#recipes from the 60s and 70s

[foodshubb]

Delicious 60's Food Recipes:  A Trip Down Memory Lane

Delicious 60’s Food Recipes:  A Trip Down Memory Lane

The 60’s Food Recipes were an explosion of colors, flavors, and culinary experimentation. It was a time of unparalleled growth and innovation in the food industry. From bouillabaisse to Jell-O salads, many 60s meals are making a modern-day comeback. Let’s take a look at some classic 1960s recipes that are filling stomachs with nostalgia everywhere. 60’s Food Recipes Fizzing Coolers Fizzing…

[tomatoluvr69]

If I wasn’t loosely morally opposed to tiktok, felt ok with showing my real face and voice, and knew I could have the app w/o being hopelessly ruinously addicted to scrolling it…I would love to make vintage recipes like that one guy does, but my schtick would be that I am very calm and not yelling like he does…I would love to do that…I love trying strange and unconventional foods very much and would have so much fun sharing them <3 alas…OH AND I would try to do ancient recipes and stuff from before the 20th century as well

[hollowtones]

I had a sad day so I baked a cake about it. Following this Chef John recipe. Very simple ingredients and prep. I used buttermilk and a little bit of cream instead of whole milk because I didn't have any.

This was my first time using this new oven after our older-than-me 30-something year old oven died recently. This new one is a convection oven!!! I'm still trying to learn how to use it, so I decided something simple and relatively quick would be a good way to break it in. "Relatively" being the key word here. The recipe calls for 60-70 minutes of cook time but I ended up needing an hour and a half before toothpicks were coming out clean.

Texture is great. Moist, fluffy, a little dense. Good crumb. I was worried the extended bake would dry out some of the outer bits that were cooked through before the middle one, but it's soft all the way through, and those outer bits have a very satisfying browned crispness.

Taste is great, too. It's a gentle sweetness - fruity, floral, almost perfume-y (but in an appetizing way, not an "ew I'm drinking a bottle of perfume" way), a little rich. Flavour's rounded out by a really satisfying, subtle bitterness and sourness, maybe almost a nuttiness, from the orange zest and olive oil (and probably also from the buttermilk I ended up using, to some extent).

Feels like it'd go real well with a bit of jam and a hot coffee, or some fresh tea, or something similar. I'm going to try that tomorrow, because it's 11pm for me right now & I probably shouldn't be eating anything at all this close to bed. The taste test was worth it, though.

[starwarsanthropology]

Fuck Canon Tiingilar

i hate the canon tiingilar recipe with my whole heart. Look at this (original source Galaxy's Edge cookbook). This is supposed to be "blisteringly spicy Mandalorian stew or casserole"? This is a mild chicken curry.

It sounds good, but it's not the rich, spicy, flavor-packed mandalorian stew of my dreams.

Let's start by breaking down the etymology of tiingilar.

Tiingilar is broken into 3 parts: Tiin, gi, and lar.

Tiin is an underived form of tiin'la, or coarse.

Gi is the word for fish.

Lar is a bit up in the air; it could be related to laar, for sing (which anyone who's seen someone bite into something spicier than they can handle can understand), or galar, for spill/pour (makes sense for stew), or even olar for "here", which I suppouse could be extrapolated to mean "whatever is here" for a stew which has flexible ingredients.

But the really important bits are the "tiin" and the "gi"! The first chunk of tiingilar means "coarse/rough fish(y)".

The other food word we have with "gi" in it from canon mando'a is "gihaal", (which, hilariously, breaks down into fish-breath), a pungent fishmeal. It's long lasting and stable which means its probably a staple ration food. It sounds like it'd put most people off at first, but given mandalorian tastes prioritize strong flavors (draluram), possibly including pungent flavors, and "richly nourishing" foods (yaiyai) it's probably a pretty common ingredient.

Guess what fishmeal is! A very high protein (typically 50-60%, but up to 70% for some varieties!), nutritionally dense, and coarsely textured! It's used in any cuisines; some is processed for human consumption but I cannot find any sources that use it in food except in research aiming to combat malnutrition (shout out to researchers at the Abeokuta University of Agriculture for being the best resource about fishmeal in food!). Although we can't know that gihaal would be the same as our version of fishmeal (which is normally processed from whole fish), I think that we can assume that mando'ade woudn't be skimping on the inclusion of bone, which include a lot of valuable nutrients, and would make it coarse.

So, gihaal is a pungent, likely coarse fishmeal that is a staple nutritional supplement in, at minimum, field cookery. It would make nutritionally-dense, protein packed, and strongly flavored base for tiingilar. Makes sense linguistically and practically for mandalorians to build their cooking around nutritionally valuable and shelf-stable rations.

Which brings me to the mandalorian values in food! Draluram (bright mouth: intense, bold flavors), heturam (spicy as in heat burning in the mouth), hetikleyc (spicy as in sinus burn), and yai'yai (richly nourishing, which I personally take to mean both nutritionally dense and satiating) are the 4 canon words that express the priorities in mandalorian cuisine.

These values fit in with the inclusion of gihaal as a base for tiingilar, adding yai'yai if not draluram, but where's my spice? Where's my layers of spice, the sharp sinus burn that makes your eyes water and the creeping warmth that leaves you panting and the bright heat and the numbing and tingling sensation at your lips?

Definitely not in that yellow curry recipe.

The inclusion of ginger and cinnamon (from garam masala) are both nice, but think bigger and broader! Obviously, we don't have mandalorian herbs, but add spice with chilies, cayenne, ginger, horseradish, mustard seeds, sichuan pepper! Bring out warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, star anise! Highlight the different elements of spice and warmth and flavor with enthusiasm and delight!

As for draluram, I think the pungent flavor of fish is a nice, bold addition to something for a unique flavor, but let's not forget other players. Aliums like garlic and onions are always lovely, but what about citrus? If mandalorians have behot, what's stopping you from adding in citrus juice or peel or some kaffir lime leaves? What about strong bitter flavors from vegetables you choose, like mustard greens or kale, or the rich savory taste of browned meats if you want more protein in your dish?

Yai'yai, we have a good base of protein and fat and nutritional content from the fishmeal, but why not build it out? Add sugar, both to balance flavors and because energy is energy and mandalorians certainly like their sweets. Fats and oils, other meats and proteins, vegetables and carbs. Add nuts, peanut butter, sesame for added bulk and another element of flavour. I want to see an end product that sticks to your ribs, that makes me skip seconds on not because I don't want more, but because I'm full on one serving.

Back to the etymology. Mild chicken curry is not tiin, nor does it have gi. It's fairly yai'yai, got decent draluram, negligible heturam, and no hetikleyc.

Tiingilar with a gihaal base (in irl cooking, any kind of fish base) and heavier seasoning to add multiple kinds of heat would fit all of those categories so much better.

So I guess in the end, I'm saying I don't have an idea of tiingilar as any one recipe, but tiingilar as a general dish that leans into mandalorian food culture and the literal meaning of the word. Maybe it's little gritty and somewhat fishy, but it's a rich and spicy and flavorful meal you can make with whatever on hand as long as you have a handful of staples.

