Microdosing, Mastodon, And Jonah Hill

 

Seeking Peace, Finding Kindness.

2008. I’m 40. I write a short story about my search for my birth mother, how in 1998, after searching for six years — after a social worker said it was impossible— I found her but she was already dead. I write about how finding answers soothed my soul at the same time grief shattered it. I show it to a friend, a screenwriter and former New York Times journalist who says, “holy shit, you’re a writer.” It is the first time I’ve shown someone my writing. He suggests I turn it into a screenplay, so with his help and the help of other screenwriter friends, I write a screenplay.

Some people read it and like it and wow, maybe I really am a writer. The news horrifies my husband — a film producer — now his wife is like everyone else in this town asking him to read their script, but he is a good husband, so he reads it and, much to his cynical surprise, he likes it. He sends it to his friend, a big fancy agent. His friend, the big fancy agent, does not like my script.

“She sucks. She should never write again.”

Not “it needs work” or “it’s not commercial enough,” no, the big fancy agent issues an edict, an absolute, a nuclear blast. I’m devastated. But instead of giving up, I say “fuck you big fancy agent” and keep writing.

2018. I’m 50. I’ve been searching for my birth father for 26 years. I’ve followed false leads, DNA tested with the wrong man — thanked a God I do not believe in it wasn’t him — put my DNA on websites and prayed to that same God the right man would one day appear.

That one day is a quiet Sunday morning with an Ancestry.com first cousin match, an unusual last name, two hours on the internet and a call to a stranger in Brewster, Massachusetts. My father. I have two half-sisters. My soul, my broken soul feels something I cannot describe. He tells me he’s not sure he wants a relationship, but the next day calls back and says, “If I would have known, I would have raised you. Let’s stay in touch.”

Six months later, I fly alone to Boston and a white-haired man with shining blue eyes just like mine stands at baggage claim — exactly where he told me he would stand — I hug him and feel his heartbeat next to mine and we laugh and cry and get in his dusty Subaru for the drive to his home on the Cape. In the car, the producer of the television show I’m writing for calls me to give me notes on the episode I submitted that morning before boarding the plane. “I have to call you back. I’m in the car with my father.”

2022. I’m 54. I’ve been on anti-depressants for 3 years. Adoption reunion stirred up trauma and pain and made it impossible for me to muscle through the Depression I’ve lived with my entire life. The medication works. I’m alive, but I long for more than just “being alive.” I long to be present and feel the joy I know exists in the world so I yoga and spin and walk and fuck and eat and shop, but I cannot grasp what others so easily hold.

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It’s spring, two years since a pandemic has sidelined life and infected us with more sadness than a virus ever could. A friend gives me a micro dose of psilocybin — magic mushrooms — and I take it. It changes my life. I feel the presence and peace that has eluded me for decades. I begin micro dosing several days a week, lower my antidepressant dosage with no uptick in depressive or anxious symptoms. I am optimistic, hopeful, able to see the kaleidoscope of beauty in the world and my life.

November arrives and I wake up one Tuesday morning to learn a movie I co-wrote — my original story and script — has been nominated for 11 Emmy awards. It wins four. Take that, big fancy agent.

Giving up is grossly overrated.

Netflix Top 10: The Most-Watched Shows In The World Right Now

 

In terms of what everyone around the world is bingeing on Netflix this week, based on the streamer’s just-updated weekly Top 10 list, the immediate highlight that jumps out at you from the latest data involves the fan-favorite show that’s at #1 this week.

Ginny & Georgia’s newly-released second season racked up just shy of 200 million hours viewed around the world last week, meaning across Netflix’s entire global user base. This week, the show pulled in enough viewership once again to remain at #1 — racking up a little more than 87 million hours viewed. What’s more, this has proven to be such a hit franchise for the streaming giant that the release of Season 2 has also pulled Ginny & Georgia Season 1 back into the global Top 10. All the way up to #4 in the world this week, as a matter of fact.

