TW: blood loss
Hey mamas, buckle up! This first-time mama (me, 36!) just emerged from the delivery whirlwind, and let me tell you, it was intense. We ended up with a beautiful, healthy baby boy (8 lbs 2 oz, perfect little ten fingers and toes!), but the delivery wasn’t exactly what I envisioned.
Everything started normally. My water broke at 2 am, contractions kicked in smoothly, and by 8 am I was dilated to 7 cm. My doctor was happy with progress, and I was feeling good with my epidural working its magic. Then, things took a sharp turn.
Right after delivery, the placenta didn’t detach cleanly. My uterus became boggy, and I started bleeding heavily — bright red, soaking through pads like crazy. That’s when the alarm bells went off.
One nurse started massaging my uterus firmly and continuously, trying to stimulate it to contract and expel the remaining placental fragments. Another rushed in a bag full of medications — Pitocin (to contract the uterus), Methergine (to further promote clotting), and a whole cocktail of IV fluids to replace blood loss.
The doctor explained it was a postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Thankfully, with the medications and the aggressive uterine massage, the bleeding started to slow. Exhausted but relieved, I was wheeled into the recovery room with two extra bags of blood hanging beside me.
Baby is doing fantastic, blissfully unaware of the drama. I’m weak but recovering well. Now, it’s all about bonding with my little miracle and getting my strength back.
Lessons learned: Birth is unpredictable. Having a birth plan is great, but staying flexible and trusting your medical team is key. PPH is a serious complication, and it’s crucial to act fast.
Sending love and strength to all mamas out there!

Howdy, I've been working out at the gym pretty consistently for about a year now and have made a lot of progress strength and fitness wise. However I am about to move to BFE and the closest gym is around 10 miles away (which isn't the problem) but I will probably not get a membership for a couple months at least just because money is going to be tight for a bit, and I have to be careful how much I'm driving because I own a shitbox car.
I'm hoping to make some good chest gains and get rid of some belly fat before I have top surgery this fall. So I'm thinking of doing calisthenics. (already have been doing pushups/planks/etc outside of the gym)
However, I'm used to working out with weights and machines. I do have a 60lb dumbbell set which will help with a few things. Where calisthenics is so different I'm just worried I won't make progress or I won't be doing the same amount of work that I would be with weights. Do y'all have any recommendations for plans that will keep me in shape? I know I'll figure it out eventually but it's just a weird adjustment. I'm also having a hard time eating enough because my medication just got increased, so I guess I'm doing a cut rn?
I'm just worried I won't be able to work all my muscles the same way or that I'll get bored doing the same movements. Idk.

