I live in the US and I haven’t noticed any xenophobia. I have heard a couple of people refer to “Russians” like we are a monolith but they were still understanding of someone like me who is very anti-war.

You can still leave but you might have to jump through hoops. My mom had to go to Kazakhstan to get an American visa to come visit me because all embassies are closed in Russia.

Heights. There was some movie or show where people were hanging from a skyscraper window after an earthquake, and I regularly have vivid nightmares about it. It’s not to the point of a phobia but a really strong fear. I went up the Seattle space needle with my husband, and he was clowning against the glass while I was only able to stay in the middle. Had nightmares about him falling or me falling off it ever since.

Haven’t decided on the holiday plans yet, but my husband and I always go for a weekend getaway in the mountain town of Estes Park in Colorado, USA in early January.

We rent a cabin with a hot tub, eat at nice restaurants, and get couples massages. The town is quiet and sleepy after the holiday rush, but all the nice little shops are still open. It’s like our own Winter Wonderland.

And there is something magical about sitting in the hot tub looking at the stars while snow is all around you. We save up all year for this trip, and it’s totally worth it.

It really depends, I try to listen to my body and think of whether I’ve had enough water and food and sleep, then fixing the issue accordingly by either hydrating, eating, or taking a short nap (or doing yoga nidra).

If none of those are the issue or if the nap is not possible, I will try some caffeine (coffee in the morning, cacao in the afternoon).

And if I have a chance, I will listen to some brainwave music that stimulates beta waves in the brain for concentration.

Finally, meditation helps me. It can be a nice pick-me-up and an opportunity to recalibrate and reset.

Thank you for making this post, it reminded me that I didn’t knit all week, and now I’m motivated to go do that.

My husband’s main hobby is collecting baseball cards, but he also makes money buying and selling them (along with Pokémon and MTG). He was always a bit embarrassed of this hobby until he learned he has autism and it’s just his special interest. Now he understands and accepts himself better. And that’s hella attractive.

Going to a mountain lake overnight and staying in a tiny cabin with my husband. The night sky was full of stars, and it was so beautiful.

I’m going to tell a story on behalf of my husband.

He was 13 and in Boy Scouts. Their troop was told that some older scouts went missing and the troop had to look for them. They formed patrols and were searching for over 3 hours when the leaders said that the older scouts were located; one of them was disemboweled and needed a medical helicopter to come from Denver. That was the “oh, crap!” moment…

Turns out the whole thing was staged. No one ever went missing. They just wanted the troop to learn how to do search and rescue. There were younger scouts there who were crying and terrified, definitely scarred by the experience.

And that’s how things were done back in the 80s.

My family

Breakfast this morning was bomb

My dog gave me the best kisses this morning

Hazel had knee surgery on her left hind leg a month ago, so we went in for follow-up x-rays. Turns out this silly girl somehow broke her RIGHT hind leg in the meantime. No idea how, she doesn’t seem to be in pain or uncomfortable. It’s her tibia. The vet said there is nothing to do, just let it heal. 🤦‍♀️

From afar, I love the food. I’d love to visit and learn more about the country but as a woman I don’t feel safe going there.

I would keep working part time because I love my job (psychotherapist). I would also garden, knit, go camping a lot, learn a musical instrument, write fiction and non-fiction books, have a podcast about mental health, and spend more time with friends. Traveling would also be a favorite.

I will always upvote IASIP!

I’ve heard of that app before! I may check it out and go exploring. Give those giganerds something to work on :D

It comes with fiber and nutrients!

I think it’s a species from the genus Chlorociboria, but I’m not sure.

That would break my heart too! Our new(ish) dog doesn’t like my son (it’s a long story, he did nothing wrong, she just has trauma). I can see his eyes sinking when she barks at him. I’m sorry your cat is not showing you as much love!

Honestly, I think this one wins, maybe tied with the “what are your communication cues.” Let them decide what’s important, even if it’s trivial for us.

Thank you, I guess I am a tech potato compared to the rest of people of fediverse. I appreciate the tip!