Sources:

Adegoke, Bakare & Adeola, Abiodun & Otesile, Ibijoke & Adewale, Obadina & Afolabi, Wasiu & Adegunwa, Mojisola & Akerele, Rachael & Bamgbose, Olaoluwa & Alamu, Emmanuel. (2020). Nutritional, Texture, and Sensory Properties of composite biscuits produced from breadfruit and wheat flours enriched with edible fish meal. Food Science & Nutrition. 8. 1-21. 10.1002/fsn3.1919.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_meal

https://mandocreator.com/tools/dictionary/index.html# for mando'a translations and definitions

https://www.reddit.com/r/Mandalorian/comments/mp1x7o/recipe_for_tiingilar_medium_heat_add_garlic/ for the recipe

[pastelearthling65]

100 reasons to stay alive

1. to make your parents/others/yourself proud

2. to conquer your fears

3. to see your family/friends again

4. to see your Favorite artist live

5. to listen to music again

6. to experience a new culture

7. to make new friends

8. to inspire

9. to have your own children 

10. to adopt your own pet

11. to make yourself proud

12. to meet your idols

13. to laugh until you cry

14. to feel tears of happiness

15. to eat your favorite food

16. to see your siblings grow

17. to pass school

18. to get tattoo

19. to smile until your cheeks hurt

20. to meet your internet friends

21. to find someone who loves you like you deserve

22. to eat ice cream on a hot day

23. to drink hot chocolate on a cold day

24. to see untouched snow in the morning

25. to see a sunset that sets the sky on fire

26. to see stars light up the sky

27. to read a book that changes your life

28. to see the flowers in the spring

29. to see the leaves change from green to brown

30. to travel abroad

31. to learn a new language

32. to learn to draw

33. to tell others your story in the hopes of helping them

34. Puppy kisses.

35. Baby kisses (the open mouthed kind when they smack their lips on your cheek).

36. Swear words and the release you feel when you say them.

37. Trampolines.

38. Ice cream.

39. Stargazing.

40. Cloud watching.

41. Taking a shower and then sleeping in clean sheets.

42. Receiving thoughtful gifts.

43. To hear “I saw this and thought of you."

44. The feeling you get when someone you love says, “I love you."

45. The relief you feel after crying.

46. Sunshine.

47. The feeling you get when someone is listening to you/giving you their full attention.

48. Your future wedding.

49. Your favorite candy bar.

50. New clothes.

51. Witty puns.

52. Really good bread.

53. Holding your child in your arms for the first time.

54. Completing a milestone (aka going to college, graduating college, getting married, getting your dream job.)

55. The kind of dreams where you wake up and can’t stop smiling.

56. The smell before and after it rains

57. The sound of rain against a rooftop.

58. The feeling you get when you’re dancing.

59. The person (or people) that mean the most to you. Stay alive for them.

60. Trying out new recipes.

61. The feeling you get when your favorite song comes on the radio.

62. The rush you get when you step onto a stage.

63. You have to share your voice and talents and knowledge with the world because they are so valuable.

64.Breakfast in bed.

65. Getting a middle seat in the movie theater.

66. Breakfast for dinner (because it’s so much better at night than in the morning).

67. Pray (if you are religious) 

68. Forgiveness.

69. Water balloon fights.

70. New books by your favorite authors.

71. Fireflies.

72. Birthdays.

73. Realizing that someone loves you.

74. Spending the day with someone like you.

75. Opportunity to create meaningful and lasting relationships.

76. Potential to learn, grow, and evolve as a person.

77. Joy and happiness in the little things.

78. The power to inspire others.

79. The ability to create art, music, and other forms of self-expression.

80. To explore different cultures, traditions, and ways of life.

81. To make a positive impact on the environment and help protect the planet.

82. Experience the joys of parenthood and raise a family.

83. Learn new things and develop new skills.

84. Create a legacy that will outlive you.

85. Being wrapped up in a warm bed.

86. Cuddles

87. Holding hands.

88. The kind of hugs when you can feel a weight being lifted off your shoulders. The kind of hug where your breath syncs with the other person’s, and you feel like the only two people in the world.

89. Singing off key with your best friends.

90. Road trips.

91. Spontaneous adventures.

92. The feeling of sand beneath your toes.

93. The feeling when the first ocean wave rolls up and envelops your toes and ankles and knees.

94. Thunderstorms.

95. Your first (or hundredth) trip to Disneyland.

96. The taste of your favorite food.

97. The child-like feeling you get on Christmas morning.

98. The day when everything finally goes your way.

99. Compliments and praise.

100. to look on this moment in 10 years time and realize you did it.

Ps : Never forget you are a beautiful person 💕 Life is so beautiful so live, live like no one else exist, live for yourself, don't care of bad people, you are strong

[find-my-purpose]

The Basics of Skin Care

A 100 skincare tips for beginners:

Cleansing:

1. Cleanse your face twice a day.

2. Use a gentle, sulfate-free cleanser.

3. Avoid hot water, as it can strip natural oils.

4. Use a cleansing brush or washcloth for gentle exfoliation.

5. Remove makeup before bedtime.

6. Double cleanse if you wear heavy makeup.

7. Don't over-cleanse; it can lead to dryness.

Exfoliation:

8. Exfoliate 1-3 times a week, based on your skin type.

9. Choose chemical exfoliants like AHAs or BHAs.

10. Be gentle when physically exfoliating.

11. Avoid over-exfoliation to prevent irritation.

Moisturizing:

12. Use a moisturizer suitable for your skin type.

13. Apply moisturizer while your skin is slightly damp.

14. Don't forget your neck and chest.

15. Consider using a humidifier in dry climates.

Sun Protection:

16. Always wear sunscreen, even on cloudy days.

17. Use a broad-spectrum SPF of at least 30.

18. Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours.

19. Wear protective clothing and sunglasses.

20. Avoid tanning beds and excessive sun exposure.

Anti-Aging:

21. Use products with antioxidants like vitamin C.

22. Apply retinol at night for anti-aging benefits.

23. Consider peptides for collagen support.

24. Stay hydrated to maintain skin elasticity.

25. Get enough sleep for skin repair.

Hydration:

26. Drink plenty of water for overall skin health.

27. Use a hydrating serum or hyaluronic acid.

28. Avoid hot showers that can dry out your skin.

29. Limit alcohol and caffeine intake.

Acne Management:

30. Use salicylic acid for acne-prone skin.

31. Don't pop pimples; it can lead to scarring.

32. Change pillow cases regularly.

33. Maintain a balanced diet to reduce breakouts.

34. Consult a dermatologist for severe acne.

Skincare Routine:

35. Develop a consistent skincare routine.

36. Patch test new products.

37. Customize your routine based on your skin's needs.

38. Consider professional facials occasionally.

Makeup:

39. Clean makeup brushes and sponges regularly.

40. Avoid sharing makeup to prevent infections.

41. Choose non-comedogenic makeup products.

42. Remove makeup before going to bed.

Eye Care:

43. Use an eye cream to address under-eye concerns.

44. Be gentle when applying and removing eye makeup.

45. Get enough sleep to reduce under-eye puffiness.

Lifestyle:

46. Manage stress to prevent skin issues.

47. Get regular exercise for better blood flow.

48. Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke.

49. Limit alcohol consumption.

50. Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

Special Treatments:

51. Use a face mask 1-2 times a week.

52. Try sheet masks for extra hydration.

53. Consider facial oils for added moisture.

54. Use a lip balm to prevent chapped lips.

Skin Conditions:

55. Consult a dermatologist for skin conditions.

56. Use products with soothing ingredients for sensitive skin.

57. Eczema-prone skin should avoid harsh products.

58. Rosacea-prone skin should use gentle, non-irritating products.

59. Psoriasis-prone skin may benefit from salicylic acid.

DIY Skincare:

60. Be cautious with DIY treatments; research first.

61. Natural ingredients like honey and aloe can be beneficial.

62. Avoid DIY recipes with harsh or abrasive ingredients.

63. Test DIY masks on a small area first.

Sleep:

64. Get 7-9 hours of sleep for skin regeneration.

65. Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase to reduce friction.

