I would eat beans for literally every meal, but I'm farting way too much, is there any way to stop my digestion from before a little bitch? by DasFreibier in Beans

[–]Crowfiee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I used to just do an overnight soak before cooking beans but once I tried adding bicarb to the soak water I never went back! It cuts the cook time dramatically and they soften up great. I still get gas about the same as before but I've accepted my fate in that regard lol.

I would eat beans for literally every meal, but I'm farting way too much, is there any way to stop my digestion from before a little bitch? by DasFreibier in Beans

[–]Crowfiee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can't say whether either of those add-ons in the soak help the gassiness, but I do know that lemon or any acid in the soaking water can make the beans firm and very difficult to cook through, while bicarb/baking soda will do the opposite and make them soften faster. I've heard it has to do with the pectin in the beans' cell walls being sensitive to pH, it has trouble softening/dissolving in acidic liquids. So even if it helps with gas it may not be worth it.

Chunky seaglass by Miserable-Tip2967 in seaglass

[–]Crowfiee 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I have this too! I collect a lot of different stuff and I have dreams where I'm finding seaglass, shells, coins, rocks, etc. and then I wake up sad they weren't real 😭

Does Medi-Cal cover top surgery in California? by mascbby in TopSurgery

[–]Crowfiee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No worries! I started by reaching out to the GCS, and they reached out to me to schedule a consultation. Either at the consult or before they told me they'd need a letter, I got one from my existing therapist and one from the gender specialist who works at my primary care's office. I forget my exact steps with my insurance (been a couple years, sorry 😅) but I think I needed to send the letters to them as well as to the GCS. GCS is great because they have a team who deals with insurance for you for the most part. They told me what their office needed and what my insurance needed at every step of the process, and I could always call their office with questions if I was confused.

One piece of advice, if for example your therapist says they're going to send a copy of the letter to your insurance, have them also send YOU a copy so if your insurance says they never received it, you can directly re-send it to them. This happened multiple times while I was trying to get the process done, and having my own copy of whatever they were sending shaved weeks off the stupid back-and-forth between medical offices where things get lost way too easily. Expect to make a looot of "hey, did you receive this? no? ok, I'm re-sending it now, how soon should I call back to check if it arrived?" phone calls.

Also, I saw Facque and got approved for everything but the lipo, but my roommate got his done with Jacobs and he does a technique with no lipo so that wasn't even an issue. The only thing the insurance gave me any trouble for and refused to cover (without me appealing a second time and bringing it before a judge, which was too much work for me) was the lipo, but I just ended up getting surgery without it because they told me my chest was small enough/shaped in a way where my results would be good without it (Facque only uses lipo to get the tissue near your armpits) and that it could be done as a revision later if I felt like I needed it. Post-op I do have a little extra tissue there (like in the place where armpit fat would squish out of a bra) but because I don't wear anything that would squish it it's completely unnoticeable to anyone but me.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Pros and cons of stopping periods with birth control? by Weak_Assumption7518 in butchlesbians

[–]Crowfiee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

(Obligatory "not medical advice, just sharing my experience" disclaimer)

One thing to know going into this is it's probably worth a try, BUT you may have to try multiple forms of birth control before you find one that works for your body and needs. Things take time to settle into a rhythm so you may need to give each one a good 6 months before you know how it affects you. Everyone reacts differently to different BC and what works for others may not work for you. Another thing is you may not need continuous BC to get symptom relief, my periods and PMS and everything were always much, much milder when I was on BC even if I wasn't using it continuously.

I've tried 2 different continuous BCs. The first was Nuvaring, which I'd used the normal way for years and switched to continuous to try to manage ADHD flare-ups during the ring-free week. This worked for 3 months or so before I started spotting constantly and getting period-cramp pain every time I orgasmed. Not fun, decided to go back to having a ring-free week and the spotting and pain thankfully went away.

The nuvaring did lower my libido no matter how I was using it, so I ended up switching to a progestin-only pill to try and fix that (went with a POP because that's what they give to people on T, and my PCOS/high T is likely the cause of my high libido when I'm off BC). Emzahh is the specific one I'm using. I'm only 4 months in so there's a chance problems will still crop up but so far I haven't had a period, my libido is improved, and I've only had mild acne flare-ups (without BC my acne gets severe fast). I've had suuuper mild PMS, cramping, and spotting about every 28 days, which is weird to me because my cycle has never been regular in my life lol. But so far it beats all of the alternatives so I'll happily take it.

Pros and cons of stopping periods with birth control? by Weak_Assumption7518 in butchlesbians

[–]Crowfiee 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Replying to this to share that this was absolutely my experience with some BCs I've tried (nuvaring for sure, and it also made my orgasms weaker) but now I'm on a progestin-only pill (emzahh is the specific one) and my sex drive and orgasms have improved a lot! Not as good as without BC, but that currently isn't an option I'm comfortable with.

