What is your guilty pleasure?

[verdandi]

Gives me a lot of time to read and secretly stare at her for hours. B)

You're so cute it kinda makes me want to barf.

[Angel~]

Hahahaha, Dani!

[Pau]

Gives me a lot of time to read and secretly stare at her for hours. B)

You're so cute it kinda makes me want to barf.

lol, thats a nice way of saying it 

[Angel~]

It depends on how you perceive a nice way though...

[Vauxhall]

If I can make people want to barf just by typing words, I'll consider that achievement unlocked. B)

I like DARK eyes.  Dark blue is ok, but baby blue is boring.  Light green is ok, but overrated.  Hazel is pretty.  But dark brown or dark green eyes are the best.

Deep, husky voices are hot.

Let me guess... You were describing your husband just then, weren't you? xD

[Angel~]

Ohhh, give us a description of your hubby!!! 

[Pau]

If i remember correctly, i think she posted a picture of her husband once. Or am i thinking something else?


Curse you memory gap!!! 

[Angel~]

I don't remember....

[verdandi]

Yes, I did post a picture of us and my kid in the RL pictures thread, I think.  That was taken a year ago.  He now  is bald and has a full, bushy beard.

Yes, he has dark blue eyes.  His voice is deepish, but not really deep, nor husky.

Here's a picture of him from my stepdaughter's 5th birthday party back in April (the full beard has been for about two months now, and the bald head for a few weeks).

He looks older than his 35 years.  The Marine Corps tends to do that to people, I hear...

More description....he's 5'6", and a lot stronger than he looks.  He prefers button-down shirts, rolled up sleeves, and usually wears that snake necklace that he got in Japan (it's a real snake and that freaks people out).  He has "crazy eyes" and can stare down dang near anyone.

He actually didn't dress up much for the pirate party.  That's pretty much how he normally dresses.

[Vauxhall]

Define "crazy eyes". O.o

[verdandi]

Evil? Confident? I don't know really...but when he looks at people, they always look away.  Except me, I stick my tongue out or flip him off.

If you haven't noticed, we're not the most romantic couple...I call it Warmance because our flirting usually involves insults, wit wars, and yelling of rude names.

[Angel~]

Interesting romance, but as long as you guys enjoy it, go for it! 

[Pau]

Interesting romance, but as long as you guys enjoy it, go for it! 

true, id say its unique 

[Angel~]

Every couple has their unique things 

[verdandi]

Hehe, thanks!

And occasionally he says something sweet.  Like the other day he looked at me and said, "you're so pretty..." and it caught me off guard so I just got all girly, and he laughed so hard he cried because that's really rare for me.  I'm normally a brash, cussing, skulls & stilletoes-wearing...yeah.

[Angel~]

It's so nice that you can still act that way together! I can imagine his surprise and amusement xD

[Vauxhall]

You guys sound like a tsundere manga couple. xD

[Pau]

You guys sound like a tsundere manga couple. xD

yep~ they definitely do~ 

[verdandi]

You guys sound like a tsundere manga couple. xD

Ha! I never thought of that.  But we definitely are.  Our love is vicious. 

[Vauxhall]

Vicious love is definitely the most interesting, I suppose. So good job.



Guilty pleasure: skiving responsibilities... >.>;

[Angel~]

That's not a guilty pleasure Vallypoo, that is a common thing around here >.> <.<

[Pau]

Guilty pleasure: skiving responsibilities... >.>;

whats skiving?

[Zephyr of the Mist]

avoiding, though I looked it up and it means 'to split or shave into layers' 

[Angel~]

Huh. Interesting definition.

[verdandi]

Crazy Aussies... he should have said "shirking."

[Vauxhall]

@Angel
I feel guilty and I think it's a pleasure. So it counts? xD

@Zeph
Idk what dictionary you used but:

"'skive' (British - informal) from French "esquiver"
avoid work or a duty by staying away or leaving early; shirk.
"I skived off school"
synonyms:   malinger, pretend to be ill, feign/fake illness; play truant, truant, etc etc"

It's the first definition on Google. :o

[Angel~]

@Vally
Okay, sure it counts xD

[Vauxhall]

Of course it counts. :P



Guilty pleasure:
I like my tea like I like my anti-hero shounen characters. Dark and bitter.

[Angel~]

I just like my tea pure, no sugar, no milk, no nothing! 

[Zephyr of the Mist]

I like my coffee when it's coffee-flavored milk.

[Angel~]

I like my coffee warm with milk and sugar <3

[Vauxhall]

@Zeph
Isn't that... not really coffee at all? xD
Soooo you don't drink coffee. Why not?

[Angel~]

Coffee is nice <3

[verdandi]

I like my tea like I like my anti-hero shounen characters. Dark and bitter.

