Cvt2dvm - Blog Posts
Oops, I'm back, sorry about that Ladies!
Anyways, quick update, dumped my situationship that was on and off for all of 2024 in December, met a man in the beginning of the month, not just a man, but a horseman too. I've been pretty offline in general, not just here but... everywhere, because my time is pretty much consumed with work, dates, and work-dates/barn chores with said horseman, and class work. I've also been getting more involved in my Parish and Church lately as well, and the Horseman has been integrating really well into my church life as well. I'm still line dancing when and where I can, but we're also learning Texas Two-Step and Western Swing dance as well. He's a farrier, and it's honestly a LOT of fun being with someone who is in an adjacent field and can understand and relate to the problems that come with working both with animals and their owners. Since I'm primarily in rehabilitation medicine as well, having someone who understands soundness/lameness issues and how neuro vs musculoskeletal vs conformation vs injury lameness varies is also really nice. Plus he's kind and I'm on a bit of a learning curve on how to accept really being cherished and loved the way I should be rather than begging for scraps. Anyways, I'll try and get back to regular blog posting, and as penance, here's a photo of my man while he was shoeing his gelding last weekend.
Masking also doesn't just apply to protecting you from Covid. It also helps defend against TB, most influenza strains, and numerous other particulate, droplet, misted and air born diseases. And it helps defend against dangerous pollution, allergens, and irritating natural dusts that effect air quality. Get the most effective and efficient masks you can afford.
Now is the Time to Start Masking Again
If you stopped paying attention to COVID with the release of vaccines, you've missed a lot.
COVID is airborne.
Long COVID impacts 10% of people infected by COVID (though this is beginning to look like a low estimate). Risk of Long COVID goes up with each reinfection. Long COVID is worse than initially reported.
Bisexual and trans people are more likely to develop Long COVID.
Black and Hispanic folks are more likely than White folks experience more symptoms and health problems from Long COVID.
***COVID and Long COVID has much more in common with HIV and AIDS than the flu (28:19 - 38:30 of linked video)***
The Basics
[WEBSITE] You Have to Live Your Life
[ZINE] What's Up With COVID and How to Protect Yourself - 2024 Edition
[FAQ] r/ZeroCOVIDCommunity's FAQ and Resource List
"This is great and all but it's overwhelming. TL;DR?"
COVID is airborne. Long COVID is much more common (and serious/debilitating) than previously thought.
Mask with an N95 or better in all indoor spaces and outside when close to others. Improve your indoor air quality by opening windows and using fans/air filters.
Rapid tests are prone to false negatives so make sure to retest in 48 hours after exposure and/or when you develop symptoms. Isolate in the meantime. Consider upgrading to a NAAT (PlusLife, Metrix) or PCR (Lucira) if you have the money.
Things for you to do today:
buy some N95s or request some from a local mask bloc
open a window more often and/or buy an air purifier
buy the best COVID tests you can afford
Basics in Video Form
If you have limited time, watch the videos with * first. They will cover the basics in about 20 minutes.
*VIDEO: COVID is Airborne [2:53]
*VIDEO: What the latest research tells us about long COVID's most common symptoms [5:58]
*VIDEO: FDA warns of false negatives with at home COVID Tests [2:19]
*VIDEO: How to Stay Safe(r) at Home [10:35]
--
VIDEO: The Astounding Physics of N95 Mask [6:08]
VIDEO: Mask Fit 101: Seal [4:07]
VIDEO: Mask Fit 101: Qualitative [3:49]
VIDEO: Mask Fit 102: Quantitative [5:04]
VIDEO: How to get [and give] FREE Masks [6:07]
VIDEO: Try this DIY indoor air purifier for cleaner air [4:22]
VIDEO: Why is EVERYONE more SICK [54:55]
Want to Get Involved?
Join your local Mask Bloc
No local Mask Bloc? Consider starting one
Talk to the people in your life about COVID
Print quality zines and spread them in your communities
Push for COVID Conscious changes in your spaces.
This is a huge win in the fight against marital rape.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has just made a major ruling in favor of a French woman who was blamed for her divorce because she refused to have sex with her husband.
The woman, whose identity is kept private, had been married since 1984, but her relationship took a dark turn when her husband started abusing her in 2002. Then, she stopped having sex with him.
By 2012, she wanted a divorce, but her husband argued that she was the one at fault for not having sex.
The French courts initially sided with him, but the ECHR finally stepped in, ruling that this was a violation of her rights. The court made it clear that women cannot be treated as "faulty" for choosing not to have sex in a marriage.
Women are not objects in relationships —they are equal partners with the right to consent or refuse. This ruling challenges the harmful belief that marriage comes with a sexual "obligation" and affirms that everyone deserves respect, freedom, and the right to live free from sexual pressure or violence.
St Brigid's Crosses from the National Museum of Ireland Country Life collection
5 Myths About Sustainable Fashion Debunked: What You Didn’t Know About Eco-Friendly Clothing
Sustainable fashion: we’ve all heard the term, but what does it really mean? With all the talk about eco-friendly fabrics, ethical production, and greenwashing, it’s easy to get confused. The reality is that there are a lot of myths floating around that might make you think sustainable fashion is out of your reach. But let’s set the record straight and dive into the 5 biggest myths about eco-friendly clothing.
Myth 1: “Sustainable Fashion is Too Expensive”
One of the most common myths is that sustainable fashion will completely break the bank. Sure, a lot of fast fashion items are cheap, but let’s be real – they don’t last. You’ll find yourself replacing those bargain bin buys faster than you can say "sale." Sustainable fashion focuses on quality, meaning fewer pieces but ones that stand the test of time. Think of it as investing in timeless items that won’t fall apart after a season. Plus, fewer purchases = more money saved in the long run. Who knew being eco-conscious could actually save you cash?
Myth 2: “Sustainable Fashion Isn’t Stylish”
Oh, the classic misconception – eco-friendly clothing is boring. Wrong! Just because an item is sustainable doesn’t mean it’s plain or out-of-date. In fact, sustainable fashion often includes cutting-edge design, modern cuts, and stunning details. Think sleek silhouettes, organic fabrics that feel luxe and unique designs that turn heads. Brands like Merci Dupre Clothiers are proving that sustainable fashion is just as chic as it is eco-friendly. So, if you think you have to compromise on style to be green, think again!
