Intuition is real. Vibes are real. Energy doesn’t lie. Tune in.
This is actually called thin slicing. Your brain recognizes patterns from very small “slices” of information by comparing them to things you have experienced before. This all happens very quickly on a subconscious level without our conscious mind being involved. So intuition is actually really fast pattern recognition, and it can be very accurate. So yeah, if you have a gut feeling that a person or situation is not good, get the hell out. Your brain knows what’s up.
…to some extent, BUT it’s also worth noting that some of the main cues we recognize in thin slice behaviors are:
So it is SUPER EASY for that rapidly detected info to feed into pre-existing biases. You may be getting a danger vibe because you were raised in a racist society.
That’s the dark side of the Dog Discourse. The same brain cleverness that can instantly recognise 900 types of dogs at a distance is also responsible for snap judgements and their consequences.
Further, you know how we discussed training your brain to add new types of dogs to your dataset? Each new type of dog that you encounter strengthens the associations and characteristics that define your personal concept of “Doggo.”
Now consider what happens when you turn on the news and see a brown-skinned person associated with words like “crime.” How many of the faces of color you see on the news have negative associations: terror, mugshot, crime, shooter, suspect.
Probably the quickest way to test your own programming is to take an Implicit Assosciation Test. super fast, take it online, you can do it on your phone or computer, it’s like a game. Harvard has a lot of them here: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html
After you click through the disclaimer you can take a bunch of tests. Race – as demonstrated by black faces vs white faces – is at the very bottom of the page. There are lots of other ones where you can test your own bias against weight, gender, age, etc.
Depressed yourself thoroughly yet? Well, you can cheer yourself up. If you deliberately use the test to try to associate positive things with images you were biased against, you can reprogram your responses on the test, and eventually on the street.
That’s not to say that intuition doesn’t have an important part to play in personal safety. Gavin de Becker’s book “the gift of fear” has sold many copies on this topic.
(Whenever someone mentions “the gift of fear” then the Social Justice Greek Chorus always has to sing “that book is problematic” and then the harmony has to sing “that book saved my life,” so then the OP is forced to stand in the spotlight and deliver a long solo disclaiming all the problems, like a dwarven opera. This book has some Problems about gender, gay relationships, and everyone must skip the chapter on domestic abuse.)
Why do blinds have 2 strings to adjust the height of their opposing sides? Why would you want to make the blinds crooked?
hey! so that’s because that’s how they are constructed! it keeps them happy and balanced so they don’t sag over time. but pro tip from someone who used to sell them for a living: lower your binds to, like, the lowest you will ever have them…so they are resting on the sill. tie a knot in the two strings at the very top. they will always raise and lower at the same height. no more wonky blinds!!
if you are like wtf are blinds and where do i get them???
roller shades are, like, grandma style but they also block light really well. ikea might still sell them?? don’t tho. just…please don’t. hanging these is the worst experience you’ll ever have in your life.
solar blinds (type of roller shade) are the modern version. they let you look out, but they are also expensive af.
slatted blinds are anything that have slats in them – mini blinds (usually vinyl or metal), faux (fake) wood, wood, etc. wood blinds are not great on wide windows because they will get heavy.
pleated shades are the ones like the fans you folded in fourth grade. cellular shades are like pleated, but honeycombed in the middle. like a double pleated shade. bad for allergies, great for solar insulation.
vertical blinds are the work of the devil. do NOT.
oh roman shades are beautiful. there are like a dozen different kinds and they tend to be expensive, but they are a++++
woven!! my favorite. the warmth of wood without the heavy price (or heaviness. wooden blinds are heavy af)
where to buy them??
woven blinds are cheap at jcpenney and big lots.
target + walmart have blinds but you get what you pay for
lowe’s is actually really great for blinds, especially if they are on sale. stay away from their custom made-to-measure bullshit and go for the ready-made aisle. they can cut those down to your exact size!
