A Guide To Self-Care

Suggestions are open!

[disasterlarper]

as ur friendly Neighborhood Nursing Student™ i feel somewhat compelled to remind everyone with the hot weather:

every liquid except sea water and alcohol hydrates you. It’s not CHUG WATER OR DIE. in fact, gatorade and the like are designed to hydrate you efficiently.

yeah, this includes coffee and tea and soda. the diuretic is not enough to cancel out the liquid. juices and milk have solids in them, sure, but they’re also mostly liquid! it counts. 

your body can only absorb so much water at a time, so chugging 64 oz of water at noon and calling it good will do a wonderful job of flushing your kidneys, but not so much of hydrating your tissues. it’s more important that you’re getting consistent fluid throughout the day. 

there’s a lot of fancy ways to determine How Much Water (Liquid) I Should Drink but honestly? 8 oz (1 cup) every other hour on cool days and 8 oz every hour on hot days should be fine (assuming you sleep for a normal amount of time per day…. i’m assuming ur awake 16 hours a day.)

figure out how many oz each of ur favorite cups is. it’ll help your guesstimation. 

if ur urine is darker than light yellow, you’re dehydrated. 

if u pinch the skin on the back of ur hand for a couple seconds and it takes more than a second or two go to back to normal then ur dehydrated. 

[equalityformost-deactivated2017]

In regards to #1, don’t take this as an excuse to drink the sugar water that they call sports drinks. They aren’t bad for you per se, but please choose water.

[disasterlarper]

actually this entire post was written in the spirit of ppl using it as an excuse to drink sports drinks and soda etc

ppl have been commenting abt sodium levels in soda and sugar levels in sports drinks and thats all well and good but what i’ve noticed is that people who internalize “well, ONLY WATER hydrates me” but who HATE WATER remain horrifically dehydrated cause they dont drink anything. 

so like. if ur a person who haaaaates tap water, this is absolutely me giving you permission to drink whatever fluid you can stomach. please take this as a direct excuse to drink nothing but gatorade if that’s what it takes to get enough fluid into ur body.

it’s not the healthiest for you, sure, but you’re a smart enough person to know that. please drink fluids anyways. 

if u like water thats gr8. if you can stomach water that’s gr8. if you can’t, that’s okay too, and you need to stay hydrated just as much as anyone else, so please drink. 

[the-rain-monster]

I used to hate tap water, and in some places (looking at you, Iowa) it is legit disgusting, but one thing I do which helped a ton and was long term cheaper than buying soda or juice was to get a bottle of Angostura bitters. It’s a cocktail additive with a strong distinctive flavor, so although a tiny bottle is like $6 it will last you for ages. Put a small drop or dash in your glass then fill with water. It has a pleasant sort of herbal metal taste (I understand that those words don’t seem like they should go together but it’s hard to describe) which masks tap water. It also helps me smooth an upset tummy but your mileage may vary. It’s not something that will get you drunk, just a flavoring like vanilla extract.

If that all sounds like too much bother, dropping a lemon wedge into water also helps.

[adigitalmagician]

I am learning that lemon wedges are magical in almost everything I like to drink.

[jumpingjacktrash]

here is the magic that made me stop being chronically dehydrated:

because yeah, i can’t STAND plain water – it tastes like the inside of my mouth. it tastes like spit. imagine drinking a glass of ice cold spit. ugh. but add a squirt of this stuff to your glass of tapwater, and now it tastes like apple, cherry, lemonade, whatever.

i also got a bunch of these

and pre-prep them with flavored water, iced tea, iced coffee, whatever (or ask my helper to do it), and then when i’m thirsty but distracted and want to just grab some kind of liquid without thinking about finding a clean glass etc., i can just grab one of these.

because yeah, hating water is a thing, and dehydration SUCKS. so drink SOMETHING, don’t be a water purist. better to chug iced coffee than go without.

[magnolia-lascivious-deactivated]

mio was a damn genius for comin out with that shit

[iopele]

can I just speak up here as someone who has been a nurse for 17 years? I heartily endorse this post and also give you permission to DRINK WHATEVER THE HELL IT TAKES TO KEEP YOU FROM BEING DEHYDRATED

especially in the summer, you can’t play around with that. drink something. seriously. for the love of kittens. DRINK SOMETHING. 

[madlori]

Addendum: If you’re engaged in sustained activity that makes you sweat, then yes drink water, but PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD also drink some Gatorade or something. If you sweat a lot and drink tons of water, you won’t be replacing your electrolytes. I used to get horrible headaches and feel awful after long hikes because I was drinking like 150 oz of water. This can cause hyponatremia, or low blood sodium levels. I started adding one bottle of a sports drink (and yes, sugar is bad, for me especially, so I drink Powerade Zero which has no sugar or calories) to my water intake and I no longer get those headaches.

There are also electrolyte supplement capsules you can get at any sporting goods or outdoor outfitter’s store that you can add to water bottles that accomplish the same result.

[airoe]

why is broccoli seen as this universally hated vegetable. broccoli is delicious

[undergravity-deactivated2025051]

bc suburban families all over the world literally just steam/microwave their vegetables and serve them plain to their kids. No wonder kids hate vegetables. They’re taught that veggies are supposed to taste bad. but imagine: veggies with spices. Veggies in curry. veggies that are broiled, soaked, sautéed. aghhhh veggies are so good

[theeeprotagonist]

Veggies of color (VOC)

[jollysunflora]

People post good veggie recipes!!! Go!