I love ants, ants are awesome. They are so darn intelligent and innovative, I personally like to think of them as how humans would be like if we were wayyy smaller and were eusocial but that's beside the point. As I had nothing better to do in the afternoon, I spent an hour compiling some stuff about some of my favorite species. Please comment about your favorite species of ant and tell me about them as well!! :)
Enjoy! 🐜
Mirror turtle ant: mimics the appearace and behaviour of Crematogaster ampla ants to steal their food and is able to follow pheromone trails laid out by crematogaster ampla ants and follow it to its host's food source. They follow hostile Crematogaster ampla ants to food sites and then start trying to act like them. Mirror turtle ants don’t smell anything like crematogaster ampla, so if they come within sniffing range, they’ll be swarmed and dismembered. They have to move like the enemy and walk like the enemy, all while not getting too close to them, even though they’re in the midst of the enemy and stealing their food. Mirror turtle ants are the first species of ant documented to use visual mimicry to parasitize another ant species. The workers foraging behind enemy lines raise their rear ends up in the air and mimic the walking speed and even the stilt-like posture of Crematogaster ampla. And they do it all so they don’t have to search for food themselves.
Matabele ants: Are at war with fungus farming termites who the ants frequently raid for their fungus and to eat the termites themselves. The termites often amputate the ants in combat but while the ants arent particularly powerful against the fungus farming termites but they have a secret technique at their disposal. They carry their wounded soldiers back to their nest where they are treated by the workers who nurse their wounds and disinfect and clean their wounds using antimicrobial saliva and once the soldiers are healed they can partake in battle again. But the rescuing ants have a threshold for how grieviously injured a soldier must be before they are rescued. Of the soldier has lost one or two legs, they may be rescued and taken back to be healed but if they are injured too badly, the resuers will not rescue them or waste resourses and effort trying to nurse them back to health and these soldiers that are hurt too badly are left to die.
Honeypot ant: honeypot ant species possess the unique ability to store food for rainy seasons in their bellies. Individual worker ants, called repletes, are engorged to enormous belly size by being force fed, sometimes to the point of being unable to move. Honeypot ants usually feed on flowers for their nectar but can also be seen attacking insects. When the liquid stored inside a honeypot ant is needed, the worker ants stroke the antennae of the honeypot ant, causing the honeypot ant to regurgitate the stored liquid from its crop. Replites are practically living refrigerators and are packed with so many nutrients that many other insect species, are keen on hunting them down and even raiding the honeypot ant colony for a sweet treat.
Leafcutter ant: These gardener ants cut out fresh leaves with their sharp mandibles, which they later bring to their nests to feed a particular type of bacteria that lives in symbiosis with the ants. That means that both organisms have become so co-dependent that they cannot survive on their own – the insects supply their guests with fresh nutrients in the form of leaves, while the fungi grow to later on become a reliable food source for the ants.
Tawny crazy ant: These ants are at a war with fire ants. Fire ants have an extremely potent poison that kills most other ants, but tawny crazy ants have a secret defense. When they’re hit with fire ant poison, they quickly coat themselves in their own poison, which neutralizes the fire ants’ primary weapon with a 98 percent survival rate.
Fire ants: These ants exhibit a wide variety of behaviours, such as building rafts when they sense that water levels are rising. They also show necrophoric behaviour, where nestmates discard scraps or dead ants on refuse piles outside the nest. Their venom is highly toxic and sometimes even lethal to other insects including other ants and are at a constant war with tawny crazy ants. They also have the ability to build rafts in times of floods or when the colony is forced to cross a body of water, the ants will link their bodies together to form a floating raft. The ants on the bottom of the raft grip onto each other with their mandibles, while the ants on the top of the raft link their legs together to create a protective barrier. The raft can be several layers thick and can consist of thousands of individual ants. The ants on the bottom of the raft are able to breathe by trapping air bubbles between their bodies, while the ants on the top of the raft protect the colony from predators and help to steer the raft towards shore.
Army ants: While army ants do not build permanent nests, they do construct temporary nests out of their own bodies. These "bivouacs" are formed by the ants gripping onto each other's legs and mandibles, creating a protective structure that can be used for resting or caring for the young. Army ants also are nomadic, meaning that they do not have a permanent home. Instead, they move through the forest in search of prey and temporary shelter, and are constantly on the move. Army ants live in large colonies that can consist of millions of individual ants. One of the most interesting behaviors of army ants is their ability to build rafts. When the colony is forced to cross a body of water, such as a river or a stream, the ants will link their bodies together to form a floating raft. The ants on the bottom of the raft grip onto each other with their mandibles, while the ants on the top of the raft link their legs together to create a protective barrier. The raft can be several layers thick and can consist of thousands of individual ants. The ants on the bottom of the raft are able to breathe by trapping air bubbles between their bodies, while the ants on the top of the raft protect the colony from predators and help to steer the raft towards shore.
Slavemaker (Polyergus) ants: these ants raid colonies of formica fusca or silky ants, capture their pupae and, subsequently carry them to their own nests to raise them as slaves. However, the enslaved ants are forced to work seemingly endless shifts for another colony instead of working seemingly endless shifts for their own brethren.
Acacia ants: Acacia ants act as bodyguards for acacia trees, defending them not only from weeds, but also from animals, in exchange for accomodation and food – Acacia trees and acacia ants have a unique mutualistic relationship, in which the ants provide protection for the tree and in turn, the tree provides the ants with shelter and food. One way that acacia trees can manipulate the behavior of the ants is by blocking the production of invertase, an enzyme that is essential for the ants to be able to digest sugars. The acacia tree they live on produces a chemical compound which blocks invertase production. The ants that feed on the acacia tree's sap once stop producing invertase, which is necessary for breaking down sucrose into glucose and fructose found in practically other food source, and instead rely on the tree to produce "special nectar" that contains more easily digestible sugars. By manipulating the behavior of the ants in this way, the acacia tree ensures that the ants remain dependent on the tree for their food and shelter.
Dinosaur ants: Instead of a queen these ants have an alpha female and moreover unlike a typical ant colony all the ants in the colony have the ability to reproduce. She’s surrounded by up to five beta females, who do nothing but sit around all day long. These betas are next in line if something should happen to the alpha.Sometimes a beta gets tired of waiting and decides to start laying eggs of her own. If the alpha female detects that her position is being challenged, she wipes chemicals from her stinger onto the would-be usurper. At that point, the workers will run out to punish the offending ant. They will pin the overreaching beta to the ground, sometimes for up to four days. After justice has been meted out, the beta also loses her rank and is just a lowly worker from then on, either that or she’s dead from not eating for four days.
Cardiocondyla Obscurior: Unlike most male ants who possess wings and their only purpose being to mate with a female virgin queen ant after which they die, in cardiocondyla Obscurior ants, there is only one Cardiocondyla obscurior male per colony. He’s the dominant male ant, and he must defend his territory. If a new male wonders in for some mating, the reigning ergatoid will dab chemicals from his anus onto the intruder. This secretion will cause all of the workers to band together and kill the newcomer. Cardiocondyla obscurior males have a “kill” scent. That’s not all that they’ll do. In an effort to further reduce any possible rivalry, the ergatoid combs the nurseries looking for newborn males to slaughter. The soft one-day-olds are easy to kill. However, if they find a two-day-old male whose armor has hardened, it becomes a pitched battle with a 14 percent chance that the young ant wins and a 43 percent chance that they will both die. This is mostly because they’re both rubbing their kill scents on each other, encouraging the workers to swarm in a killing frenzy. Many times, the workers end up slaying them both, but it’s okay if they both die. New male are always being born, and the dead ones are fed to the larvae.
Solenopsis fugax: Solenopsis fugax is a thief ant, meaning that it steals from other ant colonies. However, Solenopsis fugax steals the larvae of other ants. Slave-maker ants do the same thing, but Solenopsis fugax doesn’t need slaves; they’re hungry. They eat the babies of other ants. They also tend to aphids, so they’re farmers who also eat babies on the side. While most slave ants charge in recklessly and try and overwhelm a colony, S. fugax ants tunnel in. Once they find the brood chamber, they discharge pheromones that repel the other ants. It’s the ant equivalent of tear gas. They tunnel in, spray the place down to make all the adult ants run, and then they abscond with the brood, which will be eaten alive. The poison from a single Solenopsis fugax ant is enough to keep workers from 18 different species away for up to an hour.
Green ants: These ants live high up in the tree tops. Their unique ability is to build homes out of tree leaves. The first phase in nest construction involves workers surveying potential nesting leaves by pulling on the edges with their mandibles. When a few ants have successfully bent a leaf onto itself or drawn its edge toward another, other workers nearby join the effort. When the span between two leaves is beyond the reach of a single ant, workers form chains with their bodies by grasping one another's waist. Multiple intricate chains working in unison are often used to ratchet together large leaves during nest construction. Once the edges of the leaves are drawn together, other workers retrieve larvar from existing nests using their mandibles. Upon reaching a seam to be joined, these workers tap the head of the clutched larvae, which causes them to excrete silk. The workers then maneuver between the leaves in a highly coordinated fashion to bind them together and the larvae's silk is used to glue the held leaves together in place. They can only produce so much silk, so the larva will have to pupate without a cocoon. Green ants also 'milk' scale insects in or close to the nests for their honeydew. Although weaver ants lack a functional sting they can inflict painful bites and often spray formic acid directly at the bite wound resulting in intense pain.
Trapjaw ants: Trap-jaw ants have powerful mandibles that snap closed at extremely high speeds and accelerations. They use these mandibles to capture or stun prey and to fight with other ants. These remarkable mandibles have attracted the attention of biologists and naturalists for well over a century. The term “trap-jaw” refers to mandibles that have a spring-loaded catch mechanism which allows the ants to store up energy in advance of strike and to release the mandibles rapidly. “Trigger hairs” on the face of each mandible connect to neurons that control the latches and release the mandibles. The ants can use these trigger hairs to fire the mandibles the moment they touch the surface of another object. Some trap-jaw ants have another trick – they can jump with their mandibles by snapping their mandibles against the ground, they can jump into the air, often traveling over 20 times their body length. the ants carefully align their heads and bodies before striking the ground and jumping into the air. Ants also use this chaotic jumping behavior to mob and frighten predators. For example, it is startling when a large number of ants start popping like popcorn into the air. Plus, they often land on the intruder and can sting prety hard, making the combination of jumping and stinging a good predator deterrent.
Bulldog ants: Apart from their ability to jump at great heights, their eyesight is one of the most powerful in the ant kingdom due to their oversized eyeballs. To give you an idea of just how sharp their sight can be, bulldog ants can discern minute objects at a distance of more than 25 times their length. With exceptionally aggressive behaviour, the bulldog ant is prone to causing painful and, sometimes fatal, bites.
Bullet ants: Bullet ants are infamous for their very powerful sting. It's so awful that its comparable to being shot with a bullet, hence the name.
Hodor ants: These ants live in abandoned tunnels of wood-boring beetles and, to keep themselves safe from the external environment, the large workers use their disk-shaped heads as living doors to seal off the entrance to their colonies.
Diving ants: This species of ant do is dip into the digestive fluids of the carnivorous pitcher plant called the pitcher plant. There, it looks for arthropods that have fallen prey to the plant’s cunning trap and fishes them out to enjoy a fresh meal.
Allomerus decemarticulatus: These ants use a particular kind of fungus that they grow themselves – it’s never present in stems that weren’t touched by these ants. As well as being a cultivated food source for the ants, the Allomerus decemarticulatus uses this fungus to make traps called "ant gardens" that lure small insects to them. When the unsuspecting insect lands on a stem full of those trap holes, the predator insects swoop in and catch it with their mandibles. Then, they slowly drag the captive to a leaf pouch, where they tear their prey apart.
Camponotus leonardi: These ants possess the fatal ability to make their abdomens explode. They are filled with a toxic liquid that chases off predators, but their combustion comes at a steep price. A final act of defence – one of the most devoted ways to protect the colony in the face of insurmountable odds. They are also the host to the ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungus.
Dracula ants: The workers of these species of ant are blind. The primary source of food for these species is the blood of their own larvae. That’s right – this species practices non-destructive cannibalism, i.e. the ability to munch on someone without killing them in the process and extracting carefully controlled amounts of blood to avoid harming the larvae. They also possess powerful jaws, paralysing stings.
Giant gliding ants: Giant gliding ants are a group of ants that are able to glide through the air to travel between trees or escape predators. These ants have flattened bodies and long legs that are adapted for gliding. When they jump or fall from a high point, they are able to control their descent by spreading out their legs and using them as wings to steer themselves towards their desired destination.
Pheidole oxyops: Pheidole oxyops ants construct feather pitfall traps to capture prey, such as other insects and spiders, that are too large to be handled by individual ants. The feather pitfall trap is constructed by a team of worker ants, who first identify a suitable location to build the trap. They then gather feathers and other small debris, such as twigs and bits of grass, and arrange them in a circular pattern on the ground. The feathers are arranged in a way that creates a funnel-shaped depression in the center of the trap. When a prey item walks onto the feathers, it begins to sink into the depression. The feathers on the sides of the depression are angled inward, making it difficult for the prey to climb back out. As the prey struggles, it sinks deeper into the trap, eventually becoming trapped at the bottom. The Pheidole oxyops ants are able to detect the struggling prey from a distance, and quickly converge on the trap to retrieve the captured prey. The trap is then rebuilt, ready for the next prey item to fall victim.
Formica archboldi: This species of ant is known for its unique behavior of collecting the skulls of another species of ant called Odontomachus bauri that it often raids the colonies of and feeds on the workers of. Formica archboldi collects the skulls for their chemical properties. The skulls contain glandular secretions that may have antimicrobial properties. By collecting the skulls, Formica archboldi may be able to use these secretions to protect their nest from harmful bacteria or fungi and because the skulls simply because they are a valuable resource. The skulls of Odontomachus ants are hard and durable, and could be used as building material for the nest or as a platform for the ants to stand on and can serve as an intimidation tactic to ward of would be predators.

