Hey all 👋🏻 Looking for a gaming friend or group to team up with for COD plunder and other modes as well. I’m very chill and laid back, love a laugh. I play very regularly. Other games I’ve played are: Ark: Survival Evolved, DayZ, Hogwarts Legacy. Open to new games as well! 😊
Send me a chat, and we’ll go from there 😊

The 3 basic parameters of hashtag #Valzubiriagenda:

1. We artists and everyone else can write and self-publish art- and artist-related books: memoirs, biographies, art books and art catalogs. Books are forever. Pamphlets and brochures are not books.
2. We announce a schedule of increasing prices of our art pieces, which includes quantities (scarcity numbers) per price point and overall (the total quantity of art pieces we might ever make). This helps art traders, art investors and art collectors speculate or even stop speculating and instead join a community of investors working together to hopefully skyrocket to the higher announced prices in a shorter span of time.
3. We can use the NFT world, because NFTs provide the tracking (who owns what) and trading.

We can also not be involved with NFTs. Stores and individuals can help sell art using online presence and our catalogs in the stores. If this trends, or once this trends, even expensive art can be sold by neighboring businesses, without exclusivity. Commission systems do not have to be standardized. Art investors can produce their own catalogs to leave at the cafés. Even the cafés can produce their own catalogs.
Valzubiriagenda NFTs
NFTs only came about a few years ago. But I had been working on this since the 1990s. I wrote a book, Valzubiriagenda, along with fellow artist Silverio Perez, and released it in 2018 (Amazon and elsewhere), tackling everything related to #1 & #2. We'll come up with #3 in a later book/ memoi marketing book.
Any artist, including tangible artists can release 10,000 NFTs if the artist chooses to do so. For tangible artists, the NFT first becomes an Art Commission Contract for sight unseen, yet-to-be made art. Once the art is made, the NFT becomes proof of ownership that the actual, tangible art is theirs.
Warehousing our tangible art
Another related idea is that the tangible art may be warehoused by the artist so that the NFT traders continue to trade. This means that even 10-ton 10-foot tall sculptures can be owned and traded by anyone without worrying about shipping, reshipping, scratches, smudges, parts breaking off, etc. The newness of the pieces remain because they are stored by the artist, source, gallery, etc. The art piece gets shipped to the art collector, the ultimate owner.
An artist who makes ceramic coffee mugs - smaller art pieces, can release 10,000 NFTs with a schedule of increasing prices so that NFT traders can trade immediately. The 10,000 coffee mugs can get damaged, so as they are made, they continue to be stored by the artist, until the time when art collectors decide to have the art pieces shipped to them.
Why only now?
I decided to write as many book-length memoirs as I can before I came out to promote this.
I'm an artist and an author. Both need time to "master." I would not even fully use "master" on myself, because there's always something new, even to my own art, my own writing and publishing.

I am now claiming that I'm the visual artist who has produced the most artist memoirs in the world. I have 5 on Amazon. I count Valzubiriagenda as both a marketing book and a memoir-of-sorts, because it has a lot of my own life lessons on writing and publishing. I would not care to contest my claim of having the most memoirs. I will release 5 more over the next 3 years.