[kokonutwata]

i’m a vegan/vegetarian chef and yeah people generally don’t… season or… actually think about their vegetables at all? like if you treat your meal like “MEAT + unfortunate side dish i don’t want to eat + dessert” no fucking wonder you’re going to be unhappy with your results?? literally everyone should know how to cook vegetables WELL, because they can be fucking DELICIOUS? 

it’s not surprising to me that most people don’t actually… KNOW how to cook vegetables, which is really, really sad. so imma help y’all out. 

- grill your fucking vegetables? if you have a grill, or even a little dinky george foreman–grill those bitches. brush them with olive oil–or a mix of olive oil and balsalmic vinegar if you’re fancy, grill, salt, pepper, fresh herbs if you want, BAM. delicious. if you don’t, roasting is your next best option. you can also (if you have a gas stove and are ambitious) “grill” on the stove top. many a time i’ve stuck a sweet pepper on the stove and lit that bitch up! 

- braise those bitches??? good for leafy greens and vegetables like turnips and radishes. finely chop some garlic, onion, or scallion (or all three if you’re bold) and sautee them in a little oil. once they’re almost cooked, add your veg. keep it moving, don’t let anything burn, and add a capful of white wine, or cooking wine. DELICIOUS. 

- FRESH. HERBS. ARE. YOUR. FRIENDS? if you cannot get fresh (admittedly, i live on a farm, so i’m never short on things like dill, parsley, thyme, scallion, or cilantro) but they’re amazing on fresh veggies. sauteed in them in a pan? add some herbs. roasted them in the oven? add some herbs (and brown sugar if you want a savory sweet vibe)

- roast them in the oven if you don’t have time (or spoons) to stand up next to a hot ass stove for 5-20 minutes! vegetables that are good for roasting are typically ones that take a long time to cook, eggplants, potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, etc. of course, you can roast any veggie you like!

- MARINATE THOSE BITCHES??? literally you can make delicious marinades out of items most of you already have in your homes: honey/brown sugar, salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, etc. 

- FOR THE LOVE OF FUCK STOP ADDING EVERYTHING TO THE PAN AT THE SAME FUCKING TIME. time out your veggies when sauteeing them for anything. if you’re doing a bunch of different ones, add the veggies to the pan first that take the longest. Making stir fry? put those motherfucking carrots in first, because they take FOREVER. onions, carrots, potatoes? put those in first. corn, broccoli, sweet pepper, zucchini? closer to the end, my dude, because they cook FAST. 

- ginger and scallion go excellently in stir fry btw. if when you make your stir fry it tastes like it’s “missing something”, that’s what you’re missing. add that shit. 

- you do NOT FUCKING NEED CHICKEN/BEEF STOCK FOR YOUR GODDAMN SOUP IF IT DOESN’T HAVE MEAT IN IT! sautee your veggies first, and you can use either powdered or canned coconut milk as the body. it makes for deliciously creamy soup. don’t worry about the coconut taste–it’s pretty much gone by the time your soup/stew is done cooking. coconut milk (especially powdered, and soy milk works for this too, no vanilla flavoring obviously) makes an excellent base for sauces for veggies, even if you eat meat! 

lastly, give it the ol’ ratatouille. smell your herbs and spices together. if they seem like they go well, odds are, they’ll taste bangin’ once you combine them. experiment. everything you make will not be good, but you’ll get more comfortable cooking. i’ve been a chef for like two years and i burned some bread today, so it’s okay. you’ll make mistakes. that’s how you learn. don’t be afraid to cut or burn yourself–the more afraid you are, the more likely it is to happen. 

you’re welcome, signed your local angry vegetarian chef who wants people to eat more vegetables

[gallusrostromegalus]

This is all very good advice for if you want/need to get more vegetables in your diet but haven’t cared for them in the past. A couple extra pointers form my expirience:

-If you’re subbing coconut milk for a meat-based stock you’ll probably want to add more salt than the original recipe calls for. And some garlic

-Actually, everything needs more garlic.

-The Ratatouille Method Works.  It works best when you’re feeling indescisive about what to make for dinner, so you go snack on whatever herbs/veg/sauce you have around and think about the flavors.

-Don’t be afraid to do this with fruit too!  Even if you’re a meat person like me, fruit goes great with lots of things and can benefit from many of the above cooking methods.  The main difference is that fruit tends to cook REALLY SUPER FAST so add it in at the last minute, or even last second.

-Looking Up Traditional Recipies.  Not eating enough plants is a very recent problem, and nearly every culture on earth has got some great veg recipies. Look up basic things like “French Carrots and Leeks Recipes” or find multicultural food blogs or heck, Actually Call Your Grandma* and ask what she did for vegetables.

*Caveat: If your grandma is like mine and all her recipies are from Her Grandmother from Industrial Liverpool and she lived through the Great Depression you might get a very detailed example of What Not To Do, which will at least be informative if also slightly terrifying.

[orochimemelord-deactivated20181]

Thank for all the additions to this post!

[fallumn-deactivated20180531]

@bitchesgetriches

[bitchesgetriches]

You know us well, my child.

We sometimes have followers saying “I’d love to cook more, but god DAYUM herbs and spices and shit are expensive. By the time I have a fully stocked kitchen, I’m like $50 in the hole.”

