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Because unlike many things, this thread is free.
No contract! No hidden fees! No small print, except this small print, but that's it. No other small print.
Because unlike many things, this thread is free.
And tasty breakfast potatoes, in your favorite potato format.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 3:29 AM on June 27, 2022 [14 favorites]
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 3:29 AM on June 27, 2022 [14 favorites]
And in case you are looking for inspiration, today I discovered that Mae West did a sultry cover of "Day Tripper"... at the age of 72. It's never too late!
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 3:30 AM on June 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 3:30 AM on June 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
Good morning everyone!
I've had too much work for a while, and not on the free rides here. Now the sun is shining, the house is quiet because the kids are at Roskilde, work is at a more normal level, and Copenhagen is in its summer dress, the best dress.
I'm going to make a Caesar salad for lunch, because I can.
posted by mumimor at 4:05 AM on June 27, 2022 [9 favorites]
I've had too much work for a while, and not on the free rides here. Now the sun is shining, the house is quiet because the kids are at Roskilde, work is at a more normal level, and Copenhagen is in its summer dress, the best dress.
I'm going to make a Caesar salad for lunch, because I can.
posted by mumimor at 4:05 AM on June 27, 2022 [9 favorites]
I bought a piano this week. Never played before, though I did teach myself guitar 30 years ago. I can't afford $100/hour lessons so I'm going it alone. I'm pretty good at Twinkle Twinkle so far.
Wide open to any advice.
posted by adept256 at 4:09 AM on June 27, 2022 [19 favorites]
Wide open to any advice.
posted by adept256 at 4:09 AM on June 27, 2022 [19 favorites]
Step right up.
Perfect for this thread and my candidate for the greatest song ever.
posted by JustSayNoDawg at 4:24 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
Perfect for this thread and my candidate for the greatest song ever.
posted by JustSayNoDawg at 4:24 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
I've obviously not been spending enough time on MeFi lately, because I have no clue what this potato weirdness is all about: can somebody enlighten me?
posted by cstross at 4:25 AM on June 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by cstross at 4:25 AM on June 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
can somebody enlighten me?
Near as I can tell, it's an emergent phenomenon.
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 4:27 AM on June 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
Near as I can tell, it's an emergent phenomenon.
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 4:27 AM on June 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
Colbert ran a series of jokes about the quality of life in Russia following their illegal war, with the punchline being the unsatisfying substitution 'is potato'. So began a Russian disinformation campaign to make potatoes cool and defuse the punchline.
This theory is based on absolutely no research and is just my paranoid guess.
posted by adept256 at 4:34 AM on June 27, 2022 [8 favorites]
This theory is based on absolutely no research and is just my paranoid guess.
posted by adept256 at 4:34 AM on June 27, 2022 [8 favorites]
From a post in 2019 that I don't remember writing (is there a MeFite FPP-making equivalent of sleepwalking? have you ever found an old post of yours that you have no recollection of making?) A song and - especially - video that is sometimes a good refresh or reset of the mind. Or you can just yell along with "I'M BANANA MAN" (I am 53) and bewilder the neighbours.
Go Bananas, by Little Big.
(CW: giant pigeons, cake desecration, muscular birds, dangerous driving, chicken noises)
posted by Wordshore at 4:37 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Go Bananas, by Little Big.
(CW: giant pigeons, cake desecration, muscular birds, dangerous driving, chicken noises)
posted by Wordshore at 4:37 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
I have just discovered that if your Ikea furniture comes without all the required fasteners (unlikely) or you misplaced the fasteners somewhere while distracted (likely) you can just order replacements online, and they send them to you for free.
(Here in Norway at least, IDK about your part of the world).
posted by Harald74 at 4:39 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
(Here in Norway at least, IDK about your part of the world).
posted by Harald74 at 4:39 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
It has been a very serious week. Weeks. I have been holding off the free-threading because everything has been So Very Serious but - to hell with it.
So here's a multi-layered bit of comedy that becomes commentary by a force for anti-racism who keeps surprising me with how unpredictability cohesive he can be.
I give you Brennan Lee Mulligan as recalcitrant confederate ghost:
https://youtu.be/FAZJVkelgcg
posted by abulafa at 4:44 AM on June 27, 2022 [11 favorites]
So here's a multi-layered bit of comedy that becomes commentary by a force for anti-racism who keeps surprising me with how unpredictability cohesive he can be.
I give you Brennan Lee Mulligan as recalcitrant confederate ghost:
https://youtu.be/FAZJVkelgcg
posted by abulafa at 4:44 AM on June 27, 2022 [11 favorites]
have you ever found an old post of yours that you have no recollection of making?
Serious answer: almost all of them? (Yes, it's fun to live in my head — the wide open, airy spaces! So refreshing.)
posted by taz at 4:50 AM on June 27, 2022 [12 favorites]
Serious answer: almost all of them? (Yes, it's fun to live in my head — the wide open, airy spaces! So refreshing.)
posted by taz at 4:50 AM on June 27, 2022 [12 favorites]
Wide open to any [piano learning] advice.
Reddit's /r/pianolearning is pretty good, if a bit low traffic. Has a decent FAQ/wiki and can lead you to some useful resources. In contrast, /r/piano is higher traffic but not very friendly to self-learners; it doesn't matter how you explain why you can't get a teacher, 99% of responses to questions there will be "get a teacher".
There's a number of method book series you can get for fairly low price that can teach you quite a bit. The two most highly regarded are Alfred's Adult All-In-One and Adult Piano Adventures by Faber.
Youtube has a ton of useful information. I wouldn't recommend videos that teach you to play a song by watching and copying (tends to not really teach you much in the way of transferable skills), but if you search things like "music theory" or "piano lesson" or similar you will find a lot of useful content.
Dr. Janci Bronson is a somewhat low subscriber count creator who I think does good work in this regard. Here is a playlist of her going over a lot of piano basics in lesson form (the playlist isn't entirely in order of topic, though, for some reason). Highly recommend at least learning about posture and hand placement, as it's an area people often get wrong for a long time and only learn later when they are having trouble or hurting their wrists.
Good luck!
posted by a faithful sock at 4:53 AM on June 27, 2022 [22 favorites]
Reddit's /r/pianolearning is pretty good, if a bit low traffic. Has a decent FAQ/wiki and can lead you to some useful resources. In contrast, /r/piano is higher traffic but not very friendly to self-learners; it doesn't matter how you explain why you can't get a teacher, 99% of responses to questions there will be "get a teacher".
There's a number of method book series you can get for fairly low price that can teach you quite a bit. The two most highly regarded are Alfred's Adult All-In-One and Adult Piano Adventures by Faber.
Youtube has a ton of useful information. I wouldn't recommend videos that teach you to play a song by watching and copying (tends to not really teach you much in the way of transferable skills), but if you search things like "music theory" or "piano lesson" or similar you will find a lot of useful content.
Dr. Janci Bronson is a somewhat low subscriber count creator who I think does good work in this regard. Here is a playlist of her going over a lot of piano basics in lesson form (the playlist isn't entirely in order of topic, though, for some reason). Highly recommend at least learning about posture and hand placement, as it's an area people often get wrong for a long time and only learn later when they are having trouble or hurting their wrists.
Good luck!
posted by a faithful sock at 4:53 AM on June 27, 2022 [22 favorites]
I’ve been having success refreshing myself with Simply Piano on my iPad
posted by thedaniel at 5:05 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by thedaniel at 5:05 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
And tasty breakfast potatoes, in your favorite potato format.
I wanted some kind of easy, microwavable hash browns similar to the McDonalds ones, to replace the Eggos I usually have for breakfast. I don't necessarily recall seeing them but it seems like the sort of thing that should exist.
I also wanted to get some frozen twice-baked potatoes (Larry's, or any of the other brands that offer them) and bring those to work for lunches.
Somehow my grocery store doesn't have either. But then, they've been weird again lately like the early days of lockdown. There are about 11 varieties of Cheerios but no multigrain or regular ones at all. Instead, there's a six-foot long incursion of Froot Loops into the Cheerios section.
I did find some frozen sweet potato hash browns which I'm willing to try. I wound up getting shepherd's pies for my lunches, so it's not exactly Potato Diet but there are indeed some potatoes in it.
posted by Foosnark at 5:13 AM on June 27, 2022
I wanted some kind of easy, microwavable hash browns similar to the McDonalds ones, to replace the Eggos I usually have for breakfast. I don't necessarily recall seeing them but it seems like the sort of thing that should exist.
I also wanted to get some frozen twice-baked potatoes (Larry's, or any of the other brands that offer them) and bring those to work for lunches.
Somehow my grocery store doesn't have either. But then, they've been weird again lately like the early days of lockdown. There are about 11 varieties of Cheerios but no multigrain or regular ones at all. Instead, there's a six-foot long incursion of Froot Loops into the Cheerios section.
I did find some frozen sweet potato hash browns which I'm willing to try. I wound up getting shepherd's pies for my lunches, so it's not exactly Potato Diet but there are indeed some potatoes in it.
posted by Foosnark at 5:13 AM on June 27, 2022
there's a six-foot long incursion of Froot Loops into the Cheerios section.
Has anyone ever explored the possibilities of cereal-based tabletop wargaming?
posted by adept256 at 5:20 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Has anyone ever explored the possibilities of cereal-based tabletop wargaming?
posted by adept256 at 5:20 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Potatoes! Microwave them! Really.
At least for your twice-baked needs (or my morning breakfast potatoes needs).
posted by abulafa at 5:24 AM on June 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
At least for your twice-baked needs (or my morning breakfast potatoes needs).
Pillsbury Method #2: Shortcut Baked Potato How-ToI have single-blind taste and texture tested these with my very potato-discerning (and previously anti-microwave potatoes) spouse and the results have annoyed her by being indistinguishable.
Here’s the reality: I don’t usually have 45 minutes to bake a side dish, and I doubt you do either. So, I like to jumpstart the cooking process with the microwave. Clean and poke your potatoes as described above. Then, wrap ‘em in plastic wrap and pop it into a microwave for 5 minutes. (If you use this trick a lot, you can even invest in or make a reusable potato sack.)
posted by abulafa at 5:24 AM on June 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
> Ikea furniture comes without all the required fasteners [...] you can just order replacements online, and they send them to you for free. ([...] IDK about your part of the world)
Never tried ordering them but here in the UK you can definitely go to the store and get them for free, which is great if you have bought second hand stuff - there's always something missing or broken.
posted by merlynkline at 5:30 AM on June 27, 2022
Never tried ordering them but here in the UK you can definitely go to the store and get them for free, which is great if you have bought second hand stuff - there's always something missing or broken.
posted by merlynkline at 5:30 AM on June 27, 2022
I don't even bother with the plastic wrap. I scrub a potato, poke holes, put it in there and hit the POTATO button. And they're goddamned delicious.
I'm not even poking with a fork anymore. I've found it's equally effective, and faster, to make a few shallow cuts in the top with a knife.
posted by condour75 at 5:45 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
I'm not even poking with a fork anymore. I've found it's equally effective, and faster, to make a few shallow cuts in the top with a knife.
posted by condour75 at 5:45 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
Also, don't know if this wonderful Disney short made it into a potato post, but:
Potatoland!
Sorry if it's a double. This is a free thread and you get what you paid for.
posted by condour75 at 5:49 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Potatoland!
Sorry if it's a double. This is a free thread and you get what you paid for.
posted by condour75 at 5:49 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
I have a furniture-related problem today.
I gave notice at my company a year ago and in the process of making a counteroffer the office manager started talking about office setups with me and I mentioned that it would be great if we all had blinds for the internal windows so if someone needed to change clothes they wouldn't have to do it in the bathroom or whatever, and I also mentioned that I could use more shelf space. Everyone got blinds, which was nice, but I did not get shelves, which was fine. Once in a while he would bring them up and I'd just kind of smile and nod and go on with my day.
Yesterday I was notified that my shelves were in the mailroom, so I went down there, and there was indeed a box of boards and a box of wall brackets for those boards. So I guess I have a box of boards in my office for the rest of my career here, because I completely irrationally recoil at the idea of spending time and energy installing these shelves. It feels like some kind of test that I received carpentry materials and I would rather decline the test than fail it, so here I am.
posted by The Monster at the End of this Thread at 5:59 AM on June 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
I gave notice at my company a year ago and in the process of making a counteroffer the office manager started talking about office setups with me and I mentioned that it would be great if we all had blinds for the internal windows so if someone needed to change clothes they wouldn't have to do it in the bathroom or whatever, and I also mentioned that I could use more shelf space. Everyone got blinds, which was nice, but I did not get shelves, which was fine. Once in a while he would bring them up and I'd just kind of smile and nod and go on with my day.
