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krimimimi

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Everything posted by krimimimi

  1. Well I'm pretty sure sorting the green onions makes a difference in at least some foods. That way the white part can flavor the meat (or whatever) while cooking, and adding the green bits last saves them from becoming mush. It's just that not everybody seems to care about stuff like that. But I'm convinced that seasoning meat while cooking makes a big difference to the end result, and I think texture is also pretty undervalued. But those uninitiated louts scoff, and call it ocd. Meh. We use a rice cooker despite having a very small kitchen. (Basically, if I stand in the middle of the kitchen with my arms extended I can touch all counter surfaces. And I'm not a gorilla.) Totally worth the shelf space. I think it was the very first appliance we bought as a couple. (And our first fight was about how to cook rice properly. That's how I knew he was a keeper. :-)) I also cook rice dishes in the rice cooker, though. Like Spanish rice or Indian lentils and rice. And I even shortcut my risotto with it sometimes. (No one seems to be able to tell, so I figure why not?) I start it out on the stove top, and after the first broth addition cooks down some, I just put it in the rice cooker with the rest of the broth. Saves a lot of time and stirring.
  2. And here I was thinking those must be some magical beans if only 15 of them will keep you going for life... Seriously, though, I think I can only name maybe 7 kinds of beans. And that's including the magical ones.
  3. I wanted to suggest bagels, but others beat me to it. They're on my own bucket list, I've just never quite worked up the nerve to try. Mostly, I guess, because I haven't the freezer space to store any, and it seems like too much work for a small handful. And too risky to try when you're feeding a bunch of hungry guests. So how about Ethiopian food? Chicken Doro Wat, or the carrots and potatoes? If you're really motivated, you can make your own injera, the thin bread it's served on/ eaten with, or just cut corners and use a tortilla. Tastes nothing at all the same, but serves its purpose well enough. Or for non-smelly Korean, as kimchi's out, how about bulgogi? Bulgogi is really tasty. I also like their spinach, but it's fairly heavy on the garlic. DeLurker, I loved your description of how you make your fried rice. Everybody always looks at me funny for sorting my green onions by color. Glad to know I'm not alone. I prefer to use one or two day old rice, because I cook it my "fried" rice in a *very* strong broth. (I just make extra rice on a night when we're having curry or something like that.) I use very little fat in the cooking process, but drizzle a small hit of sesame oil over the rice prior to serving (as long as no one's dieting). That really adds flavor. Funny you say that, because I was reminded of a book I was gifted on how to fold origami that was big on descriptions and short on diagrams... Much head scratching and paper crumpling ensued. I've seen puff pastry done, so I knew what they are going for, but that's just a rough thing to decribe.
  4. Heh. Tried that with coconut yogurt. Got a coconut dairy brick. Oh, those sad days before google.
  5. Kimchi, if you don't live in an apartment. It takes time to ripen and kinda smells the place up while it does. But the ingredients aren't all that unusual. Ricotta is easy to make, and a nice entry into cheese. Then there's always yogurt.