So allow me to suggest some cheap staples you should always keep around the house for cooking the shit out of your veggies:

- OIL. I prefer olive oil, but honestly, any oil or even butter will do in a pinch. Sesame oil is the height of decadence as far as I’m concerned.

- MOTHAFUCKIN SALT. One of those big canisters of Morton’s store brand salt is cheap af. If you want to get fancy, get a salt mill that will grind big salt crystals.

- ALL THE GARLIC. Garlic comes in so many forms these days. Powdered or dried will last the longest, fresh garlic bulbs are pretty damn cheap, and you can even buy garlic mashed up in tubes or minced in jars if you don’t have the energy/time/will/spoons to chop it up yourself.

- PEPPAH. The natural ying to salt’s yang, pepper is probably my favorite spice. I put pepper on everything. And it’s hella cheap.

- BASIL OR THYME OR OREGANO OR CUMIN OR ALL OF THE ABOVE. These are some of the most common spices. You’ll use them more often, so makes sense to get them.

- CINNAMON. For my babies making sweet instead of savory meals. Again, it’s super common and cheap. Sprinkle it on your squashes and fruits for an instant ~*~autumnal~*~ taste.

And in conclusion, I’ll be expanding this into a longer article on how to stock a kitchen. Keep the cheap eats tips coming, babies! In the meantime, here’s a little something from our archives:

How to Shop for Groceries like a Boss

Why You Should Learn to Cook

If You Don’t Eat Leftovers I Don’t Even Want to Know You

How the Hell Does One Wash Dishes? Asking for a Friend.

The Ultimate Showdown: Cheese Crackers, Ranked

[redshiftsinger]

Very few veggies do all that well steamed. Those that do, are still best with a little butter, or oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Also, if you’re steaming your veg, you gotta pay attention to the cook time so that you get the right amount of cooking. Too short a steam time and you end up with crunchy half-raw stuff, too long and you get unappetizing mush that’s lost all its good flavor. Broccoli, in particular, should be steamed until it’s soft and a bright vivid green, if you’re going to steam it. If it goes olive, it’s overcooked. Also for broccoli in particular, consider adding cheese. Cheesy broccoli is a fantastic combo. Butter is still good, a little salt is better than no seasoning.  Seriously though, don’t be afraid to have a little bit of something fatty (oil, butter, cheese) with your vegetables. A fair number of the nutrients you need from vegetables are actually fat-soluble, meaning you’ll digest them better if you have a little fat in your stomach at the same time. Salad dressing, oil or butter on veggies, it does more than just make it taste good, it also helps you get the most out of it nutritionally! It doesn’t take much, if you’re watching your calories you can just use a little bit, but you need at least a little fat in your diet for proper metabolism, so you might as well use it to make your vegetables enjoyable instead of some miserable penance you feel you have to pay for existing in a body.  Also I would like to mention the glory that is CELERY SALT. So much flavor! So versatile!  And now on to a personal favorite recipe to make a delicious experience out of the ubiquitous love-to-hate-it vegetable that is brussels sprouts (they’re easy to do wrong, but so good when done right!) First up, fry some bacon. Cook it a smidge on the light side, and set it aside. Now into the bacon fat still in your skillet, add sliced onions and get them started caramelizing. Caramelized onion is another great way to get flavor up in your veggie dishes! Throw some black pepper and tarragon in with ‘em (most seasoning herbs lose flavor if cooked very long; these two are exceptions whose flavor develops best with longer cook times). Clean your brussels sprouts, and cut them in quarters lengthwise. The other thing you need here is green beans. I prefer to use fresh if possible, but frozen is entirely fine (I have a personal bias against canned green beans and consider frozen vastly superior, but if you have canned you can still use them, just add them at the very end so they just warm up rather than cooking more). If fresh, add them around the time the onions go translucent. Frozen should be added when the onions are starting to brown, and at that point you’ll also want to add the brussels sprouts. Chop the bacon and add it back in (add canned green beans around this point if that’s what you have). Stir fry the whole mess til the sprouts are softened and gone vivid green, then serve. 

[questionablemotivations]

I just blanch brocolli in salt water for about 90 seconds until its green and warm and crisp and salty.

Amazeballs

[bob-belcher]

[cheaphalloweencostume]

just because it “fits” doesnt mean its comfortable or sustainable stopppppppp this shit

[paladinpup-deactivated20151129]

There are two main factors at play when someone says that a condom is too small: (1) the band size is too small & (2) the condom is not sustainable

The band is at the base of the condom. It’s latex is made thicker here than the shaft and is, therefore, less elastic. The band keeps the condom secure so it does not come off mid-insertion and so penial fluids do not leak from the condom. To do this, the band has to keep a very tight grip on the base of the penis. This is the main complaint from people using condoms too small for them. The shaft’s plastic can stretch comfortably, but the band is not so lenient and uncomfortably or painfully squeezes the base of the penis.

Condoms in use experience a lot of friction. For a condom’s shaft or band to be stretched farther than it was intended weakens the latex. The band and shaft are then at risk of being broken from the friction. It fitting does not mean it is sustainable.

If your partner says a condom is too small, believe them and cease from doing anything that requires a condom. If your partner says a condom is too small but is trying to pressure you into unprotected sex, kick them out the door. 

