#caramel may be added later

[primrose-fr]

Hnngg,,,,ampple. I want bite her,,

[chaotic-minds-think-alike]

Finally got around to finishing this houugh... it was a lot of work but I really like the end result!! Naturally, I'll try my best to list some of the thoughts I have in mind for these guys below. Long post ahead!

These lizards are intended to be ALMOST fully arthropod-like but due to my lack of understanding of bug anatomy and creative liberties, they are in that gray spec bio area so don't take any inconsistencies too seriously (or rather, fuck logic, and accept them how I describe them regardless)

Inspirations: - my lesser detailed lizard design - my friend's slugcats - wasps for the head contours, various insects for the exoskeleton guidelines, caterpillars, various stylistic slugcats across the #rainworld tag - the burning need for something more detailed and cool in my drawing vocabulary

The actual meat of the post; extra facts: - Lizards are related to slugcats (in my au, if you wanna call it that?) or at least the very early version of them. This idea is borrowed from this post and in my au, lizards evolve a similar tail to a slugcat's to aid in propelling themselves through tight spaces, acting as a 5th limb. - Similar to my old vulture post, lizards share a similar lifecycle. The majority of the larval stage is spent underground and in tight spots, far from their main predator. Lizard larva will undergo pupation similar to how beetles do, leaving behind broken cavities in pipes where carnivorous plants favor to take root. Additionally to the vulture's terrible parental drive, they often mistake their own larva for lizard hatchlings. - A lizard's skin is leathery and retains moisture for quite a while. Some lizards have a thicker layered mantle than others, allowing them to take punctures to the abdomen and still recover. - Not pictured, but will be described, are a few outliers to the standard lizard body plan. Caramels have muscular hind legs akin to a grasshopper but this means their legs cannot slot together and thus they have a wider leg splay than other species. Eels and salamanders are not lizards but lizard mimics. Yellow lizards' antennae attach to a hump on the snout rather than the rear of the head as seen here. Cyan lizards' mantles are more square shaped due to their leap drums on either side of their bodies and have a 3rd mantle that runs the length of their tail and caps the tailtip. - Cyan lizard's organs are called leap drums and act similarly to our lungs. They are a ring of muscle which contracts and acts as a spring loaded mechanism to propel the creature via combustion through a mysterious chemical process. Because the color of debris left behind during a leap share the same color as the lizard, perhaps they are discarded scales, formerly in place to protect the cavities housing the explosion. - They have similar organs to vertebrates within their abdomen, probably surrounded by cartilage. (not that important, I haven't thought that much about this) - (More may be added later as I remember)

[redbleedingrose]

This idea popped into my head while making my coffee this morning. How do the batboys like their coffee? Do they like the specialty drinks or just a good cup of coffee?

I could honestly go both ways. Like some morning I just want a cup of coffee with some cream and sugar but some days I want a specialty drink that will give you a cavity by just looking at it lol

OH MY GOD!!! I LOVE THIS!!!

Coffee/Latte Orders of the Bat Boys and Vanserra Bros

Rhysand

I think it depends on the day but Rhys gives me Cold Brew vibes. He needs the espresso for sure with all his high lord activities! But he absolutely adds oat milk to it, because he does not want plain black coffee.

I don't think he likes the actual flavor of the cold brew, he def drinks it in the morning because he needs it to function, but later he would drink homemade caramel cappuccino.

And I think he wakes before you, so he will make you a cappuccino as well. He always sits himself at the edge of the bed, watching you sleep peacefully for a couple of minutes while sipping on his cappuccino, thinking about all the things he is grateful for, before leaning down to brush your hair out of your face and pepper kisses all over your face.

Once you wake up, and you give him his "proper kiss," he will leave you to continue his work, your piping cappuccino set on your beside table for when you're ready to start your day.

Cassian

Cass does not give me a cuppa joe kinda male. He likes his water and fruit juices and smoothies.

He drinks water throughout the day, especially because of the amount of training he does. He has one of those huge water bottles that has all the water he is supposed to drink in a day, and he carries it around religiously.

He def gets one for you and will check in on you throughout the day and remind you to drink your water, especially if you are behind on your water intake. He is the kind of male to make it into a contest between you two, just to make sure your competitive ass gets enough water.

He also appreciates putting strawberries, lemons, cucumbers, pineapples in his water so that the fruit can infuse its vitamins into the water.

And the smoothies are his morning meal. He adds protein powder, fruits, and greens into these and he loves them. He feels super refreshed by them, and will try to convince you (and his brothers) to give them a try, and they turn out to be pretty good when he makes them. If you attempt to make them, they kinda taste like grass in water.

Azriel

Az screams black coffee. He drinks his coffee hot, plain and simple. He uses this dark roast blend that is very traditional to the Illyrian mountains. His mother used to drink coffee like that, and I think it would remind him of her, and thus, he drinks his coffee black. He is proud of it too, smh.

I think it helps him poop, poor male is chronically constipated from stress

When he meets you, he teases you for adding milk and sugar to your coffee, but once he gets a taste of your coffee, he may or may not sneak in a sip or two from your mug when you aren't looking.

You both like to start off your days sitting on the balcony, steaming cups in hand with Az's wing wrapped around you to keep you warm, and you watch the sunrise together.

It tends to be really quiet in the morning hour, and it is a special time for you and Az to kinda soak in the peace and allow for your mating bond to glow as the bright as sun.

Lucien

Luc is for sure an oat milk chai latte girly pop.

He also appreciates a matcha latte here and there. I think he likes the earthy flavor, so if he is not feeling chai (which is very rare), he will go for the matcha. If he is feeling extra spicy, he will drink it iced.

I think the spice of the chai latte really brings him back to all the good times in his childhood, when Eris would sneak little five year old Luc some caffeine through the chai.

I think if Luc were to drink coffee, it would be a caramel apple flavoring that comes around only during the fall seasons in Day Court.

I feel like Lucien would be the kind of male who wants to support small businesses, so he would go to different cafes throughout the court to try their chai lattes and would bring you home a fresh pastry and warm coffee. It's especially fun for him when you wake up early and join him.

Eris

Er's coffee order is interesting and complex, just like the male himself.

He likes to drink Autumn-spiced mocha lattes. It is an espresso with steamed goat milk, chocolate, cinnamon, and other spices. It actually is incredible, and he gets it every morning with a warm almond croissant for breakfast.

He likes his goat milk. I don't know why, but he does. Fucking sexy ass weirdo

Later in the day, he will have a honey cream latte which is an espresso with steamed goat milk and honey. His afternoon drink is not because he needs the energy, but I think he likes to have a warm drink in between lunch and dinner.

You usually join him in the office, warm latte in hand with your own drink, and you sit together on his green velvet couch, his free arm around your shoulders playing with strands of your hair as you discuss your day and plans for the night.

When you're done with your drinks, you will take his empty mug back to the kitchens, but not before he kisses you.... and attempts to bite your cheek off.

he loves your cheeks, what can I say?

Masterlist which severely needs updating

[lethalrexie]

so a lil bout me if anyone wants to be moots: (i also have a backup in case i lose this acct, it’s the same username but the “e” in lethal is 3)

you 1,000% do not need to read all of this, however i truly think it is super helpful considering i was raised by a dietitian.

im pro-recovery JUST BY CHOICE NOT FORCE. so PLS JUST BLOCK DONT REPORT. we all have backups and backups for our backups. so it’s pointless. you’re breaking up a community where we get support. so fvck u if u report.

my “rexie tips n tricks” losing weight healthily yada yada yada is below the cut if you’re interested!

cw: 180lxs 81kg (i know it got out of hand 🥲)

gw: 130lxs 58kg (doing everything i can to get here by christmas)

ugw: not sure, just wanna see my b0nes. maybe 111lxs (50kg)? (gimme that angel number baybeee)

lw: 145lxs 65kg

so basically, if you do these things i can guarantee you 100% will lose weight. if you’ve plateaued, if you’re just starting out, if you’re trying to take it slow after relapsing, even if you’re petite and need a metab boost to start loosing lxs again, i’m not saying it’s good to be apart of this community but im along this ride w ya so. here u go.

