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2023.04.26 - https://weibo.com/l/wblive/p/show/1022:2321324894853447418274
Stream for a small while~
bgm: Ice Paper - 夜泊秦淮 (Ye Po Qin Huai)
LYN: Hallo everybody. I am Modern Brothers Liu Yuning. Welcome. LYN: I was adjusting my equipment, because I’m away from my normal location so I brought my laptop with me. It’s not particularly stable. Let’s test it out first. Can you hear the music? Can you? We’ll test the software first. The music is okay? Then, what about the laugh track? Does it laugh? Okay? Alright. Tonight’s stream is nearly perfect. LYN: Long time no see. I don’t remember when the last time I streamed was. It was a rare early wrap today so I came to meet you.
C: Is your hair a new wig? LYN: It’s my own hair. I felt like... I started losing myself, since I am shooting the guzhuang drama day in and day out. I don’t really need to do my hair or style it at all, and I thought I shouldn’t just leave it like that. I took time one day to get my hair done. C: Take off your hat, let’s see it. LYN: No~ I won’t take it off! Why should I?? // I just got off work and came to stream- I didn’t wash my hair or anything so right now it just looks like how it does. If I take it off my hair is all flat. /lifts his hat/ See? It’s stuck to my head. So the hat is here to make it seem like I attempted to style it.
C: I’m going to Dandong to play! LYN: Welcome. Dandong welcomes you. But... I’m not there right now. So if you’re going just play on your own.
C: You look like a twenty-something year old youthful kid! LYN: Why does it sound so nice when you speak? Is it that only LYN’s fans have such sweet words? C: 18 years old. LYN: There’s no need for that. If you say “twenty-something” then that also includes... 29. I know I’m already over 30, but I can pretend. C: I’m just a passerby and I think you’re handsome! LYN: Thank you. I like people like you who have never seen the world. Once you’ve seen more of it, you won’t consider me handsome anymore. I hope that in terms of aesthetics you don’t see much of it. You can have it, but not too much. Then we can continue to happily play together.
C: Have you eaten? LYN: I had a shou zhua bing (crispy chinese pancake) today. Oh no, it was kao leng mian (grilled cold noodles).
C: I calculated that you would come to stream today. LYN: My stream is even worth calculating? It’s not worth it. Don’t they always say that wasting your fortune on trivial things will deplete your own luck? There’s no need to waste your own luck in calculating when I’ll stream.
C: Are you in the hotel? LYN: Yes, my crew has come to Xiangshan so I’m streaming from a hotel here. But since I’m out I could only bring my laptop to stream with. It’s not exceptionally functional, so it keeps lagging. Please don’t mind and I apologize if it affects your viewing experience. Just make do, alright? LYN: I know the video lags a bit, but the sound is always there and that’s good enough. You just need to listen to my voice. C: How’s the soundproofing in the hotel? LYN: It should be pretty good? I think it’s good. It’s a new hotel and fairy well-built... The windows and doors are all closed. I’m in the inner room, and the door is closed- it’s two layers. My neighbors are my assistant and my staff, so I won’t be disturbing my neighbors. C: The background is so fake. LYN: If I made the background any more extravagant you could say it’s fake. But it’s like this (plain) and you think it’s fake?? Here is a sofa, and there is a bed. You think it looks fake? If I were going to fabricate it, I’d at least set up something nicer. I don’t need this type of fake background. C: Your neighbors can’t fight today. [ t/n: his go-to excuse for using the restroom] LYN: It might be the upstairs neighbors. It’s possible. We never know. It depends on my condition. XD
C: Is that Daimi on the sofa? LYN: It’s a mop/rag.
C: Isn’t Xiangshan’s seafood tasty? LYN: It’s alright. It’s tasty. The thing is I don’t particularly care for seafood, though there are people who love it. Why? Because I grew up in Dandong. It’s close to the river and sea- there’s plenty of seafood to go around, there. I grew up eating it, so I don’t particularly favor it. I like eating meat. C: Then do you have high uric acid? LYN: /laughs/ Are you a doctor? What the heck... But I heard that if you eat too much seafood you could get gout, right? I... I’m alright. I don’t... have high uric acid levels. // If you eat too much seafood and drink beer you can get gout. But I don’t eat very much. I had too much when I was little and when I grew up I stopped. I like eating meat now that I’m older. C: All the doctors jumped out. LYN: Yeah, they’re all teaching us how to treat gout.
C: Sing! Sing! LYN: I won’t. It’s a hotel it won’t be very nice if I’m over here warbling and shouting. People are trying to sleep. I don’t want to be responsible for disturbing the public. It’s not worth it. LYN: I just came to chat because it’s been a long time since my fans last saw me. I’m sure they miss me very much. Also I’m guessing that many people are getting off work or school and can come see me stream and they can.. relax.
C: Ning-ge, reply to me. I need to go do my homework. LYN: Hurry and go. Why do you need to tell me when you’re doing your homework?? As if I wanted to know? Do your homework. What time is it now, and you’re still not done with it?! What about your class ranking? Do your homework, hurry. // Or is it that you wanted me to do it for you??
C: You look so cool today. LYN: You- you all are too cute. I was in a rush to stream so I just threw on a t-shirt and a hat and you’re saying I look really cool?? What the heck. Usually when I make an effort you have no reaction but today I put on anything random and you say I look nice. Is there a problem with my sense of aesthetic or do you all have a misconception of what “fashion” is? The other possibility it that for a lot of you, no matter what I wear, you all think it looks good. I’ll be spoiled by your love until I’m old.
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C: It’s my first time seeing you with dyed hair. LYN: It’s really been a long time since I last dyed it. In the video it looks on the yellow side but in reality it’s a lot duller in color. Right now it’s looking kind of orange but it’s not. It’s because all the lights in this room, including the one I brought, are warm-toned so it makes my hair look yellow/brown. It’s not really. C: Ning-ge, tell me the color. I’ll go dye my hair. LYN: I don’t know what color it is. I just went and told the stylist to dye it lighter and give me a color that would more golden, and they gave me this. I didn’t choose a color or anything. Just something a little yellow, a little golden. C: Does it hurt the hair? LYN: More or less, it always will. There’s no way to bleach your hair without hurting it. There’s always a price for beauty. C: Take off your hat, let’s see it. LYN: My hair is- /sighs &lifts his hat/ It’s just flat so I put a hat on. /drops it back onto his head./ It’s so flat and not styled at all. /lifts it again/ Just this color. Next time I’ll get it styled and show you. C: If you dye your hair when you reach middle-age you’ll experience hair loss. LYN: 去你的. Hair is something that continuously grows. It’s not like your nails. After this batch of hair is dyed, you’ll still keep growing hair and it’ll come out black, won’t it?? Did you think that after you dyed it, it would stay that color forever?? You must secretly be entertained by the thought. Think of how much money you could save. After this batch of hair grows out, you’ll have new and healthier hair to replace it. You wish! Did you think you could have that hair for a lifetime? No way. C: Ning-ge, we’re already no longer middle-aged. LYN: Do you consider someone in their early thirties middle-aged already?? Oh, my goodness. Even if I DO count as middle-aged, I will never admit to it. What can you do about it?? C: 80 is “middle-aged”. LYN: It doesn’t matter. You can set it to whenever you want. But, I think I will always be a... “youth.” I will maintain my youthful heart. I will always have curiosity and expectation for the world. As someone who is already in their thirties, having this kind of mindset is what will allow me to keep walking forward. I hope you are like this too. If you maintain a good mindset, then you will also maintain your youth. If you’re 18 years old and already have an “old” mindset and you convince yourself of that, then your body will also start to stagnate.
C: Ning-ge, your voice is a little rough. LYN: Yeah. I’ve been shooting the drama. /sigh/ Acting- especially when you’re acting as someone with a bad attitude- is really tiring. As an actor, acting as someone with a bad attitude is tiring. Let’s say for example in a drama you act as a good person or someone who has very stable emotions- then when you speak you won’t be as tired. Someone says, “I’ll fight you!” and you can reply (stably), “Alright. Let’s fight. I want to see how you expect to beat me.” But if you’re acting as someone with a bad attitude, then the reply is like this (more animated), “Fight me? Hahahahaha. I want to see exactly how you expect to beat me!” You just need to put a lot more effort into it. /gives another example/ Listen to that and tell me how much effort I need to put into my voice to execute the line. There’s just no helping it. When I start look at roles next, I might consider choosing someone with a more stable attitude. Otherwise my voice can’t take it. LYN: This is why I had a great time when doing Luo Mingxi’s (ALZ) character. Because LMX was a little.. a little sick. He had a weak constitution ever since he was young and would speak like this, “Do you know... how we should resolve this issue? /catching his breath/ Hold on. Let me rest a little.” That wasn’t as tiring. You can hear that my voice is hoarse because I’ve been shouting. I can’t take it. LYN: When I was doing the voice acting for LMX though, I had a bad time of it. Because he keeps coughing. In the later episodes he enters into... an... almost wasted state. Everything he does and everything he says he starts off by coughing. Like, “You can’t do this... /coughs, sickly/ Listen to me. /coughs some more/” This was so difficult to do voice acting for! The worst part of having to do the voice for that role was the coughing.
C: When is ALZ airing? LYN: /clicks his tongue/ How would I know??? I don’t know.
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LYN: I was thinking of going to Disney to play when this drama wrapped, but then Disney told me that they are experiencing some extreme jump in business right now. There are a huge amount of people (at the park). Then I was thinking I could go later than planned- I’ll go when they tell me to. After all I’m going there to play, not to see people. LYN: I can’t do the stream if there are too many people. I asked, I really did, but it’s not very convenient. I think people have started opening up- they want to travel and go to concerts. They’re open to anything, now. There are all sorts of music festivals and activities happening lately. Everyone’s out to play so Shanghai Disney’s business is booming. There are people everywhere, so I thought I would forget about it for now. I’ll obediently stay at home.
LYN: A music festival got into contact with me today, too. They wanted me to participate. I decided not to. Ever since I’ve debuted I haven’t accepted any business proposal or music festival. So I just decided not to. I know that the music festivals sell tickets, but I’m someone who’s going to hold his own concert, anyway. [t/n: doesn’t want fans to buy music festival tickets to see him when they can buy his concert tickets instead.] LYN: As for the concert, I don’t think I’m going to continue considering it for this year. I’ve been acting quite a lot these past two years, so I was thinking I would hold off on my concert. Honestly I don’t have a lot of time to work on my album, either. Later because of filming I won’t have the time to finish my album. When I finish it, then I’ll consider doing my second concert tour. This year though, every other singer is holding their concerts. I was thinking, since everyone else is holding theirs this year, I won’t include myself in the bustle of it. You can do what you will. First, I don’t need to include myself and get caught up and possibly start fights and later not be able to hold certain stops. Secondly, I’ll probably be filming for another drama the latter half of the year. I want to focus on filming and use whatever time in between to work on my album. I really want to make something great out of it- my second album. When it’s done, I might consider holding my concert next year. Another thing is- the third and most important thing- I’m waiting for a few of many dramas to air this year... I’ve been shooting dramas for the past three years and now there are six completed dramas that are waiting to be aired. Of these six, at least three of them have to air this year, right?? At least two or three. After these dramas air I believe that the number of people who know LYN will raise at least a little, right? Even if the drama airs and my character is not popular, at least 80-100 people more will know of me or like me to some extent. Then, the number of my fans can rise at least 400-500 more. Like this, my concert tickets can be more easily sold. Don’t you think that works, friends? I have to consider it from multiple angles. Therefore I have concluded that holding my concert this year is not suitable. LYN: I was trying to calculate... ALZ HAS to air this year, right? I finished that drama two years ago- it’s got to air at least at the end of the year. BYOL is about ready to air, as well. It’s a modern drama, so the post-production will go a lot faster. I think it’ll be ready to air this year. The third, TXJ- I finished voice acting for that a while ago. There are also some other dramas, but at least those three should be able to air. Once these three dramas air and I gain 500 fans it means that I can at least sell 500 more concert tickets, right? That’s how I’m counting it. C: I won’t be able to get any tickets! LYN: I’m not only holding one! I’m going to have at least 10 stops. Or did you mean that you wanted to watch at all 10 stops? If that were the case then I’m sure that for some cities you wouldn’t be able to get a ticket. But at least 1 out of 10 is doable, isn’t it? Did you think I was only doing one and done? Don’t worry- there’s nothing to fight over. There’s no way you wouldn’t be able to get a ticket. If you can’t get it for this stop, try the next one. You’re going to be able to buy a ticket for at least one of them. C: What about overseas fans? LYN: Overseas fans can- I mean- I... How about I record it to a vcd and mail it to you? [t/n: Yes, Ning-ge. Record the concert, then release the video. I’ll buy it and I’m sure that people who went in person would also buy it...]
LYN: I was just overthinking one day and started wondering if technology would ever advance to the point where we could hold VR Concerts. I would be the singer, on stage and we could have all the camera and equipment. The viewers wouldn’t need to be in-person at the venue. You could have some VR equipment and headphones and it will “transport” you to the concert venue. There would be people around you- everyone else who is watching the concert with you. They might be represented by avatars, but I would be real and on stage. You could be at home, watching a concert. I believe that one day technology can advance to this point, right? C: Can I touch you with VR? / I can SEE you but I can’t TOUCH. LYN: Our concerts don’t allow you to come onstage and touch me, either?? At every concert, we also spend the money to hire security. They have very difficult jobs and ensure the smooth progression of my concert program. You can’t just say you can see me, but can’t touch me! C: Are we seeing a real person? LYN: You might not be understanding what I’m trying to say. You’ll know if you try experiencing VR. It’s not like in the game world, you can really see the- /tsk/ I can’t discuss such high technology with you. /waves it off/ C: We can’t all sing along with you, with VR. LYN: You can. If you wear the headphones then it can receive your voice, too. It can receive your neighbor’s voice, too. You’ll be able to hear the sound from the stage. I just can’t talk about such high technology with you all. I hope that I can see such a thing accomplished while I’m still alive to experience it. C: Stop fantasizing. LYN: This isn’t fantasizing. It’s “dreaming”. I mean a few years ago, who knew that AI would advance so quickly? It’s the same, isn’t it? Most things start off as imagination but then in the blink of an eye they become reality. C: Ning-ge, stream your whole concert. LYN: I won’t stream it. It’s the same excuse a lot of friends just used to rebut me- you go to concerts for the atmosphere. If you’re watching online, it’s a completely different experience. If you’re listening to my concert online then I don’t think there’s any meaning in that. You go to concerts for the experience. There are always going to be people screaming and shouting around you, and who it ends up being someone different every time. For this stop you could be sitting next to someone very quiet on your right and someone shouting on your left. They all add to your concert experience, and it differs every time. You go to a concert for the experience. If you just wanted to listen to the songs, then just play the album and you’ll have a better time of it then listening in-person at a concert. I know the topic of an online concert has come up a few times, but that’s the reason I’ve never done one. I don’t think there’s a need to. Streaming is to chat and to relax. But if you really used it to hold a concert then I don’t think there’s any need. I won’t hold any live stream-type concert. I want you to be there in person. That’s the charm of a concert. Of course, my concerts aren’t very charming.
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C: The “mop” won’t change a position? LYN: The “mop” is asleep, what position do you expect it to change to? She’s asleep.
C: I’m a new fan! LYN: Thank you. If you haven’t subscribed to my weibo yet, please do so. When I have time I’ll come to chat with you all. C: I can if I have time. LYN: Of course, come watch if you have time. I mean- do you have something to do right now but are watching the stream instead??? That’s not very realistic, right? Watch my stream if you’ve got nothing better to do.
C: Why don’t you rest for a few days after this drama wraps LYN: Are you asking a question, or telling me? Are you saying, “After this drama wraps, how many days will you be resting?” or “After this drama wraps, rest for a few days.” I don’t know which way you mean- where you put the stress makes the meaning totally different. C: How many days? LYN: Just a while. C: How many days is “a while”? LYN: “A while” is- okay, honestly Ning-ge isn’t very cultured. There’s “I’ll rest for a while” or “A while passed.” The definition of “a while” seems to change depending on the situation. “Every once in a while” is also a different time frame. It’s just not set. We’ll see. As for exactly how long, we’ll have to see.
C: What’s your next drama? LYN: I really haven’t confirmed it yet. I saw there are some rumors that I would be in a spy-war drama. I saw it and I asked my studio if I received the script for that project. I was- (excited and disappointed). I forget if it was a spy-war drama, I don’t know. It was me, Tang Yan, Luo Jin, and another actor. The four of us. But I asked my studio if we received that project, and if we did, could I take a look? I think I’d like to try it out and experience it, since I’ve just been doing guzhuang dramas lately... but they said they didn’t receive it. I said, “Don’t trick me~ You just don’t want me to do well.” I had a fight with them and we broke up on the spot. XD After we fought for three days it was confirmed that I really never received that project. Honestly, there’s no need to lie about these things. But after three days of no contact, I concluded it was true- they really didn’t have news about it.
C: Lao-da, shoot a xianxia. LYN: The world doesn’t owe me. It not that I can act as whatever I want to. I have to be given the option, if a script comes for me. Then, I have to like the story and role before I accept. Nothing is just given to you. LYN: Honestly though, I used to be afraid of xianxias. I did receive a script for one once, but after I reviewed it I was afraid to accept. Because I am someone with strong sense of logic. I think about why a person is they way they are, why do they make the decisions they do, and why they would say what they are saying. How many different layers of meaning are behind their words? I thought about all those things, because I want to make it make sense. But xianxia dramas don’t operate with logic in the realm of current society- it’s a whole other level of logic. I’ve never done a xianxia drama, so I don’t understand it and therefore I'm afraid. But I was thinking that I’ve been doing quite a lot of guzhuang dramas, so I’d like to try out a xianxia if I could. As long as I’m not playing the “most beautiful man in the realm” or something like that I’m sure that very little people will come yell at me. As long as I’m not in that type of role, people probably won’t attack me for it, right? So, I can give it a try.
C: What about national/republic dramas? LYN: Of course, it’s okay. I don’t really differentiate between genres, mostly I look at the script. Whether I accept a job or not depends on of I like either the story or the character. If I like the script but don’t like the character then I don’t go because I don’t think there’s much meaning in that. I mostly look at the script, the platform, the director, etc.
LYN: I cherish everything I have. As a singer, too- I cherish that I get to be one. That’s why I haven’t accepted any business proposals since my debut; I can’t be commissioned to sing at any particular event. Likewise with acting, I cherish every opportunity I get to act. If someone wants you to act in their drama it means that they look kindly upon you. It’s a rare chance, but I don’t want force myself to act in a drama or as a character that I don’t like. I’m sure that the script is very good, but maybe it’s that I don’t understand it. It’s possible. So, I have to acknowledge and like the drama in order for me to act in it. I want to cherish myself and I also don’t want to exhaust my welcome. LYN: There are pros and cons, because I don’t have an agency. Everything has its advantages and disadvantages. One good thing is that I can choose my own work. Of all the collaborations I’ve done, there hasn’t been one random/unknown brand. Secondly, when I say I don’t want to accept any business proposals, I mean it. If you’re an artist in a company, though, do you really think that they want to do all the gigs you see them at? No. If the company wants them to attend, they have no choice in it. There are pros and cons. LYN: I’ve met a fair few actors who’s state of mind is the total opposite from mine. For a lot of dramas, they have no choice and the company makes decisions for them. Do they still go? Yeah, but they might not enjoy it. Do you know how that feels? When you don’t want to do something but are forced to? So think about how they must feel idling in a drama crew they don’t want to be in for four months. I think I’m happy just having the ability to choose. That’s why I have to choose well.
C: When does ZY wrap? LYN: There’s about another month left to go. It’s been a fun and smooth process. C: Are you going on holiday break after ZY wraps? LYN: I don’t think I have the time to... Normal actors don’t accept jobs on quite as tight a schedule as I have been. What I mean by that is some drama have a time conflict- sometimes you have three days of rest between the end of one and the start of another. But it’s rare for them to match up. For example, if my drama ends in June and the next one starts in July, then I can spend the month waiting for the next drama and can use that time to rest or records songs, or go on a variety show. But I went from TXJ straight into BYOL, then YNGS, then the new year happened, and I was in ZY. These past few dramas have been aligned really closely. It’s going to be rare for my dramas in the future to line up like this again, though. C: It’s a good thing, though. LYN: Of course it is! Having work is a good thing. Think of how many people are sitting around at home with nothing to do. Of course it’s a good thing- it is to me, at least.
C: What about variety shows? LYN: I might do one in June or July, but I haven’t decided which yet. We’ll see what materials they give me first.
C: These days I have been inundating my friends’ heads with LYN. LYN: By that you mean you’ve been trying to make a case for them to be my fan? Thank you. But please don’t “press on their heads”. That’s a little impolite. It gives off a feel like this: /mimes grabbing someone by the back of the neck, forcing them to look at something in a threatening motion/ “I want you to like LYN! Be his fan! Be his fan!!” That’s not very nice. Please don’t hold their heads down. If you mean you “massage” their heads, then that’s okay. Be gentle.
C: Have you decided your next-next drama? LYN: /laughs/ I- you have too much faith in me. I haven’t even decided on my next drama, and you’re asking about the one AFTER the next?? I will go back to the same thought- do you think this industry owes me?? LYN: I really have, though. You have good taste. :) LYN: No, I haven’t. I’m kidding! If I have any work that I can tell you about, I would tell you. If I can’t tell you yet, then I can’t. // Despicable. You caught me pretending, again. C: May I boldly ask which laoshi you will be working with? LYN: Everyone I work with is my “laoshi”. I’m just an actor and I have no say in deciding who I work with- that’s all up the the platform. They will choose who they think suits the drama the best. I’m not qualified to choose who I want, I can only choose to accept or not accept. I can work with anyone. As long as the drama approves of them, I’m okay. C: Is there anyone in particular you really want to work with? LYN: Of course I want to work with people I’m familiar with or people I recognize. As for who exactly I won’t name names because I don’t think there’s any reason in doing that. There I people I really want to work with, but there’s no need for me to tell you who they are.
C: Is there a season 2 of The Truth? LYN: I’m not sure. I think there will be, because I also hope there will be. It was quite fun. if there is, I hope you can tune in to watch.
C: Is there anyone you don’t want to work with? LYN: No. Is there anyone in this industry I don’t want to work with... not yet. I think everyone I’ve worked with so far is very good. Everyone who I haven’t worked with, I don’t know what type of person they are (if they are good or bad), so I can’t say that I don’t want to work with them. There is no “work together” or “not work together”- everyone is fine. C: What a very diplomatic response. LYN: What’s diplomatic about that?? I’ve been very happy in every drama I’ve been in and have been able to come out of them having made friends.
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C: Where are your glasses? LYN: Wait- let me go grab them. Hold on, listen. -- break #1 (upstairs neighbors are fighting X’D) LYN: Ah. I misheard.
LYN: Daimi? Daimi. Come here. Get back on the sofa. You’ve left and people don’t want to watch my stream anymore. Your fans were asking where you went. Stay on the sofa back there, come here. Sit. Okay. Lay there and go to sleep. C: She’s so obedient!
C: Ning-ge, I’m watching your stream in a bar. LYN: There’s no need for that! You can go “shake your head” (dance?) as you want. Don’t watch my stream, do you own thing!
LYN: I keep seeing a bunch of you say you want me to work together with ___ actor. Here’s the thing- I have no say in that. I’m just a tiny actor, I don’t even know if I’ll HAVE work, let alone decide who I want to work with. I think that if I stay in this industry for long enough then I'll have the chance to work with everyone, eventually. Don’t you think so? If we get to work together then that means it was meant to be. If we don’t then that means it’s not our turn. Just wait it out.
C: You’re trending. LYN: Am I? How come I don’t believe you?? Am I qualified to be trending- I’m not worthy! Friends, really though. Am I qualified? I think... - 我不配 (I’m not Worthy) LYN: This song, friends is deeply meaningful to me. When I first started taking male lead roles, let me tell you, I- /holds back fake tears/ People told me I wasn’t worthy. Even now people still don’t think I’m worthy. So this song has accompanied me through countless nights. Without this song, I would not have been able to persevere until today; I wouldn’t be able to hang on until the next project, friends. Music really can cheer people up. Whenever I hear this song I feel like ridiculing myself, “LYN, you’re not worthy!” “How could you be a male lead, when you look so ugly?!” Whenever I see a comment like that I’ll sing this song. - 我不配 (I’m not Worthy) [round 2] LYN: My tears are coming out of my mouth (?)
