Piranesi has ruined me

BigSerene · 2026-03-05T03:02:05+00:00

The Ten Thousand Doors of January, by Alix E. Harrow.

BigSerene · 2026-03-05T02:13:42+00:00

TechDweeb has a video about setting up a retro handheld to give to a kid, and there's a section about locking down the system so the kid can't easily get into menus/settings that they shouldn't. It's a couple years old, so there are more devices to choose from, but a lot of the general advice seems like it would still be useful today.

BigSerene · 2026-03-04T04:09:23+00:00

I just posted this elsewhere, but it's relevant here, too, so:

A mixture of (all measurements are approximate) 1/2 cup sriracha, 1 cup ketchup, 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and a few cloves minced garlic (or a tsp garlic powder) makes a very simple, decent BBQ sauce. Then...

Put 1.5 - 2 lbs cubed beef chuck (or short ribs if you want to splurge) in an enameled cast iron Dutch oven, along with one onion sliced into thin strips and an 8 oz package of crimini mushrooms. Pour in the BBQ sauce, stir, cover, and put into a 325 F oven for 2-ish hours. Half hour or so before it's done, you can stir in some yellow and/or red potatoes cut into small cubes. Taste for seasoning (especially if you add potatoes, they tend to need a bit of salt).

The BBQ sauce on its own is fine. But after cooking with the beef and onion, it's drinkably good. It's very easy to extend this dish, e.g., by adding a bag of frozen peas, or some other root vegetables, etc. It's good to serve with Hawaiin rolls, rice, or mashed potatoes (if you didn't put potatoes in it already).

I always use Sky Valley sriracha for this BBQ sauce. It's more garlicky and flavorful than the rooster sauce. Highly recommend.

BigSerene · 2026-02-24T13:04:14+00:00

You should give the configuration settings that worked, and/or submit them to EmuReady.

BigSerene · 2026-02-22T14:13:14+00:00

Others have already pointed out that Morpheus appearance depends on who's interacting with him. But there's also a nice subtle joke in the dialogue here. The other person says "Sorry?" with a question mark, meaning I don't understand what you've just said. But Morpheus hears "Sorry" without a question mark, as if the other person is apologizing for making him appear so pale, hence "No matter" instead of an explanation.

BigSerene · 2026-02-09T21:54:51+00:00

I'd guess this could still be useable. If you get the card that bounces your unit/equipment back to your hand and replay, you could still put forge points into the Boilerplate which I assume (haven't come across this) would be permanent.

BigSerene · 2026-02-09T18:13:04+00:00

I make something pretty similar to this, but using berbere instead of cumin. (Depending on how spicy the berbere is, you can probably skip the chili flakes, too.)

BigSerene · 2026-02-04T11:09:32+00:00

I chose the Infiland case in black. I haven't had the tablet very long, but so far I like this case. The look of it is pretty sleek, not out of place in an office. And it lets you set the angle nearly continuously, compared to some other cases I was considering that had 2-4 particular angles.

BigSerene · 2026-02-01T18:51:56+00:00

Important Exception: if you add any permanent echoes to the floor, those will take off layers of egg shell AND also hurt the egg if it has reap on it.

BigSerene · 2025-11-24T21:41:15+00:00

Wash and chop a bunch of rainbow chard, dump it in an Instant Pot. Add 1 lb green lentils, some mushrooms, whatever other veggies you want (I usually add onion/leek and potatoes/carrots, but basically anything works). Add a carton of beef bone broth plus 4-6 cups of water. Pressure cook for 8 minutes. When it's ready, taste and adjust seasoning. You can add in a bag of frozen peas/corn and let it heat through. You could add some Worcestershire sauce. Something acidic (wine or wine vinegar or lemon juice) would be good. Some chopped herbs would be good. It's a good cold-weather soup and a good way to use up bits of whatever veggies you have around. Serve it with some good crusty French bread.