BARTER! Get help to write, photograph art and publish your books!
Anyone can hire 11 ghostwriters for 11 memoirs. If you can make art, but you cannot write, then barter your forever art with those who can help you produce forever books.
I don't feel the pressure of writing and publishing because I feel my focus should be on art students and art experts who would study my art and my books 100 years from now. Don't expect relatives and friends to read your books.
I call myself the Dollman
For my NFTs, I am proposing to make dioramas - my original, costumed, bejeweled porcelain dolls in backdrops that will also have precious metals and gemstones. This way I can incorporate precious metals and gemstones in my work, to make sure that people perceive my art as expensive, just in case I myself don't become "famous" - there's no need to get world famous. We are artists and all we need to do is to satisfy the art niche.
Use your laptop now!
I will encourage you to start writing your book-length memoir. Write, Edit and then Self-publish it. Get help. Why wait a hundred years for someone to write about you when all you need is a laptop and a nearby coffee shop.
Don't start counting chickens before the eggs hatch. I have encountered a lot of would-be writers who immediately see themselves as bestselling. world famous assets to society. Two even wanted me to sign NDAs (Nondisclosure agreements), because they did not want me to steal their book ideas.
Here's a suggestion. I would not personally do it. From one manuscript can come 2 books: The Original Draft (unedited, with misspellings, considered to be an art piece, scanned pages(?) of your handwritten original effort), and The Final Edition (edited).
PROVENANCE!
Another way to enhance our investability, tradability and collectability is PROVENANCE - how art ownership proceeds through time. The way this can be done is also through publishing books. Everyone can write their memoirs, biographies, art books and art catalogs, including traders, investors and art collectors. In effect, we artists can continue to be included or mentioned in even more books, without any additional effort by us.
You as an investor, reseller, trader, art collector should be able to publish a catalog with 250 works by 250 different artists, but they need to agree to this right from the start - it's your money, you should require them to follow your version of the hashtag #valzubiriagenda parameters, which preferably should include permission for you to publish their art. Why would you track down 250 artists later?
No exclusive contracts
If you're a café, you can call for artists, and come up with a book with for example, 30 artists, with a chapter devoted to each artist's profile and images of the artist's art.
You can distribute your catalogs to businesses and individuals near and far and online.
The book Valzubiriagenda even cites that funeral homes and janitors closets can sell art, with or without exclusivity. Airline catalogs can include million dollar art pieces. Car manufacturers, showrooms and even car repair shops can sell art as well. Everyone should be able to do this, anywhere in the world, especially not just because of the pandemic, but right now, we are in really bad economies.
What's with the name #Valzubiriagenda
I was into conspiracy theories in 2018, and this term, "The Mandela Effect," was popular. I had read many times that an artist coined the term, but I had to research online, for her name, many times, before remembering it. I'm not good at remembering names. It took me a year and a half to finally tell you that Fiona Broome coined "The Mandela Effect."
I also thought I might have to research trademarks and copyrights just to come up with a generic name. So I decided on "Valzubiriagenda." I was not really sure at first, but I decided to use it as the title for my book (with co-authoartist Silverio Perez) so that there would be no turning back and I can move on.
Am I a FUTURIST?
Someone I recently met this May 2022 just called me a futurist.
In the 1990s, I proposed to a pension fund that they can raise billions of dollars, especially for emergencies, or as needed, or out of desperation, if the pension fund purchases a quantity of art from an artist who not only has a current, reasonable price, but an announced future price that the artist wants to reach.
That future price would obviously be higher than the current price. The art commission contract for multiple art pieces can be taken to the fund's financial lender for a loan. The higher future price can be used for financing purposes.
The pension fund's treasurer, a publicly elected official, said this idea might work, but we had to keep this a secret and discuss this some more, because other pension funds might copy and do this prematurely. This idea had to come from the two of us. The treasurer needed his votes and I needed credentials.
Added into the pot was my idea that I, as the artist, will also write one book-length artist memoir. This was and still is a strong factor, because the leadership and marketing books I had read then mentioned a strong tip. If you want to advance in your field, write a full-length book that is related to the field.
Unfortunately, the elected official, the treasurer of the pension fund, who was also a friend, passed away - he was old and had ailments. At that point in time, I cannot just approach another pension fund treasurer to share this idea with.
I realized I had to write a few memoirs. I needed to set an example for other artists, so I needed to write more than one memoir. Then I felt I should also make ready another book - the how-to of what I'm up to. I wrote Valzubiriagenda, which was a memoir of sorts. I knew how long it would take me to write a book, so I had to make sure I can also consider this book a memoir.
In 2008, I imagined that someone like Bernie Madoff, or a fund like Lehman Brothers, would be desperate enough to use this to save themselves and their companies. I was not ready. I had only written 1 manuscript for a memoir.
In 2012, I released Dollman the Musical, A Memoir of an Artist as a Dollmaker. Once again, I was not ready because writing it depressed me a little, and I knew I had to write more.
In 2014, I released 3 memoirs, and re-released Dollman the Musical. Besides releasing regular books, I released special editions of the 4 books, which had a "Special Secret Insert for Bankers," which explains my ideas of an announced schedule of exponentially increasing prices, to satisfy investors, and the publication of artist memoirs, to satisfy art collectors.
In 2014, I also issued out a press release. Google "Can Billion Dollar Artist Save Investors and World Economy Valentino Zubiri PRWeb August 19 2014" and you will see the press release.
What I did was stake a claim on my ideas. I did not promote my books and the press release. I just wanted them to stay online, like a sleeping giant or a dormant volcano. I even designed 3 of the book covers to look like indie books from the 1980s. I was planting the seeds, thinking they will eventually grow and bear fruit in the future.
In 2015, I was interviewed by Richard Syrett, about one of my memoirs, Hocus Pocus Lately. This book is my memoir with paranormal stories. I could have pursued promoting my paranormal stories, but I wanted to be known first as a visual artist and memoirist, so I allowed myself one interview related to Hocus Pocus Lately. Richard Syrett has(had?) his own syndicated radio show, The Conspiracy Show with Richard Syrett, about the paranormal. He also guest hosts on Coast to Coast AM, another internationally syndicated show about the paranormal.
In 2018, I released Valzubiriagenda (co-authored by artist Silverio Perez, a fellow artist). Finally, this book is "the how-to of what I'm to."
I'm going to end this with some strangeness. In 1986, a lady at a religious gathering went into a trance and left a good number of messages. Supposedly, anyone who got into a trance would have messages, but once the trance was over, the person would not remember what was said.
I was not part of the group, but the lady turned her head to face me. She "foretold" that whatever I would decide to do in the future, it will take time, but it will be the right thing. This is one of my stories in one of my memoirs, Hocus Pocus Lately.
The Tulipmania of 1634-37
I discovered that there was this incident of rare tulips becoming collectible during the Dutch Golden Age. There were tulips so rare and so well-desired that their prices equaled to that of a house. You can read more about this online (Wikipedia) or watch a few YouTube videos about it.
Here is the most useful idea that I gleaned from the Tulipmania. The tulip bulbs remained safe inside nurseries. The traders were carrying the deeds of ownership to the tulip bulbs.
Then NFTs came to the forefront
I started learning PHP, an HTML scripting language, and MySQL, the database that PHP can connect to in the background, in 1999, when there were only 3 books about PHP and MySQL at the bookstores.
By 2014, I was trying to figure out how to make the "ledger," or database that can be used to update ownership and who can be contacted. If we are trading art, then the art ownership should be updated.
Then NFTs came about. This can be used as our ledger. Everyone can immediately trade NFTs of future, yet-to-be made art pieces, especially because it takes time to make tangible art.
NFTs actually went a step ahead, by allowing digital art to be traded.
The only setback with NFTs, in my opinion, is that it still lacks a commission system for resellers and representatives.
For example, if a café wants to represent me, then they can promote me at their café and on their online pages. If I make one piece of art that will be exclusively represented by a gallery, then that commission will be different and more specific. As ownership is transferred, the subsequent owners should be able to reset the commission. We should also have the option of giving commissions to hundreds of representatives at one time with different percentages if need be.
The recent crypto crash
Lately, we have observed that NFTs and cryptocurrencies have been behaving like the stock market and other markets. They have been fluctuating.
I believe that it is time for a trend which discourages fluctuation of prices.
I have also seen YouTube videos where social influencers are encouraging us to be on the lookout for exponentially profitable ventures, because we have all seen this happen with the exponential increase of Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Let's see if #Valzubiriagenda trends
We can announce present and future art prices. The galleries won't do this (yet?) because they follow a more traditional approach to the business of art.
We have a choice of using incrementally or exponentially increasing prices. We still reserve the right to change things in the future, so everyone should know to follow the latest update.
If this trends, if you as an artist simply announces that you will write an artist memoir, or that you will include the future works in future art books, you might have more art traders, investors and collectors approaching you.
Get your pen, paper and calculator
Imagine yourself as an artist, where you are right now. Let's just say you still do not have a book about yourself and your art yet. Imagine now that you have a memoir out there. Don't you think it makes sense to charge more than what you are charging now? Writing and publishing books is just the beginning. I'm just standardizing this approach. The books also say to do other related projects. In my case, getting Dollman the Musical onstage is one idea. You will have other related projects, but the publication of memoirs, biographies, art books and art catalogs will help all of us.
You can also imagine that a law firm that has meeting rooms, with someone who wants to form a local #valzubiriagenda group, can have meetings. A local café can do the same. Local photographers for your art, writers, editors, book designers, proofreaders and others can join in.
I suggest have printed books to share. 15 copies of your memoir or art books will be better than an e-reader or laptop or your phone to show. These gadgets can be stolen, sabotaged, broken, have coffee spilled on them, etc. 15 printed books means simultaneously showing to 15 people. You can even give them away to potential resellers, investors, traders and collectors.
When it rains, it pours, as in the days of Noah
There's a saying, "When it rains, it pours." There is a negative interpretation and a positive interpretation.
Negative: When trouble comes, they cascade to even more.
Positive: When opportunity comes knocking, more follow suit. We can assume that if one gets our art because of #valzubiriagenda, more want to do it now, because of the rising prices, and FOMO - fear of missing out. What will they lose if they miss the boat?
As I have said earlier, if the #valzubiriagenda trends, if you announce a future memoir or art catalog, you might have an increase of investors, traders and art collectors who would want to check you out. You might encourage more sales. Just remember to write and publish that memoir and art catalog.
There's this saying, "As in the days of Noah." Imagine Noah, building his ark, with members of his own family, putting all his time and effort into it. Noah was a nice guy. I'm sure every once in a while a neighbor offered him coffee, or chai latte, or whatever refreshing drink they might have back then.
Here's the lesson to be learned. Just because they offered him some type of bubble tea drink, or coca cola, they still didn't make it to the ark. Rubbing shoulders with actors does not make you an actor. I have told my artist friends to write their memoirs. They told me that once they see me succeed, after all these many years of seeing my seemingly useless efforts, then they will write their memoirs and follow the road that I had paved for them.
Good luck to them, but if I were you, act now, get my art or make art. Support the 5-year old artist whose parent promised to release a comprehensive art catalog. If you get that 5-year old's art, and mine, I would be honored to be in the same art catalog that you will produce. I'm already successful at that point. You have gotten the mission just right.
I have already claimed to have written the most book-length artist memoirs in the world. Dethrone that claim. Barter. Use ghostwriters. Success to me means facing God one day and saying, I wrote my memoirs and left the world a legacy of books and art. I will not tell God, smiling and proudly, that I encouraged a run for my art by announcing a schedule of exponentially increasing prices that reached 9 figures. I'm sure God knows we had fun.

JOIN THIS GROUP

If you want to try out #valzubiriagenda, in any capacity, join this group. Let others know about this group as well.
If you are an artist, you can let everyone know here that you will produce your memoir, art catalogs, etc. It's okay if you don't know how to go about publishing yet, I will discuss this. Please be honorable enough to produce what you promise to produce.
If you want to meet fellow artists, investors, resellers, etc., join us here.
If you are a book writer, editor, proofreader; if you can photograph art pieces; if you are a book designer, etc., join us here. Let us know if you charge, barter for art, or both.
If you have your own tips and knowledge to share, join us here.
If you have underaged artists you are managing (parents, etc.) join us here.
Join this group if you want to sell works. Post your works. You web links. I'm sure I will.
You can announce meetings in your area. You might have meeting rooms, a café, restaurant, etc. where people can meet. In the future, you can have the regular show and tell, where books can be shown and shared.
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Thanks for reading. Please let me know if I need to edit some parts. Please share and join this group. - Valentino Zubiri, Dollman, Artist, Memoirist
Underaged artists are welcome here, so please be mindful of your language. We cannot post your adult-oriented art pieces, but you can direct us to a separate page or community. There will be limits to your posts, and there will be adult-oriented art that we cannot allow to be posted.
Thanks for reading. Please let me know if I need to edit some parts. Please share and join this group. - Valentino Zubiri, Dollman, artist & memoirist

Any difference from regular kibble other than shape? Texture? Nutrition? Good/Bad?

