#actually better than an immersion blender in this case :3

[traaansfem]

Saw that someone in my activity feed has "condiment eating" as a descriptor... I should poast recipes more often.. i love to share the tricks of the treat trade :3

[demetrekellum963]

KitchenAid Mixer

On the off chance that you actually do any preparing in your home, odds are you need a blender. Various organizations make blenders, however KitchenAid truly controls this market segement - which implies, on the off chance that you need to purchase a top-quality blender, purchase a KitchenAid - this originates from many years of experience (you won't need to stress over purchasers regret). Blenders come in 2 principle assortments - hand blenders and stand blenders. A hand blender looks similar to a force drill, with the exception of it has 2 mixers rather than a bore - with a hand blender, you cling to the blending bowl to shield it from turning off the counter. 

A stand blender has a bigger base unit that holds the mixers, in addition to a base to hold a blending bowl - with a stand blender, you can begin it running and let it go, without any hands required. What's the distinction between these? There are 2 major contrasts - one is without hands activity for individuals that do a great deal of blending and preparing (envision a formula that calls for 4 minutes of blending - would you like to do that by hand for 4 minutes or let the machine do it for 4 minutes? or then again in the event that you needed to make 15 dozen treats..) and cost - hand blenders run about $75 while the great stand blenders are over $200. 

So that is our first purpose of difference - do you need an essential, top-quality hand-blender, or a best in class stand blender? From that point, we will investigate the absolute best blenders you can purchase from KitchenAid.In the most recent 20 years, from straight out of school to directing a develop kitchen, I've experienced various blenders. Furthermore, to be completely forthright, I hold returning to KitchenAid, both from my own encounters and from those of my companions and neighbors (and all the more as of late, from hundreds and actually a large number of online shoppers leaving their criticism). 

I simply haven't seen anything better, so I don't suggest whatever else. So we should take a gander at the KitchenAid stand blenders. These blenders handle everything - mixture (bread, treats, pizza), spread, whipped cream, pureed potatoes, cakes, and so on. The most well known KitchenAid blenders are the Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers. You've presumably observed these - they are strong, strong blenders (they gauge 22 lbs), that appear as though uncompromising milkshake machines. 

A strong base stays a hefty overhanging blender head, which looms over the blending bowl (which you lock into spot to shield it from moving around). The head inclines back permitting you to handily add fixings to the bowl, clear things off the side of the bowl with a spatula, and so on. They accompany 3 blending connections - a level blender, a wire whip, and a batter snare - and a pouring shield (5 and 6 quart models) for getting your blends into the dish without trickling all down the outside of the bowl. (KitchenAid likewise makes models where the bowl lifts here and there rather than the head inclining back, however we think these stand blenders are simpler to work with.)

There are 3 fundamental sizes - the Classic 4 1/2 quart stand blender (around $170), the top of the line 5 quart stand blenders (known as the KSM150) in Black, Red, White, and numerous other colorsstyle= (around $240), and the last advance up is the KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Stand Mixers, offering 6 quarts of limit and an amazing 575 watt engine - the nickel pearl, pure look is truly exemplary, however $100 more than different models (we've seen it with refunds beneath $300, great arrangement). How huge is a 5 quart blending bowl? That is sufficient for mixture for 4 1/2 portions of bread, 9 dozen treats, or 7 pounds of pureed potatoes. 

Not at all like different blenders that make you turn the bowl around or scratch the sides to get everything blended appropriately, these models are so careful and exact in their blending that they will in reality simply touch a dime left on the base of the bowl (and they can be balanced by turning a screw in the event that they are not exactly great, see manual). A portion of these model names change every once in a while, so we incorporate a connect s top rated (refreshed hourly!) blenders here - that way you generally approach the absolute best blenders. Getting one of these blenders should leave you feeling sure - these blenders will keep going for a long time or more and perform like no others. In the event that you navigate to 

you'll discover in excess of 1000 5-star appraisals from genuine customers (one remark said  offered it for $100+ not exactly their nearby retail locations) - this is practically incredible, you'll have no second thoughts here. Also, KitchenAid makes it significantly simpler with their 1 year "bother free substitution guarantee" - if the blender breaks, they will convey another one to your home and remove the former one, with another 1 year guarantee on the replacement.OK, so you don't need or need a $200+ blender - you're in good company. The uplifting news? You can purchase a brilliant hand blender for under $75. It won't be very as flexible as a stand blender, won't be very as amazing. In any case, it will do the fundamentals you requirement for your incidental blending prerequisites - and do it well. Why would that be? All things considered, actually, KitchenAid makes very tough hand blenders just as stand blenders. That implies you get an incredible hand-item at a small amount of the cost of the fancier stand items. 

There are truly only two KitchenAid models to look over. One is the exemplary hand blender style, the other is a more present day hand blender (they call them inundation blenders) and chopper (think smoothies, sauces, and shakes). The (RECOMMENDED) KitchenAid KHM9PWH 9-Speed Professional Hand Mixer (about $60) accompanies 9 speeds and is the first class hand blender on . It's lightweight (a little more than 2 lbs), incredible, and simple to clean (with a similar 1 year guarantee). 

It utilizes computerized controls to travel through it's 9 paces, so you can without much of a stretch go from delayed to quick at the press of a catch. It accompanies hardened steel mixers and a whisk connection. This is a dependable, ease hand blender - among the best you'll discover (KitchenAid likewise makes 3, 5, and 7 speed blenders, however the 9 speed doesn't cost significantly more, and it is much more rough).

Hand blenders (or stick blenders, or inundation blenders - in no way different thing) are getting more well known - they work with both a low-level crushing sharp edge connection (ideal for working in a soup pot, or making blended beverages, child nourishments, smoothies, milkshakes) or with whisking connections for lighter work. You can utilize them in the included blending recepticle (like an enormous plastic cup), or append them to a hacking cup (included) and use them like a food processor.

 The KitchenAid Immersion Hand Blender with Chopper (around $90) is our preferred model. We've utilized both Braun blenders and KitchenAid blenders, and we favor the uncompromising KitchenAid models. You can dunk it up to 8 inches deep into a soup pot (be cautious with hot fluids..) for blending or slashing fixings directly as you cook. Simple to utilize, simple to perfect, reasonable, it offers all that you need. Check the most reduced costs today here and have in your kitchen in not more than days.

[nixoncody56026]

KITCHENAID MIXER

On the off chance that you actually do any heating in your home, odds are you need a blender. Various organizations make blenders, yet KitchenAid truly administers this market segement - which implies, in the event that you need to purchase a top-quality blender, purchase a KitchenAid - this originates from many years of experience (you won't need to stress over purchasers regret). Blenders come in 2 principle assortments - hand blenders and stand blenders. 

A hand blender looks similar to a force drill, aside from it has 2 mixers rather than a boring apparatus - with a hand blender, you cling to the blending bowl to shield it from turning off the counter. A stand blender has a bigger base unit that holds the mixers, in addition to a base to hold a blending bowl - with a stand blender, you can begin it running and let it go, without any hands required. 

What's the contrast between these? There are 2 major contrasts - one is sans hands activity for individuals that do a ton of blending and heating (envision a formula that calls for 4 minutes of blending - would you like to do that by hand for 4 minutes or let the machine do it for 4 minutes? or on the other hand on the off chance that you needed to make 15 dozen treats..) and cost - hand blenders run about $75 while the great stand blenders are over $200. So that is our first purpose of uniqueness - do you need an essential, top-quality hand-blender, or a best in class stand blender? From that point, we will investigate the absolute best blenders you can purchase from KitchenAid.

Over the most recent 20 years, from straight out of school to managing a develop kitchen, I've experienced various blenders. What's more, frankly, I hold returning to KitchenAid, both from my own encounters and from those of my companions and neighbors (and all the more as of late, from hundreds and actually a large number of online purchasers leaving their criticism). 

I simply haven't seen anything better, so I don't suggest whatever else. So we should take a gander at the KitchenAid stand blenders. These blenders handle everything - batter (bread, treats, pizza), spread, whipped cream, pureed potatoes, cakes, and so forth. The most famous KitchenAid blenders are the Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers. You've presumably observed these - they are durable, strong blenders (they gauge 22 lbs), that appear as though uncompromising milkshake machines. 

A strong base stays a substantial overhanging blender head, which looms over the blending bowl (which you lock into spot to shield it from moving around). The head inclines back permitting you to handily add fixings to the bowl, wipe things off the side of the bowl with a spatula, and so forth. They accompany 3 blending connections - a level mixer, a wire whip, and a batter snare - and a pouring shield (5 and 6 quart models) for getting your blends into the skillet without dribbling all down the outside of the bowl. (KitchenAid likewise makes models where the bowl lifts here and there rather than the head inclining back, however we think these stand blenders are simpler to work with.)

There are 3 principle sizes - the Classic 4 1/2 quart stand blender (around $170), the top of the line 5 quart stand blenders (known as the KSM150) in Black, Red, White, and numerous other colorsstyle= (around $240), and the last advance up is the KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Stand Mixers, offering 6 quarts of limit and a ground-breaking 575 watt engine - the nickel pearl, spotless look is truly exemplary, however $100 more than different models (we've seen it with refunds underneath $300, great arrangement).

How enormous is a 5 quart blending bowl? That is sufficient for batter for 4 1/2 portions of bread, 9 dozen treats, or 7 pounds of pureed potatoes. Dissimilar to different blenders that make you turn the bowl around or scratch the sides to get everything blended appropriately, these models are so careful and exact in their blending that they will in reality simply touch a dime left on the base of the bowl (and they can be balanced by turning a screw in the event that they are not exactly great, see manual). 

A portion of these model names change occasionally, so we incorporate a connect to top rated (refreshed hourly!) blenders here - that way you generally approach the absolute best blenders. Getting one of these blenders should leave you feeling certain - these blenders will keep going for a long time or more and perform like no others. 

