I have never quite understood the obsession with life as suffering - life includes suffering but is not defined by suffering, it’s defined by physical embodiment and consciousness. I don’t really fear death exactly, but do so enjoy being physically embodied and conscious. Have I suffered? Sure, plenty. But not more than I have enjoyed. I don’t at all define or experience my life AS suffering. Joy is louder.

I do think heaven or afterlife would have to involve losing all critical thought and individuality, particularly the Christian heaven, I don’t think most people could be ecstatically happy if they knew others were in hell and they could not do anything to try to help.

More seriously, if you want to serve okra to someone who says they don’t like it, I’ve had success with giving them dry-fried okra. Wash the okras and dry very thoroughly, they have to be dry for this to work. Slice them (throw out the stems). Saute in hot pan with a little oil and any spices you want (berebere is good) but - this is important - NO SALT until they are done.

This cooks them without the slime, I personally like the okra slime but also like them dry fried, the flavor is really good.

People are mostly recommending what I’d consider intermediate level cooking.

Cheese grits are delicious and easy. Buy a bag of 5 minute grits (not instant, never buy instant grits) cook according to directions - make sure to salt the water. At the end when it’s like bubbling lava, add shredded cheese of your choice and if you have it, nutritional yeast makes them better, but don’t worry, it’s good either way. Possible additions - jalapenos, smoked paprika. Serve with a fried egg on top.

Freakishly delicious and so easy.

I’ve used both ginger bug & finished ginger beer to ferment grapefruit juice, it’s so good.

Did mango once too but be careful, it looked like it wasn’t working so I ignored it awhile and got mango soda exploded all over the kitchen. What was left in the bottle was glorious just be careful.

I do both. Doesn’t everyone? I love a healthy home cooked meal, a book or article so deep it feels as satisfying as sex, but also can love a bag of french fries or a repeat of Pride & Prejudice or Hot Fuzz.

Sometimes it’s relaxing to be shallow for a bit.

Well, I made it. Doubled the recipe but it didn’t yield twice as much as I am apparently not as good at clarifying. But it is good, maybe just a little too tart, and does look like the picture in the article. Certainly smooths out the tequila flavor - maybe more than I would like, actually. But will be nice to have such an interesting drink on hand, I was able to bottle a liter on top of today’s drinks.

Odds and ends and sparkles and friends.

Bare minimum familiarity with these to go out dancing. Fosse, Graham, Morris, Ailey, Brown.

I live in Florida and the northerners who come down are so much more racist than the native born, at least in my personal experience. My ex came from Michigan and went to an all white school up there, never met or hung out with anyone not white. They may not have explicit segregation but do have effective segregation.

So he comes down here where we were forcibly desegregated so I have friends of all sorts and my kids do & also it’s just more a block by block version of “segregation” less a side of town so we are just most often in mixed situations and holy shit he was not prepared for that. So racist he held every stereotype you can imagine.

So anyway - I kind of agree, up north it seems they are theoretically not racist but are segregated, down here more explicit trouble because we are together, but it’s getting better. Or was at least through the generation following mine, maybe not anymore, not sure.

Honestly I generally vote against, not for. There is not usually anyone I feel really good about voting for. So I vote defensively. It hasn’t worked lately.

Sad sad songs.

Boulder to Birmingham

Red dirt girl

Nick Drake song Road because he did not find a road to take him home.

Dancing can, if I feel free enough. Like going out dancing someplace.

Not the cat, but I trained the dog to stomp grasshoppers.

One of our cats, Kimchi, once ran out the door and before I could close it, ran in with a lizard. world’s fastest hunt. Like before I realized she was out and yelled for her to get back in (inside cat).

And once, before the era of cell phones, I saw a lizard wrestle a palmetto bug. Equal in size, it was crazy, like a monster movie.

Yeah it’s hot AF here, not much survived but the “mini love” watermelon variety is happy - I can’t even get in there to weed. I can recommend that hybrid, it’s sturdy and they taste really good.

And for some reason the asparagus seems to be surviving the heat too but it isn’t a summer crop. Watermelon all over it but it’s doing ok. Deep roots I think.

Please update when it’s done, my garden is pretty much just a watermelon patch right now, I harvested three today!

Love a pink drink! This looks very good. Nicely presented too.

UPS the child would arrive with tire tracks on them and be thrown at the house from the road.

Oh I love some polarizing foods.

Anchovies, sardines, black licorice, really spicy stuff, mustard greens. Not together. But love all of those.

Obscure? The Ramsey Midwood song Feed my Monkey is so good.

Yeah this is a good idea. I think I can trust my kids to tell me when I get dangerous driving, they did tell both their grandmas.

Not sure why we don’t, maybe cost? I took my driver’s test 40 years ago, any other license you hold that long requires continuing education.

That question is way too general. First, try turning it off and back on.

Medical problems - ask a doctor

Emotional problems - ask a really good and not judgemental friend.

Technical problems - YouTube is pretty good for those, if there is nobody you can ask.