u/WaywardPilgrim98

Hello everyone

Recently I’ve been going through a bit of a musical renaissance in my life. I’ve always loved listening to music but lately I’ve been diving back into creating it. I played clarinet for 8 years in school and have a moderate understating of music theory and can read sheet music. I’ve started playing clarinet and guitar again and have joined an amateur choir and have started doing dance. I’m also part of a few singing and jam groups. One thing that I really struggle with though is that I don’t have much of an ear, especially when it comes to my singing voice. I learned music by playing an instrument using sheet music, not by ear. I’m surrounded by musicians who can learn a piece by ear or match someone else’s pitch with ease, but I can’t yet.

My question is if any of you would recommend any apps or other resources for helping develop my ear and practice my singing pitch. Something where it will play a note/scale/chord and I have to identify it. Ideally it would also have a tuning function where I could attempt to replicate the note with my voice and it could tell me if I’m correct or not. I know there’s tons of apps out there but it’s a little overwhelming so I thought I’d just come here. Any advice in general for cultivating this skill would also be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hello everyone

Recently I’ve been going through a bit of a musical renaissance in my life. I’ve always loved listening to music but lately I’ve been diving back into creating it. I played clarinet for 8 years in school and have a moderate understating of music theory and can read sheet music. I’ve started playing clarinet and guitar again and have joined an amateur choir and have started doing dance. I’m also part of a few singing and jam groups. One thing that I really struggle with though is that I don’t have much of an ear, especially when it comes to my singing voice. I learned music by playing an instrument using sheet music, not by ear. I’m surrounded by musicians who can learn a piece by ear or match someone else’s pitch with ease, but I can’t yet.

My question is if any of you would recommend any apps or other resources for helping develop my ear and practice my singing pitch. Something where it will play a note/scale/chord and I have to identify it. Ideally it would also have a tuning function where I could attempt to replicate the note with my voice and it could tell me if I’m correct or not. I know there’s tons of apps out there but it’s a little overwhelming so I thought I’d just come here. Any advice in general for cultivating this skill would also be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Yesterday I received a bunch of garlic that was over peeled so it probably won’t be suitable for dry curing. I want to pickle it but everywhere I’ve looked online says that garlic is only suitable for quick pickling and refrigeration. What I haven’t been able to find is why. Sources say that since it is a low acid vegetable it is prone to botulism and therefore not suitable for water bath canning. But the same could be said of almost every vegetable? What makes garlic so much more risky? Is it because it’s a root vegetable? But there are tons of recipes for canning beets, carrots, onions, etc. As long as I have enough acidity, it should be fine, right? I will probably still just quick pickle them to be safe but I am curious. Any insight would be appreciated, thank you.

Returned from a vacation in a tropical area a few weeks ago and noticed some peeling skin between my toes. At first I thought it may have just been wet skin but it hasn’t gone away and has gotten worse so now I think it’s athletes foot. The thing is that it doesn’t itch or burn, nor is it red or flaky. There’s just a little bit of peeling skin. I know it can spread to all parts of the body but if there’s not really any way of knowing where it has spread. I’m just treating it on my feet with OTC anti fungals right now.

In research I’ve also seen that basically anything can be a vector for spreading it or for reinfection. Do I need be washing all my laundry on high heat? Wearing socks to bed? Washing my floors regularly? Or is that all overkill and I’m probably fine just treating it on my feet? Any help or advice would be appreciated, thanks? It’s summer and I’m also worried about giving it to my girlfriend so I want to get rid of it as soon as possible.

Hello everyone. Apologies in advance, I know there’s a lot of these posts on this sub and I’m sure it’s annoying.

About 6 months ago (date on lid is November 23, 2025) I pickled and canned some carrots. I followed a recipe and used 1:1 water to 5% acetic acid vinegar along with a little bit of canning salt. I washed the carrots thoroughly but did not peel them which I now know was stupid. I sanitized my jars, boiled the brine, cut the carrots into spears, packed the jars, poured the brine in, and then canned the jars in a water bath for 10 minutes (I’m right at sea level). Then stored them in my pantry (room temperature and dark) . I had kind of forgotten about them until 4 days ago when I opened one of the jars and ate one of the carrots. Just one. It was soft which grossed me out a bit but I suppose it was to be expected after all that cooking and time sitting in vinegar. The lid was fine prior to opening with no bulge and strong seal, and there was no smell, sliminess, or cloudiness. But I know that botulism doesn’t cause any of those things.

Anyway. Since then I’ve been experiencing dry mouth, severe headache, lightheadedness, dizziness, severe lethargy, nausea, and diarrhea. No symptoms of paralysis though, but botulism doesn’t always cause that immediately, especially in mild cases. It should also be noted that I have a history of health anxiety (yes, home food preservation is probably not the best hobby for someone with health anxiety, I know).

Since I followed a recipe and used at least 1:1 water to vinegar I know I should probably be fine, but I want to know for sure, but I haven’t seen that there’s any reliable way to test the pH of my carrots to know for sure that I hit 4.6.

Anyway, just looking to see if anyone here has any advice or can put my mind at ease. In the future for low acid veggies especially root vegetables I will definitely peel them and use a stronger vinegar solution, if not invest in a pressure canner. But for now I’m just freaking out a little bit and am looking for answers/reassurance. Sorry for another annoying post from a nervous amateur.

Thanks.

Trigger warning and I’m sorry that this post will likely be upsetting for a lot of you but I have to get this off my chest.

27 year old male. Developed a small sliding hiatal hernia 4 years ago that completely ruined my life. Lifestyle changes and medication have done nothing for me. I spend every day in constant discomfort and pain. It does not matter what I eat. It does not matter when I eat. This has stolen countless joys from me: weightlifting, sports, food, partying. All gone. I wanted a future working in a trade, but that has also been stolen. It’s affecting every aspect of my life. The constant pain and discomfort has destroyed my libido to the point that my partner left me. Doctors just pat me on the head and tell me that my hernia is small and doesn’t cause symptoms, or that lifestyle changes and medication will make it better, ignoring the fact that I’ve been trying that for 4 years. Because it’s small no one will refer me for surgery, and I can’t afford private. And besides, surgery will probably just make it worse and then fail in a couple years anyway. I have two options: spend the rest of life miserable and in pain, or just get it over with. I see no other option.