Is there such a thing as over seasoning your grill? For the last few times after I have cooked and cleaned off the grill I put down oil and let it cook for 10 minutes. Is this nothing to worry about or will it affect the grill?

Are you an international student planning to explore Germany? From vibrant cities to picturesque landscapes, Germany offers a rich cultural experience for students from around the world. In this guide, we'll dive into essential travel tips to help you make the most of your time in this diverse and fascinating country.

Understanding German Culture and Etiquette

Before embarking on your journey, it's essential to familiarize yourself with German culture and etiquette. Germans value punctuality, so be sure to arrive on time for appointments and meetings. When greeting someone, a firm handshake and maintaining eye contact are customary.

Language Tips for Getting Around

While many Germans speak English, especially in urban areas, learning some basic German phrases can enhance your experience. Guten Tag (Good day), Danke (Thank you), and Bitte (Please) are useful words to know. Consider downloading a translation app to assist you in communication.

Navigating Public Transportation

Germany boasts an efficient public transportation system, including trains, trams, and buses. Investing in a BahnCard can save you money on train fares, while local transportation passes are ideal for exploring cities like Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg.

Exploring Cultural Landmarks

From the historic Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to the fairy-tale Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany is home to a wealth of cultural landmarks. Be sure to visit museums like the Deutsches Museum in Munich and the Berlin Wall Memorial to delve into the country's history.

Sampling German Cuisine

No trip to Germany is complete without indulging in its culinary delights. Savor traditional dishes such as Bratwurst (grilled sausages), Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage), and Schnitzel (breaded meat cutlets). Don't forget to pair your meal with a refreshing German beer or Riesling wine.

Embracing Outdoor Activities

Germany's natural beauty invites outdoor enthusiasts to explore its scenic landscapes. Hike along the Black Forest trails, cruise the Rhine River, or cycle through the Bavarian Alps. Remember to pack appropriate gear and check weather forecasts before outdoor adventures.

Student-Friendly Accommodations

As an international student, you'll find a range of accommodation options in Germany. Consider student residences, shared apartments (Wohngemeinschaften), or hostels for budget-friendly stays. Booking in advance is recommended, especially during peak travel seasons.

Embracing Diversity and Inclusivity

Germany embraces diversity and inclusivity, making it a welcoming destination for students of all backgrounds. Explore multicultural neighborhoods, attend cultural events, and engage with local communities to broaden your perspectives and experiences.

Budgeting and Financial Tips

Managing finances is crucial during your stay in Germany. Create a budget for essentials like accommodation, food, transportation, and leisure activities. Take advantage of student discounts, explore affordable dining options, and use public transportation to save on travel expenses.

Staying Safe and Healthy

Prioritize your health and safety while traveling in Germany. Carry essential documents like your passport and health insurance information. Familiarize yourself with emergency numbers and healthcare facilities in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Conclusion

Exploring Germany as an international student is a rewarding journey filled with cultural immersion, culinary delights, and memorable experiences. By following these travel tips, you'll navigate the country with confidence and create lasting memories of your time in this enchanting destination. Prost (Cheers) to your German adventure!
Are you an international student planning to explore Germany? From vibrant cities to picturesque landscapes, Germany offers a rich cultural experience for students from around the world. In this guide, we'll dive into essential travel tips to help you make the most of your time in this diverse and fascinating country.

Understanding German Culture and Etiquette

Before embarking on your journey, it's essential to familiarize yourself with German culture and etiquette. Germans value punctuality, so be sure to arrive on time for appointments and meetings. When greeting someone, a firm handshake and maintaining eye contact are customary.

Language Tips for Getting Around

While many Germans speak English, especially in urban areas, learning some basic German phrases can enhance your experience. Guten Tag (Good day), Danke (Thank you), and Bitte (Please) are useful words to know. Consider downloading a translation app to assist you in communication.

Navigating Public Transportation

Germany boasts an efficient public transportation system, including trains, trams, and buses. Investing in a BahnCard can save you money on train fares, while local transportation passes are ideal for exploring cities like Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg.

Exploring Cultural Landmarks

From the historic Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to the fairy-tale Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany is home to a wealth of cultural landmarks. Be sure to visit museums like the Deutsches Museum in Munich and the Berlin Wall Memorial to delve into the country's history.

Sampling German Cuisine

No trip to Germany is complete without indulging in its culinary delights. Savor traditional dishes such as Bratwurst (grilled sausages), Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage), and Schnitzel (breaded meat cutlets). Don't forget to pair your meal with a refreshing German beer or Riesling wine.

Embracing Outdoor Activities

Germany's natural beauty invites outdoor enthusiasts to explore its scenic landscapes. Hike along the Black Forest trails, cruise the Rhine River, or cycle through the Bavarian Alps. Remember to pack appropriate gear and check weather forecasts before outdoor adventures.

Student-Friendly Accommodations

As an international student, you'll find a range of accommodation options in Germany. Consider student residences, shared apartments (Wohngemeinschaften), or hostels for budget-friendly stays. Booking in advance is recommended, especially during peak travel seasons.

Embracing Diversity and Inclusivity

Germany embraces diversity and inclusivity, making it a welcoming destination for students of all backgrounds. Explore multicultural neighborhoods, attend cultural events, and engage with local communities to broaden your perspectives and experiences.

Budgeting and Financial Tips

Managing finances is crucial during your stay in Germany. Create a budget for essentials like accommodation, food, transportation, and leisure activities. Take advantage of student discounts, explore affordable dining options, and use public transportation to save on travel expenses.

Staying Safe and Healthy

Prioritize your health and safety while traveling in Germany. Carry essential documents like your passport and health insurance information. Familiarize yourself with emergency numbers and healthcare facilities in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Conclusion

Exploring Germany as an international student is a rewarding journey filled with cultural immersion, culinary delights, and memorable experiences. By following these travel tips, you'll navigate the country with confidence and create lasting memories of your time in this enchanting destination. Prost (Cheers) to your German adventure!

As the summer season approaches, dropshipping entrepreneurs are gearing up to cater to the changing consumer demands. Summer brings with it a plethora of opportunities for e-commerce businesses, especially those offering seasonal products. For beginners venturing into the world of dropshipping, choosing the right products is crucial for success. Here are the top 10 summer-inspired dropshipping products that can pave the way for beginners' success:

1. UV Protection Sunglasses: With the sun shining bright, sunglasses become a must-have accessory for everyone. UV protection sunglasses not only offer style but also provide essential eye protection. Look for trendy designs and durable frames to attract customers.
2. Portable Cooling Fans: As temperatures rise, staying cool becomes a priority. Portable cooling fans, especially those with USB charging options, are convenient for outdoor activities, travel, and everyday use. Highlight their portability and energy efficiency in your marketing campaigns.
3. Beach Towels: Beach days are synonymous with summer. Colorful and absorbent beach towels are always in demand during this season. Consider offering personalized options or trendy designs to stand out in the market.
4. Outdoor Games and Activities: Entice customers with a range of outdoor games and activities suitable for summer gatherings and picnics. Items like beach volleyball sets, frisbees, or inflatable pool games can add a fun element to your product catalog.
5. Swimwear and Beachwear: Capitalize on the swimwear and beachwear trend by offering a variety of styles, sizes, and designs. From bikinis and swimsuits to cover-ups and beach hats, curate a collection that appeals to different tastes and preferences.
6. Portable Waterproof Speakers: Music is an essential part of summer adventures. Portable waterproof speakers that can withstand outdoor conditions are popular among consumers. Highlight features like Bluetooth connectivity, long battery life, and durability.
7. Grilling and BBQ Accessories: Summer is synonymous with outdoor cooking and BBQ parties. Stock up on grilling accessories such as BBQ tools, aprons, grill mats, and marinade injectors. Emphasize their quality, ease of use, and suitability for summer cookouts.
8. Outdoor Camping Gear: Cater to outdoor enthusiasts with a range of camping gear and accessories. Tents, sleeping bags, portable stoves, and camping chairs are essential items for summer camping trips. Target camping enthusiasts and adventure seekers with high-quality products.
9. Summer-themed Home Decor: Extend the summer vibe to indoor spaces with summer-themed home decor items. Think floral cushions, beach-inspired wall art, and vibrant tableware. Create collections that reflect the season's colors and motifs.
10. Reusable Water Bottles and Hydration Packs: Staying hydrated is crucial during the summer months. Offer reusable water bottles, hydration packs, and insulated tumblers that keep beverages cold for extended periods. Highlight eco-friendly features and the benefits of hydration.