On the off chance that you navigate you'll discover in excess of 1000 5-star evaluations from genuine buyers (one remark said offered it for $100+ not exactly their nearby retail locations) - this is practically unbelievable, you'll have no second thoughts here. Furthermore, KitchenAid makes it considerably simpler with their 1 year "bother free substitution guarantee" - if the blender breaks, they will convey another one to your home and remove the bygone one, with another 1 year guarantee on the substitution.

Alright, so you don't need or need a $200+ blender - you're in good company. The uplifting news? You can purchase a brilliant hand blender for under $75. It won't be very as flexible as a stand blender, won't be very as ground-breaking. In any case, it will do the essentials you requirement for your periodic blending necessities - and do it well. Why would that be? Indeed, truly, KitchenAid makes excessively strong hand blenders just as stand blenders. 

That implies you get an incredible hand-item at a small amount of the cost of the fancier stand items. There are truly only two KitchenAid models to look over. One is the exemplary hand blender style, the other is a more current hand blender (they call them inundation blenders) and chopper (think smoothies, sauces, and shakes). 

The (RECOMMENDED) KitchenAid KHM9PWH 9-Speed Professional Hand Mixer (about $60) accompanies 9 speeds and is the first class hand blender on. It's lightweight (a little more than 2 lbs), ground-breaking, and simple to clean (with a similar 1 year guarantee). It utilizes computerized controls to travel through it's 9 rates, so you can without much of a stretch go from delayed to exceptionally quick at the press of a catch. 

It accompanies tempered steel mixers and a whisk connection. This is a dependable, minimal effort hand blender - among the best you'll discover (KitchenAid likewise makes 3, 5, and 7 speed blenders, however the 9 speed doesn't cost significantly more, and it is much more rough).

Hand blenders (or stick blenders, or inundation blenders - in no way different thing) are getting more mainstream - they work with both a low-level granulating edge connection (ideal for working in a soup pot, or making blended beverages, child nourishments, smoothies, milkshakes) or with whisking connections for lighter work. 

You can utilize them in the included blending container (like a huge plastic cup), or append them to a hacking cup (included) and use them like a food processor. The KitchenAid Immersion Hand Blender with Chopper (around $90) is our preferred model. We've utilized both Braun blenders and KitchenAid blenders, and we incline toward the uncompromising KitchenAid models. 

You can dunk it up to 8 inches deep into a soup pot (be cautious with hot fluids..) for blending or hacking fixings directly as you cook. Simple to utilize, simple to perfect, reasonable, it offers all that you need. Check the least costs today here and have in your kitchen in only days.

[gamedevftw]

I have a very serious case of multipotentialitism. Believe it or not that’s actually almost a real word. A multipotentialite is “an educational and psychological term referring to the ability and preference of a person, particularly one of strong intellectual or artistic curiosity, to excel in two or more different fields.” But the problem is I don’t really EXCEL in any of them. I SURE LIKE ATTEMPTING THEM THOUGH.

Speaking of attempting things, this blog post will be about my SOAP MAKING ATTEMPTS. Why soap? I went to an intro class on “urban homesteading” and the teacher said that making your own soap is the most cost effective of all the things he did classes on, and honestly that’s all the encouragement it takes for me to try weird things sometimes.

Granted, previously I have never EVER had a desire to make soap from scratch. I make our laundry soap, but that’s hardly from scratch (as I use Fels Naptha as an ingredient), but a few library books, blog posts, St. Vinny’s pans, and Amazon orders later I was ready for my first soap making attempt.

Attempt #1

I went into this VERY excited, feeling like I was back in chemistry class. I mean, I guess I sort-of was. What I didn’t realize was that soap making takes way more patience and preciseness than I bargained for. Unfortunately I’m generally fresh out of both 99% of the time.

There are a few Important Things about making soap:

You have to use stainless steel pans. Using aluminum gets you more of a chemistry experiment than you probably bargained for:

Per the usual chemistry rule, you want to add your acids/bases INTO the water, NOT the other way around. This is because water combo’d with strong acids or bases (lye, used in soap making, is a base) causes a strong exothermic reaction (read: HOT) and can potentially cause the water to boil. Putting the primary reactive component into the water means you can do it slowly, and there will be less of it in the water should it boil up onto you.

THAT BEING SAID, you should use proper safety equipment.

I took safety VERY seriously the first time. Devin was quite concerned when he came home to find me looking like this.

So, you know how I said it was very exact and tedious. YES.

The recipe I did for my first batch is as follows:

18.5 oz Canola oil

12 oz Coconut oil

9 oz Palm oil

1 oz Shea butter

10-15 oz water

5.71 oz Lye

As you can see, those are weights, and they’re PRETTY DANG EXACT. The exactness is pretty important because in order for soap to become, well, soap, it has to go through a chemical process called saponification which is (this is the very short version, click here for longer) where the lye and fats in the oil react to form what we know as soap. A nice, lovely, pretty pH neutral cleansing agent to adorn your bathroom counters.

ANYWAY, if you have the wrong proportions of ingredients, you’ll be left with too much lye, a REAL strong base. It’s about a 13.5 on the pH scale and if it’s been a while since you chemistried, the scale goes from 0-14 with 7 being neutral.

Too long, didn’t read: DON’T HAVE LYE LEFTOVER AFTER YOUR CHEMICAL REACTION

How does one accomplish this? First, make sure you run your recipe through a lye calculator such as this one. Secondly, BE PRECISE. As you can see below, I sprung for a digital scale for this project. (Secretly I’ve been wanting one my entire life for weighing animals but that’s neither here nor there.)

MESSY TABLE

I’m not going to go into all the details because others have done it better (I personally used Small Notebook’s blog post, but after getting my water/lye mixture going in the sink I started measuring and melting down my oils. The biggest problem I found was that I was using a lot of hard oils, which I had been refrigerating, and it was ANNNNNNOYING to scrape out enough that I needed. Also I was originally going to use olive oil but OOPS I was out. Canola oil it was!

Melty melty little oilies! Also I added mint leaves because I have problems.

After everything was cooled down to a reasonable temperature (they say 100 F to 125 F), I combo’d them up and used my garage sale immersion blender. I’m not 100% sure that it’s made from stainless steel but nothing terrible happened so I think it’s safe?

At this point I definitely stopped taking pictures and let the stress consume me. Basically you want to mix to the point where it “traces” which is essentially the consistency of “slightly thickened custard.” So…good luck with that scientific description, especially if you’ve never made custard. After I got to…that point (look up pictures, seriously, that’s the only way), I dumped it into a stainless steel pan I had bought, which I lined with wax paper because A Book said to line the mold with that. I think that was for wooden molds. Anyway, in hindsight I WOULD NOT have lined the pan with wax paper it was a wreck. I feel like I took pictures of this but I don’t have them anymore so who knows.

After THAT I put a box over it, wrapped it in a towel, and let it do its thing for 24 hrs at which time I popped it out, crudely chopped it up with a wire I had, and let it rest. Essentially while the bulk of the chemical process has happened it will continue for about a monthish, so you let it “rest” for that period with lots of air flow.

My very resty soap. That looks like a caveman chopped it up.

A month later, and I’m using it! It’s really lathery? I LIKE IT? I used it to shave my legs and it was like, GREAT? It lengthened my shower times because it makes me feel so luxurious? I have PROBLEMS???

Attempt #2

Shortly after Attempt #1 of soapmaking I was reminded that a mom of a friend of ours is like The Soapmaking Queen. She used to make it and lotions to sell at local wineries. So OBVIOUSLY, the next thing I did was call her to set up a soap making date!

When I saw the quantities we were dealing with, I knew we were in the house of an EXPERT.

The process and recipe were pretty similar, though we went sans protective equipment (don’t tell!). I think next time I do it myself I’ll probably go somewhere halfsies, wearing safety glasses because I value my eyes and don’t want splashies. Also maybe light gloves. IDK.

Our recipe was as follows:

40 oz Canola Oil

10 oz Cocoa Butter

25 oz Coconut Oil

25 oz Palm oil

32 oz Water

14.1 oz Lye

1 oz Lemongrass Essential Oil (for scent)

Confession: I LOOOOOOOVE LEMONGRASS OIL

Her stash of scents for soap was MIND BLOWING, I resisted taking a picture because I thought it’d be weird but there were DRAWERS. #GOALS?

MELTY MELTY LITTLE OILS

Sometimes when the lye/water mixture doesn’t cool down fast enough you submerge the container its in within cold water. AS PICTURED.

The other things of note were her soap cutter (handmade!) and the molds she uses for her soap. She prefers circular soap, and pours her post-trace mixture into the following:

Essentially a 3 inch (I think??) PVC pipe with a cap on it. Then, after it has set, she uses this soap cutter:

She very kindly gave me a PVC pipe tube to take home, and after a couple days of sitting and some time in the freezer, my husband held the tube while I Falcon Punched the soap out. It was both harder than expected and yet still easier than Attempt #1’s soap mold removal.

After a few more days resting (it was still pretty soft) I made a rather MEH soap cutter to test it out:

It turns out I can be precise until the point where I cut the soap and then I’m just like EH WHATEVER, SOAP!

So now it will rest for a month, and then WE GET TO USE IT. I’m so excited, the lemongrass scent is just DELISH.

I don’t know where I was going with this blog post but YEAH. SOAP. PICTURES. CHEMISTRY. IT’S OVERWHELMINGLY GREAT.

DIY: Soap Making I have a very serious case of multipotentialitism. Believe it or not that's actually almost a real word.

[meeresbande]

Recovery from disordered eating/chronic undereating

This is a list of things that has helped us personally - it will likely not be universal or help everyone. We’re also in no way health or nutritional experts - see the Eating Disorder Institute for that (beware of trans- and nonbinary erasing language at that site though).

