Really trivial stuff that amuses you...

[Gillianren]

I haven't had a haircut in years, and only one since college. But Irene's starting to complain that her hair is in her eyes; we've been talking about whether she wants to let it grow so she can put it in braids and ponytails and get it out of her eyes that way or cut it short and get it out of her eyes that way. But talking long-term goals to a not-quite-four-year-old can be a challenge.

[KaiYeves]

I just heard of the Covid mullet and had a chuckle. I’ve had something like that, since I don’t have that much trouble cutting what I can properly see, but it is easy to make mistakes in the back. I do cut in back when it gets annoying though, when the ends start making my skin itch. Once I get vaccinated, I expect a proper haircut will be one of the first things I’ll get done.

I’m lucky that I keep my hair pretty short normally because it is curly and gets tangled if I let it get too long. I’ve been cutting it myself under a rule of cutting back the longest curls every day, and no more than three a day, so that my appearance doesn’t change too dramatically day to day.

[Solfe]

A few years ago, a student was mad at me and trying to bite me. I kept moving away, but no so far that she could run. That just made her angrier. The best insult she could come up with was "Baldy!" The principal of the school was about to say something when I shot back, "I'm not bald. My hair is just bad at being hair."

The principal was about 8 months pregnant at the time and it caught her so off guard, she had to sit on a table. Then she started laughing so hard, me and the student had to steady her. She couldn't stop laughing because the student was holding both our hands and babbling away at us. "You made her cry! What do you mean your hair is bad at being hair? Miss, please don't cry. His hair is hair or it isn't! It can't not be hair."

I kept plucking at my what little hair I have, muttering, "I don't know... I don't know..." It took the student a while to realize the principal was laughing, not crying and by that time she was ready to calmly get on the bus.

Humor is a pretty good defence.

[Solfe]

I am ecstatic that the Bills won against the Colts yesterday. I am also furious that Frank Reich, head coach of the Colts and former Buffalo Bills backup quarterback can't win for nothing in Buffalo. Being a Bills fan is amusingly stressful.

[The Backroad Astronomer]

I just heard of the Covid mullet and had a chuckle. I’ve had something like that, since I don’t have that much trouble cutting what I can properly see, but it is easy to make mistakes in the back. I do cut in back when it gets annoying though, when the ends start making my skin itch. Once I get vaccinated, I expect a proper haircut will be one of the first things I’ll get done.

Well I have had a couple of Covid beards.

[Van Rijn]

Well I have had a couple of Covid beards.

I’ve gotten fairly scruffy a number of times, but after it gets to a certain length it just itches too much and the irritation drives me to shave. But I definitely am no longer shaving daily.

[Van Rijn]

Trivial amusement: I glanced at the screen and misread the “Really trivial stuff that bugs you” thread title as “Reality that bites you” . . . then my brain’s perceptual system did a quick reset and rescanned it properly. It probably helped that I didn’t have my glasses on.

Oh, and I know there is a thread for misread titles, but I’m not looking for it.

[Noclevername]

“Reality that bites you”

Story of my life.

[Trebuchet]

On a whim, I had toast with Vegemite for breakfast. Won't be an everyday thing, but I'll do it again. Or Marmite, I have little jars of each. They are several years old but I don't think the stuff spoils.

[Van Rijn]

On a whim, I had toast with Vegemite for breakfast. Won't be an everyday thing, but I'll do it again. Or Marmite, I have little jars of each. They are several years old but I don't think the stuff spoils.

Or perhaps it makes little difference in the taste if it has spoiled. It might even taste better.

I bought Marmite and Vegemite once out of curiosity. I eventually threw out the Marmite. I tried it a number of times, but it just has too strong and salty flavor for me to keep eating it. Vegemite is a bit better, but I don’t really look forward to eating it. I think I still have it hidden away somewhere.

[ozduck]

On a whim, I had toast with Vegemite for breakfast. Won't be an everyday thing, but I'll do it again. Or Marmite, I have little jars of each. They are several years old but I don't think the stuff spoils.

You are a braver man than me!

[Solfe]

One of the cats likes to sharpen his claws on the backs of chairs. He can be dissuaded by brushing him away. He never puts up a fight and often lets me sit down to hold him.

Last night was different. I picked him up and sat down in the chair. It was a regular kitchen table chair with openings in the back. The cat climbed down and ran away, or so I though. After about five minutes, he decided to have another go at the chair, starting with my fleece pajama bottoms and my not so fleece bottom underneath the pajamas. I let out a yelp.