Yesterday I was notified that my shelves were in the mailroom, so I went down there, and there was indeed a box of boards and a box of wall brackets for those boards. So I guess I have a box of boards in my office for the rest of my career here, because I completely irrationally recoil at the idea of spending time and energy installing these shelves. It feels like some kind of test that I received carpentry materials and I would rather decline the test than fail it, so here I am.
posted by The Monster at the End of this Thread at 5:59 AM on June 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
Is there a maintenance team who could do the installation? It's a bit odd that they would want random people drilling into the wall.
posted by nolnacs at 6:16 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by nolnacs at 6:16 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
I wanted some kind of easy, microwavable hash browns similar to the McDonalds ones
Foosnark, Trader Joe's frozen hash browns are deee-licious.
posted by hovey at 6:16 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
Foosnark, Trader Joe's frozen hash browns are deee-licious.
posted by hovey at 6:16 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
Hello from the future, where my Monday is nearly over. It was an uncharacteristically good one, despite crappy sleep full of anxiety travel dreams. I got to chat to my sweetie before getting out of bed properly and then got not one, not two but three packages delivered today! The nicest one by far was six vintage glasses I bought on Etsy and made it all the way to the other side of the world beautifully cocooned in bubble wrap and newspaper. There are three different types of glasses, two of each, all of them designed by my grandfather in the 50s(?) after he invented a process of silkscreening on glass. I grew up with so many of his glasses and never thought I'd be able to have any of my own on the other side of the world, since I don't think they were mass-produced enough to make it from New Jersey to Australia. But now I do, and when I unwrapped and held the roly-poly glass again I actually cried a little from the pleasure and nostalgia of it. I christened one this evening with some nice Aussie whiskey called Starward and raised my (his) glass in honour of papou.
The other packages (bras that fit reasonably well with an extender and an eeboo puzzle) are also very nice but they pale in comparison.
I hope all your Mondays are at least as nice as mine was, if not nicer!
posted by Athanassiel at 6:21 AM on June 27, 2022 [16 favorites]
The other packages (bras that fit reasonably well with an extender and an eeboo puzzle) are also very nice but they pale in comparison.
I hope all your Mondays are at least as nice as mine was, if not nicer!
posted by Athanassiel at 6:21 AM on June 27, 2022 [16 favorites]
(The bras need only extenders to fit, not extenders and puzzles. Curse my late-night structurally-ambiguous grammar.)
posted by Athanassiel at 6:24 AM on June 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by Athanassiel at 6:24 AM on June 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
In my household we start our baked potatoes in the microwave to soften up, then move them to the toaster oven for bakiness. I don't have exact cooking times but it's super quick and delicious.
posted by swift at 6:30 AM on June 27, 2022
posted by swift at 6:30 AM on June 27, 2022
"(bras that fit reasonably well with an extender and an eeboo puzzle" - An interesting concept. Bras with puzzles...
posted by IndelibleUnderpants at 6:30 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by IndelibleUnderpants at 6:30 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
A friend in the flying club has convinced me to go to Airventure with him this year, so in a couple of weeks we're going to be taking our 182 from Boston to Wisconsin for the show. I'm starting to make plans and gather stuff we'll need to camp on the airfield - should be fun, it'll be my first time there, but it will also be a significant challenge as Oshkosh briefly becomes the busiest airport in the world for the last week of July.
I had sworn I had made a post about it before, but I guess not... I'll have to rectify that.
posted by backseatpilot at 6:32 AM on June 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
I had sworn I had made a post about it before, but I guess not... I'll have to rectify that.
posted by backseatpilot at 6:32 AM on June 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
But... let's get serious if I may. As someone who is the other side of 40 and in the process of a career change, I am encountering the very weird approach that HR departments take towards job applicants when (despite being eminently qualified and highly skilled etc) they see details of college graduation and other date specifics in a resume they totally ghost you. That after several phone/email communications where they express strong interest and want to set up a Zoom call or face to face interview.
Note that I have discussed this at length with others internationally and it appears to be a predominantly US problem. HR departments failing to respond at all being a standard. Whatever happened to professionalism, human decency, due diligence [add your own here]. NOTE: Technology is sufficiently advanced to allow for an automated 'Thank you for your interest' type of response without any undue cost to an organization.
If you are nearing the 'you are clearly too incompetent to work after reaching 40' cut-off date or past it I would love to hear of your experiences. I am not expecting a response from HR...
posted by IndelibleUnderpants at 6:47 AM on June 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
Note that I have discussed this at length with others internationally and it appears to be a predominantly US problem. HR departments failing to respond at all being a standard. Whatever happened to professionalism, human decency, due diligence [add your own here]. NOTE: Technology is sufficiently advanced to allow for an automated 'Thank you for your interest' type of response without any undue cost to an organization.
If you are nearing the 'you are clearly too incompetent to work after reaching 40' cut-off date or past it I would love to hear of your experiences. I am not expecting a response from HR...
posted by IndelibleUnderpants at 6:47 AM on June 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
Friends from the Netherlands have inexplicably decided to spend their main summer holiday with me, so I’ve scheduled an absurd (by American standards) stretch of time off. A storm system blew through last night, dropping the temperature and humidity into the delightful range. My guests arrive tonight, and my house is cleaner than it’s been in a… um, a long time. A surprising number of things are right with the world this morning.
(Breakfast: Dice one sweet potato, microwave on baked potato setting, brown in oil and butter, season, plate, top with fried eggs.)
posted by jon1270 at 6:49 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
(Breakfast: Dice one sweet potato, microwave on baked potato setting, brown in oil and butter, season, plate, top with fried eggs.)
posted by jon1270 at 6:49 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
nolnacs, it was suggested that I ask one of the construction inspectors to do it but that's not their job either so that's just essentially asking a favor from a coworker who I barely know. I can't even imagine doing it.
And yes, it's funny that I'm a civil engineer who doesn't build things.
posted by The Monster at the End of this Thread at 6:59 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
And yes, it's funny that I'm a civil engineer who doesn't build things.
posted by The Monster at the End of this Thread at 6:59 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
thoroughburro, yes, I will take one of each of those, thank you. 🌶
posted by taz at 7:01 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by taz at 7:01 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Medlife Crisis Rohin Francis is a cardiologist based in the UK, and this is a link to his You Tube channel. I have selected one of my favorite works, where Rohin plays with his young son whilst teaching his audience about infant reflexes. You'll learn a lot of really interesting information about the body while looking at a really beautiful child with some wry humor.
Dr. Francis offers a lot of varied topics on different subjects from keto diets to covid information to case studies. He's really great at parsing clinical trial reviews. There are also a lot of sophisticated comedy clips that manage to be hilarious and informative at the same time.
So, if that sounds like your kind of thing, I hope you find his work enjoyable.
posted by effluvia at 7:07 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
Dr. Francis offers a lot of varied topics on different subjects from keto diets to covid information to case studies. He's really great at parsing clinical trial reviews. There are also a lot of sophisticated comedy clips that manage to be hilarious and informative at the same time.
So, if that sounds like your kind of thing, I hope you find his work enjoyable.
posted by effluvia at 7:07 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
In my household we start our baked potatoes in the microwave to soften up, then move them to the toaster oven for bakiness.
Air fryer makes for good bakiness too, and uses a fair bit less electricity than the oven to do it.
posted by flabdablet at 7:19 AM on June 27, 2022
Air fryer makes for good bakiness too, and uses a fair bit less electricity than the oven to do it.
posted by flabdablet at 7:19 AM on June 27, 2022
https://www.metafilter.com/index.cfm?blockpotatos=yes
posted by rlk at 7:38 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by rlk at 7:38 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
This is also my first summer as a vegetarian, so the BLT situation will take experimentation. Any success stories, there?
With a good tomato in tomato time, you don't need anything more than lettuce, mayo and some minced garlic on toast. The bacon is extraneous, and I'm not a vegetarian.
posted by thecaddy at 7:47 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
With a good tomato in tomato time, you don't need anything more than lettuce, mayo and some minced garlic on toast. The bacon is extraneous, and I'm not a vegetarian.
posted by thecaddy at 7:47 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
(Sliced hard-boiled egg is a nice addition to mix it up a bit, though)
posted by thecaddy at 7:47 AM on June 27, 2022
posted by thecaddy at 7:47 AM on June 27, 2022
Ugh I wanted so hard to be pithy and I forgot that you also need a little salt and pepper to season the tomato slices, and that's what takes it from "good" to "transcendant." But I am now three comments deep in telling you that you don't need the bacon, and I regret nothing.
posted by thecaddy at 7:51 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by thecaddy at 7:51 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
I entered "ask metafilter" into craiyon (formerly DALL-E Mini) and got this.
posted by jquinby at 7:56 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by jquinby at 7:56 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
This is also my first summer as a vegetarian, so the BLT situation will take experimentation. Any success stories, there?
With a good tomato in tomato time, you don't need anything more than lettuce, mayo and some minced garlic on toast. The bacon is extraneous, and I'm not a vegetarian.
We use a bit of truffled mayo. With a good tomato, it elevates the sandwich to something divine.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 8:03 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
With a good tomato in tomato time, you don't need anything more than lettuce, mayo and some minced garlic on toast. The bacon is extraneous, and I'm not a vegetarian.
We use a bit of truffled mayo. With a good tomato, it elevates the sandwich to something divine.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 8:03 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Tomato and cucumber on rye is good, too. With mayo of course. For several years during university, they were my favorite sandwiches, and the cafeteria cook made them specially for me.
There is also the Spanish style, where you toast the bread, rub it with garlic, rub it with a ripe tomato (using the toast as a grater), and finish with salt and olive oil. My kids had those almost all days during summer when they were small and hungry before dinner. Best on a rustic sourdough bread.
Pizza made with fresh tomatoes is a thing too. Maybe with a really good mozzarella and little dollops of home-made pesto.
Back to the BLT replacement, if you use grilled egg plant instead of bacon, you will get something different, but lovely and umami rich.
posted by mumimor at 8:04 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
There is also the Spanish style, where you toast the bread, rub it with garlic, rub it with a ripe tomato (using the toast as a grater), and finish with salt and olive oil. My kids had those almost all days during summer when they were small and hungry before dinner. Best on a rustic sourdough bread.
Pizza made with fresh tomatoes is a thing too. Maybe with a really good mozzarella and little dollops of home-made pesto.
Back to the BLT replacement, if you use grilled egg plant instead of bacon, you will get something different, but lovely and umami rich.
posted by mumimor at 8:04 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
It's not really a BLT (really a caprese sandwich, I guess?), but a mozzarella, tomato, lettuce sandwich on good bread can be very nice and kind of similar. Some dry seasoning and something wet on the bread improves it. I usually go with olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and a small amount of msg.
posted by eotvos at 8:10 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by eotvos at 8:10 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Mashed from Feb 2022: 11 Popular Fake Bacon Products, Ranked Worst To Best
posted by hippybear at 8:20 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by hippybear at 8:20 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
I like to use the dregs from the smoked almonds jar to salt my lettuce and tomato sandwiches.
posted by flabdablet at 8:25 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by flabdablet at 8:25 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
Agree that a good, flavorful tomato is key to a great BLT, but also strongly concur that it must be well salted if you're planning to forgo the bacon.
Think in terms of what the bacon brings to the table in the first place. One component is definitely salt. Another is fat. Another is a smoky flavor. And finally, for mouth feel, a properly cooked slice of bacon will be crisp.
So I'm going to go out on a rather shaky limb here and suggest throwing a couple of tortilla chips in the sandwich, or something similar. No, I haven't tried it. No, I am not a vegetarian. But I think it might hit some of the right notes.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:26 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Think in terms of what the bacon brings to the table in the first place. One component is definitely salt. Another is fat. Another is a smoky flavor. And finally, for mouth feel, a properly cooked slice of bacon will be crisp.
So I'm going to go out on a rather shaky limb here and suggest throwing a couple of tortilla chips in the sandwich, or something similar. No, I haven't tried it. No, I am not a vegetarian. But I think it might hit some of the right notes.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:26 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
anxiety travel dreams
why is this a thing??? I regularly have dreams in which its time to get ready to travel (to return home) and I have SO.MUCH.LUGGAGE. its scattered everywhere in a big mess. I have to pack everything up and its obviously way more than one person could possibly wrangle. (because I have to take public transit to the airport, of course). these dreams are really stressful! so weird...
posted by supermedusa at 8:27 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
why is this a thing??? I regularly have dreams in which its time to get ready to travel (to return home) and I have SO.MUCH.LUGGAGE. its scattered everywhere in a big mess. I have to pack everything up and its obviously way more than one person could possibly wrangle. (because I have to take public transit to the airport, of course). these dreams are really stressful! so weird...
posted by supermedusa at 8:27 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
^ ^ ^ Dregs from a smoked almond jar sounds perfect, flabdablet. Good call.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:28 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:28 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
thoroughburro thank you so much for sharing your lovely gardening story! it sounds delightful.
we have managed to get a little garden going this summer. last night was round 2 of Zucchini boats!! (stuffed zooks) nothing else is ready to harvest yet but we have promising things in our future: pole beans, tomatoes (caprese salad!!!), jalapenos. I wish I didn't have to work, so I could spend more time on it.
posted by supermedusa at 8:29 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
we have managed to get a little garden going this summer. last night was round 2 of Zucchini boats!! (stuffed zooks) nothing else is ready to harvest yet but we have promising things in our future: pole beans, tomatoes (caprese salad!!!), jalapenos. I wish I didn't have to work, so I could spend more time on it.
posted by supermedusa at 8:29 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Dregs from a smoked almond jar sounds perfect
Yeah, they're good for all kinds of stuff. I actually keep a little screw-top jar that I dump the dregs from the smoked almond and salted roasted cashews jars into before refilling them. Sometimes we get crackers that leave salty seasoned remnants in the bag when they're finished too, and those go in as well. Never hurts to have a bit of interestingly flavoured salty stuff on hand.
posted by flabdablet at 8:48 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
Yeah, they're good for all kinds of stuff. I actually keep a little screw-top jar that I dump the dregs from the smoked almond and salted roasted cashews jars into before refilling them. Sometimes we get crackers that leave salty seasoned remnants in the bag when they're finished too, and those go in as well. Never hurts to have a bit of interestingly flavoured salty stuff on hand.
posted by flabdablet at 8:48 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
Supermendusa, I've definitely had the "oh shit, I have a flight this morning and can't possibly make it in time" dream. I've also overslept and had the real version happen three times. Missing an international flight by 5 minutes after paying for 300USD for a long distance cab that might have made it was the most frustrating. It's never actually been a huge problem, so I don't know why it comes up in dreams.
posted by eotvos at 8:52 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by eotvos at 8:52 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
It comes up in dreams to remind us how unpleasant it feels IRL so that we adjust our behaviour accordingly.
posted by flabdablet at 8:55 AM on June 27, 2022
posted by flabdablet at 8:55 AM on June 27, 2022
Substitute avocado for bacon in BLTs. Delicious.
posted by Bee'sWing at 9:02 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Bee'sWing at 9:02 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
It comes up in dreams to remind us how unpleasant it feels IRL so that we adjust our behaviour accordingly.
see thats the thing though, I am one of those people who packs two days in advance and has every i dotted and t crossed, I leave way early and never miss a flight. I pack light. and yet these dreams...
posted by supermedusa at 9:15 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
see thats the thing though, I am one of those people who packs two days in advance and has every i dotted and t crossed, I leave way early and never miss a flight. I pack light. and yet these dreams...
posted by supermedusa at 9:15 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
I just had a dream where I defeated mechahitler in a bi-plane. Sure was fun. I've been having pretty awesome dreams since I started SSRIs.
posted by adept256 at 9:23 AM on June 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by adept256 at 9:23 AM on June 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
Today is my first day on a potato diet! I want to lose about 20lbs. I'm going to do it 6 days a week and have one not-a-blowout day off a week and see how it goes. From tomorrow I'll be measuring my fasting blood sugar when I get up.
