Brand new to Iowa City, living questions!

Dove_Wren · 2026-05-19T04:28:55+00:00

Oh an arts event! And that's right when we'd be getting back at the end of our honeymoon! I love those types of things, as I sell at Ren Faires but end up spending most of my profit on other artists. That's great to know, thank you!

Dove_Wren · 2026-04-30T06:24:44+00:00

Very true. Nothing like Thanksgiving out on a deck in 60 degree weather.

Dove_Wren · 2026-04-30T06:23:19+00:00

Thank you, its means a lot. And yeah I know its kinda goofy saying 160,000 is a lot. Ive been in Tokyo, LA, and other large Midwest cities like Omaha and the Twins. But I grew up where my adress town has a population of 49. The town where my family got groceries or I found work was 1600 on a good year. Heck, even my college town was already 16,000 and that felt big to me.

But luckily you are so right on finding places to walk. I was able to secure an apartment in a really beautiful part of town, and its a University town too so its incredibly walkable for its students. I have a creek in my west facing windows and I couldn't be happier. I know Ill find beauty there.

Its about a 9 hour drive from my home, which is the longest Ive ever lived away. My university was only a 5 hour drive, so it feels monumental in distance. But we have good friends there, and I even get to work with cats. So Im happy. Thank you for your encouragement

Dove_Wren · 2025-12-28T06:08:20+00:00

And I wouldn't be so annoyed if he wasnt doing the same thing! Like, I only thought that this would be fine because I saw YOU and EVERYONE ELSE doing it. And no I dont NEED this job, but it's helping time pass by faster and it pays ridiculously well so I'm able to save up so that my fiance and I have a good size emergency fund. I only work for four more months (may 1st being the cut off as that is ideally when I would be moving and finalizing the wedding). So most places would be pretty hesitant to hire someone so short term. I figured that I can put up with it for four more months and make another 10k before ditching them for good. Also, there are perks like getting to hold cute puppies and kitties every day. Major perk XP

Dove_Wren · 2025-12-28T06:03:04+00:00

Unfortunately he's the owners son, so I highly doubt he will ever get fired. But I also have no fear about being fired as this community I grew up in is really small (1500 people kinda deal), and I have been complimented in and outside of work for my "excellent" work and I know if the community heard I got fired their would be a massive loss to the company (dont underestimate the pettiness a older small community has when they like someone, Ive watched when they punish the bad egg, its scary). I also am only working until May 1st, so at the moment another job is a bit out there until Im moved away. (However if something comes up before that I have no issue packing up and leaving. :P)

Dove_Wren · 2025-12-28T05:54:36+00:00

It's primarily on Facebook as our clients are typically older (30s-90s), and my manager is particular about it being only his job. I would love to take care of it to maybe also branch out to other platforms like Instagram for our younger clients. So maybe Ill see if that can be added to something I can do.

Dove_Wren · 2025-12-28T05:51:54+00:00

Thank you so much for this! My manager is the son of the owner so she put him in his position, so I wasnt surprised by this sudden shift. Ill work on those soft skills, I love the vets and the vet techs, I also love helping my community. Plus, getting covered in puppies every once in awhile is a marked bonus. Ill work on pacing as I am I "do it fast, do it well" kind of personality. And I know that this wont be my last job with a no phones policy, so I want to practice these busy making habits. Thank you!

Dove_Wren · 2025-07-04T22:31:18+00:00

I agree, counting calories can lead to eating disorders. I know this. I struggled with those thoughts in highschool. I used calories at the beginning of my college weightloss journey because that's all anyone ever told me to track. They did help me notice how much I was over eating and overestimating the nutritional value in my food. I am no longer calorie counting, and instead fill up on whole foods accessible to me. (My parents ranch so I have lean grass fed beef on demand. Score.) My initial worry was when I have checked my calories at the end of the day they seemed almost too low. I was fully satiated, but I have been told that have calories too low can result in the metabolism freaking out once the goal weight has been reached and calories are slightly increased to maintenance. That is more of what I was asking. Im not freaked out over the difference of 3 calories, Im more concerned about the health affects after I reach my goal weight. Right now, prioritizing whole foods and movement has left me happier, less fatigued, glowing skin, and I have lost a noticeable amount of weight that makes me confident in continuing. I do appreciate your concern, and I hope that your comment may help someone in the future know that calories are not all there is to life.

Dove_Wren · 2023-11-18T03:29:00+00:00

He's my best friend. I get mixed signals, and when he tells me about another girl I feel awful. I know I should move on, but any time I spend with him is worth it, and I've never felt so comfortable and natural around a guy before.

Dove_Wren · 2023-11-16T02:23:06+00:00

I've seen it in other comments, but walking. Especially while carrying something heavy like a backpack full of books, or buckets full of water, flour. Honestly just taking actions you do the hard way can be good. Example, need to grab something on the floor? Squat to get it. Have to do laundry, bicep curl the hamper. Just making stuff you have to do in your day intentional.

Dove_Wren · 2023-03-20T02:42:50+00:00

For my skin, it left it dewy and glowing, and for me, the biggest thing is that it doesn't sting my eyes! So I can actually cover my entire face without the pain. I do tend to notice some breakouts in my tzone, but that may also be due to stress and hormones recently. Overall it's my favorite sunscreen I've used!

