Hey, it's me again! I have an update to share about a blog post I wrote back in November of 2023 about my experience with marijuana edibles. As you remember, that blog detailed a sudden bad experience I had with THC despite having no issues before it. I now know what caused that unusual bout of depression it brought on.
I want to preface this blog by saying I'm not a drug user. I enjoy and am one with nature, and this includes natural plants and fungi that are used responsibly for therapeutic purposes. After many years of research and activism, marijuana has finally been recognized and, in some US states, legalized for its medicinal properties, and in some parts of the country, psilocybin (the psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms) has even begun to become decriminalized for therapeutic use. I enjoy mushrooms on rare occasions and I take THC edibles in moderation and in small doses of 10mg. I do not use, support, or condone illegal/narcotic drugs, nor do I smoke or vape. There are different chemical variants, known officially as isomers, of THC available today. Isomers are compounds that share an identical chemical formula but are arranged differently, and this new structure results in new pharmacological properties that can result in a different experience depending on the user. Delta-9, the psychoactive compound of cannabis, is the most common and well-known form of THC, and there's also a more mild variant known as delta-8. The latest and least-studied version is delta-10, and here's where my experimentation took a turn for the worst. As a teenager I smoked weed, and I have no recollection of ever suffering depression from it. This was the regular, cannabis-derived delta-9 THC that everyone is familiar with. I quit smoking over 10 years ago in order to live a healthier life, which effectively ended my use of marijuana. Then marijuana began to see legalization in parts of the country and edible versions of it started becoming popular. I was curious to revisit marijuana after 10 years because of the research supporting its therapeutic properties and because eating it was a healthier alternative to smoking. The important fact about this rise in edible marijuana products is that the legal versions of it are hemp-derived, not cannabis-derived. This means that in order to get around a legal loophole and sell them in states that don't allow medical marijuana and ship them anywhere online, they must be chemically synthesized from hemp instead of naturally derive from cannabis. I had no negative experiences with the cannabis-derived delta-9 gummies I tried. However, shortly after using a hemp-derived delta-10 variant, I began to experience a sudden onset of depression out of nowhere. I don't have depression, so I was confused about where it was coming from since everything in life was going so well for me, and the only recent change I had made was the new edibles. I pinpointed that as the cause, but in my previous blog post, I made it sound like marijuana in general was to blame. I now want to clarify it was simply my reaction to a specific variant of THC edibles. For some reason, the delta-10 had an adverse effect on me. I recall a time before that experience where someone had given me a bag of THC gummy bears that had resulted in the same depressing effect and I ended up getting rid of them because of it. I'm guessing those may have been chemically altered and hemp-derived as well. Online research tells me that delta-10 is mostly produced in a laboratory, converting hemp-derived CBD artificially into delta-10 using chemical solvents and acids. They call this synthetic process "isomerization." Delta-8, as well as legal delta-9, is also produced in a similar way. While it occurs naturally, there's only a trace amount of delta-8 and delta-10 in cannabis plants, so they have to chemically convert CBD or delta-9 THC into a higher amount of delta-8 or 10 in order to raise its level while staying compliant of the law. These processes are done so marijuana can legally be sold as a loophole since these variants are hemp-derived and contain less than the legal limit of delta-9 THC. It's strongly recommended you only purchase laboratory-tested THC products because chemical impurities could be present in what you're ingesting if it's from an unqualified source and this could cause harmful effects on you. Homemade edibles should always be carefully considered for this reason. Like all things prescribed or enjoyed for medicinal or therapeutic purposes, marijuana and its different variants could either have a positive, neutral, or negative effect depending on the person. We all react differently to different things, and it's important to be careful about what medicines and substances you experiment with, even if it's natural or prescribed to you. I wanted to write this blog to clear marijuana's name after blaming it for the dark depression I momentarily experienced last year. Marijuana is nature, and of the earth. Humans messing with it using chemical compounds and synthetic processes in order to avoid legal ramifications are what caused the adverse effect in me. I support the use of unadulterated marijuana for medicinal or moderate recreational purposes, and I hope one day the legislative war on this plant will finally be over so future negative reactions can be avoided.
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A long time ago, I learned a unique way to identify people's personalities using four personal elements. This universal method works for everyone, and I'm going to explain it in detail in this blog and describe myself using the elements as an example to better teach it. After you understand this method, I invite you to identify yourself using the given elements. This can help you realize where you're strong as a person and where you may need improvement.
