i think one of the most common dangers I run into in the edible and medicinal plant scene is the problem of “can you eat it” vs. “should you eat it”
a lot of websites and books these days will be like “ten wild plants you can use to make tea” without then listing the actual use for those teas because all they care about is the novelty of making your own tea from things you picked in the woods.
They tell you stuff like “A wonderfully cleansing medicine, it supports the liver, stimulates the flow of urine and the removal of waste by the kidneys.”
And people are so into the idea of cleansing their bodies of supposed toxins, that sounds great!
But what I know is that what they really mean is, this plant is a diuretic, meaning if you use it for tea, you’re going to peeing All. Day. Long. Every. Ten. Minutes.
Which isn’t fun if you’re on a hike or about to get back in your car and drive an hour home.
Some popular plants recommended for teas are used as contraceptives and morning after treatments. So here you are, trying to get pregnant, drinking your natural to rid your kidneys of impurities, being healthy as can be, and all along you’re taking birth control!
And if you’re already taking birth control and trying to not get pregnant, the plant can mess you up too.
There are plants that mess with antidepressants, and with blood pressure medicine, that make you sick to your stomach, that messes with your blood, and on and on.
And all of these sources will just list them as something you can eat, because hey, you won’t die if if you do!
Which is true, you’ll live, but at what cost!!!
Please remember herbal remedies and edible plants have always been consumed and applied with a PURPOSE, and unless you know what that purpose is, don’t consume them just because you can. It’s a bad idea.
“if you actually met 100% of the requirements they couldn’t afford you”
I really needed to hear this. I had never thought of it this way. This literally never occurred to me, I’ve just spent my whole adult life thinking I was underqualified for everything. Thinking I’m not good enough for anything because the “minimum requirements” are so high.
I need specifics. I wanna know what I can get away with. I wanna know what they really mean by “minimum.” I wanna know how much I’m actually worth.
As someone who worked in hr, this is true.
True to the point that if someone was extremely unqualified, but because of timing we were desperate, we’d bend rules to get them hired. And the only people taking advantage of this were guys.
if you actually met 100% of the requirements they couldn’t afford you
this made so much click in my head. because this was literally it–spend half the time being unqualified for everything and just not applying. and the rest of the time being qualified and not getting hired. because ahahaha fuck you, you’re too expensive now/we’re too worried you’ll jump ship and leave us because of how qualified you are! guess we’ll just hire this shitty dude to do it !? ?
someone tell me how to walk in heels without crying
Ok. First: when buying heels make sure to buy at the end of the day. Like you should have been up and about for hours before trying them on. This way your feet at their most swollen which means when you wear them you will have room for when they swell up.
Second: break them in. Wear them around the house for 30 minutes a day for a few days before you wear them out the first time. I usually do this for 3-7 days, the higher the heel the more days you do. This helps your feet and leg muscles get used to walking in them. If they still hurt the same they did on day one by the third day though return them, they are cut wrong for your feet.
Third: if the shoes allow for it try wearing those little socks with the cushion pads on the heel and ball of the foot. If the shoe doesn’t allow for that use band-aids friction block stick to protect those areas and reapply when it becomes uncomfortable. do not wait until it already hurts, it’s a blister by then.
This is what I do with my heels and I’m usually pretty good wearing 4 inchers for like 6 hours (not daily mind you). So these tips should help.
Fic writers wonder why people don’t review. They honestly can’t understand the silence. Writers assume that readers:
usually have something to add/criticize/say
know how to articulate their own thoughts/feelings
withhold feedback because they’re lazy or apathetic
don’t appreciate how much time/effort/energy goes into writing
On the flip-side, readers assume that:
the writer already knows how ‘good’ their work is
someone else will review because this fic is ‘obviously’ awesome
if a fic is already ‘popular,’ their feedback won’t matter
if they comment, they ‘must’ leave an awesome, insightful, detailed comment that 100% reflects their love for a fic
since words aren’t adequate, it’s better to stfu and just click the kudos button/favotite/bookmark
None of these assumptions are accurate.
