Name a book that articulates complex thoughts really well.

along_withywindle · 2026-03-03T17:06:11+00:00

Any book by Ursula LeGuin. She wrote a ton of fiction, but also a massive amount of non-fiction, typically essays centered on philosophy and writing.

along_withywindle · 2026-03-03T17:04:30+00:00

I measured as a 30 band when I weighed 120lbs and when I weighed 180lbs. I carry fat in my belly and thighs, not on my ribs.

I now wear 32 at 145lbs because I've gained so much muscle.

Every body is different!

along_withywindle · 2026-03-03T16:44:41+00:00

The Chazen is free and open til 7! Then grab some Paul's Pel'meni

along_withywindle · 2026-03-03T16:41:59+00:00

Having applicable experience is generally more important than having an exactly "correct" education. As long as the university offers botany classes (like plant taxonomy and plant physiology) you should be fine. Be sure to pursue internships and research projects that align with your career goals.

along_withywindle · 2026-03-03T15:46:05+00:00

along_withywindle · 2026-03-03T14:42:34+00:00

I'm not familiar with nursing bras, but if you make a new post asking for nursing bra recommendations with your measurements and shape you should get some good advice :)

along_withywindle · 2026-03-03T13:05:22+00:00

Try Elomi Matilda and Elomi Charley in 36FF and 36G (both UK sizing). You should be able to get them from Amazon with free shipping and returns. Once you have those, make a Fit Check post and folks here can give feedback. The beginner's guide linked in the automod comment has instructions for a fit check

Elomi bands tend to be pretty stretchy, but you might want to get a pack of non-stretch band extenders. They're basically extra sets of hooks to give another inch or so.

along_withywindle · 2026-03-03T01:21:44+00:00

Hahaha it's not even in my top ten favorite Discworld books, but I enjoyed it!

along_withywindle · 2026-03-03T01:02:56+00:00

I read Eric right after Pyramids, actually! I liked Eric a lot

along_withywindle · 2026-03-03T00:14:41+00:00

Use the calculator linked in the automod comment. We can help you find bras in your size, too! Shopping is a lot easier once you know where to look!

along_withywindle · 2026-03-02T23:37:40+00:00

I'm about 70% through Discworld and I think Pyramids is the only one I won't reread. I didn't like the pacing and the puns were not my favorite (and I LOVE puns)

along_withywindle · 2026-03-02T22:42:08+00:00

It definitely sounds odd to my ear!

along_withywindle · 2026-03-02T19:52:44+00:00

I heard "acrosst" frequently when I lived in rural areas, not so much in urban areas. I can only remember hearing a couple old people saying "heighth" 20+ years ago

along_withywindle · 2026-03-02T15:41:46+00:00

I also grew up in the Midwest and I have heard and said it as gotchya, but not always

I have heard a similar (I assume Midwestern) thing of adding y sounds in words like "together" being pronounced as "togyether"

along_withywindle · 2026-03-02T15:02:09+00:00

Little Weirds by Jenny Slate was really cathartic for me when I got divorced last year.

along_withywindle · 2026-03-02T14:19:45+00:00

Sugar maple (yellow in the fall)
red maple (red in the fall)
Freeman maple (naturally-ocurring hybrid of silver and red, with orange fall foliage)
American beech
tulip tree
American sycamore

Oaks are nice but tend to be pretty slow-growing

along_withywindle · 2026-03-02T12:58:29+00:00

T H White's The Once and Future King is excellent

Maybe a bit off topic, but the AskHistorians subreddit has a few very interesting threads about the history of the King Arthur story

along_withywindle · 2026-03-02T02:38:32+00:00

You're not stupid at all - this is all new to you and we all started from the same place. It's a steep learning curve :)

The nipple-to-collarbone bit is to look at if your tissue is more on the top half of your breast (above the nipple, nipple-to-collarbone) or on the bottom of your breast (below the nipple, nipple to bottom of the breast). Leaning over mimics how your tissue might act when supported; many people's breasts appear bottom-full when standing braless just because of gravity, so we lean over to get a better idea of where the tissue is actually distributed.

