Quote from: davina61 on January 30, 2024, 05:02:38 PMA British company have found a way to make "petrol" out of ethanol without any ethanol side effects, they take the ethanol out somehow . At the moment its only available as a race fuel but it could be the future .

Then the problem becomes that ethanol takes a LOT of energy to make.

AS the UK saying goes "you don't get out for nowt" or to be scientific it takes more power to charge a battery then you get out of it. At the moment we do not have any technology to make more power out of less. 

A friend of mine who just put a large solar farm on his property said the solar to electric makes use of the land just as growing corn for ethanol and about the same output. I prefer to see corn but not sure which impacts the environment more. On another note, I have always felt Hydrogen is a better fuel source as it pollutes 0. Much needs to be done on alternative fuels, that's a given. I believe we all need to get off the fossil merry-go-round.

My takeaways from the passage below from REM's link:

"While some cars fared better than others in tests, including the Tesla Model S, which lost approximately 4% of its range when the temperature dropped below 32 degrees, others struggled. Recurrent, a research firm, found the Chevy Bolt lost approximately one-third of its range when the mercury dipped below freezing. The BMWi3 also lost range, as did the Hyundai Kona in tests.

That range loss is why Olsen says having an in-home charger is so critical, and if you're away from home, to know where express chargers are.

"Plan ahead," he said. "Make sure you know where your level two and three chargers are so you can get there."

A. The technology exists to maintain 96% of the range in the winter.

B. Home chargers are critical.

C. As is planning ahead.

D. More charging stations are needed.

Big oil has carefully curated the narrative that "electric isn't working perfectly, so there's no point in talking about it." The message is delivered by the same media organizations that are happy to report that "women want to have abortions in their 9th month", "parents are grooming their children to be trans" and "people pretend to be trans so they can go into a different bathroom."

Quote from: Courtney G on January 31, 2024, 09:21:15 AMBig oil has carefully curated the narrative that "electric isn't working perfectly, so there's no point in talking about it." The message is delivered by the same media organizations that are happy to report that "women want to have abortions in their 9th month", "parents are grooming their children to be trans" and "people pretend to be trans so they can go into a different bathroom."

Amen.

Everything you say needs to be repeated as often as possible whenever anything you have referred to is called into question.

Jenn

Home charging in the UK is extremely difficult. Most houses don't have a driveway, and you are having a lucky day if you manage to get the parking space in front of your house. Even if you do, you're now stringing a heavy cable/trip hazard across a public pavement (sidewalk for my American friends).

Also, for my US friends, you might find this interesting, and surprising.

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/legal/parking-on-someone-elses-driveway/

Hugs, Devlyn

Not to, you know, make this all about ME... but..since it's my blog I shouldn't feel bad changing the topic to myself... and yet oddly, I do.  But, there you go.

As my wife suggested over the weekend, this morning I finally took the leap and shaved my armpits.

I get that this should be another of those seminal moments in the journey: affirming, and memorable.

But I have notes:

 I think as a trans woman who grew up in and around baseball, I am uniquely qualified to make this point. It has been said that throwing a baseball is one of the most unnatural things you can do to your arm.

That is true.

But the people who said that, have never, I am certain, tried to manipulate their arms through the freak show-level flexibility gauntlet required to shave your own armpits. The word "akimbo" has never resonated so strongly with me.

And so while they say tragedy + time = comedy? I think the corollary is that awkwardness+time = affirmation.  So, while I do think I will at some point look back at this as a significant moment... I very much know I need to put some miles on these tires before that is true. And some ice on these shoulders.  No arms, really, should have to bend and move like that.

But the deed is (poorly) done. I believe going in for a clean up tomorrow will be a lot easier... but I literally had to stop before I started laughing or crying in the shower this morning. Neither of those, when you are alone, is a particular sign of mental health.

Love,
Allie

How the H are you doing it?? Just lift the arm being shaved and reach across your chest with the other arm and shave down hill. Easy peasy

Agreed.  Shaving armpits is easily done, if two arms are available to do the job    .  Left does right and right does left. If you must, just use the basin and mirror to see what you are doing.  I do mine blindly and after a while, no hair to speak of.  Possibly attributable to HRT.

Quote from: davina61 on January 31, 2024, 02:35:37 PMHow the H are you doing it?? Just lift the arm being shaved and reach across your chest with the other arm and shave down hill. Easy peasy

But what about standing on one leg... only doing it in total darkness? Hmmm... I'm starting to this this ->-bleeped-<- post someone linked me to had outdated info...

No, I WAS reaching across, but I was trying to use the body hair razor and it's kind of bulky... and to get in into their took manipulations from above and below. If I just used my face razor it would have been easier, but I assumed less gentle.

I will take another whack at it (so to speak) tomorrow.

