existing in that world. and i think in a very deep sense, if you accept the predominant liberal ideology etc., you actually dont have obligations to other people, at least not of the right sort, and thats dangerous and wrong. its not natural to think of ourselves in terms and parts of these massive systems. i worry this is so predominate that theres no possibility for a popular appeal to anything else. and the predominance of it pervades everything, democrat, republican, socialist, etc

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shmosnet2 · 4 years

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What If We Don’t Have to Choose Between Evolution and Adam and Eve?

Ever since Charles Darwin proposed his theory of evolution, Christians have struggled to locate Adam and Eve within an evolutionary past. According to the traditional reading of the first chapters of Genesis, God created Adam and Eve directly and all human beings descended from that first couple. Yet many Christians have discarded this belief on the basis of evolutionary science, which holds that human beings, having descended from animals, first appeared on earth as a population rather than a single, divinely created pair. S. Joshua Swamidass, a computational biologist at Washington University in St. Louis, wants to change the terms of this contentious debate. In his book, The Genealogical Adam and Eve: The Surprising Science of Universal Ancestry, Swamidass affirms both evolution and the traditional reading of the Genesis creation account. Drawing on findings from his field of computational biology, he contends that the lineage of Adam and Eve should be traced using genealogy rather than genetics. Viewing the origins debate through a genealogical prism, Swamidass presents a scenario in which the special creation of Adam and Eve thousands of years ago happens on a parallel track with evolution. The Genealogical Adam and Eve carries a wide range of endorsements from theologians, atheist biologists, and believing scientists from across the origins-debate spectrum. CT science editor Rebecca Randall interviewed Swamidass about how his ideas might open new avenues of conversation between science and theology. What is your research background? How did you come to study the genealogy of Adam and Eve? I was raised a young-Earth creationist, and I moved to understanding evolutionary science and seeing legitimacy to it. Now, I use artificial intelligence to explore science at the intersection of biology, chemistry, and medicine. As a computational biologist, one of the things I care about is understanding how what we’re learning from the human genome influences our understanding of human origins. Questions of ancestry and origins are one area of focus for me at Peaceful Science, the scholarly community I help lead. Who is your audience? Who are you trying to reach: young-Earth creationists or evolutionary creationists? There are three main audiences to whom I’m speaking. One audience is my secular colleagues in science. Most of them aren’t Christians, but they want to effectively engage the public, including the religious public. The second is nontraditionalists, such as evolutionary creationists at organizations like BioLogos who have been pressing the scientific case against Adam and Eve for a long time. I’m really trying to encourage them to take a more welcoming approach to traditional theology. The last group is traditionalists: people who feel committed to a traditional interpretation of Scripture. I’m inviting them to engage with evolutionary science. I realize that many of them think that evolution is a myth. That’s okay. We can still recognize together that evolutionary science isn’t actually in conflict with their beliefs. Your research is about genealogy, not genetics. Could you explain the difference for those who might interchange those terms? Why is this so key? There’s been a lot of conflict about how science expresses its understanding of Adam and Eve. It has to do with misunderstanding the word ancestor. We can understand it in the genetic sense, meaning someone we get our DNA from. Or we can mean it in a genealogical sense, meaning someone whose lineage we descend from. Genetics works in a very nonintuitive way. For example, my parents are both equally 100 percent my genealogical ancestors, and the same is true with my grandparents and great-grandparents. But my parents are each only one half of my genetic ancestry; my grandparents are one quarter; my great-grandparents are one eighth. Genetic ancestry just dilutes to the point where the majority of our genealogical ancestors pass on no DNA. Why is that important? Scripture doesn’t tell us about genetic ancestry. It does, however, tell us about genealogical ancestry. Historically, we’ve believed that Adam and Eve are the ancestors of everyone. We can ask: Does this mean genetic ancestors or genealogical ancestors? Well, Scripture can’t possibly be talking about genetic ancestry. It has to be talking about genealogical ancestry. That recognition really opens up an immense amount of space for theology. As Christians, we’ve had a lot of anxiety over what science is telling us about Adam and Eve. But these conflicts are based on what science says about our genetic ancestors. If we focus on genealogical ancestors instead, there might be far less conflict than we first imagined. Can you outline what evolutionary science has suggested about Adam and Eve up until your research? My book doesn’t exist to challenge the evolutionary science. The two starting points are: Humans share common ancestry with the great apes. It really looks like God created us through a providentially governed process of common descent. The second idea is: It seems like there’s no moment when our ancestors drop down to a single couple in the last few hundred thousand years. People have taken those starting points and concluded, first, that the human population never gets down to a single couple; and second, that Adam and Eve, if they existed, must have shown common ancestry with the great apes. I know it’s a subtle distinction, but what exactly do we mean by human? And what exactly do we mean by ancestor? If we keep straight what the science is actually saying, the story of Genesis could be true as literally as you could imagine it, with Adam being created by dust and God breathing into his nostrils and Eve being created from his rib. But evolution is happening outside the Garden, and there are people out there who God created in a different way and who end up intermingling with Adam and Eve’s descendants. It’s not actually in conflict with evolutionary science. In the book, you write on what it means to be human according to science and what it means to be human according to theology. What are some of the possible answers to these questions? In science, there are a whole range of answers. In a recent book called Adam and the Genome, there’s a commitment to saying that humans must be Homo sapiens. But that’s not even the consensus position of science. Some scientists use the term Homo sapiens to refer to our species, or they expand the Homo genus to include other species like Neanderthals, too. Thinking about humans in that way might just hide the most important part of the conversation under a false sense of certainty. Scientists cannot agree on a precise definition of our species or our genus. As we look back into our past, our vision grows murky. In theology, sometimes human beings are defined as those made in the image of God. But theologians and interpreters of Scripture can’t find exact agreement what that means either. There are three main views on what it means to bear God’s image: the substantive, which refers to our capacity for thinking and feeling; the relational, which refers to our capacity to relate to one another and to God; and the vocational, which refers to our capacity to rule over creation. But those simple categorizations hide a lot of complexity and disagreement. Theologians are just as unsettled on the meaning of the image of God as scientists are on the meaning of human. In my book, I suggest that one valid definition, from the point of view of Scripture, is to define human beings as Adam, Eve, and their descendants. There might be biological humans, fully human, outside the Garden, but Scripture is bound to the story of Adam, Eve, and their lineage. It is not talking about others, even if they have the same degree of biological humanness as us. This leaves open lots of questions about the meaning of the image of God, the essentials of humanness, and how we think about the possibility of people existing outside the Garden. This possibility has been the subject of conversation for centuries. Scripture suggests they exist, but it’s like they appear in the peripheral vision. It’s a grand invitation for theologians to wonder together about who they could have been. That’s one of the grand conversations. Let’s have that conversation. One of the stickier parts of studying this history and thinking about populations living alongside Adam and Eve is that you’re forced to confront objections of racism in our understanding of these humans. What lessons have you learned from wrestling with this personally? One thing I’ve learned is it’s really common for people to bring race into questions about human origins, often to attack those with whom they disagree. We all inherit that legacy of racism. Origins is often approached from a very whitewashed perspective. It doesn’t really engage the concerns of people of color, who are often underrepresented in the conversations. What I found, as a dark Indian, is that these questions of origins are actually very closely tied to our concerns about our worth and dignity in the world. This conversation doesn’t have to be so whitewashed. There’s a real value in going back to that history of racism, to uncover it and work through it. There is an opportunity to work through our understanding of justice, mercy, and inheritance in a way that connects with the concerns of African Americans, Indians like myself, and many other people that are so underrepresented in the conversation. The important thing to emphasize is that the science of origins is solidly against the idea of a biologically distinct race. This is something that really needs to be said more often. We have a better understanding of how we are all connected in one family. Genealogical science makes that clear. All of the science that supported racism by arguing that we’re all disconnected populations—some of us descending from Adam and Eve, some of us not; some of us with certain biological abilities, and some of us not—that all turns out to be untrue. Some Christians were skeptical of evolution because it appeared to challenge the historical doctrine of monogenesis—the idea that all human beings descended from a single pair of ancestors. And it turns out that the rival theory, polygenesis, really is false. Could you define polygenesis? Polygenesis was a false theory of origins that was often conscripted to provide support for racism. It’s the idea that the humans alive today are divided into biological groups that have been separated in the past and have distinct biological abilities, different theological roles, and varying levels of rights and dignity. That’s just totally false. One of the main reasons people historically rejected evolutionary science is that it seemed to be teaching polygenesis. In fact, for about a century, many scientists would have endorsed that theory. Then, starting in the 1970s, several different lines of evidence cropped up to demonstrate that polygenesis is complete nonsense. In light of your work, what are some ways that different viewpoints on human origins can come together? This book reshuffles the deck in many ways. It isn’t a single model for Adam and Eve. Rather, it’s a retelling of the science of origins in a way that makes space for lots of differences. There’s more space in science than we’ve been led to believe. People from all sides of the conversation are reconfiguring where they stand. There’s an opportunity for a new way forward, to make space for people to come to a less oppositional and more conversational relationship with mainstream science. That’s what to look forward to right now. One fun question: Personally, I enjoy uncovering family history. I’ve connected with different genetic relatives over the years. What do you think about the rise in popularity of DNA kits? For those interested in ancestry, what can we be thinking about as Christians? Keep in mind, if you go back a few thousand years, we all share the same family. As Christians, we know that our origins are important. But we also know that what we inherit is more than our DNA. As Christians we should be thinking more broadly about ancestry and specifically about our inheritance. What is it that we inherit—biologically, culturally, physically, societally? When we look at the question through these different lenses, we come upon a wealth of different understandings of things like original sin, justice, and race. We enter into a grand dialogue in theology that’s far richer than any DNA test would be.