Personalities are too diverse to be described as just introvert or extrovert, or a "cat" or "dog" person. It's too generic to label someone so simply, or by saying you're just a happy person or a sad person -- that can change at any given time. There are four elements that are used to describe a person's overall personality. Depending on how much you have of each element correlates with the type of person you are, and the goal is to have all four of these elements equally balanced. Too much of one element is not a good thing, nor is not having enough of one. The four elements are Wind, Fire, Water, and Earth. First I will describe each element in detail, then I'll provide examples of what having too much or too little of each one will result in. Wind represents intellect. People who are strong in the Wind element are intelligent and logical. They think clearly and are creative, philosophical, and analytical. They can also be metaphorical and enjoy wordplay. Psychology, brainstorming, and coming up with ideas are also strong points for Windy people. They love socializing and having "deep" conversations. A person who has too much of the Wind element is known as an "airhead" because, as the saying goes, their head is always in the clouds. They will often find themselves distracted by their constant stream of thoughts and ideas and find difficulty focusing as a result. They may also live more in a fantasy world than reality due to an overactive imagination. They might even be difficult to converse with because they're constantly correcting your grammar and using big words to show off their high IQ. A person who has too little of the Wind element never thinks things through. They may lack creativity, have no imagination, and speak in a simple-minded manner. Intellectual discussions will bore them. They won't have any input to offer and will often answer questions with "I don't know." The next element, Fire, represents passion. A person who is strong in the Fire element has a lot of energy, ambition, and motivation. They're a take-charge kind of person who may also be impulsive and a risk-taker. They're experimental in the sense that they aren't afraid to try new things. They're also playful and competitive, headstrong, and they stand up for themselves. A person who has too much Fire is known as a "hothead." They're temperamental and easily agitated. They flare up when someone angers them and may be prone to fighting or physical violence. Their fiery nature can scare people off or push them away. They may be so steadfast that they're stubborn and will never back down, admit their mistake, or apologize even if they realize they're wrong. Someone with too little fire has no ambition. They lack the motivation to get things done or take the first step toward something they need to do. They aren't the type to compete in sports or enjoy physical horseplay. They don't take risks or have a sense of adventure. They would never be the leader of any group. The third element is Water. Water represents emotion. An individual who is strong in the Water category is caring, empathic, kind, and altruistic. They're a good listener and the type of person you can depend on if you need someone to talk to or cheer you up. They might also be the person who goes to you when they need to vent. They're there for you, they have others' interests in minds instead of only their own, and they trust people and "let them in." As the saying goes, they wear their heart on their sleeve. Having too much Water will make you a wishy-washy kind of person. This means you're too sensitive and dramatic. You may find yourself crying often. Crying after a good movie or emotional song is a healthy example of the Water element, but if you find yourself having mental breakdowns on a regular basis, it means you need to get control over your emotions. If you don't have enough Water though, you may be seen as an emotionless person who keeps things bottled up inside. You put a wall up around you and don't trust people or let them into your life. It will be harder for you to make friends and have relationships. People who had a rough upbringing will often become mentally and emotionally hardened and will need to work hard to soften up. This can also happen as a result of being abandoned or betrayed by friends, family, or lovers, which can develop trust issues. The final element is Earth. Earth represents your life's compass. Someone who has a good balance of Earth is rooted to a path of success. They know their lane in life and they stay in it. They have a good sense of direction, are career-oriented and financially stable, and they stay true to themselves. They're also great family people (think of the stay-at-home mom who covers the walls with family photos, or the person who calls their pet their "child"). They're able to stay friends with people for a long time and maintain long-lasting relationships and employment. They are also in touch in nature and respect the planet and their fellow living beings. Too much Earth can be considered a bad thing. Someone who is too Earthy is stuck in their own ways and never open to change. They may hate society because they're aware of how humans pollute the air, kill innocent animals, cut down trees, and otherwise destroy the planet. Some will put wild animals above fellow humans because of how connected they feel to nature. These are the vegetarians who attack people who don't share their choice of diet because they believe "meat is murder," and also the climate activists who block traffic as a form of protest. Not having enough Earth means you have no direction in life. You're like a wild leaf constantly blowing in a turbulent breeze, unable to find a place to settle down and call home. This is the person who bounces from job to job, unable to secure long term employment or find a career that works for them. They will be in and out of relationships constantly and have trouble keeping friends. They might even be homeless because they lost their way and dug themselves into a hole. So those are the four elements and what they represent. Are you able to choose your strongest element and recognize what your weakest is? Here's a test I came up with to see if you understand the basics of Wind, Fire, Water and Earth. Scenario 1: You read a post on social media from someone that says "An update on my music project: I now have four songs written but I still need to record them." Which element is this post strong in, and where does it show weakness? Answer: Writing songs is an example of intellect, so this is strong in the Wind category. However, not having the motivation to put those ideas into motion and record the songs shows a lack of Fire. A good idea will never see the light of day without the passion