Hands and Feet:

66. Moisturize hands and feet, especially in winter.

67. Use sunscreen on your hands to prevent age spots.

Body Skin Care:

68. Don't forget to moisturize your body.

69. Exfoliate your body regularly.

70. Take short, lukewarm showers to prevent dry skin.

Shaving:

71. Shave in the direction of hair growth.

72. Use a sharp, clean razor.

73. Apply a moisturizing shaving cream.

Hair Care:

74. Use a gentle shampoo and conditioner.

75. Avoid hot water when washing your hair.

76. Protect your hair from UV damage.

Hormonal Changes:

77. Adjust your skincare routine during hormonal changes.

78. Birth control can affect skin; consult a dermatologist.

79. Manage menopausal skin changes with skincare.

Allergies:

80. Be aware of allergens in skin care products.

81. Perform a patch test for new products.

82. Hypoallergenic products can be a safe choice.

Tattoo Care:

83. Follow aftercare instructions for tattoos.

84. Use a mild, fragrance-free lotion.

85. Avoid direct sunlight on a healing tattoo.

Skin Care Tools:

86. Cleanse skincare tools regularly.

87. Replace loofahs and brushes when they wear out.

Consult a Professional:

88. If you're unsure about a product, ask a dermatologist.

89. Consider professional treatments for specific concerns.

Inflammation:

90. Use products with anti-inflammatory ingredients.

91. Manage skin redness with calming products.

Massage:

92. Gently massage your face for better circulation.

93. Use upward motions to prevent sagging.

Eyes and Lips:

94. Use SPF lip balm to protect your lips.

95. Choose an eye cream with ingredients like caffeine.

Preventive Care:

96. Start a skincare routine early for preventive care.

97. Be patient; skincare results take time.

98. Embrace your natural beauty.

99. Avoid comparing your skin to others'.

100. Remember that skincare is individual; what works for one person may not work for another.

These tips can help you maintain healthy and radiant skin. However, always consult a dermatologist for personalized advice based on your skin's unique needs.

[bitter69uk]

Further adventures in baking: on Sunday the boys were coming round, so I whipped up Tomato Soup Cake from B Dylan Hollis’ essential Baking Yesteryear cookbook (“the best recipes from the 1900s to the 1980s”). I know it sounds odd, but tomato soup cake was a housewife’s staple in the 50s, 60s and 70s (I remember my mother making it when I was a kid), it’s an extremely user-friendly recipe (I’ve made it twice now) and you can’t actually taste the tomato soup (it tastes primarily of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves). Recommended! Watch B Dylan Hollis break it down here.

[posttexasstressdisorder]

Cake For Breakfast

Orange Layer Cake, with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting, that is!

I've been wanting to do an absolutely orange cake for awhile.

I ended up improvising (as usual) on the recipe (which I will type up and post with a reblog) and it came out exactly like I like cake: dense, moist, and packed with flavor.

This is one that should be refrigerated, definitely. We're working with fresh orange juice and zest, so fridging is necessary. It doesn't really matter as far as the immense flavor goes!

The crumb is nigh what I call perfect for a scratch cake. Super-dense, moist, and flecked with orange zest. The orange cream cheese frosting is also flecked with zest and packed with the flavor of fresh orange juice. No artificial orange flavoring or extract needed!

Both the cake and frosting are lightly colored with a few drops of high-quality gel "Sunset Orange" food coloring.

Also made a home-made Orange Sherbert to go with. I will post all the recipe and more pics later today.

--------------------------------

What started all this off was the idea of making a cake that tasted like the old Dreamsicles of the '60s-'70s. The ones made now don't compare...the solution, I figured, had to be the perfect combo of orange and vanilla, so this is what I aimed for.

TO MAKE THE CAKE:

3 cups flour

2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)

2 tspn baking powder

1/2 tspn baking soda

1/2 tspn salt

4 eggs

2 tspns vanilla extract

3/4 cup whole milk

1/3 can of frozen pure orange juice concentrate

The zest of half of a large orange.

6-7 drops Sunset Orange gel food coloring

Procedurally, it's like any other scratch cake: begin by creaming butter/sugar/vanilla together, add eggs one at a time, alternate between adding your liquids and the flour/solids.

Note on creaming the first ingredients: use this time to add the food coloring and freshly grated zest from half of a large navel orange. Set the orange and grater aside to use when making the frosting.

Note on the liquids: take a 2-cup pyrex measuring cup, and pour 3/4 cup whole milk in. Now open the can of frozen orange juice and spoon in enough to bring the level up to 1 and 1/3 cups. Stir/mix the orange juice concentrate into the milk until it is smooth. Alternate adding THAT mix with the dry ingredients until all is used.

Bake at 350 for about 25-30 mins, use toothpick test. Rack in pans for about 15 mins and turn out onto wire racks. Let cool completely before frosting.

Makes 2 9" round layers.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING:

2 8oz bricks cream cheese

3/4 cup butter (stick and a half)

2 lb bag powdered sugar

2 tspn vanilla extract

grated zest of the other half of the large orange, plus the juice from one of the cut halves.

6-7 drops gel Sunset Orange food coloring

Cream together the cream cheese and butter until they are fluffy. Add the vanilla and food coloring, orange zest and keep the mixer going while slowly adding the powdered sugar until it is all in. Add your juice from half of the orange as needed to thin it down to proper consistency/sheen.

I refrigerated the frosting for a few hours while the cake cooled, and then put the entire cake in the fridge, frosted, uncut, overnight, to set the outside of the frosting and make for easy cutting.

TO MAKE THE ORANGE SHERBERT:

1 2/3 cans frozen pure pulp-free orange juice concentrate

1 can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand, etc)

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

2 tspns vanilla extract

1 quart heavy whipping cream

5-6 drops of Sunset Orange food coloring.

Use the whip attachment of the mixer and mix the orange juice concentrate with the sweetened canned milk, food coloring and vanilla. Slowly ramp up the speed until it is beginning to whip. slowly pour in the quart of whipping cream, and then add the sugar as the mixture whips on the highest speed. Give it about 5-6 minutes or longer, and you will have stiff peaks (or close too), and a near soft-serve consistency. Pour immediately into two loaf pans and cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 24 hours before serving.

[ask-zooted-lizzy]

I might not know who you are or if we'll ever get to know each other, but please listen to me.

What ever happens, where ever we are, do not quit like this on everyone. We enjoy what you do, you make us smile and you might have helped people through some hard times without even knowing it. Take your time, but please don't give up, don't get rid of yourself, we are rooting for you.

And I am saying this now, what ever happens, please don't hesitate to reach out...at all.

Threre over a 100 reasons to stay alive:

1. to make your parents proud

2. to conquer your fears

3. to see your family again

4. to see your favourite artist live

5. to listen to music again

6. to experience a new culture

7. to make new friends

8. to inspire

9. to have your own children

10. to adopt your own pet

11. to make yourself proud

12. to meet your idols

13. to laugh until you cry

14. to feel tears of happiness

15. to eat your favorite food

16. to see your siblings grow

17. to pass school

18. to get tattoo

19. to smile until your cheeks hurt

20. to meet your internet friends

21. to find someone who loves you like you deserve

22. to eat ice cream on a hot day

23. to drink hot chocolate on a cold day

24. to see untouched snow in the morning

25. to see a sunset that sets the sky on fire

26. to see stars light up the sky

27. to read a book that changes your life

28. to see the flowers in the spring

29. to see the leaves change from green to brown

30. to travel abroad

31. to learn a new language

32. to learn to draw

33. to tell others your story in the hopes of helping them

34. Puppy kisses.

35. Baby kisses (the open mouthed kind when they smack their lips on your cheek).

36. Swear words and the release you feel when you say them.

37. Trampolines.

38. Ice cream.

39. Stargazing.

40. Cloud watching.

41. Taking a shower and then sleeping in clean sheets.

42. Receiving thoughtful gifts.

43. “I saw this and thought of you."

44. The feeling you get when someone you love says, “I love you."

45. The relief you feel after crying.

46. Sunshine.

47. The feeling you get when someone is listening to you/giving you their full attention.

48. Your future wedding.

49. Your favorite candy bar.

50. New clothes.

51. Witty puns.

52. Really good bread.

53. Holding your child in your arms for the first time.

54. Completing a milestone (aka going to college, graduating college, getting married, getting your dream job.)

55. The kind of dreams where you wake up and can’t stop smiling.

56. The smell before and after it rains

57. The sound of rain against a rooftop.

58. The feeling you get when you’re dancing.

59. The person (or people) that mean the most to you. Stay alive for them.

60. Trying out new recipes.

61. The feeling you get when your favorite song comes on the radio.

62. The rush you get when you step onto a stage.

63. You have to share your voice and talents and knowledge with the world because they are so valuable.

64.Breakfast in bed.

65. Getting a middle seat in the movie theater.

66. Breakfast for dinner (because it’s so much better at night than in the morning).

67. Pray (if you are religious)

68. Forgiveness.

69. Water balloon fights.

70. New books by your favorite authors.

71. Fireflies.

72. Birthdays.

73. Realizing that someone loves you.

74. Spending the day with someone you

75. Opportunity to create meaningful and lasting relationships.

76. Potential to learn, grow, and evolve as a person.

77. Joy and happiness in the little things.

78. The power to inspire others.

79. The ability to create art, music, and other forms of self-expression.

80. To explore different cultures, traditions, and ways of life.

81. To make a positive impact on the environment and help protect the planet.

82. Experience the joys of parenthood and raise a family.

83. Learn new things and develop new skills.

84. Create a legacy that will outlive you.

85. Being wrapped up in a warm bed.

86. Cuddles

87. Holding hands.

88. The kind of hugs when you can feel a weight being lifted off your shoulders. The kind of hug where your breath syncs with the other person’s, and you feel like the only two people in the world.

89. Singing off key with your best friends.

90. Road trips.

91. Spontaneous adventures.

92. The feeling of sand beneath your toes.

93. The feeling when the first ocean wave rolls up and envelops your toes and ankles and knees.

94. Thunderstorms.

95. Your first (or hundredth) trip to Disneyland.

96. The taste of your favorite food.

97. The child-like feeling you get on Christmas morning.

98. The day when everything finally goes your way.

99. Compliments and praise.

100. to look on this moment in 10 years time and realize you did it.

And there could be more...

Stay with us...ok?

I have the gun loaded, but I feel like I should just put it away. Thank you.

[things-about-cars-in-posts]

So, there's many of you now. I know we're in the How Sweet It Is Not To Know Follower Counts website and I do cherish that, but still, more people than ever in my life clicked a button that in some capacity says "I care what this dork has to tell me" and I want to acknowledge and celebrate that - especially now that this growth seems to have settled into its rhythm.

Spot when @identifying-cars-in-posts reblogged my pinned, lol.

So, for my 100th post, I felt like celebrating our love for reaching round numbers. And little in the automotive world represents it more iconically than what reigned supreme above all cars in the 1980s.

Porsche started out as an engineering firm, whose most notable contract was what would become known as the Volkswagen Beetle (and boy what a story that is). The first car of its own was the 356 seen below - a sporty body laid over Beetle underpinnings and thus still mostly made by Volkswagen. But by God, they were going to run with that recipe and perfect it 'til the sun burst.

Meanwhile, in England, a chap called Colin Chapman decides the next of his company's track cars will actually be drivable on the street, to need no trailer to go race. Thus the Lotus Seven is born and sold in kit, which avoids high taxes on the exporting of cars to the US (but those taxes would have remained had they been sold with assembly manuals… so they were sold with disassembly manuals for you to read backwards. No, seriously.).

The Porsche 356 kept getting less and less Volkswagen and more and more Porsche until in 1964, the year of the Beatles, the year of the Stones, the stone-age Beetle was left behind for good with the Porsche 911 (seen below), a blank-canvas take on the same recipe of an air-cooled rear boxer engine powering the rear wheels of a squished-Beetle-shaped sportscar. 'Twas good.

In 1973, Lotus was doing pretty well for itself. The Seven's whole 2500 sales had carried it through producing a number of other models, and a few were even in production concurrently - a lineup! Exciting stuff! Well, that and an F1 team so successful its Wikipedia page features the section "Domination in the 60s and '70s". The exciting opportunity to move upmarket, with bigger models with AC and automatics and all that bougie shit, pushed them to move away from the image of scruffy old kit car makers, ceding the Seven's production to the last two dealers that sold it, main one being Caterham Cars.

The 911 headed into the 80s old enough to drive, and Porsche's plans considered it at the end of the line, with staff already mourning it. But then the yankee at his third week as CEO saw those plans (which to Germans are basically scripture), said "to hell with that" and extended that line off the chart. Literally. He went to the lead engineer's office and physically took a marker at a development chart. They all secretly liked that.

Still, it was clear the game was changing - intercoolers, all wheel drive, active suspension... how hard could the 911 layout go if it didn't stick to its simple air-cooled roots? Well, Porsche resolved to find out by filling it with the cusp of automotive advancements and then some. And I do mean filling - a chassis that didn't even need space for a radiator was suddenly tasked with storing it, two turbos, two intercoolers, and a good half dozen oil pumps.

Yeah good luck with that, buddy. Oh, and materials? The body was kevlar, the frame was aluminium, the floor was Nomex (ever even heard of Nomex???), the wheels were magnesium and the spokes were hollow!!!! You could blow into the spokes!!! And don't get me started on the technology! Variable height, an all-wheel-drive system that distributed torque at will, electronics galore... As you may be able to guess, development was… complex.

At one point a test driver was doing 180km/h (112mph) to go get the car un-on-fire-d, and that's just one of the plenty horror stories. Hell, work started in 1983 to create a car for Group B and took so long that when said rally series died in 1986, production was just starting. Not that development would stop at the start of production, either - the first cars just got updated when the owners took them in for their service. (Can't blame them, I fix wording in weeks-old posts...) But however long it took, the resulting Porsche 959 answered the originating question "How hard can this chassis go?" with a resounding "Hard and then some".

It was comfortable and refined enough to be driven every day, but so capable it extended the limits of the concept of production car. Put it this way: it reached car people's favorite round number, 100km/h (to yankee doodles, 60mph) in 3.6 seconds. The second fastest production car did so in 4.6. That's one second of margin in a race that ends in five. Oh, and if you want to put it another way: the 959 was the first production car to ever surpass 300km/h, let alone come 1 shy of the mythical 200mph (322km/h).

Meanwhile, the handful of chaps at Caterham was still producing the Caterham Seven. It's the Lotus Seven (specifically the third revision, from 1968), but I guess in '83 the engine changed. We were saying?

They couldn't sell the 959 stateside for lack of crash test data, and America's ban on importing foreign cars under 25 years of age had no exception. That is, until Bill Gates wanted a 959 so bad he spent 13 years getting an exception passed. That's how hot this car is.