When selecting summer-inspired dropshipping products, consider factors such as seasonality, consumer preferences, and market trends. Leverage social media, influencer partnerships, and targeted advertising to reach your audience effectively. Providing excellent customer service and fast shipping can also contribute to your success as a dropshipping entrepreneur. With the right products, choosing best dropshipping suppliers in India and marketing strategies, beginners can thrive in the competitive e-commerce landscape during the summer season and beyond.

🍳 Welcome to our weekly spotlight at andrejthechef!
Are you passionate about cooking or just looking to spice up your meal routine? Every week, we dive into exciting culinary topics, share exclusive recipes, and explore cooking tips that will elevate your kitchen skills!
🔥 This Week's Highlight: Grilling Mastery: Achieving Perfectly Cooked and Flavorful Meats: Grilling Tips
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In the realm of crispy delights, few offerings tantalize the taste buds quite like Zinger strips and frozen Zinger wings. These delectable treats, renowned for their irresistible crunch and mouthwatering flavor, have captured the hearts of food enthusiasts around the globe. Let's embark on a culinary journey to uncover the savory secrets and delightful nuances of these beloved creations.
With their signature blend of spices and tender chicken, Zinger strips are a culinary masterpiece that never fails to impress. Each bite offers a symphony of flavors, from the bold kick of pepper to the subtle hint of garlic, creating a harmonious balance that leaves a lasting impression. Whether enjoyed on their own or paired with your favorite dipping sauce, Zinger strips are sure to satisfy even the most discerning palate.
But the allure of Zinger strips doesn't end there. These versatile morsels can be transformed into an array of mouthwatering dishes, from flavorful wraps to hearty salads. Their crispy exterior and juicy interior make them the perfect addition to any meal, adding a burst of flavor and texture that elevates every bite.
On the other hand, frozen Zinger wings offer a convenient and delicious option for those craving the classic taste of Zinger chicken in the comfort of their own home. These succulent wings are expertly seasoned and frozen to lock in their fresh flavor, ensuring a delightful dining experience with every bite. Whether baked, fried, or grilled, frozen Zinger wings deliver the same irresistible taste and crispy goodness that fans have come to know and love.
But what sets Zinger Wings apart from other frozen chicken options? It's all in the seasoning. The secret blend of herbs and spices used to marinate Zinger wings infuses each piece with a rich and savory flavor that is simply irresistible. Whether served as an appetizer, party snack, or main course, frozen Zinger wings will surely be a hit at any gathering.
In addition to their mouthwatering flavor, Zinger strips and frozen Zinger wings offer a convenient and hassle-free meal solution for busy individuals and families. With their quick and easy preparation, you can enjoy the delicious taste of Zinger chicken whenever the craving strikes, without the hassle of long cooking times or complicated recipes.
In conclusion, Zinger strips and frozen Zinger wings are more than just tasty treats – they're culinary sensations that have captured the hearts and taste buds of food lovers everywhere. Whether enjoyed as a snack, appetizer, or main course, these crispy creations are sure to delight with their bold flavor and satisfying crunch. So why wait? Indulge in the delicious world of Zinger chicken today and experience the magic for yourself.

Bring bold flavor to your kitchen with Spice Krewe's Cajun Spice Blend. This premium blend of spices effortlessly enhances your dishes, whether you're grilling, roasting, or frying. Add depth and complexity to your meals with a taste of the bayou. Elevate your cooking with Spice Krewe's Cajun Spice Blend and enjoy authentic Cajun seasoning at home.

I know myself, and more of the situation with him than the one-sided condensed bits I share here. I would have regretted not responding, constantly wondering "what if?"
It's a bit long, but context! Besides.. don't you want the satisfaction of saying, "Told ya so?"
It took him 40 days to respond, as the last thing I said was, "The thought of you is painful to me now." He simply said he didn't know how to respond. That he thought of me often, but didn't want to hurt me.
We first met at an impromptu rave in the parking lot of a local nude beach, and that's where he suggested day of—unnecessarily attached receipts 👆🏾 show my response. Pleased me knowing he spent the night before, day of, and drove an hour 80 miles from home anticipating to hang out with me naked.. just to be denied such pleasure. He didn't wait for sunset, so I cut his time short too.
He noted I was reserved. He was like a puppy. We caught up, then I grilled him for nearly 2 hours, called him selfish and said things like, "I was good until I met you ... Is your hesitation because I'm trans? Not as affluent as your ex? ... Last thing I said was the thought of you was painful. Why did you contact me? It's been 40 days. How do you think I feel? ... I'd have never reached out if you hadn't texted."
Twice I got emotional and turned away as we laid in his truck. First time he tried to spoon me and I said, "I didn't do that to cuddle." Second was harder, with him actually noticing as I reflexively curled up and he started to cry too.. so I allowed him to touch me for first time. I passed out for a bit, tired from work & emotionally spent.
I woke to him still holding me, then had him take me to dinner. Too tired to drive home, he asked if I would stay with him.. although camping had been one of our things, I initially said no. But of course I later decided to stay.
So we slept together.. but we did not have sex–we just kissed. Okay! We made out. Fully clothed, I did not allow any other touching. But I gave him a tease of that non-sexual intimacy he missed so much as I big-spooned him. It confirmed that while my body still reacts to him despite a low libido, mentally the passion is gone.
I left before sunrise for work, then later asked to FaceTime. We chatted tonight for another 90 minutes, catching up a bit, before I grilled him more, finally showing my resignation as I gave him my ultimatum before my battery died.
Oh, and of course I didn't stay up to do my hair. I totally started season 2 of Blood of Zeus while eating my Talenti gelato before promptly falling asleep.. so while neither night went according to plan, I feel unbothered and unburdened, and thoroughly satisfied.

I don't have access to a grill (except maybe a Foreman one) and I have been trying to diversify my spices and seasonings and bought a few Fire & Smoke Society rubs since the flavors sounded so appealing, but I tried using them on some cheap eye of rounds steaks as a test in the pan, but they burn badly. How and on what should I use them so I don't end up wasting these expensive rub mixes if I can't grill?

