Ok But Like. What The Fuck Is There To Do On The Internet Anymore?

Ok but like. What the fuck is there to do on the internet anymore?

Idk when I was younger, you could just go and go and find exciting new websites full of whatever cool things you wanted to explore. An overabundance of ways to occupy your time online.

Now, it's just... Social media. That's it. Social media and news sites. And I'm tired of social media and I'm tired of the news.

Am I just like completely inept at finding new things or has the internet just fallen apart that much with the problems of SEO and web 3.0 turning everything into a same-site prison?

DEAR ARTISTS, PLEASE READ THIS POST I STUMBLED ACROSS

IF YOU ARE NOT DOING THIS ALREADY, YOU SHOULD TRY IT

I even tested it out myself, it works great

Every fun post on here that encourages people to have hobbies/be creative always gets an avalanche of "Some people are poor Karen" type reactions and respectfully, you're all super annoying. I've never lived above the poverty line and this is a list of hobbies I have that were cheap or entirely free:

Read books: Go to the library, lend a book from a friend

knitting, crochet, embroidery: Get some needles from the bargan store and ask around, people have leftovers from projects they'll happily give you. Thrift stores also often carry leftover fabric and other supplies. And talk about your hobby loud enough and an old lady will show up and gift you their whole collection, because there are way more old ladies with a closet full of wool than there are grandchildren who want to take up the hobby.

Origami/paper crafts: get some scrap paper and scissors, watch a youtube tutorial

walking: put on shoes open door

pilates/yoga/etc: get a mat or just use your carpet, watch a youtube tutorial

Houseplants: look online for people that swap plant cuttings. There are always people giving out stuff for free to get you started. If you're nice enough you'll probably get extra

gardening: You're gonna need some space for this one of course but you can just play around with seeds and cuttings from your grocery vegetables.

aquarium keeping is a bit of an obscure one but I got most of my stuff second hand for cheap or free and now I have a few thousand euro worth of material and plants.

drawing/art: You get very far just playing with bargan store materials. I did my entire art degree with mostly those.

writing: Rotate a cow in your head for free

cooking: again one you can make very expensive, but there are many budget recipes online for free. Look for African or Asian shops to get good rice and cheap spices.

Join a non-profit: Cities will have creative organisations who let you use woodworking machines or screen presses or laser cutters or 3D printers etc etc etc for a small fee. Some libraries also lend out materials.

candle making: You need some molds (cheap), wick, two old cooking pots for au bain marie melting and a ton of scrap candles, ask people to keep them aside for you.

a herbarium, flower pressing: Leaves are free, wildflowers too, ask if you can take from peoples gardens.

puzzles: thrift stores, your grandma probably

Citizen science: look for projects in your area or get the iNaturalist app

And lastly and most importantly: Share! Share your supllies, share your knowledge. Surround yourself with other creative people and before you know it someone will give you a pot of homemade jam and when you want to paint your kabinet someone will have leftover paint in just the right color and you can give them a homemade candle in return and everyone is having fun and building skills and friendships and not a cent is exchanged. We have always lived like this, it's what humans are build to do.

And all of it sure beats sitting behind a computer going "No stranger, I refuse to let myself have a good time."

Anyway I'm logging off bc I'm making some badges for a friend who cooked for me and then I'm going to fix some holes in everyones clothes.

My perfect mashed potatoes

The secret is in the water; literally, it’s IN the water.

See, when you boil potatoes, a lot of special starches and sugars and stuff leeches out into the water. When you drain the water before mashing them, you throw away a lot of good stuff, which is a big part of what makes mashed potatoes “dry” and bland, even when you add large amounts of cream and butter and things.

So don’t throw out any water.

Here’s how you do that:

First, cut your potatoes into smaller cubes than you probably do. (I’ve left the skins on for flavor and also, that’s where a lot of a potato’s nutrients are, like protien and iron and vitamins B and C, just to name a few)

The reason for cutting them smaller (besides avoiding giant peices of skin) is so that there is less space in the pot between each peice for water to fill, so you use less water to cook them. That’s important because you won’t be draining any water, so you can’t afford to have too much water! For the same reason, just barely cover them with water when they go on the stove.

But! Before you do that, put the pot on the stove with some butter, garlic, and seasonings; let the butter start to sizxle just a little then put most of a single layer of potatoes in the pan and let the brown and sear. Turn them, brown them on all sides, get ‘em fairly dark (I forgot to get a pic here because I was worried I’d burn the butter).

Ready? now throw the rest of the potatoes in right on top, and add your water, give them a stir. This way, you’re boiling in some of that lovely fried potato/french fry flavor.