"Sooo...what do you want me to do first?" Fuyuhiko asked as he and Himiko sat down underneath the gazebo.
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"Nyeh...DO HIS LAUGH!!!" Himiko exclaimed with excitement.
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"Um...okaayyy?" Fuyuhiko replied with uncertainty. He cleared his throat. "Um...nee...hee...hee?"
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"No, no! You have to laugh like you mean it!" Himiko pouted.
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"Himiko, I'm not exactly the silly, happy-go-lucky type of person that Kokichi is," Fuyuhiko said.
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"Nyeh...that's okay, it's not that hard!" Himiko said encouragingly. "It helps if you put your hands behind your head, like this!" Himiko clasped her hands together and put them behind her head.
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"Um...okay?" Fuyuhiko replied, and did the same thing.
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"Now, smile big, like this!" Himiko said, smiling and showing her teeth.
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"Okay, the hands-behind-my-head thing, I can do," Fuyuhiko said. "Smiling...not so much."
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"First time for everything," Himiko said. Fuyuhiko sighed. Slowly, his lips curved into a smile, but instead of it being Kokichi's usual cheeky grin, it looked more ominous and scary. Himiko frowned. "That's not right. You can't smile like you're going to pull someone out of the microwave and eat them."
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"What the...I didn't look like that!" Fuyuhiko exclaimed. "And like I said, smiling is not something I'm used to doing that much."

"Think of something that makes you really happy...like Peko," Himiko suggested.
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"She doesn't..." Fuyuhiko began, but then paused. Surprisingly, a blushed formed on his cheeks, and a shy smile crept across his face. "Dammit..." he muttered. "You got me there."
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"Nyeh! Now use all that Peko energy to make a nice, big Kokichi smile!" Himiko said. Fuyuhiko took a deep breath. He placed his hands behind his back and smiled a big Kokichi smile. "You did it! Now...laugh like Kokichi!"
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"Nee-heehee!" Fuyuhiko said, mimicking Kokichi as best as he could. As soon as he did, he immediately placed his hands over his mouth. "Oh, my God...I really do sound like him!" he whispered with horror. Himiko's shoulders were scrunched with excitement and anticipation.
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"I KNOW!!! ISN'T IT GREAT?!" she shouted happily, clapping her hands together.
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"No, not really!" Fuyuhiko exclaimed, shaking his head.
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"Okay, okay, now...call me 'Monkey Buns!'" Himiko breathed. Fuyuhiko squinted his eyes at her, perplexed.
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"Call you...what?! " he asked.
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"Nyeh...Monkey Buns!" Himiko repeated. "That's what Kokichi calls me sometimes."
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"Why...the hell...does he call you...'Monkey Buns?! '" Fuyuhiko asked incredulously.
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"He just does, okay?!" Himiko replied. "He calls me nicknames like 'Monkey Buns,' 'HimiCocoa Bean,' 'Stinky Butt,' 'Dweeb,' 'Strawberry Cream Cheeks,' on very rare occasions, though. He also calls me 'HimiKibbles 'N' Bits,' 'mah pe-teet sor-ser-ayy,' or...however you say it! It's French, so I don't know exactly what he's saying. And sometimes he just calls me...'babe.' And there's a bunch of other nicknames he calls me, but those are the regular ones." Fuyuhiko stared at Himiko in bewilderment.
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"God, that kid is weird! " he finally said.
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"No, he's not! He's my Panta Bear!" Himiko pouted.
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"Do you call him that?" Fuyuhiko asked.
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"Yes...sometimes," Himiko replied sheepishly.
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"Huh..." Fuyuhiko said thoughtfully. "Well, I guess it's nice that you two are pretty to close to give each other pet names. I didn't expect him to have so many for you, though. They sound pretty dorky, but hey, so long as he's treating you nicely, I guess it's fine."
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"So...you'll call me 'Monkey Buns,' then?" Himiko asked in a small, hopeful voice. Fuyuhiko winced.
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"Um...I don't think so," he replied. Himiko decided to do something that might make Fuyuhiko comply.
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"WAAAAAAHHHHHH....YOU'RE SO MEAN, FUYUHIKOOOOO!!!" she pretended to wail. She looked back at him, but he was only staring at her with a knowing smile.
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"Nice try, Himiko," he said. "We've both spent enough time around Kokichi to know bullshit when we see it."
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"Oh..." Himiko replied quietly, hanging her head in sadness.
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"You really do love that guy, huh?" Fuyuhiko asked. Himiko nodded her head. Fuyuhiko let out a small chuckle. "That's pretty cool...Monkey Buns." Himiko immediately lifted her head. Fuyuhiko was smiling kindly at her.
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"OH, MY GOSH!! OH, MY GOSH!!! SAY IT AGAIN!!!" she squealed. "BUT MAKE IT SOUND MORE LIKE KOKICHI!!!" Fuyuhiko smiled and rolled his eyes.
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"Nee-heehee...you're toootally awesome, Monkey Buns!" Fuyuhiko said, sounding exactly like Kokichi.
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"AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" Himiko screamed with glee. She stood up from her seat and began hopping around and squealing like a crazy person. "NYEEEEH...DO MORE!!!"
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"Okay..." Fuyuhiko said thoughtfully. "Well...what else does he say?"
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"Things like...'it's a lie!' and, 'Miu, you're an itty bitty pea-brained...' er, I can't say the word after that because I don't swear," Himiko said. "It's like witchlet, but replace the 'w' with a 'b.'"
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"It's a lie, you itty bitty pea-brained bitchlet, Miu!" Fuyuhiko said in his Kokichi voice. "How was that?"
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"EEEEEEEEEE!!! I LOVE IT!!" Himiko exclaimed. Fuyuhiko let out a small laugh.
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"Anything else?" he asked.
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"Could you...talk like him for the rest of the day?" Himiko asked shyly, twiddling her fingers.
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"I'm not sure I can do that," Fuyuhiko replied apologetically. "Plus, I have to go to work again today."
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"What about tomorrow?" Himiko asked.
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"I have work tomorrow, too," Fuyuhiko replied. "When is he supposed to come back, anyways?"

"Nyeh...I don't know. He didn't tell me," Himiko said. "He doesn't even know when he's supposed to get back."
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"Hmm..." Fuyuhiko replied, thinking it over. "Well...I guess I could be Kokichi until I have to go to work. But only for today, okay?"
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"Nyeeh...okay!" Himiko replied, brightening.
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"Sooo...what do you wanna do today, HimiCocoa Bean?" Fuyuhiko asked with a cheeky grin, just like Kokichi's.

I decided to get back on ark after a few years off. I've noticed they've change the kibble recipes, my question is I'm on the lost island and cannot find long grass seed so I can make basic kibble.. I'm playing currently on xbox.
I'm trying to get kibble for some pteradons.. Any insight would be appreciated!

I have an 80lb lab/pit mix that gets eukanuba large breed kibble. It’s the only food that doesn’t give him diarrhea so I’ve stuck with it for the past 5 years. I’m almost out of food but I don’t get paid for another week and the financial struggle is real right now. Eukanuba only offers 16 and 30lb bags of food which I can’t really afford until I get paid. I only want a small bag to tide me over until I can buy his regular food. Eukanuba has a small breed 4.5lb bag which will hold us over for a week until I can get more.
I did a comparison and there aren’t too many differences as far as nutritional sources goes. Since he’ll only be getting this food for about a week, is it okay to feed him the small breed kibble?

The first phase is easy if anything too easy, the second one is fine at first is ok but after his little flame thingie popped he used an art called vision somethin’ idk where he doesn’t take any damage then after it finished he used i don’t know what its called its a really long art name i blinked and my entire party had been wiped out immediately I’m level 51 it says if i press no it will return me to the title screen last i saved was in the ark thing the weird morytha like world before we started the fight so what do i do ? I have VI gems analyze weakness iron clad fast reviving and healing a good amount of the affinty done . My second question if i press no will i go back to the regular world on my last save there bc i dont wanna fight n again and 3rd will the fight start from the second phase or first if i press no ?

Have a 4 monitor setup using the 49" CRG9 & 3 ASUS PB278s. I use it for work 70% of the time and gaming 30% of the time. I have a 3080ti, so no issues pushing high quality video to it, problem is, I don't like the resolution on the Ark. My CRG9 is 5120x1440 and I'd be stepping backwards with this.
I would really love it if the CRG9 was twice as high, then I'd ditch 2 of the 27s and keep the vertical one on the side, but I don't want bezels - I just want one big curved monitor.
So, I wouldn't get this monitor at regular price, but now that it's just a few hundred more than I paid for the 49"...I'm really caught in a quandry. If I KNEW there was a better product hitting the market, I'd jump, but I'm torn.
Also, fwiw, I really want to stick with a curve, but if the right thing is a flat, I can do that too...