1. keep your e@ting window as small as possible aka eat to live don’t live to eat (the r3xie motto 🤪). i’m f@sting minimum 16:8 and i try to extend that. but major thing is don’t beat yourself up if you can’t make it 16hrs and be happy the days you can make it longer!! esp if your just starting out.

2. stay low c@l. i’m trying my best to stay under 500 c@l/day. and consume that how it works for you. if five 100 c@l snacks over 8 hrs work best some days that’s ok. if OMAD works best, great! my mom is a dietitian and i promise, eating a little of each food group (dairy, carb ik scary, protein, veg & fruit) will help your metab which in the long run will help you l0se more weight. sometimes just having one protein bar mid day works 4 me. others i need a full meal. fuel your body or you will burn muscle which leads to organ damage.

3. don’t do LONG term fasts. i’d say up to a week with heavy liquids is okay. and not just water, incorporate broths, mio, even sugar free jello is good (if it’s clear typically it’s ok) but long term fasts can lower your metabolism, deplete electrolytes, and sodium, which long term is going to bloat you, keep weight on (or make you gain it back quickly), and overall make you feel like shit (which could lead to hospitalization)

4. don’t eat refined sugar or refined foods. do literally AS MUCH AS YOU CAN to eat sugar free and whole foods. i have a major sweet tooth so i turn to sugar free jello/pudding, sf caramels, halo top ice cream if i REALLY need it. otherwise i do sweet fruits and veggie based substitutions for carbs. i use cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or there’s these great hearts of palm noodles.

5. eat tons of fiber!! laxatives will help momentarily, consistent fiber will keep your 💩 regular thus keeping your body from holding onto it aka extra lxs. i add unflavored benefiber to a lot of my drinks (the flavored ones have added sugar). i honestly could promise you that fiber will help with shedding !bs.

6. drink as much water as you possibly can. yes you can become over-hydrated so add electrolytes or legit just a lil salt to your water here n there. but your body is going to retain water (!bs), and bloat if you are dehydrated. #1 thing to remember is you are depleting your body of what it wants. finding a way to basically trick it makes it easier and quicker to lose fat.

7. stay distracted! discipline and hunger may hurt now, regret and guilt are going to hurt 50x worse later. a grumbly tummy is not worth it. get some motivational phrases, tactics, distractions, that work for you and RELY ON THEM. water, i use mio in mine when i’m desperate, gum, diet soda, bubbly water, reading, tv, ANYTHING. i have other reblogs with some good motivational tactics. i also look at th!nspø as well as pics of my own body multiple times per day to keep me on track. YOU ARE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE MOTIVATED SO YOU MUST BE DISCIPLINED. i repeat that to myself 100000 times a day.

8. incorporate foods/drinks that speed up your metab. coffee, green tea, spicy foods (pepper, cayenne pepper), cinnamon, B12 there’s sooo many. and this goes hand in hand with making sure you’re getting your vitamins. picking up a general multivitamin will help make it so your body doesn’t want to cling onto every last cal it’s fed.

9. exercise if you are mentally & physically able to. i have some other limiting factors which make me unable to go to the gym or get as many steps in as id like. an avg day is 2k-5k steps for me rotting on the couch. i PROMISE like 100% money back guarantee (srry bad joke i swear im not a damn ana coach 🙄) your diet is 1,000,000x more important than any exercise you’re going to get in. exercise will help with toning so i try to get some laying ones done on the couch but dude you burn calories just existing. so if you eat lower than that which is 1k-2k (you can look it up it’s your TDEE) you will lose weight. it may be slightly slower than if you walked 20k steps/day or worked out 5 hrs every day but give it time.

literal str8 up proof of this^^^ is my father. he’s a gym junkie like going every morning at 4am (insanity but not my kind), but was eating a lot, and garbage. high carb and sugar intake. and even though he was working out A TON with a lot of steps/day he was gaining fat. he came to me and i told him str8 up to eat less and stop treating his body like a dumpster. eat healthier. homie is shedding lxs.

so besides all that, if you wanna be moots ill probs just vent and post th!nspø

SORRY IM A CERTIFIED YAPPER

[kahvilahuhut]

i feel happy when you're close

summary: Felt like writing something really nice and "fluffy", and I've also been thinking a lot about them during their university time again. So have this: a nice 'morning', Toby waking up a bit late and enjoying the beginning of the day cuddling on the couch while Klara is planning a brunch. They're having a good time, something they really need <3

no warnings or anything.

---

Sunshine shone from the window, creating warm, light spots in the hallway. Klara's cat meowed quietly as she passed Tobias by, and sat down in one of the sunny spots, watching him yawn and fix the position of the shirt he wore open.

The cat meowed again.

Toby looked down and smiled. "Hey there," he murmured, and knelt down to scratch the cat's head. "Aren't you the cutest? Yes you are...Hang on," he opened the closed part of the bookshelf and took out the box full of cat treats, took one out, and reached his hand out for the cat to est the snack. "We'll keep this as our own little secret, right?"

The cat blinked slowly and padded away to the other sunny spot, and curled up there for another quick nap.

Tobias stood for a monent, looking at the bookshelf, wondering. At which point do you realize that someone's apartment has become too familiar? When you simply know where to find everything you need, or when you successfully remember about a somewhat sharp corner on a bookshelf and dodge it despite the drowsy feeling you always have after waking up?

He shook his head a bit and continued on his way to the living room.

Klara was laying on the couch, intensively staring at the screen of her phone, looking very excited about something. She closed the phone and gestured Tobias to join her.

Toby sat down on the couch next to her, "Hey, good morning."

"Heh, good morning to you too. Did you sleep well?"

"Mm-hmm," Tobias nodded and leaned closer for a kiss, slightly missing Klara's lips and kissing her cheek instead.

Klara cupped his face gently and kissed his forehead. "You're definitely not a morning person."

"Keen eyes you got there..." he murmured, leaning on her shoulder for a moment "Ugh. Sorry. Always feels like my brain is working slowly right after I wake up. You know, like the old computers."

"Well, a brain can be seen as a computer, in a way."

"You are sooooo right," he said, "wish mine was more like the one we used at that one research lab, though. That thing was so fast..."

"I think your head works exactly how it should, honey" Klara ran her fingers through his hair and asked, "What do you want to order for breakfast? Or, well, a brunch."

"Do you have that one yoghurt I found in your fridge in the beginning of the week. It was sooooo delicious, and is probably one of the only ones that hasn't caused any sensory issues for me. The, um, strawberry oat one, if I remember right?"

"It may take a while for that one to arrive. It's from my brother's farm. It's on the other side of the country."

"Ooooooh. That is so cool! As in, his own farm? Wow. But if that's the case, then..." Tobias paused for a moment and looked up at her before continueing, "...where are you ordering from?"

"From our favorite little cafe. They have a sale on all their warm drinks, by the way."

"Yeah!!! Then I'm definitely getting the caramel & cinnamon latte. Hmm...do you think it's too early for a piece of their carrot cake? Or no, wait, wait wait...that special breakfast bagel they make. Love that thing. Is it possible to ask them to leave the bacon out? I mean, I can take it out myself later if not, but it's usually possible when buying it at the cafe itself."

"I added it to the details. And I can order both of you want?"

"You are being too nice honestly. I'll pay-"

"Tobias, honey, you just bought a new laptop. Let me pay for this."

"But-"

"No 'buts" or anything. Anyway, anything else? Have you ever tried their apple juice?"

"Klara, c'mon..."

"I'll take two bottles for us both, then." She filled the order information, while petting Toby's head as he complained quietly how it's a bit too expensive and that she didn't have to pay for it fully and that he can get the table ready then. "Okay, they said that they'll get here in 30 minutes."

"Quite fast, to be honest. I thought there would be tons of people there coming for breakfast."

"I picked the faster delivery option. And also, it's 1 pm."

"Afternoon....oh my."

"What?"

"It feels...weird. To have someone do all these nice things for me. Buying me tasty food, letting me sleep for so long, caressing me lovingly and all. Taking care of me without waiting for anything in return."

"Right. It's usually you who's doing it for everyone else." Tobias tried to answer something, which instead turned into a sound Klara couldn't recognize into any word, either because he was simply humming or because his face was buried in her neck. "You're adorable." She felt his lips form a smile against her neck.

He moved a bit and said softly, the drowsiness in his voice almost gone yet still sound, "You know how you asked if I slept well?"

