Tranquility concentrated bath salts review
991v2 Coco Mocca
2024.05.01 04:45 bilangoan 991v2 Coco Mocca
Recently purchased 991v2 Coco Mocca's. This is a review of first impressions.
Bit about the journey. I was en route to try on and decide on which 990s I would purchase when my attention was diverted. Specifically, I had settled on a core grey 990 colourway but couldn't decide between the V3 or V4 and I wanted to try the v5's and v6's (I constructed a decision making flowchart in the notion app to help curb any impulse buys so I can objectively purchase knowing I've made appropriate considerations).
I already have my sights set on the 991v1 20th Anniversary edition for later in the year, so when my eye caught the Coco Mocca colourway I figured "hey, why not". I know there will be sizing differences but it's just more info right? I don't feel like I'm over exaggerating but it just about took my breath away. I bought the shoe.
SIZING: I hover between 9.5 and 10 depending on the width of the shoe (this is in New balance only for reference). I have slightly shorter but wider feet, particularly at the toebox.
For example. I have the 998 grey days in 9.5US and they fit just right; slightly snug, even, across the middle of my foot but well within the range of "comfortable" with no fatigue on a full day wear with a little room in the toebox as the shoe runs a little longer.
Another example: I have the NB 530 in size 10 and while those fit very well, there is definitely more space in the toebox, but since I use these for daily running, I need that extra space as my toes tend to splay out a bit when jogging.
These 991v2 are perfect width and length at a size 10 for me. The toebox is, thankfully, just right. There is half and inch space at the end of my big toe and the sides of my feet are nicely supported particularly at the arches and the heel cup. I'd recommend half a size up from tts, however, keep in mind others have noted the construction material does impact this so please take this into consideration when asking for a size.
CONSTRUCTION: The nubuck leather construction was supple to the touch but firm enough that you were confident it would retain it's form through use. The shoe feels solid but quite light and well crafted as seen in the way the edge of the patterns are exposed showing consistent thickness in the leather selected. No vampire teeth in sight around the toebox.
The mesh in the toebox was soft but far from thin and nicely stretched for a clean surface. The flex during walking on the mesh doesnt crease easily or much and the mesh returns to its smooth state with no remnant of the crease once your foot is flat. I noticed that with the 990v3 Core Grey, the mesh on that shoe is noticeably thinner and while the mesh returns to its form after flexing the toebox while walking, the crease formed during flexing is noticeably deeper. This is neither good nor bad, just an observation - keeping in mind 990s tend to stick closely to a more running heritage, this would aid in a cooler foot.
The sock lining is very soft as well as being smooth to reduce pilling but only time will tell, really, as some pilling is bound to eventually form.
The tongue is not heavily padded but it's certainly present and helps compress your foot into the shoe when you tighten the laces for a secure fit.
The reflective grey material in the uppers, heel and logo are quite eye catching even in low-light, let alone in the dark with a concentrated light source on you.
You'll notice there is some creasing in the midsole and shank and thought maybe people had tried this pair on previously, however I think it could just be the result of it's construction of the shoe with the "Abzorb" material creasing due to pressure of application? (please sound of in the comments if you have other thoughts).
OVERALL: F**k me, I'm impressed with this shoe. I literally swerved from the 990s to view this shoe and have zero regrets purchasing them. I highly recommend them. I'm base in Aus and for reference the 990s are priced accordingly:
V3 - $330 AUD V4 - $330 AUD V5 -$280 AUD V6 - $330 AUD
After the 991v2 which are also $330AUD, I can't help but feel that the 991v2 Coco Mocca's are much better value (looks better, constructed better, feels better on the foot) than the 990v3, which is where I was leaning towards initially. Don't get me wrong I will eventually get the 990v3's and they are a very good shoe but I could not pass up these 991v2 when considering prices.
If you've reached the end of this tome/rant, thank you for taking the time and I hope this has provided some additional context on your sneaker acquisition journey! Good luck.
submitted by bilangoan to Newbalance [link] [comments]
Bit about the journey. I was en route to try on and decide on which 990s I would purchase when my attention was diverted. Specifically, I had settled on a core grey 990 colourway but couldn't decide between the V3 or V4 and I wanted to try the v5's and v6's (I constructed a decision making flowchart in the notion app to help curb any impulse buys so I can objectively purchase knowing I've made appropriate considerations).
I already have my sights set on the 991v1 20th Anniversary edition for later in the year, so when my eye caught the Coco Mocca colourway I figured "hey, why not". I know there will be sizing differences but it's just more info right? I don't feel like I'm over exaggerating but it just about took my breath away. I bought the shoe.
SIZING: I hover between 9.5 and 10 depending on the width of the shoe (this is in New balance only for reference). I have slightly shorter but wider feet, particularly at the toebox.
For example. I have the 998 grey days in 9.5US and they fit just right; slightly snug, even, across the middle of my foot but well within the range of "comfortable" with no fatigue on a full day wear with a little room in the toebox as the shoe runs a little longer.
Another example: I have the NB 530 in size 10 and while those fit very well, there is definitely more space in the toebox, but since I use these for daily running, I need that extra space as my toes tend to splay out a bit when jogging.
These 991v2 are perfect width and length at a size 10 for me. The toebox is, thankfully, just right. There is half and inch space at the end of my big toe and the sides of my feet are nicely supported particularly at the arches and the heel cup. I'd recommend half a size up from tts, however, keep in mind others have noted the construction material does impact this so please take this into consideration when asking for a size.
CONSTRUCTION: The nubuck leather construction was supple to the touch but firm enough that you were confident it would retain it's form through use. The shoe feels solid but quite light and well crafted as seen in the way the edge of the patterns are exposed showing consistent thickness in the leather selected. No vampire teeth in sight around the toebox.
The mesh in the toebox was soft but far from thin and nicely stretched for a clean surface. The flex during walking on the mesh doesnt crease easily or much and the mesh returns to its smooth state with no remnant of the crease once your foot is flat. I noticed that with the 990v3 Core Grey, the mesh on that shoe is noticeably thinner and while the mesh returns to its form after flexing the toebox while walking, the crease formed during flexing is noticeably deeper. This is neither good nor bad, just an observation - keeping in mind 990s tend to stick closely to a more running heritage, this would aid in a cooler foot.
The sock lining is very soft as well as being smooth to reduce pilling but only time will tell, really, as some pilling is bound to eventually form.
The tongue is not heavily padded but it's certainly present and helps compress your foot into the shoe when you tighten the laces for a secure fit.
The reflective grey material in the uppers, heel and logo are quite eye catching even in low-light, let alone in the dark with a concentrated light source on you.
You'll notice there is some creasing in the midsole and shank and thought maybe people had tried this pair on previously, however I think it could just be the result of it's construction of the shoe with the "Abzorb" material creasing due to pressure of application? (please sound of in the comments if you have other thoughts).
OVERALL: F**k me, I'm impressed with this shoe. I literally swerved from the 990s to view this shoe and have zero regrets purchasing them. I highly recommend them. I'm base in Aus and for reference the 990s are priced accordingly:
V3 - $330 AUD V4 - $330 AUD V5 -$280 AUD V6 - $330 AUD
After the 991v2 which are also $330AUD, I can't help but feel that the 991v2 Coco Mocca's are much better value (looks better, constructed better, feels better on the foot) than the 990v3, which is where I was leaning towards initially. Don't get me wrong I will eventually get the 990v3's and they are a very good shoe but I could not pass up these 991v2 when considering prices.
If you've reached the end of this tome/rant, thank you for taking the time and I hope this has provided some additional context on your sneaker acquisition journey! Good luck.
2024.05.01 04:32 mamalone83 Trader Joe’s medley of tomato’s and balsamic
 | In an attempt to eat more veggies (fruits?) in a snacky way I bought me a box of those multi colored cherry tomatoes in the brown box from TJs, washed them, cut them I half, little bit of salt, and then overnight let them sit in this balsamic bath and lemme tell you… good enough to eat as a dessert (well after my actual dessert!) stocked up and trying a variety of new veggies snacks for me. Not TJs but I’ve bought this bottle of balsamic now 4-5 times. submitted by mamalone83 to traderjoes [link] [comments] |
2024.05.01 04:16 wendigolore almost passed out while doing my shot?
hey yall, i’ve been on weekly intramuscular injections for about a year and some change now. my usual routine is taking a hot bath while drinking water throughout as well as the entire day. when i get out of the bath, i dry, sit, and do my shot that i’ve pulled while my bath is drawing. i usually soak in espon salt & i wash my legs off before i get out.
this is the first time something like this has EVER happened. i do shots on both of my thighs & i know the scar tissue is making it harder for me to get the needle in. (25g to inject)
TW FOR IN DEPTH DISCUSSION OF NEEDLES
as i was feeling the needle in my first few layers of skin, it hurt so i just sat there and breathed. i was waiting for the pain to go away, it wasn’t and instead my vision started getting blurry/splotchy. i start pushing in deeper & get all the at thankfully— and this is when i stopped remembering things.
all i know is that i inject my shot (i think all of it at the time) and i take my needle out. i stumbled to my bedroom & called for my girlfriend.
i immediately felt better as soon as i got out of the bathroom and within minutes of laying in front of my fan, i feel WAY better but before my vision was almost completely gone and my hearing was ringing really badly
i go back to the bathroom and take the biggest shit of my entire life and notice i only got half my shot in (i do .4mL but it was marked at .2mL)
wtf do i do now? wtf do i do for next week?
submitted by wendigolore to ftm [link] [comments]
this is the first time something like this has EVER happened. i do shots on both of my thighs & i know the scar tissue is making it harder for me to get the needle in. (25g to inject)
TW FOR IN DEPTH DISCUSSION OF NEEDLES
as i was feeling the needle in my first few layers of skin, it hurt so i just sat there and breathed. i was waiting for the pain to go away, it wasn’t and instead my vision started getting blurry/splotchy. i start pushing in deeper & get all the at thankfully— and this is when i stopped remembering things.
all i know is that i inject my shot (i think all of it at the time) and i take my needle out. i stumbled to my bedroom & called for my girlfriend.
i immediately felt better as soon as i got out of the bathroom and within minutes of laying in front of my fan, i feel WAY better but before my vision was almost completely gone and my hearing was ringing really badly
i go back to the bathroom and take the biggest shit of my entire life and notice i only got half my shot in (i do .4mL but it was marked at .2mL)
wtf do i do now? wtf do i do for next week?
2024.05.01 03:55 BOfficeStats Domestic BOT Presale Tracking (April 30). The Fall Guy falling towards ~$3M total previews. Tarot dead with $0.54M Thursday while The Phantom Menace is podracing towards a $4.00M opening Friday.
BoxOfficeTheory Presale Tracking
USA Showtimes As of April 26
Presales Data Google Sheets Link
BoxOfficeReport Previews
DOMESTIC PRESALES
Tarot Thursday comp: $0.54M
The Fall Guy Thursday+EA previews comp: $2.84M
APRIL
March 12
March 14
March 16
March 19
March 21
March 24
March 26
March 30
April 2
April 4
April 6
April 9
April 11
April 13
April 16
April 18
April 20
April 23
April 25
April 27
Note: I have removed most tracking data that has not been updated for 2 weeks. I think there is value in keeping data for a week or two but at a certain point they start to lose their value and should not be treated the same as more recent tracking data.
submitted by BOfficeStats to boxoffice [link] [comments]
USA Showtimes As of April 26
Presales Data Google Sheets Link
BoxOfficeReport Previews
DOMESTIC PRESALES
Tarot Thursday comp: $0.54M
- abracadabra1998 ($0.40M Thursday comp. Still doing absolutely nothing (April 25). Now at 6 tickets sold lol (April 21). Tarot only has 2 theaters sold in all the 25 theaters (April 18).)
- el sid ($0.85-$0.90M Thursday comp. Not even that bad. The quite good sales in California help. Of course, with so uneven comps we have to take that number with a grain of salt (April 29). So not too great but also no disaster in my theaters. At the moment my guess would be that it gets high single digits opening weekend(April 26).)
- katnisscinnaplex ($0.49M Thursday comp and $0.38M Santikos Thursday comp. I think the pace chart says it all for this one. Pretty tarotble (April 30).)
The Fall Guy Thursday+EA previews comp: $2.84M
- abracadabra1998 ($2M Thursday comp and $0.70M EA comp. I would have expected them to start climbing up by now. Again, my comps are not the best and walk-ups are king for this, but without a catalyst like a buzzy review drop I can see this have a rough final week (April 29). I'm using a variety of comps here but trying to go with the blockbusters that had better walk-ups/were less pre-sales heavy (April 25). Bottom of the U curve this week most likely (April 15).)
- el sid ($3.45M Thursday comp. Average (without TLC) True Friday comp: $8M which sounds quite reasonable to me but seldomly have I tracked a movie where the success depended so much on the jumps in the release week and the walk-ups. Compared to Civil War the true Friday would be only $4.7M but compared to a film with good jumps and walk-ups as TLC it's $27.5M (at the moment) (April 30). A nice number but it will very probably go down because e.g. for TLC with only 306 tickets on Monday it was way easier to have decent jumps in the next few days. The EA shows on Wednesday for sure hurt the Thursday presales of The Fall Guy so this is really no bad number. Overall no signs for a breakout hit but very, very solid. All it needs now are at least ok jumps. Not a bad number but it's a little bit as feared, it did not quite have the normal Monday jump. OTOH, other movies which already had a lot of buzz had way worse jumps, 25% are still acceptable (April 29).)
- Flip (I looked at two (non-plf) theaters near me, and for next Friday Phantom Menace has 99 tickets sold while Fall Guy has only 68 tickets (April 27).)
- JimmyB (I know its only one theater [one of the theaters in katnisscinnaplex's Jacksonville sample] but if this forum says a movies presales are popping I like checking my local Cinemark and will see sales are doing great like the forum says. This theater is probably the busiest theater in Jacksonville and its in a nice area of town...lots of homes, apartments, restaurants and a huge outdoor mall. The area would be the prime demo for a movie like Fall Guy, Fall Guy sales are just DOA. 5 sales for two showtimes 5/1 early access. 5 sales for six showtimes 5/2 Thursday (April 25).)
- katnisscinnaplex ($2.91M EA+Thursday Comp. $1.05M EA and $1.85M Thursday comp at Santikos. I was hoping for +30% and it only grew 11.6%... I don't know what to say that hasn't already been said. I don't see any reason to think it grows from here (April 30). The last few days it has been on track with comps (April 29). I'm not saying this is going to earn 5m+ in total previews, but we shouldn't get all doom and gloom yet (April 18).)
- keysersoze123 (It again accelerated (April 29). Definite sign of acceleration but overall pace is still quite low. let us see how final week goes now (April 28). Meh Pace for sure (April 27). $40M OW looks tough. Its hard to extrapolate at this point as pace is really low. If I have to guess its looking at 2.5m ish thursday only gross. So around 25-30m range (April 27). No sign yet of a big breakout. Plus early shows being just day earlier than previews will have some impact on thursday pace until really close to release (April 26). Again there is almost no pace. There is still time but unless the pace picks up dramatically, we are looking at a disappointment (April 17).)
- Porthos ($2.37M EA+Thursday comp.)
- TheFlatLannister ($2.33M Thursday comp. It's slipping fast against comps. Kind of a yikes update (April 30). Pretty good T-4 (April 28). Fell pretty drastically against comp in the past 5ish days (April 27). Pretty much ~$3M right now (April 18).)
- Tinalera (Doesnt seem to be much pre sale appetite right now in Vancouver and Calgary [CANADA] (April 23).)
- TwoMisfits (Local Cinemark final sets for this weekend - Fall Guy got ONE extra late night showing at my PLF for 2.25 screens (and 9 showings Fri/Sun and 11 Sat) - at the non-PLF, it got an extra screen to have 2 screens (8 showings Fri/Sun and 9 Sat)... So, even if walk ups are bonkers, there's just not gonna be a lot of open space to walk into...aka, Cinemark does not have faith this is breaking out wildly above its current presales-to-weekend-multiplier landing spot (aka, no $50M+ incoming, I don't think) (April 30). While final sets are not up for my Cinemarks, it is telling that Fall Guy is NOT getting all PLF at my PLF theater. Instead, the Star Wars re-release is getting 1 full XD (and 2 screens for presales), which is the same as Fall Guy. At my other local, Star Wars is not yet booked, and Fall Guy is still sitting at 1 screen for presales (April 23).)
- vafrow ($1.6M Thursday only comp. A good day, although it's more about the law of small numbers. 66% growth is nice, but not that impressive when your baseline is so small Another ho hum day at a point where even walk up friendly films start seeing some movement (April 29). This film is performing bad, and this market seems worse than others (April 28). Slight bump in sales, but still far off the pace (April 27). Three days of zero sales (April 26). Continues to be unimpressive. I haven't added it as a comp, but it's Thursday preview sales are actually behind Monkey Man at this point (April 24). Full showtimes are up for the Thursday previews for Fall Guy, and across my five screen sample, it only added two showings. Theyre really maintaining a light touch on this one. It's not like there's a lot in theatres right now that warrants holding onto screens either. Still crawling along slowly (April 23). A little bit of movement coming out of the weekend (April 22). I eyeballed some other showings in the area that seem to be doing better, so some of my results might be impacted by distortions from a smaller sample (April 21). Another zero sales day. Yes, final week and walk ups are what's going to matter in the end, but we should be seeing something at this point (April 19). A zero sales day after sales spiked a bit a few days ago. I think it lends support to the idea that the SNL appearance did it's job. But with reviews out and now a big public relations win, they're also running out of trigger events to jump sales (April 17). After some progress the day before, fairly quiet today. Zero sales for previews, slight bump on EA (April 16). Starting to see some movement. It's still pretty quiet, but it is moving. I wonder if the SNL appearance helped put some spotlight on this. The gap in sales between EA and Thursday previews is closing at least (April 15).)
- charlie Jatinder ($4.95M Friday comp (compared to Avatar and Titanic re-release). MINI-TC2 $22k Friday sales and $44k Saturday sales. Surprised by SAT being so ahead in sales. Depending on how wide the release is, can see $3M+ FRI, may be even $4M (April 29).)
- filmlover (Saturday (May the 4th) is looking to a huge day for it just from glancing at ticket sales. As expected, of course (April 29).)
- Flip (I looked at two (non-plf) theaters near me, and for next Friday Phantom Menace has 99 tickets sold while Fall Guy has only 68 tickets (April 27). Phantom Menace should have a good chance at #2 next Friday unless it’s in less than 2.5k theaters (April 26).)
- katnisscinnaplex ($3.50M Friday opening day comp and $3.54M Santikos Friday comp. Looking pretty solid for this weekend! Comparing OD to previews will skew things a little, but not many options here (April 29). This is the largest re-release (22,369 screenings and 1,860 theaters) I've seen since I've been tracking (April 26).)
- Relevation (It’s selling phenomenally in one of my friend’s markets for FRI, even outstripping Dune previews at the same point and it’s already well clear of Challengers, Argylle, and The Beekeeper’s entire runs at my market. Could be looking at a double digit debut (April 25).)
- filmlover (Have actually sold a fairly decent amount of seats so far (April 15).)
- abracadabra1998 ($5.08M EA+Thursday comp. This has been doing pretty consistently well (April 25). Keeps climbing, decent pace so far (April 18). 29% ahead of The Fall Guy on April 15.)
- katnisscinnaplex ($4.4M EA+Thursday comp. Comps are currently between 3.5m and 4m for previews (including EA) for the most part (April 17).)
- keysersoze123 (Its going to open bigger than Fall Guy for sure. Not sure how wide the early shows are. But a EA gross around 1.5m could be in play. Previews we have to wait and see how it accelerates close to release (April 27). Again minus early shows, presales are moribund (April 17). Presales does not scream a huge breakout. Early shows have good presales but that is just it. Definitely nothing close to a $90M opening weekend (April 9).)
- TheFlatLannister ($4.31M Thursday comp. Not even going to update Planet of the Apes because its growth has been pitiful (April 30).)
- Vafrow ($2.8M Thursday comp. It actually had a decent day (April 29). Sales dropped by 3. Cancelled tickets for one of the shows it seems. It keeps getting worse (April 28). Continues to be sluggish (April 26). Seems to be sluggish. There isn't anything right now that looks like it's going to paint this in a positive light. The fourth iteration of a franchise reboot should see stronger sales up front (April 21).)
- filmlover (Have actually sold a fairly decent amount of seats so far (April 15).)
- PROMOTIONS (APRIL 29 ONLY: Each purchased ticket with RegalMovies gifts a ticket to someone at 826. Regal offering 2500 rewards points.)
- abracadabra1998 ($1.31M Thursday comp. Comps are obviously silly at this stage, just wanted to show that unsurprisingly not really a lot of interest from a get-go. We shall see how it does in these coming weeks (April 29).)
- charlie Jatinder (Hmm. So no real Regal impact it seems at katnisscinnaplex's theaters (April 30).)
- katnisscinnaplex ($1.14M Thursday comp. 25 Regal sales (out of 45?) (April 30).)
- vafrow (For a 100 km radius (which captures the whole broader region, probably about an 8M population base), it's sold 11 tickets. Still no sales locally (April 30). I think this only went up overnight, so it's not too odd to have zero sales (April 29).)
- abracadabra1998 ($0.42M EA comp and $1.12M Thursday comp. Seems like it'll be like Trolls where EA syphons off all the early sales. Very low sales will lead to big variance in these early days. Trolls ($1.63M) is the most useful Thursday comp due to similar EA situations (April 25).)
- el sid (The start in my theaters was very modest. It had today for Thursday, May 23, combined 19 sold tickets (in all of my 7 theaters) (April 23).)
- katnisscinnaplex ($3.14M EA+Thursday comp.)
- Porthos (Maybe it's only in Sacto, but have to say I was rather impressed with Garfield's sales. Did pretty decently on its D1 locally, all things considered. And it wasn't even thanks to an EA boost as the lone EA showing up so far has sold exactly one ticket so far. Considering the extreme backloaded nature of the genre + at least some upfront interest due to the Name Brand, not gonna do any comps. Yet. But I will provide some contrasts. Garfield: 60 tickets sold on Day 1 (EA: 1 ticket sold) [T-31]. Sonic 2: 182 tickets D-1 [T-24]. Minions 2: 67 tickets D-1 [T-24]. Nope: 57 tickets D-1 [T-42]. Elemental: 37 tickets D-1 [T-30]. Wonka: 57 tickets D-1 [T-29]. Mean Girls: 52 tickets D-1 [T-29]. (April 23).)
- vafrow (Still no sales (April 28). Still no sales. KFP4 was at 12 for day 2 (April 24). No sales on Garfield. Kung Fu Panda 4 sold 4 tickets on its first day (April 23).)
- katnisscinnaplex (Just for kicks I took a look at the LotR re-releases scheduled for June. They're getting one show each (for the most part) in around 1k theaters. Some locations already adding a second showing (April 30). Looks to be in around 1k theaters. Sales looking good already as expected (I already got mine!) (April 26).)
APRIL
- (Apr. 30) Presales Start [The Strangers: Chapter 1]
- (May 1) Presales Start [Possum Trot + The Young Woman and the Sea]
- (May 1) Early Access [IMAX Only, Wednesday: Fall Guy]
- (May 2) Presales Start [Babes]
- (May 2) Thursday previews [The Fall Guy + Star Wars Ep. I: The Phantom Menace Re-Release + Tarot]
- (May 6) Opening Day [The Amazing Spider-Man Re-Release]
- (May 8) Presales Start [Furiosa]
- (May 8) Early Access [PLF Only, Wednesday: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes]
- (May 9) Thursday Previews [Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes + My Ex-Friend’s Wedding]
- (May 13) Opening Day [Monday: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Re-Release]
- (May 16) Thursday Previews [Babes + Back to Black + If + The Strangers: Chapter 1 + The Blue Angels IMAX]
- (May 20) Opening Day [Monday: Spider-Man Homecoming Re-Release]
- (May 23) Thursday Previews [Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga + The Garfield Movie + Sight]
- (May 27) Opening Day [Monday: Spider-Man Far From Home Re-Release]
- (May 30) Thursday Previews [Ezra + Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle + Robot Dreams + The Young Woman and the Sea]
- (June 3) Opening Day [Monday: Spider-Man No Way Home Re-Release]
- (June 6) Thursday Previews [Bad Boys: Ride or Die]
- (June 8) 1-Saturday Re-Release [The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition]
- (June 9) 1-Sunday Re-Release [The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Extended Edition]
- (June 10) 1-Monday Re-Release [The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King Extended Edition]
- (June 13) Thursday Previews [Inside Out 2 + Untitled Angel Studios Film + The Watchers]
- (June 20) Thursday Previews [The Bikeriders]
- (June 27) Thursday Previews [Blue Lock The Movie -Episode Nagi- + Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 + A Quiet Place: Day One]
- (July 2) Opening Day [Wednesday: Despicable Me 4]
- (July 4) Opening Day [Thursday: Possum Trot]
- (July 4) Thursday Previews [MaXXXine]
- (July 11) Thursday Previews [Fly Me to the Moon + Untitled New Line Horror movie]
- (July 18) Thursday Previews [Twisters]
- (July 25) Thursday Previews [Deadpool and Wolverine + Didi + Fabulous Four]
- (August 1) Thursday Previews [Harold and the Purple Crayon + Trap]
- (August 8) Thursday Previews [Borderlands + Cuckoo + The Fire Inside]
- (August 15) Thursday Previews [Alien: Romulus + Horizon An American Saga Chapter 2]
- (August 22) Thursday Previews [Blink Twice + The Crow + The Forge + Slingshot]
- (August 24) Opening Day [Saturday: Untitled Angel Studios Film]
- (August 29) Thursday Previews [City of Dreams + Kraven the Hunter]
March 12
March 14
March 16
March 19
March 21
March 24
March 26
March 30
April 2
April 4
April 6
April 9
April 11
April 13
April 16
April 18
April 20
April 23
April 25
April 27
Note: I have removed most tracking data that has not been updated for 2 weeks. I think there is value in keeping data for a week or two but at a certain point they start to lose their value and should not be treated the same as more recent tracking data.
2024.05.01 03:50 Material-Dazzling Something watched me crabwalk out of my bathroom (Part One)
*Hello! This is part of my original story, you can hear me narrate it on YouTube
I awoke to the steady ringing of my alarm clock and rolled over in my bed to turn it off. Reaching out a hand from the warm confines of my blanket, I swatted haphazardly at my nightstand, knocking my glass of water to the floor instead.
“Damn it...” I muttered to myself under my breath, now focusing more on the alarm clock and successfully shutting it off. I rolled back over to the center of my bed and stretched, a high-pitched whine escaping my throat as I did. It was a good stretch. I slowly sat up in bed and blinked. Blunked? Blank? I opened and closed my eyes a few times to clear away the hazy clouds that blanketed my vision.
Stretching and yawning once more, I gently tossed my blankets to the side, rotated in my bed, and got up. I only took one step and slipped on the water I knocked over, dropping an elbow John Cena would have been proud of straight to my nightstand. A sharp icy pain radiated up my arm because, of course, I hit my funny bone. It wasn’t funny. My lamp fell over too, and it knocked the plug to my alarm clock out of the wall. The offending glass of water was kicked in the fall and sent violently skittering across the floor until it shattered against the wall nearest my door. It was too early for this shit.
I lay there for a moment as I processed what had just happened. My not-so-funny feeling arm lay draped over my eyes. The water soaked through my boxers and now my left butt cheek was wet too. I want to go back to bed.
Pulling myself together, I rose unsteadily to my feet. The discombobulated coordination of my still half-asleep body struggled slightly during this task. I took a second to look around the room, taking it in and rubbing my sore elbow.
With a defeated sigh, I bent over and picked up the lamp, inspecting it for damage. Everything looked good to me. I set the lamp on the nightstand then leaned back down and plugged in the alarm clock. I set it back up on the nightstand, too. I’ll set the time sometime later. Famous last words? Maybe.
I glanced around once more before I sluggishly made my way out of my room, making sure to avoid shards of glass I did. I headed straight down the hallway towards the bathroom to do my business and take a shower. I entered the bathroom and lightly pulled the door shut behind me. I didn’t have any roommates, but I’ve always had a bad habit of “sneaking” around. I often got accused of scaring people. Anyway, I stripped down, turned on the shower to pre-heat it, and then took my rightful place upon my porcelain throne. It was more like a plastic lawn chair, but you know, potato tomato.
Once I finished my business, I stepped into the shower. I adjusted the knobs as it was just a little too hot, making it perfect. I stepped in and stood with my back to the shower head, water running over my shoulders and down my chest. I rolled my head side to side, getting satisfying little pops as I did. I leaned forward, bracing my hands on the wall and hanging my head. I started thinking about this girl from work, Phyllis.
Damn, was she beautiful. She had the best personality, an intoxicating smile, and a perfect body. Right now, I especially like her body. My mind started to wander in the comfort of my privacy, a steamy scenario beginning to develop a plot in my mind's eye.
I let my thoughts run rampant as I pondered her form. I slowly slid my hand down my chest, past my waist, and gently [MASSAGED MY KNEECAPS], going faster and faster as my eyes slid shut. It just wasn’t enough. Hesitantly, almost gingerly, I spat on my thumb and ran my hand down the small of my back. Then, I [PLAYED THE GUITAR] as fast as I could. Harder and faster, I thought. The steam of the shower was now a thick fog that clung greedily to my skin. Sweat and dew dripped from my body. My breath became labored as my body tensed. Harder. Faster. I kept going until I couldn’t hold it in anymore, and finally, I [READ THE BIBLE].
I continued my shower and finished rinsing the rest of the soap off my body, turned the faucets off, and stepped out of the shower. I grabbed my towel and dried off my face, hair, and then the rest of my body. I fanned my hand back and forth to clear away the misty murk that my shower had created. I don’t know why I did this, it’s not like I can make steam disappear. To further add to the “Why am I like this” questions, I wiped off the mirror to see myself in it. You know as well as I do that that doesn’t work right after a hot shower.
The air was hot, thick, and sticky. It was stuffy, hard to breathe. I put my towel on its hanger and grasped the dripping doorknob. With a sudden bolt of energy that tickled my frontal lobe, I threw open the door with way too much gusto and yelled a long, drawn out “RAH!” as I crab-walked, naked, out of the bathroom. I raised my hands like little crab pinchers while I continued my sideways scuttle back down the hallway to my room.
Ok look... the intrusive thoughts win far more often when you don’t live with anyone. Don’t judge me, ok? I bet you’re weird when no one’s around, too.
I entered my room, making little “mirp” sounds as I did. My tiny, pinchy, hand-claw crab pinchers pinching feverishly in the air as I did. I was facing my wall as I moved around the room, avoiding the broken glass to the best of my abilities. I crab-walked all the way around to my dresser before finally assuming the upright position millions of years of evolution had bestowed upon me.
Sighing dramatically, I flopped over at the waist and began grabbing various articles of clothing from their drawers, when suddenly from behind me, someone loudly exclaimed through a barely contained laugher; “What in the actual fuck was that?”
Let me tell you, if I hadn’t shit before my shower, I would have evacuated my bowels with a force equal to that of a rocket launching right there in my bedroom. My stomach sunk so far through my body that I was certain I’d at least pushed that out.
