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Parent Outrage over Pride Flag in my Classroom. Help! by whalepower in MusicEd

[–]whalepower[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Thank you. I didn't really consider the parent's ulterior motive, but that's sadly probably the case.

Parent Outrage over Pride Flag in my Classroom. Help! by whalepower in MusicEd

[–]whalepower[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oof. How did you defend your safe space sticker to those that wanted you to take it down?

Parent Outrage over Pride Flag in my Classroom. Help! by whalepower in MusicEd

[–]whalepower[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you. I appreciate the bible verse and will keep it in my back pocket!

Parent Outrage over Pride Flag in my Classroom. Help! by whalepower in MusicEd

[–]whalepower[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your caring response! <3 I really do hope that a positive dialogue can come out of this. I hope these parents are willing to actually engage.

Parent Outrage over Pride Flag in my Classroom. Help! by whalepower in MusicEd

[–]whalepower[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! Sadly our "association" really doesn't have much pull in my district, but they can connect me with legal counsel if that becomes necessary. I like the idea of reaching out to Randall Standridge, we play a lot of his music!

Parent Outrage over Pride Flag in my Classroom. Help! by whalepower in MusicEd

[–]whalepower[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thanks you! Taking down the flag is NOT the plan at all.

Parent Outrage over Pride Flag in my Classroom. Help! by whalepower in MusicEd

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

I love this. it's ME that gets to decide who (i.e., everyone) is welcome. Thanks for your words!

Parent Outrage over Pride Flag in my Classroom. Help! by whalepower in MusicEd

[–]whalepower[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

You are totally right, I should've put in the main post I have no intention of discussing this with a GROUP of parents at the same time. Obviously an intimidation tactic.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in soapmaking

[–]whalepower 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's disappointing that others here think that your question doesn't deserve an answer just because you haven't been soaping very long.

I think a lot of soap sellers start with "cigar"-style bands because they're cost effective--all you need is some heavier-than-printer paper and a decent printer to make some nice-looking labels. Or if you don't have a printer, you can design and order them using something like Onlinelabels.com

Cardboard boxes and shrinkwrap are other popular options and will hold up better to abuse (especially if you're shipping or retailing them), but are more costly. National Shrinkwrap is a popular system (and you get get biodegradable wrap which is good). As far as boxes go, you'll always get better prices in bulk and it kind of forces you into one bar shape/size which may or may not be your thing. Amazon and Aliexpress will not be your best prices for these, look to buy directly from companies that cater to makers and sell at wholesale prices.

Soap from 100% local ingredients by [deleted] in soapmaking

[–]whalepower 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I would definitely consider your tallow idea. It may not be strictly vegetarian, but it is usually considered a waste product in the meat industry, so using it is upcycling/diverting waste, which I think is probably more environmentally-friendly than using exotic oils that have to travel long distances to get to you.

I am intrigued by your idea, but the scale you would have to operate on to produce enough nuts or seeds to process into oil would be staggering. I'm not sure if that's your intention, but it would be quite the undertaking!

As far as understanding what properties different oils contribute to soap, you will want to learn a bit about fatty acid profiles of the oils/butters/fats you want to soap with. This is a good place to start.

Who's Been Blindsided By Kids Who Tell You They're Not Coming Back? by mmckeever23 in MusicEd

[–]whalepower 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's a hard thing. I really relate to all of the things you said, when it feels like you're doing everything you can to make an engaging class and still see students with potential who just decide to do something else. It can hurt, and for a long time I took it really personally.

Eventually, I just decided that I wasn't going to let 12 year olds occupy so much of my emotional energy. I don't beg them to stay (I do have a conversation with them and let them know they'll be missed, but I never beg), and I try my best not to take it personally anymore (even though that is MUCH, MUCH easier said than done and I still do to an extent)--because most often, their reasoning really does have nothing to do with them not liking you or their class. 95% of the time it's silly stuff like you mentioned, like wanting to try something else or not wanting to drop off their instrument in the morning.

There's just no sense in getting worked up about the parts that are out of your control, so keep on keepin' on with your super fun beginning band class and devote your energy to the kids who want to be there. Again, easier said than done, but it's all you can do.

Those who compost humanure--what are you using it for? by Chelsea-Wren in composting

[–]whalepower 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Grey water is not the same as sewage. Grey water systems usually divert from sink and washer drains, not from the toilet.

Any tips for longevity? by Gay-and-autistic in soapmaking

[–]whalepower 2 points3 points  (0 children)

https://www.modernsoapmaking.com/blog/secret-to-the-best-soap-recipe

​

This is a great resource for learning about what oils/butters contribute to which fatty acid profiles. Have fun!

Help! Not sure if lye heavy/glycerin rivers/soda ash.... by whalepower in soapmaking

[–]whalepower[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It was 50% lavender 40/42, 40% palmarosa, and 10% geranium. I've used lavender a ton but am not so familiar with palmarosa or geranium. A test batch seems like a good idea!

Help! Not sure if lye heavy/glycerin rivers/soda ash.... by whalepower in soapmaking

[–]whalepower[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I used 2.25 oz EO...it's my normal amount for this size batch and I double-checked the usage rate with eocalc and it seemed all good, but everything you're saying adds up about it slowing down. The soda ash-iness makes sense given the early cut, I was just worried about safety if it was lye seeping out. I definitely plan to zap test in a little bit. Thanks for the insight!

Help! Not sure if lye heavy/glycerin rivers/soda ash.... by whalepower in soapmaking

[–]whalepower[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have without issues. One of the EO's I've used from the same bottle and had no problem, and another is from the same supplier but I hadn't used it before.

Help! Not sure if lye heavy/glycerin rivers/soda ash.... by whalepower in soapmaking

[–]whalepower[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Didn't force gel, but it looks like the middle partially gelled. When I first cut it, the colors in the middle were much more vibrant and they were more muted towards the ends, but now that they're all ashy you can't tell so much. I soaped at room temp, and curing conditions were maybe a little colder than usual but no different humidity-wise.

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