And yet, this record-breaking, boundary-pushing, master-of-all-trades hypercar sits atop the 80s automotive landscape engulfed in shadow. But how? Why? Because it failed to contend with the greatest automotive headache: humans. It was planted, practical, reliable, predictable - docile, domesticated, amicable. Perfect. But these are not meant to be cars, they're meant to be posters. And you don't get posters of what is perfect, but of what excites you. And what excites us is the visceral, the raw, the uncompromising - the wild, the feral, the dangerous. And, of course, reaching round numbers. What excites us is a lot more like the first production car to break 200mph, the Ferrari F40.

Remember how the 959 was being developed for Group B racing and then the series died? Well, Ferrari got screwed over too, with the 288 GTO Evoluzione they were developing (seen here to the right of the base 288 GTO) suddenly having no reason to be.

The lead engineer then asked Enzo Ferrari to let him turn that weekend project (literally, they couldn't spend work week time on it) into a road car to celebrate their 40 years. Enzo, nearing the end of his days, thought "Ah, what the hell, let's leave with a bang", so they set off to build what would become the anti-959. Not anti as in response, but as in antithesis. Where the 959 was an attempt to modernize the noisy, unrefined, old-school 911 -to make a supercar "tested for everyday usability to the most strenuous standards", by Porsche's words- the F40 was a reaction to, per Ferrari's words, "customers saying Ferraris were becoming too plush and comfortable": "nothing but sheer performance. Not a laboratory for the future, as the 959 is. Not Star Wars."

To exemplify: left is the 959 - note the leather and electric seats, right is the F40, note the string you open the door with.

The F40 was noisy, crashy, torrid, and the turbo lag painstakingly smoothed out in the 959 here kicked you in the back like a locked door. It would rip your head off the moment it sensed you didn't know what you were doing. But it was more exciting - to look at, to hear, to drive. And that's what won people over - including the buyers, which were near four times as many as Porsche's despite the price tag being double.

Had the 959 lost then? Well, not quite. Enter the 959 S. Doing away with much of the 959's luxuries, like adjustable suspension, electric windows, AC, central locking, and even backsea- wait, the 959 had BACKSEATS???? Holy FUCK why does no one talk about that??? Take the family on a trip to 300kphville! I was saying. They schlapped some bigger turbos on too and power went from 444hp right past the F40's 470hp to a healthy 508, that propelled it over what any roadgoing F40 ever managed at 211mph, or 339km/h. Presumably for bragging rights.

And I want to stress, these were titans clashing here. This was leagues beyond what other production cars could even comprehend. Again, the 959 hit 100km/h in 3.6 seconds. The F40 held a record by taking less than 16 seconds to go from 0 to 160km/h(100mph) and back to 0. This was witnessing superhumans fighting through the clouds.

And then in 1992, the two chaps that 'developed' Caterhams (i.e. banged new ones together in the shed) told the chap they worked for "Hey, let's make one that's really barebones and fast", rang up their ol' mate (and ex-F1 racer) Jonathan Palmer to ask to lend a hand, and bought some of the 250hp engine that powered the Vauxhall (British for Opel) Cavalier GSi in the British Touring Car Championship.

Thus, the Caterham Seven Jonathan Palmer Evolution - a raw, uncomfortable, uncompromising beast that went fast as all fuck. Now, if you don't know Sevens you may think "Ah, so just like the F40, what with its handcrank windows and the string to open the doorlatch and all". And to illustrate how far off that is: in the Seven the windows were sown on and you latched the door yourself with a button.

And that's the standard version which had windows and doors. The JPE didn't.

The JPE had a carbon tub you were meant to call a seat, the controls, a rev counter and a tach that didn't even bother with speed under 30mph, and fuck you. And this one is not even as barebones as it gets: this one is painted.

So while the F40 went from 1,250kg (2760lb) to 1370kg (3020lb) when adjusted to comply with US regulations and the 959 went from 1450kg (3200lb) to the lightweight S version's 1350kg (2975lb), the Seven JPE weighed 1170. As in 1170lb. 530kg. Read that again if you need to, but it had about half the power of those two and considerably less than half the car to move. And so, in January 1993, this thing -this '50s coffin with a Vauxhall engine banged together by one guy in a shed- took the Guinness World Record for fastest car to 100km/h with a time of 3.46 seconds - and the 0-160km/h-0 record with 13.1 seconds. Close your eyes and picture that.

Yet the Seven JPE is hardly known to anyone but the most hardcore of enthusiasts, and owned by barely four dozens of 'em. So did it, perhaps, ultimately lose? Not at all. In fact, none of these cars did.

Every 959 cost Porsche twice what they sold it for, but the project proved the 911's layout could stand the test of time, and its development gave Porsche technologies it gradually infused into the 911 keeping it relevant, competitive, and most importantly alive to this day.

And I think we can safely say that when Enzo Ferrari died in 1988, a year after the F40's launch, his wish to leave with a bang was perfectly fulfilled - so much so that the F40 is commonly regarded as the peak of his legacy.

And the JPE was simply the greatest Seven ever - the most raw, thrilling, pure automotive experience the streets had ever witnessed. If driving a fast car was like biking down a hill, the Seven JPE was skydiving. Hell, it was the cover car of éX-Driver, an anime about a team using old-school sportscars to rescue haywire autonomous vehicles!

Not that culturally relevant but MAN was it cool as a kid. I need to hang those damn posters one of these days. I was saying.

These are three success stories in three radically different ways. Because, as much as I've made this post all about the numbers, sometimes it's not about that. Sometimes it's about making a show, leaving a mark, being spectacular. Sometimes it's about pushing yourself to achievements you can take pride and inspiration from. Sometimes it's simply about having fun seeing just how far you can really go. Sometimes it's about deciding what you want to be and make a new favorite version of yourself, that is the best it can be at what you care the most about. And for some that may result in less popularity or success or impact or legacy than others, but those are just some of the things you can work towards. It can be okay to just work towards having a blast. Hell, those madmen at Caterham used to stay after work to build themselves track cars, race them the next day and put ‘em back in the workshop after racing them, and the company survived to this day. Because, yes, they're still around - and their new lineup topper gets to 100 in 2.8. Windshield still optional. Well, at least there's headrests now. And a wider version, for the concrete possibility that you physically don't fit.

Never change, Caterham, because you certainly never have.

Links in blue are posts of mine explaining the words in question - if you liked this post, you might like those!

[therobotmonster]

Saturday Mornings That Never Were

I gotta hand it to Midjourney  Version 4 (currently in alpha), is finally letting me make what I want to make.

And that is, of course, Saturday Morning Cartoons from the 80s and 90s.

Not to be a hipster, but pre-digital toons had a vibe rarely recaptured with new tech. It’s a blend of style shifts, technological limitations-as-style, and aesthetic choices that is a particularly tricky recipe to recreate, particularly when some of the ingredients essentially don’t exist anymore.

Ironically, AI’s monkey-do-robot-see-robot-do aspects make it able to pick up on stylistic touches and aesthetic features that we don’t see because we don’t see things the same way machines “see” things.

The V4 alpha is particularly good at the Sunbow Animation style used in everything Hasbro in the 80s, which is good because that’s my personal favorite.

What it REALLY wants to make is the early 90s style that was a more angular, heavily inked version of the earlier 80s advert-Toon style. To the point that my attempts at creating an anachronistic 70s-Hanna Barbera X-files made a guest appearance of Dana Scully on the Extreme Ghostbusters.

Thus far I've been unable to get it to produce anything in the hyper-minimal styles of 50s and 60s Hanna-Barbara, at least if its referencing anything outside those concepts. Flintstones Columbo fits more with the 80s Flintstone reboots than the 60s take on the show.