[anxiousartisan]

Thaaaank you please read the above they make large and XXL condoms for a reason and it’s not to stoke men’s egos

[snyderman37]

A former… friend suggested I try a size or two larger, and yes, they do work.

[megabeeprime]

Yep. At first, I thought that condoms were supposed to be that tight. I’d seen those “condoms can fit on a two liter bottle so quit your complaining,” I had no basis for comparison because dudes don’t talk about that shit, and no one wants to be that “HURR HURR GUESS I NEED A MAGNUM XL” guy.

[siphersaysstuff]

Now wear that condom on your arm for a while. Ten minutes at least. Still got sensation in your arm?

One of the many failures of sex ed in this country is the notion that there’s only two types of condom, “fits everyone except those elephant-trunk-cock freaks” and “for elephant-trunk-cock freaks or lying braggarts” (and yes, there’s implicit shame in the idea of people needing non-”regular”-sized condoms and the genesis for such is pretty likely rooted in some really nasty viewpoints about certain groups of people but I’m digressing).

But penises come in a LOT of dimensions, and not all of them fit right in a “normal” condom. You don’t need to have a monster down there for a condom to be legitimately painful and/or break mid-act. This can leave a lot of people legitimately unawares that it doesn’t have to be like this. (I was, early on.)

Condom too tight? That’s a real problem for the reasons pointed out above. But it’s a solvable one at most drug stores, which generally have a broader (ha ha) selection than your Walmarts or Targets. Or suck it up (ha ha) and go to an “adult boutique” (a proper one) where they’re likely to have even more options and let’s be real here the people working at these aren’t gonna give you Looks over condom selection. Or shop at said boutiques online if you REALLY need to avoid the in-person thing.

And if you think you’re gonna be doing things requiring condoms, HAVE YOUR OWN. Yes, even if you personally don’t have a penis. Buy a box of large-size as well just in case.

And don’t let anyone give you guff over it, and don’t let anyone pressure you into unprotected sex because of condom size.

[magic-retina-deactivated2017100]

For the record, even if you’re doing things that don’t involve a penis at all, condoms are good to have around. They make great dental dams on the fly, keep toys clean, and keep body parts clean if your partner is using their hands. :) Also, keep some non-latex ones around in case you or your partner has a latex allergy. Trust me, there are few places worse to have that allergic reaction. o_o

[naamahdarling]

Here! Here is a condom size chart!!! There are probably! Others! You can check!!! So you can be comfortable when getting up to shenanigans. Because condoms that don’t fit are sooo uncomfortable and also a safety risk. A properly sized condom can really help improve sensation in the person with the penis.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/condom-size-chart-906776

I am so happy to be able to help! Condoms are so great!

[meneldil-istarendilye]

I may be asexual, but this is for my followers who are not

[npcdeath]

fyi to yall in quarantine whos grasp on reality is getting a little slippery: isolation, intense boredom, stress and lack of positive routine are absolutely contributing factors to exacerbating psychosis and psychosis-adjacent disorders, even latent ones. im not saying this to fearmonger im saying it so u can recognise it and take steps to handle it especially if it induces your first ever episode.

some warning signs can include

starting to believe unusual things that you previously did not believe (e.g. living in a simulation / you or others around you not being real / secretly being in hell or dead / otherworldly beings communicating with you somehow / government conspiracies / everyone around you is out to get you and harboring ill intent)

seeing things youre pretty sure arent there (e.g. shadow people, floating lights, stationary objects moving on their own, animals in a house that doesnt have pets)

hearing things (e.g. murmured voices, occasional clear and loud voices, faint music, scratching sounds, any without a source)

feeling a sense of dread or generalised paranoia, a sense that you are being watched or that something terrible is looming on the horizon but you dont know what

having extra trouble putting your thoughts in order and speaking coherently, cannot concentrate, space out to the point of feeling slightly catatonic

those most at risk are anyone with a family history of this vein of mental illness as well as those using certain drugs to get through the tedium of quarantine - if this is you, its best to research whether the substances youre using have documented links to triggering episodes of psychosis in users. weed is included in this, not just psychoactive drugs.

here are some steps you can take to get a handle on the situation if your grasp on reality is slipping like this and you cant access irl mental health resources.

have a routine. this is vitally important - you need structure. set an alarm for a specific time every day, even though you have nowhere to be. give yourself a bedtime. eat 2 meals a day, at least, at regular times.

leave the house. no, i dont mean Go Out, just be outside for a while every day or two. go for a walk if you can. stand outside your house for 15 minutes paying attention to the cars and the birds and the breeze and the clouds if you cant. really observe your surroundings. get sunlight.

on that note - let as much natural light into your house as possible during waking hours. your circadian rhythm needs it.

take up some form of hobby that requires physical engagement - whether thats journaling, drawing, making origami, gardening, cooking. the point of this is to ground yourself in your body and the world around you, have an affect on your surroundings, and stimulate your brain.

dont dwell on your delusions, hallucinations or distressing trains of thought if you can help it. that isnt to say "snap out of it and just dont have symptoms", but rather accept them without either judging them or overindulging in them. observe them as they happen, accept that they happen, and let it go, if you can. you may not be able to control the experiences, but you can control how you react to them, and the best case scenario is not allowing them to overwhelm your thoughts and your days. this is much easier said than done, especially if the experiences are distressing in nature, but the aim is to sever the feedback loop that causes further stress and thus further bad extrasensory experiences.

this is honestly just a basic surface scratch of advice though bc im by no means an expert, just someone w latent psychosis who used to work in the field for a while. there are tons of resources online by others who have experienced psychosis that can be a huge help if u think you might be at risk due to the stress, boredom and uncertainty of quarantine

[earlgraytay]

@mumblingsage added:  #this is probably the first time I've ever seen actionable advice for handling psychosis#I don't see if OP mentioned getting yourself a sleep schedule but please try to do so if you can#lack of sleep will make everything worse 

[twitblr]

Dormant Predators

[cypresscapers]

[loueejii]

This is why I have this. Even if they can get the lock opened they can’t push the door open. Got it at Lowes for $20.