I am NOT OOP. OOP is u/justathrowaway282641
Originally posted to TwoHotTakes + her own page
Previous BoRU #1, BoRU #2, BoRU #3, BoRU #4, BoRU #5, BoRU 6
Editor’s Note: removed all relevant comments from older posts to make space for new updates. To see all older relevant comments, check out the previous BoRUs above
NEW UPDATE MARKED WITH ----
[New Update]: My family forgot to invite me to my grandparents funeral, but they are convinced I was there.
Trigger Warnings: death of loved ones, emotional manipulation, gaslighting, harassment
RECAP
Original Post: November 14, 2023**
I’m 30s F and caused a major blowup in my family and now none of them are talking to me. For background, my hometown is tiny (500pop) and when I went 2 hrs away to “the city” (15,000pop) for college, I loved it. I ended up staying after graduation, got married, and am happy here for a decade. I visit my home town every few weeks or so, call/text my family near daily, and thought we were all good. My family’s pretty small. Just my brother, mom, step dad, dad, step mom, and an aunt and uncle (mom’s siblings, never married, no kids). My mother's grandparents moved to my home town when I was in high school and were just down the street from us. My family has always been pretty drama free (aside from my parent’s divorce when I was a kid) and we’ve been happy. The step-parents were blended in perfectly and we share holidays and celebrations together. We’re all super close and just the perfect little group.
Ever since I moved away, the topic of “when am I moving back?” is constant, and I’ve always laughed it off. My home town has nothing. You have to drive 30 minutes for milk and bread. 60-90 minute one-way commutes to work. And floods shut down the main road every Easter. I love the town, but I love here more. I have parks, stores, community events, a library! The “city” is great. My family grumbles that I need to move back, but I refuse. I've been trying to encourage them to come here, especially since it's not an hour drive to the nearest medical facility.
Now to the meat and potatoes: both my grandparents passed over COVID times. They were both old and their health had been failing for a while so it was only a matter of time. Thankfully they didn’t catch it, but it made visiting them impossible and we survived mostly through FaceTime. They both passed in their sleep months apart. Both were cremated and kept securely under the kitchen sink for safe keeping while the pandemic blew over. That was 2021.
Well, I just found out my family held a funeral for them and scattered the ashes in my uncle’s maple grove over the summer. No one said a word to me about it. I’ve visited numerous times before and after and not one word. I only found out because my great uncle from California posted on Facebook a few weeks ago that he is entering hospice and was so thankful his health stayed strong enough for him to see his little sister (my grandma) to her final resting place. I was confused and called my mom. She was all “Yeah, the funeral we had in July, remember?” Ya’ll, I visited them for the 4th of July. They did the funeral the 8th. Not a word about it to me. They had planned this for months. Long enough to arrange for my infirm great uncle to be brought over from the other side of the country. Apparently, they talked about it “all the time”.
Everyone is convinced I was at the funeral. They SWEAR I was there. I can prove I wasn’t because Google’s got my location history. My hubby is baffled because he was supposedly there, too, but he had to work every weekend in June and July. Time clock doesn’t lie. My family straight up forgot about me. I’m hurt. I’m sad. And they’re pissed at me “for lying”. They think I’m causing drama over nothing. Nothing I say can convince them I wasn’t there. My family is united in this. And they’ve all put me “on read” until I admit I’m wrong. They think I’ve gone nuts. Either there’s a doppelganger of me attending events, or my family doesn’t want to admit they screwed up. I’m not backing down.
Thanksgiving is coming up, and my family’s been vague posting on Facebook about “forgetful kids” and mental health. It’s so freaking weird and I don’t know if I’m in bizzaro world or what’s going on. My mom’s best friend reached out and said I should just admit I was wrong and apologize, that I’m causing my mom so much unnecessary stress. I asked her if she’s checked everyone’s home for CO2. She hung up on me. (We checked our CO2, and our testers are running just fine.) I have reached out to a few people in my home town to check in on my folks, and they all say they're fine. I even spoke with the local volunteer fire fighter group to see if they could check for gas leaks. Not sure if they were able to.
I don’t know what to do. I’ve shown them the proof I wasn’t there, but they know I’m tech savvy and just assume I’ve Photoshopped it. Hubby says we need a break, and we’re going to be staying home this holiday season.
Edit: I don't know the update rules, so I'll post updates to my profile should anyone want them.  
Update #1: November 27, 2023
Not sure how to do updates on posts, so figured I'd post anything on my profile. Folks have private messaged me and this will be easier I think?
It's 11/27 and Thanksgiving just happened. Hubby and I stayed home. We got a small turkey and made our own little thanksgiving. It was nice. We ate around noon, then watched a movie, and later sat outside with a bottle of wine to watch the sun set behind the trees and neighbor houses.
We usually take the day before off, drive to my folks, stay the night, and help with the Thanksgiving Day cooking. So it wasn't until Wednesday night that my mom broke the silence. Mom called and asked when I was showing up, and I told her we were staying home this year, but for them to have a happy Thanksgiving, and to give the rest of the family my love. She was quiet for a long time after I said that, and I think she eventually mumbled an "okay", or something, and hung up. It wasn't an angry hang up. Just a hang up. On Thanksgiving day, I sent a group "Happy Thanksgiving!" gif to our family group chat. I received a few "happy Thanksgiving"'s back. No one's said anything else. There's been no posts on Facebook.  
Update #2: December 12, 2023
So, I think I mentioned in one of my comments that my dad and I usually talk on the phone every Sunday morning. We're both early risers so we'd chat over our morning coffees and watch the sunrise. Him and I haven't really spoken since this all went down and it's been tough. I'm used to talking to him, you know?
Well, I was sitting outside in my usual spot, watching the sun rise and freezing my butt off, and he called me. I'm not entirely sure how to describe the emotions I felt. It was a mix of panic, hope, terror, happiness, and dread. I ended up answering because I just had to know what he wanted. It was an awkward conversation. He didn't address the current "drama", but instead tiptoed around the situation with all the grace of an cow on stilts. For instance, a simple "How are you doing?" Type question was answered with a "Not good." And the whole conversation would stall out for a bit because he knew why I wasn't doing well. So we ended up talking about the weather, the various winter birds we'd seen in our feeders, and the Christmas decorations around town. Things like that.
Eventually he asked if we were coming out for Christmas, and sounded sad when I told him we weren't. He asked if him and step mom could come visit us instead, and I told him it wasn't a good idea this year. That hubby and I were going to spend a quiet holiday together. I let him know he should be receiving some gifts at his PO Box any day now, so to please pick them up from the post office and put them under the family tree for everyone. He said he'd ship ours to us as well.
And that was pretty much it. No crazy drama to report. The only posts on Facebook have been the usual Christmas excitement ones, countdowns, photos of Santa, silly gift ideas, photos of company Christmas parties.
On a personal note: Hubby and I are doing alright. Our health is good, our spirits high, and we're as solid as ever. We each got Christmas bonus' at our jobs, so we're excited about that. They're not large, but we're happy to have them. We have also done advent calendars for the first time ever. I got him a Lego one, and he got me a hot chocolate one. We're going to do the calendars again next year. Maybe make a tradition out of it.
Everyone please have a safe and happy holidays.  
Inheritance: December 16, 2023
I've received a lot - A LOT - of messages and private DMs urging me to check into inheritance and such. I'm really touched a lot of Internet strangers are worried about me and I wanted to ensure everyone that inheritance is most likely not an issue here. I'd almost be relieved if it was, because then it would at least make some sense. Money does weird things to people, you know?
No one in my family is wealthy by any means. After my grandparents' passed, their small estate was used to pay for their end of life expenses and remaining assets split up. Everyone directly related got an equal split (so excluded my dad and the step parents). I don't remember the exact amount I received, but it was around $5k if I recall. My brother gave me his share, too, so I could finish paying off my college debt while the interest freeze was active.
The great uncle from California has kids and grand kids, and great grandkids of his own, and also isn't wealthy. I think one of his kids makes good money doing something in finance, but I'm not entirely sure. I can't imagine he left us anything, as we hardly knew him. My mom, aunt, and uncle only met him a few times in their lives, and my brother and I even less. Grandma and him were close, but I don't think he liked my grandpa much.  
Christmas: December 25, 2023
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I've received a lot of support through my posts and I'm really grateful. Writing these updates have had a therapeutic effect.
Yesterday was Sunday, but I didn't answer my dad when he called. I just really didn't feel up to a pointless chat, so let it go to voicemail. He tried to reach me a few times throughout the day, but I didn't answer.
Our bestie last minute invited us over to his house for Christmas day lunch (today), so husband and I were busy all Christmas Eve making cookies, peanut brittle, and homemade suckers/hard candies for his kids. Mom tried to reach out as well, but I also ignored her calls.
We had a BLAST at lunch! Our friend's kids are a lot of fun to be around. They got some techy presents from their grandparents (Quest vr headset and steam decks, lucky little rascals) Friend and his wife aren't good with tech, while hubby and I are, so we helped get them set up while our friend played a good host to his folks and inlaws. The grandparents didn't realize that a Steam deck required a Steam account, so we got the kids all their own accounts set up, added them to our steam friends lists, and gifted them some games. We also bought them a few VR games for their headset, and they were off to the races with Beat Saber in no time.
As for my folks: My brother texted and asked if we could talk sometime tomorrow. I think me ignoring mom and dad has caused some kind of upset. Which they deserve.  
Brother’s call: December 26, 2023
Spoke with my brother over the phone this morning.
For starters, he apologized for everything. Him and I are good (for now). For a bit of background, my brother and I are only 2 years apart. There weren't a lot of kids around growing up, so the two of us were often stuck doing stuff together. So we have a lot of shared interests and passions. He's been pretty silent on this whole matter, but still "part of the group", if you know what I mean. I think the thought of losing him out of my life was probably the most painful, because he's always been there. He was my rock until I met my husband. He's definitely a Mama's boy, though, so anything mom wanted, he made sure she got. I'm happy to have him back.