  6. Welp, I suspected I had phrased something poorly when I saw four people had quoted my post. Sorry, if I stepped on any toes. Suboptimally expressed, for sure. Note to self: avoid push button topics like rape and racism (and especially both) if not awake enough to do it justice. Ouch. That was a particularly unfortunate conflation on my part, and I'm just thankful that at least nobody seems to think I confuse protracted abuse with a romantic relationship. (So I guess it could have been worse. Oy vey.) On the up side, I don't think I disagreed with any objections people raised, so I think we're on the same page there. (No need to take me out back and shoot me just yet, folks.) If it needs explicit stating: I am absolutely positive racism is not infrequently a component in rape, and (keeping it atypically short) that racism can manifest itself in a whole range of vile behaviors. That acknowledged, I am definitely not trying to discuss either rape or racism in general, but a specific example, and worse yet: about fictional characters. Short version: I don't think Rose (as depicted - this is not a judgment of other people (real or imagined) in her position) would stick around to get raped repeatedly. (And I phrase it that way, because I think that's how she'd see it.) In show, Mahoney Sr. neither confirmed nor denied raping Rose and/or fathering Wes, and I suspect he didn't do either, mostly for reasons of drama. If they aren't wrapping up this storyline right here and now, I just don't think he'll have actually done it. If he's of any relation to Wes, I can picture it as grandfather/grandson. I think Annalise, with her own past as a victim of long term sexual abuse, is more biased to use that context to explain "hinkiness" - as in why a clearly loving mother like Rose would kill herself and orphan her child. Consider that Annalise's mind went straight to an extended abuse scenario, that her own therapy was probably (seriously) compromised by her relationship with Sam, and that with with Bonnie and Annalise we already have two rape survivors in this story. I think that makes it less likely they are going for yet another rape SL (the fourth if we count Trotter Lake). Those are all my reads (imho, ymmv) on the characters based on what we've seen of them so far, viewed through the lens of the rules of drama. (Remember, this is a work of fiction.) What makes that even more problematic is that Rose and Mahoney are basically thumbnail sketches of characters, and Annalise (in many respects) is a cypher. It seems all (or maybe "all") Rose had to do to "solve" her problem was take the stand, possibly lying in the process. I'm not sure if the (possible) lying or being the person to free Mahoney Jr. was the issue for her here, or that we are supposed to be able to answer that at this point. Instead, she was willing to make herself and Wes homeless and without income and didn't even hesitate to take her own life when she felt it was the thing she needed to do to not testify. (Stop and consider that for a moment - how many people wouldn't rather commit perjury, if that's what it was, than lose their homes and livelihoods, never mind their lives?) Whatever else is going on here, this is a decisive woman of incredibly strong convictions, for good or ill, for whom suicide is evidently a valid choice. That doesn't mesh, for me, with the behavior of someone who would accept a situation in which she was raped repeatedly at least as recently as about a decade ago, particularly for the sake of a cleaner's job. Not without loads of (improbable) therapy. Once again, not judging anyone else, just trying to make sense of what we've been shown here. As to Mahoney Sr., he feels like the kind of jerk who likes people most like himself, and has increasing levels of disdain for all deviations from his personal image of "perfection." So rich white male of whatever religion is splendid, and the rest of the universe is increasingly rubbish, like poor black female Rose. But I also read Mahoney foremost as a pragmatist, in as much as he was willing to hire Annalise if he felt that would likely lead to success. Not trying to dispute his racism, I'd just bet it goes further than that to include sexism and classism (and more), but that these ultimately aren't permitted to manifest in ways that might be inopportune for him. I bet he has to win, above all else. Where I could picture those two types intersecting, in particular with their shared animosity, is via Mahoney Jr., and he needn't have fathered Wes to provide that junction in their stories. Basically, a scenario where Jr. wrongs Rose, whatever it was isn't likely to ever reoccur (I think that's very important for her character (ymmv)), his father feels forced to make some kind of deal with her to cover it up, leaving both Sr. and Rose extremely dissatisfied (with themselves and each other) in its wake. That could range as far as Jr. on vacation in Haiti driving drunk and accidentally killing Wes' father, followed by Sr. offering to sponsor Rose's move to the states. Some mitigating circumstance will be necessary for Rose to bend (like if Jr. wasn't sober, or Wes' dad ran into the street to save baby Wes), and Sr.'s machinations here could provided Rose with the knowledge of how far his reach extends, what (and whom) money can buy, and the fear we've seen. But that's probably spec for next year. Anyway, I thought the reasoning was solid enough, and the probabilities good. Eager to see how it actually unfolds. This is an excellent point. It's pretty much the only thing that makes me wonder about my Mahoney / Rose theory. Ultimately, when the Lila/Frank reveal came, a lot of people were surprised, and I think for many viewers what stuck was "Frank killed Lila." So much so, that regularly somebody or another here (various people) reminds others that Sam ordered it, because that part sort of fades (in part, no doubt, because Sam's dead). Which is why a scenario where Jr. raped Rose suddenly becomes more likely than it would otherwise. Annalise may have good cynical instincts, but they aren't necessarily enough to get it quite right. (She hadn't even known about Lila and Sam, for instance.)