So Aliens VS Jetsons is probably not yet in the cards... at least not in the almost-cardboard-cutout classic style.

In my pursuit of exact nostalgic styles, I've also found a sort of 80s-90s blend that, at least for me, creates a sort of "uncanny nostalgia", of its supposed time, but imprecisely so. A one-size-fits-many aura of familiarity.

I’m going to use it to make dinosaur people.

Goodevening.

[breadbythehour]

Beginner Dark Rye Sandwich Bread

Check out my new Beginner Dark Rye Sandwich Bread Recipe!

For those in a rush, I’m re-posting the basic recipe here on my Tumblr. But if you want the full picture-by-picture instructions, nutritional information, and secrets to success you can go to my website.

Here’s what you’ll need…

Ingredients

17 Grams (1 Tablespoon) Dry Active Yeast

240 Grams (1 Cup) Warm Water

70 Grams (1/4 Cup) Molasses

150 Grams (1 1/2 Cups) Rye Flour

360 Grams (3 Cups) All-Purpose Flour or Bread Flour*

25 Grams (1/4 Cup) Dutch Cocoa Powder**

13 Grams (2 1/4 Teaspoons) Fine Sea Salt

7 Grams (1 Tablespoon) Caraway Seeds, Plus More for Sprinkling

60 Grams (1/4 Cup) Butter, Melted

1 Egg

This loaf also has an optional egg wash if you want to top it with caraway seeds:

1 Egg

1 Tablespoon Water

Additional Equipment

Standing Mixer with Dough Hook

Measuring Cups and Spoons

Kitchen Scale

Large Container with Lid

9.5-inch by 5-inch Baking Pan

Baking Brush

Wire Cooling Rack

Probe Thermometer

Oven Mitts

Instructions

In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the warm water, molasses, and active dry yeast. Stir until all the grains dissolve. Let sit until foamy, about 10 to 15 minutes.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together your flours, Dutch cocoa powder, salt, and caraway seed.

With your dough hook attachment, set your mixer to low and pour in your dry ingredients. Gradually add the melted butter and egg. Mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Shape your dough into a round and transfer to a lightly greased container. Cover and let your dough rise until double in size, about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours.

Shape your dough into a sandwich loaf and transfer to a lightly greased 9-inch by 5-inch bread pan. Cover and let rise until dough is above the lip of the pan, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).

Beat together the egg with 1 tablespoon of water to create an egg wash. Brush the egg wash mixture over the top of the bread. Sprinkle with caraway seeds.

Bake your bread for 20 minutes. Tent with aluminum foil, and then bake another 20 to 25 minutes until internal temperature reads between 195° and 200° Fahrenheit (90° and 93° Celsius). Bottom will sound hollow when thumped.

Turn out loaf onto a wire cooling rack. Let cool completely before slicing and serving.

Enjoy

[ellecdc]

200 Questions

these are the 200 questions from my 2k celebratory picnic! feel free to use these for whatever!

1 - How important are friends to you?

2 - What do you want less of?

3 - Do you step on pavement cracks?

4 - What's your favourite colour?

5 - How many countries have you visited?

6 - In your dream life, how often would you travel?

7 - If you were a flower, what kind would you be?

8 - Are witches all female?

9 - Do you think we are alone in the universe?

10 - What's your happiest memory?

11 - What do you wish you were good at?

12 - What's the nicest thing a neighbour has done for you?

13 - What's the worst injury you've ever had?

14 - Did you keep a diary as a kid?

15 - What are the top five items on your bucket list?

16 - Do you like routine?

17 - What is worse - trying and failing or never trying?

18 - Would you rather have a holiday in the mountains or at the beach?

19 - Would you like to hang-glide?

20 - What's your least favourite colour?

21 - What do you most value about yourself?

22 - Do you prefer to cuddle or be cuddled?

23 - How old do you feel?

24 - Does your family have any famous recipes?

25 - Have you ever self sabotaged?

26 - What single thing must you do before you die?

27 - If you suddenly had a free afternoon, what would you do?

28 - Have you ever fainted?

29 - What's the most beautiful sight you've ever seen?

30 - Do you tell the truth at a restaurant if the food is bad?

31 - Is there a product you love so much you'd volunteer to be a spokesperson?

32 - What is better about today than yesterday?

33 - Is happiness something to strive for?

34 - Do you like to people-watch?

35 - Do you prefer people or animals?

36 - Do you remember your first kiss?

37 - If something is forbidden do you want it more or less?

38 - Have you ever disciplined someone else's child?

39 - If you could have a Marvel-style superpower, which would you choose?

40 - Have you ever had therapy?

41 - Who would you want as your Amazing Race partner?

42 - Are you a good neighbour?

43 - Do you know any jokes by heart?

44 - Do you keep a journal?

45 - Have you ever received an anonymous gift or act of kindness?

46 - Do you arrive early or late?

47 - When did you give up on something bad?

48 - What are some things you do with your pets?

49 - What beverage could you not live without?

50 - What is under your bed?

51 - How tall would you like to be, if you could choose?

52 - If you could visit any planet, where would you go and why?

53 - Do you like your voice?

54 - Are you scared of spiders?

55 - Do you know the Indigenous name of the Country you live in?

56 - What was the last disagreement you had with your siblings about?

57 - Are you usually the person who cares the most or the least in your group?

58 - Do you enjoy dating?

59 - If you were the Prime Minister and needed three people to assist you, who would you pick and why?

60 - If you could design the ultimate treehouse. What would it look like?

61 - Where would your dream school trip be and what would you do there?

62 - Would you rather ace school or be average in school and master skills for the outside world?

63 - Do you like the place where you grew up?

64 - How would you describe yourself in five words or fewer?

65 - Do you think the world would be a better place without the internet?

66 - If you were a bird what kind would you be?

67 - What's been on your mind most lately?

68 - Would you rather be the oldest child or the youngest child?

69 - Would you rather wash your body with shampoo or your hair with soap?

70 - What was the last sweet text you screenshotted and saved?

71 - If you had an envelope with your death date inside, would you open it?

72 - Would you rather eat your favourite meal every day or never eat it again?

73 - What do you consider the most beautiful thing about your personality?

74 - What are some of your best childhood memories with cousins?

75 - How would you explain 'love' to someone without using the word?

76 - When at the movies, what is your favourite snack food?

77 - What's the best teen party you've been to and why?

78 - What is your favourite flavour of chips? 

79 - What is your strangest phobia? 

80 - If you could design a national flag what would it be like? 

81 - What type of animal do you feel most connection with? 

82 - What is your favourite snack to eat? 

83 - What song could you listen to on repeat for the rest of your life? 

84 - What vegetable is your least favourite and why?

85 - If you could be any object which would you be and why? 

86 - What do you like in a sandwich? 

87 - What movie absolutely scarred you?

88 - What's your favourite constellation? 

89 - What is your favourite sport to watch? 

90 - Which TV or movie character would you be friends with in real life? 

91 - Are you scared of the ocean? 

92 - Which emojis do you use the most? 

93 - Would you rather be a surgeon or a pilot? 

94 - If you had to move to another country tomorrow where would you go? 

95 - What old person tendencies do you have? 

96 - Do you prefer sunset or sunrise? 

97 - What is your comfort movie or TV show? 

98 - Would you rather give up peanut butter or Nutella? 

99 - If you had to curate the soundtrack to your life what songs would be on there? 

100 - What do you collect and why? 

101 - What is a quote you really like from a song, movie or book? 

102 - What animal represents you the best? 

103 - What's your favourite flower? 

104 - If you could learn the answer to one of history's greatest mysteries, which would it be? 