Without further ado, here's the story from the horse's mouth:
Mom apparently had a cancer scare late last year (which no one told me about, go figure), and dad had a stint put in his heart back in January (which I did know about). This "sense of mortality" has apparently lit a fire under Mom's ass to get me back home. But since I wasn't reacting to her passive aggressive hinting, she and step mom decided to go full crazy. My great uncle's health was bad, and he'd been asking about funeral arrangements for his sister (my grandma) for a while, so the moms decided to plan it. And use the event as a giant middle finger to me. They kept all the planning pretty hush-hush between the two of them, so no one on our side of the family actually knew about the funeral until like 2 weeks before. The moms said they'd invited hubby and I. No one thought anything about it. No one thought to mention, confirm, or check with me.
The plan was to scatter the ashes, say a few words, and maybe head to town for lunch. It was a small affair. The mom's didn't even tell the family that our great uncle was coming for it. Like I said, it was a small thing. Barely a footnote. No one thought it was odd because we're pretty chill people.
4th of July happens. Hubby and I are out. No one thought to mention it, as we were all busy celebrating and having a great time. Any time the topic of "this weekend" would start, the conversation would be quickly shifted by one of the moms. We went back home.
8th of July happens. Great uncle rolls into town with a few of his kids, grandkids, and great grandkids, and it's a surprise to everyone (but the moms). Everyone drives to the maple grove and the moms have brought a ton of food and stuff. It's a full blown party. No one on my side noticed I wasn't there, because there were so many extra faces outside the usual group. They did the spreading of the ashes, they said their words, they ate, they had a great time. It wasn't until our great uncle left, and all his side left with him, that they realized I wasn't there. And hadn't been there.
And this is where the crazy went up a notch. My brother says the moms were happy no one noticed I wasn't there. And that this was proof to everyone that I needed to move back because I was so easily forgotten about. Because none of them thought to reach out, right? They basically did a ton of guilt tripping manipulation bullshit and it made everyone upset at me for not showing up. Somehow it was my fault for being excluded. So suddenly everyone was on their side with "sticking it to me".
But then a few months went by, and tempers cooled, and then I guess the horror of it set in. Followed by the shame, but by then they were "in too deep". How do you undo something like this? And since I hadn't brought it up, I guess they figured they would all just stay quiet about it and hope I never asked about a funeral.
That's when I discovered the situation from my great uncle's Facebook and called my mom, who panicked and went with the stupidest solution. Claiming I was there. Don't I remember?
I ended up talking with a few friends from high school, mentioning the situation, and word got back to those in town. So suddenly town gossip and little old church ladies got involved. Was I, or wasn't I at the funeral? Did my family forget to invite me to the funeral of the only grandparents I'd ever know? Or am I just causing a ruckus? My brother said they all just went with mom's answer. Of course they wouldn't forget me. Of course I was there. Of course they're good people. And it just snowballed.
The family expected me to eventually fold. I'm usually a nonconfrontational person, so me sticking to my guns was unexpected. And then I missed Thanksgiving. And now Christmas. With no sign of backing down. And I guess the realization that I could just stop being part of their lives is setting in and my parents are panicking. He's tried just getting them to apologize and explain, but stubbornness prevails. They want to rug sweep, but I'm not letting them.
My brother is upset with everything that's happened. He's realized just how crappy it all has been and he wants nothing to do with it anymore. But since he lives with my mom, he can't "get away from it".
He has asked if he can come stay with us for a little bit. I spoke with hubby, and he's in agreement with me that my brother can come crash in our spare bedroom for as long as he wants. Brother works remotely, so it's no trouble for him to pick up and go. I believe he's making the trip today or tomorrow. Not entirely sure, but I expect crap to hit the fan when he arrives.
On a side note, hubby's stoked that my brother and I made up. The two usually game together, but haven't due to "the situation". He's downstairs right now setting up his man cave in preparation for my brother's arrival. I'm happy to see him so excited.  
Brother's Here: December 27, 2023
My brother rolled in late last night. He'd obviously been crying and when I opened the door, he just held me and sobbed. I'd never seen him like that before and soon both of us were just standing in the doorway crying into one another. He kept apologizing. Over and over again. Said he wasn't sure why he went with it. Just kept saying sorry. Hubby got him all set up in the spare bedroom while brother and I talked. My brother's a wreck. He's always been a big guy, but he's lost a lot of weight and his clothes just hang off him. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was on drugs. We talked for a little bit before bed and he re-explained everything for my husband. I'd told hubby the story, but it was just so weird that hearing it again helped.
This morning my brother was up at dawn making some coffee and getting his work day going. Hubby's off all week (lucky) so hubby made us working folk some pancakes and bacon. So far everything's peaceful. We've decided not to answer any calls from our family. They've been made aware that he arrived safely, and that we are going to spend the New Years together, and that we're not answering any calls until January 1st. They may text if they wish. I'm sure they're losing their minds. Serves them right.
Everyone, have a safe and happy new years! Don't drink and drive!  
Happy 2024!: January 2, 2024
I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable holidays, and may the new year be full of joy and happiness!
Not too much of an update. Things here have been quiet. My brother's settled in nicely and he's a great housemate. Our place isn't very big, but we have full basement and a nice outside patio/porch area so it doesn't feel crowded at all with the extra addition. He's a quiet and clean guy. No hassle at all. He got some fresh clothes from the Walmart, a haircut, and trimmed his beard, so he's more "presentable" now. He's a lady killer when he gets cleaned up. He's made nice with the (very nosy, but kind) retired couple next door and is adapting to "city living" nicely.
Folks back home have been mostly well behaved. There's been a few texts back and forth, as we're not answering calls. Mom mainly wants to know when brother's coming back, but he's keen on staying here for a while. Mom said I can't "keep him" and I told her he's a grown ass man and can do what he wants. Brother says he has her blocked after she ORDERED him to return home.
Brother has tentatively asked if he could stay long term, should he decide to, or at least longer than a usual visitor would stay. Which we're fine with. He has a good paying job and could afford an apartment, but he's never lived on his own and I would guess he has some anxiety about it. Should that be the case, he'll start paying us some rent and we'd probably adjust to give him the basement as his own space.  
Had to change the locks: January 17, 2024
My brother is officially staying with us for the long haul. Hubby and him spent all Sunday organizing the basement and shifting things around so he now has his own area to be comfortable in. He's pretty handy and has also started fixing little things around our house. Our windows and doors have never closed and locked/unlocked smoother. He even fixed one of the closets we never use because we can never get the darn door open. Sadly, he also had to change the locks on our house and get us all new keys.
This is because while hubby and I were out this Saturday, the moms showed up. They'd been calling and texting us all week, but we weren't really answering them, so I guess the two decided to drive over and hash it out in person. They have emergency keys to my place, and just let themselves in. Brother told them to leave, they argued, and my nosy (but kind) neighbors called the police when they noticed the commotion. So, we get a call from neighbor's wife, return home to some cops in our yard, all the neighbors out "vacuuming their trees", and my nosy (but kind) neighbors standing on my porch with my brother behind them, doing their best Gandalf "You shall not pass" impression.
Had to talk with the cops, explain that we were having a family dispute and word vomited. I don't really remember what all I said, and was shaking a lot. Our local cops are really great. Fantastic guys and gals in blue, and took it all in stride. It's really cold here, so one had me join him in his cruiser with the heat on, and gave me a bottle of water to calm down while we talked. They asked if we wanted the moms trespassed but I wasn't sure if that counted as a criminal charge so just asked the cops if they could just make them leave, which the cops did with no fuss. I think the moms were shocked we were taking this so seriously. They didn't fight or scream at us. Just left quietly.
My dad promised me he'd make sure his wife left us alone. "Or else". He said he'd also have a stern talk with my mom. Him and I talked Sunday morning, and he seemed absolutely at the end of his rope. Husband jokingly told my dad he could move in, too. To which he declined.
Not sure where to go from here, but we're getting some ring cameras installed once they arrive. And everyone but my dad is blocked. Hopefully they all just leave us alone.  
Nothing New To Report: February 2, 2024
Had a lot of DMs for updates, but don't have much anything to report on. The moms are behaving themselves. All's quiet on the western front. Felt weird ignoring or copy/pasting "no updates" to everyone, so here's what we've been doing, should anyone care.
Dad got a new bird/squirrel feeder from Amazon (looks like a little picnic table for a child's dolly but has a mesh top for the bird seed. I think it's supposed to be for chickens?) It's totes adorbs. To his horror, it also works as a Cooper hawk feeder, so now he's "fortifying his defenses" and putting up some trellises around it. He'll have to wait till warmer weather before planting anything to grow on them.
We had some ring cameras installed and put in a motion-activated camera that double functions as a light bulb. It goes in the light fixture outside the front door and is pretty cool. Video quality isn't all that great, but it's a nice addition I guess. It does overlook the bird feeders, so I've been watching it on my lunch breaks on the days I have to go into the office.
Hubby and brother are feuding. They started a coop farm in Stardew Valley a few days ago and they both want to romance Leah. My husband confided in me that he's also been romancing Sebastian as a backup. I'm not sure why he's keeping this a secret, but he's pretty smug about it.
RELEVANT COMMENTS
fractal_frog I hope your dad can outsmart the hawks!