and drive needed to make it a reality. Scenario 2: The next social media post you read says "I've been at this job for 12 years and I'm so over it! I can't take another day of this place or my co-workers." Which personality elements come to mind with this post? Answer: Being at a job for 12 years shows strength in the Earth element, but this emotional outburst is overflowing with Water. Remember it's not good to have too much of one element. Remaining at a job you're unhappy at may also be an example of too much Earth because it shows you're too rooted and not open to change, even when it's apparent that it's necessary for your well being. Scenario 3: The third post you read surprises you. It says "the next time my neighbor's dog wakes me up at night, I'm going to think of a way to make my neighbor's life a living hell like he's making mine." What are your thoughts on this one? Answer: This is certainly a fiery statement to make. Assuming they didn't try talking to their neighbor first to find a resolution, it appears this person is taking a bull-headed approach to an issue they're having. Instead of using their brain logically, they're seeking to come up with a plan of revenge to fight fire with fire instead of coming up with a solution to extinguish the flames. When you pour gasoline on a fire, it will only burn brighter and begin to consume everyone around it. How did you do in understanding these examples? To explain this even better, I'm now going to share my elemental identity with you. In the broadest terms, I have always considered myself to be a fiery intellectual. This means that Fire and Wind are my strongest elements. I've always been energetic, passionate, and adventurous. I'm also headstrong and competitive. At the same time, I love to use my brain. I'm always seeking knowledge and learning new things. I'm a big fan of using wordplay and I enjoy clever humor. Do you notice how the video titles on my channel and in the behind-the-scenes extras tend to rhyme or have each word begin with the same letter? This is called an alliteration and it's an example of intellect. Having the intellect to create and the passion to put an idea into motion is what resulted in the blog you're reading right now. I created The No Deo Hero using my own inspirations and ideas and I stayed true to myself the entire time. I put my heart, soul and emotion into it, and with a good balance of Earth, I've managed to stay on the same successful path despite any obstacles that came up along the way. With Fire and Wind being my strongest elements, I wouldn't say that Water or Earth are necessarily weak for me. I'm a single homeowner who's financially stable and I've been operating as The No Deo Hero for over 8 years now. This shows a major growth in me as a person. I used to have difficulty maintaining employment at the same place for a while -- in fact, the longest job I held was for four and a half years at a restaurant. Being able to single-handedly keep my internet presence strong and successfully live off of it shows a big improvement in Earth for me. I'm not ashamed to admit that certain songs and movies can make me cry. A good book or video game can stir up emotion in me. I like to express my feelings, especially when someone touches my life in a positive way. I do have strengths in the Water category. However, I know my areas of improvement lie in making adjustments to my Fire and Water elements. I can be too Fiery to a fault. Sometimes I let little things anger or annoy me that shouldn't. I get mad at video games if they become too difficult. I yell at the screen and curse the developers for coming up with something so frustrating. I get angry if I'm trying to fix something at my house and it doesn't work the way it should. I say things out loud like "why don't these tools do what they're supposed to do? Why can't people come up with a better way to do this?" If I'm in a bad mood and I hit my arm or shin on a wall, I hit the wall back with my fist as if it's going to feel the same pain that I just did. I get excited during conversations that interest me and will sometimes accidentally talk over people. I do at least know how to say sorry and admit when I'm wrong. My intellectual logic will overpower stubbornness and lower the flames inside enough for me to think things clearly instead of blindly acting on rage. I'm still steadfast and headstrong though and won't allow myself to be disrespected or taken advantage of. Sometimes people take my friendly and occasionally goofy sense of humor for weakness, but they quickly learn I'm not to be victimized or preyed on. I'm also aware I have trust issues with other people. I had a fairly rough childhood with alcoholism as well as physical and verbal abuse at home, and I've also been abandoned by friends I've made throughout life that I was loyal and caring toward. This has affected my interest in making new friends and caused me to focus more on continuing to thrive independently and become my own best friend. I won't always give people the benefit of the doubt and might assume that only their own best interests are on their minds. Allowing hurtful instances of the past to affect your overall trust in other people is a lapse in the Water element. Where do you stand with your elements? How close are you to achieving a perfect balance of all four of them? A leopard never changes its spots, as they say, but there is always the possibility for improvement if you find ways to work toward it. If you're too angry all the time, try meditation or yoga. If you're prone to mental breakdowns, do what you can to eliminate stress in your life. You may need to change jobs or the people you hang around or live with. Making better use of your time is always beneficial, and controlling what you watch and listen to will also have a profound effect on you. Avoid negativity on social media or from the news, especially when it comes to politics. The path to happiness lies in unity, not division. I hope you learned something about yourself from reading this, and you likely just learned something new about me as well. Use this elemental guide to better yourself and understand the people around you. Your elemental energy will interact with theirs in unique ways. Remember that everyone is different and the best way to live your life is to be yourself. Love yourself and take pride in who you are, but acknowledge that everyone always has room for improvement and it's never too late to start striving to be better. 2013 was the year I stopped using all the hygiene products I had been raised on. My parents taught me at an early age to use deodorant, shampoo, body soap, and toothpaste, but down the road I gave them up one by one. I wasn't raised by wolves, I grew up to become one.
