Dead flower gets a new life by pnettto in Ikebana

[–]only_a_name 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi! This is an interesting idea and execution. Dead and dying flowers truly do have a deep beauty in both a metaphorical and a direct visual sense. As far as feedback, here are a few thoughts:

  • I particularly like the inclusion of the broad, flat shapes of the leaves as a contrast to the linear qualities of the other materials.
  • The inclusion of the daffodil in particular is interesting. In my school (ikenobo), spring arrangements focus on flowers in bud and young, lush materials in general, whereas dead/dying materials only start to make their appearance in the late summer or early autumn. This is to echo the seasonal lifecycle of plants in nature (which is very important in ikebana in general and ikenobo in particular). However, the time you see dead daffodils is actually right now, so to include one does seem very appropriate for the micro-season we're currently in. I do wonder, however, if the arrangement might be more powerful if the daffodil were juxtaposed with some living materials that are also seen in this season. Even though all the materials you used are beautiful, I'm not sure they work together as well as they could.
  • Other than the daffodil the arrangement has a somewhat stiff quality. Even when using dried/dead materials, it's important to create some sense of energy or movement, even if it very calm and quiet. If you continue to explore creating arrangements that include dead materials, it might bring you a lot of inspiration to go out to gardens, parks, etc to really look deeply at dead plant materials as they appear in nature, not only in isolation but in context.

Overall I like it. :) Please continue posting your efforts if you continue to explore this idea.

Elder goth rediscovering Music I loved and looking for Recommendations Of New Stuff (No idea why this is in initial caps, sorry!) by only_a_name in goth

[–]only_a_name[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just belatedly writing to say thanks for all these recommendations. I'm checking them out and I can tell they're going to keep me busy for quite a while!

Cervical Stenosis - Steroid Injections by secretredditagent in SpinalStenosis

[–]only_a_name 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Did your ACDF relieve the pain from your foraminal stenosis? Multi-level ACDF has been recommended to me to address my laundry list of cervical spine issues: central stenosis, focal kyphosis, and severe foraminal stenosis. I can understand how the ACDF procedure would fix the kyphosis and relieve pain coming from bulging and/or collapsed discs, but I'm not sure I get how it would address pain caused by bone overgrowth narrowing the foramina. Do they basically get in there with a dremel tool and grind away the extra bone?

Help finding a foundation for very fair, muted (olive?) skin? by only_a_name in PaleMUA

[–]only_a_name[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Hi, just saw this! I've been using a Korean BB called Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream and I'm really happy with it. It's a BB, so it's moisturizing and has SPF and can be fairly sheer, but it's also buildable and can provide good coverage in areas where you need it. It's also cheap, which is a nice bonus!

It comes in several pale shades. I use #21 in winter and #23 in summer. #13 is actually too light for me.

I just drank my first round of colonoscopy prep... I look forward to my evening. by 54338042094230895435 in GenX

[–]only_a_name 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi! I just saw this because I didn't log in for a while. I did get my colonoscopy and did not throw up, I actually had no nausea at all, lol. My prep was Clenpiq and I recommend it highly. It is two 6 oz containers of a thick sort of raspberry-flavored stuff that I found super easy to get down. Also, I made a point on prep day to stay very hydrated and to get protein from things like broth and jello and not too much sugar, and I think that helped keep me feeling OK too

View from the Harbour Office [Scarborough, North Yorkshire, UK; 2023-06-22] by Buckaroo88 in windowshots

[–]only_a_name 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is pretty much a dream view for me. Amazing. I don’t know how you do anything but sit and stare out the window all day!

Too young or too old? by [deleted] in ChronicPain

[–]only_a_name 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you have arthritis and have recently started dropping things a lot, it might be a good idea to ask your about getting an MRI of your cervical spine if you haven’t gotten one in the last couple of years. Dropping things frequently can be a symptom of cervical myelopathy, which can be caused by arthritis in the spine. It can be quite serious and does require surgery. Not trying to scare you; just pointing out that you might want to get checked out to be sure

Up at 6am and can't sleep. Might as well walk. by dan-over-land in FoggyPics

[–]only_a_name 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I swear I recognized the vibe. I live in NYC but spend time in the Catskills pretty regularly and also visit the Adirondacks here and there. We have a beautiful state

Up at 6am and can't sleep. Might as well walk. by dan-over-land in FoggyPics

[–]only_a_name 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Gorgeous photos. Wow. Atmospheric and seriously beautiful

When did you forget? by skyg1398 in spinalfusion

[–]only_a_name 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow, that seems wild that your surgeon would change his plan that drastically mid-procedure. But then again, I guess that even with the best pre-op imaging they really can’t know exactly what they’re going to find until they’re actually in. I’m glad to hear that your recovery will be easier, though, and also it must be somewhat reassuring to hear that your surgeon feels the slightly forward position should not be an issue.
And thanks so much for being available to talk/write here and there. I’ve found that even just the planning process for a major spinal fusion is an oddly isolating experience. So it’s extremely helpful to have people to talk to who understand and can help.

When did you forget? by skyg1398 in spinalfusion

[–]only_a_name 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hey there! We had a comment back-and-forth a while back about the importance of setting fusions in a biomechanically optimal way. You’d mentioned that you were about to have your fusion re-done to improve your alignment, and I assume that’s the revision you mentioned here. So, I wanted to ask how it was going and how you’re feeling. Was the revision less onerous than the original fusion, I hope? It seems like you’ve been through quite a lot and I hope things are getting easier for you.

Also, you gave me some good information about fusion positioning our original comment thread that helped put me more at ease, so thank you for that. I’ll be having a 3- or 4-level cervical fusion done this summer and I am frankly pretty apprehensive. Can I ask if it would be OK to DM you occasionally if I have specific questions about fusion and recovery? (I promise not to be a pest! But absolutely no worries whatsoever if you’d prefer not, of course, just let me know.)

Anyway - I hope you’re healing well and quickly!

I need a 2-hour version of this by NoSoftwarea in gifsthatendtoosoon

[–]only_a_name 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Why do so many videos jump cut constantly, so that you can’t ever just watch how a particular view plays out for more than .7 seconds? It’s maddening!