I shrieked a very manly, strong, high-pitched shriek, diving onto my dresser and hitting the wall as I did. It wasn’t voluntary. I didn’t want to smack the wall, but I was startled, ok? They saw it all. They heard it all. They knew too much. I had to kill them. Wait... That isn’t important. Who the fuck is in my bedroom?!
With all the grace of a paraplegic turtle, I gracefully rolled off my dresser and landed on my head and shoulders, just as intended. I grunted because I wanted to, and not because I knocked the wind out of myself. I then thrashed around violently on the floor as I oriented myself and found my footing. Standing upright, I spun around to confront the person in my room. Only it wasn’t a person.
A tiny figure fluttered like a dragonfly in late summer in the middle of my room. I blunk hard, hoping it was a leftover soap bubble from my shower. Nope. I blonked again. Still there, it was very real. A little, chubby, winged man was right there, hovering over my bed. This pint-sized guy was no taller than my smartphone. He dressed in a green, shimmering gown. His little wings, beating blindingly fast, sparkled like lights through a prism. And his hair, oh his hair was a sight. He had hair that looked like it had a passionate affair with a unicorn, while still somehow also balding. His eyes pierced the air with their deep golden intensity.
He continued to look at me, growing concern shown on his face. “What did you just...” He trailed off as he stared at me, slack-jawed.
“I uh—” I began. “I blunk to make sure I’m actually seeing you?" I replied, a heavy dose of surreal confusion seasoned my words.
“No, no, not that.” he said, waving his hand back and forth and sinking a little closer to my bed “What were you doing when you entered the- wait.” he cut himself off, “Did you just say blunk?”
“I uh... yeah?” I replied, suddenly feeling even more self-conscious than I already was.
The fairy raised his hand to his face and groaned loudly. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” he huffed with an exasperated sigh, “The one I’m supposed to get doesn’t even know it’s BLINKED?” he finished, his hand falling away from his face.
I knew it was blinked! I had it right the first time!
“Wow, rude.” I said, blushing from the embarrassment once more. “And wait why are you- why is a-” I stammered, trying to find my words after my mouth already started moving.
“Why is there a fairy in your room?” he offered, his expression now deadpan.
I nodded my head slowly in agreement. He seemed to study me for a moment as he thought some things over. His eyes darted back and forth between mine, and I somehow began to feel even MORE exposed than I already was.
He ran his tongue over his teeth, made a little clicking sound, and then began to speak. “I am Myff, a guardian of the realms, both Fae and human,” he said in a voice that sounded both soft and childlike, as well as wizened and old. He spun his hand in a small forward rolling gesture. "I was sent here by the Seelie court to--”
“You’re a guardian of umm, both realms?” I interjected, cutting him off. My brain did not like this.
Annoyance flashed across his face. “Yes. BOTH realms. The Fae realm AND the human realm. I was sent here by the Seelie court to--”
“What's the Seelie court?” I cut him off again, “How did you get in here? Why are you-” A static-like sensation crackled forth and filled the room. It was at this moment I knew.. I fucked up.
“SILENCE!” he bellowed at a volume far greater than anything his size should be able to make, and I was simultaneously slammed down to my knees by an invisible force that I had no hope of defying. He rose higher in the air, almost until he hit the ceiling. Bewildered, I struggled to raise my head and looked at him.
Slowly the invisible pressure began to lessen and I was left with the fresh pain of being slammed down onto my knees. My knees now throbbed, my not-so-funny-feeling elbow still hurt, my head was spinning, and I remembered I was still stark naked. I felt light headed and sick.
Myff glared at me for a moment, studying me again. I can fully understand why he’s a guardian, now. I made a mental note to not cut him off again. The pressure dissipated from my shoulders while Myff lowered himself down to my eye level, floating in front r to me.
He stopped a few inches from my face and spoke “I am Myff,” he said with a quiet voice, yet booming with a level of authority. “I am a Guardian of both realms and YOU, Ash, will be silent when I speak.” His eyes bore holes through my soul.
“I’m s-sorry.” I managed to croak out, breaking eye contact. “It won't happen again. I’m sorry. I’m listening.” My head now bowed, and I stared at the floor.
Pleased by the reply, Myff began once more. “I am a Guardian of both realms,” pausing slightly, as if expecting another interruption, “and I was sent by,” another pause and glare, “the Seelie,” pause, “court to--”
I violently threw up. Like exorcism levels of projectile vomit. I was like a baby, full of milk, held above a first-time parent’s face. It went everywhere.
“Oh, for fuck sake!” Myff yelled, throwing his hands up.
“...erm.. serry...” I slurred, wincing through the awful taste of bile in my mouth. The room was spinning now, and I couldn’t hold it together any longer. “I thing I'm gunna... fent.” The words felt like water leaving my mouth. I promptly fell over, listening to Myff in a rant with more cursing than other normal words. I blacked out before I even hit the floor. I was out like a light.
I slowly regained consciousness sometime later, my head pounding worse than a clubbed seal. I groaned and tried to sit up, noticing I was in a strange place. I sat up, bathed in soft, ethereal light.
I sat within a circle of toadstools, their tops glowing softly with an otherworldly light. The air around me was alive with the symphony of a lively forest. Gigantic ferns rustled as if sharing secrets, and the trees seemed to whisper their ancient tales. Fireflies danced in the warm, golden light that filtered through the dense canopy above.
“What the fuuuuuck...?” I muttered in amazement.
A delicate voice cut through the stillness. "I'm sorry about that, Ash. I didn't mean to knock you out, but you were being annoying."
Blinking, I turned my head to see Myff perched on a mushroom-like stool nearby. His expression seemed to dance between regret and amusement.
I mustered a weak smile. “Sorry about that, I thought you were trying to kill me honestly."
Myff's wings quivered as he arose and floated closer, his eyes filled with contrition. "I really didn't mean for it to come to that. I was sent by the seelie court to find a hunter and it hasn’t gone well so far." Landing on the mushroom next to me, he continued, “When I used my magic to make you submit, I guess I sent all the blood to your legs.” He was the one avoiding eye contact now. “And... you passed out from that.” He let his voice trail off, inviting me to continue the conversation.
I stared at the little guy for a moment. He really reminded me of a child who got caught doing something wrong and was now trying to put on a tough act, but the regret was written all over his face. Wait wait wait hold the phone what did he just say? Recruit a hunter?
“Myff, what did you mean by recruiting a hunter isn’t straightforward?” My brow furrowed and I adjusted myself to fully face him. “And also, where the fuck are we?”
Swiftly rising from his seat, Myff whisked into the air and began to fly around the clearing. “I’ll answer your questions one at a time.” He mused. He was incredibly nimble for being such a stout little winged potato “First off,” he started, “We are in the land of Fae. This is the realm that neighbors your own. This is a realm of nature and spirits, riddles and rules, light and dark.” Myff flew straight up into the sky, then let his body fall limply back to the ground. He stopped himself at the last moment from hitting the ground. “As for talk of hunters, that will need more detail.”
I silently regarded him, waiting for him to continue as he rose back up.
“Where do I even start?” He pondered his options for a moment as he slowed down to hover next to me. “Are you aware of cryptids?”
“Well, sure.” I replied, reflexively rubbing the back of my neck. “You mean things like creatures from folklore, right?” I adjusted myself to get more comfortable. My butt hurt.
He nodded in agreement. “Can you tell me a few that you know of?”
I suddenly felt very on the spot, glancing sheepishly down as I began to question my own knowledge. “A uh... A Wendingus..” Fuck. Wrong.
“It’s not a test, asshole” Myff exclaimed, laughing softly at my sudden panic, “You know about Wendigos,” He said, annunciating each individual syllable, “and Skinwalkers, and the Chupacabra, right? The big ones you all fan girl about?” He knew from the look on my face that the answer was yes. “As a hunter, you are going to hunt these creatures down and.”
“WAIT!” I yelled, rising to my feet. “Wait wait wait wait wait woa wait what? Back it up. Cryptids? You want me to hunt cryptids?” My disbelieving shock clearly bled through my voice. “But there’s no way, they’re not actually real!”
Myff scoffed at me, the little dickhead. Squinting through the sun in his eyes, he made a point. “You’re arguing with a fairy in an enchanted forest, in the realm of the Fae, and the first thing you’ve seriously questioned is the existence of something in YOUR world?”
He had a good point.
“You have a good point.” I said, “Carry on.” returning to my toadstool stool.
Myff chuckled again and began to settle down once more, putting the sun to his side this time. A soft breeze rustled the trees around us. “Something as simple as a cryptid wouldn’t be cause for interference from the Fae, however.” Apprehension was clear in his voice. I sat still, focused intently on his words. “The reason we need you, and people like you, is because these cryptids... are...” once again making that rolling motion with his hand as if he was trying to lure out the rest of his thought. “Finding ways to eat the Fae. They're becoming... fusions of lore... and magic.” he managed. Taking a pause and then a deep breath, he continued, “We call them Fae Scorn. The amalgamations of nightmare and flesh, cryptid and Fae.”
Cryptids, the stuff of late-night radio shows, Reddit posts, YouTube stories, and blurry photographs. Monsters under the bed, right? But here I was, coming face to face with a truth I couldn't dismiss. But one that intrigued me. Myff's words echoed in my mind, his voice tinged with a cautious gumption.
Cryptids really are really real. That’s reality. It’s really actually really concerning. They're not just mythical creatures from campfire stories. They're out there, and they're feeding on the Fae somehow. Something is changing in our world.
I listened to Myff as he went on to explain some of the sightings, and some hybrids he knew of. I was so enraptured with his stories that I had almost forgotten what he wanted me to do. Did I hear that right?
“Hey, Myff.” I cautiously said, raising my hand in an apologetic gesture for cutting him off yet again, the woozy fear of earlier not forgotten. Swallowing the inner bees, I pressed on. “I don’t have any powers, I don’t have any special skills aside from my ability to crab-walk well enough to fool my cat, and I’m not brave or heroic. There’s no way you have the right guy. Right?” I was starting to hurt my own feelings, Myff quietly listened. “I mean, if you’re assembling the A team, the Avengers of the Fae, you need someone far better than me.” I hung my head low and intertwined my fingers, tears beginning to well in my eyes. I really wasn’t much when it came to the big picture, was I? I continued “I don’t--”
Myff slapped the shit out of me. Like... Hard. With one little flick of his tiny arm against my delicate, beautiful, and manly face, I was sent flying off my toadstool stool in an arching corkscrew. I realized, as I was spinning towards the ground like a torpedo, that I was still naked. This was like doing a helicopter, but way more complicated. And horizontal.
I landed about 10 feet away from my starting position. Thankfully, my face broke the fall. I opened my eyes as I slid across the grass, getting a whole new look at my toes thanks to the scorpion pose I was now in. I stopped my slip n’ slide adventure in a heap a few feet later.
I lay still briefly, a weird flood of euphoria devouring my pain. My fingers instinctively brushed against the dew-kissed grass, and the moisture clung to my skin like the delicate droplets of a morning mist. It was as if the earth itself was sharing its secrets with me, inviting me to be part of this timeless dance of life and renewal. In that tranquil moment, lying in the sun-dappled field, I felt connected to the earth in a way I'd never experienced. The dreamy sensations of dewy grass on my face were a reminder that nature's beauty was not just something to behold but to be immersed in, a source of endless wonder.
I felt like the silver lining of a lofty cloud. I felt like I was soaring. I gradually teetered back up to my feet, and I felt all... wibbly wobbly. I felt wrong. Something I was seeing wasn’t right. What was it? The dreaminess made it hard to pinpoint. I closed my eyes, focusing on my breathing until the haziness began to clear away, and then I opened my eyes. I knew what it was right away.
My head was wrong. Like, it was backwards. I was staring at my own butt, it didn’t look half bad if I’m being honest. But oh fuck. Did Myff break my neck?!
“MYFF!” I screamed in my manly, high pitched, warbly voice, “AHHHHHHHHHHH!” The sound was unvoluntary and I began flapping my arms like a baby birb kicked from its nest. I sounded like a gargoyle in heat. I think. I guess that’s what they sound like, I don’t know. I’ve never actually heard one before. Anyway.
“AHHHHHHHH!” Myff mirrored my screams as he rushed to my side.
“AHHHHHHHH!” I screamed again.
“AHHHHH!” Myff screamed, now flying around me.
“MYFF! OH MY GOD! WHAT THE FUCK!?” I screamed while I tried to figure out how to turn my body with this new perspective. If I walked forward, I went backward from my perspective. But if I tried to walk backward, my legs were also on the wrong side. My brain didn’t know how to process fine motor skills. I settled for unsteady shaking and stumbling since that seemed to turn me well enough. I was trying to see Myff. "MYFF!" I yelled his name once more.
The dappled clearing that was once a shining example of serenity now brought me a feeling of fear. The soft sunlight no longer felt like it was nurturing my soul. Now, it felt like the sun wanted to blind me. It was hard to breathe through my twisted neck. Each step rocked my world back and forth. At this point, I was utterly terrified.
But all is well that ends well.
Myff shot out of the forest at blinding speeds, just barely registering as something perceptible in the corner of my vision. He flew to where I wobbled and stopped in front of my nose. I must've looked like a wreck; head upside down, ugly crying that made me drool, which then ran into my nose, and over my eyes, and through my hair.
"You look disgusting." Myff commented under his breath, obviously disgusted.
"No shit you pompous mosquito! You broke my neck!" I yelled and flailed my arms again, but I stopped because it made my head bounce around, and that was no bueno.
It was then that I noticed Myff was glowing green and yellow. He was radiating a buzzing energy that tickled the back of my eyeballs and gave my ears an erection. It's hard to explain. Have you ever Q-tipped your ears and hit it juuuuuust right? It was like that, but better somehow.
Myff's face of disgust dissolved into his stoic, deadpan, resting bitch ass bitch face. "Has it not occurred to you yet that something outside of your understanding is happening?" he questioned me flatly.
"Of course it has," I ugly cried. "You broke my neck! I’m looking at my own butt crack!" Slimy drooly snooty tears covered my face.
Myff did his shitty little shit eating shitfaced chuckle, and then asked me a very obvious question.
"Why aren't you dead, Ash?" One of his eyebrows was raised quizzically.
Actually... I was at a total loss for words. Why wasn't I dead? There's no way I should have been able to survive having my head spun like top while it was still attached to my body.
Myff then gently placed one hand on my forehead, calmly caressing my cheek with the other. The energy he was giving off made my eyes sneeze, twice.
He embraced me, warmly swaddling my spittle slicked head. I felt my worry melt away instantly. It was intensely calm. Myff leaned over to my ear, and I heard him inhale a shallow breath before he whispered, "Ash?" His little breath tickled my ears. "You're being a little bitch." He then counter-broke my neck. Unbroke it? He threw my chin like the baseball your dad never threw for you.
My new scream of surprise came out like a turkey gobble as my head snapped back into place. I felt like a leggo in a vaccuum for some reason. I looked up at Myff just in time to see him wiping my amalgamated snotty drool out of eyes. He looked a little green around the gills. Not that he has gills. Gills like the figure of speech or whatever that's called. He looked sick. But not like... cool sick... Like ill. But not like totally dude gnarly ill, but like he was going to vomit. Serves him right.
Now that my head was right, I just went and sat down. I know, boring. What else are you supposed to do when a fairy breaks your neck and then unbreaks it? Dance? No. I went and sat back down on my toadstool stool, breathing deeply. After centering myself once more, I asked the now obvious question, “Why didn’t that kill me?”
Myff buzzed over to me, looking at me incredulously, before he went on to explain in incredible detail, and with lots of necessary information, exactly what was going on. He told tales of ancient Fae power, humans being born with latent Fae abilities, and Fae being born with human abilities (they get depression and develop a fear of doorbells, tragic).
As it would happen to be, I am someone with latent Fae powers. I’ve had them my whole life, and they were always active. I’ve just never “basically died” before to know it. I guess I should explain the power before I get too far ahead of myself.
According to Myff, my power makes me a Stitcher, or a battle tank of sorts. We’re called stitchers because our abilities allow us to take on a lot of big boo boos and we’ll stitch ourselves and our wounds back together from the brink of death. We can still die though. Like, cutting off our heads, taking too much blood etc. we die. We also apparently develop excessive strength with some training.
The reason my neck didn’t unbreak automatically was that I didn’t set it straight for my powers to work right. That's why Myff broke and unbroke me, to demonstrate. Myff is violent when he wants to show you something... I’m going to keep that in mind.
Beyond Stitchers, there are Riddlists, Savagers, and Etherealists. I’ll go into more detail about these in the future. K baii
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I awoke to the steady ringing of my alarm clock and rolled over in my bed to turn it off. Reaching out a hand from the warm confines of my blanket, I swatted haphazardly at my nightstand, knocking my glass of water to the floor instead.
“Damn it...” I muttered to myself under my breath, now focusing more on the alarm clock and successfully shutting it off. I rolled back over to the center of my bed and stretched, a high-pitched whine escaping my throat as I did. It was a good stretch. I slowly sat up in bed and blinked. Blunked? Blank? I opened and closed my eyes a few times to clear away the hazy clouds that blanketed my vision.
Stretching and yawning once more, I gently tossed my blankets to the side, rotated in my bed, and got up. I only took one step and slipped on the water I knocked over, dropping an elbow John Cena would have been proud of straight to my nightstand. A sharp icy pain radiated up my arm because, of course, I hit my funny bone. It wasn’t funny. My lamp fell over too, and it knocked the plug to my alarm clock out of the wall. The offending glass of water was kicked in the fall and sent violently skittering across the floor until it shattered against the wall nearest my door. It was too early for this shit.
I lay there for a moment as I processed what had just happened. My not-so-funny feeling arm lay draped over my eyes. The water soaked through my boxers and now my left butt cheek was wet too. I want to go back to bed.
Pulling myself together, I rose unsteadily to my feet. The discombobulated coordination of my still half-asleep body struggled slightly during this task. I took a second to look around the room, taking it in and rubbing my sore elbow.
With a defeated sigh, I bent over and picked up the lamp, inspecting it for damage. Everything looked good to me. I set the lamp on the nightstand then leaned back down and plugged in the alarm clock. I set it back up on the nightstand, too. I’ll set the time sometime later. Famous last words? Maybe.
I glanced around once more before I sluggishly made my way out of my room, making sure to avoid shards of glass I did. I headed straight down the hallway towards the bathroom to do my business and take a shower. I entered the bathroom and lightly pulled the door shut behind me. I didn’t have any roommates, but I’ve always had a bad habit of “sneaking” around. I often got accused of scaring people. Anyway, I stripped down, turned on the shower to pre-heat it, and then took my rightful place upon my porcelain throne. It was more like a plastic lawn chair, but you know, potato tomato.
Once I finished my business, I stepped into the shower. I adjusted the knobs as it was just a little too hot, making it perfect. I stepped in and stood with my back to the shower head, water running over my shoulders and down my chest. I rolled my head side to side, getting satisfying little pops as I did. I leaned forward, bracing my hands on the wall and hanging my head. I started thinking about this girl from work, Phyllis.
Damn, was she beautiful. She had the best personality, an intoxicating smile, and a perfect body. Right now, I especially like her body. My mind started to wander in the comfort of my privacy, a steamy scenario beginning to develop a plot in my mind's eye.
I let my thoughts run rampant as I pondered her form. I slowly slid my hand down my chest, past my waist, and gently [MASSAGED MY KNEECAPS], going faster and faster as my eyes slid shut. It just wasn’t enough. Hesitantly, almost gingerly, I spat on my thumb and ran my hand down the small of my back. Then, I [PLAYED THE GUITAR] as fast as I could. Harder and faster, I thought. The steam of the shower was now a thick fog that clung greedily to my skin. Sweat and dew dripped from my body. My breath became labored as my body tensed. Harder. Faster. I kept going until I couldn’t hold it in anymore, and finally, I [READ THE BIBLE].
I continued my shower and finished rinsing the rest of the soap off my body, turned the faucets off, and stepped out of the shower. I grabbed my towel and dried off my face, hair, and then the rest of my body. I fanned my hand back and forth to clear away the misty murk that my shower had created. I don’t know why I did this, it’s not like I can make steam disappear. To further add to the “Why am I like this” questions, I wiped off the mirror to see myself in it. You know as well as I do that that doesn’t work right after a hot shower.
The air was hot, thick, and sticky. It was stuffy, hard to breathe. I put my towel on its hanger and grasped the dripping doorknob. With a sudden bolt of energy that tickled my frontal lobe, I threw open the door with way too much gusto and yelled a long, drawn out “RAH!” as I crab-walked, naked, out of the bathroom. I raised my hands like little crab pinchers while I continued my sideways scuttle back down the hallway to my room.
Ok look... the intrusive thoughts win far more often when you don’t live with anyone. Don’t judge me, ok? I bet you’re weird when no one’s around, too.
I entered my room, making little “mirp” sounds as I did. My tiny, pinchy, hand-claw crab pinchers pinching feverishly in the air as I did. I was facing my wall as I moved around the room, avoiding the broken glass to the best of my abilities. I crab-walked all the way around to my dresser before finally assuming the upright position millions of years of evolution had bestowed upon me.
Sighing dramatically, I flopped over at the waist and began grabbing various articles of clothing from their drawers, when suddenly from behind me, someone loudly exclaimed through a barely contained laugher; “What in the actual fuck was that?”
Let me tell you, if I hadn’t shit before my shower, I would have evacuated my bowels with a force equal to that of a rocket launching right there in my bedroom. My stomach sunk so far through my body that I was certain I’d at least pushed that out.
I shrieked a very manly, strong, high-pitched shriek, diving onto my dresser and hitting the wall as I did. It wasn’t voluntary. I didn’t want to smack the wall, but I was startled, ok? They saw it all. They heard it all. They knew too much. I had to kill them. Wait... That isn’t important. Who the fuck is in my bedroom?!
With all the grace of a paraplegic turtle, I gracefully rolled off my dresser and landed on my head and shoulders, just as intended. I grunted because I wanted to, and not because I knocked the wind out of myself. I then thrashed around violently on the floor as I oriented myself and found my footing. Standing upright, I spun around to confront the person in my room. Only it wasn’t a person.
A tiny figure fluttered like a dragonfly in late summer in the middle of my room. I blunk hard, hoping it was a leftover soap bubble from my shower. Nope. I blonked again. Still there, it was very real. A little, chubby, winged man was right there, hovering over my bed. This pint-sized guy was no taller than my smartphone. He dressed in a green, shimmering gown. His little wings, beating blindingly fast, sparkled like lights through a prism. And his hair, oh his hair was a sight. He had hair that looked like it had a passionate affair with a unicorn, while still somehow also balding. His eyes pierced the air with their deep golden intensity.
He continued to look at me, growing concern shown on his face. “What did you just...” He trailed off as he stared at me, slack-jawed.
“I uh—” I began. “I blunk to make sure I’m actually seeing you?" I replied, a heavy dose of surreal confusion seasoned my words.
“No, no, not that.” he said, waving his hand back and forth and sinking a little closer to my bed “What were you doing when you entered the- wait.” he cut himself off, “Did you just say blunk?”
“I uh... yeah?” I replied, suddenly feeling even more self-conscious than I already was.
The fairy raised his hand to his face and groaned loudly. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” he huffed with an exasperated sigh, “The one I’m supposed to get doesn’t even know it’s BLINKED?” he finished, his hand falling away from his face.
I knew it was blinked! I had it right the first time!
“Wow, rude.” I said, blushing from the embarrassment once more. “And wait why are you- why is a-” I stammered, trying to find my words after my mouth already started moving.
“Why is there a fairy in your room?” he offered, his expression now deadpan.
I nodded my head slowly in agreement. He seemed to study me for a moment as he thought some things over. His eyes darted back and forth between mine, and I somehow began to feel even MORE exposed than I already was.
He ran his tongue over his teeth, made a little clicking sound, and then began to speak. “I am Myff, a guardian of the realms, both Fae and human,” he said in a voice that sounded both soft and childlike, as well as wizened and old. He spun his hand in a small forward rolling gesture. "I was sent here by the Seelie court to--”
“You’re a guardian of umm, both realms?” I interjected, cutting him off. My brain did not like this.
Annoyance flashed across his face. “Yes. BOTH realms. The Fae realm AND the human realm. I was sent here by the Seelie court to--”
“What's the Seelie court?” I cut him off again, “How did you get in here? Why are you-” A static-like sensation crackled forth and filled the room. It was at this moment I knew.. I fucked up.
“SILENCE!” he bellowed at a volume far greater than anything his size should be able to make, and I was simultaneously slammed down to my knees by an invisible force that I had no hope of defying. He rose higher in the air, almost until he hit the ceiling. Bewildered, I struggled to raise my head and looked at him.
Slowly the invisible pressure began to lessen and I was left with the fresh pain of being slammed down onto my knees. My knees now throbbed, my not-so-funny-feeling elbow still hurt, my head was spinning, and I remembered I was still stark naked. I felt light headed and sick.
Myff glared at me for a moment, studying me again. I can fully understand why he’s a guardian, now. I made a mental note to not cut him off again. The pressure dissipated from my shoulders while Myff lowered himself down to my eye level, floating in front r to me.
He stopped a few inches from my face and spoke “I am Myff,” he said with a quiet voice, yet booming with a level of authority. “I am a Guardian of both realms and YOU, Ash, will be silent when I speak.” His eyes bore holes through my soul.
“I’m s-sorry.” I managed to croak out, breaking eye contact. “It won't happen again. I’m sorry. I’m listening.” My head now bowed, and I stared at the floor.
Pleased by the reply, Myff began once more. “I am a Guardian of both realms,” pausing slightly, as if expecting another interruption, “and I was sent by,” another pause and glare, “the Seelie,” pause, “court to--”
I violently threw up. Like exorcism levels of projectile vomit. I was like a baby, full of milk, held above a first-time parent’s face. It went everywhere.
“Oh, for fuck sake!” Myff yelled, throwing his hands up.
“...erm.. serry...” I slurred, wincing through the awful taste of bile in my mouth. The room was spinning now, and I couldn’t hold it together any longer. “I thing I'm gunna... fent.” The words felt like water leaving my mouth. I promptly fell over, listening to Myff in a rant with more cursing than other normal words. I blacked out before I even hit the floor. I was out like a light.
I slowly regained consciousness sometime later, my head pounding worse than a clubbed seal. I groaned and tried to sit up, noticing I was in a strange place. I sat up, bathed in soft, ethereal light.
I sat within a circle of toadstools, their tops glowing softly with an otherworldly light. The air around me was alive with the symphony of a lively forest. Gigantic ferns rustled as if sharing secrets, and the trees seemed to whisper their ancient tales. Fireflies danced in the warm, golden light that filtered through the dense canopy above.
“What the fuuuuuck...?” I muttered in amazement.
A delicate voice cut through the stillness. "I'm sorry about that, Ash. I didn't mean to knock you out, but you were being annoying."
Blinking, I turned my head to see Myff perched on a mushroom-like stool nearby. His expression seemed to dance between regret and amusement.
I mustered a weak smile. “Sorry about that, I thought you were trying to kill me honestly."
Myff's wings quivered as he arose and floated closer, his eyes filled with contrition. "I really didn't mean for it to come to that. I was sent by the seelie court to find a hunter and it hasn’t gone well so far." Landing on the mushroom next to me, he continued, “When I used my magic to make you submit, I guess I sent all the blood to your legs.” He was the one avoiding eye contact now. “And... you passed out from that.” He let his voice trail off, inviting me to continue the conversation.
I stared at the little guy for a moment. He really reminded me of a child who got caught doing something wrong and was now trying to put on a tough act, but the regret was written all over his face. Wait wait wait hold the phone what did he just say? Recruit a hunter?
“Myff, what did you mean by recruiting a hunter isn’t straightforward?” My brow furrowed and I adjusted myself to fully face him. “And also, where the fuck are we?”
Swiftly rising from his seat, Myff whisked into the air and began to fly around the clearing. “I’ll answer your questions one at a time.” He mused. He was incredibly nimble for being such a stout little winged potato “First off,” he started, “We are in the land of Fae. This is the realm that neighbors your own. This is a realm of nature and spirits, riddles and rules, light and dark.” Myff flew straight up into the sky, then let his body fall limply back to the ground. He stopped himself at the last moment from hitting the ground. “As for talk of hunters, that will need more detail.”
I silently regarded him, waiting for him to continue as he rose back up.
“Where do I even start?” He pondered his options for a moment as he slowed down to hover next to me. “Are you aware of cryptids?”
“Well, sure.” I replied, reflexively rubbing the back of my neck. “You mean things like creatures from folklore, right?” I adjusted myself to get more comfortable. My butt hurt.
He nodded in agreement. “Can you tell me a few that you know of?”
I suddenly felt very on the spot, glancing sheepishly down as I began to question my own knowledge. “A uh... A Wendingus..” Fuck. Wrong.
“It’s not a test, asshole” Myff exclaimed, laughing softly at my sudden panic, “You know about Wendigos,” He said, annunciating each individual syllable, “and Skinwalkers, and the Chupacabra, right? The big ones you all fan girl about?” He knew from the look on my face that the answer was yes. “As a hunter, you are going to hunt these creatures down and.”
“WAIT!” I yelled, rising to my feet. “Wait wait wait wait wait woa wait what? Back it up. Cryptids? You want me to hunt cryptids?” My disbelieving shock clearly bled through my voice. “But there’s no way, they’re not actually real!”
Myff scoffed at me, the little dickhead. Squinting through the sun in his eyes, he made a point. “You’re arguing with a fairy in an enchanted forest, in the realm of the Fae, and the first thing you’ve seriously questioned is the existence of something in YOUR world?”
He had a good point.
“You have a good point.” I said, “Carry on.” returning to my toadstool stool.
Myff chuckled again and began to settle down once more, putting the sun to his side this time. A soft breeze rustled the trees around us. “Something as simple as a cryptid wouldn’t be cause for interference from the Fae, however.” Apprehension was clear in his voice. I sat still, focused intently on his words. “The reason we need you, and people like you, is because these cryptids... are...” once again making that rolling motion with his hand as if he was trying to lure out the rest of his thought. “Finding ways to eat the Fae. They're becoming... fusions of lore... and magic.” he managed. Taking a pause and then a deep breath, he continued, “We call them Fae Scorn. The amalgamations of nightmare and flesh, cryptid and Fae.”
Cryptids, the stuff of late-night radio shows, Reddit posts, YouTube stories, and blurry photographs. Monsters under the bed, right? But here I was, coming face to face with a truth I couldn't dismiss. But one that intrigued me. Myff's words echoed in my mind, his voice tinged with a cautious gumption.
Cryptids really are really real. That’s reality. It’s really actually really concerning. They're not just mythical creatures from campfire stories. They're out there, and they're feeding on the Fae somehow. Something is changing in our world.
I listened to Myff as he went on to explain some of the sightings, and some hybrids he knew of. I was so enraptured with his stories that I had almost forgotten what he wanted me to do. Did I hear that right?