  7. I appreciated Asher's apology. He can be a complete ass sometimes, but that is the most gratitude and self awareness any of the K5 have shown so far, I think. If their sense of entitlement bugs me so much, I have to acknowledge Asher in that scene. Changes nothing, but still. What are the chances that Michaela didn't hang up the call to Caleb properly? Her dancing was extremely cringe worthy. Painful to watch. Great job with that scene. I figure Papa Maloney isn't Wes's father, but his grandfather. With his racism, I just don't see him having any kind of relationship with Rose, and assume part of his dislike stems from anger that his son did. (Annalise accused him, but he neither confirmed nor denied it.) Not sure if that means the sex between Maloney Jr. and Rose was consensual or not. I'd guess it was, because if she was willing to go to such extremes to not lie for them, I can't see her taking a pittance of a handout and working for them as a cleaner if she'd been raped. And then Maloney Sr. probably treated her badly in the wake of her pregnancy, hence her hatred and fear. I'll be sorry if this means an expanded role for Wes next fall, unless they start things off by showing his inevitable death. Then I can struggle through a Wes heavy season. Have to disagree with you guys on wanting Frank to come further clean with Laurel. That ship seems to have sailed. She's not believing him anyway, and the less she knows, the better off he is. This way when she spills, as she did, it causes more WTFery. I still like that he decided to confess to her something that involved none of the others. Like not that he drugged Catherine, or splattered her with blood, or buried Rebecca, which ultimately all are primarily about other people's crimes. Wasn't that in the flashback? I assumed the point was to show he's always been a bit of a player/dog, but that he's matured a lot, come more into his own and has more self confidence. I think his acting in the flashbacks is great. You really see a difference.
  8. Thanks, harrie, I was sure ricotta filled calzones were a thing. The local pizzerias make their calzones only with tomato sauce, so maybe it is regional. I was beginning to wonder. I miss cheese steaks. Haven't had one in forever. Never made one myself, wonder if that's particularly doable... Some foods you just always purchase. Talky Tina's talk of pizza inspired me, so that's what I made tonight. Pepperoni, olive and mushroom. We managed to find some pepperoni that actually looks like pepperoni (instead of salami) for once. Served with extra tomato sauce for dipping, because you can never have enough tomatoes.
  9. So the dog was out of sorts. Not so you could describe it in a useful fashion, but pet owners will know what I mean. She was being unusually clingy and odd and listless and sleepy, didn't move around like usual, just rolled up in her bed for prolonged naps. She's a three year old German Shepherd, and she normally moves around a lot. (Spoilers: seems she was battling a virus and should be fine soon.) After two days of this, we decided to brave the vets. That's a huge thing, because after an injury to her paw that required surgery, the approach of the vets involved was to keep her on virtually no pain pills so she wouldn't move around as much. That worked, but it was apparently very painful, and she's neither forgotten nor forgiven, so trips to the vet now *really* suck. By this point she had a fever, but the vet couldn't tell what was wrong, because the symptoms hadn't progressed enough. So she offers to do a blood test. At this rate, it was likely that we'd be back to do one in a day or two, and we hate going to the vet now about as much as the poor dog, so we sigh and agree to fork over the extra cash, and she gives the dog a shot to sink her fever and for aches pains. We pay a small fortune and leave, and within the hour, the dog is feeling visibly better. So much so, in fact, that she then proceeds to eat the kitchen compost. *sigh* Yeah, because *that's* good for her. Hasn't done it since she was a pup. I guess this was partly in protest for the trip to the vet's. Needed that like a hole in the head.