blinds things:
internal mount means inside the window frame. these generally look better, but external/outside mount (on your frame or on the wall above your window frame) will block more light (think: bedroom).
here’s how to measure for blinds. you have to use an honest to god tape measure, not a cloth tape measure, you do have to measure at all three points because windows are rarely square, and you do have to measure each window, even if they look the same, because that 1/4″ difference will make a difference every.fucking.time.
buy blinds and curtains with a liner, if you can afford them. they will look nicer from the road and last longer, but it’s okay if you can’t!!
motherfucker, hanging blinds is super intimidating sounding but it’s actually a great starter diy project. you will definitely need a drill, but borrow one from a friend and go to town!!
cordless is awesome, but beware the cheap ones because the mechanism can wear out quickly and then the novelty is GONE. better to buy corded and raise the strings if you’re worried about safety?
safety? blinds cords are choking hazards for little people! some have the break-away strings, but lots don’t. blinds should come with a little bracket to screw into the wall, but no worries if not! hang a nail or screw or one of these from amazon or a mini command strip to act as a cord wrap.
if you don’t like the knobs (or cheap ass plastic mini lampshades) on your pull strings, slide it up along the cord. you will see a knot. untie the knot. thread something else there…a bead…or several beads…or even like a keychain?? fuck you bead letters?? a friendship bracelet? this can be a cute way to customize blinds if you rent. save the tiny lampshade for when you move out though.
can you mix and match blinds??
not in the same room, but if you have adjoining rooms…sort of. some people want everything the same, but blinds which are great in a kitchen might not be appropriate for a living room.
i have softer woven blinds in my living room & 2″ (that’s the width of the slates) in my kitchen. compromise? they are both white. different styles suit the different rooms though.
one thing to consider is how it might look from the street? having a bunch of different colored blinds might be an issue for your building/neighborhood.
light-blocking
holy fuck, light blocking. light blocking blinds are expensive as hell, but light blocking curtains are cheap at target. light blocking liners are at target and wal-mart. they work best with clips, but those can add up quickly. lbr you can safety pin them to the back of the other curtains (use the back of the other curtain’s hem so it doesn’t poke through.)
CURTAINS, AMIRIGHT???
curtains are the difference sometimes between a college room and a ‘holy fuck, i’m an adult’ room. but, like, what if you want a better room now?? those cheap ass mini blinds dont keep the campus lights out of your eyes at night? you want something softer and nicer? you do not want to spend like seventy thousand dollars on blinds and curtains because have you seen those prices??
first of all, let me say that there are some Rules about hanging curtains:
if you are hanging curtains, go high and wide. like wider than the window by at least 6″ on either side and as high as you can afford to go.
standard curtain length is like 84″ inches but this ISNT LONG ENOUGH. do not. please. do not buy 62 or 54″ curtains. my heart can’t take it. if you must, you must, but don’t tell me about it.
curtains look best when they barely skim the ground and are hung just below the ceiling (or halfway between the top of the window and ceiling). this is usually around 95″
also, there are two kinds of standard curtain rods: decorative and the ugly af metal utility ones. nly use the ugly af if you are covering them w/ a valance (dont use valances for real tho).
so the thing they always talk about is fullness. go fuller if you can! the industry rule of thumb is 2-3X the width of your window. so you have a 60″ window, you need 120-180″ of fabric for it to look ‘full’…but that can make you go bankrupt, so go with as much fullness as you can reasonably afford.