“Hey, Myff.” I cautiously said, raising my hand in an apologetic gesture for cutting him off yet again, the woozy fear of earlier not forgotten. Swallowing the inner bees, I pressed on. “I don’t have any powers, I don’t have any special skills aside from my ability to crab-walk well enough to fool my cat, and I’m not brave or heroic. There’s no way you have the right guy. Right?” I was starting to hurt my own feelings, Myff quietly listened. “I mean, if you’re assembling the A team, the Avengers of the Fae, you need someone far better than me.” I hung my head low and intertwined my fingers, tears beginning to well in my eyes. I really wasn’t much when it came to the big picture, was I? I continued “I don’t--”
Myff slapped the shit out of me. Like... Hard. With one little flick of his tiny arm against my delicate, beautiful, and manly face, I was sent flying off my toadstool stool in an arching corkscrew. I realized, as I was spinning towards the ground like a torpedo, that I was still naked. This was like doing a helicopter, but way more complicated. And horizontal.
I landed about 10 feet away from my starting position. Thankfully, my face broke the fall. I opened my eyes as I slid across the grass, getting a whole new look at my toes thanks to the scorpion pose I was now in. I stopped my slip n’ slide adventure in a heap a few feet later.
I lay still briefly, a weird flood of euphoria devouring my pain. My fingers instinctively brushed against the dew-kissed grass, and the moisture clung to my skin like the delicate droplets of a morning mist. It was as if the earth itself was sharing its secrets with me, inviting me to be part of this timeless dance of life and renewal. In that tranquil moment, lying in the sun-dappled field, I felt connected to the earth in a way I'd never experienced. The dreamy sensations of dewy grass on my face were a reminder that nature's beauty was not just something to behold but to be immersed in, a source of endless wonder.
I felt like the silver lining of a lofty cloud. I felt like I was soaring. I gradually teetered back up to my feet, and I felt all... wibbly wobbly. I felt wrong. Something I was seeing wasn’t right. What was it? The dreaminess made it hard to pinpoint. I closed my eyes, focusing on my breathing until the haziness began to clear away, and then I opened my eyes. I knew what it was right away.
My head was wrong. Like, it was backwards. I was staring at my own butt, it didn’t look half bad if I’m being honest. But oh fuck. Did Myff break my neck?!
“MYFF!” I screamed in my manly, high pitched, warbly voice, “AHHHHHHHHHHH!” The sound was unvoluntary and I began flapping my arms like a baby birb kicked from its nest. I sounded like a gargoyle in heat. I think. I guess that’s what they sound like, I don’t know. I’ve never actually heard one before. Anyway.
“AHHHHHHHH!” Myff mirrored my screams as he rushed to my side.
“AHHHHHHHH!” I screamed again.
“AHHHHH!” Myff screamed, now flying around me.
“MYFF! OH MY GOD! WHAT THE FUCK!?” I screamed while I tried to figure out how to turn my body with this new perspective. If I walked forward, I went backward from my perspective. But if I tried to walk backward, my legs were also on the wrong side. My brain didn’t know how to process fine motor skills. I settled for unsteady shaking and stumbling since that seemed to turn me well enough. I was trying to see Myff. "MYFF!" I yelled his name once more.
The dappled clearing that was once a shining example of serenity now brought me a feeling of fear. The soft sunlight no longer felt like it was nurturing my soul. Now, it felt like the sun wanted to blind me. It was hard to breathe through my twisted neck. Each step rocked my world back and forth. At this point, I was utterly terrified.
But all is well that ends well.
Myff shot out of the forest at blinding speeds, just barely registering as something perceptible in the corner of my vision. He flew to where I wobbled and stopped in front of my nose. I must've looked like a wreck; head upside down, ugly crying that made me drool, which then ran into my nose, and over my eyes, and through my hair.
"You look disgusting." Myff commented under his breath, obviously disgusted.
"No shit you pompous mosquito! You broke my neck!" I yelled and flailed my arms again, but I stopped because it made my head bounce around, and that was no bueno.
It was then that I noticed Myff was glowing green and yellow. He was radiating a buzzing energy that tickled the back of my eyeballs and gave my ears an erection. It's hard to explain. Have you ever Q-tipped your ears and hit it juuuuuust right? It was like that, but better somehow.
Myff's face of disgust dissolved into his stoic, deadpan, resting bitch ass bitch face. "Has it not occurred to you yet that something outside of your understanding is happening?" he questioned me flatly.
"Of course it has," I ugly cried. "You broke my neck! I’m looking at my own butt crack!" Slimy drooly snooty tears covered my face.
Myff did his shitty little shit eating shitfaced chuckle, and then asked me a very obvious question.
"Why aren't you dead, Ash?" One of his eyebrows was raised quizzically.
Actually... I was at a total loss for words. Why wasn't I dead? There's no way I should have been able to survive having my head spun like top while it was still attached to my body.
Myff then gently placed one hand on my forehead, calmly caressing my cheek with the other. The energy he was giving off made my eyes sneeze, twice.
He embraced me, warmly swaddling my spittle slicked head. I felt my worry melt away instantly. It was intensely calm. Myff leaned over to my ear, and I heard him inhale a shallow breath before he whispered, "Ash?" His little breath tickled my ears. "You're being a little bitch." He then counter-broke my neck. Unbroke it? He threw my chin like the baseball your dad never threw for you.
My new scream of surprise came out like a turkey gobble as my head snapped back into place. I felt like a leggo in a vaccuum for some reason. I looked up at Myff just in time to see him wiping my amalgamated snotty drool out of eyes. He looked a little green around the gills. Not that he has gills. Gills like the figure of speech or whatever that's called. He looked sick. But not like... cool sick... Like ill. But not like totally dude gnarly ill, but like he was going to vomit. Serves him right.
Now that my head was right, I just went and sat down. I know, boring. What else are you supposed to do when a fairy breaks your neck and then unbreaks it? Dance? No. I went and sat back down on my toadstool stool, breathing deeply. After centering myself once more, I asked the now obvious question, “Why didn’t that kill me?”
Myff buzzed over to me, looking at me incredulously, before he went on to explain in incredible detail, and with lots of necessary information, exactly what was going on. He told tales of ancient Fae power, humans being born with latent Fae abilities, and Fae being born with human abilities (they get depression and develop a fear of doorbells, tragic).
As it would happen to be, I am someone with latent Fae powers. I’ve had them my whole life, and they were always active. I’ve just never “basically died” before to know it. I guess I should explain the power before I get too far ahead of myself.
According to Myff, my power makes me a Stitcher, or a battle tank of sorts. We’re called stitchers because our abilities allow us to take on a lot of big boo boos and we’ll stitch ourselves and our wounds back together from the brink of death. We can still die though. Like, cutting off our heads, taking too much blood etc. we die. We also apparently develop excessive strength with some training.
The reason my neck didn’t unbreak automatically was that I didn’t set it straight for my powers to work right. That's why Myff broke and unbroke me, to demonstrate. Myff is violent when he wants to show you something... I’m going to keep that in mind.
Beyond Stitchers, there are Riddlists, Savagers, and Etherealists. I’ll go into more detail about these in the future. K baii
2024.05.01 03:01 Motmorey New Here ☺️
Hey folks, 29, female, undiagnosed New profile since I haven’t had Reddit since high school 😅 Looking for people with similar stories. TL/DR symptoms, info, and self/treatment in comment.
Instead of rewriting it all, here’s the email I sent to my doctor: notes to the redditors are in parenthesis.
“Hi Sara, When we first met, I had some obvious priorities, so my [REDACTED unrelated stuff] took front seat. Now that I’m happy and comfortable with where we’re going, there’s something else I haven’t shared fully because one, I don’t even understand it well enough to talk about it, and two, I had the lump in my breast and that train wreck of a phone call from my mother during the last appointment. It was also difficult to come up with accurate words, so I looked up some clinical definitions of symptoms to make sure I was communicating effectively.
I have experienced these symptoms all my life, but within the last six months, there are times where they seemingly go off at once or on good days I barely feel them at all.
First, when I was young I’d have episodes of vomiting. My “episodes” are temperature dysregulation, removing any layers, usually a sweaty hot flash with pre-syncope, nausea, lightheadedness, severe headaches, confusion, ending in vomiting that lasted approx. 30 minutes.) I rarely have episode like this anymore, but they seem similar enough to bring up that this is how it started.
I would ride in the mini-van with a large “throw-up” bowl on my lap, hand towel, and a bottle of water on the way to daycare because I needed it so often when I was young. In Middle School, I got sick sitting down while playing in the school band winter performance. I wasn’t soloing or anything, just had to leave in the middle of a piece. In high school, it even made me have to leave the tech crew in an important scene in a theatre production because of a flare up.
In college, I would leave in the middle of class to excuse myself to go sit in the room next door and lay down in the nearest available classroom with the lights off and a wet towel on my neck or forehead. When I was at a restaurant, there was a running joke about someone walking in the freezer while I was quietly standing inside already from an episode.
The episodes were bad enough that friends would even treat me for heat exhaustion with cool towels, fans, and water. It happened when it was super hot more, but it still happened in air conditioned classrooms. To put it in perspective, my friends would sing a song about buzzards from summer camp at me because buzzards main defense mechanism is projectile vomiting and that’s the point of the song. I have better coping skills now, so I don’t vomit as much, but as an adult, it still happens about once a quarter.
I’ve also been the first to “go down” with pre-syncope symptoms in lines outside in moderately warm weather, on short walks around lakes, and the only thing I’ve ever heard from people that kind of worked was drink water and eat something bland. (An aside: Considering my favorite foods as a kid, pitted olives off my fingers with salted almonds or saltine cracker vienna sausage sandwiches, I feel like my preference in diet could say something about my sodium).
I didn’t see many doctors growing up so it wasn’t until I was 22 and in college that I was diagnosed with panic attacks and GAD. But… I’ve always suspected I may have been diagnosed incorrectly. It wasn’t even until after I had to leave in the middle of class and a professor saw me alone in a dark classroom, that’s when I saw the doctor.
He latched onto the fact I was anxious from life stuff that I had considered normal (dead dad, financially poor, failing school work from fatigue and overexertion doing the things I actually wanted to do with no help from professors other than “we’re all tired”) the doctor considered that to be anxiety inducing (lol it was) and gave me a medicine I can’t even remember. I stopped taking the medicine prescribed to me after three months because it wasn’t helping at all. Instead, it was giving me new symptoms.
I didn’t go back, unfortunately. I already had a distrust of the medical systems at the time and decided to just treat it myself. Experiencing anxiety and panic attacks as an adult now has helped me learn that the anxiety I was experiencing was a normal response to being a diagnosably depressed, closeted transgender person in gendered dorms on a southern christian campus. The “panic attacks”, as the doctor called them, were actually: nausea, lightheadedness, severe headaches, confusion, ending in vomiting that lasted approx. 30 minutes. I know now that those two things may be different.
Recently in the last six months, I’ve been experiencing lightheadedness and nausea mostly in the morning along with pretty heavy fatigue, restlessness, pain and discomfort in my legs, joint pain, inability to concentrate, throbbing headaches, night sweats, ear ringing, and severe hiccups that I’ve had every day for two months.
I’ve had week long hiccups before, but never like this. It’s hard not to find humor with everything among friends at work because hiccups are funny and I laugh at the time too, but after the last few months, I’m starting to get worried and the hiccups are starting to hurt.
Since last year, I’ve had progressing fatigue that sleep can’t fix. It’s hard to describe how difficult it is sometimes, but this last week I lost my ability to stand twice at the cafe register (I didn’t fall, I just desperately needed to sit down (I’m a cafe manager). This morning, it was hard to just get out of bed in the morning to simply brush my teeth, even with the success of antidepressants that I’m taking. Rather than my thoughts of apathy and emptiness weighing me down, it’s more like my battery is completely dead. Like my whole body is heavier. I take more naps, eating is becoming less of a priority, and staying in bed has contributed to my fatigue and my absence is affecting my relationships with friends, family, and is affecting my ability to work at the level I do. Ive had to cut my hours at work by 20%. I’ve had these symptoms plenty throughout my life until it started getting much worse after I had covid in early December of 2023. (Idk if it’s related but it was about that time)
Since getting on HRT and mood stabilizers in April 2022, I’ve had bright red blood in my stool occasionally. I wanted to check in again to say that it was still happening in case I forgot to mention it. (I don’t thinks its a prolapse, hemorrhoid or fissure, but I have a GI appt in June.
I’ve given myself the “At-home” tilt table test multiple times with an old Apple Watch. Tonight, my heart rate went from 78bpm supine resting on average and spikes at 109bpm within 10 minutes of a relaxed standing posture. After looking online for some anecdotal experiences, I realized that folks with POTS have very similar experiences with me related to misdiagnoses with anxiety, “jelly legs,” vertigo, inability to tolerate large meals, swaying, seeing “stars”, slight hand tremors, it doesn't always include fainting, leg discoloration, recently craving salt, needing to sit while I shower, chronic hiccups, pre syncope, heat intolerance, and brain fog to name some that i’ve seen in educational materials. (My current doc and I think POTS is a less likely scenario for now).
Thank you for taking the time to hear me out. I’m confident there’s been a chronic problem that's really making life harder at the moment, and I need help.
Comments? Questions? Support would be awesome 👏 I’m also good and taking advice and criticism so hit me with your best recommendation’s ☺️
-Maggie
submitted by Motmorey to ChronicIllness [link] [comments]
Instead of rewriting it all, here’s the email I sent to my doctor: notes to the redditors are in parenthesis.
“Hi Sara, When we first met, I had some obvious priorities, so my [REDACTED unrelated stuff] took front seat. Now that I’m happy and comfortable with where we’re going, there’s something else I haven’t shared fully because one, I don’t even understand it well enough to talk about it, and two, I had the lump in my breast and that train wreck of a phone call from my mother during the last appointment. It was also difficult to come up with accurate words, so I looked up some clinical definitions of symptoms to make sure I was communicating effectively.
I have experienced these symptoms all my life, but within the last six months, there are times where they seemingly go off at once or on good days I barely feel them at all.
First, when I was young I’d have episodes of vomiting. My “episodes” are temperature dysregulation, removing any layers, usually a sweaty hot flash with pre-syncope, nausea, lightheadedness, severe headaches, confusion, ending in vomiting that lasted approx. 30 minutes.) I rarely have episode like this anymore, but they seem similar enough to bring up that this is how it started.
I would ride in the mini-van with a large “throw-up” bowl on my lap, hand towel, and a bottle of water on the way to daycare because I needed it so often when I was young. In Middle School, I got sick sitting down while playing in the school band winter performance. I wasn’t soloing or anything, just had to leave in the middle of a piece. In high school, it even made me have to leave the tech crew in an important scene in a theatre production because of a flare up.
In college, I would leave in the middle of class to excuse myself to go sit in the room next door and lay down in the nearest available classroom with the lights off and a wet towel on my neck or forehead. When I was at a restaurant, there was a running joke about someone walking in the freezer while I was quietly standing inside already from an episode.
The episodes were bad enough that friends would even treat me for heat exhaustion with cool towels, fans, and water. It happened when it was super hot more, but it still happened in air conditioned classrooms. To put it in perspective, my friends would sing a song about buzzards from summer camp at me because buzzards main defense mechanism is projectile vomiting and that’s the point of the song. I have better coping skills now, so I don’t vomit as much, but as an adult, it still happens about once a quarter.
I’ve also been the first to “go down” with pre-syncope symptoms in lines outside in moderately warm weather, on short walks around lakes, and the only thing I’ve ever heard from people that kind of worked was drink water and eat something bland. (An aside: Considering my favorite foods as a kid, pitted olives off my fingers with salted almonds or saltine cracker vienna sausage sandwiches, I feel like my preference in diet could say something about my sodium).
I didn’t see many doctors growing up so it wasn’t until I was 22 and in college that I was diagnosed with panic attacks and GAD. But… I’ve always suspected I may have been diagnosed incorrectly. It wasn’t even until after I had to leave in the middle of class and a professor saw me alone in a dark classroom, that’s when I saw the doctor.
He latched onto the fact I was anxious from life stuff that I had considered normal (dead dad, financially poor, failing school work from fatigue and overexertion doing the things I actually wanted to do with no help from professors other than “we’re all tired”) the doctor considered that to be anxiety inducing (lol it was) and gave me a medicine I can’t even remember. I stopped taking the medicine prescribed to me after three months because it wasn’t helping at all. Instead, it was giving me new symptoms.
I didn’t go back, unfortunately. I already had a distrust of the medical systems at the time and decided to just treat it myself. Experiencing anxiety and panic attacks as an adult now has helped me learn that the anxiety I was experiencing was a normal response to being a diagnosably depressed, closeted transgender person in gendered dorms on a southern christian campus. The “panic attacks”, as the doctor called them, were actually: nausea, lightheadedness, severe headaches, confusion, ending in vomiting that lasted approx. 30 minutes. I know now that those two things may be different.
Recently in the last six months, I’ve been experiencing lightheadedness and nausea mostly in the morning along with pretty heavy fatigue, restlessness, pain and discomfort in my legs, joint pain, inability to concentrate, throbbing headaches, night sweats, ear ringing, and severe hiccups that I’ve had every day for two months.
I’ve had week long hiccups before, but never like this. It’s hard not to find humor with everything among friends at work because hiccups are funny and I laugh at the time too, but after the last few months, I’m starting to get worried and the hiccups are starting to hurt.
Since last year, I’ve had progressing fatigue that sleep can’t fix. It’s hard to describe how difficult it is sometimes, but this last week I lost my ability to stand twice at the cafe register (I didn’t fall, I just desperately needed to sit down (I’m a cafe manager). This morning, it was hard to just get out of bed in the morning to simply brush my teeth, even with the success of antidepressants that I’m taking. Rather than my thoughts of apathy and emptiness weighing me down, it’s more like my battery is completely dead. Like my whole body is heavier. I take more naps, eating is becoming less of a priority, and staying in bed has contributed to my fatigue and my absence is affecting my relationships with friends, family, and is affecting my ability to work at the level I do. Ive had to cut my hours at work by 20%. I’ve had these symptoms plenty throughout my life until it started getting much worse after I had covid in early December of 2023. (Idk if it’s related but it was about that time)
Since getting on HRT and mood stabilizers in April 2022, I’ve had bright red blood in my stool occasionally. I wanted to check in again to say that it was still happening in case I forgot to mention it. (I don’t thinks its a prolapse, hemorrhoid or fissure, but I have a GI appt in June.
I’ve given myself the “At-home” tilt table test multiple times with an old Apple Watch. Tonight, my heart rate went from 78bpm supine resting on average and spikes at 109bpm within 10 minutes of a relaxed standing posture. After looking online for some anecdotal experiences, I realized that folks with POTS have very similar experiences with me related to misdiagnoses with anxiety, “jelly legs,” vertigo, inability to tolerate large meals, swaying, seeing “stars”, slight hand tremors, it doesn't always include fainting, leg discoloration, recently craving salt, needing to sit while I shower, chronic hiccups, pre syncope, heat intolerance, and brain fog to name some that i’ve seen in educational materials. (My current doc and I think POTS is a less likely scenario for now).
Thank you for taking the time to hear me out. I’m confident there’s been a chronic problem that's really making life harder at the moment, and I need help.
Comments? Questions? Support would be awesome 👏 I’m also good and taking advice and criticism so hit me with your best recommendation’s ☺️
-Maggie
2024.05.01 01:49 crackiana Please examine my fish
 | He spends about two days lethargic and staying at the bottom and spend one day on the top of the water, and repeat. He’s been doing this for the past week and I’m not sure what’s going on. I suspected ick or velvet so I did MB and epsom salt bath today. submitted by crackiana to bettafish [link] [comments] 10G heated (69F) planted and with Indian almond leaf with 1 mystery snail and 7 pygmy Doras Had him for 2 yrs and 1 month, PH 6.6 ammonia/nitrate/nitriite 0 (I have been doing 50% water change every 2-3 days past week, half Poland spring water half tap water with secheam prime and API stress coat) |
2024.05.01 01:32 Simondidntsaygo Brining Chicken Leg Quarters
 | Using the 22cm BIS cocotte as the vessel to brine two leg quarters. Added lemons, garlic and rosemary to the bath of 4 cups water 4 tbsp kosher salt and 2 tbsp of sugar. submitted by Simondidntsaygo to LeCreuset [link] [comments] |
2024.05.01 01:00 Junepero Story’s of panem 112 pre games
Good morning, tributes, and welcome back to Stories of Panem! As usual, I want to extend my thanks to the splendid Christian Blanco, original writer of Tales of the Hunger Games, and Lauren from Panem Reborn, whose tales inspire us. This week's tale is quite the info dump, so I hope y'all enjoy it and find out who emerged victorious. And since I don't have much else to say, let's dive in!
**Game 112 (148) Tributes**
Twenty-six young men and seventeen young ladies raised their hands and were brought to a salt-like and desert arena as Amanda and her entourage watched through the viewing square via a large TV. This year, in a special twist, the guys' display was shown first. Seventeen-year-old Brociade Riggs Verland made himself out to be less of a threat by acting weak. However, when he was attacked by other tributes, he delivered a spectacular groin kick, causing most of his attackers to whimper in pain. His remaining opponent, Maverick, barrel-rolled onto him, attempting to rip his remaining bracelet from his neck before Brociade apparently had an idea cross his mind and fell backward as Maverick tried to realize hi...
As Brociade was declared to be the male tribute for District 2, he grinned quietly to himself. And as his volunteer game was being analyzed in the Capital, both Camilia and Silca seemed to appreciate his less chaotic demeanor. Probably due to the fact that in the last 5 games, a Dalton had won the volunteer games. As Brociade was brought back up to the reaping square, he was bathed and styled up before returning to the stage, shaking Amanda’s hand, which many of the Capital ladies gawked over Brociade’s stylish light brown flow-style hair and sapphire eyes, along with his tall and stoic demeanor. Amanda smiled back at Brociade in a sarcastic smile before he sat down and joined her in watching the ladies' volunteer games.
The ladies' games took place 15 minutes later, with these games taking a record time frame of 6 minutes. Eighteen-year-old Qwendlon Prashina teamed up with her friend, 17-year-old Artemsia Haywill. These two young ladies were classmates in the Heath academy, which was run by Jade Heath, victor of the 106th Hunger Games, and Herminia Edwards, formerly Gold victor of the 109th games. These two proceeded to dominate the arena. However, when it was just Qwendlon and Artemsia remaining, Qwendlon got the upper hand in the fight, only knocking her unconscious in the fight and ripping off her final bracelet. As Qwendlon was crowned as the female tribute for District 2, she gave a guilty smirk as her long blonde hair was suddenly flown up into a messy frizz, leading most of the Capital citizens to laugh as she was then flown back to the reaping square. After Qwendlon was bathed and styled up, Qwendlon and Brociade were announced as the tributes of District 2, and immense applause followed. Amanda whispered "Good luck" into Brociade’s ear, causing him to smirk and nod.
During their family visits, Qwendlon's mother sharply reminded her to be on her best behavior and to "Not be such a spaz". Qwendlon nodded good-naturedly before she styled her hair further, greatly confusing her mother. As Peacekeepers came in to take her to the train, she shockingly slapped their hands away and told them to "Buzz off" and that she did not need an "escort", causing her mother to tell her off as if she was a "Spoiled little girl". However, Mrs. Prashina’s words were not heard as Qwendlon waited patiently for Brociade.
As for Brociade, he was visited by his mother, father, and younger sister, congratulating him on making it to the games. However, his little sister Diana had asked him if he really wanted to go into the games. Brociade shrugged before nodding contently, still, before allowing his father to straighten his light gold suit out. He gave them all one big hug before he and Qwendlon were brought on the train to the Capital.
Once the pair got onto the train, Avoxes later reported a large brawl formed against the pair, with Qwendlon calling Brociade every swear word in the book and Silca saying that she hoped Qwendlon’s mother "Didn't hear what words she was saying". However, as Qwendlon grew more violent, they heard one of their mentors' voices say, "Scratching the one person that could maybe be your one way to win in the games isn't smart, especially for a Career."
Herminia Edward grinned before saying she was the "boy's mentor" and that she would be able to meet "Hers in the Capital". Qwendlon annoyingly walked to her own carriage before Herminia grinned at Brociade, saying, "Oh my god, your hair, it's like so stunning, get it king." Brociade chuckled before embracing Herminia as the pair had a good ol' catch up. After a brief dinner, Herminia displayed the past reapings that had happened so far in the districts.
When Anchor and Marina, both from 4, were reaped, Brociade grinned before asking Herminia if it would be "6-pack or the usual 4-pack".
Herminia shrugged before saying, "It depends".
After she drilled Brociade on possible strategies, Jade Heath, victor of the 106th Hunger Games, arrived.
"Where's the girl?" she asked.
Y
"She scratched him up already, so tread with caution."
Jade shrugged before saying she could "Deal with the feisty ones better than that Harley boy."
Herminia sniggered to herself before Brociade asked who that "Harley boy was".
Herminia grinned, saying, "He was a victor from the Damned Ones district." Brociade laughed before replying "Fair enough". As Jade laughed, she brought an assortment of dinner foods to Qwendlon. It is unknown what the pair talked about at this time, but much to the relief of Jade and Herminia, Qwendlon and Broicade agreed still to stick together besides their earlier brawl. As the train from District 2 soon settled into Snow Station, Herminia and Jade helped their tributes up and told them to just "be themselves". Immediately, loud cheers and excited squeals sounded as the two mentors from District 2 regally waved before introducing the crowd of citizens at the train station to their tributes.
Brociade appeared to be a hit with the ladies in the crowd, becoming quite the ladies' man from his boyish charm and "strong-minded" personality. Even after he finished talking to one of his admirers, he softened seeing one younger lad sinning to him.
Brociade smiled before giving the young kid an autograph. The wee lad smiled back with joy flowing through his face. Brociade looked back at Herminia as she smiled warmly and gave him a thumbs up. However, with Qwendlon, she opted for the train platform greeting time to be a time of strength showing, causing Brociade and Qwendlon to compete by proving who was stronger. As Brociade appeared to be the winner, Qwendlon nearly tackled Brociade to the ground. However, saving the favored district's reputation, Jade and Herminia thanked the Capital for their time as the excited Capital audience waved at the four of them. During the limousine ride, Jade yelled at Qwendlon for nearly embarrassing her and Herminia, shouting that this could "Ruin their chances and even the district's reputation". Herminia soon looked back and did goofy faces at Brociade, causing him to laugh. Herminia soon calmed her own mentor down before the limo arrived at the accommodation tower.
The pair soon were greeted by their new stylist, Junipero Cardew. However, after he did his best in showing his tributes his Roman soldier-themed ideas, when Qwendlon laughed out loud, saying "All you're gonna look like is a Roman guard with dog poop on his head."
"Well, I guess Bonnie dumped you because that's because you're the dog poop personality."
Immediately, Qwendlon broke out of her stylist's grip, throwing her fist up into Brociade’s nose. He lost his temper before kicking Qwendlon into a wall. He winced in pain as Qwendlon soon barreled into him again, causing Junipero, Jade, Herminia, and even a few Avoxes to get caught in the brawl. As the brawl continued, Brociade shouted "Herminia, a little help, please, she's choking me." As Brociade soon threw Qwendlon off again, a loud voice soon screamed, "ENOUGH!"
"THAT'S ENOUGH! I WON'T LET THIS RUIN OUR REPUTATION."
As a rather tired Junipero ordered for peacekeepers to lock Qwendlon in her room until the parade, Herminia and Junipero joined Brociade outside on the balcony.
"So, we know she’s out of the picture."
Brociade shrugged before allowing Junipero to stitch up the bleeding marks on his nose as Herminia brought a portable TV out before going through the past reaping commentaries in the districts. As he began to take notes, Herminia interrupted him, saying, "Keep the primadonnas at arm's length. Bonnie had an early out due to that spunky little brat from 8."
Brociade nodded before dressing in his Roman soldier outfit before Herminia brought him back as two peacekeepers escorted the pair from 2 with their stylists soon following with the addition of Herminia and Jade. Once they arrived, they were greeted by Sterling and Tiffany, both from 1. Brociade seemed to have an instant acquaintance with Sterling in particular, bonding over the fact of "Despising their district partners".
"So, what's the deal with the girl?"
"Eh, she dated my old girlfriend who died last year during the games, and she was her ex."
Sterling snorted out in laughter before he added that "Wanna get the boy over there to join?"
Brociade shrugged before he and Sterling walked over to Anchor from 4, having a chat with his district partner Marina and Clarion from 5. Marina seemed to be rather petrified seeing two rather strong Career boys nearby her, even her mentor Sienna Shoreville looked on. However, she was surprised to hear Anchor accepted but on the condition that Marina would stay with him. Jafar shrugged, saying "Fair enough". As the pair walked back, seeing Anteno from 3 asking,
"What about me?"
Brociade laughed seeing the 14-year-old ask eagerly before he replied, "Buzz off", causing Anteno to walk back to his own carriage, looking at a rather bemused Albert Latier.
"Nice job, remember what I told you."
He fist bumped Herminia before Junipero and Jade smiled and wished them luck.
As the parade kicked off without any issues, after the roaring cheers for the pair from 1 with their royal sapphire suits and gowns, the pair from 2 soon took the show, regally waving and giving a "Different side" of the 2s. However, Capital citizens and even many commentators noticed the growing annoyance on Brociade’s face as Qwendlon waved in front of his face and once she stood in front of him, leading Brociade to nearly fall off the carriage.
Jade could be seen in the crowd scowling at her niece’s "Peculiar attitude' during the parade. At the end of the parade, the crowd applauded as President Mcaine did his usual speech about the glory of the Capital and how it always overcomes adversity and issues before he welcomed Nico Anderson to the stage. Nico gave a rather flamboyant welcome as he was adorned in a rainbow suit covered with a load of flowers. After giving credit to the stylists, he then crowned the pair from 1 as Anderson Fashions best-dressed for their sapphire-themed couture.
As many of the Capital crowd clapped in appreciation, the parade concluded. Unfortunately, a rather violent brawl took place in the District 2 apartment, with Jade doing her best to keep her niece from "Stabbing everyone with a alcohol bottle or destroying every bottle on sight."
Brociade sniggered before telling Jade to "Keep your attack child down". Causing her to furiously look back, however, before she could say anything else, Herminia brought the rather angry boy from 2 to his room. As Jade gave up with her niece.
The next morning, training took place at 10 am as per usual. Apollo Price greeted the tributes with his usual strict demeanor. He also suggested to "Not scratch each other up yet", clearly referencing Qwendlon’s "Fighting episodes" with Brociade. Price then turned on his taser as the trainers soon followed before he dismissed the tributes.
Rather surprisingly, the Careers did practice together. However, when Tiffany hurled a spear so hard into a display it went right through nearly hitting Wybrana from 3 in the head. Wybrana squeaked in fear as Qwendlon laughed so hard Tiffany heard.
"What's so funny?"
Jade and Quintin Mahoney, victor of the 108th Hunger Games, watched on in intrigue. However, when Qwendlon punched Tiffany in the face, a brutal hair-pulling, scratching fight broke out.
"Get off me, you psychopathic bitch."