  10. MissLucas, I think the shaky cam was particularly odd this ep, because they kept cutting quickly between all close ups in shaky, and thankfully steady for the broader shots, and it felt bizarre. Even more so, because it was used in utterly non-active scenes. Grouped around a monitor! Oooh! Also BLID = TTG. The one who originally said not to trust "them" was the (other, more heavily) "bearded guy" who got shot at Jane's apartment. Took me a moment to recognize Reade without a suit. (I was moderately sure they were grafted on.) While I appreciate anything likely to flesh out characters, not sure Weller's family was what I meant. I'll wait and see. I thought I'd missed something there, too, it was so out of left field, but decided that was the point of the "not telling his/her *name*" scene. Which was odd anyway. I wouldn't care about a name I've never heard, so I'd have asked who the person *is* (what they're like, what they do). The name only mattered in Kurt's case, because his sister would have recognized it. I found the scene with Weller and his father dramatic, but I wasn't sure it was the truth, because of a couple of emotional flip flops. I suspect the subject material warrants flip flopping, but the actor always delivers with a side of hinky.
  11. I have one friend who insists on doing a three cheek air kiss smooch thing that drives me nuts. (Seriously, what is that called?) Mostly because I can never remember if I'm supposed to go left right left, or right left right. 20 years ago at a street festival, an older drunk guy in the crowd popped up in front of me and dragged me off into a parade for what was apparently supposed to be a foxtrot. I haven't a clue how to foxtrot, and pretty much felt like a rag doll. (He couldn't believe I didn't know standard dances, and I couldn't believe anyone would.) I haven't forgotten that feeling, and those multi cheek air kiss smooch things come pretty darn close. His wife is French, and even she doesn't do that. I know a couple of people who will do one or two cheeks. Three seems inflationary. But like many others here, I keep schtumm and wait for it to pass. (Close your eyes and think of England.) I think it's too late in the game to try to pass myself off as a nose squeezer, or something. They're not going to buy a sudden reversal. backformore, I'm glad to know I'm not the only person who finds the hugging logistics overly complicated. Nutmeg, thanks for providing some food for thought. I tend to tell boys they're handsome and girls that they are smart. I guess I never considered that self-confidence is a multifaceted thing. I guess it's time for me to rethink that.
  12. Well, that was slightly improved. Guess they wouldn't have integrated Gaius Charles' character anyway, so his death probably serves the story better than his life would have. SS/Weller is mumbling less. and. not. constantly. breaking. up his speech. That sure helps. I don't think I was asking for much to want that gone. Can't imagine why it was there in the first place. I can't think of a single RL person or TV character who does that. It was just bizarre. Now if they can just dial back the shaky cam... I honestly don't care much about fight scenes, they're when I check my mail, but if you need to include them, I prefer better camera work. I always assumed the crappy jump cuts are to eliminate the need for anyone to actually be able to do the stuff they're pretending to show, and to make the job of capturing it cheaper. Oh, look, it's an elbow! How dynamic! Would anybody actually object if they did less, but that stuff was better quality? Ah, yes. The Mad Scientist's Super Secret (except for to BLID's group) Build a Better Super Soldier Serum. The screen listed amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, opiates and ZIP. Dr. Borden and Patterson said there were stimulants and anesthetics, steroids to make him stronger, ephedrine to "sharpen mental acuity," and I guess ZIP (which might be made up?, but is the reason they think it might be linked to Jane, because that's what caused her amnesia) is supposed to be dampening his fear as a mood altering substance. I guess it's better than going with "gorilla hormones." Except it didn't work on the others, it just rendered them comatose. And the one it "worked" on, seemed pretty damn out of it and seriously unfocused to me. And he's probably a mutant. So they needed to find out why he wasn't in a coma, in order to recreate his seriously unfocused fight or flight state... Honestly, the more I think about it, the less sense it makes.