2kg red potatoes, 1 tablespoon olive oil and my favourite hot sauces.
Today's potatoes are baked. First impressions are that for all that I have always liked potatoes I have no idea how it took me until I'm 51 to realise that potatoes are very filling. I'll be surprised if I can get through all 2kg today. And it's very nice not to have to think about what to eat or to be juggling options within a limited 'budget'.
posted by dowcrag at 9:25 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
2kg red potatoes, 1 tablespoon olive oil and my favourite hot sauces.
Today's potatoes are baked. First impressions are that for all that I have always liked potatoes I have no idea how it took me until I'm 51 to realise that potatoes are very filling. I'll be surprised if I can get through all 2kg today. And it's very nice not to have to think about what to eat or to be juggling options within a limited 'budget'.
posted by dowcrag at 9:25 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
I’ve been wondering if All-Potato Diet would save time on food planning and prep, dowcrag. If I find myself trying to imitate other foods with potatoes, no; if I just eat another good potato when I notice I’m hungry, probably…
I have some Ozette fingerlings saved over several years’ growing in an earth box out back. I don’t have anything like room for a 7 year rotation, really not even 4, but have given some to friends and neighbors who have also passed them on so they have kept multiplying.
posted by clew at 9:36 AM on June 27, 2022
I have some Ozette fingerlings saved over several years’ growing in an earth box out back. I don’t have anything like room for a 7 year rotation, really not even 4, but have given some to friends and neighbors who have also passed them on so they have kept multiplying.
posted by clew at 9:36 AM on June 27, 2022
I think you should run the all-_____ diet past your doctor.
posted by adept256 at 9:43 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by adept256 at 9:43 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
I can’t emphasize enough what a balm this is to my mental health, despite troubleshooting nutrient issues, sun exposure, and barely keeping up with pests. I belong in my garden; I am the type of human who grows plants. We ate our first ripe fruits yesterday, a couple early red bell peppers (Romanian Rainbow), and I noticed a blush of red on a tomato so we might sneak in the first BLT before July!
I miraculously got a plot in a nearby community garden back in early May, and I've been going bugnuts over it. I never expected to get a plot, like, ever, but the garden nearest to me had an unusually heavy turnover last year and they had a lot of empty spots this spring.
So the garden has been seeing this ginormous influx of New Member Zeal, and every weekend you will find someone out there - either on their own or with a couple others they've enlisted as a work crew - doing some kind of Overall Garden Project. Sometime on Memorial Day weekend, the garden chair and I spent a whole day dis-assembling a disused plot at the front so we could make the entrance to the garden look more inviting. I also rounded up all the unused containers that were scattered around the garden, gave them a clean and got a bunch of things for them, so we now have some pansies by the front and some citronella plants by the seating area and a whole container herb tea garden along one wall. A few weeks ago there was a whole crew weedwhacking the edges around people's plots, cutting back overgrown ivy and making garden steps. A couple weeks ago another member and I moved the grills to the back picnic area. Someone else cleaned up the pile of construction rubble left over from when the garden was established in 1990, and planted a shade garden in the freed-up space.
And I have by now eaten two cherry tomatoes from the little plant I put in, and I'm trying to figure out when to harvest the two jalapenos that are on that plant and whether my Hungarian Wax Pepper is ready. The plum tomatoes and beefsteaks are starting to fruit up too. The eggplant isn't really doing anything, but I'm still giving it love and patience...I'm also helping myself to raspberries from the community-use bush in one corner, and eyeing the plums on the plum tree just over my plot which are also up for grabs. (The garden's elder statesman and I have already started to compare notes on jam making.)
Someone in my building is ALSO a neighbor in the garden, and their plot had a small sage plant already in it when they claimed their plot; the sage is now HUGE, and they practically begged me to help myself to any. Once or twice a week I take them up on it, grabbing some leaves - fresh sage makes a good herb tea. And now that the herb tea garden plants are a little more established I may also bring them into the mix as well.
....This weekend, I also splurged on a high-tech ice cream maker - one that has the freezer built into the machine, so you don't have to futz with freezing a huge bowl for 24 hours before making anything. That arrives tonight, so I get to play with making fresh ice cream for the rest of the week. (I figure if we're reaching a time when a pint of ice cream is "a single serving", having a machine about capable of making ice cream in quart sizes might be good.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:43 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
I miraculously got a plot in a nearby community garden back in early May, and I've been going bugnuts over it. I never expected to get a plot, like, ever, but the garden nearest to me had an unusually heavy turnover last year and they had a lot of empty spots this spring.
So the garden has been seeing this ginormous influx of New Member Zeal, and every weekend you will find someone out there - either on their own or with a couple others they've enlisted as a work crew - doing some kind of Overall Garden Project. Sometime on Memorial Day weekend, the garden chair and I spent a whole day dis-assembling a disused plot at the front so we could make the entrance to the garden look more inviting. I also rounded up all the unused containers that were scattered around the garden, gave them a clean and got a bunch of things for them, so we now have some pansies by the front and some citronella plants by the seating area and a whole container herb tea garden along one wall. A few weeks ago there was a whole crew weedwhacking the edges around people's plots, cutting back overgrown ivy and making garden steps. A couple weeks ago another member and I moved the grills to the back picnic area. Someone else cleaned up the pile of construction rubble left over from when the garden was established in 1990, and planted a shade garden in the freed-up space.
And I have by now eaten two cherry tomatoes from the little plant I put in, and I'm trying to figure out when to harvest the two jalapenos that are on that plant and whether my Hungarian Wax Pepper is ready. The plum tomatoes and beefsteaks are starting to fruit up too. The eggplant isn't really doing anything, but I'm still giving it love and patience...I'm also helping myself to raspberries from the community-use bush in one corner, and eyeing the plums on the plum tree just over my plot which are also up for grabs. (The garden's elder statesman and I have already started to compare notes on jam making.)
Someone in my building is ALSO a neighbor in the garden, and their plot had a small sage plant already in it when they claimed their plot; the sage is now HUGE, and they practically begged me to help myself to any. Once or twice a week I take them up on it, grabbing some leaves - fresh sage makes a good herb tea. And now that the herb tea garden plants are a little more established I may also bring them into the mix as well.
....This weekend, I also splurged on a high-tech ice cream maker - one that has the freezer built into the machine, so you don't have to futz with freezing a huge bowl for 24 hours before making anything. That arrives tonight, so I get to play with making fresh ice cream for the rest of the week. (I figure if we're reaching a time when a pint of ice cream is "a single serving", having a machine about capable of making ice cream in quart sizes might be good.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:43 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
I have no clue what this potato weirdness is all about
“Fear is a strange soil. It grows obedience like corn, which grows in straight lines to make weeding easier. But sometimes it grows the potatoes of defiance, which flourish underground.” Pratchett
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 10:07 AM on June 27, 2022 [11 favorites]
“Fear is a strange soil. It grows obedience like corn, which grows in straight lines to make weeding easier. But sometimes it grows the potatoes of defiance, which flourish underground.” Pratchett
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 10:07 AM on June 27, 2022 [11 favorites]
There are many delicious uses for sage, think sausages, but a simple one is pasta with sage and (brown) butter.
Sage is easy to grow, beautiful and delicious.
I'm heading out to boil some potatoes now, though still not on a potato diet. Remember that cold potatoes have extra nutritional value because they develop resistant starch as they cool. And then they are great in potato salad, on sandwiches and just for snacking.
Indeed, the potato sandwich is a classic of the Danish open sandwich tradition: you need buttered whole grain rye bread. Place sliced cold potatoes on top. Garnish with both raw and fried onions, mayo and something green, I like water cress. Pickled onions and chives are great too. Well, try whatever you like, it isn't very strict, compared to the rules for eating heering. I even eat potatoes on wheat bread, which is a bit sacrilegious.
posted by mumimor at 10:10 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Sage is easy to grow, beautiful and delicious.
I'm heading out to boil some potatoes now, though still not on a potato diet. Remember that cold potatoes have extra nutritional value because they develop resistant starch as they cool. And then they are great in potato salad, on sandwiches and just for snacking.
Indeed, the potato sandwich is a classic of the Danish open sandwich tradition: you need buttered whole grain rye bread. Place sliced cold potatoes on top. Garnish with both raw and fried onions, mayo and something green, I like water cress. Pickled onions and chives are great too. Well, try whatever you like, it isn't very strict, compared to the rules for eating heering. I even eat potatoes on wheat bread, which is a bit sacrilegious.
posted by mumimor at 10:10 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
IndelibleUnderpants, hiring ageism is absolutely a thing, illegal though it may technically be. It has kept me in a job I don't like* for 10 years rather than face the hell of job hunting in my 50's/now-60's.
I've recently heard about older job seekers tailoring their resumes - for instance listing only the last < 20 years of previous experience, removing any age-revealing dates, that sort of thing. If I do decide to brave the job-hunting waters I may even dye my salt-and-pepper beard to minimize the gray, at least until I get through any hiring interviews. We should have no compunctions about obscuring our age if we're going up against law-flouting HR departments. They play dirty - we play dirty.
*My only glimmer of hope in my current job at this point is a recent promise** of a forthcoming promotion and concomitant raise. I've done some online salary research, and plan to go into negotiation - assuming said promotion actually happens - with some hard bargaining numbers. If I don't like my job, I might as well be decently paid to do it....
**yes, yes, I know about corporate promises, but please just shut up and let me have this for a while
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:12 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
I've recently heard about older job seekers tailoring their resumes - for instance listing only the last < 20 years of previous experience, removing any age-revealing dates, that sort of thing. If I do decide to brave the job-hunting waters I may even dye my salt-and-pepper beard to minimize the gray, at least until I get through any hiring interviews. We should have no compunctions about obscuring our age if we're going up against law-flouting HR departments. They play dirty - we play dirty.
*My only glimmer of hope in my current job at this point is a recent promise** of a forthcoming promotion and concomitant raise. I've done some online salary research, and plan to go into negotiation - assuming said promotion actually happens - with some hard bargaining numbers. If I don't like my job, I might as well be decently paid to do it....
**yes, yes, I know about corporate promises, but please just shut up and let me have this for a while
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:12 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
Your weekend theater update:
(a) I did my first murder mystery party gig this weekend and it went really well. Happily, people were really into it and I didn't have to have as much memorized as I had thought I was supposed to, so yay there. I'm not sure when I will look to book myself for other gigs (see below), but that was fun and live action improv roleplay is a blast. The only thing that sucks about it is that gigs are usually 1-2 hours away from the "hub" area I live in, so that was like 4 hours of driving and limits when I could do it anyway since I have a day job. But the pay is good even at the start, go figure. And it was really fun and my boss there is really great and helpful and supportive on my first time. Maybe I should just be doing murder mysteries instead of shows, like the murder mystery boss is doing (they started out at this theater too). Lot less pickiness on that particular activity.
(b) I went to two shows I had friends in: one I declined to audition for and the other I auditioned for and then bailed out when I got recruited for Evita. I think I probably would not have gotten as much to do in the latter show--the generic "adults" kind of did the least in it. Fun show, though. As for the one at my current "home" theater, I found out that 25 out of 30 people in the cast got covid (jesus, that's even worse than Broadway) and the lead lady only hit her 10th day on opening night. I figured I should go while I could before covid cancellation happened again and um...yeah. Two of them are still out with heart palpitations :( Um, yeah, I'm gonna be wearing a mask when performing forever even if nobody else is. I note two people in that cast were, and good for them.
