The Libertarian – January Edition (Finally!)

Cover by PiersonP
No.ArticleSectionAuthor
1Team Leader IntroductionOpening:MariaMint:, -Eils
2The Year I Launched a New CareerPoemNathare
3Shine the Spotlight on OJFDSpotlightCallmynameALT
4Is this personal growth?ArticleSparrowskull
5Motivational Graphic #1Graphic-Eils
6Tequila Sunrise MocktailRecipeYodar
4Social Media Fitness TrendsArticleMetalswimos1
5Motivational Graphic #2GraphicXx.Eren.xX
6Get to know your leaders!Article.Smashley
7Interactive ArticleArticleGumby

 Team Leader Introduction

by :MariaMint: & -Eils

Cover by FantasyYT
:MariaMint:, Team Leader-Eils, Assistant Team Leader
HELLAUR THERE! I am maj mint, also known as Nat to many, and I for some reason have been knocking around USDF for 7 years on and off! I am the team leader for this lib and it has been great to work with the team to develop a strong issue for January on the theme of ‘Let it Grow’! We have a large range of articles for you to read, so we hope you enjoy it!Hi hello !! I’m Eils, not Elis or Ellis as half of you call me when you are on the welcome desk! Unlike ar Nat over here who has been around since the dawn of time, I have only been part of USDF for just over 3 months now. I had frequented HQ for quite a while and even had VIP, but I never saw myself lasting longer than 5 minutes when I first joined – clearly I was wrong!
Three Random Facts about me are:
– The only type of shoes I own are heels! (ouchies)
 – My favourite colour is purple, linking to my favourite flower; lavender!
 – I live breathe consume K-Pop more than i’d like to admit! (see why me and eils are together)
Three Random Facts about me are:
– I haven’t had a natural hair colour in over 2 years (it’s currently bright pink, slay!)
– I spend most of my money on kpop (or kpop related games)
– I have four tattoos

The Year I launched a New Career

by Nathare

Cover by rawrstar

Dear future 2023 self,

2022, 

This was the year I launched a new career.

USDF included me as one of their peers.

And now I find myself always here.

Coming in with hopes and dreams.

I usually log off with feels.

Feels of being in a community

All the lobby trolls… Will I ever get immunity?

Let’s just hope I get the opportunity.

This year I will be more confident.

Look at me being this militant.

For me this is important.

I grew as a person and as a leader.

And since all the FEATs a pretty good reader.

Let me just say thank you and have a nice day.

Let us all give each other a few high fives.


 Shine the Spotlight on OJFD

by CallmynameALT

Cover by armando498

Hello OJFD!

For this month’s edition we thought it ought to be best to focus on a very important office within USDF. As is always the case in January, it is a month focused on growth and making sure that we all are able to change for the better. A New Year. a New Leaf, who better to talk about growth than members of OJFD. An office that works hard on making sure everyone is up to date with their trainings and pivotal to the early days of our enlisted and NCOs. Welcome to the Libertarian OJFD, now let’s hear from some of the members of the office so we can get first hand experience on what it’s like.

Please introduce yourself and tell me a little bit about you!

Kylian.Mbappe
I am Kylian.Mbappe. I am from the USA and I love soccer and sports in general. I watch a lot of soccer but I also enjoy American Football quite a bit. I joined USDF pretty recently because it looked fun to me.

KeriSummers16
Hi, I’m CDR KeriSummers16 also known as Keri, and I hold the position of DCNO ET which is an OJFD AD position. I have been a member of OJFD since late 2020 and started my time in the Command team as the XO TRADOC, later became the CO TRADOC, and have for the past few months been an Assistant Director in the office.

Sorraia
I am Sorraia, but most call me Angie. I am from Canada. I have been recently appointed as the next DJFD. A few things I love are, animals, crime documentaries, and being outside and in touch with nature. I really enjoy taking my horses out on trail rides, this is something that makes me feel most at home.

