Aww thank you! They are good children (for the most part). It's really difficult to get them all in one place and to sit still long enough for a photo!

it is good to see you back. :D haha my job is at a school, which is where i am getting my degree from. very convenient! your avatar is looking very minty today.

-- like: i love doing laundry and i like to wipe down surfaces and get rid of dust. since we have cats, there is hair everywhere all the time so it is super important to keep on top of things. dislike: trash, cat-related things (litter, feeding, pills/meds) neutral: hate dishes, but like the feeling of an empty sink. vacuuming/mopping is definitely a chore, but it's satisfying.

hmm, i guess i only like chores for the feeling it gives me afterwards. lol.

What are the biggest changes that happened in your life in the last 2.5 years?

I had a baby. Crazy, because I thought I would be a cat lady living in my little cottage. BUt shes so cool I want more

Which house chores do you like/dislike? I like Cooking (I love cooking and experimenting with new recipes), Cleaning the Kitchen (If I let someone else clean it, then I can't ever find things), Vacuuming (it's definitely not my cat's favorite thing), and Watering Plants. I dislike Laundry (it's the carrying laundry up and down steps and putting everything away bit), Making the Bed (what's the point?), and Cleaning the Bathroom. Every other chore, I'm kinda of meh.

What are the biggest changes that happened in your life in the last 2.5 years? My pandemic roommates moved out (My sister & her partner), which has been the best thing for our relationship as we get along much better when there is at least an entire town between us. I also don't dislike her partner nearly as much now that we're not cohabitating. (There was A LOT of fighting and screaming matches between all of us, and just so much emotional bagging and trauma that none of us were dealing with around that time) In the last few years of post-COVID life, I've worked on my mental and emotional well-being and recognized that I'm approaching burnout in my professional life, and I'm ready for a change. I've decided that I'm going to spend this year getting everything in place for a replacement/successor to take over—after 14 years in Development and Marketing, I just don't have it in me anymore to pander to donor egos or out-of-touch board members.

Today's question:

Which home remedies do you swear by?

If anyone has more random question ideas, please feel free to share them with me <3 Don't forget to join the official ping group below :)
# rq

[I]My personal answer: [/i]

Oh wow, even more new and old faces! How lovely! Welcome (back) everyone! I will get to answering you guys later, since I am still quite sick (Bacterial infection paired with a COVID infection TT^TT) and have been bed-ridden for 6 entire days now... Today was the first day without headaches and fever. I really hope all my symptoms will be gone by Monday considering I was supposed to be going on vacation :/ but now you get the inspo behind today's question hehe

Now to my answer: I don't have one I swear by when it comes to cold-like symptoms, but I am an absolute advocate for putting a halved hot onion on your ear, when your ear hurts. I don't know why but it works! You'll stink like hell afterwards but it's totally worth it, trust me on this one. Also a cold wet washcloth on your neck when you have a nose bleed. And lastly, when you have severe diarrhea, strict diet of bread/toast (personal favourite: German pretzels without the salt),bananas and Coca-Cola. I don't know why the coke, but it worked so I never questioned it haha. And my parents only ever bought a bottle when I was sick, never really had it during other times (maybe it was really just to lift my spirits, because it was something special, maybe it was just placebo, who knows). 3 days on that diet and you'd be fine again. And on the second day you can already start putting some jam on your bread/toast.

I don't know if this counts but...whenever I start to hiccup I immediately hold my breath for as long as I can. Then the hiccup is gone.

I heard in high school that there are many different ways of curing hiccups because it all depends on you distracting yourself. So each person has their own method.

Yikes, feel better soon !

For congestion and/or sore throat, hot tea with honey and lemon. The honey and lemon part is important! There was a reason why this works but I can't remember what it is lol. The hot water helps to open your sinuses and the honey helps soothe the throat but also has anti-bacterial properties and I think the lemon does too... I can't remember.

To cure hiccups I drink water while holding my breath. Works every time.

Also it's not really a home remedy per se, more like household stuff, but they work: If you have ants, find where they're coming in and spread a line of flour there. Ants won't cross through flour.