My natural outlook on life is the prime reason for this. I met people over the years who lived without using these products on their bodies and it piqued my curiosity. I remembered during my teen years when I would get flaky skin from body soap, a dry scalp from shampoo, and itchy rashes from deodorant. Back then I thought my skin was the problem, but eventually I realized the problem was actually the chemicals I was using on my body. It's been 11 years since I've used deodorant, shampoo, body soap, or toothpaste. I've been washing my hands with antibacterial soap several times daily this entire time and I rinse my body with water in the shower every other day because I'm still hygienic. My skin has been the healthiest it's ever been and I haven't had to deal with dry scalp, tooth pain, or itchy underarms. Sure, I have my own natural smell that I and other people notice, but I own it with pride. In regards to dental health, I haven't had any cavities or toothaches in this 11 year period of not using toothpaste or mouthwash. I've always been very good about brushing my teeth 3 times every day (once after each meal) by just wetting the brush with water, and I also floss twice daily without ever missing a day. I also don't eat candy and will rarely have anything with added sugar to it. It's been surreal to be able to adhere to that schedule and not have to visit a dentist a single time in over 10 years. It proves that keeping your teeth clear of lodged food and destructive sugars is the true solution for healthy teeth and gums, and that toothpaste and mouthwash only exist as band-aids or backup for people that don't regularly brush or floss. Bad breath and tooth decay is caused by particles left in your teeth to rot that you didn't remove because you skipped out on basic hygiene habits. This is why people who use fluoride-free toothpaste as a more natural choice of product may have bad teeth. If you don't regularly brush or floss, you don't have that fluoride protection to make up for it. Fluoride has been scientifically proven to be beneficial for teeth and bones in small doses, but too much of it can cause adverse health effects. This is why there's also concerns about drinking city water that has fluoride added to it. I will always be an advocate for a more natural way of living. Having unnaturally bleached teeth does not appeal to me. As we age, it's perfectly normal for your teeth to take on a slight yellow tint, and this is still considered normal and healthy. Society's artificial beauty standards are what convince people that pure white teeth are a must and that they need to use harmful chemicals to whiten them. I haven't been one of those people in 10 years and I don't plan on ever being one. I'm a 90's kid and grew up with Super Mario Bros. I was fascinated by the Mario games and the fantasy worlds they took place in. When I was in school, I would draw my own Super Mario 3 overworld maps during class and attempt to design my own levels for an imaginary sequel or expansion of the game. I used to walk around clutching any object I could find in one of my hands like Mario holding a vegetable on the cover of the USA version of Super Mario 2. One of my cousins and I were so into Super Mario World that we pretended to be Mario and Yoshi and I'd jump on his back while he walked around pretending to eat berries off of trees. I even used to run around blinking my eyes for a make-believe shining effect and pretending I had an invincibility star. During recess in elementary school, I would sometimes pretend to be Bowser and chase girls on the sports field while acting like I was blowing flames at them. They laughed and played along, running away screaming because they were imagining themselves to be princesses who didn't want to get captured by King Koopa. One Halloween, my mother designed an awesome Bowser costume for me to wear for trick or treating. I've also always had a great imagination, and while I was in bed at night right before I'd go to sleep, I would throw the covers over my head and act out a made-up episode of the Super Mario cartoons that used to air on television while providing the voices for each character. I'm still a Nintendo gamer to this day. The Switch is the only gaming system I own, and it's surreal to see Nintendo and the Mario series still going strong. I recently played through Super Mario Bros. Wonder and loved that game. With everything I just said though, I'm not going to make the obvious choice and say Mario, Bowser, or even Yoshi is my favorite video game character of all time. Over the years I've been a big fan of other video game franchise characters, like Tails the fox from Sonic the Hedgehog for example, but there's one character from another video game that I've always found really cool, and that's Reptile from Mortal Kombat. I've always enjoyed fighting games like Tekken, Primal Rage, Super Smash Bros, Clay Fighter, and more, but the original Mortal Kombat games were always the best to me. They had a combination of ninjas, elemental powers, strong warriors, and an impressive variety of characters to choose from. I remember mailing a fan letter to the two creators of the game and they were cool enough to write back and answer all my questions I had about their awesome creation. In the first Mortal Kombat game, a mysterious character named Reptile is available to fight as a secret match if you manage to find him. This is iconic because he became the first secret character in fighting game history. He starts off as just a recolor of the other ninja characters and borrows their special moves, but he gains his own identity and appearance in the follow-up games. As his name implies, Reptile is a lizard-like Saurian who has the ability to shapeshift into a human form; a species later known as Zaterran. He's eventually given a "real" name of Syzoth, and he possesses the ability to turn invisible and spit acid at his opponents in the Mortal Kombat games. Other characters insult him for his repulsive appearance and foul, noxious smell. I never liked how Reptile was always portrayed as a gullible servant who did what he had to do in order to save his family and learn more about his mysterious race, so whenever I chose him as my fighter I would change his storyline in my mind to one of an outcast who serves no one but himself. My favorite games to play as Reptile are Mortal Kombat II, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, and Mortal Kombat X. His design in MKX is my overall favorite, and that's also the game they officially gave him his own unique voice and dialogue. When I was in middle school, I had a dream that Reptile was real. He appeared as a small lizard just as he had in the first Mortal Kombat movie using CGI, and he was running around and causing a mixture of chaos and excitement on the school playground. Some kids were fleeing from him in fear while others were laughing and chasing him as he rushed around at blinding speed and camouflaged in the outside surroundings in order to evade capture. I love video games, and if I had to pick one character to name as my favorite, I'm going to give that honor to Reptile because of how cool he is and how much he evolved as a character. I mean, who wouldn't want to play as a stinking, acid-spitting lizard-man who can turn invisible and use his long tongue to eat his opponents' heads? It should come as no surprise that I chose an Argonian character for my first playthrough of Skyrim because they're a race of humanoid lizards and it reminded me of Reptile.