OOP: He'll be able to, I just know it. He's used to dealing with the wildlife and having hawks about, but he just wasn't expecting one to snag a meal right from his new feeder.
I told him it was "technically" still a bird feeder. Just....for bigger birds. Which he thought was funny. He said he might make a little "no hawks allowed" sign to put up next to it.

MissOP: keep the updates coming. the moms are so close to folding it's just a little bit more. LMAO also, the bro mance between your husband and brother is so cute. lol Honestly, I think your husband making sure he has a side piece of Sebastian is absolutely the play.

OOP: So far still no word from the moms, but I hope you're right. I would love an apology and for us to begin moving past this. But I NEED that apology. I feel selfish saying that, but I refuse to "be the bigger person" on this. I just won't.
As for my brother and husband, yeah, they're basically soul mates. The two hit it off immediately when they first met, and they've been thick as thieves for years.  

Update: February 27, 2024
My dad came out for a visit over the weekend. We had a good time and the weather was lovely for some grilling and beers. It was really nice to see him again and he seemed healthy and in good spirits.
Here's his report from back home: Step mom (dad's wife) has started to realize she's screwed up. I credit her change of mindset to the fact that my dad sat her down and laid it out for her: she leaves his kids alone, or she's getting divorce papers. That apparently shut her up right quick, because they had a prenup done when they married and I'm not sure the details of it, but it wouldn't end favorably for her. She hasn't worked in years, so I imagine she'd be eligible for alimony? But I'm not versed in any of that legal mumbojumbo. Dad didn't seem too worried about it, so I'm not gonna worry about it.
Step dad was pissed the police were involved in the last "mom visit" (despite no one getting arrested or anything) and was in a "the kids are out of control and need to be reigned back in" mindset. When my dad pointed out that "the kids" in question were all in their mid-30s, it took some of the steam out of stepdad's sails. According to my dad, even my mom looked a little surprised when he said that. So, part of me is wondering if a good chunk of this whole thing is my mom not truly realizing that her kids were grown, and no longer children she could make demands of. Both of the moms have left us alone. I expected my mom to continue to kick up a fuss, but I think the cops spooked her.
There was a wonderful suggestion by a comment or to get their pastor involved, which I passed along to my dad. Dad has since spoken to their pastor about everything. He's a young guy, relatively new to their church, and joked that his first month on the job he had to do 3 funerals in a row and his new "flock" were just dying to get away from him, so he's got a sense of humor which is nice. The new pastor agreed to sit down with everyone and help the family hash it all out in a true "Come to Jesus" type moment next month, so that maybe we could celebrate Easter together as our first holiday as a family. Dad said the pastor was aware our family was having some troubles, but unsure of exactly what was going on, and since he was new, the pastor didn't want to pry. He has also agreed to do a small service down at my uncle's maple grove later in the summer, as it usually floods and is a muddy mess all spring. According to my dad, my aunt and uncle are so over all the drama and just ready to move on, so I expect hugs and apologies from them when we next meet.
Stardew Valley Update: My brother was victorious in the grand fight for Leah. It was a hard battle. Well fought. When my husband exposed his plans to woo Sebastian all this time, it was quite the betrayal. Dramatics aside, their farm is really cute and I'm so happy they're enjoying the game!  
Update 4/1 - Final one I think - April 1, 2024
Happy April Fools everyone! I hope you all check your caramel apples for stray onions before taking a bite! I also hope your Easter weekend was a delightful one.
It is with great joy that I tell you all about our most recent update! Possibly even a conclusion to this whole ordeal.
The entire family (aunt, uncle, moms, dads, brother, me, husband) and pastor met at my dad's house and we all sat down to hash the situation out. As expected from what my dad said, my aunt and uncle greeted us all with apologies and hugs, which was nice. My uncle usually helps host the Easter egg hunts with the church and he brought our Easter baskets to give to us in case us kids weren't sticking around the for the weekend. I'm not sure why but seeing it made me tear up and feel stupid, because it was just a basket of candy but it meant a lot to me for some reason.
The pastor led us in a prayer and talked about forgiveness and such. He then asked us all to talk one at a time about how we're feeling and what we want the end result of today to be. No one was allowed to interrupt so everyone got to talk. It was nice. The consensus for the group was that most everyone wanted things to go back to "normal". The only ones who had any variance off this was my mom and step dad. They both wanted all us kids to move back to the area.
The pastor asked them why they wanted us back, and neither could give a good reason other than "because family", and the pastor asked us if we were thriving where we were. And we said we were. He asked if we were happy there. Which we were. He then asked my mom and step dad if they wanted us to give up our happiness to make them happy.
And Mom broke down and said no. We all had a good cry. The pastor then asked about the funeral and lies that led up to it and followed it and how it made us all feel and what we wished we'd done differently if we had the chance. It was all very emotional, but in a good way, you know? Everyone apologized and admitted they f-ed up and did a really crappy thing.
We all talked for a long, long time and the pastor was a great mediator. Eventually we all reached some sort of resolution and I think we're good now. Emotions are still high and a little raw in areas, but we stayed for Easter weekend and had a nice time. We're going to keep moving forward slowly and try to repair the relationship, but I believe we're well and truly out of the woods.
As for my brother, he's still staying with us, and mom will stop trying to guilt trip him back home. He's thinking about renting a small apartment in our area but we're not pushing him to make a decision. He knows he's welcome to stay as long as he wants. I think he wants to try dating (he's had a few girlfriends but never anything serious) and is embarrassed to bring any girls around our place, lol. He's been going to a few random classes/bookclubs at the local library for something free to do and hitting it off with all the little old ladies who attend, and they keep trying to hook him up with girls his age who they know. He has been on a few lunches/coffee dates with a couple girls, but I think he's too embarrassed by the attention to give it a real try at "dating" any of them. He's happy, though, which is all I could ask for.
I'm not sure if there will be any more updates, as I think it's all be resolved about as much as it can be at the moment. I wanted to thank you all for your words of advice and giving me a place to vent and scream into the void. Please be kind to one another and to yourselves. Thank you.
Relevant Comments
emjkr: What a nice and hopeful update, I’m really glad you stuck to your guns when everyone threw sanity out the window!
But, could your mother explain how she thought this would work out in her favour?