Myth 3: “Sustainable Clothing Doesn’t Last as Long”People often assume that eco-friendly fabrics are weaker or less durable. But let’s break it down: sustainable clothing tends to use higher-quality materials like organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo, which are naturally durable and long-lasting. Many sustainable clothing brands also focus on craftsmanship and thoughtful design, making sure their pieces are made to withstand the test of time. Fast fashion might be trendy, but it’s built to fall apart. Sustainable clothing? It’s made to last, giving you more wear per piece.
Myth 4: “Sustainable Clothing Is Only About Fabric Choices”
Here’s a big one: sustainable fashion isn’t just about the materials it’s made from. It’s about the bigger picture. Sure, using organic or recycled fabrics is a great start, but there’s so much more to sustainability. Ethical labor practices, reducing waste, non-toxic dyes, and designing for durability all play a huge role in what makes clothing sustainable. So next time you think about eco-friendly fashion, remember: it’s the whole lifecycle, from production to disposal, that matters.
Myth 5: “Sustainable Fashion Is Hard to Find”
With the rise of eco-friendly clothing brands, it’s easier than ever to shop sustainably. The myth that sustainable clothing is a rare find simply isn’t true anymore. In fact, many online stores now offer a wide range of stylish, eco-friendly options that make it easy to shop sustainably from the comfort of your own home. From classic staples to statement pieces, sustainable clothing has entered the mainstream, and it’s here to stay.
So, there you have it – the truth about sustainable fashion. It’s stylish, affordable in the long run, durable, and much more accessible than you might have thought. And it’s not just about the clothes; it’s about the choices you make to contribute to a more ethical, eco-friendly world. Ready to embrace sustainability in your wardrobe? It’s easier than you think – and it might just be the most fashionable choice you make!
My answer to this, and I've just figured this out in the past 6 months or so, is being largely apolitical on social media. There's a few reasons for this:
Social media is built on engagement metrics, so the most ragebaity, sensationalist accounts covering current events get the most engagement and therefore end up in your feed the most.
Social media is the least effective method of praxis
Social media also has the most room for misinformation, disinformation, and propoaganda.
Social Media also has a habit of engaging with news, politics, and political discourse in the worst possible bad faith.
What I do instead:
During my morning coffee I listen to my local NPR station.
I have a few select news podcasts from a variety of leans and angles, (The New Yorker, NPR, BBC, The Wall Street Journal, The American Conservative) that I rotate throughout the week, so that I have a bit of background on what all positions of the media are saying about certain issues.
Using Allsides for big issues, find them here. They present articles from across the political spectrum on current events issues, primarily for US politics.
CSPAN is your friend. It is... quite literally just the facts, with opinion lines for both liberals and conservatives, and it's where most of the livestreams of congress and political events are done.
I’ve seen quite a few people this past week ask something along the lines of ‘how to be up-to-date and properly informed about current events and politics and also not get super depressed?’
While most of these were phrased in a joking matter, it actually is a really good question. Being able to balance awareness of the shitty things happening in the world, but not letting that shittiness destroy you is a skill.
Being well informed is vital. However, if you become so informed that it’s starting to effect your life, you’ve gone too far.
The point of being aware of current events, especially bad ones, is so you can do something about it. Read about it, post about it, donate to charity, volunteer, etc. Something you can’t do if your overwhelmed with (rightful) anger and sadness.
So the answer to the original question is that you become informed enough that you want to do something about it, but do not overload yourself to the point where you feel too depressed to take any action.
Burying your head in the sand isn’t good. But neither is doomscrolling into oblivion. Find that middle where you are actively interested in what is happening in the world, but not to the point where it becomes a hinderance to regular life.
Being aware of the world around you is super interesting, but don’t spiral. Misery loves company. Stay informed, stay active, stay hopeful.
"Your dog is bite trained, hes so scary"
Meanwhile my dog...
Is he a bitey boy? Yes. Is he also a big fat mommas boy who just wants to cuddle？yeah dude he's a baby who's gotta be tucked in when it's cold
Primal Chic Beauty Part Two: Beauty From Food... No, Really!
I was planning on doing this post a little later, after my introduction to my Paleo-based, but not strictly paleo diet and what I regularly have stocked in my fridge and pantry. However, I've gotten a few more asks recently about skincare, and this post got moved up in the content planner to now!
In this post, you'll learn about some pantry staples that can be utilized for skin care, a few basic recipes for skin care products, long-lasting tools that compliment homemade & natural skincare, and why making the switch can benefit you and the environment. I'll cover some at-home-created makeup at a later date, but you should know, it doesn't last very well and it's often easier to simply buy clean, natural makeup from a company specializing in it.
Something you need to know for this to make sense is that I consider my own diet Paleo-based, but it's not strictly paleo. This means I largely am eating unprocessed foods, I'm not playing with artificial sweeteners and using natural sweeteners sparingly (usually Honey or whole sugar cane), and have cut out unfermented dairy, and most grains & grain foods, with occasional rice & oat consumption & my weekly communion at Church. I personally advise anyone who's dealing with food and gut issues to start with an elimination diet such as FODMAP or a strict Paleo, and then gradually reintroduce foods & food groups to figure out what works for YOU! Whole30 is a great introduction to this concept.
So, with that out of the way, let's talk about making your own skincare and some things to keep in stock for skin care.
Stocking Up
Pantry Staples for DIY At-Home Skincare & Haircare:
𓃠 Avocados & Avocado Oil
𓃠 Coconut Oil
𓃠 Almond Oil
𓃠 Honey
𓃠 Unsweetened Greek Yogurt
𓃠 Cocoa Butter
𓃠 Eggs
𓃠 Lemons and/or Lemon Juice
𓃠 Jojoba Oil
𓃠 Shea Butter
𓃠 Oats
𓃠 Rice
𓃠 Milk (Goat or Whole Cow Milk)
𓃠 Beef Tallow
𓃠 Ghee
𓃠 Baking Soda
𓃠 Apple Cider Vinegar
𓃠 Dried Rose/Rose Hips
𓃠 Cacao Nibs
𓃠 Mugwort
𓃠 Green & Black Tea
𓃠 Orange Peels
𓃠 Calendula Flowers
𓃠 Catnip
𓃠 Dried Witch Hazel
𓃠 An Aloe Vera Plant
𓃠 Table Salt or Himalayan Salt
𓃠 Unrefined Sugar
Non-Food Ingredients:
𓃠 Aztec Clay
𓃠 Castile Soap (in liquid or bar form)
𓃠 Epsom Salts/ Magnesium Salts
𓃠 Essential Oils in your favorite scents, I recommend Lavender, Lemongrass, & Mint, if you don't have pets you can also do Tea Tree & Eucalyptus but they are Nephrotoxic (toxic to the kidneys) for Cats, Dogs, and some small animals such as ferrets.