(c) I auditioned for Beauty and the Beast last night. Now, I didn't really want any parts in the show--I don't suit them and am not good for anything but being a backup person and I'm well aware of that and a lot of us were all "we are fine with being cast as dancing cutlery" anyway--but it still sucked when I was walking out with two friends who are far more talented than I am and one of the theater staff (note: he's not casting the show, he's doing something backstage, but dude is a former director and Has Opinions) ran out to talk to them about their prospects for casting and said, "You're definitely coming back for callbacks." And, of course, ignored me in that one because I am so clearly not. (Note: they only do callbacks for casting name roles here, you can get cast as ensemble without a callback.) I felt like complete shit, and I deserve to feel like complete shit, because they are more "lead" material and get cast as leads, and I wouldn't get cast as a lead unless the entire rest of the cast dropped dead. I hate being so bad at what I love doing, and also being old/weird/"fat" (not really, I'm average but you get what I mean)/unattractive, etc. even if I did have talent. They are nice to me by letting me in as backup at all, mind you, but it still sucks when someone or something points out to you how bad you truly are. Like the only part I would have been into doing is a "silly girl" (the blonde Gaston fangirls) and I knew better than to even ask for consideration for that.
Now god knows I've done plenty of activities I'm bad at for years on end (bowling league, playing violin in school, ballet lessons, various attempts at learning ASL...), and it kind of bothered me, but I also didn't have terribly serious intentions towards that stuff, so it didn't super matter either and I was just doing it for my own amusement. I peaked at 16 in bowling, I don't really have opportunities to sign with anyone, I didn't like listening to myself play violin and I obviously didn't have a ballet body from the getgo. But I have always wanted to perform onstage (I'm not too picky on how) and it just really sucks to just be genetically terrible at what I do want to do. How am I supposed to love myself and think I'm great (per therapist and hippie friends lecturing me on the topic) when I am literally genetically terrible at what I do want to be doing? I know there's this whole Ira Glass quote about taste and technically I'm more of a beginner since I've only been allowed into doing theater for the last few years and I'm working on it and now am taking singing lessons, etc. But still: I wish I was as good as everybody else, and I'm just...not good at all, and everyone can see that. And I feel like a complete shameful embarrassment at times.
Though hey, at least I got (polite?) applause on this audition instead of the dead silence and horror stares I got at the last one, so there's that, at least.
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:16 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
(a) I did my first murder mystery party gig this weekend and it went really well. Happily, people were really into it and I didn't have to have as much memorized as I had thought I was supposed to, so yay there. I'm not sure when I will look to book myself for other gigs (see below), but that was fun and live action improv roleplay is a blast. The only thing that sucks about it is that gigs are usually 1-2 hours away from the "hub" area I live in, so that was like 4 hours of driving and limits when I could do it anyway since I have a day job. But the pay is good even at the start, go figure. And it was really fun and my boss there is really great and helpful and supportive on my first time. Maybe I should just be doing murder mysteries instead of shows, like the murder mystery boss is doing (they started out at this theater too). Lot less pickiness on that particular activity.
(b) I went to two shows I had friends in: one I declined to audition for and the other I auditioned for and then bailed out when I got recruited for Evita. I think I probably would not have gotten as much to do in the latter show--the generic "adults" kind of did the least in it. Fun show, though. As for the one at my current "home" theater, I found out that 25 out of 30 people in the cast got covid (jesus, that's even worse than Broadway) and the lead lady only hit her 10th day on opening night. I figured I should go while I could before covid cancellation happened again and um...yeah. Two of them are still out with heart palpitations :( Um, yeah, I'm gonna be wearing a mask when performing forever even if nobody else is. I note two people in that cast were, and good for them.
(c) I auditioned for Beauty and the Beast last night. Now, I didn't really want any parts in the show--I don't suit them and am not good for anything but being a backup person and I'm well aware of that and a lot of us were all "we are fine with being cast as dancing cutlery" anyway--but it still sucked when I was walking out with two friends who are far more talented than I am and one of the theater staff (note: he's not casting the show, he's doing something backstage, but dude is a former director and Has Opinions) ran out to talk to them about their prospects for casting and said, "You're definitely coming back for callbacks." And, of course, ignored me in that one because I am so clearly not. (Note: they only do callbacks for casting name roles here, you can get cast as ensemble without a callback.) I felt like complete shit, and I deserve to feel like complete shit, because they are more "lead" material and get cast as leads, and I wouldn't get cast as a lead unless the entire rest of the cast dropped dead. I hate being so bad at what I love doing, and also being old/weird/"fat" (not really, I'm average but you get what I mean)/unattractive, etc. even if I did have talent. They are nice to me by letting me in as backup at all, mind you, but it still sucks when someone or something points out to you how bad you truly are. Like the only part I would have been into doing is a "silly girl" (the blonde Gaston fangirls) and I knew better than to even ask for consideration for that.
Now god knows I've done plenty of activities I'm bad at for years on end (bowling league, playing violin in school, ballet lessons, various attempts at learning ASL...), and it kind of bothered me, but I also didn't have terribly serious intentions towards that stuff, so it didn't super matter either and I was just doing it for my own amusement. I peaked at 16 in bowling, I don't really have opportunities to sign with anyone, I didn't like listening to myself play violin and I obviously didn't have a ballet body from the getgo. But I have always wanted to perform onstage (I'm not too picky on how) and it just really sucks to just be genetically terrible at what I do want to do. How am I supposed to love myself and think I'm great (per therapist and hippie friends lecturing me on the topic) when I am literally genetically terrible at what I do want to be doing? I know there's this whole Ira Glass quote about taste and technically I'm more of a beginner since I've only been allowed into doing theater for the last few years and I'm working on it and now am taking singing lessons, etc. But still: I wish I was as good as everybody else, and I'm just...not good at all, and everyone can see that. And I feel like a complete shameful embarrassment at times.
Though hey, at least I got (polite?) applause on this audition instead of the dead silence and horror stares I got at the last one, so there's that, at least.
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:16 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
There are many delicious uses for sage, think sausages, but a simple one is pasta with sage and (brown) butter.
Oh, I have my own sage in a pot as well at home, I know all about that! But my neighbors' particular sage plant is currently the size of a Maine Coon cat and they're a bit overwhelmed.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:20 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Oh, I have my own sage in a pot as well at home, I know all about that! But my neighbors' particular sage plant is currently the size of a Maine Coon cat and they're a bit overwhelmed.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:20 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
my favorite use for fresh sage is Tuscan White Beans they are soooo delish and also pair really nicely with fresh lightly cooked zooks from your garden.
posted by supermedusa at 10:22 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by supermedusa at 10:22 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
I nearly killed two of my friends’ kids this weekend.
In D&D! Don’t worry!
We’re getting far enough into the introductory adventure at the back of van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft that the haunted house is getting angry, and the group fought their first big monster.
The sort of upper-tier zombie zeroed the druid in the first round, and nearly KO’d the paladin later on before succumbing finally to a critical hit that denied it its CON save.
Everyone got their hits in, everyone survived, but even though I told them after it was over that I was holding back, they will never really know the degree to which I was holding back.
It’s only gonna get tougher, so it’s a good thing the group leveled up.
Wish I could come up with a clever way to sneak a potato into this post.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 10:23 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
In D&D! Don’t worry!
We’re getting far enough into the introductory adventure at the back of van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft that the haunted house is getting angry, and the group fought their first big monster.
The sort of upper-tier zombie zeroed the druid in the first round, and nearly KO’d the paladin later on before succumbing finally to a critical hit that denied it its CON save.
Everyone got their hits in, everyone survived, but even though I told them after it was over that I was holding back, they will never really know the degree to which I was holding back.
It’s only gonna get tougher, so it’s a good thing the group leveled up.
Wish I could come up with a clever way to sneak a potato into this post.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 10:23 AM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
ahh "maine coon cat"??? my sage plant (in ground not pot) is currently the size of a Eurasian Lynx.
pollinators really like sage :)
posted by supermedusa at 10:25 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
pollinators really like sage :)
posted by supermedusa at 10:25 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
OK, I have to say it: My sage is the size of a tiger, and as aggressive. There is no way I can use it all. So it just goes to waste. Maybe I should make little bags and put them outside the general store in our village. Maybe they'd prefer if I sold them.
posted by mumimor at 10:28 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by mumimor at 10:28 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
mumimor just having a heated discussion with Mr SM about whether our sage is in fact closer in size to a tiger, or at least a mountain lion LOL! its not wasted if the bees are enjoying it!
posted by supermedusa at 10:31 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by supermedusa at 10:31 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
I won't be able to be at ease until a Metafilter member has a sage plant the size of a liger.
posted by taz at 10:34 AM on June 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by taz at 10:34 AM on June 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
(i love you all, just sayin')
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:48 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:48 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
adept256 my best friend is a GP who will be keeping a professional eye on me while I'm eating potatoes.
posted by dowcrag at 10:50 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by dowcrag at 10:50 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
My vegetarian BLT sub is Grafton Village Maple Smoked Cheddar. If that's inaccessible, any good smoked cheese you favor.
posted by jocelmeow at 10:58 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by jocelmeow at 10:58 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
My garden completely went to hell this year because a) it's been really cold and raining until, basically, this past weekend when it became blazingly hot for two days, thus killing off several of the undrowned plants and b) new job + geopolitical horrors = when I get home from work, after the dog walk, I need to collapse on the couch and watch Midsomer Murders, not garden.
So I have a few plants in containers in the courtyard; they are all kind of miserable and the flower garden out front is overwhelmed with weeds. This week, though, I have a four day weekend and the weather is supposed to be July normal for the Oregon coast! Therefore I am now going to plant stuff even if it is July. I am going to weed. I am hoping for the best. The California poppies are up through the weeds and I love them, so, OK, I can do this thing to keep them happy.
posted by mygothlaundry at 11:00 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
So I have a few plants in containers in the courtyard; they are all kind of miserable and the flower garden out front is overwhelmed with weeds. This week, though, I have a four day weekend and the weather is supposed to be July normal for the Oregon coast! Therefore I am now going to plant stuff even if it is July. I am going to weed. I am hoping for the best. The California poppies are up through the weeds and I love them, so, OK, I can do this thing to keep them happy.
posted by mygothlaundry at 11:00 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Oh and I have been a vegetarian for years and I swear by the old standard, Morningstar Farms fake bacon. It is made of - I don't know. Don't ask. The ingredient list is way too long for it to be healthy but I have been addicted for, basically, ever and I am still as of this writing alive. It makes a good BLT although flabdablet has just rocked my world with his brilliant suggestion and I am doing that too starting immediately.
posted by mygothlaundry at 11:04 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by mygothlaundry at 11:04 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
bra puzzles.. I have couple of good youthful boy dealing with girl's underthings stories. Which I'll not tell (possibly again) but invite you to take a moment and remember those early mysteries like another take on remembering your first kiss. "One hand bra removal technique activate! *thoink*".
posted by zengargoyle at 11:07 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by zengargoyle at 11:07 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market used to have someone selling smoked sweet onions. Delicious in themselves and they hit many notes that bacon does. Probably easy for someone who smokes things?
posted by clew at 11:09 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by clew at 11:09 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
So like I said, I boiled potatoes. Then I served them (to me) with leftover Caesar dressing and extra anchovy on top. I strongly recommend, that was delicious, will do again. When you are home alone, you can eat whatever you like, but I think this will be a very popular appetizer when the hordes return.
posted by mumimor at 11:09 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by mumimor at 11:09 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
To follow two subthreads: Kenji's recipes are not always overly faffed. Light faff on his roast potato recipe that is so famous for a REASON, I made it about a month ago and still think about them.
posted by wellred at 11:18 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by wellred at 11:18 AM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Fresh sage leaves crisped in butter are a revelation. I make them as a garnish for pork chops and always make a dozen or so extra that I can eat out of hand while I'm cooking. Also delicious on butternut squash soup and the resultant browned sage butter can be drizzled over anything for added yum.
posted by rekrap at 11:34 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by rekrap at 11:34 AM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
Just remembered something I tried in a BLT a couple of months back: Cucumber slices. I believe I used them in lieu of the lettuce at the time, but they did add a nice snap to the proceedings. I'm guessing that a nice lettuce, cucumber, and tomato sandwich, with both the tomato and cucumber liberally salted with flabdablet's smoked almond dregs might be a satisfying treat.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 11:46 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 11:46 AM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
I love lemon pepper on my tomato sandwiches, goes a little beyond salt n pepper but doesn't gild the lily.
posted by the primroses were over at 11:53 AM on June 27, 2022
posted by the primroses were over at 11:53 AM on June 27, 2022
I haven't been doing well lately (like many people). Amid the same issues many other people have been facing, I also have an autistic 5-year-old with sensory deficits and impulsive behavior; when he's not doing well he says or does violent things and sometimes spirals himself out of control. I spend almost all my time with him and without him worrying about him - as well as worrying about everything else that normal daily adulting entails with work and household.
I try to meditate and exercise, but (due to poor time management among other things) have been missing my scheduled times to do these for a couple weeks now. I have a therapist, but I feel like I've plateau'd on applying helpful mechanisms. I don't see friends - due to covid and people being busy - and most days the only humans I see are my wife and kid. For that matter the only time my wife and I can even connect in a relaxed way is for a few minutes before we fall asleep (no sex though - it seems to demand an energy and a relaxation we don't possess, least of all at bedtime after a long day).
As things are going to shit politically, I've been trying to enact the mindfulness emphasis on direct experience - just quietly noticing the immediate physical bodily sensations, sounds, visual sensations at the current moment - but I often feel like my direct experience sucks (stressful situations with my kid, loneliness, middle management bullshit, working from home). I find focusing on direct experience especially hard to do when I'm in the midst of my kid rapidly and physically escalating out of control or when he is angrily calling me a "bitch" (a new word he learned recently, that is especially horrifying because I know that he is saying it to women and girls in his life as well).