Bahaha! Same here.  Unsweetened tea, unless it's iced tea.  Then I like "Southern" tea: iced black with lots of sugar and mint.  We brew it by the half gallon every day in the summer by setting it in the sun on the porch.

But herbal & green tea never ever ever get sweetener.

I like coffee the way Zephy does...but with hazelnut extract.

[Angel~]

Oh, hazelnut extract in the coffee is amazing <3

[Zephyr of the Mist]

So is cinnamon.

[Angel~]

I haven't tried that yet...

[Zephyr of the Mist]

about 1/2 tsp per serving dumped in with the ground coffee... ish delish.

[Angel~]

interesting...

[verdandi]

about 1/2 tsp per serving dumped in with the ground coffee... ish delish.

Ooooh....I've never tried putting things in with the coffee grounds.  I just put coffee, coconut milk, and flavorings in the blender and whirr it until it's frothy and then pour it into the mug.

[LittleWeird]

I have a few guilty pleasures I suppose.

I actually love watching people lose weight.  I think diet and exercise are two very interesting subjects and I get filled with a kind of happiness when people manage to lose weigh, become thinner, happier, healthier and most of all; managed what they set their mind to. 

Another one is; I kill my tea with sugar. 
I know it's bad for me, but I just want a bunchload of sugar in my tea, and I don't really consume much sugar otherwise as I sugar detox a lot and don't have anything with added sugar. But somehow, I just don't think honey is as tasty in tea, nor brown sugar. It has to be white, bad bad pure sugar.   

[Vauxhall]

@Lil
Lol! *pats* That was an interesting read. The first part was all healthy and then you get to the second and... BAM. xD Sugar.

Bahaha! Same here.  Unsweetened tea, unless it's iced tea.  Then I like "Southern" tea: iced black with lots of sugar and mint.  We brew it by the half gallon every day in the summer by setting it in the sun on the porch.

I can't stomach iced tea. *shudders* It feels so... wrong to me. (Hohoho, yes. I drink my tea warm/hot all seasons of the year.) I can't even handle milk/bubble tea without grimacing, hehhh.

[Pau]

what does tea mixed with milk and sugar taste like?

all ive ever tried was ampalaya tea. (get a tea bag. pour it hot water and viola! tea)

though iced tea is yummy~ 

[Angel~]

I tried milk tea once. Once. Yech.

[LittleWeird]

@Lil
Lol! *pats* That was an interesting read. The first part was all healthy and then you get to the second and... BAM. xD Sugar.

Yup, that's why my sugar-bomb "tea" is such a guilty pleasure. To quote my English textbook of 5th grade; "I know I mustn't, but it's so good!". 

what does tea mixed with milk and sugar taste like?

all ive ever tried was ampalaya tea. (get a tea bag. pour it hot water and viola! tea)

though iced tea is yummy~ 

It tastes, sweet. No bitterness what so ever. I suppose it originated with the fact that I like a very strong tea flavour (since the milk "waters" it out and softens the taste), but when the teabag sits for too long, it becomes terribly bitter.

I tried milk tea once. Once. Yech.

I can agree to that milk in coffee is terrible though. I don't like coffee, but if I have to drink it, it has to be black or else it's disgusting. I assume that's similar to your reaction

[Angel~]

Strange how you dislike bitter tea, but drink the bitter coffee all by itself without anything to soften the taste...

[Pau]

Strange how you dislike bitter tea, but drink the bitter coffee all by itself without anything to soften the taste...

well, there are people that prefer black coffee. also, why is milk and coffee yucky? isnt milk kinda like the same as a creamer?

[Angel~]

Milk is basically creamer :P
I love it! I'm drinking less sugar in it lately though, since I'm trying to cut down my sugar intake~

[LittleWeird]

Strange how you dislike bitter tea, but drink the bitter coffee all by itself without anything to soften the taste...

でしょう！ I have no idea why it is like that, but yes, it's very bitter, but still better than with milk and/or sugar. sugar in coffee makes me gag a little. 

Strange how you dislike bitter tea, but drink the bitter coffee all by itself without anything to soften the taste...

well, there are people that prefer black coffee. also, why is milk and coffee yucky? isnt milk kinda like the same as a creamer?

The taste gets funky when it's in coffee... Not as nice and smooth as with tea. 

Milk is basically creamer :P
I love it! I'm drinking less sugar in it lately though, since I'm trying to cut down my sugar intake~

Cutting down on sugar is always a good idea. If you must have it though, have real sugar rather than the synthesized sweeteners... they're even worse for the body 

[Angel~]

I stopped drinking coffee all together, only when I'm super tired I get some coffee. I always use normal sugar, since that tastes best!

[LittleWeird]

I stopped drinking coffee all together, only when I'm super tired I get some coffee. I always use normal sugar, since that tastes best!

