Soup's Up!

A couple posts ago, I let out my inner listography geek and posted a random "favorite foods" list.  What that list didn't tell you, is that I'm crazy about soups.  I was first told that I was crazy for being a soup fiend in the middle of summer when I was a preteen.  I couldn't understand why you wouldn't want soup just because it was a certain month or temperature outside.  I'm totally geeky for soup.

I've always dabbled in the kitchen, but last year, I really got into cooking.  I finally found more time to do so, and started exploring recipes.  I've gotten better with both my techniques and my presentation.  I went back and found about a dozen different soups that I've tried out.  Now, I get most of my recipes from the internet - Pinterest and recipe websites.  Only one of my recipes comes from the old fashioned tradition of getting it from family/friends.

So I've recounted the recipes with my amateur picture, the website picture and link (where applicable), and a little blurb.

(In no specific order....)
#1 - Beef Stew!
Sounds simple enough, when your husband asks you to make one out of the blue.
But good lord, I think this one has the most ingredients of them all.

• Success?  Yes.
• Would I make again?  Yes.

My photo

Website photo

 I think the photos are pretty comparable.  The thing about AllRecipes.com is that the display photo isn't always the best representation.  On this recipe, the display photo is of a dish made by someone who read the recipe, not the author.  The picture I've posted is the one from the author.  Because I'm legit like that.

Anywho, this one was a success.  I always read the comments on a recipe (when they exist), and it was especially beneficial in this case.  Here was my experience:

• Very lengthy ingredient list!  Usually this is due to herbs and spices listed individually, so it's not actually that many ingredients, but not for this one.  This actually has that many ingredients.
• I forgot to add the tomatoes, which is likely why my picture is slightly less red-toned than the author's, but it ultimately didn't make much of a difference.  So... meh.
• The cornstarch is meant to thicken the concoction and make the broth less watery.  For this huge amount, it doesn't really do much. BUT....
• The comments led me to add gravy (yes, gravy!) to the broth.  Not the healthiest addition, but it did the trick for thickening the soup AND it made it that much more amazing.  For the gravy recipe, just pick up a box of Lipton's Mushroom/Onion mix, and follow the gravy recipe directions on the back of the box.
• Type of potato is not specified, but my husband (the one who requested the soup in the first place) hates russets.  I used Yukon gold potatoes.  Type of onion also isn't specified, so I used yellow onions.

Link to the recipe?  Click here.

#2 - Lasagna Soup
Found this one on Pinterest, and we gave it a shot for one of our dinners.  Not much of a back story here.

• Success?  Yes.
• Would I make again?  Probably not.

My photo

Website photo

I was very displeased with my picture of this soup, though it was fairly popular on Facebook.  The inside of my bowls are dark red, not giving much contrast to the soup base.  The noodles we found didn't have the little ridges on the side, either.  Hubby said they didn't have to have ridges to be lasagna noodles.... but ugh.... they're just not as pretty!  Also, the website's is prettier all sprinkled with parsley - something I never do, as it is aesthetically pleasingly but otherwise superfluous.

• Easy enough recipe.  My Facebook commenters were taken aback a bit by the concept, but I think lasagna works better as a soup.  It tasted nearly the same and it's always falls apart on a plate.
• My favorite part was the ricotta mixture that you see dolloped on top.  Delish!!!  The rest of it was just ok, but then again, I'm not a huge fan of dishes that are centered around a tomato sauce or marinara.
• Breaking lasagna noodles is easier than it sounds.  Lasagna shards were flying everywhere, and it is impossible to make them uniform or pretty.  I did my best.

Link to the recipe? Click here.

#3 - Chicken Pot Pie Soup
One of the first recipes I tried when beginning my cooking endeavors!

• Success? Yes.
• Would I make again? Yes.  And I have!

Attempt #1 w/ mushrooms & Attempt #2 w/o mushrooms

Website photo

The first time I made this soup, I followed the recipe, and it was a bit of a noob soup.  The second time I made it, I added extra herbs/spices, omitted the mushrooms (hates them!), and had a better handle on technique.