I need to learn how to be mindful in the very midst of a screaming and flailing meltdown, but that seems very hard. I can't even seem to do this in the aftermath of one, or before the next one happens. I feel helpless. I don't feel like I have control over my emotions, my time, my job, or my life.
posted by splitpeasoup at 11:57 AM on June 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
I try to meditate and exercise, but (due to poor time management among other things) have been missing my scheduled times to do these for a couple weeks now. I have a therapist, but I feel like I've plateau'd on applying helpful mechanisms. I don't see friends - due to covid and people being busy - and most days the only humans I see are my wife and kid. For that matter the only time my wife and I can even connect in a relaxed way is for a few minutes before we fall asleep (no sex though - it seems to demand an energy and a relaxation we don't possess, least of all at bedtime after a long day).
As things are going to shit politically, I've been trying to enact the mindfulness emphasis on direct experience - just quietly noticing the immediate physical bodily sensations, sounds, visual sensations at the current moment - but I often feel like my direct experience sucks (stressful situations with my kid, loneliness, middle management bullshit, working from home). I find focusing on direct experience especially hard to do when I'm in the midst of my kid rapidly and physically escalating out of control or when he is angrily calling me a "bitch" (a new word he learned recently, that is especially horrifying because I know that he is saying it to women and girls in his life as well).
I need to learn how to be mindful in the very midst of a screaming and flailing meltdown, but that seems very hard. I can't even seem to do this in the aftermath of one, or before the next one happens. I feel helpless. I don't feel like I have control over my emotions, my time, my job, or my life.
posted by splitpeasoup at 11:57 AM on June 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
Oh my, yes, being white-haired, female, and having an easily manageable disability ended my IT career, because it got to be Too Damn Much.
taz, I have a sage plant that is about 3 x 5'. It's pretty, parts of it die back from time to time, new branches emerge, has nice flowers and no demands whatsoever. aa+++, I vote sage.
posted by theora55 at 12:08 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
taz, I have a sage plant that is about 3 x 5'. It's pretty, parts of it die back from time to time, new branches emerge, has nice flowers and no demands whatsoever. aa+++, I vote sage.
posted by theora55 at 12:08 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
In the United States right now the SCOTUS just decided that prayer at school is first amendment speech but somehow there is a "don't say gay" in the same country.
Let's see how that pans out in Florida because I'm not sure that there is a word like cognitive dissonance but for jurisprudence. Unconstitutional dissonance ?
posted by NoThisIsPatrick at 12:15 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Let's see how that pans out in Florida because I'm not sure that there is a word like cognitive dissonance but for jurisprudence. Unconstitutional dissonance ?
posted by NoThisIsPatrick at 12:15 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
As a cis het man (who was once a teenager) the idea of a *literal* bra puzzle makes me giggle. I'm imagining one of those metal interconnected nearly-closed-rings and bent-metal-bars puzzles that you have to manipulate into just the right orientation to separate. e.g, like this. I'm not sure it would comfortable for daily wear. But, a lot of lingerie isn't. Let's also put the same on men's underwear too. It's more interesting than the padlock versions.
posted by eotvos at 12:25 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by eotvos at 12:25 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
splitpeasoup, you need all the hugs and here you have them. I can't offer sage advice, (sorry, but I had to), since I have my own overwhelming struggles. Maybe knowing that we are many and that it is part of life can give something.
When I had young children, I remembered how stressed out my dad was when I was a teen and my siblings were smaller. He couldn't see a way out, and he told me. But he did find a way on, and as lives go, he had a good one.
posted by mumimor at 12:25 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
When I had young children, I remembered how stressed out my dad was when I was a teen and my siblings were smaller. He couldn't see a way out, and he told me. But he did find a way on, and as lives go, he had a good one.
posted by mumimor at 12:25 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
splitpeasoup, I feel for you. My kid has a different diagnosis and is now grown. The rest of what you described I also experienced. I am so sorry you are grappling with this. It is really really hard.
posted by Bella Donna at 12:26 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Bella Donna at 12:26 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
Also, sympathy and best wishes, plitpeasoup. The switching between silly jokes and real grief and trauma in these threads is strange. But, I guess that's true in most of life as well. I feel for you, even if I can't possibly understand your experience.
posted by eotvos at 12:35 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by eotvos at 12:35 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm planning a translantic trip in October because of a sport I took up in my 40s, and the other people in my sport are the only acquaintances I have who aren't also close friends with my terminally ill husband. That means that on that trip, I can bitch about the situation amiably or discuss his impending death without (as happened yesterday) causing people to gasp with heartfelt dismay and loss.* I suck at holding my tongue and this is worse than when I had to keep my kid's pregnancy a secret from everyone including my spouse for the first three months in case my kid miscarried.
On the positive side, I spent a ridiculous amount for business class tickets, and I have a shot at winning my event. I also like Croatia. (I'm double vaxxed/double boosted/had COVID last month/mask N95 all the time, so I should be okay).
*my spouse is charming and funny and good to his friends, and they adore him. This is a good thing for him.
posted by Peach at 12:54 PM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
On the positive side, I spent a ridiculous amount for business class tickets, and I have a shot at winning my event. I also like Croatia. (I'm double vaxxed/double boosted/had COVID last month/mask N95 all the time, so I should be okay).
*my spouse is charming and funny and good to his friends, and they adore him. This is a good thing for him.
posted by Peach at 12:54 PM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
I brought two of my ice cream cookbooks to work with me so I could start perusing them and planning my actions when my ice cream maker arrives tonight.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:09 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:09 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
I have a pineapple sage plant that could get to be tiger/liger sized, but I don't let it.
I'm thinking about infusing in oil; I tried alcohol infusion but it didn't work out. It's got such a lovely fragrance that I want to capture it, somehow; hoping I can make soap with it. I loathe fruity/sweet soap fragrances.
Got news about our car, which has been mystifying mechanics for a couple months now, so at least I can plan my week. But, some of that plan is applying for jobs, and I'm now very aware that I need to present as "competent non-ambitious 40-ish" instead of having loads of experience, wisdom, and occasional knee issues. When all I want to do is have a job on paper so it makes getting a mortgage a bit easier, providing the housing market collapses in our favor.
Had a lovely birthday weekend and I'm finishing up my June cards, ha ha! Right on track to mail out by the 1st of July, as is my custom. Tried a new Greek natural orange wine and did my toenails, and now I'm going to use up the rest of the pulled pork to make pasta sauce with fried peppers and garlic break crumbs.
posted by winesong at 1:32 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
I'm thinking about infusing in oil; I tried alcohol infusion but it didn't work out. It's got such a lovely fragrance that I want to capture it, somehow; hoping I can make soap with it. I loathe fruity/sweet soap fragrances.
Got news about our car, which has been mystifying mechanics for a couple months now, so at least I can plan my week. But, some of that plan is applying for jobs, and I'm now very aware that I need to present as "competent non-ambitious 40-ish" instead of having loads of experience, wisdom, and occasional knee issues. When all I want to do is have a job on paper so it makes getting a mortgage a bit easier, providing the housing market collapses in our favor.
Had a lovely birthday weekend and I'm finishing up my June cards, ha ha! Right on track to mail out by the 1st of July, as is my custom. Tried a new Greek natural orange wine and did my toenails, and now I'm going to use up the rest of the pulled pork to make pasta sauce with fried peppers and garlic break crumbs.
posted by winesong at 1:32 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
There's a recipe for pineapple sage soap at the bottom of this page from The Nerdy Farm Wife. Typically sage oil extraction involves actual distillation, from my cursory searching.
posted by hippybear at 1:37 PM on June 27, 2022
posted by hippybear at 1:37 PM on June 27, 2022
This ceaseless avalanche of bullshit is crushing me. On top of the horrific effects of Trump getting elected, I have a 10 year old daughter and I really wanted her to see a woman become president. So that didn't happen, and it broke me a bit. Then came Charlottesville. And Covid. And impeachments. And Uvalde. And Roe vs. Wade. The shit just keeps on coming.
posted by kirkaracha at 2:19 PM on June 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by kirkaracha at 2:19 PM on June 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
For the second night in a row I will be sleeping on the balcony in the tent I got for the grandkids to play in. The low 80s is not much of a heat wave for many places but it totally qualifies here in my part of Sweden. My old brick building sucks up all the sun during the day and releases it in the evening and at night and it is unbearable to me. As I’ve gotten older, it’s harder for my brain and my body to handle the heat. So I’m laying here with frozen washcloths thawing out on my thighs (don’t worry, they don’t stay there long) and looking forward to whenever the temperature decides to drop. In theory it may rain tonight and perhaps that will help. Hope I can sleep soon. Being on the balcony is cooler but that does not make it cool.
posted by Bella Donna at 2:25 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Bella Donna at 2:25 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
My goodness Bella Donna, what's the normal summer temp in your neck of the woods?
posted by sharp pointy objects at 2:36 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by sharp pointy objects at 2:36 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
People are talking about vegetarian BLTs and no one has mentioned tempeh? Ridiculous! It doesn't do the same thing as bacon but it is very good and you can often find it with all sorts of smoky flavorful goodness.
I'm backpacking right now, and this evening I was like "hmm is it bad to set up my tent right under these enormous power pylons? I guess maybe it's more dangerous in a storm but it's probably fine."
And then about 15 minutes after I put up my tent the closest thunderstorm I have ever experienced rolled by, so uh, that was fun.
In stress-reading the NOLS guide to backcountry lightning safety, I realized that "out of the blue" comes from lightning striking "out of the blue" sky, which I hadn't thought about before.
posted by wesleyac at 2:41 PM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
I'm backpacking right now, and this evening I was like "hmm is it bad to set up my tent right under these enormous power pylons? I guess maybe it's more dangerous in a storm but it's probably fine."
And then about 15 minutes after I put up my tent the closest thunderstorm I have ever experienced rolled by, so uh, that was fun.
In stress-reading the NOLS guide to backcountry lightning safety, I realized that "out of the blue" comes from lightning striking "out of the blue" sky, which I hadn't thought about before.
posted by wesleyac at 2:41 PM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
Bella Donna: do they sell anything like these water absorbing neck coolers where you live? I've worked in warehouses in the middle of summer (90F+) and these have helped make doing even that workable. So maybe they'd help somehow with your situation?
I'm not recommending this particular product. Just giving an example.
posted by hippybear at 2:42 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
I'm not recommending this particular product. Just giving an example.
posted by hippybear at 2:42 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
I've decided to share anything honestly with my coworkers if they ask. I went camping with furries, and it was amazing, and so much fantastic things to talk about. But I've not been really volunteering much to people at this job because I don't have the energy to fight all the fights all the time on the personal level like I did 20 years ago. But if anyone asks, I'll have the energy to share some photos and have a conversation.
That's how good the weekend was.
posted by hippybear at 3:23 PM on June 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
That's how good the weekend was.
posted by hippybear at 3:23 PM on June 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
Related to nothing at all:
I want to start a storage business just so I can name it "Go Stuff It" ....answering the phone would be soooo fun. And next door, I want a junk store named "It's Stuff" or maybe simply "Stuff".
posted by mightshould at 3:37 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
I want to start a storage business just so I can name it "Go Stuff It" ....answering the phone would be soooo fun. And next door, I want a junk store named "It's Stuff" or maybe simply "Stuff".
posted by mightshould at 3:37 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
lightning striking "out of the blue" sky
Once I was driving somewhere in Florida with my ~6 year old son; up ahead I could see (in an otherwise fairly clear sky) a big thunderhead cloud with a slanted shadow of rain underneath it. Just as I was pointing it out a huge bolt of lightning stabbed down to the ground, surprisingly far away from the cloud's edge. A very handy object lesson about not messing around when it comes to lightning!
posted by Greg_Ace at 4:07 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
Once I was driving somewhere in Florida with my ~6 year old son; up ahead I could see (in an otherwise fairly clear sky) a big thunderhead cloud with a slanted shadow of rain underneath it. Just as I was pointing it out a huge bolt of lightning stabbed down to the ground, surprisingly far away from the cloud's edge. A very handy object lesson about not messing around when it comes to lightning!
posted by Greg_Ace at 4:07 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
mama, mama, forget your pies, have faith they won't get cold, and turn your eyes to the bloodshot sky, your flag is flying full ...
posted by pyramid termite at 4:30 PM on June 27, 2022
posted by pyramid termite at 4:30 PM on June 27, 2022
a storage business just so I can name it "Go Stuff It" ....answering the phone would be soooo fun. And next door, I want a junk store named "It's Stuff" or maybe simply "Stuff".
You could use the junk store to sell the things people leave behind in the storage business. Pretty soon, all your customers would need storage ...
Note that I have discussed this at length with others internationally and it appears to be a predominantly US problem....
If you are nearing the 'you are clearly too incompetent to work after reaching 40' cut-off date or past it I would love to hear of your experiences. I am not expecting a response from HR...
Well, here's a data point on this being definitely a problem elsewhere - at least from the perspective of a person 'clearly too incompetent to work after reaching 50', that is. I'm incredibly fortunate that I have an actual job that pays my bills so I can afford not to worry so much about the ramifications of being rejected, but this happens quite often with jobs I apply for where I absolutely believe I deserved an interview at the least. I don't apply for jobs unless I both feel it looks like something really interesting and that I would be an excellent fit, so it's not like I'm just throwing resumes around willy-nilly.
posted by dg at 4:34 PM on June 27, 2022
You could use the junk store to sell the things people leave behind in the storage business. Pretty soon, all your customers would need storage ...