"Yeah?"

"I never answered properly. The answer is yes. At least the short one. You want a longer one?"

Klara chuckled. "Sure thing."

"I have noticed that sleeping with you makes me fall asleep much faster than I usually do. And I have less bad dreams, I think. And don't wake up in the middle of the night as often as I did. And how can I forget, definitely fixed my sleeping schedule," he sighed quietly, "I love you so much, you know. I feel so happy when you're close, when I can just sit near you and hold your hand."

"I love you too, Sunshine."

Tobias smiled and laid still for a moment. "By the way... what did you order?"

"Well, you'll see in-," she checked her phone screen, "-fifteen minutes."

"No spoilers? Heh, okay then... Mind if I take some fries of yours?"

"How did you-"

"You order them very often."

[chaletnz]

Climbing El Peñol de Guatapé

For the 700 stair climb, I wanted to arrive early and be among the first to climb up before all the tour buses started arriving from Medellín and bring hundreds of people to crowd the stairs. I woke up at 6:30 and got ready with my ankle brace. I tried to order an Uber about 5 times but no drivers were accepting the ride even when I added more money to the fare. It was 7:15am when I started placing my Uber orders and by 8:15am I still had nothing. Defeated, I walked down to the Guatapé bus terminal and hoped to get on a bus heading that way, and luckily a collectivo truck similar to the ones I’d ridden in Chiang Mai was heading that way so I jumped in the back. 3000 pesos later I was dropped off at a gas station at the base of the hill faced with either a climb up some stairs and then up a hill, or taking an expensive tuk tuk to the top. Since it was not that hot, I opted to walk and it was a nice scenic walk to warm up for the real climb. I sat to eat my pastry and have a short rest before buying my ticket and beginning the climb. There were only a handful of people climbing at the same time as me so the timing of my visit was perfect to avoid the masses. It wasn’t too difficult either, my ankle behaved and there were nice viewpoints and stops on the way up to take in the scenery, catch my breath, and enjoy a cool breeze. At the top I had a treat of a little tub of coconut arequipe ice cream and seat in the shade to rest. There were some convenient souvenir shops too with much cheaper prices than in Medellín or Guatapé funnily enough so I got a few little things before the walk back down the staircases. The descent took much longer than the ascent and was more painful, especially after resting which is usually the way it goes. The stairs were placed uneven heights and distances, and the handrail was there only 80% of the time to help me but I made it! At the base I wanted to take some photos of the Guatapé signs around the place but found they were all being guarded by aggressive restaurant hosts who demand a purchase to take a photo. Tourist trap! I wasn’t sure how to get back to the main town of Guatapé so I figured I’d have to walk back down to that gas station and try to flag down a passing bus but luckily at the bottom one of the motochiva drivers offered me a ride for 12,000 pesos which was about the price of the Uber estimates in the morning so I accepted gladly. He dropped me off near the Parque Principal de Guatapé where there was a line of waiting motochivas ready to drive to the rock and back probably. I walked around the Calle del Recuerdo and Plazoleta de los Zócalos before stopping at Café La Vina for my lunch of a caramel frappe and smoothie bowl that was probably the best of the trip so far. After sitting for a longer time I realised that I really needed to rest my ankle after all the climbing so I headed back to the room to lie down for a few hours. Once I was feeling better I walked up the road to a viewpoint for a quick look then walked into the town centre again which was in full festive swing with a market going on, music, and street food stalls. I grabbed some more baked goods from Panadería Orquipan as well as a couple of filled buñeulos, picked up a limon coco drink and went back to the hotel for Netflix. Definitely misread the amount of calories on the drink but I had earned it!

[rabbitcruiser]

World Chocolate Day 

Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate…chocolate milk, truffles, Snickers, chocoate cake…indulge in any of the many kinds of chocolate out ther.

There are a number of dates throughout the year promoting variations of local, national or international World Chocolate Day – our research leads us to believe that this is the true, definitive, purist ‘World Chocolate Day‘, so celebrate with some of the high cocoa, rich, dark chocolate that makes you go tingly inside.

World Chocolate Day is nothing short of a special tribute to mankind’s greatest culinary invention. (Sorry Bread or even Pizza!) Chocolate can enhance and hlp to create the most luxurious desserts and can even be enjoyed and indulged on its own. Some of the most popular chocolate bars are plain and simple. If this is the one for you, try going for a high cocoa percentage with low added sugar.

The History Of World Chocolate Day

The history of chocolate goes back around 2,500 years. The Aztecs loved their newly discovered liquid chocolate to the extent that they believed the god of wisdom, Quetzalcoatl, literally bestowed it upon them. Cocoa seeds even acted as a form of currency. Could you imagine going shopping or buying a house will a huge pile of Cocoa seeds? It would be wonderful, no? These days, the chocolate was bitter, as it was long before sugar was added. Once chocolate took a turn and went sweet in a 16th Century Europe, chocolate caught on to the masses and became one of many households favorite treats.

Many present-day chocolate companies began operations in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Cadbury began in England by 1868. And then 25 years later Milton S. Hershey, purchased chocolate processing equipment at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, he is now one of the biggest and world-known chocolate creators in the world. He began the company by producing chocolate-coated caramels. Nestlé began back in the 1860s and has grown into one of the largest food conglomerates in the world. You’re bound to of heard of one of these if not all of them. Perhaps you even enjoy a bar or two or their fine chocolate creations at home.

World Chocolate Day Timeline

Beginning of Human History

Cacao Trees (the cocoa bean plant) may have been growing in the wild for 10,000 years or more

1500 BC – 300 BC

Cacao Plants Are Grown by Olmec Indians

Olmec Indians begin growing cacao domestically in the area that is now somewhere in the vicinity of southern Mexico. The beans were probably made into an unsweetened beverage consumed by elite, wealthy people.

300 BC – 500 AD

Cacao Adopted into the Mayan Culture

Mayan culture is developed in Central America and the cacao tree becomes part of that culture. The origin of the English word “chocolate” probably began here. The word for “tree” in the Mayan language was cacahuaquchtl, and the word xocoatl, which literally means “bitter water”, was likely based on the drink made from the cacao bean.

600-1000 AD Cacao Heads to South America

Mayans migrate south and take the cacao plants with them, beginning cultivated plantations. For many people during this time, the cocoa pod was considered to be a religious symbol, sometimes referred to as ‘the food of the gods’.

1200s AD Aztecs Drink Chocolate

The Azetcs learn about cacao plants from trade negotiations with the Mayans. They continue the tradition of making a chocolate drink, sometimes mixed with herbs and spices, such as chilli.

1500s AD Cocoa Beans Head to Europe

Cocoa seeds are so precious in South American they are used as currency. Around the same time, Spanish adventurers bring chocolate back to Spain. Finding it rather bitter, they begin adding cane sugar to it, as well as vanilla and other light spices.

1657 First Chocolate House Opens

As chocolate spreads throughout Europe, a chocolate house opens in England where chocolate drinks can be purchased.

1765 First American Chocolate Company

The first chocolate company in America opens, Baker’s Chocolate.

1830 Solid Chocolate Appears

Chocolate in a solid form meant for eating is developed by British chocolate maker, J.S. Fry & Sons.

1868 First Mass Produced Chocolate

After providing chocolate for Queen Victoria, Cadbury first sells boxes of mass produced chocolate candies in England.

1875 Milk Chocolate Arrives

The Nestlé Company begins in Switzerland with the newest version of the treat, milk chocolate. Nestlé eventually becomes the largest producer of chocolate in the world. 

1895 Chocolate Becomes Affordable

Milton Hershey begins selling the Hershey Bar, making chocolate affordable for the average person.

1912 Chocolate Bon-Bons are Introduced

The chocolate filled bon-bon is introduced in Switzerland by Jules Sechaud.

1986 Single-Origin Chocolate Appears

The single-origin chocolate bar is introduced by Valhrona, taking designer chocolate to a whole new level.

2000s Designer Chocolate Develops

Chocolate becomes part of the trend toward fusion cuisine, pairing up with exotic spices such as curry, saffron, lemongrass, coffee beans and much more. Many people seek chocolate with a high percentage of cacao for its antioxidant health benefits.

How Is Chocolate Made?

