IntenseDebate - abba

7 years ago @ The Toast - Link Roundup! · 1 reply · +15 points

Hey LaxMom!

Black bear / brown bear designations can be a little confusing, so if this is the same type of black bear that is in upstate NY and parts of NJ (I live 10 min from the AT in rural NJ), I can offer a little bit of advice. Our woods are TOTALLY swarming with these bears right now, and for the most part they pose very little dangers to humans.

They do not want to interact with humans, and are generally pretty fearful of human contact. I would just review with your kids that they should go inside if they spot the bear, never run from a bear, and never get between a mother bear and cubs. And obviously, DO NOT try to feed the bear, come close to the bear for photos, etc.

Hopefully it is comforting that I've lived my entire life in close proximity to these black bears and have never had a negative or aggressive interaction with one. I've had dogs that chase the bears up the tree, and the bears always just wait it out. We have a bear that steals our trash about once a month, but has never come near us or the house while we're home or outside.

Hope this provides a little peace of mind.

7 years ago @ The Toast - Link Roundup! · 4 replies · +24 points

Well, she looks ALOT like my Giant Schnauzer-Beauceron mix puppy at that age. I think Abba was 23 lb at 10 weeks, so not that far off from your pup. She's now over 80 lb at 9 months.

Seconding Nicole's comment about joint issues - Abba had Panosteitis, which is basically puppy growing pains. Not much we could do about it, besides occasional anti-inflammatory meds and trying to prevent too much crazy exercise. I'm only starting to run with her now (she 9 months), and even still keep it pretty short. Swimming is great though, easy on the joints and tires her out.

Another thing to consider is the type of food you feed her - you may want to get food specifically for a large puppy (Fromm's has a type that we use, other brands have it as well I think). Too much food can actually lead to large dogs growing too quickly and contribute to joint and bone issues.

I'd also recommend obedience training as young as possible - our awesome positive motivation trainer really helped us to understand how to channel her high-energy into positive outlets and prevent mishaps. Good luck!

7 years ago @ The Toast - Link Roundup! · 0 replies · +5 points

Hormonal birth control (especially the kind designed to only give you a period every 3 months, forget the name) causes HORRIBLE cystic acne for me. I now use non-hormonal BC and have no acne whatsoever... BUT my period cramps are sometimes debilitating. Sooooo....

7 years ago @ The Toast - Dorothy L. Sayers, Mar... · 0 replies · +14 points

What a lovely essay. Thank you.

7 years ago @ The Toast - Link Roundup! · 1 reply · +1 points

OH MY GOD... so there for this. EVA HESSE 4EVA!

7 years ago @ The Toast - Link Roundup! · 1 reply · +7 points

Ugh. Same. As much as I hated that book by the end, some of the imagery has really stuck with me.

7 years ago @ The Toast - Link Roundup! · 0 replies · +15 points

YES YES YES. This is why these drugs exist - to be used safely and effectively by people that need them. Unfortunately, the design of some of these drugs heightened the likelihood they could be abused or lead to addiction.

8 years ago @ The Toast - Prince. · 1 reply · +23 points

I saw Prince just a year or two ago at (ugh) Foxwoods Casino (which felt like being inside of a very bizarre space station). But he was AMAZING! He danced the entire time, jumped off various pieces of the stage set, leapt across the stage, gave props to his amazing all lady band, was just a beacon of energy, light, life.

And, oh yeah, Janelle Monae opened for him and they ended the night singing Purple Rain together.

8 years ago @ The Toast - Prince. · 1 reply · +6 points

I have always always always had hormonal acne and have finally gotten it under control... I do a combo of a gentle cleanser, BHA exfoliant (morning and night), and oil free moisturizer. It sounds weird but keeping my skin moisturized has really helped. I love Paula's Choice and they have a great tool for setting up your skin care regime - as well as AWESOME customer service. Unlike most skincare products, they site peer-reviewed studies for why they have the ingredients they do - which the science nerd in me loves! You can try out a ton of samples and see what works.

8 years ago @ The Toast - Link Roundup! · 2 replies · +54 points

Must be nice to be so rich, to afford all those Precious Moments figurines...

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