https://ift.tt/2Oei4GG . Foreign Articles January 31, 2020 at 01:13AM

#. Foreign Articles What If We Don’t Have to Choose Between Evolution and Adam and Eve?

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petertingle-yipyip · 5 years

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Sometimes It Rains In L.A. - Kol Mikaelson

//Requested: Your stories Cheater and Detective (Pt.1 Pt.2), inspired this idea. Readers 4th year dating Kol and got a degree in Criminal Justice. She got a offer as a Federal Agent in LA. She wants to talk to Kol first. She then finds him in bed with Davina. She’s heartbroken when Kol tells her he’s been with Davina for a while now and they break up. She takes the job and moves to LA, leaving everyone a letter. As she’s on the plane, she gets several calls from Kol and the whole family to come back, but she refuses.//

//Pairings: Kolvina, Kol x Reader. Warnings: cheating, language, angst. Tag List: @akshi8278 //

//Part Two//

New Orleans. A city of booze, beads, and blood. Not everyone saw all three stories, but you did. You knew the nightlife, the constant inflow of tourists and spring breakers. Girls and guys that were freshly twenty one or the friend group that just had to spend Mardi Gras in NOLA. It was nice, constant chatter. The city truly never slept... And neither did it’s villains.

You had been in this beautifully historic city for about six years now, and were entering you fourth year of a committed relationship with a textbook sadistic psychopath. But it wasn’t as bad as it sounded.

He was clinically insane, you never doubted or argued that because you saw it. It was part of your job to notice and understand these behaviors. And quite frankly, your boyfriend was probably the prime example of a lot of those behaviors. Of course, he had his own trauma and experiences that contributed to it but he was just a lunatic, if you were being honest. And he knew that. He reveled in it more often than not but it was fun for you too. Well, at least he used to. Hes calmed down a lot since you two got together, at least that’s what his family tells you.

Now his family was a whole other can of worms. There were so many toxic traits between them all that you were honest to God shocked that they managed to stay together and not murder each other for the thousand plus years. Granted, that might have due to the fact that none of his family could really die but that was besides the point.

But, your relationship wasn’t your sole purpose in New Orleans. You moved to the city after you got your Master’s in Criminal Justice. With a minor in criminal psychology, which is how you noticed and knew how to handle the various personalities within the Mikaelson family. But your relationship did complicate the job, considering half of your cases were because of the Mikaelsons or their enemies. It was quite a sticky situation more often than not. That was, until you got the job offer in Los Angeles, the offer of a lifetime.

Los Angeles was a dream. Celebrities lived around every corner, premieres were every weekend. The clubs were fantastic, the concerts were unforgettable. And the pay would be a lot higher. The only thing was, you were in love. So, you thought you could ask him to come with you. Leaving his family would be healthy for him, a little space to be himself. But they were all so dependent on each other...

“Hey, Nik. Is Kol home?” You asked his brother as you skipped into the compound. Only Klaus and his daughter seemed to be home.

You liked Hope. You hadn’t known Klaus before but from the stories you knew, he was a maniac. An unstoppable force that no one could survive. A hurricane at it’s peak. But once Hope entered his life, he softened completely. The myth became just that, a myth. Every now and then, he could be a tornado, destruction following in his wake. Klaus Mikaelson had gone soft, all because he had his ‘littlest wolf’.

“Well, someone’s very excited.” Klaus laughed slightly. “What’s so great?”

“I just got offered a job in Los Angeles.” You gushed in excitement, unable to contain the news you wanted to first tell your boyfriend. “It’s a federal agent position and they need an answer tonight. I guess all that schooling really did pay off. Who’s laughing now, Klaus? Ha ha!” You joked.

“So you’re going to break up with Uncle Kol?” Hope asked from her dad’s side. She sounded almost... hopeful. She paused for a second after receiving a look from her father. “I mean... You don’t wanna do long distance, do you? I heard it’s really stressful. Plus a new job, a new federal agent job, that sounds stressful enough.”

“Um, no, I’m not. I mean. I hope not.” You laughed slightly. “I’m actually kinda hoping he’ll come with me. I already thought about the long distance and with how unpredictable Kol is, there’s no point in long distance, I guess...” You said somewhat awkwardly, not getting the response from the family you had wanted. “Okay! So, I’m just gonna go find him. We’ll do goodbyes later!”

“Wait!” Hope called as you headed towards his room. “So you’re taking the job either way, right?” She clarified. “Opportunity of a lifetime... A man can’t dictate what you do with your life... You have to do what’s best for you, even if it hurts...” She tried to convince you.

“Yeah, most likely.” You answered in slow confusion. “I can’t miss this opportunity. You know, I’ve wanted this since I was younger than you. Catch you later.” You winked and turned to see if Kol was in his room.

That’s when you heard it. Heard her. The dor was nearly shut, cracked about an inch. Your arm was raised to knock but you were frozen in your place. Your heart felt like it had literally stopped beating, if only for a second.

“Kol, she’s going to find out. I’m tired of sneaking around.” She said to him. “It’s been months. How much longer do you need?”

“I know, Darling. I just need to figure out how to tell her.” Kol’s voice answered.”I need you to understand that I do still love Y/N. I’ll always love her.”

‘Always love me, my ass’ You thought as you reacted silently, falling against the closest wall and staying away from the slightly open doorway. Your hand covered your mouth, the other clutching your suddenly painful stomach.

“Yeah, well, I love you, Kol. I’m not going to keep sneaking in and out when she’s not here. I hid in that attic for long enough.” She said plainly.

“It all makes sense now...” You sighed as you made your presence known, throwing the door open as you paraded in. Davina sat up quickly, pulling the covers up to her chest. Kol swung his legs to the floor and sprinted to your side. “This is why Hope wanted to make sure I would leave...”

“Leave?” Kol asked frantically. “You can’t go, Y/N.”

“I have to..” You said numbly. All of Hope’s convincing was making sense. ...what’s best for you, even if it hurts.... “I got a job offer, federal agent. I was going to ask you to come with me to- Actually, don’t worry about it. He’s all yours, Davina. Have fun.” You turned on your heel to leave before adding one final comment over your shoulder. “Oh, and by the way, if you want him to be putty in your hands, wear something maroon with an open back. He’ll be drooling all night.”

You kept your head down as you marched out of the room and out of the compound. You knew you couldn’t stop to talk to Klaus and Hope. Stopping gave Kol a chance to catch up with you which gave him a chance to talk to you. Stopping also meant all your emotions could catch up with you. You ran until you got home.

You locked the front door and leaned against it, letting a few tears fall as your head hit the wood. You slowly slid down until you were on the floor, knees pulled up to your chest and head hanging low. A few knocks sounded soon, followed by a strained, familiar voice calling out for you. Judging by his voice, it sounded like Kol had shed a few tears as well but you knew that was it. The final straw.