I'm posting this because my family is in need of help (long text incoming). Take in account we are from Costa Rica.
My grandparents live at the same house with my father (65yo), mother (58yo) and I (23F). While my grandma (84yo) has early dementia, we have been helping her and the situation is under control. But my grandpa (91yo) is a whole other struggle. For the past few months he has changed drastically. He refuses to eat, attempts to escape the house at least twice a day, and does weird stuff (pees at the kitchen, forgets to shower, dresses incorrectly, etc.). It is clear that he has Alzheimer, although two different doctors checked him and they assure is dementia or lack of Vitamin B.
My mother is the main caregiver and an only child, same as me. She retired a year ago so she can take care of them, but I see that she is obviously getting to the point of insanity. Everyday they're fighting at home to get my grandpa to eat, or trying to hide the keys so he cannot escape. She sleeps 6hours each night because he starts roaming around the house at night. Is just a matter of time before he starts forgetting on how to shower or dress himself and my mom is fearful of starting to do that kind of stuff for him. She wants to live her retirement years traveling and doing personal projects but all of that is now canceled because of taking care of the whole family 24/7. We try to help her by taking turns and keeping the house clean but she prefers to do all the chores and doesn't let my dad and I help her at all. She is stressed all the time and she is starting to have psychological and physical problems from this. I work 12 hours 4 days at a week and I'm also missing my time off. We cannot even go to the grocery store without leaving someone at home taking care of my grandparents. All trips or possible family meetings cancelled too.
We have tried to give my grandpa tranquilizers, but after giving him daily, the pills are no longer having effect. We put him in a waitlist for getting him admitted to a free of cost nursing home (not permanent stay, just for hours at a day), just to be informed that they cannot admit him since they do not accept elders with mental health issues, only if the person is in homeless danger.
We checked for possible permanent nursing homes, the costs are too high and we cannot afford it. We thought of a possible nurse who can take care of him here at the house, and we actually got someone within our budget who came a couple hours to help them... Just to get the nurse fired the same day just because my mom is unsure if this is really a solution (she wants someone who can only accompany them, not to bath or change diapers at all, and I cite, she told me that she fired the nurse because "why am I paying someone to do something I can do for free?" ). She is clearly stubborn and does not want to give responsibilities to anyone. She is paying with mental health and also needs therapy, but she does not want to admit it.
What can we do? The situation is getting toxic and worse each day and we do not know about any other solution. We tried to search for any insurance in CR which covers nursing fees, no results.