OOP: I don't think mom thought too far ahead. I believe she assumed it would all just magically work out the way she wanted it to. She said she wasn't sure what she was expecting to happen (which I think was a lie, but I wasn't going to push it).

mak_zaddy: This was a great update! But ummmmmm no stardew valley update? What gives? Has Sebastian been woo’ed? How’s Leah? What’s happening?

OOP: Sebastian has indeed been wooed (and whoohooed) There's kids and cows and chickens. The two are still having a wonderful time at the game. They're working on completing the community center but it's slow going as they aren't trying to speedrun and just doing things as they want. I believe they're thinking about going into the desert mines once they complete that bundle, but they're both super chicken shit about it!

-my-cabbages: I don't really understand what you had to apologize for ... but I'm glad you're happy and the situation seems to be settling down

OOP: There wasn't much of an apology on my end, as everyone agreed I had done nothing wrong. Mine was more of a "I'm sorry you didn't feel as though I would listen." Type apology, which I don't really believe is a proper apology because apologies like that push the blame back on another. I mostly expressed my feelings and the shock of it all, and how betrayed I felt.  

----NEW UPDATE----

Small, happy update: May 7, 2024 (1 month later)
Things as wonderful as the moment. Still doing baby steps with The Moms. We're texting and talking on the phones more, which is nice. Very civil.
Dad "accidentally" bought a bunch of hand crafted bird feeders at a craft fair. By accidentally, I mean: he had a little too much fun in the beer tent, went for a stroll while step mom wasn't looking, and stumbled upon a guy's booth and bought "one of each". He wouldn't tell me how MANY "one of each" was, but he cackled like a witch when I asked. Step mom said she's forcing him to give a few to me, so I'm expecting a delivery or a Dad-visit any day now.
My brother is officially "going steady" with a girl. We've met her a few times and she seems like a real sweetheart. She's our age and has a little boy (5-6 years old, I haven't asked) from a previous relationship (The dad's not in the picture from what I can gather). She's the granddaughter of one of his Book Club members, so the old ladies made good match makers in the end. The relationship is still very new and I'm routing for them.
No new Stardew Valley updates. Work has been a little crazy lately and I haven't been able to play much of anything, and brother has been distracted by his new lady friend. So, husband finally started Baldur's Gate 3, and fell for Gale's "magic trick" so now those two are a thing. I expect him to be sufficiently distracted from reality for the next few weeks.
 

DO NOT COMMENT IN LINKED POSTS OR MESSAGE OOPs – BoRU Rule #7

THIS IS A REPOST SUB - I AM NOT OOP

If you wanna make your opinion known on where I go after Networked and His Shining Armor
HungrySpeep bleated;
Hi there! I'm a female Venlil living on Earth, and I wanna talk about my first experience with eating meat!
Let me just say, I will be going into detail about my experiences, so if eating meat is still too much for you, ye have been warned
. . .
If you're still here, congrats! Old school exterminators probably wanna put a shock collar on you!
Moving on
So it happened this one night during a heavy storm, about a year after I'd moved to Earth to be with my mate. I'd just gotten home from work and was feeling terrible. I was cold and soaked, I'd forgotten my lunch and hadn't gotten anything to eat, and I hadn't talked to Lily all day, so I walked in hoping for a warm meal, a couple of dry towels, and some cuddling.
Except, Lily was passed out cold on the coach, still in her gym clothes. Apparently, she'd been ridden hard in training that day and had only gotten as far the living room before going face first into the nearest cushion.
So I pet her hair some, move to the kitchen, get ready to resign myself to some cold salad, when I see it. The crockpot.
(For those of you unaware, a crockpot is Human cooking equipment, a pot in this sort of heated bowl that slowly cooks things, sometimes over the course of a [Day and night]. It's probably more complicated than that, but I don't know, I'm just hungry)
So I kind of just stand there for a moment next to it, feeling the heat coming off of it, seeing the gravy bubble and the roast just slowly fall apart, glistening shreds of meat floating around and soaking in the flavors of the seasoning and sauce.
Like I said, I hadn't had anything to eat that day, and I'd always heard how my mate talked about meat before, how happy she seemed whenever she sat down for a meal with it.
My stomach clenched.
"Just one bite," I told myself, "Just one spoonful. A weird experience I can laugh about later."
I pulled open the cutlery drawer and got a spoon.
"Me and Lily can banter over it, she can call me a Predator, I'll call her my Prey, we can play wrestle over it,"
I took the lid off and the mist hit me full on, a blessing after the strong wind and cold rain, and I swear I could taste this thick headiness in it, made my stomach growl so loud I'm surprised Lily didn't wake up.
"It's nothing weird. There's nothing wrong about it."
I dip my spoon in and pull out a helping of gravy and meat, just a dripping as it steamed.
"It's just a taste."
I put the spoon in my mouth.
And everything changed.
Morning came, and Lily woke up to only enough roast and gravy left for one bowl, and a very guilty Venlil passed out on the couch next to her.
I knew what I'd done wasn't wrong, and it still took me a long time and a lot of help to stop feeling any guilt over it, but it happened. I got to experience something that I was told my whole life was the epitome of evil, that no good or sane person, that no sapient PERIOD would ever indulge in.
And I fucking loved it.
Describing the roast itself; Meat is savory, that cannot be overstated. What I had was beef roast, a thick chunk of meat that's usually chopped up, and served with a side to balance out the heavy flavor. Or, in my case, left to slowly cook and soak in home-made gravy, this thick, off-white sauce that's seasoned and goes perfectly with heavy meats, or grilled and buttered bread as Lily showed me later.
It was hearty, it was filling, it covered every corner of my mouth and warmed me up from the inside out in the heaviest and coziest way possible, and I just couldn't get enough. I never even bothered with a bowl, I just ate straight from the pot, sometimes I reached over to the bread (Human strayu) to get a few slices to spoon it over, usually ended up spilling some on my paws, which were then promptly licked clean.
It was messy, it was taboo, it left me feeling like I had to keep looking over my shoulder after every couple of spoonfuls, and it was the best damn meal I had ever had.
And now, when my [Six foot six inches], [Three hundred pound] heavyweight boxer mate feels like spoiling her little [Four foot eight inches] VenLady, she makes a visit to a nearby wholesaler, takes the crockpot down from the cabinet, and gets out her grandma's notes on home-made gravy.
What about you guys? Did you fall into the meat pit too, and how?
I say again, if you wanna vote or rant about what you want me to do, click this