Many people are unaware that chocolate is a fermented food. You heard that right, once the cacao pods are picked, and then cleaned of pithy white material from the fruit, they are dried and then the cacao beans are fermented. The cacao nibs are revealed once the papery shell is removed. This is where the fun and creativity come in.

Chocolatiers then grind the nibs into cocoa mass, separating them into cocoa solids and cocoa butter, they then combine them with milk and sugar. If they’re creating white chocolate then it’s just the chocolate butter with milk and sugar. It’s definitely worth celebrating this process, especially considering how much thought goes into getting it just right. Every Chocolatier has different methods and ideas that are all popular across the world.

As time has gone on, we have moved towards the indulgence of dark chocolate. It contains far less sugar and holds a higher percentage of cocoa. If you’re looking for the best dark chocolate it’s worth checking out the ones you find from the Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Ecuador. They have ideal climates for cocoa trees and they are known for producing some of the best chocolate. It certainly sounds good! When you purchase chocolate from these regions it’s always best to make sure it’s “fair trade chocolate,” this means you are helping to help make cocoa farming more sustainable. It’s certainly something to keep in mind!

How to celebrate World Chocolate Day

Although some would love to celebrate this day every day, the chocolate day gives you the perfect opportunity to eat your favorites in ample portions. Do you really need any more of an excuse to over indulge? It’s definite harmless once in a while.

The chocolate flavor is most definitely a favorite right throughout the world. It flavors cakes, breakfast cereal, toppings, desserts, candies, ice creams, and much more. Considering its popularity, it certainly deserves a day of honor.

We don’t need to tell you what to do to celebrate this day, do we? Eat Chocolate! Some ways you can incorporate chocolate into this chocolate day include:

Breakfast: How about your favorite chocolate cereal along with a few chocolate filled donuts and wash it down with a little hot chocolate or chocolate milkshake. Or maybe chocolate chip pancakes are more to your taste?

Mid-morning snack: A chocolate candy bar with your filled with your favorite goodies. There are certainly a lot of options to choose from now!

Lunch: If you skipped on the shake fro breakfast then a big tall glass of chocolate milk is a must at lunch! Oh, and don’t forget your dessert, how about a pie of chocolate pie or cheesecake?

Mid-Afternoon: Maybe try to be a little healthier with chocolate-covered strawberries or raisins? Ok, maybe not that healthy but at least t contains fruit!

Dinner: Adults this is your time to sip on that chocolate liqueur before you sit down for dinner. You could have a chocolate flavored coffee with a piece of chocolate cake for afters.

Nighttime snack: If you’re not already chocolate out, why not opt for a few chocolate mints or biscuits with a glass of ice-cold milk?

So, Why Do We Love Chocolate So Much?

Chocolate is certainly of the world’s favorite flavors, if not the most loved taste across 7 continents. Often referred to as the magic bean, it definitely deserves to be celebrated. Everyone loves it, and the recipes that come with it are nothing less than amazing!

You don’t need to be told to indulge in this treat, as and when you want, however, the chocolate day most definitely gives us a special day to indulge in the rich, creamy glory that is chocolate. You will find many bakeries, individuals, and candy stores joining in on the celebrations and you can expect to find some delicious recipes, from meringue pies, milk chocolate pudding through to giant decorative cakes in shop windows you are sure to find something to tickle your fancy.

Why not get the cookbook out of the cupboard, scour the internet for some ideas and get yourself in the chocolate day spirit, baking and creating some wonderful chocolatey creations?

Or failing that, stock up on chocolate biscuits, ice-cream, and enjoy a day of secret treats and indulgence…

Source

[fuckkbrunch]

Shrimp were on sale at work, and I had almost all these ingredients collected already. Was procrastinating it though, because first, you have to make the laksa paste yourself.

Here we go.

A lot of work. Those spices need to be roasted and ground. The nuts need to be roasted, then chop everything else and throw it all into a mixing bowl. Still surprised that I found actual fresh galangal at the tiny Asian market and didn't have to settle for ginger.

My new stainless steel bowl was being trippy, it's still so shiny.

Throw it into a frying pan with a big glug of oil and babysit it for an hour, stirring very frequently. I needed tamarind pulp for this recipe but could only find fresh whole tamarind that I had to peel and soak and seed myself. Such a fucking pain in the ass to do that process yourself, so try to avoid it. It tacked on another 45 minutes to this already time heavy recipe.

At least it slid around in my cast iron nicely, barely sticking, easily scraped off if it begun to stick. Add the tamarind and sugar to cook for another twenty. I may have forgotten to stir it near the end and things got a little caramelized, but it turned out very nicely. This was only a half recipe, by the way. Total makes TEN CUPS of paste. Tony is insane.

Half of one of these little jars is enough paste for two servings of laksa. He says the longer the paste sits in the fridge, the better it gets, so I may update this post.

On to the laksa itself. Peel and clean 4 shrimp per person. Keep the heads and shells aside, you need to boil them later.

Mix some soy sauce and eggs while you poach a bone-in chicken breast ( chicken not pictured). When the chicken is done, set it aside to shred later. Boil the shrimp shells in the remaining chicken stock, and cook your egg omelette while you wait.

I've never made an egg omelette this satisfying. It didn't stick AT ALL. No butter or anything.

Get your noodles soaked and all your accoutrements together, because once you strain the shrimp shells out, it's go time. Poach your shrimp for thirty seconds in your soup, then remove them and add a big glug of coconut milk. Arrange your noodles and toppings in a bowl and ladle the broth over top.

I had to find a special shrimp and chili condiment called "sambal belacan" (sp?), but I couldn't find anything with that name at the market. I did find something called "satay" that has shrimp and chili as the main ingredients, and it was on the shelf near the store bought laksa paste, so that's what I went with. The spice level was nice, and the noodles were perfect, but the broth was missing something. It was good! But definitely missing something umami.

| Kuching Style Laksa & Sarawak Laksa Paste |

Taste is a 3 out of 5. I expected more.

Difficulty is a 4 out of 5. Prep heavy, with multiple cooking techniques.

Time was about 3 and a half hours, which includes the time it took to make the paste.

I already tweaked this soup by adding more coconut milk, more of the shrimp satay condiment, and more salt. Maybe I just got the proportions a little off for my laksa paste versus the chicken stock. Will definitely be making this again, since I still have so much damn paste to use.

[capriciouscaprine]

good morning! food bloggin tiem!

I've gotten a LOT done on my paper so far so I'm proud of that, but my fear is cutting it all back out again due to length, plus I really need 5-10 more references from 2019 or sooner and so far both papers I've referenced do not fit that

how am I supposed to stay under 45 pages double spaced when I also have to have 25 recent references in my lit review AND have a comprehensive analysis of my intervention and its effects on my students??? (then again, I am the type of person who doesn't understand how people can fit journaling into their morning routines bc I'll fill PAGES once I start writing)

I had my yogurt bowl and coffee for first breakfast (~200) and then homemade waffles from my mom that I had in my freezer for second breakfast ~4 hours later (proud of waiting that long, too!); had a coffee with a single serving of caramel cold cream from a spray bottle on top, and wow is 10 grams of that not a lot; I had to add an extra splash of milk to actually enjoy my coffee after all; waffles (two squares from one of those four square waffle makers, with margarine and sugar free syrup) and coffee all together were ~300, and I ended up not finishing them bc I was full!! (not gonna subtract any tho ;) )

which, while I feel full, it's like my need for taste sensation isn't satisfied yet? I'm going to have water with mio 0 c sweet tea flavoring added, which I've been trying and seems to work well; I guess I'm going to become a flavored water person??

my meal entertainment today has been annika's leaf vlogs, which are the perfect blend of aesthetic and realistic; yes, her breakfast is instagrammable and her gym sets match, but she still has to clean up crumbs and there are random vegetables smashed into the mats she has to avoid?? I mention her here bc I had a mini revelation: she went with a friend and got fancy 'coffee' (barely) drinks and cake from a cute cafe, had SOME of her drink while there, and then TOOK THE CAKE HOME FOR LATER

she didn't even try it at the cafe; she featured it next to her drink at the cafe in the vlog, and that was it! maybe this seems obvious to everyone else, but it never occurred to me that while yes, I can get the fancy cake from the cafe an hour from my house while I'm there with a friend, I don't have to eat it right then and there!!! sometimes I'd get nauseous feeling like I HAD to try and eat what I ordered wherever we were even tho I wasn't really hungry, and I didn't even realize this was an option!!

