Social Media is a Hellscape

note: I (the owner of this blog and maker of wheels) am not into warrior cats! I just thought this would be fun to make

➡️ Take a typing test here (and you need an actual, physical keyboard for this):

➡️ 'Typing classes' refers to computer skills classes you might have had in school; you can also count games or other related typing training your parents might have had you do.

➡️ Across 3 different typing test websites*, the (english language) world average typing speed is 40 WPM.

The heat’s been brutal this summer but we still gotta eat! If you’re like me, heat might suppress your appetite, and the last thing any of us want is to sweat over a hot stove and oven when it’s already boiling outside. Here are some of my favorite hot-weather recipes to keep hydrated and fed with when the weather is unbearable! (All recipes should be un-paywalled).

NYT’s best gazpacho (lives up to its name!!)

Persian cold cucumber soup (if you like tzatziki you will like this!)

Eric Kim’s cold noodles with tomato (infinitely riffable Korean flavor profile — for a creamier and less brothy take, try these cold sesame noodles too)

Vietnamese chicken and herb salad (this is an excellent time to get a rotisserie chicken so you don’t have to turn the oven on)

Radish sandwiches with butter and salt (and in a similar vein, if you dig this flavor combo you should try this Polish cottage cheese dip on some good rye bread or even crackers)

It’s still a little early in the season, but you can never go wrong with a BLT (or, if you don’t eat bacon, try this tomato furikake sandwich in its place)

Infinite iterations of pasta salad! You can use anything you got but here is a template I like.

Assorted dense bean salads. This back pocket canned salad is a weird combo of jarred ingredients but it slaps, this hoagie-inspired one is super satisfying, and cowboy caviar is a classic for a reason.

Poke bowls! Canned tuna mixed with some kewpie mayo and sriracha is a budget-friendly riff on the usual ahi and makes everything taste like a spicy tuna roll, but use whatever proteins you like, this is more of a loose template.

Cold Somen (Japanese cold noodles with various toppings and sauces) this can be a template for pretty much whatever you like with noodles but cold. The thin cold noodles pair well with a tart soy or vinegar based sauces and all kinds of veggies/meats.

Never forget the versatility of charcuterie on a hot day (especially to avoid making the kitchen hot) - for just one or for a whole crowd, help yourself to sliced and spredable cheeses, crackers, toast points, cold cuts, nuts, fruits, olives, pickles, veggies, jams, tinned fish/shellfish/meat, dips, etc. Remember it doesn't have to be overly formal or fancy, but setting up a plate for yourself will help you feel you've eaten a proper meal rather than just grazed out of the fridge (my very most simple go-to is whole wheat crackers, salami, sliced cheddar, and a sliced apple or some grapes - particularly nice to take your time to nibble if heat has your appetite down also).

Sandwitches and wraps are hot-weather friends as mentioned, and outside of the basics like ham&cheese or turkey&lettuce or roast beef or what have you some nice other cold variants are; tuna salad, egg salad, chicken salad, chicken ceasar wrap, curry chicken salad, club sandwiches, turkey with pesto mayo and mozzarella, bruchetta and others.

A crocodile doll made in collaboration with Santaniel Workshop!

Franklyn M. Branley - Oxygen Keeps You Alive, 1971

I've been thinking about why some cow plushies appeal to me and others don't. I think I've figured it out- It's mostly down to nose and eye position! If the eyes are too close together I don't like it, and also if the nose is a big circle or hippo-like it's a "meh" for me, particularly if it has a smile on there.

Cows that aren't my cuppa tea:

Cute!!:

I love them: