#i also just learned about the beans and rice thing

[look-at-the-stars-tonight]

the amount of effort that goes into figuring out what to cook and eat every day is RIDICULOUS. i used to think people were so weird and boring for eating the same thing every single day but it truly does make life so much easier

[tightwadspoonies]

How to Shop at an Asian (or other ethnic) Grocery Store

Do you live in or near a city in the US?

Need to save some money on groceries?

Might I introduce you to... shopping at the local Asian grocery?

Asian grocery stores aimed at an Asian-American customer base almost always beat the prices of their western (or for-western) counterparts. Often by a significant amount, especially in categories like produce, meat, rice, and spices. Plus in addition to lower prices, you get the satisfaction of supporting a small, local business instead of a larger chain store.

(Note that a lot of this information applies to other ethnic grocery stores as well, but we're using Asian because they're common in many cities, and have particularly good prices on produce.)

But it can be a little bit of a learning curve when you first start to shop at them. This post will give you the information you need to navigate them.

So how do you find a good Asian grocery store?

First, go on google maps and search "grocery".

Note that you are NOT googling "Asian Grocery" or "Cheap Grocery". If you search "Asian Grocery" you will get results for Asian stores marketing toward a western audience, and because of this, will be neat, shiny, and very pricey. If you search "Cheap Grocery" you will get stores marketing themselves as cheap, which generally are only slightly less expensive than their "expensive" counterparts (think Aldi). Okay in a pinch, but you can do better.

Second, look at the pictures of all the stores you can easily get to.

Here's what you want: not a lot of printed ads, pictures of hand-written signs (especially in languages other than English), food in cardboard bins, and you want it to look kind of "junky". Bonus points if you can see prices listed in the pictures or the people shopping there are mostly older, ethnic women.

Third, If you couldn't find anything like this, go on your city's subreddit.

Search "cheap", "cheap grocery" and "expensive grocery". Why "expensive grocery"? Because you want to find people complaining about grocery prices, and you want to see the advice they get. Many times, that advice is Asian or ethnic grocery stores.

If you're still not getting anything, google "[city name] cheap grocery" and "[city name] expensive grocery" (see above). Scroll until you get to FORUMS discussing groceries in your city. You DO NOT want blogs or articles. Again, you're looking at the advice people are given when they complain about grocery prices.

One of the first questions people ask upon walking into an Asian grocery store of the type discussed in this post is:

"Is the food I'm getting here safe to eat?"

The answer is just as safe as anywhere else you might shop.

You're probably used to very clean, pretty, well-lit, well-organized stores. This will probably not be that, but it will be regulated by the same health department that regulates those stores. They are held to the same standards.

It's a lot of work to keep a store looking like a western consumer expects. It's a lot less work (and thus less money) to keep a store looking like an ethnic career housewife or grandmother expects. That is largely where the savings comes from.

What's a good deal at an Asian grocery?

Produce. You're probably used to things like onions and carrots being the cheapest per pound. Here it's going to be greens, apples, pears, radish, cabbage and maybe squash and sweet potatoes. Check unit prices and prepare to try some new things. Also a pound of greens is a LOT of greens. Keep that in mind. Also keep in mind that you might see a few pieces of produce that are bruised or have mold on them. That's okay. Just don't buy those pieces. The rest of the batch is probably fine. Wash produce when you get home if you're concerned, though you should be doing that anyway.

Rice and dry beans. If you like to buy in bulk, you're in luck. Don't expect to walk away with a pound or two of these. They come in 40lb packages. But if you tailor most of your meals around them, those meals will be cheap af. There are also lots of different types of specialty rice if you want to make your own sushi or mochi. Learn how to soak and sprout beans.

Tofu. Tofu is expensive when you buy it at a health food store. It is not when you buy it at an Asian grocery. It probably won't be in pretty packages, but again, cheap is not going to be super pretty.

Meat and fish. Meat is generally going to be cheaper here, though maybe not by as much as the produce is. Pork will probably be your cheapest option. You may also see cuts you don't normally see, like tongue, intestine, liver, kidneys, blood, etc... "Weird," however, does not automatically mean cheap in this context. Check unit prices and prepare to be adventurous. If you don't know what else to do with them, dried fish and animal organs make fantastic stock when boiled.

Spices. Again with the extremely large quantities here. But very inexpensive compared with their western counterparts.

Candy. This makes a great inexpensive gift if you need one, since the candy sold at these stores is fairly exotic for a western audience.

What isn't a good deal at an Asian grocery?

Dairy. This includes fresh milk, butter, cheese, etc... If they have it, it will be very expensive. Consider buying elsewhere.

Eggs. Again, this will probably be as expensive or more than the eggs you could get at a western supermarket.

Snacks. Pre-made items will be expensive in general, even though they may be tempting because they are different from what you are used to and you don't need to learn to cook a new thing. Do your best to avoid these and make your own if you can. If you can't, frozen pork or vegetable dumplings are probably your best bet for a quick meal.

Bread. It's pricey. A lot of Asian cuisines use rice, noodles, or buns for their starch instead of western-style bread. So if you can find it it will often be a novelty item.

What else do I need to know?

It's okay to be overwhelmed by new ingredients. Look up some YouTube videos on how to cook certain ingredients if you're not familiar with them.

These are not supermarkets. They sell food and sometimes the kitchenware (steamers, woks, chopsticks, etc...) needed to cook it. You will probably need to get your soap and household items somewhere else.

Pay in cash if you can. Most of these are very small businesses and paying them cash makes it so they don't need to pay credit card fees. At the very least, make the minimum purchase before paying with a card.

[lanymme]

Hey. Kiara sure likes ohagi, doesn’t she?

It’s a cute quirk, but it’s also deeply, deeply tragic in a very subtle way that's hard to piece together unless you know about japanese sweets or Kiara’s personal history.

So let’s learn a little bit about ohagi, and why Kiara loves it so much!

Ohagi, and the very similar sweet botamochi, are traditional japanese sweets made from glutinous rice with a coating of sweet red bean paste and, optionally, a dusting of something else, often ground black sesame or soybean flower.

Here’s some that I made for Kiara’s birthday last year! They’re very doable and pretty tasty.

Higan is a Japanese buddhist festival celebrated around the spring and autumn equinoxes, and ohagi or botamochi is eaten as a ritual food during that equinox. Sources I found indicated that the difference between ohagi vs botamochi is not easy to pin down, but some say that the sweet is called ohagi when eaten for the autumn equinox. (This is beside the point, but the red spider lily, with which Kiara is strongly associated, also blooms around that time.) If you want to know more, check out this article I found on the history of ohagi and its ritual connection.

Kiara was born as the heir and savior to a mountaintop Buddhist cult. Her upbringing was deeply abusive, and despite the fatal illness she suffered from, for which her community and her father gave her no treatment, she was denied any semblance of a normal childhood while she was molded to be their perfect savior.

Nothing that inspires attachment was allowed to her. The book of fairy tales she ended up with was deemed inappropriate and taken from her because she spent too much time reading it, liked it too much.

It’s hard to imagine her being allowed sweets like a normal kid, since they’re designed for stimulating flavor.

But, of course, ohagi isn’t just a sweet. It’s a ritual food. So they couldn’t deny her that, could they?.

As a child, those 7 days surrounding the equinox twice a year were probably the only time she ever got to have sweets.

