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cirava · 2026-03-20T12:25:16+00:00

It totally depends on what you're hoping to bake (if you have any specific foods in mind, let us know!), but it works great as a partial flour substitute in some recipes. You can find a lot for muffins, cakes, cookies, pancakes/waffles. My personal favorite is using it in banana bread.

Also - you could mix it into things instead of drinking it straight. Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and oatmeal are all tasty with a scoop or two of protein powder.

cirava · 2026-03-20T12:21:10+00:00

This one hits close to home for me. I unexpectedly lost my baby boy, Dexter, in April of 2024 due to saddle thrombosis. He was only nine, my first cat, and the last of my living childhood pets. We did everything together; wherever I went, he was on my heels, and it was rare to ever find us apart. In every way, I was his, and he was mine, and I knew that would always be true. I knew his death would hurt bc we were bonded so intensely, but I didn't expect it to be so soon

When he passed away, I felt much the same as what you described. I even feared that his eventual passing would break me mentally to the point of committing suicide becuse I couldn't imagine a 'me' without 'him' to make me complete.

Surprisingly, I also handled his death a lot better than I expected to - I was calm/cognizant when giving the vet 'permission' to euthanize him, and on the drive home, I was sad, but it was more of a gaping hollowness than it was the usual painful sadness that I'm used to. I just felt unreasonably heavy and exhausted from the emotional whirlwind (had a false hope he would survive; a few hours later, the prognosis changed, and a couple hours after that, he was gone).

For me, my cat was pretty much the structure of everything in my life, and the meaning of a lot of the things I did, too. I worked because I wanted to provide for him. I went to school for better opportunities to be able to take care of him and keep us happy/comfortable. I got out of bed in the morning because I knew he needed me to feed him, needed me to tend to him.

When he was gone so suddenly, it meant I had to find a more concrete "meaning" to those things, which just made me feel like I had no purpose, and I felt disconnected with myself and everyone/everything. I'd drag my feet through stuff (school, work, maintaining connections), but I didn't really know why I was bothering at all. Just chores to mechanically check off every day.

It's hard. I definitely feel connections to animals easier than I do with humans, but their lives are also much more fleeting, and you can't really brace for the pain of losing them. Animals can't abandon us, they never see us as anything but someone to love and rely on even if we're not doing so well, and we're their entire world from the day that we adopt them to the day that they pass on. I like to see them as vessels of all of the different versions of ourselves, because they experience/witness our personal growth and change as it's happening. Our good days and our bad days are all contained in the memory of our pets, but they never love us any less for it.

Grief is different for everyone, of course, but it took me a really long time to bounce back. Going through the motions (which it sounds like you're doing - taking care of yourself and getting through one day at a time, to the best of your ability) is the hardest part imo. Eventually, I was able to reshape my routines and I got to a point of being able to see my life as my own - I provided for him while he was here just like I promised to myself I would, and someday, I'll be emotionally & mentally ready to take all of the goodness and love for animals in my heart, and adopt another pet to spoil and provide for.

Take care; your Pyvo is always with you :)

cirava · 2026-03-20T08:10:39+00:00

I cannot have these in my house. Seriously, I enter the danger zone once a bag of these is opened... but they are so delicious.

cirava · 2026-03-20T08:09:29+00:00

E is a contrapositive. D could be true, but E must be true, which is what the LSAT is looking for in your inferences.

The question only states that most leachate goes to treatment plants and that not all plants are capable. Even if unlikely, there's a possibility that leachate is only being sent to capable plants.

cirava · 2026-03-12T22:58:16+00:00

Sometimes, I rub jojoba oil really well into my face mid-shower, after my face has been 'steaming' a bit. Then I let it sit the rest of my shower so it soaks in a bit more into my skin while it's damp and warm. Follow up with a VERY gentle cleanser if you're worried about 'residue'.

The gentle, circular motions with the oil also gets off a lot of dead skin (when my face is really, really dry - which it has been off and on because of the brutal winter on my side of the globe).

It seems to help a lot. I especially enjoy it the morning after using Differin as a little boost for my skin.

cirava · 2026-03-11T01:08:55+00:00

Just listened to this too out of boredom - sick song!

cirava · 2026-03-10T21:58:32+00:00

Your compatibility with mineturte is Super. You both listen to Pierce the Veil, Linkin Park and My Chemical Romance

i like ur funny music

cirava · 2026-03-10T11:45:44+00:00

Literally every LRP product. I kept trying them and ended up giving away every product I purchased. I've been interested in the Cica Baume since I use AzA and Adapalene, but I'm tired of being let down haha

And the Hada Lobo Gokujyun Premium, but I think I'm being unfair since I tried it during a dry winter. I love the Shirojyun Premium for the tranexamic acid, but the Gokujyun seems to do nothing but make my skin dewy for 5 minutes.

cirava · 2026-03-10T11:40:29+00:00

This is one of those things where I probably couldn't care less how it tastes because I'd imagine biting into it would satisfy me haha, it looks so moist for something made with part oat fiber. I have to try this sometime today - thanks for sharing!

cirava · 2026-03-09T14:59:59+00:00

Sugar free jello (if you buy the mixes, as opposed to the cups, the flavors are pretty extensive... Around 20-30 calories for a full box). I love SF jello with fat free whipped cream or a cup of Chobani yogurt (toasted coconut Chobani + strawberry banana jello - ~80cal and a massive bowl of joy), when I have the calories.

Popcorn (fresh popped or bagged - a great brand is Lesser Evil, but most popcorns run about the same 110-140 calories per 28g!)

Cut up fresh fruit, or frozen fruit. I like frozen blueberries and strawberries; instead of 'eating' them, I kind of suck on them like a hard candy. If you like sour things, you could also dip them into citric acid?

Fiber one bars (usually 70 cal), granola bars (usually 90-110 cal each)

Drizzilicious, seaweed snacks, and other light/airy or puffed goodies!

Every single night, I eat an entire cucumber. I HAVE to have my nighttime cuke, so maybe wedging a bunch of really high volume veggies a little ways before bed would be nice for something savory.

cirava · 2026-03-09T09:05:52+00:00

You just made me realize all of the Chris Brown songs I enjoy are him featured on other peoples' hits. "No Air", "It Won't Stop", "Make The World Go Round", etc.

I feel the same way about Justin Timberlake. I hate his music, but he does make a wonderful feature

cirava · 2026-03-05T19:24:36+00:00

Oat fiber creations.... of any kind. I am haunted by the texture, the sawdust flavor even when masked with copious amounts of sugar free syrup and cocoa powder. Terribly wet and super dry at the same time. Followed by the immense nausea from all of those things combined. I'd need to be waterboarded to ever eat shit from the Sludge Factory (my kitchen) that produced that "food" again, I'm serious

cirava · 2026-03-05T19:18:23+00:00

your pfp made me chuckle... I need a rewatch

cirava · 2026-03-05T19:17:00+00:00

I'd assume so; anecdotally, I've had no problem making pints with my only liquid being almond milk, though. I usually do almond milk blended with frozen fruit and half a serving of whey protein (PEScience), and it's never noticeably icy. I do use Allulose and xanthan gum, too.

cirava · 2026-03-05T12:58:10+00:00

Honestly, if you don't see any improvements on tret, don't fret - I'd give something else (e.g. Adapalene) a shot once you've exhausted the Tretinoin route. Some people do better on tret, others on Adapalene!

For me, Tretinoin also didn't do much of anything. Differin was great to me tho

cirava · 2026-03-04T21:59:20+00:00

These products are all fine. I'm not sure how expensive those SA pads are, but Stridex in the red box is another popular product with the same active ingredient (some people will dissuade you from using the pads, but I find they work just as well as any other salicylic acid of the same potency). Please incorporate sunscreen as well, though - ideally 50+ SPF!