Coffee isn't all that healthy. A cup every now and then won't do harm, but overconsumption will not only make you overweight and malnutrition, it will also give you stomach ulcers.

Personally I don't get affected by caffeine so there's no point in forcing myself to drink it...

[Angel~]

I just love those energy drinks! They pump me up and they are delish!!!

[verdandi]

Coffee isn't all that healthy. A cup every now and then won't do harm, but overconsumption will not only make you overweight and malnutrition, it will also give you stomach ulcers.

You say a lot of things that go against the things we're taught in America.  I wonder if it's a regional thing.  For instance, nutritionists over here say that coffee is good for you, and doesn't cause weight gain unless you add a bunch of stuff to it.  1 cup of black coffee a day is fine because it has vitamins and helps stimulate the digestive system.  We use caffeine as pain killer (it's the main active ingredient in our menstrual cramps medicine), and to help flush water from the body (useful in cellulite treatment!).

Vaux once said that honey was unhealthy because it's liquid sugar, but over here we use it as a healthy alternative to sugar.  It's also full of vitamins and is antiseptic and since it's sweeter than sugar, you can use less of it.  Like everything else on the planet except water, it needs to be taken in moderation, but is NOT the same thing as sugar and is healthy for you (unlike most sugar which is empty calories).

I'm not trying to argue over foods, but just point out the cultural differences.  This is what we're taught in America by nutritionists and doctors and scientists.  It just shows that all information is open to interpretation and different cultures and regions interpret differently.

[Angel~]

We have the same teachings on honey over here. Natural products are better than fabricated ones, or so I'm told.
Coffee isn't regarded as being healthy or unhealthy in particular, it's just there. Too much is unhealthy though, overstimulation of the digestive system is harmful, refer back to the ulcers.

[LittleWeird]

I just love those energy drinks! They pump me up and they are delish!!!

I love the energy drinks too, but I don't have them too often. Maybe this should be a guilty pleasure too, I mean; I ONLY like the taste, I don't even get alert! 

Coffee isn't all that healthy. A cup every now and then won't do harm, but overconsumption will not only make you overweight and malnutrition, it will also give you stomach ulcers.

You say a lot of things that go against the things we're taught in America.  I wonder if it's a regional thing.  For instance, nutritionists over here say that coffee is good for you, and doesn't cause weight gain unless you add a bunch of stuff to it.  1 cup of black coffee a day is fine because it has vitamins and helps stimulate the digestive system.  We use caffeine as pain killer (it's the main active ingredient in our menstrual cramps medicine), and to help flush water from the body (useful in cellulite treatment!).

Vaux once said that honey was unhealthy because it's liquid sugar, but over here we use it as a healthy alternative to sugar.  It's also full of vitamins and is antiseptic and since it's sweeter than sugar, you can use less of it.  Like everything else on the planet except water, it needs to be taken in moderation, but is NOT the same thing as sugar and is healthy for you (unlike most sugar which is empty calories).

I'm not trying to argue over foods, but just point out the cultural differences.  This is what we're taught in America by nutritionists and doctors and scientists.  It just shows that all information is open to interpretation and different cultures and regions interpret differently.

We swedes love science (and a lot of the studies "fed" to us IS from the US) and we also love health. The old coffee that you boil on the stove is actually good against breast cancer, but you shouldn't have more than one cup/day. At one cup/day coffee is more good than harmful, as you say it does have vitamins in it and all the such, but the caffeine is not healthy in large amounts. I don't know about the rest of Europe, but in Scandinavia it's greatly discouraged to use caffeine as medicine (a lot of headaches are actually caused by the withdrawal of caffeine, while the other larger part of the cases is actually due to dehydration - which incidentally also can come from consuming coffee instead of water where the caffeine is flushing more water out) but you can buy the headache medicine with caffeine in a normal drug store, it's just not used much.

I was trying to find the documentary about an athlete whom started a coffee diet of the average coffee "addict" (I  think it was a British documentary, but it might have been American too) but I can't find it because I suck at googling.    But they had a doctor examine him every week of the project, and apart from drinking all the coffee, he did no other changes to his life. I really wish you could see it because it was such a good life example of what coffee do to you in the excessive amount that we (as people in general - especially swedes, haha) are consuming it today, also in the less healthy version.

And it's true that caffeine is stimulating the digestive system, but we use cinnamon and other spices for the same purpose as these are healthier and doesn't cause... diarrhoea. 

And honey being bad is the first I hear of it; it's considered a super food as it's more or less only healthy and hard to overdose.

You know what else is a super food? POPCORN! YAAAY! The best part is that they found that even the most unhealthy version (microwave popcorn) is still a super food! But the microwave popcorn should be consumed in moderation due to the kind of salts and stuff they have in the pack.