We have had disordered eating/chronic undereating problems for probably 10 years, but never a full-blown eating disorder or period of clinical starvation. So no guarantees, but here are things that helped me/us:

place a high priority on recovery, on eating enough

stop justifying, excusing or ignoring the disordered eating habits (not as in putting blame on me, but as in eating instead of finding excuses)

this has been a problem for a while, waiting for it to go away on it’s own will only make it worse

you do NOT need to be more sick before recovery is “worth it” or you deserve it - the less sick you are, the easier recovery will be! (if you keep postponing it, that is a sign it’s bad enough.) And everyone deserves to eat enough food.

know that even if there are underlying issues (trauma in our case) that cause/worsen the disordered eating habits, eating enough is the first and most important thing - other issues can be dealth with later or simultaneously

the body needs enough calories and nourishment consistently to work and to feel ok - this includes the brain

your mind and psyche need enough calories and nourishment to be ok and especially to heal

food is important for mental health, concentration, recovery from trauma, to deal with chronic illnesses or acute stressors put on the body (again - this includes the brain/mind)

“physical damage is ongoing and still accumulating unless and until a patient decides to provide enough energy to reverse damage” (accumulating means, it will get worse even if the disordered eating habits stay the same)

realising that my body needs a lot more calories than I thought it did - and I ate less than I thought I did

As a physically healthy person of over 25 years with a lifestyle that’s not particularly physically active, I need 3,000kcal a day.

It would be more for people under 25, who are more active, have a chronic illness, are recovering from an illness, injury or surgery, and especially for anyone who hasn’t eaten enough - so anyone who’s in recovery from disordered eating habits, a diet or similar. All those people need to eat considerably more than 3000kcal a day. 

The 3000+kcal I’m aiming for should be the average, NOT the upper limit! This means I have to eat more than this as often as I eat less.

I haven’t counted calories before and I’m not making it a habit now, but I looked at the calory contents for some ready-made meals to get a feel for how big a proper meal actually is. Turns out those “meals” are usually only half meals - if that! A proper meal includes a second helping and/or a dessert.

3000+kcal - that means three meals of 1000kcal each, plus snacks

or, without any calory counting: three full meals that include second helpings and/or desserts, plus snacks

learning more about how my body works wrt energy needs and weight (I basically learned this from a friend and from this website: www.edinstitute.org)

There is no “healthy” or “normal” weight that’s the same for everybody. Instead, every individual has their own weight set point, which can be very different from one person to the next. The body will return to the individual weight set point and stay within a narrow range of it when it is provided with enough energy/calories. You can’t change your weight set point and you shouldn’t have to.

An energy deficit can happen due to food restriction/not eating enough/purging and/or too much exercise. An energy deficit is always stressful and bad and damaging to your body and mind.

Your body reacts to an energy deficit in two ways: Catabolism (breaking down cells) and metabolic suppression (slowing down, suppressing or stopping biological functions) - BOTH are damaging and that damage accumulates until you recover by eating enough to make up for the undereating (that is, more than someone who is energy balanced would need)

due to metabolic suppression, weight gain can occur during undereating and starvation

“2/3 of those with active eating disorders are not clinically underweight, nor have they ever been“

“Fat is the largest hormone producing organ in the body. It is not a storage unit.”

“your weight is never in your control and when you force it to be in your control, you harm your body and your life“

reactive eating (eating a lot after not having eaten enough) is normal, healthy and necessary for recovery - it should never be suppressed, and it is not an eating disorder

learning and internalising that fat is good - both body fat and dietary fat (fat in our food - including saturated fat)

regularly spending time immersing myself in fat-positivity. This is an ongoing process.

learning and internalising that fat-positivity also applies to ME (not only to everyone else…)

unlearning the messages of starvation culture (also euphemistically known as “diet culture”)

internalise the fact that you NEED calories, sugar, fat (yes, including saturated fats), carbs and proteins and that all of those things are good, necessary and healthy for you

processed and highly processed food is good for you, especially during recovery - it is not “junk”

it is a myth that some food types can be addictive

it is a myth that thirst gets mistaken for hunger

it is a myth that boredom gets mistaken for hunger

it is always bad for you to ignore hunger cues

there are no false hunger cues, but they can take many different forms

even just thinking about food is a hunger cue

it is a myth that eating at night is bad for you (you may want to have a sugar-free snack next to your bed to protect your teeth though)

it is a myth that your body cannot handle an “excess” of food/calories or that our modern eating habits or fast food are too calory dense

excess calories/energy are easy for your body to handle - it will get burned off as heat. It will not make you sick or suffer.

know that a lot of things marketed as healthy are actually pro-starvation propaganda or myths, sadly most things you’ll encounter concerning health, diet and exercise are not backed by good science

learn about the history of weight based discrimination (it was invented by insurance companies trying to get more money from fat people) and exercising (invented by white supremacists who claimed that non-white people were physically stronger/tougher than whites - a claim that was and is used as justification for systemic racist violence and abuse), and/or analysis of these things - it might help you see through them and get more impervious to their constant messages.

changing eating habits:

for habits to change, you need to stick with the new habit for several weeks (4-6 usually) - make that a priority! After it’s become a habit, sticking with it will likely become much easier, so don’t give up! You can do it! You’re worth it!

NO “low calory”, “low sugar”, “low fat” etc nonsense - you NEED calories, sugar, fat (yes, including saturated fats), carbs and proteins

NO tricks to ignore hunger cues, no drinking water or chewing gum instead of eating, no waiting until the hunger goes away, no distractions, no dwelling on pro-restriction thoughts or “common wisdom”, no eating-something-with-less-calories instead

aim to ALWAYS eat something within 20 minutes of getting hunger cues, no matter what form they take

always eat at least enough until you’re full

if you have/had disordered eating habits, you probably need to force yourself to eat more than you “feel like” eating (see above - three full meals plus snacks!)

eat throughout the day - start with a rich breakfast if at all possible, eat lunch and dinner and something before bed, eat during the night if you wake up hungry

use every chance you get for extra calories - drink calorie-dense drinks like protein shakes instead of water, put extra peanut butter on your ramen (which is not a full meal, merely a snack), put extra vegetable oil on your food, augment ready-made meals with extra sugar, oil, cream, ketchup, sauce, etc

make a habit of eating snacks whenever you can, sweeten hot drinks

basically do the opposite of what starvation culture tells you ;)

take vitamin or mineral supplements if necessary, but never as a substitute for enough calories

making it easier to prepare and eat food:

learn to cook, broaden your horizon (especially with a focus on cooking regular and nutritious meals)

learn to cook in big batches to store some in the fridge/freezer for later

learn to cook cheaply if money is an issue - putting priority on recovery includes using money for food first, but if you can get more mileage (calories) out of the money you can spend, all the better

try to always have a wide variety of foods in the house, especially your favourite foods and those you eat regularly

when buying food, aim for the calory-dense choices

always have some snacks nearby (in your room, in your bag when you go out, etc) (here is a recipe for easy and cheap energy bars)

set times, possibly alarms to remind you to prepare meals/eat

try to have a variety of preparation methods available (I know this can be expensive, but it has helped me enormously to get a microwave oven and a blender and a sandwich toaster on top of the fridge, freezer, oven, stove and regular toaster we already had)

do not rule out foods just because you’re not used to them

do not rule out fast foods, ready-made meals, frozen pizzas and the like

stretch and/or augment your ready-made meals

if you can, get someone to help you or cook for you or to cook together (many people actually like cooking together with or for friends!)

find out if you are eligible for any free-food programs or any monetary or other kind of support (where I live, there are food-not-bombs like groups that offer free food and there’s a breakfast group as part of a kind of assisted living program)

if there’s anything in particular that’s hard for you and that you can change, do it. I hesitated so long buying a microwave oven because I thought it was not strictly necessary, but it was important to my recovery. If you already know something that will help you, don’t repeat my mistake – do it/get it!

if eating is associated with anxiety or any other unpleasant feeling, do what you can to lessen that anxiety. Maybe eat while watching tv, or lighting a scented candle, or having mood lighting and soothing music, or whatever makes it easier for you. (Possibly work on anxiety in therapy as well)

Here is a post on how to eat when you have no appetite.

other changes in habits:

throw out/give away clothes that don’t fit anymore, get new ones that fit comfortably and that you like (make use of clothes swaps or thrift stores if money is an issue)

don’t weigh yourself, throw out the scales (maybe the body-length mirror too if it makes you feel worse/question recovery)

talk about food and eating only in positive ways and don’t let people tell you pro-starvation-bullshit – set boundaries

celebrate your successes!

even small ones!

don’t dwell on or be hard on yourself for setbacks or relapses - they happen. They don’t undo what you’ve already achieved. Get back on track to recovery and eating enough as soon as you can and then don’t look back (unless it were to learn how to avoid similar relapses or what triggers them)

pay attention to the signs that you are recovering and celebrate them - are you better able to concentrate? not so tired/weak anymore? skin and hair and nails getting healthier? any other symptoms getting better? Congratulations! Recovery is worth it!

(especially if you have restricted/purged/over-exercised severely, it is possible that some symptoms get worse before they get better, or that you’ll get some new symptoms that will disappear again as you recover more by eating more)

DON’T exercise until you are fully recovered (I think the way to know that is when your weight is stable while consistently eating enough - really enough!)

stay away from fitspo and anything like that

Sorry this got so long - feel free to copy, use, change this (just not for commercial use)

Reblogs appreciated!

[getthebutters]

Production Assistant

Our friendly neighborhood Erica was able to move out to Oregon for school. That means we have an opening for a PRODUCTION ASSISTANT!

Deadline: 9/20 - but opening will close if I’ve found the right person.