C: Change the glasses there’s too much reflection with this one. LYN: Why do you have so many issues? Can’t you see I’m trying to cosplay Conan, here? Whenever they come to a conclusion on a case the glasses reflect like this. I’m imitating Conan, right now. Alright I’ll take it off. You just don’t understand fashion.
C: You’re trending. LYN: Am I really? Well, first of all thanks to all of you watching. If you weren’t here then I wouldn’t be able to have this trending topic. You made this happen because you keep typing comments and interacting with me/each other. Once the discussion levels are up, the topic can easily start trending. So thanks to you. Thank you for the discussion. There are a lot of people in the stream who might have been watching for a while and have not typed a single word... but! You’re a part of this, too. If you still haven’t typed anything into the comments tonight, then just reply with one phrase: LYN, hello. How about that? Please. Interact with me. As long as you type in the words “LYN, Hello” into that chat, from today forward we will be friends. Okay, fam’? LYN: Friends, what is “family”? “Family” is not the one who’s here all the time claiming to give you benefits, no. What is “family”? YOU are all my family. /laughs/ This song I have to gift to you- Friends. LYN’s Stream will always be your home. We’re a family. So I’ll gift you with a song. - 常回家看看 (Go Home Often) [ft. customized lyrics XD] C: I’m speechless. LYN: What do you mean?? It’s such a touching song, and you’re speechless? I want to say your indifference is making ME speechless. Don’t be indifferent. We have to be moved by it.
C: Ning-ge, it’s like I’ve walked into a gym. LYN: ?_? Where did that come from? Why would it be a gym?? Did you see barbells in the back or?? A treadmill? Why do you think it looks like a gym?
LYN: I want to tell you all- May 1st: 云襄传 (The Ingenious One; Yun Xiang Zhuan) will air. I sang an OST for it, and the drama looks good so I hope you can support it. My song is called “Yun Zi Jue (云字诀)”. I hope you can listen to it as well. The drama’s story is really good, I took some time to get to know about it. It’s about uhm... eh... I know but I just don’t want to say it. XD I’m afraid I won’t explain well. It’s a mysterious story... about and things that happen within the sect. As for which sect, you can watch and find out. It’s a mysterious drama, very nice. LYN: Someone’s typed out the name of the sect into the comments, you’re exactly right. I’m sure that this will be a very interesting drama. C: 双开门. (double open doors*) LYN: 去你的. LYN: What “门” is it? 家人们 (Family). It’s a story about “family”. C: What is the “double open doors” thing about? [*referring to the “Korean double-door refrigerator figure”: Broad shoulders, small head, thin waist, long legs.] LYN: It’s a type of aesthetic describing men. They have very wide shoulders, but a small head. This appearance/ratio is what people refer to as the “double open door” figure. I don’t know if you have a double-door fridge at home? The one where you grab both handles and open the doors at the same time. It’s just used to describe a type of figure. This person is double-doored. This person is a single-door. This person is an air conditioner. C: Ning-ge, you’re double-doored. LYN: I am not! I’m so tall and skinny, I’m definitely an air conditioner. I don’t know if your house has the kind of air conditioner that’s hung across the wall? I’m the standing type- the tall kind that you put in a corner. Thin and long. C: Ning-ge, you’re an LCD monitor. LYN: What do you mean. Are you saying my face is big? Is that what you mean? That’s probably not what they intended. There are two possibilities: 1. They didn’t have anything better to say but wanted to join in on the joke so they called me an LCD monitor. The second possibility is that they think very deeply, and you can see everything wonderful in the world’s in my face. Everything that is broadcast on my face are the wonders of the world. In other words, my face is very abundant. Maybe that’s what they mean. I’m not sure which interpretation is correct, but I get the feeling it’s mostly the first kind. C: They called you an LCD monitor because they are calling you thin and weak. LYN: Ah. I am. They’re right so I won’t argue. I’ll continue to stay thin.
C: You’re trending Ning-ge. LYN: I don’t believe it. Friend, you’re a little late though. Someone already told me earlier. What’s the topic, though? / I think I was at 34 earlier?? What is it now? / What’s the topic, I want to know. C: “LYN Live Stream” LYN: Oh. No wonder I’m at 34. If it were something else... it’d be even higher. This is normal, it doesn’t get too high up.
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C: Yingzi-jie is here again. LYN: Welcome! YXJ is a drama Yingzi-jie produced. (Li Li Ying; Producer: Ultimate Note, Tientsin Mystic) You can check it out when it starts airing. I also sang a song for it, called Yun Zi Jue (云字诀). It starts airing on May 1st. The Ingenious One. LYN: I keep saying, the reason I was able to enter the television industry when I started off as a singer, is due to two people. I have to thank these two people. One of them is Yingzi-jie and the other- I always talk about- is Bai Yicong-laoshi. These two people gave me my first opportunity to move from a singer into an actor. I always remember their kindness. LYN: Think about it. In 2018, I had only just started off as a singer. Who would even think to invite me to act? No one. But they did.They’re the ones who helped me take my first step in this industry. Then through my first drama I got to know Director Zhu. If I didn’t have that first drama I would never have gotten the ones that came later.
C: Ge, you’re at 43 now. LYN: If it’s at 43, just let it be. It doesn’t matter. I’m not like other artists, who only stream very rarely and it is a treasured experience. I stream all the time so- like all things you see all the time- I am not as treasured. If there’s a lot of a single product no one cares, but if there’s a limited run then it becomes coveted. I stream all the time, so having “LYN Live Stream” trending is normal. People see it all the time.
C: Ning-ge is horse-riding fun? LYN: I know you may have seen some videos online saying that I can ride horses now and that I can gallop and I might look stable. By stable I mean emotionally. But honestly every time I shoot for the drama, the moment I get on the horse I get timid. After timid I start to fret. As soon as I get on the horse I start to get scared. Everyone is like this- once you reach a point where you are scared and uneasy, there’s a kind of inexplicable wrath that arises. You’ll go through all sorts of emotions. Every time there’s a horse-riding scene my head starts to pound. C: I’m a girl and I can ride! LYN: WOW, YOU’RE SO AMAZING. I admire you~ And then? What does that have to do with me??? You can be amazing and I can be scared- there’s no conflict here. I’m just afraid- what about not being afraid makes you so amazing? I’m even afraid of water- I can’t swim. I’m sure a lot of you will reply, “I’m a girl and I can swim!” You swim yours, I’m afraid of water. What can you do. Everyone in the world has something they fear. There are people who don’t eat cilantro, garlic, or spring onion. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes, just like everyone has their own fears. Some people are afraid of dogs and other aren’t. Some people are afraid of cats and others raise them. What is there to compare?? C: Ning-ge’s agitated. LYN: I’m not agitated, but I think I’ve been insulted?! If you come to my stream and start talking about how you’re better than I am then in my heart I am uncomfortable. Also, this type of showing off... doesn’t seem very amazing in perspective but it’s still something than can one-up me. That’s what makes me feel worse. She’s a girl and she can ride a horse, but I’m afraid. It’s like I... lost. It feels like I grew to 1.8m for no reason.
LYN: I told you before. The reason I’m afraid of water is because when I was little I went with a group of kids to free swim. I almost drowned. What is “free swim”? When we were little we’d go around looking for large pools of water, or play by the river. It wasn’t exactly swimming, because I didn’t know how to swim. We were just playing in the water. I almost drowned once, so after that I developed a fear of the water. I was afraid of the water for a long time and then one year I thought I had matured enough. LYN: I was 20+ years old and a bunch of my friends said we should find a water park to play in because it was summer and hot. I went. You know- the man-made waves, pools, water slides, floating around in the inflatable ring, etc. So I went- you might have seen a picture online, where I’m wearing some shorts. My legs are so pale- I’m sure that a lot of you have seen it. That was taken when I went to the water park. I went up to the top of the slide and came all the way down to where a pool catches you- as soon as I hit the water I started breathing. My instinct when I hit the water is to try to breathe. I never learned how to swim. I told people I didn’t know how to swim and they told me it was okay, just remember to hold my breath when I hit the water. As long as I held my breath I would be okay, because they would quickly pull me back up. I said I could do that. But from the moment I started sliding, when I was preparing, I started holding my breath. The slide part hadn’t even started yet but I was holding my breath. “Are you ready?” /nods/ /slide/ At the end I couldn’t hold it anymore and tried to suck in some air- /splash/ The exact moment I hit the water. Just like that. My first experience. I held my breath too early. By the end of the slide I couldn’t hold it anymore, tried to breathe, but sucked in water instead. I will never forget that feeling. It was like so much water was entering my brain. LYN: If I was a little crazed earlier it’s because there’s water in my brain. It’s not completely out yet- there’s still water in there. But I was choking on water and I couldn’t stand up. I was 20+ and already 1.85m, but I just couldn’t stand up. I feel like I was in there for 10 seconds but in reality it was only 2 or 3. In the end a staff member pulled me up. I stood up- the water didn’t even reach past my thighs. Think about how much I’m afraid of water. It didn’t even reach past my thighs and I was crying trying to catch my breath. LYN: Some things just have nothing to do with height or age. It’s just a fear.
C: Then you must be very brave when filming. LYN: That scene for BCF... has become an eternal trauma for me. I’ve told you about it before. My character in that drama was wearing shackles- it was a big wooden block and my head and hands were sticking out the top of it. You’ve all seen it, so you know what it is. I was chained up, sitting on the bench and they pushed me in. When I was shooting for that scene I almost went crazy. I don’t know how to swim and here they were, throwing me into the water. I could have died. I was chained, too! There’s the block, as well. Normal people, if someone pushes you into the water, don’t sink. You’re not heavy enough. So they tied a few weights around my waist. Kind of like the weights you strap to your legs when you run. There were a bunch of weights added to the bench, to make it so you sink. I already told you about it before, so I won’t repeat it. But that scene really scared me so much I have residual trauma.
LYN: There’s a script that I have- the character jumps into water in the first episode. I was reviewing the script and the first scene is that the character has to jump into the water to save someone. After I saw that I almost didn’t want to see what came after. I have to go into the water to save someone and be calm myself. After I saw that I didn’t want to see the rest. XD C: Can the scene be changed to a fire rescue instead? LYN: /laughs/ The original script is that you have to go into water to save someone, but you think I can negotiate with the director and screenwriter to change it from a water rescue to a fire rescue? That’s what you mean, right? Em... I don’t think it will work. It has an original manhua. I can’t just change it because I want to.
C: Why don’t you go learn to swim after ZY wraps? LYN: I have thought of that. I was thinking of taking 1-2 weeks to learn how to swim. I feel like there are some things people just have to know how to do. For example, swimming. People can learn a lot of things! Swimming, diving, surfing, riding a jet ski- motorcycle, driving, it’s all a process- parachuting... they’re all skills. I think I should learn, at least how to swim. That’s what I was thinking. C: Ning-ge, give me 800RMB. I guarantee you’ll learn how to swim. / I’ll teach you for free. LYN: Alright- that person who wanted 800RMB- kick them out. I don’;t need to spend the money. Someone will teach me for free. See that? You think you’re going to make some money off of me? C: Ning-ge, when you learn how to swim can you record it and share it with us? LYN: ... ?_? .... Do I even have to record a VLOG for learning how to swim? You want a swimwear VLOG? :D We don’t need to do anything so thrilling. Let’s forget about it. LYN: Actually there’s a logic there... It’s not that I can’t record a VLOG, but I just don’t want you to benefit from my swim classes. If I find someone to teach me it’s definitely going to be a paid instructor. But you want to secretly learn how to swim from my videos and save yourself that money... I definitely won’t let you take advantage. If you want to learn you can pay for classes yourself.
C: Do you need any fan-support for learning how to swim? LYN: /laughing/ Do I need fan-support for that? Are you going to occupy the outside of the swimming arena with fan banners and chant our motto? I don’t need it. Thank you, everyone. C: In the pool. LYN: No need! But actually I’ve never seen anyone else’s fans to a water-based fan support. I’ve heard of fans lining the streets for fan-support, but never anything on the water. You want to do a swimming pool fan support? Let’s not go overboard, okay? C: Be creative. LYN: Sometimes creativity it not a necessity. One day If I ever go to sit in a hot spring, are you going to suggest a hot springs fan-support? It’s not necessary, really. C: Ning-ge, I thought we wanted to be unique and different? LYN: It’s not necessary, REALLY. - /tries to stop this line of conversation, sees a comment that drags us back in/ C: Ning-ge, you can always make it a paid service for watching you learn how to swim. That is, if people want to see you swim, they can buy entry tickets. LYN: LOL. You want me to sell tickets, so you can watch me swim. In that case front seats are 1980RMB. Is that what you mean when you said I should sell tickets? Erm.. I don’t think my current development has made it to the point where this is warranted, has it? I can’t survive on my talent anymore?
C: Hmph! You’re skinny like a rack of ribs- what is there to see? LYN: /laugh/ Whether I AM as skinny as a rack of ribs or not, there’s still no chance of you seeing it. I won’t let you see. You don’t need to be weird about it. LYN: Some people like to eat ribs! Right? It’s just... a different experience. Radish and greens, each has their own preference. If it’s a choice between beef and ribs I’m sure there will also be people who like one or the other. LYN: Anyway, I already promised. When I’m 60 and I hold a concert I’ll show you an old man ripping off his shirt. Alright? I know that a lot of people are hoping that when they see me in concert- concerts are always designed this way. They’ll be on stage singing, and then it gets to a really high point and they, inexplicably, rip the shirt. I don’t know why the song requires you to rip your shirt off, but it’s really mesmerizing. It’s planned for the stage. I know some friends are hoping that I also do that during one of my concerts. For example, /starts playing “隐侠”/- you can’t rip right from the start. Let me see what point is suitable for tearing off a shirt... - 隐侠 (Hidden Hero), My Heroic Husband Donghua OST - /gets to the start of the pre-chorus verse/ LYN: This part is suitable for tearing a shirt. You can choose to rip the shirt here, or not. But here’s the thing- if you DO tear the shirt here I think it’s inappropriate. Why? Because it means you’ll have ripped the shirt off from the start. Which is to say, you’ll have to sing bare-chested for another three minutes. For me, who has a weak constitution, these three minutes means that I am easily susceptible to catching a cold. Especially since the venue air conditioning is usually pretty good, if I were seating up until this point and suddenly am exposed to the air, I could catch a cold. Considering all these factors, this timing isn’t suitable. Let’s continue. - /the part at the end of the pre-chorus/ LYN: This is suitable, and in the next second we will enter into the chorus. The whole composition is suitable, too. Listen- /sings it/ Hold it. Then RIP! If you rip the shirt here, it would be really cool. Friends, I think this is it. Let’s try it. LYN: But the other thing is... only 1 minute and ten seconds have passed. There are still two minutes and 28 seconds left to sing. From a stage design perspective, ripping the shirt here might be too early. What happens is we first let the music stir you up, then in the second chorus we can bring it to the next level with a shirt tear. If we do it now, once it gets to a certain point there’s no raising the bar. We’ll let this first chorus go and tear the shirt in the second chorus to bring the song to the next level- that would be perfect.
C: Ning-ge, how about this? Wear five layers. Let’s do it layer by layer. LYN: That’s also a way to do it. Other people tear their shirts off in concert very smoothly. Let’s make mine so it’s like the Sichuan Opera art of face-changing. I’ll wear five colors of shirt- black > yellow > red > blue > purple > white. I’ll be sharing a little culture on stage, is that what you mean? First gufeng and now bian lian. We’ll sprinkle a little culture into it. LYN: But the other thing is, if this singer doesn’t usually work out or id he’s tired lately... After tearing three shirts off he won’t have the strength to rip the last two. Struggling to rip the shirt open on stage is also awkward. Like me- if I tear two I’d already be tired. I won’t be able to rip the next three. C: Ning-ge, cut it a little first. LYN: Leave an opening, so that it’s easier to tear? It’s still tiring. Anyway, we’ll see. C: Buy a paper (?) shirt. LYN: Let’s do this. In the case that I cannot fulfill my “face-changing” shirt trick, starting from today I will buy five colors of shirt and start wearing them. After thirty years, I’ll be 60- think of what condition these shirts would be in after being worn for thirty years. I’m guessing touching it will be like paper. At that point, they should be easy to tear. I’m sure when Im 60 I’ll have enough strength to tear five shirts. It’s decided. LYN: I’ll wear the shirts until they’re mesh.
LYN: /sigh/ Let me make it clear. You’ll never see me rip my shirt off in my concert. I was considering it for next year, but after one of you said I looked like a rack of ribs and there’s nothing to look at I took a blow. They’re not anti-fans, because what they’re saying is the truth. But, I took some blows. First, by “what’s there to look at?” and secondly by “I’m a girl and I can ride a horse but you can’t?” I’ve been hurt twice today already. /sigh/ I suddenly want to play a song... Every time I’m sad I play this song. - 我不配 (I’m not Worthy)
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C: Ning-ge, you’ve got a new background. LYN: ... I don’t even want to respond to you. It’s clear that you don’t much follow me. Why should you? I’m filming right now and our drama crew has moved to Xiangshan so I’m in a hotel right now and what you’re seeing is the room. It’s not that I wanted to change the background to give you some freshness, it’s that I’m actually streaming from a hotel room. C: Is the room soundproofed? LYN: The room in front and behind are the staff so it should be no problem. As for upstairs and downstairs... below me is the director. So if I sing or stream it’s not likely that he’ll report me or tell the hotel management that his upstairs neighbor is noisy and to do something about it. XD I think he’d understand. C: What about upstairs? LYN: I’m on the top floor. Upstairs is the sunroof, with the water heater. Do you think my singing can make it explode or???
-- break #2 - /calls Daimi back to sit on the sofa again/
LYN: Is the director here? Director Deng is here! LYN: I was just saying, I hope my streaming doesn’t disturb you. I’m upstairs. Are you about to come and report me?
C: Daimi’s gotten thinner. LYN: I turned on the face-slimming feature for this stream. So she looks really thin. But can you imagine, a small dog like this is actually 10+kg? She’s just a giant meatball, and you think she’s thin? You can say she’s ugly and I’ll agree. If you say she’s thin, then I can’t agree.
LYN: ?? Why is the software not registering the lyrics again?? It can’t pull them up. Let me close the software. What the heck is this?? Can it work?! // Alright, fine. It’s not important. LYN: Hold on, let me play a video again and see if that changes things. /nope/ Ok, whatever.
LYN: I’ll sing a song. Why aren’t there any lyrics?? This thing is messing with me. C: I’ll type it for you. LYN: Okay, sure. // I have them. - 你說愛情啊 (You Say Love), Young and Beautiful OST LYN: I quite like this song. It’s one of my favorites of the OSTs I’ve sung.
C: Which other ones do you like? LYN: I’m not telling you~
C: 紅塵客棧 (Worldly Tavern) LYN: Oh, right. I suddenly realized that there’s a line in that song that goes “為你折腰” (I’ll bow to you). I was thinking, why are the words “折腰” (Zhe Yao, also the name of his current drama) so familiar? Then I realized it was in the song. // I’m not in the greatest condition today, my voice is a bit hoarse. Let’s see if I can sing it. - 紅塵客棧 (Worldly Tavern)
C: Ning-ge, I hope ZY is a hit! LYN: What do you mean, that YNGS won’t be a hit? BYOL is lacking? Why are you singling one out- that’s not right. We have to 一碗水端平 (deal with things fairly, without favoring any party). If you’re going to be like that, then I have to sing ⼀念之間. - ⼀念之間 (An Idea) [David Tao] LYN: I forgot how to sing this, a little. But we want to be fair. LYN: Is BYOL lacking? I am male lead in all three of these dramas (ZY, YNGS, BYOL)... - 黑夜一束光 (Praying) LYN: We have to be fair, right? They’re all my own projects, and all roles that I love. I hope that when the dramas air you can support them.
C: bian dan piao shui duan ping le [t/n: ???] LYN: bian dan... piao shui... duan ping le? - 中國話 (Chinese) [S.H.E] LYN: That’s just the instinct of a singer- once you hear a keyword* you’ll associate it with a song. I gave up in the middle. [*Here, the keyword was “扁擔” (bian dan) = bo staff]
C: Lao-da, can you wish me a happy birthday? LYN: Happy Birthday! There are people celebrating birthdays today, huh? It’s your birthday but you’re here watching my stream, so I feel very touched and thank you for being here. Happy Birthday. Don’t spam the comments or I’ll kick you out. If you keep spamming then I’ll make this birthday UN-happy. I’ll kick you out. I saw it, okay? Happy Birthday. LYN: Whenever I see a friend like this I will feel moved. Because they’re spending their birthday here with me... which goes to show that they really don’t have any friends in real life. But they think of me as their precious friend so at this time, at 9:46pm, they have come to keep me company. Thank you.
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C: Your voice is a little rough. LYN: I told you, I’ve been shouting a lot lately.
LYN: I had a scene yesterday that had me at a loss. You all watch dramas, so you know. For example, an old man says, “I think the Crown Prince is right!” and then every other official in the area says, “Yes, yes. He’s definitely correct. Minister Du, you aren’t wrong.” Everyone else is agreeing, right? And another situation is where someone will say, “Today I must catch the culprit!” and there are a bunch of people in the crowd who reply, “What makes you worthy? Who do you think you are??” // “Yeah! Who does he think he is??” Like that. As soon as someone says something critical there’s the peanut gallery in response. LYN: But this scene- the set up of this scene was that I enter the room and everyone inside is stunned/suppressed by my presence. Everyone was pointing fingers and making a fuss and I enter the room and say, “Stop fighting, have you no dignity!?” [t/n: or sth like that...]. At this moment, the whole room should be stunned into silence. They have to be suppressed by my majesty. So I went in, said my line... and they kept fighting. No one even paid me any attention! I went in and I already said my line, so I went “HEY!” These actors were really into their role. XD I was supposed to show my majesty/might but I went in and everyone ignored me. Wow, I almost lost it. But that’s why I had to keep shouting yesterday. We did that scene so many times. C: Were you not loud enough? LYN: My nickname is “Loud Voice Box”- nothing about me is great save for the loudness of my voice. I’m already very loud! I went in there and practically shouted my line but several people kept their fight going. I couldn’t uphold my title and my dignity was strewn across the floor instead. I was going crazy. They didn’t give me any face. Just a slap in the face. We shot the scene so many times, and I shouted each time. I felt like my voice was about to catch fire. Normally I’d shout, walk into the room, then continue. By the end I shouted, walked into the room, but my voice was already hoarse. // I still haven’t recovered. These teachers were too immersed in their roles, and here I was about to have a mental break.
LYN: There’s another scene that had me breaking. I went to... a place... and the person there says, “He’s here. Girls, attend to him.” A scene like that. I was meeting with a person but the location was special. You all can use your imagination to think of what special place that was. The steward said their line and then four girls were coming for me. I’m acting in a very upright role, okay, so in the moment I said, “Get away.” Very righteous of me. You have to adhere to the role, right? It’s not like the scene can go, “Attend to the Marquis.” and I say, “Come, come~ Let’s drink.” That won’t work. I needed to be cold and indifferent. LYN: I said, using a very low voice- “Get away.” !! These four girls ignored me!!! The came to me and wanted to hold my hands! What should I do?? So I shouted, “Get away!” They still didn’t listen!!! They kept touching me! I was having a breakdown, thinking, “Do you want to die???” “I’m a Marquis, what do you think you’re doing??!” LYN: Sometimes when you have teachers (actors) who don’t listen to you it’s really a headache. It’s not as if I could hit them, right!? I’m a Marquis, so normally if I told them to “get away”, they should have backed off. These four jiejie-s were too real, all they wanted to do was touch. They were trying to pour me drinks and feed me. I- I was having a breakdown. // So that day I also ended up shouting several times. LYN: In the script, it was the four approached me and when I told them to go away, they should have left. The other teacher should have said, “The Marquis doesn’t want you. You’re dismissed.” But I told them to go away and they didn’t care and kept pouring the wine and trying to touch. So I shouted at them to go away- I already had to add that line! but they continued to pander to me. There was no way to keep acting. I didn’t know how to keep it going. When the drama airs I’m sure you’ll see this scene and you’ll know what I’m talking about. C: Ning-ge, I don’t think it’s funny. I think it’s scary. LYN: No, it’s not like they were crossing any lines. They were just touching my shoulders and saying, “Aiyo~ Have a drink~” like that. You’ve seen dramas, right?? Just touching the shoulders. There’s no way they could have done more. I just think the character is suited to having his shoulders touched. It’s like, “Don’t touch my shoulders!!” That sort of feeling. LYN: They’re not exactly background characters, but special appearances. These types of actors need to have a certain level of performance and acting ability. They’re all great actors. C: Smash the cup and kick the table. LYN: I’m a Marquis and you want me to smash the cup and kick the table. That would make the character too petty. Am I worthy of the Marquis title, in that case? I’d be a scoundrel. A Marquis is supposed to stop people with a word. If they were going around smashing tables all day that would be too petty. LYN: Acting is all about the cooperation. If the other party doesn’t cooperate then it’s not as if you can carry the scene on your own. The thing is you CAN improvise, but once it strays too far from the script there’s no saving it.