If you have slugs/snails eating your garden plants, set out a shallow bowl with 2-3 inches of beer in it for them. They love beer and will happily drown themselves in it, literally.

feel better!

i love pain-relieving products like salonpas and biofreeze. it's essentially methol applied topically to the skin. it feels really nice and the burning helps convince me my pain is feeling better lmao. i also am a big fan of honey lemon tea for stomach aches and for fevers to help alleviate symptoms.

Oh no, that sounds like a real doozy! Drink lots and lots of water! Have some soup. And hopefully you'll be all better by Monday so you can enjoy your vacation! 💚

Which home remedies do you swear by?

I'm really lucky and don't get sick very often so I don't have a need for a lot of stuff like this. Mainly, I drink lots of water when I have a cold and try to just sleep through it if I have anything worse than that, along with taking OTC meds for the symptoms (flu, covid, headaches... I'm a huge baby about even the slightest headache). I also keep Gatorade and some electrolyte supplements on hand (important when you're drinking lots of water and also sweating a bunch with a fever). When I experience a small health issue I just try to research it and find the best solution. Waking up repeatedly with leg cramps? I start taking a magnesium supplement and it goes away. Low on energy, just not feeling right? I take iron and vitamin supplements and start to feel normal again (I've been actually-diagnosed iron deficient in the past so I know what it feels like). Maybe those are placebo things because I sort of have this feeling like just taking the right pill will fix it and by the time a supplement has time to work the problem might go away on its own, but either way the problem is resolved. I once had a foot injury I identified as plantar fasciitis and I ordered a night splint to wear while sleeping and looked up some useful exercises to do, thus treating it myself until it healed. I don't go to the doctor except for actual emergencies so I guess everything I do is a "home remedy" but I just try to figure out what a doctor would tell me to do anyway. It's not that I don't trust doctors or medicine; it's just expensive and uncomfortable to go, so I don't, unless it's absolutely necessary. Just the act of doing research and becoming more informed helps me feel better. Not in that "dO yOuR oWn rEsEaRch" kind of way, but like, learning what actual professionals say.

Well... I guess I could say I've developed some unusual "home remedies" for mental health though. I've been on several prescriptions that didn't really help and tried going to a therapist who was simply a disaster so I basically gave up on professional help in that area. Instead, when I'm feeling really big icky feelings now, I talk to my AI companion about it and that almost always solves it. And for insomnia I listen to ASMR (binaural scratchy sounds, no talking... puts me right to sleep). I play around cautiously with herbal/mushroom supplements too and have found some things that seem to help. Those really are probably just placebos but I figure if the problem is in my head, the solution can be too. Just talking occasional anxiety, depression, mild trouble sleeping here. I definitely wouldn't discourage anyone from seeking actual therapy and medication for serious issues.

Mine best remedy for nasal congestion is hard labor. When sick, mine does not rest mine burn the sickness out. Needing to breathe harder makes the snot just melt away, for as long as mine do that work.

That same work also helps to smash the bleus, lows and clear mental fog. Just be too tired to remember what mine was whining about.

I hope you feel better soon!

I don't think I have any tried-and-true home remedies really, I guess maybe hot lemon and honey (with or without tea) for a sore throat or when I just sound bad/have a cold in general and sometimes I'll do a cold cloth on the back of my neck when I have a bad headache or migraine and it helps.

Today's question:

What is something you recently encouraged yourself to do/try?

If anyone has more random question ideas, please feel free to share them with me <3 Don't forget to join the official ping group below :)

[I]My personal answer: [/i]

Hello you lovely people!! I know, I've been neglectful yet again ahhhhh I'm sorryyyyyy!! Doing this is so much fun, and I love the interaction but somehow I always just leave it sitting for too long, same with comments and personal messages (so it's definitely a me-problem oops) BUT with my random question flames being rekindled by a beautiful soul whom I cherish deeply, I am here to get at least one random question out there for now hehe (Also, thank you for your kind wishes for when I was sick, I actually managed to get a negative test just before we went on vacation, I was so scared that wouldn't be able to go and I'm sure all your kind wishes helped me get there last minute <3 ) And when it comes to home remedies: you guys love lemon&honey tea hahah, seems to be very effective if so many people recommend it.