Job title:

Production Assistant aka Really Cool Job Title That Looks Amazingly Impressive on your resume (but irrelevant to your work here)

 Pay:

$11/hour + 20% commission cut

10% hourly rate bonus for short-notice shift (>24 hours) offers

You also will receive bonuses for special assignments

Paid daily (unless prior arrangements made) via one of the many traceable methods, including ACH Direct Deposit, Cash App, Venmo, PayPal, or Zelle

Hours and shifts:

Expect 2-3 shifts/week, 6-12 hours to start. Shift times, length, and days are flexible but reliable once set. This is a rough estimate. If you’re inventive enough, you’ll be able to get up to full time quickly.

Location:

207 Ballard St., Ypsilanti, MI 48197

 Benefits:

·       Annual raises

·       You’ll be able to build a custom career

·       Save on childcare — since you work in a home, you’ll be able to bring the little one along

·       You will leave work with enough energy to actually enjoy the rest of your day

·       “Easygoing” boss (according to a current & former employees)

·       Flexible and reliable work schedules

·       Easy bus access & free parking

·       Same-day pay

·       No uniforms

·       Free tea, coffee, filtered water, personal-use printing (yes, even color), merch, and usually snacks

·       50% discount on items for personal use

·       As the company grows, we’ll get health insurance, retirement, and all the life-stabilizing benefits we need

 About The Butters

The Butters Hygienics Co. (aka The Butters) is a home-based manufacturer of affordable vegan cosmetics. In other words, I make, pack, sell, and ship body butters, shampoos, bath bombs, lip balm, scrubs, masks, lube, hair gel, conditioner, body oil, soaps, and anything else I can make better than the big brands for a better price.

Culture-wise, The Butters is balanced, chill, focused, and efficient. There’s always music or podcasts playing. We have a lot of fun, always stay stocked with tasty tea and coffee, and often surprise ourselves with what we can accomplish. The team currently is 50% demimale/50% female, 50% queer, 100% black, and 100% punk. New people ideas welcome.

 What you’ll be doing:

·       Primarily: Filling, labeling, shrink wrapping, and organizing product containers

·       We do a lot, and you will, too. Your tasks can include (but are far from limited) to:

·       Cleaning and organization (big and small jobs, no bio hazards or extreme grossness)

·       Assisting in production (hand me this and that, put this here, etc.)

·       Quality control (answering questions like, “Is that Butters silky to you?”)

·       Fulfilling orders

·       Providing feedback on ideas and products

·       Watering plants

·       Working on Butters-provided computers in apps like Trello, OneNote, InDesign, and Microsoft Office

·       On rare occasion, lifting up to 75 lbs with assistance (accommodations can be made)

 You’ll be good at this position if:

·       You’re ambitious and adaptive

·       You’ve worked in health & beauty, retail, baking and pastry work, manual letter filling, phone banks, catering, or as an assistant

·       You’re widely literate and interested in learning

·       You can communicate complex ideas well

·       You don’t mind working quietly, or, alternatively, being the sole audience for my work-day concerts

·       You’re good at problem-solving and adapt well to changes in activity

·       You’re organized and capable of focusing on tasks, even if they’re as boring as watching Butters solidify or as complex as assembling 500-item retail orders

·       You work well with specific verbal instructions

·       You can fix your own problems and bring me the solution

·       You can own your mistakes and make efforts to correct them going forward

·       You don’t mind working in my apartment

·       You can access my apartment. There are no ramps into the building. I don’t mind giving a helping hand or accommodating disabilities, but I am limited in my ability to do so. There are some tasks that can be done remotely for the right candidate.

 Possible hazards:

·       Particulate from powders, salts, earths, and other ingredients. Masks available.

·       Heat gun is hot. Gloves and heat protection available.

·       While I will do all the actual making of things, you might have to use or be near professional tools such as drills, mixers, immersion blenders, scissors, paper cutters, staplers, garbage disposal, vacuum, and laundry washing machines. All of these items will have some safety hazards, even in proper use.

·       Literally anything can cause contact dermatitis with enough exposure. We will wear protective gear for production, but it is a concern of any manufacturing situation.

·       Because we use an incredibly wide variety of ingredients, there’s always a chance you may encounter a new and unknown allergen.

·       You may end up with glowing, lustrous skin, better hair, and a higher standard for future workplaces.

·       You may be asked to work with marijuana-related products.

 Things you should know:

·       I am trying to build a team that will stick with me for the long haul. Still, I’m fine with transient help as long as we’re clear on that upfront. 

·       You’ll be working for a well-practiced boss who’s highly opinionated and demanding. This is his second company, which still is in the establishment phase. References available upon request.

 If you want to express interest in the position:

Contact Jerome Nichols with your resume/job history/solid sales pitch and references.

Call or text: 734-221-0250

contact@getthebutters.com

Please give me a way to text or email you. I will let you know the status of your application in either case.

[glycerinrefine-blog]

How to Make A Clear and Natural Glycerin Soap Base

By now most all of you know I’m a soap maker. I have a small business that makes more than 400 bars a month and it’s still growing. I sell a lot of soap at the tailgate markets in the summer and I always have people asking for glycerin soap. It’s still a common myth that glycerin soap is milder and better for you. That can be true in some cases, but a good hand-crafted cold process bar of soap contains just about as much glycerin. How Glycerin is Made Glycerin is a by-product of soap making. It can come from other sources, but soap making is by far the most common source. When you combine lye and water with oils, it saponifies and becomes soap. Actually, what you get is ⅔ soap and ⅓ glycerin. The glycerin is then usually taken out and sold to other companies such as fertilizer and explosives manufacturers. If you refine the solid soap, add sugar and alcohol, and skim off the impurities, you get glycerin soap. Here’s the actual process: How to Make Your Own Glycerin Soap Base This is a basic recipe for making clear glycerin soap base. It takes a bit of practice to get it clear. My first batch turned out cloudy and I think it was because the soap base I made wasn’t dissolved enough. Take your time and be patient! Ingredients 14 oz vegetable oil, lard, tallow, or other oil 5.5 oz coconut oil 8 oz castor oil .75 oz safflower or sunflower oil 4 oz lye, also called 100% sodium hydroxide 5 oz filtered or distilled water Directions Cover work surface with newspaper. Always use gloves and safety goggles when handling lye. Have vinegar on hand in case lye spills or splashes occur. Measure water into a heat proof container. Measure lye and slowly add to water, stirring until dissolved. (Never add water to lye.) Allow lye water to cool to 150°F. Mix all of the oils together and heat to 135°F – it’s easiest to use a slow cooker for this. Add the lye water to the oils in a slow steady stream. Bring the mixture to a trace, or when it looks like vanilla pudding. An immersion blender works best for this. Keep the heat at medium for a few hours, much like making crock pot soap. When it reaches the gel phase, it will look translucent like petroleum jelly. Stir once in a while, but not all the time. If it gets too thick, you can use a potato masher. I have a stainless steel one I use just for this. After a few hours, take a bit of the soap and try to dissolve it in a cup of hot water. If it dissolves, you can move on. If it stays in a lump or has oil floating on the top, you need to “cook” it more. Leave it for half an hour and try again. If it’s ready, then add: 13 oz alcohol – 70% or higher (NOT rubbing alcohol) 3 oz liquid glycerin Be very careful as alcohol has a low flash point and can start on fire. This is why I prefer the crock pot to the stove for heating. You may need to mash the soap up some. Do a bit at first, then do more in a little while. If you mash too much at once, you may get a lot of suds. This process can take a few hours, so be patient. When the soap is all dissolved, there will probably be a few particles floating on top. These are impurities and must be removed. Skim them off and throw them away, or you can place them in a jar, cover with hot water, and use for dish soap. When the soap is fully dissolved combine 8 oz sugar and 5 oz water and boil until the sugar is completely dissolved. Do not leave any crystals undissolved. When it is totally liquid, pour into the soap base. Stir and cover, then cool to 145°F. Now you can pour it into a mold. I use a glass cake pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for a week or so. When it is clear (it may take a week or two) then cut it into pieces and store in a glass jar. Using Your Glycerin Soap Base Clear glycerin soap base is fun to work with. All of the lye and oils have been worked out, leaving you with a very moldable base. It can be made into a wide array of shapes and colors. Prepare your molds. Set them on a flat surface and get your fragrances and colors ready. Figure out how much soap base you need. An average bar of soap is 4 ounces. Many molds tell you how many ounces the mold will hold. Use a bit more as some will remain on the melting container and spoon. Place as much soap base as you need into a heat proof container to melt it. I use a pint jar. Place the jar in a pan of hot water to melt, stirring with a spoon occasionally. When it is all melted, take the jar out of the water and place on a cloth. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired. Stir well. Add more if needed. Then add your essential or fragrance oil, a few drops at a time. A 4-ounce bar should have about 10 drops of scent, give or take a few drops. Add any dried herbs you may desire, about a teaspoon for a 4-ounce bar. When you have the desired amounts of additions to your soap, pour into the molds. If the base cools too much and gets chunky or stiff, just remelt it and stir. Let the molds sit until the soap is completely cooled. Larger molds will take longer. When cool, gently pull the mold away from the soap and push on the back side of the mold to release. Wrap soap in plastic wrap or wax paper. You must wrap it right away or it may collect moisture from the air and bead “sweat” on the surface. While this is a sign of good soap, most people don’t like the look of it and it is hard to use. Clean up is easy. (After all, it’s soap you’re cleaning off your supplies.) Just soak the molds in hot water, rinse and dry well. A Few More Notes 70% alcohol may be hard to find. Don’t use rubbing alcohol, you will never get rid of the smell! I use a 75% Everclear which is available in most areas. If not, ask at your local liquor store. They can recommend what may work. Keep it clear and unscented. Alcohol can catch fire easy, so be cautious! Silicone molds work well as they peel off the soap easy. These instructions are for clear soap. Add some titanium dioxide or zinc oxide powder to get a white soap that will produce pastels when colored. Keep herbs ground well and always use dried herbs. White sugar produces the best results. Raw sugar can be used but your soap will be more amber colored. Read the full article