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C: Daimi looks like she’s sleeping soundly. LYN: She’s sleep-dazed. But do you believe as soon as I say the magic words she’ll stand right up? Those three magic words. She’ll sit up. She;ll go from sleeping to wide awake in a second. Forget it. Let her sleep.
C: The director doesn’t care? LYN: Of course he does, he already told them not to touch me anymore. There’s no way the Director wouldn’t care. I’m just sharing the experience.
LYN: Have A Sausage? DM: zzZZzzzz LYN: !!! LYN: Have A Sausage?? /again, louder/ HAVE A SAUSAGE? DM: ZZzzz LYN: ???!!! LYN: Daimi? Have a sausage? DM: zzzzz LYN: How embarrassing. Have a sausage? LYN: Hey. Sis. How about a sausage, Daimi? DM: zZZzzzzz LYN: Oh my god. The magic spell doesn’t work anymore. It doesn’t work... LYN: Let her sleep, then. LYN: Friends, if I called for my dog in my stream and she didn’t come, does that affect my market value? Does it influence whether I will get drama roles or OSTs? Brand collaborations? It doesn’t affect those, right? Then, it’s okay.
- /still trying to call Daimi/ LYN: “Thankless wretch”? Let’s go play? Go? LYN: Oh. This dog is an overseas breed. Let’s use English. LYN: Wake up. Wake up. Let’s go. LYN: ... LYN Good. LYN: /back to Chinese/ Time to eat. LYNL: /in English/ Get up. Come here. LYN: Oops. That’s all the English I know. I already said all the English I know but she didn’t react. There’s nothing I can do. Let’s continue our chat, friends.
LYN: There’s another way, which is if I eat something she might wake up. Let’s try it. - /chews on a... corn?/ LYN: She’s not in shock, is she? LYN: Oh, well.
C: Ning-ge, what are you eating? Dog food?? LYN: Moderator, kick this person out of the chat.
C: Is she still breathing? LYN: Don’t scare me. - /turns to look at her and she twitches/ LYN: She looked at me.
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C: “LYN dyed his hair” is trending on the main tab at #22. LYN: I just dyed my hair. If I had known I would start trending for it I would have styled it too. LYN: Now I look like a... /trails off and doesn’t finish the though/ // The thing is when other artist start trending for dyeing their hair or changing up their hairstyle all the pictures are nice and pretty. If it’s not a full photo-set it’s professional “leaks”. When you see other artists trending for dyeing their hair it’s always those very cool hairstyles and photos. I’m just sitting here wearing a hat. My hair looks like it’s raining outside. It looks like I was caught in the rain. I’m trending for this? It’s two different styles entirely. C: What about a wig? // Go fix it. LYN: It’s too late to style it. There’s no saving my hair today. C: Do you hair right now. LYN: I can’t. It’s too flat. // Forget it. I can’t save it. - /tries to fix it anyway/ LYN: Let’s play a more fashionable song and see if that can save it. - /plays Moon Lover OST - 내 마음 들리나요 (Can You Hear My Heart)/ LYN: 미쳤어? (Are you crazy?) LYN: I need to find a pair of glasses. This isn’t working.
LYN: Is this better? Seems like it also doesn’t work. LYN: I got a call. / It’s nothing. My staff is watching my stream and they were telling me where the hair gel is. They thought I was really going to do my hair. It’s alright, I won’t try. LYN: It doesn’t really help. I won’t try. It’s fine like this. A Bright and Sunshine Happy Boy. LYN: This is fine. Is it acceptable? My hair’s a little long. Let’s just leave it. C: Wear the glasses from before. LYN: These? C: You’re too cool. LYN: You haven’t seen enough of the world... Anyway! Since I’m trending for dyeing my hair and people are coming in to look. There’s one thing you have to remember- an artist, singer, or actor- what do we do? It’s a service industry. No matter what we do, it’s a service. The customer is king. To an actor, whoever watches your dramas is your customer. The singer’s king are the people who like your songs. To idols the people who like their visuals and like to see them perform on stage and show off their talents, those people are king. Here in my stream we want to make sure that everyone is well-served. You have to remember to have a service mindset and that way you will have returning customers. Since I am trending for having dyed my hair, then I have to show them, even if it looks a little ugly right now. LYN: How is it, friends? This doesn’t affect my market value, does it? As long as it doesn’t it’s fine.
C: Try the shades. LYN: I did earlier, and it didn’t look very cool. Let me go switch. Wait for me. LYN: I don’t have anything else, but I DO have a lot of glasses.
LYN: This one seems alright, C: How come your hair fell? LYN: I didn’t put any gel into it. I was just grabbing it. To give it “air bangs”. Once there’s no air (holding it up) it falls. I can’t really style it right now.
C: You look blind. LYN: :| Friends, it’s like this. Online you think you’re a dragon. But in real life I don’t believe you would go up to someone on the street wearing shades and tell them they look blind. Do you dare? If you were walking on the street and saw someone wearing shades would you go up to them and say, “Hey. You look like a blind person.”? They’re going to beat the crap out of you. How dare you be so presumptuous in my stream??
LYN: Let me put the hat back on. LYN: It’s good enough. /takes off the jacket/ It’s too hot. LYN: Alright, customers. I have finished serving you. I think after all that I have lived up to the trending topic. I’ve done my best. LYN: Let me see what time it is. It’s already 10p. I’ll stop before it hits 11p. I still have a bunch of scenes to do tomorrow. How long have I been streaming for? Let me see.... three hours. I’ve been streaming for three hours?? So quickly? In my mind I’ve only been streaming for around two. It’s been three. LYN: Well, alright. I’ll chat with you a while longer before I leave. I have a lot of scenes to do tomorrow; there are just a lot of lines. I have to remember my lines. I’m getting older in age, so I am slow at remembering them.
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- /gets Daimi back on the sofa/ C: If Daimi could speak I’m sure it’d be with a Dandong accent. LYN: I know I speak with an accent. But normally and when I’m speaking with other people and staff, even though there’s an accent, I mainly use Standard Mandarin. It’s only when I stream that my accent is this heavy. I don’t speak like this normally. I purposely use my dialect when I stream. LYN: Am I speaking with my dialect now? It’s still standard. But I want my stream to carry a bit of humor and my own personality, so I purposely use my hometown dialect. Right fam’? I speak like this on purpose. LYN: What I’m speaking now is a tone I’ve designed specifically for streaming.
LYN: Friends, I really want to ask- is there any trope or situation in dramas that, after you watch them, really makes you want to make fun of it? Or, not necessarily “make fun of”, but is there any trope that you find particularly fun(ny)? LYN: Sometimes when I’m watching dramas or when I’m shooting them, I’ll see some funny things. I’ll record them all down and when I have enough I’ll tell you all about them.
C: When they fall down and end up kissing. LYN: Ah- whether it’s the FL or ML falling and the ML or FL catches the other- whenever they touch each other and there is a situation where they fall to the ground, they end up on the floor kissing? They need to get a “bite”, right? It’s required. When they fall, they kiss. You’re right, there is such a trope. Now I’m trying to think if I ever filmed such a scene?? I haven’t.
C: When they haven’t done anything but start fighting right away. LYN: Who are you referring to?? Huh? Are you an anti? Who are you referring to? What do you mean “haven’t done anything but start with a fight”? You don’t need to refer to me. I’m trying to chat with you and learn something from you, to see how you feel when watching dramas normally. But you’re trying to provoke me??? ZY starts off with a feud, what of it??! Is that not okay? It’s okay- you can start a drama that way!
C: When they start running but are hit with a car and are sent flying. LYN: In a lot of dramas when someone starts running, they’re easily hit by a car? I think a lot of dramas are filmed this way because there’s a moral meaning behind it. It’s to teach you not to run wildly. Don’t run in the street; it’s dangerous. Through this video format, it’s to teach you that you must obey the rules of traffic. When you run into the street without a car for red or green lights, you’re going to get hit by a car and sent flying. You’re sent flying but most of the time you don’t die. In the worst case you end up with amnesia. That’s good enough- they already left you with your life. Other than making you aware that you should obey traffic rules, they left you with your life and a warning that you could have gotten amnesia. Don’t run wildly.
C: When it’s always raining in break-up scenes. LYN: LOL. They say it always rains when you break-up with someone. I think... hold on, let me think if I’ve ever done that. I haven’t. Because up until now I haven’t shot any break-up scenes. This friend isn’t referring to me, but a different drama. LYN: This is normal. The reason is because when it’s raining the atmosphere will be a lot stronger. As a viewer watching the drama, rain makes most people feel down. When you’re rained on it gives off a sense of vulnerability. It’s all to make up the mood, so I think this trope is valid. It’s not as if you can break-up at noon in broad daylight. You break up when the sun’s so bright you can’t open your eyes and you don’t have a sunshade? There’s no feeling in that. Think about it. It’s noon and the sun is shining in the cloudless sky. If you tilt your head up you can’t even open your eyes- and you break up. There’s no feeling. Don’t you think so? There’s just no helping it. The drama needs to stir up the mood somehow.
C: Washing up without taking the clothes off. LYN: ... Who are you referring to?? There’s no need, okay? Don’t cue me. If you don’t want to see it then get out.
C: When the FL washes up and hasn’t gotten her clothes on all the way but bumps into the ML. LYN: Or, like most dramas like to do, when the ML has finished washing and comes out in just a towel. As soon as he steps out from the bathroom he’s sure to bump into a girl. There IS such a rule, isn’t there? As long as the guy comes out in just a towel, there’ll be a girl there to see his whole top half. This seems to be a trope, doesn’t it. Let me think of if I’ve done it... Uh. I think I have.
LYN: There’s no need to cue me! Hao Du did that. The princess had just finished with her bath and I came to deliver a letter in a rush. I entered the room and there was a few moments of awkwardness. (E27) It was just a small part, there’s no helping it. Stop picking on me. If you don’t like to see it then get out. XD
C: When you’re punished into kneeling and it rains. LYN: This is okay. It’s also to create the mood. The weather is always changing, right? I think rain is reasonable. You never know when it’s going to rain.
C: When you save someone in midair and they twirl in circles. LYN: For example if the FL falls from a tree or off of the top of a wall and someone catches them- they have to turn in circles. It’s like this, friends. Even though I also find it a little strange when watching those scenes, as someone IN this industry I just want to say- What else did you expect? If they don’t shoot the scene in such a way, then what’s the meaning of the moment? [t/n: I always thought that they turned in circles because it helps to lessen the downward momentum...] LYN: Let’s say the FL drops down and the ML doesn’t catch her. She falls to her death. What a surprise, right? There’s no way anyone’s going to shoot a drama like that. So if she falls, someone is going to have to catch her. Let me say an example- say this water bottle is the girl, and my hand is the guy. If she falls- 1, 2, 3. /catch easily and puts her down/ “Are you okay? If you’re fine, then let’s go.” ... Do you think that’s okay?? If she was falling, the male lead catches her and sets her on the ground, and they just walk away?? Do you think that’s better than twirling around and around? C: That’s what a normal person would do. LYN: You’re right. But since this is a guzhuang drama, it needs that sort of variation. Of course they’re going to use some stereotypical things, but that’s normal. Let me think if I’ve shot such a scene before... (He has.) Who are you referring to??? Don’t pick on me. If you don’t like to see it, get out.
C: Princess-carry out of nowhere. LYN: Who are you referring to?? Hmph. Get out! What do you mean “princess-carry out of nowhere���??? There is no 119 in guzhuang dramas! Let’s say a girl fainted in front of me. I go, “Hey! Grab a stretcher!!”??? Me and my good buddy carry her back? That’s no good. What we want here is to show off that the guy has strength. You’re picking on me again!
C: Bad guys always talk too much. LYN: What do you expect? There’s no helping it. They have to talk a lot. A lot of the times the situation is like this- the blade is already at the neck and then! They start to have a conversation with you. XD They could kill you in the next second but they won’t- they’ll chat instead. If the blade is like this /picks up the corn cob/ then the villain should say, “Hahaha. Do you know WHY I want to kill you?” The ML, even if he doesn’t say anything, in his mind he’s saying, “I don’t want to know, I just want to die.” -Villain: Do you know why I want to kill you? Today, I’ll let you know. In the past, blablabla. So today! I must kill you.- Now we know the story of WHY the villain wants to kill the ML. Next up is deflecting. -Villain: But you can’t blame me for doing this. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself!”- Blablabla they say another spiel, then the third cycle. -Villain: I’ve said what I need to. Now die!- And at that moment! Of course, someone is going to come save him. As soon as he’s done with his monologue, someone will come to the rescue. LYN: Friends, I think for this you should be more understanding. If I were a villain- no, let’s say I’m the good guy, and the other person is the villain. If the blade goes here (to the neck) and I die. The villain doesn’t say a word. The main character doesn’t say anything. That’s the end of the drama. X What’s there to watch???
LYN: I couple days ago I reasoned out another rule of dramas. If there are a lot of people around and the male lead starts doing this- /laughing maniacally/. They laugh. There will always be someone next to them to ask, “What are you laughing at?” Even if they don’t really want to know! Normally, let’s say you’re walking down the street. Someone next to you suddenly starts laughing- you’re probably going to say, “Is this person crazy? What are they laughing at? WTF.” But! In dramas once the main character starts laughing there will always be someone there to ask them why. “I’m laughing at you... for not knowing you own limits!” LYN: What else can we expect? Usually, if someone told you they were laughing at you for not knowing your own limits, the reply would be, “?! How dare you laugh at us?! Brothers, let’s kill him!” and then the main lead kills everyone. Go observe some dramas- as soon as the ML starts laughing, someone is going to ask them why.
C: The bad guys are always very strong. LYN: I saw something yesterday related to this... why are bad guys always strong? Most of the time the male lead- in guzhuang dramas- are carefree and unknowing. They only want to enter into the martial arts world. They don’t want fame or fortune, and only want to live happily and freely. They live coolly- if they decide they want to work one day, they can. If they want to drop everything and wander the martial arts world the next day, they will. The main characters are usually all like this. On the other hand, the bad guys are driven. There’s something they want to do and will strive to do it no matter the cost. There’s something they’re working towards. The other side is that if the villain is not strong enough, then it’s not enough to show how strong the main character actually is. If the villain is strong, then the main character is stronger. LYN: Don’t single me out. If you don’t like to watch, get out. XD
C: The second male lead never gets the love he wants. LYN: Stop singling me out. If you don’t like to watch, get out. I replied. You can stop singling me out.
C: When you’re talking shit about someone and they overhear you talking about them. LYN: That’s just nonsense, isn’t it. It’s already RECORDED, so first of all the viewers have definitely heard it. The viewers represent a perspective. If there’s something the show doesn’t want you to know they wouldn’t have recorded it for us to see/hear.
C: Herbal medication is always fed one mouthful at a time. LYN: You mean if someone is sick and they’re fed the medicine spoon by spoon? Stop picking on me. Let me tell you- what’s wrong with that?! They’re already sick- you want to open their mouths and just pour the medicine down? What if they choke to death?? They’re already weak and need spiritual pills and mysterious medicine to save them. You want to take a bowl of piping hot water and just have them guzzle it down??? If there was nothing wrong with them before, they would have been burned to death after your care. We need to feed them one spoon at a time- blow the medicine cool before you feed it to them! This is medicine we’re talking about. It’s not like beer- you expect them to one-shot it? What the heck... You’re wrong on this one. you can’t be like this. One spoonful at a time is normal. C: They’ll die from the bitterness. LYN: Well... you CAN gulp it down. But usually in dramas if you’re at this point you don’t have the energy to do that, right?
C: If you fall off a cliff, if you’re not landing in water you’ll be hanging off a tree. LYN: In this case it’s mostly a main character situation. If it’s the lead role and there are 40 episodes in the drama and they fall from the cliff in E2... and they die.... we’ll be watching a group of supporting actors for the rest of the drama?? Let’s say the ML dies in E2, the FL dies in E3, the 2ML dies in E4, and the 2FL dies in E5. What do we do- find a group of background characters to follow? Wouldn’t that be very strange? C: Get the 2ML. LYN: No, he died in E4. X’D LYN: If everyone dies at the start, who would you be watching the drama for??
C: When the ML takes off his clothes and shows his abs. LYN: /thinking/ Oh, this has nothing to do with me. Um... I guess the prerequisite is that this person has to have abs in the first place. The actor himself has to have abs. If he doesn’t then they probably won’t give him a close-up in this scene. But if he does have it, then why not show off his charms, right? I think this is normal. If he takes off his clothes and you don’t focus on the abs, where do you WANT them to focus? 👀 You have to pick a place! If you don’t choose the abs, where would you focus? Tell me. LYN: He takes off his clothes and you focus on, what? The armpit? Underarm? A fingernail? That doesn’t work. You have to go with the abs. Thats very normal. There’s nothing more to say here. LYN: He takes off his clothes and you want the camera to do a close-up on his bellybutton?? That would be weird. C: The lips. LYN: You can see that when he’s wearing clothes, too. What’s the point of taking the clothes off, then?
C: Flower petals in the bath water. LYN: That’s up to personal preference, isn’t it? Also the drama has to shoot something... aesthetically pleasing yet acceptably broadcast-able. The petals can cover some things, and you can use your imagination to think of what’s under the water. If you’re just sitting in a bath of clear water and the camera is shooting downwards into it.. that’s strange, isn’t it? Even if it weren’t exactly clear, but you still can’t see what’s under the water. If the water were green, for example. That’s weird, isn’t it? As if the lead is so smelly the water has turned green. XD But also if the water is clear and you don’t take off any clothes to bathe... that’s also strange. So they just use petals to block the view. That’s normal. If you can’t even accept that then just stop watching dramas.
C: Keep spitting blood but they don’t die. LYN: I guess it depends on the wound. If their head was cut off they’d have to die. Or are you watching Journey to the West? Still, not feasible.
C: When, before going to fight in a war, the male character says, “Wait for me to come back. I will definitely marry you, then.” and they don’t. LYN: This is true. A lot of foreign movies are like this as well. If there’s a person out on a mission and they take out a picture of their wife and kid, or maybe their girlfriend, their probability of dying increases to 90%. As long as they turn to their buddy and ask them, “This is my wife/girlfriend. What do you think? Isn’t she pretty?” 90% chance they’re not going to make it. Also! Right before they’re gone they’ll give the photo or a letter to their buddy and say, “Bring this back for me and return it to her. Tell her not to wait for me.” 90%. A lot of movies do this.
C: I wanted to listen to your song so I watched TtEotM and starting falling for Luo Yunxi. LYN: You have good taste. I hope that people can continue to support every drama that I sing an OST for. May 1st- The Ingenious One will start airing. You can watch that, too. You’ll start falling for Chen Xiao. Of course, Mao Xiaotong-laoshi is also very great. Go watch it.
C: Martial brothers end up feuding. LYN: This doesn’t count. Because this goes according to the situation, but we’re thinking of something more common.
C: Washing up but not washing the hair in guzhuang dramas. LYN: ... This you should be more understanding. As an actor myself I don’t think we should complain about it. If you really want to push the issue then there’s no way to continue filming. If you’re so strict to the point where you can’t accept that this ancient person doesn’t wash their hair, then I think it’s too strange. It’s possible that people in the old times didn’t LIKE to wash their hair. Can’t I just not want to wash my hair? LYN: Most of the times it’s a wig! Once it hits the water, the wig’s going to fly off. It’s just held on by glue. Once your head is in the water it’s going to remove the glue and then the hair’s coming off. That won’t work, so there’s nothing we can do about this.
LYN: Oh, Director, you came again? Checking things out? Welcome~
C: Someone always saves you when you’re trying to jump off a building. LYN: Which drama? ... ?_? Does that even need explaining?? This doesn’t work- of course there’s going to be someone to save them. [t/n: Ah... what about... Bai Choufei. ;_; ]
C: Why do they need to kiss underwater? LYN: When someone falls into the water, someone else jumps in to save them and they have to give the other mouth-to-mouth to transfer air. I think this is suited to the situation. I mean.. the first person in doesn’t have air anymore, so the other person becomes their oxygen tank. Just give them a breath. That counts as underwater CPR. You can’t think so evilly. They’re under the water, so in order to stay alive they’re using a method of CPR. It’s not that they’re just down there to kiss! What a happy situation, that would be! But the purpose of this scene isn’t just to that they can have an underwater kiss. The main point is to save the other person, just that the action requires some mouth-to-mouth. This is normal. I don’t think we need to ridicule this. You just don’t like seeing it. Let’s do this, friend. If you see this scene happening in a drama, just think of it from a medical perspective and you won’t find it as strange. Don’t think about the feelings between the leads, but the medical aspect.
C: Ning-ge, when you kiss, are you REALLY kissing? LYN: Sometimes- Are you- How old are you this year? I think if you’re asking this question you aren’t older than 18. The other problem is, if you’re older than 18... I think you can tell the difference. LYN: If it’s not real kissing then what is it..? An actor and... a piece of pork? Or there’s a space between the actors and later they get PS’d together so it looks like they’re kissing? I don’t get it. I’m not sure what is a “real kiss” and a “fake kiss”. C: Kissing but not touching. LYN: How do you do that?? LYN: There are of close scenes where they’re not REALLY kissing, but those are for wide or middle shots. If it’s a close-up then there’s no other way. I have also heard of course, about kissing doubles and I’ve also heard of who has used them. But it’s not important. This type of thing is... whatever. C: Have you? LYN: I have not. I’m not worthy.
C: I’m drowning, what now Lao-da? LYN: You’re drowning but you’re still typing? I can’t help you.
C: It’s 11p. LYN: I have a clock! :( I have a clock, I have my phone. My computer has the time right there! I know what time it is, you don’t need to remind me!! Are you an alarm or what? I’m aware, don’t push me.
C: Brothers end up liking the same person. LYN: This is normal, you see it all the time in real life too. You and a girl in your dorm end up liking the same boy- that’s normal isn’t it? There’s nothing to pick at, here.
C: Never finishing a sentence before they die. LYN: Oh, for example if a villain has fatally wounded someone and at the last moment the good guy comes and holds them, says, “Quickly! Tell me who did this to you!” And the person on the verge of death says, “The murderer... the murderer is...” and then dies. It’s always like that, right? Well, what else did you expect?? Someone dies in the first episode, but before they died the good guy came and asked them, “Who is the murderer?” and they reply “The murderer is XYZ.” ... What’s the point in shooting the drama? How do we shoot the rest of the drama? I mean, we CAN but... /laughs/
C: The ML always has a 白月光. (refers to a person or thing that is elusive in the heart, has always been loved, but cannot be touched.) LYN: This, I... /thinking/ Who are you referring to??? If you don’t like to see it, get out. Stop picking on me. XD There’s always a childhood friend or a former lover, something like that. This is normal. A normal part of a drama story.
C: The FL gets lost and the ML goes crazy looking for her. LYN: Who are you referring to?? (Hao Du) This is extremely normal, isn’t it? If your partner went missing I’m sure you’d be going crazy looking for them, too. Let’s say for example- a lot of you are women- say you’re hiking with your husband and you suddenly find that he’s no longer with you. You wouldn’t look for him? You’d happily go home? “So great!” You’d be going crazy looking for him, too! You’d make a police report and find people to help you keep looking. This is totally normal! It happens all the time, what is there to pick on, about this?
C: When there are misunderstandings but they don’t stop to explain. LYN: This is very normal. Some people just don’t like to play the pity card. I think it’s understandable, but I also know that this theme comes up often. From a logical standpoint, this is normal. Some people would rather suffer in silence than speak up. They don’t have a personality that allows them to express themselves, so they don’t want to speak up. This is an ordinary thing. It’s in line with the story, so I think this is okay. LYN: I just don’t want to say anything. I’m an adult man- I shouldn’t make a big deal out of it. I can just bear it and when it reaches a point that I can’t anymore, I’ll just run away. XD LYN: There are people in the world like this, so there’s nothing to say here.
