For anyone living in Europe: the first heatwave of the season is forecast for tomorrow, and will likely stretch until Friday. Please stay safe.
Open your windows at night BUT close everything, including blinds and curtains, during the day
If you need it, buy a fan, a cold blanket or a cooler
Drink a lot
Also drink mostly water, without ice
If you can, avoid getting out in the sun between 11am and 6pm
If you need to go outside, wear sunscreen and a hat
Also loose clothes and natural, breathable fabrics
Think of your pets!
Make sure they have access to water and shade, bring them inside the house if possible, don’t leave them in a car alone
Check on your grandma and other elderly relatives!
Old people are at risk during hot weather, so remind them to drink and stay inside with their blinds closed
If you or people you know are experiencing the following symptoms
breathlessness
chest pain
confusion
intense thirst
weakness
dizziness
cramps that get worse or don’t go away
call an ambulance.
I’m really worried about these temperatures, I hope everyone stays safe!!
As someone from the southern US, a few pieces of additional advice:
Sweating is a sign that your body is doing what it’s supposed to in hot weather and trying to cool you off. If nothing about your environment has change, but you’ve stopped sweating, you’re dehydrated.
Water is great, but gatorade and powerade were specifically designed to replace important electrolytes you lose when sweating.
If the heat and humidity get to be too much for you and you have access to one, put your hair up and take a short, cool shower.
Sounds silly, but get a spray bottle and keep it in the fridge. If you’re going outside to do things like yardwork, take it with you and give yourself an occasional misting. Very refreshing!
What coffeebuddha has written is really awesome advice. Being that it gets up into the 100s here in DFW, Texas (that’s Fahrenheit, of course) I routinely make my house a cave and I mushroom for a great deal of the summer. I make sure my errands get done as early in the day as the stores will allow with their hours, and I actually walk in the early early morning when the sun isn’t up yet. I am very fair-skinned and sunburn easily, and am very susceptible to heat rash and other lovely heat-induced issues, so being a mushroom is very good for me.
Arizonans (and other US southwesterners) treat summer the same way northerners treat winter – the outside is trying to kill you. Dress appropriately. Carry or wear protection if you’re going outside (hats, umbrellas). Remember that wearing natural fibers will cool you off better than baring more skin. Have more water (or gatorade) around than you think you’ll need. Stay out of the sun as much as possible. Dont walk your dogs on hot pavement.
And remember to eat. The heat will make you think you dont need to. Do it anyway. Light foods, like fresh fruits or veggies, will help.
Happening right now in Hong Kong – the police is firing rubber bullets and using batons, pepper spray, tear gas and water cannons on peaceful protesters who took the streets to protest against the passing of a controversial law which would allow China to extradite people.
Protesters set up camps, gave out snacks and surgical masks before all of this started. Tanks are apparenrly out in the streets as well and people are being hurt as I write this, but they are not backing down.
Most of the protesters are young people, university students, even high schoolers.
Get inspired, America. This is how we get rid of the Fascists.
100% correct medical information on tumblr for once; also consider calling 911 if you don’t know how often the person has seizures and ESPECIALLY if the seizure has lasted 5 minutes or more (which is why the watch is critical)
I have epilepsy so making sure the word is out on how to help people who do have seizures means a lot to me.
I’m saying this with absolute conviction and seriousness.
Asexuals and aromantics? I’m your mother now. I’m your big sister. I’m your best friend. I am sick and tired of seeing the amount of hate and abuse we are getting, both on and offline and I will not stand for it.
Problem with aphobes? You come to me.
Needing advice? You come to me.
Want to vent? You come to me.
Getting crap from exclutionists? You come to me.
I’m here. I’m always here. This blog isn’t just a recreational thing I do, it’s something so much more than that. I love each and everyone of you that follow me, new people and old people. You deserve to have a place that is safe. You deserve to have someone to talk to. And if that person is only me, then so be it.
So send me inbox messages. Comment on my posts. Reblog. Send me private messages. Prayer requests. I’m here. I’m here. I’m here.
I love you all to the bottom of my heart. You are always safe here, you are always safe with me. I will not hate you, judge you, or belittle you.
To the aspec/arospec kid reading this,
I love you, I love you, I love you more than you could possibly know. You are amazing, you are awesome, and you are a part of the LGBTQA community. If you can’t stand up for yourself, then I will.
They will not erase us. They will not kill us. They will not silence us. I promise you.
Hello Everyone! I have been working for the past few years on my Undergraduate degree and in order to graduate this May I need to complete a final project. I have decided to look at the effect of the December update on Tumblr’s online community.