• The name is a misnomer.  "Chicken pot pie" suggests the existence of dumplings or biscuits or some starchy goodness.  Alas, this is a "skinny" recipe.  It tastes delicious as is, so I recommend leaving the starches at home.  But if you feel cheated, add some cheesy garlic biscuits on the side for the complete picture.
• My noob self didn't know what the hell a slurry was, much less how to do it.  If that sounds like you, google that shit, go slow, and have patience.  It's not a very thick soup anyway, but it pays off to slurry correctly, young Padawan
• It doesn't tell you how to cook the chicken, it just says "cooked chicken."  Noob me bought the only pre-cooked chicken she could find and thew it on in.  It worked fine!
• It also doesn't specify potato type.  For white cream based soups, I love a good Yukon gold potato.  That's my recommendation.
• Once I got my slurry down, omitted the mushrooms, and added in some garlic - BAM!  This became a favorite of mine.  Definitely a keeper - I've got this one in my handy-dandy recipe box.

Link to the recipe? Click here.

#4 - Spicy Broccoli Cheese Soup
Super easy, super popular.

• Success? Yes.
• Would I make again? Yes.  And I have!

My photo

Website photo

Soups do NOT get any easier to make than this.  It is by no means gourmet, but it is low-cal, quick, and delicious.  I don't even like typical broccoli-cheddar soup, but this was slammin.'  The website is a little wonky, so if you check it out, it is the first recipe on the page.  There are others listed below it that look similar, so it can get a little confusing.

• There are only four ingredients, which is nice (and cheap).  However, the details aren't specified as everything about the menu is very sparse, so......
• I have made this a couple of times and have found that it makes a BIG difference which kind of RoTel you use: mild or original.  If you don't do very well with spicy foods, go for the mild.  If you want it to pack a punch, though, go for original!  I prefer the punch, as I didn't think it was as good when I accidentally made it with mild RoTel.
• Also, with the frozen broccoli, I recommend getting the bag that is specifically "florets only."  I don't like getting a mouthful of broccoli stalk.
• Other than that, I didn't find it necessary to add any ingredients or deviate from the recipe.  It was damn good.  I served with a garlic bread twist as the starch helps cut the spiciness and keep it from building between bites.

Link to the recipe?  Click here.

#5 - Potato Soup
This is the special one!  From yours truly! No links here!
I got this recipe from my mom, but my earliest memory of this soup is from my godmom's house.  I remember sitting at the bar in her kitchen eating multiple helpings of her potato soup and covering it in pepper.  So where it originated is hidden in familial legend.  We may never know....

Or I could just ask her.

• Success? Yes.
• Would I make again? Yes.  And I have!

My interpretation, garnished with bacon pieces

Original recipe, modified to be "loaded," served
with broccoli salad

I've seen a lot of potato soup recipes on the web, and I may still try them, but this is one of my all-time favorites.  It's not a chowder, so it has a bit of a thinner base than most people are used to in a potato soup.  The original card that I got from my mom uses 2 bags of chopped hash browns.  You find these in the frozen section of the grocery store, and they are the little cubed hash browns by Ore Ida and the like.  My first time recreating the dish, I decided to try real potatoes, using a 5 lb bag of small gold potatoes.  I also added garlic and thyme (my family isn't big on spices outside of salt and pepper, those being the only two in this recipe).

• 5 lb peeled, cubed gold potatoes - made for a very sweet soup.  Delicious, but had to up the pepper and add less thyme.
• 2 bags chopped hash browns - much easier, hell of a lot quicker, but I felt like there was a filmy grease to the soup that I didn't get with the real potatoes.  My husband said that he didn't notice it, but it left a feeling in my mouth that I didn't like.  They aren't as sweet as gold potatoes, so not as much pepper is needed and you can add more thyme.
• Other ingredients: 3c water, 12oz chicken broth, 1 chopped yellow onion, 2c milk, 2 cans cream of chicken, garlic powder, thyme, salt, pepper.  Directions: Bring broth to boil in large stew pot.  Add potatoes/hash browns & simmer for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender.  Season to taste.
• Top with any combination of shredded cheddar, bacon pieces, chives/green onion, or even a dollop of sour cream.  8-10 servings (I haven't counted, this is an approximation; this recipe makes a metric butt-ton of soup).

#6 - Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup
Creamy indeed!  But just calling it "tomato" doesn't do this baby justice!

• Success?  Yes.
• Would I make again?  Oh yes.

My photo

Web photo

Don't be put off by my unflattering photo.  Trying to squeeze a pleasing presentation out of reddish soup in a reddish bowl is basically impossible.  I photo edited to get the best quality - it wasn't actually as pink as it looks.  What I'm trying to tell you is, this soup was phenomenal.

• The best part of this soup is the broth base.  You end up throwing tortellini in because you generally like a substance to chew when eating soup.  I'm waiting for an idea to strike me about what I could substitute for the tortellini.
• Learn from my mistake: do not use cheap Italian Seasoning.  Use a more expensive variety that you know and trust, make your own, or find a way to soften what you have.  The hard springs of herbs stuck to my tongue really irked me.
• Use sun-dried tomatoes rather than sun-dried tomato paste.  It gives it texture and is less weird.
• I didn't find the "top with parmesan cheese" step to be completely necessary, so try it or don't - it's up to you.

Link to the recipe?  Click here.

#7 - Corn & Ham Chowder
I'm going to be honest with ya.... I don't have a super strong memory of this one.  I did make it, though.  It was just quite a while ago.  So we'll skim through this one quickly.....

• Success? I think so.
• Would I make again? Probably, if only to remember what it was like.....

My photo

Web photo

Well the web photo is prettier because they need to slop a hell of a lot more broth on that poor chowder.  Also, mine looks different because I made it differently.  Heh.

• This is a low calorie recipe, therefore not as thick and creamy.  You can go to measures to thicken the soup, but the recipe renders a thinner broth.
• When I made this, I used cubed ham instead of bacon, canned corn instead of cob, and I may have used carrots instead of red peppers (I don't remember, though).  This obviously changes the flavor quite a bit, but it's quicker (not having to cook the bacon or take the corn off the cob) and tailored to my tastes (I hate red pepper).
• The recipe itself is slightly confusing because the title claims "bacon," but the ingredient list reads "Canadian-style bacon."  Canadian bacon, where I'm from, means ham.  So.... I don't know.  Do what you want.

Link to this recipe?  Click here.

#8 - Zuppa Toscana
Ode to Olive Garden: Zuppa Toscana!  When I go to the OG, I get the Zuppa, only the Zuppa, and lots of it.  I was psyched to try my hand at it!

• Success? Yes!
• Would I make again? Oh yeah!

My photo

OG photo

Obviously I still needed work on my presentation at this point, as this photo is of my Zuppa Toscana just finished in the crock pot.  Also, the recipe website did not have a photo (it was one of those recipe compilation deals), so I pulled one from Olive Garden.  It looks like I may have gotten a little kale-happy.... otherwise, pretty similar.  Nice.

• To make sure you get the right flavor, adhere religiously to the "Italian" part of the Italian sausage.  Any old sausage won't do.  Also, very important: pepper the hell out of it!  As soon as you start cooking, toss in a bunch of black pepper!  Don't be shy!
• This recipe calls for russet potatoes.  By this point you should have figured out that I don't believe in russet potatoes when there are perfectly good gold potatoes at my disposal.  Preferably Yukon gold, but any gold will do, in the equal amount.
• It also calls for bacon bits.  I've had this soup more times than I can count and I don't recall any kind of bacony taste... so I took the liberty of not adding bacon bits to mine.  If you feel that it is necessary, though, don't use those awful dehydrated monstrosities.  Use the Hormel brand bacon pieces that come in a plastic jar or the Oscar Mayer bacon pieces that come in the little pouch - they actually resemble real bacon.
• It asks for "1 bunch of kale," but you won't use it all.  It also says "coarsely chopped," but I tore mine into the pieces that I wanted much like I do with heads of romaine.  It's the last step and you really only need to cook until the kale is soft and wilted after that.
• Only top with the Parmesan that the recipe calls for if that is the way you usually order it.  Again, I never get parm on mine at the restaurant, so I skipped this step.