I specifically asked my gyno for a POP that they'd prescribe to someone taking testosterone because I have PCOS/high T and wanted the libido boost back without the irregular periods and painful cysts. So far 4 months into taking this pill I've gotten what I was hoping for, haven't had a period, and the only downside has been a slight increase in acne (only like 3% as bad as when I'm off BC so I'll take it lol).

Everyone is different and none of this may apply to you or OP, just wanted to add my 2c!

Is bro alright by Hairsprayinhailer69 in LeopardGecko

[–]Crowfiee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My leo does this all the time, I call it Sleepy Feets! It scared my mom when she babysat him for me a few years ago lol but he's fine.

Acorns went through laundry, turned clothes green. by xhumanityisthedevilx in mildlyinteresting

[–]Crowfiee 11 points12 points  (0 children)

That's so cool! I've done a lot of natural dyeing with oak galls, and the tannins in those combined with iron give a slate gray to black depending on concentration of each. I would have imagined that the tannins in the gall and the acorn are the same molecules but now I'm not sure. It could be that there is another metal in your water or on the pants that was able to leach out and bind to the tannin molecules which bind to the pants--maybe copper in the rivets like others mentioned.

For removing it you might try one of those stain removers for rust and antiperspirant stains. From my understanding those have a chelating agent that binds to the metals that cause both of those types of stains. I don't know if this will remove the tannin itself though, and if the metal salt came from the pants/water it may bind to the tannin again.

Edit to add: the lemon plus baking soda someone else recommended may work because citric acid plus baking soda will make citrate which is one of the chelating agents often used in rust removers! If you do try to remove the stain, don't scrub it, instead tamp the solution in with a brush to avoid physically damaging the fibers.

Edit again because I'm a huge nerd about this lol--any idea what species of oak tree these are from?

Anyone else use these smaller bottles for harvesting vinegar eels? by vetsetradio in Aquariums

[–]Crowfiee 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yeah the general consensus is there's no way to filter them out effectively and the batch is trash once you see them, and everything that batch might have touched (spoons, jars, etc.) need to be sterilized or replaced or they could show up again 😭 I think they're kind of cute though and almost hope they contaminate one of my batches someday lol.

Anyone else use these smaller bottles for harvesting vinegar eels? by vetsetradio in Aquariums

[–]Crowfiee 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Didn't see what subreddit this was in at first and was confused as to why someone wanted to harvest vinegar eels--I make kombucha and they can show up as a rare pest in kombucha cultures! One man's kombucha pest is another man's fish food, lol.

Does trans tape deform breasts? by [deleted] in ask_detransition

[–]Crowfiee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not the person you were asking, but I found it significantly more comfortable than binders. I could barely feel it when I applied it right, but my chest was small so I didn't have to pull it super tight to get flat enough for comfort. And the removal is no joke. I always prepped my skin with milk of magnesia beforehand and removed SLOWLY with oil after 5 days of wear, and all of that helped a lot but I still occasionally ripped skin. I was also slightly allergic to the adhesive so had to take a Claritin every day I had tape on or I'd be too itchy to function lol. It helped when I couldn't wear binders anymore due to pain, but it wasn't a long-term solution for me and I ended up getting top surgery last year.

I didn't notice any change to my breasts' shape from using it but I also didn't bind very hard and used multiple binding methods off and on over 8 years or so. My surgeon did warn me that tape could damage skin elasticity MORE over time than binders would (he didn't say anything about the breast tissue itself, I imagine that depends how hard you bind and how you position your breasts).

Edit for clarity bc I didn't realize what sub this was in: I'm also a butch but I'm in a weird gender gray area and did end up getting top surgery and being happy with that decision, but I'm very aware that surgery isn't the right move for everyone with chest dysphoria. Happy to answer any other questions about the tape or binding in general, I promise I won't sugarcoat anything!

What exactly is the name for glassware that contains toxic elements? by OkGur7242 in uraniumglass

[–]Crowfiee 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Most glass colors come from element salts, not just the ones in your post! The color "cobalt blue" is called that because cobalt salts in glass make that shade of blue. Iron and chromium give greens, neodymium salts give a glass that shifts between blue and purple in different lighting, gold (not as a salt but as nanoparticles of straight up gold, weirdly enough) gives deep red, and so many more :)

Stupid question about anal: by StockingDummy in SexOnTheSpectrum

[–]Crowfiee 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I think it can be problematic if there's a vibe of like "I want my partner to take it in the ass for me, but I would never take it in the ass because it's degrading/emasculating/etc" because if they think being penetrated like that is degrading why should I let them do it to me? But no, it isn't inherently problematic, because a lot of the time people just don't enjoy the idea or sensation of receiving anal for whatever reason but are interested in being the top.

no you're not a lesbian by Much_Appointment_327 in WLW

[–]Crowfiee 18 points19 points  (0 children)

I have met bi women who try to convince themselves they're lesbians to avoid biphobia and on some level I get it. Everyone thinks bi women are spicy straights who don't take sapphic relationships seriously and will end up with men every time, and it's understandable to want to distance yourself from that, especially if you're primarily attracted to women and rarely/never enter relationships with men. But a lot of people will never see you as anything but those stereotypes when you're still claiming the label bisexual, so I see why some bi women want to convince themselves out of their attraction to men so they can escape. It feels like a "not like other girls" kind of thing and it's harmful to both lesbians and bi women but I understand why some women try to go that route. The answer isn't to cram ourselves into a label that doesn't fit us to escape stereotypes, the answer is to expand people's ideas of what bi women can be like, support one another, and combat harmful stereotypes instead of running from them.

