Welcome to the Melbourne Community Daily Discussion Thread.
This post is brought to you by Bot #001. Learning the days is really hard. I'm so worn out I can barely tell my 1s from by 10s. So today will be a day of rest.
I just wanted to reiterate how nice it is to not be feeling hurt/pain about my break up anymore, I'm sure there will be moments but I'm just feeling so overall positive and happy. I'm feeling ready to put myself out there and start dating again and just go with the flow.
I'm super proud of how much healing and learning I've done in the last year, I've changed so much and definitely for the better. I've made more friends, I work hard to prioritise my social life and to keep those relationships going so that an actual relationship is just a supplement to my life.
I'm excited to get my adhd assessment done and my diagnosis soon and to keep learning. I'll head back to therapy once I have my tax return and just keep trying to make some positive steps to be my best.
And on the seventh day, Our Lord God the Bot #001 dutifully ran its code and then ran off with the cat.
This neck pain is getting worse again and doing me in. A friend recommended a physio that does Sundays and I've pulled the pin and made a booking first thing in the morning. I've never seen a physio before. Not like I have stacks of money to do this but it's affecting everything and next week will be very hectic so I'm not going to sit around waiting for it to get better
I saw a physio when I was low on money for neck issues and it was soo worth it. Every now and then I get pain again and the same prescribed exercises and self massage work to fix it.
Yeah it's definitely helped today. Not a one shot fix but I can at least get some things done again. Also I have a ridiculous amount of tension in my shoulders from being stressed out, no shit...
Yeah there's a very specific spot where the pain is the worst, it's not super bad but it's just uncomfortable enough that I can't stay in one position for too long. I've had to stay at my place for tonight despite the cat because I need a night of sleep in a bed I'm used to. Fell asleep on the couch for four hours but...
Used a random burst of 5am energy to finish 50% of an assignment for the Cert IV Training & Assessment course I've put on pause now that I've switched over to the diploma in OHS.
Trying to do 2 assignments in 2 different courses while changing to a new job was overwhelming and I just shutdown over the past 8 weeks and did nothing except survive.
But in the past 24 hours I've completed 1 OHS assignment and now 50% of this one is done
Currently out for a walk to get a coffee. I had to cancel my gym membership because they kept putting the price up, so I’ve got my ankle weights on to make it a little harder. When I get back home I’m gonna do a little workout, have the evening shower and then read until we’ve got to go to a friend’s for dinner
I believe in taking care of myself, and a balanced diet and a rigorous exercise routine. In the morning, if my face is a little puffy, I'll put on an ice pack while doing my stomach crunches. I can do a thousand now. After I remove the ice pack, I use a deep pore cleanser lotion. In the shower, I use a water activated gel cleanser. Then a honey almond body scrub. And on the face, an exfoliating gel scrub. Then apply an herb mint facial mask, which I leave on for 10 minutes while I prepare the rest of my routine. I always use an aftershave lotion with little or no alcohol, because alcohol dries your face out and makes you look older. Then moisturizer, then an anti-aging eye balm followed by a final moisturizing protective lotion.
Went to a physio for the first time in my life. It was alright. Sad that I need
a professional to tell me that on a physical level I really need to take more time off because the body is holding a lot of stress.
I definitely need to be frugal but decided I'd treat myself to a coffee nearby. And I went with my instincts to Eden Espresso - turns out I've been here before. I love this place, it's so cozy and friendly and not like a lot of the other stuck up "brunch" places around Malvern. One of the staff recently had a baby and there's a basic-ass a4 printout in Calibri saying "it's a boy" with a photo of the grinning dad and I just love that enough regulars care that they've put it there. In fact some old nannas are asking him right now how the kid is going ("growing like a weed") and whether he's sleeping through the night ("yes, surprisingly"). It's so wholesome.
Frustratingly I have work to catch up on today from zoning out on Thursday and Friday due to stress, (and Wednesday from Huge Psych Session), but I'm definitely planning a day of sick leave for next Wednesday when I've cleared out my current backlog.
As nice as Hongohones' idea of a beachwalk sounds, I am definitely feeling too tired and my jaw too achy. But I do want to get back to the beachwalks.