So let's eat popcorn and be happy~ 

[Angel~]

Popcorn <3

[LittleWeird]

Popcorn <3

It's soooo nommy~~ 大大大好きです！

[verdandi]

We swedes love science (and a lot of the studies "fed" to us IS from the US)

This...actually kind of scares me.  We tend to find European studies more credible because American studies are often funded by big corporations and are meant to fuel consumerism and benefit various industries more than the general public.

in Scandinavia it's greatly discouraged to use caffeine as medicine (a lot of headaches are actually caused by the withdrawal of caffeine, while the other larger part of the cases is actually due to dehydration - which incidentally also can come from consuming coffee instead of water where the caffeine is flushing more water out) but you can buy the headache medicine with caffeine in a normal drug store, it's just not used much.

Yeah, caffeine isn't our most common pain killer here, I think it's only used in pain killer meds that also want to flush water from you, like in the menstrual medication where it's also fighting bloating.  I think humans are way too addicted to caffeine.  I try to stay away from more than one or two caffeinated drinks a week, myself.  I've seen people go through caffeine withdrawal and it's just as bad as nicotine withdrawal!

And honey being bad is the first I hear of it; it's considered a super food as it's more or less only healthy and hard to overdose.

Yeah! Did you know they found honey in pots in some of the pyramids and it was clearly thousands of years old and had hardened, but was still perfectly edible.  It never goes bad! Honey is a miracle food!

You know what else is a super food? POPCORN! YAAAY! The best part is that they found that even the most unhealthy version (microwave popcorn) is still a super food! But the microwave popcorn should be consumed in moderation due to the kind of salts and stuff they have in the pack.

Sadly, this would not be true of American-made popcorn.  Almost all corn grown in the U.S. is genetically-modified, which is hugely controversial over here. 

[Angel~]

It's sad that you can't trust your own country's studies, when you should be able to...

[LittleWeird]

We swedes love science (and a lot of the studies "fed" to us IS from the US)

This...actually kind of scares me.  We tend to find European studies more credible because American studies are often funded by big corporations and are meant to fuel consumerism and benefit various industries more than the general public.

Ah, I might mention that we do A LOT of screening in the science, and we don't really accept a single study unless it's an extremely thoroughly done one with nothing to dispute really, otherwise we don't really accept things as truth until we get several sources by independent researchers. And say what you will about America, it's a great (as in big) country with a lot of honest scientists, a lot of great (as in good) science does pop out of there too. But never stop being critical of what you read.

in Scandinavia it's greatly discouraged to use caffeine as medicine (a lot of headaches are actually caused by the withdrawal of caffeine, while the other larger part of the cases is actually due to dehydration - which incidentally also can come from consuming coffee instead of water where the caffeine is flushing more water out) but you can buy the headache medicine with caffeine in a normal drug store, it's just not used much.

Yeah, caffeine isn't our most common pain killer here, I think it's only used in pain killer meds that also want to flush water from you, like in the menstrual medication where it's also fighting bloating.  I think humans are way too addicted to caffeine.  I try to stay away from more than one or two caffeinated drinks a week, myself.  I've seen people go through caffeine withdrawal and it's just as bad as nicotine withdrawal!

I've actually never heard of caffeine as an aid for cramps. We don't even consider that here. We're all about ibuprofen when it comes to that (some take "acetaminophen" I believe you call it in the US, in Europe we say "paracetamol") but as a cramper, to me it's about as useful as putting makeup on a pig...  ibuprofen is the only thing that helps me.

And yes, it's actually scary to see people when they're in withdrawal. Sure, I'm tired in the mornings and need a li'l time to boot my brain, but there are people who can't function without the morning hit of caffeine, scary! 
Not to mention their mood-swings...

And honey being bad is the first I hear of it; it's considered a super food as it's more or less only healthy and hard to overdose.

Yeah! Did you know they found honey in pots in some of the pyramids and it was clearly thousands of years old and had hardened, but was still perfectly edible.  It never goes bad! Honey is a miracle food!

I actually did hear about that~ While honey technically can spoil due to incorrect storage, it doesn't rot and if stored well, it's edible forever. And people are trying to kill off the lovely bees! Did you hear what they're doing in Europe now? The EU wants to ban pesticides killing bees, and the company producing them is suing the EU. How retarded can you be? 

Fun fact about honey; if you're having issues controlling that "hunger" feeling that's not really hunger, having honey in the morning will help your body suppress it. It does require you to keep a low-sugar diet though, else the sugar will cancel the effect.

You know what else is a super food? POPCORN! YAAAY! The best part is that they found that even the most unhealthy version (microwave popcorn) is still a super food! But the microwave popcorn should be consumed in moderation due to the kind of salts and stuff they have in the pack.