There are some things I still recommend you purchase commercially such as:
𓃠 Toothpaste (I'm not here to talk the fluoride vs MI paste vs Ozone vs hydroxyapatite vs charcoal vs no anti-cavity measure debate, if it's requested I can do a breakdown on the pros and cons of all of them, but it's really not my area of expertise and I'd recommend talking to your doctor, dentist, and local complimentary or holistic dentist or doctor about your individual needs)
𓃠 Floss (if you can, opt for silk rather than plasticized floss, and rolls of floss over single-use floss picks, if you're dedicated to floss picks, aim for a bamboo or wooden handle instead of plastic)
𓃠 Mouthwash (I've found the homemade varieties of this do not sufficiently treat dry mouth or gum issues)
𓃠 Deodorant or Antiperspirant (Thai Crystal deodorant works very well as a non-antiperspirant option, and I recommend solid stick antiperspirants over aerosolized ones for your indoor air quality and lung health)
𓃠 Sunscreen (I have never found an effective DIY Sunscreen)
Tools:
𓃠 A Mortar and Pestle
𓃠 Boar or horse hair fan brush with wooden handle
𓃠 Glass bowls in multiple sizes (from a small spice bowl to a large bowl for doing facial steams)
𓃠 Measuring Cups (You can use your food ones, just make sure to wash them well)
𓃠 A stone roller and Gua Sha
𓃠 A small skincare spatula in stainless steel
𓃠 2 Small Spoons (spare stainless steal teaspoons work well)
𓃠 Wood & Boar Hair dry brush
𓃠 Undyed, untreated Cotton Washcloths & Hand Towels
𓃠 Mesh Tea Infuser Ball
𓃠 A small spice wisk
Recipes:
A Sample Routine:
𓃠 Start with a Coconut & Almond Oil Cleanse (about 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil & Almond Oil to desired texture) apply to dampened skin with hands, rinse with lukewarm to hot water
Tip: Utilize a reusable cotton round moistened with a bit more of the above oil cleanser to wipe away stubborn eye makeup
𓃠 Soak a cotton hand towel with water that is as hot as you can tolerate, wring it out, and wrap around the face, leaving the nostrils exposed, leave on until towel has cooled.
𓃠 Combine 3 drops of Liquid castile soap with 1-2 tablespoons of warm water into a small glass dish, work into a foam with a fan brush or whisk, then apply to face with either hands or a reusable face scrub sponge or applicator. Rinse with Warm water
𓃠 If dealing with redness, puffiness, or inflamed skin, prepare a large glass bowl with ice and cold water, dip face for as long as tolerable 2-5 times.
𓃠 Dry the face, and utilize a small boar bristle dry brush to gently exfoliate the skin with light pressure, working away from the nose towards the outside of the face.
𓃠 Utilize a Rose & Witch Hazel Green Tea toner for the face (Steep Green Tea, dried rose petals, & witch hazel in distilled water for 3-5 minutes, allow to cool, and store in an amber colored glass spray bottle or dropper top bottle, store in the refrigerator for longer shelf life & a more cooling effect)
𓃠 Apply 2-4 drops of a preferred liquid oil such as almond or jojoba to the face, the amount should be enough to provide glide for a Gua Sha to run across the face
𓃠 Do a gua sha massage, paying attention to the forehead, the hollows of the cheeks/cheekbones, and the jawline, and any areas of tension, you can also utilize a mushroom shaped stone to work tension out of the temples or TMJ.
𓃠 Moisturize with a preferred semisolid fat such as Ghee, Tallow, Coconut Oil, and utilize a facial roller until absorbed, for the eyes, gently heat your preferred semisolid fat until it is liquid or near liquid between your finger tips, and apply gently with the ring fingers.
𓃠 Utilize a face roller to assist in absorption of your semisolid fat moisturizer
Avocado, & Oat Hydration Mask
𓃠 Materials: 1/2 Avocado, 1/4 cup of rolled oats, 1/8 cup goats milk or yogurt, 1 tablespoon honey, a mortar and pestle
𓃠 Remove the skin of the 1/2 avocado and Mash thoroughly with food processor or mortar and pestle, once thoroughly mashed, add honey, & milk or yogurt, whisk together until thoroughly combined, and add oats, folding gently to combine, apply to face excluding the eye area and let sit for 15-30 minutes. Avocado and honey can also be utilized as an under eye pack for a similar duration to help with dry, tired under eyes.
Inflamed Skin Honey Helper (I use this for acne and post-sun burn relief)
𓃠 Combine equal parts honey, goat's milk, and aloe vera and mix until thoroughly incorporated, apply to dry, itchy areas of the skin, and leave on for up to an hour
Body Scrub
Combine 1/2 cup of Epsom salts with 1/4 cup unrefined sugar & 1/4 cup of Himalayan salt and mix well, add 1/4 cup of preferred carrier oil such as jojoba, almond, or avocado oil, 1 tablespoon of Mugwort, and 10-20 drops of Lemongrass or Lavender Essential Oil, store in a sealable glass jar (such as a mason jar or a bale wire jar) in a cool, dark place until ready to use.
Apply with light pressure using the hands to exfoliate the body or as a pre-shave scrub
This also works very well on sore joints as a sort of pre-bath pack or wet-bandage by slathering it on thick to a dampened joint and surrounding the affected joint with a hot towel for 20-30 minutes to draw out heat and inflammation from arthritic joints.
There will be videos for these coming out as I hit the point of needing to remake them and I'll keep you all updated on how to watch those once I figure out some new platforms post tiktok ban and my leaving meta.