[paullassiterca]

Is Beeswax Good for You? Learn Its Different Uses and Benefits

Honeybees are very important not just to nature, but to the economy as well. As their name implies, honeybees are known for producing raw honey, a thick, sweet liquid that’s used in a variety of foods. But aside from the flavor, did you know that raw honey can also benefit your health? It has been studied extensively, with research showing that it can help:

• Lower blood pressure — One study notes that honey contains polyphenols that may help reduce the risk of heart disease.1

• Improve cholesterol levels — Honey has been shown to help reduce LDL cholesterol levels while simultaneously helping promote healthy cholesterol levels.2,3,4,5

• Boost antioxidant profile — Honey contains a wide range of beneficial compounds such as peptides, phenolics, enzymes and various organic acids that work together to promote health.6

• Reduce coughing — Research has discovered that consumption of honey can reduce coughing in children.7,8

• Promote skin health — Honey can be an effective antiseptic, especially in those who have infected skin wounds.9

The process for making honey starts with nectar from the flowers, which is broken down into simple sugars. From there, bees make the honeycomb.10 They heat their bodies to a certain temperature until the wax becomes viscous, then use surface tension to bind the hexagonal cells together in a perfect fit.11 What’s interesting about beeswax is that it may also benefit your health in various ways.

What Is Beeswax?

Beeswax is a substance produced by honeybees to make their honeycombs. Specifically, it is produced in the abdominal region of worker bees, which is then secreted into scales and shaped into hexagonal containers. This shape holds the most amount of honey while producing the least amount of wax.12

To produce a pound of beeswax, a honeybee must consume 6 to 10 pounds of honey. To extract the actual wax, the honeycomb is melted after removing the honey. Afterward, it is strained to remove impurities and the remaining honeycomb residue is pressed to extract as much wax as possible.13

Different Beeswax Uses That You Can Try

Beeswax’s diversity of applications makes it a favorite among health-conscious individuals looking for a safe, natural solution to address their various concerns. Here are some creative ways you can use beeswax:

• Cosmetics — You can make your own soaps using beeswax as the base ingredient.14

• Candles — It’s possible to make your own scented candles with a combination of beeswax and other natural ingredients.15

• Topical — Beeswax can be used to create a diverse range of topical products great for promoting skin health. Examples include body butter, lip balm, lip gloss and hand lotion.16

• Lanterns — Lanterns made from beeswax can make great home decors.17

Aside from the aforementioned applications, beeswax is used in a multitude of ways:18

Modeling clay

Diaper rash cream

Baby lotion

Baking pan cleaner

Granite countertop polisher

Grafting wax

Furniture joint oil

Antirust protection

Iron cleaner

Published Studies Regarding Beeswax

Since it’s made from honey, beeswax can benefit your health in various ways. Published studies showing useful applications include:

• Fighting microbes — In a study published in Archives of Medical Research, researchers noted that beeswax, when combined with honey and olive oil, helped fight both bacteria and yeast. Specifically, the mixture was able to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and Candida albicans yeast.19

• Promoting liver health — Researchers discovered that alcohols contained within beeswax may help promote liver health. In the study, patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were given a 100-milligram dose daily for 24 weeks. By the end of the research, they exhibited better insulin resistance and other improved factors.20

• Relieving pain — Beeswax alcohols were discovered to have anti-inflammatory properties that may help benefit humans, especially those suffering from osteoarthritis. In one study, patients reported a 54.9 percent reduction in pain, along with a 76.8 percent reduction in joint stiffness during the first week of the trial alone.21

• Lowering cholesterol levels — One study has found that the long-chain fatty acids found in beeswax may help lower plasma cholesterol levels in humans. The researchers noted that 5 to 20 milligrams a day can lower LDL cholesterol by 21 to 29 percent, while simultaneously promoting HDL cholesterol by 8 to 15 percent.22

• Helping treat skin disease — One study notes that the combination of honey, beeswax and olive oil can help fight common skin diseases, such as ringworm. The mixture helped inhibit the growth of the fungi, according to the researchers.23

Try Making Your Own Beeswax Soap

If you’d like to give beeswax a go, you can try making your own soap. In this recipe from The Beeswax Workshop, you’ll be creating basic beeswax soap, which is effective for all-around uses in the house:24

How to Make Beeswax Soap

Materials:

• 2 ounces beeswax

• 5.5 ounces lye

• 14 ounces filtered water

• 18 ounces coconut oil

• 18 ounces extra virgin olive oil

• 1 to 2 teaspoons of your choice of essential oil

Procedure:

1. In a well-ventilated area (while wearing safety goggles and gloves), weigh the lye. Pour the liquid into the water in a 4-cup glass measuring cup while stirring so the lye dissolves completely. Let the mixture cool to 105 degrees to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Remember not to look into or inhale the lye mixture.

2. Mix the coconut oil and olive oil in a stainless steel pot and heat gently to 150 degrees Fahrenheit, then remove the pot from the heat.

3. Melt the beeswax by placing a measuring cup inside a saucepan. Pour 3 inches of water into the saucepan and simmer until the wax has melted. Remove from the heat afterward.

4. Pour a small amount of the heated oils on the beeswax, stirring to prevent it from hardening. Continue until all the oil is poured. Transfer the beeswax mixture to the warmed oil and stir well. Allow it to cool to 105 degrees to 125 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Prepare the soap molds while the lye and oil-wax mixture are cooling. Silicone molds must be supported by a tray, while wooden molds must be lined with parchment paper. Cardboard molds should be lined with a plastic wrap and supported by a sturdy tray.

6. Once the lye mixture and the oil mixture reach the optimal cooling temperature, pour the lye into the oil without splashing. Stir the mixture with an immersion blender.

7. Keep stirring until you notice the mixture traces. If you pull the blender out of the mixture and let it drip, the droplets should stay at the top. In other words, the surface of the mixture must support the droplets instead of allowing them to settle again into the container.

8. After the mixture traces, add the essential oil of your choice. Recommendations include lavender, lemon, sweet orange, peppermint or tea tree. One to 2 teaspoons should be enough.

9. Mix the essential oils until the entire mixture develops a consistency similar to lemon curd or chilled pudding. Afterward, pour the mixture into the mold and smooth the surface with a spatula.

10. Cover the mold with a board and place a towel on top. Set the mold aside to complete the saponification process. As the mixture settles, the temperature will rise and when the saponification completes, the soap becomes firm and opaque.

To preserve the quality of the final product, protect the bottom of the mold from excess heat. After 24 to 48 hours, the saponification process should be almost complete, with the soap having no translucent areas.

11. Remove the soap from the mold and let the saponification process complete for another three weeks. Cut the soap into 12, 4-ounce bars using gloves and stack them on a nonreactive tray to dry.

12. Set the soap aside for three weeks and package it once done. The final product has no expiry date.

What’s great about soap is that you can continue adding other ingredients to suit your needs. If you constantly get your hands dirty, such as when you work with machinery, you can try this recipe for making Mechanic’s Hand Soap. The process is almost exactly the same for making basic beeswax soap, aside from containing a few additional ingredients:25

2 ounces beeswax

5.2 ounces lye

14 ounces filtered water

10 ounces coconut oil

10 ounces extra virgin olive oil

10 ounces hemp seed oil

3 ounces castor oil

3 ounces cocoa butter

2 ounces beeswax

1 tablespoon d-limonene

1 teaspoon sweet orange essential oil

5 tablespoons freshly ground coffee

4 tablespoons ground walnut shells (unpasteurized)

Note: Pour the d-limonene, essential oil, ground coffee and walnut shells after trace occurs.

Possible Substitutes for Beeswax

It’s clear that beeswax has a wide range of uses, but what if you’re not able to acquire some of your own? Fortunately, there are available substitutes that you can use in case beeswax isn’t sold in your area. The first example is carnauba wax. Also known as Brazilian wax, this substance is derived from the carnauba tree found in the northeastern Brazilian savannas. It is regarded for its high melting temperature and hardness, and as a food-grade polish.26

While one common use of carnauba wax is applying it to fresh-cut apple slices and other foods to preserve their quality and flavor,27 I do not recommend eating organic produce, rather than wax-coated foods. As a replacement for beeswax in a personal care item, carnauba wax can be used to create body care products.28

Another substitute for beeswax is candelilla wax. However, it is denser so you may have to adjust your recipes if you wish to use candelilla wax for your homemade body care products.29 Candelilla wax is derived from the candelilla shrubs, which are typically found in the wild in northern Mexico and Texas.30

Don’t Just Go for Honey – Try Beeswax Too

It’s clear that beeswax can benefit your life just as much as honey. If you haven’t tried beeswax before, now is the time to do so. Its numerous benefits, combined with a huge number of possible creations, should be enough to convince you that it should be a regular fixture in your home.

Frequently Asked Questions About Beeswax

Q: Is beeswax nutritious?

A: One study notes that beeswax can be good for your health, as it has potent antimicrobial applications.31

Q: Is beeswax vegan?

A: No, as it is an animal-derived product.32

Q: Where can you buy beeswax?

A: Beeswax can be conveniently purchased in stores or online. But keep in mind that it’s more important to focus on the product’s quality rather than the convenience of the location.

Q: How can you melt beeswax?

A: You can melt beeswax by placing a jar inside a pot, then simmering it gently while continuously stirring.33

Q: How is beeswax made?

A: Female worker bees produce beeswax from their bellies.34

Q: Is beeswax good for the skin?