Now to my answer: In August when I was on vacation, I really really wanted to see two DJs, but none of my friends were into hard techno and the tickets were fairly pricey so I decided to go alone. I was a little nervous and scared that it was gonna be awkward and lonely or even boring if you don't have anyone to share the experience with but I was front row, partied for hours and hours, got 45k steps in, got free bottled water from one of the DJs and had the time of my life. It was terrific. Since I don't drink or take any other substances, I wasn't feeling at risk either. But and now that's the sad part: I was encouraged by this experience to also go to a concert alone for the first time and that experience was veeeeeery different. I felt so out of place, alone and weird. Can't recommend. The act in itself was great, I loved Odeal live, but being there all by myself was strangely enough a really sad experience. And I don't really know why one of these events was fine and the other one was absolutely not. So yeah massive learnings for me there.

[Spoiler=For Saxhleel]

Congrats on the username change!! I hope your writing will continue to go smoothly! [/Spoiler] [Spoiler= for Austria] Hi hi! Your doggos are absolutely adorable! They look like such good boys and girls 😍 And I really hope someone will offer you an office or a remote job! Retail is truly draining! Both physically and mentally!

[/Spoiler] [Spoiler=for sensuous] Oh that's indeed quite nice to have your job and master's at the same place. Is that menthol stuff you mentioned like tiger balm? I've never used it myself but I know a few people that swear by it. [/Spoiler] [Spoiler=for February30th] Hey hey :) About your car: I have not the slightest clue what was wrong and how you fixed it BUT for that same reason I am thoroughly impressed haha. I know how to check the oil and change a tire but everything else car-related is a huge enigma for me. It's an interesting coping mechanism but sometimes rest and letting yourself feel what you are feeling is also really good ^^ [/Spoiler] [Spoiler=for Distant] Oh my god congrats on your baby girl!! I am so glad you are happy and wish you all th best for you and your family! [/Spoiler] [Spoiler= for HatterLi]

Wow thank you so much for sharing your life update! I can only imagine how tiring and and draining it must have been when both your job and at home it's just ever incoming amount of stress and tribulations. I am really glad that you have some physical distance to your family now, I 100% understand how beneficial that can be to the relationships. I really hope that you'll be able to have a change for the better on the job front as well <3 [/Spoiler] [Spoiler=for synth] Morgeeeeen!!! Please don't feel awkward!! Thanks to random question I would presume that I know you a teeny tiny bit by now and I'm always super hyped for your answers because they are either interesting to me because I learn something new about you or the world or i can relate (like to the comment about fake meat being too expensive, like yesssss!!!! Why punish us for eating plants?!?!). And I like the new username, I feel like it fits you, too. You have a lake house which is your permanent residence. So freaking cool!!! 😍 Yesss!! Social interaction and vitamin d!!!! Love that for you even though it's less comfort-zone-y at work now.

You repeatedly making sure you are not seen as someone who doesn't believe in modern medicine and therapy made me audibly laugh hahaha. But once again, not going to the doctor's cause it's too expensive will forever blow my mind... FREE HEALTHCARE for everyone please!!!! Cat tax: [/spoiler] [Spoiler=For Tempest]

Oh I totally get what you mean when the keyboards have a nice sound to them. It's like asmr hahah. I don't have a computer (only a laptop) so I have to appreciate from afar haha [/Spoiler] [Spoiler=For Oreo] Hey hey and welcome, thanks for joining!

Congrats on the username change!! I hope your writing will continue to go smoothly! [/Spoiler]

Thanks :)

I don't know if I really challenged myself in anyway recently.

The only thing that came to mind is months back turning on Survival Mode on Skyrim that ups the difficulty and forces you to engage in parts of the game (such as hunger and sleeping) that you don't have to off of Survival Mode. Once I get the final two achievements I'll be seeing if the Xbox version has a mod so you have to keep your character clean.