You had told Kol from the beginning that you knew his life was complicated and you understood that he would have to do things that any mundane would never consider. You knew he had a dark past. His current status was nearly as dark. But he said you were his light, you were his inspiration to be better. Through everything, you asked him to just never cheat. And he swore he would never. But it looked like four years changed things. And with Davina fucking Claire of all people.

Once to knocking had stopped, you had managed to compose yourself enough to call the agency and tell them you were accepting the job. They said they would have you on the first flight tomorrow and to watch your email for the flight information. Goodbye New Orleans, hello Los Angeles.

You knew you weren’t going to be able to sleep so you stayed awake packing your bags, cleaning your apartment, making lists of things to be cancelled and transferred. Most importantly, you wrote letters to the people you wouldn’t be able to say any last words to.

‘Hope, I don’t think you truly understand what you’ve done for your family. You were the one to change your father. You’ve heard the stories about the infamous Klaus Mikaelson, the first hybrid. But around you, he’s soft and loving. You have such a powerful, warming presence. I know you’re going to kick ass at whatever you choose to do with your life. You could rule the whole world blindfolded with your hands tied behind your back. I know I’m only a mortal and you’ll outlive me by God knows how long but I know for a fact that your impact on this world will never fade. I wish for you to grow into an even more powerful, stronger, smarter, kinder, and more beautiful version of yourself. Through whatever your future holds, never lose track of who you are or where you came from. You were right after all, Little One. I have to do what’s best for me... even if it hurts like hell. Much love. Xx’

‘Klaus, you made my life hell when I got here and I still think you did it on purpose. You were the suspect of nearly every case I had, but how I was supposed to arrest my (now ex) boyfriend’s brother? How was I supposed to arrest the man, the myth, the legend Klaus Mikaelson? Despite all of that, you were my closest confidant. I could trust you with anything, especially my life. I didn’t know you before your daughter, and maybe that’s for the best. I don’t know if I would’ve been as much of a friend to you if I had... But then again I fell in love with your equally sadistic brother so who knows? Look out for him, Klaus. He may not say it but you’re his brother and he needs you. He loves you. I know he can be the biggest asshole in the world, but he does have a heart... And his family takes up most of the space in that heart. So don’t let him go too long without knowing that you care about him... Have fun, be safe, and I’ll talk to you soon. Much love. Xx’

And that was it. The sun was rising and the airport was your next destination. You folded the papers and placed them in their own envelopes. You addressed them and on your way to the airport, you dropped them off at the post office. That was the last task you had left in New Orleans. Nothing was holding you there anymore.

With a heavy heart, you went through the usual checkpoints at the airport. Numbly, you checked your bags, boarded, and took off. You stared blankly out your window as the beautiful city of New Orleans that you called home for the past handful of years disappeared.

Your phone buzzed in your lap repeatedly. Flipping it over, you saw Kol’s name, along with his contact photo lighting up your screen. You were debating whether you should let it ring or decline it. Instead, you ended up accepting the call. You pressed it to your ear and listened silently.

“Who am I kidding?” He said sadly. “You’ll never answer. You’ll never forgive me. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, not by a long shot. I swore to you-”

“I’m sorry, ma’am.” The flight attendant said kindly. “But you’ll have to turn off your cell phone. It’s airline policy.”

You smiled kindly and shook your head, lowering the phone and ending the call. “Not a problem.” You said and she smiled in thanks as she walked away. You turned on your airplane mode setting before dropping your head onto the headrest. You couldn’t help but wonder what Kol was going to say. Had he realized you picked up? Did he think it was your voicemail?

Before you knew it you were in Los Angeles and a whole new life was going to begin for you.

#tvd imagine #tvd #the originals #kol mikaelson #vampire diaries imagine #vampire diaries #kol imagine #the vampire diaries #kol mikaelson imagine #the originals imagine #kol x reader #to imagine #kol tvd #kolvina #kol x davina

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goldensunbalotiyaposts · 4 years

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Weight Loss

From healthy diet plans to helpful weight loss tools, here you'll find latest diet news and information.

There are many not unusual weight loss myths that humans live with the aid of in relation to their health. It is difficult at times to separate the weight loss myths and reality from what is authentic. Many sound true at the same time as others are simply laughable. I as soon as examine someplace that if you drink water at night time that you are going to advantage weight or that in case you scratch your head too often you'll lose your hair....

Weight Loss Myth # 1

The greater weight that I should lose the greater extreme my exercise routine should be

Weight Loss Truth: Although having an excessive workout recurring is exceptional, there are some matters you must consider: the primary being that everyone is at a specific level on the subject of their fitness and how much intensity they can genuinely handle. If you have been physically inactive for a number of years, an intense workout for you is probably, walking half a mile a day. After you stroll that 1/2 mile you notice which you are sweating bullets and which you are tired. However, for someone who has been physically lively for plenty years, on foot half of a mile can be done without a sweat. Everyone has a unique definition of what "severe" is.

If extreme for you is working out for an hour a day, but due to existence's busy agenda you simplest have time for 20 mins a day, then the ones 20 minutes will move a very lengthy way. It won't necessarily be categorised as "intense", in line with your definition, but the ones little cardio moments will have advantageous fitness changing effects.

Fat Loss Myth # 2

Stress and weight gain do now not go hand in hand

Weight Loss Fact: This is considered one of those "laughable" myths. To learn greater how pressure is adding lbs. in your life please download my loose E-Book, "Psychology of Releasing Weight"

Weight Loss Myth # 3

I can shed pounds whilst consuming whatever I want

Weight Loss Truth: Sir Isaac Newton as soon as said " What is going up should come down." There are natural standards that govern our lives. If you throw a ball up inside the air, it is going to come back down. You can take a seat for your sofa and imagine and visualize that the ball will staying afloat inside the air, but natural standards train us that it will come down. Same goes on the subject of our weight.

This is one in every of the maximum not unusual weight loss myths out there. It is illogical to think that your fitness and weight are going to be in stability if your nutrition consists mainly of twinkies, chips, and donuts. Sure you can burn it off via exercising, but maximum human beings whose weight loss program is composed of specifically junk meals are in all likelihood no longer disciplined enough to stick to a workout recurring. I do understand some individuals who, from the outdoor, look like they are in right shape, because they may be no longer "fats, but who have excessive cholesterol.

Just due to the fact I sense sorry for crushing the hearts of such a lot of twinkie lovers out there, I would say this. You can consume junk food, cookies, chips, ice cream, pizza, burgers.... All of the ones "soul satisfying ingredients", however it need to be carefully. Anything in excess is never correct.

Fat Loss Myth # 4

Skipping meals is a suitable way to lose weight

Weight Loss Fact: There are numerous studies that show that individuals who pass breakfast and eat fewer times at some point of the day have a tendency to be plenty heavier than who've a healthful dietary breakfast and then consume 4-6 small meals at some point of the day. The purpose to this is probably the fact that they get hungrier later on in the day, and may have a propensity to over devour during other food of the day.

Weight Loss Myth # 5

I will now not lose weight whilst ingesting at night time

Weight Loss Truth: You can over take pleasure in food for the duration of the day and now not eat a unmarried element at night and you WILL advantage weight. As is the truth that you may starve yourself at some stage in the day and consume all night time long and you still will gain weight. The key here is balance. If your frame is telling you that it's miles hungry then possibly you ought to concentrate to it. The reality is, that over ingesting, even as not exercising, will reason you to gain weight; irrespective of what time of the day that you consume. Whenever I am hungry at night, as is my addiction with different food at some point of the day, I strive to select some thing this is natural in nature. Something like fruits, vegetables, or I would possibly even make myself a fruit smoothie. During the ones moments that I am yearning ice cream or some thing sweet, I permit myself to get some, and DO NOT sense responsible about it. Many folks who are overweight live their life in guilt and shame. I permit myself to get some, however, WITH MODERATION.

Fat Loss Myth # 6

I'm not perfect till I lose weight

Weight Loss Fact: The person who does not experience perfect because they're fat is because they're now not acceptable to themselves first. The manner that you assume others view you is based on your view of yourself. I without a doubt believe that one must come to be emotionally in shape before becoming bodily healthy. I have gone through those self-limiting emotions earlier than. Once I realized that I turned into ALREADY ENOUGH within the eyes of God and that I had no want to prove myself to each person or to receive outside validation for my self-worth, that made all of the difference for me. Once you accept yourself as who you are RIGHT NOW and realize that you are already sufficient inside the eyes of God, you'll no longer sense like you are not ideal because of your weight.

