#some hospitals do have a community/charity care thing to help

[kalikoke]

Unfortunately, yes. Am I speaking from experience? Hahahahaha. Yeah.

The American healthcare system is the true Nightmare Time. Take it from me, someone who once owed tens of thousands for medical care in spite of having health insurance at that time. Who then had to contend with the effects that had on future financial situations.

Regards,

A depressed American

#some hospitals do have a community/charity care thing to help #so keep that in mind #if you are ever (god forbid) in this situation #hatchetfield #nightmare time season 2 #nmt2 yellow jacket #hannah foster #lex foster

[tarotwithavi]

Jupiter and where you will meet your future spouse

Jupiter signifies husband in a woman's chart.

This is not certain as we have to consider other aspects too.

For entertainment purposes only

Jupiter in Aries/1st house : They may be similar to you in some sense, may have the same upbringing. They may be atheletic, go gotter and active. They may come up to you, you may bump into them or you may meet them when you will be standing up for yourself and doing something for yourself. You can also meet them at a sports event, competitive events etc.

Jupiter in Taurus/ 2nd house : They can be highly stable and very calm and mature. They will be the shoulder you can lean on anytime. You guys can meet them in a restraunt, a really luxurious place or art galary. You can also meet them a financial institution like bank or something related to finance, art or culture.

Jupiter in Gemini/3rd house : They can be very chatty and intelligent. You can meet them through your siblings/friends or while on short trips. They can have a close relationship with their siblings. You can meet them when you will be engaged in activities such as public speaking, writng, local communities,coffee shop etc. They can also be your neighbour.

Jupiter in Cancer/ 4th house : One thing with this placement is that they will be like a parent to you. very caring and family oriented. You guys can meet them through maternal figure, either your mother or their mother. You can also meet them in a home enviroment. They can also be a homebody.

Jupiter in Leo/5th house : They can be popular and attract a lot of attention. You can meet them through a celebration like a birthday party, wedding ceremony etc. You can also meet them in movie theater, concert, an event. You will most likely meet them in summertime or in daylight. They can be extroverted and they seem to have nice hair.

Jupiter in Virgo/6th house : They can be health consious or they take good care of themselves and the way they look. They will be helpful and will offer to help in evertything they can. You can meet them through work, in school, in gym or even in hospital. Acts of service can be their love language.

Jupiter in libra/7th house : They can be highly social and can have a bigger social circle. They can be a businessman, salesman or might be woking in marketing. There will be equal give and take in the relationship. You can also meet them in councelling sessions, collaborative events, art exibitions etc. You can also meet them through mutual friends.

Jupiter in Scorpio/8th house : You will meet them when you will be going through an intense transformation. You may also be going through some kind of loss. You can also meet them through reseach and investigation work. spiritual place, occult, nightclub, money and inheritance related matters etc. You can also meet them while getting therapy.

Jupiter in Sagittarius/9th house : You can meet them in collage, educational institute, spiritual place or when you will be getting higher education. They will be highly educated and will act as a teacher or they will be teaching you a lot of things. You can also meet them in foreign lands or in long distance travel. They can be a teacher, professor, guide etc.

Jupiter in Capricorn/10th house : Okay so this placement can signify a arranged marriage or marriage of convinienve. You can meet them in an arranged setting. You can meet them through your father or they can be your boss. This placement also signifies an marriage that is considered ideal. In most cases the couple can work together or have a business together.

Jupiter in Aquarius/11th house : You can meet them through dating apps, social media, social event, charity event. You can also meet them through someone like an old friend. They can also be your best friend. Most people with this placement can get an unconvemtional spouse. They can have really unique personality or can be a rebel. You can meet them after 30.

Jupiter in Pisces/12th house : You can meet them in faraway lands. However this placement can create some kind of illusion, you may put them on a pedestal or you will meet a lot of people who you think are your fs. They can be into music or can be a musician. You may also get dreams about them. You can also meet them at a spritual place.

#pick a card #jupiter #jupiter in astrology #astrology readings #astrology #vedic astrology #jupiter in the houses #jupiter in taurus #jupiter in gemini #jupiter in aquarius #jupiter in aries #future spouse #jupiter in capricorn #mars aspects #pluto aspects #astro notes #astro observations #astro community #venus astrology #sun astrology #moon astrology #mars in astrology #venus in astrology #mercury astrology #mercury in astrology #saturn astrology

[switchcase]

✨ You Are American, Poor, and Have Some Sort of Health Problem ✨

This is not intended to say these things are easy to obtain or will be obtainable in every single circumstance. But especially for new adults, people who just started having health problems, people who have recently fallen on hard times, you may see things that you didn't know about.

Ethics:

Brush up on your patient rights. Knowing your rights and options is important.

Every hospital has a patient rights advocate.

There are typically state-wide patient rights and disability rights organizations.

There are state and federal boards that practitioners are licensed in. Reporting a practitioner to the board does NOT require a lawyer or court money. You are just reporting them/their behavior for the board(s) to investigate.

Cost:

Medicaid is a government program based on income, not disability. You can enroll during Open Enrollment at the end of the year or in special circumstances. This is the most commonly known one.

State, county, or city health insurance programs. Likely not available in very rural areas, but sometimes is. There is often a program for individuals who are low income but ineligible for Medicaid--each program has different names. Calling 2-1-1 or searching "state/county/city low income health insurance" will bring it up.

Hospital Charity Care. Charity Care are laws that exist in states that says people under a certain income level can have their medical costs/debts waived. The exact specifics will depend on the state. Hospitals try to hide this info on their website so if you can't find it best to ask directly for a charity care application and about eligibility with the billing dept or patient rights advocate.

Community clinics and teaching institutions generally offer very low cost care, and community clinics in particular will let you know about programs you may be eligible for.

There may be prescription cost help programs in your area.

Vocational Rehabilitation is a government program that exists in every state. Their goal is to get you functioning well enough to work or go to school. Which means they will pay for: doctors appts including diagnostic tests, disability aids, training, school costs, etc. You will not owe them if you end up unable to work/go to school.

You can write off medical costs and medically necessary items on your taxes. You can also get your taxes done for free if you're low income. Just let them know the costs if you aren't doing it yourself. This includes accessible home renovations, disability aids, regular appointment costs.

Search for bill help in your area or call 2-1-1 again. Much of the time, there will be charity organizations that assist with all sorts of bills. Most of them will be churches.

If you have a condition that is generally costly, you probably know this but if you don't, search "[condition] charity". Sometimes there are orgs that exist specifically to help fund care for that condition, eg the various MS orgs.

IF YOU ARE APPLYING FOR SSI/SSDI: be very aware that amounts you fundraise may be counted as your income/assets unless you SPECIFICALLY tell them that you're getting it as charity/on loan! If you are currently on SSI, fundraising from your personal acct does in fact affect your eligibility to stay on SSI. Be careful.

Logistics:

For transportation: sometimes, not always, there are local programs for getting you to/from doctors appointments. This can be helpful if public transport is not accessible to you.

Disability lawyers do not cost you money up front, they take the money from your backpay IF you win your case.

#cripplepunk #cripple punk #disability #actuallydisabled #.log #If you've been disabled for a while this is probably a very 'yeah yeah I know' type post but y'know #Feel free to add on but for the love of god can people Not jump up my ass talking about how they can't do xyz #That sucks. Truly it sucks. That doesn't make this information unnecessary to mention

[phoenixyfriend]

That one post about great domestic policy and HORRIFIC foreign policy just does not stop being true

Domestic Policy Win: The American Museum of Natural History in NYC is closing down two entire exhibits of Native American belongings in order to comply with a federal order that requires museums to obtain the consent of indigenous nations in order to display artifacts of native origin. The linked ProPublica article specifies that the exhibits in question are the Eastern Woodlands and Great Plains Halls. To quote:

The new federal regulations, which went into effect this month, prohibit the display of items subject to NAGPRA without tribal consent and ban all research done without tribal consent. In addition, the regulations closed a loophole that had allowed museums such as the American Museum of Natural History to keep ancestral remains and burial items by claiming that they are “culturally unidentifiable” — meaning in their view they could not be connected to present-day Indigenous communities based on available evidence — and therefore could not readily be returned to tribes.

Foreign Policy Fail: The United States, the UK, and several other nations, in response to claims that several members of UNRWA were involved in the Oct. 7th attacks, have cut funding to the relief agency in question. The Al Jazeera article profiles the Palestinian response, and also specifies that this funding was pulled after the UNRWA launched an investigation in response to Israel's allegations that 12 members of the relief agency were involved.

Australia, Canada, Italy and the United States said they would halt funding to the agency, while European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the 27-member bloc would “assess further steps and draw lessons based on the result of the full and comprehensive investigation”. Germany, Finland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom then also joined the list of countries pausing financial aid to the UN agency, whose facilities where displaced Palestinians sought shelter have been repeatedly attacked in Israeli air raids. Ireland and Norway, however, expressed continued support for UNRWA, saying the agency does crucial work to help Palestinians displaced and in desperate need of assistance in Gaza. - Al Jazeera

"One million displaced people are currently taking refuge in and around UNRWA buildings. They are the ones who will suffer as a result of this decision," said Mr Gunness, adding: "The curtailing of UNRWA services will also destabilise the region at a time when Western governments are trying to contain a regional conflagration." [...] The US, Germany and the EU are among some of UNRWA's biggest donors. - BBC

Unfortunately, the WSJ article is paywalled, so I can't access the full thing for a quote.

Anyway. Call your reps. I'm not even talking to just the Americans this time, call your fucking reps. If they aren't donating to UNRWA, then make them do something. Is the organization possibly a security risk, and the concerns legitimate? Maybe! But you cannot cut the funding that is keeping 2.3mill people alive on an already shoestring budget and not immediately put a backup security net in place.

Until then, pick a charity with a good rating, donate and signal boost it, and politely harass your politicians.

Politely as in "don't shout at or cuss out the staffers that man the phone lines," because they are not your reps, but also because your number is going to get blocked and then you won't be able to pressure them in the future. Do be firm, though.

I'm personally picking the PCRF this time, since one of the three remaining hospitals in south Gaza has been evacuated and shut down, and the evacuees reportedly include women who just got C-sections, which means the evacuees also include newborns, and medical care is in high demand. They're also currently focused on providing clean drinking water to the people of Palestine. That said, so is food, and shelter, and winter clothing. Pick a need, find a charity, and toss them some money.

