I just finished a yearly project. Each day of the month I posted on a pre-determined theme. During the month of November, I'll post a collage of all my photos on the daily theme from the past year. The theme for the fifteenth day of the month was "Volume."
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November Mail Call - Thanksgiving Day cards went out in the mail.
Mail Call - Christmas cards went out in the mail.
Cookies - I made lots of cookies to take to people's houses.
Zelda cuddles - She's a heat-seeking missile during the winter.
All the Controversies - I weighed in on classic Internet controversies. No, I don't wash my sheets every week or wash my hair daily. Come at me.
The Bowls - I have so many decorative bowls. So many.
The World - It's loud out there.
The Pills - Medications and supplements I take.
The House in July - Sounds I hear.
All the Thoughts - This photo of Zelda is so cute.
Is This Box Bigger Than That Box? - Too much packaging.
Of Love - My husband bought coffee for me!
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Hannah count: 1
Zelda count: 10
Mail Call - Christmas cards went out in the mail.
Cookies - I made lots of cookies to take to people's houses.
Zelda cuddles - She's a heat-seeking missile during the winter.
All the Controversies - I weighed in on classic Internet controversies. No, I don't wash my sheets every week or wash my hair daily. Come at me.
The Bowls - I have so many decorative bowls. So many.
The World - It's loud out there.
The Pills - Medications and supplements I take.
The House in July - Sounds I hear.
All the Thoughts - This photo of Zelda is so cute.
Is This Box Bigger Than That Box? - Too much packaging.
Of Love - My husband bought coffee for me!
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Hannah count: 1
Zelda count: 10
Fish count: 7
Carnival ride count: 1
Carnival ride count: 1
Whines about products count: 1
Desserts count: a lot
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So much crass consumerism in these posts. Also, take note, Jenny. Zelda outnumbers Hannah here by a large margin!
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| View on my Monday morning walk with Hannah. |
I have a list of small things I'd like to ask all of you about, but they don't deserve their own posts, so I'm going to rapid-fire ask these.
1) My wonderful friends gave me some homemade peach jam when I was in Michigan. As we rarely have bread products in the house, I am at a loss for what to do with it. Give me suggestions for what to do with homemade jam that isn't slathering it on toast and biscuits.
2) I worked for a few summers as a cashier/bagger and I feel like I have a handle on how picky people are about bagging groceries. I myself am also quite particular about it and try to put items in the bag that go in the same location in the cupboards. I also would prefer numerous light bags to just a few super heavy ones. It's the right way for me, but not the right way for everyone. I will also do just about anything to bag my own groceries including elbowing a bagger out of the way into another lane. How do you like to have your groceries bagged?
3) I have noticed recently that more and more people are using the term "individuals" to refer to "people," as in "I know several individuals who go to Arizona for the winter." I despise this. They are PEOPLE, not individual slices of pie. The depersonalization of language is so harmful, especially in light of the rise of fascism in this country. Do you have any language pet peeves?
Sound off in the comments.
Zelda did manage to get in a lot of the photos! Regarding your questions -- peach jam - you can make thumbprint cookies, or if you are trying to go completely gluten free, I would say put it in oatmeal. You could also put a spoon of it in your tea if that doesn't gross you out, or if it does not have too many lumps.
ReplyDeleteRegarding bagging, I always put my stuff on the conveyor in the order that I want it packed, you know, like a sane person, heavy stuff at the bottom etc. When a bagger does it, sometimes they are good, and sometimes they just jam stuff in there willy-nilly, so I DEFINITELY prefer packing my own. The only exception is Costco; they really can get a lot in the box that they give you (although I also like cold with cold so that it is easier to put away later, but they don't always do that, they do it more by shape). Do I sound like anal retentive? Probably.
Individuals? Who does that? I have not heard people say that! Maybe it is a Midwest thing? Maybe it is an attempt to sound more intelligent? I don't like it when people misuse the word "myself," as in, myself and NGS are going to be at the party. NO! It's NGS and I!
It seems like thumbprint cookies are a thing everyone has heard of but me. I will look them up and see if can modify a recipe.
DeleteOh, the myself thing! It's rampant! It's a reflexive pronoun people - figure out how to use it correctly!