C: When they meet a fortune-teller and whatever they say ends up being the next plot. LYN: This is normal, otherwise what’s the point of their appearance? Say the male lead is on the road and meets a fortune-teller, who says, “Kid- I see that you “this and that”. In the future you should be careful. “blablabla”.” And then the fortune-teller tells them a bunch of stuff that has nothing at all to do with the future plot- what’s the point of their appearance, then? What was the point of the director shooting such a scene? In this case they wouldn’t need to appear in the drama at all.
C: When the ML and FL are together and one of them falls asleep, there’s a high probability that the one left awake will try to kiss the sleeping one. LYN: /laughs but then sobers (because Hao Du)/ Ehm... This... Is normal! There’s nothing to say! It’s normal. This friend- you must not have dated before. I think this is normal... If the ML and FL are together and one of them falls asleep and the other one really likes them, I’m sure that they’ll want to try to kiss or are discovered trying to kiss. Either is possible. Stop picking on me! If you don’t like to watch it, then get out.
C: If the FL drops something it will definitely be picked up by the ML. LYN: Not necessarily. This one’s alright. It depends on the script. Sometimes if a ML drops something it will get picked up by the FL. Or maybe a beggar... or some random person. It’s not definite. Most of the time it’s a handkerchief, or a scarf, or face veil that blows away. It will definitely end up near/around the male lead. Either they catch it, or it ends up in the ML’s face, or around their neck, or tangled in their hands. - [t/n: that’s -1, Ning-ge. You tagged yourself.]
C: When the FL throws up it has to be because she’s pregnant. LYN: Not necessarily! ... Well then, tell me. What method(s) should a drama use to convey to the viewers the information that the FL might be pregnant? Other than having her throw up, what other way is there to let the viewers know? Is there something else we can do? This is the only way. If the leads are talking and the FL suddenly /starts gagging/, the ML is going to ask, “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” - FL: I don’t know. Lately I haven’t been able to keep anything down. I always feel nauseous. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. It’s alright. Maybe it’s because the weather has been hot and I’m tired. - ML: Let’s call a doctor right away! - FL: I don’t need one. - ML: No, no! You could have heatstroke. Let’s have a doctor see you, just in case. LYN: A doctor comes and sees her. - ML: How is it, Doctor? - D: Congratulations, My Lord. Your wife is expecting! ~ LYN: It’s always like this. There’s nothing else we can do. If we shot a drama like this- /the FL starts gagging and the ML asks her what’s wrong/ - FL: /directly/ I’m going to throw up. ~ LYN: It’s not like it can’t be done this way. It’s a different method of expression, for sure. Or- /the FL starts gagging and the ML asks her what’s wrong/ - FL: I don’t know. Lately I haven’t been able to keep anything down. I always feel nauseous. The weather’s taken a turn and it’s started heating up. Maybe I have heat exhaustion. - ML: Let me call you a doctor. - FL: No, I don’t need one. - ML: No! If it’s a small thing we can take care of it but if it’s serious we can't risk it. I’ll call a doctor for you. LYN: The doctor comes. - ML: How is it, Doctor? How is my wife? - D: Your wife... has eaten something off and has diarrhea. She has food poisoning. Have her eat something light in the next few days. ~ LYN: Then what’s the purpose of shooting the previous scene??? Or it could go like this /repeats the whole spiel one more time, but-/\ - D: Your wife has heatstroke. LYN: Shooting a scene like that would have absolutely no meaning/purpose! We can only make do. ~ C: 2x speed. XD LYN: /repeats it all again, faster. But-/ - D: Oh, your wife. She’s crazy. LYN: There’s no need to film that! LYN: /repeats it again, with a different result/ - D: Your wife... is pretending to be ill. LYN: That also has no meaning. The only thing this (throwing up) can represent is that she’s pregnant, and congratulations. It’s just the process. ~ - D: You wife has heatstroke. - ML: What can we do?? - D: Have her drink some huo xiang zheng qi water. LYN: It’s possible! Maybe the drama has some collaboration with HXZQ and this is a subtle promotion. Some people do film that way. “After your wife drinks this HXZQ water, I guarantee that her symptoms of heatstroke will turn for the better.” It’s a way, so this is normal. We don’t need to pick on this. -- C: People didn’t get heatstroke in the old days. LYN: ?_? What do you mean??? They did. Of course they did! Ever since there were humans on this Earth I’m sure that heatstroke has been a thing. It has nothing to do with old or modern times. When the weather is hot, you get heatstroke. This is a common thing that happens!
C: FL coughs and ends up spitting blood. LYN: This doesn’t only happen to the FL, the ML does it too. This is normal. If you’re hurt to a certain extent you’re going to cough blood. Sometimes this is a method that dramas have to use to reveal the extend of their condition. It’s not like nowadays, when we can go get checked out at a hospital. We can get an x-ray and the results tell us we have a broken bone. There’s no way to tell you so straightforwardly in a guzhuang drama, so the only way to show that someone has been severely wounded is to have them cough blood. Pale lips, pale face, spitting blood. They can only use this imagery to tell you that someone is badly hurt. We can’t get an x-ray and look at lab results. LYN: There’s no helping it. Coughing and spitting blood is a way to show that the person is very ill. If they were ONLY coughing, maybe you’d think that they ate something spicy. If someone is wounded and they were just dry coughing, you’d find it annoying. If they cough and all this blood spills out it’s a direct way of telling you they’re badly wounded. Just using imagery to convey to the audience the situation. There’s nothing to pick on, here.
C: There’s a misunderstanding between two people but they never sort it out. They almost talk to each other but end up not. LYN: This is normal, because things like this happen in real life, too. There are people who don’t like to express themselves, or sometimes one person wants to explain but the other doesn’t want to listen. Why do you think young people nowadays like to fight each other? I’m sure a bunch of you young people are dating right now- when you fight, what do you fight about? There are always going to be disputes and there’s a reason behind them, but you’re still going to fight about it. This is normal. It’s possible that one person has an explosive attitude and doesn’t want to hear it. No matter how reasonable the answer is, they still don’t want to listen. This is very normal, so there’s nothing to say.
C: Does medicine have to be fed by mouth? LYN: You mean, for example, the person is sick and they can’t open his mouth. They won’t drink, so the guy/girl holds a mouthful and blows it into their mouth? /thinking/ It’s possible that- /laughs/. These things do happen.. passing the medicine through their mouth... this is also normal. It’s not like they can stick a tube down your throat, in the old times. What else can you do- there’s no other way. C: No straws? LYN: There were. But the reason that they can’t drink is because the teeth are closed and they can’t get it in. Or maybe they can’t swallow. So the only thing is to get the medicine into the mouth and then blow it down. I think this is acceptably normal. LYN: I already told you, if you don’t like seeing these things then just think of it from a medical perspective and that might make it more acceptable.
LYN: Alright. It’s about time, friends.Thank you for your company and support. If you haven’t subscribed to my weibo yet, please do so. I am Modern Brothers Liu Yuning. Thanks for your company. I hope you had a relaxing and wonderful night. It was great to have you, and I hope you had fun. Let’s meet again in the next stream. Goodnight, everyone!
#Liu Yuning#lyn livestream#(4:02:55)#dyed his hair!!#likening people to appliances#horse trauma (conceal don't feel)#water trauma#swimming lessions#uh... a concept for his concert#some singing#scenes that made him almost lose his mind#teasing daimi#drama tropes that make you want to roll your eyes#'if you don't like to watch it then get out'
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How Can a New Boiler Transform Your Harrow Residence?
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Top 10 Magic Bullet Blenders to Buy on Amazon
Magic bullet blenders can be used to make soup from vegetables, butter from nuts, silky emulsions from dressings and sauces, salsas from chopped components, and, of course, smoothies. They’re incredibly helpful, often likened to stoves or microwaves, and come in various options to streamline the vast choices.
Magic Bullet Blender 2023
The Magic Bullet Blenders is a popular and highly rated kitchen appliance that is designed to quickly blend, chop, and mix a variety of ingredients. It is known for its compact size, versatility, and ease of use, making it a popular choice for those with busy lifestyles who want to eat healthy, homemade meals on the go.
The Magic Bullet Blenders features a powerful motor and sharp blades that can easily blend and puree fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients in seconds. It is perfect for making smoothies, dips, sauces, and more, and is easy to use and clean.
One of the key features of the Magic Bullet Blenders is its versatility. It comes with a variety of cups and lids, allowing you to blend and store your creations in the same container. This makes it perfect for people who want to take their smoothies or other products with them when they are on the go.
The Magic Bullet Blender is also very easy to clean, with most parts being dishwasher-safe. Overall, the Magic Bullet Blender is a convenient and time-saving tool that is perfect for busy individuals who want to eat healthy, homemade meals without sacrificing convenience.
Read on to learn more about the best magic bullet blenders to buy right now:
KOIOS 850W Smoothie Bullet Blender
Pros
Powerful Personal Blender
Offers Unlimited Versatility
Upgraded 304 Stainless Steel
Larger Capacity and More Convenient
Cons
Leaks Occasionally
Overview
The 6-leaf cross and flat 2-leaf blade design of the KOIOS bullet smoothie maker & juicer makes it simple to combine and extract nutrients. The hardest whole foods can be transformed in 10 seconds into nutrient-dense drinks, smoothies, and nut butter.
Your single Magic bullet blenders for shakes and smoothies has an 850W copper motor with pulse technology, allowing you to get more creative in the kitchen. With the KOIOS bullet blender, operations like chopping, blending, mixing, grating, pureeing, and grinding becomes quick and easy jobs that make cooking more enjoyable.
While traveling, quickly prepare your shakes, juices, and smoothies before engaging in physical activity. Vitamin and nutrient extracts are conveniently concealed in fruits and vegetables. To ground coffee beans and nuts, use an additional flat blade and cup.
It comes with two bullet BPA-free cups with travel lids, and a flip-top cup is included. It adds more portability for transporting to the office, the gym, or class, as well as in the car or your luggage, and can help your healthy drink become the to-go mixed beverage. Drink delicious and nutritious homemade beverages anywhere.
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Specifications
Color: Black
Material: Plastic, Stainless Steel
Special Feature: Single Serve, Removable Blade, Pulse Technology
Motor: 850W
HOMCS Magic Bullet 17-Piece Express Mixing Set
Pros
Easy to Use
Versatile
Easy to Clean
High-Quality Material
Cons
Expensive
Overview
Introduce yourself to the Magic Bullet blenders , a portable countertop magician that truly works like magic. You can chop, mix, blend, whip, grind, and more with the Magic Bullet, all in under ten seconds, for the quickest, tastiest meals ever! It works well with everything, including spaghetti sauce, snacks, shredded cheese, and chopped onions.
The Magic Bullet blenders simply takes up the space of a coffee mug while replacing a food processor, blender, and coffee grinder. It remains accessible on your counter for quick meals and snacks. No buttons need to be pushed. Simply place the ingredients in one of the four mugs, the tall cup or the short cup.
You can make spaghetti sauce, salsa, soup, chicken salad, smoothies, shakes, and more in a matter of seconds by twisting the cross or flat blade, setting the bullet on the power base, and pressing down. Simply put the magic bullet cup or mug in the microwave, fridge, or freezer to preheat or cool.
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Specifications
Color: Coffee
Material: Stainless Steel
Weight: 0.95 Ounces
Wattage: 200 Watts
Magic Bullet Personal Blender
Pros
Microwave Safe Cups
Dishwasher Safe Components
Easy to Use
Easy to Clean
Cons
Comes with Only One Cup
Overview
The Magic Bullet Personal Blender is a compact and convenient appliance that is perfect for making smoothies, shakes, and other blended drinks. It is also great for chopping, grinding, and pureeing a variety of ingredients.
One of the best things about the Magic Bullet is its size. It is much smaller than a traditional blender, making it perfect for small kitchens or for those who don’t have a lot of counter space. It is also very lightweight, making it easy to store and transport.
The Magic Bullet blenders is very easy to use. It has a simple one-touch operation and comes with several different cups and lids so that you can blend, grind, or chop your ingredients right in the cup. One potential downside to the Magic Bullet is that it may not be as powerful as a traditional blender.
It is not designed for heavy-duty blending, so it may struggle with tougher ingredients like ice or frozen fruit. However, for everyday blending needs, it is more than sufficient.
Overall, the Magic Bullet Personal Blender is a great appliance for anyone who needs a compact and convenient way to make smoothies, shakes, and other blended drinks. It is easy to use, comes with everything you need to get started, and is perfect for small kitchens or those short on counter space.
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Specifications
Weight: 2.42 Pounds
Wattage: 200W
Color: Black
Magic Bullet Kitchen Express
Pros
Small But Mighty
Own the Kitchen
Less Mess and Less Stress
Compact Size and Countertop-Friendly
Cons
Can Get Overheated
Overview
The Magic Bullet Kitchen Express is an all-in-one appliance that can chop, mix, slice, shred, blend, and do a lot more in the kitchen. You can quickly move from a compact food processor to a personal blender thanks to its high-torque 250-Watt motor base and suitable work bowl and cup accessories.
It includes a recipe book that will assist you in starting to prepare quick, simple, and delicious meals, from appetizers to desserts. This system, which is intended for daily use, is small and countertop-friendly. All of its components are also top-rack dishwasher safe, which minimizes cleanup.
The bowl and cups are constructed of incredibly durable, BPA-free plastic, while the blades are composed of stainless steel.
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Specifications
Color: Silver
Capacity: 1.8 Pounds
Motor: 250W
Speeds: Pulse Control
M.B Magic Bullet Essential Personal Blender
Pros
Easy to Use
Hassle-Free Cleanup
Compact and Easy to Store
Easy to Use
Cons
A bit Expensive
Overview
The Magic Bullet is a kitchen tool that chops, blends, and mixes ingredients to produce a limitless variety of mouthwatering dishes in a matter of seconds. Magic Bullet can complete almost any task in less than ten seconds! Use the Magic Bullet to quickly prepare tasty party dips like salsa, pasta sauces, icy milkshakes, and more.
The Magic Bullet uses up little counter space while displaying maximum speed and variety. It is handy and simple to use. The Magic Bullet blends, chops, mixes, whips, and more with its distinctive appearance, small size, and reasonable price in less time than it takes to install typical kitchen appliances
Just insert the cup on the power base, spin the blade, and line up the tabs with the ingredients inside. In a hurry? No issue! Take your treats with you by using the handy takeout cup. Rinse with soap and water only! The mugs are suitable for top-rack dishwashers.
Quickly assemble and portable, this blender is microwave-safe with a handy cup. Ideal for cocktails, sauces, smoothies, and more, it comes with Blades, Blender Cup, and Motor Base.
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Specifications
Color: Sage
Special Feature: Portable
Capacity: 18 Fluid Ounces
Wattage: 250W
Nutribullet Personal Blender
Pros
Offers Nutrition in No Time
Easy to Clean
Easy to Use
Good Blending Power
Cons
Can be Loud While Working
Overview
The quickest and simplest method for creating smoothies that are rich in nutrients is the Nutribullet. Fill it with your preferred whole foods, such as spinach, berries, and almonds, and then press, twist.
blend your way to a healthy way of life. Its strong 600-watt motor and nutrient-extraction blades quickly turn whole foods into liquid fuel for your body.
Discover the original NutriBullet, a portable but potent personal blender. To get the most out of each ingredient, you decide what goes in every day. You’ll use this smartphone daily because of its straightforward, user-friendly design. Simply push, twist, and combine. It truly is that simple.
Did you know the majority of smoothies can be prepared in under a minute? You may now incorporate a nutritious diet into your hectic day! Put the cups on the top rack of the dishwasher after simply twisting off the blades and giving them a good wash with soap and water. That is good health with no hassles.
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Specifications
Color: Gray
Special Feature: Manual
Capacity: 0.6 Liters
Wattage: 600W
Ninja Fit Compact Personal Blender
Pros
Pulse Technology
Offers Frozen Blending
Easy to Clean
Comes With a 50-Recipe Inspiration Guide
Cons
A bit Expensive
Overview
The strong 700-watt push-to-blend motor base drives everything inside the cup to offer you the greatest Ninja mixing. Uncover the nutrients that are hidden in entire fruits and vegetables.
Produce a beverage from fruits and vegetables that is rich in vitamins and nutrients. It uses the whole, typically discarded sections of fruits and vegetables in the blending process.
For resort-style frozen cocktails, smoothies, frozen snacks, and more crushed ice grind frozen ingredients. It has simple, straightforward controls and is so small that it may fit on any countertop.
Directly blend in the 16-ounce single-serve cup, secure the spout cover, and take your concoctions with you wherever you go.It includes a 50-recipe recipe inspiration book to help you get started with simple smoothies, frozen drinks, sauces, and other dishes.
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Specifications
Color: Black
Special Feature: Programmable
Capacity: 16 Fluid Ounces
Material: Plastic
Mueller Austria Ultra Bullet Personal Blender
Pros
Powerful and Compact Design
One-Touch Power Blending
Portable Blending Jar
4 Stainless Steel Ultra-Sharp Blades
Cons
Not Much Powerful Motor
Overview
In less than a minute, the Mueller UltraBullet portable tiny blender is ready to whirl your favorite fruits! It is effective for all types of blending and can handle both frozen fruits and leafy greens with ease.
And what’s the nicest part about it? Start juicing as soon as you’d like because the personal blender won’t produce a lot of noise! The ideal blender for making shakes, smoothies, juices, and other things! Whether your components are fresh or frozen, this blender will quickly combine them into a delicious and nutritious meal.
For the smoothest possible smoothie, pulse away. There are larger and more complex blenders available, but are they really necessary for the same functionality? You can quickly prepare drinks, sauces, and even baby food with this smoothie blender!
All it takes is a touch to get going. Those who need to juice quickly might consider the Mueller juice blender as an excellent alternative. You may relax; your personal protein smoothie mixer will handle everything.
Protein shakes can be blended and served directly from the jar as a post-workout snack, or you can prepare your morning drink to bring it with you to work. Additionally, this powerful portable shake blender is the ideal size to fit on small countertops, whether they are in a house, office, or RV! Just blend, lift, and proceed!
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Specifications
Color: Gray
Number of Speeds: 1
Voltage: 120 Volts
Blade Material: Stainless Steel
OSEYM 19-in-1 Bullet Blender
Pros
Offers Pulse Technology
Unlimited Versatility
Convenient Portable Blender
Easy to Clean
Cons
Manual Operation
Overview
OSEYM is a cutting-edge brand dedicated to providing you with kitchen appliances and home goods. OSEYM blenders and other home products were designed to help you live a more vibrant, healthy, convenient, and high-quality life. This blender makes everyone’s life in their own homes more comfortable and enjoyable.
The 850-watt push-to-blend motor base powers through everything inside the cup for the best blending. And the 22000rpm speed allows your personal blender for shakes and smoothies to expand your culinary creativity.
OSEYM bullet blender with a 6-leaf cross blade for more powerful blending pulverizes fruits, vegetables, superfoods, protein shakes, green smoothies, seeds, keto shakes, and breakfast shakes effortlessly. Of course, we also include a 2-leaf blade for grinding coffee beans or condiments.
Make your healthy beverage into a to-go mixed beverage for easy transport to the office, gym, or class, in the car, or your bag. Everywhere you go, you can enjoy tasty and healthy homemade beverages. All components are BPA-free, disassembled, and simple to clean.
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Specifications
Color: Silver – Black
Special Feature: Portable and Removable Blade
Capacity: 1.3 Pounds
Peak Power: 850W
Abuler Smoothie Blender
Pros
Powerful Bullet Blender
Convenient Versatile Cup Blender Set
Easy to Clean
Healthy and Safe
Cons
A bit Expensive
Overview
Your various blending, mixing, and grinding requirements are met by the Abuler personal blender for shakes and smoothies. You may make frozen or healthy fresh fruit smoothie bowls for breakfast with the cup blender protein shake blender, grind coffee beans for a cup of good coffee in the morning, mix ground black pepper for your delectable meals or pasta, or make crushed nuts for your wonderful bread, cakes, or salad.
You don’t need to travel far to a coffee shop or juice bar for drinks after a long day at work because you can quickly produce iced blended coffee, smoothies, and other frozen drinks at home with the cup blender for smoothies.
Freshness is the secret to flavor in juices. You can energize whenever you want, thanks to the compact shake and smoothie blender. Imagine being able to make a cup of delicious juice to treat yourself immediately after buying fresh fruits from retailers.
You can prepare your favorite homemade sauces or spices, such as crushed almonds, cumin powder, pepper, or salsa, for your meals or desserts using a kitchen blender.
When it comes to blending, pureeing, and grinding ingredients for shakes and smoothies, there is nothing the single blender cannot handle. When you lead a busy life, the powerful feature substantially reduces the amount of time it takes to produce fruit shakes or smoothies.
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Specifications
Color: Silver and Black
Material: Stainless Steel
Style: Countertop Blenders
Weight: 3.22 lbs.
Final Words
In conclusion, the Magic Bullet Personal Blender is a handy and versatile appliance that is perfect for making smoothies, shakes, and other blended drinks. Its compact size and one-touch operation make it convenient and easy to use, and it comes with everything you need to get started.
While it may not be as powerful as a traditional blender, it is more than sufficient for everyday blending needs. If you are in need of a compact and convenient blender, the Magic Bullet is definitely worth considering. We have reviewed the top 10 best magic bullet blenders to buy on Amazon so that you can pick the one that is ideal for your needs and budget.
Things to Consider While Buying Magic Bullet Blender
Purpose of Use
If you plan to use the blender in a commercial setting, make sure you buy a sturdy one that can withstand its regular use.
Things to Consider While Buying Magic Bullet Blender
Purpose of Use
If you plan to use the blender in a commercial setting, make sure you buy a sturdy one that can withstand its regular use.
You won’t need a blender as durable as those meant for professional usage if you’re only intending to use it at home. You’ll need to know how frequently and by how many individuals it will be used.
The quality you need to purchase will depend on that. You’ll need one better built than one meant to be used by one person twice to three times per week if it serves three to four individuals daily.
You should also think about whether you’ll be consuming your product at home or when you’re on the go. A blender that only includes lip rings for the cups will work perfectly if you’re using it at home. Purchase one with lids if you want to prepare drinks and bring them with you to consume while traveling to prevent spills.
Price
The price of a magic bullet blender can be anything from $40 to several hundred dollars. Given the vast range of costs available, you’ll want to obtain the best value for your money, but it pays to be completely certain of your intended use of the product before making a purchase.
Look for a magic bullet blender at the lower end of the price range if you’re simply testing them out to see if you like them. They are functional but not as long-lasting in their construction. If you intend to use a blender frequently to add healthier foods to your diet, focus more on the product’s quality than its cost.
Power Level
There are numerous wattages available for magic bullet blenders. The finer your food will be pureed, the more power a blender has.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Magic Bullet Personal Blender?
The Magic Bullet Personal Blender is a compact appliance that is designed for making smoothies, shakes, and other blended drinks. It is also great for chopping, grinding, and pureeing a variety of ingredients.
What comes with the Magic Bullet Personal Blender?
The Magic Bullet Personal Blender comes with several different cups and lids so that you can blend, grind, or chop your ingredients right in the cup. It also comes with a recipe book to give you ideas for new and delicious drinks to make.
How powerful is the Magic Bullet Personal Blender?
While the Magic Bullet Personal Blender is not as powerful as a traditional blender, it is more than sufficient for everyday blending needs. It may struggle with tougher ingredients like ice or frozen fruit, but it is more than adequate for most blending needs.
Is the Magic Bullet Personal Blender easy to use?
Yes, the Magic Bullet Personal Blender is very easy to use. It has a simple one-touch operation and comes with several different cups and lids so that you can blend, grind, or chop your ingredients right in the cup. It also comes with a recipe book, so you can get ideas for new and delicious drinks to make.
How big is the Magic Bullet Personal Blender?
The Magic Bullet Personal Blender is much smaller than a traditional blender, making it perfect for small kitchens or for those who don’t have a lot of counter space. It is also very lightweight, making it easy to store and transport.
nutribullet Personal Blender
for Shakes, Smoothies, Food Prep
Magic Bullet Blender
Small, Silver, 11 Piece Set
Ninja BN401
Compact Personal Blender
Hamilton Beach Power
Elite Wave Action blender
Hamilton Beach Blender
For Shakes and Smoothies
Amazon Price $44.99
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Wide variety of stainless steels and the uses for each.
