#damn what a load of

[deoidesign]

I met the me who made different choices

[alasarys]

Sorry, what?

[emblazons]

"Did she...talk to you at all?"

Mike Wheeler & Will Byers in S04E09 - The Piggyback

[panevanbuckley]

i'm sorry but the PLACEMENT?? buck is sat so close to eddie, like is he even playing or is he just there as eddie's side-piece c'mon. and also the look on his face. sorry i am going insane over this picture atm

[mehrunessdagon]

CICERO?? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE??

[currymanganese]

The Bear season 2 episode 6 is a cleaver to the chest. Maximum psychic and emotional damage. Yikes. Natalie and Carmen are actually surprisingly well adjusted people all things considered, Natalie especially. Made me actually re-evaluate my opinions concerning them. Donna Berzatto / Uncle Lee is a typhoon of dysfunction and Michael broke against it plus his own addictions and sank, but Natalie and Carm are still fighting and eking out an existence, wow. Thank God Natalie has Pete, the Berzattos need all the help they can get.

[clericofshadows]

CLERIC'S MODEL SWAPS + (IN?)CORRECT QUOTES REGIS SHEPARD/ZAEED MASSANI WHAT IF: Zaeed had a romance scene...? PART 1

[anxiously-sidequesting]

The fucked up part in not playing Wizard101 in a long time is that you gotta wait for 20 entire ass years for the program to boot up on your computer

[scalproie]

OOOOOOOOOH SOMEONE IS ANGRYYYYYY

[narutos-sloppy-pussy]

Finished Dungeon Meshi today

[spider-man-2o99]

consider this my spiritual successor to the other post i did like this with “i.. becamed a vampire”

[swordfaery]

anyway my favourite thing about dead men fanfiction is the wildly different characters we all write. like. not even the ones who have been dead for years and have so little actual characterisation but even the ones who were alive in canon were probably very different one hundred, two hundred, three hundred years ago. also theyre under characterised in fiction. also we are all just having fun

[depresseddepot]

trying to learn how to burn dvds but everyone on the internet describes it like "oh you just burn it" as if its still 2001 and there aren't 42541 different formats and file types that are incompatible with one another

[elmleif]

Marnie & Mabel 🌼

[thecurioustale]

Puttanesca Alla Fuck You

A puttanesca without anchovies (or some kind of salted fish) is like a ketchup without tomatoes! Sure, you can physically do it, and it may have started out that way historically (I'm not gonna get into that because it's a rabbit hole), but in the Year of Our Unicorn 2024 it's 100% wrong wrong wrong! 😭😭😭

I didn't even know a version without anchovies was a thing. The whole point of the sauce is its saltiness and pungency. Sure, you can do that with just the olives and garlic, but leaving out the salted fish is a real self-inflicted wound. And while puttanesca is not supposed to be, shall we say, a "seafood dish," there should be enough anchovy in there for you to be able to taste (albeit subtly) not just its depth of umami but its actual flavor. I dunno, I guess reasonable people can disagree on that, but if they did then reasonable people would be 100% wrong wrong wrong! 😭😭😭

I first started noticing adulterated puttanesca a few years ago in jarred form: I always look at the labels of new foods before I try them, and I found a jar of puttanesca (which excited me) whose ingredients list contained no fish of any kind (which outraged me). And once I noticed it the first time, I began noticing that, on the rare occasions I would see jarred puttanesca, it often lacked the anchovies. Okay, whatever. Wouldn't be the first time that food companies try to make more profit by doing something stupid with their food products. Welcome to the wonderful world of the Enshittification of Everything—even food! It makes rich people oodles of money even though we all know it's 100% wrong wrong wrong! 😭😭😭

But then I started noticing it in restaurants. Puttanesca is my favorite type of pasta sauce, so if I see it on a menu I am going to check it out. And, to my horror, I began to realize that this wasn't a one-off. I found more restaurants that also don't use anchovies in their puttanesca! To say that I was shocked to my very core would be the understatement of a thousand years, because in my mind, again, a puttanesca is synonymous with and inseparable from the fish that goes into it, like tomato in ketchup. I wracked my brains trying to come up with an explanation. Jarred pasta sauce manufacturers might leave out the most expensive ingredient, but actual restaurants never would. So what was going on? My best conclusion was that it was another one of these dumbass Pacific Northwest "twists" on food customs. We're really notorious out here for taking good food dishes from around the world and then making them "Pacific Northwest," usually by making them "lighter" fare that cuts protein and starch and fat via omitting some combination meat and dairy and egg and potato. Or, occasionally, you'll see a mammalian meat ingredient replaced by a fish one, or by mushrooms. Whatever; it's all 100% wrong wrong wrong! 😭😭😭