If there had been room to jump over the table, I would have made it. I ended up sitting on the table look back at the cat. Every inch of fur was standing straight up. He looked exactly like I felt.

At about 3 am, he came in the bedroom, made a noise in my face to let me know he was there and curled up with my wife.

[Trebuchet]

Or perhaps it makes little difference in the taste if it has spoiled. It might even taste better.

I bought Marmite and Vegemite once out of curiosity. I eventually threw out the Marmite. I tried it a number of times, but it just has too strong and salty flavor for me to keep eating it. Vegemite is a bit better, but I don’t really look forward to eating it. I think I still have it hidden away somewhere.

I don't notice much difference with the flavor. What I dislike about Marmite is the tar-like consistency.

You are a braver man than me!

For some definition of "brave"! Wait one, you are called "Ozduck"! You are supposed to practically subsist on the stuff!

[ozduck]

I don't notice much difference with the flavor. What I dislike about Marmite is the tar-like consistency.



For some definition of "brave"! Wait one, you are called "Ozduck"! You are supposed to practically subsist on the stuff!

Yes, despite being Australian-born for several generations on both sides (fairly unusual as around 50% of Australians were either born overseas or had a parent born overseas) I am a national disgrace. In my opinion Vegemite tastes like salty grease. My wife, children & grandchildren all eat the horrible stuff.

In our trips to Singapore & Malaysia I developed a liking for Kaya Jam as a scrumptious topping for toast and it is now my favourite - https://rasamalaysia.com/kaya-recipe...conut-egg-jam/


It is normally served as a "set" with soft boiled eggs and coffee - and just to confirm my 'peculiar' tastes, I don't like coffee either.

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

[Van Rijn]

I don't notice much difference with the flavor. What I dislike about Marmite is the tar-like consistency.

The texture annoys me too (it reminds me of honey, drips everywhere, and is even harder to clean up given the color). I just didn’t think of mentioning it until minutes after my last post on the subject. It really does taste different to me though. Both were shockingly bad when I first tasted them, very salty and strong, but I was able to somewhat adjust to Vegemite. I tried them thin with butter as recommended and it helped a little, but not enough.

[Van Rijn]

Yes, despite being Australian-born for several generations on both sides (fairly unusual as around 50% of Australians were either born overseas or had a parent born overseas) I am a national disgrace.

That’s interesting - not the anti-Vegemite disgrace bit, but how many recent immigrants are there. Most of my ancestors came over in the mid to late 1800s. Then again, I know a good number of first or second generation folks, mostly hispanic or asian. I should look up the numbers sometime.

In our trips to Singapore & Malaysia I developed a liking for Kaya Jam as a scrumptious topping for toast and it is now my favourite - https://rasamalaysia.com/kaya-recipe...conut-egg-jam/

I might try to make it some time. Sounds pretty easy.

It is normally served as a "set" with soft boiled eggs and coffee - and just to confirm my 'peculiar' tastes, I don't like coffee either.

I’ve mentioned elsewhere that I seem to be very sensitive to bitter and sour flavors. Years ago I largely got away from coffee, which had seemed to get worse over time (I’ve read they have shifted the varieties of coffee beans used to include a more bitter type), and the typical stuff from Starbucks or others tastes pretty foul to me, especially since I rarely drink it now and am no longer used to it. However, I did find a local company that specializes in low bitterness coffee for home brewing, and that is pretty good - with cream and sugar. I’m not sure if that is your issue, but you might want to look for a coffee house specializing in low bitterness coffee and see if you like that better.

[ozduck]

That’s interesting - not the anti-Vegemite disgrace bit, but how many recent immigrants are there. Most of my ancestors came over in the mid to late 1800s. Then again, I know a good number of first or second generation folks, mostly hispanic or asian. I should look up the numbers sometime.



I might try to make it some time. Sounds pretty easy.



I’ve mentioned elsewhere that I seem to be very sensitive to bitter and sour flavors. Years ago I largely got away from coffee, which had seemed to get worse over time (I’ve read they have shifted the varieties of coffee beans used to include a more bitter type), and the typical stuff from Starbucks or others tastes pretty foul to me, especially since I rarely drink it now and am no longer used to it. However, I did find a local company that specializes in low bitterness coffee for home brewing, and that is pretty good - with cream and sugar. I’m not sure if that is your issue, but you might want to look for a coffee house specializing in low bitterness coffee and see if you like that better.