#yes this was mostly my way of guiding people to charity sites again. and pushing you to push your reps #current events #united states #indigenous peoples #palestine #israel #gaza #death tw

[heathersdesk]

Why doesn't the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints build homeless shelters, hospitals, etc?

Because the Church doesn't duplicate infrastructure.

Why build an entirely new hospital when you can provide resources and volunteers to an existing one? (Note: they built Deseret Hospital, which was the predecessor to both LDS Hospital and Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City)

Why build homeless shelters when it is far more effective to house the homeless instead with the same money?

Why create new charities when you can donate to existing ones?

People who use this line think they've found some clever Gotcha on a subject they don't know anything about.

Source: Me. I spent part of my mission serving at Temple Square. It includes Welfare Square, the hub of the Church's humanitarian aid program. It represents generations of the Church's investments into providing for those in need. The scope of what they do is so broad, I can't explain it all here. But the Relief Society innovated safe grain storage, which has gone into helping people in need for over a hundred years all over the world. Relief Society grain fed people after the San Francisco Earthquake, World War I, the Great Depression, and the Great Chinese Famine. The women of the Church created infrastructure where it did not exist, and it has been the backbone of the Church's humanitarian aid ever since.

The thing I most remember was the fact that they could get wheelchairs to people in the developing world for $4 a pop. They don't do any of that on their own. They do it in partnership with other organizations because it means they can help more people with the resources they give. The Church and its volunteers get less recognition that way, but that doesn't matter to us. It's the good deed done well that motivates my people, not recognition.

Why don't I care that the Church-owned ranches and farms are so large and valuable? Because that is where the food in the Bishop's Storehouses comes from. The Church grows and processes all the food they give away, functioning almost entirely on volunteer labor. There is a cannery right around the corner from my house where I've assisted in the Church's efforts to can peaches. Those peaches were grown on a church-owned farm. My congregation gets a cannery assignment, shared with all the other congregations here locally, to process food that feeds people in our community, whether they're active members of the Church or not. And ours is just one example of operations just like it that exist all over the world.

I've stood in the kitchens of Brazilian women who were preparing and storing rice to give away to people in need. The Young Women in my last ward collected donations to make hygiene kits to give away to homeless people. Wherever there are women in this Church, there will always be people finding ways to help people simply because they care.

Which is a reminder to my LDS friends who follow me: you don't have to listen to people who criticize the Church's generosity, especially when they're loud and wrong. Just start rattling off the ways you've seen the Church and its people do good where you are, or wherever you've been.

They probably don't remember Hurricane Sandy when it leveled New Jersey. But I do because my YSA congregation in Delaware had sign up sheets going around for months for volunteers to participate in the cleanup. They don't remember Hurricane Michael. But I do, because I was visiting family in the aftermath and saw all the roofs that were tarped by volunteers from my Church, members of that community in the Florida panhandle whose own church building was still in shambles.

Need a way to see all the good the Church is doing where you live? Go to justserve.org. It is full of volunteer opportunities in your local community, many of which are on there because of volunteers from the Church and the causes they're already involved in. I put one in the bulletin for my congregation each week. It's a better use of your time than entertaining out of pocket nonsense in your Asks from strangers on the Internet.

#mormon #lds #mormonism #tumblrstake #religion #faith #the church of jesus christ of latter day saints #queerstake

[warningsine]

The NHS is to offer children with brain tumours in England a groundbreaking new targeted drug therapy to tackle the disease – a development charities are hailing as the biggest breakthrough in decades.

Gliomas are the most common type of brain cancer in children but experts say the standard treatment of chemotherapy can be brutal and gruelling, and also carries the risk of side-effects such as weight loss, seizures and headaches.

A kinder drug therapy has got the green light from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice). Studies showed it caused fewer side-effects, improved children’s response rate to treatment and their survival time without the disease getting worse.

Dabrafenib with trametinib was found to halt the growth of tumours for more than three times as long as standard chemotherapy for children with low-grade gliomas that have a specific genetic mutation, while also helping spare many of the harsh side-effects of chemotherapy.

The treatment will initially be available on the NHS in England for people aged one to 17 with low- or high-grade gliomas that have a BRAF V600E mutation.

The combination treatment, which can be administered at home rather than in hospital, works by targeting the proteins made by the altered BRAF gene that are responsible for uncontrollable tumour growth.

Gliomas grow in the brain or spinal cord and can be low grade, where tumours grow slowly, or high grade, where they grow more rapidly and may be fatal. About 150 children are diagnosed with low-grade gliomas every year in the UK and about 30 are diagnosed with high-grade gliomas.

Clinical trials have shown that as well having fewer side-effects than chemotherapy, the treatment stalled growth of low-grade gliomas for about two years (24.9 months) on average – more than three times as long as standard chemotherapy (7.2 months), NHS England says.

In some cases, tumours disappeared, though longer-term follow-up of patients is needed.

Dabrafenib is given as dissolvable tablets that are taken twice a day, and trametinib is an oral solution taken once a day. The drugs work together by blocking the growth signal from the mutant BRAF protein and can slow or even stop the tumour from growing.

Dr Michele Afif, the chief executive of the Brain Tumour Charity, said: “We are delighted that Nice has approved the first new treatment for paediatric brain tumours in decades.

“Though this will only affect a small population, it is of huge significance to them and their loved ones and represents real progress. We hope that this will be the first of many new treatments that will ensure our community can live longer and better lives.”

Suki Sandhu, whose eight-year-old son Raj died from a high-grade glioma six years ago, welcomed the rollout of the new therapy on the NHS.

“I had to make the decision to stop chemotherapy treatment for my son as he was suffering with horrible side-effects after years of harsh treatment. It was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make … We need kinder drugs and new treatments for those with brain tumours, like this treatment, and I am hopeful other families will go on to get access to these drugs and, hopefully, remain disease-free for longer and live good quality lives.”

Prof Peter Johnson, the NHS England national clinical director for cancer, said: “It is a significant step forward in treatment that has been shown to be easier to take than chemotherapy and very effective in blocking the growth of the disease, helping children have a better quality of life for longer.

“It can also be taken at home, meaning children and teenagers can spend less time in hospital having treatment and more time with their loved ones and doing things they enjoy.”

#cancer #health #nhs

[notyour-valentine]

Welcome to Downton, Mr Shelby 7 ~ Tommy Shelby x Crawley!OC (Series)

[Masterlist] [Taglist][Series Masterlist]

Summary: Charlotte is eager to prove herself and gets her first taste of Birmingham

All my writing is produced by an adult and created with an adult audience in mind (18/21+). You are responsible for your own media consumption.I do not consent to my work being translated, copied or posted elsewhere on this platform or any other.

Wordcount: 3809 words

Part 7

"You were full of questions today, weren't you?", Aunt Isobel asked cheerfully as they made their way back from the hospital. “Are you plotting something?”

"Maybe.", Charlotte admitted with a shy smile.

"Must I prepare for a coup?", Isobel wanted to know.

Charlotte shook her head and bit back a chuckle.

She knew, her aunt was only teasing.

Unlike Mary, Edith and Sybil she barely remembered the time before Aunt Isobel came into their lives. She wasn’t a real aunt, more of a second or third cousin in law, at least if she remembered correctly, somehow removed.

She had only been eleven when Patrick had died and her memories from before that were few and scattered. Since then Isobel Crawley had become a pillar of all their lives.

She wasn’t a lady, like Aunt Rosamund or all her other aunts, but instead a woman with both feet on the ground, always moving, always pushing.

Granny had once been shocked that she was actually proud of being middle class, but she was and unapologetically so.

They had all thought Matthew would bring the change, but in truth it had been his mother.

Without her, Sybil wouldn’t have been allowed to become a nurse, Downton wouldn’t have been turned into a recovery home, and the village hospital wouldn’t run nearly as smoothly as it did.

Isobel had her nose and eager hands in everything which was just why she needed her now more than ever.

Unsurprisingly, she had more than glad to take Charlotte with her and to show her the ropes.

Charlotte wouldn’t exactly fill her sister's shoes but she had felt that her aunt liked having another protege.

"No, don't worry. It's nothing to do with the Village Hospital.", she assured her.

She gave her a questioning look, the similar one Granny had when she suspected something.

"Will you enlighten me?", She wanted to know.

Charlotte considered for a moment.

"You mustn't tell anyone from the house if I do."

"Uhh, a secret!", Isobel said, taking her arm as they continued their ascent.

"Not exactly a secret, just something not ready to be told yet.", Charlotte said, phrasing it rather diplomatically. .

"Now I insist you tell me."

It would need some time to get her family used to the idea, well, Sybil was on her side, and she knew Isobel would be, and Matthew too. Her father and grandmother would naturally be against it, with her mother not likely to approve or disapprove loudly and Mary and Edith were her dark horses. It wouldn’t hurt to lope Isobel in.

If anyone was a match for Granny, it would be her.

"I am helping someone, who wishes to give back to the community in a charitable way."

"Really? Anyone we know?”

"No. Mary’s met him, he’s a friend of a friend. And he has come into some money, a self made man, you see, so he is unfamiliar with the running of charity work.”

Isobel hummed in approval, giving her arm a little squeeze.

“That sounds very honourable. Good for you to take him on.”

She doubted her aunt had it the right way around.

I only hope I'm good enough.

He was sure of her, but she wasn’t. There was so much she didn’t know, especially about the real world. And he was so painfully real, it constantly made her aware of her own limitations and inexperience.

"So what else are you looking into?”, she wanted to know. “You said a hospital among other things."

"As of right now, he wants to set up a foundation to support several causes, veterans, the poor and health care.”

"Goodness. That sounds like quite a task.", Isobel warned.

"Yes but I’d love to help."

For a moment she weighed her words carefully.

"He made me feel so very useful, like I was knowledgeable in a way, and had something valuable to contribute."

Isobel patted her hand.

"Don't ever doubt you have something to contribute. You are a very caring person, and that is important in this line of work."

"Am I?", She asked. "Sometimes I think I do it all for selfish reasons. So that I have something to do with myself."

Isobel shook her head.

"You are not selfish, not at all. I do remember your Lieutenant, you know?"

Charlotte felt a shudder run down her back.

"Aunt Isobel, please, I…", her voice suddenly strained.

"I know and I understand. And I am proud of you for what you are doing."

It took a little while before Charlotte had gathered herself, needing time to lock memories away again, back there deep in her heart. Memories she hadn’t shared with anyone, not truly.

Sybil knew, of course, but she knew everything, even when Charlotte couldn't or wouldn't tell.

And she had been there before Charlotte had even met him.