Hi, I'm hoping to develop a mutually supportive friendship with someone interested in spending quality time together on a regular basis, should we hit it off. I do enjoy activities like playing video games, watching movies/shows/anime/documentaries, or listening to music, among other things (see Interests below). I'm feminine, trans, and queer, and I tend to relate best to people with similar perspectives. I also struggle a lot with mental illness (see About Me).
Interests
Video games are mostly a newer interest of mine. I've enjoyed sandbox games like ARK, Minecraft, No Man's Sky, and Conan Exiles. I also have a soft spot for games like Dragon Age: Origins, KotOR, and BioShock Infinite. I've tried and even enjoyed several MMOs though they all have elements I dislike. I have spent a considerable amount of time playing games in the Civilization series. I've loved Pokemon since I was little. Some of my favorites were Emerald, Red Rescue Team, Platinum, Ranger: Shadows of Almia, and HeartGold. I do hope to play Legends: Arceus eventually since it seems to capture much of what I enjoy about the setting.
As far as things to watch go, I would say I have somewhat of a range. I'm drawn toward fantasy and sci-fi, but historical settings can also be of some interest. I've enjoyed a handful of action movies and comedies too. I do enjoy horror movies on occasion. Some overall favorites are Princess Mononoke (and a handful of other Ghibli films), Your Name, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Fellowship of the Ring, and Interstellar. I do tend to prefer animation in general, though I haven't seen too much in the way of anime. Demon Slayer is probably one of my favorites so far. As for documentaries, I like learning in general. Topics like nature, space, and history/culture interest me. I liked watching the first season of Prehistoric Planet somewhat recently.
Music might be the hardest one, really. I do have some appreciation of classic rock from my family. As a teenager, I enjoyed My Chemical Romance, Pierce the Veil, and Mayday Parade. My musical tastes have broadened somewhat to include things like indie, metal, and instrumental rock. I usually discover new music through friends.
Hm, other interests. I do write poetry very infrequently. Sometimes I like to play guitapiano. I enjoy physical activities like hiking/swimming/sports though I rarely do them these days. I like food a lot (well, eating it anyway).
About Me
A lot has happened for me in the last few weeks. My heart is deeply broken after the end of a two-year relationship. I have many regrets. In a moment of weakness, I tried to end it all. Thankfully, I am still here. The profound sadness, anxiety, and guilt remain too. But I also have some awareness, at long last.
I have struggled with untreated mental illness, BPD in particular, throughout my life. It requires me to face some uncomfortable truths. I've hurt people I cared about. I know that I have a lot of work to do, but I feel more than ever that it is necessary for my own happiness and that of the people around me. I'm looking forward to starting therapy with someone experienced in these issues very soon, and I've been practicing mindfulness daily in the meantime. I'm learning to communicate my feelings and needs and respect those of others. I hope to build a better version of myself one day at a time, and I believe a part of that may be maintaining mutually satisfying friendships. I also recognize that I may always experience a stronger need for emotional connection than most. My focus is on finding a healthy kind of balance.
There are several things that I value in a friend. Compassion is the first that comes to mind. I do feel that it's essential to caring for ourselves and others. Communication seems increasingly important to me as a way to ensure mutual understanding and happiness. Additionally, a certain degree of comfort is something that I always appreciate. That might mean mutual interests that can easily be enjoyed together, the space to be open with thoughts, feelings, and quirks, or shared experiences that facilitate understanding. Of course, sometimes any or all of these things might prove challenging. A good sense of humor can also be rewarding. I enjoy puns, absurdity, and sometimes morbid jokes.
If you're interested after reading all of this, please reply with more than just hello and tell me a little bit about yourself. Messages or chat are both okay. I am currently on PDT, but my sleep schedule varies sometimes. Thank you!

Did you know that proper nutrition plays a vital role in maintaining optimal oral health for our furry friends?
A nutritious diet can significantly impact the dental well-being of our pets. The type of food they consume, along with their chewing habits, can influence the health of their teeth and gums. High-quality pet foods formulated with wholesome ingredients and balanced nutrients can promote dental health by reducing the buildup of plaque and tartar.
Dry kibble is often recommended for its dental benefits as the crunchiness and texture can help scrape away plaque from the teeth. Additionally, some pet foods include specially designed kibble shapes or dental-specific ingredients that aid in oral hygiene. However, it's important to note that not all dry kibble is created equal, so it's essential to choose a reputable brand that prioritizes dental health.
On the other hand, wet or canned foods may not have the same abrasive effect as dry kibble, but they can still contribute to good dental health. These types of food provide moisture, which helps prevent dehydration and supports saliva production. Saliva plays a crucial role in maintaining oral health as it helps to wash away food particles and naturally fight against harmful bacteria in the mouth.
Chewing habits also play a part in dental health. Providing appropriate chew toys or dental chews can aid in removing plaque and tartar buildup while also satisfying your pet's natural urge to chew. These chewing activities can help exercise their jaw muscles and promote good oral hygiene.
It's important to remember that while diet plays a significant role, regular dental care is essential for our pets' overall oral health. Routine dental check-ups, teeth cleanings, and brushing your pet's teeth can complement a nutritious diet in preventing dental problems.
How do you ensure good dental health for your pets? Have you noticed any specific dietary changes that have positively impacted their oral health?

We all want our furry friends to have a shiny, lustrous coat, right? Well, it turns out that what we feed our pets plays a crucial role in their skin health and the appearance of their coat. In this post, we'll explore the fascinating link between diet and skin health in pets and provide some tips for maintaining a healthy coat.

1. Opt for Quality Protein: Protein is the building block of healthy skin and hair. Ensure that your pet's diet includes high-quality protein sources such as lean meats, fish, or poultry. These provide essential amino acids that support skin cell regeneration and promote a strong, healthy coat.
2. Essential Fatty Acids: Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are vital for maintaining a healthy skin barrier and reducing inflammation. Look for pet foods that contain ingredients rich in these fatty acids, such as fish oil or flaxseed. Alternatively, your veterinarian may recommend supplements to ensure your pet's optimal intake.
3. Include Antioxidant-Rich Foods: Antioxidants like vitamins A, C, and E help combat free radicals that can damage skin cells. Include antioxidant-rich foods in your pet's diet, such as blueberries, carrots, and spinach. These natural goodies promote skin health from within and contribute to a radiant coat.
4. Avoid Food Allergens: Food allergies can manifest as skin irritations or excessive itching, leading to a dull coat. If you suspect your pet has food allergies, work with your veterinarian to identify and eliminate potential allergens from their diet. Common culprits include grains, dairy, and certain protein sources.
5. Hydration is Key: Just like humans, pets need proper hydration for healthy skin and coat. Make sure your furry friend has access to fresh, clean water at all times. Consider incorporating moisture-rich foods into their diet, such as wet food or adding water to dry kibble, to further support hydration.
6. Regular Grooming: Regular grooming not only keeps your pet looking spiffy but also promotes a healthy coat. Brushing removes dead hair and stimulates the skin, distributing natural oils that nourish the coat. Additionally, grooming allows you to spot any skin issues early on, so you can address them promptly.
7. Consult Your Veterinarian: Every pet is unique, and their specific dietary needs may vary. If you have concerns about your pet's skin health or coat condition, don't hesitate to consult your veterinarian. They can provide tailored advice and recommend appropriate dietary adjustments or supplements.

Remember, a healthy coat starts from within. By providing a balanced and nutritious diet, you're laying the foundation for your pet's skin health and a beautiful, shiny coat.
Do you have any personal experiences or tips for maintaining a healthy coat in pets?