 

Netflix Top 10 (January 16-January 22)

Starting with Ginny & Georgia Season 2, here are the top 10 Netflix shows in the world at the moment:

1. Ginny & Georgia: Season 2 — 87.4 million hours viewed
2. Vikings: Valhalla: Season 2 — 55.5 million hours viewed
3. Wednesday: Season 1 — 45.7 million hours viewed
4. Ginny & Georgia: Season 1 — 43.2 million hours viewed
5. That 90s Show: Season 1 — 41 million hours viewed
6. Vikings: Valhalla: Season 1 — 25.3 million hours viewed
7. Kaleidoscope — 22.9 million hours viewed
8. Emily in Paris: Season 3 — 15.5 million hours viewed
9. New Amsterdam: Season 1 — 14.6 million hours viewed
10. The Walking Dead: Season 11 — 11.8 million hours viewed

These figures are drawn from Netflix’s latest weekly Top 10 data just released on Tuesday, which shows that fans around the world also helped Ginny & Georgia’s first season earn a little more than 43 million hours viewed this week in tandem with keeping the new season on top.

#1 on Netflix this week: Ginny & Georgia Season 2

Netflix’s latest TV-focused Top 10 list, by the way, is one of four global charts that the streamer updates each week. And as for the #1 show in the world right now, there’s some important additional context to be aware of:

For one thing, the Ginny & Georgia series is currently a Top 10 Netflix show in a whopping 85 countries. As of the time of this writing, the show’s Rotten Tomatoes performance also includes a 77% audience score and a 64% critics’ score.

“How do you live with the knowledge that your mother is a murderer?” reads Netflix’s synopsis for the 10-episode Season 2. “That’s what Ginny is going to have to figure out.

“Burdened with the new understanding that Kenny — her step-dad — didn’t die of natural causes, now Ginny must deal with the fact that Georgia not only killed, she killed to protect Ginny. Georgia on the other hand would much prefer that the past be left in the past, after all, she’s got a wedding to plan! But the funny thing about Georgia’s past is that it never stays buried for long.”

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Ginny & Georgia — which stars Antonia Gentry and Brianne Howey in the title roles, respectively — debuted on Netflix back in February of 2021. To get a sense of just how big this show has always been for the streaming giant, more than 52 million households watched Season 1 during its first 28 days of availability. That figure, of course, is much larger now, no doubt to the satisfaction of series creator Sarah Lampert.

#2 on Netflix this week: Vikings: Valhalla Season 2

As for what other shows are currently trending on the streamer, this week marks the second week in a row that the streamer’s continuation of The History Channel’s Vikings franchise has beaten out other new Netflix releases to dominate the global Top 10 list.

Vikings: Valhalla’s second season is currently a Top 10 Netflix show in 81 countries. Accordingly, the show currently enjoys a perfect 100% critics’ score and a 65% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

During its first week of streaming availability for Season 1, this series that chronicles the exploits of some of the most famous Vikings who ever lived racked up 113.3 million hours viewed worldwide, climbing into the Netflix Top 10 in 90 countries. In just its first two days alone, Vikings: Valhalla garnered 80.5 million hours of viewing time, bringing its nine-day viewership to an impressive 194 million hours watched worldwide.

This Netflix series from creator and showrunner Jeb Stuart, in other words, knocked it out of the park during its first season and tapped into a hunger for more stories connected to the fan-favorite series.

“Reveling in the glory of straightforward adventure storytelling,” reads the Rotten Tomatoes critics’ consensus summary, “Valhalla is a bloody good dramatization of Leif Eriksson’s conquests.