  13. Boy, I enjoyed that. Had never heard of the books. Frequently I find things placed in the south annoying because of the accents (NCIS NOLA, Agent Pride *cough*), did not notice myself getting annoyed here at all. Might have been some of the engaging performances, or maybe they didn't get it so terribly wrong. Completely didn't recognize Purefoy/Hap, which is great, because I can't forget the mess that was "the Following" and how disappointing it was. I was thrilled to see MKW/Leonard again in something I think I'll want to watch. I adored him as Omar. Leonard reminded me of Omar (from "the Wire") in some respects, other than the obvious gay, black male, without feeling like a re-tread of the character. With Omar, I was always half holding my breath that he wouldn't make it out alive. With Leonard, I'm more optimistic. (And he's certainly aged well. Looking better than Dominic West, say.) I was amused that for one actor it was unrecognizablity that worked for me and for the other the exact opposite. I didn't necessarily need more time to get to know the guys before Trudy came along, but less time in a clump with Trudy and Hap at that stage of the game, but I guess it paid off. I felt that dragged while watching it, doubted I'd come to like her as much as the men, and would rather have spent more time with Leonard. As it was though, I didn't know Leonard was gay, and the scene with his uncle carried more weight for me this way. I think they'd have given it away had they put in a meaningful scene with Leonard earlier. I figure other people in their lives are pretty much either family or lovers, because the kind of friendship those men have doesn't leave much room for other (equal) friends. And I'm betting, the way Leonard cared about his abusive uncle, and because the cop brought him to Leonard in the first place, that he hasn't got a whole lot of other family. And the Hap/Trudy scenes at the beginning, even if they dragged, *did* help me think of Hap as less of a fool than I might have just going off Leonard's gut response to Trudy. Looking forward to seeing the rest.
  14. So harrie had mentioned ricotta, and I had suggested calzones to DeLurker as a low dish count dish (two bowls and parchment paper), so Thursday I decided that sounded yummy combined, and tried out a new recipe inspired by the pampered chef. It turns out Mr. Mimi doesn't think calzones should be filled with Ricotta. It amazes me that you can continue to learn things about a person after all this time. Guess it's back to tomato sauce next time. But then I could just save on dough and stick to making pizza. Does anybody have a (non-ricotta filled) calzone recipe where they think the resulting calzone really differentiates itself from pizza? It needs to work hard to justify the extra carbs. Friday was Mussels with Old Bay. I'm sure there was other food involved, but who noticed? We used to make sauces and things, and it's funny that it's become increasingly streamlined over the years. A couple of times a year, we just do mussels with friends. Saturday, sweet and savory Buttermilk waffles, for dinner, because my inner five year old occasionally just grabs the reins. Served with cottage cheese and fruit preserves (his) or mozzarella and smoked ham (hers). Sunday a Dagwood of a Club Sandwich, a couple of inches thick, because having mentioned them, I could no longer get them off of my mind. I try to fit a whole salad in there, so they get pretty lofty. Have to make my own mayo because of allergies, but the plus side is it's fresh, very low in cholesterol and has fewer calories than the regular stuff would. (It basically relies on milk, canola and dijon mustard.) While I don't remember what real mayo tastes like, "normal" people say they can't tell anything's missing, which comforts me. And last night we had a cottage pie. If you're unfamiliar with it, it's English and sort of like a Bolognese made with Worcestershire sauce covered in herbed mashed potatoes and cheddar. Comfort food. I cheat and use instant potatoes, because to be honest, they're better than mine. I just add chives and freshly ground pepper, and reduce the liquid to 3/4s to get the right consistency. Not sure if we'll eat the other half today or tomorrow. I really like how for the leftovers, the potatoes have wicked up some of the tomato sauce, and it sort of changes how everything tastes, despite being the same ingredients as before. I think it's the only thing besides Virgin Mary's that I use Worcestershire for, but I really like that taste here. I also smuggle in a lot of grated carrots. My husband remarked that I am always more pleased with one of my recipes if I can up the carrot count without anyone noticing. I'd argue that that's "vegetables" in general, and not "carrots" in specific, but he's not wrong. I had just sort of hoped he hadn't noticed. Need to work on my poker face. (Apparently I grin more when serving if I increased the veggies. My mental image as he described it was sort of like a big orange cat with canary feathers sticking out of her mouth.)