People tell me my pets are skinny all the time, and keep in mind, my dogs come with me to work... In the clinic... My dogs are both easily 5/9 BCS dogs, with my Terrier being a 3/5 MCS (average pet muscling), and my Malinois being a 4-5/5 MCS (basically the maximum muscling you can achieve in a dog)
While I don't think everyone should maintain their dogs the way my mal looks, they absolutely should be maintaining the way my terrier looks, he is lean, healthy, and decently muscled.
I work in rehabilitation, and I see a LOT of CCL tears and Spinal discomfort, while Genetics and conformation play a big role in that, the biggest factor that you as an owner have? Is keeping them at an appropriate weight. I've had one patient who did a full CCL tear while at a healthy weight, and that dog also didn't do a partial tear or full tear on the opposite leg as we worked on healing the first one. She was also a performance dog who had this tear occur halfway through an agility course. Meanwhile, I almost exclusively see full tears when patients are above a 7/9 BCS and they're almost always accompanied by a partial tear or full tear in the opposite leg within 6 months.
Their recovery takes significantly longer, their prognosis is worse, and they often have even more issues come up in their spines, shoulders, and elbows during recovery because they have too much weight to effectively support on 4 legs, let alone 3 or 2 legs, resulting in secondary and tertiary injuries.
Obese pets aren't cute, and obese pets have worse health outcomes. Talk to your vet about your pet's BCS score and, if your vet evaluates it, MCS (Muscle Condition Score) and honestly discuss what the pet is eating, including toppers, treats, supplements, and actual volume of food. Also, you can use this calculator to calculate how much of your food you should be feeding as a baseline (not just trusting the bag amounts)
Pets are very commonly overweight. And very commonly the reason given will be ‘because my parents feed them more than they’re supposed to, and they won’t listen when I tell them to stop’.
And I sympathise. I understand. Parents are hard, especially when they still think of you as ‘their kid’ and not ‘grown adult with autonomy’. Getting your parent to change their behavior is very difficult.
My two cats have a scoop in their bag of food, and they get one scoop each for dinner. It’s a very simple system: 1 scoop 1 cat. If I notice they’re getting a bit podgy then I make the scoop a bit concave. If they’re looking a bit light, I give them a little extra breakfast. But dinner is always the same, never more than one scoop.
But last night I watch my mother (the very same woman that scolded me for my weight since I was ten) decide to feed the cats for me while I finished washing the dishes.
The cats follow her, mewing pathetically, as she carries the food bag to their bowls. And I watch, as she’s talking to me and making eye contact, while she gives one cat a slightly heaped scoop of food, and then the other.
And then, dear reader, she replaces the scoop into the bag, as though it’s the most natural thing in the world, and proceeds to give each cat an additional handful of food.
I was astounded. I was politely mortified that you just increased the cats’ meals by at least 80%. No wonder they’ve been podgy!
We had a polite but firm discussion about how that is a measured scoop in the bag, and have-you-been-feeding-that-much-the-whole-time, but I do not think she has listened. I think I will need to gently ban her from feeding the cats.
So here's mine, it's not as good as it is on paper just yet, however, for 2025 I decided to go paperless and have just been using my tablet as my notebook. First is a photo of the tablet, and because there were some glare issues I also uploaded a screen shot with the cursive and print alphabet and a few phrases to show how my handwriting works in general. On paper my print is even more like... slender and elongated and weird, so I kind of like how using the tablet has softened it. My numbers still look like my hand on paper with digital though (See below) and I usually add a little diagonal line through my zeros if I'm not just writing numbers since they look too much like my Os
Studyblr !! Reblog with your handwriting (pretty please) !!
I like seeing how people write
hi! please could you recommend cheap fragrance free moisturisers, suncream and cleansers (both oil and water based), as well as body wash, shampoo and conditioner? :) thank you ♡
Hi Nonnie! Of course!
For Drugstore fragrance-free products in the $5-$15 per product range, I really like CereVe for facial skincare, they have a foaming oil cleanser. They're too mass-market for my tastes. However, they are dermatologist-recommended and affordable. I also believe some of their packaging is recyclable, but check with your recycling provider to see what plastics they accept and don't accept.
They also have fragrance-free sunscreens with and without tint if you're looking for something with more of a BB Cream effect, and an AM and PM moisturizer pair, with the AM moisturizer having SPF 30 built-in.
As far as body wash & shampoo, I'm honestly not sure about fragrance-free products, I'm sure there are plenty out there. However, I switched to an all-in-one castile soap from Dr Bronners for my body, face, and hair (which is unscented), and I really just use natural oils to condition my hair. I also home-make a lot of my skincare & hair care, and I'll be posting skincare & beauty recipes soon to help you ladies start crafting your skincare from food-grade ingredients.
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hi, I saw your primal chic beauty post and want to recommend a deodorant that goes with all the values you speak to and is actually better for your skin and environment and so insanely simple: potassium alum salt!!! I buy mine from Holland and Barret and it is just a rock that I use after the shower and makes my sweat odourless (good thing is that I still sweat so it means it doesn’t block my sweat glands/not antiperspirant)! No harsh chemicals, pure natural source and dare I say economically very friendly. Wanted to contribute to you just like you’re generous with us with your knowledge/advice!
Hi Nonnie! I love this! And for people who sweat lightly potassium alum salt is a wonderful alternative, I enjoyed crystal and Thai 100% Crystal however, with my job I wear very light blue scrubs (Ciel blue, the same color as the residents in Greys Anatomy) day in and day out and I sweat heavily, so for those like me looking to avoid visible sweat marks, I reccommend switching to a non-aersolized solid antiperspirant stick from aersolized products like dry sprays. My Dove 72-hour stick is cruelty free, alcohol free, and PETA approved, and it is gentler but similarly effective to the clinical strength sprays I used to use without the propelants and air pollutants.
For our comfort and our ability to stick with a more sustainable option, we sometimes have to take smaller steps, like eliminating aersols. Let's use sunscreen as an example: I could switch to an unscented zinc mineral sunscreen rather than my current titanium oxide fragranced sunscreen, but I'd be less likely to bother wearing sunscreen if I didn't like the feel of the sunscreen product I use, so I switched to the lotion formula from the aersolized one, and when I switched to Sun Bums aersolized formula it was because they lacked certain chemicals that cause damage to reefs that my Neutrogena spray had.