Sadly, this would not be true of American-made popcorn.  Almost all corn grown in the U.S. is genetically-modified, which is hugely controversial over here.

Even if genetically modified, the American popcorn are still "healthy" as it still contains that one nutrient (it's called "polyphenols") that's very hard to acquire otherwise than in popcorn; if you eat the corn normally, the water in the corn (and all other foods containing it) will solve that nutrient into something else that we don't need; we need to bind it with the water in our bodies. Where as in popcorn it's very concentrated :D

I'm not opposed to the entire concept of gene-manipulating, as it's great if we can produce healthy plants that grows in hard to farm areas (so you don't need to cut down forests to get to more soil...) like Africa. What I don't like is how it's used, in the US especially. The company Monsanto shows pretty well how messed up things are! They want to make ecological farming IMPOSSIBLE! 


This is a fun conversation. You people here have your heads screwed on right, I really appreciate that 

[`Shally.]

That is one huge information. o-o I rather not read, and about what dandi said about Honey. Real natural honey is healthy, they smell really good but when you taste it; its not what you imagine what it should be. I watch it on disney o-o, it shows that real honey actually taste kind of bitter; it may smell really nice and you expect it to be really sweet but it's really not. It's because they add in sugar for a bit of flavor for children to eat.
As for coffee, its generally unhealthy. It gives you energy and stuff but it actually damages your health. I'm not good at explaining, I just know that it's bad for your health. But tea is different, it's herbs cures the particles in your body. But then again, it depends on what tea you drink; some are artificial tea; like Brisk Tea is unhealthy. But herb tea that you buy at the ASIAN pharmacy is legitly healthy. Although tea from other countries may be healthy but it depends on what they use to create the tea. I was told that Europe tea is actually unhealthy, they add in chemical and some drug in them.
You have to admit that Science in America is not as good at Science in other countries. There are a bunch of theories that prove that American Science, especially in the US, isn't as accurate as science in other places. That's why we fail in creating good weapons or defenses for our people. And the way we create food is different from each state/country. Like how the coffee/tea & honey situation is different from here than other places. There is a war going on and we can't even do anything because we lack in brains of science.

[Samu]

Dr. Pepper.
I'm highly addicted to it, unfortunately.

[`Shally.]

Dr. Pepper.
I'm highly addicted to it, unfortunately.

OoOo, I used to love that. But after not drinking that after a long period of time, it starts to get bitter again.

MLP
I love MLP, although I don't really express or show it often because I'm scare people will judge me. :x

[Zephyr of the Mist]

Cracked.com... oh, how you absorb so many productive hours....

And for you Shally, something I came across on there: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muVfidujxRg

  I found it hilarious.

[Samu]

Dr. Pepper.
I'm highly addicted to it, unfortunately.

OoOo, I used to love that. But after not drinking that after a long period of time, it starts to get bitter again.

Ugh, I know, but I want to get off it completely. I'm trying to just drink water now, and it's such a difficult transition.

[verdandi]

Real natural honey is healthy, they smell really good but when you taste it; its not what you imagine what it should be. I watch it on disney o-o, it shows that real honey actually taste kind of bitter; it may smell really nice and you expect it to be really sweet but it's really not. It's because they add in sugar for a bit of flavor for children to eat.

Do you have studies on this? I know it's not U.S. produced honey.  A lot of our cheap honey is imported from China (via India), and it's been  tested and shown to be not 100% honey.  But U.S. produced honey is straight up honey and raw honey (which is what I think you mean by "real" is actually sweeter than filtered honey.  Disney channel straight up lied to you lol.

[Pau]

maybe it depends on the what type of plant  they take in gathering pollen? ive heard that different types of plants produce different flavors (or maybe taste)  of honey.

http://localfoods.about.com/od/recommendedproducts/a/Honey-Flavors.htm

[verdandi]

This is, to some extent, true.  Orange flower honey tastes different from clover honey, which is different from wildflower honey, etc.  But at the core, honey is honey and the differences are subtle.  All honey is quite sweet and doesn't need any sugar added!

I only buy local honey because it helps with my allergies a little, so I don't remember too well what imported honey tastes like, other than a little bit of a plastic taste.  I also keep a jar of raw honey on hand, which I use on my face because it's great for the skin, and for infections too because it's so antibacterial!

[LittleWeird]

This is, to some extent, true.  Orange flower honey tastes different from clover honey, which is different from wildflower honey, etc.  But at the core, honey is honey and the differences are subtle.  All honey is quite sweet and doesn't need any sugar added!

I only buy local honey because it helps with my allergies a little, so I don't remember too well what imported honey tastes like, other than a little bit of a plastic taste.  I also keep a jar of raw honey on hand, which I use on my face because it's great for the skin, and for infections too because it's so antibacterial!