Stainless steel is a kind of steel that resists corrosion very well. A chromium-rich oxidised film forms on its surface, giving it its unique corrosion resistance. This film is also known as the "passive layer." Variable amounts of carbon, silicon, and manganese are also present. Improved formability and greater corrosion resistance are only two examples of the possible benefits of adding elements like nickel and maybe molybdenum.
Stainless steel is used for everything from huge building structures to little chairs. Iron-chromium alloy's anti-corrosive properties were first noticed in the early nineteenth century, but it was not produced with such features until the early twentieth century. There are excellent sources for Corten steel suppliers.
Stainless steel may be broken down into the following categories:
1) Iron-based
Because of its ferrite crystal structure, the most fundamental composition, which includes iron and chromium, is known as ferritic stainless steels. These are magnetic and may be found in appliances like cars and dishwashers. Despite limitations like welding and shaping challenges, they are frequently the cheapest kind. We have had a great experience with Corten steel plate.
(2) Austenitic metalworking
Austenitic stainless steel is the most common type of stainless steel, and it gets its structure from the addition of nickel, manganese, and nitrogen. It can be welded and shaped because of its composition, which is not an issue with ferritic. Austenitic steel is used for a variety of items, including cookware and maybe laundry baskets. Weathering steel plate is indeed a top-notch choice.
Martensitic
It would appear that martensitic steels have the same chromium basis as ferritic steels. However, they do contain more carbon than normal. They can then be tempered and hardened in this way. Martensitic has poor weldability and maybe formability in general, and it is typically only found in longer products rather than in the sheet and plate form. Martensitic steel is used for a variety of purposes, including cutlery and valve parts. The greatest results may be expected from Corten steel pipe.
Construction is far from the only application for fabricated steel. It may also be utilised in the production of vehicle parts, ornaments, and even furniture. You should really contemplate the latter if you are a tailor-made steel manufacturer. You may attract a wider customer base by offering high-quality, custom aftermarket parts at competitive prices. The recommended standard is S355J2WP Steel.
The use of oxy-acetylene torches to straighten out the specific twisted steel weldments has been likened to an art form. Steel receives its heat in a considerably more measured and linear sweeping action. The steel would have net contractions along the direction of the sweep as it cooled.ASTM A242 Steel Plate is used widely by a lot of people.
Many people are put off by the thought of having to forge steel into useful objects. It is a profitable field, and though it requires a lot of time and effort, it is not as difficult as you may think. You can find ASTM A588 Steel Plate at a lot of places.
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New Post has been published on All about business online
New Post has been published on http://yaroreviews.info/2023/05/flooding-toilet-bungs-and-other-prevention-measures-to-save-homes
Flooding: Toilet bungs and other prevention measures to save homes
Nick Lupton
By Kevin Peachey
Cost of living correspondent
Homeowners risk complacency, expense and trauma unless they consider fitting simple flood protection measures, a new campaign will claim.
The Environment Agency and others say millions of UK homes are at risk, and families can be forced out of a flood-hit home for a year for it to dry out.
They say relatively cheap upgrades, including toilet bungs and air brick covers, can help cut damage and costs.
Forecasters say flooding in the UK will become more intense and more frequent.
Protection has saved one couple’s home despite nine floods in four years.
Nick Lupton, who lives next to the River Severn in Worcestershire, said he and his wife Annie had never had to claim on insurance, having kept their house dry despite torrents of water outside.
“We bought the house with our eyes wide open,” said the retired engineer.
“We have added a little bit to the mitigation the previous owners put in place which had worked very well, which makes our life a little bit easier.”
The property, part of which dates back to the 17th Century, was once the river ferryboat’s inn. When it was a pub, the sound of floating beer barrels in the cellar was a sign of the rising water.
Now, double flood barriers in front of the doors and pumps under the floors keep the muddy overflowing river water back. The couple are remortgaging to pay for a flood wall to circle the property, anticipating raising the value of their home as a result.
Nick Lupton
Not everything is expensive. A £5 sewage bung has saved them from having to bail out the toilets every 40 minutes during the night during a flood.
Such measures will be central to the launch of the Be Flood Smart campaign on Monday by the Environment Agency and Flood Re – a scheme designed to provide affordable insurance for flood-risk homes.
Our lives have been ruined, says flood victim
“I can’t stress enough just how horrendous flooding is, so any action people can take to avoid the turmoil is a good investment,” said Andy Bord, chief executive of Flood Re, who likened the safety measures to locks to prevent burglary.
“Insurance covers a lot, but it can’t make flooding any less traumatic and protect those really important sentimental items at the heart of your home.”
Just days after the latest set of floods hit the UK, he is urging homeowners refurbishing their homes to consider measures such as waterproof tiling and covers over the holes in air bricks. The latter could prevent water getting in, the former could make any post-flood clean-up quicker and cheaper so residents can move back in sooner.
Such items are now being put to the test, and their benefits taught to the building trade, at a new flood school in Oxfordshire.
The BBC was given exclusive access to the Be Flood Ready Property Flood Resilience Centre, built at not-for-profit consultancy HR Wallingford using government funding.
Flooding is simulated here with water pumped into a mock-up kitchen, showing the benefit of raised electrical sockets and appliances, as well as tiled skirting boards.
According to Emma Brown, who leads the flood forecasting team at HR Wallingford, climate change will make flooding “worse, more intense and more frequent”.
Four ways climate change is affecting weather
That includes coastal floods, rivers overflowing, and drainage systems unable to cope with too much rainfall. Summer rain, when the ground is hard, can create flash floods in urban areas.
She said that the risk of flooding in areas that had not suffered before could lead to some complacency, but technology was helping to highlight the risks.
“State-of-the-art computer models mean we can pinpoint the homes and businesses that are most likely to be flooded. We can go out and be better prepared,” she said.
The early results of research in Northampton suggested that every £1 spent on flood prevention in the area could mean £6 saved in dealing with damage, she said.
Related Topics
Floods
Money
Personal finance
Cost of living
Insurance
More on this story
Four ways climate change is affecting weather
20 March
Our lives have been ruined, says flood victim
3 days ago
Thames flood defences ‘must be raised sooner’
2 days ago
Shops flooded as torrent of water surges down street
10 May
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EXPLORE HOW TO MAKE QUESADILLA - MEXICO’S MOST FAMOUS STREET FOOD
Mexico is not only known as a country with majestic natural landscapes but also rich cuisine. Referring to Mexican cuisine, people will immediately think of colorful dishes, diverse ingredients. Many dishes with hot red color of tomatoes and peppers or cakes made from attractive cornmeal are loved by tourists all over the world at first taste. It can be said that each dish is a feature and adorns the rich culinary picture of Mexico. In particular, Quesadilla is an extremely famous street food of Mexico that gourmets cannot fail to mention, many people say that visiting this country must once try Quesadilla. Let's find out with Texgrill Vietnam what is so special about the famous Quesadilla cake that makes many people hunt when they come to Mexico and have to learn how to make it to enjoy!
1. What is Quesadilla?
When it comes to Mexican cuisine, it is impossible not to mention Quesadilla because this is one of the 8 delicious Mexican street foods.
Quesadilla cake inherently consists only of corn tortillas sandwiched with cheese and then baked on the fire. The sidewalk shops and restaurants have changed to make them much more lively. In addition to cheese, Quesadilla is also added with many attractive fillings such as sausages, mushrooms, garlic, beans, fried pork skin, stewed chicken or meat, ... then fried or grilled. The outer shell is made from different types of corn, but some places also add many other natural ingredients to give the cake many attractive colors.
Beyond the Mexican border, Quesadilla has many variations. Unlike street food in Mexico, In the southwestern United States, Quesadilla is loved by everyone, people liken it to a familiar grilled cheese sandwich for breakfast. In this region, the steps for making Quesadilla are similar to Mexicans except that they are added with local ingredients and sometimes even turkey.
2. History of formation and development of Quesadilla
Quesadilla originated in colonial Mexico. Quesadilla as a food has changed and evolved over the years as people experimented with different variations of it. Quesadillas are commonly sold at Mexican restaurants worldwide.
2.1. Original Quesadilla in Mexico
In the central and southern regions of Mexico, Quesadilla is a flat round shape of cooked corn Masa, known as a Tortilla, that is warmed to soften it enough to be folded in half, and then filled. They are usually filled with Oaxaca cheese (queso Oaxaca), a Mexican cheese made with the Pasta Filata (stretched-curd) method. The quesadilla is then cooked in a comal until the cheese is completely melted. They are usually cooked without any added oil.
Usually Quesadilla is served with green or red salsa, chopped onion and Guacamole.
2.2. US Quesadilla
Quesadilla is a favorite in the American southwest, where it resembles a grilled cheese sandwich, with the inclusion of local ingredients.
Another preparation involves cheese and other ingredients sandwiched between two flour buns, with the entire package baked on an oiled griddle and flipped so that both sides are cooked and the cheese is melted. This version is usually cut into wedges to serve. A household appliance (Quesadilla maker) is sold to produce this Quesadilla, although it does not use oil and cooks both sides at the same time. This is similar to the Mexican sincronizada; but in the United States they also often have beef or chicken fajita or other ingredients instead of ham.
2.3. Variations of Quesadilla Cake
Quesadillas have been adapted to many different styles to suit the taste of each country. In the United States, many restaurants serve them as appetizers, after adding their own spices and ingredients. Some other versions use goat cheese, black beans, spinach, zucchini or tofu.
Even desserts from Quesadillas are made, using ingredients like chocolate, butterscotch, caramel and various fruits.
Breakfast quesadillas are also made, using ingredients like eggs, cheese, and bacon.
3. How to make your own Quesadilla
Quesadilla cake looks fancy, but in fact, you can make this cake right in your kitchen. Let's start trying to follow the recipe below to see how!
3.1. Prepare materials
– 3 slices of bacon
– 3 chicken eggs
– Salt and pepper
– 170g shredded cheese
– 1 green onion, chopped
– 125g flour
– 65 ml boiling water
– Teaspoon olive oil
– Teaspoon salt
– ¼ teaspoon pepper
– Non-stick pan
– Dough rolling bar
3.2. Steps to take
– Shredded cheese
– Fry bacon on medium heat until the outer edge of the meat is brown, then remove and place on a plate lined with absorbent paper.
– Add eggs, a little pepper, a little salt and beat well, then fry the eggs, remove to a plate to cool.
– Sift flour into a bowl, add olive oil, salt and boiling water and mix well by hand until the dough is smooth without any lumps. Divide the dough into 4 parts and cover with a thin towel for about 30 minutes.
– After 30 minutes, continue to cover each dough with dry flour and then use a rolling pin to roll the dough as thin as possible. Roll out the dough one at a time and then continue to cover it with a towel to prevent the dough from hardening.
– Put the pan on the stove to heat, spread a thin layer of cooking oil evenly over the surface of the pan and then fry each piece of thinly-rolled dough.
– While frying, sprinkle shredded cheese all over the cake, eggs, meat, cheese and onions put on half of the cake and quickly fold the cake; Continue frying until the cake is golden brown, then return to fry the other side of the cake.
This dish is not only a pride in Mexican street food but is gradually being included in daily meals by many families around the world. With the recipe just suggested above, you can now bring home the taste of Mexico when you prepare your own Quesadilla.
In this article, Texgrill has briefly introduced to readers about the basic information and steps to make Quesadilla cakes to keep the full flavor of the Mexican homeland. We hope that you will have a great time with your friends and family while enjoying this dish at Texgrill or in the comfort of your own home.
Texgrill:
Texgrill is proud to be one of the largest F&B brands of Port City with more than 15 years of establishment and development. Up to now, the Texgrill brand has had 5 facilities in the busy streets of Hai Phong to serve the needs of customers to enjoy European cuisine. With a staff of up to 400 people and especially talented chefs with many years of experience - Texgrill offers diners dishes prepared with standard recipes such as pizza, spaghetti, steak, .. . helps you fully enjoy the quintessence of European cuisine.
In addition, with many years of experience, the restaurant's chefs also create dishes that are both European and Vietnamese, so that customers can enjoy special flavors. The luxuriously decorated restaurant in European style will surely bring great emotions when you and your loved ones or friends have a culinary experience at Texgrill.
Texgrill Hai Phong
The place to enjoy the best Quesadilla in Hai Phong with a variety of favorite side dishes such as Bolognese spaghetti, Crab & Asparagus, Lasagna, Seafood Spaghetti,...
– See the best pasta menu
– View Texgrill's all-week promotional menu
– View the menu of side salads
– View the menu of appetizers served
– View the pizza menu
For the best service, customers who order pizza on the promotional day should call the restaurant in advance
☎ TexGrill 1: ️02253.822,689 (27 Minh Khai)
☎ TexGrill 2: ️02253,653.450 (111C Van Cao)
☎ TexGrill 3: ️02253.820,883 (BH03-23, Manhattan 10, Vinhomes Imperia)
☎ TexGrill 4: 02253,272,268 (AEON LE CHAN - HAI PHONG)
☎ TexGrill 5: 02253,636,088 (No. 2, 5th Waterfront, Le Chan)
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The Mechanical Civilization of Okitegami Kyouko
Today was yet another day in which the forgetful detective responded to the request of the king of false accusations with utmost speed, but it was also true that the solution to the mystery left me feeling unsatisfied—no, I was by no means dissatisfied with the truth of the incident. I just couldn't stand to see our ever-evolving civilization misused in such a way. It was the same feeling I had when people used to say that the advent of cell phones would ruin mystery novels, but in fact it only increased the production of new tricks. After all, we lived in an age where the front door of your house could be unlocked with your smartphone with no contact at all.
"Like this, the 'needle and thread' locked room is almost cute now."
Considering the fact that it was a robot vacuum cleaner used this time, perhaps it would be more accurate to liken it to a locked room with a propped-up broom, but either way, when I blurted that out, Kyouko-san tilted her head and said, "Not really, though."
Politely, but firmly.
"After all, the intended use of the 'needle and thread' is for sewing, not as a component of a locked room. And it is precisely because of the advent of robot vacuum cleaners that the broom has taken on new values, such as elegant, retro, and 'cute'."
"? New values?"
"I suppose I could call them, good old-fashioned values. The rotary phone was a surprisingly modern appliance when it first appeared, but over time it became a commonplace everyday item placed at your front door. However, don't you think that, with the advent of the PHS, the rotary phone has been given an unwavering timelessness that deserves to be displayed in a museum?"
PHS? Ah, the Personal Handy-phone System.
As expected of a forgetful detective whose memory resets every day, her comparison which did not involve a cell phone, let alone a smartphone, was very dated, but she was still able to convey her point. It was precisely because 2.5D stage plays were on the cutting edge that the brilliance of traditional kabuki remained steadfast as a classic. In extreme cases, the Jomon and Yayoi people would not go around digging up the ground at a large scale to look for Jomon and Yayoi pottery. What value did dinosaur fossils have to dinosaurs? It even reminded me of the irony of overfished endangered species that were so generously protected.
Even with the advent of cell phones, mystery novels did not die but evolved even further, but that didn't mean that the mystery novels of a hundred years ago became less interesting. With the addition of elegance and retro, "cuteness" and timelessness, and even historical value, the flavor has grown even deeper. The image of the famous detective with a pipe in his mouth rouses my emotions, but thinking about it, pipes were just an everyday item in those days. The "needle and thread" locked room will never again be used literally, but with that concept stepping aside, it was true that it had become an idiom used universally. In other words, the nostalgia of "the old days were good" could potentially be "the old days became good because they're old".
History accumulates with regards to not just the future, but also the past.
The values of yesterday will differ from the values of today or tomorrow.
"It's like when a tragic war breaks out, and you realize for the first time the value of the casual peace you've had."
"Or perhaps like how the bloody wars of the past have become the subject of entertainment because of the smiling peace that has come. Or how the Japanese sword, a weapon used for murder, is now beloved as a work of art."
However, even during war, war is entertainment—said Kyouko-san, shrugging her shoulders.
As usual, I was impressed by the great detective's conclusion—or at least I pretended to be, but the last comparison didn't really hit home with me. And it would not be until the future false accusation, the "Dog Tag Incident", that I would realize the true meaning of those words.
However, for the unconcerned Kyouko-san, the true meaning of those words would never change, whether now or in the past, whether they are remembered or forgotten.
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Taylor Swift: ‘I was literally about to break’
By: Laura Snapes for The Guardian Date: August 24th 2019
Taylor Swift’s Nashville apartment is an Etsy fever dream, a 365-days-a-year Christmas shop, pure teenage girl id. You enter through a vestibule clad in blue velvet and covered in gilt frames bursting with fake flowers. The ceiling is painted like the night sky. Above a koi pond in the living area, a narrow staircase spirals six feet up towards a giant, pillow-lagged birdcage that probably has the best view in the city. Later, Swift will tell me she needs metaphors “to understand anything that happens to me”, and the birdcage defies you not to interpret it as a pointed comment on the contradictions of stardom.
Swift, wearing pale jeans and dip-dyed shirt, her sandy hair tied in a blue scrunchie, leads the way up the staircase to show me the view. The decor hasn’t changed since she bought this place in 2009, when she was 19. “All of these high rises are new since then,” she says, gesturing at the squat glass structures and cranes. Meanwhile her oven is still covered in stickers, more teenage diary than adult appliance.
Now 29, she has spent much of the past three years living quietly in London with her boyfriend, actor Joe Alwyn, making the penthouse a kind of time capsule, a monument to youthful naivety given an unlimited budget – the years when she sang about Romeo and Juliet and wore ballgowns to awards shows; before she moved to New York and honed her slick, self-mythologising pop.
It is mid-August. This is Swift’s first UK interview in more than three years, and she seems nervous: neither presidential nor goofy (her usual defaults), but quick with a tongue-out “ugh” of regret or frustration as she picks at her glittery purple nails. We climb down from the birdcage to sit by the pond, and when the conversation turns to 2016, the year the wheels came off for her, Swift stiffens as if driving over a mile of speed bumps. After a series of bruising public spats (with Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj) in 2015, there was a high-profile standoff with Kanye West. The news that she was in a relationship with actor Tom Hiddleston, which leaked soon after, was widely dismissed as a diversionary tactic. Meanwhile, Swift went to court to prosecute a sexual assault claim, and faced a furious backlash when she failed to endorse a candidate in the 2016 presidential election, allowing the alt-right to adopt her as their “Aryan princess”.
Her critics assumed she cared only about the bottom line. The reality, Swift says, is that she was totally broken. “Every domino fell,” she says bitterly. “It became really terrifying for anyone to even know where I was. And I felt completely incapable of doing or saying anything publicly, at all. Even about my music. I always said I wouldn’t talk about what was happening personally, because that was a personal time.” She won’t get into specifics. “I just need some things that are mine,” she despairs. “Just some things.”
A year later, in 2017, Swift released her album Reputation, half high-camp heel turn, drawing on hip-hop and vaudeville (the brilliantly hammy Look What You Made Me Do), half stunned appreciation that her nascent relationship with Alwyn had weathered the storm (the soft, sensual pop of songs Delicate and Dress).
Her new album, Lover, her seventh, was released yesterday. It’s much lighter than Reputation: Swift likens writing it to feeling like “I could take a full deep breath again”. Much of it is about Alwyn: the Galway Girl-ish track London Boy lists their favourite city haunts and her newfound appreciation of watching rugby in the pub with his uni mates; on the ruminative Afterglow, she asks him to forgive her anxious tendency to assume the worst.
While she has always written about relationships, they were either teenage fantasy or a postmortem on a high-profile breakup, with exes such as Jake Gyllenhaal and Harry Styles. But she and Alwyn have seldom been pictured together, and their relationship is the only other thing she won’t talk about. “I’ve learned that if I do, people think it’s up for discussion, and our relationship isn’t up for discussion,” she says, laughing after I attempt a stealthy angle. “If you and I were having a glass of wine right now, we’d be talking about it – but it’s just that it goes out into the world. That’s where the boundary is, and that’s where my life has become manageable. I really want to keep it feeling manageable.”
Instead, she has swapped personal disclosure for activism. Last August, Swift broke her political silence to endorse Democratic Tennessee candidate Phil Bredesen in the November 2018 senate race. Vote.org reported an unprecedented spike in voting registration after Swift’s Instagram post, while Donald Trump responded that he liked her music “about 25% less now”.
Meanwhile, her recent single You Need To Calm Down admonished homophobes and namechecked US LGBTQ rights organisation Glaad (which then saw increased donations). Swift filled her video with cameos from queer stars such as Ellen DeGeneres and Queen singer Adam Lambert, and capped it with a call to sign her petition in support of the Equality Act, which if passed would prohibit gender- and sexuality-based discrimination in the US. A video of Polish LGBTQ fans miming the track in defiance of their government’s homophobic agenda went viral. But Swift was accused of “queerbaiting” and bandwagon-jumping. You can see how she might find it hard to work out what, exactly, people want from her.
***
It was girlhood that made Swift a multimillionaire. When country music’s gatekeepers swore that housewives were the only women interested in the genre, she proved them wrong. Her self-titled debut marked the longest stay on the Billboard 200 by any album released in the decade. A potentially cloying image – corkscrew curls, lyrics thick on “daddy” and down-home values – were undercut by the fact she was evidently, endearingly, a bit of a freak, an unusual combination of intensity and artlessness. Also, she was really, really good at what she did, and not just for a teenager: her entirely self-written third album, 2010’s Speak Now, is unmatched in its devastatingly withering dismissals of awful men.
As a teenager, Swift was obsessed with VH1’s Behind The Music, the series devoted to the rise and fall of great musicians. She would forensically rewatch episodes, trying to pinpoint the moment a career went wrong. I ask her to imagine she’s watching the episode about herself and do the same thing: where was her misstep? “Oh my God,” she says, drawing a deep breath and letting her lips vibrate as she exhales. “I mean, that’s so depressing!” She thinks back and tries to deflect. “What I remember is that [the show] was always like, ‘Then we started fighting in the tour bus and then the drummer quit and the guitarist was like, “You’re not paying me enough.”’’’
But that’s not what she used to say. In interviews into her early 20s, Swift often observed that an artist fails when they lose their self-awareness, as if repeating the fact would work like an insurance against succumbing to the same fate. But did she make that mistake herself? She squeezes her nose and blows to clear a ringing in her ears before answering. “I definitely think that sometimes you don’t realise how you’re being perceived,” she says. “Pop music can feel like it’s The Hunger Games, and like we’re gladiators. And you can really lose focus of the fact that that’s how it feels because that’s how a lot of stan [fan] Twitter and tabloids and blogs make it seem – the overanalysing of everything makes it feel really intense.”
She describes the way she burned bridges in 2016 as a kind of obliviousness. “I didn’t realise it was like a classic overthrow of someone in power – where you didn’t realise the whispers behind your back, you didn’t realise the chain reaction of events that was going to make everything fall apart at the exact, perfect time for it to fall apart.”
Here’s that chain reaction in full. With her 2014 album 1989 (the year she was born), Swift transcended country stardom, becoming as ubiquitous as Beyoncé. For the first time she vocally embraced feminism, something she had rejected in her teens; but, after a while, it seemed to amount to not much more than a lot of pictures of her hanging out with her “squad”, a bevy of supermodels, musicians and Lena Dunham. The squad very much did not include her former friend Katy Perry, whom Swift targeted in her song Bad Blood, as part of what seemed like a painfully overblown dispute about some backing dancers. Then, when Nicki Minaj tweeted that MTV’s 2015 Video Music awards had rewarded white women at the expense of women of colour, multiple-nominee Swift took it personally, responding: “Maybe one of the men took your slot.” For someone prone to talking about the haters, she quickly became her own worst enemy.
Her old adversary Kanye West resurfaced in February 2016. In 2009, West had invaded Swift’s stage at the MTV VMAs to protest against her victory over Beyoncé in the female video of the year category. It remains the peak of interest in Swift on Google Trends, and the conflict between them has become such a cornerstone of celebrity journalism that it’s hard to remember it lay dormant for nearly seven years – until West released his song Famous. “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex,” he rapped. “Why? I made that bitch famous.” The video depicted a Swift mannequin naked in bed with men including Trump.