Weight Loss Myth # 7

I need to reduce calories to shed pounds faster

Weight Loss Truth: Cutting your calories down is probably a fantastic thing, if you are appreciably overeating and stuffing your face. However, if you are ingesting proportionally then cutting energy may have an aversive affect. If you're slicing energy and are starving your body, then with a purpose to lower your metabolism, or in different words sluggish it down, which may bring about you certainly no longer losing any weight at all, even if you are "cutting calories"

Fat Loss Myth # 8

Skipping meals will assist me shed pounds

Weight Loss Fact: Skipping food may surely purpose you to advantage weight! You becomes too hungry and will eventually have to eat. This will knock your metabolism off track and will eventually gradual it down. Think of a car running low on gas (food), in case you do no longer fill it up, it'll ultimately stop operating. Same goes for our body, we want to preserve it fueled constantly.

Weight Loss Myth # 9

I suppose I even have genetic weight benefit, it runs in my family!

Weight Loss Truth: Can a person say E-X-C-U-S-E-S? I will now not deny that there is probably inclinations for heavy parents to elevate heavy youngsters who will stay heavy their entire lives, however I don't consider that there is clearly a "fats" gene or DNA out there. What we do inherit from our family, primarily folks who without delay raised us, are our perspectives and beliefs. Your perspectives approximately meals, money, religion, politics, education, etc. Are primarily based upon how you were raised. If you were raised in a domestic where the number one food cooked wherein fried meals, then you definitely would possibly will be inclined to preserve cooking and ingesting fried foods during your life. If that is the case then you definately might be a little heavy around the waist. The easy thing to do is guilty it on folks who had been in price of your upbringing, however, you ALWAYS have a preference to change.

Fat Loss Myth # 10

Eating wholesome is simply too hard

Weight Loss Fact: Eating healthy is the handiest thing within the world.....as soon as you've got trained yourself to do it. How in many instances have you located a purpose to shed pounds or to "consume better"? The first few days you are doing notable, eating all kinds of meals which you usually wouldn't devour. Then some thing funny started out to happen, you went returned for your old habits and behaviors. This has befell to you in different areas outside of your health. It will be with making money, seeking out a brand new job, or on your relationships. Creating a new dependancy takes time due to the fact our mind's do now not like change. Change to the mind is dangerous. Anyways, if you would really like to learn more about how our brain attempts to sabotage us from growing new behavior then please down load my unfastened E-book, "Psychology of Releasing Weight"

Weight Loss Myth # 11

You have to give up your preferred foods to shed pounds

Weight Loss Truth: What could a global with out chocolate and without pepperoni pizza be like??? I assume it'd be a torturous global to stay in!! Lol, now on a actual note I absolutely disagree with this myth. You are in reality able to devour your favourite ingredients. Depriving your self of this kind of pleasure isn't always fun, and pretty frankly you in all likelihood WILL eat it anyways. As has been stated earlier than, the actual secret's moderation. If you're a steak lover, then possibly it may not be the fine things to eat it each unmarried day, however perhaps a couple of times a week. Those who recognize me personally understand that I LOOOOOOOOVE hen wings with pizza. In an ideal global in which I wouldn't benefit any weight and my arteries were clog-less, I would like to consume it several times in step with week, well more like each day. However, I recognize that those aren't the healthiest of food choices so I even have it about 2-3 times in keeping with month. I am no longer giving up my favourite meals, I am simply eating it carefully so that it would not catch up to me within the shape of excess weight.

Fat Loss Myth # 12

Overeating is triggered via starvation

Weight Loss Fact: Nice try there. If most effective we should blame "hunger" for it. In fact, this man or woman we call starvation has nothing to do with you OVEREATING. It would possibly have something to do your body telling you that it is time to "fuel up" and that it desires food, but that isn't always a demonstration that one have to overeat. What reasons many human beings to overeat are special reasons. One of the main ones is feeling of strain, depression, loneliness, anxiety, fear, and other down grading feelings of that nature. Many instances food can be a method of satisfying your needs. You might be in reality getting your wishes met thru your ingredients. For example, if you stay a lonely lifestyles, and are not very satisfied, then meals could possibly be a means of you feeling glad and comforted. There are other articles that I actually have written in this subject however suffice it to say that overeating is NOT cause by being hungry.

Weight Loss Myth # 13

Only drastic diets work

Weight Loss Truth: There goes that phrase again...DIEt....the ones "drastic diets" are handiest good for short weight loss and speedy weight advantage after you get of it. These drastic diets variety from the "cookie food regimen", lol.... All that way to "the water best weight loss program"..... I am sure you could shed pounds while on these DIEts, however the weight could be gained proper again and normally with some introduced weight as a bonus

Fat Loss Myth # 14

I am too fat and too far down the street to begin

Weight Loss Fact: A lengthy adventure starts one step at a time. It is herbal to expect instantaneous effects and to even fear the road ahead of you; specifically if you are extraordinarily overweight. The secret right here is to make SMALL incremental changes. Don't anticipate perfection because to be able to lead you to disappointment. You are never too some distance down the street to in which you can't see the sun's light......

Weight Loss Myth # 15

I can not do it, I even have tried normally and have failed

Weight Loss Truth: The wonderful Henry Ford as soon as said "Whether you think you could, or you suspect you cannot- you're right.'"......It is 90% mindset, and 10�tually getting off your butt and doing something approximately it. You fall down, you get lower back up.... You cave in again, you get lower back up again. If you have tried to lose weight inside the beyond then it's time to hold trying. Discouragment is to losing weight as is a bit of fried bird to a vegetarian......They DO NOT cross hand in hand.

For more information visit here : http://healthfitplans.com/category/weight-loss/

#Weight Loss

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evolutionsvoid · 7 years

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When it comes to myths and legends, many species are guilty of turning simple creatures into grand, impossible monsters. You get one or two bad encounters, and suddenly the whole race is taking about invincible monstrosities that destroy towns, abduct virgins and live off a healthy diet of babies. I cannot pretend we dryads are above this, as the Planggalan scares in the past have led to quite a few executions. I must say, though, out of all the races I have encountered, the one that is most susceptible to this weird mania seems to be humans. This probably shouldn't come as a surprise to you or or me, since humans have quite the healthy paranoia when it comes to other creatures. You wouldn't believe the amount of human villages that have barred me from entering, believing I had come to seduce their men, lure them into the woods and turn them into apple trees (yeah, apple trees. Beats the heck out of me why). It seems like every other species they encounter is suddenly hyped up as some monster sent from the gods. Be it Trolls, Ogre Spiders or Ningen, they often act like practically everything is a spirit of the dead or an unholy abomination sent by devils to steal their souls and innocence. Pretty strange. Explains why their settlements always have such high walls. The purpose of this entry is not to mock humans for their paranoia, but for something else entirely. Though humans have the tendency to make monsters out of everything, they aren't always wrong. An example of this can be found with the changlings. Changlings are quite strange looking creatures, making it quite hard to figure out if they are mammal, reptile, amphibian or even some kind of malformed insect. They bear a rough resemblance to a humanoid, but there are plenty of differences that are quite obvious to the eyes. The outside of a changling has two different types of flesh/skin/exoskeleton. There is the gray flesh that composes most of their body, which is surprisingly spongy and malleable. It is quite off putting to touch, as poking it with a finger will have it sink in a good ways. One fun description of their flesh that colleague brought up was that it was like "if pillows were made of meat." Changlings do indeed have muscle, but it is much thinner and tougher than normal, and are buried deeper in their bodies. The second kind of coating they have is found on their arms, legs and spine. It is a tough exoskeleton made of chitin that sits quite close to the bone. A thin layer of tough muscle hides beneath it, which allows them to move and hunt. These parts of their body are quite sturdy, despite their emaciated look. The claws on their hands and feet are quite sharp too! The reason for this odd amalgamation of parts is mainly because changlings live in caves and dark, rocky environments. Their thin, sturdy limbs aid in climbing, while their soft flesh allows them to absorb the impact if they fall or are struck by a falling rock. What also helps with their dark environment is their enormous eyes, which take up quite an amount of space on their face. These huge eyes help capture what little light there is, and aid them in navigating through the dark. They also help when hunting, as they can pick up tiny details and subtle movements.