And of course, she probably learned to be very careful about not letting on that she was enjoying herself. Not overindulging.

Like fairy tales, it was a tiny piece of happiness that accidentally slipped through the cracks and gave her something to latch onto. And, like fairy tales, she carries it with her into adulthood.

It’s not coincidence that she makes ohagi and tea instead of chocolates for Valentine’s. In this new place where she can heal a little bit from her past and grow, she takes the chance to make ohagi herself, instead of waiting for the proper holiday; and to share them with someone else as a thing she loves, instead of hiding them away.

[lucozaynkisses]

Weight loss tips 🙂‍↕️🩰

I actually used to weight 145 lbs now I weigh around 129 and want to reach 120 here’s some things I’ve noticed make it easier for me to stay consistent

1. Eating less instead of cutting out foods!

This is a major one. I need to make sure my body doesn’t feel restricted because the moment I over restrict is the moment everything goes to shit and I end up eating everything in front of me. Eating smaller portions is key.

2. Try to stop thinking so much about food

This one is so hard but it really helps when I stop focusing so much on food. Realize food is not the most important thing in the world. Don’t think so much about what the next thing ur gonna eat is when u just ate or that thing ur going to where ur prob going to eat more than u should. Live in the moment and try to focus entirely on something else. Food is just food.

3. Don’t weigh urself every second of the day!

The most discouraging thing is looking at the scale and seeing it went up a little when in reality it’s only temporary. You’re setting urself up for failure when u constantly weigh urself so set a limit to how many times u can weigh urself. I am now only doing it once a week.

4. LIMIT STRESS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!

The whole reason I gained so much weight when I weighed 145 was because of the amount of stress I had in my body. No matter the amount of exercise I did and how much I dieted I never lost weight. I literally beg u guys to do everything u can to keep ur stress levels as low as possible. It will seriously delay ur results. This also means not turning weight loss into something stressful.

5. Do things gradually

The easiest way to make urself give up and fail is by going directly into hardcore exercise and hardcore restriction. Start with things you know you can stay consistent. Like for example I’m only doing a 20 min at home full body Pilates that isn’t so hard for me to do and a leg workout that’s super quick and only doing them 3x per week rn. Now that I’ve started to get used to it I’m adding more. Same thing with a calorie deficit. Lower ur calorie intake gradually. This is the best way to get urself used to a new lifestyle.

6. LONG TERM RESULTS IS BETTER THAN QUICK RESULTS!!!

Trust me I know this is one of the hardest things to hear but ur life will be so much easier once u accept it. Patience is key in this process. I could go restrict myself to the extreme to lose weight and make myself sick but that route will always end badly. It will always end with you gaining the weight back and being even more upset because u got there and gained it back. The only way to have results that are maintainable is by having patience and staying consistent

7. Turn jealousy into motivation

When u look at other girls with the body that u want, instead of feeling jealousy, anger, and hatred, stop making excuses as to why they have it and why it’s not possible for u. They are not special and if u really want it u can have it too. Turn that negativity into motivation to also get there. U can do it!

8. Learn to trick ur brain

I’m Brazilian and we eat rice and beans everyday. So what I do is ill put like 1-3 spoons of rice and then put so much more beans which that makes me think I’m eating way more rice than I am. We also have spaghetti a lot and I’ll do the same thing so im not having too many carbs. I also fill my plate with veggies.

9. Meal prep

This one is super helpful. Also helps me to not think so much abt food. Sometimes I’m too lazy but I like leaving chicken in the fridge already cut and seasoned and it’s so helpful so that when I’m hungry I don’t have to take so much time making food and that helps me not snack on whatever I see before my food is ready.

Hope this was helpful! 💋🫶🏼

Xo, Ary

[is-the-fire-real]

Taking Intro to Judaism is wild when you're converting to a Sephardic community.

We've had two classes in a row about kashrut. The Rabbi is Ashkenazi. He is also trying to teach us all the of the rules so we'll do fine before the biet din. So he's going down the list of stuff like "Probably no turkey, definitely no Fanta Naranja, no food from restaurants that aren't kashrut, milk and meat plates", etc. And again, I get it. He doesn't expect us to follow all of these rules all at once, we're just being educated.

But one thing I'm finding about Spanish Sephardim is that it's an even harder-core kind of diaspora. There's a broad tolerance for, or lack of observance of, food-related rules that I find fascinating.

Kitniyot are something we're expected to know about, but around here, you can have beans and rice during Pesach. During kabbalat shabbat, we were complaining about how it's impossible--not tricky, impossible--to get Passover wine while drinking plain old normal red wine the day after the Rabbi laid down all the rules about handling grapes.

The Rabbi was like "here look I carry a card with all the banned substances listed on it so when I shop I won't buy something with an insect- or blood-based preservative". Which is cool! But meanwhile, the cantor was like "holy shit, bro, how are you and your wife avoiding eating pork and shellfish IN SOUTHERN SPAIN, you are very serious about being Jews aren't you".

It just seems very Spanish to me (affectionate) to learn the rules and then shrug in their general direction because whatyagonnado?

Anyhow, I howled in agony over Fanta Naranja, but I think giving it up would be best anyway. Probably keeping turkey on the menu, though.

[blueesnow]

(6/6) Aijima Cecil's Private Story [Utapri Live Emotion]

Ch 1: (unlocked if you reached intimacy lvl 6 with Cecil)

-Downtown- Cecil: Thank you for granting my wish for today, Haruka. Cecil: Getting you to teach me about the japanese language while we're walking around the city together…somehow it feels like a dream come true. Haruka: Oh no, that was such an exaggeration. But feel free to ask me anything. Cecil: Yes, I'm going to learn as many japanese as I can for today. …Ha! I quickly found something that caught my eyes. Cecil: I wonder what are those square things that are being lined up in that store. Is it probably…sweets? Haruka: That one is kintsuba. It's a sweet snack that was filled by red bean paste. Cecil: Oh, kintsuba…! The one next to it is a dango, right. Cecil: The one with a brown color and looks shiny over there…was it mitarashi dango? Haruka: Yes, exactly! Cecil: Looks like the reward for getting it right is your smile huh. …Oh, there's also one with a purple color too. Haruka: (It looks like Cecil-san is having fun) Cecil: Oh… look, Haruka. That little guy that was sitting on the display case is called Maneki Neko, right? Cecil: It was told that as it raised its hand it means that it will beckons happiness. Talk about a smart and hardworking guy. Haruka: Fufu, you're correct once again. Cecil: I know a lot about this cat after all. …That's right, now it's my turn to ask you a question!

Kintsuba: A confection of sweetened beans wrapped in wheat-flour dough (in the shape of a sword guard).

Mitarashi Dango: A traditional Japanese rice dumplings smothered in an irresistible sweet soy glaze.

Maneki Neko: A common Japanese figurine which is often believed to bring good luck to the owner, sometimes can also be called beckoning cat.