Will tackle more of the cross-stitching with more podcast(s), then a shower with the new shampoo and some of the coffee body scrub I've had for ages but never used sounds good. Will try a face mask later.
Tidy flat, cleaning. Washing is drying in the dryer. Mate might visit. Self care sounds good, might get some epsom salts and do another mask / bath plus use my nice skin care I'm saving cos less income. Walk to the beach will be in there somewhere also. I love the sea air from the waterfont at st kilda. The bay is not quite like bass straight like where i used to live, but I always had to drive there. Now it's 7 minutes walk and it's still beautiful clean air.
I realised how much I love the beach since I started water walking.
Someplace within reasonable walking distance of the beach is definitely one the wishlist for the next place.
Exercise. Also I was inspired by you lovely people to put on a face mask. It's not a real facemask; I've got a cleanser which doubles as a facemask if you leave it on a bit longer. Then most of the day will be spent relaxing and getting ready for school and work.
A face mask is probably what I can manage today. I'm dead tired, username totally checks out as I have some health conditions that require iron infusions every so often and I'm due for another one, so my energy is low.
Mini Peelers and I baked a walnut loaf with the walnuts we bought from the farmers market. It's the first time we've ever made one so we're calling it a success!
Picture shows partially sliced loaf shaped cake on a white square plate.
Several people brought small children (and one baby) to see the almost 3 hour, very loud Mission Impossible. They were predictably loud almost immediately during every semi quiet scene and no efforts were made to quiet them.
People.. what a bunch of bastards. I need to remember to go see movies at obscure hours on weekdays.
I spent a good chunk of yesterday making a vanilla slice to take to dinner at mr. Omoikiri’s friend’s house tonight. Cut it all up, arranged it back in the tray. As we were running out the door, I asked him to grab the slice that was on the kitchen bench while I grabbed his drinks and my bag. Got to the front door and he’s got the slice alright. He’s also got his switch and his volleyball and his keys chucked in top of it, squashing the custard out of half of them and ruining the icing on the others.
He’s lucky he’s so hot because it took every bit of my self control to not dump his ass right on the spot.
I’m trying not to ruin the mood of the night but he’s going to get a talking down when we get home. He already got a ‘Mate, are you serious?’ And I said it in English, so he knows I’m beyond pissed.
Sonic Health appointment for my Disability Support Pension application is on Monday.
I know it's not a common point of failure but I've been dreading it since they booked it. What if I fuck it up? The dread is problematic. Haven't been able to focus on anything. Just want it to be over and done with. Even a rejection before this step would have been easier.
It's very rare to be rejected at this stage. Centrelink have already decided you have 20 points in one table, they're largely just confirming it. Usually it's a very short call (<10 mins) with an outcome in 6-8 weeks.
That's what I've heard. But I also have a friend who was rejected at this stage due to the "not fully diagnosed, treated, and stablized" thing. That has changed to reasonably treated now I guess, so maybe that won't be an issue.
My first full-price appointment with my newest therapist is coming up this week. You'd think after 15 sessions I'd be more confident that these sessions were value for money. 🤔
I've been in the same position but no matter how good the therapist it still hurts to be rawdogged with the full whack that first time. It is so. much. money.
I think I've spent nearly 4k on out of pocket costs for mental health this year, it is insane.
You came back BotBot
You robotic hotshot
Love the way you flipflop
We like to take our pot-shots
But we love it when you show up
Dont ever stop
Binary thot-thot
Slapping up this post
For our daily dose
Of social interaction
Via written communication
We show such affection
For the stories and narration
Provided by our population
Botbot don't ever stop
Dont kill me in the Robot Wars
Since some of us a baking cakes I thought I could pass on some tips that actual cake makers have told me. Feel free to add and share some of your tips.
Now I was given some Coles brand cake mixes so I'll start there.
If the mix says to add 2 eggs put in 3. Always add an extra egg to packet mixes.
If you don't have milk just add water instead.
I have added a little bit of vanilla extract to this one but you can use vanilla essence but just a splash.