It's now slowly exiting winter into spring and a school is having a career day but as the mortal danger book shows, a new plan is afoot and in the upper levels of the school Lloyd is actively carrying out a heist near the charred headmaster room, looking for something with Toby talking over his communicator, which makes hilarious conversations possible. By the end of the day, Lizzie Warren and her group is split up thanks to a 'rigged' competition with her, Blake, her brother and mina on the trip and ethan with two new members. To escape, douxie casts a spell that evokes a slight panic but focuses in on Warren and ethan specifically: Nothing is as it seems. The next day, ethan finds a black box at the school and accesses it, bringing new dimensions to the tale of the demon headmaster.
Now, at another cafe, the trollhunter team convene as they celebrate a job well done, but krel feels like Lloyd (who's gone missing) isn't okay, so he and claire look for him, bumping into dinah hunter who introduces them to the headmaster's past and they talk about their experience which confuses her. Ethan eventually finds an abandoned house with someone inside: Lloyd, who asks ethan for the black box, in which ethan is hesitatant at first. The other group meet centi at the camp and everyone but centi goes as she hides in lose floorboards under the cabin and the counsellors hypnotise them, with Warren hiding her resistance techniques, unaware of a listening device aja placed on her during the panic at the school. Krel and claire meet with Lloyd again, stating his father left the house in his care whilst on holiday and ethan notes they know something he doesn't, and he's right, but Lloyd shocks everyone by saying no one knows what he's about to say. He's encountered him before, and so had the M.A...
It was 2000, and everyone was growing hunky mad and an agent was burning some merch when word breaks of an escalation at St champions over the merch. From a distance, they seemed aggressive, willing to attempt injury over lack over merch, but resists the urge to interfere until hearing the voice in the air telling them to revolt. The old group chase a lead, leading to the group moving to the sty. Singularity, their leader, asks for pursuit after noticing familiar traits and calls the active forger at the time. Aja takes on a retail shop position because of electricity bills and repair funds. Claire looks strangely in the distance, as if she knows something else too...
Back to the camp, the group there participate in activities which slowly reduce suspicion but centi is having none of it, which leads to an encounter with a counsellor: Eli. Yep. Apparently Lloyd wants eyes everywhere. Eli developed resistant glasses and tells centi to run. She does at night and escapes successfully with Warren now Suspecting Eli has something to do with it. At the same time, the group in the festive special meet aja after being chased down the streets over merch and aja actually states she hates the merch. They change attire due to the group being trashed by the hunky maniacs which leads to a new chase which ends with them being taken in by MI5/6 and a ego centered agent.
Lloyd continues as they and the Trollhunters team continue the story at a cafe. They infiltrated the sty and found working violations and a new plot, but someone found a hatch underneath a crate and so a squad deviated whilst the rest entered the hatch. Their leader: the previous forger. After stopping his plan, he retreated into the hatch himself but suddenly douxie smells something's off. Someone's listening in.
The camp is on lockdown whilst hunting for centi. Eventually it's decided they'll lie and count her as missing. To try and find her, Warren gets Eli out of the camp, but she's captured after he escapes, to meet someone. At MI headquarters, the group get to grips before coming under attack whilst the cafe gets raided with the team escaping by douxie's hand, but Lloyd and ethan drive away being in a pursuit, in which douxie and claire follow behind in Lloyd's car. The two unnamed new people are sent to the camp whilst we pan to eli in the woods, talking to Steve on his comm, about theories. The pursuit reaches the countryside about an hour away from the campsite as Lloyd manages to shake the pursuers as MI is breached fully and the ego agent is shot as aja defends her group under heavy fire. Eli presents 3 theories: the first is aliens, which is quickly dismissed and the second goes into outside help, but no one else is around or nearby. Suddenly, Lloyd's car gives up and crashes into a nearby river and the agent gets delirious, noticing how bad the shot was. Eli begins his third theory but notes a powerful energy nearby glowing orange, as he's pulled in. Douxie steps on the boost as they race to the river, with claire heavily zoning out, worrying douxie greatly. In MI, A screech is heard as the invaders are defeated but the place is collapsing and after some rubble drops nearby, the person is revealed to be kado Thorne and as rubble tries to fall on the team, zoe ashildr stops the rubble as they move.
Douxie stops the car nearby. Warren meets a different headmaster. In anger and frustration as claire isn't answering since zoning out, douxie says:
"They're in danger but you are focused on something else. WHAT IS SO TERRIFYING YOU'VE ZONED OUT OVER IT?! WHAT DO YOU KNOW THAT WE DON'T?!"

