CuriousByNature

I like the idea of a handwritten note, but I know it would sit on my counter for weeks waiting to be mailed.  So I use email most of the time.

4 hours ago, samhexum said:

Regardless of whichever one you meant, I personally don't think any internal organ is beautiful.

 

So you've never seen a sexy spleen, or a gorgeous gall bladder?  I've been told I have a medulla oblongata that could stop traffic.  And don't get me started about the lower lobe of my left lung.

19 hours ago, WilliamM said:

I remember spending Thanksgiving in West Germany in the early 2970s

Did you arrive by Tardis? 

Beautiful on the outside, and even more beautiful on the inside.  And I don't mean her pancreas.

2 hours ago, SouthOfTheBorder said:

Yup - not only a stereotype, but researched 

fyi - this is not surprising 

Men with small penises are more likely to buy flashy sports cars:...

NYPOST.COM

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Men with smaller-than-average penises are more likely to want to own high-performance sports cars...

 

So... the most endowed

Those guys also do your windows

2 hours ago, robear said:

Small metallic implants under the skin of the penis are called Yakuza beads, among other names.  They may not be featured often by providers, but are not that unusual among fetish players. Like all piercing/genital mod styles, they are used to heighten sensation and focus attention on the goods. In some configurations they may provide an enhanced sensation to a bottom sex partner. Think ribbed dildoes or sleeves.

Yakuza beads?  Geesh, they implant tiny Japanese gangsters under the skin?  What a way to go...

45 minutes ago, Marc in Calif said:

So what position were you in at the end of the cruise? 🥰

Seriously... I don't know that term. Can you please explain?

I was on a ship that was moving from the Caribbean to the Med for summer, and another time on one that was going from the Med to the Caribbean for the winter season.  You can get good deals on these cruises, and the transatlantic ones are usually 12-15 days long because you normally stop for a day in either the Azores or Madeira, sometimes the Canary Islands, and then a few ports in Europe.   As for my position at the end of the cruise, I was clinging to the balcony rail because I didn't want to leave the ship and have the trip come to an end.  

7 hours ago, RugbyBen said:

Yes, I did one with additional stops including Reykjavik. Wasn't impressed.  

The ship isn't particularly luxurious, the food is average and I was in the grill rather than the main restaurant, even in the height of summer the North Atlantic is cold and wet a lot of the time. Entertainment is poor. 

Might have enjoyed it more if I'd had my week in New York first then travelled back to the UK cos the week in NY was hectic and the dullness of the crossing might have been more appreciated. 

I imagine the northern route could be like that, weather wise.  I've done crossings from Florida to the Med on other lines, and surprisingly, the oceans have always been pretty smooth and the weather has been warm enough to sit out on the balcony in shorts.  These were repositioning cruises in the mid spring and mid fall.

22 hours ago, randeman said:

I discovered this Escoffier dish a few years ago and I have to say that it was one of the best steak dishes I have ever eaten.  It's very similar to another Escoffier dish called Tournedos Rossini. It is a little labor intensive and is ideal for a cook with at least some experience in the kitchen.  It isn't cheap to make but it's a dish you're unlikely to ever forget.

6 six to eight ounce filet mignons 
1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
2 tablespoons clarified butter (don't use Ghee)
2 cloves garlic, sliced
6 raw foie gras medallions
6 cooked artichoke hearts, quartered
slices of black truffle 

Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
3 large shallots or 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1/2 cup each of cognac, Madeira and a full-bodied red wine
3 cups beef stock (homemade is ideal)
Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat; add shallots and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until softened.

2. Stir in tomato paste, bay leaf and rosemary until well combined. Stir in cognac, Madeira and red wine; bring to boil.

3. Boil for 10 minutes or until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Stir in beef stock. Boil for 15 minutes or until reduced to about 1 cup.

4. Strain into clean pot set over low heat and whisk in remaining butter. Season to taste. Keep warm.

Steaks:

1. Season the steaks with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, add the clarified butter and heat over medium heat; add garlic and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes; increase heat to medium-high and add filets mignons.

2. Cook, turning once, until they reach your desired temperature.

3. Remove from pan and let stand, tented with foil. Wipe out pan and return to high heat.

4. Add foie gras and cook for 30 seconds per side or until golden brown. If you've never worked with fois gras, keep in mind that it is all fat and must be cooked exactly in the time written.  Cooking too much will result in a pan full of melted fat.  Remove foie gras from the pan and reserve. Gently toss artichokes in pan juices and cook for 2 minutes or until heated through.

6. Ladle sauce around edge of plate; garnish with artichokes.

Potato Base:

This dish is served over Pommes Anna.

3/4 cup clarified butter
6 medium baking potatoes (like Russets), scrubbed, peeled, and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 450F
 

1. Brush 12-inch oven-proof skillet with a lid with enough clarified butter to coat. Starting in the center of the pan, arrange potatoes in overlapping circles, using a pastry brush to brush each potato slice with enough butter to coat before adding the next slice; sprinkle each layer with some of the salt and pepper; press top layer gently down.