OH! so like there’s sheer (see-through. generally don’t).
linen are far superior to sheer in terms of still light & airy and looking nice w/out going grandma. vintage lace is great if that’s ur aesthetic but the new stuff tends to look cheap-ass. look @ estate sales, auctions, and weekday garage sales for these. tweed + heavier are Big Mood curtains. go to TARGET, find some, and order the 95″ online. or bed-bath-beyond and buy them one by one w/ the coupons.
colors! tbh i prefer a neutral curtain instead of a statement…i buy nicer, investment curtains and don’t want to replace them in 2 years because my love affair w/ Chartruse did not last forever, no matter what 2014 me though. white curtains against a vibrant color is in itself contrast & great. neutrals include: black, grey, browns, white, beige, even navy. look up some color theory stuff. there is nothing wrong with Chartruse curtains! curtains are easier to change out than, say, a couch, but people get tired of shit faster than you think. replacing pillows is a hell of a lot cheaper than replacing a wall full of curtains 🙂
ALWAYS PICK OUT YOUR PAINT COLOR LAST. HONESTLY. there are walls of paint colors and they can color match anything. get your curtains, bedding, rug, pillows, whatever first. you don’t know how many ppl came through my doors wanting curtains to match the Color of the Year and weeping when, surprise, nothing matched. tbh look up ‘basic color theory’ to know what colors go with what. i can’t teach you this in this post but look it up. ask ur color-savvy friend to go w/ u if this is Not Your Thing.
cheap-ass guide to curtains
obviously, curtains are like a luxury many ppl cant afford! blankets on a window…you do what you’ve got to do so ppl don’t see you changing or sleeping or fucking. but curtains can make a room look softer and layered and polished. great for privacy + hiding nasty plastic blinds. they can also be expensive af. like, obviously, if you have the money to buy 95″ lined draperies, drapery rods, good for you suzan, this post isn’t for you. if you are anyone else… keep reading.
every store has a clearance curtain section. ask someone. it will save your life. i never (hardly ever) buy curtains unless they are on clearance. i scored light blocking curtains for $5 each. change of seasons (for the stores changing out their merch) is the best time to do this!!
THRIFT STORES…u’d be surprised! salvation army hasn’t yet started marking up their curtains. avoid goodwill…they are the devil’s work. but thrift stores. think church fucking garage sales. thing those facebook varage sale sights. even craigslist. do not put yourself into harm’s way for 95″ sheer curtains…but do check out thrifted options before buying new. most curtains can be washed and hung to dry or tumble dried for sanitation.
ikea is the best, honestly, for new curtains at a long length. you can sew or bribe someone to sew w/ cookies or use the no-sew iron stuff (cheap at walmart)
even wal-mart curtains are ok. not great but better than nothing?? if you have a room that is, like, cold and you want to warm it up…go with curtains.
also, if having something on the window is more important than length, you can literally buy a sheet from goodwill, cut it in half, and fold the edges over with seam tape (also at wal-mart). hang them with the little curtain clips. they may be a little short (probs) but if you need something on the fly, these work.
cheap cotton yardage at walmart or hobby lobby…like the $1-3 cottonn fabric, and a bottle of rit dye are ur friend my friend. you can go BRIGHT AND BOLD or subtle or even tie-die. whatever you want. those already have sealed side seams so you just have to worry about the hem and the top.
ask all the adults you know if they have extra curtains they don’t want. you will get some ugly ass sins in your great aunt’s closet but your cousins who are 10 years older than you?? they might have something.
JUST, please…wash the curtains before you hem them, whether you sew or use the iron-on stuff. they shrink! same for ikea curtains.
or leave them unhemmed. we’ve all been there.
curtain rods??? who invented these fucking things??
if you need them on the cheap, without damaging your walls:
buy a craft dowel rod from the hardware/craft store. thicker guage for heavier curtains. use your common sense.
or a pvc pipe and use rubbing alcohol to get the markings off. the hardware store will cut it for you
jumbo command strips (they make these white and in all metallic finishes)
they also make spray paint in all the metallic finishes so you can spray your pvc + craft store paint to match if you want
you can spray paint shit even if you rent or at college. just get like a $1.50 plastic tarp from walmart or flatten boxes and go to town. except not on a windy day. (my fellow tenants knew me as ‘the girl who was always spray painting shit in the back parking lot.)
