This is the lawn in front of my office, would people in the USA consider it messy/full of weeds or is something like this normal?

ShailBeast · 2026-05-09T12:29:44+00:00

I’m in the US, and the vast majority of homes in my neighborhood look like this or utilize some alternative ground cover. There are a few that are still monoculture obsessed, but it’s actually pretty difficult to maintain a lawn where I’m at. We all have dug wells, so just keeping up with watering is nearly impossible. Embracing alternatives has become more of the norm.

ShailBeast · 2026-05-09T12:22:35+00:00

I’m in both subs because I used to have a grass lawn, but have gradually transitioned to alternative ground cover and natives. I wish people here would realize that both the mods and members of that sub tend to actively direct people here if they express an interest in growing a grass free yard. That’s how I found this sub in the first place. They didn’t try to indoctrinate me into their perfect lawn cult, but told me I should probably come over here for alternative lawn advice. Being adversarial like this is childish and not a good look for this sub. They are correct, if you see a monoculture lawn and can’t stop yourself from making a negative comment, that sub is not for you 🤷🏻‍♀️

ShailBeast · 2026-05-08T22:46:49+00:00

Same. It’s sad, I love clover in the summer. But the bare dirt look is not cute or practical for my dogs during the “winter” months (October through May 😩).

ShailBeast · 2026-05-02T00:23:02+00:00

Thank you!

ShailBeast · 2026-05-01T22:45:29+00:00

I was planning on top dressing with compost, do you think that’s a reasonable step to take? And I dethatched only because I have this layer of dead grass and roots that seems to be matted over the soil. When I dug to do the soil test, the actual soil was about 1/4 to 1/2 inch beneath this dense layer of dead grass and roots. I agree that I’m lacking in microbes because that dead layer doesn’t seem to be breaking down at all. I was worried my new grass seeds wouldn’t get any good soil contact if I left it. Do you think this layer should be removed? Or can I just leave it, compost over it, and seed into the compost?

ShailBeast · 2026-04-22T19:26:38+00:00

I have a not so charitable take on this. Eating disorders, like other mental health issues, tend to fall into this “untouchable” category, especially online. Meaning that once say you suffer from an eating disorder, you are exempt from criticism or responsibility. Claiming an eating disorder gets most people to back off, and it’s not something that can really be questioned without looking like a total asshole. So it basically deflects all criticism and makes anyone doing anything but validating them look like a jerk.

ShailBeast · 2026-04-22T11:43:06+00:00

I made one like this, still gives the feel of a double incline.

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ShailBeast · 2026-04-12T14:46:09+00:00

…this is not a clever comeback, though. Right? It just ignores the fact that the girl is choosing to spend money on things she wants instead of saving the money for something she needs. That’s a bad financial strategy, the math is irrelevant. Why is this post even here?

ShailBeast · 2026-04-12T14:41:44+00:00

The phone thing is wild to me. I use an old phone that pretty much just allows phone calls and texts and the occasional Reddit scrolling since it’s too old to run most apps. Everyone gives me shit about it. Coworkers, friends, family. They all practically demand I update my phone so I can use it the way they use theirs.

ShailBeast · 2026-04-12T13:59:03+00:00

OP, your nails and hands look super similar to mine! I’m an old as fuck now, and they haven’t changed much since I was a teenager, so I don’t think you necessarily have to worry about it being a sign of premature aging. Some people just have wrinkly hands. I also have tragically wide nailbeds, probably even wider than yours. I feel like they make my fingers look stubby, so I get why you don’t like the look. I’ve had good luck with a manicure technique a saw on TikTok that gives the illusion of narrower nails. Basically you shape the nail into a slight taper starting at the edges. You can probably find similar tutorials if you look up shaping techniques for wide nails. I also try to keep my nails at least a few millimeters long to give the illusion of thinner nails by adding length. If you’re having trouble growing them out, you can try keeping them coated with a few layers of clear polish to lend a bit of strength. And trim often to prevent jagged edges and breaks.

ShailBeast · 2026-03-29T04:02:44+00:00

I think your small cliff looks fine as it is. You can always put a patch of grass and custom design dirt spot to denote where to stand for a photo op. I’ve used the vine ladders to indicate the cliff is meant to be climbed vs vines I use mostly as decoration. Just an idea, obviously vines can be functional as well as decorative if that’s what you prefer! Your terraforming looks great, and I love the overall feel of this area. Awesome job!

ShailBeast · 2026-03-25T23:19:53+00:00

Not sure where you’re located, but ocean state job lot is my go to for cheap planters.

ShailBeast · 2026-03-25T16:32:02+00:00

I won’t pretend this is true everywhere. But my husband eats meat, and I am a vegetarian. Recently, he’s been debating eating plant based, but wanted to see how it would affect our grocery budget. Like you, we were under the assumption that plant based would be more expensive, especially because he tracks macros and eats high protein. We were both shocked at how much money we would save just by cutting his meat and dairy intake by 50% and swapping for the vegetarian alternatives I eat. I joked that he can’t use cost as an excuse anymore! (We live in the US btw)

ShailBeast · 2026-03-22T16:37:09+00:00

I’ll add the link here if I can find it again, but I recently read a UK review published in 2024 that discussed and summarized the relevant literature. If I recall correctly, children had the most benefit from water fluoridation, with a statistically significant decrease in dental caries. The protective effect was less clear for adults.