Link to this recipe? Click here.  (it's about 2/3 of the way down on the page)



#9 - French Onion Soup
My husband loves French onion soup.  He's not as big on soup as I am (I don't know that anyone is), but this is one of his favorites.  I certainly don't mind a good bowl of it, either.  This was one of those instance where I learned a lesson of what NOT to do.

• Success? Not really.
• Would I make again? Perhaps, but maybe with a different recipe...?

My photo

Web photo

I don't know if I can fairly assess this recipe.  There's a reason my photo looks nothing like the pretty website photo.  I'm sure that if I had painstakingly followed the recipe, to the letter, it would have turned out nicely.  The biggest mishap was this: do not use bread bowls with this recipe.  My husband really likes French onion soup, but he also really likes his soup in bread bowls.  Well apparently Panera has something on me, because the bread bowl soaked up ALL of the broth, leaving us with a bread bowl of cooked onions and cheese.

• I typically read an entire recipe before attempting to buy the ingredients and execute it.  I don't know what I was thinking.  The last step is to use the broiler: place soup in oven safe bowl, coat with Gruyere, and broil.  I have no idea which of my bowls are oven safe, much less how to use my broiler.
• This is a crock pot recipe, but it is by no means one of the ones where you can turn it on and walk away.  It is a high maintenance crock pot recipe.
• We had a particularly difficult time finding the last two listed ingredients.  I was previously unaware that Gruyere was so elusive.  I also recommend making your own "cubed crusty bread" by drying out and cutting the bread of your choice, as we didn't find anything fitting this description in the supermarket and ended up with too-dry bread pieces.

So, eh.  Probably not this recipe's fault.  More of an unfortunate series of mishaps between my supermarket and my inability.

Link to this recipe? Click here.


#10 - Creamy Chicken Taco Soup
In an effort to compromise my tastes (soup!) with my husband's taste (anything Mexican), I tried this recipe.  I thought it was... Ok.  However, both my husband and my mother absolutely LOVED it.  I don't know.  So here goes.

• Success? Yes.
• Would I make again? For my family, yes, but not for just me.

Web photo

So, even though I've made this a couple of times, I never actually took a picture of mine.  That's a little frustrating.  Mine looks fairly similar to the photo, but when you mix the cheese and sour cream into your bowl, the color changes a bit.

• Recipe calls for "1 can tomatoes with green chiles."  In other words, RoTel.  And RoTel is tricky, so let me help.  If you want mildly spicy: get mild RoTel, and drain the can before adding.  If you want super duper scorch-your-tongue spicy: get hot Rotel, and don't drain the can before adding.  I do the "mildly spicy" version, because I like spicy foods but also like to be able to feel my tongue.
• Recipe instructs you to cube the chicken after it is all slimy with soup and has been cooking for hours.  Good luck.  I shred mine using two forks.  It's easier, and everyone seems to enjoy it.
• There are recommended additional toppings, but we've never used them.  It doesn't really need any.  I let my hungry diners throw on their own Mexican cheese (everyone likes a different amount) and their own dollop of cold sour cream.

Link to this recipe? Click here.

#11 - Corn & Crab Bisque

I love combining two of my favorite fares - seafood & soup!  I'll take a seafood bisque any day, regardless of what type of shellfish is within.  This was my first attempt at any kind of bisque.  Keep in mind that I don't live on any type of coast, either....

• Success?  Yes
• Would I make again?  Yes

Web photo

Why oh why did I not take a picture of this one??  Ugh.  Apparently I dropped the ball at some point on the photos.  Anyway, this one turned out pretty well, despite having to take a few detours.  The ingredient list led me to believe it would have a little bit of a kick to it, but it ended up kind of sweet.  Easy fix, really.  I'm not one for sweet foods that aren't desserts, so I just added more salt and more cayenne to my bowls.  I definitely want to try making this again with fresh crab legs... even though that would mean a $20+ soup....