other cheap curtain rod ideas
it sounds ridiculous, but again, ask the adults in your life if they have curtain rods they do not want. you will get loads. on almost any curtain rod, you can screw the end piece (finial) off. and a can of spray paint goes a long, long way. or even acrylic paint!! the 1.45 craft paint at walmart if you want black or white. just seal it or it will bleed on your curtains.
you can even use wire and the ikea ceiling wire + brackets in a pinch. fuck. hang oversized nails and string some picture wire. get the ikea curtain rings and you have industrial vibes.people use copper piping and it’s expensive as hell?? don’t fall for that.
tbh buy pvc + end caps (wider pvc + fittings if your curtains are heavier) and spray paint it. no one’s going to look that closely. maybe they will? maybe they will be like ‘that is a brilliant idea. i regret the $200 i spent on my curtain rods’
OH. like, the plant holder hooks…the celing ones. you know, the ones your grandma had her macrame hanging pots from? those work with a wooden dowel rod in a pinch. they come in all colors and are strong af.
big lots actually has decent looking curtain rods if you need them on the cheap. also wal-mart and target.
a 2″ tension rod on the inside of the window frame if you really need something NOW
if you just need privacy, they make frosted window stickers. not all are created equal but check out amazon.
omg i could go on but i’ve ranted about curtains for an hour.
In my first apartment I did curtains by folding cheap unbleached muslin in half, sewing them together a little bit below the fold, threading wooden dowels through and hanging the dowels off brass cuphooks. Left unhemmed, pretended it was shabby chic.
(Counts on fingers) then we had… something that came with the place, then ikea, then a narrowboat and my MIL made handmade roman shades for the big windows and I made DIY upholstered round porthole bungs, @ me if you want to know how,
Now we live in a house, and let me tell you,
I may be broke af but there is nothing, NOTHING like going to one of those websites that makes ANY custom window treatment you can dream of for £100, and pointing to exactly what you want, AND THEN THEY JUST SEND IT TO YOU!!!!! I mean sure, you can buy food and shoes for that money, but. Listen. I have 2 roman blinds in my life, and they give me Joy.
If you’re fat, you’re going to have a rough time getting health insurance. You probably won’t get regular checkups and preventive care, and any health problems you might have (completely unrelated to your weight) will be a lot worse whenever you finally do see a doctor.
Even if you have health coverage, you probably avoid going to the doctor if you’re fat. So you’re in the same situation. Why do you avoid going to the doctor? Every time you walk into a doctor’s office, the first thing they want you to do is step on a scale. Then you get the lecture, or the belittling remark, or worse, the weight loss advice. You figure, as long as you feel okay, why risk it? You don’t pay for abuse in any other setting, right? You value your mental health, so you stay away.
If you’re fat and you do visit the doctor, he or she might decide to treat your weight, rather than your symptoms. You get a diet, rather than a diagnosis. The doctor says all your ills are caused by your fat. Six months later, you still have sharp pains in your heel or nasal congestion or shooting lights in your vision. So you find a new doctor. This time you actually get treatment for your plantar fasciitis or your sinus infection or your brain tumor. (These examples are based on actual cases.)
Your doctor may not like fat people. A recent study found that fat women are a third less likely to get breast exams, gynecologic exams, or Pap smears. An exception: Fat and thin women get mammograms equally often. (The authors said that doctors may do exams more readily if they don’t have to touch fat patients.) Fat women are at increased risk for certain scary cancers (breast, cervical, endometrial, ovarian). Getting less preventive care, researchers concluded, may “exacerbate or even account for” this increased risk. It’s not the fat that kills us, it’s the fat hatred.
this is so powerful. it’s fatshaming/phobia masqueraded in “health concerns”. is misogyny, women are valued for their bodies.
But What About Your Health?
By Marilyn Wann
From Fat!So? Because You Don’t Have to Apologize For Your Size
Urocyon's Jaunts 2.0 
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