Luckily for Tiffany, Jade and Apollo picked her up and put Qwendlon in an isolation pod. Jafar looked back and gave Tiffany a knowing look before she chatted with Marina from 4. Brociade seemed to enjoy his district partner's fight. He stayed with Anchor, hurling Tridents into many targets. The pair ended up high-fiving before seeing Clarion from 5 looking with intrigue. However, when Jafar looked at Clarion in a threatening manner, Clarion sinned, asking Jafar if he would want to spar.
As Jafar and even Brociade were taken aback by the sudden courage, Jafar smirked before nodding as Clarion’s mentor, Regina Harrington, looked on in worry. As a small crowd formed, the men were dressed in the appropriate pads. And after a sharp reminder on a fair fight, the men begun. Rather surprisingly, Clarion had appeared to get the upper hand in the match before rather unsurprisingly being overpowered by Jafar, leading with a score of 17-8.
Brociade and the Career girls cheered Jafar’s name as Clarion was soon helped out of the stadium door by his district partner, Victoria, to the camouflage station. And as for the remainder of the 3 days of training passed rather uneventfully for all.
As the game maker evaluations came into play, Qwendlon and Brociade were early on in the lineup. Qwendlon was brought up first before requesting for a plate of fire to be brought in. As mild sounds of concern sounded in the assessor's hall on the surprising "Psychopathic nature" of this tribute, Game Maker Monty nodded as Qwendlon walked into the containment room. As she began her assessment, many of the nearby assessors soon looked on in bewilderment as the girl from 2 hit all the provided targets, greatly scaring and impressing the assessors. And to top off her act, she shoved the burning arrow down her throat and then out.
She gave her usual sinister smile as she then walked out of the assessment hall. As for Brociade, he requested to be blindfolded. As an Avox did this task, Brociade then walked over to the nearby knives table. He threw many into the nearby targets; the assessors looked on in bewilderment as these knives soon turned into a smiley face as the assessors clapped. Brociade bowed as he removed the blindfold; he grinned, clearly being impressed with his work.
After the rather pitiful displays of the pair from 14, the tributes were quickly ushered back to their apartments as their mentors turned on the TVs, turning to Camilia Ravenstil's live show, reading the results. Leading the pack was Brociade from 2 with a score of 11, with Jafar and Tiffany both from 1 with a 10. Qwendlon scored a 9. Anchor scored an 8. Clarion, a 5. And at the bottom of the pack was Frank from 8 and Mina from 11 with scores of 2 each.
Qwendlon was beyond enraged that she was outraged with Brociade and how she had been outstaged. Brociade laughed before pouring himself a triple vodka cranberry as Herminia quizzed him on interview questions. As the pair watched, Junipero crafted their luscious dress and suits.
In the evening, Camila Ravenstil welcomed the excited Capital audience, twirling around in her seaside-themed dress with her newly dyed light blue hair. Even being 8 months pregnant, she was still the living definition of grace and beauty. After hyping up the audience for the upcoming games, the interviews from the pair from 1 were given a warm welcome, giving high praise for their stunning ruby gowns and charismatic demeanors. Tiffany from 1 even braided Camilia’s hair into a jewel-like style, and her charismatic attitude made her even more of a Capital favorite. Qwendlon was welcomed in next, fashioning a stunning golden dress and a laurel wreath.
Rather surprisingly, her overly competitive nature had faded away as she rather flirtatious response and attitudes to Camilia’s questions, leading her to sharply remind Qwendlon that "She was married". Qwendlon soon blushed in embarrassment before running out of the interview rooms, much to the amusement of Capital citizens. Jade could be seen in the audience slapping her face in embarrassment as Brociade was welcomed in next.
His light brown hair had been styled and dyed a light brown, falling with a gold suit showing his muscular figure and golden jeans, Brociade became more of a sensation in the Capital as he managed a decent bantering session with Camilia, almost daring her to be more flirtatious. Before the end of the interview, Camilia asked Brociade if the Career alliance would be "filed or would there be any modifications."
Brociade winked before saying "Just the little brat that I have to unfortunately call my district partner."
The audience laughed good-naturedly before Camilia then dismissed him. The rest of the interviews went rather uneventfully, with Clarion from 5 becoming an unexpected Capital favorite through his comedic sign language anecdotes with Camila. And Leon from 7 being fawned over by nearly every lady in the audience. After the rather pitiful interview from the boy from 14, Game Maker Monty was welcomed to the stage with a standing ovation. Cyrus was adorned in a fabulous suit of sapphire with a green and brown bountier. After a good ol catch up with Camilia and congratulating her on her pregnancy with triplets, Camila graciously accepted this complement before doing her usual attempt in asking for an arena hint. Unsurprisingly, Cyrus kept his mouth shut, resulting in good-natured laughter from the citizens in the studios. Camila smirked before thanking Game Maker Monty for his time before ending the interviews there.
After an uneasy night, with mentors calming uneasy ones and fights and arguments raged on, the day of the games finally arrived. The tributes were then flown to the arenas holding rooms. Once they arrived, peacekeepers brought in the outfits: breathable tank tops, cargo shorts, and shoes.
It was no surprise that Qwendlon was not visited by anyone. She grinned her now-infamous eerie smile before she walked into the tube. As for Brociade, he was visited by Herminia.
"Stay out of trouble and remember, put on a show."
Brociade smiled warmly before hugging Herminia.
"Wait."
Herminia was surprised to see a note that he had written the night before. And after re reading the note Hermina wiped a tear before nodding as Brociade smiled as he walked into his tube as it then rose into the arena.
submitted by Junepero to christianblanco [link] [comments]
**Game 112 (148) Tributes**
- **District 1:** Jafar and Tiffany
- **District 2:** Broicade and Gwendolyn
- **District 3:** Anteno and Wybrana
- **District 4:** Anchor and Marina
- **District 5:** Clarion and Victoria
- **District 6:** Geo and Lunar
- **District 7:** LeonLeon and Belle
- **District 8:** Frank and unknown girl
- **District 9:** Kaden and Raven
- **District 10:** Yriel and Blanche
- **District 11:** Argyle and Mina
- **District 12:** Sebastian and Remeda
- **District 14:** unknown boy and unknown girl
Twenty-six young men and seventeen young ladies raised their hands and were brought to a salt-like and desert arena as Amanda and her entourage watched through the viewing square via a large TV. This year, in a special twist, the guys' display was shown first. Seventeen-year-old Brociade Riggs Verland made himself out to be less of a threat by acting weak. However, when he was attacked by other tributes, he delivered a spectacular groin kick, causing most of his attackers to whimper in pain. His remaining opponent, Maverick, barrel-rolled onto him, attempting to rip his remaining bracelet from his neck before Brociade apparently had an idea cross his mind and fell backward as Maverick tried to realize hi...
As Brociade was declared to be the male tribute for District 2, he grinned quietly to himself. And as his volunteer game was being analyzed in the Capital, both Camilia and Silca seemed to appreciate his less chaotic demeanor. Probably due to the fact that in the last 5 games, a Dalton had won the volunteer games. As Brociade was brought back up to the reaping square, he was bathed and styled up before returning to the stage, shaking Amanda’s hand, which many of the Capital ladies gawked over Brociade’s stylish light brown flow-style hair and sapphire eyes, along with his tall and stoic demeanor. Amanda smiled back at Brociade in a sarcastic smile before he sat down and joined her in watching the ladies' volunteer games.
The ladies' games took place 15 minutes later, with these games taking a record time frame of 6 minutes. Eighteen-year-old Qwendlon Prashina teamed up with her friend, 17-year-old Artemsia Haywill. These two young ladies were classmates in the Heath academy, which was run by Jade Heath, victor of the 106th Hunger Games, and Herminia Edwards, formerly Gold victor of the 109th games. These two proceeded to dominate the arena. However, when it was just Qwendlon and Artemsia remaining, Qwendlon got the upper hand in the fight, only knocking her unconscious in the fight and ripping off her final bracelet. As Qwendlon was crowned as the female tribute for District 2, she gave a guilty smirk as her long blonde hair was suddenly flown up into a messy frizz, leading most of the Capital citizens to laugh as she was then flown back to the reaping square. After Qwendlon was bathed and styled up, Qwendlon and Brociade were announced as the tributes of District 2, and immense applause followed. Amanda whispered "Good luck" into Brociade’s ear, causing him to smirk and nod.
During their family visits, Qwendlon's mother sharply reminded her to be on her best behavior and to "Not be such a spaz". Qwendlon nodded good-naturedly before she styled her hair further, greatly confusing her mother. As Peacekeepers came in to take her to the train, she shockingly slapped their hands away and told them to "Buzz off" and that she did not need an "escort", causing her mother to tell her off as if she was a "Spoiled little girl". However, Mrs. Prashina’s words were not heard as Qwendlon waited patiently for Brociade.
As for Brociade, he was visited by his mother, father, and younger sister, congratulating him on making it to the games. However, his little sister Diana had asked him if he really wanted to go into the games. Brociade shrugged before nodding contently, still, before allowing his father to straighten his light gold suit out. He gave them all one big hug before he and Qwendlon were brought on the train to the Capital.
Once the pair got onto the train, Avoxes later reported a large brawl formed against the pair, with Qwendlon calling Brociade every swear word in the book and Silca saying that she hoped Qwendlon’s mother "Didn't hear what words she was saying". However, as Qwendlon grew more violent, they heard one of their mentors' voices say, "Scratching the one person that could maybe be your one way to win in the games isn't smart, especially for a Career."
Herminia Edward grinned before saying she was the "boy's mentor" and that she would be able to meet "Hers in the Capital". Qwendlon annoyingly walked to her own carriage before Herminia grinned at Brociade, saying, "Oh my god, your hair, it's like so stunning, get it king." Brociade chuckled before embracing Herminia as the pair had a good ol' catch up. After a brief dinner, Herminia displayed the past reapings that had happened so far in the districts.
When Anchor and Marina, both from 4, were reaped, Brociade grinned before asking Herminia if it would be "6-pack or the usual 4-pack".
Herminia shrugged before saying, "It depends".
After she drilled Brociade on possible strategies, Jade Heath, victor of the 106th Hunger Games, arrived.
"Where's the girl?" she asked.
Y
"She scratched him up already, so tread with caution."
Jade shrugged before saying she could "Deal with the feisty ones better than that Harley boy."
Herminia sniggered to herself before Brociade asked who that "Harley boy was".
Herminia grinned, saying, "He was a victor from the Damned Ones district." Brociade laughed before replying "Fair enough". As Jade laughed, she brought an assortment of dinner foods to Qwendlon. It is unknown what the pair talked about at this time, but much to the relief of Jade and Herminia, Qwendlon and Broicade agreed still to stick together besides their earlier brawl. As the train from District 2 soon settled into Snow Station, Herminia and Jade helped their tributes up and told them to just "be themselves". Immediately, loud cheers and excited squeals sounded as the two mentors from District 2 regally waved before introducing the crowd of citizens at the train station to their tributes.
Brociade appeared to be a hit with the ladies in the crowd, becoming quite the ladies' man from his boyish charm and "strong-minded" personality. Even after he finished talking to one of his admirers, he softened seeing one younger lad sinning to him.
Brociade smiled before giving the young kid an autograph. The wee lad smiled back with joy flowing through his face. Brociade looked back at Herminia as she smiled warmly and gave him a thumbs up. However, with Qwendlon, she opted for the train platform greeting time to be a time of strength showing, causing Brociade and Qwendlon to compete by proving who was stronger. As Brociade appeared to be the winner, Qwendlon nearly tackled Brociade to the ground. However, saving the favored district's reputation, Jade and Herminia thanked the Capital for their time as the excited Capital audience waved at the four of them. During the limousine ride, Jade yelled at Qwendlon for nearly embarrassing her and Herminia, shouting that this could "Ruin their chances and even the district's reputation". Herminia soon looked back and did goofy faces at Brociade, causing him to laugh. Herminia soon calmed her own mentor down before the limo arrived at the accommodation tower.
The pair soon were greeted by their new stylist, Junipero Cardew. However, after he did his best in showing his tributes his Roman soldier-themed ideas, when Qwendlon laughed out loud, saying "All you're gonna look like is a Roman guard with dog poop on his head."
"Well, I guess Bonnie dumped you because that's because you're the dog poop personality."
Immediately, Qwendlon broke out of her stylist's grip, throwing her fist up into Brociade’s nose. He lost his temper before kicking Qwendlon into a wall. He winced in pain as Qwendlon soon barreled into him again, causing Junipero, Jade, Herminia, and even a few Avoxes to get caught in the brawl. As the brawl continued, Brociade shouted "Herminia, a little help, please, she's choking me." As Brociade soon threw Qwendlon off again, a loud voice soon screamed, "ENOUGH!"
"THAT'S ENOUGH! I WON'T LET THIS RUIN OUR REPUTATION."
As a rather tired Junipero ordered for peacekeepers to lock Qwendlon in her room until the parade, Herminia and Junipero joined Brociade outside on the balcony.
"So, we know she’s out of the picture."
Brociade shrugged before allowing Junipero to stitch up the bleeding marks on his nose as Herminia brought a portable TV out before going through the past reaping commentaries in the districts. As he began to take notes, Herminia interrupted him, saying, "Keep the primadonnas at arm's length. Bonnie had an early out due to that spunky little brat from 8."
Brociade nodded before dressing in his Roman soldier outfit before Herminia brought him back as two peacekeepers escorted the pair from 2 with their stylists soon following with the addition of Herminia and Jade. Once they arrived, they were greeted by Sterling and Tiffany, both from 1. Brociade seemed to have an instant acquaintance with Sterling in particular, bonding over the fact of "Despising their district partners".
"So, what's the deal with the girl?"
"Eh, she dated my old girlfriend who died last year during the games, and she was her ex."
Sterling snorted out in laughter before he added that "Wanna get the boy over there to join?"
Brociade shrugged before he and Sterling walked over to Anchor from 4, having a chat with his district partner Marina and Clarion from 5. Marina seemed to be rather petrified seeing two rather strong Career boys nearby her, even her mentor Sienna Shoreville looked on. However, she was surprised to hear Anchor accepted but on the condition that Marina would stay with him. Jafar shrugged, saying "Fair enough". As the pair walked back, seeing Anteno from 3 asking,
"What about me?"
Brociade laughed seeing the 14-year-old ask eagerly before he replied, "Buzz off", causing Anteno to walk back to his own carriage, looking at a rather bemused Albert Latier.
"Nice job, remember what I told you."
He fist bumped Herminia before Junipero and Jade smiled and wished them luck.
As the parade kicked off without any issues, after the roaring cheers for the pair from 1 with their royal sapphire suits and gowns, the pair from 2 soon took the show, regally waving and giving a "Different side" of the 2s. However, Capital citizens and even many commentators noticed the growing annoyance on Brociade’s face as Qwendlon waved in front of his face and once she stood in front of him, leading Brociade to nearly fall off the carriage.
Jade could be seen in the crowd scowling at her niece’s "Peculiar attitude' during the parade. At the end of the parade, the crowd applauded as President Mcaine did his usual speech about the glory of the Capital and how it always overcomes adversity and issues before he welcomed Nico Anderson to the stage. Nico gave a rather flamboyant welcome as he was adorned in a rainbow suit covered with a load of flowers. After giving credit to the stylists, he then crowned the pair from 1 as Anderson Fashions best-dressed for their sapphire-themed couture.
As many of the Capital crowd clapped in appreciation, the parade concluded. Unfortunately, a rather violent brawl took place in the District 2 apartment, with Jade doing her best to keep her niece from "Stabbing everyone with a alcohol bottle or destroying every bottle on sight."
Brociade sniggered before telling Jade to "Keep your attack child down". Causing her to furiously look back, however, before she could say anything else, Herminia brought the rather angry boy from 2 to his room. As Jade gave up with her niece.
The next morning, training took place at 10 am as per usual. Apollo Price greeted the tributes with his usual strict demeanor. He also suggested to "Not scratch each other up yet", clearly referencing Qwendlon’s "Fighting episodes" with Brociade. Price then turned on his taser as the trainers soon followed before he dismissed the tributes.
Rather surprisingly, the Careers did practice together. However, when Tiffany hurled a spear so hard into a display it went right through nearly hitting Wybrana from 3 in the head. Wybrana squeaked in fear as Qwendlon laughed so hard Tiffany heard.
"What's so funny?"
Jade and Quintin Mahoney, victor of the 108th Hunger Games, watched on in intrigue. However, when Qwendlon punched Tiffany in the face, a brutal hair-pulling, scratching fight broke out.
"Get off me, you psychopathic bitch."
Luckily for Tiffany, Jade and Apollo picked her up and put Qwendlon in an isolation pod. Jafar looked back and gave Tiffany a knowing look before she chatted with Marina from 4. Brociade seemed to enjoy his district partner's fight. He stayed with Anchor, hurling Tridents into many targets. The pair ended up high-fiving before seeing Clarion from 5 looking with intrigue. However, when Jafar looked at Clarion in a threatening manner, Clarion sinned, asking Jafar if he would want to spar.
As Jafar and even Brociade were taken aback by the sudden courage, Jafar smirked before nodding as Clarion’s mentor, Regina Harrington, looked on in worry. As a small crowd formed, the men were dressed in the appropriate pads. And after a sharp reminder on a fair fight, the men begun. Rather surprisingly, Clarion had appeared to get the upper hand in the match before rather unsurprisingly being overpowered by Jafar, leading with a score of 17-8.
Brociade and the Career girls cheered Jafar’s name as Clarion was soon helped out of the stadium door by his district partner, Victoria, to the camouflage station. And as for the remainder of the 3 days of training passed rather uneventfully for all.
As the game maker evaluations came into play, Qwendlon and Brociade were early on in the lineup. Qwendlon was brought up first before requesting for a plate of fire to be brought in. As mild sounds of concern sounded in the assessor's hall on the surprising "Psychopathic nature" of this tribute, Game Maker Monty nodded as Qwendlon walked into the containment room. As she began her assessment, many of the nearby assessors soon looked on in bewilderment as the girl from 2 hit all the provided targets, greatly scaring and impressing the assessors. And to top off her act, she shoved the burning arrow down her throat and then out.
She gave her usual sinister smile as she then walked out of the assessment hall. As for Brociade, he requested to be blindfolded. As an Avox did this task, Brociade then walked over to the nearby knives table. He threw many into the nearby targets; the assessors looked on in bewilderment as these knives soon turned into a smiley face as the assessors clapped. Brociade bowed as he removed the blindfold; he grinned, clearly being impressed with his work.
After the rather pitiful displays of the pair from 14, the tributes were quickly ushered back to their apartments as their mentors turned on the TVs, turning to Camilia Ravenstil's live show, reading the results. Leading the pack was Brociade from 2 with a score of 11, with Jafar and Tiffany both from 1 with a 10. Qwendlon scored a 9. Anchor scored an 8. Clarion, a 5. And at the bottom of the pack was Frank from 8 and Mina from 11 with scores of 2 each.
Qwendlon was beyond enraged that she was outraged with Brociade and how she had been outstaged. Brociade laughed before pouring himself a triple vodka cranberry as Herminia quizzed him on interview questions. As the pair watched, Junipero crafted their luscious dress and suits.
In the evening, Camila Ravenstil welcomed the excited Capital audience, twirling around in her seaside-themed dress with her newly dyed light blue hair. Even being 8 months pregnant, she was still the living definition of grace and beauty. After hyping up the audience for the upcoming games, the interviews from the pair from 1 were given a warm welcome, giving high praise for their stunning ruby gowns and charismatic demeanors. Tiffany from 1 even braided Camilia’s hair into a jewel-like style, and her charismatic attitude made her even more of a Capital favorite. Qwendlon was welcomed in next, fashioning a stunning golden dress and a laurel wreath.
Rather surprisingly, her overly competitive nature had faded away as she rather flirtatious response and attitudes to Camilia’s questions, leading her to sharply remind Qwendlon that "She was married". Qwendlon soon blushed in embarrassment before running out of the interview rooms, much to the amusement of Capital citizens. Jade could be seen in the audience slapping her face in embarrassment as Brociade was welcomed in next.
His light brown hair had been styled and dyed a light brown, falling with a gold suit showing his muscular figure and golden jeans, Brociade became more of a sensation in the Capital as he managed a decent bantering session with Camilia, almost daring her to be more flirtatious. Before the end of the interview, Camilia asked Brociade if the Career alliance would be "filed or would there be any modifications."
Brociade winked before saying "Just the little brat that I have to unfortunately call my district partner."
The audience laughed good-naturedly before Camilia then dismissed him. The rest of the interviews went rather uneventfully, with Clarion from 5 becoming an unexpected Capital favorite through his comedic sign language anecdotes with Camila. And Leon from 7 being fawned over by nearly every lady in the audience. After the rather pitiful interview from the boy from 14, Game Maker Monty was welcomed to the stage with a standing ovation. Cyrus was adorned in a fabulous suit of sapphire with a green and brown bountier. After a good ol catch up with Camilia and congratulating her on her pregnancy with triplets, Camila graciously accepted this complement before doing her usual attempt in asking for an arena hint. Unsurprisingly, Cyrus kept his mouth shut, resulting in good-natured laughter from the citizens in the studios. Camila smirked before thanking Game Maker Monty for his time before ending the interviews there.
After an uneasy night, with mentors calming uneasy ones and fights and arguments raged on, the day of the games finally arrived. The tributes were then flown to the arenas holding rooms. Once they arrived, peacekeepers brought in the outfits: breathable tank tops, cargo shorts, and shoes.
It was no surprise that Qwendlon was not visited by anyone. She grinned her now-infamous eerie smile before she walked into the tube. As for Brociade, he was visited by Herminia.
"Stay out of trouble and remember, put on a show."
Brociade smiled warmly before hugging Herminia.
"Wait."
Herminia was surprised to see a note that he had written the night before. And after re reading the note Hermina wiped a tear before nodding as Brociade smiled as he walked into his tube as it then rose into the arena.
2024.05.01 00:32 Alysty How to unfocus from something
I have been struggling a lot with a particular issue, wonder if anyone has nay advice or a video talking about this.
My issue is that I always want to focus on one singular thing for months at a time and have a hard time doing other stuff not related to my current fixation.
Ill give a two examples on how this has both helped me and hindered me in my life:
I see a lot of advice on how to focus on one thing and how to bring your focus back to something but I wonder if anyone here knows anything about how to stop focusing on only one thing. Any advice from actions i should take to things I should think about are welcomed.
submitted by Alysty to Healthygamergg [link] [comments]
My issue is that I always want to focus on one singular thing for months at a time and have a hard time doing other stuff not related to my current fixation.
Ill give a two examples on how this has both helped me and hindered me in my life:
- When I was 17 I decided i wanted to learn English (my first language is Portuguese) and all I did was study English and attend to my basic needs like food and water for 3 months. At the end of it i could already understand most videos I watched and the entire process was extremely fun for me.
- I decided I was going to focus on learn Japanese last year, but then for the next 6 months I could not concentrate on anything I did at work, I basically had to pull my focus from reviewing Japanese grammar in my head to what I was tasked with at work hundreds of times a day, this drained my energy so much that I didn't have energy to actually study when i got home. It also didn't help that I got stressed because I thought I was going to be fired since I wasn't doing much.
I see a lot of advice on how to focus on one thing and how to bring your focus back to something but I wonder if anyone here knows anything about how to stop focusing on only one thing. Any advice from actions i should take to things I should think about are welcomed.
2024.05.01 00:19 CrazedManiacRPG Self Introduction/Recipes/Cooking Photos
 | I’m a chef. I’m good at cooking, baking, and other things. submitted by CrazedManiacRPG to u/CrazedManiacRPG [link] [comments] It is my profession and I’m good at what I do. Alignment: Lawful/Maniacal Good. Hair Color: Red. Eye Color: Blue. Gender: Male Height: 5 ft 11 inches. Skin: White. Weight: 198 pounds. Body Type: Skinny/Healthy/muscular. (Actively working out to get better.) Straight. White Irish American (no irish accent) Working full time in a bbq restaurant. Not in Debt. No criminal record. I don’t smoke. I don’t do drugs. Truck is payed off. I have a lot of things going for me. I have Morals, Ethics, and Principles that I follow. I'm also saving up money and bettering myself in what ways I can. Age: 35 (but ive been told I look like I’m in my mid to late 20’s) Month of birth: September. Hobbies: Baking, Cooking, videogames (I usually play RPGs, I avoid games that have bad communities)., reading, video editing, events, watching anime and movies, researching subjects of interest, typing up recipes, working out to maintain health. Genres of music I like are: eurobeats, orchestrations, electronic, videogame music, ska, punk rock, classical, russian hardbass, electroswing, old era music from the 20’s-50’s, Bluegrass, chill, folk, chiptune, cyberpunk, japanese electronic, hardstyle, hardcore, powerstomp, japanese rock, japanese ska, nintendo music, old russian music, russian music Likes: Obsessive Women, Wine, Chocolate, Herbal Tea, other alcoholic beverages, festivals, events. Preferences of attraction are below. Attracted to women who are: Loyal, honest, kind, Pale or Light Skinned. Age Range of 26-36 An emotional connection is really important along with personality. Attraction Both in personality and also while looks last because looks eventually fade. I’ll be honest, even if it’s embarrassing for me. Those are the main things. The following section below is labeled extra for a reason. Personality takes priority along with basic attraction preferences. I say basic in the context of mind, personality, and skin color because we all know (or should know) that our experiences as individuals shape our preferences. Extras are just bonuses. Main attraction is personality and pale or light skin. Extras are: if she is chubby or voluptuous or thicc. The eye covering bangs hairstyle is one of my weaknesses, Pale skinned women with hair that is dark and mysterious or even scary or gloomy looking intrigue me. It’s hot. That's just an added weakness, I'm not picky on hair color. I also have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. 2 auto immune conditions but they are manageable. Dislikes/hates: Cheaters, liars, other bad things Single, Never Married. Health Status: Good. 100% recovered from last surgery. Total lifetime surgeries: 2. Past injury: broken wrist, saw a great doctor, properly fixed like it didn’t happen. Clean, no std or sti. Pure blood, never took the covid vaccine. The most recent shot I had was for tetanus. I don’t vote. I received more compliments at work that I look young like I’m in my mid to late 20’s despite being 35. They didn’t believe I was 35. I received compliments of being handsome and attractive. I’m genuine, even the insane parts. At work I’m well respected and well liked. I handle stress much better and I recover from illness faster. I have my own recipes along with ones I obtained from previous places I worked. I’m also gifted with skill in desserts. I can do a lot more in cooking than I’m introducing. My levels of sanity and insanity are now stable and compliment eachother. People have also noticed my calm and kind demeanor, improved physique, improved mentality, confidence, improved self esteem, and that I’m easily approachable. I’m very well disciplined and driven. There have been many times where people have asked me if I was in the army. I wasn’t. My self discipline and character are just that good. I’m humble. Local women have flirted and hit on me but they were not my type so I’m still saving myself for the right woman. My phone gallery and browser are ready for inspection. When a woman is interested in me, she needs to tell me and start communicating. I also have a great job now working at a quality BBQ restaurant. Good pay, full time, most people there really like me, including my boss, back of house, and front of house staff. They have said they are proud of me and how far I have come in just a few months since it opened in February along with my progress in therapy achieving my goal to be 100% me and they appreciate my hard work and say I’m doing a good/great job. I have also shown my kindness at work by making lemonade for everyone and made a bulk batch of my own hot chocolate recipe and brought it in as well. Everyone loved it and they thanked me for being me. They reviewed the hot chocolate as (delicious, amazing, life changing) Previously I made fudge brownies for everybody. Despite everything I have been through, I have remained a kind, honest, understanding, and loyal person of good character. My life goal is to settle down with a good woman, an obsessive woman who would always be Loyal and love me forever and we can raise a family together of our own offspring. To create life out of love. When I’m drunk, most of the time it’s with wine. My favorite wine is pinot noir. I’m a fun drunk. I really like soft things, like a comforter, or a soft pillow. When in the company of a lady I am fond of, like I love her for her mind, personality etc. , please, thigh pillow or tiddy pillow. That deep love affection I have so longed for, and it’s really cute when ladies blush. This shouldn’t be a surprise given how I like soft things. I also have stories to tell as things have happened over the years. Recipes/Cooking Photos Lemonade 4 cups water 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (no seeds or pulp, juice the lemons and use a strainer) Then mix the strained juice into the water and sugar. If you want ice, Add it right in but its better of you chill the lemonade first after you make it. This is also better than the store bought stuff or chik fil a because the kind in stores and there has too much sugar. This is more balanced. Iced Tea 8 cups boiled water 8 tea bags 2/3 cup sugar (if desired sweetened) I recommend using the Zinger Teas from Celestial Seasonings. Raspberry Zinger, Lemon Zinger. 1. Boil water and measure out 8 cups 2. Add in tea bags 3. Steep on counter for 3 hours in rubbermaid bpa free plastic pitcher 4. Transfer to refrigerator and chill overnight 12-24 hours based upon how strong you want it. The longer the steep, the more health benefits and flavor 5. Remove tea bags 6. Add in, stir in sugar 7. Serve. This works great with the zinger teas from Celestial Seasonings. It is also a good ratio to use for other iced teas. Hot Tea 2 Teabags per 8 oz of boiling water. Steep 15 minutes Quality Brands Of Spices 1. R.L. Schreiber 2. D'allesandro spices 3. Badia 4. McCormick Culinary Quality Salts: Morton Salt and also others in this link: https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-salts-5088217 Cooking Photos Quiche Lorraine Blueberry Danish Sautee'd Potatoes BBQ Baked Beans Smoked Texas Twinkies (Savory Cream Cheese and Brisket stuffed Jalapenos wrapped in bacon) Made from scratch smoked gouda macaroni and cheese Oreo Cheesecake Banana Cheesecake Made from Scratch Fudge Brownies Steak Hot Chocolate (My Original Recipe) https://preview.redd.it/17y056tqxnxc1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=62525dfd8fcd43e5317a5b2bff91c88d4ddedcea https://preview.redd.it/0dgm86tqxnxc1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9e7ea57e749f1c986f00c75d55f2d0406367e5bd Creme Brulee' https://preview.redd.it/47wh7zykxnxc1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26976bbc35e2489a1a862bff4b5692e6f69b4153 https://preview.redd.it/9b0k9sbhxnxc1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ace2505766317656f4f0231e29a4ded6c4934b0 Filet Mignon My original cheesecake (back when I had a really nice convection oven) Raspberry Cake Fruit Mousse Cake |
2024.04.30 23:59 Illustrious-Start979 Sick Betta Help!
 | Hi everyone, submitted by Illustrious-Start979 to bettafish [link] [comments] I recived this little guy about a week ago and he's not doing to well. A friend bought im from petco and couldn't take care of him so she gave him to me. I noticed he had what seems to be Popeye, I've been attempting to treat that with Microbe -Lift Artemiss and daily epsom salt baths, I have also been changinghis water every three days. I've been treating him for a few days and there seems to be no change and as of today he's been acting lethargic. He often sleep at the bottom of the tank with his head in the gavel, which I read could be a sign of swim blatter. Before anyone says anything, I am aware his tank is way to small, I don't want to put him in my community 10 gallon tank because of the popeye and I have a female Betta. I'm going to buy a five gallon tomorrow so I'm treating the tank he's in as a kind of hospital tank. If anyone has any advice that would be amazing because im really worried about him. |
2024.04.30 23:59 luminouschela Shogun MBTI (2024 TV show — SPOILERS!)