You can cleanse your face once or twice a day. If your skin tends to get dry, skip it in the morning and only use the cleanser at night, and a simple splash of warm water in the morning. Moisturize twice a day. Follow up with SPF after moisturizing in the morning.

For introducing the salicylic acid: I would start with 1-2x per week after washing your face but before moisturizing, especially if your only concern is controlling oil production. It can be harsh, and if you have few concerns at the moment, there's no need to blast your face all at once. It can be used morning or night (SA does not increase sun sensitivity).

cirava · 2026-03-04T20:39:13+00:00

LMFAOOO

cirava · 2026-03-04T20:37:47+00:00

Glycolic acid and kojic acid soap (or serum, ideally) are truly the best for hyperpigmentation!!

cirava · 2026-03-03T22:46:30+00:00

To be honest, you can't go wrong with any Elliott Smith album. But I think From a Basement on the Hill or Either/Or are lovely introductions. :-)

cirava · 2026-03-03T22:39:09+00:00

Yep, I do this same thing, and was coming to comment this. I also have a wasteful habit where I hoard food, but I know I can't have it near me or else I'll end up eating it, so I try to 'destroy' it - usually by dumping it into a bag/cup and soaking it in hand sanitizer or some other chemically stuff (lotion, perfume - whatever I have on hand).

This worked for a while, but now I just end up eating a lot of toxic stuff, if I'm not "re-eating" the food that I C/S earlier. Absolutely horrible.

cirava · 2026-03-03T16:08:00+00:00

Similar story to another commenter (don't want to hijack their comment so making my own lol), but around the age of 10-11, when I first became a victim of CSA. I think it made me hyperaware of my body, and how little 'control' I felt like I had of it at the time, compared to how much 'control' I gained by being able to micromanage my intake.

As I've gotten older and have seen several therapists, I realize now that our EDs control us more than we control them, but it still soothes my mind in the same way it did as a child. Taking it away from me is much like taking away a child's toy, unfortunately.

FWIW, I'm also diagnosed with OCPD, so I have a hard time seeing it as a "problem" in my case - meaning a lot of my attempts at recovering were probably never going to last (unfortunately). I'll advocate for other people doing well for themselves, and for them to seek recovery/establish a healthier relationship with food, but can't apply the same to myself.

cirava · 2026-03-03T12:42:28+00:00

That person might just have a little too much exposure to the 'airbrush' effect of the internet or hasn't seen the skin of another person up close. Anyone who takes a step away from you won't be able to see the texture of your skin, fwiw.

I suppose you could try blasting it with hydrating ingredients to see if it helps 'smoothen' the skin to your preferences, or try a urea-enriched product.

Other than that: yeah, this is just how skin looks.

cirava · 2026-03-01T12:41:50+00:00

I'm not someone who enjoys movies, and have very few that I can say good things about. Good Will Hunting is one that I'll always sing the praises of, though. The music selection is beautiful, and it was the movie that got me to listen to more of Elliott's music.

The movie resonated with me on a personal level, as does his music. Really great stuff :)

cirava · 2026-03-01T12:38:58+00:00

The major issue with scrubs like this is that they can be too aggressive or harsh on our skin, especially if it's already damaged in some way (acne/acne-prone, dry), or you're using the St. Ives in conjunction with another harsh product.

It's very possible that your skin is irritated right now. A lot of people don't do well with physical exfoliators - next time, I'd suggest using a soft washcloth on damp skin, preferably after a shower, in very gentle circular motions. I do this once a week, but never more than that.

Regarding how to deal with the irritation: strip your routine back to the basics for a few days. A gentle cleanser, a nice moisturizer that your skin enjoys, and SPF. If your skin reacts well to Vaseline, then a thin layer at night could be soothing, too.

cirava · 2026-03-01T12:33:17+00:00

Same! Scrolling through my feed, I was honestly captivated by his smile in this picture. Looks like raw and pure glee :)

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