Hi, I'm hoping to develop a mutually supportive friendship with someone interested in spending quality time together on a regular basis, should we hit it off. I do enjoy activities like playing video games, watching movies/shows/anime/documentaries, or listening to music, among other things (see Interests below). I'm trans, queer, and usually most comfortable in the presence of women or people who identify with femininity. I also struggle a lot with mental illness (see About Me).
Interests
Video games are mostly a newer interest of mine. I've enjoyed sandbox games like ARK, Minecraft, No Man's Sky, and Conan Exiles. I also have a soft spot for games like Dragon Age: Origins, KotOR, and BioShock Infinite. I've tried and even enjoyed several MMOs, though they all have elements I dislike. I have spent a considerable amount of time playing games in the Civilization series. I've loved Pokemon since I was little. Some of my favorites were Emerald, Red Rescue Team, Platinum, Ranger: Shadows of Almia, and HeartGold. I do hope to play Legends: Arceus eventually, since it seems to capture much of what I enjoy about the setting.
As far as things to watch go, I would say I have somewhat of a range. I'm drawn toward fantasy and sci-fi, but historical settings can also be of some interest. I've enjoyed a handful of action movies and comedies too. I do enjoy horror movies on occasion. Some overall favorites are Princess Mononoke (and a handful of other Ghibli films), Your Name, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Fellowship of the Ring, and Interstellar. I do tend to prefer animation in general, though I haven't seen too much in the way of anime. Demon Slayer is probably one of my favorites so far. As for documentaries, I like learning in general. Topics like nature, space, and history/culture interest me. I liked watching the first season of Prehistoric Planet somewhat recently.
​
Hm, other interests. I do write poetry very infrequently. Sometimes I like to play guitapiano. I enjoy physical activities like hiking/swimming/sports though I rarely do them these days. I like food a lot (well, eating it anyway).
About Me
A lot has happened for me in the last few weeks. My heart is deeply broken after the end of a two-year relationship. I have many regrets and maybe too much free time. In a moment of weakness, I tried to end it all. Thankfully, I am still here. The profound sadness, anxiety, and guilt remain too. But I also have some awareness, at long last.
I have struggled with untreated mental illness, BPD in particular, throughout my life. It requires me to face some uncomfortable truths. I've hurt people I cared about. I know that I have a lot of work to do, but I feel more than ever that it is necessary for my own happiness and that of the people around me. I'm looking forward to starting therapy with someone experienced in these issues very soon, and I've been practicing mindfulness daily in the meantime. I'm learning to communicate my feelings and needs and respect those of others. I hope to build a better version of myself one day at a time, and I believe a part of that may be maintaining mutually satisfying friendships. I also recognize that I may always experience an abnormally strong need for emotional connection.
There are several things that I value in a friend. Compassion is the first that comes to mind. I do feel that it's essential to caring for ourselves and others. Communication seems increasingly important to me as a way to ensure mutual understanding and happiness. Additionally, a certain degree of comfort is something that I always appreciate. That might mean mutual interests that can easily be enjoyed together, the space to be open with thoughts, feelings, and quirks, or shared experiences that facilitate understanding. Of course, sometimes any or all of these things might prove challenging. A good sense of humor is always lovely as well.
If you're interested, please reply with more than just hello and tell me a little bit about yourself. Messages or chat are both okay. If I don't respond tonight, it's probably because I fell asleep (I'm on PDT for now). Thank you!

I tried to post this yesterday and got caught in some sort of automated spam filter that the mods couldn't reverse. So don't mind me, just adding some extra text so that the spam filter thinks that there is content here. Because there is! Lots of content. Check out all this content:
Ever since January, I've been a regular with genre magazines, and I've been reviewing them every month. I’ve settled on three publications to follow this year: my two favorites from 2022 and a third that has been a titan of the genre for decades. And after a solid-but-unexceptional April, May was my best month yet, with five pieces crowding my favorites list and plenty of others that were plenty rewarding.

Clarkesworld

I enjoyed almost all of what I read in April’s issue of Clarkesworld, but there wasn’t any one story that really struck me as hitting another level. That changed definitively with the opening piece in May’s issue: Better Living Through Algorithms by Naomi Kritzer. As the title suggests, it’s an “AI making people’s lives better” tale in the mold of Kritzer’s award-winning “Cat Pictures Please.” But whereas I—admittedly reading five years after it came out—found the latter a tad dated, I thought “Better Living Through Algorithms” was excellent. It shines an honest light on common struggles in contemporary life, but presents them in such a way that they feel surmountable. There’s also a real skepticism about the origin of the algorithm in question that resonates with changing societal attitudes since 2015, preventing the story from coming off as naive but without robbing its optimistic tone. This one was a real delight, and given past reception to Kritzer’s work, I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t resonate with a whole lot of people.
Harry Turtledove’s Through the Roof of the World is a fun experiment with perspective, told almost entirely from the perspective of sentient mollusk-like creatures trying to determine the origins of the disturbance above them. It was no real surprise when the answer was revealed, but the execution made it a fun read regardless, with the picture becoming clearer piece-by-piece up to the final conclusion.
The eye-catcher in this month’s table of contents is undoubtedly Suzanne Palmer’s novella-length Beyond the Botnet, featuring the return of Bot 9 and its compatriots from the Hugo-winning novelettes “The Secret Life of Bots” and “Bots of the Lost Ark.” I hadn’t been quite as wowed by the prior stories as the general sci-fi reading public, so I suppose it will come as no surprise that “Beyond the Botnet” wasn’t my personal highlight of the month. That said, it’s easy to see the appeal—Bot 9 is an incredibly endearing lead, and there were no barriers to an easy immersion. The novella length allows for an extended setup that shows off the absolute best of the bot characters, but the action-packed ending ran a little long for my tastes. I still enjoyed my time with the story, but the character-to-action ratio leans a bit more to action than I personally prefer.
Following the novella are five more short stories, four of them under 3,000 words. And while I sometimes struggle to connect at the lower end of the short story length category, I was very impressed by Rich Larson’s LOL, Said the Scorpion. It’s a story about tourism in impoverished communities that literalizes the metaphor of the invisibility of the local population, to dramatic effect. I’ve only read a few of Larson’s works, and I find he’s willing to go darker than I usually prefer, but here it absolutely works. And while I didn't recognize the meme title in advance, it sure fits.
Parker Ragland’s Sensation and Sensibility offers a bit of sci-fi slice-of-life, with a side of robot philosophy, telling simply of a pair of drones having tea and discussing the nature of sensation—both those they experience and the ones barred by their construction. It’s followed by Megan Chee’s The Giants Among Us, which gives brief and intriguing accounts of societies living on the backs of literal giants, tied together by a research effort to try to stop a long and bitter war.
The issue closes with Andy Dudak’s translation of An Hao’s Action at a Distance and with Jordan Chase-Young’s The Fall. The former features an encounter with a planet that warps perception in such a way that explorers inevitably crash and die before landing. It’s hard to describe entirely alien forms of perception, but the story makes a solid attempt, with enough plot to provide a driving motivation. Chase-Young’s piece is nearly as disorienting, a sci-fi/horror tale that sees the lead exploring the forested remnants of a dead Moon civilization. It’s an evocative narrative, laced with the uncanny and ambiguous.
This month’s letter from the editor takes a break from examining the dual crises of ChatGPT and Amazon’s rolling magazine subscriptions into Kindle Unlimited, instead sharing details of a successful call for Spanish-language submissions. This removes the burden on authors to commission their own translations, as the eight stories accepted will be translated into English by Clarkesworld. It’s another excellent step for a magazine with a deep commitment to inclusion of international sci-fi.
The essay provides a fascinating take on sci-fi and horror—so often opposite in the former’s rewards and the latter’s punishments for exploration and heroism—and how they can come together in fantastic ways. This month’s author interviews were with Premee Mohamed and Megan O’Keefe. I’ve read little of either, but I certainly came away looking for more opportunities to read Mohamed.

GigaNotoSaurus

One of the downsides of publishing just one story a month is that a publication can deliver fairly consistent excellence and still have me feeling like it’s been ages since I was really wowed. Fortunately, May’s GigaNotoSaurus story broke the small-but-long drought of three consecutive issues without hitting my favorites list, with the long short story Any Percent by Andrew Dana Hudson. Part litRPG, part union story, it tells of Luckless, a warehouse worker fleeing the hardship and tedium of real life by trying to speedrun his way to becoming the richest person in the world in a popular simulation game.
It opens with an engaging, albeit low-stakes account of the virtual exploration that earned him niche recognition as the discoverer of several time-shaving skips. But as life gets harder, his desire for virtual accomplishment only increases, leading down a predictable spiral in which his virtual persona becomes everything he hates in real life. It’s a really fascinating story, with enough of a dive into game mechanics to help the reader understand the strategy behind the main character’s pursuit, while keeping a firm enough foot in the real world to maintain the feel of a truly character-driven piece, with thematic weight but without eschewing that vital glimmer of hope.