Note that I have discussed this at length with others internationally and it appears to be a predominantly US problem....
If you are nearing the 'you are clearly too incompetent to work after reaching 40' cut-off date or past it I would love to hear of your experiences. I am not expecting a response from HR...
Well, here's a data point on this being definitely a problem elsewhere - at least from the perspective of a person 'clearly too incompetent to work after reaching 50', that is. I'm incredibly fortunate that I have an actual job that pays my bills so I can afford not to worry so much about the ramifications of being rejected, but this happens quite often with jobs I apply for where I absolutely believe I deserved an interview at the least. I don't apply for jobs unless I both feel it looks like something really interesting and that I would be an excellent fit, so it's not like I'm just throwing resumes around willy-nilly.
posted by dg at 4:34 PM on June 27, 2022
One of my favorite desserts: sage shortbread cookies with fresh figs and vanilla ice cream. That is all.
posted by Short Attention Sp at 4:37 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Short Attention Sp at 4:37 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
People are talking about vegetarian BLTs
Regret to inform BLTs require "bacon, which you might find in a 'bacon, lettuce and tomato' sandwich."
posted by kirkaracha at 4:55 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Regret to inform BLTs require "bacon, which you might find in a 'bacon, lettuce and tomato' sandwich."
posted by kirkaracha at 4:55 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
I saw a meteor go right over my head, very low. It looked like a band-aid on fire that gets ripped off.
posted by clavdivs at 4:56 PM on June 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by clavdivs at 4:56 PM on June 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
I so need to cut the grass, but I just can't bring myself to do it. And my house insurance bill is here. And my property tax bill is here. This homeownership thing sucks. I need to talk to my brothers about selling it. But with two cats, I don't know how easy it'll be to find an apartment that will take them *and* that I can afford.
posted by kathrynm at 5:23 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by kathrynm at 5:23 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
It looked like a band-aid on fire that gets ripped off.
Such lush, melodious poetry - it fills my heart with astronomic romance!
posted by Greg_Ace at 5:30 PM on June 27, 2022
Such lush, melodious poetry - it fills my heart with astronomic romance!
posted by Greg_Ace at 5:30 PM on June 27, 2022
"prayer at school is first amendment speech" - I would ask all teachers who are Muslim or of similar non-Christian religious beliefs to exercise this right as soon as possible....
posted by IndelibleUnderpants at 5:36 PM on June 27, 2022
posted by IndelibleUnderpants at 5:36 PM on June 27, 2022
There are about 11 varieties of Cheerios but no multigrain or regular ones at all.
Trader Joe’s got rid of its equivalent multigrain Joe’s O’s recently, so that made me unhappy.
So did the Friday Sentence, because it proved that the Supremes think that Jurisprudence is a Beatles song they can ignore. Because I have a bad knee I’ve been pricing out adult tricycles and camping gear if I have to run for Maine and New Brunswick, which should tell you where my mind is at.
I’m getting very tired lately. I have to go to Ulta tomorrow and I’m sure I’ll be misgendered there.
posted by mephron at 6:48 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Trader Joe’s got rid of its equivalent multigrain Joe’s O’s recently, so that made me unhappy.
So did the Friday Sentence, because it proved that the Supremes think that Jurisprudence is a Beatles song they can ignore. Because I have a bad knee I’ve been pricing out adult tricycles and camping gear if I have to run for Maine and New Brunswick, which should tell you where my mind is at.
I’m getting very tired lately. I have to go to Ulta tomorrow and I’m sure I’ll be misgendered there.
posted by mephron at 6:48 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
a storage business just so I can name it "Go Stuff It" ....answering the phone would be soooo fun. And next door, I want a junk store named "It's Stuff" or maybe simply "Stuff".
There's a storefront on my old block that seems to cycle through businesses. Over the 15 years I lived there, it went from being a chicken-and-waffles place to a bodega to a fish restaurant to another bodega to a donation-based cafe to a different donation-based cafe to...
It's a block from a high school, and once I had the idea to turn it into one of those dippy little gift shops that have all stuff kids would like - candy, small toys, comic books, just a mish-mash of stuff - and I would call it "Phun Stuph." I even envisioned a banner with that name repeating on a continuous loop around the edge of the roof:
PHUNSTUPHUNSTUPHUNSTUPHUNSTUPHUNSTUPHUNSTUPH....
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:57 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
There's a storefront on my old block that seems to cycle through businesses. Over the 15 years I lived there, it went from being a chicken-and-waffles place to a bodega to a fish restaurant to another bodega to a donation-based cafe to a different donation-based cafe to...
It's a block from a high school, and once I had the idea to turn it into one of those dippy little gift shops that have all stuff kids would like - candy, small toys, comic books, just a mish-mash of stuff - and I would call it "Phun Stuph." I even envisioned a banner with that name repeating on a continuous loop around the edge of the roof:
PHUNSTUPHUNSTUPHUNSTUPHUNSTUPHUNSTUPHUNSTUPH....
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:57 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Had a good sized sage plant last year, it was a weird weather year, only plant that thrived. Great weather this year and it looks like the sage plant will resurrect, the recipe ideas are inspiring.
posted by sammyo at 7:53 PM on June 27, 2022
posted by sammyo at 7:53 PM on June 27, 2022
We're in that part of mid winter where it's still dark till well into the morning. I nearly said "it's still dark after the sun comes up" that's kind of what it feels like.
I came out as autistic to my siblings a few days ago. Via text message. It was surprisingly scary. They were kind in their responses.
I must admit that as usual, the writer in me was lurking and observing, "hmm. I can use this..."
Like the realisation that one of the things that worries me most about coming out, is that people I love and respect might let *themselves* down, and dissapoint me by revealing their weakness and prejudice.
I want to hold onto the idea that they are worthy of respect, and don't want to see their flaws.
Watched a dune mole gather some grass yesterday, and dig herself down into her tunnel system again. She was enormous. Dune moles aren't really moles, they are related to porcupines.
They are garden destroyers. So far, shai-hulud has only visited my garden once, dragging an entire plant down underground and never emerging.
It's very rare to see them above ground so yesterday's was a special sighting.
She must have a litter of pups in a den somewhere deep underground.
posted by Zumbador at 10:04 PM on June 27, 2022 [10 favorites]
I came out as autistic to my siblings a few days ago. Via text message. It was surprisingly scary. They were kind in their responses.
I must admit that as usual, the writer in me was lurking and observing, "hmm. I can use this..."
Like the realisation that one of the things that worries me most about coming out, is that people I love and respect might let *themselves* down, and dissapoint me by revealing their weakness and prejudice.
I want to hold onto the idea that they are worthy of respect, and don't want to see their flaws.
Watched a dune mole gather some grass yesterday, and dig herself down into her tunnel system again. She was enormous. Dune moles aren't really moles, they are related to porcupines.
They are garden destroyers. So far, shai-hulud has only visited my garden once, dragging an entire plant down underground and never emerging.
It's very rare to see them above ground so yesterday's was a special sighting.
She must have a litter of pups in a den somewhere deep underground.
posted by Zumbador at 10:04 PM on June 27, 2022 [10 favorites]
the potato sandwich is a classic of the Danish open sandwich tradition: you need buttered whole grain rye bread.
Obviously it makes no sense to leave an oven running for an hour and a half to cook three jacket potatoes, so when I make those I always fill all the racks and the refrigerate the leftover ones.
My jacket potato anti-explosion technique involves running a shallow slit all the way around the spud's widest equator before baking, so once they're baked and cooled they have a natural weak point there, and I can take one out of the fridge and break it into two roughly bun-shaped halves by hand.
So I make potato sandwiches using my leftover jacket potatoes instead of bread. The equatorial pre-split works about as well as those pre-split English muffins, so not perfect but plenty good enough, and the rough interior surface left behind by the insides pulling apart is good for soaking up seasonings like soy sauce and/or mayo and/or this rather fabulous sushi seasoning mixture.
How am I supposed to love myself and think I'm great (per therapist and hippie friends lecturing me on the topic) when I am literally genetically terrible at what I do want to be doing?
Self-love and self-esteem as mandatory aspirations have always seemed to me to be peculiarly American cultural tropes. I distrust them, and have found getting by without self-love nor thinking I'm great to be completely satisfactory. Self-awareness and self-care and doing my best and self-forgiveness and refusing to regret my fuckups but instead treating them as clues for policy improvements seem to be all that's required.
I'm not great. Thing is, though, neither is anybody else. Some people have better-developed skills than others, is all, and the explanation for that almost always comes down to how much time and focus and attention and joy they've actually put into developing those, as opposed to sitting around bemoaning their inadequacy at them. I know for a fact that I'd be a way better drummer if I had the discipline to do an hour of regular rudiments practice every day without fail, for example, instead of just getting on the kit and blazing away for a few hours whenever I felt like it. So I'm not down on myself for my utter failure to sound as good as Carl Pannuzzo; it is what it is, and more power to his elbows.
When I am in the presence of hippie friends lecturing me on any topic, it's truly astonishing how much of the advice they're so free to hand out strikes me as stuff that would be much better applied to their own lives than to mine.
I've only ever been to one talk therapist, and only for one session. We got on famously, and it seemed to me that her essential worldview aligned exceedingly well with mine; perhaps that's just because she was really good at her job but it did seem genuine. I didn't get enough out of it to justify switching any of my selfcare budget away from my regular masseur, though (who is amazing and if you're ever anywhere near Bairnsdale you should definitely book a session with).
I want to hold onto the idea that they are worthy of respect, and don't want to see their flaws.
I think it's completely feasible to be contemptuous of a flaw while maintaining respect for the person who exhibits it. That's certainly the attitude I take toward all my own flaws and I can't see why anybody else's deserve different.
posted by flabdablet at 10:36 PM on June 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
Obviously it makes no sense to leave an oven running for an hour and a half to cook three jacket potatoes, so when I make those I always fill all the racks and the refrigerate the leftover ones.
My jacket potato anti-explosion technique involves running a shallow slit all the way around the spud's widest equator before baking, so once they're baked and cooled they have a natural weak point there, and I can take one out of the fridge and break it into two roughly bun-shaped halves by hand.
So I make potato sandwiches using my leftover jacket potatoes instead of bread. The equatorial pre-split works about as well as those pre-split English muffins, so not perfect but plenty good enough, and the rough interior surface left behind by the insides pulling apart is good for soaking up seasonings like soy sauce and/or mayo and/or this rather fabulous sushi seasoning mixture.
How am I supposed to love myself and think I'm great (per therapist and hippie friends lecturing me on the topic) when I am literally genetically terrible at what I do want to be doing?
Self-love and self-esteem as mandatory aspirations have always seemed to me to be peculiarly American cultural tropes. I distrust them, and have found getting by without self-love nor thinking I'm great to be completely satisfactory. Self-awareness and self-care and doing my best and self-forgiveness and refusing to regret my fuckups but instead treating them as clues for policy improvements seem to be all that's required.
I'm not great. Thing is, though, neither is anybody else. Some people have better-developed skills than others, is all, and the explanation for that almost always comes down to how much time and focus and attention and joy they've actually put into developing those, as opposed to sitting around bemoaning their inadequacy at them. I know for a fact that I'd be a way better drummer if I had the discipline to do an hour of regular rudiments practice every day without fail, for example, instead of just getting on the kit and blazing away for a few hours whenever I felt like it. So I'm not down on myself for my utter failure to sound as good as Carl Pannuzzo; it is what it is, and more power to his elbows.
When I am in the presence of hippie friends lecturing me on any topic, it's truly astonishing how much of the advice they're so free to hand out strikes me as stuff that would be much better applied to their own lives than to mine.
I've only ever been to one talk therapist, and only for one session. We got on famously, and it seemed to me that her essential worldview aligned exceedingly well with mine; perhaps that's just because she was really good at her job but it did seem genuine. I didn't get enough out of it to justify switching any of my selfcare budget away from my regular masseur, though (who is amazing and if you're ever anywhere near Bairnsdale you should definitely book a session with).
I want to hold onto the idea that they are worthy of respect, and don't want to see their flaws.
I think it's completely feasible to be contemptuous of a flaw while maintaining respect for the person who exhibits it. That's certainly the attitude I take toward all my own flaws and I can't see why anybody else's deserve different.
posted by flabdablet at 10:36 PM on June 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
I think it's completely feasible to be contemptuous of a flaw while maintaining respect for the person who exhibits it. That's certainly the attitude I take toward all my own flaws and I can't see why anybody else's deserve different.
Sure that's what my rational mind tells me, but I'm talking here about a very particular flaw, which is someone I love and respect, showing disrespect and prejudice *for a core part of me*.
I'll continue loving and respecting them, but it will be tough and I hope they won't let me down in this way.
posted by Zumbador at 11:10 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Sure that's what my rational mind tells me, but I'm talking here about a very particular flaw, which is someone I love and respect, showing disrespect and prejudice *for a core part of me*.
I'll continue loving and respecting them, but it will be tough and I hope they won't let me down in this way.
posted by Zumbador at 11:10 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
One more sage recipe: saltimbocca. Goes well with little new potatoes boiled and then rolled in butter and parsley. And a simple salad of dressed lettuce.
It's been very hot here. Then last night there was a huge thunderstorm, and my apartment cooled down a bit. But when I went down with the dog, all the rainwater had already evaporated, it's that hot.