The last straw, and my occasion for writing this jeremiad, was seeing puttanesca on the menu of one of the "fancy" Italian restaurants here in town—you know the type: big prices, fancy digs, located on the waterfront, but not necessarily the best food (that's always a hit or miss with these kinds of places)—and they described their puttanesca like this: "tomatoes, basil, capers, calamata olive, chili flake, lemon juice, garlic, tomato sauce." Oh no you don't. OH NO YOU DON'T!!! That is 100% wrong wrong wrong! 😭😭😭

So I finally went and looked it up to see what the hell is going on. And that's when I learned that—just to peek at the rabbit hole briefly—the Neopolitan version of the dish named "puttanesca" doesn't typically use anchovies, even though there are near-identical versions of the dish, not named "puttanesca," that do. But under the name puttanesca, anchovies are more of a Southern Italy / Sicily thing. And clearly that's the influence that is winning out here in the Pacific Northwest and among the Jarred Pasta Sauce Industry. Which I am capitalizing because it's 100% wrong wrong wrong! 😭😭😭

Look...I get it. Recipes have variations. There's no law that says you can't be stark-raving mad about your culinary choices in life. (Actually there are a number of them, not least the prohibition against cannibalism, but for rhetorical purposes we'll say there aren't.) And just because I grew up knowing one and only one version of a dish doesn't mean that that's the only valid version of that dish. It's just that, in this case, the salted fish is central to the premise. That's what sets apart puttanesca from other Italian pasta sauces. Without it, it becomes essentially an olive sauce, as olives are both the next most distinctive ingredient (flavorfully and aromatically) and also the next most important ingredient in the sauce. I dunno; it just seems to me like missing the point. And I realize that maybe if you squint at it right the heart and soul of puttanesca is actually its convenience. Indeed, the etymology of the word (aside from the obvious) may actually refer to the "use whatever you have" nature of the recipe.

But. If it did...

And if that were how we conceived of it...

It would be 100% Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

😭😭😭

[mushroom-for-art]

Hi @pokemon-ash-aus, I hope you don't mind I borrowed Peach, yes I put her in situations sorry, I think she had a good time though. This was basically my first thought since the plushie ask and you mentioning she'd be anxious with it out and about as an easy bullying target, I took creative liberties like assuming she went to college to get her Pokémon Professor degree because like idk if she did or just went I'm a Professor now binch. Enjoy!

Plushies and Public Transport

Peach couldn't help nervously glancing around, the plush that had been a comfort was slowly becoming a source of anxiety and discomfort as she held the soft charmander in her crossed arms close to her chest. She had already been a bit concerned about going out to such a crowded place in her human disguise, she squeezed the plush in her arms and was glad it didn't have a squeaker inside.

It was a bit odd walking with her feet rather than floating and she really really didn't want to have to do any mouth speaking trying to fake it where she could and use telepathy instead. Her eyes glanced around at the sounds of chattering, did she hear someone say charmander? She wasn't, sure if she was imagining judgment or if people were talking about her. She was glad the plushy was well built because with how hard she was squeezing it to her body for some sense of comfort and soothing she was surprised the head hadn't popped off comedically to make her even more of a spectacle to these people.

She sat on a bench taking off her backpack and holding it to her side while sighing to herself, she could do this all she had to do was make it through these first few commutes and she's sure the anxiety of it all would be non existent and she'd wonder what she was ever stressed about. She watched the feet shuffle past her, the chattering of many people and some thoughts managing to be so loud she couldn't block them out were starting to make her head hurt and an uncomfortable sensation grow in her chest.

She focused on breathing, in through your nose out through your mouth or something like that her exhale passing through her gritted teeth as she attempted to calm. She heard the footsteps before she saw them, a pair of well made proper looking brown shoes stopped in front of her and Peach screwed her eyes closed tight ready for some kind of mocking question.

Slowly lifting her head she quirked an eyebrow and blinked several times in confusion at the sight of another teenager about 'her' age (according to the disguise she was using), hiding their face, poorly, behind a small Spritzee, no wait, it was a plush Spritzee judging by the button eyes the slightly misshapen head fluff and how limp the wings were. Peach blinked once more as she noticed the movement of the others legs, seeing them anxiously shuffle on the spot as their hands gently held the plushies' wings and moved them for emphasis as they spoke.

"Um, excuse me but this dolt was perhaps wondering if she was at the right terminal to get the train to the professor learning academy?" Though they moved the plush for emphasis of the plush speaking rather than themselves Peach could see that she was avoiding eye contact rather heavily.

"...ah…" Peach's voice was very quiet, more of an exhale than speech so thankfully she didn't stutter but, as she looked at this other person likely another student starting this segment of their life watching them use the plush for comfort and as a speaking aid it seemed Peach felt a little chunk of speech anxiety chip away.