The reality is that:
there is no reason for a writer to post their work except to get feedback that validates their vision, helps them improve and/or gives them an outsider perspective/interpretation of their work (which can be absolutely mind-blowing)
like, you can and should write for yourself, but if that’s 100% the case, every good fic would be wasting away in a private word document
‘readers’ are not always ‘writers’
‘writers’ can naturally put their ideas and emotions into words
‘readers’ usually don’t know what to say, which words to use to express themselves, and belittle the importance of their perspective
many ‘readers’ don’t write, so they can’t empathize with the struggle of writing a fic for a silent but attentive audience
Basically, readers don’t understand writers and vice-versa. Both parties are wired differently. Readers who also write are more likely to review because they empathize with both sides of the equation.
The Solution
Writers
Be patient, understanding, and persistent
Appreciate those who do review
Don’t get bitter, discontinue a beloved story, or assume the worst of your readers
Realize that everyone is really trying their best
Readers
Be patient, supportive, honest, and empathetic
Realize that there’s no minimum! Even two words (like ‘good work!’) can have a huge impact
Review Templates
Things to say when you’re tongue-tied:
Verbs
I liked the part where/when…
I wonder why…
I smiled/laughed when…
I was confused when…
I think that…
I predict…
I was sad/happy/angry/[other emotion] when…
Nouns
[character] did/said/felt/will do [this thing]
because… (if applicable)
[insert plot point/event]
Example: I think that [this guy] ran away from [his friend] because he was trying to protect him.
And that’s it. You don’t have to say anything else. One sentence is more than enough, but you’ll notice that once you get started, you’ll have a lot to say- so say it!
Author’s style
Your writing is:
Detailed/descriptive
Vivid
Concise (to the point)
Funny
Serious
Surreal
Unique
Compelling
Provocative
Leaves me wondering about a lot of things, and I’m curious about what happens next
Confused me a little at times (talk about what confused you! The author will be more than happy to clear things up!)
Do’s and Don’ts
Don’t
Worry about grammar/typos in your review
Suggest a direction for the story (most writers know what they’re doing and you just gotta trust them)
Think that clicking the kudos button is all you can do! Your opinion is important!
Tell the author to do more of [this] and less of [that]
Ask them to update without leaving any other feedback
Do
Leave short comments if you can’t think of anything else to say (“I like this” is more than acceptable, seriously)
Inform the author of typos (be specific)- many fics are un-beta’d. The writer will appreciate your attention to detail.
Express your own perspective even if it isn’t ‘correct-’ I think [character] did this because she was jealous, which explains why…
Understand that your unique interpretation of motives/symbolism/foreshadowing/anything is extremely valuable
Be honest, but diplomatic
Bookmark/rec works if you enjoy them, esp to help lesser-known writers
You can copy/paste from this post into your reviews. It’s hard to find the right words sometimes, but for writers, anything is better than silence.
This is great! I have a few things to add.
Writers
Be patient with your readers, yes. Commenting is a skill, and even when it seems like something easy, it isn’t – not for everyone, at every time. However. It is okay to be disappointed that a story didn’t get much of a response. This is normal, and it doesn’t make you entitled or ungrateful. It makes you a person.
If a fic isn’t getting much feedback, and you decide to discontinue it for that reason – that’s okay too. No matter how much you want to tell a story, the motivation to put in so, so much effort and make it happen comes from a lot of sources, and comments can be a vital component.
Post on multiple sites (ao3, FFN, wattpad, tumblr, etc). You want that audience? Go get ‘em!!
Readers
Don’t get mad at an author for requesting feedback, or discontinuing a story due to lack of it. It’s easy to feel guilty, and it’s often more pleasant to turn guilt into anger and push it outwards, but it’s unfair. The author’s statement isn’t targeting you and only you, and the vast majority of the time, they’re not angry either – they’re scared that they’re pouring their energy into something that no one else cares about.
You don’t have to go from never commenting, or commenting very rarely, to commenting on every single thing you read. You don’t have to comment at all. But, if you want to comment more, don’t, start out with the goal of going from 0 to 100. Instead, tell yourself “I’m going to comment on at least one fic today,” or “The next time I bookmark a fic, I’m going to tag it with a description of how it made me feel.”
Using a template isn’t cheating!! “It’s not completely original,” well, who cares. Most of what we say has been said countless times before, but that doesn’t make it meaningless – it’s been said so many times because it’s been meant.
If you’re worried about commenting because you’re not a native speaker, it’s okay! However, when authors get a comment from someone who says that they’re reading this in a second language, that you’re still learning, we go “oh my god Dedication I love you so much.”