So why did you decide to join OJFD?

Kylian.Mbappe
I’ve always been good with this kind of stuff, like training people for jobs and stuff. But when I was an enlisted every trainer I had were amazing. They were always super friendly and fun. That made me want to be one of those people training and making the future of USDF.

KeriSummers16
Great question. Back when I joined (a good while ago) I always found training and the OJFD interesting and applied to join the office and got accepted. Since then I’ve enjoyed being a part of the great community we have in the OJFD as well as helping members of both the OJFD and USDF as a whole. As a member of the office, I worked my way up by applying for command positions for a while, and after a while of applying I got one and I’ve been a part of the office command team since 🙂 #OJFamD

Sorraia
I joined OJFD back when I first started here at USDF in 2021. I’ve always been someone who enjoys to help my peers so this was the best office for me. I really enjoy being apart of helping people within the education portfolio, within OJFD you are one of the reasons they are able to advance and learn about USDF.

What is your favourite training to host, and most importantly why?

Kylian.Mbappe
I like hosting IRDT. It’s all people completely new to USDF. You’re basically starting their future here.

KeriSummers16
Oo, that’s a good question with so many trainings to choose from. PTPs are always fun to host since people actually get to do something, and while it has become a bit rarer to host now that I’m in OJFD Leadership, I still enjoy hosting them when needed in HQ. So picking a favourite is pretty hard considering I’d say all our PTPs are made to be fun, but it is hard to go wrong with putting a rifle in someone’s hands and sending them out in the field in AMT to defeat the enemy, teaching someone parts of how real-life military triage works in CMP, heading out into the wilderness in SS, or jumping out of a plane in BAC (as well as the others of course) 🙂 DFMAPs can also be a bit of fun from time to time. If I had to pick I FEAT as well I like {B} as the start of people’s time as a trainer in the USDF.

Sorraia
I think it has to be BAC. This has always been my favourite as you can joke around with your trainees and it really helps you bond with them. It’s a fun training to be apart of, and to host.

So, on a day-to-day basis, what exactly it is like as a member of OJFD?

Kylian.Mbappe
For me, I log on to Habbo and chill in the front row until a training I can do is requested/I find someone who needs it. Or I do IRDTs. I also go to sentry or WD if we need one in the HQ.

How exactly does OJFD tackle the role it has around growth?

KeriSummers16
As the office responsible for trainings and education of personnel within the USDF, OJFD has a pivotal role when it comes to our members through trainings we host for them to teach them about the USDF, PTPs we host to ensure people not only get info but also fun experiences, and our work with ensuring all trainers in the USDF are able to meet the standards we have for trainings in the USDF in order to make sure everyone learns what they need to. Growth is based on learning and experience, and we aim to provide this to members of OJFD by teaching each other how to become better at what we do, fostering a good community people can enjoy being a part of, as well as helping and guiding each other along the way. As said, we also aim to provide this to all members of the USDF through our ongoing work training and guiding our personnel, and ensuring everyone know what they need in order to succeed at the USDF and achieve their goals during their time here.

Sorraia
Every day we are working behind the scenes for the betterment of USDF from script audits to make materials easier to understand, to working along side other offices to bring together the one thing USDF needs: Education. As an office within the education portfolio, our top goal is to make sure everyone inside of command and outside has a chance to grow as individuals. This is something that’s done by training, grading, and making sure our members are giving their trainees up to-date information, and making sure the information provided is understood.

There we have it, folks, The Office of Joint Force Development. In this New Year I am sure many of us are thinking about ways in which we can grow, both within our real lives and here on Habbo but it sure seems like OJFD are the experts when it comes to growth. I sure can’t wait to see everyone within USDF progress and grow this year. Happy New Year everyone, this is Cal signing out. 


Is this Personal Growth?

by Sparrowskull

Cover by -Eils

Is this personal growth?

