just_kitten

just_kitten, 7 days ago

I’m still super tired and need to be up early tomorrow to leave early for an appointment and then dinner with a friend… But I promised I’d bring a plate and I know she’s far more tired and cash strapped than me, so I’m summoning all my energy to have a go at this vegan shepherds pie recipe now - to be finished off in the oven at hers tomorrow. It’s got rehydrated shiitake, squeezed out jackfruit and coffee (?!). I really wanna see how it turns out, haven’t made shepherd’s pie in years.

Well, leftover pizza has been had - time to soak and chop and sweat. I can do this!!

just_kitten, 7 days ago

Unbelievably, I made the shepherd’s pie! The texture didn’t really come out how I thought it would, though I think that’s because maybe I used this brand of tinned jackfruit that I honestly never should use again, too much of the tough core and not enough flesh.

However, the umami/flavour is out of this world. Lots of it would be from the tomato paste, dried mushrooms and soy sauce, but I think the coffee definitely added a certain something to it too… must try again with some tweaks.

Maybe I’ll make a spag bol sauce on the weekend with the remaining tomato paste and tvp mince, and see if the coffee trick works again 🤔 ☕ 😋

just_kitten, 7 days ago

It’s alarmingly easy to drink like a lot of Asian spirits/wines in my experience

just_kitten, 8 days ago

I looooove tuxedo cats. That photo perfectly encapsulates how cute yet elegant they are. Please give Miss Mimi a little bop on her precious little head from me.

just_kitten, 8 days ago

Massive day today. Worked non stop from 7:40 to 3:40 including a whole lot of new shit and new requirements to my job that, while making a lot of sense and genuinely good for service delivery, involve a level of mental load/energy that’s… not exactly what I signed up for. I need more training and preparation. It kind of happened so suddenly that I didn’t have time to formulate a response, and ask for reasonable accommodation/support. I’m definitely willing to give it a go and see if it improves things, but I just really didn’t need that extra burden this week 😣

Anyway… I then had to go help a friend out with some things and ended up having a long chat in the car, really was good to unload but I ended up really exhausted and emotional. Despite my pledge to cook more at home and save money I gave in and ordered the two-large-pizza-plus-garlic-bread special at my local for 37.50. I’m reminding myself that it’ll be enough for dinner tonight, brekkie tomorrow, dinner tomorrow and maybe even lunch the day after. Thankfully lunch is catered tomorrow at some training thing I gotta do. I’d really rather catch up with work but it’s mandatory training so oh well…

I’m thinking after I come back from my break I’m gonna have to ration out my energy a bit better at work in terms of in person interactions. Might need to start requesting one day from home even though I genuinely want to work away from home for the work/life separation - I’m just gonna be really exhausted with all the masking and social interaction.

just_kitten, 8 days ago

Ah fuck. TIL. I figured “my phone does LTE! It’ll be fine” but now I’m worried. Ffs, I just want to get the most out of my phone I paid good coin for 7 years ago, I even went to the extent of lineage onto it to extend its life - hate this constant need to upgrade

just_kitten, 10 days ago

Butty booiiii ugh so handsome want to skritch. Wish his humans were nicer

just_kitten, 9 days ago

I think the @ happens by default with some apps when replying to a thread, even if it’s a first-level comment. The thread poster always gets mentioned. I’ve seen several users (often from other federations) start their comments that way. @Nath might have more insight?

just_kitten, 9 days ago

<Manager> sounds like a relic from the old organisation… this is the problem when mergers/takeovers/restructures happen and there’s too much autonomy left in the wrong places.

just_kitten, 9 days ago

I used to get affected by the same friends too, but then learned to stop putting disappointing people on a pedestal, thinking they do the same, and rely on them for emotional support and wellbeing which was always one way.

Big hugs. Relate to that so very painfully. I still feel pangs of sadness over the loss of an entire friend circle over covid; I shared lots of values and experiences with them and we had lots of great times, but I could’ve kicked myself for being so reliant on them for that support/wellbeing when it turns out that they were supremely unwilling/unable to show up in the ways that mattered most when the chips were down.

It was impossible to have an honest conversation because they would beat themselves up in a show of contrition and shame but not actually acknowledge any issues and work on them (or anticipate them better). I know a lot of that is a trauma response from them but after a certain point it just wasn’t healthy to be around any more and I couldn’t handle continuing to be the only one willing to forgive and accommodate.

I’m still in the phase of not really having made any new friends on that level, though I certainly have strengthened my friendship with a couple of other rock-solid people in my life and it’s made me so much more grateful for them.

just_kitten, 9 days ago (edited 9 days ago)

Mate, being so close to the scene like that would absolutely have residual effects on your nervous system. Definitely take it easy, it can be a lot to process

e: btw your original spoiler worked, but I think you edited it wrong. You need to write it like this:

<span style="color:#323232;">::: spoiler INSERT_HEADING_TEXT
</span><span style="color:#323232;">actual content
</span><span style="color:#323232;">:::
</span>

to get this:

INSERT_HEADING TEXTactual content

just_kitten, 9 days ago

Odd, it looked fine to me on mobile browser but not on desktop. Ah well. I think everyone here empathises with your situation. Hope your sleep improves over the week.

just_kitten, 11 days ago

I keep forgetting about Eurovision every year but this year my funny reminder of it was randomly looking through SmartTraveller advice out of curiosity and seeing Sweden on the “exercise a high degree of caution” list because… Eurovision results are out soon and there may be unrest.