I've been very puzzled by the statement that honey has added sugar in it; I mean, one of the reasons why I never manage to properly substitute my sugar in the tea with honey is because it's not as sweet and honey has a distinct taste (which I suppose could be described as "bitter") that I never got used to.

We most definitely DON'T have sugar added in ours. Low quality honey only have a higher water percentage compared to the fancier one. But I was wondering if it was something done in the US. I mean... I was pretty shocked when I realized flour is bleached in the US, and with actual bleach. 

[verdandi]

I was pretty shocked when I realized flour is bleached in the US, and with actual bleach.

Yeah, but we can also easily buy unbleached flour, although it's mostly by one particular brand, which I've never had trouble finding.  Most people don't think twice about it and just get bleached flour, if they even bother baking at all.  MOST people just buy packaged pre-baked breads and things, which are all made with bleached flour (unless you get 100% whole-grain bread). 

Americans bleach EVERYTHING.  We like our stuff white white white.  I don't get it, because personally, I HATE white bread and soft bread.  I bake a lot but when I buy bread, I always get multigrain because it's sturdier. :3

[LittleWeird]

I was pretty shocked when I realized flour is bleached in the US, and with actual bleach.

Yeah, but we can also easily buy unbleached flour, although it's mostly by one particular brand, which I've never had trouble finding.  Most people don't think twice about it and just get bleached flour, if they even bother baking at all.  MOST people just buy packaged pre-baked breads and things, which are all made with bleached flour (unless you get 100% whole-grain bread). 

Americans bleach EVERYTHING.  We like our stuff white white white.  I don't get it, because personally, I HATE white bread and soft bread.  I bake a lot but when I buy bread, I always get multigrain because it's sturdier. :3

Yeah, well, it's the US, as long as it's legal there are all sorts of alternatives to buy products, but as you say; most people seem to buy the pre-packed stuff that ALL have the bleached flour, and the bleached flour is way way way more common. And I was shocked. I didn't even know flour could get whiter than it already is. I am so thankful it's illegal to use bleach in food here in the EU. For a while I almost thought I'd never dare to eat any baked goods in the US XD

Another thing I'm glad is illegal is pink slime. The nuggets you buy here are nothing like the ones you buy in the US. Granted, it's still the chicken waste and lowest of the low quality, but at least, it's real chicken D;

[verdandi]

but at least, it's real chicken D;

You're a little mistaken on this, which is normal (most people are).  Pink slime is mechanically separated beef, not chicken, and is used as a filler in beef products (at a legal percentage of no more than 25%).  A lot of ground beef used to contain it, but people got upset when they found out so that's not as common anymore.  It is real beef though; just pretty much ALL parts of beef, ground very very finely via heat.

Mechanically separated chicken is white slime, and is created by very finely grinding up the chicken (or turkey) carcass after the meat has been picked off by hand.  Then they run it through a sieve to get out any parts that are still hard.  It contains muscle, bone, marrow, tendon, and a small amount of meat.  It's also used as filler, and yes, does make up a large part of our cheap chicken nuggets.

Nowadays though, since most people are horrified by the use of pink/white slime, there's been a big rise in "all white meat!" chicken nuggets & tenders, made from cut up or minced breast meat.  At fast food restaurants it's usually just cut up pieces of breast meat breaded and fried, and you get the nasty nuggets in the freezer section of grocery stores, especially discount grocery stores. 

I'm obsessive about making everything myself when I can, so I can't personally say how much the quality in packaged nuggets has gone up.  I can say with certainty that most fast food nuggets have improved greatly and are safe to eat if you come to visit the U.S.! Just stay away from the 99-cent nuggets, because they're still suspect.

[LittleWeird]

but at least, it's real chicken D;

You're a little mistaken on this, which is normal (most people are).  Pink slime is mechanically separated beef, not chicken, and is used as a filler in beef products (at a legal percentage of no more than 25%).  A lot of ground beef used to contain it, but people got upset when they found out so that's not as common anymore.  It is real beef though; just pretty much ALL parts of beef, ground very very finely via heat.

Mechanically separated chicken is white slime, and is created by very finely grinding up the chicken (or turkey) carcass after the meat has been picked off by hand.  Then they run it through a sieve to get out any parts that are still hard.  It contains muscle, bone, marrow, tendon, and a small amount of meat.  It's also used as filler, and yes, does make up a large part of our cheap chicken nuggets.

Nowadays though, since most people are horrified by the use of pink/white slime, there's been a big rise in "all white meat!" chicken nuggets & tenders, made from cut up or minced breast meat.  At fast food restaurants it's usually just cut up pieces of breast meat breaded and fried, and you get the nasty nuggets in the freezer section of grocery stores, especially discount grocery stores. 