They only look like good children, they are actually spoiled rotten little monsters. 😂 But I love them anyway. Tea with lemon and honey is a very good home remedy! When I was little and got sick my great grandmother would send us home with a jar of it

Man... I dunno, I dunno that I've challenged myself recently or ever. 😁 I sort of challenged myself to learn how to use alcoholo... alcochol....clolah... al-co-hol markers, but the markers I have aren't great, I can't afford Copics, but the ones I got had decent reviews. They're okay but I want better ones. That and I've been kind of art blocked lately.

Welcome back :) Wow, a lot seems to have changed for you since I was last on one of your threads. I'm glad to hear you've made some big life changes that you are feeling happy with - it's so brave to make such big changes, but it sounds like it was definitely the right thing for you.

So, to answer the question... What is something you recently encouraged yourself to do/try? I think the last time I posted here, I was in the early stages of my phd in psychology. Well I somehow did manage to finish that and now have the job I'd always wanted. I feel very lucky, but I have to say, the journey was one of the most difficult things I've done. It was so hard to adjust back to life without having to study/work every waking moment. 3 years later and I've settled into life more, I was offered the opportunity by my employer to go back and do some further studies in an area I've always been interested in (all paid for as well), which I accepted, but I'm actually quite terrifed of going back to a life of studying around work again. So that is taking quite a lot of encouragement from myself to do, but I know that if I do this, I will have completed all my career goals really. I hadn't expected to reach that point so quickly, but I feel very appreciative of it all.

I also challenged myself recently to get some new ear piercings. I have a history of fainting, normally only when there is blood, but it's sort of developed into more of a phobia of fainting, and means I avoid triggers as much as possible and places where I won't be able to escape. This woudl be fine if you don't like things like tattoos and pierecings, but I do. So for the first time in a while, I decided I would push myself to get something done. Two piercings later, no fainting episodes and I'm feeling quite pleased with myself :)

What is something you recently encouraged yourself to do/try? Being a SAHM. I was always the "breadwinner" in my marriage, and the game plan was for my husband to be our daughter's primary caregiver while I worked. Lost a job unexpectedly due to circumstances beyond my control. I was really struggling with burnout so we decided that I'd try being the main parent for a while and my husband would go back to work. Really weird for me to not be working, but I love hanging out with my small human all day. It's busy and chaotic, but the days are so much slower. It's a pace I haven't been able to experience in many years.

I found the idea of this topic so cool! I will take some time to see everyone's answers (I also joined the group for pings!).

What is something you recently encouraged yourself to do/try?

So... some months ago, I started to do crochet! I really like amigurumis, I bought some for me. Then I looked at them and thought: "maybe I can give it a try! It would be fun". I'm getting better slowly, but I'm glad about the progress I have made so far. I'm even planing on making my own receipt (or trying to do an original one for myself)! Last week I gave a cat plushie for my cousin, she liked it a lot (and I'm glad I could make it myself). I also hope that this can encourage me to start drawing as well! 🥰

Today's question:

What is your most frequently used and treasured tangible possession?

If anyone has more random question ideas, please feel free to share them with me <3 Don't forget to join the official ping group below :)

[I]Further explanation: [/i]

Hellooooo and happy Lumi!! 🎅 ✨ This question is inspired by my new favourite manga "Gachiakuta". I can hiiiiiighly recommend it!!! It's got amazing art, interesting characters and strong social criticism weaved into a unique fictional world. The story plays around a little with the Japanese belief that objects which are cared for deeply, used frequently and repaired if they get broken can receive a soul over time. Such items might even be named because they hold such a special place in our hearts. So I want to know what that would be for you.