• Not a crock pot recipe, involves making a slurry as well as a puree, and despite the look of the recipe, it has quite a few steps.  It's not necessarily difficult, just requires knowing your order of operations.
• When I made this, I could not find "fresh lump crab meat."  My options were lump crab meat in a container at 16 oz for $25, crab legs at $15+ per lb, or canned crab meat for about $4 a can.  Upon discussing my options with my mother, she assured me that the canned stuff wasn't disgusting, saying that she uses it all the time in different salads.  Rife with skepticism, I bought a couple cans.  The meat inside is more "shredded" than "lump," but it tasted just fine!!!  Not my first pick, but not at all bad for the money!
• Other substitutions: I used 1/2 an onion rather than 3/4 cup, and canned corn rather than cut corn off of the cob.  These two are ones I do regularly.

Link to this recipe? Click here.

#12 - Cabbage Soup

I tacked this one on here because I just made it this past week.  It's well known as being a "diet soup" or a "quick weight loss" recipe.  Yeah, maybe.  It's healthy and vegetarian.  But it can also be tasty and filling... if you do it right!

My photo

See the picture taking difference?  I didn't try too hard on this one, admittedly, but I use filters and frames now!  Hah.

Okay, if you google cabbage soup recipes you will find hundreds of different diet-fueled websites pushing their version of the dish.  The last time I made this had to be 6 years ago, and I used one such recipe from god knows where.  6 years later, I pull out that index card and wrinkle my nose.  Time to get creative!  So I took out superfluous celery and threw in some better veg and spice...  Using the old recipe as a base, I've got a new and improved recipe card with my very own original recipe on it:

Lindsey's Healthy Vegetable Cabbage Soup

• 46 oz V8
  
• 1 can beef broth
• 2 beef bullion cubes
• 1 envelope Lipton's Beefy Onion mix
• 1 medium head of cabbage, broken down and torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 2-3 large carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
• black pepper, to taste
• garlic powder, to taste
• hot sauce, to taste
• 1 can RoTel (your choice of mild or original)
• 1 can peas
• 1 can corn
• 1 can green beans

1. Add everything but the last three ingredients to crock pot.  Cook on low for 6 hours or until cabbage and carrots are both tender.  (Periodically taste broth to check flavor, adding spices to your preference, water if too salty, etc.)
2. Add last thrree ingredients, and cook on low for an additional hour.  Serve & enjoy!

For the heartier eaters in your family (like my husband), you can serve with meatloaf.  I like a lot of cayenne in mine - I think the spiciness makes it better.  Make yours however you like, omitting whatever you don't like!  Add in your favorite veggies, keeping in mind what will take time to soften (like fresh carrots, radishes, potatoes) and what just needs warmed up (most canned veggies, tomatoes, kale).  Super easy and super versatile.


**The lucky # 13 could be my chili recipe.  It's the best chili I've ever tasted.  But I can't share it.  Not with you, not with anyone.  It's my dad's recipe, passed down to his only daughter.  Secret family recipe.  And boy, are you missing out on some amazing chili.....

You can find most of these links, as well as more recipes and projects that I've tried out, on my Pinterest board "Gillynze Says..." at https://www.pinterest.com/mclane87/gillynze-says/

The Big Picture is Pride

Yesterday, social media was flooded with the announcement that the Supreme Court passed a ruling for marriage equality in all 50 US states.  To honor this momentous, historic occasion, I reposted this picture, originally posted by the "Human Rights Campaign" Facebook group:

My caption read: "How awesome is this?  At least some things are getting changed for the better."

Despite an overwhelming majority of my news feed being overrun with celebration regarding marriage equality and Pride Week, I quickly received comments on this post that I found disappointing (to say the least).  I expressed to my commenters how much I dislike arguing politics and my refusal to do so, but also my disappointment in their unsupportive comments.

Rather than dropping into an all-out, drag-out, heated Facebook fight, I was inspired to go even further with my pro-marriage-equality posts and support of Pride Week via Facebook.  My posts that followed were:

Pretty self-explanatory.  Really, if it is something that someone is seriously against, I don't think losing them as a Facebook friend is too much of a loss.

Loved this.  I changed my profile picture just to add a rainbow filter over top by going to facebook.com/celebratepride.  