It had been the three of them, Sybil, Thomas Barrow and her. Then it had been just her, until shock and pain had united them once more.

The walk back cleared her head and with the comfort of Isis by her side, she began to write her report, files and files she had collected all neatly stacked up in the library.

She had borrowed the typewriter from Aunt Isobel and it took her a while to get used to it, both what to do and the clicking sounds.

“Whatever is that ghastly noise?”, she heard her father ask as he walked into the library, Mary and her mother close by.

“Haven’t you heard a typewriter before?”, she asked, turning in her seat.

“I might have. Not recently. Not since the war.”

He sat down on a sofa, while Cora came over.

“That is why you wanted to copy all the files on the hospital and the other work?”, she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

“Whatever for?”, Mary wanted to know, giving her a dismissive glance. ”I can think of nothing more dull than a charity committee meeting.”

She leaned down on the sofa and sipped her tea.

Only Mary could make that action look so condescending.

“Mary, that is in poor taste.”, Papa scolded. “We have a role to fulfil in this county and such roles and responsibilities are an important part of being a great lady. It might be very useful if and when Charlotte might wear a coronet of her own one day.”

Charlotte’s cheeks flushed.

A coronet of her own.

Out of the four of them, Mary had had the highest chances of achieving that- she very nearly had gotten a Duke once. But Sir Richard did not stand to inherit a title and with Sybil married, her chances were voided as well.

“Since Edith is the alternative, I fear she is your best hope, Papa.”, Mary said.

His look betrayed him, even though he chose to disagree with a “You never know.”

It would make him so very happy and Charlotte wanted nothing less in the world to make him unhappy. If she was set to become a great lady, some experience wouldn’t hurt. And then, she could create something meaningful, something lasting.

“Oh, talking about alliances. I have heard the most delicious rumour recently.”

“About whom?”, Cora asked. Her father tried very hard to hide behind his newspaper but Charlotte knew he was listening. The allure of gossip let no one escape, not even the Earl of Grantham.

“Yes, Marjorie Fox Herbert heard something delightful about May Carleton - it has to do with your Mr. Shelby, Charlotte.”

“He’s not my Mr. Shelby.”, she argued in a hushed voice, knowing Mary was studying her every reaction.

Both parents were looking at her with surprise on her face.

“Well no, but never mind that.”, Mary said, waving it off. Charlotte exhaled softly, glad that this was not turning into a cross examination.

“Apparently he has been frequenting the Carleton’s house rather often.”

“Why shouldn’t he?”, she wanted to know. “His horse is trained there, by May Carleton, I believe.”

“Well according to her, his horse is not the only thing being ridden.”

“Mary!”, Mama and Papa gasped at the very same time.

Mama had gone pale, while Papa’s cheeks had flushed bright red. Even darling Isis had jumped up at her master’s reaction.

But it distracted Mary from Charlotte’s reaction, whose mouth dropped open.

“Oh please.”, Mary said, smirking devilishly.

“This chatter is beneath you!”, Papa insisted, shifting in his seat. “Especially in the presence of your younger sister.”

Charlotte bet he wished he had read the newspaper instead, but the milk was spilled now and there was no way to get the cow to drink it.

“It’s not beneath Lady Adelaide.”

Now that made Charlotte gasp. Lady Adelaide was such a sweet woman, so very kind and polite with soft hands. She had known her since she was a girl and quite often she had carried caramel treats in her purse and slipped them to the children. Charlotte knew she had been desperate for grandchildren of her own, but May and Ian hadn’t gotten around to that before the war and then he had passed.

“She’s the one who told everyone.”, Mary insisted, defending herself without much care in her voice.

“I can’t believe that.”, Papa said. “Why would she talk that way about her own daughter in law?”

“Because she can’t stand her. You know that.”

Everyone knew she would rather have had Mary at Ian’s side. But Mary had chosen Patrick and May had become Mrs. Carleton in her stead. And now Mary was engaged to Sir Richard and May was widowed, but for Mary matters like these were never over and hatchets never buried.

She did not know why the gossip, which soon ebbed off into a conversation about other neighbours, bothered her so. She had no grudge against May Carleton, unless one counted the sisterly bonds of loyalty which prevented them from ever becoming friends but allowed them to be pleasant with each other. She didn’t care what May did with her life- she too had a right to be happy. But something else did bother her…

In fact, it bothered her so much that it upset her.

No, Charlotte told herself. I don’t know enough to have an opinion and if I had an opinion I would not have a right to one.

~

The train ride was a little under three hours from York. She had never been to Birmingham, but she had enjoyed the scenery from the north east, bound for the west of England in between looking over her papers and her report.

It also felt a little strange to be travelling entirely on her own, but she had wanted it desperately and only hoped her plan would work.

The city had appeared in the distance like a pencil stain on a landscape study.

She noticed the grey-white steam first as if the whole city had stepped out to smoke one large cigarette. Then she saw the tall factory buildings, the chimneys, the towers.

She was convinced that more people lived and worked here than in all of Yorkshire put together, but she couldn’t be sure.

As she stepped out on the plattform, she was just one of many, holding the bag she had borrowed from Isobel, large enough for the papers, to her chest as if it was a treasure.

She asked a station worker for the way to the cars and he obliged.

“Good morning.”, she said as she sat down in the back.

“Morning, Miss.”, came the greeting in the rough accent Mr. Shelby himself had.

She didn’t bother correcting him.

It was rather exciting…being called a mere Miss and not a Lady.

“Where to?”

“The office of Shelby Company Limited, one moment, I have the address here!”, she said, fishing in her pocket, but he had already started the car.

“I know where.”, he said and began to drive.

Birmingham was as densely packed as London was, only the houses were newer, with red brick and black doors. She watched them all pass, as they drove.

“Are you one of the new secretaries?”

“No.”, Charlotte said with a shy smile. “I have a meeting there.”

Even saying it sounded strange.

“Important meeting?”

Her chest filled with pride. “I’d like to think so, yes. At least, I hope Mr. Shelby will approve.”

The man’s voice changed as they pulled into another street.

“Meeting with the Mr. Shelby himself, eh?”

“Well one of them.”, Charlotte told him. “There are several, apparently.”

She hadn’t come entirely blue eyed.

“But there’s only one the Mr. Shelby.”

His elder brother, she thought, but she wasn’t sure if that was John or Arthur.

“Which one are you seeing?”, he wanted to know.

“Thomas.”, she said, as the car came to a halt.

“Here we are.”, he said. She looked up and saw a large red brick building that seemed to stretch endlessly across the street. Quite a few cars were parked out front, and a man stood at the door.

“Thank you very much.”, she said, fishing in her bag for some money.

“Oh, no need.”, he said, as he got out of the car and opened the door for her.

“It’s fine.”

“No, I’d very much like to pay.”

He shifted from foot to foot.

“How much is it?”, she asked.

He cleared his throat and glanced around.

“I insist!”, Charlotte said. “Else I must simply give you five pounds.”

“Fi- no. No, I can’t.”

He told her a price that seemed impossibly low, and so she decided to tip a lot.

He thanked her endlessly and hurried to be gone, reminding her not to be late.

The air smelled of smoke and rain as her heels made clicking sounds on the pavement.

As she walked up, she felt eyes on her from men sitting in cars and standing at lampposts.

“Good morning.”, she said to him.

“Morning.”

The inside of the building was a lot more polished than the outside. It smelled of leather, polished stone and ink.

Right at the front was a receptionist desk which she approached.

“Charlotte Crawley for Mr. Thomas Shelby.”, she told her.

The woman nodded and a man from beside the reception approached her.

“No need.”, the receptionist told him and he stepped back into the shadow of mystery.

“Mr. Shelby’s office is on the top floor.”

“Thank you very much.”

There even was an elevator, but she decided to take the stairs. It was a big office, with three stories, and it all looked so shiny and new.

It was easy to see which path led to Mr. Shelby’s office- covered with a milk glass door with the circled S she had seen countless times on her way up here.

The door was opened and revealed an anteroom with two dark wooden secretary desks, with long lines of file shelves on the wall. They had typewriters and telephones on each desk, shiny and new.

In one corner, in front of a tall shelf of law books, she found a few leather chairs and a round table.

One of the tables was manned by a secretary, who was hacking away at the typewriter. She was a tall, beautiful woman with short dark hair and burning red lips.

“Good morning.”, she said, but she got no response. She just kept hacking away. It was a far more modern typewriter than the one she had borrowed from Aunt Isobel.

Charlotte was unsure if she had even noticed that she had entered.

It would be rude to interrupt, she thought, shifting from foot to foot.

Most likely her work is important.

Charlotte let her eyes drift across the room once more, the books, the files. So much paperwork. So much writing. It looked like an archive.

The typewriter dinged and she looked back at the secretary who slowly met her gaze.

“Good morning.”, she tried once more. “I am here to see Mr. Shelby.”

The other woman’s dark eyes traced her from head to toe and back again and Charlotte prayed she didn’t have a wrinkle somewhere, or worse a stain

“So?”, she said slowly, reaching into her office drawer and pulling out a cigarette. She lit it and inhaled deeply and when she released the smoke, she blew it into her direction. It didn’t reach her due to the distance, but the intention was enough to make her swallow hard.

“You are that Lady, aren’t you?”

On her lips, the words sounded like a curse.

Charlotte’s one hand found the pearl under her coat and dress. When she pressed down on her coat, she could feel it against her skin. But smiled slightly, even if a small part of her, the part that was most like Mary, felt outraged at her tone.

“I am, yes. Lady Charlotte Crawley.” she introduced herself.

The secretary scoffed. “Lady Charlotte Crawley.”, she repeated, stretching out each syllable of her name, instead of introducing herself.

“Tommy’s latest expensive acquisition, am I right?”

She tilted her head, holding onto her bag tighter.

“I wouldn’t consider myself an acquisition.", she said, failing at trying to hide her outrage.

The woman snorted and looked her up and down once more as if she was an object at a livestock auction and she was trying to assess her price.

“Everything’s an acquisition to Tommy, love.”, she insisted.

The nickname made her eyebrow twitch. She wasn’t used to being talked to like that and she did not like it one bit.

She didn’t expect anyone to like her, she did not expect everyone to make the fuss Carson or Molesley or the like did for her, but she did expect to be treated with some form of respect for her person and position.

“Is there a problem?”, she wanted to know, stepping further inside now.

She nodded towards her as if it was somehow self-evident. But before either one of them could say a thing, they heard footsteps approaching from behind her.

“Sorry for keeping you waiting.”, he said.

“We can go right through.”