A: Yes, it’s possible that beeswax can benefit your skin. Many homemade cosmetic products are available with beeswax as the base ingredient.35

from Articles http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/11/06/xdjm18-vitamins-supplements-18mcsa-beeswax.aspx source https://niapurenaturecom.tumblr.com/post/179815572056

[toddlazarski]

Milwaukee’s Most Soulful Salsas

Shepherd Express

The most important decisions are made over salsa. Mostly, what to order to bed said salsa. But if you eat at enough Mexican restaurants, it also becomes indicative, Pavlov-style, of possibility, of that part of going out to eat, when you walk in, meet your party, get your jacket off, see what futbol is on on the corner TV, and just for presenting yourself upright, are offered a bowl, maybe some squirt bottles for variance, of spices and tomatoes, a synthetic marital collision of chiles, onion, garlic, and slow-cooked kitchen love whose combinations and intricacies and nuance can go in one million directions.    

At this point you can too. You can decide if you want a bubbly Jarritos to chase the salt. Or maybe you deserve a beer, a Bloody Maria. Maybe you're going to order an app, some queso fundido and go all in, risk a GI overtime infraction, the need for a nap, a sick day tomorrow. Or maybe it's time to scarf some mid workaday tacos and get back behind the mule. It's probably what ancestral bonfires were like, the center of making friends, where the most important can’t wait-stories are told, alliances arrived upon, when peace is made, with plans for the future - and the future meal - laid out, changed, made new again. Either way, it's a time of the communal, collective crackle of salty fried corn, bonding with the waitress, the ultimate arbiter of happiness, while hands are too busy, greasy to check phones, where compulsive shoveling of shards into mouths is accepted, expected.   

But how can something so comforting, so central and everyday, also be so thrilling? So endless? A rollercoaster with infinite possibilities, unheard of chiles, a taste glimpse of sunny southern nether regions, distant agrarian lands never to be seen, open enough to be an avenue for innovation, awash with a pique of capsaicin-induced adrenaline, a thrill, a whiff of danger, the need for more water and/or another bite.

Salsa is a Mexican restaurant's soul in microcosm, an instant indicator of quality and potential, the synopsis and the trailer, the opening band you remember better than the headliner the next day, the first impression that keeps popping up again and again. And if you eat at enough Mexican restaurants, you start to go to other types of restaurants, and wonder if they even care that you came: there you are staring at your compatriots dumbly, over a glass of water, maybe a bowl of bread if you're lucky, unsure of what to do with your hands.  

A restaurant welcome mat can and should hold so much more. Here are Milwaukee’s warmest and best.

10. C-Viche

The aji verde cumbia’s - like much of the menu here - over the dividing line between salsa and hot sauce. Coming as a side in a petite dish may hint towards the latter, but I often find myself treating it like gravy on Thanksgiving night, when I eventually take the entire boat back to my place, just looking for scraps of stuff to scoop it on, the topping becoming the scene stealer. DeNiro in Part 2. Especially here when there’s a plate of tacos on the table, and it swims through a particularly juicy bite of steak, yielding, basically, the fatty essence of life, kicked up a notch. It’s simple - serranos, mayo, lettuce, oil. And versatile - try it on eggs, salmon, beef, beef hearts, plantains, yucca. But forget for a second the most topograpically diverse menu on the southside. There really may be no better savory Milwaukee bite than a healthy spoon of the stuff souped atop the downhome earthiness of pork beans.     

9. Cafe Corazon

None of the Day of the Dead bric-a-brac, Loteria kitsch, or second location amidst gentrifying, ever-condo-erecting Bay View fosters thoughts of hardcore Mexican chile mixing. Yet Corazon surprises with a soulful scorcher of verde side salsa. The deceivingly gardeny green blend packages the potent punch of habaneros in a chilled, velvety concoction, rife with a pleasant, sneaking burn that can be felt near the base of the sinuses, a few bites eventually necessitating hat removal. It makes the warm salty chips sing, the chorizo too, in a crumbly-meets-creamy texture duet. It’s actually enough of a counterpart for soy chorizo - showing even tacos geared for the fitbit-ed Outpost crowd can pack some authentic Scoville scale oomph.

8. Taqueria Buenavista

Emulsification isn’t just a Food Network buzzword, it can also be inspiration for how to live a life: smooth, consistent, together, leaving them wanting more. Such is the taste equivalent when a fat, in this case, olive oil, is beaten together with something thinner, to blend into a thick banded team of viscosity. On paper it sounds more like chemistry than it does at the corner ‘Stallis taco shop, or rolling taco shop generally perched in front of Piggly Wiggly in Bay View. Here it feels like art, in an endlessly addictive, Magic Eye sort of gallery. The creamy jalapeno is a satisfying spruce for any of the greasy, neatly spiced, or sauced offerings - the birria particularly, with fallout from the stewed goat coalescing with salsa driblets on the wax paper, creating a finger-dipping sauce. Or, you can pretend to be civilized, leave it in the never big enough plastic cups for drizzling. Either way it’s one to ask for extras of, to bring home, to keep in the fridge for less than fortunate mealtimes of home cooking.   

7. La Salsa

See above. And see below. The creamed spicy verde sauce is a salsa about town - the ‘Milverine’ of chile pepper blends. Find it at random spots, either Taqueria Arandas location for instance, or popping up at whichever is your preferred truck on the Burnham and Windlake taco truck strip. La Salsa’s is a slightly spicier take on this puree of homogenized tongue tang, making it their own with, it seems, the fuller, spicier cousin of the jalapeno - the serrano. Either way, it’s still properly emblematic, in the way France has it’s Bechamel, it’s Hollandaise, of what should be known as Milwaukee’s sauce.  

6. El Canaveral

Currently in a holding pattern of salsa slingery, Canaveral expects to reopen sometime in May, only heightening anticipation for the return of their cadre of slick sauces, ushered swiftly upon seating, presented lovingly in a cascading half moon of ascending spice. Creamy emulsification is their game too - a jalapeno sits next to a habanero mix, like a significant other got an immersion blender for Christmas and won’t stop experimenting. There’s also a tomato and chipotle brew, bringing smoke and freshness to the lineup. Alternating such sauces atop an expansive, steaming, alambre plate - chorizo, steak, bacon, cilantro, onion, tomatoes, draped with melty cheese - is like the Dr. Seuss tale of all the places you can go. It’s a tortilla full of all the taste promise a meal can hold.

5. Guadalajara

The ever-friendly corner haunt has the basics and grandma’s dated kitchen table charm, and that might be all that is necessary to really appreciate the old spot. But, look deeper, and Guadalajara’s kitchen actually has the nouveau hipster proclivity toward specialization and obsession. Mainly, in the form of the chile de arbol. Sample seemingly each of the 30 thousand Scoville Heat Units (by comparison jalapenos top out at 8 thousand, serranos at 22 thousand) in the bistec en chile de arbol. Scraggly beef chunks swim in a dangerous, oily stew. It’s a DIY taco mix, to be amped to eleven by the upon-request salsa. Yes, arbol salsa - piquant and acidic and aptly blood-colored. You can slide back to garden fresh - on the grease of upper lip sweat and sinus drip - in the bowl of  jalapeno-y verde salsa. But there’s a reason the tongue heat doesn’t dissipate - look with a squint, through the tears, and, yes, there are tiny flecks of arbol just below the surface. There’s also a jar of the pepper in powdered form on every table. From a mortal taste perspective, pain is pleasure.

4. Carnitas Don Lucho

When I was little, I used to want to be a garbage man because they only worked one day a week. It not only was indicative of burgeoning laziness, but showed a lack of worldly perspective and a broader sense of reasoning. Such is the case with the weekend-only carnitas joint in the shadow of the Basilica of St. Josaphat. Just try the salsa de molcajete - the mortar and pestle grinding method that many Mexicans swear by -  and you realize a lifetime of work, prep, tinkering, perfecting is really therein. It’s a method akin to a well-seasoned pan, with ghosts of salsas past echoing in the basement. The result is an intensely deep-flavored, smoky, dangerously spicy sauce swimming with seeds. There’s also two standards, red and a green, equally bawdy, popping, onion-laced, thick and bold, clearly blended without a thought of volume-stretching water. Try any on the salty, fatty, lard-fried pork carnitas, the none-too-greasy chorizo, the  strangely sweet, marinated pastor, barbecued barbocoa, or slow stewed cochinita. Those with exceptional gastrointestinal fortitude may opt for the popular, singular Montalayo - Mexican haggis. Wrap in homemade tortillas, dunk with thick chips very recently fried, still sheeny, crackly and crumbly. Whatever the base, all three salsas showcase the behind the scenes work, letting it all come out on game day.  

3. La Michoacana Chicken Palace

For a town lousy with bars, there is a serious shortage of salsa bars. Enough so that on my first trip, feeling unfamiliar, unexpectant, upon placing my order and inquiring about salsa, I was told with a gesture to turn around. Suddenly “Dream Weaver” was blasting overhead and everything was in slo-mo. Life since hasn’t been the same. Chicken Palace’s name has changed through the years, but the grilled chicken remains, served best, and, most importantly, most dunkable, in a tlayuda - basically a crisped, fried quesadilla whose house takes on the texture of a piece of pizza crust. It’s a perfect canvass for a round robin, a speed dating of chile blends. Sample the habanero and onion pickled blend that harkens back to a personal discovery of the mix as a ubiquitous tabletop condiment in the Pitillal neighborhood of Puerto Vallarta. There’s the more familiar, localized creamy green sauce. There’s a pickled jalapeno number that’s like a ballsier version of a chunky pico de gallo. Throw in a fresh verde, a roasted verde, a fresh tomato, and almost as afterthought, the spicy king - a fiery, torch-red blend equally tangy and mean. The peripatetic beauty comes from not knowing what is what until you dive in. Even if a large man sitting adjacent to the station, looking very much like he knows a thing or two about the joint, offers, “the green one’s good.” Do you trust him?  A salsa bar is no place for the timid.   