I understand that some people are upset by the Supreme Court taking the decision away from the individual states.  "Big Government is bad!"  I agree with the general sentiment.  But look at the big picture: the fight for marriage equality in the US is over!  Everyone is free to marry, without antiquated restrictions of gender or sex.  This is an amazing moment in history that we are living!  I have been pro- marriage equality and gay rights since I was old enough to understand sex.  Now I get to see our nation growing and maturing before my very eyes.  That's one hell of a big picture.

Supporting a cause and staying true to my beliefs is far more important to me than arguing over them with people who are just as decided as I am.  I will openly tell you about where I stand on an issue any day of the week.  I will gladly give you my opinions on a matter that you'd like to be informed on.  I will hear your side and acknowledge your opinions, as well.  Just don't expect a hot debate or healthy argument.  It's just not how I roll.

Listography Nerd Gets Hungry

Today's post is a brainless one with no point.
Yup.

The other night I was super tired but couldn't sleep, so I started compiling a list of my favorite foods.  If there are two things that I have an unnatural amount of love for, they are lists and food.  All rolled into one..... it's a way to pass the time.

PRE-MADE SNACK STUFF
Italian Rose salsa
Southwestern Ranch Baked Lays (dicontinued)
Spicy Cayenne & Cheese Kettle Cooked Lays (discontinued)
Krunchers BBQ potato chips
Munchies jalapeno cheddar sandwich crackers (previously Doritos branded)
Snyder's mustard & onion pretzels
Cashwes
Pizza Rools, three meat flavor
Tickle Me Pickles spicy dill pickle spears

ACTUAL FOOD
Grits, overcooked, with salt only
Tutto Mare
Seafood gumbo
Seafood bisque
Corn chowder
Mashed potatoes with corn mixed in
Anchovy caesar dressing

PROTEIN
Crab legs
Spicy venison slim jims
Andouille sausage

FRUIT
Rambutan
Strawberries
Blackberries
Peaches
Zucchini

NON-FRUIT PRODUCE
Yellow and green onions
Sweet green peas
Corn
Red potatoes

SWEET STUFF
Chocolate covered strawberries
Terry's chocolate oranges
Life cinnamon cereal
Reese's Puffs cereal
Breyer's Birthday Blast ice cream
Ben & Jerry's cake batter ice cream
Starburst FlavoReds
Green apple licorice
Jelly Belly buttered popcorn jelly beans
SourPatch watermelon

ASIAN FOODS
Okonomi yaki
Shumai
Plain fried rice with extra onion
Hot & sour soup
Spicy Japanese mayo
Tao Kae Noi crispy seaweed
Gim rolls
Veggie mandu

DRINKS
Chocolate milk
Pepsi
Peach Vesss
Appletiser


I have a weird palate.  And a weird way of passing the time.  But since I'm a geek about both lists and food, I found this post suitable enough.

The General Public's Ice Cubes are Bogus

It has been a little over a month since my last post, I realize this.  I was working on a riveting homemade soup review when the universe threw me one of its biggest curve balls yet.  My mother-in-law passed very suddenly, and thus a whirlwind of things very un-soup related ensued.

As part of the memorial service, my husband and I received a potted phalaenopsis orchid.  That's what this post is about.  Don't scroll away just yet.  I'm not a gardening buff, either.

I have a habit of boasting my crafts and projects all over cyberspace, specifically through my "Creations" album on Facebook and my "Gillynze Says" board on Pinterest.  However, I've never been one to have a green thumb.  I was apprehensive about this orchid, as they are notoriously difficult to care for.  My mother loves orchids, and could not sustain hers despite her best efforts.  I settled the orchid in our kitchen and set about administering a regimen of 2 ice cubes a week like I had been told.

First I noticed two flower blooms had fallen.

Then three more.

Crap.

Time to do some homework.

I googled orchid care.  Of course there are thousands of species of orchids.  Of course.  I figured that mine would be a fairly common variety, and tried to find a similar picture.  Once I found what I thought I might be looking for, I read website after website and watched several YouTube videos.  Oh the things you can learn from the Internet.