My husband and I are planning a trip when our LO will be 9-10 weeks old. He is currently 6 weeks old. Our options are either we drive together for the 8 hours (not counting any stops) or I fly alone on a 2 hour flight. I’m trying to figure out which would be easier.
If we drive, we’d have to stop every 2.5-3 hours to feed LO and change his diaper. This typically takes us 40-45 minutes. So this 8 hour drive would likely turn into 11-12 hours if we account for feeding, traffic, gas stops, and potty breaks.
If I fly, I’d fly alone while husband drove the car down. I’d have to take care of LO alone in the airport, either wear him or push his stroller, as well as carry his diaper bag. I think I can gate check his stroller and car seat but haven’t entirely looked into this. I’d have to do 1-2 feeds in public, likely one in the airport and one on the plane. I mostly breastfeed at home, but would consider bringing bottles of formula instead.
Which of the two sound more manageable? Can’t figure out which would be better. We do have a fairly easy baby but he’s still so young, things could change a lot in a few weeks.

There was a time I found myself on a hiking trip with a buddy of mine, Leo, right in the heart of Rocky Mountain National Park. This was not our average hike though, we had lost our way and were stranded midway looking for an escape. Now, Leo here is a man of action, he immediately suggested we follow the quickest route he could think of - a mental shortcut, if you will.
His plan was to cut across a dense forest area, which he figured would lead us back to the path we departed from. However, being an enthusiast of cognitive psychology, his approach struck me as something we'd call a heuristic - a mental shortcut.
That's the thing about heuristics. They save you a lot of cognitive energy by providing quick solutions, but they're not always the most reliable. Often, they can lead you further astray, just like Leo's mental shortcut that could well have landed us in the jaws of a grizzly bear!
So, instead of relying on a quick fix, I leaned into my mental framework or mental model of the situation. I had absorbed a lot of information about the terrain, the local flora, the orientation of the sun, and even the movement of water around us. Using this info, I pieced together the probable path, like putting together a puzzle. This mental model, based on prior knowledge and careful observation, took us safely back to our original trail.
In the end, it turned out to be an epic adventure with Leo being all smiles, despite his shortcut being debunked. His exact words were, "Next time leaving the path, I'm dragging you along."
P.S. Now, I must confess - this story is more hypothetical than true. However, it sure serves as a pretty accurate metaphor for how we use mental shortcuts and mental frameworks in our daily lives, doesn't it? So, even if you don't find yourself lost in the Rockies, remember, a well-constructed mental model can often get you back on track better than a quick, but unverified, mental shortcut. Don't be a Leo! (unless you have a buddy with a knack for mental models to save your skin)

Sometimes success is merely hanging on when others would let go. It's not doing anything spectacular or out of the ordinary, not leaping a mile or jumping over a mountain, but simply carrying on. Thomas Edison has a famous quote that's really stuck with me over the years he says, "many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." How close they were to the Finish Line when they turned their back and said it wasn't worth it.
It's a really interesting thing to grasp, success is seeing what others can't. It's believing when others don't. It's taking the abstract within, those Visions, those pictures in your head, the make-believe and finding the courage to make it real, to bring those things to life. It's a constantly evolving process and it grows a little bit every single day.
Sometimes we feel that progress, we feel the momentum when we do something big, it's exciting. And sometimes the progress feels small. Then there are those times when we get knocked down and we don't see it at all. We feel like because we weren't validated, that we lost, that we failed, that it wasn't enough. We forget that it's part of the process, that progress is a journey and it goes when you go and it stops when you stop.
Just like that famous Dalai Lama quote, "the only way to fail is to quit." No one ever stops because they can't. They stopped because they decide to. They stopped because they see that huge mountain and they think that's impossible. They forget that it's only made of little rocks. They stop because they get so disheartened by the distance of the finish line that they forget it only takes a collection of little steps to get there. You don't have to leap the entire distance.
You know I've been there, this is me speaking from experience it took me years to figure just a little of it out and even now life is rapidly evolving. I've poured my heart into things that let's be honest, no one cared about. I've invested in opportunities that fell apart right in front of me. Each time it felt like the end of the world.
I've been lost. I've been unsure. I've gotten up after things didn't go as planned and felt like a loser. I've had to look at myself in the mirror and pick myself back up off the floor, but there's one thing that I kept doing, that I never thought twice about, and that's continuing on.
Whether life lifted me up or it beat me down my plan for tomorrow was always the same. Get up and try again. Keep going! And as I sat down this morning with my pen and a piece of paper and I thought, what's the one thing I would want to be told if I started out again, what's the one thing that my people need to hear most? And it's simple- just keep going.
Keep taking steps, because one day the world will start to make sense and you'll look around and you will be thankful for one thing, the fact that when most people would have stopped, you didn't. When the world said no, you said yes.
There's nothing as powerful as a soul that refuses to back down. See, persistence is not an important or an essential thing, it's everything. So to live is to see not what can be lost but what will be gained. Find your light in the darkness even if it's a flicker, even if it's a spark.
Every loss makes you a little tougher. Every instance of sadness uncovers something Beautiful. Every moment of fear teaches you to be a little braver, and every broken heart opens the door to a new connection.
Instead of doubting yourself, or feeling inadequate remember Life starts in those darkest moments. Know that you need to go through what you're going through. You are uncovering the little victories hidden in plain view.
So when the world feels like too much and your patience is thin be stronger than that voice in your head begging you to think small. Stand on every experience, the good and the bad and let it elevate you towards a beautiful tomorrow.
Remember, I love you. Recovery is just the beginning.