Since my mother had made me cool Halloween costumes like Bowser, Shredder from the Ninja Turtles, and James from Team Rocket before, I tried asking her to make me a Reptile costume in his human/ninja form, but that was unfortunately the year she wasn't able to find time or energy to make them by hand anymore. So while I don't have a costumed photo of myself to share, I found a picture online of someone who managed to pull it off really well! This blog post is not intended to attack any group of people or website. Instead, I'm taking the higher ground and attempting to reach people with it in the hopes of bettering their life choices and raising awareness of this type of toxic behavior from a community I've observed.
As was the case with a hole-in-the-wall adult video site (ThisVid) that was brought to my attention by fans because people had downloaded some of my YouTube videos and posted them to it, I was alerted by supporters of mine who participate on a forum that noticed people with bad intentions mentioning me. LPSG, owned by Unit 4 Media, describes itself as an adult forum that invites its members to discuss celebrities, social media influencers, and x-rated models together. Among these members is a congregation of people who behave in ways that directly violate the site's posted rules and terms of use. In my case, I was first alerted that users of this forum were publicly attempting to procure nude photographs of me. I had a look at the thread I had been mentioned in and was shocked by what I read. There were many users banding together to gain paid content from adult models for free as well as manipulate users of social media into showing their genitals while they secretly recorded them without their consent and posting photos of these individuals to the LPSG forum. The users expressed that they didn't care if a streamer gets banned for giving into the request so long as it was secretly filmed so the LPSG community could enjoy it. Other posts made were in the tone of refusing to ever pay to support a model or social media influencer and expressing entitlement to being able to see their naked bodies for free, even if it was achieved by deceptive means. This is a dangerous and predatory mind state to have, and these individuals clearly see people as objects instead of people. I've since had a few people, who are most likely members of this website, attempt to pledge to my Patreon with fake or outdated payment information and then instantly delete their pledge afterward in an attempt to gain access to 8 years worth of paid posts of mine for free. These people were blocked from my Patreon, and both Patreon and myself are well within our right to block people for attempting to circumvent the platform's subscription and payment systems and steal content from its creators. I stand by my decision to block anyone with bad intentions and will continue to do so at my discretion, and Patreon is able to see every action an account makes and will not issue refunds in malevolent cases. When caught in the act, these types of people will sometimes throw a fit over not getting what they tried to dishonestly obtain. Ironically, they will call creators scammers even though it was them who was trying to scam the creator. I have many patrons who have financially supported me on Patreon for years now, and the voices of my fans are much louder than the entitled complaints of people who try to take advantage of others. If you have no intentions of supporting a creator or paying for a service they offer, leave them alone. Don't attempt to manipulate them in their video comments or during their live streams. There is plenty of free content for people like you to enjoy on the internet, and your opinion of legitimate content creators outside of your forum congregation is invalid. Just as if you were to walk into a restaurant and demand a free meal or try to pay for it with an expired credit card, you will not receive the meal, and you can threaten to call the owner a scammer all you want but it's not going to get you that free meal. The only people who will agree with your warped logic are like-minded individuals who feel entitled to free food while the rest of the customers of the restaurant will continue paying for their quality meals and enjoying them as well as supporting the business because of how it takes care of its patrons. The same scenario applies to my actual fans who continue supporting me. I know the difference between fans and predators in my audience. Anyone who listens to me instead of only looking at me knows I stand for and speak up for communities and diverse identities and have nothing but love and respect for them, but people like this are giving communities a bad name. There is nothing wrong with finding a social media influencer attractive and fantasizing about them without their clothes on, but actively and regularly conspiring to get them to, for example, sign up for OnlyFans so one person can pay a one-time $5 or $10 fee and share all