If we dive straight into the most ecologically gentle option and most minimalist skincare, we may become discouraged because of negative results we have and then decide to go back to our least ecologically friendly option, vs if we balance sustainability with personal comfort, we're more likely to stick with those more eco-friendly options and gradually continue our journey to even more sustainable options.
(This light blue, and trust me, it shows ALL the moisture)
Went to church today on a very wet, snowy Sunday morning, took care of one of my comfort care patients with some antinausea meds and SQ fluids, then ran to the grocery store, now I'm cuddled in with my Critters for the Eagles game. Go Birds!
Outfit is:
- Ralph Lauren Cotton Cardigan circa 2019, similar to This cotton blend Cardigan they currently offer.
- Tommy Hilfiger Imina boots in Saddle Brown thrifted you can find them on poshmark Here
- Wool & Cotton Skirt by Ann Taylor, Circa 2016, unfortunately they don't have anything similar anymore and have largely switched to synthetic blends in their knits
- Thrifted, tagless top of some sort of synthetic stretch blend, bought at my local goodwill for $7
- 100% cotton leggings from fair indigo size XS find them Here
- Scarf head covering for church is a flax bandana I bought from an Amish vendor at my local farmers market, you can find a similar one here on etsy.
I'll be doing a video version of this soon! Stay tuned! February! Next week's post will be about pantry staples and stable shelf goods for paleo diets & dirty paleo diets (includes fermented dairy, oats, wild rice, and ancient grains, this is my personal diet)
Primal Chic Beauty: Making The Switch To A Less Intensive, More Earth Based Hygiene and Beauty Ritual
Before we begin, let's talk about the basic tennants before I explain the swaps I made and the products I love:
Less is More: The biggest part of the Primal Chic beauty routine is it's simplicity and minimalism. I don't want you to read this post, dump all of your current skincare and makeup into the garbage just to go out and buy the things I talk about here. Use up what you already have and make the switch gradual.
Clean Clean Clean: We want to be utilizing products without harsh chemicals & unethically sourced components. The easiest way to tell if something is on or off the list is their ingredient transparency. Especially with cosmetics. Avoid unneccessary fragrances, dyes, colorants, and preservatives, and aim for things like Cruelty Free, Paraben Free, Sulfate Free, and Triclosan free. Aim for companies that are transparent about their supply chains, both for the labor in creating them, and in their ingredient sourcing. I also prefer women owned and family owned brands rather than the "clean" lines of bigger companies.
Be Smart About Animal Products: Personally, as someone with a soy allergy, I'm a big fan of certain animal products in my skin and beauty rituals, Goat's Milk Soaps, Beef Tallow hair masks, Honey & Yogurt face masks, etc. However, while I am a proponent of using the entire animal, make sure you're checking the sourcing of these products as some companies are more ethical than others. I'm lucky in that I live fairly close to the Amish and therefore have access to a certain amount of local agriculture that others may not have access to. If you're buying from an unknown company or farm, drop them a line to see where they're sourcing their animal products from. The more ethical companies rarely have an issue explaining (and bragging) about the welfare of their source animals. Things we definately want to avoid though are things like Shark Liver Oil (certain Squalene), Ambergis (whale stomach lining), and Castoreum (artificial vanilla flavor/scent produced from the castor sacs of beavers located near the anal glands). If you want to save yourself the hassle, Vegan skincare is an option, just be sure to keep an eye out for allergens like Soy or Mushroom Enzymes.
Now, let's talk about some of the Primal Chic changes in my own beauty routine:
Old Face Routine:
Oil Cleanser
Regular Cleanser
Scrub
Toner
Oil
Eye Cream
Targeted Treatments
retnoids
Moisturizer
Neck and Chest Cream
Sunscreen
Foundation
Concealer
Blush
Highlight
Contour
Bronzer
Eyeshadow
Eyebrow Gel
Eyeliner Pen & Pencil
Mascara
finishing powder
finishing spray
New Face Routine:
Castile Soap
Miracle Balm
Almond Oil as needed for dry-flaky patches
Sunscreen
Pink Color Balm/ Multistick (Eyes, Cheeks, Lips)
Mascara
Eyeliner Pencil if I'm feeling fancy
That's it. The really crazy thing about it too? I had more acne, dryness, irritation, and inflamation with the old routine. I did have about 2 weeks of acne after making the switch as my skin adjusted but I haven't struggled with major skin issues since. Part of it was cutting back on the amount of makeup I was wearing, as a full beat vs a little blush and eyemakeup with a lip is a lot less product on the skin. Part of it was not creating new issues for myself by trying to treat the old issues with harsh chemicals. I also cut out a lot of fragrances from my skincare, with my only scented skincare product left being my sunscreen since I don't seem to have any reactions to Sun Bum's products. My used up makeup containers I take to my local health foods store to be recycled by Terracycle.
Old Shower Routine:
Pre-wash oil
Shampoo
Scalp Scrub
Conditioning Mask
Conditioner
Soap on the body
Body Gel
Body Scrub
Body Oil
Shaving cream
Lotion
Body Mist
Perfume
Deoderant
New Shower Routine:
Castile Soap for hair, body, & shaving
Occassional Home Made Sugar Scrub
Almond Oil (2 drops worked through the ends of my hair, then worked across the body)
Occassional use of cocoa butter on knees, hands, feet, & ankles
Deoderant (I still use a conventional Dove deoderant)
I save so much time, my showers are maybe 10 minutes long if I'm not shaving that day, and 20 minutes tops when I do a little trimming. I also switched from disposable heads to an old-school single blade safety razor. Also, rather than investing in chemical exfoliants I switched to dry brushing and body scrapers/ gua shas to exfoliate and massage.
Most of the products I use I can buy in bulk from my local low/zero waste store and simply store in mason jars rather than continually add to plastic production and disposal which is hard on the environment. Dr Bronner's soaps come in paper refill cartons as well for your original plastic bottle, or, if you have a dry shelf in your shower, you can simply buy the paper carton and skip most of the plastic all together.
We're also in an era where there are more resources than ever on creating your own, at home, grooming and hygiene products where you have complete control over the ingredients that go into them. I used to be super into soap making however as I went back into school and started my full time job, I found I didn't have time for all of my hobbies and it became one of the ones on the chopping block. You could also use shampoo & conditioner bars packaged in paper. A growing number of regular grocery stores such as Giant, Wegmans, or Shoprite have a natural hygiene care section near their pharmacies or other hygiene sections, and there's usually atleast one soap maker at arts fairs and farmers markets in more metropolitian areas.