What does the term growth even mean? Character improvements, mindset changes, or even personal success? Is there a criteria or definition that defines if an action or life story qualifies? The truth about growth is that it is dependent on you. The only person who can measure your personal growth is yourself. Not everyone grows and changes at the same capacity or standard. 

After connecting with a handful of individuals, I asked a seemingly straightforward question “Is there a time in your life when you have felt like you have grown as a person in any capacity?” At first glance, it may seem simple to recall a “personal growth” moment, but identifying a point in your life where you have decided to change or better yourself is challenging.  

SFC OMPower mentioned how USDF was “a growth for me.” They spoke about how before being a part of the community, they didn’t commit to anything online. After they joined USDF, they seemingly realized that being committed to an online community was more than they had initially thought; they showed growth when choosing to stay at USDF. 

CWO4 Brandoen talked about how they took a leap into university life and realized how intimidating it is to face the challenges of being away from home. “I was very worried about not knowing how to live without my parents or my sister, or how I would cope really.” They then explained how over the years, they have been able to develop skills and take on responsibilities like “paying bills, doing my own food shopping, cooking with my friends.” For CWO4 Brandoen, this significant step forward has encouraged self-growth and independence, which has shaped them into the person they are today. 

CW2 Jaded96 replied to my question regarding personal growth and provided a story based on self-reflection and initiative. They said they saw “fellow peers moving on to other things, and knowing that now is my time to step up and be a leader for those newer peers.” They also mentioned how they became more empathetic towards others and believed that “we are all human” and “we all make mistakes.” Not only did they become empathetic, but they “became a person with more integrity; knowing to make the proper decisions when needed and not letting my own beliefs dictate that.” CW2 Jaded96 reflected on themselves from the success of others and chose to grow into a compassionate and honorable leader that is understanding and demonstrates sincerity. 

SEAC NefariousZ shared their story about choosing to take time for themself and how choosing your mental health should take priority in any relationship. “You shouldn’t turn a blind eye to someone’s wrong doings because they have done good things for you in the past.” SEAC NefariousZ also explained how they had learned so much from their past relationship and showed personal growth by choosing to end it. “I have grown a lot and I have matured a lot from the relationship and even by just taking the step to move on from it.” They said, “Taking the step to break up was massive for me as I had basically relied on this other person for a lot of things over the years.” By choosing their mental health and well-being, SEAC NefariousZ showed immense growth and strength. SEAC NefariousZ went on to explain their growth outcome: “Maturing for me was taking that step to move away from what was negatively affecting my mental health and spending time to work on myself.”

Personal growth can entail an abundance of things. In every area of your life, or any situation, there is always room for growth and or improvement. You deserve to be the best version of yourself and shouldn’t let someone deny you of that. Thank you for reading! We hope that this inspires you to reflect on your own personal growth journey.


Motivational Graphic #1

by -Eils


Tequila Sunrise Mocktail

by Yodar

Cover by reignoff

What is a mocktail?

A mocktail is a non-alcoholic cocktail because it is typically made by combining various mixers and garnishes to create a flavorful and visually appealing drink. Some common ingredients used in mocktails include fruit juices, syrups, and carbonated beverages. They are usually served in a similar way as cocktails, and can have similar flavors and presentation.

Did you know that mocktails can have a variety of health benefits as they are typically made with fresh fruits, juices and other natural ingredients? Some potential benefits of drinking mocktails include:

  • Hydration: Many mocktails are made with water-rich ingredients such as fruits and vegetables, which can help keep you hydrated.
  • Nutrients: Fresh fruits and vegetables used in mocktails can provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
  • Low in calories: Many mocktails are made with low-calorie ingredients, which can be beneficial for weight management.
  • No alcohol: As mocktails are non-alcoholic, they don’t contain the same harmful effects that alcohol can have on the body.
  • Help to improve digestion: Some mocktails are made with ingredients that can help improve digestion.

