#4 What is Xylitol?

 

The chemical structure for xylitol

    I realized that not a lot of people know what xylitol is, and what it can do. So this post will give you guys a bit more information.

A trail in Flagstaff Arizona

    So what is xylitol and where does it come from? It is a branch from xylose, a crystalline aldose sugar. It comes from a birch tree. These tree grown in Alaska, Oregone, and even Arizona!

    Meaning that xylitol is considered a natural alternative to sugar. It can be found in gum, tooth past, and other oral care products. It can also be found in fruit candy, chocolate, and penutbutter. If you are looking for something surgafree, xylitol is a good option.

Teeth enjoy xylitol

Like everything else, xylitol should be used in moderation. Using it to much can cause the opposite of its benefits. Instead of helping with your skin damage, you can get deratities. Even though xylitol makes things sugar free, to much can cause problems with diabeties. It can fight bactirea in the stomach, you can get indegestion. Do not let these side effects scare you into not trying xylitol. You have to consume massive amounts inorder for any of these things to happen. Moderation is key!

    I hope this clears up some of the confusion about xylitol. If you are still curious, I suggest looking up. Even better would be trying it out yourself!

#3 Guess the Breath Freshener

 

The main ingredient in the mint

    It is time to play a guessing game with you guys. I'll describe what I am eating, and you guys see if you can guess what it is. Try to guess the flavor as well!

Here is what they look like

    First, I will say that this product is something that can freshen your breath as you suck on it. It is also great for people with dry mouths. It has a chemical called xylitol, which is a sweetener that usually replaces sugar. It also makes the flavor more intense.

    This particular breath freshener has different flavors. The one I am eating, in particular, is a fruit-type of flavor. This one is a citrus flavor that is not a color. It smells clean and fresh that is great in the summer. People put it in their water and tea to enhance the flavor. When squeezed it can sting your eyes or any cuts you have on your fingers. Though with this product the flavor is pleasant and sweet. Some would say it is sour or tart, but I disagree. I think the flavor is more refreshing and wakes you up if you are feeling groggy.

This is not my local store.

    Finally, these mints only available at a store called Sprouts. This is important because you also do not find these fresheners in the typical surgery aisle. Instead, you would find these under oral care. This is because the chemical xylitol is also good for your teeth. I suggest carrying these if you care about fighting tooth decay.

I hope you guys are able to figure out what it is that I am eating. Good luck to all of you!

#2 I think I Am Getting The Hang Of This

The banner on Metal Family's YouTube Channel.

    I felt like my last post was a bit too harsh on the blog of an otherwise enjoyable web show. So for this entry, I thought I would share my thoughts on this show, as well as give a recommendation to another show that is similar to this show.

    In case you did not read my last post, Metal Family is an animated web show on YouTube. It was posted three years ago in 2018. It follows the story of a family and their day to day life. As the title implies this family enjoys metal music. Because this show was posted from a country in Russia, the music has famous copyrighted music. Music such as "We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister, and "Ring of Fire" by The O'Neill Brothers Grou. There are plenty of funny jokes and the plot is interesting to watch especially towards the end. When you first start watching, the plot is just for each episode. It is not until towards the end do each episode starts to connect to each other. That is all I can really talk about without giving too much away. There are English subtitles for the videos, but an English version is in the works. I definitely recommend giving this show a watch.

    If you did end up watching Metal Family, you most likely binged watched it and found it to be to short of a series. I am happy to report that the creator of the show is working on the next season. In the meantime, I recommend watching the Netflix series, Aggretsuko.

Logo of Aggretsuko that can be found on Netflix.

    Given the logo I have provided, you are probably thinking that the series is going to be a cutesy show about a girl. And you would be right! Aggretsuko is about an anthropomorphic red panda named Retsuko who is an accountant. She has a boss who piles on work, a mother who criticizes her for not being married, and a super buff yoga instructor who only yells "PROTEIN!" How does she deal with it all? After work, she goes to a karaoke booth and sings to death metal! That's right, death metal. I would not make a recommendation without a huge link like metal music. As cute as this show is, the metal music is fantastic. It is in fact real metal music. The creator of the show worked hard on his voice so he could sing in the Japanese version, and in the English version, a professional metal singer performs. A lot of work went into this show, so I hope you give it a watch when you have the time.