Swift loudly condemned both; although she had discussed the track with West, she said she had never agreed to the “bitch” lyric or the video. West’s wife, Kim Kardashian, released a heavily edited clip that showed Swift at least agreeing to the “sex” line on the phone with West, if not the “bitch” part. Swift pleaded the technicality, but it made no difference: when Kardashian went on Twitter to describe her as a snake, the comparison stuck and the singer found herself very publicly “cancelled” – the incident taken as “proof” of Swift’s insincerity. So she went away.
Swift says she stopped trying to explain herself, even though she “definitely” could have. As she worked on Reputation, she was also writing “a think-piece a day that I knew I would never publish: the stuff I would say, and the different facets of the situation that nobody knew”. If she could exonerate herself, why didn’t she? She leans forward. “Here’s why,” she says conspiratorially. “Because when people are in a hate frenzy and they find something to mutually hate together, it bonds them. And anything you say is in an echo chamber of mockery.”
She compares that year to being hit by a tidal wave. “You can either stand there and let the wave crash into you, and you can try as hard as you can to fight something that’s more powerful and bigger than you,” she says. “Or you can dive under the water, hold your breath, wait for it to pass and while you’re down there, try to learn something. Why was I in that part of the ocean? There were clearly signs that said: Rip tide! Undertow! Don’t swim! There are no lifeguards!” She’s on a roll. “Why was I there? Why was I trusting people I trusted? Why was I letting people into my life the way I was letting them in? What was I doing that caused this?”
After the incident with Minaj, her critics started pointing out a narrative of “white victimhood” in Swift’s career. Speaking slowly and carefully, she says she came to understand “a lot about how my privilege allowed me to not have to learn about white privilege. I didn’t know about it as a kid, and that is privilege itself, you know? And that’s something that I’m still trying to educate myself on every day. How can I see where people are coming from, and understand the pain that comes with the history of our world?”
She also accepts some responsibility for her overexposure, and for some of the tabloid drama. If she didn’t wish a friend happy birthday on Instagram, there would be reports about severed friendships, even if they had celebrated together. “Because we didn’t post about it, it didn’t happen – and I realised I had done that,” she says. “I created an expectation that everything in my life that happened, people would see.”
But she also says she couldn’t win. “I’m kinda used to being gaslit by now,” she drawls wearily. “And I think it happens to women so often that, as we get older and see how the world works, we’re able to see through what is gaslighting. So I’m able to look at 1989 and go – KITTIES!” She breaks off as an assistant walks in with Swift’s three beloved cats, stars of her Instagram feed, back from the vet before they fly to England this week. Benjamin, Olivia and Meredith haughtily circle our feet (they are scared of the koi) as Swift resumes her train of thought, back to the release of 1989 and the subsequent fallout. “Oh my God, they were mad at me for smiling a lot and quote-unquote acting fake. And then they were mad at me that I was upset and bitter and kicking back.” The rules kept changing.
***
Swift’s new album comes with printed excerpts from her diaries. On 29 August 2016, she wrote in her girlish, bubble writing: “This summer is the apocalypse.” As the incident with West and Kardashian unfolded, she was preparing for her court case against radio DJ David Mueller, who was fired in 2013 after Swift reported him for putting his hand up her dress at a meet-and–greet event. He sued her for defamation; she countersued for sexual assault.
“Having dealt with a few of them, narcissists basically subscribe to a belief system that they should be able to do and say whatever the hell they want, whenever the hell they want to,” Swift says now, talking at full pelt. “And if we – as anyone else in the world, but specifically women – react to that, well, we’re not allowed to. We’re not allowed to have a reaction to their actions.”
In summer 2016 she was in legal depositions, practising her testimony. “You’re supposed to be really polite to everyone,” she says. But by the time she got to court in August 2017, “something snapped, I think”. She laughs. Her testimony was sharp and uncompromising. She refused to allow Mueller’s lawyers to blame her or her security guards; when asked if she could see the incident, Swift said no, because “my ass is in the back of my body”. It was a brilliant, rude defence.
“You’re supposed to behave yourself in court and say ‘rear end’,” she says with mock politesse. “The other lawyer was saying, ‘When did he touch your backside?’ And I was like, ‘ASS! Call it what it is!’” She claps between each word. But despite the acclaim for her testimony and eventual victory (she asked for one symbolic dollar), she still felt belittled. It was two months prior to the beginning of the #MeToo movement. “Even this case was literally twisted so hard that people were calling it the ‘butt-grab case’. They were saying I sued him because there’s this narrative that I want to sue everyone. That was one of the reasons why the summer was the apocalypse.”
She never wanted the assault to be made public. Have there been other instances she has dealt with privately? “Actually, no,” she says soberly. “I’m really lucky that it hadn’t happened to me before. But that was one of the reasons it was so traumatising. I just didn’t know that could happen. It was really brazen, in front of seven people.” She has since had security cameras installed at every meet-and-greet she does, deliberately pointed at her lower half. “If something happens again, we can prove it with video footage from every angle,” she says.
The allegations about Harvey Weinstein came out soon after she won her case. The film producer had asked her to write a song for the romantic comedy One Chance, which earned her second Golden Globe nomination. Weinstein also got her a supporting role in the 2014 sci-fi movie The Giver, and attended the launch party for 1989. But she says they were never alone together.
“He’d call my management and be like, ‘Does she have a song for this film?’ And I’d be like, ‘Here it is,’” she says dispassionately. “And then I’d be at the Golden Globes. I absolutely never hung out. And I would get a vibe – I would never vouch for him. I believe women who come forward, I believe victims who come forward, I believe men who come forward.” Swift inhales, flustered. She says Weinstein never propositioned her. “If you listen to the stories, he picked people who were vulnerable, in his opinion. It seemed like it was a power thing. So, to me, that doesn’t say anything – that I wasn’t in that situation.”
Meanwhile, Donald Trump was more than nine months into his presidency, and still Swift had not taken a position. But the idea that a pop star could ever have impeded his path to the White House seemed increasingly naive. In hindsight, the demand that Swift speak up looks less about politics and more about her identity (white, rich, powerful) and a moralistic need for her to redeem herself – as if nobody else had ever acted on a vindictive instinct, or blundered publicly.
But she resisted what might have been an easy return to public favour. Although Reputation contained softer love songs, it was better known for its brittle, vengeful side (see This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things). She describes that side of the album now as a “bit of a persona”, and its hip-hop-influenced production as “a complete defence mechanism”. Personally, I thought she had never been more relatable, trashing the contract of pious relatability that traps young women in the public eye.
***
It was the assault trial, and watching the rights of LGBTQ friends be eroded, that finally politicised her, Swift says. “The things that happen to you in your life are what develop your political opinions. I was living in this Obama eight-year paradise of, you go, you cast your vote, the person you vote for wins, everyone’s happy!” she says. “This whole thing, the last three, four years, it completely blindsided a lot of us, me included.”
She recently said she was “dismayed” when a friend pointed out that her position on gay rights wasn’t obvious (what if she had a gay son, he asked), hence this summer’s course correction with the single You Need To Calm Down (“You’re comin’ at my friends like a missile/Why are you mad?/When you could be GLAAD?”). Didn’t she feel equally dismayed that her politics weren’t clear? “I did,” she insists, “and I hate to admit this, but I felt that I wasn’t educated enough on it. Because I hadn’t actively tried to learn about politics in a way that I felt was necessary for me, making statements that go out to hundreds of millions of people.”
She explains her inner conflict. “I come from country music. The number one thing they absolutely drill into you as a country artist, and you can ask any other country artist this, is ‘Don’t be like the Dixie Chicks!’” In 2003, the Texan country trio denounced the Iraq war, saying they were “ashamed” to share a home state with George W Bush. There was a boycott, and an event where a bulldozer crushed their CDs. “I watched country music snuff that candle out. The most amazing group we had, just because they talked about politics. And they were getting death threats. They were made such an example that basically every country artist that came after that, every label tells you, ‘Just do not get involved, no matter what.’
“And then, you know, if there was a time for me to get involved…” Swift pauses. “The worst part of the timing of what happened in 2016 was I felt completely voiceless. I just felt like, oh God, who would want me? Honestly.” She would otherwise have endorsed Hillary Clinton? “Of course,” she says sincerely. “I just felt completely, ugh, just useless. And maybe even like a hindrance.”
I suggest that, thinking selfishly, her coming out for Clinton might have made people like her. “I wasn’t thinking like that,” she stresses. “I was just trying to protect my mental health – not read the news very much, go cast my vote, tell people to vote. I just knew what I could handle and I knew what I couldn’t. I was literally about to break. For a while.” Did she seek therapy? “That stuff I just really wanna keep personal, if that’s OK,” she says.
She resists blaming anyone else for her political silence. Her emergence as a Democrat came after she left Big Machine, the label she signed to at 15. (They are now at loggerheads after label head Scott Borchetta sold the company, and the rights to Swift’s first six albums, to Kanye West’s manager, Scooter Braun.) Had Borchetta ever advised her against speaking out? She exhales. “It was just me and my life, and also doing a lot of self-reflection about how I did feel really remorseful for not saying anything. I wanted to try and help in any way that I could, the next time I got a chance. I didn’t help, I didn’t feel capable of it – and as soon as I can, I’m going to.”
Swift was once known for throwing extravagant 4 July parties at her Rhode Island mansion. The Instagram posts from these star-studded events – at which guests wore matching stars-and-stripes bikinis and onesies – probably supported a significant chunk of the celebrity news industry GDP. But in 2017, they stopped. “The horror!” wrote Cosmopolitan, citing “reasons that remain a mystery” for their disappearance. It wasn’t “squad” strife or the unavailability of matching cozzies that brought the parties to an end, but Swift’s disillusionment with her country, she says.
There is a smart song about this on the new album – the track that should have been the first single, instead of the cartoonish ME!. Miss Americana And The Heartbreak Prince is a forlorn, gothic ballad in the vein of Lana Del Rey that uses high-school imagery to dismantle American nationalism: “The whole school is rolling fake dice/You play stupid games/You win stupid prizes,” she sings with disdain. “Boys will be boys then/Where are the wise men?”
As an ambitious 11-year-old, she worked out that singing the national anthem at sports games was the quickest way to get in front of a large audience. When did she start feeling conflicted about what America stands for? She gives another emphatic ugh. “It was the fact that all the dirtiest tricks in the book were used and it worked,” she says. “The thing I can’t get over right now is gaslighting the American public into being like” – she adopts a sanctimonious tone – “‘If you hate the president, you hate America.’ We’re a democracy – at least, we’re supposed to be – where you’re allowed to disagree, dissent, debate.” She doesn’t use Trump’s name. “I really think that he thinks this is an autocracy.”
As we speak, Tennessee lawmakers are trying to impose a near-total ban on abortion. Swift has staunchly defended her “Tennessee values” in recent months. What’s her position? “I mean, obviously, I’m pro-choice, and I just can’t believe this is happening,” she says. She looks close to tears. “I can’t believe we’re here. It’s really shocking and awful. And I just wanna do everything I can for 2020. I wanna figure out exactly how I can help, what are the most effective ways to help. ’Cause this is just…” She sighs again. “This is not it.”
***
It is easy to forget that the point of all this is that a teenage Taylor Swiftwanted to write love songs. Nemeses and negativity are now so entrenched in her public persona that it’s hard to know how she can get back to that, though she seems to want to. At the end of Daylight, the new album’s dreamy final song, there’s a spoken-word section: “I want to be defined by the things that I love,” she says as the music fades. “Not the things that I hate, not the things I’m afraid of, the things that haunt me in the middle of the night.” As well as the songs written for Alwyn, there is one for her mother, who recently experienced a cancer relapse: “You make the best of a bad deal/I just pretend it isn’t real,” Swift sings, backed by the Dixie Chicks.
How does writing about her personal life work if she’s setting clearer boundaries? “It actually made me feel more free,” she says. “I’ve always had this habit of never really going into detail about exactly what situation inspired what thing, but even more so now.” This is only half true: in the past, Swift wasn’t shy of a level of detail that invited fans to figure out specific truths about her relationships. And when I tell her that Lover feels a more emotionally guarded album, she bristles. “I know the difference between making art and living your life like a reality star,” she says. “And then even if it’s hard for other people to grasp, my definition is really clear.”
Even so, Swift begins Lover by addressing an adversary, opening with a song called I Forgot That You Existed (“it isn’t love, it isn’t hate, it’s just indifference”), presumably aimed at Kanye West, a track that slightly defeats its premise by existing. But it sweeps aside old dramas to confront Swift’s real nemesis, herself. “I never grew up/It’s getting so old,” she laments on The Archer.
She has had to learn not to pre-empt disaster, nor to run from it. Her life has been defined by relationships, friendships and business relationships that started and ended very publicly (though she and Perry are friends again). At the same time, the rules around celebrity engagement have evolved beyond recognition in her 15 years of fame. Rather than trying to adapt to them, she’s now asking herself: “How do you learn to maintain? How do you learn not to have these phantom disasters in your head that you play out, and how do you stop yourself from sabotage – because the panic mechanism in your brain is telling you that something must go wrong.” For her, this is what growing up is. “You can’t just make cut-and-dry decisions in life. A lot of things are a negotiation and a grey area and a dance of how to figure it out.”
And so this time, Swift is sticking around. In December she will turn 30, marking the point after which more than half her life will have been lived in public. She’ll start her new decade with a stronger self-preservationist streak, and a looser grip (as well as a cameo in Cats). “You can’t micromanage life, it turns out,” she says, drily.
When Swift finally answered my question about the moment she would choose in the VH1 Behind The Music episode about herself, the one where her career turned, she said she hoped it wouldn’t focus on her “apocalypse” summer of 2016. “Maybe this is wishful thinking,” she said, “but I’d like to think it would be in a couple of years.” It’s funny to hear her hope that the worst is still to come while sitting in her fairytale living room, the cats pacing: a pragmatist at odds with her romantic monument to teenage dreams. But it sounds something like perspective.
#taylor swift#interview#by taylor#the guardian#lover era#lover album#not sure how I feel about the interviewer's approach...there's a lot of irony in it#but a fun read for us nonetheless
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There are No Angels on Earth
{link to Ao3}
Chapters: One
Summary: HYDRA has been exposed, SHIELD is out of commission, and the Winter Soldier has no idea who he is.
Pairing: Bucky Barnes/ female OC of color
Warnings: adult content/language, 18+ only, nsfw
words: 1,109
One
It had to be nearing midnight, yet people still filled the sidewalks and traffic occasionally blocked roads. It had rained a few hours earlier, blanketing the city with a terrible mix of heat and humidity. It was uncomfortable to wear a hoodie and sweatpants, nonetheless Bucky Barnes kept his hands in his pockets and his hood over his head. A group of girls in party dresses and high heels rushed past him, not even sparing a glance. The Fourth of July was approaching, and everyone and their grandmother were cramming into the city to celebrate. Nobody paid him any mind, it was one of few things he liked about New York.
He continued down west 143rd; the few street lamps in the residential area never worked, so it was always dark. When he finally reached his destination, he did a quick look around. It was difficult to tell if he was being followed due to lack of light. He pulled out a key chain from his pocket, using the first rusted bronze key to open the main door. The housing complex was rundown and in desperate need of renovation. The landlord did enough to keep the city off his back, but the man was cheap. Bucky didn’t mind, if it wasn’t for the landlord he wouldn’t have a place to stay. And as long as the rent was paid, the man asked no questions.
Bucky rushed up three flights of stairs, avoiding the rusted handrail that could probably give someone an infection. One of the neighbors religiously taped little tree car deodorizers on the peeling walls to help with the old socks smell. Sometimes it worked. The lights on the third level still hadn’t been fixed, but even in the pitch black he could make out a human silhouette standing before his apartment door at the very end of the hall. His apartment key was held tight between his thumb and forefinger. A violent instinct commanded to confront the unknown figure. Bucky’s long strides were quick and quiet as he neared, holding the key tighter, preparing to use it as a weapon. The figure turned and briefly shrieked at the sight of him.
“Jesus!” The high pitched voice was too familiar, and certainly not a threat. As he approached, slower now, he could see his young neighbor a little clearer. Instantly, the murderous instinct slunk back into its confines. He wondered why on earth she was outside his door so late at night; it was rather suspicious.
“You shouldn’t be out here.” he mumbled.
“I brought you donuts, the same ones you liked yesterday.” she either didn’t hear him or was ignoring him; she did that sometimes. She held out a pink box with “Molly’s Super Bakery” scrawled in neat purple cursive on top. The scent of glazed donuts was strong, but it couldn’t drown out her distinct scent. He didn’t know what she bathed in, but he likened it to warm brown sugar.
“You weren’t here earlier and I didn’t want to leave it outside your door, cause the building has mice and… I couldn’t sleep anyhow, so I figured I’d try again.” she fiddled with the slim silver chain around her throat, her eyes casted down. He skimmed her choice of dress. A small satin and ivory nightgown hardly covering her bottom. Her hair, what he knew to be long black braids, was wrapped in a black and white spotted scarf.
“Well, um… Goodnight, I guess.” she said softly, making her way back to her apartment door.
“Wait a sec.” he didn’t know what possessed him to speak more than he already had. She stood between the border of her home and the hallway, staring at him with placid dark brown eyes. He felt like a fool and was glad the darkness hid his reddening face.
“Uh… thank you.”
She smiled, showing a hint of white teeth “you’re welcome.”
+++
Bucky had to shove into his apartment door for it to open, another annoying thing to add to a growing list. He shut the door behind him, locking it. His apartment was a small space: the kitchen and living room occupied one space, and the only separate rooms were the bedroom and bathroom. He took off his shoes, promptly opened the pink box and stuffed a chocolate glazed donut in his mouth. He hadn’t eaten all day, often he’d be so occupied in his own thoughts hunger seemed like the least of his problems.
Bucky pulled his hoodie over his head, discarding it on the floor. He took off his sweats, strolling to his room in only his briefs. This time of year was so hot, he felt like he was inside of a furnace. He stumbled around in the dark, looking for the air conditioner remote which had ended up under his bed. When he switched on the appliance he stood in front of it and sighed in relief as cool air blew along his sweaty body. He continued eating his donuts, waiting until the cool air spread across the room before lying in his bed.
Bucky didn’t know why he came to New York. He’d had a half remembered dream three weeks ago, about running through the streets of Brooklyn. But the streets in his dream were not the same as reality. There was something at the very edge of his consciousness, straining, trying to reach the forefront of his mind. But for the life of him he couldn’t think of what it was. He knew there was something important here, something he had to find, and yet he had no idea where to start.
As he ate away at the last donut in the box, his thoughts drifted to the blonde stranger. He remembered, with perfect clarity, eyes like the depths of the ocean staring into his own as he dragged his enemy- or who he thought was his enemy- onto dry land. The helicarriers had destroyed one another and were crashing down into the lake surrounding S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters. The blonde stranger had lied unconscious on the shore, beaten, bloodied, and bruised. Bucky wasn’t sure what had possessed him to save the stranger; it felt like the right thing to do, especially after hearing those words spoken by the blonde.
“Cause I’m with you, till the end of the line”.
Bucky tossed the pink box on the floor and sprawled out on his bed, staring up at the cracked white ceiling. The stranger had called him “Bucky”. Later on, he had learned his real name is James Buchanan Barnes. He had also learned that he was supposed to be dead.
+++
A/N: Thanks for reading!
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A theory I have about Garfield the Cat that is either real and I forgot reading about, or that I made up, I’m not sure
Do you ever have a memory that you are 60% sure was actually a dream?
I will not be researching this claim because the world needs a little more magic. A little more mystery. Some questions science cannot answer. Frankly, I do not want to pour over interviews conducted with whoever actually writes and draws Garfield. His name escapes me, so even figuring that out would take some time. This blog is not my homework assignment. I’m not trying to be a journalist. I am trying to communicate aurally, to articulate the things that float around in my head instead of neatly summarizing them in a tweet, as I so often do.
Lazily we’re uh breaking boundaries here, blogging for a new type of reader who does not care for sentence structures but uh, ideas, and... I’m fully kidding. Shoot me!
*sits down*
*cracks knuckles*
*cracks open my can of Diet Coke*
*cracks your knuckles*
Garfield was never meant to be funny. His creator saw the popularity of other beloved cartoon characters, and that money was to be made, that fame and immortality was to be made through an illustration that reaches many, that outlives the artist - is something bigger than the artist intended it to be.
The creator behind Garfield set out to create a character that would have the appearance of wit, but with none of the personality (such as intellect, bravery, stupidity, love) because personality can sometimes be polar and can sometimes be disagreeable. Garfield was meant to be the most relatable character. Lovable by virtue of being lovable. Generic to all. But to the individual, seemingly relatable and because of the relatability, special.
Not quite the Olive Garden of comic characters, because even some people (snobs) think of Olive Garden as base. If Garfield was likened to a commodity it would be the fridge in your kitchen or the TV in your living room. You probably do not have an opinion on any appliance but maybe you feel endeared toward it because it is familiar.
But here’s the thing - Garfield doesn’t need to be likened to a commodity. Garfield was never an idea or a joke. Garfield was meant to straight up be a commodity. The comic didn’t (doesn’t? is Garfield still in print?) matter as much as the shirts, ceramics, cat toys, toothbrushes, pens, coffee mugs, lasagna trays, bed table lamps with Garfield’s face on them mattered. Garfield was created to be sold.
...
I am not sure why I wrote this like a revelation. Most things were created to be sold, only. I guess it’s a little close to my heart because it’s a comic, and I grew up reading comics I think were written and drawn by people actually passionate about the art. Not that superhero shit tho. Calvin & Hobbes kind of crap. Who do you think I am?
Anyways here’s some links for you.
Garfield minus Garfield
If Garfield was a normal cat
Reddit’s r/imsorryjon turning Garfield into a nightmare
I also wanted to link the Garfield House sketch from I Think You Should Leave, but that’s not on youtube, so pls pirate that from somewhere. Lmao.
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How To Gain Expected Outcomes From Leaky Gut Supplements
The main leaky gut syndrome is an issue which can impair just about anyone, despite of their diet plan or existence. This system term used to spell it out a circumstance the spot where the small intestinal sturdy vertical structure evolves into drained plus porous, letting infections, harmful toxins and bacteria, and also of impurities to get our own bodies. This will cause growing in the system and can also create numerous health conditions similar to joint, stomach items (as well as diarrhoea and furthermore irregular bowel movements), skin area rashes, exhaust, moodiness, headaches/migraine other great tales! There's a rising development of folks trying dietary supplements to cope with their very own leaky gut. Although presently there isn’t whatever certain information the capsules employment, most people faith them all plus affirm the particular they’ve dealt with. Several choices come available towards the best leaky gut supplements. It’s hard find out randomly. People subjected to testing and thus likened these best gut healing products in addition to produced their list. Quite a lot of look for enters into selecting the best gut healing products, therefore completed our greatest to review among the most decent and so well-rounded products or services available for sale. Some of us searched things that had gotten both equally scientific facts in addition to real-world results in guide a person's scenarios, also products straightforward to make without the benefit of impression stressed out or else difficult. Experts say, men and women may want to conform to most of these best gut health products, here is an example, Amy Myers MD leaky gut revive, Peak BioBoost, BiOptimizers Biome Breakthrough, Gundry MD Total Restore, Gundry MD Bio Complete 3, BioTrust Gut Reg, Viscera-3, Unify Multi-GI 5, 1MD GutMD, and many other things. Leading battles folks leaky gut syndrome facial is truly selecting best leaky gut supplement that might help work out his warning signs. That’s so just why we paid time focusing on and in addition testing top leaky gut supplements on the market today. In this article circumstances have been believed to be courtesy of our personal study and even editorial group to list is recommended leaky gut supplements, to illustrate, Ingredients, Clinically Proven Dosages, Transparency Of Ingredients, Supplement Form And Flavor, Money-Back Guarantee, and others. To find out a little more about all of the best leaky gut support, many people can visit my website.
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1.Unplugging switched-off appliances
Most people are unaware that electrons flow in appliances even when they are not in use or switched off if they are plugged in. In this case, appliances continue to draw electricity, and the flow of electrons inside the electrical circuit can be likened to a leaky faucet.
Unplugging switched-off devices would save a significant amount of electrical energy and money. The consumption of power of these plugged in appliances constitutes 7% of the total energy. If switched-off devices were unplugged for a day, 3.69 kWh of electrical energy could be saved. Furthermore, 1.55 kg of CO2 emissions could be avoided as the production of each kWh emits an average of 0.421 kg of CO2.
On the personal level, there are some switchless sockets in the apartment I live in, and some of the appliances are plugged into them. I unplugged the switched-off appliances to save 6.2 kg of CO2 emissions and 14.76 kWh of electrical energy in four days. I recommend using sockets with a switch to open the electrical circuit and block the electrical current inside it to save energy.