If you have a moment please take my survey and tell me what you think about the new changes.
https://forms.gle/TQpnGkV249Vs6RCB7
Thank you for your time~!
Just thought I should mention the survey is only going to be open for a week! so until Apr 14th.
If you have questions please message me!
Hey fam! If you could please take a moment to look at this questionnaire and fill it out that would be great. @yusaofthedawn actually interviewed myself and a couple of other content creators on here for their thesis, but they need more data to work with.
It takes less than two minutes to fill out, and you’ll be helping someone finish their undergrad thesis. Thank you!
Hey mother nature i love you and shit but like….what the fuckmy good bitch
Goodness!
Okay. I’m Canadian so I know a shit ton about staying warm if you’re new to the cold there here are some tips!(add more if you know more!)
1. Wear grippy shoes, nothing is worse than snowmelt freezing on your skin.
2.Do not wear jeans as your outter layer. wet denim is the most body heat siphoning mother fucker known to man or god
3. Have a warm drink with you. It will help. Even just some hot soup broth or boiled water will help keep you warm.
4. Wear a moisture wicking layer close to your skin so you don’t get cold from your own sweat. You will sweat. That is fine and expected.
5. If you start feeling too warm even though you were cold and like you have to take your clothes of DO NOT. Call 911. You are suffering from hypothermia.
6. Bring a blanket and a heat source that needs no electricity with you in your vehicle. You do not want to be stranded with no heat in the case that something happens.
7. If you are struggling on ice as you’re walking, stop. Get your balance and penguin shuffle to a less slippery patch of ground. There’s usually less ice on one side of the walk and it’s better to walk in the snow next to the sidewalk than it is to eat dirt when ya slip
8. STAY THE ABSOLUTE FUCK AWAY FROM FROZEN BODIES OF WATER. Ponds are deceptive as shit even with the “solid blue tried and true” thing. Go around.
9. Keep kids warm. They run at a higher body temperature and will feel the effects of the cold worse than you.
10. Huddling is your best friend. Even if you don’t know the person, remember you’re both cold, especially if they don’t have the right clothing for the weather.
11. Pay attention to windchill. That is how cold it feels. Dress appropriately please. I know it’s tempting to dress for style, but there’s nothing stylish about losing your toes to frostbite
12. Don’t touch metal if you can avoid it. It will sap your heat and likely freeze to anything wet. Like tongues. Don’t fucking lick a pole.
13. If someone licks something metal, pour warm water over their tongue to get them free. If they yank, they will bleed. A lot.
14. Keep your ears, noes, fingers, and toes warm. You’re extremities will get cold first and are the most likely parts of your body to get frostbite.
15. If you see someone who may not have a place to be in the cold, offer to help them find a local shelter or library. The elements, especially the cold, are some of the largest threats to those who cannot avoid them.
16. If you find yourself stuck outside for a long time, sleep during the day when it is warmest, and avoid sleeping on the ground. Stay awake as much as you can at night so you have a better chance of staying warm.
Also, look out for your local animals.
Cats will sleep on car wheels where you can’t see them – it’s elevated, rubber is warmer than the ground, and it’s a little hideyhole where they feel safe. Check your wheel wells and under your car before you go driving off, you might save a tiny life.
You can also, if you’re so inclined, make a little winter shelter for cats and small animals fairly easily and cheaply.
[Here] is a great (if lengthy) text guide to building shelters for local cats. [Here] is a video from the Ontario SPCA. [Here] is an even simpler (ad possibly cheaper) version of basically the same thing. As long as you smooth out the opening (so the lil guys don’t injure themselves on it), insulate, and line it, and then put it somewhere where it’s not going to get flooded or the animal snowed in, you’re grand. It might not seem like much in the face of subzero temperatures, but it’s damn well better than nothing.
theres a new product by verzion called “hum” that allows your parents to track your car and places you go, if your parents are controlling like mine please check under your steering wheel to make sure that they havent installed this
here is what it looks like installed:
you can read more about it here, and here– this excerpt sums up what information Hum will send:
“a car’s owner will be able to get notified on their phone when the vehicle leaves a pre-determined area or drives faster than a set speed… [Hum] will enable location tracking and a driving log, which measures travel times, engine idle times, and average speeds.”
People in abusive relationships, please check your cars.
DO NOT TRY TO UNPLUG IT BY YOURSELF!
To add to this nightmare, I’ve just heard of a thing called ForceField where people get to monitor and block internet sites that you’re going on if they don’t approve.
It tells the user what sites/apps you’re going on, for how long you’re on them, and WHERE YOU ARE ON AN UPDATING MAP.
So you know if you’re in an abusive household and use sites like tumblr to escape and talk to friends, you could be cut off from that.