105 - What is your favourite fruit? 

106 - If you could have lunch with a Disney character, who would you choose? 

107 - Who is your favourite character from a book? 

108 - Would you rather watch your dreams or control them? 

109 - Do you think you could survive in prison? 

110 - Would you rather be a princess or a mermaid? 

111 - If you could have a celeb as your BFF who would it be? 

112 - Do you own any crystals? 

113 - Would you rather see any one day in the future or read minds for a day? 

114 - Do you prefer to go out for hamburgers or pizza? 

115 - Would you rather work in a bakery or an ice cream shop? 

116 - What three items would you take to a deserted island? 

117 - What is your favourite ice cream flavour? 

118 - Would you rather attend Hogwarts or be a Pokemon trainer? 

119 - What's your favourite line from a movie? 

120 - Who's your ultimate celeb crush? 

121 - When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

122 - Are you a warm weather or cold weather person? 

123 - Are you a morning person or a night person?

124 - Which element (earth, water, fire, air) best describes you? 

125 - Would you prefer to live on a boat or a remote island? 

126 - Who is your favourite superhero? 

127 - What colour do you think your aura is? 

128 - Who is your favourite author right now? 

129 - What's the strangest thing you're afraid of? 

130 - Would you rather have a pet dragon or a pet unicorn? 

131 - If you could pick three animals to put together and create a new animal, which animals would you pick? 

132 - What's the weirdest fact you know? 

133 - What period in history would you like to live in? 

134 - Do you believe in the Supernatural? 

135 - Do you play video games? If so, which ones? 

136 - What's your favourite subject to research and explore? 

137 - If money wasn't a concept what would your dream job be? 

138 - Would you rather eat dinner in a castle or breakfast in a hot air balloon? 

139 - What character do you identify with most personality wise? 

140 - What's your favourite dessert? 

141 - Are mermaids real? 

142 - What colour are your eyes? 

143 - If you could turn into any animal which would you choose? 

144 - What's your Chinese zodiac? 

145 - If you could meet anyone dead or alive who would it be? 

146 - What's a superstition that you have?

147 - What’s your favourite way to celebrate something?

148 - What does your perfect day look like?

149 - What is your go-to karaoke song?

150 - If you could design a video game about anything, what topic would you choose?

151 - Would you rather be in a cartoon or have an artist paint your picture?

152 - Would you rather be a musician or a movie star?

153 - What’s your dream car?

154 - Who was your first celebrity crush?

155 - What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to learn?

156 - Do you like haunted houses?

157 - What weird smell do you really enjoy?

158 - What is your attachment style?

159 - Which of the four seasons is your favourite?

160 - What is your favourite piece of advice?

161 - How would you spend $50,000?

162 - What is a taboo you think shouldn’t be taboo?

163 - What’s your favourite meme?

164 - According to you, what is the most monotonous sport to watch?

165 - If you could meet anyone in history, who would it be and why?

166 - What’s your favorite happy hour drink?

167 - Why did your parents give you your name?

168 - Hardcover, paperback, or ebook?

169 - What would you have a personal assistant do if you could have someone follow you around all the time?

170 - The zombie apocalypse is coming. Who are three people you want on your team?

171 - Would you rather live in the ocean or in deep outer space?

172 - If you could be any supernatural being, which would it be?

173 - What was your first email address or screen name?

174 - If you were a potato product, what would you be?

175 - Would you rather be loved by someone special (but hated by everyone else) or liked by everyone (but never loved)?

176 - What is your very first memory?

177 - Teleportation or flying?

178 - Would you go with aliens if they beamed down to Earth?

179 - What was one new experience you tried that was completely unknown or uncomfortable to you at the time you tried it?

180 - What is something your mother or father often does that you find yourself doing?

181 - What are the three scents you like?

182 - What’s your favorite board game?

183 - What is the most absurd thing you've been tricked into doing or believing?

184 - Have you ever thought of what your future baby will be named?

185 - What are those things you're too old to do but you still enjoy?

186 - Which of the two smells better, fresh-cut grass or bread baking in the oven?

187 - What are the songs that make you sing along whenever you hear them?

188 - What is something your brain wants to convince you to do but you have to fight it?

189 - What would you name your yacht if you had one?

190 - Who is your favourite YouTube vlogger?

191 - What are the two things you’d like to ask your pet?

192 - What has been the most flattering compliment you've ever received?

193 - What three things did your past relationship teach you?

194 - What song would make the best theme music for you?

195 - What is the wackiest thing you ever did to help a friend?

196 - What is the most bizarre wrong number text or phone call you ever received?

197 - What is the best commercial you have ever seen?

198 - If people suddenly got paid for bad behavior, what habit would make you a fortune?

199 - If you had an unlimited budget, what epic prank would you pull?

200 - What’s the best piece of workplace drama you’ve ever heard?

[vanilla-cigarillos]

Moist Spiced Honey Cake Recipe

This is different from my honey loaf recipe with the texture being that of a cake instead of a more bread-loaf consistency. It's yummy, and I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 TSP baking powder

1 TSP baking soda

1/2 TSP kosher salt

2 TSP ground cinnamon

1/2 TSP ground cloves

1/2 TSP ground nutmeg

1/2 TSP ground allspice

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup honey

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 large eggs (room temp)

1 TSP vanilla extract

1/4 cup Irish whiskey (prefer using Jack Daniels)

1 cup warm strong tea

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F and generously grease a bundt cake pan

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice

Make a well in the center and then add oil, honey, sugars, eggs, vanilla, tea, and whiskey

Tip! Measuring oil in the same cup as the honey will help pour the honey out of your measuring tool

Mix on slow speed and then stir together the well to make a thick and well-blended batter. Make sure there are no ingredients stuck to the bottom

Spoon batter into your prepared pan and bake until done

For angel and tube cake pans: 60 - 70 minutes

For loaf cake pans: 45 - 55 minutes

For sheet style pans: 40 -45 minutes

Let your cake stand for 15 minutes before removing it from the pan to cool, then enjoy!

[basedkikuenjoyer]

A Tale of Two Hannya: Flowers Without Names

Last time we dabbled in this area we made it clear we were just scratching the surface. I have a lot I want to say about how Kiku & Yamato play off of each other and how it plays into manga’s long history of playing with gender. We’ve already brought up the classic series on the right, Revolutionary Girl Utena, and how Yamato sorta falls into some of the same pitfalls of the iconic princely lady. But I don’t think this discussion is complete without acknowledging another very important landmark shoujo that still casts a long shadow today. The Rose of Versailles, an iconic 70s series starring the dashing Lady Oscar. Raised as a man to inherit her father’s spot in the royal guard and her “Anthy,” fitting for a story told with the backdrop of the French Revolution, is none other than Marie Antoinette.

So here’s our thesis. Famously the intent of Rose wasn’t initially Oscar. Antoinette was supposed to be the protagonist but was upstaged by such a novel heroine for the time. Utena was the deconstruction of what spawned in her wake. Wano’s Hannya duo? A wickedly smart evolution that’s actually quite responsive to contemporary social changes.

Oscar really does seem like she ended up being this accidental icon, but for all the glory and passion her story is so often wound up in how she can never really escape being sucked in to “women’s games.” It’s a solid recipe; she’s remarkable as a guard & soldier but situations force her to deal with things as a woman. Contrast between battle and courtroom intrigue. It’s a very old school type of feminist work. Similar tone if a different structure than Kozue in the slightly earlier Attack No.1 and a lot of our Pinkie Violence heroines. Deep down there’s always that “A woman is still a woman” element. That’s fallen out of fashion as more feminist depictions have become normal, but there’s a certain power in that internal dynamic. 

