Stampedes and Pencil Sharpeners

This week's collection is all over the place but that’s kind of what rabbit trails specialize in ;)

How Women Sell

Starting an Etsy shop and pursuing a career as a professional artist has meant learning how to sell and market my artwork, something that doesn’t come naturally to me. As I gain more experience my confidence grows, but there’s always room for improvement. This video made me laugh out loud. How many are you guilty of?

THE Best Pencil Sharpener Ever

I’d heard artists and writers rave about the KUM Long Point Pencil Sharpener and now that I’ve bought one it’s my new favorite toy. It sharpens your pencil in two steps which gives it a longer, sharper point and means a lot less resharpening.

Stampedes

On September 24th over 700 Muslim pilgrims died from a stampede that occurred during the annual 5 day pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. After reading about and seeing images of this horrific event I became curious about the mechanics of stampedes and what makes some so deadly.

When I picture a stampede I imagine people being trampled as they fall to the ground, but most people die standing up from suffocation. The pressure of just 6-7 people can generate up to 1000 lbs of force – enough to bend steel railings and topple brick walls!

Large crowds have always made me feel claustrophobic so I do my best to avoid them whenever possible. You’ll probably never find me in Time’s Square on New Year’s Eve...If you ever do find yourself in a large crowd that threatens to become panicked here’s what to do in the event of a stampede, or crowd crush - Modern Survival Blog - How to Survive a Stampede