(Carbonfund, n.d.)
(Vadim, 2020)
(Shaping a secure and sustainable energy future for all., n.
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Preventing future 'Ondoy', 'Ulysses' flooding
#PHnews: Preventing future 'Ondoy', 'Ulysses' flooding
MANILA -- On the night of November 11, Tayn Limson already felt the strong winds rapping on their windows. At that time, Typhoon Ulysses (Vamco) already made landfall in Quezon, packing maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometer per hour.
"Sobrang lakas ng hangin naririnig mo 'yong whistle sa awang ng windows pero iniisip ko parang kasing lakas lang siya nung nanalasa yung Habagat samin dati kaya di kami masyadong natatakot. Tapos naalala ko nag-story pa ko sa IG ng mga 1:07 (Nov. 12) kasi nag-a-alarm na yung Marikina River na nasa 16 meters na yung taas niya (The wind was strong that you can hear it whistling in between the gap of the windows, it’s like the monsoon. I even posted an update on Instagram Stories around 1:07 a.m. because the Marikina River was already at 16 meters," she narrated.
While the ferocious winds were banging on their walls, it didn't quite alarm the family at first. But by daylight, fear and panic quickly swept through their household after her mother alerted them that the river water has overflowed.
"Pagkababa ko sa 1st floor namin, nagulat ako kasi nakita ko umaagos na yung tubig parang flash flood. Ili-likas ko pa sana 'yong kotse namin kaso wala na madadaanan (When I went down, I was shocked to see the water rapidly flowing, it was like a flash flood. I tried to save our car but to no avail)," she said.
"Ang bilis ng taas ng tubig talaga. Sinalba namin lahat ng kaya naming sagipin na gamit kaso lumubog halos lahat kasi ang bilis talaga umangat nung tubig (The rise of water was so quick. We tried to carry what we could but most of our stuff was really submerged)," she added.
In less than an hour, her two-storey house was almost inundated up to the second floor, with the first floor submerged with flood and mud. Around that time, the water was just six steps away from their second floor.
"Sobrang nakakatakot kasi nakita kong rumagasa talaga 'yong tubig tapos minutes lang nasa loob na ng bahay (It was terrifying to see the raging floodwater, in just a few minutes it’s already inside the house)," she said. "Nakakakatakot talaga. Akala namin malulunod na kami (It was really scary. We thought we were going to drown)."
"Nag-u-usap na kami ng mga kapatid ko kung paano i-a-angat 'yong dalawang senior kong parents pati mga pets namin paakyat ng bubong. Hindi sila marunong lumangoy kasi (We have no idea how we were going to carry our two senior parents including our pets to the roof should the water continue to rise. They don’t know how to swim)," she shared.
Photo by Tayn Limson
The family tried to ask for rescuers but the lines were likewise inundated with calls for help that weren't able to reach them at that moment. Fortunately, the water subsided around 9 p.m. on Nov. 12 -- her parents were safe and the flood did not rise further.
Tayn said the experience was akin to the onslaught of Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) in 2009. Although she was not in Marikina that time, her family likened Ulysses to the devastating typhoon, which swamped most of Marikina in 2009 and killed dozens of people.
"Lahat kami tulala pero mabuti walang masamang nangyari sa amin. Lahat ng naiwan naming gamit sa 1st floor lumubog lahat pati kotse namin. 'Yong mga photo albums namin wala nabasa na lahat pati ilang appliances. 'Di na kaya isalba kasi may makapal na putik na kasama yung flood (We were utterly shocked but thank goodness nothing bad happened to us. All of our things in the first floor, including our car were submerged in mud)," she said.
More than two weeks after Marikina experienced the wrath of Typhoon Ulysses and witnessed the worst flooding next to "Ondoy", Tayn said: "Makakabangon". A Filipino word, which means "to recover".
What's important is that no life was lost among her family, she said.
Photo by Tayn Limson
"Sama sama naman kami kaya sa tingin ko makakabangon naman kami kahit papaano. Sobrang naiiyak din ako sa lahat ng tumulong sa amin during at tsaka after ng flood. Pati mga hindi mo inaasahang mga tao nagpapaabot ng tulong (We’re all together so I think we can recover at least. I’m just overwhelmed that even strangers helped us)," she said.
For Tayn, the alarm system would have been more helpful had it been activated way before the water rose.
"Sa tingin ko po kasi kulang yung nag-a-alarm lang sila na pataas na yung tubig sa Marikina River. Lahat po ng reminders ng bagyo eh sa TV lang talaga namin nalalaman (They should’ve focused on the alarm system, because it only went on when the water already overflowed)" she said.
"Yung masakit din sa puso ko noon was walang dumating na rescue para tulungan kami. Grabe kasi tumaas 'yong tubig tapos parehong senior pa parents ko. Hindi ko talaga alam yung gagawin ko noong mga oras na yun (What’s upsetting was that there was no immediate rescued. The water was really high then and my parents were both seniors. I really don’t know what I would do that time)," she said.
Tayn said the experience was so traumatic they are now planning to move out. "Si mommy at tsaka daddy ayos na rin naman, kaso ayaw na nila rito tumira, (My mom and dad are okay, but they don’t want to live here anymore)" Tayn said. "Parang nakakatakot na kasi tumira dito everytime na may bagyo. 'Yong trauma namin ng family ko sa Typhoon Ulysses hindi na mabubura (It’s terrifying to live here when there’s a storm. We’ll always carry the trauma Typhoon Ulysses brought to us)."
Tayn said her family is thinking of selling the house and move to a much higher place in Marikina.
"Malinis kasi dito sa Marikina sa totoo lang. And halos lahat ng relatives ko sa father side nandito (It’s clean here in all fairness. And most of my relatives on the father side are here)," she said.
The case for Thea Poncian from Barangay Tumana, Marikina, on the other hand, is quite different. She said she cannot move out since the property is the only one she has, one that’s already theirs.
Photo courtesy of Thea Poncian
"Wala po (kaming planong lumipat na), sarili na po kasi namin ang bahay po dito (We don’t have a plan to leave because this house is already ours)," she said.
But her experience was equally distressing as those of Tayn's when "Ulysses" battered the city. She and her family had to rush outside their home and find refuge at the uppermost floor of her neighbor when the water from a nearby creek spilled.
"Noong mag-ala-una ng madaling araw, kinatok kami ng kapitbahay namin nandiyan na raw ang tubig. Umapaw na pala 'yong creek malapit sa amin at ‘yong tubig napakabilis hanggang sa mag-1:30am pinasok na ang bahay namin (Around 1 a.m., our neighbor was already knocking on our door, saying the water is here. The creek apparently overflowed. Things happened quickly because by 1:30 am, the water already entered the house)," she narrated.
Her entire belongings down to their clothes were drenched with muddy waters. "Nakaka-iyak po kasi lahat po ng gamit namin wala na kahit po mga damit lubog po ang bahay namin, puno nalang po ng mangga ang nakita (It was upsetting because everything was drenched, our house fully-submerged, you can only see the mango tree)."
Recovery for her might take time, Thea said, comparing with the situation when Typhoon Ondoy hit them. In 2009, it took them almost a year to recover, she said.
"Matagal din po kagaya ng sa Ondoy, isang taon po siguro kasi wala na po lahat ng gamit namin (I think it will take time like when Ondoy struck, it took almost a year because our belongings were all swept away)," she said.
Photo by Thea Poncian
"Panibagong pagsubok nanaman po ang haharapin pero pipiliting bumangon ulit, mahirap kasi 'di namin alam kung paano kasi lahat nawala sa amin walang tinira (This is another challenge that we have to face and it will be difficult because nothing was left)," she added.
‘Bayanihan’
Although most of the Marikina residents who took refuge in evacuation centers have gone back to their homes, Rhianne Villaraza said those whose houses were totally wrecked by the typhoon are still there.
Rhianne’s family was among the many groups who heeded the call and took it upon themselves to initiate a donation drive that has so far aided 300 families in Marikina to date.
"I think it’s gonna take a while before everything goes back to normal. Marami pang naglilinis, nagre-restore ng nasira nilang mga bahay/properties. Some business establishments are still trying to cope and recover from the aftermath. However, we have high hopes, and we’re continuously praying that in time, people would be able to live their usual daily lives again," she told the PNA.
Two of the hardest-hit areas that day were Barangays Malanday and Tumana, where the flood level reached up to the 2nd floor of the resident’s homes. Rhianne said most of them were at work on the day of the typhoon, so they barely managed to save their belongings.
"My cousin and I started collecting clothes from our close friends so that they would have something to use in the meantime. Because so many people responded, and we got overflowing donations, the family decided to extend help to those living in Nangka, Marikina," she said.
To this day, the family initiative continues to give out aid.
Photo courtesy of Rhianne Villaraza
Rhianne believes Marikina did a “fairly good job” in terms of calamity response because nobody expected that the river level would reach 22 meters in such a short time. Despite this, a lot of work needs to be done.
“At this point, I think community disaster preparation is vital since we’re a flood-prone city. It’s something that our government should focus on,” she said.
“Apart from that, maybe open job opportunities for the people gravely affected. We don’t want them to rely solely on donations. Eventually, they should be able to earn and provide again for their families; something that would benefit them in the long run,” she added.
‘Saving the watershed’
The city is now in the recovery stage but environmentalists warned that such massive floods will keep coming in the future if forest degradation continues in the Upper Marikina Watershed.
The Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL) covers over 26,000 hectares of protected area in the towns of Baras, Rodriguez, San Mateo, Tanay, and Antipolo in Rizal.
But what does it have to do with the flooding in Marikina?
To visualize, a watershed is like an umbrella positioned upside down-- the sides are the mountains of Sierra Madre (watershed) and the base is the Marikina River.
"(Because of illegal activities in the land) ‘yong water wala nang pumipigil because wala na 'yong mga puno. Ang function ng forest and ng healthy soils is to regulate stormwater so scientifically if wala nang forest and healthy soils, the water will just rush and when they rush and they come from different mountains, they go to a basin, one basin-- the Marikina-Pasig River," said Billie Dumaliang, trustee and advocate officer at Masungi Georeserve.
Masungi forms over 2,000 of the 26,000-hectare Marikina Watershed.
Photo courtesy of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Forest Management Bureau
No settlement, quarrying, logging nor sale is allowed in the area, but to this day, Billie said such activities remain rampant in some parts of the Upper Marikina Watershed.
For Billie, conservation is a crucial step to prevent future great flooding similar to the ones brought by Typhoon Ondoy and Ulysses flooding. “It is the only long-term and sustainable solution coupled with, of course, proper disaster risk management from government and (smart) infrastructure,” she said.
Aside from these, strict enforcement of the laws protecting these areas is also a must.
“With climate change, there will be more rains, typhoons, and landslides based on science, and if we don’t restore the forest of Upper Marikina the instances of landslides and flooding happening will definitely worsen,” she warned in Filipino. (PNA)
***
References:
* Philippine News Agency. "Preventing future 'Ondoy', 'Ulysses' flooding." Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1123381 (accessed December 01, 2020 at 02:41AM UTC+14).
* Philippine News Agency. "Preventing future 'Ondoy', 'Ulysses' flooding." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1123381 (archived).
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Exodus 21:1-11 comments: Hebrew slavery
Exodus 21:1 ¶ Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. 2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. 3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself. 5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: 6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever. 7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. 8 If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. 9 And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. 10 If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish. 11 And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.
Now comes the civil law that God wants to give the Hebrews to set them apart from other cultures in the world and other nations. This will give us a clue of some of the customs the Hebrews were part of in Egypt, which God is modifying here. He starts with rules for purchasing a servant of his own people. While this would not seem to be of much relevance to us there are some important things to note. Compare the mercy and moderation called for servants to the treatment the Egyptians dealt out to the Hebrews.
Having servants or slaves was a normal part of these cultures and the world of that time. In fact, until recently, with the advent of electric appliances and gas-powered equipment for farms having slaves or servants or children to do the manual work alongside farm animals was essential for survival on anything but a subsistence scale.
God did not create culture and civilization. He permitted man to do it and He modified it. He molded and tempered societies. His purpose is His ministry of reconciling mankind to Himself, not creating something for historians to write about. As an example, Christianity’s focus moved to Europe, leavened and mixed in with pagan practices to make it more sellable. God did not call for this but permitted this corrupted Christianity but out of that milieu He drew certain people, some called heretics or nonconformists and other names like Paulicians, Henricians, Bogomils, Albigensians, Waldensians and others given their names by their enemies, each group not being perfect in doctrine or understanding but drawing closer to Him moving away from the paganism of established political churches and dying cruel martyrs’ deaths.
Constantly, signs of God’s molding and tempering of the Christian faith moved into the Reformation and beyond. Each generation saw people striving for a purer faith and one more lined up with the Bible. It is a process, a part of reconciling man to Himself but using man’s free will and man’s understanding here a little, there a little to move mankind closer to God.
Back to the Hebrews meant to be a theocracy with God as king, God tempers and constrains the customs of the Ancient Near East to make a people unique to Him. He did not simply wipe the board clean and start over but worked within the framework of culture that existed. He works like that when we are saved individually. We typically don’t quit our jobs, leave our families, and forget all that we’ve learned in the world to start over like a newborn baby with no memory. God molds and shapes us through His Bible, preaching, prayer, and our experience to make us the person He wants us to be which will never be completed on this earth and in this life.
Verse 10 gives us a hint about God’s continuing value of the children of Israel, even today. God the Father calls Israel His wife. For instance, in the book of Hosea Israel is likened to an unfaithful wife…
Hosea 1:2 The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.
…and Israel is also God’s firstborn…
Exodus 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
…and the Church is Christ’s bride….
2Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
John 3:29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
Revelation 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband…9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
…and rules are given about a first wife and then the second wife’s children…
Deuteronomy 21: 15 ¶ If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated: 16 Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn: 17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.
These verses help explain the doctrine that God has a unique place for Israel in the end times. He is not done with the people He created out of the heathen world of the second millennium BC. There are promises of their supernatural redemption all through the Old Testament.
Jeremiah 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jeremiah 32:40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.
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Can air purifiers help you breathe easier and quicker,
If you suffer from allergies or asthma or any other condition that’s made worst by airborne particles, an oem air purifier may provide you with some — or quite a bit — of relief. People who smoke or have pets also like them for reducing odors, as well as removing smoke and pet dander.
Air purifiers do their work using different technologies, and some use multiple technologies, to deal with airborne pollutants. HEPA air purifiers use pleated high-efficiency particulate arresting (HEPA) filters to mechanically trap particles, along with a fan to pull air through the filter. Reviewers say this type of air purifier is by far the most effective. These models don’t produce any ozone, either. Because they use fans, they can be noisy, but some actually like the sound a china air purifier makes, likening it to a white noise machine. Not every home air purifier that relies on mechanical filtration uses true HEPA filters, so be sure that you are getting that technology if that’s what you decide you want.
Some air purifiers use electronic technology in place of or in addition to a mechanical filter. Electronic ionizers air purifeir work by reversing the charge of particles in the air. The charged particles are then passed back out to the room where they are attracted to objects such as clothing, walls, floors and furniture. In effect, particles are removed from the air and deposited on your furnishings and clothing. You need to dust and vacuum to actually remove allergens from the room and prevent them from being reintroduced into the air. Some air purifiers have an electrostatic precipitator that works by putting a charge on particles and then collecting those using oppositely charged metal plates.
While both types of electronic air purifiers are effective for collecting particles as small as .1 microns, they can also produce a small amount of ozone, a lung irritant, though typically at levels below the standard set as safe by Underwriters Laboratory and by government agencies. Some electronic air cleaners put a small charge on a mechanical filter to help it collect particles more effectively. With that type of air cleaner, the charge is low enough that measurable amounts of ozone are not produced.
Ionic and electrostatic air purifiers emit small amounts of ozone as a byproduct, but ozone generators sold as air purifiers emit high levels intentionally to neutralize chemical irritants and odors. Research has shown that, while this can be effective, it’s also fairly dangerous. The best advice we found is to avoid ozone generators altogether. For more information, see our discussion of air purifiers and ozone elsewhere in this report.
Another alternative is to consider a whole-house furnace filter. These aren’t air purifiers; they simply replace your regular furnace filter. Most filters of this type do a pretty decent job of removing dust, pollen and smoke. Whole house filters need to be replaced every three months otherwise their airflow could be reduced, which makes them less effective.
It’s important to note that, with the exception of ozone generators, none of the mechanical or electronic air purifying techniques above are particularly effective against chemical gases or strong odors. Some air purifiers add some type of chemical filtration — typically activated carbon — to deal with those irritants. The most effective of those sell for a premium price compared to the majority of air cleaners, but if you suffer from chemical sensitivities, they might be worth every penny.
Finding the best air purifiers
To find the top performing air purifiers, we consult professional reviews, such as those from ConsumerReports.org and The Sweethome.com. We also consider whether or not an air purifier has been submitted for testing and has had its ratings certified by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM). Rounding things out, we analyze the hundreds and sometimes thousands of user reviews some air purifiers have garnered at sites like Amazon.com, AllergyBuyersClub.com and elsewhere. Armed with that information, we consider factors such as performance, ease of use and noise. Finally, we analyze the full cost of the unit, which includes both the initial cost and the ongoing costs of filter replacement. The results of that research helps us to narrow down our recommendations for the top air purifiers for any space or budget.
Blue Air and IQAir are near-commercial quality air purifiers
In reviewing air purifiers, we discovered that the most satisfied customers are those who understand the limitations of an air purifier and adjust their expectations accordingly. Portable air cleaners can remove only airborne pollutants, they are not very effective against dust mites and their droppings (those are too heavy to be airborne for long), which are a significant allergen for many people. Most air cleaners also don’t remove most viruses, or gases like carbon monoxide and radon. That’s because even air purifiers with true HEPA filters are most effective on particles larger than 0.3 microns, such as molds, pollen, dust, plant spores, pet dander and the larger particles in cigarette smoke.
Some air purifiers do a better job with smaller particles however. Among those, we see consistently good feedback for the Blueair 503 (Est. $660). It’s a fast worker that is rated to remove particles down to 0.1 microns. It’s Recommended in one large independent review. TheSweethome.com also gives the Blueair top grades for performance. Value is a concern as it’s pricier to begin with, and more costly to operate than other air purifiers that are also judged to be effective, but that’s offset by the ability to filter particles out of the air faster than other tested machines.
User reviews are also highly positive, with many owners saying they see a noticeable difference in their air quality, the amount of dust on their furniture, or in their allergy or asthma symptoms. Many also note that the Blueair is a very good choice for a larger room. The Blueair 503 is rated for rooms up to 580 square feet. Experts note that while the standard Blueair Particle Filters (Est. $80 per set) do a great job with particles, they aren’t effective against odors or gases. If that’s a concern, you can use Blueair’s optional SmokeStop Filter (Est. $150) instead, and those are judged to do a great job of getting rid of odors. However, the SmokeStop filters cut back on the 503’s filtration rate and add a bit to the unit’s annual operating cost.
Noise gets mixed feedback. One review says that noise at low speeds is minimal, but a little excessive at high speed. As we see with any product that produces a sound, some owners find it very loud, others very quiet. Some even say they love the Òwhite noiseÓ effect that the drone of the air purifier produces. The five year warranty is good, but users need to make sure they register (it’s free) and stay current with the machine’s required maintenance to keep it in force, including changing the filters every six months (regardless of type) with official Blueair filters.
Among premium air purifiers, we’ve seen some widely differing feedback on the IQAir New Edition HealthPro Plus (Est. $935). At AllergyBuyingClub.com it is one of their top-rated air purifiers, earning a perfect 5-star expert rating and equally impressive ratings from owners. Elsewhere, users say they are very pleased with this unit’s performance, with plenty saying they upgraded to the IQAir after they saw no discernable difference in air quality from a cheaper machine, and that the IQAir is worth every penny. It’s also the best choice for large rooms as it’s rated to handle up to 1,125 square feet.
IQAir does not submit itsair purifiers for voluntary testing by The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), however TheSweethome.com tests the New Edition HealthPro Plus and John Holocek has mixed impressions. In that review the HealthPro Plus edges out the Blueair 503 with the StopSmoke filters when it comes to removing odors, but it is in turn edged out when it comes to particle removal. What tilts the scale toward the Blueair 503 is operating costs. The HealthPro Plus “had the highest power consumption over five years of $1,236, more than double that of any other unit,” says Holecek. “Budget a whopping $2,276 over the first five years for operating costs alone,” he adds. However, if your health care professional can provide evidence of medical necessity, you may be able to purchase this unit and its replacement filters through your FSA.
Part of that cost is the sophisticated series of filters used by the HealthPro Plus. The filter complement includes a PreMax Pre-Filter (Est. $80), IQAir’s clean room-quality HyperHEPA filter(Est. $200) and a V5-Cell Filter (Est. $100) that includes two types of media for gas and odor elimination. The PreMax filters are designed to last up to 18 months, while the HyperHEPA filter lasts up to four years. The V5-Cell filter should be replaced approximately every two years.
Whether or not the HealthPro Plus can fully live up to its claim of being able to remove particles down to 0.003 microns in size — about 10 times smaller than a virus and 100 times smaller than standard air-filtration technology — it’s undoubtedly effective. Its performance is in the top rank at TheSweethome.com, with Holecek calling it the “gold standard” among air purifiers.
If you want a premium grade air purifier, but only need it for a smaller room, the Blueair 403 (Est. $550) is one to consider. This is the little brother to our Best Reviewed Blueair 503, but it’s AHAM rated to handle rooms up to 370 square feet. The 403 has four fan speed settings. Like the Blueair 503, the Blueair 403 meets UL standards for ozone emissions — but it has lower clean air delivery rates (CADRs) than its more expensive sibling. It also has manual controls instead of the electronic controls the higher-up model offers, although the control knob is simple to operate. Other features include a filter countdown that alerts owners when it’s time to replace the Blueair 400 Series Filters (Est. $60 per set), which is about every six months — and be sure not to skimp on that if you want to keep the five-year warranty in effect. If odors or gases are an issue, there’s an optional SmokeStop Filter (Est. $120) similar to the one available for the 503 that can be used in place of the standard one.
Source: Can air purifiers help you breathe easier,
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How to Brew Truly Great Coffee at Home
Because the best part of every morning should be the act of making coffee
As the commercial goes, the best part of waking up… is a certain brand of industrial brew often made into a watery thing resembling coffee from a flimsy machine. But really the best part of every morning should be the act of making an actually-great cup of coffee, one at a time, in a Hario V60 or Chemex or French press. The ritual of brewing coffee is itself a satisfying endeavor.
There’s truly nothing wrong with using a machine to brew coffee, and some machines are even better than the methods described here: I liken it to how some people want self-driving cars while others like manual transmissions. As many people isolate at home during the novel coronavirus pandemic, there’s no better time to master the art of manually brewing coffee. Here now, five ways to make coffee almost as good as you would find in a cafe, right in the comfort of your own kitchen.
What you need to start brewing coffee at home:
The best possible locally roasted coffee beans you can buy
There are two main markers that affect a coffee’s taste: the beans and the roast. Buy whole coffee beans from roasters who source from specific coffee-growing regions and show this off on their packaging, because highlighting farms and regions is a sign they’re investing in good-quality beans. Choose either a single-origin or a good blend to start. Single-origins show off the distinct characteristics of a farm or growing region, while blends tend to balance out flavors.
Freshly roasted beans will have the most flavor and will last you the longest. When talking to a roaster, ask about a coffee’s roast profile and find something that aligns to your taste. Coffee drinkers come in all forms, and one could argue that there are two main camps when it comes to roast styles. The first favor medium-to-darker roasts with bolder but ultimately more comforting flavors (basically coffee that tastes like a really good version of what your parents drank). The other type tends to focus on lighter roasting, higher acid (or fruit-forward characteristics), and even floral notes. The flavors of coffee are virtually endless, and exploring them is why you’re getting into brewing coffee at home in the first place.
Generally speaking, for good-quality coffee, don’t expect to pay anything less than $14 to $15, and often close to $20 for a 12-ounce bag (340 grams) of beans.
A way to boil water
You don’t need a fancy kettle with a special spout. A tea kettle or something for your stove is just fine, while electric brewers tend to bring water up to boiling faster (and sometimes to a specific temperature). I reviewed a bunch of pouring kettles here in the past, and can recommend Bonavita’s electric kettle.