The appeal was just seeing a female lead doing cool shit. And this parallels a lot of world media from the 60s/70s. Still pretty old fashioned gender expectations but seeing women buck them at all was fresh. Thing is...give it twenty years and new issues crop up. By the 90s we have a generation that grew up on things like Rose of Versailles and analogues to the point this action girl tomboy is just a trope. A trope bordering on cliche. A trope that allowed how we write most women to stagnate. Love interests, mothers, etc. didn’t have to get with the times. Just toss in a girl that does cool guy things and you’re golden! Most copycats lacked the balance that made Rose so iconic.  Enter Utena, so far ahead of the curve. I’ve heard her described as revolutionary even.

The titular Utena is a fairy tale character in the real world. She is a perfect lil Mary Sue, but the more the story matures the more it becomes obvious a fairy tale character lacks the sense to pick up on real issues. That’s Utena’s magic; juxtaposing the uber cool main character with the actual scary forces in the world. Leading to an ending that lets seemingly useless, docile Anthy drive the point home. A character like Utena can inspire strength...but most girls are going to have to learn other tactics. “Utena” is the Japanese word for Calyx, the outer part of a flower bud that protects it. Smash the world’s shell...

Revolutionary for the time, ahead of the curve in so many ways. But its 30 years old now. We’re at a point it isn’t rare to see casual critique of leaning on the action girl tomboy as a crutch. Nothing new under the Sun, we’ve been here before. It’ll swing that way until a new generation thinks Peppermint Patty is subversive again. And that’s the landscape One Piece got to have fun with.

Which brings us to our pair of breakout new faces in Wano. One of the biggest changes to stories that play with gender roles in this day and age is the reality we pay more attention to why some people organically feel that way. Yamato’s still playing this trope straight. Very straight actually. Background is totally on par with Oscar and the way you go about it feels very similar...for the most part. Could say the same about Utena, Yams is someone who kept that spark of nobility equivalent well into adulthood. There is definitely not a “woman is still a woman” angle with Yamato. The bath scene is a great example. No, you just don’t have that modesty. 

Kiku has that element though, in spades. Her story runs on it. What was old fashioned becomes forward thinking now by combining two tropes. Let the girly trans woman have that old theme if it isn’t as relevant anymore for most women. Same logic I’d use to say she makes a great quartermaster template. It’d be an eyeroll to make most female crewmates the one swabbing the deck or doing laundry in establishing shots...not so much if it’s Kiku. Which gives a cool edge, what’s stifling for some is liberating for others. 

That said...looking at the two together I can’t unsee the gentle repudiation of the very extreme end “all that matters at all is what you say your are” mindset. We’re not getting into discourse here, I’m just identifying trends that exist regardless of how you may feel about them. One Piece is far, far, far from the only reflection the pendulum is swinging the other way even within the community. Yamato’s treated more on the same tier as like, Bon & Iva. He does feel a little more like a caricature at points. And I do think part of the way they’re used together is making a statement about their relative journeys. How certain aspects can feel like Yamato gets the best of both worlds and Kiku the worst. Yamato doesn’t have to care because at worst you’ll think he’s silly instead of creepy and for meeting that impossible bar of being the perfect lady as good as anyone in Wano...Kiku’s “prize” is having to juggle two sets of lofty expectations.  

I feel like Oda really knew what he was doing here. Knew teenage battle shonen fans would bend over backwards to make excuses for Yamato and aggressively ignore Kiku. If OP Academy’s pulling the same trick this was clearly the intent. Both play with the expectations of that generic Strong Female Character archetype One Piece has generally avoided. Oda’s great at writing women but seems to feel that action girl tomboy is a crutch too. We’ll probably revisit this one down the line. It’s a deep well and one that’s delicate to talk about. But I wanted to end this tour of my drafts page for the last year with a bang.

[ek-ranjhaan]

100 reasons to stay alive:

1. to make your parents proud

2. to conquer your fears

3. to see your family again

4. to see your favourite artist live

5. to listen to music again

6. to experience your culture to the fullest

7. to make new friends

8. to inspire

9. to have your own children

10. to adopt your own pet

11. to make yourself proud

12. to visit the seashore and feel the waves kissing your feet

13. to laugh until you cry

14. to feel tears of happiness

15. to eat your favourite food

16. to see your siblings grow

17. to pass school

18. to read millions of deserving, unread books and novels waiting for you

19. to smile until your cheeks hurt

20. To be accepted and welcomed by your loved one(s) as you are.

21. to find someone who loves you like you deserve

22. to eat ice cream on a hot day

23. to drink hot chocolate on a cold day

24. to see untouched snow in the morning

25. to see a sunset that sets the sky on fire

26. to see stars light up the sky

27. to read a book that changes your life

28. to see the flowers in the spring

29. to see the leaves change from green to brown

30. to travel abroad

31. to learn new languages

32. to learn to draw

33. to tell others your story in the hopes of helping them

34. Puppy kisses.

35. Baby kisses (the open mouthed kind when they smack their lips on your cheek).

36. Swear words and the release you feel when you say them.

37. Trampolines.

38. To have the most peaceful comforting sleep at nights.

39. Stargazing.

40. Cloud watching.

41. Taking a shower and then sleeping in clean sheets.

42. Receiving thoughtful gifts.

43. “I saw this and thought of you."

44. The feeling you get when someone you love says, “I love you."

45. The relief you feel after crying.

46. Sunshine.

47. The feeling you get when someone is listening to you/giving you their full attention.

48. Your future wedding.

49. Your favorite candy bar.

50. To feel the chlorophyllic scent of trees in the deep elms

51. Witty puns.

52. Really good bread.

53. Holding your child in your arms for the first time.

54. Completing a milestone (aka going to college, graduating college, getting married, getting your dream job.)

55. The kind of dreams where you wake up and can’t stop smiling.

56. The smell before and after it rains

57. The sound of rain against a rooftop.

58. The feeling you get when you’re dancing.

59. The person (or people) that mean the most to you. Stay alive for them.

60. Trying out new recipes.

61. The feeling you get when your favorite song comes on the radio.

62. The rush you get when you step onto a stage.

63. You have to share your voice and talents and knowledge with the world because they are so valuable.

64. To dance in the rain in a romance with self or with your lover

65. To visit Nordic countries and take in their beauty with mesmerized tears in eyes

66. Breakfast for dinner (because it’s so much better at night than in the morning).

67. Pray

68. Forgiveness.

69. Water balloon fights.

70. To write more and more, better and better, and to publish your own book(s) someday.

71. Fireflies.

72. Birthdays.

73. Realizing that someone loves you.

74. Spending the day with someone you love

85. Being wrapped up in a warm bed.

86. Someone’s skin against yours.

87. Holding hands.

88. The kind of hugs when you can feel a weight being lifted off your shoulders. The kind of hug where your breath syncs with the other person’s, and you feel like the only two people in the world.

89. Singing off key with your best friends.

90. Road trips.

91. Spontaneous adventures.

92. The feeling of sand beneath your toes.

93. The feeling when the first ocean wave rolls up and envelops your toes and ankles and knees.

94. Thunderstorms.

95. Your first (or hundredth) trip to Disneyland.

96. The taste of your favorite food.

97. The child-like feeling you get on Christmas morning.

98. The day when everything finally goes your way.

99. Compliments and praise.

100. To feel the mountains beneath your feet, to see the most beautiful dawn and dusk in the moments of a new day.

+

101. to look on this moment in the future, when life is happier and be grateful to yourself for not giving up, for staying alive, for choosing to live.