I think, as part of our respect for Earth & our environment it's worth asking what we can do to limit our harm to the planet in pursuit of vanity.
Primal Chic Beauty: Making The Switch To A Less Intensive, More Earth Based Hygiene and Beauty Ritual
Before we begin, let's talk about the basic tennants before I explain the swaps I made and the products I love:
Less is More: The biggest part of the Primal Chic beauty routine is it's simplicity and minimalism. I don't want you to read this post, dump all of your current skincare and makeup into the garbage just to go out and buy the things I talk about here. Use up what you already have and make the switch gradual.
Clean Clean Clean: We want to be utilizing products without harsh chemicals & unethically sourced components. The easiest way to tell if something is on or off the list is their ingredient transparency. Especially with cosmetics. Avoid unneccessary fragrances, dyes, colorants, and preservatives, and aim for things like Cruelty Free, Paraben Free, Sulfate Free, and Triclosan free. Aim for companies that are transparent about their supply chains, both for the labor in creating them, and in their ingredient sourcing. I also prefer women owned and family owned brands rather than the "clean" lines of bigger companies.
Be Smart About Animal Products: Personally, as someone with a soy allergy, I'm a big fan of certain animal products in my skin and beauty rituals, Goat's Milk Soaps, Beef Tallow hair masks, Honey & Yogurt face masks, etc. However, while I am a proponent of using the entire animal, make sure you're checking the sourcing of these products as some companies are more ethical than others. I'm lucky in that I live fairly close to the Amish and therefore have access to a certain amount of local agriculture that others may not have access to. If you're buying from an unknown company or farm, drop them a line to see where they're sourcing their animal products from. The more ethical companies rarely have an issue explaining (and bragging) about the welfare of their source animals. Things we definately want to avoid though are things like Shark Liver Oil (certain Squalene), Ambergis (whale stomach lining), and Castoreum (artificial vanilla flavor/scent produced from the castor sacs of beavers located near the anal glands). If you want to save yourself the hassle, Vegan skincare is an option, just be sure to keep an eye out for allergens like Soy or Mushroom Enzymes.
Now, let's talk about some of the Primal Chic changes in my own beauty routine:
Old Face Routine:
Oil Cleanser
Regular Cleanser
Scrub
Toner
Oil
Eye Cream
Targeted Treatments
retnoids
Moisturizer
Neck and Chest Cream
Sunscreen
Foundation
Concealer
Blush
Highlight
Contour
Bronzer
Eyeshadow
Eyebrow Gel
Eyeliner Pen & Pencil
Mascara
finishing powder
finishing spray
New Face Routine:
Castile Soap
Miracle Balm
Almond Oil as needed for dry-flaky patches
Sunscreen
Pink Color Balm/ Multistick (Eyes, Cheeks, Lips)
Mascara
Eyeliner Pencil if I'm feeling fancy
That's it. The really crazy thing about it too? I had more acne, dryness, irritation, and inflamation with the old routine. I did have about 2 weeks of acne after making the switch as my skin adjusted but I haven't struggled with major skin issues since. Part of it was cutting back on the amount of makeup I was wearing, as a full beat vs a little blush and eyemakeup with a lip is a lot less product on the skin. Part of it was not creating new issues for myself by trying to treat the old issues with harsh chemicals. I also cut out a lot of fragrances from my skincare, with my only scented skincare product left being my sunscreen since I don't seem to have any reactions to Sun Bum's products. My used up makeup containers I take to my local health foods store to be recycled by Terracycle.
Old Shower Routine:
Pre-wash oil
Shampoo
Scalp Scrub
Conditioning Mask
Conditioner
Soap on the body
Body Gel
Body Scrub
Body Oil
Shaving cream
Lotion
Body Mist
Perfume
Deoderant
New Shower Routine:
Castile Soap for hair, body, & shaving
Occassional Home Made Sugar Scrub
Almond Oil (2 drops worked through the ends of my hair, then worked across the body)
Occassional use of cocoa butter on knees, hands, feet, & ankles
Deoderant (I still use a conventional Dove deoderant)
I save so much time, my showers are maybe 10 minutes long if I'm not shaving that day, and 20 minutes tops when I do a little trimming. I also switched from disposable heads to an old-school single blade safety razor. Also, rather than investing in chemical exfoliants I switched to dry brushing and body scrapers/ gua shas to exfoliate and massage.
Most of the products I use I can buy in bulk from my local low/zero waste store and simply store in mason jars rather than continually add to plastic production and disposal which is hard on the environment. Dr Bronner's soaps come in paper refill cartons as well for your original plastic bottle, or, if you have a dry shelf in your shower, you can simply buy the paper carton and skip most of the plastic all together.
We're also in an era where there are more resources than ever on creating your own, at home, grooming and hygiene products where you have complete control over the ingredients that go into them. I used to be super into soap making however as I went back into school and started my full time job, I found I didn't have time for all of my hobbies and it became one of the ones on the chopping block. You could also use shampoo & conditioner bars packaged in paper. A growing number of regular grocery stores such as Giant, Wegmans, or Shoprite have a natural hygiene care section near their pharmacies or other hygiene sections, and there's usually atleast one soap maker at arts fairs and farmers markets in more metropolitian areas.
I think, as part of our respect for Earth & our environment it's worth asking what we can do to limit our harm to the planet in pursuit of vanity.
If any of y’all didn’t know, there’s a free online library, aka
https://openlibrary.org/
and I found like, twelve ebooks I’ve been wanting to read on there, and blasted through like three of them during the course of a boring-ass shift.
Primal Chic: The Princess Saves Herself & The Planet in this It Girl meets Survivalist Lifestyle
If you think it girl, you may think of high maintenance, high consumption, pampered, luxe living. I want you to take a step back from that idea with me and introduce a new mindset, Primal Chic. Borrowing from the Clean Girl, GORP Girl, It Girl, Stoic, Survivalist, and Prepper, Primal Chic is all about minimizing your impact on the planet, maximizing your self-sufficiency, and building meaningful sisterhood.
Primal Chic in 3 Words is: Sustainability, Self-Sufficiency, & Sisterhood.