7 Tips For Healthy Lifestyle: The Key To A Long And Fulfilling Life

  

Living a healthy lifestyle is crucial for maintaining physical and mental well-being. It not only improves the quality of life, but also helps prevent various diseases and illnesses. Here are some key aspects to keep in mind for a healthy lifestyle:

1. Exercise regularly: Regular physical activity helps maintain a healthy weight, improves cardiovascular health and strengthens the immune system. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day.
2. Eat a balanced diet: A healthy diet should include a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Limit the intake of sugar, saturated fats and processed foods.
3. Get enough sleep: The recommended amount of sleep for adults is 7-9 hours each night. Sleep is crucial for physical and mental restoration.
4. Reduce stress: Chronic stress can have negative effects on both physical and mental health. Engage in stress-relieving activities such as meditation, yoga or deep breathing.
5. Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is essential for overall health. Avoid sugary drinks and opt for water, herbal tea or natural fruit juices.
6. Avoid harmful habits: Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and drug use can cause serious health problems. It’s best to avoid these habits altogether.
7. Maintain social connections: Strong social connections and supportive relationships are important for mental health. Engage in activities with friends and family, and seek support when needed.

By incorporating these habits into your daily routine, you can achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Remember to prioritize self-care and listen to your body. A healthy lifestyle can lead to a longer, happier and more fulfilling life.

Sadie Sink in Emotional Coming-of-Age Film 'Dear Zoe' Official Trailer

"You were funny, and loud, and sweet, and I will never, ever forget you." Freestyle has revealed an official trailer for a coming-of-age indie drama called Dear Zoe, from filmmaker Gren Wells. This premiered at a few film festivals earlier this year and will be out on VOD this fall starting in November. Sadie Sink, also in "Stranger Things" and The Whale this year, stars in Dear Zoe, about a young woman grappling with the loss of her younger sister and the surprising places she turns to in order to cope with the grief. When Tess and her family suffer an unimaginable loss, she finds support from a surprising source: her biological father – a lovable slacker from the wrong side of the tracks – and the charming but dangerous juvenile delinquent next door. The cast includes Theo Rossi, Jessica Capshaw, Justin Bartha, Kweku Collins, and Vivien Lyra Blair. This looks super cheesy, like a Lifetime TV special event not a movie that should be in theaters.

Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Gren Wells' Dear Zoe, direct from YouTube

When Tess (Sadie Sink) and her family suffer an unimaginable loss, she finds support from a surprising source: her biological father – a lovable slacker from the wrong side of the tracks – and the charming but dangerous juvenile delinquent next door. Dear Zoe is directed by the American writer / filmmaker Gren Wells, director of the film The Road Within previously, as well as a few shorts. The screenplay is written by Marc Lhormer and Melissa Martin, adapted from the novel by Philip Beard. This initially premiered at the 2022 Sedona Film Festival earlier this year. Freestyle Digital Media will debut the film in select US theaters and on VOD starting November 4th, 2022 coming soon this fall. Anyone want to watch this? Look good?

Source: FirstShowing

Instagram Developing User Controls to Block Nudity and Other Unwanted Content

 

The optional user tools are still in the early stages of development, Meta says.

Meta is developing a set of optional user controls for Instagram to help safeguard users from unwanted and inappropriate content.

The tools are being created to "help people protect themselves from unwanted DMs, like photos containing nudity," a Meta spokesperson told CNET in a statement Wednesday.

"This technology doesn't allow Meta to see anyone's private messages, nor are they shared with us or anyone else," Meta said. "We're working closely with experts to ensure these new features preserve people's privacy, while giving them control over the messages they receive."

Some of the new, optional controls that Instagram plans to offer will be similar to its current Hidden Words' controls, as well as provide on-device safety protections with end-to-end encryption. The goal of the new controls, which users can opt in or out of, is to stop harm before it occurs and give users more control over their experience on the app. Meta will supposedly not be able to see or collect any of the images, and there will be no signals to share with third parties.

The new tools are still in the early stages of development and aren't yet being tested, Meta said.

Meta's development of the new Instagram tools comes on the heels of the tech company being hit with a $400 million fine from Ireland's Data Protection Commission for failing to protect children's information on Instagram, as well as multiple lawsuits in the US alleging the tech company knowingly exploits its younger users for profit on both Facebook and Instagram.

Source: Cnet

I lost 10kg in a Month With These 4 Tips

I don’t do a heavy workout or follow a fitness routine

“So here is the working plan, let’s start this next week”.

Next week never comes like that. Am I right?