Fantasy & Science Fiction

The May/June issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction was heavy on the shorter pieces, with just two novelettes compared to eight short stories and four flash fictions, in addition to the usual poetry and reviews. And perhaps unsurprisingly, given the breakdown, it was the short stories where I found my favorites.
The issue opens with an epistolary tale of pyramid exploration, Fawaz Al-Matrouk’s On the Mysterious Events at Rosetta. If you’re at all familiar with the subgenre, this story probably goes as you’d expect, but it’s an entertaining read nonetheless. It’s followed by one of the issue’s two novelettes: The Dire Delusion by Matthew Hughes. “The Dire Delusion” is a sort of magical whodunnit, with thieves waking up with their loot gone and no memory of anyone who might’ve taken it. As with many stories of this sort, I find that the list of suspects isn’t fleshed out well enough to be especially satisfying as a mystery, but Hughes introduces an entertaining world and keeps the story moving well enough to maintain the reader’s interest.
Next comes a pair of short stories about family in non-Western cultures, Kiran Kaur Saini’s Amrit and Lark Morgan Lu’s In Time, All Foxes Grieve Westward. The former involves an aging man receiving an AI in-home assistant, forcing him to confront both his deteriorating mind and body and his fraught relationship with his adult son. It’s another story that’s not especially hard to predict, but the excellent storytelling and character work make it well worth the read regardless. If you enjoy grumpy old men, this one is a gem. The latter features a fox who has immigrated to America and taken the form of a human, coming home to visit his dying mother and dealing with the fallout of the clash between his life and her expectations. I found it a little more difficult to immerse here than in “Amrit,” but I could certainly see this story hitting hard for those with more firsthand experience with the theme.
Smack in the middle of the issue were my two favorite stories from this edition of F&SF. A Conjure-Horse in San Ouvido by Ferdison Cayetano is a wonderful blend of mythologies and war stories, with a Black soldier leaving his island off the Carolinas to fight in the Philippines, where he not only finds some familiar magic, but that he may have more in common with the local population than with the American soldiers serving alongside him. It’s a story that leans into the mystical while still having some hard-hitting emotional passages and satisfying plot progression.
But for the third straight issue, my absolute favorite Fantasy & Science Fiction story was a near future sci-fi. Do I have a niche? Maybe. In the May/June issue, that honor went to Highway Requiem by T.R. Napper. Somewhat amusingly, “Highway Requiem” marked the third story I’d read in just the last couple months that focused on the post-automation trucking industry. But I loved Ray Nayler’s “The Empty,” and I loved this one, so I guess I’ll roll with the trucks as long as they’re working. Napper’s piece is neither neat nor happy, but it’s a deeply personal piece that explores so many nuances of both the social benefits and harms that come out of the transformation of transportation, while still managing to be the most emotionally affecting story I read all month. The worldbuilding is excellent, and the lead character so gripping that it’s easy to feel his yearning and anxieties. Excellent work.
The Lucky Star by Dr. Bunny McFadden provides a more lighthearted turn, with a short, fun piece about a queer bar on Titan. It is in turn followed by a more serious piece, Zig Zag Claybourne’s For the Benefit of Mr. Khite, featuring a being meant to serve as an intermediary between humans and various other artificial Intelligences. Very much a “learning to be human” story, it explores everything from physical sensation to a search for meaning in life.
I have so consistently struggled to engage with flash fiction that I wonder whether I should just note the existence of the flash pieces and move on, just like with the poetry and review sections. Maybe next time. For now, I’ll be brief with the issue’s four flash fictions: Time and Art by Barbara Krasnoff, I Paint the Light With My Mother’s Bones by K.J. Aspey, We Are Happy to Serve You by Margaret Dunlap, and Titan Retreat by Ria Rees. I probably resonated most with “Time and Art,” the longest of the four and also the most straightforward story, a parable-like tale about time and what we make of it. “I Paint the Light With My Mother’s Bones” is far and away the richest in metaphor and lyricism, with a girl in a transforming basement fighting off the dark, but by the same token, it was the hardest to grasp on the initial read. “We Are Happy to Serve You” is the shortest of the bunch, a small piece about automated food kiosks with a punchy ending. And “Titan Retreat” is a sometimes-poignant piece of character backstory that feels a bit incomplete on its own.
After the poetry and flash fiction, the issue returns to longer works for two final pieces. Knotty Girl by Melissa A. Watkins is a Black retelling of Rapunzel that leans into the unsettling elements. And the issue’s second novelette, A Truth So Loyal and Vicious by Fatima Taqvi, serves as an excellent capstone, with a folkloric story of prophecies and curses, the bond of sisterhood and a creature that trades magic for truth. Many of the themes are familiar, but they’re beautifully tied together.

May Favorites

• "A Conjure-Horse in San Ouvido" by Ferdison Cayetano (short story, F&SF)
• "Any Percent" by Andrew Dana Hudson (short story, GigaNotoSaurus)
• "Better Living Through Algorithms" by Naomi Kritzer (short story, Clarkesworld)
• "LOL, Said the Scorpion" by Rich Larson (short story, Clarkesworld)
• "Highway Requiem" by T.R. Napper (short story, F&SF)

You can also find this post on my blog, along with lots of novel reviews and a monthly round-up of short fiction I read outside my normal magazine rotation. (This was a great month there too, so I'm looking forward to writing up another post full of short fiction recs).

Whats up engineers, Me and my friends have been working on a new server the past few weeks and it is very nearly complete. We are looking for players to come and try it out to provide us with feedback for balancing and longevity of the game and ofcourse to join in. the server operates in GMT timezone and most of us live in the UK.
The concept is simple, its regular space engineers with a twist. We come from other open world pvp games like, ARK, Conan, Rust and Dayz and we are trying to replicate a similair gameplay loop in space engineers. Progression comes in the form of tiered tech and scarce resources. Players will have to go into space and visit the other planets in order to acquire every ore, while tierd tech is farmed from the inventories of NPC ships and stations and can be used to upgrade the performance of certain blocks.
the server isnt finished and things are subjet to change and there are things i still want to add, such as a custom faction for MES that has more pvp style ships and stations to provide challenging practice. I've attach a link to the discord where we have a guide, aswell as a snapshot of the suggested rules and the current block restrictions, we are not a wanna be gaming org just a bunch of sweaty gamers. i'll try to answer any questions in the replies below, Thanks for reading, I hope to hear from you soon. TLDR - Tags PvP - PvE - MES - NPC - ORP (Offline Raid Protection) - Friendly Rules - Block Restrictions - Scarce Resources - Small System Size - 2500km3 - Active Players - Still In Development - Feedback Wanted - Discord Link - https://discord.gg/fpaXKWuCxj -

