Me now that October is over:
MY BRAIN:
::Immediately begins brain-storming
while John stares wide-eyed at the stacks of Halloween bins we're still puting
away::
Don't worry, this isn't a Christmas post. Yet. Even John and I need
some down time, so we've been catching up with friends, cleaning house, and in
John's case, practicing Low Fodmap stews. (Y'all have any favorite
recipes? We have both fake onion & fake garlic, so I think we can modify most regular recipes. Help!)
We also started watching Rings of Power, and while I'm not usually a drama person and can't handle much violence or darkness, WOW IS IT GOOD. The visuals are so stunning they even surpass the movies(!!) and the cast is phenomenal.
It's definitely gotten more intense by episode 3, though, so we may have to start spacing these out with Disney movies for balance, ha. Can anyone tell me if the violence level gets worse from here?
It's definitely gotten more intense by episode 3, though, so we may have to start spacing these out with Disney movies for balance, ha. Can anyone tell me if the violence level gets worse from here?
Right, 'nuff chit chat, lemme bring you some genuine CONTENT.
I bring you my latest two obsessions:
First, What the Art Teacher Wore.
Cassie is a jolt of joyful caffeine in my feed, and the moment I discovered her through a friend I spent over an hour watching every single one of her outfit posts. Cassie just finished
an entire month of amazeballs Halloween outfits, but lemme start you off with a cheerful rainbow ensemble:
Even if you'd never dress like this, I promise you're gonna love Cassie's style, humor, and happy patter. She's one of those creators you just want to be friends with. She also shares art teacher tips and projects and fun classroom content, so tag your teacher friends while you're there.
And second, I bring good tidings of great nerd joy, friends: JENNY NICHOLSON DROPPED ANOTHER DEEP DIVE.
Yessssss. Rejoice with me, Jenny fans, and everyone else: buckle up. If you love soothing long format nerdery that's both wildly amusing and deeply educational about topics no one cares about, Jenny's channel is for you. (It also helps if you have an affection for theme park history.)
I sat down last night to veg to some furniture refinishing videos (check out Transcend Furniture Gallery, Angie is a DELIGHT) and instead saw this 4-hour beast newly uploaded. I figured I'd watch the first 30 minutes or so, just to get the gist, y'know?
Then I blinked and it was 4 HOURS LATER but I didn't want it to end so I scrolled the comments for another 30 minutes geeking out with other Nicholson nerds and deciphering the lyrics to the brilliant end credits song. Just... wow. Highly recommend.
Or, if you're a Disney fan and want something a little less daunting to start, I recommend Jenny's hour-long "Excruciatingly Deep Dive Into The Avatar Theme Park." Or even easier, her 20-minute analysis/dissection of the Hallmark Youtube channel. Heck, I'm going to watch that one again right now, so funny. ("NICOLE!")
I hope this introduced you to some new good things! What content or people are you loving this week? Let's get a list going!
I know there are rising anxieties out there regarding election day, so please remember: when things start to seem hopeless, that's a sign to log off and connect with real people: your friends and loved ones. Go out for ice cream, visit a friend, collect all the hugs and laughter you can. Our country is not lost or beyond repair, and you are not alone in your fears or your anger. Just keep doing what is loving and what is right - in that order - and together, I know we're going to be ok.
::hugs::
*****
I hope this introduced you to some new good things! What content or people are you loving this week? Let's get a list going!
I know there are rising anxieties out there regarding election day, so please remember: when things start to seem hopeless, that's a sign to log off and connect with real people: your friends and loved ones. Go out for ice cream, visit a friend, collect all the hugs and laughter you can. Our country is not lost or beyond repair, and you are not alone in your fears or your anger. Just keep doing what is loving and what is right - in that order - and together, I know we're going to be ok.