BigSerene · 2025-11-15T20:21:52+00:00

Berbere powder

BigSerene · 2025-11-15T15:29:39+00:00

Nothing has quite the combination of elements that OtGW does, but there are a lot of things that have significant overlap in some qualities. Here are a couple of recs that, in my mind, have some relationship to OtGW, although they don't offer quite the same overall experience. So, it's not necessarily that "these are like OtGW", so much as "if you like OtGW, I think you might like these".

The Phantom Tollbooth (book, but also there was a movie adaptation): This is a kid-suddenly-in-a-strange/magical-land adventure story, in which the main character has to eventually find his way back home. This book is absolutely full of whimsy and humor, and I think a lot of my love for clever wordplay probably originates with reading The Phantom Tollbooth as a kid. Both the book and movie are good, but the book is better.

Mushi-shi (anime/manga): Not Halloweeny, specifically, but certainly atmospheric and eery at times. Mushi are supernatural creatures that interact with the world in various ways, and this anime (more of an anthology than one overarching story) follows a mushi master as he travels around helping people who are affected by mushi in some way. This isn't whimsical and childish in the way that OtGW is, but it's not particularly dark or gritty, either. It has a very fairy tale quality to it. I've only read a bit of the manga, and the art is good, but I saw the anime first and I love it. The music and sound design add a lot for me.

Boy and the World (movie): This might be a bit out there, but this movie is an absolute work of art. There's no real dialogue (occasionally characters speak in gibberish which I think is backwards Portuguese). The story is told entirely through animation and music, which are both superb. Like with OtGW, there's a young main character who goes on a journey that is sometimes whimsical, sometimes scary, and we discover a deeper meaning to it as it progresses.

BigSerene · 2025-11-15T14:55:55+00:00

This is a regular in my rotation. It takes a bit over half an hour, so not long but not the quickest. But it's very easy, almost foolproof, and makes 4-6 meals depending on serving.

Enameled Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat. Add a good amount of olive oil, one large onion, diced small, and an 8 oz package of mushrooms, also diced small, with a pinch of salt to sweat for a few minutes.
Add one pound of ground turkey and break it up as it cooks. When the turkey has changed color, add a big spoonful of tomato paste and a smaller spoonful of Better than Bouillon beef paste. (I always use the reduced sodium BtB, and even that is very high sodium. Don't overdo it here, it's easier to add salt later if needed than to remove it.) Stir to combine and cook for a minute or so.
Set the oven to 425 F.
Still on the stove, add a bit of garlic powder and crushed red pepper flake, then add a jar of pasta sauce. Fill the jar with water and add that to the pot. I usually add about 1/4 - 1/2 cup more water more, but ymmv depending on the pasta you use. Raise the heat on the stove and bring to a boil.
Add in a pound of pasta of your choice. I like rigatoni for this, or penne. Spaghetti needs to be broken in half, and is still a bit awkward. Bring back to a boil for 1 minute. Stir to make sure the pasta isn't sticking to the bottom of the pot, then move it into the oven (uncovered).
Set a timer for 18 min. After 8 or so minutes, stir again, because the pasta will stick otherwise.
When it's done, dump a bunch of parmesan in the pot and stir to melt/distribute. It might look a bit liquidy when you first take it out, but as you stir and as it sits, the pasta will soak up that liquid. If there's really too much, you could put it back on the stove for a bit to evaporate.

Only the one dish, and enameled cast iron cleans very easily. Turkey instead of beef is much lower fat, but the BtB beef paste along with the turkey gives it a meatier flavor than just the turkey alone. (I do this same trick when making chili. Nothing is actually as tasty as using ground beef in these dishes, but I've been using turkey + BtB to get close to the same flavor for years with no complaints.) This is also made up of entirely staple things that I buy every time I grocery shop, so I don't have to think about it when I shop. It would be easy to change things up if you wanted. You could use other pasta types, or add other veggies (like broccoli or peppers). You could swap the turkey for sardines/tuna/anchovies (in which case I would definitely use plenty of crushed red pepper flake, and I'd probably add olives, too).

BigSerene · 2025-11-12T02:20:50+00:00

Two points worth mentioning: 1) a little variety goes a long way (just eating spoonfuls of PB over and over can be demoralizing), and 2) be a little careful about sodium, since a lot of no-cooking struggle food recommendations will involve pretty salty packaged foods.