Ch 2: (unlocked if you reached intimacy lvl 11 with Cecil)

-Downtown- Haruka: A question about Maneki Neko? Cecil: Yes. Just like the real cat, there are also different types of Maneki Neko too. Cecil: There's the one who only raised his right paw, and there's also the one who only raised his left paw just like this little guy over here. And each of them have different meanings. Cecil: If they raised their right paw it means to get more money. Now then the question, what is the meaning if they only raised their left paw? (choices) <To get more people!> Haruka: The answer is…to get more people! Cecil: Yes! As expected of you, Haruka. Look, the Maneki Neko also looks happy with your answer. Haruka: Fufu. So this little one is bringing us over here huh. Thank you little kitty. <To get more love?> Haruka: Is it…to get more love? Cecil: What a wonderful answer. I decided, let's change the answer to love from now on. Haruka: Y-You can't just suddenly decide to change that on your own. But, if Cecil-san likes the answer then…I'm happy to hear that. (back to story) Cecil: Haruka…You're so adorable. I really want to hug you right now. …May I touch you? Haruka: N-No, you can't! There's people around here… Um, you know what, let's go there! Cecil: You're quite shy aren't you. Wait for me, I'm coming with you…! -Cafe- Cecil: Phew… I came to know a lot of cute and interesting things today. It was all thanks to you. Haruka: It's not just all me, but I also have a lot of fun too today. Did you find it helpful even if it's just a little? Cecil: It's not just a little, but a lot. I came to like japanese language even more today. Cecil: Every time I learn a new word, and my memories keep increasing. It also add a new page on my vocabulary book. Cecil: But the new words that you teach me for today, not only does it written on my vocabulary book, it also add new page on my memories along with my heart.

Ch 3: (unlocked if you reached intimacy lvl 21 with Cecil)

-Cafe- Haruka: Written in your heart…that was such a beautiful phrase. It really conveys Cecil-san's kindness. Cecil: To think that's how it looks like in your eyes. Meist*, Haruka. Haruka: Meist is…from Agnapolis's language and it means thank you right. Cecil: Yes! Hearing your words really warmed my heart, so I'd like to give my thanks. Cecil: Also, to think that you remember about "meist" too made me happy. Haruka: Oh no, there's still so much that I don't know… That's right, if you don't mind, could you tell me more about Agnapolis? Cecil: Why of course! I also brought an Agnapolis book here with me too. Let's read them together. Haruka: There are a lot of words lined up here. And a beautiful picture as well… Cecil: This one happens on the morning sunrise. As soon as the sun's rising, it fully painted the desert into an orange color. Cecil: It was such a breathtakingly beautiful sight. There are still a lot of beautiful places in Agnapolis too. For example… - Haruka: Fufu. Hearing Ceil-san's words just made me want to go there even more. Cecil: Hearing that you're interested with my hometown made me happy, I ended up told you many things. Cecil: Seeing you smiling while hearing my talk is also an adorable sight. Would you be willing to go out again together with me, just like this? Haruka: It'd be my pleasure. Cecil: It's a promise, Haruka. I'll be looking forward to the day where we can have a conversation again!

*: Idk how to exactly translate that so I just went along with meist. It was originally written as メイスト or meisuto as romaji.

You can check on twitter with #愛島セシルのアグナパレス語講座 for more Agnapolis language from Cecil tweets. There you can find some tweets, either from Cecil himself, or from someone in jp who compiled all words that Cecil taught to his followers before.

Ch 4: (unlocked if you reached intimacy lvl 31 with Cecil)

-Waterfront Park- Haruka: (Phew. I was able to finish my job successfully for today. The sea breeze feels so nice…) Cecil: …Gūne mīrisu*! Hello, Haruka. Haruka: Cecil-san! Hello there. Did you…have TV filming for today? Cecil: Yes! I'll be appearing in a program called Agnapolis Language Class. Cecil: I'll be cooking food from my hometown under this clear blue sky. I'm really looking forward to it. Except for the location that is… Haruka: Cecil-san? Cecil: Ha! Hey Haruka, do you have any plans after this? Haruka: No, I was planning to go home after this. What's wrong? Cecil: I have a favor to ask. Will you please stay here and watch over me? I really need your help for today's filming. Cecil: I'm not that good with water, but this is work after all. Even if the location is at the seaside, I just have to put up with it. Cecil: Having you nearby will surely bring me comfort. And I'll be able to fully concentrate on the filming too. Haruka: Cecil-san… I understand! It'd be my pleasure to watch you on set! Cecil: Really…? Thank you so much, Haruka! Cecil: Now I have nothing to be afraid of anymore. With this, I'll be able to share the flavors of my homeland as much as I want to. Cecil: Please take a look closely as I do my best!

*: Again Idk how to translate this one so i just went with how its pronounced in romaji. It was written グーネ　ミーリス on jp and it means こんにちは/hello based on Cecil's tweets.

Ch 5: (unlocked if you reached intimacy lvl 41 with Cecil)

-Waterfront Park- Cecil: Gūne mīrisu! My name's Aijima Cecil. This time we are here at this beautiful park. The wind here feels so nice! Haruka: (A smile that shows no sign of anxiety… As expected of Cecil-san!) Cecil: Today we will study Agnapolis Language while making "kitimeh*". Cecil: Kitimeh is one of the dishes from Agnapolis, it's quite similar to a Japanese crepe. Cecil: And this time we'll also be making "mehme*", which is a grilled lamb skewers. Let's start cooking right away! Cecil: I used to make mehme and kitimeh myself, and all members of ST☆RISH enjoyed eating them too! Cecil: I also came up with some ideas for arranging kitimeh, and to me it was such a pleasant discovery! Haruka: (Fufu, Cecil-san always look really happy when he's talking about ST☆RISH.) Cecil: Now the kitimeh's dough has formed into a beautiful circle. I'm going to flip it over in one go… Here I go! Haruka: (Amazing… The dough rolled and flipped back perfectly) Cecil: Fufu, it's just like a magic, isn't it? I'm sure that you can do it as long as you practice. Chiāte*! - Cecil: Mehme has been grilled perfectly into a golden brown. For kitimeh, time to wrap it up with minced meat and vegetables… Cecil: Yep, they turned out great. It'd also look cute if you wrap it up like a natto roll. Cecil: You can use that thing made of bamboo to roll it up… What's the name of it again…Hmm? Haruka: (Don't tell me…he forgot the name of "makisu*"…?)

*Idk how to spell it again, but thankfully I found that both of these dishes got mentioned on SL event story (it's cecil version of shining star live) and since the en version spelled it this way--I just copied it as it is www -(jp: キティーメ, romaji: kitiime) -(jp: メェム, romaji:meemu)

*Idk how to spell it again so i'm just using the romaji one as it is… ;;w;; Based on his tweet, チアーテ in agna means 頑張って/Good luck/Do your best

*Makisu (巻きす）or usually refered as a sushi mat, is a cooking utensil from Japan to prepare rolled sushi or any other Japanese foods. It's usually made by bamboo.