the posts with everyone else for free is an unhealthy habit and likely a pornography addiction. I am not being insensitive when I say this, but if you are someone who engages in this type of behavior online, please seek professional help for it. The further a person digs themselves into this mental hole, the harder it will be for them to dig themselves out. The sooner you start to respect people as people, the more respect you will be able to have for yourself. It goes without saying that anyone who spends all their free time trying to trick people into exposing their genitals or begging for free nude photographs of people are not happy or at peace with themselves. I sincerely hope this post will help people understand that there is no time like the present to better their lives and regain control of their compulsive urges. To the fans who continue to support me and bring matters like this to my attention, I sincerely appreciate you, and you are the reason I continue to open a private window into my life for everyone to enjoy. Thank you, and stay tuned for more 💚 To follow up on the most recent live stream I filmed on March 22nd: I believe I've discovered the cause of my sudden bout of fatigue and not feeling as motivated as usual. The crawl space under the house I bought is in bad shape -- it doesn't have a vapor barrier or insulation, and even worse, there's fungal mold on some of the joists and subfloor due to plumbing leaks the previous occupants didn't bother to fix. I filmed several remodeling vlog Shorts on my channel throughout June of 2023 showing the extent of some of the damage and neglect I inherited by purchasing this fixer-upper house. After I moved in, I upgraded the home's entire plumbing system myself. I replaced the water pipes under the crawl space with new PEX pipes and I dug up the well pipes in the backyard and replaced them with new, correct-sized PVC pipes. I also upgraded all the cast-iron waste/drain/vent pipes with ABS and replaced every plumbing fixture (new bathtub, shower valve, bathroom vanity and sink, toilet, kitchen faucet and sink, water heater, well tee, pressure gauge, and pressure tank).
That effectively ended the water leaks and backed-up plumbing problems in the house. However, the damage that had been done to the crawl space still existed, and it still does. The other day I had a metallic taste in my mouth. My throat and glands felt sore, I had a mild headache, and I felt pain in my chest around my lungs. When I researched these symptoms online, I found that mold inhalation was the prime suspect. A musty smell in your house is another indicator, and even though I've painted all the walls, trim, and ceilings, and cleaned the floors and furniture really well, this house still has a musty odor to it I notice every time I enter it. I learned that the mold in your crawl space can find its way up into your home through areas like gaps in my hardwood flooring. While it may seem "out of sight, out of mind" underneath your house, it actually poses a threat to you and anyone else inside. Along with a metal taste in your mouth and body aches, other symptoms of mold exposure include dizziness, fatigue, loss of memory, lack of motivation, and depression. When I was upgrading the electric system in the house in December and January, I would feel light-headed every single time I stood up from crouching down as if I had stood up too fast. I've also been concerned about why I've been having trouble remembering how many sets I've done while working out or recalling what I had for dinner the night before. I've never had physical or cognitive issues like this before. I didn't have any of these symptoms during the summer or autumn seasons I was here, but that's likely because I was venting the house with fresh air by opening the windows. Also, the house still had the original windows it was built with at that time and there were major air gaps around all of them, so the home was still getting some ventilation even while they were all closed. I've since had all the windows replaced with new ones and they're airtight, so during the winter when the windows were shut, there was no ventilation for the mold entering the home and I was breathing it in. I scheduled a professional inspection and assessment for my crawl space to I can have the mold killed and the area insulated. In the meantime, I replaced the MERV 5 (basic dust/lint protection level) air filter for my heat pump with a MERV 12 filter, which is rated for mold spores, bacteria and viruses. The filter is good for 3 months so it should help protect me until I can have the mold taken care of. I've also been opening my windows during the day while it's warm outside in order to circulate fresh air through the house. I've been wondering what's wrong with me lately and thinking it might be caused by new supplements I started taking when the answer was below me the entire time. If there were pets, babies, or people with weaker immune systems living here, they could have