I feel like this is a holdover from being a kid; you HAD to get whatever it was right then and there with your mom/aunt/whoever bc who knew when you'd get to go back, but then my family at least would judge you for being wasteful if you didn't finish it NOW; I feel like this might be different for someone with a different family or regional culture, but food as a souvenir really was not a thing in my family, and now I'm understanding how that may have impacted my long term relationship with food: order everything you like the taste of NOW, bc you might NEVER get to have it again, and if you don't finish it before you leave that's WASTEFUL (and yes, we were a 'clean plate club' household, how did you guess? lmao)

I don't think I'll be able to address this aspect of my relationship with food until I've sorted out my finances (aka gotten a better paying job) and have more free time to go to these fun food places regularly and prove to myself that yes I can go back whenever I want so there's no need to gorge myself right now immediately

ugh, I wanna finish this paper but I don't want to go back to working on it ;_; ;_; ;_; I guess I could load the dishwasher at least??

[britishchick09]

poto rewritten short stories 6/6: meg the fooler

in honor of read an e-book week, i'll be sharing sneak peeks of the rewrite's first short story collection (which will be an e-book exclusive out this spring)! last but not least is meg and cecile being epic pranksters! ;D

...

The door creaked open…

“BOO!” Meg yelled, running out from the vanity.

“AHHH!” a dancer screamed as she put a hand on her heart. “You got me, Meg!”

Meg laughed. The foolee was none other than Cécile Jammes, her pranking partner. They had pulled many tricks throughout the years on the other dancers, the singers, the stagehands, the managers… no one was safe from their pranks on April Fools’ Day!

…No one except The Opera Ghost, that is.

“I have a little something for my partner in crime!” Meg said.

“Oh!” Cécile’s brown eyes sparkled as Meg handed her a little chocolate fish and popped it in her mouth. “Mmm, thank you. Are you ready to start?”

“I’ve been ready since last night!”

Cécile smirked and tossed one of her caramel brown ringlets over her shoulder. “I know exactly what we can do first.”

...

 A few minutes later, chatter sounded through the ballerina dorm as the corps de ballet filed in. Some did stretches, a few lounged on the sofa, others sat at their vanities and some stood around to talk. Meg and Cécile waited near the back, hiding soft giggles behind their hands.

“Here she comes!” Cécile whispered.

Meg gave an excited squeak as Sorelli DuPont walked in. She rubbed a horseshoe on the wall for good luck.

“What in the world?” Sorelli looked at her horseshoe, which was covered with a rubber bathing cap! “Oh, I should’ve known…”

“April Fools’!” Meg and Cécile exclaimed.

Sorelli rolled her eyes. The jokesters looked over at Fleur, who sniffed a tulip… that sprayed her with water! Elena was brushing her hair at her vanity. She gasped as she realized that cold cream was on it! The lotion belonged to Colette... who smeared ketchup all over her face! Nellis opened her vanity drawer to find nothing inside except a paper fish and April’s paper nameplate had ‘Fools!’ written on it. The remaining seven ballerinas were pranked as well, leaving Meg and Cécile in stitches.

“I knew this would happen.” April said with a sigh.

“You two are almost as bad as The Opera Ghost!” Colette exclaimed.

“And just as delicious!” Meg added as she swiped some ketchup from her face.

“No one could ever be as great as that ghost. It’s-” Sorelli paused at Meg’s look. “He’s the greatest trickster in the opera house.”

“We may be great, but he’s the true master.” Cécile agreed.

Meg looked down at the floor as an idea sprung into her mind. She looked up, her eyes widening with a gasp as she exclaimed, “I got it! We can join forces with Mr. E!"

“Seriously? You want us to partner with The Opera Ghost?" Cécile asked with an uneasy frown.

"Yeah! The Ghost is a bit scary, but Mr. E is perfectly fine. He has access to every corner of the opera house, so..."

Sorelli groaned. "Great. You'll be unstoppable.”

"Oui... unstoppable!" Cécile exclaimed with a grin. "Let's do it!"

Meg cheered. "This will be the best April Fools’ Day yet! I'll go get him!"

She ran down the dressing room hallway, stopping at the very end. She put her ear to the door and listened.

"Meg woke me up by putting my hand in cold water," Christine was saying. "It startled me so much! One of her many tricks for today!"

"What's today?" Erik asked.

Meg wanted to shout, 'April Fools’ Day!' but she let Christine say it instead.

"Ah, yes. One of the best times of the year for The Opera Ghost," Erik chuckled. "Ayesha likes it, too. She stretched out on my legs and I sat up to pet her... and then she started walking towards me. She was going to lay right on my pillow! I caught on and laid back down before she could, but she found a nice spot next to me."

Christine giggled. "Oh, how funny! She nearly tricked you!"

"Sounds like she'd be the perfect kitty prankster!" Meg exclaimed as she ran into Christine's dressing room.

Erik looked up. He was doing a mirror chat with Christine, who looked over her shoulder at Meg.

“Then we’d have three tricksters scurrying around!” she realized with a chuckle.

“More like four.” Erik added with a wink.

“That’s exactly why I’m here,” Meg said. “Meet Cécile and me on stage after practice, Mr. E!”

Erik frowned. “Can’t I just meet you?”

“Nope. I don’t prank alone,” Meg smiled as she added, “Cécile won’t be scared of you, I promise.”

She went up to the mirror and held out her pinkie, getting a confused look from Erik.

“That’s a pinkie promise.” Christine explained.

“It is!” Meg agreed. “It’s one you can’t break.”

Erik looked at Meg’s pinkie before slowly lifting his own.

“There you go! It’s a date! But not the ones you and Christine go on!” Meg said, giggling at Erik and Christine’s rosy blushes.

...

 Meg sighed as she stood on her tip toes and tried to peek into Box Five. It was eleven-forty on the dot. Ballet practice had ended not too long ago and now she and Cécile were waiting on stage.

“He should be here by now!” Meg said impatiently.

“Maybe he doesn’t want to partner with us,” Cécile hoped as she fiddled with her coral ring. “Let’s think of some more pra-”

Just then, the chandelier lights went off! Cécile’s scream echoed through the theater. Meg jumped a little, but she wasn’t afraid.

“The electricity’s gone out!” Cécile exclaimed in a panic. “Let’s fetch the managers!”

“Or you could fetch The Opera Ghost.” a voice said.

The lights returned and a shadow stepped out from Box Three.

“Mr. E!” Meg exclaimed happily. “I thought you’d be in Box Five!”

“Got you, Little Miss,” Erik said with a smile. “Consider that an April Fools’ gift from me.”

“The greatest gift would be partnering with us!”

“As long as you’re not creepy.” Cécile added.

“Oh, that’s only The O- Opera Ghost. Y- You won’t need to worry about creepiness with me,” Erik reassured her. “Y- You’ll just need to w- wo- worry about all the sneaky tricks we’ll pull.”

Cécile’s fearful face was replaced with a sly one.

“So you’re in?” Meg asked.

“Yes, Little Miss,” Erik smirked. “I’m definitely in.”

[mygainyear2024]

Day 47-48 From Coimbra, now in Porto

I sit writing with my second (make that third and then fourth) glass of a young port (5 years old). A gift from the airbnb host, from her family's vineyard.

Yesterday I caught the train from Coimbra to Porto (I arrived so early and then almost missed it as I was paying attention to the destination and not the train number. My train was going on to Braga and so arriving on time, whereas I was looking at the Porto train arriving later and the Uber driver told me the trains are often late so that's the story I told myself. I don't know what made me realise the train that was coming into the station was the one I needed to be on. I was sitting in the waiting room. I ended up sprinting across the tracks behind the train with two suitcases and a backpack. I just jumped on the first carriage, well maybe not jumped, as the steps are above the platform and a couple helped me lift up those cases. I breathed a sigh of relief. The conductor said "don't worry, so many people run for the train!")