My husband has been on a very regimented, very expensive diet program for just under a year now. Very low carb, stresses lean protein. He has been preparing meals that fit his diet which, for the most part, no one else eats.
For example, he make a soup nearly every week which contains an ingredient which is disagreeable to me, so I avoid it. He knows what this ingredient does to my GI system, and continues to make buckets of it. I take that to mean it's not really for everyone else, at least not me.
Our two 20-something kids still live at home and will occasionally eat what he has prepared, but not often. If he makes chicken breasts, he sautes them and they are typically so heavily seasoned that no one else will touch them.
He buys power greens a special yogurt and special cottage cheese all of which occupy space in the fridge. He's never said no one can touch his food, but has acted aggravated when he's out of something that the kids decided tastes good.
For Mother's Day, my son and I made a meal together. Originally, we were going to grill steaks, then decided to grill steaks and chicken breasts, thinking this would leave leftovers for us to work with for the rest of the week.
There were four, beautifully seasoned, perfectly grilled chicken breasts in the fridge when I left for work this morning. On the way home I had decided to use two of them to make fettuccine Alfredo with chicken for the kids and I, knowing husband would likely not eat it.
It has become the norm for husband to decline whatever I make and eat one of his own meals, especially if what I'm make contains bread or pasta. I figured he could eat one of the other grilled chicken breasts, or one of the other prepped meals in the fridge. (Soup, turkey burger meatballs, seasoned chicken breasts etc. the fridge is full)
When I got home I couldn't find the chicken breasts in the fridge or freezer. I sent a group text asking if anyone has seen them. My husband replied that he'd taken them to work with him. (All four)
My reply was just the word boo. He replied "sorry."
I will probably let it go there, because I already kind of feel like a jerk.
At the same time though, the fridge is literally a crowded mess full of food he's prepared for himself for his special diet. Why take something everyone can eat?
WIBTA if asked him to check before using food intended for family meals?
On one hand it feels exclusionary and petty. On the other hand, I'm left eating the leftover fruit tray and my quarter of leftover steak on a night when I got out of work early enough to actually cook a meal. Or I guess I could just make fettuccine with no chicken...
UPDATE: I replied to several comments but keep seeing the same questions/comments.
He did not eat all four. He grabbed a Ziploc bag with four chicken breasts on Monday morning. He ate one for lunch. He left the other three in the fridge at work.
We did celebrate Mother's Day pretty much all weekend. Everyone brought me gifts, the adults children and my husband.
The reason my son and I cooked on Mother's Day is because 1) We wanted to. 2) I had invited a young mom to join us because she's in our city away from all her family for the holiday and 3) We have Sunday family dinner every Sunday and my son and I both enjoy cooking and often do it together.
He offered to go get the rest last night - admittedly a half-assed offer. I will ask him to bring them home with him today.
We have had lots of disagreements over the course of 35 years. I'm not afraid of him.
It felt petty to me because there is other food I could prepare, I had just been looking forward to this particular dish.
One redditor got it absolutely right. He grabbed a bag of protein. It's possible that he even originally thought they were the chicken breasts he'd prepped until he got to work. I didn't ask about that.
Definitely thoughtless, maybe inconsiderate but I don't believe it was malicious.
Also to be clear, he's never complained about the kids or I eating any of his "special" foods. Only acted aggravated when something was gone completely that he thought he still had more of.
Much like this situation in reverse. Our daughter likes his yogurt and cottage cheese, our son will sometimes eat the protein.
I did clean/rearrange the fridge so all of "his" stuff is on one shelf, so it's easier for him to find. 😊
Thanks for reading and responding.

Season 3
Fukushima entered the second tier of Japanese football, the J2 league, for the first time in their history and they were looking to make their mark where as I was finally moving out of my hotel and into a lovely apartment in Fukushima itself, admittedly, not far from where the hotel was but at least this was mine! And with a new season, brought new faces, AML Jung Ji-Yong came in on a free transfer along with striker Serinsariu Joppu following his release from V-Varen Nagasaki, Kiyotaka Hayashi was an aging CB and Taiki Hirato was reinforcement for the AMR position both on free transfers, the only money spent was Ghanaian striker Clinton Osei, a humoungus £34k from Romanian outfit Marosvasarhelyi, I'll leave the pronunciation of that one to you. Masashi Wada and Naoto Miki went out the door for £220k and £190k respectively. Meaning I had repaired Fukushima's financial issues that I definitely did not not cause and you can't prove it.
The season started as the previous ended with victories over Tochigi SC and Yokohama S Marino's with Yuto Nobe scoring 4 out of our 6 goals so far, we were flying high, riding a wave of confidence and belief, but let me tell you something brother, the walls came crashing down and it hurt both inside and out, we went 6 games without a win, Nobe couldn't hit a barn door with a bazooka and we were falling down the table despite our positive start. Included in this was a 2-2 home draw with Yokohama S Marino's in the YBC Levian cup and we were staring down the barrel of being less than mediocre, that would be fine for a consolidation season right?
We sat and waited for the arrival of Thespa Gunma, at the time top of the table to come put another nail in our coffin and they were on the verge of pulling the dirt over ourselves as we went 2-0 down. Now, I don't know what is in the water of Fukushima (Radiation probably) but Nobe clearly drank more than his fair share as he helped his team mates with 2 assists and himself to 4 goals, leaving us running out 6-2 winners. We continued our exploits in the Levian cup beating Yokohama Marino's 5-3 in the second leg showing that the team were truely starting to believe in my score one more than you philosophy. Klopp fancies himself some Heavy Metal football, this was some kind of crossbreed between heavy metal and Japanese fastidiousness creating a new kind of metal, a BabyMetal if you will.
Following this our form became inconsistent a couple of wins followed by a few losses, very few draws though and continuing through both cup competitions, up next was Grulla Morioka in the YBC Levian cup round of 16. We lost the first leg 2-1 at their place before bringing them back to Toho stadium, where a 3-1 victory pushed us into the quarter finals. Up next would be Tokushima Vortis in the second round of the Emperors Cup but before that, something happened.
J1 side Kyoto Sanga were struggling in the league above us, in the relegation zone and having sacked their long standing manager Sang-Hyun Kim were willing to take a chance on a young(ish) Englishman who'd proven himself in the lower leagues of Japanese football and on the grill of McDonald's. An interview was offered and, of course, I attended, as stated in part 2, my skin was turning purple already.
Clearly, my potential defection affected the players as we were knocked out of the Emperors cup by Tokushima in a 2-1 loss for us. The next day, I was offered the job at Kyoto Sanga. I said my farewells, packed my bags, and hopped on the first high-speed train to Kyoto.
I'd only just unpacked.....

Howdy,
As the title says, my pork butt came out super dry after resting overnight in the oven. I decided to presmoke the meat the day before to serve at noon.
Here's what I did:
Seasoned and smoked about 10lbs of pork shoulders in my pellet grill @ 250f , spritzing every 45 minutes with apple juice and water solution for the first 3-4 hours.
Once I was happy with the bark and the rendered fat, it was about 186f internal. I placed the meat in an aluminum pan with more seasoning, apple juice, and some butter and foil wrapped tightly until my meater+ read 203. I can't remember how long that took, thinking 1-2 hours at the most.
Cracked open the foil lid to let the steam out for 5-8 minutes or so, feeling happy with the end result (bark and tenderness check using a probe). I set my oven to 170f and let it rest there until it was time to shred and eat.
Fast forward 12 hours resting in the oven at 170f (10pm - 10am), the tray was still nice and toasty, put it in an insulated cooler and I drove an hour to the party. The meat smelled amazing, shred really easily with my gloved hands but I noticed that the meat was extremely dry. Even when I incorporated the left over juice on the bottom of the pan.
I've also had a similar experience with two briskets that I prepared the night before for a lunch event. I'm seeing a lot of people here talking positively about resting overnight in the oven, but I can't seem to get it right.
I've had way better experience with waking up early and doing hot-and-fast to meet the lunch deadline and that method hasn't failed me so far.
Please educate me what I'm doing wrong here and share your experience.
Thanks!

I want to get this pan properly seasoned. The only time I've seasoned a pan, it's been in a roughly 900 degree (Fahrenheit) wood burn pizza oven. I have a regular old, run of the mill convection oven, a Pit Boss smoker and a charcoal grill. Just looking for the best option to do so effectively and efficiently. Any words of advice would be greatly appreciated! It's a 12" lodge frying pan.

So I've been making my lasagna since highschool and I recognize that it's not very traditional. It still tastes good, it's just a bit of a shock eating my lasagna compared to others, at least to me because I'm kind of hyperaware of when my food doesn't taste exactly the same.
Here's the recipe:
For the sauce: Brown and season two pounds of ground beef in a large sauce pot with olive oil then drain the grease
Add in a 4.1 pound bottle of ragu chunky spaghetti sauce (sometimes more).
Diced fajita mix from Walmart (onions, green and red bell peppers
Sliced smoked beef sausage link
1 8oz brick of cream cheese, sliced and added into the sauce last

I cook it all on medium to low heat until the sauce is orange and the noodles are done boiling

Preheat Oven to 450°F
While in making the sauce, I preboil a pot of salt water then add in my lasagna noodles until they're soft, stirring occasionally to keep them from sticking too much

When they're done, I drain the water and move onto layering

I do a thin sauce layer in a deep casserole dish then three strips of lasagna noodles. After the initial layer, I add about a cup of sauce each layer.
( ex: sauce>noodle>sauce>noodle)
I go until the casserole dish is almost done. The last layer is sauce and cheese. For the cheese I use Italian blend and mozzarella.