  15. Terrorist?!? *blinkblinkblink*(microscopic satellite engineer? hostage?? internal affairs mustache twirler!)
  16. I thought Snyder very quickly went to a place where he threatened Will & Beau, and he's pulled that with Will before. If this were a carrot and stick model, he keeps yanking the carrot out of reach and threatening to use the stick. You can't keep reversing yourself and expect people to keep on keeping on. They'll lose hope and rebel. I thought it would have made more sense to fork over the kid (if possible) and then just obliquely threaten the family every once and again to ensure compliance. Prove your worth in a real way (it's not like they weren't surviving before) while providing Will with even more to lose. I also thought some of whatever Will had going on this ep, besides feeling betrayed by his wife and possibly stupid for having been duped, would have been flat out rage directed at her. This is a society where the resistance seems to have next to no chance at the moment. (Not saying they shouldn't try, just saying much of what they've done makes anti-sense. Info gathering seems a smarter tack.) And getting caught in the resistance apparently carries a death sentence for the family members. If my husband made a unilateral decision that put not only my life but those of our (theoretical) children at risk without telling me, and was as incompetent as fucking Lori to boot, I would be beyond livid. Keep in mind Will told her about collaborating and was doing so to try to save one of their children. She's just ineffectually pursuing an ideal while putting *all* of them at great risk.
  17. Oh, don't be silly. I'm sure there's a rune for it. *sigh* (No no, clearly made of stupid, just like all the unflappable extras in the institute that never move, even when under attack. Show, it's okay to use another actor. Less of the parents might free up some budget.)
  18. I think I like that they show the bong because I'm uncomfortable with it. I have much the same reaction to the bong that you do, and I really liked the way they built up to it. There was an ep where his sister visited and smoked, but Brian didn't, and I remember making allowances that he might have just had it from back when and was sentimental. I mean, Brian didn't actually use it, right? And then they go and have him use it. Because I'm not supposed to lie to myself here. Between that and Boyle's frequently expressed misgivings, they are making me question aspects of this premise that pragmatism, regular exposure and simple laziness might allow me to ignore. For me it helps explain why Brian is so on board with using NZT. Unlike the other users we were shown, he's not goal oriented. He's not making a killing in the market or becoming a super soldier/agent. He's having fun with Play-doh. (I see his Sherlocking as more goofy and in some respects incidental.) So beyond the threats to his well being (Morra) or continued freedom (the deal with the FBI), this helps explain why he isn't devoting every spare minute to figuring out how to get out of this. He's enjoying himself. And it makes me question NZT more, which I think I should. Or wouldn't the logical extension of things otherwise be: antidotes and NZT for all! (Or at least a privileged few, or those who can afford it.) And if that were really considered a good development for society, why do we ban blood doping or (pushing things further) even outright doping in sports? If I'm not okay with doping, I really should be right there with Boyle, and not be okay with NZT. Which doesn't mean that as long as I keep sight of that I can't enjoy watching Brian play.