::hugs::
*****
P.S. I got these for John's birthday, and while they're not the most exciting present he friggin' loves them:
Gorilla Grip Mixing Bowls
John's the cook in our house, and makes at least a dozen meals a week for the two of us. Our old mixing bowls were cracked and warped from years of use, plus had bottom rims that trapped and leaked water, yech. These new beauties come in all SORTS of pretty colors (I got Orange Sherbet, of course), and have no-slip silicone bottoms, comfy handles, convenient pour spouts, AND they're dishwasher safe?! Aww yeahhh. Gold stars all 'round, highly recommend.
John's the cook in our house, and makes at least a dozen meals a week for the two of us. Our old mixing bowls were cracked and warped from years of use, plus had bottom rims that trapped and leaked water, yech. These new beauties come in all SORTS of pretty colors (I got Orange Sherbet, of course), and have no-slip silicone bottoms, comfy handles, convenient pour spouts, AND they're dishwasher safe?! Aww yeahhh. Gold stars all 'round, highly recommend.
Rings of Power has violence through out at similar levels, some bigger battles later but nothing like House of the Dragon. Keep watching!
ReplyDeleteI love Jenny's videos! I started the Evermore one last night, too, and then watched a bit more during my lunch break and I've still got about an hour left. Really fascinating and she always does such a good job of expressing incredulity over nonsense without making you feel angry about things. She's not making fun of it and she's doing her best to highlight the better elements, but she's not glossing over the issues, either. I'll have to check out her Pandora/Avatar one next for sure because somehow I've never watched that one.
ReplyDeleteI just recommended this to a friend earlier - a hearty, cozy, homey stew. You can adjust the seasonings to your liking; I definitely recommend broth over water.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.food.com/recipe/lentil-barley-stew-207305
I have an intolerance to onions and garlic so I have my own tried-and-true pea soup, beef stew, chili, and butter chicken recipes that I THINK are also coincidentally low-fodmap, and anyone who tries them can't tell that they don't have onions and garlic. They're also all super easy. I can email them to you if you're interested in any of them!
ReplyDeleteI also loved Rings of Power. There is really only one scene I’d warn you off of— it’s in the 6th episode during the orc battle sequence; it’s not long and you can look away but I did find that part too violent for my taste. Otherwise, a WONDERFUL show!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love Cassie Stephens! Her outfits have made me more confident in choosing funky clothing combos that my students and I both love!
ReplyDeleteRings of Power was incredibly well done. There are definitely more violent sequences, but along the lines of battles that we've already seen, just bigger. I can't recall anything really graphic or severe. Keep going, it's a heck of a ride!
ReplyDeleteI know this claims to be a pot pie, but I make just the filling as a stew and don't make the biscuits. The pork gets meltingly tender and it's nice and hearty. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/porky-pot-pie-with-cheesy-drop-biscuits-3279833
ReplyDeleteI am sorry, but nobody who claims to love Tolkien can think Rings of Power is an actual good story. They took Tolkien's story and chronology and deeply messed it up. Ugh. We watched one episode and had to rage-quit. Yes, I suppose it is pretty, but the Tolkien scholars here in our household were mortified.
ReplyDeleteHUGE Tolkien fan here, and have been since I was a teenager. I shouldn't have to say this, but gatekeeping is a thing so: I've read and re-read The Silmarillion multiple times, I taught myself tengwar, I listen to academic Tolkien podcasts, I've done Tolkien cosplay, and I'm the person all my friends come to with Tolkien questions. Also, I love Rings of Power.
DeleteYes, they changed the chronology. It's absolutely the thing that frustrates me most about the show, particularly because there is so much empty space in the Second Age so changing timelines was totally unnecessary. And yet, I still enjoyed the story. I thought that most of the characters kept their character fairly well and the world didn't just look like Middle Earth, it felt like Middle Earth. I loved Galadriel. I'm delighted to be seeing more stories told in a world I love, and I accept that they may not align perfectly with cannon. You know what else doesn't align perfectly? The many versions Tolkien wrote of his own stories. You, of course, are welcome to read the books and ignore the rest, there's nothing wrong with that choice. But please don't claim that someone who loves Tolkien can't enjoy Rings of Power.