They say “it’s not spyware” but it sure sounds controlling and creepy to me.
signalboost
God. Fuck. That’s scary.
Life 360 is another tracker. My parents have used it on me, not allowing me to delete it from my phone, and sometimes even demanding selfies to prove I was where the map said. (As if I’d go anywhere without my phone)
SpectorPro is another one. Afaik it can’t track location, but it takes screenshots roughly every 20sec to allow the installer to watch a video of your computer activity. It also tracks all keystrokes, so passwords aren’t safe, and records any website you visit + the duration. It’s incredibly creepy and a huge violation of privacy, and was one of the cornerstones of my abuse as a kid.
even if you’re not in an abusive relationship/family, please spread this because you might have just saved someone’s life
Absolutely! Doing laundry on your own can be super stressful the first few times, but after you’ve gotten use to it, the routine becomes easy.
Washing Clothes 101
1. Don’t separate. In a perfect world, you would be color sorting your clothes to perserve the crispness of their colors. Unfortunately, this is not a perfect world and doing laundry is expensive! I don’t know a single college student who actually separates their whites from their colors, and I would advise you to follow our example and to wash everything together. If you have any pieces of clothing that are very fragile or delicate, set them aside in a bag. Wait until this bag is full, and do a separate wash for them on a delicate cycle.
2. Detergent. Buy whatever detergent is on sale at your local dollar store. Generally speaking, liquid detergent has more washes in it than pods do.
3. Making detergent. I’ve read some interesting arguments on Tumblr about how making your own detergent is more worthwhile than purchasing product. I actually found a post that broke down the pricing of everything. Based off of how much time/money they spent to put everything together and how many loads they got out of it, my fancy smancy 3-in-1 Tide Pods were 3x as cost effective. I would avoid making your own detergent, unless you know what you’re doing and really want to.
4. Cold vs Hot wash. Cold washes get stains out better and are more eco-friendly than hot washes. Period the end.
5. Do I need fabric softener? Fabric softener is not necessary at all! Its main purpose is supposedly to perserve the softness of your clothing’s fabric during its time in the washing/drying machines. And maybe it does, but not in a very noticeable way. What it does do is smell strongly, a smell that I happen to really enjoy, but not everyone does. That said, fabric softener is super inexpensive, and a bottle of it will last you a year because you only use a small amount per wash. So if you like the smell of it, absolutely- go for it!
6. Do I need dryer sheets? Once again, no you do not! Dryer sheets help keep your clothing from sticking together and getting staticky, which is something you will notice occasionally as you start doing laundry. That said, they are very similar to fabric softener in the way that they mostly act as a scenting agent. Unlike softener, they aren’t super inexpensive, but are supposedly reusable.
7. Card vs. Coins. Both of these are payment methods for washing machines. Some laundromats have both, most only offer one method. I personally prefer the card because it means that I don’t have to walk around with pockets full of quarters. But some laundromats will charge a small fee for the card and a larger fee if you loose it and need a new one.
Identifying Washing Machine Types
Unfortunately, there isn’t really a “once size fits all” method for operating washing machines. There are so many different brands of washing machines, all of them varying in age and efficiency. The best I can do is to break the machines into two different categories (pictured above).
The washing machine on the left is a newer model, the sort of machine that you will find in most laundromats. These machines are generally larger capacity, and are fully automatic.
On the right, we have the older model. These machines require more legwork and caution then their counterparts because they can overflow easily.
The Method (Washing)
How to Wash Clothes Using an Older Model
1. If you have liquid detergent, start by pouring it into the bottom of the washer. Generally one cap is enough for one full washer. If you’re using pods, see step 4.
2. Pile smaller items towards the bottom of the washer to avoid clogging the machine. If you have to place larger items like blankets on the bottom, make sure that they are situated loosely.
3. Be careful not to overload the machine! These machines are finicky and do not like to be overworked. Load clothes up to the top of the plastic tube that juts out from the center of the machine.
4. If you are using pods, now is the time to add them. Two detergent pods per normal laundry load.
Please note that the following two steps are interchangeable. It does not matter if you set the cycle first, or wait until adding your money before setting the cycle.
5. Set the machine to whatever type of cycle you have decided to use. For everyday clothes and blankets, use a normal, cold wash. Heavier washes will cost more money and take longer. Your average wash should only take a half hour.
6. Add your coins or use your payment card to start the machine.
7. If you want to add softener, you will need to wait until the “add softener” light turns on. This is about midway through your wash. You’ll pour the softener directly into the machine. You’ll notice how the machine stops running when you open the lid. It’s crazy what technology can do nowadays!