  19. I had forgotten about the flashbacks. *shudder* Yeah. I'm not sure about the characters here, though. I really like MJB/Mayfair and Mayfair is frequently appealing, but I think they have me looking too closely to see if she's shady (between her ex, her dealings with CIA villain Carter, the Lou Diamond Phillip's character, and project daylight) to be able to really just relax and enjoy her. I think that's more of a "my problem" kind of thing though, because I'm worried about someone yanking the rug out from under me. While it was good that she got Patterson back out there to save the team, the whole ends justify whatever behavior thing just leads to more side eying. (That's the reason I quit Hawaii 5-0.) Patterson continues to be likable, but it's a shame they made the person with legitimate concerns about her such a (almost literal) mustache twirler. (What was that thing?) It's the same treatment they gave poor Reade in the first half of the season any time he voiced sensible concerns over Jane. That just gets me more annoyed with Patterson/Jane, so it doesn't work for me as a device. I feel like they've really missed a trick with the shrink here. I'm always happy to see Dr. Borden, but I can't tell you the first thing about him. (Okay: English.) And if he and Jane don't have a relationship where Jane is going to actually talk to him, then he's not providing me with too much added insight into her character. Although I guess her silence coupled with flashbacks is supposed to reflect her stoicism while reminding me of stuff. The problem is, I saw it happen (just last ep) and don't need reminding nearly as much as I need to *understand* her better. She hardly knows herself, so she's hard to get to know. Dark Matter had similar problems with characters with amnesia. I'm not entirely sure how to solve it, but I don't think this is it. And Reade and Zapata are hardly characters at all. Which is sad. I think I might have liked Reade the best (well, second to Patterson), if I knew who he was beyond the only person with a lick of sense or propriety, oh, and suits. That's not much by way of character development. And they've neglected Zapata even more. And reading that, I didn't even feel the need to comment on either of the leads. Ouch. Here's hoping BLID/Oscar ends up being more enjoyable.
  20. Sometimes I feel like I almost understand Rose, but if I try to think about it at all, that understanding proves too fleeting. Much like when you wake up from a dream and can't get the story straight. (There are too many "but"s.) They really haven't given us enough to work with, especially because things characters say can't be trusted. While I don't find the character that interesting (Rose unfortunately feels so much more like a plot point than a character to me), given the amount of discussion here about her motivation for killing herself, I hope they revisit her situation again and provide a little more insight. (She might not even be necessary for that. Mr. Mahoney might suffice, or the detective on her case.) I accept that desperate people don't always have good options or make good decisions, but if this many viewers are scratching their heads, then you've probably lost us and have some 'splaining to do. Thanks to the folks who gave me some insight into Wes positivity. I spotted two things where we primarily differ, that probably explain why we diverged. I think I'll need to do a series rewatch before season three, because while I remember most of the facts of what happened in season one, I apparently don't remember the *feeling*. That goes for all of the characters. They are all so bogged down in their current dark quagmire that it would probably help to revisit who they started out as.
  21. Thanks, Bob G, I enjoyed that. Watching it as a lay person, it was more like: I bet that doesn't work for every possible reason. Apparently that was more true than I thought. It wouldn't be quite as bad (because with things like that, at least the majority of folks don't actually know for sure), if they didn't over do things so much that it's not just the whiff of bull - things positively reek of it. It's not like anyone is forcing them to make *any* of the number of choices that lead to such bags of stupid. This wasn't some long term, poorly plotted arc where a bevy of writers have inadvertently written each other into a corner. They managed to do this *deliberately* in the course of an *episode*. Unfortunately, they insist on treating many things they touch with that level of disdain for logic. I think Jane's response to BLID put me in the right frame of mind for the episode though. ("Well that made no sense...") Fortunately that was right at the start. I'm sure I was supposed to see it as a truth so unbearable to Jane that she literally was trying to shoot the messenger, but they waste too much time on action and not enough on developing the characters, so I don't see their motives nearly as clearly as their stupidity. I don't think that's the way to get viewers on side. I still am not sure (given how I feel about this show) how I managed to quit Quantico, but kept watching this. (I think Quantico developed a dynamic that seemed too soapy to me on top of the stupid and the characters annoying me.) This show at least wasn't as soapy. The Jane / Weller kiss last ep and the rather contorted set up that Jane had to choose(!) between meeting Agent Neckbeard and BLID haven't got me hopeful though. It's like the writers keep taking the things that don't bug me, and tweak them until they do.