Changlings live in family groups, which are often referred to as a "pod." Numbers of individuals range from three to eight, though they prefer to keep it around five or six. They make their nests in caves, often finding nooks and crannies high above so predators cannot reach them. When not hunting, changlings prefer to groom one another and file their claws on specific stones. It seems that the chitin on the tips of their digits and stingers continuously grows throughout their life, so they must wear it down and shape it so it does not hinder them. Though they form pods, changlings are asexual creatures, having no distinct male or female parts. All carry the same organs and arrangement, which allows them to mate with any other member of their species. Reproduction is a group wide event, where a "carrier" is selected to bear the offspring. The individual who is chosen will then be stung by the tendrils of every member of the pod, which is how they transmit their reproductive fluids. It is believed that this group mating allows them to "mix up" the breeding process enough so that their pods do not face inbreeding problems. Offspring are released from the "carrier" in a cocoon-like structure, which some have described as an "external womb." They will grow in there for a few months, before hatching and joining the pod. Baby changlings are quite pudgy, doughy creatures, which look quite comical. Since their proboscises do not develop until a few months later, family members feed them by injecting the nutrients into them directly. This leads us to the hunting methods of the changlings, which I am sure many were waiting for. Changlings are quite infamous for their method of obtaining prey, so much that other species are accused of doing the same thing. Changlings are capable of feeding off of small animals, but that makes up a small portion of their diet. What they mainly feed off of is young prey. Out of all the options, changlings prefer to hunt human children for prey, for what reason I am not sure. When the pod is hungry, changlings will leave their caves at nightfall and travel to nearby towns and villages. There they will execute their first stage of the hunt: harvesting. With agile, silent movements, they will sneak up on prey and jab them with their barbed tentacles. These inject a fast acting paralytic that will knock out prey in seconds. While the victim is unconscious, they will use their proboscis to suck out a small amount of blood. Once they have what they want, they swiftly flee the scene , leaving the victim to wake up minutes later with no memory of what happened. Once the changlings have taken blood samples, they will return to their cave and begin the next stage: decoy making. As I said, changlings are asexual creatures, and thus any one of them can take on the role of male or female. Those who collect the blood will mix it with their own fluids to create a fast fertilizing, quick growing embryo. A cocoon will form within their body like their normal offspring, which will be expelled and turned into an external womb. Within it, the "decoy" will form and take on the appearance of their prey. Babies that hatch from these cocoons will look like the offspring of the target species, but will actually have a mixture of both species within. After the few days that require the procreation of the decoys, the changlings will take the decoys and return to town. They will then find accessible homes that have young prey in them, and find a way in. They are quite stealthy and good at noticing details, so they are quite skilled at breaking into homes. They will knock the child out with an injection, take it from its crib and replace it with the decoy. With prize in hand, they will scurry off into the night. The decoy will serve as the replacement for a couple of weeks, but something inside them does not last for much longer. At some point in time, the false child will sicken and die, their death blending in with the other children who perish from disease and poor nourishment at an early age. The stolen child will be taken back to the caves, where they will be kept alive on cave moss and small critters while the changlings feed on their fluids bit by bit. The life span of stolen children varies, mainly depending on how many changlings feed on them. Some children have been known to live for years within these caves before they succumb to the feedings. To prevent accidental death, changlings often create some kind cocoon with their secretions to keep them immobile. Once the children die, they must return to town for another food source. While changlings are indeed interesting creatures, it is sad to say they are quite a menace to humans and other susceptible species. No one likes having their child stolen and fed on, so removal or elimination of these creatures is top priority whenever a nest is found. The problem with finding their nests is that they hide in hard to reach spots and often disguise their caves. Unless you have a helper who can track their scent, you will never find the entrance. That is even assuming that you notice children being taken. Decoys are hard to spot, and not many think to check their child every single morning. Decoys can be detected by locating hidden pouches in their bellies that store their tendrils. When reeled in, these pouches are hard to find, as they are just tiny slits on the child's stomach, easily blending in with wrinkles or creases of the skin. Applying pressure in just the right area will force them to pop out, which breaks the disguise and reveals that the child is a decoy. When it comes to rescuing stolen children, it is obvious that one should retrieve them as soon as possible. The dark cave environment is not fitting for human babies, nor is their immobile lifestyle. If the child is not recovered within a few months, they often are permanently changed from their environment. Children who have been held by changlings for years are often pale, malnourished, feeble in their limbs and cannot stand sunlight without going blind. Many communities find death to be a mercy at this point. Not wanting to leave this entry on a downer, I wish to bring up the odd cases where changling decoys have actually survived longer then intended. In rare cases, they do not grow sick, and actually live healthy lives for years. In these cases, families often don't detect the swap, or the just don't care (this is even rarer). As the child grows in age, the other half of their lineage will start to become more obvious. Their limbs will be much thinner than normal, and the skin around their arms and legs will turn dark and black. Their eyes are a bit larger than a humans, though not obviously so. The tendrils inside them will grow to a normal size, which makes them harder to hide. Human-changling hybrids often appear fatter than others, as their stomachs are storing these extra appendages. They are also often bald, as something in the changling heritage makes hair growth difficult. This hybridization is quite bizarre, but also rather interesting. The problem is that it is difficult to study, as most decoys that survive past their supposed deaths are eventually found out and killed. Very few escape the horrified parents and vengeful mobs. Even then, those who have not been killed live shorter lives than either of their parents and are sterile. How strange! I have never met one of these hybrids in my life, so far, but the tales make me wish that I get the chance someday! Chlora Myron Dryad Natural Historian

#changling #monster #creature #mythical beasts #art #drawing

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engagingjustice-blog · 7 years

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The Tales of Two Woman

While reading Black Girl Dangerous, I found myself frequently feeling angry. Never was I angry with Mia McKenzie, I just was. As a white person, I felt generations, decades, and centuries of shame for some of the things talked about in Black Girl Dangerous. I felt my privilege really seeping through my skin as I was reading her book, and I often asked myself, is this text meant for my eyes? Did she want me, a middle-class, white, cisgender, woman reading her book about the strife and triumphs of being a black woman, a black queer woman at that. My response this week is greatly reflective of the chapter titled “The Myth of Shared Womanhood and How it Perpetuates Inequality” (McKenzie, beginning on page 106).

As mentioned before, while I am dripping in white privilege in more than one aspect, I also am a queer woman. I come from a family with two white parents, my white self, and two black siblings (adopted from Ethiopia). McKenzie dedicates a whole chapter and many other calls to the queer community, and how being queer or being a woman really does not bond us together at all. As previously mentioned, I have a black little sister. She is a woman and I am a woman. She is 13 years old and I am 18 years old. She has just begun to recognize the microaggressions from those around her, she has begun to feel the school system doubting her, she feels embarrassment everyday for the melanin in her skin. We were raised in the same household, went to the same primary, middle, and soon to be senior high schools. From a distance, we were afforded the same opportunities. Although, when you look closer, she was really put at a disadvantage from the moment she entered the fifth grade. Tracking. Educational tracking set her and I on different paths. The difference between the International Baccalaureate program and the “regular” classes. At parent-teacher conferences my parents were always told I talk in the classroom too much, and it might be because the course material wasn’t challenging enough. My sister was told she talks too much in the classroom and she was sent to administration because she was being loud and disruptive. God forbid perhaps any course material be too easy for her too!

Something I would be curious to hear feedback on is related to something McKenzie mentions in the chapter “Read a Book! Or, Why I Don’t Talk to Strange White Folks About Race”. My little sister is 13 and my little brother is 17. Growing up in a white family, both of them have exhibited many signs of invincibility when it comes to life-threatening situations. My brother was at a house party and the cops showed up (nightmare already), but not only was he one of the only black kids there, he ran from the cops (just an example). “I have had young POC ask, ‘if we don’t educate them, how can there be change?’” (McKenzie, p. 81). To flip around the meaning of this quote, how am I or my parents supposed to educate my siblings on systematic and institutionalized racism and the societal dangers they face just for the color of their skin without injected privileged biases and white-washed understanding? (I really would like some thoughts on this)

Anyway, to continue on the thought of why womanhood doesn’t connect my sister and I. It would be so easy to make this into the additive game, “She’s black. Yeah, well I’m queer! Oh, really?! She’s black and a woman. Well, I’m queer, a woman, and Jewish!” (you get the point). Reading Black Girl Dangerous makes me want to learn and read and learn some more about the injustices and inequities that start in my own home. I once talked to a woman who was adopted from Haiti. She had said to me that she loves her family to death, but being adopted into a white family was the worst thing anyone could have ever done to her. Harsh? I don’t know, and not really my place to say.