My apartment is from 1900, so it is built to handle heat (and cold) without any aircondition, if you do the right things. But I've been struggling with anxiety attacks after three weeks of too much work, so I didn't really register that it was hot to begin with. I just thought I was having some weird symptoms of something.
The reason I can go about not noticing that it is very hot is that as part of my PTSD, I dissociate. I wish I could explain this to people, and sometimes I try. But they visibly tune out (ironic). I think they are afraid. In popular media, all of these different diagnoses that a huge percentage of us deal with, are associated with weird or even dangerous behavior. Autism is Rain Man, PTSD is Rambo. (Maybe these examples show my age, but then they also show the age of my friends and family who get scared when I try to tell them why I didn't turn up at this event or succeed at that simple task).
posted by mumimor at 11:21 PM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
It's been very hot here. Then last night there was a huge thunderstorm, and my apartment cooled down a bit. But when I went down with the dog, all the rainwater had already evaporated, it's that hot.
My apartment is from 1900, so it is built to handle heat (and cold) without any aircondition, if you do the right things. But I've been struggling with anxiety attacks after three weeks of too much work, so I didn't really register that it was hot to begin with. I just thought I was having some weird symptoms of something.
The reason I can go about not noticing that it is very hot is that as part of my PTSD, I dissociate. I wish I could explain this to people, and sometimes I try. But they visibly tune out (ironic). I think they are afraid. In popular media, all of these different diagnoses that a huge percentage of us deal with, are associated with weird or even dangerous behavior. Autism is Rain Man, PTSD is Rambo. (Maybe these examples show my age, but then they also show the age of my friends and family who get scared when I try to tell them why I didn't turn up at this event or succeed at that simple task).
posted by mumimor at 11:21 PM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
Good question, sharp pointy objects! Where I live, in June the "average daily high temperatures increase from 63°F to 68°F and it is overcast or mostly cloudy about 46% of the time," according to a random weather website. So about 20°C at the top end, which is fabulous. Only it's been closer to 27, which sucks. hippy bear, thanks for the link to those things to keep one cool. Dunno if they sell them here but now at least I can look.
It rained last night! Was lovely to hear the rain come down while dry in my little tent and more pleasant still to experience the dropping temperature that meant I could pull up a lightweight cover to snuggle under. Inspired by mumimor, I made a delicious open-faced sandwich for breakfast: buttered rye bread topped with sliced boiled potatoes (from the day before) that were slathered with store-bought pesto and studded with walnuts. It was magnificent. Will probably go make another one soon.
cortex, if you are reading, thank you so much for starting the free threads on the blue. It was a stroke of genius! taz, thank you for continuing the free threads. For me, they are a welcome slice of life beyond my four walls. The good things, tragic things, and mundane things are all jumbled up together in a way that gives me a sense of community that is hard to come by as a single person who doesn't get out much. The comments give me a welcome glimpse into other lives and help remind me why I still love this imperfect, wonderful place and the folks who gather here. Thanks, y'all. Truly.
posted by Bella Donna at 12:48 AM on June 28, 2022 [12 favorites]
It rained last night! Was lovely to hear the rain come down while dry in my little tent and more pleasant still to experience the dropping temperature that meant I could pull up a lightweight cover to snuggle under. Inspired by mumimor, I made a delicious open-faced sandwich for breakfast: buttered rye bread topped with sliced boiled potatoes (from the day before) that were slathered with store-bought pesto and studded with walnuts. It was magnificent. Will probably go make another one soon.
cortex, if you are reading, thank you so much for starting the free threads on the blue. It was a stroke of genius! taz, thank you for continuing the free threads. For me, they are a welcome slice of life beyond my four walls. The good things, tragic things, and mundane things are all jumbled up together in a way that gives me a sense of community that is hard to come by as a single person who doesn't get out much. The comments give me a welcome glimpse into other lives and help remind me why I still love this imperfect, wonderful place and the folks who gather here. Thanks, y'all. Truly.
posted by Bella Donna at 12:48 AM on June 28, 2022 [12 favorites]
I'm talking here about a very particular flaw, which is someone I love and respect, showing disrespect and prejudice *for a core part of me*.
Confronted by such a person, I would remind myself that they may well not have a lot of prior firsthand experience to go on, and will therefore be carrying the standard burden of ignorant, prejudicial cultural baggage. As mumimor points out above it's the loudest thing out there, and if we've had no motivation to pay attention to it then it just kind of seeps in and starts growing hyphae.
I would definitely experience some loss of respect for them, which they could reverse by educating themselves.
posted by flabdablet at 3:32 AM on June 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
Confronted by such a person, I would remind myself that they may well not have a lot of prior firsthand experience to go on, and will therefore be carrying the standard burden of ignorant, prejudicial cultural baggage. As mumimor points out above it's the loudest thing out there, and if we've had no motivation to pay attention to it then it just kind of seeps in and starts growing hyphae.
I would definitely experience some loss of respect for them, which they could reverse by educating themselves.
posted by flabdablet at 3:32 AM on June 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
As bad as this weekend was, something amazing happened to me.
I've posted here before about losing my sense of smell, not due to COVID but because of some nasal problems that I was told would probably require surgery. I chose to go instead with some new, barely non-experimental drugs that are covered by the mercy of copay programs and insurance. And it had been so long, thirteen months now, that I was preparing to tell the doctor that I would need to look into surgery. (As soon as I figured out how to pay for it.) But then on Thursday, I happened to put some hand sanitizer on my hands. Then, because I was sweaty, I rubbed my face. And the hand sanitizer smelled like lemons.
I immediately smelled a scented candle. Scent! The least, most tiresome cleaning solvent smells were new and real and fresh to me. I was elated. I'm glad I didn't go posting about it, though, because two hours later it was gone. It came back the next day, and stayed longer. Then the next day; and it left a baseline of scent ability, such that I can't always smell ambient smells but can, say, smell coffee when I open the jar. It's been improving since, fading in and out like a radio station from states away as you drive closer.
Thankfully I'd got the good coffee, Cafe du Monde from New Orleans, instead of my usual store brand, because I've had a guest this weekend. We got deliveries and went out to eat, and I was able to truly taste good food for the first time in ages. It gave me a sense of wonder and comfort among so much dread and horror. Every time I ate and tasted something new, I thought of the tiger and the strawberry.
posted by Countess Elena at 7:29 AM on June 28, 2022 [13 favorites]
I've posted here before about losing my sense of smell, not due to COVID but because of some nasal problems that I was told would probably require surgery. I chose to go instead with some new, barely non-experimental drugs that are covered by the mercy of copay programs and insurance. And it had been so long, thirteen months now, that I was preparing to tell the doctor that I would need to look into surgery. (As soon as I figured out how to pay for it.) But then on Thursday, I happened to put some hand sanitizer on my hands. Then, because I was sweaty, I rubbed my face. And the hand sanitizer smelled like lemons.
I immediately smelled a scented candle. Scent! The least, most tiresome cleaning solvent smells were new and real and fresh to me. I was elated. I'm glad I didn't go posting about it, though, because two hours later it was gone. It came back the next day, and stayed longer. Then the next day; and it left a baseline of scent ability, such that I can't always smell ambient smells but can, say, smell coffee when I open the jar. It's been improving since, fading in and out like a radio station from states away as you drive closer.
Thankfully I'd got the good coffee, Cafe du Monde from New Orleans, instead of my usual store brand, because I've had a guest this weekend. We got deliveries and went out to eat, and I was able to truly taste good food for the first time in ages. It gave me a sense of wonder and comfort among so much dread and horror. Every time I ate and tasted something new, I thought of the tiger and the strawberry.
posted by Countess Elena at 7:29 AM on June 28, 2022 [13 favorites]
"I don't know where Clarence Thomas just went out to eat. But the server made a TikTok showing his whole ass credit card. Front and back."
posted by NoThisIsPatrick at 7:53 AM on June 28, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by NoThisIsPatrick at 7:53 AM on June 28, 2022 [4 favorites]
Self-love and self-esteem as mandatory aspirations have always seemed to me to be peculiarly American cultural tropes. I distrust them. . .Really interesting. I work with two kinds of people: those who tell me about their depression, self-doubt, and imposter syndrome, and those I don't know well. I work with incredibly successful, amazing, award-winning people. I'm slowly coming around to the idea that the best one can do without fundamentally becoming a different person might actually be just enjoying the dark humor and solidarity where you find it and not trying to achieve self-confidence. If you're not filled with hopelessness and self-doubt, you're not paying attention. Life can still be a lot of fun.
posted by eotvos at 8:50 AM on June 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
I think these free threads are technically supposed to be free from political content, but I gotta admit the Clarence tik-tok thing made me cackle out loud and made a couple people poke heads out of their offices all "WTF?", so...mods, please let us keep that? :-)
So - I am spoiled for choice, and figure I'll turn this over to the commons:
I have a brand-new super-fancy ice cream maker that needs inaugurating. I have three ice cream cookbooks at my disposal. I have a roommate who has largely expressed indifference when it comes to "favorite ice cream flavor".
WHAT FLAVOR do I make first?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:17 AM on June 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
So - I am spoiled for choice, and figure I'll turn this over to the commons:
I have a brand-new super-fancy ice cream maker that needs inaugurating. I have three ice cream cookbooks at my disposal. I have a roommate who has largely expressed indifference when it comes to "favorite ice cream flavor".
WHAT FLAVOR do I make first?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:17 AM on June 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
WHAT FLAVOR do I make first?
Pineapple! It is so rare in the stores and so delicious
posted by mumimor at 9:20 AM on June 28, 2022
Pineapple! It is so rare in the stores and so delicious
posted by mumimor at 9:20 AM on June 28, 2022
Spice/savory ice cream is delightful. Five spice is my favorite. Garlic is fun. Macha is a thing one can actually buy which means other people must like it. Violet works if you can find an extract. (I'm also pretty weird and most people would probably disagree.)
posted by eotvos at 9:26 AM on June 28, 2022
posted by eotvos at 9:26 AM on June 28, 2022
Not a big pineapple fan, but I was considering "Mexican hot chocolate" as a possible finalist....
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:30 AM on June 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:30 AM on June 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
the server made a TikTok showing his whole ass credit card. Front and back.
Now that's a big tip.
posted by flabdablet at 10:14 AM on June 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
Now that's a big tip.
posted by flabdablet at 10:14 AM on June 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
hippybear, once upon a time my boss asked me about the name of one of my machines. So I sent him an image. He never asked about the names of my machines again. It was 'raharu' from FLCL and I sent one of the Gainax in joke callbacks. Girl in a bunny outfit riding a guitar.
I would have lied or at least not told the story if someone asked me about the name of my personal machine. It's a USENET alt.gothic passing ships in same town at same time one day/night "oh yes, we so are". She had a really good username. That day has a pretty good story.
posted by zengargoyle at 10:18 AM on June 28, 2022
I would have lied or at least not told the story if someone asked me about the name of my personal machine. It's a USENET alt.gothic passing ships in same town at same time one day/night "oh yes, we so are". She had a really good username. That day has a pretty good story.
posted by zengargoyle at 10:18 AM on June 28, 2022
Hello hello not much to share from my part -- even the knitting I was working on I decided to unravel. But I heard the Scottish First Minister announced plans for indyref 2 next year, and I'm trying to cheer myself up by planning a return trip to Scotland then.
posted by cendawanita at 8:03 PM on June 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by cendawanita at 8:03 PM on June 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
So in my wanderings 'round the 'net this fine evening I came across a job that looks ridiculously cool -- $200 paid for each novel read. "Hurray!"
But upon closer inspection it's clear that regardless it'd be a cool-ass way to pick up a few bucks, they are looking for *close* reading, *attentive* reading. Sigh...
Still, just for shits and giggles, I filled it out and submitted it to them. As I did so, I began to get the idea to post my answers here. As follows:
Name:
Stephen N______
Email Address:
stephen_n______@hotmail.com
City:
Austin
State:
Texas
Gender:
Male
Current Job Title:
Retired after career in construction followed by a career as a mainframe computer programmer.
What is your favorite book?
Meditations
Who is the author?
Marcus Aurelius (The Maxwell Staniforth translation gives us Marc at his warmest, his most human.)
What is your 2nd favorite book?
Pluche, Or the Love of Art
Who is the author?
Jean Dutourd
What is your 3rd favorite book?
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Who is the author?
Mark Twain
Why should we choose you for this role?
Of the many things my father told me, what rang loudest to my ear was "Read, Stephen. The entire world is open to you; reading will give you so much. Read, Stephen." Late in his life I spoke to my father about this, and how important it has been to me, and how right he was -- worlds have opened, right here in my hands. I was amazed that he did not remember telling me this. I have never for even 17 seconds forgotten him telling me this. Isn't life grand?
posted by dancestoblue at 10:23 PM on June 28, 2022 [6 favorites]
But upon closer inspection it's clear that regardless it'd be a cool-ass way to pick up a few bucks, they are looking for *close* reading, *attentive* reading. Sigh...
Still, just for shits and giggles, I filled it out and submitted it to them. As I did so, I began to get the idea to post my answers here. As follows:
Name:
Stephen N______
Email Address:
stephen_n______@hotmail.com
City:
Austin
State:
Texas
Gender:
Male
Current Job Title:
Retired after career in construction followed by a career as a mainframe computer programmer.
What is your favorite book?
Meditations
Who is the author?
Marcus Aurelius (The Maxwell Staniforth translation gives us Marc at his warmest, his most human.)