Body: Fuel, Movement, & Beauty
Fuel: Our bodies and minds need high-quality fuel, and that's offered by a whole-food, paleo diet. Many of the foods on the market are heavily processed and loaded with low-quality fillers that drive calories and macros up without meeting our micronutrient needs. On top of this, a huge segment of the market is imported from outside of our local communities, adding heavily to the carbon footprint of our foods. Choosing locally grown, non-GMO, organic produce and proteins from fair trade, regenerative, or woman-owned agri-businesses is a fantastic stepping stone if you can't generate your own food due to time, space, or monetary constraints. I love shopping locally owned health food stores, farmers markets, and farm stands. The price of organics also goes down if you shop store-brand organics. There are also Facebook groups and Pinterest boards dedicated to Paleo recipe swaps. You also want to make sure you're honoring your body's needs in all of it's areas, rest, relaxation, movement, and nutrition.
Movement: Functional, outdoor movement benefits body, mind, and soul. A good hike, a lake swim, or even just a good jog with your pets are all great ways to get your cardio in. Outdoor yoga, rucks, rock climbing, and calisthenics are low-cost, high-reward strength and conditioning exercises that help you to keep toned and ready for action in your day-to-day life. Don't forget ROM either, active recovery walks, daily yoga, and deep stretches ensure you remain flexible and reduce pain from tight, stiff muscles and joints. Adding in a few friends allows you to build sisterhood and meet your social needs too, and being outdoors helps with the chronic vitamin D deficiencies most modern women face.
Beauty: Choosing clean, sustainable beauty and reducing the number of products used is good for your body due to fewer toxins, your mind with lower body and facial dysmorphia from high glam makeup looks, and the planet with less harsh manufacturing processes. Consider switching to multi-use products, reducing the number of products in your skincare & makeup routines, and swapping to washable/reusable body, skin, and feminine hygiene products to care for yourself and our planet. I'll be going into more detail on the swaps I made personally in a blog post next week.
Side Note: Planning a girl's weekend yoga retreat or having a buddy to do the Whole30 (a great intro to Paleo eating) with you is a great way to build up your sisterhoods and your own resolve for this new lifestyle.
Mind: Clarity, Wisdom, and Continuous Growth
Stoicism: The serenity prayer is a fantastic example of the basis of stoicism, letting go of the things you can't control or change, courageously sticking to your values and virtues and changing or controlling the things you can, living in harmony with nature, practice emotional mindfulness and emotional chastity, and practice resilience, learning to bounce back from failures and misfortune. With all things in life there is a learning curve, and allowing yourself to be ruled by algorithms, propaganda, and impulses reduces your own personal power.
Minimalism: Cut out overconsumption to help save the planet, save your wallet, and save your space. Choosing quality, durable, practical, and multi-purpose items allows you to spend less time organizing and cleaning and more time with friends and family, and doing the things that truly feed your soul. You don't have to have a spartan, sterile, white living space to embrace minimalism either, you can still inject your own personal style and personality into your choices, but be more mindful about where and how you're spending your hard-earned money.
Dedication to Continuous Growth: Instead of doom-scrolling or watching brain-rotting television, try switching out social media for micro-learning, soaps for documentaries, and limiting screen time to 1-3 hours per day. Try switching out happy hour for a self-defense or first aid class. Get involved with book swaps and information databases or group PDF sharing.
Heart: Love Thyself, Love Thy Neighbor, Love Thy Planet
Self-Love: Forming a sisterhood and meaningful community starts with loving yourself. You can't draw from an empty well, so being honest and vulnerable with yourself and taking care of yourself is the first step in being able to be there for others at your most authentic. Reminding yourself of your inherent value is important.
Earth: The frequencies of the earth are often interfered with by our man-made surroundings, taking time to ground yourself and connect with the world around you, either on your own, or in a group, is good for the heart. Try and take an hour or two per day and spend it outdoors, really soaking in the beauty you may have been numbed to by having it become mundane.
Connection & Community: Not everyone you meet deserves your whole heart and mind, however, they do deserve basic human dignity and respect, for those closer to you, they do deserve having a reliable friend who they can turn to in times of need and times of victory. Forming meaningful connections across generational divides makes us stronger as women and enriches our lives.
Soul: Mindfulness, Purpose, & Resilience
Mindfulness: Meditation, nature walks, situational awareness, and group activities keep the mind and soul well-fed and the senses sharp should the need arise for defense. Live in the moment as much as you can, rather than drift aimlessly through life without a plan of attack. Spontaneity can still exist here, as you should have a balance of routine and flexibility.
Purpose: What drives you? Who drives you? What values are at your core? Answering these questions allows you to live a purposeful life where you are true to yourself and your community. If your values don't align with the life you're living what changes do you need to have them align?
Resilience: You don't have to make your life harder, but preparing for life's rough times through mental, spiritual, physical, financial and material preparedness is still important. Building a solid community will help with this, but ensuring you yourself have the tools and skills necessary for survival will help even more so.
Planet: Stewardship, Sustainability, and Conscious Consumption
Stewardship: Bring a bag with you on walks and hikes to collect trash and follow the old Girl Scout principle of leaving things better than you found them. Encourage sustainable practices with where you shop and invest your time and resources, and take advantage of your local parks and wild spaces.
Sustainability: Opt for natural materials in clothing, decor, & home goods. Choose materials like wood, cotton, real fur, leather, and linen rather than plastics and petroleum-derived products or "natural" materials with harsh production processes like viscose or bamboo fiber. Reduce your consumption of new products, and shop thrift or vintage where you can, and go as ecologically friendly and durable as you can afford when buying new.
Conscious Consumption: Shop local, woman-owned, small business, and fair trade products wherever you can, skip out on mega polluters like Amazon or Shien, and avoid sweatshop and slave labor wherever you can. Before making purchases, ask yourself if you truly need an item or if you're just looking for a quick dopamine hit. Mend your things if possible rather than trashing them, and opt for donation of things in good condition that no longer fit with who you are.
All in all, the Primal Chic lifestyle is attainable for everyone, and about making conscious, cognizant steps toward a more meaningful, impactful, and mindful life where you live sustainably, & self sufficiently while building meaningful community and sisterhood.
