That’s really lovely! Are you still friends or in contact with them today?

I was taken under the wing of a motherly school friend after I was ostracized and bullied by previous ‘friend’ group…I got my diagnosis 30+ years later

I am currently in the act of my own version of ‘skin cycling’

I’ve had a good look online for which actives have the research to back them up (some of which I was aware of before) and then try and arrange everything so it gets a fair distribution, without irritating the crap out of my skin (last time I went for it my skin got slightly fried)

So far it seems to be working, I’m about 2 months in. I can do an acid exfoliation, Tret, copper peptides in the pm with an evening off, and alternate between copper peptides and Vit C/antioxidants during the day…then restart the process for the next 4 days

Also I’m trying out NIODs CAIS (copper peptides) and FECC (eye serum, peptides, matrixyl etc) since May. I’ve been using them as much as I can within my routine, without combining them when I exfoliate and use Tret, Vit C etc

I think I can see a difference around my eyes, I’m still not sure about the rest of my face, I have been using them on my neck and above the ole’ boobs…I’m not sure whether it’s only the CAIS (or a combi with the aha/Tret) but my decolletage does look better and my neck too, less crepey

It’s early days yet, but I will report back 😀

Totally agree…

I’ve been using mint for the last 4 years, and while I have had to use the command line for some obscure installs, it also works as an OS without needing to use it (i jumped in at the deep end and installed it in a pc I got from my brother and used it as my everyday OS)

I don’t understand why Mint isn’t the first suggestion for Linux ‘virgins’ switching over from Windows etc, it has everything you need pre installed plus the download manager for anything else

Linux has a flavour for everyone, and after a while when you’re confidence and skills grow there is the fun of using the command line and a bit of tinkering…or not, if you are happy with the ‘basics’

That looks really good, it never occurred to me that an etching like that would work as phone wallpaper…also you’ve got several to rotate if you need a change 👍

It’s definitely the etchings that are the most impressive 😀

Thanks for the feedback, I’m trying something a bit different instead of just posting nice pictures…but it also helps that I actually went to the exhibition 😀

According to this they announced the closures sometime around April 2022, so it’s they old stock they’re offloading

I really want this thing to exist!

They’ve also put it in a pump bottle rather than the usual glass droppers which will please a few people, no doubt

I generally use tret, but it’s always good to know that if my supply dries up there’s alternatives…

Any idea why NIOD don’t have a retinol product like The Ordinary? I know you can mix and match it’s just struck me as something missing from their lineup especially considering as NIOD is a step up in potency (and price)

Thank you! 👍

Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed it. I learnt a lot myself when reading up on it, and as there are lots of different species of insects that are infected by cordyceps there’s the potential for future posts

Thanks for the feedback! There are some really weird things out there, I happened upon a photo of a tropical frog with a little mushroom growing out of its side…I’ll post it this week if I can find it again

Also this link has a time lapse video from the BBC for those who want to see the fungus in action!

I’m really shit at working these sorts of things out, so no answer from me…just wanted to say that’s a really beautiful image!

You’re welcome, and cheers 👍

Some ‘scales’ or marks will be the plants version of a scab, where it’s been damaged and has ‘scabbed’ over, the insect scales do look a bit more ‘stuck on’ and ‘foreign’ as in not created by the plant, if that makes sense? They can also be picked off, and the appearance is different to the plant surface.

I’m currently fighting scale insects on one of my houseplants (I think I’m winning), the adult females form the scale, and the nymphs/larvae are ‘crawlers’ (little white, woolly lines about 1-2 mm long), both can be physically removed by scratching them off, but the scale is tougher and water runs off it

This has some pictures of scale insect pests, and they look very different to plant tissue (and don’t forget, they proliferate very quickly, so tend to show up in large, noticeable groups). Another thing is that the surrounding plant tissue will look yellowy/stressed when under attack instead of it’s usual healthy, normal green

From wikipedia

They’re quite small, the females are often flightless and without limbs, they conceal themselves under domed scales for protection. They like to suck the sap from plants, some ant species will ‘farm’ them for the honey dew they secrete. Some species are pests and can infest and damage the plants they feed on, while others can be used commercially…checkout one of my other posts here The oldest fossils found date to the early cretaceous.

You’re welcome and thanks for the feedback!

I’m going to do a ‘mega post’ or smaller of the cordiceps that infect insects over on awwnverts probably this coming week

They’re fascinating things in a somewhat horrifying way, and lots of lovely photos to be discovered!

Some additional photos

Photo by Jonathan Jensen-Lynch

Photo by Jonathan Jensen-Lynch

Photo by Jonathan Jensen-Lynch

Photo by Daniel Mary