A way to grind the coffee
Skip the cheap blade grinders in the appliance section of a drugstore or supermarket; they grind unevenly. Instead, aim to get a decent burr mill grinder, as these will be much more consistent. I use a Breville smart coffee grinder because it can be programmed to a specific length of grind time. But I’ve also owned Baratza grinders such as the Encore and the Preciso. The Encore was a fantastic grinder and performed well for years, while the more expensive Preciso broke on me a few times (I sent it in to get it serviced, too). You could also use hand grinders, and I’ve reviewed them extensively. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend owning one if you plan to brew coffee every day at home — they’re best for camping or traveling.
A kitchen scale
To properly “dial in” or brew coffee to a certain specification, you’ll want to use a kitchen scale to weigh out both the ground coffee and the water. A fancy one with a timer and weight to the gram is probably overkill for most people. Just make sure whatever scale you use is sturdy and water resistant enough to endure a few errant splashes of liquid. I like the Hario drip scale because it comes with a timer, but for a budget option, I recommend the Etekcity digital scale.
A timing device
A wristwatch or a kitchen timer is really helpful brewing coffee. You’ll see why below.
A good mug
Enjoying coffee is about the complete experience — sight, smell, and even sound and touch — so the drinking vessel makes a big difference. Get a nice vintage diner-style mug, or something to maybe swirl around the last few sips. Either way, pick a mug that makes you happy, because you’ve just made yourself a damn fine cup of coffee.
The brewing methods:
Here’s how to make great coffee at home, depending on your skill level and interest. These five brewing methods, from the old-school French press to the more technically challenging, but ultimately fulfilling Kalita Wave brewer, can appeal to every at-home-brewing personality. All of them are something even a novice home barista could learn within a few weeks, and the best part is that almost any result is going to be better than that burnt-tasting Starbucks drip. Remember: Always use fresh, filtered water, because the quality of the water will have a major impact on the flavor of the coffee. I like to brew coffee as hot as possible, bringing water up to a boil and then brewing as soon as possible.
A note about ratios: Each recipe here has specific weights that you can follow, but if you’d like to make more or less, a good ratio to keep is 15 to 1 hot water to ground coffee. If you like your coffee lighter, increase the ratio to 17 or 18 to 1, and if you want it stronger, reduce to 14 to 1.
For the minimalist who likes to keep it simple: Clever Coffee Dripper
The background: When people ask me how they should start making “good” coffee at home, I always direct them to this. The Clever brewer is essentially a French press with a paper filter: full immersion coffee (which refers to the process that takes all the coffee grounds and fully incorporates them into water all at once) without the sludge or grit. The brewer itself can be hard to find, but Amazon or Espresso Parts has it for a bit over $20. It’s very durable and should last years of use at home, and it’s pretty good for traveling, despite its odd shape.
How it works: Grounds go into a filter on the top of the device. Then, when the Clever is placed over a cup or serving kettle, a valve releases the liquid.
How to brew on a Clever: Fold the edges of a No. 4 Melitta filter (which can be found at any grocery store) and place into the brewer. Rinse the filter carefully with hot water and drain through the valve over a sink or a mug (to warm the mug): Rinsing the filter reduces any residual paper flavors. Weigh out 25 grams of medium-fine coffee, reset (aka “tare”) the scale, then carefully pour in 375 grams of nearly boiling hot water (around 200 degrees Fahrenheit). Cover with the plastic lid and wait for two minutes. Using a spoon, gently break the “crust” of coffee on top and give the coffee a little swirl in the brewer so it distributes evenly. Then place the entire Clever over a mug (you’ll want a pretty big mug since the coffee you get will be about 11 ounces), which will automatically release the brewed coffee. Or you can dispense the coffee into a nice glass kettle or other container (like a fancy thick-walled cocktail mixing glass). Cleaning is easy: throw away the filter and grounds, then rinse and wash the brewer before air drying.
For the enthusiast who wants to take their coffee brewing to the next level: Hario V60
The background: When “third wave,” aka hipster, coffee surfaced in the late aughts across the country’s major cities, the Hario V60 was the preferred single-cup pour over for cafes: Any barista worth their salt gets trained to brew on a V60, which was invented in Japan in 1921. Hario makes multiple types of V60s, including glass, plastic, ceramic, and even metal. Plastic is the cheapest and is the best for heat retention, but doesn’t look great. Ceramic and glass look cool, but can chip or break easily. Metal is virtually impossible to break, but the little handles can and will detach over time. Either way, the Hario V60 is the perfect entryway to brewing pour-over coffee. You’ll want a kettle that can pour nice gentle ribbons of water to best control the flow of water.
What I like about the V60 is how it is simple to use, yet challenging to come up with a great cup. If you have some really special coffee and want to get the best out of it, I find the Hario is a way to draw out the most nuances. The sheer clarity of the filter and speed of the relative brewing amplifies the subtle fruit, floral, or spice flavors of a high-quality coffee, and it’s thrilling to taste those notes.
How it works: Grounds go into a filter on the top of the device, which has a big dime-sized hole at the bottom through which the brewed coffee flows out. It requires a specific conical paper filter and ridges inside to keep the paper from sticking to the brewer.
How to brew on a Hario V60: There are multiple schools of thought about brewing on a Hario V60, so I’ll combine some elements from Scott Rao’s excellent instructional video here, and James Hoffmann’s delightful clip here.
Start by folding over the special V60 filter (which you can get on Amazon or at your local coffee shop) and placing into the cone. Wash through with a bit of hot water into a glass kettle or large mug and discard the water. Add 28 grams of medium-fine coffee, then tare the scale. Carefully add about 60 grams of hot water and swirl around the sludge to distribute the water. This allows the coffee to “bloom” and “degas,” releasing any carbon dioxide in the bean from the roasting process. This makes more room for the water to extract the soluble matter from the coffee and draw out the most flavor.
Let the coffee bloom for 45 seconds, then continue brewing. Pour the hot water in a steady stream, almost painfully slow, in a small circular motion, avoiding the walls of the brewer if possible. Stop once after a minute to swirl the cone and redistribute the grinds. Continue pouring until reaching 420 grams of water, stop pouring, then swirl the brewer again to redistribute the grinds. Hoffman’s method employs a small spoon to swirl the grinds so they don’t create a channel for the water to flow unevenly. Either method is pretty good from my experience. Aim for a total brewing time of about three minutes.
The stylish coffee lover who wants a handsome all-in-one brewing device: Chemex
The background: The Chemex is essentially a one-piece brewer and coffee server with some quirks. The design, which was introduced in 1941 by chemist Dr. Peter Schlumbohm, makes it the most beautiful device out there, with thick glass in a conical shape hemmed in by a wooden collar and leather laces. Early versions used hand-blown glass and a more perfectly symmetrical shape, though newer ones have a rounder bulb and even glass handles for easier cleaning.
It looks great on the counter, kitchen table, or anywhere really, and the way the laboratory-like glass refracts and plays with the light when the coffee is in there makes the drink look alluring. Take it from renowned coffee expert and co-founder of London’s Square Mile Coffee James Hoffmann, who seems particularly smitten by the way coffee looks when brewed into a Chemex. And the standard 6-cup size makes more than enough coffee for two people, which makes the Chemex a great weekend brewing method for the family.
How it works: Grounds go into a filter on the top of the flask-shaped device, then you pour water over the top as the coffee drips into the compartment below. Hoffmann asserts that the Chemex isn’t a perfect brewer, as the filters can sometimes lock in air and prevent a smooth flow of water, which is why the pouring spout has a divet to allow air to escape. The paper filters are thick, allowing for even extraction, but Chemex alone sells the filters you need (and they’re not necessarily cheap).
How to brew with a Chemex: The method is pretty similar to the Hario V60. Rinse the paper filter (putting the thick three-ply toward the spout), discard water, and place 42 grams of medium-fine coffee in the filter. You don’t need a coarser grind than a V60, but you can adjust your grinder if you think it helps the coffee brew faster. Tare the scale. Add 100 grams of water to bloom the coffee for 45 to 60 seconds. Then carefully pour water until the scale hits 650 grams. Swirl the brewer and let the coffee drip through, which will take four to five minutes. Discard filter and enjoy.
For the old-school coffee drinker who has a little extra time to burn: French press
The background: The French press was my first foray into brewing coffee at home, and I ended up with grit and sludge in every cup. Brewing with a French press takes more time, and it’s a pain to clean up, but the lack of a paper filter allows some of the oils, texture, and mouthfeel of a coffee to come through. Sometimes I brew a French press because I want to taste a single-origin coffee in a different way after making a bunch of filtered cups. A French press can still make an amazing cup of coffee, and the ritual of making a cup with this still carries that analog satisfaction of years past, feeling positively vintage in the best way. And thankfully, I’ve since picked up some modern techniques to minimize the particulates.
How it works: The device takes ground coffee beans and immerses them fully into hot water, much like the Clever Coffee Brewer, but in a cylindrical vessel. The difference here is that the only thing separating the grinds from the water is a mesh filter and gravity. While brewing, much of the coffee will actually sit at the top of the water and will need to be broken up with a spoon or other utensil. Allowing the grinds to gently fall to the bottom (letting gravity do its work) means that more of the sediment separates and stays out of the cup.
How to brew a French press: Weigh out 30 grams of coffee and pour 500 grams of water into the brewer. Let it sit for five minutes, then use a spoon to break the crust floating on top. Use the spoon to scoop up any floating grinds or foam, then place the top part, which includes the mesh filter, right on top of the coffee (but don’t plunge it down!). Let the coffee sit for another three to four minutes, allowing the grinds to fall to the bottom. Carefully pour coffee into a mug and leave just that last bit of sludge in the brewer. Use a paper towel to scrape out the grinds and wash carefully.
For the perfectionist: Kalita Wave
The background: This circular style of brewer is perhaps the final destination for many home coffee brewers. All the equipment is difficult to find in a retail setting, though easily available online. The brewing method is essentially a pour over, but with a specific circular filter with smooth ridges to encourage a steady flow of water. The flat bottom with just three small holes ensures an even extraction, preventing the coffee from channeling to one side as it would in a conical shape (looking at you, Hario V60 and Chemex). If the Hario V60 was the first pour-over brewer of choice in the late aughts, the Kalita Wave gained prominence and popularity in cafes in the past five to eight years. It’s my preferred coffee-making method every morning, unless I run out of those pesky (and expensive) Wave filters.
How it works: Gently place the somewhat delicate filter into the brewer and place ground coffee inside. In design, the Kalita Wave probably most resembles a standard automatic coffee machine (like a Krups or Mr. Coffee), but the shape of the paper filter allows for water to flow evenly through the coffee. And since you can control the temperature and flow of that water manually, the resulting brew is fine-tuned instead of erratic, as it often is with a countertop machine.
How to brew a Kalita Wave: Similar to a V60, carefully place a Wave filter onto a glass kettle or even just a large mug, and rinse with hot water. Dump out the hot water, then place the brewer and kettle onto the scale and tare. Add 24 grams of medium-fine coffee and bloom with 60 grams of water for 30 to 45 seconds. Then pour water in a circular motion, making sure to get the coffee stuck on the edges of the filter every few pours. Stop pouring when the water gets close to the top and wait for the water to flow. Continue doing this until scale hits 380 grams total.
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Because the best part of every morning should be the act of making coffee
As the commercial goes, the best part of waking up… is a certain brand of industrial brew often made into a watery thing resembling coffee from a flimsy machine. But really the best part of every morning should be the act of making an actually-great cup of coffee, one at a time, in a Hario V60 or Chemex or French press. The ritual of brewing coffee is itself a satisfying endeavor.
There’s truly nothing wrong with using a machine to brew coffee, and some machines are even better than the methods described here: I liken it to how some people want self-driving cars while others like manual transmissions. As many people isolate at home during the novel coronavirus pandemic, there’s no better time to master the art of manually brewing coffee. Here now, five ways to make coffee almost as good as you would find in a cafe, right in the comfort of your own kitchen.
What you need to start brewing coffee at home:
The best possible locally roasted coffee beans you can buy
There are two main markers that affect a coffee’s taste: the beans and the roast. Buy whole coffee beans from roasters who source from specific coffee-growing regions and show this off on their packaging, because highlighting farms and regions is a sign they’re investing in good-quality beans. Choose either a single-origin or a good blend to start. Single-origins show off the distinct characteristics of a farm or growing region, while blends tend to balance out flavors.
Freshly roasted beans will have the most flavor and will last you the longest. When talking to a roaster, ask about a coffee’s roast profile and find something that aligns to your taste. Coffee drinkers come in all forms, and one could argue that there are two main camps when it comes to roast styles. The first favor medium-to-darker roasts with bolder but ultimately more comforting flavors (basically coffee that tastes like a really good version of what your parents drank). The other type tends to focus on lighter roasting, higher acid (or fruit-forward characteristics), and even floral notes. The flavors of coffee are virtually endless, and exploring them is why you’re getting into brewing coffee at home in the first place.
Generally speaking, for good-quality coffee, don’t expect to pay anything less than $14 to $15, and often close to $20 for a 12-ounce bag (340 grams) of beans.
A way to boil water
You don’t need a fancy kettle with a special spout. A tea kettle or something for your stove is just fine, while electric brewers tend to bring water up to boiling faster (and sometimes to a specific temperature). I reviewed a bunch of pouring kettles here in the past, and can recommend Bonavita’s electric kettle.
A way to grind the coffee
Skip the cheap blade grinders in the appliance section of a drugstore or supermarket; they grind unevenly. Instead, aim to get a decent burr mill grinder, as these will be much more consistent. I use a Breville smart coffee grinder because it can be programmed to a specific length of grind time. But I’ve also owned Baratza grinders such as the Encore and the Preciso. The Encore was a fantastic grinder and performed well for years, while the more expensive Preciso broke on me a few times (I sent it in to get it serviced, too). You could also use hand grinders, and I’ve reviewed them extensively. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend owning one if you plan to brew coffee every day at home — they’re best for camping or traveling.
A kitchen scale
To properly “dial in” or brew coffee to a certain specification, you’ll want to use a kitchen scale to weigh out both the ground coffee and the water. A fancy one with a timer and weight to the gram is probably overkill for most people. Just make sure whatever scale you use is sturdy and water resistant enough to endure a few errant splashes of liquid. I like the Hario drip scale because it comes with a timer, but for a budget option, I recommend the Etekcity digital scale.
A timing device
A wristwatch or a kitchen timer is really helpful brewing coffee. You’ll see why below.
A good mug
Enjoying coffee is about the complete experience — sight, smell, and even sound and touch — so the drinking vessel makes a big difference. Get a nice vintage diner-style mug, or something to maybe swirl around the last few sips. Either way, pick a mug that makes you happy, because you’ve just made yourself a damn fine cup of coffee.
The brewing methods:
Here’s how to make great coffee at home, depending on your skill level and interest. These five brewing methods, from the old-school French press to the more technically challenging, but ultimately fulfilling Kalita Wave brewer, can appeal to every at-home-brewing personality. All of them are something even a novice home barista could learn within a few weeks, and the best part is that almost any result is going to be better than that burnt-tasting Starbucks drip. Remember: Always use fresh, filtered water, because the quality of the water will have a major impact on the flavor of the coffee. I like to brew coffee as hot as possible, bringing water up to a boil and then brewing as soon as possible.
A note about ratios: Each recipe here has specific weights that you can follow, but if you’d like to make more or less, a good ratio to keep is 15 to 1 hot water to ground coffee. If you like your coffee lighter, increase the ratio to 17 or 18 to 1, and if you want it stronger, reduce to 14 to 1.
For the minimalist who likes to keep it simple: Clever Coffee Dripper
The background: When people ask me how they should start making “good” coffee at home, I always direct them to this. The Clever brewer is essentially a French press with a paper filter: full immersion coffee (which refers to the process that takes all the coffee grounds and fully incorporates them into water all at once) without the sludge or grit. The brewer itself can be hard to find, but Amazon or Espresso Parts has it for a bit over $20. It’s very durable and should last years of use at home, and it’s pretty good for traveling, despite its odd shape.
How it works: Grounds go into a filter on the top of the device. Then, when the Clever is placed over a cup or serving kettle, a valve releases the liquid.
How to brew on a Clever: Fold the edges of a No. 4 Melitta filter (which can be found at any grocery store) and place into the brewer. Rinse the filter carefully with hot water and drain through the valve over a sink or a mug (to warm the mug): Rinsing the filter reduces any residual paper flavors. Weigh out 25 grams of medium-fine coffee, reset (aka “tare”) the scale, then carefully pour in 375 grams of nearly boiling hot water (around 200 degrees Fahrenheit). Cover with the plastic lid and wait for two minutes. Using a spoon, gently break the “crust” of coffee on top and give the coffee a little swirl in the brewer so it distributes evenly. Then place the entire Clever over a mug (you’ll want a pretty big mug since the coffee you get will be about 11 ounces), which will automatically release the brewed coffee. Or you can dispense the coffee into a nice glass kettle or other container (like a fancy thick-walled cocktail mixing glass). Cleaning is easy: throw away the filter and grounds, then rinse and wash the brewer before air drying.
For the enthusiast who wants to take their coffee brewing to the next level: Hario V60
The background: When “third wave,” aka hipster, coffee surfaced in the late aughts across the country’s major cities, the Hario V60 was the preferred single-cup pour over for cafes: Any barista worth their salt gets trained to brew on a V60, which was invented in Japan in 1921. Hario makes multiple types of V60s, including glass, plastic, ceramic, and even metal. Plastic is the cheapest and is the best for heat retention, but doesn’t look great. Ceramic and glass look cool, but can chip or break easily. Metal is virtually impossible to break, but the little handles can and will detach over time. Either way, the Hario V60 is the perfect entryway to brewing pour-over coffee. You’ll want a kettle that can pour nice gentle ribbons of water to best control the flow of water.
What I like about the V60 is how it is simple to use, yet challenging to come up with a great cup. If you have some really special coffee and want to get the best out of it, I find the Hario is a way to draw out the most nuances. The sheer clarity of the filter and speed of the relative brewing amplifies the subtle fruit, floral, or spice flavors of a high-quality coffee, and it’s thrilling to taste those notes.
How it works: Grounds go into a filter on the top of the device, which has a big dime-sized hole at the bottom through which the brewed coffee flows out. It requires a specific conical paper filter and ridges inside to keep the paper from sticking to the brewer.
How to brew on a Hario V60: There are multiple schools of thought about brewing on a Hario V60, so I’ll combine some elements from Scott Rao’s excellent instructional video here, and James Hoffmann’s delightful clip here.
Start by folding over the special V60 filter (which you can get on Amazon or at your local coffee shop) and placing into the cone. Wash through with a bit of hot water into a glass kettle or large mug and discard the water. Add 28 grams of medium-fine coffee, then tare the scale. Carefully add about 60 grams of hot water and swirl around the sludge to distribute the water. This allows the coffee to “bloom” and “degas,” releasing any carbon dioxide in the bean from the roasting process. This makes more room for the water to extract the soluble matter from the coffee and draw out the most flavor.
Let the coffee bloom for 45 seconds, then continue brewing. Pour the hot water in a steady stream, almost painfully slow, in a small circular motion, avoiding the walls of the brewer if possible. Stop once after a minute to swirl the cone and redistribute the grinds. Continue pouring until reaching 420 grams of water, stop pouring, then swirl the brewer again to redistribute the grinds. Hoffman’s method employs a small spoon to swirl the grinds so they don’t create a channel for the water to flow unevenly. Either method is pretty good from my experience. Aim for a total brewing time of about three minutes.
The stylish coffee lover who wants a handsome all-in-one brewing device: Chemex
The background: The Chemex is essentially a one-piece brewer and coffee server with some quirks. The design, which was introduced in 1941 by chemist Dr. Peter Schlumbohm, makes it the most beautiful device out there, with thick glass in a conical shape hemmed in by a wooden collar and leather laces. Early versions used hand-blown glass and a more perfectly symmetrical shape, though newer ones have a rounder bulb and even glass handles for easier cleaning.
It looks great on the counter, kitchen table, or anywhere really, and the way the laboratory-like glass refracts and plays with the light when the coffee is in there makes the drink look alluring. Take it from renowned coffee expert and co-founder of London’s Square Mile Coffee James Hoffmann, who seems particularly smitten by the way coffee looks when brewed into a Chemex. And the standard 6-cup size makes more than enough coffee for two people, which makes the Chemex a great weekend brewing method for the family.
How it works: Grounds go into a filter on the top of the flask-shaped device, then you pour water over the top as the coffee drips into the compartment below. Hoffmann asserts that the Chemex isn’t a perfect brewer, as the filters can sometimes lock in air and prevent a smooth flow of water, which is why the pouring spout has a divet to allow air to escape. The paper filters are thick, allowing for even extraction, but Chemex alone sells the filters you need (and they’re not necessarily cheap).
How to brew with a Chemex: The method is pretty similar to the Hario V60. Rinse the paper filter (putting the thick three-ply toward the spout), discard water, and place 42 grams of medium-fine coffee in the filter. You don’t need a coarser grind than a V60, but you can adjust your grinder if you think it helps the coffee brew faster. Tare the scale. Add 100 grams of water to bloom the coffee for 45 to 60 seconds. Then carefully pour water until the scale hits 650 grams. Swirl the brewer and let the coffee drip through, which will take four to five minutes. Discard filter and enjoy.
For the old-school coffee drinker who has a little extra time to burn: French press
The background: The French press was my first foray into brewing coffee at home, and I ended up with grit and sludge in every cup. Brewing with a French press takes more time, and it’s a pain to clean up, but the lack of a paper filter allows some of the oils, texture, and mouthfeel of a coffee to come through. Sometimes I brew a French press because I want to taste a single-origin coffee in a different way after making a bunch of filtered cups. A French press can still make an amazing cup of coffee, and the ritual of making a cup with this still carries that analog satisfaction of years past, feeling positively vintage in the best way. And thankfully, I’ve since picked up some modern techniques to minimize the particulates.
How it works: The device takes ground coffee beans and immerses them fully into hot water, much like the Clever Coffee Brewer, but in a cylindrical vessel. The difference here is that the only thing separating the grinds from the water is a mesh filter and gravity. While brewing, much of the coffee will actually sit at the top of the water and will need to be broken up with a spoon or other utensil. Allowing the grinds to gently fall to the bottom (letting gravity do its work) means that more of the sediment separates and stays out of the cup.
How to brew a French press: Weigh out 30 grams of coffee and pour 500 grams of water into the brewer. Let it sit for five minutes, then use a spoon to break the crust floating on top. Use the spoon to scoop up any floating grinds or foam, then place the top part, which includes the mesh filter, right on top of the coffee (but don’t plunge it down!). Let the coffee sit for another three to four minutes, allowing the grinds to fall to the bottom. Carefully pour coffee into a mug and leave just that last bit of sludge in the brewer. Use a paper towel to scrape out the grinds and wash carefully.
For the perfectionist: Kalita Wave
The background: This circular style of brewer is perhaps the final destination for many home coffee brewers. All the equipment is difficult to find in a retail setting, though easily available online. The brewing method is essentially a pour over, but with a specific circular filter with smooth ridges to encourage a steady flow of water. The flat bottom with just three small holes ensures an even extraction, preventing the coffee from channeling to one side as it would in a conical shape (looking at you, Hario V60 and Chemex). If the Hario V60 was the first pour-over brewer of choice in the late aughts, the Kalita Wave gained prominence and popularity in cafes in the past five to eight years. It’s my preferred coffee-making method every morning, unless I run out of those pesky (and expensive) Wave filters.
How it works: Gently place the somewhat delicate filter into the brewer and place ground coffee inside. In design, the Kalita Wave probably most resembles a standard automatic coffee machine (like a Krups or Mr. Coffee), but the shape of the paper filter allows for water to flow evenly through the coffee. And since you can control the temperature and flow of that water manually, the resulting brew is fine-tuned instead of erratic, as it often is with a countertop machine.
How to brew a Kalita Wave: Similar to a V60, carefully place a Wave filter onto a glass kettle or even just a large mug, and rinse with hot water. Dump out the hot water, then place the brewer and kettle onto the scale and tare. Add 24 grams of medium-fine coffee and bloom with 60 grams of water for 30 to 45 seconds. Then pour water in a circular motion, making sure to get the coffee stuck on the edges of the filter every few pours. Stop pouring when the water gets close to the top and wait for the water to flow. Continue doing this until scale hits 380 grams total.
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