[ocean-again]

reblog for that last bit to save a life

[smiling-grouch-deactivated20241]

If you’re like me and have a large gap under your front door (someone could take a stick and just poke the leaning stick style door jam out), I recommend the Addalock. It’s small, perfect for traveling, and this lock is CRAZY. It’s so simple but the door does not move.

You can’t see it from the other side, either. It also cost about $20, and I can’t recommend it enough. Easy to travel with, too! Great for Air BnBs!

[deminat-20]

That’s why I have these on my doors. They get drilled into the side and once its flipped over the door nothing is getting it open. Not the door being unlocked nothing, I’ve unlocked the door and pulled and pushed as hard as I could and it didn’t budge. When I go on a trip this is what I use and when I’m home I leave it on too. No one is getting in here.

[letsgetoutofspace]

Okay I know that it is necessary for many but what do you do if you need medical attention and you’re not able to open the door from the inside? Can the fire department get through these at least?  

[morgrimmoon]

Yes. The fire department can and will break down your door if necessary, it’s one of the reasons they have axes; it’s entirely possible for door frames to melt/expand/seize or otherwise become unopenable during a house fire but the door itself can be hacked down. Or the window. In rare cases, the wall. Firefighters don’t fuck around with collateral damage when lives are at stake.

[trini-lover]

Sharing for all the safety items!!

[queerdo-mcjewface]

Do you need reproductive and/or gender affirming healthcare and live in the US? Planned Parenthood is offering telehealth appointments!

Planned Parenthood can help you get birth control, STI testing and treatment, hormone replacement therapy and other gender affirming care, and urinary tract infection treatment via phone and video appointments.

Here is the link!

[selfcare-is]

Self care is knowing crying is actually healthy to do and something that shouldn’t be shamed

[littlebluebirdblog]

Tears release negative hormones that make you feel crappy. Let out all out. Literally.

[theflyingdutchmansblog]

is a man allowed to cry?

[selfcare-is]

Of course - crying is healthy no matter your gender.

[worm-suggestion]

Boost

[ticklemetroye]

THIS IS NOT TRUE FOR ALL STATES.

If you live in South Dakota, they are distributed on the 10th of each month. Please learn when SNAP benefits are received in your state as every state has different regulations. Also keep in mind to avoid buying WIC products if you are able as WIC vouchers do not allow divergence and families may be forced to go without essential food items if a specific item or brand is sold out. Most grocery stores have WIC items labeled next to the price tag. Small changes can really make a difference right now :)

[worm-suggestion]

Boost this one instead please! Sorry for spreading incomplete info

[weatheredlaw]

spotting employment scams during covid times

hello there! some of you may be job hunting right now, looking for remote work, work from home options, etc. as someone who’s been doing this, i wanted to let you know that you’re absolutely going to be coming across a lot of questionable postings, so here are some tips for spotting them: 

1. double check craigslist postings. i’ve come across several where i go back to confirm contact information and i find the post has been flagged for removal. often times, this means the job was bogus, and someone figured it out and went back and alerted the site.

2. if you get answers in your spam, read them carefully. i’ve gotten several responses back from people that have gone straight to my spam inbox. for me, this is pretty questionable. a company might indicate their information will go to your spam inbox, this could still be suspicious. just be cautious. 

3. if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. i responded to a nicely worded work from home position and was told he would be paying me 1500 dollars every week. and while that sounds very very nice, it also is very unlikely. a legitimate employer will be paying you by the hour and will give you a set of hours you’ll be working. a lump sum of money is suspect, and likely being used to lure you in. 

4. look up their names/contact info. i’ve gotten plenty of emails back that look and sound legitimate. they even have a photo of the person on the bottom. look that info up. if they have a phone number, search for it. i’ve dialed *67 and called a few numbers and found they’re absolutely not real numbers, or they only receive text messages. do not text, always call. also if they say they work for a business, look them up with your local Better Business Bureau. i kept getting ads for an “Expert Collections Agent Wanted”. everything about the ad was weird, so i applied with one of my lesser used email and got a response in about a minute. the website didn’t go anywhere, and my local BBB had five unresolved complaints. 

5. no legit WFH/remote company will ask you to pay for a background check. this one is vital, because they can seem really legit all the way up to this point, and then they’ll ask you to pay for your own background check. do not do this. this is not something you should have to pay for. you don’t work for them, you should not be paying them anything.

6. please, please, please be on the lookout for MLM’s. flashy videos with young people talking about “the product” are trying to get YOU to buy the product and then hock it to your friends. and for the love of god, do NOT be tempted to join a known MLM. no one is buying essential oils, or make up, or protein powder, or lip gloss. they’re just not. 