  22. I'll be checking those out in my tireless pursuit of the crusty bread solution. Thank you! I sort of miss the very old days when the internet was less densely populated, and Yahoo kept something like a telephone book of websites with critiques of their content. If you wanted to find a new site, you had somewhere trustworthy to find recommendations. Now if you don't have friends with similar interests, you google it, and all kinds of stuff pops up, but it takes a long time to sift through the results to determine quality. (I feel like I'm turning into my grandparents...) Do any of you have a smarter approach? (Besides asking here... lol)
  23. hugging... Well as a dog owner, I think I'm pretty relaxed about germs by necessity. Some of the parents involved in raising me ("modern" family structures are fun) were huggers. I guess I used to be, until I spent too much time in countries where that really weirded people out. (Y'know, when they stiffen when you go in for the hug. Still, better than a straight arm. ;-)) So I adapted, and over time got used to not hugging, and now tend to feel awkward if people do. Funny how that works. Once a year for my birthday, guests hug me. (That might sound sad, but it's not.) Once in a while when I invite people over for dinner I get some hugs, but not always. (And I still haven't figured out the rules for when they do or don't. Usually I hide in the kitchen and just let my husband get the door, so that I can avoid the issue. If they still come in for a hug then, at least I know what to do. Boy, is that complicated.) If my better half has his friends over to scream at the television (I believe they call it "watching sports" and apparently consider it "recreational"), I generally don't get hugged even if I feed them, although I think if viewed in terms of compensation (which we don't), I probably deserve it more there. We used to call bananas "bans," but I'm not sure how widespread that was. And of course it was fruit and "vedge."
  24. The situation with the nun also seemed like too much of a retread of the story with the mother whose daughter had been trafficked (the girl Liv gave her necklace to). But the deal with the mom infiltrating the ring there was a lot like this. Plus we just had corrupt police (adjacent). Ho hum. For a character who has been working with special victims for as long as Liv has to be that tone deaf to the nun's fears really pissed me off. I place that squarely at the feet of plot induced loss of skill set, and the writers should be ashamed. But even if that hadn't been so bad, there's still no planet where taking the nun home, tainting your witness and possibly exposing your child to risk (even if only because the nun was presumably at risk) is a "good thing." And all of that was classic Liv. Sadly my first thought on reading this was: "I hope all this is for Liv to go undercover... in Chicago." I used to like Liv. I hate what they've done with her. (That I continue to watch and enjoy HTGAWM proves that my problem does not lie with conflicted, gray (or even outright shady) characters. So what could it be, writers?) Hated Elliot towards the end, but I too miss him. Unfortunately, the writers always have to take things 10 steps too far. Elliot was fine initially, and at the least, he kept the show from devolving into the St. Liv crapfest it has often since become. I think my enjoyment of the show and the decline there of can be linearly linked to Munch's presence (or lack thereof). Carisi is helping me with that a bit, but I miss Munch's paranoia and snark. I wasn't sure that there might not be some rule about disclosure of relationships. Clearly at the latest if people are married, some form of disclosure is taking place. I agree, but it still made me wonder. While I've never missed an episode, I pretty much go into a fugue state anytime Lewis or Noah come into play and just kind of struggle through. But I dimly recall people trying to encourage Liv not to publicize/disclose/reveal that Johnny D(?) (or whatever necklace girl's uber-pimp's name was (I'm not great with names)) had fathered Noah, and I thought Barba was one of those people. So I felt Barba was kind of OOC in this scene, but that he had every right to be pissed with her anyway. Also from the standpoint of not being looped in by someone he's friendly with. On the upside, this show can still do comedy. Unfortunately, I think it's mostly unintentional, but I hold out hope that there is a rogue element in the writers' room, trying to lighten our load. I did laugh at that. (May have technically been scoffing. Sort of a "Pah!" sound.) But it did not occur to me that it could have been Amanda's place. Splendid! That got a genuine smile out of me, and may I just commend you on your "glass half full" outlook? You are so right. It could have been (and sadly usually is in SVU) worse.
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