been hospitalized or worse from exposure to this mold, but thankfully I'm the only one living here and I live and eat really healthy, but it's still had a major effect on me that requires immediate attention. If your body tells you something's wrong, listen to it and work diligently to find the cause of it and the solution to fix it. We only get one life to live and one body to enjoy life with, so take care of it so it'll last you as many years as naturally possible! We all have favorite animals. My main favorites are rodents and marsupials, as you probably guessed from my rat mascot, but I also have a favorite bird I wanted to tell you about in case you never heard of it or had a chance to experience its awesomeness and beauty. When I was a kid, my favorite birds were hawks and falcons. I actually nicknamed myself Hawk for a while during grade school because of how cool I thought the birds were. I also read the Animorphs book series during this time and was infatuated by the idea of kids being able to turn into animals, especially the boy who had the ability to become a falcon and fly wherever he wanted. Steve Miller's song "Fly Like an Eagle" was something I was a big fan of too for this very reason. I'd be swinging on the swing set for the entirety of every recess and hearing that song play in my head as I imagined myself taking flight, my imagination soaring the entire time. I envied those birds of prey and their limitless freedom in my youth and considered them my favorites of the avian kingdom. That is, until I encountered an anhinga. The anhinga is also known as the darter, the snakebird, and the water turkey. It has a long, snakelike neck and sharp javelin of a beak that it uses to catch fish with. This bird eats by dipping its head into water and spearing its beak through the bodies of fish, then it tosses them into the air and devours them whole and dips its beak back in the water to rinse the blood from it. Due to anhingas not having oil glands to make their feathers waterproof like most aquatic birds, it has to dry itself off after swimming and fishing for food, so it'll stand on a branch or grass and raise its feathers into the air and hold them up like that, allowing the sun to warm its body and dry it off so it can fully regain its flight capability. This video I found on YouTube demonstrates an anhinga drying its feathers and fishing for food. It's the first bird shown in the first half of the video. In 2013 while I still lived in Ohio, I went to a park with a friend who was fly-fishing and there happened to be a pair of anhingas on the grass drying their feathers. I was instantly amazed at the sight and wondered why these big birds were just standing there with their wings up. I researched it, and on that day, discovered my new favorite bird. Anhingas look really cool when they're in flight due to their colors, and they also have a neat courtship display they perform where they peck at each others beaks and wrap their long necks together affectionately. This leads to the male bird gathering the supplies to start a nest, and the female anhinga will finish building it to prepare for her eggs. Here's a video I found of a courtship display. When I moved down south, I was really happy to learn that anhingas are common sights to see if you go far enough down in my new home state. I plan on making a trip to a location they're known to frequent at some point so I can see them again and relive the joy and amazement I experienced 10 years ago. I sent my DNA in years ago to find out my ethnic origins -- that's right, I spit in a plastic bottle and mailed it back to be studied. I had to pay for the lab service, but someone should have paid me for that spit!
Anyway, I wanted to share the results so you can learn where I get my physical features from. According to my DNA result, my origins are comprised of five main backgrounds: Scotland, Wales, Southern Italy, Ireland, and England/Northwestern Europe. Statistically, I'm 29% Scottish, 22% Welsh, 18% Italian, 13% Irish, and 11% English. To put it simply, I'm British and Italian -- or in other words, I'm a bit of a Euromutt! This makes sense since my great-grandparents came to the United States from Scotland, Ireland, and Italy, and one of my grandparents moved here from Wales. It also shows 2% for Norway, 2% for Greece and Albania, 2% for Northern Italy, and 1% for Levant (specifically around the Lebanon area). So now you know where I get my big nose, big hands and big feet from -- as well as my other renowned features. I was born in the United States and have lived here all my life, but I originate from the United Kingdom with a touch of Italy. Oi! Mama mia, mate! Guys, I just cast an ice spell over the comment sections of all the older videos on my YouTube channel that featured friends in them. They are now frozen solid, which means the comments will remain historically intact, but no new comments can be added to any of the videos that featured former friends of mine in them anymore.