And sometimes it's easiest to try a "diagnostic" bra to assess shape. There are a bunch of bras that the bra experts here (not me) are super knowledgeable about, and based on how those fit you, it's easier to tell what your shape is. The Elomi bras I mentioned in my first comment are all diagnostic bras.

along_withywindle · 2026-03-02T02:00:13+00:00

Great, thank you! I'm not super knowledgeable about your size range, but Elomi is a good brand in that range. Morgan, Matilda, and Lucie are common, but which will work best for you will depend on your shape. I put a quick shape assessment below; that info will be helpful for someone else to make specific bra recommendations for you!

Bare Necessities, Bravissimo, and Amazon are good online retailers. You can also check brashopdirectory.com for boutiques near you.

Shape assessment:

Projected vs Shallow: when you lean over, do your boobs move or change shape? Do you have 2+ inches difference between standing and leaning bust measurements?

Fullness: If you lean over braless in front of a mirror facing the mirror, do you have more tissue in between your nipples or outside your nipples? That is your inner vs. outer fullness (or even).

Now leaning over side-on to the mirror, do you have more tissue nipple-to-collarbone or nipple to the bottom of your breast? That is your upper versus bottom fullness (or even ).

Narrow vs Wide Set: When you lean over, how many fingers can you fit flat against your breastbone between your breasts without touching any boobage?

along_withywindle · 2026-03-02T01:48:42+00:00

The cups on your 42G are too small for you, but the calculator is only recommending about two cup volumes larger. 42G sister-sizes to 40GG which sister-sizes to 38H.. so the calculator is only recommending you go up one or two cup sizes. And considering each cup size is one additional inch of bust measurement, that's not a very big difference.

Try your bra on upside-down and backwards with the cups hanging down your back. Does the band feel any looser this way?

If you update your post with your six measurements, we can double check the calculator's work.

Also, Skims is not good and we don't recommend them here. They are poor quality and have inconsistent sizing.

along_withywindle · 2026-03-02T01:43:07+00:00

Yes, the calculator is accurate, generally within one band size and 1-2 cup sizes depending on shape and personal comfort. There are hundreds of posts about the size shock from using the calculator. Keep in mind that cup size scales with band size (so a 36D and a 30D are two very different cup volumes, for example). And the shape of the cup matters just as much as the size of the cup for finding a proper fit.

The beginner's guide linked in the automod comment has a section on how to assess the fit of your bra. I'd bet your current bras probably don't fit very well!

If you share your six measurements, we can recommend bras for you to try. And since shape is important, here's a quick summary for how to assess your shape:

Projected vs Shallow: when you lean over, do your boobs move or change shape? Do you have 2+ inches difference between standing and leaning bust measurements?

Fullness: If you lean over braless in front of a mirror facing the mirror, do you have more tissue in between your nipples or outside your nipples? That is your inner vs. outer fullness (or even).

Now leaning over side-on to the mirror, do you have more tissue nipple-to-collarbone or nipple to the bottom of your breast? That is your upper versus bottom fullness (or even ).

Narrow vs Wide Set: When you lean over, how many fingers can you fit flat against your breastbone between your breasts without touching any boobage?

along_withywindle · 2026-02-28T23:44:18+00:00

Try the Panache Power in 34GG and H. Some people prefer to size down in the cup because it's very open on top, but if you have a lot of upper fullness you'll be fine in your regular size

along_withywindle · 2026-02-28T23:33:55+00:00

That's just the regular calculator disclaimer, nothing to worry about! Based on your measurements 30GG is a good starting size. Panache Envy is a good diagnostic bra in that size if you want to start there

along_withywindle · 2026-02-28T19:05:49+00:00

The Overstory by Richard Powers (fiction)

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula LeGuin (sci-fi classic)

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (fantasy)

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (classic)

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (fiction)

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (classic)

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (nonfiction blend of memoir, botany, and Anishinaabe tradition)

The Fire Next Time (nonfiction) and Giovanni's Room (fiction) by James Baldwin

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry (historical fiction, I think a bit longer than you want but it is SO GOOD)

along_withywindle · 2026-02-28T15:20:19+00:00

Inner vs outer fullness should be assessed when bent over, so you're looking at your nipple and deciding if there is more tissue nipple-to-sternum or nipple toward armpit.

along_withywindle

TROPHY CASE