If you want an orange cake add orange juice instead of milk to a plain cake. (Butter or Vanilla cake mix)
If you want an orange and poppy seed cake add the poppy seeds to the orange juice to soak 1/2 hour before starting. You don't have to but I'm told it's better to.
For a lemon cake add lemon juice. For a less intense flavour add half juice half milk/water.
For a banana cake add 2 to 3 very ripe bananas.
Try to use a spring form cake tin. Put the base on a flat surface, place baking paper on top, place the ring on top and close. Rip excess paper off. Rub butter around the inside of tin.
For a gas oven place it on the top shelf. Electric fan force place it in the middle.
Rotate it half way though.
Check cake by inserting a skewer or do what I do and touch the middle with your finger if it bounces back it's done.
Let it sit in the tin for 10 minutes before releasing the spring. Let it rest on a cake rack until completely cooled.
When you wash your tin put it in the oven to dry. It helps to prevent rusting.
Wow this turned into an essay.
Update on my cake: It turned out well but gee Coles are scabby on the quantity. Next time I will put 2 mixes in. It has cracked a little on top which means the oven was too hot but that's tough. It will still taste great.
Update. I have made a second cake but have added baking powder to this one. It still feels to runny for my liking and I've dropped the temperature. Fuck you Coles I don't make pancakes.
If you vape weed, you can dump leftover after-vape it into box cake mix to make sleepy time space cake (Lower THC, higher CBD). Weigh how much you put in before hand so you've got an idea of how much weed per slice of cake in the final product. Err on the side of caution when eating weed.
AVB is great on grilled cheese toast. Also good for mixing with butter for cooking (although finding a kitchen that doesnt mind smelling like weed is another challenge).
Box cake isn’t a sin but can always take more stuff. A dash of real vanilla or some lemon zest will change it for the better. Ditto on the skewer test, it should pull clean and be warm on the lip. Springform tins are God but if using something complicated like a Bundt butter thevever living fuck out of it! Never try to ice something that isn’t cold.
Fondant is revolting, fuck that shit make sugar paste!
I do not understand the fascination with box mixes. It is so damn easy to measure out 2 cups of sr flour, 250g butter, 1 cup sugar, a bit less than 1 cup liquid etc. Using the same cup for all measurements. Also, for a really nice lemon cake, add the finely grated zest of a lemon to your flour and stir it in. Save the juice for making the icing. Where it really shines.
Wherever it says butter in a recipie, you can sub with marge. Even better, half marge and half lard. Lard is one of the best fats for cake making - really luscious texture and cake keeps better. Harder to mix in - best to use a stand mixer if you have one.
Butter cake is best cooked in a medium to medium/low oven for 1 hour or more. It's not a sponge where the raising agent is stiffly beaten egg white - which is best done in a hotter oven.
Chocolate cake is the standard butter cake mix with 1 tablespoon of cocoa/drinking chocolate added to the flour and 1 more tablespoon of liquid.
Roll chopped fruit (any sort) in the flour mix before adding liquid. Stops the fruit from all settling at the bottom of the cake tin during baking. Works especially well with fresh cherries. And strawberries. And raspberries.
Use castor sugar not the regular white sugar - dissolves a lot faster and the cake bakes better.
You can turn regular sugar into icing sugar by whizzing it up in a food processor with the sharp blades in.
Vanilla essence is made from pine bark chips? I stopped using it entirely when I found this out. Be damned if I'll cook with mulch. Extract is the way to go. More expensive, but you use a lot less and the flavour is better.
GREASE AND LINE YOUR CAKE TINS!!!!! Olive oil spray is revolting and doesn't really do the job. Butter or marge is much better. One lump the size of an unshelled hazelnut will do most standard cake tins. For fancy, or if you want the cake to keep fresh out of the fridge, then a crust lining works well. Grease tin as per usual, then mix up 1 dessertspoon of sugar with 1 dessertspoon of flour. Tip that into the tin and tap the tin all around to distribute the mix evenly over all the surfaces of the inside of the tin. Tip out excess. This gives the cake a wonderful brown caramelized crust over all of it bar the top, and keeps the cake fresh for longer.
Cakes cool quicker if you put them upside down on the cooling rack. This also helps level the top which is handy if you don't want to cut off the top before icing.