2. Tsunami Taqueria y Mariscos

Every time I type or speak the name, I regret it immediately, out of fear my tiny Saturday sanctuary will be overrun with chile thrill seekers. But there is no denying this is the hidden gem not just of the west side taco trail, but of Milwaukee gastronomy. If you can snatch a seat you’ll be met immediately with a deceivingly complex tomato blend, sneakily spicy, bobbing with svelt chunks of avocado. Out of sheer familial generosity - all we did was show up - there’s a ceviche dip too. It’s more than enough to bridge the short wait to whatever you order - be it the city’s best chorizo, fish tacos, charcoal-grilled carbon, deep stewed desebrada. Whatever will be sided by two squeeze tubes: our creamy emulsified friend, here somehow a tad thicker, richer, definitely spicier, reeking of serrano’s; and an acidic burn dark red scorcher. Simply, from entry to gassy stumble out, with arm full of to-go salsas and a soothing horchata, it’s the kind of place that makes you want to showoff check-in on Facebook, that makes you want to tell the waitress these are the best tacos in town, even if she could care less, the kind that makes you sad the meal is over. You might find yourself counting workouts from this week, rationalizing how you maybe deserve another taco, a torta for a later night snack. If you’re this sort, remember even the pollo is an exceptional base.   

1.  Guanajuato

The fierce cult Bay View following that necessitated bigger digs seems to overshadow, overlook ‘GTO’s gross inconsistency, overrated carne asada, and an unfortunate insistence on defaulting to lettuce and tomatoes as toppings on a taco. But, love it or remain uncertain, there is simply no denying the bright red salsa. Even a mediocre organization can have a prodigy - look at the Bucks, look at the, gulp, Packers. The Giannis/Rodgers of salsas is at once perplexing and familiar -  it’s tomatoes, after all, nothing too exotic to identify, it’s only a touch spicy. But there is something undefinably, indelibly satisfying, something so bright and popping about the bursting gardeniness. The chunkiness is pleasing, but it’s also liquid enough to penetrate nether regions of tacos. The brace of onions, just this side too big, is balanced by bountiful flecks of cilantro. One would have to suspect a bounty of salt to arrive upon this level of mouth contentment, but it’s not evident. And what’s the point of playing taste Columbo? Really this is mostly word salad, akin to, well, a salad. A recipe with pics you’ll never get to taste. It underscores the Thelonious Monk/Martin Mull idea that writing about music is like dancing about architecture. Writing about salsa, something so visceral and Dionysian, is mostly pointless.

[junker-town]

Explaining S&P+, college football’s deepest advanced analytics system

It can be used like Vegas’ computers to pick games and rank teams by their predicted quality going forward, but it’s a lot more than that.

Time for a quick word association game: If I say, “college football analytics,” what do you think of? Something involving Moneyball or when to go for it on fourth down, right?

A standard definition for sports analytics is gathering information and applying it in a way that derives a competitive advantage. Translation: doing what football coaches do, only with more help from computers.

Analytics are a path toward a winning edge. They see every game. They separate emotion from reality. They separate what you can control from what you cannot.

Sure, they can also give you a better idea of when to go for it on fourth down. But they can do more than that.

In 2016, 35 percent of games involving FBS teams were decided by one possession each. In a 12-game schedule, the average team will play in four games that could be decided by a single play. The difference between going 1-3 or 3-1 in those games could be the difference between a bowl bid or holidays at home, a good season or a conference title, and losing your job or getting a contract extension.

A team that went 3-1 might have just been luckier than a team that went 1-3. Aside from maybe hockey, football involves more randomness, more luck-of-the-bounce, than any other major American sport. How do we measure quality while filtering out as much noise as possible?

The intent of S&P+ is to filter out the noise.

My goal throughout 10 years of working with college football advanced stats has been to dial in to what actually wins and loses games and evaluate teams appropriately. Since 2007, I have been collecting play-by-play and drive data in an attempt to create tempo- and opponent-adjusted measures that evaluate teams as honestly as possible.

I have created a system called the S&P+ ratings that can be used to make weekly predictions, analyze tendencies, break down matchups, and home in as closely as possible on a team’s true strengths, assets, and liabilities.

It is the basis for what is, for better or worse, the most comprehensive set of college football data and measurement available.

What exactly is S&P+, though?

Perhaps I should explain it as clearly as possible if I’m going to use it so frequently in my work.

Let’s start by addressing what S&P+ is not.

It is not a résumé tool. If you’re looking for something transitive — Team A beat Team B and has more wins than Team C, so Team A should be ranked ahead of Team B and Team C — you aren’t going to find it here.

S&P+ is designed to track overall team efficiency.

It can be used to make predictions, similar to the analytics systems Vegas uses.

It is, at its heart, a tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of what college football teams can most consistently do to win football games.

S&P+ is presented in the form of an adjusted points per game figure.

For instance, if Team A’s S&P+ rating is plus-19.0, that means it is 19 points better than the average college football team. If Team B’s rating is minus-12.0, it is 12 points worse than average. And if Team A and B were playing on a neutral field, you could determine that S&P+ would favor Team A by 31 points (19 minus minus-12).

In terms of performance, S&P+ tends to hit between 51 and 54 percent against the Vegas spread, a solid range.

It thrives in the realm of win probability — teams given, say, 66 percent chances of winning will win 66 percent of those games over time.

The S&P+ ratings are an overall prediction tool, but honestly, the predictions are just intended to provide affirmation. If you know that the ratings can be used to at least slightly beat Vegas from year to year, then you can trust them in your analysis as well.

(At Football Outsiders, S&P+ is presented both in PPG form and as an overall percentile rating. Since the average and standard deviation for points scored can change from year to year — having a plus-19.0 rating means something different now than it would have meant in 2005 — you can use the percentile rating to compare the quality of teams from one year or era to another.)

What goes into S&P+?

My original S&P ratings, derived long ago, were based on two measures: Success rate and equivalent Points per play. It was an attempt at an OPS-style measure for football, a look at both efficiency and explosiveness. As so many things do, however, it has grown more complicated.

In its current state, S&P+ is based around the core concepts of the Five Factors of winning football: efficiency, explosiveness, field position, finishing drives, and turnovers.

Since efficiency is by far the most replicable and least random aspect of football — big plays and turnovers decide games, but are incredibly random by nature — my success rate measure is the single biggest contributor to the S&P+ ratings.

Explosiveness does play a role, and to emphasize the importance of finishing drives, a team’s success rate during scoring opportunities (first downs inside the opponent’s 40) is given slightly more weight. Special teams efficiency plays a role in both field position and finishing drives, and sack rates are one of the only reliable, non-random factors that contribute to a team’s turnover margin. They’re thrown into the blender as well.

Okay, then what is success rate if it’s so important?

The goal of success rate is to create an on-base percentage-style efficiency measure. Depending on a given down and distance, each play is deemed successful or non-successful:

First downs: gaining at least 50 percent of necessary yardage (usually five yards) is successful.

Second downs: gaining at least 70 percent of necessary yardage is successful.

Third or fourth downs: gaining at least 100 percent of necessary yardage is successful.

This is intentionally simple, but it can do powerful things over time, especially when adjusted for opponent.

Opponent adjustments are easily the messiest piece of college football ratings.

Professional sports don’t have to deal with the dramatic difference in schedule strength that afflicts the 130-team Football Bowl Subdivision. Technically, Alabama and South Alabama are playing for the same national title, but their schedules differ just a little bit.

Tiny samples are an issue.

There’s another component that makes college football data particularly tricky: sample size. A Major League Baseball team will make about 4,500 outs in a given season. An NBA team will have about 8,000 to 8,500 possessions. A college football team, meanwhile, is only guaranteed about 12 games, 170 possessions, and 850 or so plays.

The small sample leads us to overreacting to singular results more than we do in any other sport. From my Study Hall: College Football, Its Stats and Its Stories, published in 2013:

Imagine if college basketball teams played just 12 games, as in college football. If you sampled 12 games from a 30-game, real-life college basketball schedule, you could define a team’s season in drastically different ways. Take 2013 NCAA basketball champion Louisville, for example. ... They were great. The team had athleticism, length, and incredible toughness. For head coach Rick Pitino’s style, this team was the culmination of his search for, as Bob Dylan would call it, that “thin, wild mercury sound.”

But a 12-game sample could have told you two completely different stories.

* Sample A non-conference schedule: Kentucky (W, 80-77), Manhattan (W, 79-51), at Charleston (W, 80-38), vs. Missouri (W, 84-61)

* Sample A Big East schedule: at Syracuse (W, 58-53), at UConn (W, 73-58), at Rutgers (W, 68-48), at Seton Hall (W, 73-58), Marquette (W, 70-51), St. John's (W, 72-58), Notre Dame (W, 73-57), USF (W, 64-38)

Sample A record: 12-0 (8-0 in conference)

* Sample B non-conference schedule: WKU (W, 78-55), Northern Iowa (W, 51-46), at Memphis (W, 87-78), at Duke (L, 71-76)

* Sample B Big East schedule: at Villanova (L, 64-73), at Georgetown (L, 51-53), at DePaul (W, 79-58), at USF (W, 59-41), Syracuse (L, 68-70), Pitt (W, 64-61), Providence (W, 80-62), Cincinnati (W, 67-51)

Sample B record: 8-4 (5-3 in conference) [...]

The same team, with the same strengths and weaknesses and similar strengths of schedule, produced both of those ranges of results. Instinctively, small samples can make things weird. But when we see a computer rank a 9-3 team ahead of an 11-1 one, we still freak out a little bit.

S&P+ is not built to care about us freaking out.