It’s important to keep in mind that some mocktails may still contain added sugars, so be mindful of the ingredients and portions when consuming mocktails. Many different types of mocktails can be popular, depending on the location, season, and personal preferences.  

Gosh, talking about mocktails has made me thirsty for one! Join me as we make one of my personal favorite mocktails: Tequila Sunrise, which has only 4 ingredients: Orange Juice, Peach, Lemon Soda, and Grenadine.


Tequila Sunrise Mocktail

Prep time: 5 Min
Total time: 5 Min
Servings: 1 glass

For this mocktail, you will need:  

  • 3/4 cup Orange Juice (Pulp Free)
  • 1/2 cup Peach Juice
  • 3 tbsp Lemon Soda
  • 3 tbsp Grenadine
  • Ice
  • 1 tall glass of your choice
  • Cherries and sliced oranges (for garnish, and is optional)

Instructions:

  1. Fill your glasses with ice and set aside for 5 minutes to chill glass.
  2. Dump ice out of the glass and fill ⅓ of the glass with fresh ice.
  3. Pour Orange Juice in glass.
  4. Pour Peach Juice in glass.
  5. Add Lemon Soda to the glass.
  6. Add Grenadine to the glass.
  7. Garnish with Cherries and Sliced Oranges if desired.

Congratulations, you have made a Tequila Sunrise mocktail!  This is a great mocktail to make in the summertime and if you find this delicious, you can learn to make many other cocktails!  If this has piqued your interest in becoming a bartender, find a class near you.  Now sit back and enjoy the mocktail!


Social Media Fitness Trends

by Metalswimos1

Cover by Xx.Eren.xX

As 2023 has commenced, there have been a variety of social media fitness trends and some of which have been compiled in this article to give you an insight on what choices may be suited for you.

Ketogenic diets

Ketogenic diets have been popularised on social media platforms such as Instagram, which enables users to significantly lose weight efficiently whilst eating food that is still considered appetising. The idea is that your diet should be predominantly high in fat and low in carbohydrates. Consequently, abiding by this objective should help you be able to achieve an effective weight loss strategy that is healthy. Moreover, one can adjust their keto diet to make it more appropriate if deemed necessary. Studies show that a ketogenic diet is one of the most effective ways to keep fit so if you are looking for an option that seems more reliable, keto dieting is the way to go. In addition, keto diets are prone to reduce calorie intake and also decrease your appetite so the food keeps you satisfied despite having adapted your diet. It is possible for complications to occur with diets like this so it is crucial to be made aware of said factors. Such could include being susceptible to kidney stones due to the increased protein intake putting stress on your kidneys. There can also be short term side effects due to going on a ketogenic diet which may include but not limited to: nausea, fatigueness, headaches, dizziness. It is always important to be mindful of these factors and that if a keto diet isn’t working for you, then you should search for other strategies which may appeal to you more.

Fitness gadgets

If ketogenic diets don’t seem to tickle your fancy, then there is an easy stay at home fitness gadget called the smart weighted hula hoop which has frequently been advertised on TikTok. What is this you may ask, and what does it do? It is a connectable hula hoop which you adjust around your waist and clip together using the links it is made out of until it is tightly fitted around your waist and with each milestone, you lose a link which is used to show your progress. There is a weight attached to the hula hoop which is essentially what helps you lose weight as you are constantly spinning it around your body. Smart weighted hula hoops have many benefits. A few of them being that they improve your aerobic health which therefore will help reduce high blood pressure, lowering stress levels, and helps regulate blood sugar. Not only this, but using a weighted hula hoop will assist in reducing body fat around your waist, thus making it slimmer.