7. if you don’t know what business you’re applying for, it’s probably not legit. a lot of ads don’t have the company name in them, or any real identifying features. they say things like “do you want to be a part of a growing company with an amazing work environment?” and things to that effect. you should be able to know what company you’ll be potentially working for, who your employer will be, and how much money you’ll potentially be making. 

remember, getting a job means giving them your address, social security number, and sometimes your routing number for direct deposit. i’m not trying to be alarmist or sound hyper-paranoid here, but there are people out there taking advantage of folks who are now out of work due to stay at home orders, and i want you all to be safe. again, i wish i had tips, ways you could find the legitimate employers, and best practices for job hunting in these times, but all i can do right now is pass on my experience and hopefully help you be able to weed out the fake postings that are currently flooding job postings right now. please be safe, i love you all. <3 

[marypsue]

These are very useful tips for spotting a job scam at any time!

I would also add to be very, very wary of any job offer that involves accepting money on someone else’s behalf, or passing money through your account for someone else. There are so many ways to get burned.

[adteachings-deactivated20220125]

Now, more than ever, clear writing matters.

[cipheramnesia]

I felt my life extend five years with how much this reduced my stress.

[whovianfloozy]

Epi Pen PSA -- could save a life!

In addition to my breast cancer, I have the joy of multiple autoimmune diseases. One of them causes me to have anaphylaxis to myself, so in addition to the bi-weekly cancer chemo I receive monthly Immunotherapy. They will not administer it at your appointment unless you have your Epi Pens with you, because the Immunotherapy itself can cause anaphylaxis and you may need it on the ride home.

I had Immunotherapy Monday, and as the chemo fog has fried my brain, I decided to get out my box and check on when my Epi Pens expire while I was sitting there for my 30 minute post delivery observation, My Nurse noticed me looking at the box, and I told her I was checking the expiration date.

She walked over and told me the date I was looking at was only the expiration date of the prescription, not the actual Epinephrine syringe. Where I live, pill bottles and the like typically say “Drug Z, Filled 1-2-33,Good until 1-2-34, 5 refills expires 1-2-34” so Drug Z was good for a year and so was the prescription.

The tag on my Epi Pen box said “Filled 4-10-19 Expires 4-10-20”

She told me that Epi Pens were different, the tag on the box was the date for the prescription expiration only. The medication, the actual Epinephrine expiration dates were only on the syringes themselves. She then proceeded to open the box, remove the sheaths, open them and remove the syringes, and show me the expiration dates.

My Epi Pens had been dispensed in April 2019, and had expired in July of 2019. My Epi Pens, on which my life might depend, had expired SEVEN FREAKING MONTHS AGO. They had had a lifespan of three months.

I was angry, and horrified. They immediately sent a new scrip to my pharmacy of course and I thanked her for telling me as it potentially could have saved my life. I also asked her to inform every single patient who came in that office, and she will.

She told me that every single time I pick up an Epi Pen prescription, immediately go sit in one of the waiting chairs, open up the box, and check the dates on the syringes. If it’s not a year, go back up and demand they take them back and order new syringes with a one year life span, as typically we are renewing them with a few days lee way either way once we know the true expiration date..

If for some reason they refuse call your insurance company and they should raise hell. Apparently this is legal because when the pharmacy gets a scrip and orders the pens, the manufacturer is not sending expired merchandise. And of course, if there’s an issue, the consumer didn’t fulfill their responsibility to check the expiration date.

Two years ago, I anaphylaxed alone at home. It progressed fast, and as soon as I unlocked the front door and called 911, I delivered a pen through my jeans into my thigh. It didn’t stop the progress. They gave me a dose of Epi, and a giant dose of steroids in the ambulance, and they met us with an intubation kit at the hospital.

The responders and Docs in the ED at first were wondering if I had delivered the pen properly of course, but as they quickly removed my clothes they saw the syringe bruise and the drop of dried blood right in the right place. For the remainder of my hospital stay they couldn’t figure out why the Epi Pen hadn’t stopped or at least slowed it down. That’s what they do, they don’t reverse it.

Now I look back and wonder. I had tossed the used pen in the trash immediately, and thrown out the other in it’s box when I came home from the hospital with a new two pack. What if the syringe I had used had expired six or seven or nine months before? What if my new kit had expired four months later?

I am furious, and frightened for those who don’t know, I’ve already contacted my best friend for her husband, and my niece for her little girl. I will be contacting my GP to see if he knew this and every one else I know eventually, and asking them to spread the word.

Check your Epi Pens, tell every one you know, and please signal boost this and REBLOG IT to spread the word. 

Thanks guys, and be well. Love  xXx

[imfemalewarrior]

Hey guys, this is something to go check and fix right now. 

-FemaleWarrior 

[slettlune]

boring psa bc i haven’t seen this mentioned anywhere so far

remember that moisturising is an important part of hand hygiene. especially if you’re washing your hands more frequently these days. healthy, intact skin is one of your immune system’s barriers, as dry and cracked skin can harbour dirt and microbes, and in extra bad cases skin infection can tank your immune system further

soap and water is great for getting rid of harmful microbes but they also remove your skin’s natural oils, so please please please apply some lotion after you wash your hands

[marst-n]

Stuck at home? Here’s an isolation survival post:

(Everything here is free to use! Feel free to add on. Links were purposefully broken to avoid Tumblr’s spam prevention.)