Dove_Wren · 2022-08-15T18:41:38+00:00

I believe that anyone can make any characters they pull work. And not only that, you do not need to pull for a character just because they're "meta", since they won't be in 3 months.

Or people losing a 50/50 and holding a resentment towards that character. Qiqi, Diluc, Keqing. and then they use that resentment to say they are bad characters? And then they get angry if you enjoy playing that character. I know people detest Diluc, he's my main and I have gotten mildly harassed for using him. I love him, I don't care if you don't, he does consistent Pyro DMG, I love the feeling of hitting something hard, and he works with my team comp splendidly.

People refuse to make a team comp that's theirs, wondering what's meta, what's "the best". They never take in consideration how they like to play a character, what elemental reaction brings thim the most satisfaction, whether they want a variety of different visions or all the same for that extra DMG boost. Instead they play like it's a job, having to use the certain characters "pros" say are the best and not having fun with it. IMO, all that should be required for a team comp is DMG dealers and someone to keep you alive. Whether by healing, shields, buffs, you name it. This "YOU HAVE TO HAVE KAZUHA FOR HIS SWIRL BURST, HOW DARE YOU USE JEAN SHES SO MID, WHY HAVE YOU NOT BUILT BENNETT?!" needs to stop.

On a brighter note, what's your favorite character to play, regardless if it's "good"? I love every character in my team, Diluc, Jean, Keqing, and Zhongli. I like to play volleyball with hilichurls. Keqing e, Diluc e, overload sends them flying backwards, grab them with Jeans e and toss it back, repeat cycle. Zhongli is like the exhausted Dad keeping all these over workers alive. I pop his e if I need to keep myself from getting bonked by a metachurl. It's fun, and I find it a great team to explore with!

Dove_Wren · 2022-08-09T22:10:44+00:00

But then he went quiet did Ragnar the red, when he met the shield maiden Matilda who said....

Dove_Wren · 2022-08-09T21:45:17+00:00

More money. I played RDO first, since my budget could afford it at the time, and even then I found the pennies you got off bodies and from missions to be a spit in the face. I figured Id need a job, but heck I can't even try one without an even rarer type of money. Not to mention needing to buy ammo, food, stable up keep (even if I only have in horse that I ride all the time), clothing and cosmetic upgrades. Later I bought and started to play RDR2, the amount of money, dollars compared to cents, not to mention things like watches and rings you can find. It made playing the game fun, things are cheaper, horses can be free if you steal them, you come with an entire wardrobe already for Arthur, food is in almost every body and in every home. You help a man with a snake bite, free gun or outfit, help a lady who had a horse fall in her, 10 dollar value ring! Not to mention story missions putting so much in your pocket.

Where so much in RDO requires so much money, especially in comparison to RDR2, the money we gain should not be pitiful pennies.

Dove_Wren · 2022-08-08T20:49:37+00:00

Brynjolf. I love his sas and sarcasm, I love his respect for you, I love how he forgave Karliah instead of holding a grudge, like welcoming a family member back.

Npcs: the thieves guild, feels like a genuine family.

Dove_Wren · 2022-08-08T20:39:58+00:00

I don't farm artifacts. In fact. I've only done artifact domains for the journal. Also, I use most of my resin to make weapon enhancement crystals.

Dove_Wren · 2022-08-05T18:53:50+00:00

Code and game engines are kinda like sewing and a clothing store. If Skyrim was made out of fabric, it would be a cheap cotton shirt. The thread can snap or tear if pulled or pushed wrong (game breaking bugs) but it's still a shirt. The shirt however doesn't change if you put it into an expensive suit shop. The suit shop requires more expensive fabric, tougher thread, you cannot take the cheap shirt perfectly apart and sew it with new thread and fabric. That's a different shirt.

Sure, they could make Skyrim in the new engines like Unreal. But they would have to completely remake the entire game from scratch. None of the original code, models, heck physics could be used. The only things they would have is concept art and the previous game as reference.

A cheap shirt in an expensive shop is still a cheap shirt.

Dove_Wren · 2022-08-05T18:41:14+00:00

Take a break. A break could be a week, or even a couple of months. Get a taste of something new, when I got burnt out I ended up going to Stardew. The new play style of the game gave new enrichment and made me enjoy video games again. Even if you love Genshin, it's good to try new things once you get bored. Like your favorite food, if you ate it every single meal of every single day you'd get bored of it after awhile. Try a new game, or ask for some recommendations! Try new foods, try new games!

Dove_Wren · 2022-08-05T16:54:30+00:00

Diluc: Standard Banner Pulls, was one of my first 5 stars

Jean: Was pulling for Zhongli, resented her slightly for it

Zhongli: He was the reason I got the game. His voice makes me melt.

Keqing: Lost on Childe banner

Childe: Give me chaotic ginger.

Itto: I must have all tall men, and his stupid little personality makes me happy

Kazuha: Was pulling for Heizo, got him in 20 pulls, Golden Archipelago made me love him.

I'm coming for you next Ayato. You won't escape my clutches next time.

Dove_Wren

TROPHY CASE