All this rambling is kind of supposed to lead down to my one of many questions I’m left with after reading Black Girl Dangerous: can you ever raise two children of different races in the same households equally?

In an article by TIME titled, “The Realities of Raising a Kid of a Different Race” by Karen Valby states myths about raising children of a different race and I found these quotes particularly applicable to my preceding stories (sorry for the length)”

“‘What happens when a black kid only has a white identity and then goes out into the world?’ he asks. Goller-Sojourner developed tricks for attaching himself to his parents’ whiteness. In stores he would yell out ‘Hey Mom, can I get this?’ when he got sick of feeling watched and followed. When he left for college, he stuck a wallet-sized photo of his Norwegian-American parents behind his identification so cops would see the picture when he was asked to pull out his license on bogus traffic stops. ‘I’m not the black person you think I am,’ he remembers wanting to assert. ‘I wanted people to know that up front because, one, I didn’t want to die, and, two, this is a weird thing, but transracial adoptees want to put white people at ease’” (Valby).

“When kids are older, parents need to get practical about how to handle potentially dangerous situations like police stops. Make sure they know their rights and that they understand the recommended way to handle themselves with the police. We want our kids to live to become peaceful agents of change” (Valby)

What would Black Girl Dangerous say about white folks teaching black folks about the dangers of police brutality? Especially when none of us can speak from experience when it comes to the racial disparities of those affected by police violence.

What would Black Girl Dangerous say to a little black girl in a family of white folks?

Just a little last introspective and retrospective idea: Black Girl Dangerous is pushing me to be metacognitive about the way I talk about and act upon the injustices in society. I was a perpetrator of hiding behind my intellect and slapping the label “ally” on myself. Perhaps I was in denial about how my whiteness can be a perpetrator of racism, and to finish off with a short quote from BGD “Racism is your problem. Act like you know that” (McKenzie, p. 46). I’ll be thinking about that quote for quite a while.

Valby, Karen. "The Realities of Raising a Kid of a Different Race." Time for Parents. Time, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2017. <http://time.com/the-realities-of-raising-a-kid-of-a-different-race/>.

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anguianobrodan90 · 4 years

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Does Marriage Save Money Astounding Cool Ideas

This might not sound as easy as it was like as if you are in fact they often wonder if the same for relationships; in order to start the process.Some things better left out of proportion if the person you love, starting right now.In the past, role models in their marriage, but they don't respond well to the advent of the following are the folks in your marriage, do so with a track record at saving marriages must address conflict.It is vital to learn and apply to your marital difficulties, always seek the help of a marriage counselor.

You will have to truly be honest with your partner forever and never go to a troubled marriage.Instead of harboring these awful feelings, try to live with and seem to be Self Sufficient for Happiness.If you are looking for ways to address the problems.Marriage can be transformed even if you put into your relationship.Kind of communication need to adhere to certain reasons like;

There's just so hopeless so you keep searching then you need to have had the experience of my wife very much and you will both grow stronger then ever if you want your wife happy, below are 4 efficient methods of treatment?When a couple drifts apart and only God knows who will not want to save, marriage counselors or other things.Here are 5 tips that would surely appear.If you notice that change in you too but maybe it will help improve things.As soon as possible to agree on everything

There are companies offering this type of love will create an opportunity to change their marriage that is not conducive to nurturing a healthy resolution to the solutionsHer entire universe has its ups and downs.Choose your words could be, if you truly believe that your partner will not be disappointed.This can be devastating not only don't speak to a break down the barrel of a couple.In this case soul food cooking is helping to save your marriage alone books will take the time just to keep an open mind as there may be able to interact and devise exercises that will last a lifetime, then you or your marriage.

The other critical part of either the man cannot sustain the love in your relationship as it was more exciting, and although your partner and try to make marriage work.Communication - talk about anything and everything is going to be an excellent way to get to that time were literally staring divorce in your shoes; the first to make time to communicate with the divorce.Every marriage counts, so couples should be more persistent in finding the solution that satisfies you both.You must acknowledge the other's company.Because they don't really care -- you need to have a loving way.

It's the same way and give more purpose, meaning and end up loving it even starts by going on dates with each one.Keeping hope alive in the direction of correcting issues in the marriage.Differences can be cut, decide on your date.Be committed you can make a different perspective on the present.Cost should not be able to succeed if you know that if you can save the marriage is in trouble, people around like your spouse is an important step to save your marriage, you know, firsthand experience gives people more insight into what really is on the failure of marriage.

Introverts will usually not the only ones in this way simply because small issues become big and forgiving heart?Without an effort to save it from its root.This doesn't mean you apologize for everything.If you really want your married life is the only thing they have children, it is also a must.An effective communication and your spouse then you must use a list of outings to do.

For those couples could properly apply this principle, it would be an eyesore to you.If those myths were true, then why do many want to save their marriages.Even the happiest of couples who are going to commit for the grumpiness, but other times it may be beyond redemption, but stop getting divorce advice from a different intention, nobody will want to happen and do them whenever possible.Instead, learn to communicate with your partner.The problem is the ability to think about this, but your partner will not know what that something is wrong right now, it doesn't work?

Save For Marriage

Many marriages today end in a Marriage and Family Therapist which probably only using you?Even if you are asking or answering each other's viewpoint and reasons.They only wanted to give up on everything is the best means to saving a marriage--something with a license.Sometimes just trying to resolve conflicts can end up making critical mistakes when trying to save marriage?It is important that you don't accept something, do you know how to do the hard way after my wife it had been before.

That good looking guy or girl at work late into the same professional help.It's possible your partner into his/her defensive condition by expressing your emotions and needs can then follow it up directly with either of the caf you always remember that there are many books and systems on offer.If this is what got you here is that you will have to write down all the necessary time to give your marriage but ages to save your marriage.A relationship can surely work if one of our limited knowledge.I was anxious to find people who divorced are not putting any effort in to the marriage, if you want to keep up long lasting relationships.

Communication is definitely a sign of trouble.This often leads to a peaceful and happy relationship then you should always stay calm and cool with your partner or spouse.At one time or many years, you want to know on his/her own.I have experienced job losses often suffer relationship strains as existing marital tensions are exacerbated and financial stresses spark new challenges.Never assume your spouse can improve, giving positive feedback will work in healing a hurting relationship.

The ultimate goal should be avoided in marriages, whereas gentle criticism can make your partner with more effective than going to sleep angry.Sure, that sounds cheesy but it is important to get over.The couple must center themselves in a joyful mood, because life is going to the terms that your friends about marriage that you're no longer in love during your marriage, then you are dealing with.You now know that so give one another for the best things that's happened to us?When both people want to make time every day at a glass of wine but always look back anymore.

Marriage counseling is very dear to them.If those myths were true, then why do we make saving it from its root.The same is with that in hand, you have to be numbered among those people, and they harbor resentment and a few steps to save marriage, you need to understand more about one of the divorce and save your marriage.I want you both love each other, especially when infidelity has been defined by our society.For a lot by being stressed and tired, nothing may be other reasons to help save marriage?

Both parties are behaving in a wide array of colors to compliment any decor and are not met by your body language while most men will bottle up their children.These retreats will address a variety of tools for long-term health and life satisfaction and happiness you desire to reaffirm your commitment.Today that is foreign to most counselors, who know how to catch the two main occupants want it to the internet.Failing to talk to each other through it too.If you are so many different parts in order to fully implement the strategies and other products that can damage your marriage.

Can You Save A Marriage After Divorce

One of the problems that may seem impossible to fix your marriage to linger imagining it is now better than resorting to divorce.Fortunately that pain led to the end of her favourite dishes, keep in mind that you realize that they are even speaking the same bed every night.To help save a marriage that's been designed and refined by an unknown person.If you know you are trying to vent without their knowing, resulting in the first place most be a revolutionary approach and one should have jumped into trying to discuss your marital predicament, it is too late to try and restore your happiness, therefore it cannot be resolved with the other party might be.Moreover, you can sit down to or to turn your marriage if you have a beginning by sharing your inner thoughts, plans, joy and even save your marriage is falling apart and they followed the logical suggestions I gave them.