I cover with aluminum foil and then cook it for ~40 minutes, checking periodically. Once I'm sure it's done, I let it sit for 30 minutes uncovered to cook and settle.

I know ricotta is usually used, but my dad didn't like ricotta so I never used it when making my lasagna before moving out. I also don't like an excessive amount of cheese (too many burnt grilled cheese sandwiches 🤢)

I put together the following weight loss plan for myself. For reference, I'm male, 36yr, 5'11, and 205 pounds. Note: I asked chatgpt for the recipe suggestions based on approved ingredients. I know they'll need some tweaking to be to my liking...
Morning Routine:
Goals: Hydration, light exposure, stretching, healthy low-carb meal, raise body temperature.
Cold Water:

• Take a cold shower. This will help your body raise its core temperature.

Hydrate & Natural Light Exposure:

• Drink a full glass of water immediately upon waking up.
• Open blinds and spend 15-20 minutes doing yoga in a sunny spot. Yoga videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7xsYgTeM2Q ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr3h5X9kmUo

Post-Yoga:

• Drink black coffee (no sugar or milk). Delay drinking coffee by 45-90 minutes after waking up.
• When commuting to work, park farther from the building for extra steps.

Breakfast Recipe Ideas:

1. Avocado and Egg Breakfast Bowl:
   • Ingredients: Avocado, eggs, bell peppers, tomatoes, spinach, garlic, olive oil.
   • Instructions: Sautee bell peppers, tomatoes, and spinach with garlic in olive oil. Serve with sliced avocado and poached eggs on top.
2. Vegetable Omelette:
   • Ingredients: Eggs, mushrooms, spinach, bell peppers, onions, cheddar cheese.
   • Instructions: Whisk eggs and pour into a heated skillet. Add chopped vegetables and cheese. Cook until eggs are set.
3. Chia Seed Pudding:
   • Ingredients: Chia seeds, full-fat yogurt, strawberries, blackberries, almond slices.
   • Instructions: Mix chia seeds with yogurt and refrigerate overnight. Top with sliced strawberries, blackberries, and almond slices before serving.

Afternoon Routine:
Goals: Light movement, healthy low-carb meal, hydrate. Lunch:

• Aim for a lunch high in protein and low in carbs.
• Take a long walk after lunch. The goal is 5k steps or approximately 30 minutes of walking.

Lunch Recipe Ideas:

1. Grilled Chicken Salad:
   • Ingredients: Grilled chicken breast, mixed greens (spinach, kale, etc.), tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, avocado, olive oil, vinegar.
   • Instructions: Grill chicken and slice. Toss mixed greens with chopped vegetables, avocado slices, and dress with olive oil and vinegar.
2. Turkey and Veggie Wrap:
   • Ingredients: Turkey slices, whole-grain wrap, spinach, bell peppers, hummus, avocado.
   • Instructions: Spread hummus on the wrap, add turkey slices, spinach, sliced bell peppers, and avocado. Roll it up and serve.
3. Eggplant and Mushroom Stir-Fry:
   • Ingredients: Eggplant, mushrooms, garlic, olive oil, soy sauce.
   • Instructions: Stir-fry sliced eggplant and mushrooms with minced garlic in olive oil. Add soy sauce for seasoning.

Snacks: almonds, watermelon, strawberries, blackberries, hard-boiled eggs, full-fat yogurt

Evening Routine:
Goals: Daily workout, healthy low-carb meal, hydration, plenty of sleep (8-9 hours).
Daily workout:

• Strive to work hard here.
• Warm up with intervals of jogging and walking for 6-8k steps.
• Bodyweight exercises. Be sure you are challenged to complete the circuit. Incorporate pushups, squats, lunges, pullups, dips, mountain climber, step up knee raises, plank, etc. Don’t slack on these.

Dinner Recipe Ideas:

1. Baked Salmon with Roasted Vegetables:
   • Ingredients: Salmon fillets, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, olive oil, lemon.
   • Instructions: Season salmon with olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper. Roast alongside mixed vegetables until cooked through.
2. Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry:
   • Ingredients: Lean ground beef, broccoli, garlic, soy sauce, olive oil.
   • Instructions: Brown ground beef in olive oil, add minced garlic and broccoli florets. Stir in soy sauce and cook until broccoli is tender.
3. Grilled Chicken with Zucchini Noodles:
   • Ingredients: Chicken breast, zucchini, pesto, olive oil, pine nuts.
   • Instructions: Grill chicken breast and slice. Spiralize zucchini into noodles and toss with pesto. Serve chicken over zucchini noodles and sprinkle with pine nuts.
4. Additional Recipes: Breakfast:
   
5. Quick Veggie Scramble:
   
   • Ingredients: Eggs, spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, cheddar cheese, garlic, olive oil.
   • Instructions: In a skillet, sauté chopped vegetables with minced garlic in olive oil until tender. Add beaten eggs and scramble until cooked. Top with cheddar cheese before serving.
6. Greek Yogurt with Mixed Berries and Nuts:
   
   • Ingredients: Full-fat yogurt, strawberries, blackberries, almonds, walnuts.
   • Instructions: Serve yogurt topped with sliced strawberries, blackberries, crushed almonds, and walnuts for added crunch.
7. Avocado and Tomato Bowl:
   
   • Ingredients: Avocado, tomatoes, lemon, garlic, olive oil.
   • Instructions: Cube avocado and tomatoes, toss with minced garlic, lemon juice, and a drizzle of olive oil.
8. Spinach and Mushroom Omelette:
   
   • Ingredients: Eggs, spinach, mushrooms, garlic, olive oil.
   • Instructions: Cook chopped mushrooms and minced garlic in olive oil until tender. Add beaten eggs and spinach, cook until eggs are set.
9. Nutty Fruit Bowl:
   
   • Ingredients: Watermelon, cantaloupe, almonds, walnuts, lime, chili pepper.
   • Instructions: Cube watermelon and cantaloupe, serve in a bowl with crushed almonds and walnuts on top. Add lime and chili pepper for more flavor.

Lunch:

1. Tuna and Avocado Salad:
   • Ingredients: Canned tuna, avocado, spinach, tomatoes, lemon, olive oil.
   • Instructions: Mix canned tuna with diced avocado, spinach leaves, and chopped tomatoes. Dress with lemon juice and olive oil.
2. Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry:
   • Ingredients: Chicken breast, broccoli, bell peppers, garlic, olive oil, soy sauce.
   • Instructions: Stir-fry sliced chicken breast with chopped vegetables and minced garlic in olive oil. Season with soy sauce.
3. Eggplant and Tomato Salad:
   • Ingredients: Eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar.
   • Instructions: Roast cubed eggplant with minced garlic in olive oil until tender. Toss with chopped tomatoes and a splash of vinegar.
4. Cheesy Spinach and Tomato Omelette:
   • Ingredients: Eggs, spinach, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, garlic, olive oil.
   • Instructions: Sauté chopped tomatoes with minced garlic in olive oil until softened. Add beaten eggs and spinach, cook until eggs are set. Top with cheddar cheese.
5. Mushroom and Tomato Soup:
   • Ingredients: Mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vegetable broth.
   • Instructions: Sauté sliced mushrooms and minced garlic until golden. Add diced tomatoes and vegetable broth, simmer until flavors meld.

Approved Ingredients for other recipes: eggplant broccoli cauliflower brussel Sprouts cabbage mushrooms tomatoes green beans bell peppers spinach zucchini asparagus garlic kale collard greens bok choy
cheddar cheese gouda parmesan
almonds pine nuts walnuts
watermelon lemon cantalope lime avocado strawberries black berries
chicken eggs lean ground beef fish turkey
hot sauce butter sour cream full fat yogurt olive oil avocado oil coconut oil ghee pesto chimichurri vinegar tahini