**SPOILER WARNING AGAIN** I mention little moments that occurred at various points throughout the season.
Not sure if any MBTI enthusiasts also liked the recent Shogun TV show, so I’m not sure if this post will generate much activity, but here are my thoughts.
I loved the series and wanted to explore some of the characters’ types. Of note, I haven’t read the books, so these assessments are based only on the TV show.
I'm sure there are grammatical and spelling errors, please ignore them!
YOSHII TORANAGA - INTJ
Introverted intuition: Envisioning an outcome far off in the distance and feeling very dedicated to that vision. Not multiple options of what could be/what he’s hoping for but one thing—Shogun. His vision of himself in power, as Shogun, and of a peaceful Japan. His far-reaching plan to become Shogun (seems it may have been started all the way back when Akechi Jinsai killed the Taiko? Unclear to me if Toranaga pushed him to do it or not). Able to get a sense of the nature of others (this is how he can then apply Te so effectively to use the people around him to serve his Ni goal). His observant nature, his studying of the wind. They did an excellent job of having so many shots where Toranaga is just watching everything and everyone around him (understanding how he could use Yabushige and his playing of both sides; him saying to Mariko and John there’s a shadow over them, and him questioning Markio about what’s between them). His ability to understand Hiromatsu’s plan—without them needing to talk about it, he can understand how Hiromatsu’s death would benefit his plan to seem defeated. The way the different types of hawks symbolize John, Yabushige, and Mariko to him. Of course, he’s human and can’t anticipate everything—he understood his son but underestimated how reckless Nagakado was; I think he may have been surprised by his brother’s betrayal—but I think they did a good job of showing this as a strength of his.
Extroverted thinking: Makes concrete plans to bring his Ni vision to life in the real world. Uses the world around him, including the people associated with him, as tools to achieve his goals (and highly values the tools/people he feels are most useful). Able to really understand, create, work within, and manipulate systems and hierarchies (for example, he utilized the weaknesses of the Council of Regents’ structure to manipulate them). He is annoyed with distractions, poor strategy, and small talk (he got increasingly frustrated by his son’s lack of insight, Buntaro fixated on Mariko and John, John fixated on his ship). Wants the most efficient strategy to win (minimize loss, cost, etc.). Feels confident leading, giving orders, etc.
Introverted feeling: Hides his true intentions and feelings from most people and does so effectively. Because he’s so secretive and hard to read, few know the depths of his feelings and beliefs. He certainly has his cold and calculating side (which becomes even more apparent in the last episode). I think he also truly loved Mariko and Hiromatsu, and that all of the tears he shed for them were genuine. By the end of the last episode, his fondness for John also seemed genuine. He doesn’t show much affection toward his wife (wives? Wife and consort?), but he is respectful to them and seems to try and keep them safe (maybe a personal value of his not to be harsh to them or something). He appreciates poetry and uses it to express his feelings in a more understated way. Also, NiFi work together to help him understand people—Ni gives him data about what someone might do, Fi helps him understand why.
Extraverted sensing: The endpoint is fixed, but the path to his goal is adaptable when required (he didn’t plan for Nagakado to kill those people or for the earthquake, but when those things happened, Toranaga accepted reality and adjusted his plans). Not only does he study the wind, he adapts to the way it changes. He likes to watch the falcons and appreciates their different hunting styles, especially the elegance of his primary falcon. He grew to be good with a sword (of course I’m sure any child would have a hard time being a second…). He is able to pick up diving pretty quickly.
TODA MARIKO - ISTJ
Introverted sensing: Respects her culture’s customs—loyal to her leader, listens to her abusive husband and doesn’t speak ill of him in public (despite hating him), thinks it’s important for everyone to have their purpose, focused on the samurai having their swords, understands the power structures and customs well. As Ochiba says, she understands what she’s to do, where she’s to go, and what role she should play without being told. Cannot let the memories of the past go or the heavy weight of her family name, those things haunt her, her whole life and take up a significant part of her days (and it was Toranaga that interpreted her father’s actions—sending her away to save her (and also to follow Toranag?)—Mariko didn’t come to that conclusion on her own). Generally comfortable with the routine/sticking to the plan (she wants to die but otherwise she isn’t longing to break away from what the group is doing).
Extroverted thinking: A good strategist in her own right (negotiating the price with Gin, the way she handled the translations (didn’t always say exactly what was said), her understanding of how to play her role once she gets to Osaka and part of that is by manipulating the power structure). She understands how to use her words effectively to accomplish a goal rather than just express herself (comforting Toranaga, giving Ochiba a clue Ishido wouldn’t understand). Even in small ways she is good at making sure what needs to get done, gets done: helps Fuji give up her son; negotiates with Fuji to stay with John for 6 months (because Toranaga wants Fuji to do that, so Mariko comes up with a plan to accomplish the task), and gets John set up in his home in Ajiro (the vibe of ok everyone, here he is, he needs swords, he needs a bath, etc. making sure those practicalities are handled).
Introverted feeling: Like Toranaga she hides her emotions well when she wants to—the queen of maintaining a blank face and giving off a cold vibe. Buntaro, for example, is surprised at the end that she never cared for him (when she reveals that in the tea room). She feels close to John after he steps up to second her because he’s finally honoring what she’s doing, how she feels, and what she believes instead of trying to force something else on her. The cross was so meaningful to her because of its emotional significance, and it never left her body until the scene where she thought she’d have to kill herself (this has SiFi tones as well because it’s particularly related to intense past experiences). I think she, like Toranaga, appreciates that poetry can allow for emotional expression in a more subtle way. Si and Fi can interact by Fi imbuing reflections of the past with strong emotional tones (so she doesn’t just remember her father’s betrayal, it also deeply pierces her emotionally whenever she thinks of it). She also has an emotional attachment to the customs—when Toranaga is without his swords after the earthquake, she is very distressed about it. Similar to Toranaga, her Si and Fi work together to help her understand people—Si gives her data about what someone might do (based on how they’ve acted in the past, ), Fi helps her understand why they do what they do—this is why she was better at understanding Ochiba no Kata, Mariko grew to know her and understand her motivations steadily over time.
Extraverted intuition: I think this is part of what makes her good at poetry—being able to make quick connections between words and concepts, even ones that seem disparate. I think this also helps her be so adept at her translator role (understanding the essence of what’s being said by the speaker and thinking of ways to express the same sentiment/general idea while using words that are not offensive to the receiver).
USAMI FUJI - ISFJ
Introverted sensing: Similar to Si explanation for Mariko—for example, she was so unhappy about having to be John’s consort, but once she’s committed herself to the role she does it to the fullest (when she takes John’s gun and promises to care for it while also pointing it at Omi, making sure there’s dinner and that the house is clean, making sure the gardener was killed for disobeying John and touching that bird). At the end her calling isn’t to find freedom, build a new social structure (like Gin), or try to find power—she is comfortable with and comforted by the idea of becoming a nun (something long established, something she can more confidently predict and envision).
Extraverted feeling: Once she settles into her role, she is good at meeting the needs of others and trying to maintain a stable emotional atmosphere (make sure we throw the soup out far away so the smell won’t bother everyone; make sure we have the right dishes, if we don’t let me offer a quick but warm apology to smooth over any insults). Comparing Mariko and Fuji, if John says something that Mariko finds offends her own beliefs or the cultural structures in place enough, she says something to him (pushes back/argues; “your words gave the bird meaning”, clearly insinuating the situation he’s upset about is his own fault and expresses disapproval; vs Fuji trying to follow his logic and ultimately apologizing and offering to kill herself to stop his anger when they can’t seem to understand each other). Maybe Fuji would push back/argue on occasion, but when we see her interactions with John she just meets the needs he’s expressed or protects him in her own way (when John and Buntaro are drunk at dinner, she tries to apologize (on John’s behalf) for his bad behavior; when John asks her to arrange a meeting with Toranaga and help him with his message, she does so no questions asked). More outwardly emotionally expressive (really big reaction when her son and husband were to die (understandable of course) and when she’s told she has to be John’s consort vs Mariko's more internal distress at being sent away to marry Buntaro or preparing to kill herself or face her death when the door blew open). Mariko does have a significant external emotional expression after Buntaro physically abuses her after that tense dinner, but Fuji’s response is to match her intensity and try to calm things down to make sure the emotions in the house are what they should be (Fuji says something like “if you disturb this home, you dishonor the Anjin.”). At first, Fuji wants to die with her son and husband but by the end has let go of the idea, come to peace with what happened, and will instead become a nun and be in an environment with a clear way to behave and a relatively set and predictable emotional landscape (vs Mariko’s more long-lasting desire to die after her father died). Giving John her family swords as a clear sign of her commitment to her role and appreciating him giving her something and acknowledging what she’s doing.
Introverted thinking: Less focused on the external implementation of plans, systems, etc.; less focused on strategizing; less focused on having clear goals and thinking about how to make them a reality. Instead, focuses on what makes sense to her—well, you said if the bird was touched, whoever touched it would have to die, but it was disturbing the peace in the neighborhood so it had to be removed…so the gardener removed it, and we killed him. We did exactly as you instructed, so why are you getting upset? John is horrified, but, to Fuji, it’s confusing to her why the gardener’s death doesn’t make sense to John. When John recommends she spread her loved ones’ ashes in the ocean, she sees this as reasonable (there’s no way the ashes can go to the family grave, how will I take it to the church, and John says this is honoring them and helping their spirit move on—it’s a reasonable idea).
Extraverted intuition: We don’t get to see as much of this with her? If anyone noticed anything please do share!
ANJIN-SAN / JOHN BLACKTHORNE - ESFP
Extraverted sensing: Skilled pilot and finds the action associated with being on the ship exciting. Understands how the boat moves (when he’s directing the men how to row and how to prevent it from flipping, when he gets Toranaga’s ship out of the harbor, surprising even Toranaga). He also has skill with his guns and the cannons. A good in-the-moment and responsive thinker—his outburst in an early scene protects the guards from opening all of the boxes so Toranaga’s plan won’t be ruined, quick to action whenever there’s an attack and smart about how to take out opponents (like during the shinobi attack with his hand through the wall move and trying to block the door). Good awareness of his physical surroundings (gets the sense he'll be ambushed in the woods for ex). Heartily enjoys food and drink and wants external glory (or at least he thought he did—to be the first to sail to Japan and back to England, to gain respect in his home country, to have lots of money and die in a big home with his “trophies” if you will). A key part of his relationship with Mariko goes beyond words and is about when their fingers brush or of course when they sleep together. He has family back home (maybe kids? I can’t remember), and he may have feelings for them, but Mariko is right here in front of him, and it makes his feelings for her more intense that she’s with him in the present.
Introverted feeling: His whole character arc is seeing the value in honoring others, being aware of and a part of a community, and looking beyond your personal goals and desires. I think he will hold Mariko in his heart forever and that her actions and beliefs will influence him. It’s important to him to speak out against religious hypocrisy.
Extraverted thinking: He’s actually a good and animated leader. His style is different than Toranaga’s, but his SeTe work together to make him effective (like in the ending scene when they’re trying to pull the boat out of the water). I think this is part of what Toranaga sees in John/part of John’s use as a tool for Toranaga. In the end scene, the positions they’re standing in seem meaningful—Toranaga is alone and on high monitoring everyone else, looking ahead to the future, while John is amongst the people, having experiences with them, giving orders but also giving them energy and expressing appreciation for their hard work. Both of their roles are important and now they kind of understand each other and their respective roles. John tries to plan a way to use the Japanese people and get out of Japan. Even though he’s ultimately unsuccessful, he was trying to get his ship and get out nearly until the end. He kept trying to come at Toranaga from different angles (I have no role here let me go; fine, give me a bigger role and let me have my ship, and I’ll sail for you; I’ll return and get my men, then we’ll get back to the ship, etc.). His plans are more I’ll take this action now, another good SeTe example is when he threatened to kill himself at the end if Toranaga didn’t stop killing the villagers. It was an in-the-moment decision (it seemed so anyway) but based on a structure/strategy he’d learned (to die in protest).
Introverted intuition: He comes to at least sense that Toranaga is looking beyond what everyone else is focusing on. Even if he doesn’t fully see the picture Toranaga does, he’s confident enough to tell that catholic guy, “if you think it’s over, you don’t know your opponent, and you aren’t seeing the full picture” (summarizing, not an actual quote). He comes to understand how elegant? Toranaga’s plan was (he comments that Toranaga doesn’t have to get his hands dirty or waste a bunch of soldiers; he just had to sacrifice one woman). He also has a clear vision of his future, and he clung to it until he truly had a change of heart (then that future vanished and he had to reimagine a life in Japan).
KASHIGI YABUSHIGE - ESTP
Extraverted sensing: In-the-moment problem solver, like John. Like when he first arrived in Ajiro early in the season, he was quickly planning with Omi how they could use the ship to their advantage (of course with Toranaga’s more long-range based thinking, he had spies in Ajiro and already knew about the ship). Good physical awareness as well (when he wasn’t able to save that guy on the cliff, he knew when it was time to give up and was ready to kill himself), seems he’s a skilled fighter (at least from the little scene we see where he’s criticizing John for being unable to use a sword). For his torture/punishment, he likes the externally perceptible suffering of the person (likes to hear the screaming in real-time; vs say Mariko who is content with just internally knowing how much Buntaro suffers because she won’t give him any emotional reactions). Even when he had to commit Seppuku, he’s quick and decisive about it, and does it in his style (vs the other very symbolic versions we saw earlier in the show).
Introverted thinking: Focused on an individualized plan for his survival. For him, SeTi led to his quick tactical changes (I’ll back this guy, never mind this one. Hm, things not looking so good anymore let me figure out how to get back in the other’s good graces, etc.). With TiFe, his plans often included an element of charming/getting friendly with other people (I’ll convince them I’m an asset, I’ll offer this thing to this person to try and please them). Always trying to figure out how he can make it through all of the craziness, how to play both sides, not caring so much about long-term plans, or making people follow him—he wants to live. He seemed like a genuinely curious person who wanted to understand things. He seemed to be developing some kind of internal system to rank different deaths, it was kind of like his own experiment (you could envision him keeping notes, writing the different deaths down, explaining the reasoning for the rankings). Frustrated when he doesn’t understand what’s going on/when things don’t make sense to him—why did Toranaga send you, Mariko? What’s his plan? Why would you start a winter poem when it’s spring? When is Crimson sky, and how will it work? He has a bit of a harder time than the Te users trying to effectively use his chess pieces (by the time he tries to give John to Ishido, John is pretty much irrelevant to Ishido).
Extraverted feeling: Based on some comments and review podcasts and videos I saw—a lot of people really like Yabushige; he was a popular character. People didn’t necessarily respect him, but they found him charming and funny. I think his Fe was part of that charm (when talking with either Ishido or Toranaga, he had a very laidback “we’re all on the same side; calm down, calm down, you can trust me”, kind of that smooth-talker energy; his interactions with Omi were much less formal and distant than Toranaga’s interactions with his son. Yabushige made sure Omi was respectful, but there was more warmth between them). He was even pretty close with his main servant guy whereas none of Toranaga’s more lowly servants are seen having frequent semi-casual (while still respectful) interactions. Toranaga had to kill him in the end but smiled at him too—even though Yabushige couldn’t be trusted and had betrayed Toranaga in many ways, there was still some measure of fondness Toranaga had for Yabushige. He didn’t think about or understand the emotional impact of things until they happened, and then his emotions caught him off guard. He was so shocked about Mariko’s death, his role in causing her death, and his feelings about it that he has a mental breakdown at the end (seeing the fish, frantic on the ship back to Ajiro stopping his clothes off and talking about trying to escape to England). He wanted good social standing (liked it when the soldiers were cheering his name and got annoyed when they started cheering Toranaga’s name instead; wants to be close to and feel privy to the plans of the most powerful figures). His sexual preference was also interesting--he was more of an observer, watching his servant and Kiku’s enjoyment and feeding off of that was arousing for him. Kiku can quickly assess that that’s what might please him, but Yabushige himself almost seems surprised that he’s into it (less aware of his inner emotional self than an Fi user). Finally, he’s rarely alone. I know they all have servants and stuff but Toranaga or even John would have moments where they were just sitting/standing alone and reflecting. Yabushige usually had Omi or his servant or someone else close to him and would interact with them.
Introverted intuition: He sees through Toranaga in the end and comes to understand the true nature of a life like his vs a life like Toranaga’s. He sees that Toranaga is power-hungry and just as vicious and focused on his own powesuccess/survival as much as anyone else—it’s just that Toranaga hides his intentions better. Yabushige also realizes he was one of Tornado’s chess pieces all along, that the leaders/the “great men” use the lives of those beneath them as tools to serve whatever greater purpose they want.
Didn't do the full, function-by-function thing for these, but here are a few more I thought about:
Toda Hirokatsu “Buntaro” — ISTP
Yoshii Nagakado — ESFP
Ochiba no Kata - INFJ
Gin — ENFJ
submitted by luminouschela to mbti [link] [comments]
Not sure if any MBTI enthusiasts also liked the recent Shogun TV show, so I’m not sure if this post will generate much activity, but here are my thoughts.
I loved the series and wanted to explore some of the characters’ types. Of note, I haven’t read the books, so these assessments are based only on the TV show.
I'm sure there are grammatical and spelling errors, please ignore them!
YOSHII TORANAGA - INTJ
Introverted intuition: Envisioning an outcome far off in the distance and feeling very dedicated to that vision. Not multiple options of what could be/what he’s hoping for but one thing—Shogun. His vision of himself in power, as Shogun, and of a peaceful Japan. His far-reaching plan to become Shogun (seems it may have been started all the way back when Akechi Jinsai killed the Taiko? Unclear to me if Toranaga pushed him to do it or not). Able to get a sense of the nature of others (this is how he can then apply Te so effectively to use the people around him to serve his Ni goal). His observant nature, his studying of the wind. They did an excellent job of having so many shots where Toranaga is just watching everything and everyone around him (understanding how he could use Yabushige and his playing of both sides; him saying to Mariko and John there’s a shadow over them, and him questioning Markio about what’s between them). His ability to understand Hiromatsu’s plan—without them needing to talk about it, he can understand how Hiromatsu’s death would benefit his plan to seem defeated. The way the different types of hawks symbolize John, Yabushige, and Mariko to him. Of course, he’s human and can’t anticipate everything—he understood his son but underestimated how reckless Nagakado was; I think he may have been surprised by his brother’s betrayal—but I think they did a good job of showing this as a strength of his.
Extroverted thinking: Makes concrete plans to bring his Ni vision to life in the real world. Uses the world around him, including the people associated with him, as tools to achieve his goals (and highly values the tools/people he feels are most useful). Able to really understand, create, work within, and manipulate systems and hierarchies (for example, he utilized the weaknesses of the Council of Regents’ structure to manipulate them). He is annoyed with distractions, poor strategy, and small talk (he got increasingly frustrated by his son’s lack of insight, Buntaro fixated on Mariko and John, John fixated on his ship). Wants the most efficient strategy to win (minimize loss, cost, etc.). Feels confident leading, giving orders, etc.
Introverted feeling: Hides his true intentions and feelings from most people and does so effectively. Because he’s so secretive and hard to read, few know the depths of his feelings and beliefs. He certainly has his cold and calculating side (which becomes even more apparent in the last episode). I think he also truly loved Mariko and Hiromatsu, and that all of the tears he shed for them were genuine. By the end of the last episode, his fondness for John also seemed genuine. He doesn’t show much affection toward his wife (wives? Wife and consort?), but he is respectful to them and seems to try and keep them safe (maybe a personal value of his not to be harsh to them or something). He appreciates poetry and uses it to express his feelings in a more understated way. Also, NiFi work together to help him understand people—Ni gives him data about what someone might do, Fi helps him understand why.
Extraverted sensing: The endpoint is fixed, but the path to his goal is adaptable when required (he didn’t plan for Nagakado to kill those people or for the earthquake, but when those things happened, Toranaga accepted reality and adjusted his plans). Not only does he study the wind, he adapts to the way it changes. He likes to watch the falcons and appreciates their different hunting styles, especially the elegance of his primary falcon. He grew to be good with a sword (of course I’m sure any child would have a hard time being a second…). He is able to pick up diving pretty quickly.
TODA MARIKO - ISTJ
Introverted sensing: Respects her culture’s customs—loyal to her leader, listens to her abusive husband and doesn’t speak ill of him in public (despite hating him), thinks it’s important for everyone to have their purpose, focused on the samurai having their swords, understands the power structures and customs well. As Ochiba says, she understands what she’s to do, where she’s to go, and what role she should play without being told. Cannot let the memories of the past go or the heavy weight of her family name, those things haunt her, her whole life and take up a significant part of her days (and it was Toranaga that interpreted her father’s actions—sending her away to save her (and also to follow Toranag?)—Mariko didn’t come to that conclusion on her own). Generally comfortable with the routine/sticking to the plan (she wants to die but otherwise she isn’t longing to break away from what the group is doing).
Extroverted thinking: A good strategist in her own right (negotiating the price with Gin, the way she handled the translations (didn’t always say exactly what was said), her understanding of how to play her role once she gets to Osaka and part of that is by manipulating the power structure). She understands how to use her words effectively to accomplish a goal rather than just express herself (comforting Toranaga, giving Ochiba a clue Ishido wouldn’t understand). Even in small ways she is good at making sure what needs to get done, gets done: helps Fuji give up her son; negotiates with Fuji to stay with John for 6 months (because Toranaga wants Fuji to do that, so Mariko comes up with a plan to accomplish the task), and gets John set up in his home in Ajiro (the vibe of ok everyone, here he is, he needs swords, he needs a bath, etc. making sure those practicalities are handled).
Introverted feeling: Like Toranaga she hides her emotions well when she wants to—the queen of maintaining a blank face and giving off a cold vibe. Buntaro, for example, is surprised at the end that she never cared for him (when she reveals that in the tea room). She feels close to John after he steps up to second her because he’s finally honoring what she’s doing, how she feels, and what she believes instead of trying to force something else on her. The cross was so meaningful to her because of its emotional significance, and it never left her body until the scene where she thought she’d have to kill herself (this has SiFi tones as well because it’s particularly related to intense past experiences). I think she, like Toranaga, appreciates that poetry can allow for emotional expression in a more subtle way. Si and Fi can interact by Fi imbuing reflections of the past with strong emotional tones (so she doesn’t just remember her father’s betrayal, it also deeply pierces her emotionally whenever she thinks of it). She also has an emotional attachment to the customs—when Toranaga is without his swords after the earthquake, she is very distressed about it. Similar to Toranaga, her Si and Fi work together to help her understand people—Si gives her data about what someone might do (based on how they’ve acted in the past, ), Fi helps her understand why they do what they do—this is why she was better at understanding Ochiba no Kata, Mariko grew to know her and understand her motivations steadily over time.
Extraverted intuition: I think this is part of what makes her good at poetry—being able to make quick connections between words and concepts, even ones that seem disparate. I think this also helps her be so adept at her translator role (understanding the essence of what’s being said by the speaker and thinking of ways to express the same sentiment/general idea while using words that are not offensive to the receiver).
USAMI FUJI - ISFJ
Introverted sensing: Similar to Si explanation for Mariko—for example, she was so unhappy about having to be John’s consort, but once she’s committed herself to the role she does it to the fullest (when she takes John’s gun and promises to care for it while also pointing it at Omi, making sure there’s dinner and that the house is clean, making sure the gardener was killed for disobeying John and touching that bird). At the end her calling isn’t to find freedom, build a new social structure (like Gin), or try to find power—she is comfortable with and comforted by the idea of becoming a nun (something long established, something she can more confidently predict and envision).
Extraverted feeling: Once she settles into her role, she is good at meeting the needs of others and trying to maintain a stable emotional atmosphere (make sure we throw the soup out far away so the smell won’t bother everyone; make sure we have the right dishes, if we don’t let me offer a quick but warm apology to smooth over any insults). Comparing Mariko and Fuji, if John says something that Mariko finds offends her own beliefs or the cultural structures in place enough, she says something to him (pushes back/argues; “your words gave the bird meaning”, clearly insinuating the situation he’s upset about is his own fault and expresses disapproval; vs Fuji trying to follow his logic and ultimately apologizing and offering to kill herself to stop his anger when they can’t seem to understand each other). Maybe Fuji would push back/argue on occasion, but when we see her interactions with John she just meets the needs he’s expressed or protects him in her own way (when John and Buntaro are drunk at dinner, she tries to apologize (on John’s behalf) for his bad behavior; when John asks her to arrange a meeting with Toranaga and help him with his message, she does so no questions asked). More outwardly emotionally expressive (really big reaction when her son and husband were to die (understandable of course) and when she’s told she has to be John’s consort vs Mariko's more internal distress at being sent away to marry Buntaro or preparing to kill herself or face her death when the door blew open). Mariko does have a significant external emotional expression after Buntaro physically abuses her after that tense dinner, but Fuji’s response is to match her intensity and try to calm things down to make sure the emotions in the house are what they should be (Fuji says something like “if you disturb this home, you dishonor the Anjin.”). At first, Fuji wants to die with her son and husband but by the end has let go of the idea, come to peace with what happened, and will instead become a nun and be in an environment with a clear way to behave and a relatively set and predictable emotional landscape (vs Mariko’s more long-lasting desire to die after her father died). Giving John her family swords as a clear sign of her commitment to her role and appreciating him giving her something and acknowledging what she’s doing.
Introverted thinking: Less focused on the external implementation of plans, systems, etc.; less focused on strategizing; less focused on having clear goals and thinking about how to make them a reality. Instead, focuses on what makes sense to her—well, you said if the bird was touched, whoever touched it would have to die, but it was disturbing the peace in the neighborhood so it had to be removed…so the gardener removed it, and we killed him. We did exactly as you instructed, so why are you getting upset? John is horrified, but, to Fuji, it’s confusing to her why the gardener’s death doesn’t make sense to John. When John recommends she spread her loved ones’ ashes in the ocean, she sees this as reasonable (there’s no way the ashes can go to the family grave, how will I take it to the church, and John says this is honoring them and helping their spirit move on—it’s a reasonable idea).
Extraverted intuition: We don’t get to see as much of this with her? If anyone noticed anything please do share!
ANJIN-SAN / JOHN BLACKTHORNE - ESFP
Extraverted sensing: Skilled pilot and finds the action associated with being on the ship exciting. Understands how the boat moves (when he’s directing the men how to row and how to prevent it from flipping, when he gets Toranaga’s ship out of the harbor, surprising even Toranaga). He also has skill with his guns and the cannons. A good in-the-moment and responsive thinker—his outburst in an early scene protects the guards from opening all of the boxes so Toranaga’s plan won’t be ruined, quick to action whenever there’s an attack and smart about how to take out opponents (like during the shinobi attack with his hand through the wall move and trying to block the door). Good awareness of his physical surroundings (gets the sense he'll be ambushed in the woods for ex). Heartily enjoys food and drink and wants external glory (or at least he thought he did—to be the first to sail to Japan and back to England, to gain respect in his home country, to have lots of money and die in a big home with his “trophies” if you will). A key part of his relationship with Mariko goes beyond words and is about when their fingers brush or of course when they sleep together. He has family back home (maybe kids? I can’t remember), and he may have feelings for them, but Mariko is right here in front of him, and it makes his feelings for her more intense that she’s with him in the present.
Introverted feeling: His whole character arc is seeing the value in honoring others, being aware of and a part of a community, and looking beyond your personal goals and desires. I think he will hold Mariko in his heart forever and that her actions and beliefs will influence him. It’s important to him to speak out against religious hypocrisy.
Extraverted thinking: He’s actually a good and animated leader. His style is different than Toranaga’s, but his SeTe work together to make him effective (like in the ending scene when they’re trying to pull the boat out of the water). I think this is part of what Toranaga sees in John/part of John’s use as a tool for Toranaga. In the end scene, the positions they’re standing in seem meaningful—Toranaga is alone and on high monitoring everyone else, looking ahead to the future, while John is amongst the people, having experiences with them, giving orders but also giving them energy and expressing appreciation for their hard work. Both of their roles are important and now they kind of understand each other and their respective roles. John tries to plan a way to use the Japanese people and get out of Japan. Even though he’s ultimately unsuccessful, he was trying to get his ship and get out nearly until the end. He kept trying to come at Toranaga from different angles (I have no role here let me go; fine, give me a bigger role and let me have my ship, and I’ll sail for you; I’ll return and get my men, then we’ll get back to the ship, etc.). His plans are more I’ll take this action now, another good SeTe example is when he threatened to kill himself at the end if Toranaga didn’t stop killing the villagers. It was an in-the-moment decision (it seemed so anyway) but based on a structure/strategy he’d learned (to die in protest).
Introverted intuition: He comes to at least sense that Toranaga is looking beyond what everyone else is focusing on. Even if he doesn’t fully see the picture Toranaga does, he’s confident enough to tell that catholic guy, “if you think it’s over, you don’t know your opponent, and you aren’t seeing the full picture” (summarizing, not an actual quote). He comes to understand how elegant? Toranaga’s plan was (he comments that Toranaga doesn’t have to get his hands dirty or waste a bunch of soldiers; he just had to sacrifice one woman). He also has a clear vision of his future, and he clung to it until he truly had a change of heart (then that future vanished and he had to reimagine a life in Japan).
KASHIGI YABUSHIGE - ESTP
Extraverted sensing: In-the-moment problem solver, like John. Like when he first arrived in Ajiro early in the season, he was quickly planning with Omi how they could use the ship to their advantage (of course with Toranaga’s more long-range based thinking, he had spies in Ajiro and already knew about the ship). Good physical awareness as well (when he wasn’t able to save that guy on the cliff, he knew when it was time to give up and was ready to kill himself), seems he’s a skilled fighter (at least from the little scene we see where he’s criticizing John for being unable to use a sword). For his torture/punishment, he likes the externally perceptible suffering of the person (likes to hear the screaming in real-time; vs say Mariko who is content with just internally knowing how much Buntaro suffers because she won’t give him any emotional reactions). Even when he had to commit Seppuku, he’s quick and decisive about it, and does it in his style (vs the other very symbolic versions we saw earlier in the show).
Introverted thinking: Focused on an individualized plan for his survival. For him, SeTi led to his quick tactical changes (I’ll back this guy, never mind this one. Hm, things not looking so good anymore let me figure out how to get back in the other’s good graces, etc.). With TiFe, his plans often included an element of charming/getting friendly with other people (I’ll convince them I’m an asset, I’ll offer this thing to this person to try and please them). Always trying to figure out how he can make it through all of the craziness, how to play both sides, not caring so much about long-term plans, or making people follow him—he wants to live. He seemed like a genuinely curious person who wanted to understand things. He seemed to be developing some kind of internal system to rank different deaths, it was kind of like his own experiment (you could envision him keeping notes, writing the different deaths down, explaining the reasoning for the rankings). Frustrated when he doesn’t understand what’s going on/when things don’t make sense to him—why did Toranaga send you, Mariko? What’s his plan? Why would you start a winter poem when it’s spring? When is Crimson sky, and how will it work? He has a bit of a harder time than the Te users trying to effectively use his chess pieces (by the time he tries to give John to Ishido, John is pretty much irrelevant to Ishido).