• Ice Cubes Bad!: There are some orchids that can thrive via this method, but I didn't find a single legit website that used it.  The suggested method is to flood the orchid with tepid tap water for several minutes, and then to let it drain completely.  Watering is usually needed every 7-10 days.
• Wrong Pot: My orchid came in a basic white ceramic pot.  The ideal media is a clear, plastic pot with several draining ports.  Not being able to find this, I opted for a ceramic pot with a large draining hole in the bottom.  The draining is the important part; orchids are susceptible to root rot.
• Roots: They should be green in color and fleshy in texture.  They will grow stiffer and silver in color when they are thirsty.  Isn't that nifty?  They let you know when they need a drink!  But when they are crunchy and papery, that part of the root is dead.
• Leaves: You shouldn't leave standing water on the leaves, as this too will cause rot.  Like the roots, the color of the leaves will tell you whether they are getting enough sun.  Talkative little plant, this orchid!

I also read up on their need for fertilizer, how to cut orchid spikes and encourage regrowth, and the type of material they should be potted in.  So I went to the garden center, bought some supplies, and got to work.

Once I repotted the orchid, I could see the poor little roots.  They were rigid and silver.  Ice cubes were just not cutting it.  I flooded it, drained it, and set it in the window for a few hours.  When I came back, the roots were already green!!!  I pruned off some dead ends from the roots, and now she's sitting pretty!

I so wish I had a "before" picture.  You'd be stunned.  Guess you'll just have to trust me on this one, lol.

So what?

So I've never rehabbed a plant in my life.  With a little research, I fixed up my pretty little phalaenopsis orchid!  Good things happen when you put nerd powers to use.

Also, the idea that we shouldn't follow blindly to what everyone else says feels reinforced by this project.  It has generally been my experience that people are unreliable, especially when it is the "general public."  Coming from me, that is phrasing it kindly.  ;-)

An Hourglass's Issues with Angels and Non-Angels

There has been a fair amount of buzz about the #ImNoAngel campaign that is being promoted by Lane Bryant.  That's not surprising.  But there are a couple of points that I want to bring to the forefront.

Overall, I am supportive of the #ImNoAngel concept.
These women are sexy!  That's just undeniable, and the black & white commercial flaunts their smokin' hot curves perfectly.  I'm loving the promotion of self-love, portraying curves as sexy, and perpetuating the ever-growing trend that size 14 is sexier than a size 0.  These are all messages that I am behind 100%.

The snarky attack at Victoria's Secret is a big plus.
The #ImNoAngel campaign is (not so subtly) a challenge to Victoria's Secret's "Perfect Body" campaign.  VS has always featured their lanky, thin "Angels" in catalogues and commercials.  Pasting the words "perfect body" over these unattainable barbies was just too much.  Maybe it is just the sarcasm and callousness that has built inside of me for so many years, but I love a good snark factor.

However, it is an obvious marketing strategy.
While I love the message from Lane Bryant and the delight in the challenge against Victoria's Secret, it is very clear that this is one great big marketing ploy.  The hashtag, for one, just screams for attention.  The line of lingerie is actually called Cacique, but they lopped on an Angel-related slogan (complete with screaming hashtag), despite having nothing to do with the line.  While it is smart on their part, I have a hard time respecting cheap ploys like this one.

Body image, eating disorders, obesity.... these are all very hot issues.  Taking advantage of them to the benefit of your company is shameful.  I'd be much more receptive if Lane Bryant's campaign weren't tied to a line of lingerie at all, and was just about the message.  It would still be an effective marketing tool for their brand, but perhaps not so overtly scummy.

Despite how you feel about either company, here's my real issue....
There is a lot of attention on what size you are.  Victoria's Secret caters to what I affectionately call "skinny bitches."  Lane Bryant caters to what they have rebranded as "her size."  When it comes to clothing, I don't have trouble finding my size.  I have trouble finding my fit.  Confused?

I am a textbook hourglass: the waist measurement is 10" less than the bust, while the bust and hip measurements are nearly the same.  Trying to find clothes that flatter an hourglass but simultaneously do not give the appearance of pregnancy is extremely challenging.  To further compound the issue, I am 5'4", but somehow both short legged and short in torso.  This means that my hourglass is even more dramatic, and most pants are too long.