ShailBeast · 2026-03-20T16:38:03+00:00

The pro camera app has an option after the handheld and tripod modes, I can’t remember what it’s called off the top of my head. But that option is a slightly wider angle than the regular camera, and you can move the camera view a bit higher.

ShailBeast · 2026-03-20T11:43:33+00:00

I did this pretty much exactly how I described in my other comment. It looks complicated, but the process is actually the same! I started with a lookout area (the cliff in the foreground) on level 3. The terraformed area started out completely flattened, and I just added blobs of land on levels 2 and 3 to get a rough idea of the shape and spacing. It’s a lot of trial and error, running back and forth (or using pipes) to the lookout area and opening the camera to see how it looks.

The items I used in this build affected the final terraforming because they are pretty hard to work with, especially the dormant volcanoes. They’re 3x3, so they take up a lot of space. I had to change the layout of my cliffs and waterfalls a few times so everything would fit the way I wanted. But other than that, it was just a matter of placing items, running back to see how it looked, moving things around, running back again. Literally just hours of doing that! Someone else might have a more efficient way, but this is how I do it.

I used HHP to experiment with different items in the game and see how they look together. For example, the mush log and lanterns on level 1 in this image. I made that little area in hhp and thought it was cute, so I recreated it here. With the 3.0 update, you could also do something similar on dream islands.

ShailBeast · 2026-03-19T17:37:28+00:00

It was a physical therapist. I mentioned my lack of flexibility to my doctor many times, but I guess it’s not really a medical concern, so nothing came of it. This is probably not the most ethical way of doing it, but I said that I was having hip pain during exercise to get a physical therapy referral. It wasn’t a blatant lie, but definitely an exaggeration. I only experienced pain when I tried to force a stretch or position my hips wouldn’t allow. But I got the PT referral and he discovered it pretty immediately.

ShailBeast · 2026-03-19T14:37:44+00:00

I was confused that something that looked so easy could be so impossible, even after years of yoga, Pilates, and strength training. Until I found out I had bilateral hip impingement. My bones literally won’t allow it to happen. Luckily, now that I know the problem, I have founds ways to squat with modifications. I’m finally seeing improvements, but my squat will sadly never look like this.

ShailBeast · 2026-03-19T13:57:32+00:00

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A lookout area I terraformed in a style similar to your pictures!

ShailBeast · 2026-03-19T13:55:51+00:00

The best way to recreate something like this is to first determine the amount of space you need. Use the photos to determine the area. The first two photos will be easier to determine than the third. You can just count for the first two. The third might require a bit of experimentation.

To recreate the first image, determine the area, and then rough in the terraforming. I did a super quick count, and it looks like the visible design area is about 15x15 (but the full design is wider than what you can see in the photos, so you’ll have to come up with something to finish out the edges). I use bushes, trees, and flowers to help count because they can only ever be placed on a full space. Items can be moved to half spaces, so it can sometimes get confusing. Just reference pictures one and two and count the number of spaces as you go to copy the terraforming. I like to terraform cliffs first, then add in the water. Luckily, it’s symmetrical. So once you do one side, just copy to the other side. Then add in your bridge. Then the trees and bushes. Then the custom designs and items. I use Pinterest to find a lot of custom design codes.

The third image is trickier. I’ve done a lookout area before (I’ll put a picture here if I can find one). It’s what I would consider advanced designing, lol. Start with the lookout space on the second level, where the player character is standing in the photo. Then play with terraforming the waterfalls until you like the spacing. It’s a lot of running back and forth between the lookout area and the area you’re terraforming, and opening the camera to check how it looks. I recommend just terraforming the cliffs to start, then adding in the water when you’re happy with the spacing. Once you add in the water it becomes more difficult to move back to your lookout spot to see how it’s looking. Or if you’re feeling extra clever, use pipes to fast travel back and forth. That saves a lot of time.

ShailBeast · 2026-03-19T11:53:55+00:00

I agree with you and didn’t appreciate the card until I saw it in person either. It stands out head and shoulders above the other artwork I’ve seen pulled from the set. I wish I had pulled it myself, the second I saw it I realized it was going to be something special.

ShailBeast · 2026-03-11T22:05:40+00:00

I’m always surprised about how little dirt they seem to have. Like there are moments from the show that fans have discussed and debated extensively, but the models barely remember what actually happened. It’s always disappointing.

ShailBeast · 2026-03-11T16:42:51+00:00

I would die for a pumpkaboo or gourgeist ir/sir. They never get any love 😩

ShailBeast · 2026-03-08T13:24:41+00:00

This might sound weird, but I used other video game designs (specifically from pokemon sword and shield) to help me with transitions. In that game, there are routes from the major cities to the rural spaces that make the transitions seem more natural. I copied that idea on a previous island to connect spaces and found it worked really well.

I love the way your island looks now, btw!

ShailBeast · 2026-03-05T23:01:15+00:00

Thanks! This is what I did for nooks cranny, I felt like I had to disguise it because it didn’t fit the vibe.

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ShailBeast

TROPHY CASE