There are two reasons why I did this, and I'll be happy to explain why since I'm always open and honest with my fans. One reason I did it is because it was getting distracting to receive notifications on my phone about comments being left on videos from years ago as if they had been uploaded recently. I can compare this to how people close the comment sections on older news articles or forum posts after a while in order to prevent people from "necro-bumping" the past pages since there's newer and more recent ones they want readers to interact with instead. I had a lot of fun filming with those friends and the videos of us will remain up so everyone can relive the good times and share the fond memories I'll always have of them, but that content is in the past and I'm now a solo channel. This will also prevent those comments I occasionally get from people who are just discovering my channel by way of a video filmed five years ago who mistakenly believe I'm still filming videos with a group of friends. As everyone should already know, those friends eventually all moved on in life over the years, and I also moved down south to another state to live in a warmer climate, and this is why I've been filming solo for over a year now. The other reason I paused the comments on those videos is out of respect for those friends. Even though they've moved on, and the only one I still keep in touch with these days is K2, I don't want people leaving rude or inappropriate comments about any of them. To be truthful, I've had to delete plenty of comments that were overly sexualizing and objectifying to friends of mine over the years, and while I genuinely enjoy and appreciate all the love and admiration people direct toward me, the guys I featured on camera with me did not feel the same way if the comments directed at them were too explicit. You have to put yourself in their position in order to understand how they felt. They're filming videos with their friend for fun and laughs, and they did enjoy having fans who admire them, but it wasn't comfortable for them to read comments from people who would openly sexualize everything we did together. Of course most of the comments fans left on these videos were kind and appropriately supportive, and that's why you still see them on the videos to this day, but the ones I removed went too far -- along the lines of people writing that they wanted to sodomize one of my friends, or beg to see one beaten to a bloody pulp, or suck their toes and lick every inch of their body, and so on. A few friends, like Toast and Ryno, actually stopped participating because they read comments like this directed at them, and this is also why new friends I met toward the end of my time living up north changed their mind about joining the show and decided not to participate at all. They originally liked the idea of the content I filmed and were down to be featured, but after having a look at videos I filmed with others and reading the comments, they told me they didn't want to subject themselves to it. While I tried to laugh it off and tell them it's just words written on the internet and it shouldn't bother them, I do understand how they felt and I feel it's my responsibility to ensure they don't end up getting hurt or having a negative experience on my show since it's all about love and positivity. So that's why I've disabled future comments on the older videos, and this is also one of several reasons I've decided to continue filming solo for now. In a recent vlog I called out a hole-in-the-wall adult website full of illegal, unmoderated content, that certain people have been using over the years to upload my YouTube videos and sometimes even paid content to. This mainly includes videos I filmed together for fun with former friends of mine, and in every instance I've had to have them taken down. It's very disrespectful to me that people would plaster my friends on a porn site as if they even have the right to do it, especially one that also features illegal spy-cam bathroom videos and child pornography. I actually filed complaints in an effort to have that website investigated and hopefully taken down. Again, the responsibility falls on me to protect the innocent friends I meet. I don't want to put anyone else on camera aside from myself knowing that they could be subjected to and bothered by explicit comments or having their image posted on an adult site it doesn't belong on. I had previously asked several times in community posts and vlogs about being respectful with comments directed toward my friends, and while my fans understood this and respected it, it didn't stop new people from finding my channel and doing it who didn't bother reading the posts or watching the vlogs. I personally understand that when you have fans, they love and admire you, and they express that love because they want you to know how much they like you. I truly love the flattering comments I get from my fans and I hope everyone will feel comfortable expressing their praise and gratitude to me without feeling shy or worrying that I might take it wrong because my fans and their love mean the world to me. I've received some incredible comments from fans over the years that make me feel good and honestly make my day, and we can all benefit from kindness and love to each other. Unfortunately it's one of those "a few bad people ruin the experience for everybody" scenarios that I can't help when it comes to featuring other people on camera, but I will always be here for everyone, and my content and core message will never change. I know there are plenty of you out there who miss brethling, the athletic challenges, and other videos I used to film with other guys on camera, but for now I have to put videos that depend on the participation of other people on hold. I hope everyone can understand where I'm coming from and where the former featured friends of mine were coming from. For the record, nobody I've filmed with has ever expressed any regrets about participating and no one has ever asked me to remove anything they're featured in. We all had fun, we made money together on the side, and they enjoyed having fans while they were around. The behind-the-scenes extras we filmed together are still available to be purchased access to as well; it just goes without saying that you shouldn't republish a private, paid video from someone, especially on an adult site. Some people simply got carried away with their admiration and took it too far to where it negatively impacted my friends and gave my show an unpleasant experience along with being the fun-fest that it was always made to be. And I will always bring you the truth about things since I know you would rather hear that instead of have me offer up a fake excuse or just refuse to talk about it. We never know what the future might hold, but for now, Primal Instinks is your present and the days of featured friends is past. We must live together in the present and work toward the future, and if we work together at it, we might be able to change the future for the better. Only time will tell, but until then, I will always be here for all of you 💚 I love music. It's a huge part of my life, and I enjoy so many songs by so many bands of so many genres. I decided to compile a few of my favorite album covers here to share. I like art a lot too, and bands can get really awesome and creative with their album designs. These are some that I like the best. Click any album cover to enlarge it and see the cool details for yourself. Do any of these records look familiar to you? Are you a fan of any of these artists? The genres range from metal, to industrial, post-hardcore, hard rock, rap, and punk.
If you haven't already heard them, I recommend listening to these songs: "Ratman" by Risk "Almost Honest" by Megadeth "Microwaved" by Pitchshifter "Smash the Control Machine" by Otep "The Red Rabbit" by The Great Discord "My Alphabets" by Mac Dre featuring Suga Free & Rappin' 4-Tay "Rum is for Drinking, Not Burning" by Senses Fail "Heavy Low" by We Hunt Buffalo "Gaining Purpose" by Twitching Tongues "Jason's Head" by Dead Milkmen "Demolition Derby" by Dune Rats "Don't Blame Me" by The Exploited "Outta My Head" by State Champs You can find them all on YouTube and Spotify. They rock! |
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