Extraverted feeling: Based on some comments and review podcasts and videos I saw—a lot of people really like Yabushige; he was a popular character. People didn’t necessarily respect him, but they found him charming and funny. I think his Fe was part of that charm (when talking with either Ishido or Toranaga, he had a very laidback “we’re all on the same side; calm down, calm down, you can trust me”, kind of that smooth-talker energy; his interactions with Omi were much less formal and distant than Toranaga’s interactions with his son. Yabushige made sure Omi was respectful, but there was more warmth between them). He was even pretty close with his main servant guy whereas none of Toranaga’s more lowly servants are seen having frequent semi-casual (while still respectful) interactions. Toranaga had to kill him in the end but smiled at him too—even though Yabushige couldn’t be trusted and had betrayed Toranaga in many ways, there was still some measure of fondness Toranaga had for Yabushige. He didn’t think about or understand the emotional impact of things until they happened, and then his emotions caught him off guard. He was so shocked about Mariko’s death, his role in causing her death, and his feelings about it that he has a mental breakdown at the end (seeing the fish, frantic on the ship back to Ajiro stopping his clothes off and talking about trying to escape to England). He wanted good social standing (liked it when the soldiers were cheering his name and got annoyed when they started cheering Toranaga’s name instead; wants to be close to and feel privy to the plans of the most powerful figures). His sexual preference was also interesting--he was more of an observer, watching his servant and Kiku’s enjoyment and feeding off of that was arousing for him. Kiku can quickly assess that that’s what might please him, but Yabushige himself almost seems surprised that he’s into it (less aware of his inner emotional self than an Fi user). Finally, he’s rarely alone. I know they all have servants and stuff but Toranaga or even John would have moments where they were just sitting/standing alone and reflecting. Yabushige usually had Omi or his servant or someone else close to him and would interact with them.
Introverted intuition: He sees through Toranaga in the end and comes to understand the true nature of a life like his vs a life like Toranaga’s. He sees that Toranaga is power-hungry and just as vicious and focused on his own powesuccess/survival as much as anyone else—it’s just that Toranaga hides his intentions better. Yabushige also realizes he was one of Tornado’s chess pieces all along, that the leaders/the “great men” use the lives of those beneath them as tools to serve whatever greater purpose they want.
Didn't do the full, function-by-function thing for these, but here are a few more I thought about:
Toda Hirokatsu “Buntaro” — ISTP
Yoshii Nagakado — ESFP
Ochiba no Kata - INFJ
Gin — ENFJ
2024.04.30 23:38 Tothemoonplt Sediments from table salt or Mold?
 | I am new to canning, used table salt and apple cider vinager to pickle some beets. Can table salt be responsible for the white sediments? Safe to eat? I Did the boiling bath btw. submitted by Tothemoonplt to Canning [link] [comments] |
2024.04.30 23:27 dave_the_dino_65 Tactical Tasks: Words have Meaning
 | Hello again everyone, I've come back for another installment of my perhaps overly-complicated series. This time we're building a vocabulary to make more purposeful and defined plans by using tactical tasks terminology. Linked is the blogger article, but I'll also include the content here. Hope you enjoy, would love to hear any feedback you have! submitted by dave_the_dino_65 to AoSCompetitive [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/dyutf3p0poxc1.png?width=646&format=png&auto=webp&s=30979f2b33a2600b82eea37252cfa0a4228bb02fIntroductionWhile there are many instances of good leadership throughout the military (or any profession for that matter), there are just as many examples of poor leadership. We can, however, still learn quite a bit from bad leaders, so it is important to not always write people off. I had one such experience in my career from a military instructor, let's call him Major Flowers. He'd always say, "Words mean things," which upon first glance sounds pretty... stupid. But after I was exposed to more challenges and experienced some pitfalls of inadequate language, I appreciated what he meant all the more. I do not recommend listening to most of what Major Flowers said, but he was onto something there. With this in mind, we will examine the US Army's use of a particular vocabulary: Tactical Mission Tasks. As always, I don't think you should be drafting mission analysis slides during your games of Warhammer. Quite the contrary, this guide is a continued attempt to help develop a framework to expedite how you analyze the battlefield and, as the kids say, "git gud." I'll be trying to make these a bit less formal and more to-the-point after some recent and valid criticism. That being said, if you enjoy this content, I'd really appreciate a follow and/or share. If you didn't enjoy it, I would love to know how I can make it better. Let's begin today's discussion.Background (the "so what?")In real-world operations, one of the greatest challenges is overcoming the hurdle that is variance in how people interpret information. Something may be crystal clear to you as you explain it, but may incomprehensible to your audience. To combat this, the Army has adopted a very specific vocabulary do describe their operations. One set of this vocabulary is known as "Tactical Mission Tasks." This creates a universal and explicit set of words that don't have room for interpretation. Age of Sigmar 4.0 (and Warhammer 40K before it) is also seeming to try and achieve a similar end state by incorporating more explicitly defined keywords and language in our rules. This makes for a more functional and, in the case of wargaming, enjoyable experience. The reason we are going to review tactical mission tasks in the context of Warhammer is so we can better understand how we are committing our resources and ensuring we are pairing the right tool for the job. Any efficiencies we can create to take up fewer brain-bytes enables us to make better decisions and win more games.Relevant Tactical TasksLet's look at which tasks are most relevant to our endeavors in Warhammer:Defeat, Destroy, and NeutralizeEach of these sound quite similar, no? Well, they each have a specific definition as tactical tasks. This is because sometimes you do not have the resources to destroy (physically rendering a force combat ineffective, to damage a combat system so badly that it cannot perform any function) a unit, you may opt to neutralize (rendering enemy incapable of interfering) it. Defeating and element occurs when an enemy force has temporarily or permanently lost the physical means or will to fight, this is a broader and more abstract term that can be accomplished a number of ways. Your aim is to defeat your opponent by creating dilemmas and giving them no recourse to outscore you. You destroy their units by inflicting casualties and making them combat ineffective so they cannot perform their intended function. And finally, you could neutralize a shooting unit by engaging in melee with them so they cannot interfere with you by shooting at targets of the enemy's choosing.Breachhttps://preview.redd.it/a80y4904poxc1.png?width=561&format=png&auto=webp&s=ae7943120ad71b949f33a0a1935db868ef781f10We've discussed screening as an essential task to maintain security of our own formations. The enemy will certainly be making the same efforts. A breach is a tactical task that seeks to break through or secure a passage through that screen. Contain"To stop, hold, or surround forces of the enemy to center activity on a given front," (ADRP 1-02 p.1-9). The unit archetype of "tar pit," such a Horrors of Tzeentch or Dryads close enough to overgrown terrain are effective performing this tactical task. Essentially it is a way of move-blocking your opponent to keep them off objectives or otherwise containing their ability to influence your scheme of maneuver.CanalizeThe tactical task of restricting enemy movement "to a narrow zone by exploiting terrain coupled with the use of obstacles, fires, or friendly maneuver." We will get into a "fun" concept called Engagement Area Development (EA DEV) some day, a concept that capitalizes on effective canalizing of the enemy. For now, let's use an example: You can canalize the enemy into unfavorable position by arraying your forces (friendly maneuver) in conjunction with terrain and resources like endless spells (obstacles). This puts them at risk for counterattack and juicy, overlapping engagement ranges for shooting units (fires).DisruptThe use of your resources to "upset an enemy's formation or tempo, interrupt [their] timetable, or cause [their] forces to commit prematurely or attack in piecemeal fashion," (ADRP 1-02 p.1-13). Armies that want to get into your face quickly to concentrate and mass their forces depend on tempo and creating conditions for their plans to be effective. You disrupt them by giving them a problem, or at least a speed-bump, to deal with.Fix"A tactical mission task where a commander prevents the enemy from moving any part of [their] force from a specific location for a specified period of time," (ADRP 1-02 p.1-17). This is particularly useful to set up follow-on operations, or to simply stall your opponent so you can pull ahead on primary objective points and create the necessary deficit.DemonstrationA form of attack designed to deceive the enemy as to the location or time of the decisive operation by a display of force. You may commit some forces to become decisively engaged in a demonstration, but it is merely a ruse for you to perform your decisive operation.FeintA form of attack used to deceive the enemy as to the location or time of the actual decisive operation without becoming decisively engaged. This is particularly effective with high-mobility armies. Being able to "flip the board" by massing your forces asymmetrically, then rapidly redeploying or maneuvering them to the opposite end can keep your opponent out of position so you can create more favorable conditions.ExploitationAn exploitation force follows a successful attack to take advantage of the opportunity you just created. This task limits your opponent's ability to reconstitute their forces and ability to respond in a meaningful capacity.Frontal Attackhttps://preview.redd.it/u5uqo7t8poxc1.png?width=573&format=png&auto=webp&s=f8ea20d95dc1a8ae09bd405509d1ebf0ee078f31The most unga and bunga of all forms of attack, the frontal attack does exactly what it says on the tin. You push your dollies toward your opponent's and let the fates decide. Generally this is only recommended if you are trying to accomplish another tactical task, or if you enjoy numerical superiority or overmatch. |
2024.04.30 23:21 Standard_of_Care Metformin
Sole biguanide agent in the US.
Available in short and sustained-release formulations.
Has the best benefit-risk profile for glycemic control, weight loss and safety.
Recommended as initial treatment for type 2 diabetes.
Metformin, compared with lifestyle modification alone, is associated with a 39% reduction in myocardial infarction and a 36% reduction in all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetes.
Works primarily by decreasing hepatic glucose output and a relatively minor effect on increasing insulin sensitivity.
Hepatic gluconeogenesis may be reduced by 75%.
It decreases the amount of blood sugar that the liver produces and that the intestines or stomach absorb.
Its pleitropic affects, include decreased inflammation, increase insulin and leptin sensitivity, and decreased hunger and gherlin levels, especially with twice daily dosing.
Acts in the liver where it inhibits gluconeogenesis by blocking a mitochondrial redox shuttle.
It is an insulin sensitize and likely acts in the lumen through multiple mechanisms.
Metformin, taken with diet and exercise changes to prevent diabetes in people who are at high risk for becoming diabetic.
It is frequently used in patients with pre-diabetes, polycystic, ovary syndrome, and overweight/obesity to mitigate weight gain due to antipsychotic medications.
It increases the effects of insulin, and is termed an “insulin sensitizer”.
A biguanide, is the most widely used oral antidiabetic drug that is generally
Recommended for first-line medical treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Early initiation of metformin at the time of diagnosis, when glycosylated hemoglobin levels are not significantly elevated, has been associated with improved glycemic control over time and decreased long-term complications.
Metformin is believed to activate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a major cellular regulator of lipid and glucose metabolism.
Metformin has been shown to be highly effective at reducing the onset ofdiabetes by 31% in 3234 prediabetic adults over a period of 2.8 years in the DPP (Diabetes Prevention Program) study 72 and at reducing systemic inflammation.
Also suppresses the endogenous glucose production by the liver, which is mainly due to a reduction in the rate of gluconeogenesis and a small effect on glycogenolysis.
It activates the enzyme adenosine monophosphate kinase (AMPK) inhibiting enzymes involved in gluconeogenesis and glycogen synthesis in the liver while stimulating insulin signaling and glucose transport in muscles.
Metformin is believed to activate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a major cellular regulator of lipid and glucose metabolism.
Improves glycemic control without inducing hypoglycemia or weight gain.
Metformin has modulating effects on a pathway known to play a major role in lifespan extension.
Metformin also upregulates peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha, a master regulator of mitochondrial function, and a transcription factor that controls antioxidant programs.
Because these molecules (AMPK, mammalian target of rapamycin, and peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha) are interconnected through cellular signaling networks implicated in the modulation of the aging process, it has been postulated that metformin could slow aging and age-related diseases.
Metformin is believed to activate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a major cellular regulator of lipid and glucose metabolism.
Metformin has modulating effects on a pathway known to play a major role in lifespan extension.
Metformin also upregulates peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha, a master regulator of mitochondrial function, and a transcription factor that controls antioxidant programs.
Observational studies indicate that metformin reduces mortality and frailty.
Use associated with lower rate of atrial fibrillation.
Use associated with lower incidence of atrial fibrillation.
Use associated with lower fasting insulin concentrations.
One of the few drugs that shows a significant reduction of macrovascular events and diabetes related mortality.
Antioxidants have beneficial effects such as anticancer, antidiabetes and antiatherosclerosis properties.
It has been shown to reduce visceral adiposity and insulin resistance after 8 weeks of drug therapy.
Trade name Glucophage.
Use associated with weight loss.
Metformin is associated with approximately 3% weight loss in approximately 25 to 50% of participants achieve at least 5% weight loss.
Long-term use associated with anemia-6% higher risk of anemia for every cumulative yer of metformin exposure (Donnelly L).
Decreases HgbA1C by 1 to 2%.
As much as 88% of weight loss is body fat mass.
Primarily used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, particularly in obese.patients.
Reduce diabetes mortality and complications by thirty percent compared to insulin, and chlorpropamide.
Reduces serum glucose level by several different mechanisms, notably through nonpancreatic mechanisms without increasing insulin secretion.
Drug use contraindicated in many patients with impaired kidney function because of concerns of lactic acidosis.
The occurrence of dehydration can increase the risk of lactic acidosis.
The elderly may be at greater risk for hypoglycemia or lactic acidosis.
Its pharmacokinetics are affected by pregnancy, related to the changes in renal filtration and net tubular transport.
A fetus is exposed to variable concentrations of metformin.
Infant exposure to metformin through the breast milk is low.
Has nephroprotective activity against nephrotoxic agents.
Use in patients with diabetes and advanced chronic kidney disease is associated with greater mortality risk.
Side effects include: Nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, diarrhea, weakness, or a metallic taste in the mouth may occur.
It usually does not cause hypoglycemia; however, low blood sugar may occur if this drug is used with other anti-diabetic drugs.
Hypoglycemia is more likely to occur with metforminn with heavy exercise, drinking large amounts of alcohol, or not consuming enough calories from food.
Previous data suggesting it should be contraindicated in patients with impaired kidney function, but more up-to-date information suggests that can be used cautiously in mild to moderate chronic kidney disease.
Use in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease reveals all cause mortality is significantly higher (and is dose-dependent) than in patients with chronic kidney disease in diabetics and non-users of metformin.
Patients with diabetes and reduced kidney function persisting with monotherapy, treatment with metformin compared with a sulfonylurea is associated with a lower risk of major adverse cardiac events.
The presence of hyperinsulinemia has been noted in many patients with cardiac syndrome X, and metformin has been shown to improve vascular function and decrease myocardial ischemia in nondiabetic women with chest pain and angiographically normal coronary arteries.
Although renally cleared drug levels generally remain within the therapeutic range and lactate concentrations are not not substantially increased when used in patients with mild-moderate chronic kidney disease (estimated GFR 30-60 mils per minute per 1.73 m²) (Inzucchi SE et al).
Incidence of lactic acid doses in metformin users is approximately 3 per 100,000-person-years to 10 per 100,000 person years and is indistinguishable from the background rate in th overall population with diabetes.
Lactic acid levels do not increase in patients with normal renal function.
Recent studies suggest no increase in lactic acidosis with mild to moderate chronic kidney disease or congestive heart failure.
Major clinical effect is decreased fasting glucose levels..
Most patients have approximately 1.5 reduction in HbA1C.
Referred to as an antihyperglycemic agent rather than a hypogolycemic drug.
Incidence of associated hypoglycemia is low.
May modestly decrease triglycerides because of decreased very low density lipoprotein production.
Must be stopped 48 hours after intravenous contrast administration and restarted when normal renal function is documented to decrease the chance of lactic acidosis.
Lactic acidosis is the most severe adverse affect and is associated with older age, cardiac disease, the compensated congestive heart failure, renal insufficiency, chronic pulmonary disease, and hypoperfusion.
Can rarely cause lactic acidosis with risk related to sepsis, dehydration, excess alcohol intake liver insufficiency renal impairment and acute congestive heart failure.
Incidence of lactic acidosis very low, approximately 0.03 cases/1,000 patient- years with approximately 0.015 fatal cases/1,000 patient-years.
Lowers blood glucose levels by sensitizing the liver to the effects of insulin, thus suppressing hepatic glucose output.
Decreases the amount of glucose produced by the liver and reduces blood stream level and cellular uptake of insulin.
Improves peripheral insulin sensitivity so that it improves skeletal muscle glucose utilization.
In type 2 diabetics improves both basal and postprandial plasma glucose.
Metformin stimulates AMP-activated protein kinase and reduces hepatic glucose production.
It reduces insulin stimulation resulting in reduced activation of insulin receptors on cell membranes, triggering intracellular molecular effects such as down regulation of the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK and P13K/AKT/mtor signaling pathways.
Upregulates AMP-activated protein kinase, a key molecule in glucose and insulin regulation and also an inhibitor of mTOR.
Activates AMP-activated protein kinase, a major sensor cellular energy levels and a key enzymes limiting growth during times of cellulitis stress.
Activated AMP protein kinase PX protein, cholesterol, and fatty acids synthesis and inhibits mTOR.
Reverses hyperinsulinemia, leading to the down regulation of insulin-like4 growth factors that can promote tumorogenesis by activating of the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/protein kinase B pathway.
Enhances phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase,, inducing changes in the intracellular pathways, ALT is mitochondrial function and may result in improved systolic and diastolic function.
Observation studies of acute myocardial infarction and treatment with metformin is associated with lower peak CK levels, troponins and improve survival after STEMI in patients type 2 diabetes, compared with other anti-glycemic strategies.
Among patients without diabetes and who presented with a STEMI and undergo primary PCI, the use of metformin compared with placebo does not improve left ventricular ejection fraction after 4 months (Lexis CP et al.
Associated with a 31% reduction in diabetes compared to placebo in patients with impaied glucose tolerance (DDP Research Group).
Increases GLP-1 secretion and inhibits GLP-1 degradation.
Among obese adolescents with type one diabetes the addition of metformin to insulin does not improve glycemic control (Libman IM et al).
Lowers cholesterol, triglyceride, and reduces hyperinsulinemeia, improves insulin sensitivity, and assists with weight reduction.
Decreases overall mortality in overweight Type 2 diabetics.
The international Reduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) Registry indicated that the use of metformin as a means of secondary prevention in diabetes was associated with a 24% reduction in all-cause mortality after two years follow-up.
In obese diabetic patients uses so Siri Siri 2% reduction in the diabetes-related endpoint, 42% reduction in diabetes related death, and 36% reduction in mortality (UKPDS).
In the above study patients receiving metformin had a 39 percent reduction in the risk of nonfatal MI.
Other studies on metformin have not shown improvement in microvascular with macrovascular morbidity or mortality.
Associated with lactic acidosis, anorexia, nausea and diarrhea.
May be associated with metallic taste, nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
Symptoms can be minimized by starting with a low dose and titrating slowly, dividing doses and taking the drug with food.
Decreased vitamin B12 levels have occurred in patients on long-term treatment and rarely has been associated with anemia.
Metformin, might reduce the absorption of vitamin B12, possibly through alterations in intestinal mobility, increased bacterial overgrowth, or alterations in the calcium-dependent uptake by ileal cells of the vitamin B12-intrinsic factor complex.
10%–30% of patients who take metformin have reduced vitamin B12 absorption.
Contraindicated: in patients older than 80 years unless normal creatinine is present, in patients with abnormal renal or hepatic function and in patients taking medications for congestive heart failure.
Improves ovarian function in polycystic ovarian syndrome.
In women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, it may make menstrual cycles more regular and increase fertility.
In a large review using 27 clinical trials found metformin was not associated with any increase in the number of live births; however, it improved ovulation rates, especially when it was used in combination with clomiphene in polycystic ovarian disease.
With polycystic ovary syndrome, it is a first choice because of positive effects on insulin resistance, hirsutism, anovulation and obesity.
Metformin improves endothelial function in women with PCOS and endothelial dysfunction independent of changes in glucose metabolism metabolism, dyslipidemia or presence of pre-diabetes.
Metformin has a direct effect on endothelial function in PCOS.
In conjunction with clomiphene citrate acts to increased ovulation and pregnancy rates in polycystic ovarian syndrome.
May reduce rate of spontaneous abortion rate.
Decreases free circulating testosterone through an effect on liver sex hormone binding globulin, modulates adrenal androgen production and decreases ovarian androgen production associated well.
Can improve hirsutism.
Crosses the placenta.
Utilization in gestational diabetes alone, or with supplemental insulin, not associated with increased perinatal complications compared to the use of insulin alone.
Metformin
Observational studies indicate the outcomes for individuals with type two diabetes receiving Metformin while undergoing cancer treatment are improved.
Metformin reduces insulin signaling through the PIK3 and RAS pathways and activates AMPK, which inhibits downstream AKT/mTOR, impairing cancer cell growth.
There is strong evidence for a lack of benefit from metformin treatment in metabolically healthy individuals.
Use probably protects against liver cancer, lower risk for oral cancer, improves prognosis of pancreatic cancer in diabetic patients, increases response rate in melanoma treated tumors with BRAF mutations and chemotherapy agents.
The risk of pancreatic cancer in patients taking metformin is a 62% lower than in placebo group who did not use metformin.
While diabetic participants having sulfonylureas or insulin were found to have a 2.5-fold and 5-fold higher risk of pancreatic cancer, respectively, in comparison to placebo group.
Diabetic patients using metformin may have a lower the risk of cancer compared to those using other anti-diabetic drugs.
Has strong antiproliferative effects on colon, pancreatic, breast, ovarian, prostate and lung cancer cells.
Diabetes is a common disease that may occur throughout human life, and can increase the likelihood of the occurrence of various types of cancer, such as colon, rectum, pancreas and liver cancers, compared to non-diabetic patients.
Metformin inhibits mTOR activity by activating ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated) and LKB1 (liver kinase B1) and then adenosine monophosphate-activated kinase (AMPK), and thus prevents protein synthesis and cell growth.
mTOR is a protein kinase regulating cell growth, survival, metabolism, and immunity.
metformin can activate p53 by activating AMPK and thereby ultimately stop the cell cycle.
Metformin in nondiabetic, unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with chemoradiation: survival exceeded expectations in both groups, those who received chemoradiation alone vs chemoradiation and metformin: however, the addition of metformin to chemoradiation did not improve overall or progression-free survival.
Addition of metformin to chemoradiotherapy, as a concurrent treatment as well as consolidation therapy, in patients without diabetes who have locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer
addition of metformin to chemoradiotherapy was associated with worse treatment efficacy and increased toxic effects compared with chemoradiotherapy alone.
The proportion of patients who experienced a failure event within 1 year with locoregional disease progression, distant metastases, death, or withdrawal was 69.2% in the metformin arm vs 42.9% in the control arm.
Metformin is not recommended as an adjunct to chemoradiotherapy for the treatment of unresected locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer in patients who do not have diabetes.
Addition of metformin to standard breast cancer treatment
a randomized controlled trial (RCT) found addition of metformin to standard breast cancer treatment did not improve invasive disease free survival vs placebo among patients with high-risk operable disease who did not have diabetes.
Strong evidence for a lack of benefit from metformin treatment in metabolically healthy individuals.
A review found metformin use did not have a significant effect on cancer incidence in subjects with overweight/obesity and/or prediabetes/diabetes.
A clinical trial has demonstrated a beneficial effect in colon and breast cancers.
It possesses antioxidant activity.
Use associated with impaired cognitive performance.
Compared with Sulfonylureas, metformin is associated with reduced risk of major adverse cardiac events among patients with type two diabetes and reduced kidney function.
In non diabetics does not improve carotid intima-media thickness or carotid plaque scores.
May have a Preventative role In peripheral neuropathy induced by diabetes
Treatment with metformin prevents axonal atrophy and fiber degeneration.
Metformin stimulates the expression of neurotrophic and angiogenic factors in the peripheral nerve.
Metformin attenuates inflammation of nerve tissue exposed to chronic hyperglycemia.
Metformin increases the expression of anti-inflammatory markers.
Studies have shown in patients with prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, triple negative breast cancer,, HER2 positive breast cancer, multiple myeloma the median overall survival durations are increased in patients taking metformin than in patients who are not.
Among patients with high-risk operable breast cancer without diabetes, the addition of Met Forman versus placebo to standard breast cancer treatment did not significantly improve invasive disease free survival (Goodwin PJ).
Long-term metformin use is associated with a significantly lower risk of new onset prostate cancer and all cause mortality in patients with type two diabetes than sulfonylureas and more protective against prostate cancer but less protective against all cause mortality in those less than 65 years of age.
Metformin affects multiple key processes related to cell growth, proliferation, and survival.
Epidemiological studies suggest a decreased risk of lung cancer in diabetic patients treated with antidiabetic drugs, including metformin-39-45% decreased risk.
Lung cancer patients treated with first-line chemotherapy and metformin have superior outcomes to those treated with chemotherapy and other diabetic medications.
A study suggests patients using metformin before a diagnosis of COVID-19 only had a third of the mortality risk of their counterparts with no reported use of the drug.
In a study, which included more than 300,000 participants aged 55 or older, the use of low dose metformin was associated with a lower incidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
The use of metformin was associated with a reduction in odds of developing AMD.
The association is dose-dependent, with low to moderate doses of metformin being associated with the greatest benefit.
When assessing doses greater than 1080 g, there was no association with reduced odds of developing AMD at 2 years.
Among patients with diabetes, metformin use was associated with a decreased risk of AMD in patients without existing diabetic retinopathy, but was considered a risk factor for patients with existing diabetic retinopathy.
Metformin use over 2 years in adults aged 55 years and older is associated with 5% to 10% reduced odds ratio of developing AMD.
A dose-dependent association of this potential protective effect is present, with low to moderate doses of metformin being associated with the lowest odds ratio for the development of AMD.
https://standardofcare.com/metformin/
submitted by Standard_of_Care to u/Standard_of_Care [link] [comments]
Available in short and sustained-release formulations.
Has the best benefit-risk profile for glycemic control, weight loss and safety.
Recommended as initial treatment for type 2 diabetes.
Metformin, compared with lifestyle modification alone, is associated with a 39% reduction in myocardial infarction and a 36% reduction in all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetes.
Works primarily by decreasing hepatic glucose output and a relatively minor effect on increasing insulin sensitivity.
Hepatic gluconeogenesis may be reduced by 75%.
It decreases the amount of blood sugar that the liver produces and that the intestines or stomach absorb.
Its pleitropic affects, include decreased inflammation, increase insulin and leptin sensitivity, and decreased hunger and gherlin levels, especially with twice daily dosing.
Acts in the liver where it inhibits gluconeogenesis by blocking a mitochondrial redox shuttle.
It is an insulin sensitize and likely acts in the lumen through multiple mechanisms.
Metformin, taken with diet and exercise changes to prevent diabetes in people who are at high risk for becoming diabetic.
It is frequently used in patients with pre-diabetes, polycystic, ovary syndrome, and overweight/obesity to mitigate weight gain due to antipsychotic medications.
It increases the effects of insulin, and is termed an “insulin sensitizer”.
A biguanide, is the most widely used oral antidiabetic drug that is generally
Recommended for first-line medical treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Early initiation of metformin at the time of diagnosis, when glycosylated hemoglobin levels are not significantly elevated, has been associated with improved glycemic control over time and decreased long-term complications.
Metformin is believed to activate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a major cellular regulator of lipid and glucose metabolism.
Metformin has been shown to be highly effective at reducing the onset ofdiabetes by 31% in 3234 prediabetic adults over a period of 2.8 years in the DPP (Diabetes Prevention Program) study 72 and at reducing systemic inflammation.
Also suppresses the endogenous glucose production by the liver, which is mainly due to a reduction in the rate of gluconeogenesis and a small effect on glycogenolysis.
It activates the enzyme adenosine monophosphate kinase (AMPK) inhibiting enzymes involved in gluconeogenesis and glycogen synthesis in the liver while stimulating insulin signaling and glucose transport in muscles.
Metformin is believed to activate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a major cellular regulator of lipid and glucose metabolism.
Improves glycemic control without inducing hypoglycemia or weight gain.
Metformin has modulating effects on a pathway known to play a major role in lifespan extension.
Metformin also upregulates peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha, a master regulator of mitochondrial function, and a transcription factor that controls antioxidant programs.
Because these molecules (AMPK, mammalian target of rapamycin, and peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha) are interconnected through cellular signaling networks implicated in the modulation of the aging process, it has been postulated that metformin could slow aging and age-related diseases.
Metformin is believed to activate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a major cellular regulator of lipid and glucose metabolism.
Metformin has modulating effects on a pathway known to play a major role in lifespan extension.
Metformin also upregulates peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha, a master regulator of mitochondrial function, and a transcription factor that controls antioxidant programs.
Observational studies indicate that metformin reduces mortality and frailty.
Use associated with lower rate of atrial fibrillation.
Use associated with lower incidence of atrial fibrillation.
Use associated with lower fasting insulin concentrations.
One of the few drugs that shows a significant reduction of macrovascular events and diabetes related mortality.
Antioxidants have beneficial effects such as anticancer, antidiabetes and antiatherosclerosis properties.
It has been shown to reduce visceral adiposity and insulin resistance after 8 weeks of drug therapy.
Trade name Glucophage.
Use associated with weight loss.
Metformin is associated with approximately 3% weight loss in approximately 25 to 50% of participants achieve at least 5% weight loss.
Long-term use associated with anemia-6% higher risk of anemia for every cumulative yer of metformin exposure (Donnelly L).
Decreases HgbA1C by 1 to 2%.
As much as 88% of weight loss is body fat mass.
Primarily used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, particularly in obese.patients.
Reduce diabetes mortality and complications by thirty percent compared to insulin, and chlorpropamide.
Reduces serum glucose level by several different mechanisms, notably through nonpancreatic mechanisms without increasing insulin secretion.
Drug use contraindicated in many patients with impaired kidney function because of concerns of lactic acidosis.
The occurrence of dehydration can increase the risk of lactic acidosis.
The elderly may be at greater risk for hypoglycemia or lactic acidosis.
Its pharmacokinetics are affected by pregnancy, related to the changes in renal filtration and net tubular transport.
A fetus is exposed to variable concentrations of metformin.
Infant exposure to metformin through the breast milk is low.
Has nephroprotective activity against nephrotoxic agents.
Use in patients with diabetes and advanced chronic kidney disease is associated with greater mortality risk.
Side effects include: Nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, diarrhea, weakness, or a metallic taste in the mouth may occur.
It usually does not cause hypoglycemia; however, low blood sugar may occur if this drug is used with other anti-diabetic drugs.
Hypoglycemia is more likely to occur with metforminn with heavy exercise, drinking large amounts of alcohol, or not consuming enough calories from food.
Previous data suggesting it should be contraindicated in patients with impaired kidney function, but more up-to-date information suggests that can be used cautiously in mild to moderate chronic kidney disease.
Use in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease reveals all cause mortality is significantly higher (and is dose-dependent) than in patients with chronic kidney disease in diabetics and non-users of metformin.