Ch 6: (unlocked if you reached intimacy lvl 51 with Cecil)

-Waterfront Park- Cecil: Its name is…maki, maki…makimono! …or maybe not. Haruka: (I knew it, it looks like he totally forgotten about "makisu". That's right, if I can tell him with that…!) (choices) <(Let's lip-sync "makisu"…to him!)> Haruka: (Let's lip-sync it to him. Cecil-san, it's ma-ki-su!) Cecil: …That's right, it was "makisu"! I had a hard time trying to remember it, and it made me nervous. Cecil: But I can hear your voice in front of the TV trying to tell me the answer, and it certainly reached my heart. Meist. <(Let's write "makisu"…in the cue card)> Haruka: (Let's write it in the cue card so that he can see it. "Makisu"… Cecil-san, please see this) Cecil: …That's right, it was "makisu". Fufu, I feel a bit embarrassed. Cecil: I completely forgot about it by accident, but the Muse that dwells in my heart guided me to the correct answer. (back to story) Cecil: It all ended successfully… I don't know what would have happened if I had been there all alone. Cecil: I'm also not even slightly bothered seeing any sign of the sea. Your power is indeed amazing! Haruka: Oh no, I didn't do much. By the way, I had a lot of fun learning many words of Agnapolis's language again. Haruka: Mehme and kitimeh looked really delicious. Oh, and there's also something that I remember, "Chiāte" means good luck, isn't it? Cecil: Yes! Chiāte is a wonderful word, which means to give encouragement to people who take on challenges. Cecil: If you say this to people before live or work, they'll get a burst of energy from deep within their heart and it'll cheer them up. Haruka: Then…Cecil-san. Good luck on all of your work from now on. Chiāte! Cecil: Haruka… You're just like a magician. Now, I'm sure that I can overcome any difficulties that might arise after hearing that. Cecil: Thank you so much, My princess. I'll definitely repay you for your help today. Cecil: I also wish you all the best in your work until we can go out again together. Chiāte!

[navstuffs]

Hey! First and foremost, congrats to Brazil for stopping Bolsonaro on the elections! (not completely but still, this is a great feat)

The second thing: lately I've been thinking how poor Carlos must feel knowing that he probably can never go back in Brazil 🥺. So I thought: reader notices this and decides to make something special for him. When he comes back for a long and stressful week of work he finds reader waiting for him with the dining table full of traditional Brazilian dishes like Feijoada or Pão de Queijo. All the while there's soft Bossa Nova music. When he asks reader why they did this they say that they've noticed that he's been feeling homesick so they thought of making all of this to make him feel a little closer to home. "I know how much you miss your country, but know that I love you. So whenever you'll feel down I'll be there to hold you, to make you feel safe. *chuckles* and you know what they say 'home is where the heart is' right?". After dinner high quality cuddles ensures.

No need to rush, take your time and thanks in advance! Have a good day!

Arroz e Feijão (Rice and Beans)

Pairing: Carlos Oliveira x GN!Reader

Summary: Carlos is homesick and you help to comfort him.

Warnings tags: hurt/comfort, carlos is always brazilian in my fics, translation from pt-br to eng at the bottom

Author's Notes: first of all, thank you! bolsonaro isn't in prison YET BUT is something, so consider this fic an ode to that. SECOND, this fic is SO personal to me. in my pov, the sentence "home is where your heart is" IS very hard to begin to understand, so writing this was certainly a challenge but one i welcome with open arms. thank you so much for requesting with me, i hope from the bottom of my heart you like it as much as i enjoyed writing this!

my carlos's masterlist

Carlos finally parks his car in the driveway of your shared house, rubbing his face. It had been a long and stressful work week, and staying away from you didn't make it any better. To make matters even worse, he had felt homesick for quite a while. You see, feeling homesick never entirely leaves someone. It is a pain Carlos learned how to manage and live with it. He never shared anything in deep detail, only vague responses if you asked. Not because he didn't trust you, no, Carlos just didn't want to worry you.

When Carlos exits the car, his eyes follow the lights in the kitchen, and he smiles. You are home. He couldn't wait to shower, lay down with you, and forget that the rest of the world ever existed. Listen to you tell him about your day, and update him with gossip.

When he enters the house, the first thing he notices is the food scent. It smells so familiar Carlos forgets to take off his backpack, walking straight to the dining room. A few pots are closed, but he can see the fresh white rice cooked and the black beans still boiling through the glass lid. He wants to open another one when you walk from the kitchen with another enclosed bowl. You smile happily when you see him, placing the bowl carefully on the table before running to hug him.

"You are back!" You exclaim, excited, not wanting to let go of him.

"What is all of this?" Carlos asks, his voice low.

"Rice and beans? Oh, I have farofa ready and some salgadinhos, as well. I ordered the last ones, I won't lie, but the rest I did myself. And mhm, also!" You jump up and down as you open the bowl you just brought from the kitchen, displaying twenty brigadeiros. "I made those from scratch and finally gave them the small ball form, so we won't have to eat from the pot like all the other times. I am so excited for you to try because I don't know if they turned out well and…Carlos, are you okay?"

You stop talking, Carlos's expression worrying you. He looks speechless, his eyes going from the food to you. It is like you have read his thoughts.

"Why?" His voice comes out barely a whisper, and you realize, a chill going down your body, that Carlos is holding back tears.

"I know you miss Brazil, and you don't tell me," You reply, making him stare at you. "I see in your eyes. So I decided to pull up this little dinner. I know it is not a lot, but—"

Carlos doesn't let you finish, pulling you into a tight hug. He can't even express his gratitude for having you in his life. For you love. For your patience with him. You gently rub his head, listening to some silent sobs coming from your man. You pull away slowly, wiping some of his tears as you tell him.

"I want you to know that if you ever fall, I will be here. Don't bottle up those feelings, okay? I am here for you. Eu te amo muito."

"Eu amo você também. Você é a minha vida."

After dinner, where you think you saw Carlos shed one or two tears when he ate your rice and beans. Carlos pretty much praised you the whole night: how everything was so good because it tasted with love. By the end of the night, you sit by the sofa, waiting for Carlos. You smile, tapping your lap when he reappears clean and wearing pajamas. He lays his head on your chest, a purring sound coming from his chest.

"Eu te amo tanto. Você sabe, não sabe?"

"I know. I love you too. Now sleep, rest, meu amor."

It doesn't take long for Carlos to fall asleep on your chest. You smile, kissing the top of his forehead. It is good to have him back home.

Eu te amo muito = I love you so much

"Eu amo você também. Você é a minha vida." = I love you too. You are my life.

Eu te amo tanto. Você sabe, não sabe? = I love you so much. You know that, don't you?

Meu amor = my love

[coffeeforbirds]

So I smoked a little tonight and started talking with a friend about lost skills like sewing or knitting and the barriers that people face when they try to start those hobbies.

And my friend was like Tj, you literally sew. YOU know where to start. You want other people to learn then you have to teach them. Something something the corruption of the youth of Athens.

Anyway here’s my piss poor tutorial on how to sew pattern weights. Something you should absolutely have when you start sewing but no one ever tells you.

Materials: Fabric, ribbon, cutting tools of some kind, iron, something to stuff the weight with (I used rice), seem ripper, sewing machine and thread.

I’m using a 1/4 inch seem allowance. But you can make the same pattern with 1/2 seem allowance.

Step one: fabric.

I’m just using scrap cotton fabric that I have leftover from a bag I made.

Step 2: Cut (and presumably iron)

I forgot to take a picture of this step, but for a large pattern weight I cut a 4” by 8” piece of fabric. You can make a small one with a 3” by 6” piece. You’ll also need a piece of ribbon, roughly 3” for the large weight and 2” for the small one. Now you iron your fabric. Always iron. Always. The sewing gods will be angry if you don’t.

Pro tip: cut ribbon at an angel so it doesn’t fray.

Step 3: Fold ribbon in half and place about 1/2 inch from the corner. (If you’re using 1/2 inch seem allowance place the ribbon 1” from the corner.)

Make sure the folded part of the ribbon is on the RIGHT side of the fabric.

Now fold fabric so it’s right sides together

Clip or pin your ribbon into place so it doesn’t move as you sew and take it to your machine.