Lmfao.

just_kitten, 11 days ago

Friend came over and we moved off the last of the planter boxes from my balcony. It’s so sad and empty now. And it’s an effing pain to go pick some herbs or water my plants or anything - gotta exit my apt, go down two sets of steps, open the main door, walk 300m, back up another flight… plants are in a more exposed area too, I worry about the curry leaf plants. I see the snails have already gotten to some of my seedlings in absence of my maintenance. :/

I really hope the landlord gets the balcony fixed soon because it’s denying me use of space that I’m paying for. If she drags it out thinking it’s a bonus for her to have all my pesky plants in the common area and not on her balcony, I’ll definitely contact Tenants Vic to figure out my options.

Hate that the rental market is such that I don’t have much leverage to say fuck you I’ll move. (also as much as I’m tired of the area I live in, it’s so close to my new job that I’m not sure I do want to move further out for now).

Gonna try and not stew on this and instead get to work reorganising and watering everything + applying copper tape on all the pots not just the biggest ones

just_kitten, 11 days ago

The worst part of the plant stuff is done. I still need to repot my manzano and prune back the red hot poker, and buy some veg to make dinner and meals for the next few days. Plus figure out what to do with all this rosemary I pruned off, and stock up on some oil and rice so I don’t need to do it after my trip…

…and despite all my going on about it, I’ve yet to start on my scotch bonnet pepper ferment. I gotta do that today so I can move that plant out onto the common area too.

Plus I still haven’t organised a full itinerary for my trip in 10 days time, I have an idea of where to go but need to sort out accom asap…

Argh, I want to just lie down and enjoy the rest of the day! I have a busy week ahead next week too, stuff on after work every single day 😫 and the weekend needs to be set aside for packing. I think I need to really be disciplined with my work end times the next week. No hanging around for a yarn

just_kitten, 10 days ago

It’s definitely a good feeling to be away from the news/politics, not draining my energy unnecessarily. Though I find I am still tempted to retreat into online spaces/phone when I need some downtime and am stressed out or annoyed by people, I’d like to find some other outlets that I’ll actually stick to.

just_kitten, 10 days ago (edited 10 days ago)

Repotted my manzano but made a total mess of the living room when I picked up a lemon plant (that wasn’t doing anything) by the stem - despite knowing better - and the whole thing came out, scattering wet potting mix all over the place and onto my couch 😭

But it’s all been tidied up. Made a decent dinner of pasta with tuna, roast fennel (the last! I swear!), roast Brussels sprouts, and a “cheesy” sauce of nutritional yeast and pasta water with a splash of soy milk. Clothes are in, dishwasher loaded, shower had, and… I simply can’t handle any more responsibility for the day.

I did finally pick the scotch bonnets, but I can’t even think about that right now. someone ferment them for me idk why I’m so lazy to just throw them in brine.

juicy lil chillosa bowl of lil yellow hot peppers!

Closing out the evening with an episode of tales from the loop - the writing may be uneven, but the VIBES of this show are just perfect. On episode 6 tonight. This is such a good one… heart breaking.

Edit: looked at the forecast ahead - goddamnit I should’ve washed my sheets and towels this weekend. I still don’t want to buy a dryer though… the sun is free…

just_kitten, 10 days ago

I have had an undercut for a while, people generally think it’s cool. Can be a bit chilly in winter. One downside, it does need some maintenance - a half grown out undercut is very weird…

just_kitten, 10 days ago

Cold pack?

just_kitten, 11 days ago

Late reply but thats why I had the swipe card thing on my keyring. Weird that they still haven’t changed to app based unlocking like the other services though.

just_kitten, 13 days ago (edited 13 days ago)

I had some really weird and disturbing dreams and am somehow awake before even 5:30. This is a very weird feeling. Not sure if I should get up and do something…

e: couldn’t stay in bed any longer and am sat in my living room at 7 feeling most peculiar, waiting for some hash browns to cook while having a cup of decaf mocha. Maybe I’ll head into work early and vamoose early as well. It’s frahday.

just_kitten, 13 days ago

I want to be hated by a cat like this 😭

just_kitten, 13 days ago

I would keep wondering whether I’d stumbled on some scam/phishing site given how assaulted I felt by the disgusting presentation. One of my work laptops is locked down tight so nothing I can do there, but I’m going to be looking for addons to deshittify goog when I have time. Absolute trash

just_kitten, 13 days ago

Really great week so far at work. Falling quite behind on personal/life admin because I usually have no brain for it when I get home and I’m just fully switched on at work. This weekend I better not fall sick or have some other shit suddenly happen… I do need to smash through a lot of stuff.

I am glad that I feel engaged enough at work that I neither feel like I’m drowning, nor bored enough to be on my phone - it’s been really great having hours away from my phone and actually concentrating on something else (and getting paid for it), even though it’s behind a screen.

just_kitten, 13 days ago

Excellent for my (very reluctantly and resentfully) newly relocated pot plants and the generally dusty environs. And so good for bedtime. Loving it.