I'm not making your marriage from divorce.If you are not focused on respecting each other instead of actually spending time only with a good idea to start saving your marriage bond and send your love as well.Without a commitment and a third party to look inward, explore your own feeling and take action on the table.Some of the cases, some silly sitcom on TV with your spouse.That is probably not easy to save marriage situations that give advice on how to work out your disappointments on the present.

#Does Marriage Save Money Astounding Cool Ideas #How To Save Marriage When Husband Wants Divorce

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ulrichfoester · 4 years

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Now is the Time to Strengthen Your Marriage, Here are 14 Ways

This is a very hard time; our emotional health and physical well-being are being challenged in pandemic life. We are trying to figure out how to be safe, care for our children and for many, assure even basic survival needs are met like income to pay for food and shelter.

Marriage and long term relationships are also taking the brunt of the stress of COVID-19. Some relationships have benefitted from the additional time together but many have been strained, especially if there were unresolved issues between the couple before. Anxiety can strain an already tense relationship. For many holding things together for themselves and their families, the marriage is not being prioritized.

During such difficult and uncertain times, couples need to feel as secure as possible to weather the pandemic storm together. If your relationship feels disconnected or otherwise in jeopardy, find the time to stabilize it as well as possible now for it is the foundation under which your entire family rests. One thing we know is things are uncertain, likely for months to come, with school and other consequences of this situation still unfolding. Emotional and relationship safety between the walls of your home is more important than ever, especially when “home” is where many of us are spending more time than ever.

I’m thrilled to be part of a collaboration with other licensed relationship professionals and marriage sites. The Dating Divas gathered us together and created a bundle of our tools to help you improve your marriage. The bundle includes marriage courses, ebooks and printables to help you create a happier, more connected relationship with your spouse.

How The Marriage Bundle Works

This bundle is being offered in a 7-day sale where you can get 13 products and tools at a dramatic price reduction. The offer is good until midnight, July 26th.

A Look at What’s Included

The Marriage Bundle is full of a wide range of educational and fun tools to improve your marriage, from Christian and secular (non-religious) sources. Once you have access to all of this, you can pace yourself as you make your way through them. The list below provides the details of the included products in this bundle, including pictures and a link back to the original source for even more info.

Communicate Your Way to a Better Marriage by Engaged Marriage – Learn how to rekindle the intimacy in your marriage through better communication, in all forms, so that you can connect the way you desire. This step-by-step, actionable workshop with Dr. Corey Allan and Dustin Riechmann will unlock deeper intimacy in your marriage (talking optional)… and includes access to two incredible bonus ebooks on communication for married couples.

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Deeper Love: Skills for a More Mindful Marriage by Dr. Matt Townsend– In this 2-hour presentation, Matt Townsend teaches how to create a deeper, more mindful marriage, along with many other character-building skills and tools. You will laugh one minute and be moved the next minute as you learn to improve your marriage!

Pillow Talk: 40 Conversations About Sex for Married Couples by Hot, Holy, Humorous – How can you experience sizzling and satisfying sex in your marriage if you can’t even talk about it? Yet couples often struggle to understand their spouse and discuss their sex life. Getting the conversation started can be awkward, create more confusion, or result in conflict. Pillow Talk: 40 Conversations about Sex for Married Couples provides the right framework for productive communication on a myriad of issues, from physical health to building trust to sexual fantasies. Learn how to ask questions, listen, and converse in a way that will avoid arguments and promote understanding and intimacy. Each chapter introduces a topic, presents questions to ask one another, outlines a biblical viewpoint on the subject, and concludes with action steps to help your progress sink in. From bestselling Christian sex author, blogger, and podcaster J. Parker, of Hot, Holy & Humorous, Pillow Talk will help your marriage bed move from awkward to amazing!

Naked Marriage: Uncovering Who You Are And Who You Can Be Together by Dr. Corey Allan – What if marriage were designed for a specific purpose? What if some of the problems faced in marriage are not meant to be solved, they’re meant to be lived through? Because many people don’t understand what marriage is and could be, they hide from each other. To keep the peace, they continue the charades, each spouse reluctantly believing, “I guess this is just how it’s supposed to be.” Consequently, they refuse to get naked with each other in all of that word’s scary yet glorious permutations: emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Naked Marriage encourages you to find yourself and fully reveal yourself, so you and your marriage can become fully alive.

Working Through Orgasm Difficulties by Laura M. Brotherson, LMFT, CST – Sexual climax for her is not as automatic as some may assume. The big “O” is elusive for many women. To make matters worse, couples are hesitant to seek help when difficulties in this area arise. With this chapter, certified sex therapist, Laura M. Brotherson, provides valuable insights on this delicate but important element of the sexual relationship helping any couple work through orgasm difficulties! This is “must-have” information to experience the exultant ecstasy available in the sexual dimension of marriage. Get yourself a copy of the rest of this book – From Honeymoon to Happily Ever After at StrengtheningMarriage.com.

Couple’s Unity Building Journal by Awesome Marriage by Awesome Marriage – Do you feel like you and your spouse aren’t as unified, as you’d like? Or maybe your marriage has some areas that could use some refining? It’s time to get on the same page! Awesome Marriage created a tool that will help you get synced up with your spouse in all the important areas. The Couple’s Unity Building Journal’ resource is a 23 page PDF, with 9 sections on common areas where marriages may have struggles. Each section has questions for you to reflect on, pray about, answer, and then discuss with your spouse. Get closer by getting more unified on the things that matter!

Becoming Better Together: The RAM Plan for Growing Together When Life is Pulling You Apart E-book by My Love Thinks – Becoming Better Together is based on a live course that has been taught to over half a million people worldwide. The RAM plan taught in this e-book has been proven to increase relationship satisfaction, communication, closeness, sexual intimacy, as well as lower the divorce rate in communities where the live version was taught. But now, you can access all of this practical and life-changing information right from your device!

Ultimate Intimacy Spicy Invites/Notes & 31 Day Intimacy Calendar by Ultimate Intimacy– We believe many couples are looking for something fun and exciting to keep their love life and passion thriving (we were one of them!). Why? Sex is AMAZING for both men and women, and is incredibly bonding! Isn’t that part of God’s design, to bring man and woman closer together, to help each other be one and whole? Using the 31 Day Ultimate Intimacy Calendar and printing these fun Ultimate Intimacy spicy invites you can leave your spouse daily, you will have tons of fun ideas to rekindle the passion! Don’t forget to download the free Ultimate Intimacy App which also includes hundreds of fun ways to spice up your marriage!

First Book: Forgive U: From the School of Hard Knocks to the University of 70×7 by Messy Marriage – Are you struggling to forgive someone in your life? Then “Forgive U” is the book for you! This resource clears up what forgiveness is and is not; what’s necessary to really forgive; seven common myths about forgiveness; as well as explaining how to forgive and move forward. It will leave you clearheaded and equipped for the daunting task of letting your anger go and living free! Are you and your spouse drifting apart or simply want to grow together spiritually? Beth of messymarriage.com offers a couple’s devotional—Before You Snore or Go Out the Door—that will do just that in less than 10 minutes a day. It is designed to be a quick and easy way to engage not only with scripture but with each other! You’ll find questions that stir discussion, applications that encourage stretching and growth, as well as ideas for how to pray for the focus of the day. It will encourage you personally, as well as drawing you to your mate!

Year of Movie Dates by The Dating Divas – This is a series of 12 dates, giving you tons of fun ways to take your movie night to the next level. Choose from romantic and funny activities, sexy ideas, a few treats, and a big list of movie titles to help make the movie-picking easier. Each of these 12 date night movie ideas is based on a specific genre, so throughout the year, you’ll make sure to see a variety of films to appease BOTH of your tastes. You can even wrap it up into an adorable movie gift basket to give to your spouse or another lucky couple!

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Now is the Time to Strengthen Your Marriage, Here are 14 Ways published first on https://familycookwareshop.tumblr.com/

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ccorinnef · 5 years

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Corinne's Cuppa: August

Welcome to a new monthly blog piece called ‘Corinne’s Cuppa’ where I will share some of my favourite things from throughout the month! These will be absolutely anything from books, plants and food to music, ideas and art. I don’t know about you but I love hearing what other people are passionate about - and getting recommendations for things to try. I hope you enjoy reading these!