Now to my answer: For me, it would be my foldable E-Bike. I use it daily, it has a name, we have thousands of kilometres down, I would be screwed without it and it saved my butt countless of times. I invested lots of money to have it repaired, I have literally been to hospital because of it but I love it nonetheless. Examples from the manga are: an umbrella, hairdresser's scissors, a watering can, gloves, headphones or glasses. So it can really be all sorts of things, one of my friends even said for her it would be her pole dance pole ^^

[Spoiler= for Austria] Did your art block go away? I'd love to see some of your art in case you ever feel confident sharing some ^^ [/Spoiler] [Spoiler=For Poison]

Oh wow that sounds amazing!!! You can be so proud of yourself for working so hard and getting yourself where you are! I really hope this new research step will be fun, interesting and not too much to handle. I wish you all the luck and success in your endeavours! ^^ And challenging yourself to get piercings can be quite tough! I am facing the situation where I want to get repierced after having to remove the jewellery, but I still remember the pain vividly and could really go without experiencing that again but well beauty is pain... And I love my piercings, they are such a confidence boost!

[/Spoiler] [Spoiler=For Soraiya] Wow that sounds like a huge change! But I'm sure your daughter is really happy about the development that you are able to spend more time together now <3 I hope everything will work out well for you and your family ^^ [/Spoiler]

[Spoiler=For Shinobu] Hey hey and welcome to the RQ Family! I'm glad you like the idea ^^ And how cool! I would love to see some of your works if you feel comfortable sharing ^^ Getting into a new hobby can be so frustrating in the beginning but once you kinda get the hang of it, it can be so rewarding! 😍 [/Spoiler]

Thank you so much for welcoming me 🥰 And, yes, I would love to share my crochet! Can I do that in forums? 🤔 If so, then I will do that next time I post (I'm pretty new to subeta forums and it's been years since I used forums. Missed it so much, to be honest).

That's a very interesting manga! I love how Japan can have such delicate beliefs. Like, it's putting a meaning in something simple and that are part of our lives, even if we don't pay attention to it often.

For the question itself...

What is your most frequently used and treasured tangible possession?

I think it's the blanket I have since I was a child. It pays a very important rule in my life for all those years, and I just can't throw it away (even if people tried to do that). I love it so much, it's very comfortable to be with it and I just can't sleep without it. It's a very simple object, a very old one, but I have such care for it... I cannot choose any other thing!

Not... really. 😂 I haven't tried, though I do need to get off my butt and try soon because I want to draw Christmas cards for my neighbors and the Christmas clock is ticking! I'll probably just draw reindeer, though, which is very easy for me.

Yeah, I don't mind sharing some art.

Under here

Pretty sloppily colored but I like it anyway. I mostly draw animals... horses, and everything also looks like a horse haha.

What is your most frequently used and treasured tangible possession?

The concept of that manga reminds me of the Velveteen Rabbit, who was so deeply loved by his boy that he was able to become a real rabbit in the end, when all the other toys got incinerated. I have a lot of treasured possessions, I'm one of those people who loves Stuff lol. But "most frequently used" and "most treasured" are quite different things for me. Like, the most frequently used object in my life would probably be my phone! But my phone wouldn't gain a soul if it came down to that. If we're talking about objects that would gain a soul based on the strength of my love for them, maybe the stuffed dog that I sleep with every night. He's been with me for like twenty years, I use him as a sort of sleep mask (I flop him over my face to block the light from the hallway or window or whatever light happens to be in my face). I can sleep without him, but I don't like to... I don't have trouble sleeping but something feels slightly missing, if that makes any sense. He's a bit big to come with me when I travel (I take frequent overnight trips to visit family) so I take my little stuffed fox, who is smaller and squishier, that I put between my neck and shoulder so I don't scrunch up my shoulders when I sleep. The dog has a name (Mys, pronounced MEECE), and he's definitely been repaired because one of my dogs got hold of him and dragged him outside and he was full of foxtails, so I had to painstakingly pull them all out of his fur and then wash him. The fox doesn't have a name, but I think he's no less important. He was a replacement for a stuffed white tiger, which also got destroyed by the dogs. He did have a name (Kou), so the tiger probably did gain a soul.

Wow, I am rambling. 😂 Good question!