Of course! Tons of work in front of your eyes always pull you towards it and never allow you to focus on your fitness.

The same happened to me.

If you calculate, going to the gym or any fitness club asks for at least 2 hours (including getting ready, traveling to the gym, and workout sessions).

What if I tell you that just a few changes in your lifestyle can help you stay fit? It won’t ask for much time.

I lost 10 kgs in one month by following this. Sounds interesting?

Let’s unlock my weight loss secrets

Wearing Fit or Tight Clothes

Really? Wearing fit and tight clothes helps to stay fit?

A big Yes. I have tried this hack and saw a huge change.

So what happens when you wear loose clothes?

The reality is, that you don’t see your actual body shape and fitness in the mirror. You keep eating whatever you like even junk food and in whatever quantity. Nobody can judge you easily in loose clothes.

You won’t realize that you’re gaining weight and keep repeating the same eating habits with no worries.

The shocking day comes when you take out your favorite outfit, and try it but it doesn’t fit you.

So, how tight and fit clothes help?

• Reminds you that if you overeat, your tummy can appear in this outfit
• Motivate you to work out for maintaining body weight and shape.
• Make your stomach tight so that you don’t eat more than required.

Tip: Try your favorite tight outfits

Music To Stay Active

Laziness is another reason for gaining weight. This comes generally when you’re bored and don’t have much work.

Well, music plays a crucial role here. Pick some songs that refresh your mind and fill in some energy in your body.

When I feel bored and become lazy, I do the same. I play music and become highly active and energetic.

I start cleaning my room and enjoy myself while listening to music.

How will this help you in losing weight?

You will start doing things at a rapid speed.

Staying active all day will contribute to your weight loss journey.

So if you don’t have time for the gym or any workout club, listen to music and start a workout or any physical work. I’m sure you will enjoy it.

Tip: Listen to songs that have good beats and sound energetic.

Replaced My Junk Snacks With Healthy Foods

Do you know junk foods slow down the digestive system? That’s how it makes your stomach bloated.

I had a very bad habit of eating junk foods in snacks like french fries, burgers, cheese nuggets, etc.

I kept eating junk food every day and my tummy didn’t get a chance to come back to its original shape.

I realized this after a long time. So I changed this habit.

Instead of junk food, I keep foods like salads, fruits, and sprouts near my workspace and have them in my small breaks.

This habit improved my digestive system as well as cut out the fat from the body.

Tip: Look for recipes to make healthy food taste delicious.

Drinking Enough Water Is Life-Saver

Do you know when you realize that you’re thirsty, your body is already dehydrated and now it’s reminding you?

A doctor told me about this.

Don’t allow your body to remind you of water. Drink before it gets dehydrated.

How does it help in losing weight? Drinking enough water can solve the majority of problems in a body.

It can improve digestion, acidic problems, and more.

A dehydrated body craves sugar and something sweet. Sugar is the biggest enemy of weight loss.

Moreover, when you drink enough water, you will consume food in a limited quantity.

Overeating is not possible when you follow this.

Tip: Drink one glass of water before having your meal.

Takeaways

Here are 4 tips that helped me to lose 10 kg weight in a month.

1. Wearing fit or tight clothes
2. Listen to music to stay active
3. I replaced junk snacks with healthy foods
4. Drinking enough water is life-saver

These are the only hacks that I followed for a month and I lost 10 kg. If a lazy person like me can do this, then you can do it better.

Source: Medium

Client Communication Made Easy With Text

Customers are everything when it comes to business. Ensuring their happiness and hearing what they have to say is essential if you want to be truly successful from gathering feedback to providing service updates and responding to inquiries, there are plenty of ways to reach your clients.

But more options might not always be better. Smartphones have ushered in an era of shorter attention spans and information overload, so how do you get your business to stand out in the crowd? The average open rate of an insurance marketing email is just under 22%, and with smarter inboxes that filter out automated messages, email might not be the best way to get to our intended audience.