She, with slight reluctance, confirmed that they were at the right spot, trying not to show her discomfort at her stuttering or how her lisp affected her words and she watched the others shoulders drop in relief, clearly having been quite tense, though still holding the plush up to hide their face as they sighed and thanked her.

Peach gave an awkward unsure smile, she hadn't been planning for anyone to actually speak to her, other than the ticket master or the person at the ticket booth, so despite the feeling of weird anxiety over something out of script happening it wasn't necessarily unpleasant either, the interaction could've been much worse after all…

They bowed in thanks to her despite already verbally thanking her before watching them look around their hands gently squeezing their plush for comfort as Peach in turn squeezed the soft charmander a bit closer.

"Do, do, do you want to s-s-sit here?" Peach didn't like how her mouth struggled for words or how it emphasized her lisp but something about this individual made her feel a bit more comfortable in her own voice. They nodded through the plush and as Peach shuffled a bit to the side to make room they sat down besides her to wait for their train together. Peach glanced over and assumed by the looks of them and context clues they were also just starting their education just like her.

She did feel a bit rude side glancing at them but she was a bit curious, why did they talk to her of all people? She could spot a few other people who looked like they would have been heading the same way so why speak to her. She noticed as well they kept the plushie up to their face, and after a few moments she was certain she heard them make a quiet chirping sound. Peach blinked but, well they didn't comment on her lisp.

"I'm honestly really glad I spotted you," Peach glanced over again they weren't looking at her she could see their hands softly squeezing the plushie likely in self soothing, "I, was kind of worried I'd have to speak to one of those guys over there," she gestured with the Spritzee plush casually and Peach glanced over at the other group of people she had spotted who must were likely going the same way as them. Her bench companion made a little clicking noise, reminding her of chittering chattering bug types.

"But then I saw you, and you had a plushie too!" Peach held the charmander plush a bit closer at it being mentioned, feeling a wave of defensiveness run through her ready to hiss and defend herself from cruel remarks, "and I thought, hey! That, that looks like someone who I could trust," the tension in Peachs shoulders stopped rising and slowly subsided as she looked over to the other again, "cause well, I don't know anybody but if you have a plushie and I have a plushie then well maybe i'd be okay if I asked you. Plus it makes me feel a bit less anxious too.." They glanced over at Peach with an eye behind her plush and she watched them give an anxious smile before moving the plush to hide once more.

"Sorry! I'm bad at looking at people."

"It's ok-o-okay," Peach reassured, if a bit awkwardly as her fingers gently brushed the fluff of her charmander plush. Maybe it hadn't been such a bad idea to bring them after all.

They sat in quiet for a bit more as they waited, the sound of the daily commute around them, the other inquiring where Peach bought her plush and Peach very proudly telling them it was in fact made by her brother. Her companion seemed impressed and mentioned her brother must have been quite talented, telling Peach that her mother made her plushie for her to help with her anxiety and that it had a button on the back to open it up to fit in a pouch of scents, saying that at the moment it had a pouch of lavender in because it's meant to be quite soothing which is why she keeps holding it to her face. Peach made an understanding 'ahh', smiling a bit as they chatted, the other even offering to let Peach have a hold and smell of the lavender which even though it wasn't said she could tell that this other person must have trusted her a considerable amount.

The lavender scent was present but not overwhelming and Peach sighed softly at the comforting aroma before carefully handing the no doubt prized possession back to its original owner. They exchanged the names given to their respective plushies with the other having named their Spritzee after the person who first recorded the species and learnt how to use their aromas for perfumes which was incredibly fitting and Peach could only nod her head in approval trying not to vibrate with the fact she knew MUCH about how the aroma was made in the Pokémon body.

Of course the other casually mentioned a did you know fact about the Spritzee and Aromatisse line and the floodgates of knowledge absolutely spilled open as Peach enthusiastically began her deep dive into the history and biology of these scented Pokémon.

Even though her companion seemed to gape at Peach in confusion, when she faltered in her confidence they very quickly jumped in with, "no please keep talking!" And with newfound confidence and assurance she continued her knowledgeable rant with the other nodding along fascinated but mentioning that she couldn't even add anything because Peach was so well knowledged she was amazed.

As they got on the train Peach had managed to go from the scent of the Spritzee line to the Salandit line and it's aromas and how they're created and engineered to be perfume and as they arrived at their stop she spoke with great enthusiasm about the Muk scandal and how it's scent when processed the right way could ALSO be made into a irresistible perfume! And did you know it is said the Oricorio line also have distinct scents along with looks and typing and it's believed that that was caused by the same flower nectar they consumed to change form and type! Her companion did in fact not know this.

Peach more proudly held her comfort plush to her as they walked the hallways to the meeting hall and did notice dotted around more people with their own plushies of different Pokémon, and perhaps bringing her charmander along hadn't been such a bad idea after all.