Sew around 2 sides, leaving the bottom open

I cut away a bit of the excess on mine, but you don’t have to.

Step 4: fold

Match up the seem to the center fold

Leave an opening to turn your weight inside out.

Step 5: turn

Turn your weight inside out through the opening you left in the bottom. I use a chopstick to help turn it, but you could use a pencil or even just your hands.

Step 6: Fill

Now you just fill the weight with whatever you might have. I had rice from a heat pack I made so I used that. Lentils, dry beans, whatever you have on hand that will give the weight some actual weight.

Step 7: Close

I simply hand stitched my weight closed.

Step 8: Pattern weight!

Now you have your pattern weight and can trace things without having to awkwardly hold them at the same time.

Jar for scale. Thanks for coming to my TED talk

[sadsnek]

sonic and cooking head canons

sonic. no way he knows a lot of modern home cooking if any home cooking when he knows he can just buy it or have dinner with tails / amy, BUT he should know basic foraging and gathering by now and has plenty experience cooking on a camp fire.

tails. is better at meal prep then cooking or at least he thinks he is why spend so much time making 2 to 3 meals a day every day when he can just make 3 meals and increase the ingredients by 700% and save the rest for the other days of the week but he will cook somthing fresh when he has guest over, if you can consider boiled hot dogs fresh that is.

amy. she is a great home cook and will cook with cream vanilla and big from time to time, the problem is when she wants to get fancy and trys to make a new recipe and has full confidence when she is in reality way over her head, and it dosent matter what she is making she will say "and now the secret ingredient" its love the secret ingredient is love and its not much of a secret if its the secret ingredient in every thing she cooks.

knuckles. similar to sonic but has the benefit of being on the same island all the time, he doesnt have a oven or any electric equipment but he does have some primitive stuff like a mortar and pestle, plus knuckles should have a garden some where on the island yeah its over grown and poorly kept but its still a place where he can get some snacks.

cream and vanilla. these two are the best cooks in town even better than amy any thats ok because they are happy to invite people over for dinner and if you cook with them you will probably learn some thing new, also the serving sizes are pretty big as vanilla is most defiantly the tallest person in town.

eggman. in thought he is a master chief but in action he has not cooked in years think about it the food he eats is more than good enough to keep up his large shape despite all the mechanics work he does and he had to program or train his robots to cook at some point, so he know how to work a kitchen but he is so busy and he has robots that can do it for him so he probably never cooks more than once a month or even less.

shadow. he is a picky eater with a nostalgic taste in food so he knows how to cook food but nothing passed the 60s, and despite not making any thing trendy or popular he at least knows he will make some thing he will eat.

rouge. its fair to say she likes to eats high class how she gets the money for these lavish meals is well not all ways moral, but she is willing to eat some thing simple when at social gatherings most defiantly if she does not have to pay for it.

omega. I dont know if it is said or not if they have a animal powering them but if they do that bird is getting ripped(its probably a flicky) we are talking protein powder steroids fresh salad, it does not matter if its weird and maybe traumatic to feed them chicken and rice but thats what professional marshal artist eat so thats what omegas power source eats too!

charmy. he makes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the mourning for school days/work days and is proud of them.

espio. he is well known at the asian market and knows how to cook but does not get to learn any thing expensive or fancy ether for price and schedule issues.

vector. boy he has been trough the rough of it he knows how to feed 3 people on 400$ a month, and thats by hanging out at vanillas house.

team hooligan. bark and fang probably know some recipes but bean is a chemical fanatic one minute there making muffins and the next minute there pulling out a whole tray of crystal meth.

silver. i dont think he has a steady supply of food is most apocalyptic futures so he just likes to eat a pound of dry cement for breakfast.

surge and kit. they use to get fresh meals when starline was around, but now they got use to the effort of MREs if it takes more effort than poring water in a thermal bag then its worth the effort to just mug some one for some diner cash.

[goron-king-darunia]

Eggtober 21st, 2023

"Strange Flower" or "Controversy" Overcooked Hard-boiled Egg with Mayonnaise

(Clip Studio Paint, Gouache Brush, Airbrush for Paprika and Pepper. 12 colors, about 30 minutes.) Woke up with this idea. Mayo is a controversial condiment and I 100% understand. I hate custard filling in things like donuts. It's goopy, a little salty, and it has that texture to it that screams to your brain that "this is uncooked and probably bad to eat." And I think mayo is like that for lots of people, but worse. Because it's salty and a little sour and that same "uncooked" texture all sends the same signal but more like "this is rotten and falling apart. It's not good to eat." But I like mayo. Maybe I just got introduced to it in a more postitive way than custard or creme pat. Maybe because most creme pat comes to me in a donut at room temp and mayo usually comes from a refrigerated jar. Maybe it's because both are a little salty and eggy and so mayo reads as "a good sensible condiment for burgers and sandwiches and slaw salads" while creme pat reads as an "aberration that could only be put in a donut by accident." But then I think humans just kind of don't like seeing fatty substances all in one big glob. Same way lard is a common cooking ingredient in many non-USA countries but people in the "northern" non-farming USA see lard and only think "byproduct" like bacon grease and feel a visceral disgust the way I feel about burger grease. I think a lot of things are like that in life. Some of it's genetic, like the way cilantro tastes like soap to some and like a tasty floral herb to others. Some of it is experience, like a taste aversion to plums after a bad summer. And some of it is social. How we're taught to be disgusted by "byproducts" because that's not the thing we're intending to make, or it only happens when the thing you're making turns out "wrong." Some of it is political. I'm sure you all have ideas. And I think, on the one hand, disgust is useful. We get sick if we eat expired foods. We can die if we eat the wrong berry or mushroom. Being wary of the new is safe. An on the other hand, unbridled disgust is the enemy of curiosity and growth and discovery. When we turn away from things that make us uncomfortable, we lose a chance to learn.

So on the one hand I think this piece is about my experiences becoming a more adventurous eater in my adulthood. I still don't like creme patissiere. But I'm not going to waste a donut because of it anymore. I don't like red bean paste. But at least I know what it tastes like now, and it's not just a blind discomfort around something new. I'll never get over how the texture of glutinous rice cakes remind me of chewing gum, a thing I've been taught to spit out. But I can understand why people like mochi.

And I think on another hand (many hands today) this piece is also about how @quezify plays with disgust and horror and beauty. And how that curiosity disgusts some people and enamors others. How it ties you in knots. How wound dressing and debridement are all at once an act of love and an act of mutilation. How there's beauty there in something so instinctively disgusting.

Dunno exactly. That's what the art's there for, I guess. To express what I can't quite put in words. I hope it's disgusting, and I hope it's beautiful.

I wonder if @lady-quen's breadbugs will have fun with this one?

Speed paint~

I don't know if my style can really render any gravitas to it, with how soft everything is, but I hope it speaks to someone.

[transactinides]

i'm super bad at cooking and never know where to start because every recipe out there asks for ingredients i simply don't have at home so do you perhaps know what basic ones would be good to stock up on? like eggs and stuff...especially when it comes to spices i have no idea what is okay to use

Haii o/ very honored that you sent me an ask, and ofc I’ll do my best to help! This reply got a bit out of hand so. Long text under the cut. Behold. Feel free to reach out in asks or dms or whatever with any future questions (@ everyone tbh).

