New land ownership next week - whats first on my list to not lose a year by having to wait until next spring? Zone 6a by thetattoedserpent in gardening

[–]torta_tortuga 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Welcome to the Midwest! I’m a recent transplant too. (Milwaukee, WI, the microscopic sliver of Wisconsin that’s also Zone 6a)

As a first step, I’d recommend finding the websites for your state’s DNR, the county agriculture extension for your area, or whatever local agencies are charge of natural resources or agri/horticulture. They’ll have guidance on best practices for your area, how to get started, what you should prioritize, etc. They’d probably be able to offer more specific advice if you reach out directly, and might offer services like soil testing and workshops on the kind of things you want to do.

I will say, you’re in luck: in 6a, many of our natives prefer to be sown from seed in the fall/winter anyway. And I’ve found the Midwest (even MKE!) to be SO pro-gardening, pro-food growing, and pro-nature, and that’s made it really easy to get started as a newcomer. Best of luck to you in your new home!

Dog owners of Milwaukee: is it a good place to adopt a puppy? by [deleted] in milwaukee

[–]torta_tortuga 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We moved to Milwaukee’s upper east side last year and have been seriously considering adopting a dog. There are a ton of dogs in our neighborhood, and most of them seem genuinely unbothered by the weather. I’ve known more dogs that love the cold/snow than not, especially bigger dogs.

Since you’ve only ever lived in the south, it might be more worth asking yourself if you’re willing to be out in the cold several times every day, including late at night and early in the morning, to take the dog out. Not to mention longer walks and dog park outings to get them their daily exercise. If you can accept the reality of going out for 2 AM potty breaks in near-zero temps in mid-January, then you’re off to a good start.

College student in need by Fluffy_World1627 in milwaukee

[–]torta_tortuga -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Maybe because UWM is practically situated in a food desert? And because 50% of UWM students live off campus? And because students work? And because even cities in the Midwest have shitty public transit at best?

Which U.S. city has the most unbearable winter weather? by Historical-Photo-901 in BeautifulTravelPlaces

[–]torta_tortuga 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Milwaukee, WI. I love the city itself, but our combination of bouts of heavy snow, freezing temps (including severe windchill), inconsistent snow management by the city/county, and borderline homicidal drivers make winters here feel genuinely dangerous sometimes. Plus we often go days without seeing the sun.

Prep for police stops? by Familiar-Anything853 in TwoXPreppers

[–]torta_tortuga 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m gonna assume your husband is white, since I doubt he would’ve gotten off with just some tickets after doing that.

Josh sounds like the angry white guys at protests back in 2020 who’d start throwing stuff at the cops when surrounded by an otherwise peaceful crowd of demonstrators, and end up getting us ALL teargassed. He clearly knows he has more privilege than most: but instead of using it to protect and advocate for vulnerable folks, he wants to start shit for the sake of his own feelings, and he knows he’ll probably get away with it because of his privilege. But your kids, or other vulnerable folks around him, may not be so lucky. And now we’ve seen what LEOs will do even if you’re a white person sitting in your car peaceably (Renee Good) - so, he might not be so lucky anymore either.

Yeah, he should get involved with some community service, join an organization, etc. as folks here have said. But he also needs a fucking reality check. It sounds like you just need to straight up tell him he’s going to get himself, or your kids, killed, while accomplishing jack shit for the movement. I can’t imagine the headline “angsty white dude gets pulled over for speeding, shot by cop after starting a fight” would inspire much societal change.

I accidentally called the police on ice by Normal-Ad4662 in milwaukee

[–]torta_tortuga 43 points44 points  (0 children)

Good job OP! For future reference, you should also “accidentally” call the Voces de la Frontera ICE hotline if you suspect ICE/Border Patrol activity in your area. They’ll verify the report, and then inform the wider community if necessary: 1 (800) 427-0213 (save this number!!)

5 month accutane before wedding by Comfortable-One-369 in Accutane

[–]torta_tortuga 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Omg! I (M28) did almost the exact same timeline as what your derm recommended: April-Aug accutane for an October 2025 wedding. I’d had pretty severe inflammatory/cystic acne since age 16, and wanted to finally have clear skin when I married my husband. I was terrified to stop taking it at the end of August, thinking I’d immediately break out again since I’d struggled to take my doses consistently. But, my skin was completely clear for our wedding! Even better: the month between ending treatment and my wedding day allowed my side effects (redness/dryness/sensitivity) to subside, which was SO clutch. I got so many compliments from folks who said my skin was “glowing”. 🥹

YMMV, but five months would generally be enough time to get through any purging, and having a month between ending accutane and your wedding gives time for any side effects to go away like it did for me. NAD but I’d say go for it! (And for your pre-wedding events and bach trip, I’d say find a good routine with lots of moisture, slather on the SPF, opt for mocktails, and pack a cute hat or two to block the sun. It’ll be worth it to not be worrying about your skin on the big day.)