Social:

discordapp.com/ - Like Skype but better, more accessible, smoother, and with more features. Call, play games, and chat with friends.

twitch.tv/ - Watch and chat with people doing everything from gaming to cooking to teaching.

Reading:

whichbook.net/ - helps you find what book to read

overdrive.com/ - Free audiobooks through your public library

standardebooks.org/ebooks/ - Free ebooks

rbdigital.com/ - Free audiobooks and ebooks through your public library

Movies:

www.kanopy.com/ - Free movies through your public library

www.ted.com/ - Watch lots of educational and inspiring talks

Hobbies:

join.skillshare.com/ - Learn how to do virtually anything with 2 free months of premium

scratch.mit.edu/ - Make a game or movie, super easy to use, good introductory programming “language”

gimp.org/downloads/ - Free photoshop-like program.

twinery.org/ - Make a text-based game

pixologic.com/sculptris/ - make 3D models

unity.com/ - Make a 3D game

yoyogames.com/gamemaker - make a 2D game

spotify.com/us/ - Listen to music

travelandleisure.com/attractions/museums-galleries/museums-with-virtual-tours - Museums with virtual tours

Dungeons and Dragons: (play over Discord!) (DM me if you want PDFs of the Handbooks)

probablybadrpgideas.tumblr.com/post/612459866001391616/basic-rules-for-dungeons-dragons-dungeons - The Basics

entertainment.howstuffworks.com/leisure/brain-games/beginners-guide-dungeons-and-dragons.htm - Learn to play

roll20.net/ - Make maps/play online

Video Games:

itch.io/ - play hundreds of games

freegameplanet.com/ - Even more free games!

dolphin-emu.org/ - Play Gamecube and Wii games

Phone Apps:

sourceforge.net/projects/gameboid/ - Play gameboy games

smartphones.gadgethacks.com/how-to/10-must-play-free-puzzle-games-for-iphone-android-0178848/ - list of puzzle games

Cooking:

fridgetotable.com/ - Input ingredients you have and get recipes you can make.

youtube.com/user/DepressionCooking - Learn how to cook with limited ingredients from a lovely old woman who lived during the Great Depression

butterwithasideofbread.com/homemade-bread/ - Make bread with yeast

letsdishrecipes.com/traditional-irish-soda-bread/ - Make bread without yeast

Other tips:

Take care of yourself (eat well, shower often, wear clean clothes, exercise, clean your space)

Talk with people

Do what makes you happy

Take time away from screens

Play – with your pets, your kids, your friends. Keep yourself active and busy and happy.

[sheepsbian]

if you're a college student and your college HASNT yet shut down, you should start planning like it will. many are shutting down dorms with very little notice and most people will not be able to stay on those campuses. even if it doesn't close for you, it won't hurt to have an emergency moving plan.

[sheepsbian]

start contacting friends/family now for places to stay. talk to people about travel plans for getting home. if you're able, start building community resources (like lists of people with rooms available) for emergency housing.

some colleges are working hard to help students get home or stay on campus. others are really just kicking people out. start getting ready now so you don't end up unprepared with a two day notice to get out.

[aletheyass]

how are people this stupid i’m speechless

[aletheyass]

let me get this straight. this is a PANDEMIC (as officially declared by the World Health Organization), and it’s not “just like the normal flu”, let me tell you why: 

it’s HIGHLY contagious, as a matter of fact it’s more than two times more contagious than the flu;

its incubation period is 14 days, which means you could be already infected and only start to show symptoms in two weeks which, in turn, means that you have two full weeks time to infect everyone you come in contact with;

we don’t have a vaccine or specific treatment yet;

it is potentially mortal for older people, people with pre-existing conditions, and immunocompromised people BUT it’s also very dangerous for everyone else too–a lot of younger people have died;

it attacks the lungs, which means a lot of patients will need respiratory aid, which means hospitals get full really fast and if there’s a shortage of machineries (which, there is), doctors might even have to choose to save a patient over another;

that 2% fatality rate is not confirmed, it was an initial hypothesis. if you look at the numbers of Italy the percentage is much higher. as of right now the number of infected in Italy is 12462, the number of victims is 827: now i’m no mathematician, but i’m pretty sure that’s more like 6,6%; (while i’m on the subject, you may want to double check how your country is counting victims: a lot of countries are only counting people who died OF coronavirus, while the more accurate way of counting would be to consider those who died WITH coronavirus);

a lot of countries aren’t even testing properly yet, which means the numbers are highly debatable.

we all initially underestimated the situation here in Italy and now look at us. we’re all stuck at home–we can’t leave unless strictly necessary. no school, no uni, no cinema, no theatre, no weddings, no funerals. we’re queuing to enter supermarkets and pharmacies. our hospitals are full and our doctors are exhausted. we’re all doing this not because we’re overly dramatic or something, we’re doing this because it’s the only way to prevent the virus from spreading (as the news from Wuhan show) and therefore to safeguard everyone and keep the hospitals going.  

this is not a joke and, most importantly, this is not just about YOU. you may not care whether you live or die, as the tweet states, but you SHOULD care whether you jeopardize other people’s health with your careless behavior. don’t be fucking idiots and travel just because it’s cheap and because yolo. stop for a second and THINK

[sheikofthesheikah]

Medical professional here right on the front ass line of this shit, here to correct some inaccuracies on this fear mongering because y’all are doing my god damn head in. 