According to our local Statistics Bureau, in 2015 for the United States 14% of its population was born overseas. Other figures I can find say that that figure has stayed around the same at 13.7% in 2019. While in Australia the percentage of those born overseas was 26% in 2015 and increased to 29.7% in 2019. The population of the U.S grew by 0.5% in 2018/19 while in Australia the population growth was 1.5%. For Australia in 2019 "42.7% of annual growth was due to natural increase, and 57.3% was due to net overseas migration.". Of course for last year the migration figure will be greatly reduced as our International borders have been closed since 20th March 2020.

I am afraid that I am too lazy to even think of making the jam as it is so easy to just wander down to the local shopping centre and buy a jar. The last one I bought cost $4 (US$3.10) for 400gm so a little dearer than 'basic' jams but not too bad. I have put a photo of the current jar below. I think that this jar has 'more' Pandan it it which is why it is so green.

I just hate the smell and taste of coffee regardless of its bitterness. So I wont eat coffee flavoured cake, ice cream or chocolate etc.

[Gillianren]

Last night was different. I picked him up and sat down in the chair. It was a regular kitchen table chair with openings in the back. The cat climbed down and ran away, or so I though. After about five minutes, he decided to have another go at the chair, starting with my fleece pajama bottoms and my not so fleece bottom underneath the pajamas. I let out a yelp.

Our cats like to sharpen their claws on the back of my sewing chair, which is padded. And has a tiny opening down at the bottom for some reason, presumably the better to let them attack my back while they're doing it.

It amuses me how often the reaction to "I don't like the thing" is "try it this way instead."

[Noclevername]

It amuses me how often the reaction to "I don't like the thing" is "try it this way instead."

Guilty.

I don't know why we do that. Perversity of human nature, I guess. "Let's get Mikey!"

[Van Rijn]

It amuses me how often the reaction to "I don't like the thing" is "try it this way instead."

Well, in my case regarding coffee, it makes sense since I *really* don’t like typical coffee and would have liked to have known about the difference low bitterness coffee can make years earlier. But if I had known that wasn’t his reason for disliking it, I wouldn’t have mentioned it.

[ozduck]

Well, in my case regarding coffee, it makes sense since I *really* don’t like typical coffee and would have liked to have known about the difference low bitterness coffee can make years earlier. But if I had known that wasn’t his reason for disliking it, I wouldn’t have mentioned it.

No worries I took your suggestion in the way you meant it. Everyone has different tastes and likes and I could have made the reason for my dislike clearer.

And as a 'by the way' after the talk about Kaya Jam I had to have a couple of slices of toast with it as topping for breakfast this morning and it was very nice. Further to that will you be able to access Pandan leaves? I have only seen frozen ones here - but we can buy Pandan flavouring.

Along the same lines another nice piece of sweetness is Pandan Chiffon Cake. We have an 'Asian' Bakery at a local mall and they make a very good version. My grandkids really like it.

Pandan Chiffon Cake

https://www.nyonyacooking.com/recipe...e~HyFfdDiwzcWQ

[Van Rijn]

And as a 'by the way' after the talk about Kaya Jam I had to have a couple of slices of toast with it as topping for breakfast this morning and it was very nice. Further to that will you be able to access Pandan leaves? I have only seen frozen ones here - but we can buy Pandan flavouring.

There might be a local place (we have a good number of asian specialty markets around town) but it would probably take some looking, and that isn’t going to happen for some time, nor am I interested in doing a lot of work for a whim. Amazon surprisingly has it, but at too high a price (with fast non-prime shipping $15 or so for two or three leaves, and it takes two leaves in the recipe to fill one jar).

HOWEVER, someone asked the person posting the recipe if dry leaves could be substituted (easier and cheaper to get by mail) and the response was just to omit it. Which is what I was thinking of doing. I do see Pandan flavoring at Amazon, at a probably more reasonable price. Thing is, I have no idea what it tastes like. I thought the coconut and caramel mix might be nice to try, though.

Along the same lines another nice piece of sweetness is Pandan Chiffon Cake. We have an 'Asian' Bakery at a local mall and they make a very good version. My grandkids really like it.