I'm obsessive about making everything myself when I can, so I can't personally say how much the quality in packaged nuggets has gone up.  I can say with certainty that most fast food nuggets have improved greatly and are safe to eat if you come to visit the U.S.! Just stay away from the 99-cent nuggets, because they're still suspect.

Ah, I thought all kinds of meats were put into the pink slime. Chemical separation of food is illegal in the EU though so we have none of that stuff here. I'm glad to hear it wasn't THAT bad, but I still wouldn't ever buy nuggets in the US stores unless I know how it was made. Well.. Fried food isn't good for you anyway so I should just stay to healthier alternatives 

I always bake everything from the base, and while the pre-made mixtures ARE getting more common, it's still mostly so that us swedes like baking things from the base, with the exception of gingerbread; for some reason we have a huge industry of buying pre-made dough XD But honestly, it's not really that time consuming to bake from the base, but I heard that it's more expensive to bake it that way. Is this true or is it just words of a lazy person? 

[verdandi]

But honestly, it's not really that time consuming to bake from the base, but I heard that it's more expensive to bake it that way. Is this true or is it just words of a lazy person? 

Does "from the base" mean you take all the ingredients and put them together (we call that "from scratch"), or do you use a pre-made mix and just add liquid ingredients?

If it's the former (from scratch), then it's cheaper but a bit more time consuming.  If it's the latter (use a mix), then it's faster but a bit more expensive.  Making a cake from scratch would be more expensive if you don't have flour, butter, eggs, milk, and sugar on hand, but since most people have those, it's cheaper.  Most Americans just don't know how to bake a cake unless they open a boxed mix and add eggs and oil. 

The vast majority use a box of "just add water" pancake mix, which turned out to be a problem for me when at a friend's house and she asked me to make pancakes then handed me a box.  I seriously didn't know how to just add water.  I messed it up.  I don't know how you screw up adding water and mixing, but I did.  I'm too used to making homemade pancakes with whole grains and buttermilk.

[LittleWeird]

But honestly, it's not really that time consuming to bake from the base, but I heard that it's more expensive to bake it that way. Is this true or is it just words of a lazy person? 

Does "from the base" mean you take all the ingredients and put them together (we call that "from scratch"), or do you use a pre-made mix and just add liquid ingredients?

Yes, of course I mean "from scratch". I here present you with the marvellous art of typing swinglsh.   

If it's the former (from scratch), then it's cheaper but a bit more time consuming.  If it's the latter (use a mix), then it's faster but a bit more expensive.  Making a cake from scratch would be more expensive if you don't have flour, butter, eggs, milk, and sugar on hand, but since most people have those, it's cheaper.  Most Americans just don't know how to bake a cake unless they open a boxed mix and add eggs and oil. 

The vast majority use a box of "just add water" pancake mix, which turned out to be a problem for me when at a friend's house and she asked me to make pancakes then handed me a box.  I seriously didn't know how to just add water.  I messed it up.  I don't know how you screw up adding water and mixing, but I did.  I'm too used to making homemade pancakes with whole grains and buttermilk.

So, assuming you deduce what the actual cost of making it from scratch is, it IS still cheaper to make it yourself? Because I keep hearing that "premade stuff is so much cheaper than the ones you make yourself". In Sweden, it's not really that much more expensive to eat the healthier alternatives, buy wholegrain and ecologically grown things. More expensive, yes, but making your own food is still cheaper than eating out (if you don't count time as a factor for money; we have no such thing as minimum wage, all full-time jobs are more than enough to live off of, so picking up a second job isn't something people need to do here).

Like yesterday I made a dish (cream is optional, I just had some at home):
- 600g pork tenderloin
- 1 red pepper bell (Paprika?)
- 4 carrots
- 1kg potatoes
- 5dl milk
- 3tbs cream
- 1tbs soy sauce
- Black pepper

And it turned into 4 adult portions at a cost of $2.77/portion as opposed to a Big Mac Value meal at McDonald's which costs us $9.99/portion. This was a kind of "fancy" meal too as I don't buy the tenderloin very often.

[Vauxhall]

I don't bake but my sister does and, over here, it's more expensive to bake from scratch than to buy 'just add water' / ready-made stuff. And this is horrible for me because I like licking the bowl (cake mix and biscuit/cookie dough, especially).



Guilty pleasure: Negotiating with professors to raise my grade.

[sleepyviolets]

oh god, vaux... you're one of those. -shivers-
one of my best friends is just like you. i want to smack him every time i see him do that

guilty pleasure: marie callendar's kahlua cream pie. ugh UGH can never have enough of it

[Vauxhall]

Heh. But it's worth it every time! I like my grades nice and high. v.v
I only do it when I know it's beneficial though. I just got my entire class reinspected and the administrators found out our tutor was marking us too harshly. Everyone's grades went up an entire grade rank because of what I did.