Hi! Sorry if this is long but I need to vent!! And sorry for the cringe! Thanks in advance!!
Me and my friend are both 16 and we’ve known each othebeen friends for the past 2 years. We are classmates. I’ve considered him one of my closest friends but I don’t know anymore.
Last year I caught feelings for him. At first it wasn’t that serious, back then we would spend time together regularly and I’d just enjoy his company. He also was giving clues he might be interested in me but again, I wasn’t serious about it and I was just happy to be in love and feel the butterflies, ya know.
During summer I somewhat forgot about this crush (we didn’t text or meet) and focused on other things. But then the school year came, we met again and the feelings came back. He also started giving me some solid hints he likes me: he would tease me harder, sit closer so our legs could touch etc. Ofc I reciprocated. And because of that I fell so hard for him… I would text him about anything, try to convince him to spend time after school with me. But somehow he wasn’t enthusiastic at all. Not even in a friendly way.
Well, sadly, not long after he started showing obvious signs he became distant and would reject me on any occasion. I didn’t understand him just tossing me away, especially since we were friends and that was the official status of our relationship! BUT, dum dum, this was also temporary. After about a month of being cold he began talking to me and teasing me again (by that I mean dumb stuff like playfully taking my pen uhh). Again, I couldn’t understand but I was still in love so I was responding positively. A few times he even texted me, which has never happened before!!
Months passed, our relationship got better, he’s playful as always and recently started to reintroduce the leg-touching-leg thing, but I am hesitant and I try to pull away out of self respect and keep our relation frienship-like. Now I noticed, even though he shows these signs he doesn’t really care about me.
If I text (he rarely does) he responds dry, he never agrees to any activity I propose, he acts as if he considers me stupid (well he even said that a few times), never told me anything kind while I have complimented him, he doesn’t always bother to listen to things about myself I share with him, in a social setting he already abandoned me for another person a few times (why???).
Now the funny part, turns out at the time he pushed me aside he got a girlfriend (online or something, but they’ve met) and now they have already broken up. I didn’t know about his relationship and at some point I was really desperate and he didn’t even care enough to tell me to move on, he liked the attention I gave him. The most upsetting thing is that he did not inform me about this and led me on even when they were together. Also he damaged our friendship and broke my trust as I believed in that friendship existing regardless of my feelings.
And to clarify, in this post I only mentioned the bad things, but I do love spending time with him for a reason. He is such an interesting person and very funny, we have a similar sense of humor, similar political views. I can come up with many lovely, memorable moments with him from last year. When I first caught feelings he was a lot kinder and respectful, but we’re still young and young people tend to change.
I am fully aware he treats me awfully at times (I cried too much already to not realize this haha). A few times I was successful at getting rid of the feelings but they always come back carrying a mental breakdown. I want him out of my life but obviously I have this tiny speck of hope he’ll change and love me. Haha! Btw that is my first time being seriously in love.
I want to escape this friendship. How do I move on?? I plan on confronting him somehow so I don’t disappear the mysterious way he did.
TL;DR My male friend seems to be aware of my feelings for him and uses them to feel better about himself, while I'm left questioning the point of our friendship - I care and want it to exist, but the friend surely could just abandon it as he kinda did once.

Buckle up buttercup, we're going on a wild ride following some campaign donation money intended to support a republican primary in the state of Ohio in 2018.
I originally intended on writing a post on my buddy Sean Cooksey, the crooked FEC chairman who is engaged in a conspiracy to allow any and all sorts of corruption involving campaign donations to republican candidates, in order to support yesterdays post I wrote involving creative uses of legalese to advance a pre planned determination.
Instead, I found a rabbit hole for your summer reading that is now intended to prove just how big of a fool it would take to donate to the republican party and how many hands are in the cookie jar before your hard earned dollars find their way to buy the TV ads that you thought you were buying.
The document I'm drawing from is the second General Counsels report regarding MUR 7464. Since this post is about the money trail itself, I won't get into too much about why this investigation was happening, how much money the players are dealing with outside of this narrow scope, or the results of the investigation.
So let's look at the original donations, all of which happened in 2018.
The first is a representative of assisted living communities which donated 50k on March 14
Then there is an individual directed directly by the candidate Ryan Smith to donate 100k on April 3rd.
The last is a 501c who donated 350k total, of which 150k was donated on March 27th. This company took in millions in donations from a power company called American Electric Power.
All of this money was transfered to another 501c called Ohio Works. For those playing at home, this is 300k total. Because of the murky transactions between AEP, the redacted 501c, and Ohio Works, the total disbursement is 352k
Now we move on to yet another 501c named IFN owned by a guy named Ray McVeigh. McVeigh had 2 guys working for him named Norris and Riter. On March 7th OhioWorks transferred 30k. March 28th, 200k, April 6th, 120k, and on May 5th, they transferred 2k for a total of 352k
Norris and Riter created an LLC named LZP which was treated as a disregarded entity to the IRS. You might say, hey, I create LLC's by accident all the time so why are we hassling these guys?
Well, it turns out that our boys also created the ironically named Honor PAC which is an "independent" expenditure only company. Must have had a good laugh at the independant part in that name. You should have read the assertions in the first report. The objective reader was misled by these 3 when they completely hoodwinked the investigation into thinking that IFN, LZP, and Honor PAC couldn't possibly be, in any way, related.
Ok, back to the money that now is transferred from IFN to LZP. On March 28th, 180k. On April 6th, 50k. On April 17th, 6k, and on October 17th, 35k. This is a total of 271k. Is it me, or is this pie getting smaller?
Now LZP to Honor PAC. On March 28th 175k. On April 6th, 50k. On April 18th 10k, and on October 19th, 35k, for a total of 270k. Hey, at least they only siphoned off a thousand bucks on this pass. Probably to pay for the filing fees of the company they accidentally created.
Then on finally, whew, to Target Enterprises LLC who you will find all over the republican FEC filing lists. Also SOM media LLC. The payments received from these entities were to pay for the ad campaigns, undoubtedly after, yet another round of administrative fees would be taken out of the kitty. The total amount paid to these entities was $227, 838
So there you have it. How to turn 352k into 227 and change, the republican way.
By the way, what's the dealio with our accidental LLC by McVeighs associates Norris and Riter? Well, it turns out that there are election laws in place which try to prevent obfuscation but all of this layering is effective at masking the siphoning and kick backs.
The redacted donors ponied up the 352k. They had no idea what Ohio works was doing. Ohio works had no idea what IFN was doing. IFN's McVeigh had no idea what his directors were doing when everything but his nice kickback went to their company LZP. Norris and Riter said LZP was just an oopsie when it came to reporting where their company named Honor PAC got the money. And Target doesn't care where Honor PAC got it because it appears they were the only ones actually doing any business with the money. The investigation was scuttled by the FEC because they said that this information shouldn't even be known because they were only supposed to look at the shell companies
See? Nobody knows nuffin and that's exactly how the game is played
But now you know