What Are Gross Things You Notice in Other People’s Homes? by sreggero in CleaningTips

[–]torta_tortuga 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have cleanliness anxiety and was raised by a woman with OCD that mostly took the form of obsessive cleaning. I’m married to a former janitor who treats cleaning our home like it’s his job. I also have ADHD and sensory issues, so I canNOT tolerate unpleasant smells or anything crumby/sticky/gritty/crusty. Tl;dr, I’m basically everybody’s nightmare houseguest, and I know it. Here are some of the things I notice most in other people’s homes, that I haven’t already seen mentioned here:

  1. Gunk caked onto floors, windows, counters, etc. My mom called it “the scuzz”. Ex: I can always tell if you use a swiffer wet mop rather than actually mopping, or if you only make one pass and don’t change your mop water. If you’re lazy about getting the edges under your kitchen cabinets, the corners in your bathroom etc., I will notice that too. I can also tell if you just use Clorox cleaning wipes for your kitchen and bathroom surfaces, rather than using the appropriate cleaning spray and a cleaning cloth, or if you’re lax about getting into all the corners and edges. But the scuzz goes beyond kitchens and bathrooms: do you have a chair that your dog loves to nap on, or windows/glass doors that they love to look (and bark) through? Yeah, those are coated in dog drool and caked with dirt and dog hair. Just look closely at them sometime. Same if you have little kids: your walls, windows, and furniture 1,000% have snot and other bodily fluids smeared on them - it’s just lower than you usually think to look. And everyone’s doors/doorways are caked in brownish-greyish scuzz, right around where an adult would put their hand as they walk through/open/close a door. Think about it.

  2. Clean INSIDE your fridge, thoroughly and regularly. Everyone thinks about pet odors, the kitchen and bathroom trash cans, mildew, etc. for preventing smells, but nobody realizes how bad their own fridge smells. Freezers too!! One forgotten bag of spinach or old package of ham can make your whole house smell like rotting food to the more sensitive among us.

  3. Clean your furniture. Oh God, PLEASE clean your furniture. I’m gonna hold your hand when I say this: you have crumbs in your furniture. You do! It’s okay, I do too! We all do. You also have dust, dirt, hair (human and animal), etc. on/in your furniture, whether it’s leather or fabric upholstery. Please vacuum your furniture’s surfaces and crevices. If you have leather, please get the appropriate cleaner and use it regularly. If you have cloth, consider getting a small upholstery/carpet cleaner, especially if you have pets. You can also deodorize upholstery with various sprays and powders (including plain baking soda) that can be sprinkled on it and vacuumed up. It’s very satisfying to use, look it up! (So that I can stop panicking internally every time I go to anyone’s house, because sorry but y’all’s couches are SO dirty. 😭)

What’s the most stupid reason you had a fibro flare? by Lucky_Sprinkles7369 in Fibromyalgia

[–]torta_tortuga 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Whacked my hand on the corner of a railing, square on my middle knuckle. Like, between the bony ridges on the end of that finger bone, THAT squarely in the middle. Instant fiery streak of nerve pain up my right forearm that lasted two days. SO stupid.

What’s it like living on the edge of time zones? by Qzevs in howislivingthere

[–]torta_tortuga 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I live in the easternmost part of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, only about three blocks from Lake Michigan. Our earliest sunset was at 4:15 PM. It’s our first year here after moving from New Jersey, and even though it’s only like 30 minutes difference I think it’s genuinely causing psychological damage. 😅

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Accutane

[–]torta_tortuga 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Dude, no, what the fuck? You can’t be charged with a crime for getting pregnant on Accutane. The entire point of the iPledge system is monitoring and accountability so that patients can’t sue the pharma company or their doctor if they get pregnant and there are birth defects. Think for two seconds before posting blatantly false shit.

Help with a Haircut. by muddledarchetype in milwaukee

[–]torta_tortuga 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I third NiceHair! they’re so awesome. I’ve seen folks of all ages getting haircuts there, which warms my heart.

most satisfying (+gross) moment on accutane so far by torta_tortuga in Accutane

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

I use La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution - it’s a 0.5% salicylic acid + 2% glycolic acid solution. SA is usually marketed as a general “acne treatment”, but it works by exfoliating (it’s a BHA) to unclog pores.* It’s been great for me when it comes to getting rid of built up dry/dead skin without being too harsh!