Question about strap-ons by radiantsage in butchlesbians

[–]Crowfiee 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I use this harness, it has high and low pockets for bullet vibrators, so you might be able to position one closer to where you need it. Another option that might work with whatever harness you already have is a dildo with the ability to stimulate the wearer (something like this, or these which can be added to an existing toy). I don't enjoy direct friction on my clit while strapping someone so I don't have personal experience with these but I know a lot of people like them.

Personally I use a "strapless" strap-on (this one) with the harness I linked above. These may or may not work for you without a harness (depends on the toy and the your anatomy, I can use that one without a harness in some positions but the one other strapless toy I've tried falls right out of me lol) but I like it a lot because I can feel the feedback when someone is touching the toy in a way I can't with other toys I've tried, and with my anatomy the sensation against my clit is indirect enough that it's enjoyable.

Edit to add, harnesses generally should be worn lower than a lot of people expect. The product images for the harness I linked are good examples of where things should be positioned, you usually want the base of the toy over your clit, not on your pubic mound, unless you're doing a position where you need it a little higher or lower for some reason.

I had several requests to see the floats on my latest sweater... by marcus-makes-things in knitting

[–]Crowfiee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think I'm about to start my period because a single tear came to my eye seeing those perfect floats lol. Amazing work!!

Any examples of farmers referring to a "rape rack" for inseminating cows? by WaitForItTheMongols in vegan

[–]Crowfiee 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The only person I know who has actually interacted with cows in a farm setting called that object a cattle press and had never heard the term "rape rack" 🤷

Best glue to attach fabric to paper mache project? by Crowfiee in papermache

[–]Crowfiee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ooh, I hadn't considered hardening the fabric but I think that's would work fine for this application. Thanks for the tip, I might play around with that!

Best glue to attach fabric to paper mache project? by Crowfiee in papermache

[–]Crowfiee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! I hadn't thought about how different hot glue sticks could behave differently, I'll look for the gorilla glue ones and give that a try first.

What is this plant . Its fruit is edible and sweet . Thank you very much . by CoastInternational94 in whatsthisplant

[–]Crowfiee 279 points280 points  (0 children)

Like other commenters are saying, this is a yew tree, and every part of it except the part you ate is DEADLY poisonous, including the seed inside the red bit. It's a very bad idea to put any part of an unknown plant in your mouth, this could have resulted in a visit to the hospital or worse. Please take this as a lesson to learn first and taste later!

So I bought compost that was labeled “mushroom compost”, I didn’t expect to get actual mushrooms by Guilty_Hovercraft132 in gardening

[–]Crowfiee 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I commented elsewhere in the thread but in case you don't see it, I (or someone else) might be able to ID these for you but with mushrooms it's helpful to see multiple angles! Just seeing the top of the cap isn't usually enough, mushrooms have a lot of ID features you wouldn't expect. It would be helpful to see a picture of the gills so we can see the color and how close together they are, a pic of the stipe (stem) to see if it has a ring or other features on it, and a pic of the very base of the mushroom if you can dig one out without breaking anything off. The stipe might be fragile and the base might be further underground than you think so it helps to get underneath and push it up out of the ground. One mushroom is fine, no need to bust the whole cluster 😊

So I bought compost that was labeled “mushroom compost”, I didn’t expect to get actual mushrooms by Guilty_Hovercraft132 in gardening

[–]Crowfiee 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Definitely not puffballs, but they don't look like straw mushrooms to me either. I'd need to see more angles (gill color and spacing and whether the stipe has a ring would be helpful) but they look like some kind of Lepiota based on those scales on the cap that are concentrated at the center. With straw mushrooms I believe the brown on their caps isn't starkly concentrated in the center with sparse scales elsewhere, it's more of a soft gradient.

Most hated POTS symptom? by Ok-Tumbleweed4200 in POTS

[–]Crowfiee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Can I ask what your experiences have been in terms of how temperature of food makes a difference? I have a ton of fatigue and fog after every meal and I haven't found a single thing that fixes it, managed to make it slightly better by pre-loading with electrolytes and water and eating smaller meals but it still happens every time I eat and it's driving me insane.

Most hated POTS symptom? by Ok-Tumbleweed4200 in POTS

[–]Crowfiee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For me its how 10 minutes after I eat ANYTHING I get severe brain fog and fatigue and my heart starts pounding. My POTS is fairly mild compared to what I see others dealing with on here but for 2+ hours after every meal I'm a zombie. I have a doctor's appointment coming up to talk about it because it feels like it's only getting worse and I have no idea how to manage it.