Why would you want to smack your friendly neighbourhood hero?
(What's your friend like?)

[sleepyviolets]

he is the type to get a high score on a quiz (like a 97) and respond to "did you do well?" with "eh, could have done better" -___-;
also has major control issues and insists things are done his way - even in the kitchen
i'm always over at his place, so i see that part of him reflected in *~everything~* he does... bahaha

[Vauxhall]

Ahahaha! Sounds like a perfectionist. But yeah... no... I always avoid asking people how well they did in an assessment. (I've been at both sides of that conversation and it's awkward as heck. xD)

[sleepyviolets]

perfectionist - yup, you got that right
i just don't ask. especially at this point... i have well passed the point where i care about grades :x
JUST LET THIS FINALS SEASON BE OVER ALREADY KERBLAGH i do not want to take exams

[Vauxhall]

LOL. I hear ya, though I've finished uni for the year. Good luck with your exams.

[sleepyviolets]

i only have two this semester, and i don't care about either of them @__@
one is a really simple data analysis class that only uses excel and JMP
and the other one's a strategic analysis class that should only take a few hours to study for

but honestly i'm just ready for christmas
HELLO HOLIDAY DECORATIONS and PRESENTS.

[LittleWeird]

he is the type to get a high score on a quiz (like a 97) and respond to "did you do well?" with "eh, could have done better"

I'm so guilty of this. Especially because I normally don't study; I just read through the material once and pay attention in class and I always score at leas an A- (note that this was in Swedish senior high though, we don't have collage, senior high is like a mix of high school and collage). Uni will probably be fun and hellish, if I ever become healthy enough to attend it. 

also has major control issues and insists things are done his way - even in the kitchen

So guilty of this too... My bishounen doesn't mind helping out around home, but I'm such an anal control freak that he's not allowed to because he doesn't clean as flawlessly as I do (he doesn't care about squeaky clean).

The only thing I'm more anal and controlling about than the kitchen (mainly kitchen appliances and tools/table wear) is my drawings... and I have them EVERYWHERE. 

[Pau]

he is the type to get a high score on a quiz (like a 97) and respond to "did you do well?" with "eh, could have done better" -___-;

ehehehe....

[Angel~]

he is the type to get a high score on a quiz (like a 97) and respond to "did you do well?" with "eh, could have done better" -___-;

Guilty on some accounts, I just really push myself...

[Vauxhall]

*patpats* It's ok. We all need that little ego boost sometimes, even at the cost of a friendship, LOL. *is really a horrible person*



Guilty pleasure: ignoring my wake up alarm... (But I'm sure everyone does that, right?) Except I don't ever get to hit the snooze button before I fall back asleep for some reason, so it just continues beeping and annoying the hell out of my family. xD

[Angel~]

I do that too, but my alarm of my phone just goes to snooze automatically after 1 minute and comes back after another 4, so it is very convenient.

[Vauxhall]

What. There's an alarm that automatically goes on snooze for you...? D:
How do you wake up in the morning?

[sleepyviolets]

^ i don't.

[LittleWeird]

What. There's an alarm that automatically goes on snooze for you...? D:
How do you wake up in the morning?

Most alarms autosnooze when you let them ring for like... 3-5min.

[Angel~]

What. There's an alarm that automatically goes on snooze for you...? D:
How do you wake up in the morning?

Like I said, it starts ringing again after a few minutes. And I have 4 alarms, so every five minutes there is an alarm. You wake up eventually.

[Vauxhall]

I have come to the solemn conclusion that everything in Australia is wholeheartedly dedicated to getting you.
Even the alarm clocks.

[Angel~]

Hahaha, I think that you might be right xD

[Pau]

Guilty pleasure: ignoring my wake up alarm... (But I'm sure everyone does that, right?) Except I don't ever get to hit the snooze button before I fall back asleep for some reason, so it just continues beeping and annoying the hell out of my family. xD

haha, i have two. one has 2 alarms (4:00, 5:00) and the other has two as well (6:00, 7:00) but for some reason i cant seem to wake up from any of them 

[Angel~]

Why do you have an alarm at 4 am?!

[Pau]

i try to wake up as early as possible to prepare things. problem is, i can't wake up even when i have 4 of them... or maybe i just think i didn't hear them when in fact i just turned it off in a half asleep way? ... 

[Zephyr of the Mist]

maybe try getting up an hour later?

[Angel~]

4 am is just crazy, your sleep is also very important! Try setting it at least an hour later and then let it repeat every 15 minutes. that might work.

[Pau]

o.k

ot: did i already posted sleeping? cuz i think sleeping a guilty pleasure