Patients with diabetes and reduced kidney function persisting with monotherapy, treatment with metformin compared with a sulfonylurea is associated with a lower risk of major adverse cardiac events.
The presence of hyperinsulinemia has been noted in many patients with cardiac syndrome X, and metformin has been shown to improve vascular function and decrease myocardial ischemia in nondiabetic women with chest pain and angiographically normal coronary arteries.
Although renally cleared drug levels generally remain within the therapeutic range and lactate concentrations are not not substantially increased when used in patients with mild-moderate chronic kidney disease (estimated GFR 30-60 mils per minute per 1.73 m²) (Inzucchi SE et al).
Incidence of lactic acid doses in metformin users is approximately 3 per 100,000-person-years to 10 per 100,000 person years and is indistinguishable from the background rate in th overall population with diabetes.
Lactic acid levels do not increase in patients with normal renal function.
Recent studies suggest no increase in lactic acidosis with mild to moderate chronic kidney disease or congestive heart failure.
Major clinical effect is decreased fasting glucose levels..
Most patients have approximately 1.5 reduction in HbA1C.
Referred to as an antihyperglycemic agent rather than a hypogolycemic drug.
Incidence of associated hypoglycemia is low.
May modestly decrease triglycerides because of decreased very low density lipoprotein production.
Must be stopped 48 hours after intravenous contrast administration and restarted when normal renal function is documented to decrease the chance of lactic acidosis.
Lactic acidosis is the most severe adverse affect and is associated with older age, cardiac disease, the compensated congestive heart failure, renal insufficiency, chronic pulmonary disease, and hypoperfusion.
Can rarely cause lactic acidosis with risk related to sepsis, dehydration, excess alcohol intake liver insufficiency renal impairment and acute congestive heart failure.
Incidence of lactic acidosis very low, approximately 0.03 cases/1,000 patient- years with approximately 0.015 fatal cases/1,000 patient-years.
Lowers blood glucose levels by sensitizing the liver to the effects of insulin, thus suppressing hepatic glucose output.
Decreases the amount of glucose produced by the liver and reduces blood stream level and cellular uptake of insulin.
Improves peripheral insulin sensitivity so that it improves skeletal muscle glucose utilization.
In type 2 diabetics improves both basal and postprandial plasma glucose.
Metformin stimulates AMP-activated protein kinase and reduces hepatic glucose production.
It reduces insulin stimulation resulting in reduced activation of insulin receptors on cell membranes, triggering intracellular molecular effects such as down regulation of the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK and P13K/AKT/mtor signaling pathways.
Upregulates AMP-activated protein kinase, a key molecule in glucose and insulin regulation and also an inhibitor of mTOR.
Activates AMP-activated protein kinase, a major sensor cellular energy levels and a key enzymes limiting growth during times of cellulitis stress.
Activated AMP protein kinase PX protein, cholesterol, and fatty acids synthesis and inhibits mTOR.
Reverses hyperinsulinemia, leading to the down regulation of insulin-like4 growth factors that can promote tumorogenesis by activating of the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/protein kinase B pathway.
Enhances phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase,, inducing changes in the intracellular pathways, ALT is mitochondrial function and may result in improved systolic and diastolic function.
Observation studies of acute myocardial infarction and treatment with metformin is associated with lower peak CK levels, troponins and improve survival after STEMI in patients type 2 diabetes, compared with other anti-glycemic strategies.
Among patients without diabetes and who presented with a STEMI and undergo primary PCI, the use of metformin compared with placebo does not improve left ventricular ejection fraction after 4 months (Lexis CP et al.
Associated with a 31% reduction in diabetes compared to placebo in patients with impaied glucose tolerance (DDP Research Group).
Increases GLP-1 secretion and inhibits GLP-1 degradation.
Among obese adolescents with type one diabetes the addition of metformin to insulin does not improve glycemic control (Libman IM et al).
Lowers cholesterol, triglyceride, and reduces hyperinsulinemeia, improves insulin sensitivity, and assists with weight reduction.
Decreases overall mortality in overweight Type 2 diabetics.
The international Reduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) Registry indicated that the use of metformin as a means of secondary prevention in diabetes was associated with a 24% reduction in all-cause mortality after two years follow-up.
In obese diabetic patients uses so Siri Siri 2% reduction in the diabetes-related endpoint, 42% reduction in diabetes related death, and 36% reduction in mortality (UKPDS).
In the above study patients receiving metformin had a 39 percent reduction in the risk of nonfatal MI.
Other studies on metformin have not shown improvement in microvascular with macrovascular morbidity or mortality.
Associated with lactic acidosis, anorexia, nausea and diarrhea.
May be associated with metallic taste, nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
Symptoms can be minimized by starting with a low dose and titrating slowly, dividing doses and taking the drug with food.
Decreased vitamin B12 levels have occurred in patients on long-term treatment and rarely has been associated with anemia.
Metformin, might reduce the absorption of vitamin B12, possibly through alterations in intestinal mobility, increased bacterial overgrowth, or alterations in the calcium-dependent uptake by ileal cells of the vitamin B12-intrinsic factor complex.
10%–30% of patients who take metformin have reduced vitamin B12 absorption.
Contraindicated: in patients older than 80 years unless normal creatinine is present, in patients with abnormal renal or hepatic function and in patients taking medications for congestive heart failure.
Improves ovarian function in polycystic ovarian syndrome.
In women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, it may make menstrual cycles more regular and increase fertility.
In a large review using 27 clinical trials found metformin was not associated with any increase in the number of live births; however, it improved ovulation rates, especially when it was used in combination with clomiphene in polycystic ovarian disease.
With polycystic ovary syndrome, it is a first choice because of positive effects on insulin resistance, hirsutism, anovulation and obesity.
Metformin improves endothelial function in women with PCOS and endothelial dysfunction independent of changes in glucose metabolism metabolism, dyslipidemia or presence of pre-diabetes.
Metformin has a direct effect on endothelial function in PCOS.
In conjunction with clomiphene citrate acts to increased ovulation and pregnancy rates in polycystic ovarian syndrome.
May reduce rate of spontaneous abortion rate.
Decreases free circulating testosterone through an effect on liver sex hormone binding globulin, modulates adrenal androgen production and decreases ovarian androgen production associated well.
Can improve hirsutism.
Crosses the placenta.
Utilization in gestational diabetes alone, or with supplemental insulin, not associated with increased perinatal complications compared to the use of insulin alone.
Metformin
Observational studies indicate the outcomes for individuals with type two diabetes receiving Metformin while undergoing cancer treatment are improved.
Metformin reduces insulin signaling through the PIK3 and RAS pathways and activates AMPK, which inhibits downstream AKT/mTOR, impairing cancer cell growth.
There is strong evidence for a lack of benefit from metformin treatment in metabolically healthy individuals.
Use probably protects against liver cancer, lower risk for oral cancer, improves prognosis of pancreatic cancer in diabetic patients, increases response rate in melanoma treated tumors with BRAF mutations and chemotherapy agents.
The risk of pancreatic cancer in patients taking metformin is a 62% lower than in placebo group who did not use metformin.
While diabetic participants having sulfonylureas or insulin were found to have a 2.5-fold and 5-fold higher risk of pancreatic cancer, respectively, in comparison to placebo group.
Diabetic patients using metformin may have a lower the risk of cancer compared to those using other anti-diabetic drugs.
Has strong antiproliferative effects on colon, pancreatic, breast, ovarian, prostate and lung cancer cells.
Diabetes is a common disease that may occur throughout human life, and can increase the likelihood of the occurrence of various types of cancer, such as colon, rectum, pancreas and liver cancers, compared to non-diabetic patients.
Metformin inhibits mTOR activity by activating ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated) and LKB1 (liver kinase B1) and then adenosine monophosphate-activated kinase (AMPK), and thus prevents protein synthesis and cell growth.
mTOR is a protein kinase regulating cell growth, survival, metabolism, and immunity.
metformin can activate p53 by activating AMPK and thereby ultimately stop the cell cycle.
Metformin in nondiabetic, unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with chemoradiation: survival exceeded expectations in both groups, those who received chemoradiation alone vs chemoradiation and metformin: however, the addition of metformin to chemoradiation did not improve overall or progression-free survival.
Addition of metformin to chemoradiotherapy, as a concurrent treatment as well as consolidation therapy, in patients without diabetes who have locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer
addition of metformin to chemoradiotherapy was associated with worse treatment efficacy and increased toxic effects compared with chemoradiotherapy alone.
The proportion of patients who experienced a failure event within 1 year with locoregional disease progression, distant metastases, death, or withdrawal was 69.2% in the metformin arm vs 42.9% in the control arm.
Metformin is not recommended as an adjunct to chemoradiotherapy for the treatment of unresected locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer in patients who do not have diabetes.
Addition of metformin to standard breast cancer treatment
a randomized controlled trial (RCT) found addition of metformin to standard breast cancer treatment did not improve invasive disease free survival vs placebo among patients with high-risk operable disease who did not have diabetes.
Strong evidence for a lack of benefit from metformin treatment in metabolically healthy individuals.
A review found metformin use did not have a significant effect on cancer incidence in subjects with overweight/obesity and/or prediabetes/diabetes.
A clinical trial has demonstrated a beneficial effect in colon and breast cancers.
It possesses antioxidant activity.
Use associated with impaired cognitive performance.
Compared with Sulfonylureas, metformin is associated with reduced risk of major adverse cardiac events among patients with type two diabetes and reduced kidney function.
In non diabetics does not improve carotid intima-media thickness or carotid plaque scores.
May have a Preventative role In peripheral neuropathy induced by diabetes
Treatment with metformin prevents axonal atrophy and fiber degeneration.
Metformin stimulates the expression of neurotrophic and angiogenic factors in the peripheral nerve.
Metformin attenuates inflammation of nerve tissue exposed to chronic hyperglycemia.
Metformin increases the expression of anti-inflammatory markers.
Studies have shown in patients with prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, triple negative breast cancer,, HER2 positive breast cancer, multiple myeloma the median overall survival durations are increased in patients taking metformin than in patients who are not.
Among patients with high-risk operable breast cancer without diabetes, the addition of Met Forman versus placebo to standard breast cancer treatment did not significantly improve invasive disease free survival (Goodwin PJ).
Long-term metformin use is associated with a significantly lower risk of new onset prostate cancer and all cause mortality in patients with type two diabetes than sulfonylureas and more protective against prostate cancer but less protective against all cause mortality in those less than 65 years of age.
Metformin affects multiple key processes related to cell growth, proliferation, and survival.
Epidemiological studies suggest a decreased risk of lung cancer in diabetic patients treated with antidiabetic drugs, including metformin-39-45% decreased risk.
Lung cancer patients treated with first-line chemotherapy and metformin have superior outcomes to those treated with chemotherapy and other diabetic medications.
A study suggests patients using metformin before a diagnosis of COVID-19 only had a third of the mortality risk of their counterparts with no reported use of the drug.
In a study, which included more than 300,000 participants aged 55 or older, the use of low dose metformin was associated with a lower incidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
The use of metformin was associated with a reduction in odds of developing AMD.
The association is dose-dependent, with low to moderate doses of metformin being associated with the greatest benefit.
When assessing doses greater than 1080 g, there was no association with reduced odds of developing AMD at 2 years.
Among patients with diabetes, metformin use was associated with a decreased risk of AMD in patients without existing diabetic retinopathy, but was considered a risk factor for patients with existing diabetic retinopathy.
Metformin use over 2 years in adults aged 55 years and older is associated with 5% to 10% reduced odds ratio of developing AMD.
A dose-dependent association of this potential protective effect is present, with low to moderate doses of metformin being associated with the lowest odds ratio for the development of AMD.
https://standardofcare.com/metformin/
2024.04.30 23:16 Realtor_Skyler 30+ showings and no offers
As the title states, I have a home listed on the Intracoastal. It offers 3 beds + office/ 3.5 bath / 2 car garage, private sauna/steam room in owner bathroom, salt water pool, tile roof, and just under 3000 sf (2989). Price is 1,360,000. It has a view of conservation accross the way. Any advice would be appreciated.
Feedback has been that they love the home but want a more vibrant/active community (more country club-esque) or the potential buyer needs to get their home under contract before they place an offer on ours.
submitted by Realtor_Skyler to realtors [link] [comments]
Feedback has been that they love the home but want a more vibrant/active community (more country club-esque) or the potential buyer needs to get their home under contract before they place an offer on ours.
2024.04.30 23:15 Datlaovietguy Should I use methylene blue and aquarium salt?
 | I have 2 bettas with swim bladder disease and one of them also has fin rot. I’ve been giving them 1 epsom salt bath a day for like 4 days now but I don’t think its helping. The one with fin rot has had the rot for a while and I’ve tried salt baths in the past but that didn’t do anything. submitted by Datlaovietguy to Aquariums [link] [comments] I don’t have any extra tanks so should I use a 5 gallon bucket as a quarantine tank, and use methylene blue and aquarium salt to treat them? |
2024.04.30 23:06 outtasight68 has anyone found the anthony video? full service just like susan?
i'm asexual and not gay but i do love some funny pornography (see: lemon stealing whores, she loves cream of wheat, buffalo billys bath salt adventure etc) i know i got some friends who'd appreciate it too.
to avoid pissing off the mods and bots (and larger community, let's be honest) pls dm me the link if you have it. i'm very curious to see this.
submitted by outtasight68 to gamegrumps [link] [comments]
to avoid pissing off the mods and bots (and larger community, let's be honest) pls dm me the link if you have it. i'm very curious to see this.
2024.04.30 22:40 MalteseMalteser Malt's Trip Review across the Golden Route
Hi all, first time posting in this sub but found some of the advice really helpful planning for our trip, so thought I'd post our trip report.
A bit about us: Two late 20's Brits, husband and wife team. Mixed levels of fitness - we lift weights in the gym 5 days a week, and my wife additionally plays rugby with training/games 2-3 times a week (I coach). We both work 9-5 deskjobs. Interests include food, videogames, anime and history.
The trip: 10th April: Flew business class with JAL from LHR to HND. Flying business class was a bucket list thing for us, and we'd saved up a lot of money during Covid even with a marriage and a house move. Overall it was a great experience, but I'm a light sleeper and couldn't sleep a wink on the plane. Watched season 1 of SpyxFamily which became the anime of the trip, as we'd watch Seasons 2 and 3 before getting to bed most nights.
11th April: Landed at 7:40am at HND and set up our Ubigi eSims. My advice would be to set it up before you fly, as connecting to the Wifi at HND was a bit troublesome. On the whole, though, Ubigi was great - decent connection throughout and only lost connection in some tunnels, or in a couple of spots in Akihabara.
Got Suica cards at Terminal 3 and dropped luggage off at our hotel (Hotel Gracery Shinjuku). Was cool being in the Godzilla hotel on the Godzilla floor - room was pretty big and you get some good views from the 30th floor. Loved the iconography on the walls of various kaiju's in the Godzilla franchise (King Ghidorah, Rodan etc.), the iconography on the lift doors, and there's a panorama in the hotel lobby, too.
Went for a walk around Shinjuku and Shinjuku Gyoen garden whilst we waited to check in and were lucky enough to see the various cherry/plum (I think?) blossoms in the park. We had planned the trip knowing we were missing the blossom season, so to see some in full bloom was great. We'd grabbed some onigiri from a 7-11 and had a picnic on a bench under the trees. Grabbed Shinkansen tickets for a couple of days time in the Green Car from Shinjuku station, which was hassle-free. Checked into hotel, then went to find some food. Booked online at Teppanyaki Hama which was literally down the street, and what an experience that was. Only 12 seats in total at the restaurant, and we were treated to the chef cooking right in front of us a variety of 9 courses from roe, to oyster, lobster, snail and the best grilled veg I've had. Cost about £216 from memory, but it set the tone of the trip really well.
12th April: woke up early and got to Meiji Jingu for about 7am. We enjoyed how quiet it was, with only a handful of tourists at this time. We then went to a Family Mart and came back to Meiji Jingu (with the intention to eat breakfast in the park) at 8:30am, but all the tourists had arrived by then and we could see no food/drink signs so we moved on to Yoyogi Park which was also lovely.
Next we did Harajuku and I visited the Asics store there. Was disappointed at how touristy the area seemed even at 10/11am. At this time, it started to rain and, with not much appealing to us, we moved on to Shibuya. Did Shibuya scramble a few times for the fun of it, then grabbed lunch at Ichiran. Decent ramen, better than the chain ramen we get in the UK (I'm looking at you, Wagamama's) but not the best of the trip. Explored Shibuya and saw the Pokemon Centre there with Mewtwo, and then the One Piece and Jump stores too. We went to Sushiro for dinner. Ate about 15 plates between us for roughly £26 with drinks. First ever conveyor belt sushi experience and had to wait about 30 mins for a seat. Was pretty cool. Rounded off the day wandering Golden Gai and Kabukicho near the hotel.
13th April: had planned to explore Nakano Broadway and Ikebukuro this day but...
I was ill all day and after being up and down during the night, spent all day in bed. My wife was fine, so I either overate, felt jetlagged, stressed from overplanning, ate something my wife didn't (likely sea urchin at Sushiro), or a bit of everything. My wife went to Gotokuji temple in the afternoon and explored some of the neighbourhoods to find an Airbnb which a Youtuber she follows, owns. My illness put me off of seafood for most of the trip, which is unfortunate as I love seafood, but the smell of it just put me off on this trip.
14th April: took the 6:33am Shinkansen to Kyoto. This was awesome, and watching the Japanese countryside go by with the mountains in the background was something I'll never forget - it's so much more picturesque than from UK trains. We were lucky to see Mt. Fuji from the train as well, as we knew she was usually shy, but that morning she looked majestic.
Popped by the hotel so they knew we were in the neighbourhood (Yoin Hotel Kyoto Gion). Hotel was a bit disappointing. Largest hotel room of the trip (save for the ryokan) but it was only 4/5 storeys high so had a lot of noise from the road below from loud tourists at 1am.
We explored Gion district. Visited Chion-in which was brilliant, saw different delegations of monks and even a bit of their ceremonies when we were there. Also did Yasaka Shrine, Yasaka Pagoda, and Kiyomizu-dera (too crowded by the time we did it), and grabbed some lunch at Smile Burger. Smile burger was great, a small burger joint which did simple burgers that tasted good for a great price. We then took a break at Ryozen Kannon temple. Ate dinner in our room with some of the ekiben boxes I didn't eat for brekfast as I still felt iffy.
15th April: originally planned to do Fushimi Inari this day but instead took a trip to Nara as I wasn't feeling a 5am wakeup after being unwell. Nara was lovely, but again loads of tourists by 8am. Fed the deer, and loved how the vendors all charged the same and how part of the money goes towards conservation. We went to Kofuku-ji and then grabbed breakfast at a conbini next to the famous TikTok mocchi making place, then sat at Sarusawa-ike watching the Terrapins to eat. It was so peaceful here, away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist parts. Then visited Todaiji Temple and explored Nara park. Then, we hopped on a train to visit the old Imperial Palace of Nara with the intention of seeing all Imperial Palaces in the cities on our trip. Admittedly not much at the site but it was cool seeing the old buildings and some of the conservation work being done. Then, on a whim, we went to Uji at 3:30pm and again, it was away from the hustle and bustle of tourists. I dislike green tea and matcha, but my wife likes it so thought it'd be good to try. We found a cafe overlooking the river and got there at last orders. Admittedly, I didn't like anything on the menu but that's just my taste and dislike of matcha. We left Uji and found a Wagyu steak yakiniku place in Kyoto called Douraku Kyotorokkakudoriten. Had a whole board of Wagyu fillet, tongue, cheek, rib etc. for about £89 and we got to cook it ourselves. This was a treat, and I've never tasted beef so good - it literally melted in our mouths. We left very satisfied after getting a side order of rice and bimbap, too.
16th April: Tackled Fushimi Inari this day as I was getting my groove back. Got to the foot of Fushimi Inari at 7:30am and it was already packed with wannabe influencers - I could tell this was going to be fun...my wife and I like hillwalking and occasionally walk Bennau Brycheniog or the Lake District, so we can hike at a good pace. We passed many people getting irate over the number of people getting in their shots (what did you expect?) and even one woman walking in a dress and stilettos with her partner carrying a tripod!! Madness. The crowds did thin considerably once we hit the part where the path splits in two, and we got all the way to the top in 55 mins. We bought a tori gate from one of the stalls neat the top after waiting around for 25 mins for it to open, and we had our names and date painted on it in kanji. Certainly take some time to see the various shrines in the small paths off the main track, as they're so picturesque and peaceful. Shoutout to Pocari Sweat, which kept me fuelled this entire time whilst recovering from the lurgies.
We walked down the mountain pass at the back, past a small bamboo grove, and here I jumped with glee as I heard a school bell go which had exactly the same tone and tune as the one from the 'Izekai Quartet' anime. From here, we did Tofuku-ji as it was on the way back into town along the path. What was really nice was seeing the backstreets of Japanese society, so tranquil and well-kept (like it was straight out of an anime). We then grabbed some lunch at a Korean hotpot place in Kyoto station, and did Kyoto tower on a whim. I suffer from vertigo and 'call of the void' (where I want to jump off of high places just to know what the sensation is like) and they were pretty bad at the top of Kyoto Tower as I felt like the tower was shaking in the wind. Still, the views were great and I'm glad I did it. They had a stand/vending machines of 'Sound Euphonium!' merch, which is an anime I love as a former brass band player, so got some photos next to Kumiko and Reina. We then went on an hours detour just so my wife could find another Pokelid and ended up in a park watching the Shinkansen go by. We grabbed dinner in an udon place called Udon Shiogama round the corner from the hotel which did curry udon. My goodness it tasted so good! The rich, spicy sauce went so well with the juicy udon I can still taste it. It's about on par with a Jalfrezi or a hot tikka spicewise, so if you can't do spice it may not be for you, but my wife had tempura udon ramen which she said was also as excellent.
17th April: trip to Osaka. I originally wanted to go to Himeji castle given the advice on this sub, but my wife didn't want to go too far astray so instead we went to Osaka castle at 9am. It was nice to see the museum inside of it and was very informative. From there, we went to Dotonbori and tried the best Takoyaki from a place right outside Osaka-Namba station with a massive crab on top. Also tried melonpan with vanilla ice cream inside it (a game changer) and Okonomiyaki at Mizuno Okonomiyaki which was brilliant. Went for the seafood option (risky given recent events) but it was so tasteful. Top tip would be to get here early at 5pm to avoid much of a queue, as only a limited number of seats and they cook it up in front of you. Then went to find the Osaka Pokemon Centre as my wife wanted to see that. Eventually headed back to Kyoto at about 9pm.
18th-19th April: Kinosaki Onsen
We wanted to do a ryokan/onsen experience as part of the trip but I wanted to get away from the crowds, so avoided Hakone. A friend had gone to Kinosaki so I decided to as well. Took us 3 hours to get there from Kyoto so set off at about 9am and the scenery out the window as the local trains go through the mountains was beautiful. Got to Kinosakionsen at midday and grabbed lunch at Kinosaki Burger by the station. Best burger of the holiday, hands down. Japan does simple burgers, but it does them well. It doesn't overcomplicate them by adding in more ingredients/foods, they're just a solid good burger. This is no different, but their chips were the best chips I've tasted. Cooked to order, cripsy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and seasoned generously with salt. At 2pm we checked into the ryokan (Nishimuraya Honkan Ryokan) and got changed into our Yukatas and getas. We had the suite room so we had the highest room in the ryokan. Went to Kouno-ko onsen to try it out and didn't get weirded out by the amount of people there and being completely naked around them. Top tip - if you wear glasses, take them off as it can help with an 'if I can't see them, they can't see me' mentality. Had fun walking in getas - how anime characters run, fight and kick in those things will remain a wonder to me (looking at you, Elfman from Fairy Tail).
Had kaiseki dinner in the ryokan which was so good! Fresh crab, cold sakura noodles, sashimi, grilled salmon...divine. Went for a late walk in the town as it was lit by lanterns and it was so picturesque. I estimate maybe 50 tourists in total within the town on this Thursday evening? It was great. Went for a dip in the onsen within the Ryokan - it has two onsens, one male and one female, which alternate each morning. Both onsens are done in different styles, too, one Japanese and one Greco-Roman. Learning the history of Kinosakionsen was also cool, with healing storks and praying monks with a history spanning over 1400 years.
The next morning we ate breakfast in our room and after another dip in the ryokan onsen, again on a whim, did the Kinosaki ropeway. You could see the Sea of Japan at the top along with shrines to crabs and other Buddhist deities. We stopped halfway down to see the Onsen temple which I believe had nightingale flooring. The monk there was brilliant with even very broken English, gave us a leaflet with info on it, and let us roam. We missed the 12:10pm gondola down so were stranded midway until 12:50pm, but it was nice to take the time to smell the flowers as we heard more Isekai Quarter schoolbells ring, trains zip along the valley below us, birds singing their song as the gentle breeze tickled us. I'll never forget that moment.
Upon getting down from the ropeway, we stopped off at Kinosaki Burger again before getting the train to Kyoto. We went to Pontocho alley for some grub and along a backstreet, stumbled upon Restaurant Muni which is a French/Japanese place. Looks to be a father and son operation and we were the first ones there ar 6pm. They recommend 2-3 plates per person for 2 people. I started with the Japanese beef curry which was just right, and the wife had omurice. I then had grilled duck which was cooked to perfection, before I ended with omurice whilst my wife had a pork cutlet sandwich. All meals were divine and tasted good, think the bill was near enough £100 but in our minds, it was worth it. Reminded me of Yokihira Soma's restaurant in 'Shokugeki no Soma' (Food Wars) a bit with the dynamic of the chefs and the menu, but it gets 5 stars from me. From there, we sauntered along the river and took in the atmosphere, seeing the buildings all lit up.
20th April: Decided to skip Arashiyama bamboo forest as I was tired of tourists by this point (yes, I realise the irony that I am myself a tourist) so instead we hopped on a bus and headed straight to Kinkaku-ji. Even at 9:05am there's so many tourists and we were herded through narrow paths. Was nice for a quick photo op but it suffered from overtourism. We then went to Heian shrine on a whim which was so quiet! I loved the red wood and the green roofs of the buildings. We also did the gardens which were my favourite gardens of the trip. We fed the koi carp (and a turtle) for 200 yen and even saw a Japanese wedding on the bridge - the groom was a handsome young man in his attire and the bride looked beautiful in hers. We did some shopping before getting dinner at CoCo curry. I was hungry, so went for extra pork cutlet, extra mushrooms, and spice level 5 and I struggled with the spice. It was one of the hottest dishes I've tasted, so if I were to go again I'd pick a milder level.
21st April: Took the bus to Nijo Castle and walked around the grounds. The grounds were lovely and the castle was cool too. Then hit up Kyoto Imperial Palace. Went to the Kyoto Pokemon Centre and then hit up Gyoza Dokoro Sukemasa. Got their Gyoza Set B menu which was 6 gyozas, miso soup, rice, string beans and chicken mayo salad for...880 yen. Bargain! The gyoza had hints of ginger in them which made them bright and freshing. So good! We then walked through Gion at night and took pictures of Nannenzaka, Sinnenzaka, and Yasaka Pagoda in darkness when illuminated by lights. Beautiful.
22nd April: Bullet train to Tokyo where we hit up Nakano Broadway and Ikebukuro. We were disappointed by both - Nakano Broadway just felt like multiple Mandarake stores, and Ikebukuro didn't have much aside from Sunshine City. We then hit up Akihabara in the afternoon and loved it. We went for dinner at Kanda Matsuya which was a lovely pre-war building serving ramen. Loads of locals in here and the place was bustling which was great to see. Some great food too, at decent prices. Afterwards I stopped by the local MacDonalds to try their double Big Mac burger (4 burgers in a Big Mac bun) as it's such a novelty. Checked into our hotel (The Gate Hotel Kaminarimon) in Asakusa. Hotel was great, some lovely views on the 10th floor and a 2 min walk from Sennsoji Temple and Akihabara station. Our room was huge. Would recommend.
23rd April: did Sennsoji-Temple as it was right across the street from our hotel. It was pretty cool to see in the morning at 8am with barely any tourists around, though did get busy at 9am. Wandered the old streets of Akihabara and reflected at the shrines/memorials around Sennsoji. Had Tokyo Tower booked in the afternoon and almost died at being 350m up due to the vertigo, but managed to get my shit together for a photo on the green screen floor at 450m high (though did politely ask my wife to hurry up as I could sense the tower wobbling and I was freaking out). Grabbed curry udon by Skytree which was underwhelming compared to the one I had in Gion, then got some fresh Taiyaki in Asakusa and then some cute mango sorbet ice cream with eyes and biscuits by Canelé Créme Glacée. They donate 3 yen to a good cause for each ice cream bought, which was nice, especially as you get to choose which of the charities to donate it to.
24th April: Was going to do the Tokyo Imperial Palace but couldn't be bothered with the hassle of getting tickets. Did Ueno Park and the National History Museum instead and enjoyed a morning there, before hitting up Akihabara in the afternoon/evening. Did some crane games and played a Kantai Collection arcade game which was cool. Then played the Taiko(?) drumming game with the SpyxFamily and other anime tunes blaring out - awesome!
25th April - Akihabara. Enough said.
26th April - Had a reservation at a michelin star restaurant (another bucket list item for us) in Ginza so headed into Ginza for the morning. It was an interesting insight as to the other half of society lives, as we'd never been into any of the shops that surrounded the station. The michelin star experience at Ginza Toyoda was exceptional. Several courses at 30,250 yen each and had crab mince with ginger jelly served on a crab shell, tiger prawns, sashimi, sea urchin and abalone...sublime! We spoke a bit of Japanese with the chef, who said we spoke good Japanese for first-timers (albeit this was said over trusty ol' Google Translate). Just made the experience so much better! Spent the evening in Akihabara and had Pork tonkatsu ramen in Yaro Ramen Akihabara. We then had a frozen strawberry crepe out of the nearby vending machine for the fun of it.
27th April: flew from HND business class with JAL.
Things to note:
We're now looking to do another trip to Japan, maybe doing the Northern prefectures of Tohoku and Aomori, and Hokkaido. We'd love to go back to Kinosaki Onsen again, and spend more time in Tokyo. We're going to double-down on the Japanese language learning, too, as we can barely read Hiragana and Katakana to a worse extent.
Thanks for reading, I hope other first-timers found this insightful and I'm happy to answer any questions.
submitted by MalteseMalteser to JapanTravel [link] [comments]
A bit about us: Two late 20's Brits, husband and wife team. Mixed levels of fitness - we lift weights in the gym 5 days a week, and my wife additionally plays rugby with training/games 2-3 times a week (I coach). We both work 9-5 deskjobs. Interests include food, videogames, anime and history.
The trip: 10th April: Flew business class with JAL from LHR to HND. Flying business class was a bucket list thing for us, and we'd saved up a lot of money during Covid even with a marriage and a house move. Overall it was a great experience, but I'm a light sleeper and couldn't sleep a wink on the plane. Watched season 1 of SpyxFamily which became the anime of the trip, as we'd watch Seasons 2 and 3 before getting to bed most nights.