He placed his hand on the small of her back for an instant as he opened the door.

“Tommy, there’s papers for you here!”, the woman called, her tone very sharp indeed.

“There’s time for that later, Lizzie.”, he said without looking at her.

So they are on a first name basis then. How curious.

His own office was larger than the antechamber and separated into two areas.

The first area looked almost like a sitting room, with large leather armchairs, a sofa, a fireplace, a small round table and across from them a bar with a whole collection of drinks and above them an oil painting of a horse.

The latter part of the room looked like a typical office with a massive mahogany desk and an impressive leather office chair behind it.

Above that hung another painting.

“Oh my.”, she said softly, glancing around at all the dark greens and rich browns.

Without asking, he took her coat and placed it on a coat hanger next to his own, where he removed his cap as well.

I couldn't refuse, she told herself. Besides, this is an office.

Still, her face burned. It wasn’t proper to get undressed beyond the limitations of a coat room or a dressing room, especially not in front of a stranger, even if it was but a coat.

“So, would you like something to drink?”, he offered.

She glanced at the bar and shook her head, stammering for a reply.

He stopped halfway behind his desk and smirked.

“Tea or coffee I mean.”, he assured her.

“Oh.”, Charlotte said, her cheeks flushing red.

“I’ll ask Lizzie, she can fetch it.”

“No.”, Charlotte said, sitting down in one of the chairs in front of his desk. “I wouldn’t like to bother her.”

And I bet she wouldn't like to be bothered by me.

Mr. Shelby’s eyes travelled from her to the door and back again.

But he never said a thing. Instead, he cleared his throat and sat down.

“So,”, he began, leaning back in his chair. “You said you had prepared something for me.”

“I have indeed. Or I tried to.”

Charlotte unclasped the bag and pulled out the files she had prepared.

“Now, this in regards to the hospital, I have added the suggested changes as you wanted to focus on children with pencil.”, she said, handing him the first file. “And it is the same here with education and children, and the work we support with veterans.”

A blue file, a red file and a green file, all three neatly presented to his desk.

“Any preference?”, he asked.

Charlotte shook her head quickly, her hands wringing in her lap.

“What is it?”, he asked. “There’s something. What is it?”

She opened her mouth to speak, but then she hesitated, only to take a deep breath.

“I can’t, not yet. I’ve found out about a scheme one of my friends has just helped set up, but I don’t know much about it. I’m going there next week to find out more.”

He nodded. “Another posh girl like you?”

“No.”, Charlotte said with a wide smile. “No, she…she is actually a friend of Sybil. But she used to work at the house.”

“And now she’s your friend too.”

Charlotte nodded.

He began to study her again, his icy blue eyes locking themselves right into her soul. It was as if he could read every thought she had ever had, every truth she had ever believed and every lie she had ever told. And the strangest thing was that she didn’t mind.

“Right.”, Mr Shelby said, slamming his hand on the table before getting up and sitting down in the smaller chair next to her.

"Let's have a look, shall we?"

And so they did. After half an hour of talking, when her mouth went dry, Mr. Shelby asked his secretary Lizzie for tea for her. She looked ready to rip her head off and slammed the door on her way out.

“She doesn’t like me very much, does she?”, Charlotte asked.

“Very observant.”, he told her, not looking up from his paper.

That made her smile, although it wasn’t a smile that remained, quickly turning into a sigh of exhaustion.

“Lizzie is…well, never mind. It’s not her decision to make, is it?”, he assured her.

But she had made her decision. From then on she came in from time to time without knocking, wide eyed and alarmed at first, as if she wanted to catch something. When she came unannounced for the fourth time, Mr. Shelby’s eyebrow rose as a form of silent warning with a gaze to rival Fräulein Kelder.

She hadn't come since then.

Still, she couldn’t help glancing back at the door and wondering just what she had done to make an enemy of her.

~

Part 8

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed and as always I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Taglist

Overall

@lilyrachelcassidy @jyessaminereads @chlorrox @watercolorskyy @books-livre @quarterpastmidnight  @lilyevanswhore  @polishcrazyone  @zablife  @just-a-harmless-patato  @stevie75 @flyingjosephine-blog @runnning-outof-time @cillmequick @babayaga67 @butterfly-skinnylegend @shelbydelrey @mrkdvidal1989 @raincoffeeandfandoms

Tommy

@knowledgefulbutterfly @babayaga67 @signorellisantichrist @lespendy @geeksareunique @look-at-the-soul @lothbrokcore

@rangerelik @elenavampire21

#valentineswritings #welcome to downton mr shelby #wtdms #charlotte crawley #tommy shelby #thomas shelby #tommy shelby imagine #thomas shelby imagine #tommy shelby x oc #thomas shelby x oc #tommy shelby fluff #thomas shelby fluff #peaky blinders #downton abbey #peaky blinders / downton abbey #downton abbey / peaky blinders #downton abbey x peaky blinders #peaky blinders x downton abbey #peaky blinders crossover #downton abbey crossover #mary crawley #edith crawley #robert crawley #sybil crawley #cora crawley

[cellythefloshie]

ＩＭＡＧＩＮＥ: Becoming Pat's Favorite Local Restaurant Owner Celly’s 300 Follower Appreciation

-if there was one thing the tampa bay lightning organization prided itself on it was its involvement in the community

-and that didn’t stop with the donations they made each game

-players themselves hosted charity events

-donated their time at the hospitals and animal care facilities

-but today, Maroon and Bogosian were doing something a little different

-they were attending a grand opening of a new restaurant in town

-a connoisseur of barbeque Bogosion had accepted the invitation without hesitation

-and Pat, we was just along for the ride and the publicity

-that was until he got there

-the restaurant was buzzing with life

-and the food was impeccable

-he and Bogo were insistent on meeting the owner

-and waited until long after their meal was done for the opportunity

-and that’s when he spotted you leaving the table of the mayor

-you were eye-catching, beautiful

-and you were on the way to their table

-you were the owner

-Pat didn’t often find himself struggling to find the right words to say

-but all he could do as he shook your hand was smile

-it was Bogo who stepped in to break the bit of an awkward silence that crept up on the encounter

-and with his teammate’s help Pat was able to find his personality, pushing his sudden anxiety that came with meeting you aside

-and while the conversation that praised you and your staff was brief, it was memorable

-it lingered in Pat’s mind long after he and Bogosian had left the restaurant that night

-Pat found himself going to the restaurant more and more often during the team’s homesteads

-bringing some of his teammates with him each time with the bold claims 

-“the food there’s great, you won’t want to eat anywhere else” 

-and while it was

-you were the reason he kept coming back

-and the boys began to notice

-not even just from the frequency at which Pat brought them to the restaurant but with how he interacted with you

-he was always smiling

-and they had watched as the interactions had evolved from handshakes to quick embraces as you welcomed him into the restaurant

-he was your most loyal customer

-to the point where you often saved him his preferred table on nights you expected him

-but the more the bolts came to frequent the restaurant

-the more fans did as well

-and it often left you at capacity

-including one night when Pat came in with a few of the guys

-you were a little less composed than you usually were

-you had been short-staffed for the night leaving you to wait on tables and clean up after your guest

-“I’m so sorry Pat, we don’t have your table, and our wait is pushing 45 minutes-”

-but he could care less with how much time he had to wait

-he was too distracted by how you had messily tied back your hair and how it framed your face

-and how you had rolled up your sleeves and draped an apron over your hips

-he had never seen your so flustered, and yet you were still beautiful

-“we don’t mind the wait,” he assured, “everything okay?”

-“just a bit short-staffed tonight, but we’ll manage-”

-“well, you know, Tony here, he’s got some experience waiting tables”

-it earned a raised brow look from his teammate

-but it was true, Cirelli had a brief stint of waiting tables, or at least pretending to wait tables, during their Getting the Band Back Together video

-“i couldn’t ask him to do that-”

-you were shocked by the proposition, but Pat was insistent 

-“just until you get things back on track,” he assured as reached around the counter where you greeted guests for a stack of menus

-he handed them to Cirelli and offered him a smile

-behind Tony 2 young women waited to be seated at your next opening and they had been eyeing Tony with small smiles

-“how about you show these lovely ladies to their table”

-Tony awkwardly looked over the table chart and invited the ladies up, holding a casual conversation with them along the way

-leaving you and Pat at the counter of your busy restaurant

-“now,” he hummed as he stepped forward to pull the strings of the damp apron

-it was clear you had spent much of your evening in the dish pit 

-it fell from your hips and into his hands

-“how ‘bout you show me to the sink and I’ll take care of the mess for you-”

-“you’re a lifesaver Pat!”

-and before you could stop yourself you had wrapped your arms around him and pushed up onto your toes to place a kiss to his cheek

-but you didn’t give yourself or him enough time to react before you were moving through the restaurant to lead him to the sink

-he spent the night there

-long after the tables began to clear

-and long after Cirelli had finished his impromptu shift 

-his thank you was a hot meal, beer on the house whenever he stopped in, the tips her earned and the phone numbers left to him on napkins

-and even then it didn’t feel like enough to you

-Pat didn’t leave the dish pit until the last load was going into the sanitizer

-and you were there to greet him with a plate of food

-everyone else had gone home

-together you sat at his favorite table as he ate

-and you both enjoyed a beer

-“I’m never going to be able to properly thank you for what you did for me today-”

-but Pat didn’t do what he did with the expectation of being repaid

-he did it because in the short time of coming to know you, he came to care about you

-and wanted to see you succeed

-“you really don’t have to worry about it-”

-“when you came in tonight and saw how busy it was you could have just left, but you chose to help me instead. I can’t just let you walk away with nothing-”

-“I already got what I wanted tonight”

-you raised a brow at him 

-“oh yeah, what was that?”

-“great food, great company,” he hesitated a moment, “and a kiss.”

-you had hoped he had forgotten about that

-it had lingered on your mind all night

-the impulsive kiss on his cheek

-you had worried you had overstepped

-but it was clear now that wasn’t the care

-“I would hardly call that a kiss,” you scoffed and took a long sip of your drink before you stood up

-you rounded the table carefully and came to stand beside Pat

-one of his large hands stroked around your thigh and came to rest on the back of it

-and then you were leaning down and placed a soft and welcomed kiss on his lips

-still it didn’t feel like much of a thank you

-but with how he felt about you, you would have more than enough time to thank you in time

#pat maroon #hockey imagines #nhl imagine #nhl rpf #hockey rpf #;;300

[a-dragyns-reflections]

ExtraLife Success - 3rd Year in a Row

What a year 2022 was! Will go into more of that later, but let's focus on charity fundraising for a little bit for this particular post.