After upending my belongings all over the apartment (it's the most disappointing one so far - fewer cooking facilities and no washing machine and quite cramped) I head for my first coffee recommendation off the Kava app and it did not disappoint - Protest Kitchen - I even love the name. They make me a perfect latte with fresh milk, and I can taste the flavour of the beans and what the hell, I also order a cinnamon roll with nuts and syrup, divine! As I've already shared on my FB page, it was a Harry Met Sally moment. I got some supplies from the reliable Pingo Doce supermarket chain and then headed for the gym (a little difficult to find but well worth the perseverance as they're having a special, only €10 for the whole month of May and they have gyms in Lisbon where I'm heading next). It is incredibly crowded and the bikes in the cycling studio look as old as some of the buildings in Porto, but it's only €10!

I get a chance to meet up with Michelle Loch (my coach mentor from 2011 and "neighbour" from Taringa days) and a group of her friends who are about to embark on an eight day hike around the Douro Valley. Now why didn't Eva (Upwork) think of that hike! We have a drink down by the Douro River and then head to a lovely restaurant, the shiraz is delicious. Sadly it's a tad cold here and has been raining on and off. And quite noticeably from the places I've already been, there's also too many tourists and crowds and they're all getting in the way of my pictures LOL!

The airbnb host gave me a long list of things to do and eat, as did today's Sandeman's walking tour guide. That added to the long list in the calendar section of my iphone, and now also I've set alarms to remind me! I am not going to scratch the surface in one week. I read a post that recommended just taking Porto as it comes and that's what I'm going to do. Accept that the list won't all be ticked.

After trying one of the best pastel de nata recommendations this morning and, according to the airbnb host, the best éclairs in the world this afternoon (I don't agree), there are so many restaurant recommendations, and most places are already pretty full or with queues out the door. So tonight I have some simple tapas and a large glass of red wine at the newly opened TimeOut markets next to São Bento station and then what the heck, I google best gelato in Porto and find Gelataria Portuense. I think I'd rate this the best gelato so far. I had the peanut and caramel and café and black sesame.

[threewaysdivided]

Chocolate Sapote Pie

Hey 3WD, why are you making a vegan, gluten-free, no-processed-sugar dessert?  Well, you see, I have friends with many, many allergies and felt like a challenge.

This recipe is an experiment with Black Sapote (also called Chocolate Pudding Fruit) – a seasonal persimmon relative that’s high in Vitamin C and has a pudding-like flesh with mild chocolate and caramel notes.  While limited availability of Sapotes means it’s not as accessible as something like Chocolate Avocado Pie, it’s a fun thing to play with if you like poking around with the weird fruit section of produce markets (as a bonus, Black Sapotes were selling for $1-2 per fruit both times I visited).

Let's get cooking:

Kitchen equipment

Blender/food processor

Beaters (hand-crank or electric)

20cm (8 inch) springform cake tin

Baking/ Greaseproof paper

Fridge & Oven

Fine mesh sieve (or tea strainer)

Mixing bowls, spatula, knives, spoons etc.

Prep-time

Bench work: approx. 40 minutes

Oven time: approx. 30 minutes

Cooling time: approx. 2-3 hours (minimum)

Coconut cream chill time:  12 hours (minimum)*

*Coconut cream needs to be refrigerated for 12 hours in order to separate properly before whipping.  Put your cream in the fridge the night before.

Ingredients

Pie crust

300g (10.5 Oz) pecans

4 large medjool dates (seeds removed, roughly chopped)

1 tsp salt

4 tbsp (approx. 60g/ 2 Oz) margarine, melted

Filling

2 large, ripe Black Sapotes*

1/2 cup (125mL) cocoa powder

4 large medjool dates (seeds removed, roughly chopped)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp espresso powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

*Black Sapotes are ripe when the skin has darkened to a dull green-brown and the fruit is very soft to the touch (it will look and feel over-ripe).

Topping

One 400mL (13.5 Fl Oz) can high-quality full-fat coconut cream*

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

Approx. 80g (3 Oz) pecans, toasted** and crumbled

Cocoa powder for dusting

*Use a premium quality coconut cream – the difference in price is very small and cheaper creams may not separate properly, which will stop them from whipping up. **Toast pecans by baking in a preheated 140°C/248°F (fan forced) oven for 15-30 minutes until done to your liking. 

Instructions

Pie crust (Inspiration recipe)

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (fan forced).

Line the base and sides of the spring form pan with baking paper.  (Try to minimise wrinkles/folds in the paper lining – this will make it easier to remove the crust later.)

Place chopped dates, pecans and salt into a blender.  Blend until the mixture has the texture of breadcrumbs/ almond meal.

Stream in melted margarine and blend until completely combined (crumbs should stick together when pressed)

Press mixture into a firm, even layer across the base and up the sides of the spring form tin, using clean hands or the back of a spoon to smooth down.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the crust begins to brown.  (Watch closely after the 8-minute mark to prevent burning).

Remove from oven. If the crust has puffed up, press back down using the back of a spoon. (Tip: use a toothpick or fork to gently pop any large air-pockets in the base.)

Cool on a wire rack or heat-safe cutting board until the crust reaches room temperature.

Filling (Inspiration recipe)

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (fan forced).

Cut open the Black Sapotes.  Remove the seeds and scoop/scrape the flesh out with a spoon. (Note: because Black Sapote skin is very thin and soft when ripe, it cannot be traditionally peeled.)

Transfer one quarter of the fruit flesh to a blender, along with the chopped dates.  Process until completely smooth.

Transfer the sweetened sapote mixture into a bowl alongside the remaining sapote flesh.  Mix until completely combined (use your spoon or spatula to break down any lumps or fibers in the fruit flesh).

Fold in the cocoa powder, expresso powder, vanilla and salt until completely combined.  Taste for flavouring and adjust with more cocoa/vanilla/espresso/salt as desired.  (Note:  adding cocoa will increase the bitterness of the filling alongside the chocolate-y flavour.  This can be hard to counteract without adding sugar or blending in more dates so be careful how much you add at once.)

Transfer filling into your pre-prepared pecan crust.  Smooth the top with a spoon or spatula.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the filling is lightly firm to the touch.

Cool completely on a wire rack or heat-safe cutting board, then cover and transfer to the fridge until chilled through.

Cream Topping (Inspiration recipe)

Chill coconut cream for at least 12 hours.

Remove coconut cream from the fridge (Note:  DO NOT Shake).

Use a spoon to scoop out the thick cream that has risen to the top, leaving the watery parts behind.  (The more water is in your cream, the less firmly it will whip).  Transfer the thick cream to a bowl.  (Tip: have an extra jar of chilled cream on hand in case the cream yield from the first tin is low)

Add the vanilla and salt to the cream. Stir through, then taste test and adjust the vanilla/salt as needed. (Note: Like with plain dairy cream, this should taste more neutral than sweet).

Beat your cream, starting on a slow speed.  Gradually increase speed until whipped to thick, semi-stiff peaks. (Tip: if your cream is very soft to start with, try covering and chilling in the refrigerator to help it firm up.)

Remove the chilled sapote tart from the spring form pan. (Optional:  If the sides of your pecan crust are much taller than your filling, you can use a pair of clean, sharp kitchen scissors to trim it down.  Use a clean hand to shield the pie filling from any falling crust-crumbs).

Spoon the whipped cream onto the sapote filling, using the back of the spoon to make decorative swirls.  (Optional: use a piping bag with a decorative nozzle for a fancier top).

Sprinkle the cream with crumbled pecans.  Dust with cocoa powder using a fine sieve or tea-strainer.  (Note: Add the nuts first - otherwise the cocoa powder will prevent them from sticking to the cream, causing them to roll everywhere when the pie is cut).

Return to the fridge until the coconut cream is completely chilled.

Serve.

[a-pretty-nerd]

Recently I've been thinking about the DMC storyline continuing in a supernatural drama show following the events after the 5th game.

Like the pilot involves Vergil and Dante finding their way back to earth after spending years in hell. Vergile and Dante are exhausted and begin going through their mid-life crisis as they grapple with their past while also trying to build human lives for themselves. Vergil choosing to re-enter human society and trying his best to actually have a relationship with his son, Nero.

Nero has actually been busy while they were gone. Lady and Trish brought him on to the Devil May Cry team. So while D and V where down stairs lobbing demons, Nero was on the top floor splitting heads. He's also been working on wedding planning, with Kyrie. See, season ones gotta end with some wedding drama.