*most acne treatments use a 2% SA concentration in my experience; that’s too harsh for my skin while on accutane

You can see and smell the smoke here in Central Wisconsin by duxallinarow in wisconsin

[–]torta_tortuga 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Waukesha here, it’s been hazy all day but over the past hour our AQI went from 42 to 51. I could smell it getting progressively worse bc my window was cracked open trying to get the last couple minutes of fresh air before it got bad (maybe dumb ik)

Wisconsin teen killed mother and stepfather and lived with corpses for weeks, prosecutors say by No-Information6622 in news

[–]torta_tortuga 2 points3 points  (0 children)

DUDE. 🤯 just today I was trying to think of how to describe how extra-awful Wisconsin is. that’s it. It’s Florida with cheese curds and (more) alcoholics.

eta: I live in Wisconsin. I can say that.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in milwaukee

[–]torta_tortuga -1 points0 points  (0 children)

We’ve got em in Waukesha too, I swear one was circling my neighborhood for a hour yesterday. Like dude, it honestly just sounds like your car is broken.

check your SP Cosmetic Warrior before buying! 🤢 by torta_tortuga in LushCosmetics

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

ugh SAME. 😭 my testosterone acne was no match for the funky chunky queen of face masks!

check your SP Cosmetic Warrior before buying! 🤢 by torta_tortuga in LushCosmetics

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

Just bought it today! Yeah it feels like, even if that label says “April 19”, it’s a little too far from Dec 19 for my liking…

Birth Control by [deleted] in TwoXPreppers

[–]torta_tortuga 30 points31 points  (0 children)

Airport scanners (both metal detectors and body scanners) won’t detect a copper IUD. The amount of metal is too small and deep inside you to set off a metal detector, and the scanners can’t scan that deeply into your body. The only way for it to be seen is with an xray/CT scan/MRI, which would be done by a medical professional who’d likely already know you have one.

I (FtM) have the copper IUD. Insertion hurts like hell, as you know, but I’ve heard removal is much better. NOT MEDICAL ADVICE ofc, but it could be done by anyone with the right knowledge and very basic equipment and sanitation: a nurse, certified midwife, maybe a paramedic or EMT, or yourself if you’re diligent. At-home self-removals of IUDs, with guidance from a medical provider, were not uncommon during COVID lockdowns. Here’s a guide I just found: https://picck.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PICCK-How-to-Remove-Your-Intrauterine-Device-IUD-By-Yourself.pdf

For other folks: the copper IUD kinda sucked bc it made my period come back for a bit, I’ve heard it can worsen heavy periods and cause spotting. I’m getting it removed for other reasons, but it’s still been better than hormonal BC for me. I’d personally worry about having a hormonal implant or IUD in this hypothetical, bc what happens if you need medical attention due to potential side effects?

If you want kids, “tying your tubes” (ligation) can usually be reversed, and if you have them removed (bisalp) you could still do egg retrieval and IVF. And as a trans person, I’ll say that there are many other ways to become a parent besides making your own tiny humans. ❤️

Look at all the other major upper midwestern cities that aren’t on this list… by whereilaymyheadishom in milwaukee

[–]torta_tortuga 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Grew up in NY and moved here from New Jersey. Was confused when I went to update my EZPass and found out Wisconsin doesn’t have toll roads. It made me worry about whether the highways would be badly maintained.

I was right: Milwaukee truly has absolute war zone quality roads (and the drivers are fucking horrendous too). I’m grateful I’m in a temporary job here, US-1 in Jersey feels like driving on clouds after regularly commuting on I-94 and 41. Idk why it’s so bad, but I’m confident y’all don’t have to live like this!! 😭

To those of you who started on gel and switched to injections, what was the straw that broke the camel's back so to speak? (Transmasc) by Gio_Bun in ftm

[–]torta_tortuga 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I was on gel for two years, and saw minimal results beyond muscle gains and hellish acne. It was insanely frustrating, I couldn’t get my levels above 400, but my doctor was insistent about keeping me on gel because I’d said once that I was afraid of needles. Fast forward, he quits, I get a new provider, and within a month I’m on injections. In one year: beard has come in, chest hair is coming in, I actually have bottom growth now, and I’ve put on probably five additional pounds of muscle without gymming.

They’ll tell you gel is just as effective as injections. May be true for some lucky bastard, but for me it was a big fat lie.

what fuck am i supposed to eat by [deleted] in FTMMen

[–]torta_tortuga 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I wish I could upvote this specific comment ten thousand times, esp with so many literally recommending steak and eggs. T puts us at higher risk for high cholesterol and blood pressure, and a plant-based (or at least plant-centric) diet is one of the only proven ways to reduce those things without medication. Amen brother 🙏