Hey y’all, just wanting to offer a big ol’ list of what’s helping me deal with the day to day reality of raising a puppy. Everything from mental health stuff to supplies to practices etc.
For me:
-Noise cancelling headphones (since this one seems to be really provocative, ETA: they do not and cannot block out the noises my puppy makes. I do not ignore her and am constantly working my way down her hierarchy of needs. What the headphones CAN absolutely do is take the edge off her vocalizations so that I can continue to work patiently with training and correctly responding. My Apple Watch regularly lets me know her barks are coming in at 90+ decibels. I’m pretty noise sensitive and can get startled and overwhelmed by trying to do the right kind of training behaviors when there’s this intensity of noise. So I do my own environmental management so I can do right by my pup and myself and shape her behaviors for a lifetime of delightful companionship. If there are people out there who are also noise sensitive or who can find themselves overwhelmed or frustrated with their vocal puppy, I hope this helps a little!)
-R+ trainer I can text between sessions
-Getting on an anti-depressant with anxiolytic effects
-reminding myself that nothing, including the barking/biting/witching houteething lasts forever
-“hard pants” (jeans, chinos etc) that I don’t care about the dog ripping up
-covered, lace-less slip on house shoes and outside shoes
-Giving myself full permission to feel the whole range of emotions about the dog’s behavior
-unconditional permission to re-home if truly were unable to meet her needs long term
-magnetic treat pouch with waist strap and multiple pockets to wear so I always have “compensation” for good behavior
-upright carpet cleaner
-eco88 pet mess spray (no perfumes or fragrances, effective!)
-streaming camera(s) to monitor crate/pen/puppy proofed area behaviors without being physically present
For Puppy:
-White noise machine near crate
-R+ trainer
-Crate cover
-Spray cheese
-Freezable food toys (my pup prefers Toppls over Kongs) to encourage calming licking and create positive association with crate
-Puzzle feeders (Orbee-tuff Snoop, Bob-a-lot, fleece blanket rolled up with kibble inside and tied in a knot) - our pup hasn’t really eaten a meal out of a bowl …. Ever. Use kibble to train and/or put in feeders.
-So many baby gates
-Harness with both front and back clips
-chew-proof car tether
-back seat hammock/sling
-wide variety of treats (our trainer calls it trail mix)
-FortiFlora probiotic
-Dog bed(s) with washable covers
-Long-lasting chews that don’t upset her stomach (when she was little it was bully sticks, but now she’s a power-chewer and goes through them too quickly, but loves the Yak cheese chews and alligator Whimzees)
-cardboard, lettuce, celery, cabbage to shred
-indoooutdoor, washable, and/or polyester rugs that can take a beating
ETA: a specific place in the fenced back yard to encourage digging
-a hard-sided child’s pool we can put some water in
Solidarity and bon chance!

Im thinking allergies but also could be fungus in ears but i dont think that explains other symptoms? He also sneezes
I have a maltese-mini schnauzer mix, male, 9 months. I brush his hair twice a week, thats also when i clean his eyes. Wash him once every 3 weeks (very muddy here plus he is a pee chaser currently haha). I now clean his ears daily with a vet prescribed solution (antibacterial etc). The smell is almost gone but the itchiness persists.
The vet prescribed a broad spectrum antiparasitic (Nexgard Spectra), didnt help. I add a probiotic powder to his food every day and his poops are a bit better, but i havent noticed other change. However, im not sure im using the best probiotic (i only found one in my regular shop. I am not from the USA).
I also add salmon oil to his kibble. I am feeding Barking heads kibble and succesfully transitioning to Lilly’s kitchen now (he started rejecting barking heads after a few months since they changed formula a bit, loves Lillys). I changed his food a couple of times tryingn to get his digestion better (plus a very sensitive stomach so with a lot of foods he puked after even a bit) but am now convinced this kind od poop is just normal for him. During the day he varies between fully formed poops and soft, snaky looking ones. They are never very firm but the fully formed ones can be picked up easily without falling apart, whereas the snaky ones not so much. But its like that no matter what i feed (if i feed sth that doesnt agree with him its different colour, plus he starts farting smelly farts).
Otherwise, his hair and skin are perfectly fine, he is energetic, doesnt seem bothered or in pain (he gets cranky when sth bothers him) apart from scratching.
Vet said to come do allergy tests and if he is allergic they do ‘exposion’therapy (i dont know the english medical expression). However, medical care is not the best here and i want to be sure i am not missing sth obvious. I see a lot of ads for probiotics speaking about these very same issues, so maybe i just need a better probiotic?

What I'm curious about is the question in the title. Has it been negatively impacted, or positively changed? Feel free to share about dog owners too! Anyone who works full or part time can answer, & anyone who provides any kind of service - walking, boarding, daycare, house sitting, grooming, transportation, training, etc! 🌟
Background/rambling explanation as to why I ask LOL:
I grew up loving dogs & on a scale of 1-10, I was at a 20! 😆 I knew basic stuff like how to approach a dog, common kibble brands, & could recognize a lOt of different breeds. Once I was 17, I wanted to foster dogs but my mom said no. When I was 18, in July 2019, my brother bought a red golden retriever puppy who has since become my little sister named illari 💕. Once having illari, I've learned how difficult it is to take care of even a healthy dog that I know all the history of, & many social intricacies of being outside with a dog I didn't think of beforehand, so I gave up on trying to foster. My love for dogs went down to a 14, but as I said, I am still learning a lot from her, & I appreciate what I'm learning. I think the experience of having a "sibling" younger than me also is a big deal for me as I'm the baby of my human siblings 😂. I secretly love showing her off! I love how social she is with humans, seeing people happy to see her makes me smile too, & has certainly helped me be less shy! Illari is DEFINITELY my favorite family member!! 🤣🤣💓
Three years ago my brother started providing care (everything but training, grooming & transportation) over Rover, & I helped sometimes for boarded & daycare dogs as we lived together at the time. My opinion on dogs AND dog owners began to wain during this time. These past 6 months that I have started providing care myself full time, my love for dogs has gone down from a 14 to an 8, FINALLY on the scale of 1-10 LOLOL. 😂 While I understand ultimately at the end of the day a dog behaves the way it does bc of training - or most of the time a LACK of training, it's pretty hard to remember that EVERY moment when it's just you & the dog. There have been many times where I found myself with a pup & wishing I wasn't bc I was tired of having dogs, even if sometimes the dog I was with at the time was a dog I'm generally happy with. I've really learned how dogs are just like people - each dog has a flaw or two that may tick me off but generally they're a good pup so I'll have to just bare it. It's annoying too when you give advice to owners who've been clients of yours for a while so you think it'd be fine to do so, but they either don't care or seem a little offended. Most of the time it's how the dog pulls SUPER hard, or the dog had a sign of aggression towards me or dogs passing by on a walk. I usually do this when the owners themselves have mentioned prior that their dog had such issues with them at home. Weeks pass & it's clear there has been no implementation of my advice. I don't drop the dogs bc at the end of the day I can put up with the things I had talked to the owner about, & I know in life you may offer advice to someone but they don't have to follow it. Another annoyance of providing care that is strictly related to the owners is how they send requests at ANY time of day, 5am or even 11pm. It's fine I guess bc for many reasons I'm not a social person so I'm home anyway, I wish I was tho bc you're only 22 once right? 😅😂🤧😩 It's really infuriating to me how people don't even try to apply business hour mindset to us sitters - like fine 9-5 doesn't have to be it, but can't owners try to keep requests to 8am-8pm? 🤧😩😭 Once, a regular of mine asked for weekend boarding last minute, I told them no as I was going to the mass for my cousin who had just died of brain cancer. They got very angry with me bc it forced them to cancel their weekend with their girlfriends. It baffled me bc the first time I met them, she sobbed to me saying she was still recovering from the passing of her own husband dying from brain cancer.
I know every job in every industry, even people with their dream jobs, deal with burnout; but I think any burnout from being a pet care provider is a little different from most people's burnout bc dogs are animals part of many American families, & are often times even in our own homes! I feel really guilty for feeling this way, & those around me have noticed I'm not as dog crazy as I once was. Ironically I do consume more dog media now, & I still smile & pet dogs I see when I'm out on my own. Plus honestly, I'm kinda glad I became a dog care provider!! I am learning many things about customer service I didn't know already, learning a LOT about dog AND dog owner behavior 🤣, & I'm walking 2 or 5 hours a day, exploring parts of my neighborhood I most likely wouldn't have otherwise.
To end on a positive note, my favorite experience has been going to the wedding of a client. 💫 The couple had been leaving their pup with me for daycare for 9 months every time they had to do some wedding preparations, and the days of the wedding the lil boy stayed with me overnight, so I could bring him to the ceremony for the best man to walk him down the aisle. ☺️ I had never been to a wedding before, let alone be with a bride and her party in the bridal suite!!! I was so nervous I did a bunch of unprompted things - I dressed in my old corporate dress, and brought some of my own dogs grooming supplies to keep the special pup looking sharp in his little tux. The bride & groom had heard of me being able to groom him no problem unlike they could themselves, but seeing it in action was really surprising for them, it was so funny and adorable. 😂 I couldn't help but giggle a little when the boy got more cheers for walking down the aisle than the bride and groom!! I started tearing up when I saw the bride and groom exchange their vows, and some of the invited guests came up to me to pet the pup the short time I was there with him after the ceremony before I was sent back to my home with him. I would truly enjoy offering a service like that again, I think even the dog can tell it's a special day and has to be on their best behavior without prompting! 😂 It was such a delightful honor and privilege to be so intimately a part of a very important day for someone else.