V is here. Why? That's a mystery and a plot point all its own. But he's here and has been working part-time as a demon hunter with Nero and the gals. Trish often takes V under her wing and acts as a mentor to him. V is adopted into the family by Nero and Kyrie especially. He and Nico also have a pretty wholesome and friendly relationship. Like Vergil, his whole deal is learning to be human again. But unlike Vergil his body is young and he has a lot more options for a future that does not involve demon hunting.

Nico makes everyone's gadgets and she makes 'em pay too. She's a smart ass, a comic relief, and another pretty face of the cast much like her role in the video games. She's a bit more chaotic and finds a surrogate father-figure in Dante as the show goes on. She's also one of the more down to earth and grounded characters if you can believe it. It might also just be that she has a better grasp on reality than some of the others.

Lady and Trish are series regulars and have their own arks but they're most often seen together. They. Are. Besties. They live together in a big ol' penthouse apartment near the DMC office. (And they were roommates.) Trish does go out and dates and parties and has fun. Lady is more of a girl boss type. She owns her own company involving the weapons of mass destruction, the ade of ridding the earth of demons, and home security. They girl boss, gate keep, and gaslight together. I love them. Auntie vibes.

I have a few ideas for running jokes in the show.

My favorite being that the cast keeps making fun of Dante for his style choices. Throughout the show, Dante keeps adding new and goofy fashion accessories to his outfits that always make him look dorky. Like a pair of oversized aviator sunglass, or a shorts and knee-high sock combo on a hot day, or the one that really got him in trouble: an unironic fedora. He was wearing it wrong anyways.

Another running joke would be Nico getting all the bitches. If there is a hot side character, Nico is at least shooting a shot. She's like the series' Joey from friends. She's a slut in the best ways possible. Episodes will end with a groggy Nero exiting his room and shuffling into the hallway, only to find the tall, dark and handsome guy from the shop earlier that Episode leaving Nico's room in what can only be described as a walk of giddy shame. He watches the man leave, then Nero shakes his head, turns around, and goes back to bed.

I would also like to have episodes that involve V dealing with having a crush on someone. Like an original character that later becomes a series main and V has to not only grapple with romantic feelings (gross) but also learn to navigate dating as an adult. He's painfully awkward but he's also just so hot he doesn't notice the people who do like him, only the ones he likes. That sounds funny to watch.

I think we brush off Kyrie a lot. I think I would love to have Kyrie act as this sweet little young-woman who is very responsible and kind to everyone, but also has a dark side. Like she's got anger issues but they come out in the most unlikely ways. Kinda like a Bernadette from Big Bang Theory. She's sweet on the outside, salty on the inside like a sea salt caramel chocolate. A lot of her arks would involve her trying to help everyone without taking away from herself and learning more about herself as a person. Maybe before her wedding to Nero she nearly calls it off because she goes through a quarter-life crisis.

I think about there being this dynamic between Vergil and Dante that has tension but they're settled on the idea that they're TRYING not to fight. But they just can't help it so their fights evolve into petty little arguments through quiet and hushed dialogue only with each other. Like during the wedding episode, Dante takes his seat next to Vergil in the front row where the family members go and starts mumbling criticisms. "Really? You're wearing that at your son's wedding?" "You're one to talk. You look like a clown who got lost in a bdsm shop." Dante chuckles. "Better than a sexless grandpa." He grunts as he crosses his arms over his chest. "I'm not a grandfather." Vergil pauses, thinks, and looks at Dante. "Do you know something I don't?" He asks abruptly. Vergil is very literal. He thinks that by calling him a grandpa that Dante is insinuating that Kyrie is pregnant. He's a lil offended that Dante would be told before him. Dante throws up his hands. "What? No!- No." Vergil is satisfied with that answer and they both give a sigh of relief. In unison they shake their heads and mutter, "thank god." Did I mention the running gag of Dante and Vergil unintentionally mirroring each other and then they get mad at the other about it?

In later seasons Nero and Kyrie do have a baby and there's a whole thing with that. At that point Nero and Vergil's relationship really begins to heal because there's this new addition to the family and Vergil is actually very excited to be a grandfather as much as he tries to hide it. Kyrie goes through a lot, obviously, but also now she has to learn what raising a demon/human will entail. Kyrie has worked at an orphanage for YEARS so she's not exactly in the dark there but, the possibility of a demon baby is kinda a big deal. Dante and Kyrie actually bond a lot during this time because Dante sustains a real bad injury for the first time in his life. He's been stabbed and ran through and he's fine but in the last magic battle he broke his leg and because it was magic that caused the injury, Dante is now forced to use his back up plan: good ol' fashion human healing. So Dante and Kyrie turn into couch potatoes together for a bit. Knitting and watching TV together while Dante drinks a beer and Kyrie sips on her doctor recommended protein shakes Nero makes her drink. They keep each other company while Nero has his coming to terms with fatherhood crisis that Nico and V try to help him through.

I also think V and Nico getting left alone to babysit would be funny to watch because they're both TERRIBLE with children. But the baby has no fucking idea and is very fond of V who is kind of an uncle to the kid. Everyone else has basically excepted that V is kinda just like another Sparda brother and Nero treats him more like a brother which V is actually really thankful for. V is the kinda guy that thinks he's terrible with kids because they make him nervous. He just doesn't know what to do with them or how to talk to them or really how to take care of one. Nico knows all that stuff, and when the kid is more around 7 she's a fun aunt but she has such little knowledge of how to entertain a baby. She just also just finds them boring. So like, when they work together to babysit its chaotic but the baby's fine.

Patty Lowell would also be a reoccurring character but about as reoccurring as Janice from Friends is. She's grown and off doing her own thing but she loves to pop in on occasion and lovingly bug the shit out of Dante. She fills everyone in on her life which changes dramatically everytime we see her. I also like the idea of her having a body guard character who is hired muscle that followers her everywhere. She's also kind of a y2k daddy's girl trust fund kinda chick and she's comedic relief.

Anyways, that's all I've got for now. I think about these characters a lot. I love them. Night.

[adapembroke]

Mercury in Taurus: Building a Second Brain

Lately, I’ve been reading the book Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte. A second brain is made up of all the apps you use to store information so your physical brain doesn’t have to. Your calendar, your email inbox, your reminders app, your todo list app, all of these are part of your second brain.

Mercury will be going retrograde in Taurus soon, and I’ve been thinking that the timing of my discovery of Building a Second Brain is very apt. Taurus is the sign of embodiment. Mercury in Taurus is embodied thought, and second brains are made of embodied thoughts.

You’ve probably been keeping a second brain for years, even if you haven’t called it that. We are inundated with information all the time, and our brains aren’t evolved to handle it, so we use apps as tools to extend the capabilities of our memories. Building a Second Brain is about learning to use these tools in an intentional and organized way.

In essence, Tiago’s technique is simple: Capture every bit of information that catches your eye. Like early modern gentlemen hoarding beautiful ideas in the chaos of commonplace books, he suggests saving all the information we find important in apps, allowing the chaos to inspire our creativity.

We naturally muse on things that interest us while doing other things. If we capture the insights we form from those musings in our second brain, we will find much of the thinking and research work already done for us by the time we’re ready to act on it.

His solution to information overload may be high tech–the influence of Uranus in Taurus, maybe–but the technique is still embodied, taurean. When thoughts are recorded, they no longer ricochet off each other ephemerally until they vanish. They are given fixed form, a purpose, and something to do.

Mercury in Taurus: Thinking Slow

Taurus is an uncomfortable place for Mercury in the modern world because it is forced to slow down. When Mercury is in the sign of the bull, it ruminates on information like a cow chewing cud.

Mercury’s retrograde in Taurus makes Mercury extra slow, so slow it seems backward. But Mercury in Taurus isn’t “slow” in the sense of “stupid.” It’s slow in the way slow food is slow. Creative. Made from scratch. Wholesome. Allowed all the time it needs for flavors to develop. Caramelized onions rather than the raw ones that make you cry.

Tiago points out that most of the information we consume is created quickly and just as quickly forgotten. It’s as if we spend our days eating nothing but raw onions.

I’ve noticed that when I am on a “raw onion” information diet, I am emotionally overwhelmed and intellectually depressed at the end of the day. My head is full of information, but none of it intrigues me. None of the thoughts filling my head lead anywhere. I have dreams about living in an airport waiting for a plane that never arrives. I wonder if Samuel Beckett spent too much time reading the newspaper when he was writing Waiting for Godot.