To those readers who are also writers – commenting is different than writing. They might as well be different languages (and depending on what languages you read/write in, they might actually be different languages). The fact that you write stories might not make commenting any easier, and that, again, is normal. I’ve said several times that “I can only say what I mean when I can put the words into a character’s mouth.”
If you don’t want to leave a short comment but you don’t know what to say? Talk to a friend about the story while you’re reading, if you have fandom friends. Make them read it too. When you’re done, copy the best parts of the chat log (including keyboard smashes) into the comment box and post it. Authors love that.
– Mod Rose
Saving these because leaving comments is hard, I struggle with it at times and these templates seem useful
So let’s say you’re in the same boat I am (this is a running theme, have you noticed?) and you’ve just got, like, SO MUCH STUFF that HAS to get done YESTERDAY or you will DIE (or fail/get fired/mope). Everything needs to be done yesterday, you’re sick, and for whatever reason you are focusing on the least important stuff first. What to do!
Take a deep breath, because this is a boot camp in prioritization.
Make a 3 by 4 grid. Make it pretty big. The line above your top row goes like this: Due YESTERDAY – due TOMORROW – due LATER. Along the side, write: Takes 5 min – Takes 30 min – Takes hours – Takes DAYS.
Divide ALL your tasks into one of these squares, based on how much work you still have to do. A thank you note for a present you received two weeks ago? That takes 5 minutes and was due YESTERDAY. Put it in that square. A five page paper that’s due tomorrow? That takes an hour/hours, place it appropriately. Tomorrow’s speech you just need to rehearse? Half an hour, due TOMORROW. Do the same for ALL of your tasks
Your priority goes like this:
5 minutes due YESTERDAY
5 minutes due TOMORROW
Half-hour due YESTERDAY
Half-hour due TOMORROW
Hours due YESTERDAY
Hours due TOMORROW
5 minutes due LATER
Half-hour due LATER
Hours due LATER
DAYS due YESTERDAY
DAYS due TOMORROW
DAYS due LATER
At this point you just go down the list in each section. If something feels especially urgent, for whatever reason – a certain professor is hounding you, you’re especially worried about that speech, whatever – you can bump that up to the top of the entire list. However, going through the list like this is what I find most efficient.
Some people do like to save the 5 minute tasks for kind of a break between longer-running tasks. If that’s what you want to try, go for it! You’re the one studying here.
So that’s how to prioritize. Now, how to actually do shit? That’s where the 20/10 method comes in. It’s simple: do stuff like a stuff-doing FIEND for 20 minutes, then take a ten minute break and do whatever you want. Repeat ad infinitum. It’s how I’ve gotten through my to do list, concussed and everything.
You’ve got this. Get a drink and start – we can do our stuff together!
WOAH THIS SOUNDS HELPFUL. I’M GOING TO TRY THIS IMMEDIATELY. Also, I made a chart for myself, but if anyone else wants it for reference (or if this is wrong and I misread you can tell me) here it is:
I always found shoes a bit of a mystery so I did a section just on them. It all gets down to that hump around the toes and then bending the toe-area and not any other part of the foot when adding heels.
I’m going to work on the landscape of the back next and then we’ll see!
You can find all my other tutorials and stuff at dianekraus.com
you can find all my other tutorials and stuff at dianekraus com
^Haiku^bot^8. I detect haikus with 5-7-5 format. Sometimes I make mistakes.
I don’t have food stamps but I need to know how to eat well for $4/day. Thank you for this.
I love this cookbook!
Tips and tricks on how to survive being working class.
I’ve seen this kind of thing before and a lot of them are full of random weird shit you’d never make…because of time constraints or like, it just sounds super gross.
But this one had a whole section that’s just “Things on Toast”. Another that was all about putting crap in your oatmeal to make it better. Those are fairly pedestrian and don’t take forever.
I haven’t looked through the whole thing yet but so far it’s actually pretty practical. Also if you’re broke like me and don’t know how to make Dal, you should get on that.
I also liked that there’s this at the beginning:
This book isn’t challenging you to live on so little; it’s a resource in case that’s your reality. In May 2014, there were 46 million Americans on food stamps. Untold millions more—in particular, retirees and students—live under similar constraints.
Been there. Done that. Advice on this art is always welcome.
The link above seems to be broken; here’s one that still works.
Time's Vengeance 