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Hello! I'm a southerner with active ties to Mississippi, I've lived there on and off over the years, but I've also lived lots of other places, including the PNW. Not BC, but Portland, as well as abroad. Currently in Vermont. When in MS, I've mostly lived in the northwestern corner -- basically Memphis, but I've spent some time in the delta as well.

Does Mississippi suck? Well... to some degree, obviously, that's going to depend on your definition of "suck." I'll give you some (of what I consider) positive points first, and then some negatives.

Positives: the culture is thick on the ground in the delta; less so to the eastern side of the state. The stretch running along the Mississippi river, you have to remember, was once effectively the west coast of the US, and the Miss. R. was the single most important transportation thoroughfare in the country. What does that have to do with anything now? Well... not that much. But historically, the Mississippi delta was once quite cosmopolitan, and you can still find vestiges of that in the culture. William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Walker Percy, Willie Morris, Mark Twain; Muddy Waters, Sam Cooke, Jim Dickinson, W.C. Handy, some guy named Elvis... Miss. has turned out, per capita, a crazy number of writers and musicians. The food is good, in a heavy, southern kind of way. In spite of the state's reputation (which I wouldn't call undeserved, but perhaps a little simplistic), people are generally very nice and very friendly. If you're into a sort of uncomplicated, laid-back way of living, then I'd think Mississippi could be comfortable.

Having said that -- yeah, it's going to be completely different. Mississippi, in general, is poor, black, and rural. Even Jackson has a sort of rural feel, even while having a lot of issues with urban blight. It's small, it's insular, and it's not that interested in the outside world. And it's fucking hot and muggy -- in the summer it feels like being smothered in a hot, wet wool blanket. And I hope you're okay with ticks and mosquitos. And if you're near the coast, occasionally gators.

Obviously the norm is conservative christianity -- to the point that it doesn't even occur to people that anyone might be any different. The black population is nominally more liberal, but are still deeply religious and just as conservative in many respects. Race is visible in ways that it just isn't in other places -- I wouldn't say that people are in conflict over it any more than they are elsewhere, but it's a much more active social factor than elsewhere. This doesn't mean that (to use the regional parlance) white folks and black folks don't work together and socialize, but in most places in MS there is very much a "white folks part of town" and a "black folks part of town." There are white churches and black churches, white schools and black schools (holy shit, I could tell you a few things about that), there's an upper class and a lower class that run very much along racial lines. I don't know if society is really more segregated down there than it is elsewhere -- up north we talk about race like it doesn't matter or like everything is fine and everyone is happy, even while the divide is still obviously there -- but where it is segregated, everyone is much more open and even accepting of that fact.

In terms of day to day life, there are really only two models: Wal-Mart, and no Wal-Mart. In places where there's no Wal-Mart, you're in a tiny little town that hasn't visibly changed since the 60s, frozen in time. Where there is Wal-Mart, there is only Wal-Mart. It's Big Box stores, or nothing. There's no public sphere (except for Wal-Mart), there's no place to walk around really (except inside the Wal-Mart), when teenagers are bored they go hang out at the Wal-Mart... Wal-Mart is the hub of public life. If you're the fancy type you might do your shopping at Target instead, but even so, you'll feel the influence of Wal-Mart in everything you do.

Your money will go a long way; you'll be expected to keep your lawn in decent shape; people will invite you over for meals and gatherings, but half the time they'll also try to convert you to some form of evangelical, fundamentalist christianity (if you haven't been already.) They will not easily take "no" for an answer. Some of them will be defensive about your attitudes toward the south (even if you haven't actually displayed any), but others will be really interested in your background. If you look, you'll be able to find other people who understand where you're coming from. But you might have to look hard, and be patient.

Personally, I love Mississippi... but I love it most from a safe distance. I sometimes think that I really should move back, to the south if not to Mississippi specifically, because how can we expect things to change there if everyone who thinks outside the southern norm flees for more progressive places? But then I think about everything I'd have to deal with down there -- the religion, the politics, the grinding generational poverty all around me, the resistance to change, the cultural defensiveness, the self-destructive urge for southerners to fuck themselves over in the name of Jesus or Reagan or whatever, and I'm like, "fuck that bullshit."

Feel free to ask if you have specific questions. Also, I think the Bitter Southerner is a really good source for an intelligent, progressive, sometimes conflicted but generally affectionate take on modern southern culture. Other things to check out are Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus and Deer Hunting with Jesus

I had just emailed NAMI on a sort of similar issue the replied me with the following:

>Thank you for contacting NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. We’re grateful you’ve reached out to us and hope that the information provided below will guide you to helpful resources and next steps.

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>We’ll highlight a few options for you now, but please consider calling the HelpLine to speak with one of our volunteer Information & Resource Referral Specialists to talk through additional options if we have not been able to fully address your question. Our volunteers have “lived experience” – either living with or caring for a loved one with a mental health condition, so we’re passionate about helping to find the best options for you. 