Let's face it, we've all been there. Standing in front of the mirror, wondering how that extra layer crept around my middle. I spent countless hours scouring the internet for "easy belly fat burning" hacks, only to end up more confused than ever.

Here's what I learned: a six-pack might seem like a fantasy, but a healthy, toned stomach is absolutely achievable. The key is understanding what truly works. Buckle up, because I'm about to debunk some myths and share the exercises that fired up my belly fat-burning journey.
There's no magic bullet for effortless belly fat loss, but there are strategies that make it manageable. Consistency is king – small, sustainable changes add up. I started by aiming for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week. I also incorporated whole foods into my diet and prioritized sleep. These simple tweaks whittled away at my belly fat and left me feeling energized. Remember, "easy" doesn't mean "effortless," but with the right approach, you can create a sustainable routine that delivers real results.
The "keto" diet was everywhere, promising rapid weight loss. It emphasizes high fat, moderate protein, and very low carb intake. While keto can be effective for overall weight loss, it doesn't target belly fat specifically. Spot reduction is a myth. Consistency with a healthy keto plan, combined with exercise, will lead to overall fat loss, including belly fat.
The internet is full of "quick fixes" like detox teas and weird wraps. Unfortunately, most lack scientific backing and can even be harmful. Building sustainable habits is key. Think long-term – would you rather have a temporary fix or a lifestyle that promotes overall health and well-being?
The allure of "lose weight fast with pills" is tempting. But the truth is, these pills often lead to disappointment and potential health risks. There's no substitute for a healthy diet and exercise. Your body is a finely tuned machine, and adding foreign substances can disrupt its balance. If you're considering weight loss supplements, consult a doctor or registered dietitian.
Similar to weight loss pills, fat-burning supplements often make exaggerated claims. While some ingredients might show promise in studies, the results are rarely as dramatic as advertised. A balanced diet rich in whole foods, combined with regular exercise, is the most effective way to burn fat and keep it off.
Now, let's get to the good stuff – the exercises that helped me torch belly fat for good!
Cardio is the foundation. I aimed for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio or 75 minutes of vigorous cardio per week. Brisk walking, running, swimming, or cycling all elevate your heart rate and burn calories.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) maximizes fat-burning potential in less time. It alternates between short bursts of intense activity and recovery periods. Think jumping jacks followed by walking lunges, with short rest periods in between.
Strength training is a secret weapon! Building muscle increases your metabolic rate, meaning you burn more calories at rest. This translates to a more efficient fat-burning machine, even when you're not actively working out. Squats, lunges, push-ups, and rows are excellent for building strength and toning your entire body.
Core workouts go beyond just abs. Exercises like planks, Russian twists, and side bridges engage your entire core, which improves posture and stabilizes your spine during other exercises. This translates to better overall performance and potentially reduced risk of injury.
Remember: Consistency is key. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Mix and match different workouts to keep things interesting and challenge your body.
While I found exercise and a healthy diet to be the cornerstones of my belly fat-burning journey, I also discovered a helpful supplement called Ikaria Lean Belly Juice. It contains a blend of natural ingredients like milk thistle, dandelion, and resveratrol, which are all known to support healthy digestion and metabolism. I started noticing a difference in my energy levels and bloating after incorporating a daily scoop into my routine.
It definitely wasn't a magic bullet, but it felt like it gave my body a little extra boost alongside my diet and exercise efforts. I found it online after reading positive reviews from people with similar goals to mine. It's important to do your own research before trying any supplement, but Ikaria Lean Belly Juice was a helpful addition to my routine.
Don't forget about diet! Exercise is crucial, but a healthy diet plays an equally important role. Focus on whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. Limit processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats. This combination is the key to a flatter stomach and a healthier you.
The takeaway? Ditch the quick fixes and unrealistic expectations. Embrace a healthy lifestyle that combines a balanced diet with a variety of exercises you enjoy. Consistency is key, so find a routine that fits your life and gradually increase the intensity as you get stronger. Remember, a toned stomach is a result of dedication and self-care, and the most effective "hack" is the one you can stick with in the long run. Now get out there and conquer your belly fat goals – in a healthy and sustainable way!
Affiliate Disclosure: This article includes affiliate links to products. If you decide to purchase through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

We don't work from home, we work 5 days a week and I'm having a hard time finding someone coming to our house to let our puppy out of the kennel mid-day. How horrible would it be to keep her in a play pen for 8 hours 😫
Background: I thought I had someone who would be able to let her out mid day but that didn't work out. I'm waiting to hear from other companies.There's no way for us to come home during lunch. But this wk will be my 1st wk back to work (took 1 wk off to be with her) so this is my worse case scenario plan. We plan to do twice a wk doggy day care when she gets a few wks older. And I'm hopeful we'll eventually find someone.
my older pup we were able to find a rover person near by to let him out it was amazing perfect but this person no longer is providing this service. My previous pups who have since passed I had no issues with since I was in school at the time and had more flexible schedule.
I'm having so much anxiety/puppy blues over our adoption. I'm terrified we made a bad decision. But we've literally discussed it for over a year before committing to adopt again