    I understand that not everyone likes metal music, and to be honest I am not a huge fan either. Usually, people play the music too loud and the screaming hurts my ears. But when played at a lower volume the music is actually enjoyable. I mainly recommend both these shows for the story. So even if you do not like metal music you can still enjoy the plot of each show. Both are funny and have enticing stories that will entertain anyone who likes a slice of life and interesting story telling.

An important phrase in the show Aggketsuko.

#1 So Many Blogs

 

A sample of what the At Home
With Nikki, the blog looks like.

    The first blog I frequently read is a blog called "At Home With Nikki." A casual/professional blog about organizing and learning to find things that are not only aesthetically pleasing but are functional for space. This has been helpful to me in organizing my own space. What I like most about this blog is that not only does the blogger share where they bought the products being explained, but also how to make certain things to cut down on spending. This blog is perfect for the average person who is learning to organize their life overall. The one thing that I do not like about this blog is that there is hardly any interaction between the writer and the audience.

A brief summary of who the blogger for 
Marie-Anne Lecoeur is and what she does.

        Marie-Anne Lecoeur is another casual/professional blog written by the author of the same name. She helps people improve their style and gives tips on how a French woman dresses. This is especially useful when she gives tips on how to not look like a tourist when traveling to France. This blogger enjoys helping women look their best and feel confident with who they are. This blogger does interact with their audience in each of their posts. However, I do wish that when they are mentioning a specific piece of clothing they would mention a certain brand or where you would generally find the look they are talking about. 

The Jet Pens logo with their mascot JetDo.

    The final blog I enjoy reading is called "Jet Pens." A professional blog dedicated to finding and selling stationery products that are functional and adorable to look at. I frequent this blog a lot because I not only like stationary but prefer them to cute and one of a kind. They do sell neutral and more minimal looks for those who do not like over the top noticeable looks. 
This is a helpful blog, but be aware that some of the products they sell can be high in price. I recommend looking up the same product elsewhere and do a price comparison. The products are of great quality and I enjoy learning about the new products they sell in their shops.

The latest logo for the blog Metal Family.

    I have watched the internet series "Metal Family" numerous times since the English subtitles became available. I enjoy the story as well as the animation. The blog for the show, however, does not leave me with the same enjoyable impression. The blog is messy and is organized the same way a Facebook feed is shown. There are no headers or tabs that help you look for a specific post or a heading telling you what the latest post is about. I do like that there are links on the side that leads to their official website (not in English), and clips of their music from the show. I understand that this is a foreign blog and that a small group of people are running the blog, but I do wish that at least the picture that is posted in the feed had a photo album like their sketches special art.

#0 Test

This picture was taken after I cut and then donated
my hair to an organization called "Wigs for Kids."

    My name is Nicole Parker. I am a Linguistics major and I plan on becoming an ASL interpreter. My overall goal is to learn multiple languages to help get disability acts in place for countries that do not have one. 

    I enjoy animated films and TV shows. I am not too picky of what the genre is. While I do enjoy good artwork and animation, I tend to enjoy the storytelling a lot more. I also like to take pictures. Though I prefer to take pictures of scenery instead of people. I also, enjoy cooking and baking. I think I enjoy baking more because I typically make dessert dishes like a chocolate mousse with strawberry sauce. I really want to learn how to make a chocolate lava cake. 

I took this photo in Scostale for their
Illumination festival a couple of years ago.

I think the things that I do not like would probably be things that are loud. Like music with a loud bass or drum loop. I would actually prefer mellow music like the band Sky Sailing. That type of music is good to listen to while reading and drink tea or just overall relaxing.

    I think my smile is the unique thing about me. I am not sure why, but I do receive a lot of compliments about my smile. Other than that I would say I am a typical student trying to pass my classes.

I happen to take this picture when my sister-in-law was
making centerpieces for her and my brother's wedding.