- Earthy Mama
Fashion Ins and Outs for 2025
In:
Vintage Furs/ Genuine Fur
Real Leather
Cottons, Linen, Hemp fabrics
Wool, Hair, & Silk
Woven rather than treated stretch factors
Feather and Down stuffed products
Buy Once Clothing
Quality
Well Fitted and chosen undergarments
beeswax lanolin and non-petroleum/silicone based waterproofing waxes
Out:
Faux Fur
Imitation Leather
Polyester, Acrylic, and Spandex based fabrics
Polyfill in bedding and garments
Green Washed fabrics like Bamboo & Viscose
Petroleum-based products
Wasteful Microtrends and Shien hauls
Quantity
Skipping Underlayers/ Poorly fitted undergarments
synthetic waterproofing treatments and materials
That's because the race wars don't harm the rulling class like a class war does, and the state and its agents are not here for the common man but for the corporate oligarchs that run its campaign donations.
They got an alleged killer of 1 guy in fucking time prison with all the kings horses and all the kings men gaurding him and dudes with rifles pointed at him as if he has super strength and can fly away but a school shooter gets arrested and they take him out for burger king
And the sudoku and the little sweet treat just before bed. And actually turning down the bed. And closing down the house at the end of the day, and also soup.
you can make fun of old people all you want but then you'll be knitting with a good album on and a cup of tea and you'll be like this is excellent actually. the old ladies were right about this one. about the crosswords too, by the way
Ladies and Gentlemen, now is an excellent time to study up on historic Class struggles, the Pinkertons, and Mining Uprisings in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Haymarket affair is a great starting point. They'll bring this back in full force. It's also time for the left to start carrying again.
Having grown up next to a very real sundown town, and having dealt with these people for 20+ years as a result of it, after about age 12 or 13, most people who can be "saved" from that ideology start saving themselves because they recognize it's fucked. The ones who can't be saved start justifying and rationalizing it, first in their own heads, then outloud to others. Having watched Klan marches while just trying to go to the dentist, having been spat on for being a "race traitor" having had to physically defend friends from attempted hate crimes, having had to help put out a burning cross on a friend's yard, fuck the mentality that we have to coddle them. The ones who need coddling still hold those same ideologies. The ones who have truly reformed don't ask for forgiveness, just to be allowed to fight back alongside us, and they shut the fuck up, keep their heads down, and sure as shit don't glorify their old ideology or try to dismiss it as "haha I was so quirky when I had that little Nazi phase" they are genuinely remorseful, accept how bad the shit they did was, don't play it off, and work their asses off to dismantle the groups they were in.
There is something revealing here and in other notes of that post. I'm trying to put my finger on it...it's as if there is an acceptance that White Supremacy, while wrong, is a privilege people are allowed to indulge in, and so other people need to endlessly be patient and rehabilitate them. Like it's a White Right, like of course they get to explore their evil legacy a bit, in order to discover it's wrong. And/or that fascism/white supremacy/ideological racism is something anyone could fall "victim" to if they were exposed to the same "magical" radicalization material, and not that people who "fall into" hate groups already have a fundamental world view that is precedent...they start from a place where the natural logical progression is an all powerful ethno-state.
It's also revealing that a hypothetical reformed neo-nazi must needs constant validation and forgiveness lest they fall back. Presumably someone who has exited a hate group like this, truly reformed, would not seek validation, they would have the wherewithal. They would self-actualize, and understand why. But it's revealing isn't, that they can forgive a "nazi phase" because the risk is that they could return to a "nazi phase"...so what are these people imagining they are forgiving? They aren't imagining forgiveness, they are imagining some sort of mutual sycophantic theater where politics is just...the posts you make on the internet I guess. Idk, lots to think of here. I don't think these people have met real creeps, the kind that make your skin prickle. I don't think these people have engaged at any level what neo-nazi material looks like.
The best breeders I know do 5 things:
1. Deworm and get Veterinarian Administered Vaccines for their puppies
2. Health Test all of their dogs both genetically and through programs like PennHip or OFA and have standards from these organizations they expect their breeding stock to meet (Good -> Excellent for OFAs generally)
3. Do tons of early neurological stimulation for their puppies and are working with their puppies daily from the time they are born
4. Include anti-breeding contracts on their produced dogs that are "Pet" quality, and have very strict breeding contracts for their dogs of greater than pet quality (usually enforced via co-ownership) BUT may not specify Spay/Neuter in their contracts. I'm staunchly against early spay neuter as someone who works in rehabilitation and general practice because I see the long term effects of early spay neuter on the daily. They also tend to leave spay neuter in their contracts to the best judgement of the dog's primary DVM.
In the practice where I'm employed, we don't sterilize earlier than 6 months unless there are extenuating circumstances. We were also one of the first clinics in the area to adopt Balance.it fresh food feeding programs and recipes, the first to refuse convenience euthanasia (we still do B.Es), and the first to refuse the declawing of cats.
We've also limited our crop and dock procedures. We've done 10 medically necessary docks in the decade I've worked here all of which were due to injury, mutilation, or disease processes. With 3 ear amputations due to tumors or significant injury. We also refer our cosmetic crops to another doctor for clients who would otherwise get backyard crop jobs.
Your breeder should not be pushing against core vaccines and monthly preventatives. They also absolutely should not be pushing against BOAS surgeries, especially on pet dogs (and a lot of the breeders I know who push against BOAS are the ones whose dogs got them anyway.)
why do breeders push against vaccines and spay/neuter? ive never understood this
The cynical answer, that i think is the truth deep under the anti-vax rhetoric, is that it's a way to save money and excuse the fact that they are selling puppies that have never been vaccinated or dewormed, despite being 8 to 12 weeks old. Exams and age appropriate shots and dewormers eat into their profit margin. Maligning these and building distrust of veterinary staff helps hide their shitty breeding practices, and gives them a somewhat captive consumer population for the homeopathic bullshit and supplements many of them also sell. And quite a few will say that if you get them these vaccines or dewormers that it will make them *more* prone to getting the disease or conditions like epilepsy. This tells me that that have parvo on their property and shitty genetic lines.
Some breeders may truly believe all their bullshit, but the person they learned the bullshit from? Knows it was bullshit and just wanted more money and control.
*EDIT* missed the s/n part, but that goes back in to building distrust of vets to keep control over their customers along with not understanding the studies.
And it's also a great way to excuse shitty hips or elbows if you can blame early spay/neuter.