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>Firstly, you may wish to view our Want To Know How To Help A Friend Infographic to begin the conversation. 

>
>Secondly, often an individual living with a mental health diagnosis – particularly one that involves a serious mental health condition (or one complicated by substance use disorder) – may not actively participate in their own recovery. This is known as Anosognosia [Ah-no-zog-nosha], a co-occurring disorder that can accompany a serious mental health condition and render the individual unable to recognize that they have a mental health condition and/or that they need to seek help. 

>
>To learn techniques for communicating with your loved one, and to help them agree to partner in their recovery, we would recommend reading I’m Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help!, a book by Dr. Xavier Amador - a psychologist whose experiences with his own family demonstrated how challenging this phenomenon could be. In his book, Dr. Amador discusses the condition of Anosognosia and outlines strategies for communicating with a loved one to help them work toward recovery. The first half of the book is accessible to the public on our website here; the book is available in English and Spanish for purchase at online booksellers. 

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>A broader discussion of the strategies of Dr. Amador’s LEAP method, including videos on how to apply the LEAP method, are available for free here.

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>Additionally, an alternative option to consider: Mobile Crisis (MCU) or Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team is an emergency mental health service offered by many counties to provide on-scene evaluation, treatment and crisis interventions in the community. The teams specialize in providing these services to individuals who are experiencing a mental health emergency and who need, but are unwilling or unable to seek, mental health treatment. 

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>While the goal of the MCU is to enlist the individual’s cooperation and develop the least restrictive treatment options, the MCU is authorized to recommend and facilitate involuntary hospitalization and treatment when necessary.

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>The criteria for requesting an MCU varies depending upon the county or city mental health agency. However, a person experiencing a crisis that presents a danger of harm to self or others and is unwilling or unable to accept emergency services would qualify for mobile crisis services. If about you are unsure about the availability of mobile crisis services in your area or when it’s appropriate to call, contact the emergency mental health services in your county for more information by dialing 211.

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>A final note - we would urge you to reach out to the NAMI Affiliate serving your area. Our Affiliates can provide additional information and referrals to local resources in your community. They also offer free support groups, classes and other programs where you can learn more about mental health, how to support recovery, and most importantly - where you can be among peers in your community who face similar challenges living with or caring for a loved one with a mental health condition.

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>Membership is not required to participate. Your local NAMI Affiliate or NAMI State Organization can help you register for NAMI courses and programs. To find your nearest NAMI Affiliate, click on your state through the Find Your Local NAMI menu. 

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>We hope this has been helpful. To speak with one of our volunteer Information & Resource Referral Specialists, please call the NAMI Information HelpLine at 800-950-NAMI (6264), available Monday through Friday, between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm EST. Visit our website for more information at www.NAMI.org.


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This is very resourceful and if you live in US then you could even contact the numbers they mention. If you have any more questions then you can just email them.

Well shipping or being able to buy local where they are and have it shipped might be a consideration. I've bought my nieces a couple of different stages of walkers/bouncers, you'd have to check on the age it's intended for, but kids start walking around the 1 year mark, bouncers will generally help the leg muscles develop and walkers will help them walk steadily. If you look up 'walker-bouncer combo' you might get lucky and find a good one that converts when the child is ready. They also make some ride-on toys where the kids just push themselves. One of their favorites has been the "Cozy Coupe."

If size is a major consideration, I'd check out STEM toys for kids, you can usually find them by age range. Another possibility , since they're abroad - maybe some educational baby videos in the local language, if that's applicable, or a language the parents would want the baby to learn, something along those lines.

In sales we call it the 3 steps.

Set the goals, plan the work, work the plan.

It really is that simple.

I'm just saying, figure out where in the sky you want to BE in 10 years, figure out what you had to do starting NOW to get there which gives you a bearing and a plot to your personal 'North Star'

Set the goal, plan the work, work the plan.

There's a lot psych to it like writing positive statements and leaving notes all over the place and forcing yourself to think positive YES I CAN!

Crap like that.

Check out Og Mandino's 'The Greatest Salesman in the World' , while based on faith and 'churchy' sounding (it was written in another Era), it is actually a primer on life. Oprah recently made a lot of noise about 'THE SECRET' which is a very similar rhetoric and how to psych yourself out to achieve your dreams.

If it was only a few hits, you’ll probably be fine. Definitely make sure to drink a lot of water and buy those at home test kits to see where you’re at. Also, you can purchase some detox products on amazon if nothing else but for peace of mind. I went with this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000S17POK/ref=mp_s_a_1_14_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1527735289&sr=8-14&keywords=detox+weed. It has mixed reviews but worked for me. I was an almost day every day smoker for two years and passed a test after around 30 days by hydrating and using those capsules. Good luck!