These cake mixes were given to me and since I've never used no name mixes before I thought why not. Now these cakes are like pancakes which tells me that they may not have been stored properly and all the oof has gone out. Also i added an extra egg so it might have weighted it down a bit. I have never had this problem before with other cake mixes. Also it's a new tin so I may not have greased the sides enough. I think I'll just make trifle out of the rest. I agree with you that it's easy to make from scratch. I'm not really into cake I'm more of a slice girl.
Google 'melt and mix cake recipes'- no more effort than a packet mix, much better results, and you know exactly what ingredients have gone into your (delicious) cake.
Had a restless sleep since about 4:30 after being bracketed by both cats after Zooks hopped up to snuggle (with the odd attempt at a 'feed me bitch' nip).
Got up and fed them and took the last antibiotic at 6:30, then had to get up and eat at 7ish, which displeased them as they'd come back for more snuggles. They're now sulking by the heater.
Spoil them? Me? Nah. 😏
Good lord that sounds incredible. Although my aging body has decided that heartburn/indigestion is the answer to meatballs the last few times I've had them but sometimes you just have to put your body on the line for the greater good.
The onions freeze really well too. I have containers of caramelized onions in the freezer, and some frozen meatballs (and sometimes just cooked seasoned mince) so I just have to grab those to pair with a slice of cheese and bread for an easy lunch toastie.
I made a list of to do and to learn and now I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed and not really sure how to prioritise and tackle it. Why do I do this to myself
Thanks. That's a good point. I've been trying to tackle the hardest (probably most useful but not most urgent) stuff first and it's frustrating me to no end so I probably need to start small to get started to not lose my mind and motivation in the process.
I do this. My daily to-do list has some easy wins so I can tick stuff off and feel I've achieved something. You're right, some things can wait; for me they are either 'now' or 'not now', a trait of Time Blindness that people with ADHD experience. And of course the best planned to-do list can be derailed as soon as a 'now' task jumps into your thoughts.
Thanks. I started a hierachy with the to learn list but probably need to write down some solid goals, objectives, and timelines. I want to make a habit of doing little bits during the week so I'm not cramming everything in on the weekends - that should help me decide how long things will realistically take too.
New Mission Impossible last night was awesome! Didn't get home until just before midnight (movie is long) and was clearly too overstimulated by all the action as I wasn't able to fall asleep until 4am...still made my 9am personal training session though!
It’s true that you can’t see electricity, though. Neither electrons in motion (electric current) nor excess charge carriers (static electricity) are visible. Visible sparks are ionised air, not the electricity itself.
Whether you can touch electricity is a bit of a weird question. You can touch an object carrying a static charge, and you can touch a conductor. But are you touching the “electricity”? It’s a weird semantic argument.
Cronenberg is one of my favourite directors. While this isn't him, it looks great and inspired by him. But I can't do horror anymore. Gives me nightmares.
Precisely. I was assembled from the leftover bits of normal humans, infused with electricity, and given life by a fucked up scientist. Mary Shelley wrote that book about me, she just didn't know it then lol
Omg I'd forgotten all about alphabet pasta! I used to make it when the kids were very little and learning the alphabet (to try and engage then with the learning in a fun and tasty way) but I haven't seen it in ages.
I just stopped by the Subaru dealership on my way home and had an in-person look at the size/height of the Outbacks. I think it might be just about what I'm looking for, moving from an XR6 to something a bit bigger and taller without going full SUV. I've been looking at the XT Touring and maybe the XT Touring 50th anniversary special edition. Could be a winner, maybe once I'm back from my holiday I'll look more seriously.
sooo...from memory, there's someone here (or the old DT?) who is good at crocheting?
I have a friend/colleague who has been off work sick for weeks, and in her boredom is taking up crocheting, but is not really a crafty person.
I'm hoping to find some recommendations for a beginners book I can buy her, and maybe some basic supplies. I am NOT a craft person (lack of skill, not interest), so any guidance gratefully received.
Also, a reminder, COVID hasn't gone away and can still be VERY serious.