I am typically very happy to let the "pros" bag my groceries. I have never worked in a grocery store, and I think I am only very moderately skilled at doing it. Ha. When I have to do it myself if I use self-checkout, I try to think, Ok, if I were a bagger, how would they do this? What makes sense to put together? haha. I overthink it, naturally. I really don't enjoy grocery shopping particularly, and by the end, I am usually happy to zone out and flip through a random magazine in line and let them handle it. I am happy with self checkout if I just have a few items, but I lose my patience doing a huge cartful myself. The machine inevitably always needs me to "wait for assistance", or tells me repeatedly to "place the item on the belt"....and I'm like IT'S ON THE FRIGGIN' BELT!!! whew, getting worked up here and it's early. LOL.
ReplyDeleteI think doing self-checkout by yourself if you only have a few items is the way to go, but I would never do it with a full cart of groceries. My husband is a rock star at the scanning and getting it to accept bar codes and the like and I'm pretty good at bagging, so when we go together (date night!), it usually goes smoothly. If I'm by myself, I usually let the so-called professionals do it. They never do it to my satisfaction, though, because why would they? Everyone has their own preferred way of doing it.
DeleteI shop mostly at Superstore, where you do bag your own groceries. I just have big bins that I pack everything into, along with some collapsible bags that I use for things that are lighter and don't fit in the bins. So I guess my answer is yes, I do bag my own groceries, but that's because there is no other option. Now that I think of it, even the other smaller grocery store I go to, I usually use the self checkout for the small amount I have and I bag groceries there. The only place I don't is Costco, but those people are professionals. They also use my bins for that.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. At our Costco, they just dump everything back in the cart all willy-nilly and it drives me INSANE. They are the worst offenders, as far as I'm concerned!
DeleteHmm, I have not noticed this individual language thing. Hmm. I don't eat bread or pancakes, but that sounds like it would be good on a pancake. A graham cracker even? I like my groceries in paper bags. I don't want cold things mixed in with canned goods, etc. Because I don't always empty the bags when I get home and I often assume I've gotten all the cold things out of the bags. I'm laughing at you elbowing someone out of the way in order to bag your own groceries.
ReplyDeleteYou don't empty the bags when you get home?! That would be...very challenging for me to deal with. LOL.
DeleteI agree with Kyria that thumbprint cookies are a great way to use jam. It can also go on top of ice cream (you can even warm it up first) to make a sort of sundae. In smoothies? On top of GF muffins? You can also make glazes for meat (like chicken or pork) with jam.
ReplyDeleteNow you're talking, Elisabeth. Smoothies. Muffins! Sundaes! I am on board for the sugar coma you've created.
DeletePeach Jam--I mix it with coarse grain mustard and use it as a condiment or glaze on pork. It's also very good mixed with soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, and used as a marinade or glaze for chicken.
ReplyDeleteIndividual--I use this to refer pejoratively to anyone who I think is not worthy to be referred to as a person, such as the former occupant of the White House.
Bagging--I put my groceries on the belt in the order I want them bagged, and then I bag them myself. My grocery store rarely has anyone there to bag, and they are loathe to bag in someone's reusables. I always bag lightly because I have seriously weak arms. If someone begins bagging for me, I limit my direction to, "Please bag lightly. I can't carry heavy bags. Thank you."
I think even the former occupant of the White House is a person. I think we need to treat people as people. It also bothers me when people refer to criminals as "monsters." No, no they are not monsters, they are human beings who have done terrible things. We need to wrap our minds around the entire human experience.
DeleteI second Nance's idea about using it in a savory marinade if the cookies and such are too much with the GF proviso.
ReplyDeleteI like to bag my own groceries. Although as Nicole says at Costco their people are lightning quick and efficient and there are no bags, so... ok!
What a great point you make about using people-first language! I'll remember this the next time it sneaks up; thanks!
I am shocked at how many people appreciate the Costco folks. They are terrible at my Costco. The eggs underneath the black beans! I need a new Costco!
DeleteJam: my husband would add it to yogurt. I would serve it with a soft cheese and some gluten free crackers.