COVID-19, specifically the new coronavirus responsible for this mass panic, is equally as contagious as influenza, in that it’s transmitted by droplet and fomites, meaning the SAME precautions are required for both [x]

The word you’re looking for is ‘fatal’, not ‘mortal’. 

Influenza is contagious within the first few days of an individual becoming sick, however can be transmittable up to 7-10 days afterwards. This means Influenza can spread faster than COVID-19 [x]

The prevention for both diseases is the same: cough etiquette, good hand hygiene and containment if unwell. The treatment is the same: rest, symptomatic management, and supportive measures in the case of severe disease. 

Death toll: the overall mortality rate for COVID-19 is 3.4% [x]. As of posting, it’s March 12, so that number is likely to change with each day that the situation evolves. It’s likely we will see the number decrease as the virus spreads and the ratio of recovered people to people who have died evolves. This number is highly changeable and it’s impossible to provide an accurate reflection of it given the rapidly changing nature of the knowledge we have.

Of these deaths, 14% have been people over the age of 80 (reflecting comorbidities such as lung or heart disease), as opposed to 0.4 of 40-50′s and 0.2% in people aged 10-39. So no, not ‘a lot of young people have died’. [x] Only one known case of someone under the age of 19 has died in China [x].

By comparison, this flu season, 136 paediatric patients have died with influenza associated pneumonia in the USA alone [x]. Influenza is far less discriminatory in who it infects and who is susceptible to severe illness, with several. strains targeting young, healthy and otherwise fit individuals in particular. 

Doctors never choose to save one life over another. If they do, they should not be a doctor, and you have a lawsuit on your hands. If a hospital is overwhelmed with equipment shortages, they will find a way to treat the patient anyway. My hospital for example has the capacity to look after up to five patients requiring intubation (a machine doing the breathing for you). In the case where we have had people needing ICU  and our ICU is full (which has happened the last few flu seasons), we have treated the patient anyway in the ER and then transferred the patient to a hospital capable of continuing their care. I’m so gobsmacked that you’d even make a remark like this that I’m honestly wondering whether or not i should be offended. 

As of march 10, over 66 thousand people have recovered from the disease. That is more than half of those infected. 

I understand being afraid and uncertain because this is a new virus and the response to it is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before with other pandemics (Hello SARS, hello MERS, hello Swine Flu, hello HIV/AIDS! A few notable mentions since the 00′s). But for everyone using this website, the OP of the tweet posted is right: you probably won’t die from it. At most, you’ll feel like you’ve had the worst cold of your entire life and be stuck in bed for a few days. 

Take precautions! Wash your hands! Isolate yourself for 14 days if you’ve been in contact with someone who has the virus. 

But please stop spreading misinformation about the virus because it is doing NO one any favours and it is only contributing to irrational fear that is putting MORE burden on health systems that are already struggling enough.

Sincerely, your local exhausted Emergency RN. 

[kirbyreminders]

💒💗🌷💒💗🌷💒💗🌷💒💗🌷💒💗🌷

kirby’s thoughts:

❶ It’s important to be able to have the awareness and recognition of your emotions and the feelings that you experience. the next step would be trying to recognize these feelings/emotions in a way that’s non-judgemental, patient, and kind. It’s a skill that will always be in progress so don’t fret about being perfect all the time, you’re only human.

💒💗🌷💒💗🌷💒💗🌷💒💗🌷💒💗🌷

image text:

1st panel:

how to be more non-judgmental, patient, and kind to yourself.

2nd panel:

Judgemental: I’m experiencing anger and that’s not okay.

Non-Judgmental: I’m noticing that I’m experiencing anger.

I don’t have to dictate whether it is okay or not because it is simply just an emotion right now.

3rd panel

Impatient: I’m experiencing sadness and I should get over it already.

Patient: I’m experiencing sadness and I will allow myself to feel this.

I am not dictated to a time constraint when it comes to my human emotions.

4th panel:

Unkind: I’m experiencing frustration because I’m a frustrating person.

Kind: I’m experiencing frustration because I’m human.

I am allowed to give myself permission to feel uncomfortable feelings without associating them to my character as a person.

💒💗🌷💒💗🌷💒💗🌷💒💗🌷💒💗🌷

[study-sleep-tea-repeat]

Healthy study snack ideas

Sometimes it can be really hard to stay healthy while in school, but having healthy snacks on hand sure can help. Healthy foods help to keep your mind functioning at its peak so having good options is super important! Keep some of these close by while studying so that you can feel great, study great, and live great!

Sweet foods

Fruit (apples (with peanut or almond butter if desired), bananas (frozen bananas dipped in chocolate are yummy), grapes (frozen grapes are awesome!), oranges/tangerines, kiwis, blueberries, raisins, dried apricots, dried cherries, applesauce, etc.)

Dark chocolate

Yogurt (I really like almond or coconut non-dairy yogurt!)

Oatmeal

Granola bar (check the sugar levels though, many have a ton of sugar)

Savory foods

Nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.)

Popcorn (ideally air-popped since it’s a bit healthier)

Rice cake with peanut or almond butter

Tortilla chips and salsa or guacamole

Carrot sticks (or other veggies) with hummus

Whole-wheat crackers, pretzels, or pita chips with hummus

Roasted chickpeas

Kale chips

Celery with peanut butter

What’s your favorite study snack? x