Usually, and maybe.

Central heat, central AC, and most window AC units all recirculate interior air through a filter. Normal filters will help a small amount to trap some allergens, but running both the heater and the a/c is a huge waste of energy.

If you have central AC, it typically has a fan-only mode where air is circulating but is not being cooled, this will save a lot of energy (if you don't want to cool). Switch the standard AC filters for some HEPA filters, and your AC will actually improve the quality of the air.

If you don't have central AC, or you don't have a fan-only mode, or you want to save some electricity by only filtering 1 room, then I'd recommend getting an air purifier. Get one with a permanent HEPA filter, and match the size of the unit to the size of the room. This one is about $50 and filters 160sf, about the size of a large bedroom or medium living room.

As Used On the Famous Nelson Mandela

Edit: Oops, just saw you wanted great literature. In that case, try The Master and Margerita A story about love and power set in Moscow, featuring a writer, his lover, some Communist party stooges, Satan, his minions, and a demonic cat named Behemoth.

I've got this one. With all of these artists, I will link a single example of their work. Run some searches for the artist and you will find their work in higher quality and in much greater variety. In fact, please do listen to other tracks by these artists. I live for these artists and their creations; they interface with my soul somehow.

First, your island song.

• Harold Budd
  
• Carbon Based Lifeforms
  
• Aurastore
  
• Lowercase Noises
  
• Aes Dana
  
• Alpha Wave Movement
  
• Alva Noto
  
• Aural Planet
  
• Bersarin Quartett
  
• Biosphere
  
• Bluetech
  
• Code Indigo
  
• Constance Demby
  
• Field Rotation
  
• Grains of Sound
  
• Grey Area
  
• H.U.V.A. Network
  
• Hol Baumann
  
• Jens Buchert
  
• Joey Fehrenbach
  
• Kiln
  
• Marcus Loeber
  
• Max Richter
  
• Maxence Cyrin (not technically ambient, but of similar qualities at times)
  
• Moodswings (listen to "Interior Design")
  
• Mystical Sun
  
• Omnimotion (one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard)
  
• Outputmessage
  
• Proem
  
• Secede
  
• Soma Sonic
  
• Sounds From the Ground
  
• Ten Madison
  
• Trentemøller
  
• Tycho
  
• Ulrich Schnauss
  
• Vangelis
  
• Will Ackerman
  
  Many, many more exist. Add r/ambient, r/ambientmusic, and r/idm to your frontpage for more.

Vaporwave mixes up 80s and 90s design elements, in a nostalgic way for an incoherent era. You can place some of them directly - like Outrun is inspired by, well OutRun the 1986 game. Early 3DCG will play a role. But certain design elements seem newer - witness the 1995 edition of Postmodernism for Beginners, which could totally be vaporwave if only it was tone mapped to look like a 90s Taco Bell. The 1992 Jazz Cup is another popular influence. This can be tied back to the 80s via CGA Graphics. You'll also see a Japanese style of text rendering.. This is possibly a throwback to Western ports of Japanese games?

Then there are full projects like Windows 93 where each element is its own memory, but is rooted in 90s computing as a whole.

Check out this book. I bought a copy a while ago and read it cover to cover. It has a lot of good info, breaks down the popular expat countries into basic info and includes expat testimonials. I'm still here because I haven't entirely given up in a positive change for America.

Oh the guy doesn't buy bullshit from etsy that's super overpriced and already opened... So more like $25 bucks for the jar.

https://www.amazon.com/Skittles-Original-Candy-ounce-bag/dp/B00R9DHXYC/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1480051573&sr=1-1&keywords=skittles

The Call of the Wild is a very well known American short novel. It was first published in 1903. It's the kind of thing that used to be assigned in U.S. high schools (and maybe it still is).

Jack London was a novelist who lived mostly in the San Francisco area. His more famous works (The Call of the Wild, White Fang) are all about adventures in northern Canada during a gold rush.

The Call of the Wild has been made into a movie something like six times, with yet another version due early next year, starring Harrison Ford.

You can find the book on Amazon.com here.

Is that what you wanted to know?

I think it depends on how a particular pair fit your particular ears. That said, I've been using these and find they stay in place pretty well: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KV1PCWD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

most spiders are not a threat. They are everywhere and they do a lot of good.
That said, I do put sticky traps for spiders under my bed because brown recluse spiders are no joke and I don't think the range maps for them are accurate. So you might want to do the same if it makes you rest easier

You said this so well. It would make a wonderful note to her.

Edit: This book is phenomenal! I highly recommend it to everyone who’s in a relationship
Actually, anything by John Gottman.

Read American Political Parties and Elections: A Very Short Introduction.

It's exactly what it says on the tin. It is readily available in libraries if you don't want a copy, and does, IMO, an excellent job of explaining the basics.