I found out about ExtraLife in a pretty unique way and in a much needed way too. We were in the midst of the pandemic and I was looking for something to do, some sort of purpose as I took a job that gave me very little joy and wanted to do more with my life. On Facebook, my ExtraLife team now for three years, posted about their big game day fundraiser where they had gamers in my city schedule their own 24 hours charity streams all to raise money for my local Stollery Children's Hospital. I happened to have that weekend off in November of 2020, and decided- let's go for it. I set a donation goal of only $300 USD because I knew I was coming into the year long fundraiser late and tried my best to advertise my schedule, my incentives, and even share the link wherever possible. A few donations came in before the stream and it felt like it was possible! I could hit this goal. Then came the stream day that year and it was the worst stream I had ever had...for a charity stream and so much support before hand, I only had two people come by in the 24 hours, and received no donations... I felt like this was not the path for me and decided to only have one more stream that year then quit it altogether... but we hit the goal and I was encouraged by my team to keep going the following year.

The second year and even this year was such an amazing success! I did not stream much throughout the last two years as I did not want to have that awful sinking feeling of failure when no one came or no one donated... so I learned more about marketing a bit- hashtags to add, emails to send, and shared with more loved ones in my life that I was doing this thing for a hospital that meant a lot to me when I was younger. Through all of those efforts, last year I raised just a smidge over $1000 USD and with that came some rewards- a silver medal and a gold medal, as well as some ExtraLife specific D&D dice... which, yes, did make me cry as D&D has become so important to me in my life and was surprised at the support I had to receive these incentives and hit that amazing goal.

This year, I am nearing the end of 2022 with just a day left and we are currently sitting at $1060 USD- another silver and gold medal under my belt, an ExtraLife puzzle, and- for my precious D&D heart, an ExtraLife Dice Tray. I was worried about this year. The bar was set high on reaching this milestone again as I did the year before and to be honest? It was not until the second half of this year that donations did start rolling through. Part of that was from me getting more active again on socials to share the link and awareness of fundraising money for kids to get better health treatments at my local hospital, but the other part of this was me streaming again! It has been mainly Minecraft the past couple of months but through streaming, social media saaviness and reaching out to so many more people, my community has expanded so much the last little while and we have done so well as a community to hit another huge milestone.

What charity fundraising has taught me is to never give up. I thought about giving up often this past year- why should I keep trying if no one is noticing? If no one is interacting? If no one cares? However, that was not the case at all- people are noticing, they are seeing this effort, they can also see how much this means to me. Through tears and long hours- I can do this. We can do this. We have done this. Not going to lie though, it would be funny to see if we can fundraise another $51 USD though because... well, a final fundraising goal of $1111 would be amazing. XD

Long post and story short though, ExtraLife has been amazing despite the ups and downs, the doubts, and the small moments of asking myself "is what I am doing even going to matter?" I have met new friends, became a part of a community dedicated to charity, streaming, gaming, and fundraising, as well as slowly becoming more integrated into the my local team.

What's next? Well, year 4 is coming up and I am definitely participating. I want to set a higher goal for next year- $1250 USD. I want to join my local team in more events and make even more friends. I also want to stream regularly, at least 1-2 times a week to keep stretching myself as much as possible. I am ending 2022 feeling more lonely than I thought I would be despite the community that has been built- let's hope that for 2023, we will hit a larger goal fundraised, make more friends, and maybe not end 2023 as lonely as I am in 2022.

#extra life #extralife #year 3 #third year #charity fundraising #charity #fundraising #livestreaming #twitch streaming #twitch #twitch streamer #goals #charity streaming #community building #community

[translations-by-aiimee]

Dig a Grave to Dig Out a Ghost - Chapter 40

Original Title: 挖坟挖出鬼

Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural, Yaoi

This translation is based on multiple MTLs and my own limited knowledge of Chinese characters. If I have made any egregious mistakes, please let me know.

Chapter Index

Chapter 40

(T/N: This chapter was so sad omg. I translated this with tears in my eyes so I hope you enjoy)

"That's great, that's great!" The older woman rubbed her hands together. She pushed Lin Yan onto the chair, rambling off a long list of things, and Lin Yan finally understood what he needed to do.

In Room 607 of the Cardiovascular Ward, a blind elderly widower named Liang had been hospitalized with heart failure and had been in a coma for more than two weeks. The old man was in a very bad financial situation and was barely able to maintain his treatment with money from different charities. Previously, his partner came to the hospital every day to take care of him, but the several days of heavy rain put a serious strain on his partner's already poor health, and they died of a heart attack on the way to the hospital five days ago. Since then, the patient was cared for by a community volunteer organization on a rotating basis.

"Young man, when you arrived, the uncle just woke up and was in need of someone. I was in a hurry, so I took you for a student who came to take care of the patient." The older woman said. "The patient in this room had a good relationship with his wife. If you know the news of his partner's passing, I'm afraid there's no avoiding it. Just pretend to be his partner. Give the man whatever he wants. Don't reveal anything."

Lin Yan forced a smile: "How can I pretend? Blind people can hear voices even if they can't see. Won't it be hard to not say anything at all?"

"Hey! His partner is mute and can't speak at all. When they were still alive, they would listen to Mr. Liang ramble on by himself. One had what the other didn't: One of them couldn't see and the other couldn't speak. Their relationship was very good. All the nurses looked envious." The older woman lowered her voice and leaned closer to Lin Yan. "The old man is still in good spirits. Just now, he asked to have some oranges. The doctor is anxious because most of those bedridden with long-term illnesses seem to have a sudden and unexplained improvement. It's only for a short while before his energy burns out and then that's that."

Lin Yan played with the small bag of oranges that the older woman had given him. He nodded and agreed. He stood at the door of the room, glancing in through the glass. He asked in a whisper: "He doesn't have any children? He looks older than my grandfather."

The older woman suddenly smiled ambiguously and made a silent gesture: "I told you to be quiet. Mr. Liang's partner was a man. We'd call him a clay rabbit* in our local dialect!"

*(T/N: 兔儿爷 is a clay rabbit used for the mid-autumn festival. It's also slang for a gay man)

Lin Yan reflexively jerked his head up and hurriedly turned his face to hide his expression.

"Tsk tsk, I heard that the two of them never got married their entire lives. They were often looked down upon when they were young. It's not easy. Once his partner left, he was left all alone."

"Wait to go in. Walk and pick up things slowly. The old man can't see, but his ears are sharp. Don't let him hear the movements of a young man." The older woman said with a look that indicated to him to get ready. She uneasily instructed: "Someone sick and groggy is less likely to recognize others. We can pretend for a day. The old man doesn't have much time left."

Lin Yan originally just wanted to leave after helping, but at this point, he was touched by the whole incident. He nodded and said seriously, "Don't worry, leave it to me."

There was a special "old person's smell" in the room. The smell of medicine, cotton cloth, faint dampness and old wooden furniture reminded Lin Yan of his grandfather's old house in the countryside. The room had been cleaned and tidied. On the bedside table was a white enamel jar with the words "Long Live Chairman Mao" next to an old green plastic thermos. An old black soft leather book was covered by a worn-out cattail-leaf fan. People have a bad memory when they get older and often rely on writing things down to remember them.

Other than that, there was nothing else on the table. He was old and frugal, and it was obvious that this patient's financial situation was very middle class.

An old man in his 70s was lying on a hospital bed. An oxygen tube was inserted into his left nostril. His wrinkled face was serene. His hands were folded on top of the covers. When he heard someone enter, he called softly, "Hong Sheng is here."

The old man did not turn his head when he spoke, looking straight ahead. Lin Yan observed it as he walked around the end of the bed. He had no signs of cataracts. Except for his lack of spirit, the old man's eyes looked the same as those of anyone else except for the fact that he had optic nerve problems and had been blind for a long time.

The sky outside the window was covered with cotton wool-like rain clouds. The whole room was grey and drizzly, the rain falling non-stop

Lin Yan didn't dare speak. He slowly pulled out a chair and sat down beside the hospital bed. He put the bag of oranges on the bedside table and picked up a large one.

"It sounds like it's going to rain for a while. Bring a raincoat when you come. Don't get wet."

Lin Yan nodded silently. His eyes circled around the room, resting on the back of the old man's bark-like hand. He waited.

The old man didn't expect to receive any response and went on talking to himself: "The bedsheets at home need to be dried. The heavy summer rain will get them mouldy in the house."

"Has the cat been fed? We've been stuck in the hospital every day. I don't know if it's hungry or has gotten thin."

"I seem to have slept for a long time, and I dreamed that you came to see me. Just like when you were young, you stood by my bed in that suit for a long time, not making a sound. So many nurses looked at you yet you didn't leave. The older you get, the less embarrassed you get."

There was a shy look on the old man's face. The wrinkled face seemed younger, the waxy yellow colour of his sickness had faded. It was probably the soul of his dead partner who came to say goodbye. Lin Yan felt like his heart was in a vice grip and his vision was growing misty. He turned his head and looked out the window.

After pouring some water for the old man, Lin Yan began to peel the orange, carefully plucking off the white veins of the orange slice. He collected the orange peel and placed them on the windowsill to dry and block out the room's smell. Lin Yan carefully brought an orange slice to the old man's mouth. The old man froze for a moment before he opened his mouth and took it. Because of his bad teeth, he slid the piece into his cheek and slowly chewed it.

"It's very sweet. You can still buy oranges this season."

He peeled the slices and handed them over one after another. The old man couldn't chew the thin skin around the orange slices, so Lin Yan carefully peeled it off. The old man was very obedient and ate slowly. Lin Yan felt that this morning was extraordinarily quiet and warm. He couldn't help but imagine an image of himself, decades from now, lying on a hospital bed, his own old lover hobbling in. He bought him a bag of oranges and sat next to the bed, peeling the oranges for him to eat. The years may have worsened his vision but not their companionship. . . Silent time shared together, silently looking out for each other. . .

Love should be like this. Two young and wild teenagers meet in the wilderness under the sun, one saying to the other: "Let's face this world together." So they walk together, hand in hand, through the long journey of life, seeing endless flowers blossoming and sceneries, laughing and complaining about each other all the way, but always supporting each other and never giving up. . . Until the faces of the beautiful young men were filled with wrinkles, their tall and straight figures bent over by the years, their elderly shadows dragged out by the setting sun. They can no longer walk, so they dress themselves in some clean clothes and lie in bed hand in hand. They say let's die, and then they die together, like a pair of geese returning from the south, following each other the whole way from the beginning to the end.