Okay, so, as they cook, you may need to add a little water, not too much! ideally the very highest piece of potato will be poking just above the surface. Now, when your potatoes are really really soft, mash them directly into the water. Just pull them off the stove, leave all the water in, and start mashing. Trust me. At first you’ll think there’s too much water. If you get them mashed and they ARE a little too liquidy, just put ‘em back on the stove. You’ll have to stir often or constantly, but they will steam off additional water without losing any good stuff.

Now add some salt, and taste. Right?! And you haven’t even put in any cream or cheese or anything yet.

Speaking of which, you can use like, a third of the amount of butter or cream or anything, and they will still taste better than usual. So they taste better AND they are higher in nutrients AND lower in fats and salts! That’s a lot of win — enjoy your potatoes!

Fuck Columbus! Indigenous Rights! And happy Thanksgiving!

Crock Pot Recipes for Fall and Winter

I love cooking hearty dishes, and warm treats in the Fall and Winter, which is why I also love slow cooker recipes. So here is massive list of recipes that are great for this time of year!

Soups, Stews, and Entrées

Creamy Wild Rice and Turkey Soup

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Red Lentil, Chickpea, and Tomato Soup with Smoked Paprika

Parmesan and Tomato Soup with Gnocchi and Chicken

Meatball Stew

Simplest Chicken and Dumplings

French Onion Soup

Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

So Easy Coq au Vin

Sugar-Spiced Pork with Squash and Potatoes

Pasta with Eggplant Sauce

Pesto Chicken Sandwiches

Meatball Sandwiches

Chunky Pot Roast-Portobello Soup

Garlic & Herb Cheesy Chicken Dumplings

Creamy Tortellini Soup

Macaroni and Cheese

Swedish Meatballs

Chicken Fajitas 

Stuffed Green Pepper Soup

Creamy Portobella Mushroom Chicken

Spinach Lasagna 

Cabbage Rolls

Butter Chicken

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

Pizza Stew and Biscuits 

German Potato Soup

Creamed Chicken and Corn Soup

Pot Roast Stew

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Fall Harvest Chowder

Chicken Cacciatore 

Beef Tenderloin

Tomato Basil Ravioli Soup

Apple Cider Pork Roast

Goulash

Creamy Italian Chicken and Rice

Apple Sage Pork Tenderloin 

Green Beans, Sausage, Potatoes

French Dip Sandwiches

Minestrone Soup

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken

Baked Spaghetti 

Zuppa Toscana

Beer Mac and Cheese

Sweet Potato Casserole 

Italian Red Wine Roast Beef

Brown Sugar Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Desserts and Sweet Treats

Gingerbread Pudding Cake

Pumpkin Pudding

Chocolate Lava Cake

Rocky Road Cake

Apple Dumplings

Turtle Monkey Bread

Rice Pudding

Almond Bark

Cinnamon Fudge

Pecan Pie Cobbler

Caramel Apple Pie Dip

Pumpkin Angel Food Cake with Caramel Sauce

Apple and Date Crunch

Tequila Pears

Candied Almonds

Peanut Butter Cup Cake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Spiced Applesauce

Cinnamon Roll Pull Apart Bread

Cherry Dump Cake

Berry Cobbler

Turtle Brownie

Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake

Carrot Cake

Pumpkin Pecan Bread Pudding

Caramel Peanut Butter Hot Fudge Cake

Beverages

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Chocolate Coffee

Vanilla Crème Brulee Latte

Caramel Apple Spice

Pumpkin Chai Tea

Autumn Brew

Spiced Pomegranate Tea

Hot Mint Malt 

Buttered Apple Cider

Snow White Cocoa

Pumpkin Latte

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

Hot Cranberry Apple Punch

Aztec Hot Chocolate

Bourbon Citrus Sipper

Horchata Latte

Chamomile Toddies

Cranberry Apple Cider

Spiced White Hot Chocolate

Gingerbread Latte

Mulled Wine

Breakfasts

Spinach and Cheese Frittata 

Breakfast Stuffed Peppers

Creamy Banana French Toast

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal

Hot Cocoa Oatmeal

Cheesy Breakfast Souffle 

Breakfast Casserole

Blueberry Breakfast Casserole

German Pancakes

Sausage White Gravy

Cheesy Hash Browns

Cream of Wheat

Egg and Broccoli Casserole

Eggnog Cranberry Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Ham and Egg Casserole 

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Pumpkin Bread

Cinnamon Rolls

French Toast

Pecan Pie Oatmeal

Bacon, Egg, and Hash Brown Casserole

Apple Pie Steel Cut Oatmeal

Vegetarian Crock Pot Recipes for Fall & Winter | Spring & Summer Crock Pot Recipes | 18 Crock Pot Recipes | 10 Best Low-Carb Soups for Fall  | What’s Cooking this Fall & Winter 1, 2, & 3 | Fall & Winter Desserts

Tips for drawing folds in clothing by Disney artists Griz and Norm Lemay