8. Wait until the washing machine finishes its cycle, otherwise the bottom will be filled with water and your clothes will be drenched.
9. Start moving your laundry into dryers.
How to Wash Clothes Using an Newer Model
1. Fill the machine with clothes, taking extra care to ensure that they aren’t packed tightly.
2. Locate and open the soap compartment located on either the side or top of the washer. Pour your detergent in the one marked “detergent”. If you are using pods, see step 5.
3. Add any softener you may wish to use into the compartment marked “fabric softener”.
4. Remember to close alls compartment, or else you might get hit with some water.
5. If you are using laundry pods, add them directly to the machine, dispersing them throughout the clothes. Two pods per normal laundry load.
Please note that the following two steps are interchangeable. It does not matter if you set the cycle first, or wait until adding your money before setting the cycle.
6. Set the machine to whatever type of cycle you have decided to use. For everyday clothes and blankets, use a normal, cold wash. Heavier washes will cost more money and take longer. Your average wash should only take a half hour.
7. Add your coins or use your payment card to start the machine.
8. This type of laundry machine has a security lock that activates after you have started the wash cycle. Nobody, not even you, will be able to access what is inside this washer until after it completes its cycle. Feel free to leave the laundromat and get some chores done in the meantime!
9. You will hear a distinct “click” after the washing machine has finished working. Start moving your wash into dryers!
The Method (Drying)
Unlike washers, all drying machines are essentially the same. They will all be oriented like the newer washer model.
1. Clean on the lint traps in the dryer before you even begin loading your clothing in. Find the lint trap and slide it open, use your hands to scrape the lint off the screen. Put this lint in the nearest receptacle.
2. Place the lint trap back in- the dryer will not run until it is fully secured.
3. Start loading clothes! It’s impossible to gage how powerful or efficient a dryer is until you try it. I recommend dividing your clothes between two dryers and running them for 30-45 minutes. If you want a more involved but faster method, divide your clothes between as many dryers as possible, and run them for the shortest amount of time.
4. Add your dryer sheets. The rule of thumb is two sheets per normal sized load.
5. Some machines have a one-size fits all cycle, which could be anywhere from 30-50 minutes. Other machines (most public machines) have a pricing system. My local laundromat has 15 minutes for 25¢, so I’ll put in a 75¢ for 45 minutes.
6. Select the cycle you would like to use on your machine. I aways recommend the hottest cycle to save money.
7. The first few times you do a load of laundry, you’ll have to keep checking your clothes for doneness. Dryers do not lock, so you can open them at any time to check your clothes. So can the creepy guy in the laundromat- so it’s best to keep an eye on them.
8. After your clothes are done, load them back into your laundry bin.
9. Remember to discard any dryer sheets, little shriveled up pieces of paper, etc from the inside of the dryer. I also like to be polite and to clean the lint trap for the next person.
Signal boosting, because I really could have used this when I was 20.
grocery stores with free samples, bakeries + stores with day-old bread
different fast food outlets have cheaper food and will generally let you hang out for a while.
some dollar stores carry food like cans of beans or fruit
SHELTER
Sleeping at beaches during the day is a good way to avoid suspicion and harassment
sleep with your bag strapped to you, so someone can’t steal it
Some churches offer short term residence
Find your nearest homeless shelter
Look for places that are open to the public
A large dumpster near a wall can often be moved so that flipping up the lids creates an angled shelter to stay dry
HYGIENE
A membership to the YMCA is usually only 10$, which has a shower, and sometimes laundry machines and lockers.
Public libraries have bathrooms you can use
Dollar stores carry low-end soaps and deodorant etc.
Wet wipes are all purpose and a life saver
Local beaches, go for a quick swim
Some truck stops have showers you can pay for
Staying clean is the best way to prevent disease, and potentially get a job to get back on your feet
Pack 7 pairs of socks/undies, 2 outfits, and one hooded rain jacket
OTHER
first aid kit
sunscreen
a travel alarm clock or watch
mylar emergency blanket
a backpack is a must
downgrade your cellphone to a pay as you go with top-up cards
sleeping bag
travel kit of toothbrush, hair brush/comb, mirror
swiss army knife
can opener
Reblog to literally save a life
if there is a Dollar Tree near you, they have entire food aisles
Planet Fitness also has $10 memberships. you can shower and they have free food days! pizza night 1st monday every month, bagel tuesday the 2nd tuesday every month.
Save a life reblog
i am so glad that i renblogged this however so long ago. i saw this post and shared it with others in mind, but now i am the one who really needs this. id like to think of this as good karma i guess
also a good list if anyone ever needs to run away from home for whatever reason.