He didn't realize that his eyes were red again.

The ward was extraordinarily quiet. Only the regular sound of rain and the fresh scent of oranges remained. After eating a whole orange, Lin Yan took out the bag to grab another one. Hearing the rustling of the plastic bag, the old man suddenly spoke up and quietly said: "He's gone."

Lin Yan raised his head. He covered his mouth and didn't speak.

"Stop pretending. I've been with Hong Sheng all my life. You can hide it from others but not from me."

"Who are you?"

Lin Yan dejectedly put the orange back into the bag. He thought that he had done a flawless performance, and he hadn't spoken a word this whole time. How did he know?

"My name is Lin Yan." He whispered. "Your partner can't come for the next little bit so I'll be here to help you and come back in a few days."

The old man smiled calmly. He "looked" at the ceiling for a while, and slowly said: "Don't lie to me. I know that he's never coming back."

There really seemed to be some kind of sixth sense between lovers who had been together their entire lives. The old man turned his face towards him. He knew that he couldn't see, but Lin Yan still felt that two sharp eyes were fixed on his face. After a long silence, he finally relented and said: "How did you know?"

"I woke up and he didn't come. I found you pretending to be him, why else would you do that unless. . ." The old man said slowly. His face showed a strange calm in the gray light, like a pool of stagnant water. No great emotions and no sadness, as if he was just quietly stating a fact that had nothing to do with him. Lin Yan couldn't understand it. He always thought that there would be strong emotions like grief, pain, being unable to restrain themself and so on, but the silence in the room was alarming.

"Did he suffer? When he passed?" The old man said calmly.

"No." Lin Yan said. "I heard from the doctor that it was a sudden heart attack."

The old man was silent for a while. "I must have missed my time to go. He said that he would die after me, but in the end, he went before me." After he spoke, he smiled. Two streaks of cloudy tears flowed down his cheeks as he smiled.

Lin Yan was at a loss. He felt that he should say something to comfort him, but all words were in vain in the face of life and death, so he awkwardly grabbed the plastic bag and said, "Do you still want to eat some oranges? I'll help you peel them."

The moment was lonely and silent.

The old man didn't answer. He quietly lay back on the bed in a daze, and said after a while, "You can go. I'll be fine by myself."

Some sadness can only be endured and digested alone until it fully sinks in. Lin Yan tiptoed out of the room and gently closed the door. He put his ear against the door and listened for a while. The room was very quiet, as if there was no one staying there.

    The next day, Weiwei was successfully discharged from the hospital and was taken home to recuperate. Yin Zhou helped to pack her things, while Lin Yan accompanied her father to go through the discharge formalities. After finishing, he returned to the room. Weiwei had changed out of the hospital gown. She was wearing a t-shirt and shorts and sat on the edge of the bed, swinging her legs back and forth, slippers knocked on the bed rails as she did. Seeing Lin Yan enter, she turned her face away. Her father was a little embarrassed, and reminded her to thank Lin Yan. Weiwei just gave him a cold look and asked if the ring was still there.

Lin Yan was stunned for a moment, thinking of the box that had been crushed by Xiao Yu, and shook his head.

When Weiwei left with her bag on her back, she didn't look back once, and she didn't say another word to him. This story was over now.

Lin Yan still came to the hospital every day. He bought some fresh oranges when he passed by the supermarket, and headed directly to the old man's room in the ward on the sixth floor. The old man named Liang liked him very much, and, after slowly accepting the news of his partner's death, he began to chat with Lin Yan. Lin Yan felt that the old man's health was improving. After a ward round, he chased the doctor out to ask about his condition. The doctor took off his mask and asked Are you a family member? Prepare a funeral for the old man.

Lin Yan was a little lost. He walked into the room and tried to smile. He told the old man that the doctor said that he was recovering well and should be discharged soon.

The old man was very quiet that day. Lin Yan tucked in the blanket for him. When he was about to leave, the old man suddenly stopped him. He was facing the window behind Lin Yan with a tired face as if he was carefully listening to the sound of the rain. He said softly: "If you're not in a hurry, sit down a little longer and I'll tell you about Hong Sheng."

Memories were like old photos, stained with a dull brownish-yellow by time. The old man's name was Liang Qing. He was born blind and was abandoned by his biological parents at the gate of an orphanage. When he was eleven years old, the old orphanage director saw that no one would adopt him and sent him to a school for the deaf in the town to learn Braille. It was called a school for the deaf, but it actually brought together many disabled children; mentally handicapped, blind, autistic, and deformed 'unable to jump and run like others' children gathered here to express and communicate in different ways, isolated from the world. Without discrimination or exclusion, they licked each other's wounds, proving warmth and hugs to each other.

Liang Qing was an introverted kid who liked to sit on the only swing at school and contemplate the colours of the sunset. Although he had never really seen colour. To him, the world was nothing more than day after day of darkness, until a man named Zhang Hong Sheng appeared.

Hong Sheng was a new young teacher hired by the school. He was gentle and handsome. He wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses and always smiled softly at the children. He was born unable to speak, but he was proficient in sign language and Braille and he had read a lot of books. Seeing that Liang Qing didn't like talking to people, he looked for opportunities to approach him, trying to bring this child out of solitude.

He showed Liang Qing many stories in Braille. Liang Qing said that Hong Sheng was his eyes and he was Hong Sheng's voice.

In the third year since Hong Sheng came to the school, they were together. They sneak around, carefully avoiding everyone's eyes, using their incomplete bodies to indulge in complete love and subtle sweetness, until one day, after class, the principal passed by the classroom and accidentally bumped into the two kissing. Unexpectedly, Hong Sheng was expelled for his misconduct, and Liang Qing chose to drop out of school.

"That year I was sixteen and Hong Sheng was twenty-four. We didn't have any relatives, so we simply rented a house and lived together. Because of his affair with a student, and a male student at that, there was no school willing to hire Hong Sheng again. We were very poor. The house often leaked and we slept on planks he picked up because we couldn't afford a bed. One meal often had to be slipt up to make three meals. He said that he had to support me. He worked wherever he could, collecting scrap, picking up garbage, doing the most tiring and hardest work. He earned so little but never let me help. One time I couldn’t stand it anymore, so I secretly went out to find someone to teach me how to massage. He couldn’t find me when he got home. He was so worried that he went from house to house, knocking on every door."

The old man gently closed his eyes and immersed himself in the memories of the past. "When he found the store, he saw me washing feet with my master and he dragged me out without saying a word. It was New Year's Eve and it was especially cold. I was afraid that he would get angry. I was shivering from the cold, crying while I walked. No amount of coaxing from Hong Sheng worked. So, with all the money he had on him, he bought me a bag of oranges."

"Candied oranges are expensive in winter, but he didn't want to eat any of them."

"He kept asking me to tell others that I was his younger brother, but no matter how well we concealed it, the neighbours still found out. When we went out, the children threw stones at us. They gathered on the side of the road and called us clay rabbits, Hong Sheng was never confrontational but he would fight to the death for me. People would scold me and he couldn't speak, but sweat would drip down. When I touched him, my hand would get wet, covered with sweat and blood, and even now there's a long scar."

"I don't know how I got through it now, but at that time, no matter how hard it was, I was really happy. I was happy from the bottom of my heart. After we closed the door, nothing that had happened outside mattered anymore. He made congee and gave me rice to eat. He thought I couldn't see it, but I could hear it."

"He would take my hand in bed and write in the palm of my hand, saying he wanted to live like this for the rest of his life."

"I laughed at him and told him how long his life would be. If things got boring, he'd be gone in a hurry. He had to be serious with me."

"Afterwards, life got better. We were able to have enough to eat, and no one was chasing and harassing us when we went out. We both lived and lived and, before we knew it, we grew old." A satisfied smile appeared on the corner of the old man's mouth, as if his young lover was still standing in front of him and had never left. "A lifetime is actually quite short. It's not forever, it'll be over in a hurry."

"He always said that he would die after me. If he died first, he was afraid that no one would take care of me." The old man raised his head and whispered into the air. "Hong Sheng, don't think that I won't take it personally if you only lie to me once in your life. I'll deal with you when I get down there, we're not done yet."

The old man spoke quietly. Lin Yan listened silently, his hands shaking slightly. He lost his grip on an orange and it rolled to the ground.

Without asking about the cause of the noise, the old man continued: "Do you know how I guessed you weren't him the day you arrived?"

#dig a grave to dig out a ghost translation #dig a grave to dig out a ghost #bl novel #chinese novel #english translation #chinese bl #danmei #danmei novel #yaoi novel #yaoi

[sapphyreopal5]

Money doesn't make the world a better place, it just makes it go 'round

I'm not sure if anyone is going to read this post let alone comment on it. This mindset of being here on a "mission" such as "making the world a better place" or "raising the vibratory rate of this world by being good" kind of nonsense people have has bothered me for a long time for many reasons. Many, many souls have come and gone from living on Earth's surface with hopes and dreams of "making the world a better place". This has come in forms of many "selfless" ambitions, such as creating free electricity for all (Nikola Tesla), curing cancer, reducing world hunger, increasing worldwide literacy rates, saving animals from abusive or neglectful homes, etc. To be clear, I appreciate it when people make it a point to contribute to society hands on one way or another to try making life a little better for others.

What I have a big problem with is when people make claims like just being a nice person or "being themselves" is somehow making a difference in the world. People also think simply donating money to various charities, and even voting for the "right politicians" is somehow going to make the world a better place. In other words, many people claim to be altruistic while sitting in the comfort of their homes but not actively doing a thing hands on to make the world a better place for even 1 person. This whole money solves everything mindset is exactly why the logic of "your vote matters" and "if you don't vote, you have no right to speak up" when it comes to noticing what's wrong with this god forsaken world is just downright wrong. At the root of it all with the whole to vote or not to vote issue, the question is "what politicians should I vote for, based on where they want to throw taxpayers' dollars?" Is this politician promising to help create more laws addressing these issues, or promising to send more money towards organizations environmental causes, more towards education, medical advancements?

Here's the thing: all world governments can throw all the money towards every charity that claims to help increase literacy rates, clean up after world disasters in third world countries, feed homeless people, contribute to the fight against cancer or whatever other disease, you name a problem there's a charity that claims to have a team of people that strives to eliminate it or reduce its impact. The inconvenient truth is money doesn't solve everything, and you sure as hell can't make people care about others besides themselves unless they have something to gain from it. I'm going to elaborate on this inconvenient truth about mankind in the next part of this rant.