ReplyDeleteBagging: I am very picky about how my groceries are bagged (bell peppers go ON TOP, not on the bottom!), and at one point I tried to load things onto the belt in "bags," but the baggers never caught on for some strange reason. I welcome the opportunity to bag my own groceries. But I prefer fewer, heavier bags. Nothing drives me nuts more than ten bags, each with three items in a bag. And I never thought about bagging things in terms of where they go in the cupboards! I am just really concerned about damaged produce.
"Individuals" sounds a little like cop-speak. I dislike it for the exact reason you name, although I haven't heard it in the wild. I really dislike when people refer to people as "males" or "females" -- both words are adjectives. I am a female human, not a female. But I think that's also cop-speak. (I hope my use of the term "cop-speak" doesn't seem derogatory; I think these two examples mimic the patterns that police officers use when reporting incidents, and I think police have to be very clear in their communication so using things like "individuals" and "female/male" may make sense in that context but not in broader usage.)
I think your point about cop-speak is right on. The using "myself," "individuals," and "male/female" thing has got to be from that. It's disconcerting that so much of it creeps into non-LE language.
Delete1) You can use the jam when baking pork chops as a glaze with some onion + black pepper tossed into the mix. The flavors will meld.
ReplyDelete2) I'm indifferent to how my groceries are bagged as long as I can lift the bag with one hand. Too much stuff and the bag is impossible to get into the trunk.
3) My language pet peeve is the word 'gal' used instead of woman. It grates on my last nerve and to me sounds intentionally demeaning.
I agree with you 100% that if the bag can't be lifted with one hand, it's too heavy! AND not all of us are sixteen-year-old boys who are usually bagging - think about how much weight we can realistically carry!
Delete-Jam, warmed up with a few savory spices mixed in, makes a great glaze for meat, fish, or tofu! It also makes a good mix-in for yoghurt.
ReplyDelete-I am VERY particular about my grocery bagging. I also do it like to like and based on where it will end up in the house (ie, everything that's going upstairs to the bathroom/linen closet in one bag, all cold stuff in another). I almost exclusively use self-checkout now, mostly because I am terrible and awkward at small talk with the checker, but also for the opportunity to bag exactly how I like.
-Language pet peeve that is top of my mind right now: use of the word "girls" to describe a group of woman. I am watching an older TV show right now where the host uses it all the time and it drives me crazy. He does not address the men as "boys", why is "girls" ok??? ARRGH.
I do understand the boys v. girls distinction, but I feel like women have done this to themselves in part with Girls Nights and all the signs with "I'm just a girl who X." It doesn't seem like guys do that as much!
DeleteI once worked for a woman who used "individuals" (or, in her soft Southern accent, "in-duh-viduals") and it did strike my ear as strange! They gave little awards and if it was for someone in our department, she would talk about how "this individual" accomplished whatever it was, before naming the person.
ReplyDeleteI don't fight it if someone else is bagging my groceries, but I do make a point to empty my cart purposefully: cold/frozen, then heavier things and then lighter. It usually works out pretty well.
A good bagger will take note of how you empty your cart, but a bad bagger is so slow that it will all pile up at the end and they won't know what went down the belt when! It is a hard job because everyone wants it done differently, though, so I try not to cast too much shade.
DeleteI also would add jam to plain yoghurt, or use it as a cookie glaze.
ReplyDeleteBagging, sigh. When moving here first I had a really hard time with it. I should write a blog post about this 😂 It is not existent in Germany (at least that's how what it used to be). Now it really depends on how someone is doing it. Pre-sprting makes it so much easier to unpack and most of the time that is not how it's done.
Oh, I didn't realize this was a cultural difference! I'm going to start asking people from other countries how their grocery stores work! What a great way to learn something that everyone experiences.
DeleteI did notice the preponderance of Zelda photos here!
ReplyDeleteGrrrrrr.... bagging. I feel like grocery store baggers are always on a mission to give me plastic bags. Like they'll pack my things (poorly) in the bags I brought, and then start stuffing things in their plastic bags, like one carton of milk in one bag, a bag of cat food in another- NOOOOO! I obviously brought my own bags because I don't want to leave with 13 plastic bags. Also, I always put my cold bag on the belt first, and then all my cold items. And they STILL can't figure out that I want all the cold items together... that's really my only stipulation. Other than, don't underload my bags and then give me the rest of my stuff in plastic bags. Sigh.
