Topic: The Chit-Chat Thread

@bimmy-lee You're supposed to eat the whole bag of fun size. Duh.

It's true though, portion sizes are tiny. Remember when a cake from a supermarket was a cake? You could serve to a group. Or you could eat it yourself over days and make it economical. It was never good cake. In fact it was always terrible cake. But it at least used to taste like cake and be sized like cake. About 3 or 4 years ago even the decent ones became what I call "large cupcakes" the whole cake is like a serving for one person. MAYBE for two days. It went from a 9" 2 layer cake (already small) down to this weird 6" x 1.3" iced muffin, a half a single layer. And it tastes worse. All chemical tasting. With "whipped non-dairy topping" icing (that I'm pretty sure is the same stuff sold in a 4lb tub in the Home Depot insulation aisle for $7). And the whole "cake" is like $12.99. I have a better idea, I'll eat a crouton, give them a $20, and declare it a cake. That's what's next anyway. (OMG, I really am becoming @rjejr!)

@ThanosReXXX Everybody loves bacon. Bacon is the great uniter. If you don't like bacon you're not just un-American. You're inhuman. You monster.

Edit: Oh, good, you're human. Still, then there's actually no difference bewteen eating bacon and francing your house with it. The latter comes with the former absolutely free of charge!

@NEStalgia And here I was thinking you were actually the hermit in the cave, handing out helpful stuff to little old Link...

@ThanosReXXX Nah, it's all rocky wastelands under permanently blackened skies and the continuous thunder and flashes of lightening overhead, with miles of stagnant swamplands at the bottom of the craggy hills. Noon looks like the blackness of midnight.

On the very very rare days the forecast lists 0% chance of rain, it still rains, even just a few drops.

There's no place like home.

@NEStalgia Well, at least you don't have monsoons...

@ThanosReXXX - Whew, good. Reality was beginning to crumble around me. Delicious looking lunch by the way. I have an undying love for shallots, especially in a salad. Stay cool my friend. One of my old tricks in my pre AC days was to wet a hand or full size towel, and put it in the freezer until it was frozen, then drape it over my head, wrap it around my neck, or stuff it down my pan... well, never mind. You get the idea. It’s bootleg, but effective.

@NEStalgia - It’s the truth. I remember massive round cakes and sheet cakes that took two people to safely transport. My wife got our kids individual bday cakes at Earth Fare last year. It was like $25 per cake, and the quarter cuts amounted to about a quarter cupcake. But hey, they were organic!

@bimmy-lee Lunch? That was my dinner.
I know the stay cool tricks (back of the neck is the best spot, by the way: thinnest skin vs best nerve and blood vessel ratio), but at some point, the heat still takes over. Here's hoping the weather forecast actually gets it right this time, and we can enjoy a relatively cool 80 degrees next week...

@ThanosReXXX that dish looks like a nice greek/Mediterranean salad 😉. I definitely approve of this!

@ThanosReXXX - Ah, silly mistake by me, and I even knew you’re on metric time (emoji). Yeah, the neck is great for a quick cool off. One of my coaches in high school had us run the underside of our wrists under cold water, that’s a nice little trick too. You’re right though, there comes a point when the heat is simply unbeatable, and we’re forced to endure.

@NintendoByNature It actually is Greek/Mediterranean inspired. Good guess.
When I was younger, I used to frequent the Spanish coast a lot, as well as what was then still known as Yugoslavia and last but not least, I've been to Greece multiple times as well.

I like to cook and/or prepare my own food, and I'm always inspired by these other regions and dishes, so that's why I also use their ingredients a lot, especially around this time of year. Reminds me of all the summer holidays I enjoyed in those countries.

@bimmy-lee Yup, and then I just go into minimal energy spending state, or as I like to call it: sloth mode.

And yeah, wrists are good too, for a quick cool down. It's basically for the same reason as with the back of the neck.

P.S.

As a standard rule, simply just add six to seven hours to your local time, and you're close enough to my time zone, to figure out whether I'm having breakfast, lunch or dinner...

@ThanosReXXX looks delish. Especially on a hot day like you're having, I'm sure it's refreshing

@ThanosReXXX - With the six hour difference, we’re probably eating around the same time, but you’re a meal ahead of me. Except when you’re doing breakfast, then I’m still having dreams of cooking burgers on the grill with a beer in hand. Just for fun, I like to add cities where my friends live to the clock app on my phone. I’ve added some of my chit chat friends to the list, at least those who have shared where they live. It’s fun to take a quick look at it from time to time and wonder what everyone is up to. Sounds like some nice holidays you had In your youth, and they had a lasting impact.

@NintendoByNature It sure is. And the meat was done quick as well, saving me the torture of having to be near a hot stove for too long, in these temperatures.

Right now, I'm leaning back in my desk chair, enjoying an ice-cold can of Radler. @bimmy-lee probably knows what that is, and you also might, but just in case you don't, it's originally a Bavarian (Bavaria is a region in Germany) drink, and it's basically beer mixed with lemon-flavored lemonade, which is really refreshing as well.

@ThanosReXXX radler huh? Never heard of it until now but it sounds nice. In the states breweries get creative and try all kinds of mixes. Shandy is what we call it here( I believe) lemon flavored wheat beer. Nice on a hot day but I can only have 1 or 2 before the headache rolls in from the sweetness

@NintendoByNature We also have Shandy over here, but that's not it. The recipe is different. Shandy is what they call "kids beer" over here, because the alcohol percentage is usually 1 percent or lower, and the lemonade used in it, is really sweet, so I can relate to your sentiment.

Radler is more like a beer (2 - 2,5 percent alcohol), except contrary to shandy, which comes in many flavors, Radlers are nearly always made with lemons (the most common exception being grapefruit and in some regions orange, but always made from citrus fruits), and because of the bitter freshness of the lemon, it's the ideal summer beer. Lower alcohol percentage, and more refreshing than normal beer, so also pretty darn good to drink when out and about in the heat, without risking an alcoholic heat stroke...

Here's some info:
https://beerandbrewing.com/dictionary/Z4jAApWYk0/

@ThanosReXXX sounds good. For me though, I'm all about those 11% ABV beers 😉. Kidding, I can't stand those either. 1 and done. Much rather sip on bourbon or scotch or red wine for that type of percentage.

@NintendoByNature During week days, and on hot days, I like to drink a beer or two, and I like all kinds, and in the weekend, I'm more of a Bacardi and Coke kinda person.

@NintendoByNature - Radlers are phenomenal. There’s an import that I really like, and it’s pretty widely available here in the states. Stiegl Radler. It’s a grapefruit variety. You’ll find them in the import section at bigger beer stores. They’re usually sitting next to Crabbies ginger beer. Another great summer drink. Crabbies blood orange. I’m getting so thirsty. Almost every time I start a vacation, I get a four pack and have one ice cold for breakfast on the first day. I realize that sounds degenerate, but it’s just one. Usually.

I used to drink quite a bit, whiskey or beer by choice, but I quit last year. I just wasn't enjoying it as much anymore. Now I only drink on special occasions, like New Years or a wedding, and on such occasions I've been known to really cut loose, lol.

@NintendoByNature Well, there you go, @bimmy-lee, aka the connoisseur has spoken...