I've volunteered for several organizations with some very different causes (Humane Society, Crisis Text Line, a local hospital and others to name a few). At every single organization I've ever volunteered at, I've seen the vast majority of the volunteers who were there for reasons that were moreso to benefit themselves one way or another not to help others. Some reasons include things like filling in their resumes with volunteer work, adding to their portfolio so when they apply to medical school (or some other advanced kind of schooling) they're more likely to get accepted, "because it feels good", they have to fulfill X number of community service hours for their "get or stay out of jail" cards, they have to do X number of volunteer hours at a given organization to fulfill college class credit requirements, donating money or other items creates more tax write-offs (probably my favorite one *sarcasm*), etc. The vast majority of the volunteers I've come across at different organizations also at the same time did the bare minimum.

The problem with the world isn't that charities and other organizations are lacking money or resources. The root of the problem is that you can't make people care and put in real effort to making the world a better place unless they have something to gain from it. You can't make people care enough to put in great efforts to help others. Telling people to go out and vote, donate to charities, keep others in your prayers, or some other hands off way of "helping" those who say they're helping others isn't making the world a better place.

No, it doesn't feel great cleaning up dog crap and pee in kennels to increase their "curb appeal" and likelihood of being adopted. Searching for files and doing other errands for hospital departments isn't exactly most people's cup of tea but it sure helps make everyone else's jobs easier to "make a difference" in sick people's lives. Don't get me started on listening to some people feel like their world ended because some jerk dumped them and feel life isn't worth living any longer because of it. But hey, making people feel heard and less alone does make the world slightly less blind no? And man, the times I've tried helping former friends who were in special education classes learn how to do things like reading an analog clock or tutoring them in basic math because their teachers never bothered and let them slip through the cracks, only for them to turn around and steal from me or somehow betray me despite everything I've done to try helping them. Yeah so doing the real work in trying to make the world a better place doesn't feel the greatest and isn't exactly fun for the vast majority of people but someone's gotta do the dirty work even if they don't necessarily gain a damned thing from it, right?

Bottom line (tl;dr): Mankind is too evil, selfish, lazy, and cowardly to step outside of their own selves long enough to actively try making the world a better place to actually make a significant impact. Throwing money at charities, sending good vibes and thoughts to those who are going through rough times, praying for the world's problems to go away, and doing this thing called life half-assed generally speaking isn't going to make the world a better place. The select few who hands on and full-heartedly put in every effort to try making the world a better place simply is not going to be enough, and never will be.

So the people in the back can hear: Money doesn't make the world a better place, it just makes the world go 'round.

#sorry not sorry #just ranting #people are evil #money doesn't solve everything #inconvenient #truth be told #the evil within #cynical #the world will never know #people are stupid #starseeds #god's will #5d consciousness #sad but true #the world is cruel #people are interesting #people are idiots #evil

[jasonp01]

Teaching Kids About the Importance of Giving

People give gifts for all kinds of reasons: holidays, birthdays, or random Tuesdays. And kids like few things more than a surprise gift just for them. But learning how to give gifts and be generous is a skill that will turn them into well-rounded, thoughtful teenagers and adults.

This article explains how generosity “rewires” the brain, how generosity is best learned, and ways that you can engage your children so generosity becomes a shared family value.

Remember! Children younger than 2 years old don’t have the ability to understand generosity or empathy. Most children don’t fully understand the concept of generosity until they are 4 or 5 years old. So feel free to start introducing the concept to your children at any age, but don’t expect it to “click” until they are in preschool. 

The Science of Giving 

People give gifts for all kinds of reasons: holidays, birthdays, or random Tuesdays. And kids like few things more than a surprise gift just for them. But learning how to give gifts and be generous is a skill that will turn them into well-rounded, thoughtful teenagers and adults.

This article explains how generosity “rewires” the brain, how generosity is best learned, and ways that you can engage your children so generosity becomes a shared family value.

Remember! Children younger than 2 years old don’t have the ability to understand generosity or empathy. Most children don’t fully understand the concept of generosity until they are 4 or 5 years old. So feel free to start introducing the concept to your children at any age, but don’t expect it to “click” until they are in preschool. 

Ways to Give Back 

When it comes to kids, the most obvious way to express generosity is through material gifts  (i.e., things that cost money). But instead of defaulting to giving away things your child already owns (and you want out of the house), show and share with them that they can give back in lots of ways, including:

Generosity through time. Whether your child chooses to help your neighbor rake their lawn or serve meals to people at your local community center, they can make a big difference by giving their time.

Generosity through talents. Is your child an aspiring artist? Maybe they would like making handmade cards for children at your local hospital. Do they like to play an instrument? Ask a nearby nursing home if they’d like some “local talent” to come by and entertain their residents.

Generosity through gifts or money. Giving gifts for special events makes the most sense much of the time, but talk with your child about how they would like to be generous with their resources during the rest of the year. Would they like to buy food for a family struggling with food security? What about giving their toys to children in the foster system? 

Give Where They Care

We've talked about how kids can give, but how do you pick the areas where they can express their generosity? 

Easy — let them decide! 

We’ve talked about how kids can give, but how do you pick the areas where they can express their generosity?

Easy — let them decide!

“I know that my son has plenty of barely used (or even unopened) toys that I would love to donate to others who will enjoy them. But that does not mean that he feels the same way,” says Dr. Abigail Romirowsky. “And if I force him to give something to others that he would prefer to keep for himself, he will associate giving with a feeling of loss.”

Jill Gordon, director of the Youth Philanthropy Initiative of Indiana, reminds parents, “If you’re not involving kids in that conversation, they feel like it’s being forced on them. It feels like homework.” 

And nobody wants generosity to feel like homework. 

Do they love animals? Ask them if they would like to give their time, talents, or money to a local shelter or rescue group. Do they hate being cold? See if they would be interested in donating their old winter jackets or helping pass them out through a local charity. Ask your child about the things that they think are important and help connect them with a person or organization that could use their help. The closer to home you can make the issue, the more likely they’ll naturally be excited about giving back. 

Show Generosity as a Parent 

Setting the example is a common theme in Little Sunshine Playhouse posts, but it’s especially true for the concept of generosity. One of the absolute best ways to set your children up to be generous is by being generous in front of them. 

“Parents can model generosity and compassion by showing children that they are kind and generous to others,” says clinical child psychologist and Deakin University professor Jennifer McIntosh.“When it’s time to give gifts, whether it’s for birthdays or Christmas, involve your child as much as you can in the process. This can mean writing a list and discussing what kind of things the friend or family member would like.”

The Center for Parenting Education gives parents some great prompts for how to create “generosity moments” with their children.

Share how you are generous. Give them a firsthand account of how and why you show generosity. 

Share how others were generous with you. Expressing how it feels to be on the receiving end of generosity shows your child how important it is to give. 

Be generous with your children … and be happy about it! They’ll watch how you react while giving, so make sure they see you smiling and happy to do it. Your actions lay the foundation for how they will act when they give.

Turn times of giving into teaching opportunities. Maybe you’ve experienced this … a trip to the store to buy a gift for someone else turns into a time for your child to point out fifty things that they want. Be proactive by talking about the reason they are going, the things the person they are being generous toward appreciates, and how good it feels to be thoughtful when it comes to gift giving.

Receiving is something no one needs trained to be “good” at. But giving happily to others and putting thought behind that generosity takes training. As a parent, you may not be a big gift-giver, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t generous. Show your kids all the ways you can give back to those around you and you’ll be teaching them a vital skill they will need for the rest of their lives. 

[soodcharityfoundation]

List of Charity Organizations in India

India is a country with a long history of philanthropy. There are many different charity organizations in India that work to improve the lives of people across the country.

In this blog post, we will take a look at some of the most popular charity organizations in India. We will also discuss some tips for choosing a charity to support.

Sonu Sood Foundation

Sonu Sood Charity Foundation is a non-profit organization that was founded by Bollywood actor Sonu Sood in 2020. The foundation's mission is to help people in need, regardless of their caste, creed, or religion. The foundation has helped to provide food, shelter, medical care, and educational scholarships to millions of people across India.

Sonu Sood is a household name in India for his selfless acts of kindness and his unwavering commitment to helping those in need. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sonu Sood went above and beyond to help migrant workers who were stranded across the country. He helped them to get home, find food and shelter, and even get medical treatment. He also helped to provide oxygen cylinders to hospitals and other essential supplies to people in need.

Sonu Sood's work with Sonu Sood Foundation has had a profound impact on the lives of millions of people. He is a true hero, and we are grateful for his work.

Other Charity Organizations in India

In addition to Sonu Sood Foundation, there are many other charity organizations in India that are doing important work. Here are a few more examples:

ActionAid India is a non-profit organization that works to fight poverty and injustice. They work in over 25 states in India, and their programs focus on education, health, and livelihood development.

Amrita Foundation is a non-profit organization that works in the areas of education, healthcare, and rural development. They have over 200 schools and hospitals across India, and they also work to provide clean water and sanitation to rural communities.

BIRD Foundation is a non-profit organization that works to improve the lives of people with disabilities. They provide education, healthcare, and vocational training to people with disabilities, and they also work to raise awareness about disability rights.

Child Relief and You (CRY) is a non-profit organization that works to protect the rights of children. They work in over 20 states in India, and their programs focus on education, health, and protection from abuse.

GiveIndia is a non-profit organization that facilitates online giving to Indian charities. They have over 1,000 partner charities, and they have raised over $100 million for charity.

HelpAge India is a non-profit organization that works to improve the lives of older people. They provide social security, healthcare, and economic empowerment programs to older people, and they also work to raise awareness about aging issues.

Smile Foundation is a non-profit organization that works to improve the lives of children from marginalized communities. They provide education, healthcare, and livelihood development programs to children from these communities, and they also work to raise awareness about child rights.

Tata Trusts is a non-profit organization that works in the areas of education, healthcare, rural development, and water and sanitation. They are one of the largest non-profit organizations in India, and they have a wide range of programs that benefit millions of people across the country.

Tips for Choosing a Charity to Support

When choosing a charity to support, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

Consider your interests and values. What are you passionate about? What are your values? Choose a charity that aligns with your interests and values.

Do your research. Before you donate to a charity, take some time to research them. Look at their website, read their financial reports, and see what other people have said about them.

Make sure the charity is legitimate. There are many scams out there, so make sure the charity you are donating to is legitimate. You can check their website for information about their registration status, and you can also check with the Better Business Bureau.