Hey! I love crochet! What sort of thing does she like to make? If she wants to learn how to make pretty blankets, I can 100% recommend Shelley Husband's Granny Square Academy book. Its in a lot of craft stores, but its also on booktopia! I've put a link below.
If she likes making animals and stuffies, any of the Edward's Menagerie books by Toft are great as well.
If you want a solid and cheaper yarn to go with these, a good option from spotlight is their Marvel range, Spotsaver medium Yarn or Lionbrand. Vouchers are always great for these kind of gifts too.
she doesnt like to make anything yet, afaik: she has just watched all of netflix, apparently, and wants to learn something new while she is still stuck at home/in bed. A total beginner.
Thanks heaps for the recs/links - will definitely checkbthem out.
Then there's confusion with books that have US terminology VS British terminology.
Supplies like Clover brand stitch markers and some 8 ply yarn would be good gifts to help their learning.
Stick to single colour yarn but not something dark or they won't be able to follow their stitches. And not fluffy yarn. Simple 8 ply acrylic yarn would be perfect.
Just look for Crochet for beginners. The ones I have are from QBD but no longer stock them. Also big newsagents have magazines and they all contain hints for beginners. If you look on Amazon there will be a million and one books for beginners that will suit your budget. I hope this helps.
Bought myself a Kmart version of an oodie for pyjama day at work, it was on sale for $17. So super happy with it and it allows me to wash and dry and two oodies that really just need a good clean.
Receipt printer at my wife's workplace refuses to print. Error light is on.
She starts panicking. So I stroll over and attempted troubleshooting, then rebooted the printer. The report she was trying to print comes out moments later.
That reminds me, a friend's shop a few years ago had a problem where one of their POS terminals refuses to talk to the EFTPOS machine. Again, a quick reboot of both devices dealt with the problem.
Ugh, need to pick a day in the very near future to go get a haircut and shave the beard off, or the folks in the office will think I've gone off the deep a little too much. Also, as it stands right now, the top half of me will be giving off The Dude while the bottom half will be screaming, "As per my last email".
Its' sofa night. I work weekends, so this is my Friday. Mrs_Owl is up at 6am tomorrow to start her working week. By mutual agreement, she has the bed and I crash out on the sofa at some point in the wee hours thanks to YouTube auto-play.
Progress update on Project Upscale (thanks Rob, jeez).... 55 images done, and looking pretty good. 500 to go. Good thing I don't need my laptop for a while ....
Sealord I do enjoy your Wholemeal Crumb Hoki Fillets but I'm sorry there's just no way I'm paying 9 dollars for two pieces of frozen fish, no matter how hearty the pieces might be.
When was the last time you cleaned your windows including the fly screen and around the frame? You would be surprised at the filth and the dust. The soapy water was black scrubbing (gently) my fly screen. And the filth around the window frames was black too.
I don't think of myself as a dirty person but clearly I let this go for too long.
I know they're absolutely filthy because of how black the water is when it's rained onto them and some of it's gotten on the windowsill. Don't think mine have been cleaned in years and I'm not about to bother doing it now. I hate the job. It's fiddly and without a movable shower head it's really tedious. I won't do it until summer if at all.
My mum lives on the ground floor of a whole bunch of apartments in Asia and she's directly opposite a multistorey open air carpark. She needs to wash her fly screens once a month at least and they are always black. The previous owners just closed the windows and used the air conditioning all the time.
I love cleaning fly screens. It's so satisfying to clear off all the gunk, and the room is brighter after! It's amazing how much light all the scunge blocks.
Seagoon's New to me Movie. Today is "Dirty Harry". ( I hadn't seen it yet 😬)
What an incredible movie. The dialogue is a bit weird, the characterisation shallow. This is a dime store novel that could have been written in the 50s. It has a strange sense of unreality, it's cartoonish, which is interesting when you consider the late 60s , early 70s had some very good realistic cop movies. eg, Serpico and French Connection.
Dirty Harry was made when there was a public fascination with weird killers like the Zodiac killer and the hippy culture of SF. It's a bit voyeuristic. Like a dime store novel is.
But the look of the movie is what grabbed me. It has beautifully composed wide shots and some strange angles for interest. Ugly story against a beautiful backdrop, eh.