An increasingly popular and successful way to get your message across is by text messaging clients. According to statistics published by Leftronic, 50% of people worldwide use email, but nearly 70% own a mobile device. Sending a business text is, quite literally, the best way to get information in your customers’ hands. Upwards of 90% of text messages are read versus the 20% opened emails.

In this article, we’ll tell you all about how to use business text and the best practices around text messaging clients.

What is SMS Communication?

SMS stands for short messaging service. In the infancy of texting, this was the way texts were delivered. In this format, messages are limited to 160 characters and do not contain any multimedia like photos or videos. Text messaging has evolved in the last decade, and, in most cases, there are no limitations on the size and content of messages. You may still hear mobile service carriers refer to SMS; however, the term is synonymous with texting as we know it today.

Why Use Business Text?

Text messaging clients is a quick and easy way to send information about your business. You can share many kinds of updates with your customers, including product or service specials, appointment reminders, and delivery status. You can even open a two-way dialogue with customers, as many business text platforms allow the client to respond to your text. Text messaging clients is a great way to enhance your customer service and improve customer satisfaction.

How Does Mass Texting Work for Businesses?

One of the advantages of text messaging clients is the efficiency of communications that can be automated through a customer relationship management (CRM) platform. There are many kinds of platforms that are easy to use and, in some cases, offer free trials. CRM tools allow you to upload a database of customer contact numbers, which you can use to send out your business text messages on a large scale. Most CRMs even filter out any phone numbers that are not associated with a mobile phone or can’t receive text messages.

With a CRM tool, you can create template text messages to save in your system. When you want to send a business text, the tool will auto populate customer names and other personalized info like appointment times or order updates. You can then schedule the exact time and date you’d like the business text to be sent out.

The automation features of CRM for text messaging clients can improve the efficiency of your communications. Your agents and client managers can pre-schedule business text messages in bulk and in advance, freeing them up to focus on sales and growth activities. You can even program your CRM text messaging features to auto reply if a customer should respond to one of your messages. If a personalized response is necessary, that can be done right within the CRM platform.

What Should You Text?

When it comes to text messaging clients, it’s not just “anything goes.” It is important to keep your business text messages as professional as you would an email, phone call, or face-to-face communication. Try to limit your texts to information that is relevant and useful to the customer and avoid overspending, or spamming, the client with unnecessary messages.

You should only be using text messaging to contact clients who have opted in for this form of communication. This means they must voluntarily give their number and agree to receive business text messages from you. Do not use texting for cold sales contact.

When you are crafting the content of your text messages, keep a few things in mind.

• It should be very clear who the message is from
• It should be written in a professional way with no abbreviations or typos
• If you have a call to action, be sure it is clearly stated
• Include information on how to contact your customer support
• Include how to opt out of future messages.

Getting Value With InsuredMine

InsuredMine is a state-of-the art CRM platform designed to help insurance agents manage all sales and marketing aspects of an agency, not just client communication. InsuredMine is an all-in-one platform that helps you manage customer relationships throughout the entire customer journey. You can use the platform to capture leads from your website and social media pages, and it helps streamline the process of following up on those leads by letting you automate follow-up emails or setting reminders for phone calls or follow up meetings.

InsuredMine has all of the capabilities and integrations you need to create a valuable business text messaging system, but the added value is in the end-to-end solutions that can totally transform your agency operations and drive new revenue. With over 47% of agency owners saying a CRM tool has made a positive impact on their retention rates and growth, it is likely your investment in the InsuredMine platform will pay for itself.

As another added benefit, InsuredMine is a safe and secure cloud-based program, meaning your agents and staff can work anywhere with an internet connection. You can always find out how well InsuredMine is working for you with real-time analytics reports that are easily accessible right in your client value. There are many CRMs and tools for text messaging clients on the market, but none can compare to the value and performance of InsuredMine.

Try Insured Mine for Your Business Text Needs

Are you ready to improve your customer communications with business text messages with InsuredMine? Our all-in-one insurance software platform is everything you need to grow your agency and engage with clients. Try InsuredMine for free today.

Source: Youngsters