Food is, of course, very subjective, so my idea of a perfect list of foods to keep a stock of will not be universal, but I hope this will, at least, give you some ideas if anything. 

First of all, I usually mentally break down my typical weekday recipe into vaguely carbs source - protein source - veggies, buy a couple of options for each category and just switch them around for variety. My standard set is

rice / pasta (usually spaghetti re:shapes) / glass noodles

eggs / chicken / tofu / bacon

random pack of frozen vegetables, bell peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, cucumbers, leafy greens. garlic and onions too

I have an option of making egg fried rice with chopped up bacon and added frozen vegetables one day, then blending the leftover vegetables with bell peppers and tomatoes to use as pasta sauce with chicken and spaghetti the next day, then branching out and making eggplant tofu stir fry with glass noodles, then using whatever eggplant tofu stir fry i had left as rice balls filling and making myself a quick vegetable salad on the side… And all those things are easy to make and don’t need much fussing around. 

Other options to consider would be potatoes (you can roast them with whatever, boil, fry, etc), buckwheat (my wife doesn’t like it otherwise I’d use it more often), kidney beans and chickpeas for your carbs*; fish and meat for your proteins (those are. a bit too expensive for me usually); carrots, cabbage, leeks etc. 

The list looks long, but, again, you just need to pick out a couple of things from each group and throw shit in a pan so to speak. And a lot of them are easily soup-able (boiling water chicken potatoes carrots rice? boom soup. etc), which is another easy base recipe to exploit.

Now to the matter of spices. Salt and pepper are obvious enough, but a good thing to look for are, especially if you are just getting into cooking, spice blends. Something something French Herbs™ something something Taco Seasoning™ something something Seven Spice™ something something Garam Masala™. There’s a lot of different ones, but they are, essentially, a formed flavor profile in themselves, so you don’t need to worry about mixing spices and herbs that might not go well together, and by paying attention to contents you can learn for yourself what individual seasonings are commonly used together.

Also, everyone, hold your judgement real quick and trust me with this, but ooh I always save leftover flavor packets from instant ramen and reuse them in other dishes. Egg fried rice just doesn’t taste right without suspicious red powder courtesy of shin ramen… It’s probably MSG my beloved or something…

While I’m at it, bouillon cubes are handy to have, you can use them for soups, crumble them up in other recipes. Adding one to the water you’re cooking rice in is a great hack at making it more flavourful.

In general, while I do actually have way too much spices (and keep buying more… very excited about my newly acquired dried tarragon…), the ones I’d advise to have for an average person would be:

Salt (ideally both coarse grain and fine grain, but fine grain only serves you just right)

black pepper (both in a mill/grinder and peppercorns), red pepper flakes

paprika, garlic powder, ginger powder

bay leaves, dried oregano, basil, thyme, dill, cinnamon, coriander, cardamon, cumin, turmeric, sumak....

I really got a bit carried away by the end, but. You don't actually need to buy all of them and at the same time, just start with whatever couple of things you'd need for whatever you are cooking and let your collection build up over time, since spices aren't something you need to buy often anyway 👍

Other things I think it’s nice to have in stock in your kitchen would be flour and baking powder, vinegar (distilled vinegar, rice vinegar… I like to have balsamic vinegar too but it’s so expensive it’s ridiculous ngl), soy sauce, cooking oil of your choice (I use sunflower oil, olive oil and sesame oil), panko or breadcrumbs, starch (i have potato starch, cornstarch and tapioka starch, I would suggest just getting cornstarch at first).

* going to clarify here that while beans are often brought up as a source of protein, most are rich in complex carbs, excluding edamame and green beans for example. And since I mostly often cook beans with meat, they check out my daily carbs in my head.

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

Do you have any advice for autism & meal prepping?

Hi there,

I found some sources that I hope will be helpful. This talks about meal prep in general:

Here is a Reddit thread discussing meal planning and preparation

Link to Thread

Here is an excerpt from an article going into more detail about food preparation, it’s a bit long, so I apologize:

There are a lot of cooking resources on the Internet. These three are particularly clear with a lot of steps and photographs, and no confusing phrases like "until it looks good to you."

Step-by-Step Cook offers in-depth, detailed, start-to-finish instructions on a wide variety of recipes. This site assumes that the users have no prior cooking experience, and includes photos of what each step should look like.

Cooking for Engineers breaks recipes down very concretely with tables showing which steps are done in order and which are done at the same time. It also has information on cooking gadgets.

Cooking With Autism has some step-by-step sample recipes, and offers a book for purchase.

If following recipes or cooking a lot of different things just isn't going to happen for you, here are some ideas:

Learn how to cook one kind of thing and then do variations on it. For example, learn how to use a rice cooker to make rice and steamed vegetables. Then you can just change the kind of vegetables you steam in it.

Find healthy frozen dinners or other prepared foods that can be heated in a microwave.

Learn what kinds of raw foods or pre-cooked foods will give you a healthy diet and then just make plates of them. For example, raw vegetables, canned beans, canned fish, fruits, bread, nuts, and cheese are all things that can be eaten without needing to touch a stove or put ingredients together.

Make one day a week be "cooking day" and make all of your meals for the week on that day. Reheat them in the microwave or oven, or eat them cold the other six days.

Trade with someone for cooking. If there's something you're good at but someone else finds hard, maybe you can trade with them. For example if you like programming computers, maybe you could build a web site for someone and keep it updated, and in return they could cook for you a few days a week.

Keep some "emergency food" stocked so you don't go hungry on days when preparing food isn't manageable. For example, nuts and dried fruits are nutritious, high in calories, and can last a long time.

The link to this article will be below if you want to read more:

I hope these sources help. Thank you for the inbox. I hope you have a wonderful day/night. ♥️

[youdoyoucooking]

Adaptable Quiche

There is no such thing as the “Quiche Police”

Quiche was one of the first things I learned to make when I was 12 years old. My mother had just returned to the workforce and I was learning to cook to help her out. She said a quiche was easy, mostly assembling things rather than actual “cooking”. Over the years this is what I have learned.

The basics of a quiche are pretty simple. As long as your egg-to-dairy-to-filling proportions are consistent, you can do anything you want. Our family’s “norm” was Spinach and Cheese Quiche but I soon realized that you could turn anything you found into quiche filling by peeking into your fridge and cleaning it out.  There is no such thing as the “Quiche Police”. For a 9-inch pie crust, you just mix 5 or 6 eggs and ¾ cup of some kind of dairy liquid or dairy substitute for a base. Then you can go wild with 2 to 2 ½ cups of solid ingredients for flavor and texture. About 1 cup of this is usually cheese but relax, that’s not written in stone. Now all that’s left is the seasoning. You can increase or decrease according to your taste. It can be as simple as salt and pepper. Want to switch onion salt for regular salt? Perfectly acceptable. A couple of dashes of Tabasco? Sure. Now you get it. Go with what flavors you love.

So let’s begin. First, we need some ingredients. You look in the fridge and find some leftover ham from last night's dinner, a bag of shredded cheese you had planned to use for taco night but went out for pizza instead, and some scallions left over from the salad you made for lunch. Now, make a quiche.