When do preseason projections get completely phased out?

It takes a while for a college football team to create data of statistical significance or establish reliable priors. Therefore, for predictive purposes, you have to lean pretty heavily on preseason projections.

My S&P+ projections incorporate recent performance, recent recruiting, and returning production; early in the season, they carry significant weight, and they are phased out with increasing speed. After a team has played seven games, its preseason projections are completely phased out of the S&P+ equation.

There is a decent case for keeping the preseason numbers involved for much longer than that, but maintaining anything beyond seven weeks has not, in my experience, changed predictive accuracy to any major degree.

A couple of years ago, I attempted an even more rapid phase-out, and while that resulted in a decent performance against Vegas, it made the numbers incredibly volatile — the average error per game increased, and the ratings changed dramatically from week to week. Keeping the projections involved past the halfway point of the season smooths out the volatility.

Where else can I to learn about S&P+ and college football advanced stats?

I like your attitude! Start with this 2015 glossary post at Football Study Hall, and then, when you think you’re ready, immerse yourself in the Football Study Hall stat profiles.

[theforkedspoon]

Autumn Apple Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

Rain, you guys. So much rain.

I realize California really needs rain, so I have absolutely no right to complain, but I need to take a moment...and then I'll move on. Promise.

You guys, I feel like I have been living in a cold, wet, dark cloud for the past three months. I'm pretty sure I've touched on seasonal depression here before, but just in case I haven't, let's just say I don't respond well to lots of dark and damp weather (aka winter). Just like regular depression, seasonal depression (or, seasonal affective disorder) leaves me feeling sad, hopeless, lazy and super super irritable. My mom suffers with it and so do I.

To my surprise, I am actually handling the current weather conditions in California much better than I have in past years; this year less sadness and crying (the worst), but still more irritability. I'm not sure what or who I have to thank for this seemingly minor shift in my overall attitude toward life (if you've suffered with depression or anxiety, you know how big the shift can be), but I am thankful. 

I have also tried to feed my body with clean and healthy comfort foods- lots of vegetables, soups and salads. Not always, of course (I love me some buttered bread and pizza), but I try to keep a balance, especially in the winter months.

Why am I sharing all of this here? I have no idea. Sometimes I start writing about one thing and get distracted. Or, maybe, I'm hoping this will serve as a reference for future years when I'm struggling and don't know how to get out. No matter how I got here, I do know this- I need some sunshine. It doesn't need to be hot or even warm, I just need some sunshine. Preferably for longer than 24 hours before the next set of storms come in.

I'm not the only one, either. Sacramento is practically under water.

Ok, end rant. The rain is coming, deal with it.

Along with eating tons of soup, I've also been eating lots of fresh salads. I may crave soup in the winter for warmth and comfort, but salads remind me of warm summer nights and help me feel full without feeling heavy.

While clicking around on Pinterest the other night I stumbled upon this Autumn Crunch Pasta Salad from Chelsea's Messy Apron. I wanted it, immediately. This salad is perfect for parties or as an easy, healthy dinner. Lots of sweet fruit, fresh greens, earthy nuts and a light vinaigrette. To keep it easy, I decided not to add chicken or any other protein, but next time (maybe a little closer to grilling season), a great big sliced chicken breast will be the perfect addition.

Stay warm, friends :)

Autumn Apple Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

Prep Time: 15 min / Cook Time: 8 minutes / Total Time: 20-25 minutes Yield: 6-8 (as a side) Yield: 3-4 servings Type: Salad | Pasta | Vegetarian

Ingredients

Salad: 10 ounces fresh baby spinach (or other favorite green) 1 1/2 cups uncooked pasta - go with your favorite, just not noodles :) 3 stalks celery, chopped 1/2 cup dried cranberries 2 medium apples (I used Fuji), cut into thin slices Juice from 1 lemon 1/2 cup pecans 1 (15-ounce) can mandarin oranges, liquid drained

Dressing: 4 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar 4 tablespoons sugar 1/4 cup orange juice 1/2 teaspoon orange zest salt, to taste 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook noodles until al dente (fully cooked, but with a small bite so that noodles are not soggy).

While the noodles are cooking, prepare the dressing. Place all salad dressing ingredients (EXCEPT the poppyseeds) into the bowl of a blender and blend until fully immersed, approximately 10-15 seconds. Gently stir in the poppy seeds and set dressing aside until ready to serve (if preparing ahead of time store dressing in an air-tight container in the refrigerator).

Check the pasta. When ready, drain the pasta and immediately run under cold water to stop the noodles from cooking further.

In a large mixing bowl toss together the chopped celery, cranberries and pecans. In a smaller bowl, mix together the apple slices with the lemon juice (the lemon juice prevents the apple slices from browning). Drain lemon juice from the apple slices and add to the celery, cranberries and pecans. Gently mix in half the pasta with the mandarin oranges and, when ready to serve, toss with half the dressing. Add spinach and gently toss with remaining dressing.

Best served immediately.

Enjoy!

Recipe inspired by Chelsea's Messy Apron

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Coffee and Crayons

Previous Posts.

[getthebutters]

Production Assistant

Job title:

Production Assistant aka Really Cool Job Title That Looks Amazingly Impressive on your resume (but irrelevant to your work here)

 Pay:

$11/hour + 20% commission cut

10% hourly rate bonus for short-notice shift (>24 hours) offers

You also will receive bonuses for special assignments

Paid daily (unless prior arrangements made) via one of the many traceable methods, including ACH Direct Deposit, Cash App, Venmo, PayPal, or Zelle

Hours and shifts:

Expect 2-3 shifts/week, 6-12 hours to start. Shift times, length, and days are flexible but reliable once set. This is a rough estimate. If you’re inventive enough, you’ll be able to get up to full time quickly.

Location:

207 Ballard St., Ypsilanti, MI 48197

 Benefits:

·       Annual raises

·       You’ll be able to build a custom career

·       Save on childcare — since you work in a home, you’ll be able to bring the little one along

·       You will leave work with enough energy to actually enjoy the rest of your day

·       “Easygoing” boss (according to a current employee)

·       Flexible and reliable work schedules

·       Easy bus access & free parking

·       Same-day pay

·       No uniforms

·       Free tea, coffee, filtered water, personal-use printing (yes, even color), merch, and usually snacks

·       50% discount on items for personal use

·       As the company grows, we’ll get health insurance, retirement, and all the life-stabilizing benefits we need

  About The Butters

The Butters Hygienics Co. (aka The Butters) is a home-based manufacturer of affordable vegan cosmetics. In other words, I make, pack, sell, and ship body butters, shampoos, bath bombs, lip balm, scrubs, masks, lube, hair gel, conditioner, body oil, soaps, and anything else I can make better than the big brands for a better price.

Culture-wise, The Butters is balanced, chill, focused, and efficient. There’s always music or podcasts playing. We have a lot of fun, always stay stocked with tasty tea and coffee, and often surprise ourselves with what we can accomplish. The team currently is 33% genderfluid, 66% queer, 66% POC, and 100% punk. New ideas welcome.

 What you’ll be doing:

·       Primarily: Filling, labeling, shrink wrapping, and organizing product containers

·       We do a lot, and you will, too. Your tasks can include (but are far from limited) to:

·       Cleaning and organization (big and small jobs, no bio hazards or extreme grossness)

·       Assisting in production (hand me this and that, put this here, etc.)

·       Quality control (answering questions like, “Is that Butters silky to you?”)

·       Fulfilling orders

·       Providing feedback on ideas and products

·       Watering plants

·       Working on Butters-provided computers in apps like Trello, OneNote, InDesign, and Microsoft Office

·       On rare occasion, lifting up to 50 lbs (accommodations can be made)

 You’ll be good at this position if:

·       You’re ambitious and adaptive

·       You’ve worked in health & beauty, retail, baking and pastry work, manual letter filling, phone banks, catering, or as an assistant

·       You’re widely literate and interested in learning

·       You can communicate complex ideas well

·       You don’t mind working quietly, or, alternatively, being the sole audience for my work-day concerts

·       You’re good at problem-solving and adapt well to changes in activity

·       You’re organized and capable of focusing on tasks, even if they’re as boring as watching Butters solidify or as complex as assembling 500-item retail orders

·       You work well with specific verbal instructions

·       You can fix your own problems and bring me the solution

·       You can own your mistakes and make efforts to correct them going forward

·       You don’t mind working in my apartment

·       You can access my apartment. There are no ramps into the building. I don’t mind giving a helping hand or accommodating disabilities, but I am limited in my ability to do so. There are some tasks that can be done remotely for the right candidate.

 Possible hazards:

·       Particulate from powders, salts, earths, and other ingredients. Masks available.

·       Heat gun is hot. Gloves and heat protection available.

·       While I will do all the actual making of things, you might have to use or be near professional tools such as drills, mixers, immersion blenders, scissors, paper cutters, staplers, garbage disposal, vacuum, and laundry washing machines. All of these items will have some safety hazards, even in proper use.

·       Literally anything can cause contact dermatitis with enough exposure. We will wear protective gear for production, but it is a concern of any manufacturing situation.

·       Because we use an incredibly wide variety of ingredients, there’s always a chance you may encounter a new and unknown allergen.

·       You may end up with glowing, lustrous skin.

·       You may be asked to work with marijuana-related products.

 Things you should know:

·       I am trying to build a team that will stick with me for the long haul. Still, I’m fine with transient help as long as we’re clear on that upfront. 

·       You’ll be working for a fourth-time boss who’s highly opinionated and demanding. This is his second company, which still is in the establishment phase. References available upon request.

 If you want to express interest in the position:

Contact Jerome Nichols with your resume/job history and references

Call or text: 734-221-0250

contact@getthebutters.com

Please give me a way to text or email you. I will let you know the status of your application in either case.