I am all for the promotion of a positive body image.  I don't think the general public is represented in TV, movies, magazines, advertisements, or any major media outlet.  However, how much meat you have on those bones isn't the only issue.
What about how that body is shaped?



Here's the Lane Bryant Cacique commercial, in case you are dying of curiosity.
By the way, they sell sizes 14-28.  These models are all sizes 12-14.  How's that for irony?
Fun fact #2: Cacique is a word used in the Caribbean to mean "chief."  Also, it's a brand of cheese.

A Visually Impaired Take on "Daredevil"

The husband and I have not had cable since maybe 2011, so I watch a lot of Netflix and Hulu.  Often times, I find myself with nothing to watch in between new episodes of Supernatural on Hulu.  So hubs and I started watching the Netflix original series of Daredevil.

2003 Daredevil (Affleck)

I saw the Ben Affleck flick years ago when it was new, and found it entertaining enough.  Superhero movies weren't as big yet as they are now.  It was 2003, so I also hadn't been diagnosed with Stargardt's yet.  I'll admit that most of my existing Daredevil knowledge comes from this early 2000's film.  I've accrued slightly more trivia over the years, along with the realization that Daredevil is definitely not the most popular or most "OP" of the Marvel heroes.

2015 Daredevil (Cox)

Matt Murdoch aka Daredevil is a blind man with super senses due to an accident involving chemicals.  Super hearing, super sensitive to touch, awesome olfactory, and I assume some pretty pumped up taste buds.  Pretty cool.  I realize it comes with consequences, but I wouldn't turn these super senses down.  Here's my beef.

• He can hear a conversation from a rooftop or from blocks away.  The scene where he is kicking Vladmir's ass?  The cops get the jump on him.  Shouldn't he have heard them coming long before they arrived?  I mean, maybe he was really into the pummeling, but there were a lot of cops.  That's a lot of noise.
• The guy obviously doesn't need his cane to get around.  I assume this is his attempt at pulling a "Clark Kent" persona of a normal blind guy.  If that is the case, he is doing a terrible job.  My biggest pet peeve:  He is way too good at looking people in the eye.
• I posed the question of how Murdoch picks things up off the ground in one simple swipe.  Hubs suggested that vibrations and sounds let him "see" it, in his way.  I guess.  But what about Stick?  How does Stick seem to have the same super senses that Murdoch does?  Being blind and bad-ass doesn't give you super powers.  I promise.
• With his other four senses all suped up, he gets around Hell's Kitchen with ease.  However, this dude still needs braille to read.  You can't smell, taste, or hear the written word.  That means that he can't read signs on stores, or read menus, or even see the crosswalk sign turn and give the "ok" to cross.  Which super power does he use to conquer these foes?

We haven't finished the show yet.  I'm sure I'd find more qualms upon examination.  These are just some of the things that I think about from my side of the visually impaired table.  There may very well be an answer to each of them tucked away inside the expansive Marvel universe somewhere.  But, in my opinion, being a regular guy with four amped senses and zero sight does not a superhero make.  That's probably why he gets his butt kicked so much.

Prologue

I tried the private blog for my innermost thoughts, designated for my eyes only.
I tried the public blog that was super structured and somewhat impersonal.

But I watched a movie recently, and I think I'm ready to handle the public free-form blog.
Here's what I've got going for me this time:

• I'm no longer an angsty, whiny teenager.
• I am reasonably skilled with spelling and grammar.
• I'm honest, but not insensitive.
• I've got quirkiness to spare, but not so much it's off-putting.

That being said, I'm not going viral anytime soon.  I have a few things going against me:

• My life is far from drama-filled.
• I'm not super smokin' hot with an Instagram packed full of scintillating selfies.
• I've never been popular in any format, and I don't see the universe doing a 180 now.
• I'm not as well versed as I could be in the realm of optimal exploitation of social media.

I guess I could beef those lists up a bit, but they both have four, making them even, so that looks nice.  I'll stop there.