Quiche

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

The Base:

1 refrigerated 9-inch pie crust (or homemade if doing that brings you joy)

6 large eggs

¾ cup any kind of milk (or dairy substitute)

The Flavor and Texture: 

1 cup cooked ham chopped 

1 cup shredded cheese (any kind you like best)

¼  cup of sliced green onions (or finely diced onions, any kind)

The Seasoning:

½  teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Let's start with the crust.  We always had a store-bought pie crust in our freezer, ready to go. I still keep them in my freezer, there is no shame in that. Store-bought pie crust has vastly improved over the years and you save more in stress and clean-up than you gain in saying it’s a homemade crust. If you are using the dough that comes in sheets and unfolds, unfold it and press it into a 9" pie plate, crimping the top edges if desired. This can be done by simply pushing the tines of a fork around the edge or the internet will offer many other ways if you want to get more fancy. If you have the kind that comes already crimped in its pie dish, you are set and ready to go.  

The one cheffy thing I do is blind-bake the crust. It will make a world of difference and is a good skill to have in your back pocket for dessert pies.

While the oven is preheating, cut a square of parchment paper or aluminum foil 2 inches wider than the pie pan you are using and place it on top of your crust. If you are using parchment paper, it can help to crinkle it up into a tight ball, and then open it up again. This will help it fit better into the pan. Gently pour pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice on top of the parchment paper or foil to fill the pan. This will hold down the crust and prevent the dough from puffing up during baking. I like to use dried beans, they are cheap, easy to pour, and spill less than rice. I keep them in a ziplock bag and use them all year. Bake the pie crust, with the weights for 10 minutes then lift out the parchment or foil along with the weights, and put the crust back in the oven for another 10 minutes. This whole process will give the crust a jump on the baking and keep the egg mixture from giving it the dreaded soggy bottom.

In a large bowl, whisk together your eggs, dairy liquid, and salt and pepper. A traditional or immersion blender will also get this done efficiently and leaves no trace of the unbeaten egg.

Evenly sprinkle the chopped ham, cheese, and green onions into the blind-baked pie crust. Pour the egg mixture over the top. You may find it easier to put your pan in the oven, on a cookie sheet, it will be pretty full.. Makes the transfer to the oven a lot easier.

With the pan on a cookie sheet, bake for 45-50 minutes until the center is completely set. A toothpick inserted into the center of the quiche should come out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. A quiche can be made the day before you need it and will keep for 2 to 3 days in your refrigerator. It’s delicious served cold. 

Now here is the fun part. 

Be brave, go crazy. 

Remember, for a 9-inch pie crust, you want 5 to 6 eggs and ¾ cup of some kind of milk or dairy substitute for the base and 2 to 2 ½ cups of flavor and filling. About 1 cup of this should (or could) be cheese. If you are leaning towards the full 2 ½ cups of filling, go with 5 eggs so you don’t run over the sides.

Here are some other filling variations to try

A 10-ounce bag of chopped frozen (but defrosted) spinach, squeezed dry of all the water, this leaves 1 cup of spinach. 1 cup of shredded cheese. Total solid filling: 2 cups 

6-ounce can (¾ cup) of drained crab meat, ¼ cup of thinly sliced scallions, and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Total solid filling: 2 cups

1 cup of sliced sauteed mushrooms. Saute in butter or olive oil. Be wild and add some crushed garlic, plus 1 cup of shredded cheese. Cook the mushrooms on high enough heat to dry them out and there’s no excess liquid. Total solid filling: 2 cups

4 ounces (½ cup) of Goat Cheese, a bunch of chopped chives, and 2 medium onions caramelized. Two onions slow-cooked in butter until golden brown, when properly caramelized will equal about ½ cup. Finally 1 cup of shredded cheese. Total solid filling: 2 ½ cups 

2 medium sliced zucchini chopped and sauteed in butter or olive oil until some of the moisture is cooked away. 2 sliced zucchini will cook down to about 1 cup when sauteed.1 cup of shredded cheese.Total solid filling: 2 cups

1 cup of frozen chopped broccoli (defrosted and at room temperature) plus 1 cup of shredded cheese. Total solid filling: 2 cups

8 ounces of sliced and cooked breakfast sausage, with cubes of boiled potato plus 1 cup of shredded cheese.

Sliced Poblano Chili, a few sliced jalapenos (as many as the mood strikes you), frozen corn (defrosted and at room temperature) any combination can be used, as long as you stick to the ration.

Random Add-ins to be used at your heart's content as long as you stick to the ratio

½ cup chopped Artichoke Hearts

¼ cup Slice Green Olives

¼ cup Sliced Black Olives

2 tablespoons of Chopped Chives

2 to 3 tablespoons of Pesto

¼ cup Salsa (red or green)

Sprinkle of Old Bay Seasoning

Lemon Pepper (instead of salt and pepper)

When surveyed, people on the interweb like this in their quiche.

Purple Onion, Spinach, Goat Cheese

Basil, Smoked Gouda, New Potatoes 

Caramelized Onions, Ham, Asparagus

Roasted Red Peppers, Mushrooms, Spinach

Artichoke Hearts, Feta, Greek Olives

[submalevolentgrace]

20. What's in your freezer right now? (No peeking, I'll know)

43. Favorite book you've read recently? (Or not recently)

45. What's something you wish you had more time (or energy) for?

my freezer is usually full of little tubs of saucy meals ready to be defrosted and added to rice or pasta, currently i thiiink there's a bunch of tomato pasta sauce, some spicy beans, and something we call "lamb thing", because it's like, a lamb thing. i am also just remembering there's half a box of frozen dumplings that've been there too long.... boring i know, but in my defense, i have at various time had way crazier stuff in my freezer.

i have struggled to read books for a few years now, so idk about recently, but when i think about books that have shifted my thinking in some way, wierdly what comes to mind is this, it's sort of a textbook? a technical guide? a discussion on building techniques for lego technic, specifically vehicles of various kind and the mechanisms that make them work, related to all their real-world counterparts, all in pretty good detail for a hobbyist text. that book taught me the actual point of a car's clutch, how a transmission works, interesting things to do with differentials, and why steering geometry matters.... all things i don't think i could have learned any other way, because the (unconscious) pedagogy of both petrolheads/mechanics and technical engineers has never really grokked in my brain; but that foundational knowledg has helped me understand many things since. that's why this particular book changed me, not necessarily because of its contents, but because it taught me that sometimes the only way to learn something is a way that teachers (of various forms) don't really teach. unfortunately it's in storage so i don't remember the name or author, but i figure there aren't too many lego technic vehicle builder textbooks out there!

i wish i had more energy for literally anything. i have more time than i can use, but never the spoons to use it. ever since i was young, i've been bracing myself for the decline of age; the cognitive decline, the memory decline, the physical decline... i absolutely was not prepared to have so little mental energy that i need to take regular breaks from basically effortless recreation activities because i'm too tired. i guess that's more trauma and chronic pain than age, but still. if i had to pick one thing i target my energy on though, i'd definitely be my synth music, shamefully unpracticed in many many months. OR HOT SEXY SEX AMIRITE

[death-in-a-handbasket]

Oc ask! I know nothing whatsoever about yours 😭 PLEASE proceed with an incoherent ramble <3

OKAY OKAY HELL YEAH 💪 you got it boss (also thank you for the ask !!!! I really appreciate it like you wouldn’t believe)

so to break things down a little into stuff that makes more sense, I have about five main stories and a bunch of side stories. All my ocs exist in the same universe they just don’t all come in contact with each other

Here’s the main synopsis for each of the main five:

For Given - an angel falls from heaven and has to cope with living as a human. He must learn how to navigate a new body, social situations, and making bonds. However there is something interesting and suspicious to discover in the lives of those around him and only through learning about them will he figure out why he fell from heaven. (Set in Pennsylvania)

Saint - three human college students get lost in a Bermuda Triangle esque desert and must collaborate with the locals to escape even when things go horribly awry (set in Nevada)

Midnight Rice - an exploration of the lives of 12 college students and how they end up as a friend group despite all being vastly different, much amounts of drama and personal issues surface on the down low (Set in Pennsylvania)

Figments - a group of strange roommates individually encounter members of another equally odd friend group and slowly discover that they all know each other through strange means. Tender domestic moments are in full force as well as odd kinky shit and unconventional expressions of love. (set in a place reminiscent of Georgia)

Green Beans and Barley - slice of life small town shenanigans featuring a young boy and the lemon tree nymph he befriended, she gets to experience this deranged small town drama through his eyes (Set in upstate New York)

I’ve been brewing these stories solidly for like five years now and my oldest oc I’ve had for like 8 years

here’s a sketch of her from a little bit ago

she does track and field and is a pyromaniac with a weapon fascination (she is a good shot with guns so beware LMAO) she has few friends as most are offput by her and she frankly doesn’t like them either (there is a ton of small town gossip surrounding her family)

here’s an oc meme I did for your viewing pleasure 🤲 btw easter egg for those with keen eyes, if you stare long enough at the oc chart, I have a self insert in with my ocs because I’m not above joining in on the shenanigans LMAO

I’ve worldbuilt these stories so extensively (even though half the info I have isn’t needed in canon) that I have 41+ pages of info on the mechanics of it all because I’m nothing if not thorough and I WILL talk about demon denominations shdbfjnfkf

At some point I want to make a copy public to people but we’ll see how to execute that properly since I’m not super tech savvy and I’m extremely private about my personal info

here’s a shitpost I made on spirits that I’ve included in my lore doc as consolation

I fear if I ramble for much longer I might just explain genuinely everything SJSJJSJ so thank you for the ask !! wishing you a good day :3

[batbobsession]

Positive-ish Things that Happened During the Curse

I feel that I’ve made a lot of posts about how terrible the curse was for the staff (I’m not mistaken in doing so, the curse was definitely bad for everyone) but that little voice in my head got me thinking: what if I made a happy post about it?  So without further ado, here are a few headcanons about the curse that will (hopefully) make you smile.

Chip teaches Froufrou some new tricks.  Garderobe and Cadenza had already taught him the basics, like “sit,” “stay,” “quiet,” and a few other general ones, but Chip decides that “roll over,” “play dead,” “hide and seek,” and a few other fun ones should be added.

In the first few days, Plumette and the other maids cleaned the entirety of the castle. Obsessively. And while this served as a healthy distraction, it was also a way to remind themselves that they weren’t forgotten. It was their own rebellion against the curse, and everyone thanked them for it. The only two places left avoided were the West Wing (for obvious reasons) and the East Wing, because Adam forbade anyone go near it after his mom died.

Cuisinier had control over most of the knives in the kitchen, and with some help from more mobile residents, he carved toys for Chip and Froufrou. 

Yes, telekinesis exists. Cogsworth confirmed that some objects are just objects, so I imagine Mrs. Potts can push her own cart, Lumiere can light every candle in the castle, Plumette and the other maids can control the sheets and pillows, Chip can use his saucer like a skateboard, Garderobe can make a dress with a thought, etc.

On the subject of dog toys, the Madame wasted no time sewing little trinkets filled with rice and beans from the kitchens. Though she couldn’t leave the East Wing, Mrs. Potts provided the necessary materials on her cart. It was through this love of crafting (and the precious dog, of course) that Garderobe and Cuisinier, the two stationary residents, became good friends.

They all became snow artists over time. Think about it: the whole castle is blanketed in an enchanted winter, which means an enormous amount of snow. As Lumiere put it, they were doing nearly nothing before Belle arrived. But I can imagine that the staff members--Chip, Chapeau, Lumiere, and Plumette especially--learned how to make the best snow-sculptures ever.

And for those who immediately call baloney on Lumiere being good at it because of his candles, he can and does put them out. And even so, you know you can form ice by melting away parts of it, right? Imagine him making abstract, curving shapes out of icicles, or beautiful, water-like patterns in ice blocks. 

Not to mention, any time Chip asks for a snowball fight, the team who has Chapeau with them always wins. And it’s unfair. But it’s fun.

There have been times when Chip has been buried in the snow. It’s all in good fun, but Chapeau insists on watching him every time. After all, porcelain/fine china can crack if exposed to enough cold.

There are some dogs out there that aren’t smart enough to recognize their own reflections, so I like to think Froufrou has no idea what’s going on. Like sure, his mamma and papà look different, but they smell the same, so what’s the big deal?

I think I’ve mentioned this in other posts, but during pre-curse times, Lumiere hosted little midnight parties with music and dancing. He keeps that up, obviously, and after the curse falls on the castle, those meetings descend into chaos (since the walls of the ballroom have playable instruments on them, and the maids can fly). Chapeau usually provides the music, and sometimes the maestro joins in (when he feels up to it--after all, he’s incomplete without his dear one). 

Cogsworth hates it, but has absolutely no say on the matter, because he’s outvoted by everyone else.

Lumiere could and did light candles from far away. Maybe it’s just the 1991 version knocking on my brain, but I love the idea of Lumiere just blowing out one of his flames and then having all of the candles in his vicinity flaring up instantly. You need a ballroom lit? Give him five seconds. Done.

Plumette and the other maids tested their wings. On a calm day, they just decided to see how high they could fly, and Plumette made it pretty high before the winds picked up. The quest to find her around the castle grounds was pretty funny...for everyone but Plumette. And Lumiere. Poor thing went cold with worry. 

Of course they found her, and of course she wasn’t hurt, but from a bird’s-eye perspective, seeing the staff scramble to “catch the maids” just makes me laugh so much.

Under Mrs. Potts’ strict instruction, Chapeau taught Garderobe and Cadenza Adam’s favorite lullaby, the one his mother sang to him when he was little. If the Beast slept inside the castle, whoever was closest, and whoever was awake, would play it for him. He’d rage and silence them if he was awake, so in that way, his mother visited him in his dreams. It was a sign of the servants relearning to care.

The first big reunion with the beast and the servants was a few weeks into the curse: 

For the first few weeks, the Beast was so filled with self-loathing he would avoid the staff on a daily basis, killing things in the forest and eating them, like a real animal. Once Mrs. Potts and Chapeau found out that this was what he got up to when he left, Cogsworth nearly had a stroke and put his foot down. The Beast was doing the exact opposite of what he was supposed to be doing; disappearing into some wild thing was absolutely unacceptable. 

They didn’t pull out every stop. To do so would mean pretending like nothing was wrong, and they weren’t about to start that. But they made him dinner--a childhood favorite--and locked the doors of the castle, forcing him to eat what they made. They hovered, out of striking distance, but present in case he needed them. 

He ate. He trudged up the stairs to the West Wing. Looked at the rose. And cried. His first good cry in years, one that eventually lulled him to sleep. 

He never missed dinner after that. 

tagging @lumiereswig and @lumiereandcogsworth​ because I feel they’ll enjoy this