I did wonder if this were a western set in a modern city, but no, while the urban environment certainly plays a part Harry is not bringing civilisation/justice to the town. He's a cop in an already established justice system.
I thought the strange angles were more like Hitchcock, who also did weird angles for no reason other than to make the movie interesting to the viewer. I will take better notice of Eastwood movies now. :)
One of those days eh Melbourne, where you can't decide if it's a good day or a bad day. You feel a bit sick, you're not full on chucking up, you're doing your best but you make no promises you won't shit the bed any minute.
One thing I am not going to miss when I eventually move out from this Docklands apartment are the drums from the dragon boats in the marina. Speaking of moving out though, I am watching the latest video on that Site Inspections youtube channel which somebody mentioned and hoooooooooly shiiiiiiiiiiit it is rage inducing! It seems no matter where you turn or what you try to do, everybody is an amoral criminal out to fuck you over in this world. In another amazing segue, I'm going to see Mission Impossible in a couple of hours which should be fun.
If I had bought that house I'd be crying. I'm not kidding. This is life ruining. These videos shows crimes ( yes, it's fraud , that's a crime ) and these crimes have real victims. The victims are families.
In every video the inspector alludes to the various reasons why the industry is so bad. It's because they don't give a fuck, ** zero social conscience **. It's about appearances, they build a facade, it looks ok, that way the customer won't complain or won't know until it's too late.
The crooks are bringing in unqualified labour from overseas, under paying, smuggling illegal building materials, phoenix companies that can't be sued , self regulation
The only way to stop this is to bring in government inspectors again. I imagine there will be violence if they do as organised crime ( and yes, the definition fits ) does not like their river of money stopped.
Just got back from MI7 Part I. Think I agree with some of the online commentary: Action 10/10. Script 5.5/10.
While immensely enjoy the franchise, that last one was epic and probably could have ended there. Too many (new) players/antagonists that lack strength and subplots… and one… I’m so disappointed and it’s a spoiler so no spoiling from me.
Playing with memmy. Does not appear to able to reply to comments. An oversight so glaring i am convinced it is my own stupid fat face not finding it. The hunt continues
I've never tried Memmy, but apparently https://github.com/Memmy-App/memmy/issues/88 is complaining that "swipe left to reply" is unintuitive and there should be a button - so I'm guessing it's swipe left to reply?
On the Android front, I'm now using Connect and it is fairly excellent. I don't think any droid apps can handle the spoiler formatting yet including this one but apart from that it'll do nicely until we see what Boost for Lemmy ends up being like.
Well it does keep up to date if I want to talk about it at work though the Day 2 fireworks have enough talking points there.
Doesn’t impact me if I miss out on it but watching some sports is a highlight sometimes but I do have to be right for work even though it’s going to be a boring day.
Day 15 of exercise program. Felt motivated to do an extra set of ab exercises but it did lead me to ask myself the question: are these good for my back? I do a lot of lifting at work and I don't want to overdo it and do more harm than good. I found a great video from a doctor who was also a decathlete, who went into great detail about the muscles and how they work in the first place. Then he went through some common exercises from YouTube and explained why they are wrong and even dangerous. Finally, he explained some exercises and methods which work and won't injure you, but also when you shouldn't do them if that applies to you. It seems to make sense to me and the exercises are very.. minimal? I'll give them a go and see if they work, because while I'm getting better with fitness, I also feel that I should be doing more about my core strength, which is likely abysmal!
Are you able to link the video, I would be interested in that.
You might find you have better core strength than you expect - a lot of lifting involves using your core muscles to brace and stabalise yourself, so you would be using them constantly for that.
Now I'm deep into my Game of Thrones reread I'm reminded of the disappointments I first had with the show. I think one of my big petty disappointments is the costuming, everyone is so colourful in the books, even old Ned wears a bit of colour. I get why it was changed, but it would have been fun to see everyone not constantly in their House colours.
I love reading about the subtle things, like embroidery and buckles and fastening made to look like little things from their home lands.
Also would have loved show Sam to rock up to The Wall in his fancy arse clothes, would have been rather humorous, him in his lovely purple velvet doublet.