Ha! I don't really want to leave with 13 bags, but I do, I will find a use for all 13 of them, I guarantee it!
DeleteIndividuals— ugh. Almost as bad as “females.”
ReplyDeleteIt's all bad!
DeleteI LOVE that sunrise photo. I admired it this morning on IG :)
ReplyDeleteWell, you know my feelings about grocery baggers... I prefer bagging my own groceries because of it, but if someone HAS TO do it for me, I'd like heavier things in canvas bags, cold/refrigerated things together and for smaller/loose items to go in the basket (so that they can't roll around).
I also despise the word "individual", it sounds rude and dehumanizing.
It has been beautiful to see those sunrises on my morning walks with Hannah!
DeleteOoh now I'm craving thumbprint cookies. You're also allowed to just throw the jam out if you can't find anything to do with it. No I'm not trying to waste food, but if it's not serving you it's OK to move on.
ReplyDeleteIf someone else bags my groceries I am here for it! When I do it myself I'm pretty casual about it.
Yes, "individuals" is a poor way to talk about people. I am in favor of preferred pronouns, but I also feel like our language isn't there yet. It always sounds harsh to hear one person referred to as "them".
Yeah, it's possible the jam might get thrown out. I would feel terrible, but what can you do? I might try these thumbprint cookies, though - I've never heard of them before.
DeleteI'll chime in and say that jam is delicious in plain yogurt, or in oatmeal. I love the idea of having it on brie, that would be great too.
ReplyDeleteI haven't paid attention to 'individuals', but now I am going to hear it everywhere, I'm sure.
Oh, yes. Now that I've pointed this out to you, you're going to notice it!
DeleteFun questions.
ReplyDeleteCan you add the jam to oatmeal or yogurt?
I do not want to bag my groceries and avoid the grocery store that doesn't. Then I do pickup (seldom but did it yesterday) they bring it in bins. I've purchased 3. They fill 3 bins and take my empty ones.
My biggest peeve may be 'lay' when it should be 'lie'. And it should be 'person who' and not 'person that'. And I am starting to get annoyed when someone writes 'further' when 'farther' would be appropriate.
Oh, I get annoyed by person that, too! They are PEOPLE, not things!! (I just avoid lie and lay because I still don't understand the difference. But I know that I don't understand it!)
DeleteI like to bag my own groceries and can't remember the last time someone did for me! (I mostly shop at Aldi and use self checkout at big box stores). Hmm. I prefer something similar - things that go together in the house, but I can handle heavier bags IF the bags can handle it.
ReplyDeleteI will have to watch for "individuals" now. How odd!
Can't remember the last time someone bagged your groceries! That's awesome!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete1) I do not know! I am not a jam person.
ReplyDelete2) I let a bagger bag my groceries if they're there, but I'm the opposite in that I want as few bags as possible since I'm carrying them up 3 flights of stairs. Oh, to have a garage or even a place to park my car that's steps from my house! I will say that I try to group my items on the belt as I want them to be bagged: all cold stuff first and then shelf-stable items.
3) I have so many language pet peeves! I really hate when people use the wrong noun or verb for certain words, like workout/work out. You go to the gym to work out. You do your spin workout. You log in to your blog. You need a blog login. It's a VERY nitpicky thing but it drives me CRAZY.
Oh, I can only imagine how many of those very mistakes I've made here on this blog. Forgive me for my grammar errors, Stephany!
DeleteI confess, I use "individuals" sometimes when describing study populations, but I more often use participants or people, of course.
ReplyDeleteAnd also - the male/female thing is a thing in my area of science because of the need to differentiate sex as assigned at birth and gender identity. So I am guilty of this, too - primarily in the context of my work, though. I hope I am not banned from the blog. *ducks*
I think there are times when it's appropriate, particularly in a scientific context. But the way it's used in "corporate speak" drives me insane.
DeleteI can't chime in to the bagger situation. In Germany there is no one doing it for you It is your job. I was really irritated when I was in the US and they did it. I always thought they want a tip from me.
ReplyDeleteAs for the jam. I also say cookies. Or hand held pies. I also like the marinade suggestions. Let us know what you use it for.
So far the jam is still in its container, unopened. I don't know. Maybe I'll get to some cookies when I'm in the Christmas spirit.
Delete