I thought I'd take a few moments to write down some of my own personal advice.

• Get a rake and slicker for their coats. I recommend brushing at least once a week, but often more. It's easier to focus on one area, let's say side/back and then do a different part later. They tend to get annoyed, especially with raking. But keeping their coats clear helps them regulate temperature. One thing I've learned is that their coats, like human hair, will change over time. Different brushes will work better at different ages. I went back to an old brush recently and it works so much better.
  
• Dogs can get hotspots. It's kind of a generic, catchall term. like a stomach ache or common cold for a human. We don't generally worry about how we got those things, we just deal with symptoms. If you go to a vet, they will usually shave the area and prescribe stuff. I recommend not shaving your mal ever. Or avoiding it as much as possible. You can treat most hotspots yourself unless they are super bad. This is where brushing constantly comes in, because you'll catch hotspots before they become obvious because of matted/missing fur. If you look up the ingredients for hotspots it will be stuff like betadine and chlorhexidine. You can buy those without a prescription. If you find one, keep the area dry. Apply ointment of your choice, and keep your dog from getting at it. I use my dog hair dryer. That would kind of unclump the fur, dry the ointment, and keep the hotspot clear.
  
• They have dog wipes. You'll need the largest. They're basically baby wipes but for dogs. And they cost less because a baby has to go through a bit more rigorous quality controls. If you go to dog parks, I really recommend this. As dog parks have a concentration of other dogs excreting. And they're a good source of hotspots, etc. Much like humans get sick in winter because we're inside breathing on each other and touching common surfaces. I use one side for coat, bottoms of feet, etc, and one side strictly for butt. It will need cleaning. Oh, and I start by cleaning nostrils. They won't like it, but you'll likely come out with some stuff, and that's why you do it. They can't pick their noses.
  
• I recommend bathing your dog at least once every 3 months. But more is better. Once a month is about as much as I'd see unless you're using very gentle products. I do it myself, but I've used groomers many times. Not all are good with mals. And it can be pricey. I basically just give him a car wash. I wash my dog so much that we are part of google maps street view
  
• Dog's teeth don't get properly cleaned on their own. Their lifespan is far shorter than ours so they don't need teeth that last 85 years, but they do need some help. I recommend looking up Veterinary Oral Health Council approved products for dogs Kind of like the ADA for toothpaste and such. They don't approve much. I use ProDen plaque off powder. I've posted that here before, I think. I get their biggest tub and use slightly more than their recommendations. It lasts about a year. I use different treats and have no true goto. My dog likes them all, but I tend to focus on the VOHC approved. If you can brush your dog's teeth, awesome. But considering how hard it is to brush our own, and we can see it, feel it, have our tongues there, and aren't actively fighting, I believe it's fairly hopeless.
  
• Mal nails need trimming. This is especially true if they are urban dogs and deal with roads. The nails can crack and get tar and dirt and other stuff in them. Be very mindful of your dog's gait. Mals are tough mofos and they will very often not make any indications of pain, because that is a sign of weakness. You can use clippers, get groomers/vet to do it, or use a little sander. I do the sander. I've been using a dremel. He hates it. But it's a bit more gradual than clippers. And when you're dealing with black/dark nails, it's harder to find the quick. My dog's head had been bobbing and I didn't make much of it. He was so happy going out. And I sanded down his nails and found they had either been just too long or too beat up. No bob.
  
• Mals are working dogs. They need to work. 1-3 years old is brutal. I took up bike riding because I realized my body was going to fall apart before I tired him out. There are products where you can attach a pole to your seat and train them that way. But a scooter, skateboard, whatever, can work. It's not about a big backyard. That's not a job. They want to be with you. I live in an apartment. You could live in a closet as long as you go out with your dog regularly on adventures.
  
• Your dog will eat poison. If you whip up some chocolate covered cyanide with macadamia sprinkles, they'd eat it. Hydrogen peroxide will make them vomit. You can use a few fluid ounces in water with some food, then take them outside. In about 5-30 mins they'll puke up the poison. Don't do this with anything that could injure them on the way out. Like bones or sharp objects. Most "poison" things won't kill your dog. Or do much of anything. They're big, hardy animals. So use this method only in super extreme cases. Like they gobbled some prescription medicine. Real, serious poison.
  
• Mals have big stomachs. Their stomach acid is much stronger than ours, which his how they can eat garbage and not die. But that stomach acid needs to be working or it will work on its own stomach lining. If you see your dog occasionally vomiting a watery yellow substance, that's bile from their own stomach acid irritating them. They're just purging the excess. So if they're doing that, you need to space out meals/snacks more frequently to keep their stomach's occupied and not irritating themselves.
  
• Bloat is a thing and it's terrible to read about. It can happen. Just be aware of it. I don't want to preach anything since there is such inconclusive/contradictory evidence. Don't be paranoid or anxious. Just know the signs.
  
• Food. Dog food has become such a weird world. I recommend looking up dogfoodadvisor. They will at least break down the ingredients. The simple answers are that you do what is best for your dog, your budget. What is "best" for you dog? The easy well is to tell by their behavior and energy and their poop. Their poop is key. I just like writing poop. Poopery. Dog poop should resemble a snickers bar or pieces of snickers. A bit moist, brown. Unlike humans, dog poop should almost never change in coloconsistency. You want brown poop. Once your dog adjusts to a food, if it doesn't arrive at the write description, it's not good--for YOUR dog. Their food requirements change as they age. The pup foods mostly don't have much calcium. That's about the biggest difference. They grow so fast you don't want to make bones that can't reform. I had gone to senior dog food but have gone back to my previous. Because it was too small in size and I found my dog would swallow without chewing much. Large breed (kibble) size is helpful to get them chewing, which cleans their teeth and they enjoy doing. Everyone has different dog foods and they swear by them. Just do your own thing. A good trick for kibble is putting water in it. It makes it kind of gravy-fied and yummy. It also softens it depending on the age of your dog and will be less impactful to their digestion. I prefer kibble. But that is me and my doggo. You do you.
  
• Mals are stubborn and strong and workers. Keep them occupied. I play all sorts of games with my dog. I will put on long oven mitts so we can wrestle really hard. He knows then he can bite. Just accidentally, your arm moving, his head moving, those teeth will hurt. You can hide individual kibble and get them to find it. A game he loves and it's low calorie. Whatever you and your dog like. But mals want to be working. With you. There's two clauses to that statement.
  
• Dog fur gets everywhere, on and in, everything. I have a number of quotes on this. I say if people ask about shedding, even mention the word, this isn't the dog for you. You will never get all the fur. Ever. You can have 50 vacuums going nonstop. I also say my dog blows his coat twice a year--for ten months total. But that is partially because I live in a warmer climate. But they shed. I have a super vacuum. I have a super dog drier. I have all sorts of stuff. I wake up with dog fur on my face, in my hair. 100 years after I'm dead and gone, there will be dog fur here. I don't care. I can't care or I will go insane.
  
• I have dog lights for when I go out at night. A little light on his collar that hangs down. I get a lot of comments on it. Your dog is low profile compared to a car or a person on a bike. And cars and people on bikes get hit by cars all the time. Or hit by other bikes.
  
• They're beautiful animals and can be super friendly to all manner of humans and creatures. I've got millions of pictures of my dog with random babies and puppies and whatever. I'm doxing myself, but my dog even made it on the news in a fluff piece, at about 56 seconds crows in the park They're wonderful, clowning dogs. But people can be fearful of them because of their size and appearance. I have a bunch of canned replies. When people says it looks like a wolf, I say it's because they use mals in movies and tv shows to pretend to be wolves because they will hang out on movie sets and not eat your actors. But if people are afraid, that's on them. Don't push it. Be respectful.
  

Whew, that's all I can think of for now. And I have to take the dog out.

It's been some years like that now, but why don't dinos make a unique splashing sound when walking through water anymore? I always liked that detail, but it somehow disappeared for me. Even after reinstalling the game multiple times. Playing with the Ark Additions mod, I noticed that the Deinotherium is still making splashing sounds when walking through water. I compared it with a regular Yutyrannus in a video.
https://reddit.com/link/13qqc1l/video/c75d2wsx2t1b1/player