I think a facial razor or an overpriced women's razor is actually more accurate for armpit shaving than the big blades of a bakblade. And easier to handle as well as a side benefit.

Hugs,

Heidemarie

I have 2 handles for my face blades, after 3 days of face use they end up on the one in the shower for body hair and work well.

Congratulations on the shaving, Allie. I (finally) just did mine a week ago. While I was in there, I shaved my arms. I was crying from the euphoria while doing it. I hadn't fully realized how "male" my arm hair made me feel.

Quote from: Courtney G on January 31, 2024, 07:42:57 PMCongratulations on the shaving, Allie. I (finally) just did mine a week ago. While I was in there, I shaved my arms. I was crying from the euphoria while doing it. I hadn't fully realized how "male" my arm hair made me feel.

Nice Courtney! My arms will have to wait until after I'm fully out but I could see that being very exciting!

Wonderful for you!  Advancement on any score is rewarding, no?  What a feeling without that pesky hair!

For me not so much exciting, but satisfying.  Especially after only a year or two, likely due to HRT, only to have the odd hair sneak in.  Maybe every six months I run my epilator on my arms.   for 7 years, Brazilian fore and aft (lovely feeling after).  My aesthetician says even that is 75% reduced and finer in consistency.

Quote from: Courtney G on January 31, 2024, 07:42:57 PMCongratulations on the shaving, Allie. I (finally) just did mine a week ago. While I was in there, I shaved my arms. I was crying from the euphoria while doing it. I hadn't fully realized how "male" my arm hair made me feel.

About a year ago I did a trial session of laser on the back of my hands. I saw Mom after. She had no idea why I was staring, I just kept staring at the back of my hands. Even when she asked why I kept staring.. and I held up my hands showing off the hair free backs. she still didn't get what I was looking at.

"Mom.. I had laser hair removal on the back of my hands and it is amazing '..

I should probably take a moment to point out that hair might be just hair for some. I love being smooth. Everyone gets to do transition in their own ways. Feeling no pressure to follow the crowd or not being rushed to an uncomfortable spot in transition, even if that spot seems small, is a good thing.

Jenn

Quote from: Jenn104 on February 01, 2024, 09:09:14 AMAbout a year ago I did a trial session of laser on the back of my hands. I saw Mom after. She had no idea why I was staring, I just kept staring at the back of my hands. Even when she asked why I kept staring.. and I held up my hands showing off the hair free backs. she still didn't get what I was looking at.

"Mom.. I had laser hair removal on the back of my hands and it is amazing '..

I should probably take a moment to point out that hair might be just hair for some. I love being smooth. Everyone gets to do transition in their own ways. Feeling no pressure to follow the crowd or not being rushed to an uncomfortable spot in transition, even if that spot seems small, is a good thing.

Jenn

Oh yeah I get that Jenn.

Keeping my chest shaved has been major for me. I was pretty...uh.. feral.  And so the initial harvest was quite something. And now that hormones seem to have taken hold and make it easier and easier, that's been great.

That first time I did full front laser was a torturous affair. But we are trying to squeeze in another go. I want to see if it'll be better/worse but more importantly what kind of impact it'll have.

Spent much of this afternoon in the "food lab"... despite my head just about wanting to split it half.

It dawns on me this is VERY much a coping method. Our kitty, 14 years old, who lost his brother last year... is nearing the end. He's actually been on borrowed time the last six months, but the last few days he seems to be alternating between his happy go-lucky self and sad.

This is above and beyond the incontinence issues he's been having due to the tumor he has. We know he feels bad about it, but it's like a hand grenade walking around the house... never knowing when it's going to go off.

And this means we have to discuss this evening whether or not to alert our son about this, if we really think its that close, because he'd want to come down and spend time with his buddy... not hear about it after the fact. But we also don't want to worry him for no reason. So we have to thread that needle.


Oh AND our hot water heater has been having an issue (which I mentioned previously) and the way it presents (other than some reduction in our hot water) is that it beeps like a truck backing up.. randomly, for indeterminate lengthens of time, every day.

So... add in migraines to that cocktail, and yes... it is stressful.

So rather than wallow or impossibly try to rest, I baked a new version of my banana bread muffins (I know potassium is something I'm supposed to limit with my hormones... and I have been, but everything in moderation)...

And for dinner, I came up with a method/recipe for air fryer fish and chips.

I'm going to do sweet potato fries, since my wife greatly prefers those. But use the method I normally use for russet potatoes. It's maybe a bit over complicated, but it is very effective. And since it's like a 90-minute process... it will keep me busy.

Other than all that, Mrs Lincoln, how did you like the play?

That sorta day...

Love,
Allie

Sorry to hear about your cat. Loosing a pet is very hard.

I was wondering if your son comes to say good bye to cat, will that affect your plans to tell him about being transgender?

Ellen