Mini workouts

Another social media fitness trend is mini workouts which tend to be targeted at people who don’t have the time or motivation to go to the gym. They can be seen advertised on Instagram as Reels or on TikTok. This exercise trend is useful as you have a variety of exercises to do whilst being in the comfort of your own home. They can be as short as five minutes and can be performed throughout the day as and when you see fit. These mini workout videos include exercises such as lunges, push ups, squats etc. It has been proven that short workouts are beneficial and it was revealed in a study that “a 10 minute workout with one minute of sprints could deliver health benefits similar to a 45 minute workout at a moderate pace” this shows that you don’t have to be spending hours on set exercises and can partake in intense short workouts which can give you similar results as oppose to longer workouts. 

Physical well being

It is imperative to bear in mind that fitness isn’t all about dieting, but also about your physical well being which can always be improved. For instance, this could be done by meditation which helps clear your mind. This is effective as it aids in tackling stress and assists in shifting your brain to focus on something stress free related. Additionally, meditating also improves the flow of blood and oxygen which increases your intake of dopamine, accommodating you to feel more motivated. Likewise, yoga has similar benefits and is a form of exercise which has become furtherly popular due to social media.

Fitness trend dont’s

There can be social media ‘fitness trends’ which are not recommended to follow and can be unsafe which is why users should not attempt these. An example of this is users on TikTok posting “coquette what I eat in a day” videos and some of which are ultimately unrealistic and create false standards for people, particularly the younger generation. This is because they may see these videos as an aesthetic due to it being captioned as “coquette” which can result in viewers being inspired and trying to recreate these meals which can cause more harm than good as they consist of a scarce amount of food which subsequently can promote worrying eating habits. It is also impractical to portray these videos as acceptable because people have different metabolisms and therefore, one person saying that is what they eat in a day, which is usually not the case, will not have the same impact on someone else if they attempt to eat the same things. However, this is not aimed at all “what I eat in a day” videos but you should always look out for those that have been made in a mockingly manner. 

There is a stigma around people wanting to have the ideal body, but don’t feel demotivated if you can’t achieve what you see presented on social media as some influences may edit their bodies look different so don’t feel discouraged or disheartened as the photos you see being presented may not always be 100% authentic. Passive audiences are more prone to being manipulated into falling into rabbit holes of these trends and obsessing and idolosing over the perfect weight as they see it posted everywhere and are fed misinformation through the media but you should always remember that these suggestions may not work for everyone and to not feel disappointed if they don’t work, but instead to persevere and find something that works for you which can be done by trialling multiple options and to not single out anything out!


Motivational Graphic #2

by Xx.Eren.xX


Get to know your Leaders – Zemriil!

by .Smashley

Cover by reignoff

Leaders within USDF are more than just command members – they are people too! Join us as we learn a bit more about our favorite ACMC, Zemriil!! Secret skills and lack of dance talent aside, thank you so much for spending some time with me and letting USDF learn more about you!

.Smashley

OKAY so:

You are a leader in (in our opinion) the best branch in USDF, and you have recently taken up a leadership role. Have you always been a Marine Queen or did you start in another branch?

Zemriil

While I have hopped around the branches a little, my home branch always has and always will be marines. It was my first branch, and my first command position was SgtMajMC as well!

I have never been happier than when I am singing ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT, GENTLY DOWN THE STREAM, LOCK AND LOAD TACTICS MODE, UNITED STATES MARINES.

[gif redacted]

.Smashley

PLEASE I love that lmaooooo

The real question is: Can you dance like that?

Zemriil

Absolutely not

My dancing is just me moving my hands up and down

.Smashley

Oh like the Pogo Mogo or whatever the pixels do

PERF

Well if dancing isn’t the secret talent, what is?

Zemriil

That is a very good question

I can tie my shoelaces in under a second

It always blows people away

.Smashley

Like… one of them? Or both?

Zemriil

Probably both if I really tried

Like this

.Smashley

wow a live demonstration! love that for the readers

Zemriil

Unfortunately I wont be revealing my own feet though

As much as some people would want me to

.Smashley

Some people might be sad about that, but I commend that decision honestly.