The Benefits of Slowing Down

I have naturally found myself slowing down while Mercury is in Taurus. I am two months postpartum, and I have a lot of quiet time while I’m feeding a drowsy infant. At least one of my hands is always occupied, so I can’t do much but watch TV or scroll through my phone.

More often than not, lately, I feel like I’ve already gotten sick of raw content, and I’m hungry for longer reads that require time to digest. I am reading more books. Since discovering Building a Second Brain, I’ve been reading more with projects in mind, adding a few onions to the pot at every feeding time.

The more I move to a slow-information diet, the more often I find myself just looking out the window instead of looking at a screen. My thoughts are interesting to me. They’re going somewhere. I don’t need to be entertained.

Then, later, when my hands are free, I pick up a pen.

[lethalrexie]

just saying if you can’t l0se we!ght and you’re complaining it’s just because you’re either not disciplined enough or don’t have enough self control. (unless your life circumstances literally don’t allow it) i’m l0sing about 1!b per day (give or take depending on water intake) due to pretty 8 much factors. SORRY I TALK SO MUCH 😦

1. keep your e@ting window as small as possible aka eat to live don’t live to eat (the r3xie motto 🤪). i’m f@sting minimum 16:8 and i try to extend that. but major thing is don’t beat yourself up if you can’t make it 16hrs and be happy the days you can make it longer!! esp if your just starting out.

2. stay low c@l. i’m trying my best to stay under 500 c@l/day. and consume that how it works for you. if five 100 c@l snacks over 8 hrs work best some days that’s ok. if OMAD works best, great! my mom is a dietitian and i promise, eating a little of each food group (dairy, carb ik scary, protein, veg & fruit) will help your metab which in the long run will help you l0se more weight.

3. don’t do long term fasts. i’d say up to a week with liquids is okay. but long term fasts can lower your metabolism, deplete electrolytes, and sodium, which long term is going to bloat you, keep weight on, and overall make you feel like shit (which could lead to hospitalization)

4. don’t eat refined sugar or refined foods. do literally AS MUCH AS YOU CAN to eat sugar free and whole foods. i have a major sweet tooth so i turn to sugar free jello/pudding, sf caramels, halo top ice cream if i REALLY need it. otherwise i do sweet fruit and veggie based substitutions for carbs. i use cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or there’s these great hearts of palm noodles.

5. eat tons of fiber!! i add unflavored benefiber to a lot of my drinks (the flavored ones have added sugar). i honestly could promise you that fiber will help with shedding !bs.

6. drink as much water as you possibly can. yes you can become over-hydrated so add electrolytes or legit just a lil salt to your water here n there. but your body is going to retain water (!bs), and bloat if you are dehydrated.

7. stay distracted! discipline and hunger may hurt now, regret and guilt are going to hurt 50x worse later. get some motivational phrases, tactics, distractions, that work for you and RELY ON THEM. water, i use mio in mine when i’m desperate, gum, diet soda, bubbly water, reading, tv, ANYTHING. i have other reblogs with some good motivational tactics. i also look at th!nspø as well as pics of my own body multiple times per day to keep me on track.

8. exercise if you are mentally & physically able to. i have some other limiting factors which make me unable to go to the gym or get as many steps in as id like. an avg day is 2k-5k steps for me rotting on the couch. i PROMISE like 100% money back guarantee (ik you’re not paying me but istg if there was a r3xie program 100% MONEY BACK GUARANTEE) your diet is 1,000,000 more important than any exercise you’re going to get in. exercise will help with toning so i try to get some laying ones done on the couch but dude you burn calories just existing. so if you eat lower than that which is 1k-2k (you can look it up it’s your TDEE) you will lose weight. give it time.

essentially there’s many different tactics, routes, strategies whateva to l0sing weïght. do what works best for you and give it time. you will not lose 30!bs overnight. just make sure to take your supplement and stay safe <3 I’m currently taking one called “obvi. BURN” it has collagen in it + a bunch of stuff that’s speeds up metab. idk if it’s actually doing anything for my metab but the collagen is amazing.

***special mention: incorporate foods/drinks that speed up your metab. coffee, green tea, spicy foods (pepper, cayenne pepper), cinnamon, B12 there’s sooo many***

[apoapsis]

@ebonyforged​ said,

". . . Siebren." She's not sure if he ever notices that she has come into their room until she speaks up, so she calls out his name before approaching from the side, just to be sure. Compared to normal she feels pretty. . . awkward. It doesn't help that she's already dressed up and made up pretty to go out later, fully intending to drink enough to forget what today even is. Makes the whole thing appear like something it isn't. She clears her throat a little too formally, like she's about to recite something. "I have something for you. It's from Sigma. I'm just the delivery girl." She holds out the gift bag to him, classically pink with red hearts and white tissue paper covering the contents. That, she did choose, since Sigma wasn't able to help with that part. The demon looks away, like this isn't somehow affecting her. Her face feels warm. "I also added something. Caramel fudge. You'll see." She flicks her gaze to glance at Siebren, then away again.

"So yeah, happy Valentine's day. From Sigma. And from me."

                   In truth, he does not know what to make of such a display. On one hand, it’s very evident that she’d only do this on SIGMA’S behalf-- in fact, she even claims as much. And that made perfect sense-- strange, but it was logical. Of course SIGMA would request as much, or so he assumes. It didn’t seem very likely she would opt to directly inquire as to what should be gifted to SIEBREN-- in reality, even despite his demand for “offerings”, he really didn’t expect her to abide by that rule, as no one ever did.

On the other hand, however....

                    It’s extremely hard to ignore her attire, in addition to the way she seems so reluctant to even meet his gaze. Surely such behavior would be reserved for SIGMA-- and yet the awkwardness of her gestures and words strikes him as strange. Classic, nearly textbook displays of infatuation... but he can’t seem to place why or even where it is coming from; he highly fucking doubts even a shred of it is felt for him-- but then... why does she behave in this way? It’s as though everything the demon did was arbitrary and illogical.

“... Oh? That’s--... Huh...“ He’s genuinely taken aback, trying to recall whether or not SIGMA had ever actually attempted to gift him something, let alone for a holiday-- let alone using another person as a delivery service. It’s so weird! Then again... It’s... actually quite sweet that his counterpart would opt to act in such an arbitrary way just for the purpose of getting him a gift when he could not physically gift it to him.

                   Even sweeter of Ebony for entertaining such whimsy. She didn’t have to do any of this for either of them-- and yet...

Wordlessly, he opts to inspect the parcel instead, trying to ignore the obnoxious print on the bag as he discards the tissue paper onto his desk to pull.... What appeared to be another set of clothing. So... it really was from SIGMA.... Something “nice” for him to change into when he did not want to wear the stupid jumpsuit or the uncomfortable standard issue TALON wear. It means a lot more to SIEBREN than she may realize-- SIGMA might, but given how attached he was to his jumpsuit, even he didn’t fully realize what it meant to have something else to wear, to feel good about himself. Normal, even. Upon pulling the folded clothing out and placing it upon the desk as well, the little, individually wrapped pieces of fudge are left at the very bottom-- one of which are selected, unwrapped, and placed upon his tongue thoughtfully.

                    “... Ah, this reminds me of hopjes, in a way...!“ He muses aloud, appreciating the wash of sweetness that floods his senses as the fudge melts in his mouth. Although it’s merely a fraction in comparison to SIGMA’S cloying, syrup-like joy, there’s a distinct easing of the atmosphere around himself. “He must have told you I like caramel... I cannot remember the last time I had the opportunity to partake in any kind. Too busy...“ It’s subtle, but there’s the faintest curling of the edges of his lips as they quirk into a hesitant, reserved smile.

“... It was-- ah... Very thoughtful of you... Of both of you..“ There’s a long moment of hesitation that follows-- but, ultimately, he steps closer to her after plucking another candy from the bag. It’s offered out to her kindly, though after she accepts it, SIEBREN leans down so that he can press a chaste kiss to her cheek. It’s light and fleeting, but there.

                  “... Thank you. I... really do appreciate it, Miss Ebony-- SIGMA does, too.“