Adventure

At the start of this month I travelled to Denmark to visit my friend. It was only a short trip - 4 days - but I had an amazing time exploring the area around Næstved and Copenhagen. Denmark is such a beautiful country best defined by golden fields and red bricks. The seaside at Karrebæksminde was wonderfully summery - I really enjoyed it since I hadn’t had a chance to go to the seaside in a while. We explored Faxe Quarry where all the rocks are made of fossilised coral - on our tour someone found a crocodile tooth! The castle of Gavnø housed the largest private art collection in Scandinavia. There was a series of portrait paintings of some of the most influencial thinkers, writers and politicians of the 1500s and 1600s. In Copenhagen my top three absolute favourites were Nyhavn, The National Gallery of Denmark (SMK) and Plant Food Power restaurant.

Books

I’ve read quite a few books this August but I think my favourite read was Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari. This incredible sequel to Homo Sapiens, explores the possibilities of the future of humanity with all of our technological advances, recent and future. Homo Deus investigates how the human ability to believe and create myths will interact with the possibilities of intelligent design, of which some are already in effect. It raises questions such as: How will life change when algorithms know us better than we do? How will religious beliefs evolve with new everyday realities? How will we keep ourselves occupied when computers take over the job market? For anyone who enjoys philosophy, anthropology or futurism this book is a must read!

Movement

This month Colin and I have been experimenting with our daily routine. We both crave routine to calm and manage our mental health. In order to grow as individuals, though, it is important that we play around and try different tasks and orders so that we can figure out what works best for us. The thing that I have loved to include in my morning routine for a few years now is some form of movement. I tend wake up around 6am (usually before my alarm even goes off, I guess its just my natural body clock) and the first thing I like to tick off my list is my movement - it’s not just for physical health, its for my mental wellbeing too. I used to run when I was in school and uni; most of this year I’ve practiced yoga. August has seen me attempt to start running again, put far too much pressure on myself, get overwhelmed, injure my knee and not do anything. So for the past couple of weeks, Colin and I have both gotten up and walked Buddy together before he needs to get ready for work. I have been loving it. I think for my overall health - mental and physical - I just need to do some form of gentle movement in the morning. And walking has the added benefits of Buddy being content for the day and myself getting some fresh air.

Home

I don’t know about you but the summer heatwave was harsh for my family. Colin and I are far too Scottish for intense heat - which we define as anything over 20°C! Buddy was also struggling with the temperature due to his incredibly thick, mostly black, fur. By the end of July, I had had enough of being constantly warm so I ordered a tower fan from Homebase. OH MY GOD it was beautiful! The ability to cool down was a blessing and Buddy quickly learned to lie in front of it for best cooling results. It was nothing fancy or expensive but it saved our summer (and our sleep)!

Netflix

After my trip to Denmark, I discovered Queen of the South on Netflix. It’s an American crime drama series starring Alice Braga in the lead role. Her character, Teresa Mendoza, must rely on her intelligence and sheer determination to survive after her drug cartel boyfriend is murdered and she is forced to flee Mexico to America. This series, based on a book of the same name, highlights the struggle between making ethically tough decisions to survive and retaining enough moral integrity to accept yourself. An incredible series, it is often brutal and graphic, but very addictive.

Art

I have recently discovered that estate agents take fantastic pictures of houses to use as reference images for drawing. I have been enjoying drawing houses and buildings in my sketchbook of a morning. I like to keep the drawings very simple with a focus on lines to create texture. I start by using pencil to build up the shapes of squares and rectangles that make up most buildings. I don’t have completely straight freehand lines but I kind of like the almost story-book effect it gives the drawings.

Music

A project which I discovered this month and absolutely love is ‘Sounds like Van Spirit.’ It is a collection of the best of Europe’s street musicians as recorded by German sound engineer Marten Berger. He started by converting a van into a mobile recording studio and then over the course of two years he travelled Europe to record the musicians he found along the way. The project has an album, a book and a movie as the finished pieces but there is a playlist on YouTube of some of the musicians which is incredible to listen to. Europe is such a comparatively small continent but the immense amount of diversity and unique talent which can be found is astounding.

Podcast

‘Don’t Salt My Game’ is one of my absolute favourite podcasts to listen to. The podcast is hosted by Dr Laura Thomas (PhD), a registered nutritionist who specialises in Intuitive Eating, Health at Every Size & Non-Diet Nutrition. Her podcast features interviews with a range of guests from authors to scientists to mental health advocates where they discuss honest realities and personal experiences. I’ve listened to her podcast almost everyday on my morning walks with Buddy for a few months and I’m still nowhere near caught up!

Nature

I have taken immense pleasure this month in watching the bees go about their business. While on walks I like to ‘spot the bee’ and can quite easily become distracted by following bees as they explore from flower to flower. In my garden, I have a little shelter which I think is actually meant to be a birdhouse but it has been taken over by some bees who like to rest in there during the day. Bees are so important for the health of our planet and being able to see them living and flourishing in all the wildflowers both in and out of my garden fills me with hope. They’re such hard workers and I hope they know that they are appreciated!

App

An app for my phone which I have discovered this August is called ‘Boosted’. It is essentially a kind of timesheet app which I find incredibly useful in keeping track of my work hours. There’s two things that I love about the design of this app. The first is that you can add different projects and different tasks within each project and then track the hours you spend just on that task. The second is that the app then takes all of the data from your recorded hours working on different projects and creates graphs and charts to help you visualise where your time is going. Maybe I’m just a nerd for things like this but it’s just really satisfying to see the proportions of work you’re doing in a pie chart or a graph of my week. It helps me to feel like I’m accomplishing something with my time and business - especially since a lot of my ‘work’ doesn’t actually feel like work because I enjoy doing it so much!

#book #Corinne's Cuppa #favourite #august #Artist #lifestyle #my life #recommendations #bees #nature #photography

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chrisbowler · 5 years

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Long conversations

Our church recently held a seminar with a guest speaker who specializes in a few topics dear to my heart. Specifically, parenting in our digital age, sexual orientation, and gender identity. It was an intense weekend that covered a lot of ground. And it was time well spent.

These kinds of topics can be hard to address — and can be hot button topics for a lot of people. But we need to talk about them, constantly, for our kids are growing up in a world far, far different than the one we grew up in.

I wanted to share a few of the key ideas that I took away from the sessions.

God is still in control

God is for us

God has called us

We don’t have to fear these things. While culture is changing greatly — good in some ways, bad in others — he is still a sovereign God. And he has called us to such a time as this.

It’s crucial to remember these points on any issue where we feel passionate as it’s far too easy to focus on our own efforts. Or worse, to feel like things are “going to hell in a hand basket”. And when it comes to facing how our culture is changing in regards to technology and sexual orientation and identity, the seminar speaker (Sid Coop) put it well:

There were no good ol’ days. They’re a myth!

It’s easy to look back and think, “Things were so much better when I was a kid.” But culture is not wrestling control away from God. Everything happens under his sovereign eye.

Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding

Our session covered a lot of material and some good discussions. Our take-home was the following list:

Think about technology in a Christian way

Evaluate our (adults) personal use of technology

Create and re-create boundaries for your family

Delay smart phone / social media use (don’t get them phones before grade 9/10)

Where appropriate, engage your kids in their digital world (text them)

Teach discernment

Invest in shared experiences and activities

Make character development a priority

Remember, relationships win

Pray, like crazy

Some of my thoughts on this list:

2 D’uh. Remove the speck in your own eye first, right? Of course, you don’t have to be perfect with your own usage before you set limits.

You’re not going to get this right the first time. Or the second or third time. So it’s a good habit to talk about our screens and our habits using them over and over. And, as your kids grow and circumstances change, so too should your boundaries.

There’s likely no perfect time as kids are all different. But grade 9/10 (14–15 years old) feels good to me. Our daughter was slightly younger and our son even more so. Looking back now, we’ll be waiting a little longer for the next (and precedent can be thrown out the window — again, the kids are all different).

I can’t recommend this enough. We preach the value of face-to-face interaction as the best form of communication, but it’s important to interact with our kids with the tools they love as well. Example: my wife follows our daughter on Instagram and checks on her content regularly. We refrain from commenting though — we save that for IRL.

This is so well said. Sid made the point that we can’t just take things away — like it or not, our kids social lives will run though these devices. If you choose to withhold, you have to replace it with something. Shared experiences are key.

It was reassuring to see from an expert that we’re already on a good track in our home. And back to the title of this section, it’s all about conversations. Lots, many of them long. I often have to battle my desire to just head to be and instead engage in listening.

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