11th April: Landed at 7:40am at HND and set up our Ubigi eSims. My advice would be to set it up before you fly, as connecting to the Wifi at HND was a bit troublesome. On the whole, though, Ubigi was great - decent connection throughout and only lost connection in some tunnels, or in a couple of spots in Akihabara.
Got Suica cards at Terminal 3 and dropped luggage off at our hotel (Hotel Gracery Shinjuku). Was cool being in the Godzilla hotel on the Godzilla floor - room was pretty big and you get some good views from the 30th floor. Loved the iconography on the walls of various kaiju's in the Godzilla franchise (King Ghidorah, Rodan etc.), the iconography on the lift doors, and there's a panorama in the hotel lobby, too.
Went for a walk around Shinjuku and Shinjuku Gyoen garden whilst we waited to check in and were lucky enough to see the various cherry/plum (I think?) blossoms in the park. We had planned the trip knowing we were missing the blossom season, so to see some in full bloom was great. We'd grabbed some onigiri from a 7-11 and had a picnic on a bench under the trees. Grabbed Shinkansen tickets for a couple of days time in the Green Car from Shinjuku station, which was hassle-free. Checked into hotel, then went to find some food. Booked online at Teppanyaki Hama which was literally down the street, and what an experience that was. Only 12 seats in total at the restaurant, and we were treated to the chef cooking right in front of us a variety of 9 courses from roe, to oyster, lobster, snail and the best grilled veg I've had. Cost about £216 from memory, but it set the tone of the trip really well.
12th April: woke up early and got to Meiji Jingu for about 7am. We enjoyed how quiet it was, with only a handful of tourists at this time. We then went to a Family Mart and came back to Meiji Jingu (with the intention to eat breakfast in the park) at 8:30am, but all the tourists had arrived by then and we could see no food/drink signs so we moved on to Yoyogi Park which was also lovely.
Next we did Harajuku and I visited the Asics store there. Was disappointed at how touristy the area seemed even at 10/11am. At this time, it started to rain and, with not much appealing to us, we moved on to Shibuya. Did Shibuya scramble a few times for the fun of it, then grabbed lunch at Ichiran. Decent ramen, better than the chain ramen we get in the UK (I'm looking at you, Wagamama's) but not the best of the trip. Explored Shibuya and saw the Pokemon Centre there with Mewtwo, and then the One Piece and Jump stores too. We went to Sushiro for dinner. Ate about 15 plates between us for roughly £26 with drinks. First ever conveyor belt sushi experience and had to wait about 30 mins for a seat. Was pretty cool. Rounded off the day wandering Golden Gai and Kabukicho near the hotel.
13th April: had planned to explore Nakano Broadway and Ikebukuro this day but...
I was ill all day and after being up and down during the night, spent all day in bed. My wife was fine, so I either overate, felt jetlagged, stressed from overplanning, ate something my wife didn't (likely sea urchin at Sushiro), or a bit of everything. My wife went to Gotokuji temple in the afternoon and explored some of the neighbourhoods to find an Airbnb which a Youtuber she follows, owns. My illness put me off of seafood for most of the trip, which is unfortunate as I love seafood, but the smell of it just put me off on this trip.
14th April: took the 6:33am Shinkansen to Kyoto. This was awesome, and watching the Japanese countryside go by with the mountains in the background was something I'll never forget - it's so much more picturesque than from UK trains. We were lucky to see Mt. Fuji from the train as well, as we knew she was usually shy, but that morning she looked majestic.
Popped by the hotel so they knew we were in the neighbourhood (Yoin Hotel Kyoto Gion). Hotel was a bit disappointing. Largest hotel room of the trip (save for the ryokan) but it was only 4/5 storeys high so had a lot of noise from the road below from loud tourists at 1am.
We explored Gion district. Visited Chion-in which was brilliant, saw different delegations of monks and even a bit of their ceremonies when we were there. Also did Yasaka Shrine, Yasaka Pagoda, and Kiyomizu-dera (too crowded by the time we did it), and grabbed some lunch at Smile Burger. Smile burger was great, a small burger joint which did simple burgers that tasted good for a great price. We then took a break at Ryozen Kannon temple. Ate dinner in our room with some of the ekiben boxes I didn't eat for brekfast as I still felt iffy.
15th April: originally planned to do Fushimi Inari this day but instead took a trip to Nara as I wasn't feeling a 5am wakeup after being unwell. Nara was lovely, but again loads of tourists by 8am. Fed the deer, and loved how the vendors all charged the same and how part of the money goes towards conservation. We went to Kofuku-ji and then grabbed breakfast at a conbini next to the famous TikTok mocchi making place, then sat at Sarusawa-ike watching the Terrapins to eat. It was so peaceful here, away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist parts. Then visited Todaiji Temple and explored Nara park. Then, we hopped on a train to visit the old Imperial Palace of Nara with the intention of seeing all Imperial Palaces in the cities on our trip. Admittedly not much at the site but it was cool seeing the old buildings and some of the conservation work being done. Then, on a whim, we went to Uji at 3:30pm and again, it was away from the hustle and bustle of tourists. I dislike green tea and matcha, but my wife likes it so thought it'd be good to try. We found a cafe overlooking the river and got there at last orders. Admittedly, I didn't like anything on the menu but that's just my taste and dislike of matcha. We left Uji and found a Wagyu steak yakiniku place in Kyoto called Douraku Kyotorokkakudoriten. Had a whole board of Wagyu fillet, tongue, cheek, rib etc. for about £89 and we got to cook it ourselves. This was a treat, and I've never tasted beef so good - it literally melted in our mouths. We left very satisfied after getting a side order of rice and bimbap, too.
16th April: Tackled Fushimi Inari this day as I was getting my groove back. Got to the foot of Fushimi Inari at 7:30am and it was already packed with wannabe influencers - I could tell this was going to be fun...my wife and I like hillwalking and occasionally walk Bennau Brycheniog or the Lake District, so we can hike at a good pace. We passed many people getting irate over the number of people getting in their shots (what did you expect?) and even one woman walking in a dress and stilettos with her partner carrying a tripod!! Madness. The crowds did thin considerably once we hit the part where the path splits in two, and we got all the way to the top in 55 mins. We bought a tori gate from one of the stalls neat the top after waiting around for 25 mins for it to open, and we had our names and date painted on it in kanji. Certainly take some time to see the various shrines in the small paths off the main track, as they're so picturesque and peaceful. Shoutout to Pocari Sweat, which kept me fuelled this entire time whilst recovering from the lurgies.
We walked down the mountain pass at the back, past a small bamboo grove, and here I jumped with glee as I heard a school bell go which had exactly the same tone and tune as the one from the 'Izekai Quartet' anime. From here, we did Tofuku-ji as it was on the way back into town along the path. What was really nice was seeing the backstreets of Japanese society, so tranquil and well-kept (like it was straight out of an anime). We then grabbed some lunch at a Korean hotpot place in Kyoto station, and did Kyoto tower on a whim. I suffer from vertigo and 'call of the void' (where I want to jump off of high places just to know what the sensation is like) and they were pretty bad at the top of Kyoto Tower as I felt like the tower was shaking in the wind. Still, the views were great and I'm glad I did it. They had a stand/vending machines of 'Sound Euphonium!' merch, which is an anime I love as a former brass band player, so got some photos next to Kumiko and Reina. We then went on an hours detour just so my wife could find another Pokelid and ended up in a park watching the Shinkansen go by. We grabbed dinner in an udon place called Udon Shiogama round the corner from the hotel which did curry udon. My goodness it tasted so good! The rich, spicy sauce went so well with the juicy udon I can still taste it. It's about on par with a Jalfrezi or a hot tikka spicewise, so if you can't do spice it may not be for you, but my wife had tempura udon ramen which she said was also as excellent.
17th April: trip to Osaka. I originally wanted to go to Himeji castle given the advice on this sub, but my wife didn't want to go too far astray so instead we went to Osaka castle at 9am. It was nice to see the museum inside of it and was very informative. From there, we went to Dotonbori and tried the best Takoyaki from a place right outside Osaka-Namba station with a massive crab on top. Also tried melonpan with vanilla ice cream inside it (a game changer) and Okonomiyaki at Mizuno Okonomiyaki which was brilliant. Went for the seafood option (risky given recent events) but it was so tasteful. Top tip would be to get here early at 5pm to avoid much of a queue, as only a limited number of seats and they cook it up in front of you. Then went to find the Osaka Pokemon Centre as my wife wanted to see that. Eventually headed back to Kyoto at about 9pm.
18th-19th April: Kinosaki Onsen
We wanted to do a ryokan/onsen experience as part of the trip but I wanted to get away from the crowds, so avoided Hakone. A friend had gone to Kinosaki so I decided to as well. Took us 3 hours to get there from Kyoto so set off at about 9am and the scenery out the window as the local trains go through the mountains was beautiful. Got to Kinosakionsen at midday and grabbed lunch at Kinosaki Burger by the station. Best burger of the holiday, hands down. Japan does simple burgers, but it does them well. It doesn't overcomplicate them by adding in more ingredients/foods, they're just a solid good burger. This is no different, but their chips were the best chips I've tasted. Cooked to order, cripsy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and seasoned generously with salt. At 2pm we checked into the ryokan (Nishimuraya Honkan Ryokan) and got changed into our Yukatas and getas. We had the suite room so we had the highest room in the ryokan. Went to Kouno-ko onsen to try it out and didn't get weirded out by the amount of people there and being completely naked around them. Top tip - if you wear glasses, take them off as it can help with an 'if I can't see them, they can't see me' mentality. Had fun walking in getas - how anime characters run, fight and kick in those things will remain a wonder to me (looking at you, Elfman from Fairy Tail).
Had kaiseki dinner in the ryokan which was so good! Fresh crab, cold sakura noodles, sashimi, grilled salmon...divine. Went for a late walk in the town as it was lit by lanterns and it was so picturesque. I estimate maybe 50 tourists in total within the town on this Thursday evening? It was great. Went for a dip in the onsen within the Ryokan - it has two onsens, one male and one female, which alternate each morning. Both onsens are done in different styles, too, one Japanese and one Greco-Roman. Learning the history of Kinosakionsen was also cool, with healing storks and praying monks with a history spanning over 1400 years.
The next morning we ate breakfast in our room and after another dip in the ryokan onsen, again on a whim, did the Kinosaki ropeway. You could see the Sea of Japan at the top along with shrines to crabs and other Buddhist deities. We stopped halfway down to see the Onsen temple which I believe had nightingale flooring. The monk there was brilliant with even very broken English, gave us a leaflet with info on it, and let us roam. We missed the 12:10pm gondola down so were stranded midway until 12:50pm, but it was nice to take the time to smell the flowers as we heard more Isekai Quarter schoolbells ring, trains zip along the valley below us, birds singing their song as the gentle breeze tickled us. I'll never forget that moment.
Upon getting down from the ropeway, we stopped off at Kinosaki Burger again before getting the train to Kyoto. We went to Pontocho alley for some grub and along a backstreet, stumbled upon Restaurant Muni which is a French/Japanese place. Looks to be a father and son operation and we were the first ones there ar 6pm. They recommend 2-3 plates per person for 2 people. I started with the Japanese beef curry which was just right, and the wife had omurice. I then had grilled duck which was cooked to perfection, before I ended with omurice whilst my wife had a pork cutlet sandwich. All meals were divine and tasted good, think the bill was near enough £100 but in our minds, it was worth it. Reminded me of Yokihira Soma's restaurant in 'Shokugeki no Soma' (Food Wars) a bit with the dynamic of the chefs and the menu, but it gets 5 stars from me. From there, we sauntered along the river and took in the atmosphere, seeing the buildings all lit up.
20th April: Decided to skip Arashiyama bamboo forest as I was tired of tourists by this point (yes, I realise the irony that I am myself a tourist) so instead we hopped on a bus and headed straight to Kinkaku-ji. Even at 9:05am there's so many tourists and we were herded through narrow paths. Was nice for a quick photo op but it suffered from overtourism. We then went to Heian shrine on a whim which was so quiet! I loved the red wood and the green roofs of the buildings. We also did the gardens which were my favourite gardens of the trip. We fed the koi carp (and a turtle) for 200 yen and even saw a Japanese wedding on the bridge - the groom was a handsome young man in his attire and the bride looked beautiful in hers. We did some shopping before getting dinner at CoCo curry. I was hungry, so went for extra pork cutlet, extra mushrooms, and spice level 5 and I struggled with the spice. It was one of the hottest dishes I've tasted, so if I were to go again I'd pick a milder level.
21st April: Took the bus to Nijo Castle and walked around the grounds. The grounds were lovely and the castle was cool too. Then hit up Kyoto Imperial Palace. Went to the Kyoto Pokemon Centre and then hit up Gyoza Dokoro Sukemasa. Got their Gyoza Set B menu which was 6 gyozas, miso soup, rice, string beans and chicken mayo salad for...880 yen. Bargain! The gyoza had hints of ginger in them which made them bright and freshing. So good! We then walked through Gion at night and took pictures of Nannenzaka, Sinnenzaka, and Yasaka Pagoda in darkness when illuminated by lights. Beautiful.
22nd April: Bullet train to Tokyo where we hit up Nakano Broadway and Ikebukuro. We were disappointed by both - Nakano Broadway just felt like multiple Mandarake stores, and Ikebukuro didn't have much aside from Sunshine City. We then hit up Akihabara in the afternoon and loved it. We went for dinner at Kanda Matsuya which was a lovely pre-war building serving ramen. Loads of locals in here and the place was bustling which was great to see. Some great food too, at decent prices. Afterwards I stopped by the local MacDonalds to try their double Big Mac burger (4 burgers in a Big Mac bun) as it's such a novelty. Checked into our hotel (The Gate Hotel Kaminarimon) in Asakusa. Hotel was great, some lovely views on the 10th floor and a 2 min walk from Sennsoji Temple and Akihabara station. Our room was huge. Would recommend.
23rd April: did Sennsoji-Temple as it was right across the street from our hotel. It was pretty cool to see in the morning at 8am with barely any tourists around, though did get busy at 9am. Wandered the old streets of Akihabara and reflected at the shrines/memorials around Sennsoji. Had Tokyo Tower booked in the afternoon and almost died at being 350m up due to the vertigo, but managed to get my shit together for a photo on the green screen floor at 450m high (though did politely ask my wife to hurry up as I could sense the tower wobbling and I was freaking out). Grabbed curry udon by Skytree which was underwhelming compared to the one I had in Gion, then got some fresh Taiyaki in Asakusa and then some cute mango sorbet ice cream with eyes and biscuits by Canelé Créme Glacée. They donate 3 yen to a good cause for each ice cream bought, which was nice, especially as you get to choose which of the charities to donate it to.
24th April: Was going to do the Tokyo Imperial Palace but couldn't be bothered with the hassle of getting tickets. Did Ueno Park and the National History Museum instead and enjoyed a morning there, before hitting up Akihabara in the afternoon/evening. Did some crane games and played a Kantai Collection arcade game which was cool. Then played the Taiko(?) drumming game with the SpyxFamily and other anime tunes blaring out - awesome!
25th April - Akihabara. Enough said.
26th April - Had a reservation at a michelin star restaurant (another bucket list item for us) in Ginza so headed into Ginza for the morning. It was an interesting insight as to the other half of society lives, as we'd never been into any of the shops that surrounded the station. The michelin star experience at Ginza Toyoda was exceptional. Several courses at 30,250 yen each and had crab mince with ginger jelly served on a crab shell, tiger prawns, sashimi, sea urchin and abalone...sublime! We spoke a bit of Japanese with the chef, who said we spoke good Japanese for first-timers (albeit this was said over trusty ol' Google Translate). Just made the experience so much better! Spent the evening in Akihabara and had Pork tonkatsu ramen in Yaro Ramen Akihabara. We then had a frozen strawberry crepe out of the nearby vending machine for the fun of it.
27th April: flew from HND business class with JAL.
Things to note:
- a bit of Japanese goes a long way. Simple phrases like 'hai', 'iie', 'sumimasen', 'gomenasai' and 'daijoubou' go a long way. Locals love it when you try to speak the language, and most of the time what they infer can be interpreted through their hand movements.
- carry around a plastic bag for your rubbish, as has been said plenty of times on the forum.
- the weather for the first week was about 20-26ºC, which did not help my wife or I whp had packed jeans, sweaters and down jackets. A trip to Uniqlo later had us buying shorts and Activism tshirts which were a godsend on the trip.
- Japanese public transport is second to none. It's clean, efficient, and usually on-time. Even the buses were well-labelled (we took the number 12 bus from Gion-in to Kinkaku-ji and Nijo Castle in Kyoto).
- be mindful of the Japanese culture, don't be loud, don't be a dick, always be humble and apologise if you think you're in the wrong. We did apologise plenty of times on the trip.
- Japanese schoolkids are adorable. They're young but behave so well, and take themselves to/from school alone. They navigate busy train stations solo, and do schoolwork on the train. They wear hats, and the lads wear shorts with high socks. Made my wife (a former teaching assistant) so happy seeing well-behaved kids. We saw some schoolkids on a trip at Osaka Castle and they were well behaved, lined up in single file, talking quietly and not getting in the way of tourists.
- We asked the hotels to forward our luggage between Tokyo-Kyoto and Kyoto-Tokyo. Cost us about £35 each time for 3 suitcases, with one of those days being on a Sunday. Arrived next day. We had Apple AirTags in each suitcase so we knew where they were.
- Google Maps on Android worked better than Maps on iOS, often with better signal and pathfinding.
- food was as expensive or inexpensive as we wanted it to be. Sure, we splashed out on several meals, but we tried to balance them with cheaper meals. I got addicted to Melonpan for breakfast when I was ill, and would double that up with pizza and fami-chicki for breakfast. Drinks-wise, Minute Maid was basically melted orange Calippo, Pocari Sweat was a mild lucozade original, and Calpis soda a muted lemonade. All were my top 3 drinks from vending machines/combinis. My wife loved the oolong green tea.
- the last few days in Tokyo we did have stuff planned, but we decided to focus on Akihabara to buy merch. Arguably taking these days at a slower pace was much nicer and enjoyable to what we had done in Kyoto.
- we averaged about 24,000 steps per day, with the highest being roughly 29,500 steps and the lowest about 12,000 steps. I wore New Balance 880 v12's and my feet were still sore after each day!
- Pokemon Centres personally became a bore after the second one as they sell the same merch more or less, with a few exclusives in certain stores. If you're a Pokénerd like my wife, you'll love it, but if you have no interest like me then you won't. We spent about 4 hours total in Pokemon stores across Japan, and a further couple of hours looking for Pokelids. All stores were out of stock of my favourite Pokemon (Alakazam - because he has spoons and is Gen 1).
- we only booked Tokyo Skytree and Ginza Toyoda before we flew. We booked a couple of restaurants the day of, after quickly browsing Google Maps or TripAdvisor.
We're now looking to do another trip to Japan, maybe doing the Northern prefectures of Tohoku and Aomori, and Hokkaido. We'd love to go back to Kinosaki Onsen again, and spend more time in Tokyo. We're going to double-down on the Japanese language learning, too, as we can barely read Hiragana and Katakana to a worse extent.
Thanks for reading, I hope other first-timers found this insightful and I'm happy to answer any questions.
2024.04.30 22:36 stackered Some peer reviewed science on the health benefits of saunas
As a bioinformatics scientist, initially trained in pharmacy, I have a background that enables me to properly evaluate science on the purported health benefits of saunas and other lifestyle interventions. I find it strange here that people, or the "elitists" of the sub, act like there aren't actual health benefits. Funny enough, most of the science on this topic, with strong statistical significance, was published in Finland! I suspect much of the mechanism comes through reduced blood pressure, but there are some good studies on this topic I'll link below
Nobody is claiming that sauna's cure all disease here, but they clearly have cardiovascular benefits and benefits to overall mortality. I also find it strange, as a lifelong lifter of weights (17+ years experience), that these same "elitist" folks don't understand that regular sauna usage massively reduces soreness, improves recovery via that + better sleep, and reduces joint inflammation. Its not really even a debate that it helps you in the gym, literally every athlete does hot/cold now and knows this... but I'm not posting science about that here, yet.
First, I'd like to settle the debate here that keeps popping up in every thread, where some folks are stating that sauna's have no proven health benefits and its simply marketing to claim so... again, these studies come from Finland, mostly, and none from the USA:
The classic Finnish study on reducing all cause mortality and reduction of heart disease - "Association Between Sauna Bathing and Fatal Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Events" Objective To investigate the association of frequency and duration of sauna bathing with the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), fatal coronary heart disease (CHD), fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD), and all-cause mortality.
Notes: This study was done on over 2,000 people, making it very strong statistically. After adjustment for CVD risk factors, compared with men with 1 sauna bathing session per week, the hazard ratio of SCD was 0.78 (95% CI, 0.57-1.07) for 2 to 3 sauna bathing sessions per week and 0.37 (95% CI, 0.18-0.75) for 4 to 7 sauna bathing sessions per week (P for trend = .005).
Conclusions and Relevance Increased frequency of sauna bathing is associated with a reduced risk of SCD, CHD, CVD, and all-cause mortality. Further studies are warranted to establish the potential mechanism that links sauna bathing and cardiovascular health.
So, there is no debate to be had here IF there is benefit. The mechanism of action is what people are now investigating. Since this study, there have been a dozen more in Finland and many other globally on this topic. Don't just trust me, check out the science:
A Review Study by the Mayo Clinic, a well respected clinic and research institution00008-3/fulltext) - "Does the Combination of Finnish Sauna Bathing and Other Lifestyle Factors Confer Additional Health Benefits? A Review of the Evidence"
Abstract: Sauna bathing, a tradition deeply rooted in the Finnish culture, has been used for thousands of years for leisure, relaxation, and wellness. Sauna bathing is linked with substantial health benefits beyond its use for leisure and relaxation. Several observational and interventional studies suggest that regular or frequent sauna bathing reduces the incidence of vascular and nonvascular diseases, such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and respiratory conditions; may improve the severity of conditions such as musculoskeletal disorders, COVID-19, headache, and influenza; and increases the life span. The beneficial effects of sauna bathing on adverse outcomes have been linked to its blood pressure–reducing, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cytoprotective, and stress-reducing properties and its synergistic effect on neuroendocrine, circulatory, cardiovascular, and immune function. Evidence suggests that frequent sauna bathing is an emerging protective risk factor that may augment the beneficial effects of other protective risk or lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness, or attenuate or offset the adverse effects of other risk factors, such as high blood pressure, systemic inflammation, and low socioeconomic status. This review summarizes the available epidemiologic and interventional evidence linking the combined effects of Finnish sauna bathing and other risk factors on vascular outcomes including cardiovascular disease and intermediate cardiovascular phenotypes, nonvascular outcomes, and mortality. We also discuss the mechanistic pathways underlying the joint contributions of Finnish sauna bathing and other risk factors on health outcomes, the public health and clinical implications of the findings, gaps in the existing evidence base, and future directions.
Article Highlights
Conclusion: Sauna bathing has traditionally been used for leisure and pleasure purposes. However, epidemiologic and interventional evidence suggests that regular sauna bathing is consistently linked with an array of health benefits and also increases the life span. The evidence suggests that frequent sauna bathing may augment the beneficial effects of protective risk factors, such as physical activity and fitness, or attenuate or offset the adverse effects of other risk factors. The effects of sauna are independent of physical activity; hence, when used in combination, it has the ability to exert substantial benefits compared with physical activity alone.For people who genuinely cannot engage in physical activity, the use of sauna alone may be enough to confer beneficial health outcomes, given that some of the clinical effects of sauna are similar to those produced by moderate- or high-intensity physical activity. Definitive trials that make head-to-head comparisons of sauna and physical activity/exercise are also lacking and are urgently warranted.
Note: If the elitists here think they can do a better review study on the evidence than the Mayo Clinic, I'm all ears. I'd also like to point out the 82 references in that single review which are cited that provide more layers of evidence to break down on this topic. Furthermore, this review only included high n / strong evidence, there are many other studies on this topic that provide weaker evidence. But there is one trend, and it all points toward positive health benefits. I have never seen a single study that purported a negative impact on health, or neutral impact on health.
submitted by stackered to Sauna [link] [comments]
Nobody is claiming that sauna's cure all disease here, but they clearly have cardiovascular benefits and benefits to overall mortality. I also find it strange, as a lifelong lifter of weights (17+ years experience), that these same "elitist" folks don't understand that regular sauna usage massively reduces soreness, improves recovery via that + better sleep, and reduces joint inflammation. Its not really even a debate that it helps you in the gym, literally every athlete does hot/cold now and knows this... but I'm not posting science about that here, yet.
First, I'd like to settle the debate here that keeps popping up in every thread, where some folks are stating that sauna's have no proven health benefits and its simply marketing to claim so... again, these studies come from Finland, mostly, and none from the USA:
The classic Finnish study on reducing all cause mortality and reduction of heart disease - "Association Between Sauna Bathing and Fatal Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Events" Objective To investigate the association of frequency and duration of sauna bathing with the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), fatal coronary heart disease (CHD), fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD), and all-cause mortality.
Notes: This study was done on over 2,000 people, making it very strong statistically. After adjustment for CVD risk factors, compared with men with 1 sauna bathing session per week, the hazard ratio of SCD was 0.78 (95% CI, 0.57-1.07) for 2 to 3 sauna bathing sessions per week and 0.37 (95% CI, 0.18-0.75) for 4 to 7 sauna bathing sessions per week (P for trend = .005).
Conclusions and Relevance Increased frequency of sauna bathing is associated with a reduced risk of SCD, CHD, CVD, and all-cause mortality. Further studies are warranted to establish the potential mechanism that links sauna bathing and cardiovascular health.
So, there is no debate to be had here IF there is benefit. The mechanism of action is what people are now investigating. Since this study, there have been a dozen more in Finland and many other globally on this topic. Don't just trust me, check out the science:
A Review Study by the Mayo Clinic, a well respected clinic and research institution00008-3/fulltext) - "Does the Combination of Finnish Sauna Bathing and Other Lifestyle Factors Confer Additional Health Benefits? A Review of the Evidence"
Abstract: Sauna bathing, a tradition deeply rooted in the Finnish culture, has been used for thousands of years for leisure, relaxation, and wellness. Sauna bathing is linked with substantial health benefits beyond its use for leisure and relaxation. Several observational and interventional studies suggest that regular or frequent sauna bathing reduces the incidence of vascular and nonvascular diseases, such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and respiratory conditions; may improve the severity of conditions such as musculoskeletal disorders, COVID-19, headache, and influenza; and increases the life span. The beneficial effects of sauna bathing on adverse outcomes have been linked to its blood pressure–reducing, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cytoprotective, and stress-reducing properties and its synergistic effect on neuroendocrine, circulatory, cardiovascular, and immune function. Evidence suggests that frequent sauna bathing is an emerging protective risk factor that may augment the beneficial effects of other protective risk or lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness, or attenuate or offset the adverse effects of other risk factors, such as high blood pressure, systemic inflammation, and low socioeconomic status. This review summarizes the available epidemiologic and interventional evidence linking the combined effects of Finnish sauna bathing and other risk factors on vascular outcomes including cardiovascular disease and intermediate cardiovascular phenotypes, nonvascular outcomes, and mortality. We also discuss the mechanistic pathways underlying the joint contributions of Finnish sauna bathing and other risk factors on health outcomes, the public health and clinical implications of the findings, gaps in the existing evidence base, and future directions.
Article Highlights
- Finnish sauna bathing, a passive heat therapy characterized by exposure to a high environmental temperature for a brief period, is linked with myriad health benefits, particularly on the vascular system.
- Evidence suggests that frequent sauna bathing is an emerging protective risk factor that may potentiate the beneficial effects of protective risk factors, such as physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness, or attenuate or offset the adverse effects of other risk factors.
- Interventional evidence shows that 8 weeks of regular sauna bathing sessions combined with exercise produces a mean reduction in systolic blood pressure of about 8 mm Hg.
- Frequent sauna bathing appears to offset the adverse impact of systemic inflammation, low socioeconomic status, and high systolic blood pressure on outcomes such as cardiovascular disease, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and mortality.
- Adding frequent sauna sessions will substantially augment the benefits of physical activity. For people who are unable to meet physical activity guidelines or are unable to exercise at all because of physical activity limitations, regular use of sauna may be an alternative lifestyle strategy to mitigate the risk of diseases due to other risk factors.
Conclusion: Sauna bathing has traditionally been used for leisure and pleasure purposes. However, epidemiologic and interventional evidence suggests that regular sauna bathing is consistently linked with an array of health benefits and also increases the life span. The evidence suggests that frequent sauna bathing may augment the beneficial effects of protective risk factors, such as physical activity and fitness, or attenuate or offset the adverse effects of other risk factors. The effects of sauna are independent of physical activity; hence, when used in combination, it has the ability to exert substantial benefits compared with physical activity alone.For people who genuinely cannot engage in physical activity, the use of sauna alone may be enough to confer beneficial health outcomes, given that some of the clinical effects of sauna are similar to those produced by moderate- or high-intensity physical activity. Definitive trials that make head-to-head comparisons of sauna and physical activity/exercise are also lacking and are urgently warranted.
Note: If the elitists here think they can do a better review study on the evidence than the Mayo Clinic, I'm all ears. I'd also like to point out the 82 references in that single review which are cited that provide more layers of evidence to break down on this topic. Furthermore, this review only included high n / strong evidence, there are many other studies on this topic that provide weaker evidence. But there is one trend, and it all points toward positive health benefits. I have never seen a single study that purported a negative impact on health, or neutral impact on health.
2024.04.30 22:11 james_forsythe Practical Result - Cleansing Bath
I pursued and worked the Quareia curriculum for a couple years, getting through a number of the early modules, but eventually went in a different direction.
While most of the posts in this forum are related to questions or guidance on specific lessons, I do wish to report a positive result using a cleansing working as part of a true results oriented magickal action.
Without going into too many boring details, I was suffering from a period of negative thoughts, sleeplessness, difficulty concentrating and just general unpleasant life outlook. Now, nothing was going on in my life to contribute to this feeling and I wasn't ill. I decided to try a cleansing bath. I followed the instructions in the module and had positive effects almost immediately. Those effects have continued for a couple of weeks. I did a little "booster" bath last evening and feel great. So, I highly recommend the method if anyone is feeling poorly or just a little off. Worst case is you get to relax in the tub for a bit. I suspect I had a little icky residue hanging around on me from various potential sources which was washed away by the operation.
submitted by james_forsythe to Quareia [link] [comments]
While most of the posts in this forum are related to questions or guidance on specific lessons, I do wish to report a positive result using a cleansing working as part of a true results oriented magickal action.
Without going into too many boring details, I was suffering from a period of negative thoughts, sleeplessness, difficulty concentrating and just general unpleasant life outlook. Now, nothing was going on in my life to contribute to this feeling and I wasn't ill. I decided to try a cleansing bath. I followed the instructions in the module and had positive effects almost immediately. Those effects have continued for a couple of weeks. I did a little "booster" bath last evening and feel great. So, I highly recommend the method if anyone is feeling poorly or just a little off. Worst case is you get to relax in the tub for a bit. I suspect I had a little icky residue hanging around on me from various potential sources which was washed away by the operation.