What are your future goals within USDF?

Zemriil

I’ve always been interested in the P&R portfolio, but since getting ACMC branch command has really grown on me, so it’s a toss up between the two. Other than my personal progression, I want to keep helping others in advancing their own careers, whether it be OCS, Command Positions or just general self-improvement.

.Smashley

Awww thats so cute! So without too much detail, what is your favorite rank group? Enlisted, NCOs, WOs, or Officers?

Zemriil

My favourite group in USDF is USDF

Without enlisted, NCOs, WOs or Officers USDF wouldn’t exist.

Although sometimes I wish I could go back to the NCO life for a few days, it’s been so long

.Smashley

Same, honestly – maybe one day we can go back and start from E1!!! Thank you for your time!


Interactive Article

by Gumby

Cover by reignoff

That’s a Mood

Let’s get planning, set your mood

Have you actually ever put thought into your goals and feelings? I have recently learned about mood boards and vision boards. You are in luck if you have no idea about either of those things. You shall be informed and educated! Prepare yourself you are about to get schooled!

Just think of both boards as a manifestation of your goals and thoughts, your mood. Anything you want to succeed in, perhaps. Everyone has a subconscious as well as your conscious. Both minds are very important to either board you plan on using or doing. It all comes down to “thoughts become things.” 

Let us break down both boards and see how similar yet different they are. Just looking at the vision board that just tells you that that is a board for the conscious mainly, something that you are constantly thinking about it is on your mind the majority of the time. Such things are associated with your life like money, places you would want to be, or a direction you want to be set in. A vision board is more into your feelings and experiences in life. 

As a mood board, it is a little of both sub and regular consciousness. Personally, I think is more subconscious-heavy. It is more for what you wish to create. This is where your manifestations come into play and the power of visualization come in to control your subconscious. I also care to think of it as see till you believe it as well. 

Both boards are done the same, just remember the differences and the similarities that were mentioned above. Creating either board is very easy to do. You can do them at home or even virtually. I have seen many friends and co-workings in the past do these but never asked what it is or about. They used some string and wooden clothing clips to hang their material. I have seen quotes, pictures, and lists hung on their boards.

These boards are very easy to do, and it takes your willpower to do so. The only hard part is just thinking of how detailed or attention to detail you want to dedicate your board. This is all good for your self-growth and you do have the opportunity to create your vision or mood board. There will be a coin prize for the best/most ambitious. (no we are not referring to you Becky) 

           Make sure you submit your own board to be entered in this fun giveaway! We look forward to your submissions! Send your submission to Major armando498 via discord, his discord tag is @erzeco#0019! Free feel to use any program or software to create, or even make one for your own home.


What do YOU want to see on the next Libertarian?
The Libertarian Command Team would like to hear from YOU!

We have opened a Mailbox for all your comments, notes, suggestions and ideas. Make sure to keep an eye out for the Libertarian (announcements) for any changes or additions to the submissions we take!

Here are the things that you can submit:

Libertarian Game Submission
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General Feedback
What do you think about the Libertarian and it’s issues, what could be improved?

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What do you want to see in future issues, what content are we missing? For either the Libertarian as a whole or to be used for Journalism/Graphics assignments.

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Submit an announcement, poster, graphic, article or shout out, as long as it is made by you and not part of any OPA assignments. Who knows, maybe your submission will be featured in a future Libertarian.

Please be wary that the preparations for each issue start way before the actual Libertarian is published. Therefore, it can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months for your idea to be implemented, if suitable. Use the button below to let us know your thoughts and ideas.

Special Thanks to

Editorsarmando498
Writers:MariaMint:
-Eils
nathare
CallmynameALT
Sparrowskull
Yodar
Metalswimos1
.Smashley
Gumby
ArtistsPiersonP
FantasyYT
rawrstar
armando498
-Eils
Reignoff
Xx.Eren.xX