Pandan Chiffon Cake

https://www.nyonyacooking.com/recipe...e~HyFfdDiwzcWQ

Well, maybe, but it’s baby steps for me. I am very slowly doing more cooking, and usually keeping it simple. I haven’t done much baking, and mostly from a box at that.

[Van Rijn]

Amusing item: I was cooking dinner and while sitting down a bit while something cooked, looked at a news site video on my tablet. I set it down running to check on the food and half listened as it moved onto another video. It was about the Consumer Electronics Show and it mentioned that companies had recently agreed on a home automation standard. I was a little surprised at that and wondered why I hadn’t heard about it, and also disappointed they didn’t give more information. What standard were they talking about? Certainly there needs to be more standardization, heck some companies seem to want to lock people into their hardware. Anyway, it sounded like good news.

Then the video moved onto a new topic and mentioned seeing new digital audio tape players . . . And suddenly I was paying more attention to what I was hearing. After all, I thought those had become obsolete quite a number of years ago. So I walked over to the tablet, and read the text intro on the video - this was a look back on the 1989 CES.

So much for the new agreement on a home automation standard. The more things change, and all that.

[ozduck]

There might be a local place (we have a good number of asian specialty markets around town) but it would probably take some looking, and that isn’t going to happen for some time, nor am I interested in doing a lot of work for a whim. Amazon surprisingly has it, but at too high a price (with fast non-prime shipping $15 or so for two or three leaves, and it takes two leaves in the recipe to fill one jar).

HOWEVER, someone asked the person posting the recipe if dry leaves could be substituted (easier and cheaper to get by mail) and the response was just to omit it. Which is what I was thinking of doing. I do see Pandan flavoring at Amazon, at a probably more reasonable price. Thing is, I have no idea what it tastes like. I thought the coconut and caramel mix might be nice to try, though.



Well, maybe, but it’s baby steps for me. I am very slowly doing more cooking, and usually keeping it simple. I haven’t done much baking, and mostly from a box at that.

Edit:

Pandan is a very subtle flavour. I had a sniff of our little bottle of essence, very old, and it is somewhat similar to a slightly spicier Vanilla essence. I have probably misled you about the need for Pandan as I have a liking for the Pandan Kaya and that is what I have in the fridge. So here is a recipe for "10 minute" Kaya Jam without Pandan - just leave out the Pandan. My wife suggests a few drops of Vanilla Essence.. And it is written by a resident of the US so all the ingredients seem to be readily available. I am sure a local 'Asian' shop would have the Palm Sugar.

https://whattocooktoday.com/coconut-...ikaya-jam.html

[Noclevername]

So I walked over to the tablet, and read the text intro on the video - this was a look back on the 1989 CES.

So much for the new agreement on a home automation standard. The more things change, and all that.

Everything old is old again. Still.

[Solfe]

I enjoy the film Battleship. As childish as it seems, an Iowa-class Battleship throwing ordinance on a target always adds 4 stars to a movie rating. It's almost as a good as Buster Keaton and the banana trick. Somethings are just classics.

Of course, I could simply have really poor taste in movies.

[Trebuchet]

On-screen graphic in an ad for a diabetes medication:
"Patients taking product did 47% better than those taking a sugar pill."

They have diabetes and you're giving them sugar? Yeah, I know it's simple way of saying "placebo" but it made me chuckle.

[Gillianren]

Guilty.

I don't know why we do that. Perversity of human nature, I guess. "Let's get Mikey!"

It can be really frustrating for people with food issues. I had an idea for a cooking competition show where you would have to cook things to meet a person's specific food requirements--allergies, sensitivities, or even just fussy eating. And the judge is the person whose tastes you're trying to fit.

[Swift]

I enjoy the film Battleship. As childish as it seems, an Iowa-class Battleship throwing ordinance on a target always adds 4 stars to a movie rating. It's almost as a good as Buster Keaton and the banana trick. Somethings are just classics.

Of course, I could simply have really poor taste in movies.

I enjoyed Battleship too, even though I was constantly thinking of "that's not possible" or "that doesn't make sense" things.

[Van Rijn]

New generation wifi routers discussed here:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021...s-at-ces-2021/

One looks like a rather sinister robot monster on its back, another looks like it belongs in Star Wars. The design esthetics amuse me. I honestly wonder if I’d want the robot monster in plain view in my house. And there is probably no point in buying them for now, since they use a new wifi band that most devices don’t use yet (they are also very expensive).