What is your 2nd favorite book?
Pluche, Or the Love of Art
Who is the author?
Jean Dutourd
What is your 3rd favorite book?
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Who is the author?
Mark Twain
Why should we choose you for this role?
Of the many things my father told me, what rang loudest to my ear was "Read, Stephen. The entire world is open to you; reading will give you so much. Read, Stephen." Late in his life I spoke to my father about this, and how important it has been to me, and how right he was -- worlds have opened, right here in my hands. I was amazed that he did not remember telling me this. I have never for even 17 seconds forgotten him telling me this. Isn't life grand?
posted by dancestoblue at 10:23 PM on June 28, 2022 [6 favorites]
Pluche, Or the Love of Art
By Jean Dutourd. Translated by Robin Chancellor. 275 pp. New York: Doubleday & Co. $5.95.
(Reviewed in New York Times 5/24/1970)
Pluche is an artist in a dry season, who hopes to work his way out of a painter's block by keeping a journal, so that “maybe the practice of an art unfamiliar to me—literature— will once again set in motion my factory for producing forms and lines.” The result is a rich amalgam of epigrammatic wisdom and painterly descriptions of Pluche's Parisian habitat, doused with the artist's special joie de vivre. In short, a delightful intermission.
As an artist, Pluche is a romantic. (“I belonged to the family of Poussin, Goya, Degas and Bonnard.”) As a man, he is a canny pragmatist, shrewd enough to maintain a connection with a rich‐man's mistress, to obviate the need of keeping his own. As an observer of life, Pluche has an original perspective on everything he encounters—from a stuffed squirrel to his exasperating bourgeois brother. Jean Dutourd loaded his novel with ideas in place of action and carried it off in great style.
posted by dancestoblue at 10:32 PM on June 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
By Jean Dutourd. Translated by Robin Chancellor. 275 pp. New York: Doubleday & Co. $5.95.
(Reviewed in New York Times 5/24/1970)
Pluche is an artist in a dry season, who hopes to work his way out of a painter's block by keeping a journal, so that “maybe the practice of an art unfamiliar to me—literature— will once again set in motion my factory for producing forms and lines.” The result is a rich amalgam of epigrammatic wisdom and painterly descriptions of Pluche's Parisian habitat, doused with the artist's special joie de vivre. In short, a delightful intermission.
As an artist, Pluche is a romantic. (“I belonged to the family of Poussin, Goya, Degas and Bonnard.”) As a man, he is a canny pragmatist, shrewd enough to maintain a connection with a rich‐man's mistress, to obviate the need of keeping his own. As an observer of life, Pluche has an original perspective on everything he encounters—from a stuffed squirrel to his exasperating bourgeois brother. Jean Dutourd loaded his novel with ideas in place of action and carried it off in great style.
posted by dancestoblue at 10:32 PM on June 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
I just wanted to come here to say, again, how thankful I am for Metafilter, its members, and the intelligent convos had, here. It’s especially evident in the past few weeks of doom. I know I can reliably come here for takes I’d never have considered, jokes to lighten the mood (as mich as levity can) and compassion.
posted by BlunderingArtist at 3:21 AM on June 29, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by BlunderingArtist at 3:21 AM on June 29, 2022 [6 favorites]
Is it ok for me to post sad personal stuff here ?
posted by The Last Sockpuppet at 4:34 AM on June 29, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by The Last Sockpuppet at 4:34 AM on June 29, 2022 [5 favorites]
Bring it on, we are all here with the hugs
posted by mumimor at 4:38 AM on June 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by mumimor at 4:38 AM on June 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
Belated response on bacon substitutes for BLTs: I have been really enjoying T(tofu)LTs lately. To make, take firm or extra firm tofu, and cut into slices about 1/8" to 1/4" thick. Pat dry and put on baking sheet. Put a small amount of toasted sesame oil and a tiny amount of tamari on both sides, and bake for about 15 minutes or until whatever level of crispness you like. I have been experimenting with different baking temperatures and I think it really depends on the oven. Anyway it's really good, as close to a bacon equivalent that I have found and doesn't have a million ingredients like the fake meat products do.
posted by secretary bird at 5:41 AM on June 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by secretary bird at 5:41 AM on June 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
Thinking of sprinkling something on something else in hopes of increasing deliciousness? You've come to the right guy. Well, not actually the right guy, but I know a guy!
I keep a bottle of this stuff ready at all times, within arm's reach. You know, like one might do with a homemade pepper sauce.
posted by majick at 7:18 AM on June 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
I keep a bottle of this stuff ready at all times, within arm's reach. You know, like one might do with a homemade pepper sauce.
posted by majick at 7:18 AM on June 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
Yep, Penzey's Sandwich Sprinkle is the best (we call it Omnisprinkle because it's good on everything).
Justice and Mural of Flavor are also really good.
posted by Foosnark at 9:00 AM on June 29, 2022
Justice and Mural of Flavor are also really good.
posted by Foosnark at 9:00 AM on June 29, 2022
Looking forward to trying sandwich sprinkle. That's entirely new to me. (In the category of sprinkles on sandwiches, furikake on cucumber is quite nice.)
posted by eotvos at 9:36 AM on June 29, 2022
posted by eotvos at 9:36 AM on June 29, 2022
Today, I have failed at almost everything. I never know when these days arrive, but I suspect that I maybe overdid the exercise yesterday. It wasn't a lot by normal standards, but after corona my capacity is very low.
I succeeded at eating. Don't laugh: after loosing my sense of smell, I find it hard to get my 25-30 grams of fiber every day. But today I have made it, and I just want to tell you about dinner: you know that pasta dish which is pasta and bacon and peas in a creamy sauce. I made that, because peas have tons of fiber, and then I enhanced it by adding chili flakes and a few oven-baked cherry tomatoes I had from yesterday. Sundried tomatoes would be good too. I'm pretty sure this is delicious for people with a full sense of taste and smell too. And easy, and cheap. The textures are very satisfying, which means a lot to me these days. Soft and creamy and crunchy and chewy and springy, all in one bowl. Parmesan on top.
posted by mumimor at 10:45 AM on June 29, 2022 [8 favorites]
I succeeded at eating. Don't laugh: after loosing my sense of smell, I find it hard to get my 25-30 grams of fiber every day. But today I have made it, and I just want to tell you about dinner: you know that pasta dish which is pasta and bacon and peas in a creamy sauce. I made that, because peas have tons of fiber, and then I enhanced it by adding chili flakes and a few oven-baked cherry tomatoes I had from yesterday. Sundried tomatoes would be good too. I'm pretty sure this is delicious for people with a full sense of taste and smell too. And easy, and cheap. The textures are very satisfying, which means a lot to me these days. Soft and creamy and crunchy and chewy and springy, all in one bowl. Parmesan on top.
posted by mumimor at 10:45 AM on June 29, 2022 [8 favorites]
"WHAT FLAVOR"
Surely you don't find it too difficult to choose among maple, maple, or maple?
Wishing you the best of fortune with your new maple ice cream machine that makes maple ice cream.
posted by majick at 1:04 PM on June 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
Surely you don't find it too difficult to choose among maple, maple, or maple?
Wishing you the best of fortune with your new maple ice cream machine that makes maple ice cream.
posted by majick at 1:04 PM on June 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
OMG Maple Pecan. That is truly the God Of All Ice Creams.
posted by hippybear at 1:38 PM on June 29, 2022
posted by hippybear at 1:38 PM on June 29, 2022
Back to ice-cream then. When I was pregnant the first time, there were only three things I could eat without vomiting: bananas, milk and gelato. This was strange, because before that I hated bananas and milk and only tolerated gelato; now I have a more nuanced opinion. But my favorite gelato tastes (read: the only ones I ate) were hazelnut and raspberry. They are good flavors. There was no way I would make them myself since I had 24/7 "morning" sickness for nine months, but I am guessing the hazelnut gelato was made with nutella. So it's like in the nursery rhyme, my little girl was made of everything sweet, in this case milk and bananas and raspberries and Nutella.
posted by mumimor at 1:49 PM on June 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by mumimor at 1:49 PM on June 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
Hey the last sockpuppet hope you're OK. This is definitely the place to share sad personal stuff if you need to.
Sounds like you're going through a rough time.
posted by Zumbador at 2:34 AM on June 30, 2022 [2 favorites]
Sounds like you're going through a rough time.
posted by Zumbador at 2:34 AM on June 30, 2022 [2 favorites]
Think your workspace is packed?
A quick walk through: Ask Adam Savage: What's the One Thing Visitors Flock to in The Cave? - YouTube.
posted by zengargoyle at 9:39 AM on June 30, 2022 [4 favorites]
A quick walk through: Ask Adam Savage: What's the One Thing Visitors Flock to in The Cave? - YouTube.
posted by zengargoyle at 9:39 AM on June 30, 2022 [4 favorites]
Right then. 10:30pm here in rural England.
An hour and a half, and then:
- the first half of 2022 is over
- the first quarter of the 2020's is also over
Here's hoping for a bit of a better second half of 2022, and second quarter of the 2020's.
posted by Wordshore at 2:29 PM on June 30, 2022 [6 favorites]
An hour and a half, and then:
- the first half of 2022 is over
- the first quarter of the 2020's is also over
Here's hoping for a bit of a better second half of 2022, and second quarter of the 2020's.
posted by Wordshore at 2:29 PM on June 30, 2022 [6 favorites]
Adam Savage may have a problem…
I can relate, but, that’s a lot of “stuff”
All I have are thousands of games. Can’t rebuild R2D2’s head or anything
posted by Windopaene at 3:43 PM on June 30, 2022
I can relate, but, that’s a lot of “stuff”
All I have are thousands of games. Can’t rebuild R2D2’s head or anything
posted by Windopaene at 3:43 PM on June 30, 2022
I got into B&tB as ensemble. My friends did, in fact, get parts. Rehearsal starts Tuesday.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:24 PM on June 30, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:24 PM on June 30, 2022 [2 favorites]
What would be the COVID-related version of "break a leg (/cutlery handle, I suppose, based on your previous comment)"?
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:42 PM on June 30, 2022
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:42 PM on June 30, 2022
Bwahahahah. Break a mask? Break a covid test? Break a fork? What's the theater equivalent of "don't die?"
I note that I wrote down that I wanted "dancing napkin" on my form and on the cast list he wrote "other parts (wolves, napkin) to be cast later." LOL.
I will note that my singing teacher said I had the pitches down and just need to work on technique and I'm...kinda almost...there? Whatever that means?
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:01 PM on June 30, 2022 [2 favorites]
I note that I wrote down that I wanted "dancing napkin" on my form and on the cast list he wrote "other parts (wolves, napkin) to be cast later." LOL.
I will note that my singing teacher said I had the pitches down and just need to work on technique and I'm...kinda almost...there? Whatever that means?
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:01 PM on June 30, 2022 [2 favorites]
I like "break a fork"!
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:28 PM on June 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:28 PM on June 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
The Tour de France is in Copenhagen today, and I am enjoying the quiet which is a consequence of my street being blocked for most traffic. I went down to where the route is, to see la caravane, a phenomena I couldn't really understand. But it makes a lot of sense, when you see it. In order to get a good place along the route, you need to be there at least two hours before the bikes come. During most of those two hours, la caravane provides entertainment, little gift-tokens, and music. Except now you need to be ready in place two hours before that...
Anyway, it looked fun in spite of the rain.
posted by mumimor at 6:29 AM on July 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Anyway, it looked fun in spite of the rain.
posted by mumimor at 6:29 AM on July 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
PSA: After over two months of waiting, I finally got access to DALL-E 2! That's the incredible new AI image generation system featured in this April post. It's like magic: type in a description of anything you can imagine, and in ~20 seconds it produces half a dozen coherent, creative, hi-res images in any style you want. Oil paintings, pencil drawings, sculptures, photorealism, digital art -- this thing doesn't break a sweat. You can also upload a picture to create similar-looking variations, or edit whatever you want into it through simple text description.
If you're interested, keep an eye on MetaTalk -- I've got a thread queued to go live in 3-4 hours where I'll fulfill up to 50 image generation requests! I hear the free demo will likely be ending soon, so definitely check it out if you want a chance to experiment with AI art.
posted by Rhaomi at 12:45 PM on July 1, 2022
If you're interested, keep an eye on MetaTalk -- I've got a thread queued to go live in 3-4 hours where I'll fulfill up to 50 image generation requests! I hear the free demo will likely be ending soon, so definitely check it out if you want a chance to experiment with AI art.
posted by Rhaomi at 12:45 PM on July 1, 2022
Break a mask? Break a covid test? Break a fork? What's the theater equivalent of "don't die?"Break a lung? Break a vessel?
posted by eotvos at 2:09 PM on July 1, 2022
Break a lung sounds very covid era. As for break a vessel, this is Beauty and the Beast, so break a mirror?
posted by jenfullmoon at 2:26 PM on July 1, 2022
posted by jenfullmoon at 2:26 PM on July 1, 2022
Whoops, had another miscommunication re:the MetaTalk queue -- the DALL-E live demo thread should now be going up around 7:30 PM Eastern Time tomorrow (Saturday). Hopefully the beta will still be available through the weekend!
posted by Rhaomi at 6:21 PM on July 1, 2022
posted by Rhaomi at 6:21 PM on July 1, 2022
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May the path you journey this week be free of LEGO and little green army men. May your coffee be hot, your tea be smooth and your morning toast be perfectly brown.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 3:16 AM on June 27, 2022 [19 favorites]