Donate what you can afford. Donating to charity is a great way to help others, but it is important to donate what you can afford. Don't overextend yourself financially, and don't donate if it will put a strain on your budget.

#sonu sood #charity foundation #free coaching for upsc #donation #foundation #sood charity foundation #most charitable actor in india

[atlanticcanada]

Maritime charities hope donations meet demand as more Canadians need help to get by

This is the fifth year that Nicole Martelle has collected new blankets to give Nova Scotia seniors living in long-term care.

Last year, she collected 600.

“It's a way for seniors to know that they're thought of,” says Martelle. “It’s about community as well.”

This year, Martelle has expanded her efforts.

“Previous years have just been Northwood, [but] as it’s grown it’s expanded to Oakwood Terrace, St. Vincent’s Nursing Home,” she says. “This year, we added Veterans Memorial Hospital and Fisherman’s Memorial Hospital, as well as White Hills Long Term Care Center.”

But 2 weeks into her campaign, she’s worried she won't get as many donations as she’s hoping for.

“The cost of living is going up, people are struggling to afford rent and food let alone donating a blanket,” says Martelle. “So I totally understand that, it's definitely been a struggle this year.”

It’s a common concern for big and small charities alike -- that inflation will eat away at household budgets, leaving little behind for charitable donations.

“Rising cost in living is likely a very significant factor when it comes to all of that,” says Nicole Danesi of the online fundraising platform, CanadaHelps.

A recent Ipsos survey conducted for the organization suggests more Canadians think they will need help to meet basic needs such as food and shelter in the next 6 months.

“Ipsos found that 2 in 10 Canadians are planning to access charitable services to meet essential needs,” says Danesi. “That is up from about 14 per cent in January 2022.”

The same survey also found some Canadians may be scaling back on donations at the same time, with only 13 per cent planning to give more.

A similar Angus Reid survey conducted for CTV News of more than 1,000 people found 61 per cent of Atlantic Canadians intend to donate the same amount this year compared to 2021.

Six-point-one per cent intend to donate more, half the national average.

Twenty-two per cent of Atlantic Canadians said they plan to donate less than last year, compared to 16 per cent nationally.

As Maritime charities enter the crucial holiday season, they hope donations will keep pace with demand.

“As the economy goes, so do we,” says Ron Dunn of Souls Harbour Rescue Mission.

Tuesday, the non-profit’s charity thrift store, Mission Mart, marked four years since opening its doors. Money from store sales helps Souls Harbour provide 400 hot meals a day to Nova Scotians throughout the province, with plans to expand into Cape Breton.

“The beauty is that we have folks that send us $4.85, which pays for one meal,” says Dunn. “That's amazing, and if everybody did what they could, we could help more people.”

The head of Greener Village Food Bank in Fredericton says many of the families it serves are reporting a negative income after paying for expenses, food not included.

“For people who are struggling, times are very, very tough,” says Alex Boyd.

Boyd says higher food costs mean more fundraising dollars needed to stock food bank shelves.

“The next six weeks are going to be critical to whether this year is a deficit year where we go behind and we're not able to do some things that we want to do in the next year, or if things come out right,” says Boyd.

“It really means that they're going to have to stretch their dollars even further when it comes to making sure that donors and the work that they're doing are making a really big impact,” says Danesi.

She says there are other ways to give back to charities, whether it’s through volunteering, or giving donations as holiday gifts. CanadaHelps has created a “12 Ways to Give” campaign to encourage Canadians to do what they can.

In the meantime, Martelle hopes donations for her blanket drive for seniors picks up soon, to meet her goal of distributing 500 blankets before Christmas.

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/O2JTf9l

#new brunswick #prince edward island #nova scotia #news #politics #canada #CTVAtlantic

[marcusfunch]

Tracy Veterinary Clinic

Many veterinary schools have applications that help students get hands-on experience with animals in need of care . If you’re having trouble maintaining your pet fed, one of many first things you can do is check to see if there's a pet food bank in your area. Some pet shelters provide pet meals to needy households. Some animal welfare organizations run pet meals banks particularly to help pet parents in need. Providing the best level of state-of-the-art veterinary care in a comfortable, compassionate environment, we can help your pets reside wholesome, pleased lives.

Kittens will usually have intestinal parasites that have been handed to them by their mother or from being in contaminated surroundings.

We are open 7 days a week with later hours, for handy appointments to match your busy schedule.

Dr. Moore and her dedicated workers take great satisfaction in treating each of their patients and their families with the individual attention and care they deserve.

Affordable Pet Care was in a position to squeeze him in an hour and a half later. “Affordable” isn’t false promoting in this case. They additionally had him out and in in about quarter-hour with the prescriptions he needed.

Bark Location

Join 2,438,795+ insured canine and cats throughout the US. Again, our new app can discover a charity to assist pay your vet bills. Just reply some fundamental questions on your pet and our algorithm will discover a charity or grant program that may help. You also can browse our complete record of packages.

Kittens will usually have intestinal parasites that were handed to them by their mom or from being in contaminated environment. Adult cats may additionally be uncovered to the microscopic types of these parasites in the surroundings. For best results, please make sure that your pet’s fecal sample is not any older than 12 hours when dropped off for testing. Puppies will often have intestinal parasites that had been handed to them by their mom or from being in contaminated surroundings.

Inexpensive Pet Vaccines Inc

We advocate an preliminary vaccine series (2 injections given 3-4 weeks apart) after which an annual booster, or as beneficial by your veterinarian. Dog parks may be nice for dogs and their homeowners. But earlier than opening the gate, speak along with your veterinary staff to ensure a canine park is right for you and your canine. “Dog parks usually present a suitable website to train and socialize canines,” said John Tait, DVM at Blair Animal Hospital, an AAHA-accredited clinic in Canada. 1985 DVM graduate, labored as a large animal veterinarian for 15 years and since the 12 months 2000, has been working with canines and cats. Dr. Reddy's areas of interest are drugs, surgical procedure and client communication.

Once you might be accredited, you can use it, repeatedly, to assist handle prices not covered by insurance coverage. From routine appointments to emergency conditions or surgical procedures, CareCredit provides pet owners the peace of mind wanted to look after pets massive and small. Vaccine Only Appointment – This transient 10-minute appointment is obtainable to administer vaccines to your pet. Heartworm testing and writing prescriptions for flea/tick/heartworm medicine can be carried out. If your pet is experiencing some other health considerations, a routine examination or a sick medical examination could additionally be booked. The value of this examination is included within the vaccine packages listed under. The Senior Full Wellness Package consists of a serum chemistry panel, a whole blood rely , a T4 “thyroid take a look at,” a urinalysis, a fecal parasite examination and a bodily exam. The chemistry panel permits the veterinarian to think about the perform of the most important organ techniques . The T4 assesses the amount of thyroid hormone within the physique, allowing the veterinarian to diagnose or rule out hyperthyroidism, a common illness in older cats. The urinalysis can supply valuable early clues about kidney perform and the workings of the urinary bladder itself. The fecal parasite screen appears for the presence of worms or different intestinal parasites. Most diagnostic, surgical, and remedy procedures may be dealt with inside the hospital. Our vets offer emergency take care of West Valley dogs and cats. When you arrive in your appointment, you'll be greeted warmly, and we’ll usher you into an examination room after checking in your pet. Your pet deserves unique attention, and we’ll make certain they get it. Please note, we don't have listings for all 50 states. We suggest contacting your local animal shelters for probably the most up-to-date and comprehensive data for your neighborhood. To find trupanion canada , go to The Shelter Pet Project and select “shelter” in the search field. If you bought your pet from a accountable breeder, verify your contract to see if there's a health guarantee that covers your pet’s ailment.

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[astrologyandlife]

pisces through the houses

first house - a sense of familiarity to them, "have we met before?" vibes, shy and innocent demeanor, sensitive eyes, has this distant or dreamy look, super sensitive to undercurrents, approaches other people with compassion, people who are struggling are drawn to them, gentle in the way they do things. second house - generous with money, not very practical in financial matters, values compassion and kindness, a somewhat fragile sense of self-worth, others really influence their self-esteem, learns how to handle money slowly, often loses things, never hesitates to give to others in need. third house - speaks with compassion and sensitivity to others, soft-spoken, has a very vivid imagination, more of a visual learner, a bookworm or someone who disappears into stories, able to understand more abstract ideas, communicates in a vague or poetic way, thoughts are disorganized. fourth house - a parent who was particularly sensitive or somehow detached from reality, potential for an absent parent, an early life with relatively few boundaries/clear rules, they were a very imaginative and creative child, wants a home that is tranquil and an escape from the outer world. fifth house - hobbies that involve art, music, or stories, a taste for abstract and imaginative art, self-expression occurs through their art, they daydream for pleasure, really kind and compassionate towards kids, may date artsy types or people who are creative, a love for romance. sixth house - prone to illness or a weak immune system, a need to incorporate alone time into their daily routine, potential for foot-related issues, sticking to a routine could be difficult for them, coworkers see them as sweet and kind, involved in volunteer work or service to people. seventh house - attracts a spouse who is very sensitive, gentle, and a creative type, becomes very attached in the marriage, a marriage with few boundaries, dreams of being married when they are young, has to be careful not to allow the spouse to take advantage of them, tends to be agreeable and very romantic in relationships. eighth house - trauma that is repressed or hard to recall, blocks out very deep trauma, transformation occurs deep within themselves, able to help others going through crisis in their lives, has a deep understanding of the big mysteries of life, comfortable with the unknown, extremely strong intuition. ninth house - believes strongly in being compassionate to others, very interested in spirituality and religion, tends to hold very egalitarian and charitable ideas, actively seeks out experience and wisdom in life, believes in a higher power of some kind, generous to those less fortunate, kindness is a core belief of theirs. tenth house - a reputation for being very kind, compassionate, and having a love for helping others, can find career success through the arts and media, feels a need to have a career that is impactful and important, feels the most successful when they are helping people, could work in hospitals or institutions. eleventh house - has had friendships where they were taken advantage of, wants to share their creativity and imagination with their friends, a devoted friend, has strong intuition about the people they meet, involved in groups that do charity work, friends who are artsy types, daydreams about their wishes and aspirations. twelfth house - very boundless and abstract dreams, secretly full of creativity and imagination that they don't share with others, they dwell on things that have happened in the past, afraid of becoming lost or not having a clear path in life, could have fears of water, typically has subconscious feelings they have to work through.

#astrology #other #houses #first house #second house #third house #fourth house #fifth house #sixth house #seventh house #eighth house #ninth house #tenth house #eleventh house #twelfth house