2. Place pan over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until bottom is browned.

3. Cover and bake in the 450F oven for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender and lightly browned on top.

Assembly:

Cut cooked potato round into 6 portions and place 1 piece, upside down, on each of 6 heated plates; top with a filet mignons followed by a slice of foie gras and a few truffle slices.

6. Ladle sauce around edge of plate; garnish with artichokes.

Serve
 

 

Wondering why ghee would not be appropriate in this recipe?  Is it a taste issue?

14 hours ago, guru68 said:

I had this feeling he'd be into water sports.

And spinach

21 hours ago, Vin_Marco said:

I know this probably seems weird, but instead of thinking "why is this happening to me?", I TRY to approach it as, "why not me?"  Why am I so special that I would expect this challenge to pass me by, when others have also had to deal with it?

You know what it's like to be a caregiver - you know the fatigue, the worry, the loneliness of it.  In your kindness it's clear that you do not want to be a 'burden' on anyone, but in a sense, you're generosity of heart may inadvertently stand in the way of allowing others to extend graciousness towards you.  I mean this in the best possible way and I apologize in advance if anything comes across as judgemental.  It can be easy for caregivers, especially those who may not have an avenue for venting their own pain and frustrations, to want to protect others from a similar caregiving situation when it comes to needing care yourself.  It isn' easy.  But I would only hope that your spouse's family loves you, and would want to see you safe and secure in your later years. 

If that isn't practical for whatever reason, I would suggest speaking with a social worker sooner than later.  Let them know your situation and your concerns - they have seen it all.  It's invaluable having an advocate who knows the ins and outs of the system and has the resources and time to be of assistance.   

In Canada we have tiered senior's care at some residences, with sections for those who essentially live independently, and other sections for those who need to transition into supportive living (often with a bug bump in monthly fees, of course).  More and more jurisdictions are coming to realize the importance of aging in place, and the 'continuum of care' approach to elder care.  There may also be other resources available through local churches or senior centres.  In any case, I know you are not seeking praise, but as a dedicated care giver, you are an unsung hero, and I sincerely hope everything works out well for you and your spouse.

On 11/11/2023 at 7:19 AM, Vin_Marco said:

And sometimes we wear clothes 😜

One of the best photos you've posted, IMHO.

13 hours ago, Vin_Marco said:

😜

On 11/8/2023 at 4:21 PM, wsc said:

Or alternatively, "in my humble opinion."

I thought in the context of this forum it was "in my horny opinion"

I do not really enjoy my work... but at least I have a job that supports me, while many people do not.

I sometimes struggle with being 50 years old... but I know there are many people who don't live to see this age.

I see others who have much nicer clothes... but at least I've never had to go without shoes, pants or a warm winter coat.

I'd like to live in a nice house like other people I know...  but at least my modest apartment provides a safe, secure roof over my head, while many others face living in shelters, or on the streets.

I do not possess a face that makes hearts flutter... but I am blessed with eyes that work, ears that hear, a nose that can smell, and a tongue that can speak.

I often see people driving in cars worth more than $100K... but at least I have a vehicle that gets me safely from point A to point B, while many others must rely on public transit.

I don't have a body that would make anyone horny... but at least my body functions properly, while many people struggle to live with illnesses and disability.

I would love to eat lobster or filet mignon regularly... but at least I always get three square meals a day, while many others have to rely on food banks and soup kitchens.

There is always something we can be thankful for.  Always.

2 hours ago, Wanderoz said:

DC is more of a bottomland in more than topography. 

Foggy Bottomland?

19 hours ago, Vin_Marco said:

I understand ☺️ I think there's a heavy responsibility and burden to some degree when you amass that much wealth... sometimes not enough people to tell you no is what gets most ultra wealthy people in trouble...the list is long.  Call me nuts but I'd not want that much money... just enough to maintain my lifestyle and go wherever I want whenever I want AND to be able to help as many people as I can. No more,  no less. 

I'm surprised by the assertion that she was black.  I understand that Nubia had ruled Egypt for around a century, and about 600 years before Cleopatra.  But I thought she was a Ptolemy, and descended from a Macedonian companion of Alexander the Great?  Contemporary representations of her and her immediate ancestors give no indication of a sub-Saharan genetic connection.   That said, I think it is ridiculous for a country to sue a production company over how an ancient figure is portrayed.  

Not sure what the obvious would be, but regardless, what's written in an advertisement cannot be guaranteed to be 100% truthful.  Ultimately a client needs to protect themselves according to the level of risk they are willing to assume, and not based on what a stranger says about their health status or medications. 

Final season?  That's too bad.

1 hour ago, maninsoma said:

Why would I want to use such software?  I'm not trying to model my life on some right-wing "Christian" notion of what's right and wrong.

I suppose it could be helpful to those who may have an addiction to pornography, though therapy is likely more effective than guilt.