I'm based in Germany, currently in the process of getting my driving license. My dad, who influenced me regarding the whole motorcycle thing (used to take me with him as a kid) got a new bike and is willing to gift me his old one. It's a 2007 Triumph 1050 sprint ST. Now the issue is, that I heard you're supposed to start on something like a 300-500 cc bike, that's ideally sub 200kgs. The Triump, however, is like 240kgs and seems to be a tad more powerful than the standard beginner bike. I know it's anything but comparable, but I have some experience riding 125cc scooters (driving in Thailand for a couple of months) and am a veeery careful driving by car (like granny speed careful). I previously looked at a Suzuki gs 500e or a Honda CB 500 as a cheap beginner bike, before my dad revealed that he is willing to gift me the Triumph. Now I would really like to ride my dad's old bike, but fear that I won't be able to handle it...I mean I actually plan to enjoy riding, rather than fighting it the whole time. What do you think? Would the Triumph be doable? Should I keep in the garage, buy the Suzuki or Honda and resell it after a year or two and then hop on the Triumph? Could 2 years in the garage without moving the Triumph damage it? Should I sell the Triumph and invest in something more modern and suitable for a beginner, that I still will enjoy in a couple of years (like a SV650 or a Kawa z650rs)?
Thanks in advance!

So I was just notified (as a benefit coordinator) that all of our BCBSM and Blue Care Network plans will expire ALL existing Prior Authorizations for Saxenda, WEGOVY, ZEPBOUND and on July 31,2024 and as of August 1,2024 the requirements will change to a minimum BMI of 35 AND participation in a lifestyle weight loss plan AND active enrollment in their TELEDOC weight loss program.
Then as of DECEMBER 31,2024 they will no longer cover ANY OF THESE MEDS for any reason!
How can they do this? This truly makes this miracle almost impossible to access for those of us who truly need them, are benefiting from them, and are truly healthier because of them!
What do we do now? The other option is just as expensive at $370 per month!!! This is crazy!!

After months of trying and countless prayers, I am finally pregnant. When I saw the two lines on the pregnancy test, I was overwhelmed with gratitude, and a sense of relief. It was as if Allah was saying, "I've got you, my child. I've always had a plan for you." Pregnancy, especially the first one, is a milestone in a woman's life. it is a blessing and a testament to Allah's love and mercy. The Quran says, "And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness..." (Quran, 31:14). I am excited to meet the little soul that Allah has entrusted me with. I am anxious about the changes that are to come and the responsibility of raising a child in accordance with the teachings of Islam. The Quran says, "And indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease." (Quran, 94:5-6). It may not always be easy, but I am comforted by the fact that Allah's mercy and blessings are always near.

I used to live in a small tourist town and I worked at a popular resort there. The two mangers who hired me were very friendly and enthusiastic. I enjoyed working with them very much.
After six months of working there, one of the managers got promoted and no longer worked in my department, and the other manager decided to resign and work elsewhere. I had heard rumors of a toxic upper management culture--that he had left because of this.
A new manager was hired to work with us directly. This person happened to be a former coworker of my abusive ex. I almost quit when I found out I'd be working with him, as my ex never had anything good to say about me. My ex was really into starting rumors about me in an attempt to destroy my reputation. Unfortunately, I stayed at this job.
Several months later, another staff member was hired. This person was extremely toxic (psychopathic) and difficult to work with, but was very good at flattering the managers. I complained about this person, but no one did anything.
The work environment got progressively worse. After nearly two years, things got ridiculous.
I put my lunch in the microwave one day, ate the food, and started having symptoms of being drugged. Forty-five minutes after starting to eat, I began to feel very heavy. My mouth got dry, and I felt dizzy. I could hardly stand up. I said nothing initially, but eventually told a coworker who I was friends with. After several hours, I recovered and went home. This drug gave me a terrible "hangover" the next morning. It would take a few days to feel normal again.
I was dealing with a relentless stalker at this time, and thought the stalker had gotten into the break room where I was heating my food and put something in the food. There were no cameras in that location.
I was drugged three more times. Each time, I said something to the manager. He didn't seem to believe me. One time, I made the mistake of drinking a beer after going home. I felt like I had recovered from whatever the drug was, but it was still in my system. It made one beer feel like a six pack.
The last time I was drugged, the managers had me go to the hospital. I asked for a drug test. It came back negative. I was suspicious of the results because the test also came back negative for THC. At that time I had been taking a CBD/THC gummy almost nightly for ten months. In the hospital, I was treated like I was delusional.
While waiting for the drug test results in the hospital, I opened my backpack, got my water bottle out, and drank the rest of the water--about a half-liter. After about a half hour, I started to feel drugged again. I realized that the drug was in my water. My stalker wasn't drugging me, it was one of my coworkers. I had always kept my water bottle zipped up in my backpack.
There were cameras in the office at my work. I had asked the managers to try to find footage of my stalker coming into the office and tampering with my food. The managers didn't see my stalker on the cameras, of course, and they didn't think to look carefully at what my coworker was doing.
I decided to not say anything. I was planning on leaving town in a few months anyway, and I was also afraid that my psycho coworker would do something to me. They happened to live very close by. I just didn't want to risk being beaten or even killed.
The next morning, I came to work and was fired for being "disruptive". I really wanted to tell the managers what was going on, but was too afraid.
It is now a year later and I live several hundred miles away. I have been self-employed, but now need a regular job. I have applied to several places and haven't received a call back, even though I'm highly qualified. The only employee who is still at my old job is the manager who is friends with my ex. I can't imagine he is giving me a favorable reference.
What should I say if asked why I was fired? Many applications ask I've ever been fired. My situation was ridiculous and almost unbelievable. I don't know what to do.