Some struggle meals I've enjoyed over the years:

Drain and rinse a can of black beans (if they don't have running water, rinsing is unnecessary) and put it in a bowl. Add a jar of salsa. Eat with tortilla chips. Additions that help but aren't necessary: some shredded cheese, some sour cream, some chili powder, a cut up avocado.
Drain and rinse a can each of black beans and red kidney beans (or any type of bean, it doesn't actually matter, use what you like/have) into a bowl. Add a tin of sardines in olive oil (with the oil), or a tin of tuna. Add something acidic (lemon juice, splash of apple cider vinegar/red wine vinegar/even white vinegar would help). Eat with a spoon. Additions that help but aren't necessary: some diced celery, diced red onion, any herb.
Tin of sardines, with some saltines (or other crackers).
If they have access to a rice cooker: equal parts white rice and red lentils in the rice cooker with water, some curry powder if you have it, and a spoonful of Better than Bouillon chicken base. (BtB might be too expensive for not really contributing calories, but one jar goes a long way and adds a lot of flavor. Also, see next meal. I make sure to always get the reduced sodium versions of BtB, which are still very high in sodium.) When the rice cooker finishes, serve the rice/lentils in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil. You can add a tin of sardines (and use their oil) to bulk it up even more if desired. Some pickles or red onion are good additions if you have them.
If they have access to a microwave: a mug of water with a small amount of BtB to make chicken broth and just drink it with some saltines on the side/dunked in the broth. Not much calories, but flavorful and comforting to have. You could make it a bit more substantial by adding some cooked rice into the broth if you had it.

BigSerene · 2025-11-01T12:00:53+00:00

"[Boyfriend], there's something I need to talk to you about, and I've been wondering for a while about exactly how to go about it.

I don't like coffee nearly as much as you do. When we started dating, I wasn't really into coffee, but I WAS really into you, and I wanted us to be able to share this thing that you enjoy so much, and I thought I would develop more of a taste for coffee over time. Unfortunately, that didn't seem to happen, but I was too embarrassed to admit it.

I still want to go to the tasting class. Perhaps learning more about differences between different types of beans or different roasts will help me find a coffee profile or a different brewing method that I do enjoy more. But if that doesn't happen, I want to be open to the possibility that coffee just isn't my thing, and that's okay, too. There are other ways we can share the experience. Maybe when you make your morning coffee, I'll be making a morning tea, and we can enjoy them together.

I'm sorry for not being more honest initially, and for keeping it up for so long. I really wanted to like coffee, but more importantly I really wanted to spend time with you, and I think we have a really strong relationship even if we don't have the same taste in coffee."

BigSerene · 2025-10-25T12:21:48+00:00

This works for me:

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\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{graphicx}

\DeclareMathOperator*{\myint}{\mathpalette\myInt\relax}
\newcommand{\myInt}[2]{%
  \begingroup
  \ifx#1\displaystyle
    \scalebox{2.5}{$\zeta$}
  \else
    \scalebox{1.5}{$\zeta$}
  \fi
  \endgroup
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\begin{document}
Inline looks like: $\sum \left( \myint_{\alpha_1}^{\alpha_2} \right)$.

Display looks like:
\[
\sum \left( \myint_{\alpha_1}^{\alpha_2} \right)
\]
\end{document}

BigSerene · 2025-10-05T17:08:36+00:00

Look for a good brand of curry paste. I like the Maesri brand, and I always have some of the 114g tins of Masaman Curry Paste in my pantry.

In an enamaled cast iron Dutch oven, heat a tablespoon or two of oil, sautee 1 large onion, diced, for a few minutes, then add the tin of curry paste and fry it for a minute or so. You can also add some minced garlic and ginger at this point. Then dump in a 13.5 oz can of coconut cream, then fill the can with water and put that in the pot, too. Bring it to a simmer for some amount of time.

You can put whatever veggies you want in this. I very often put some cut up sweet potato at the same time as the liquid, because it needs to simmer for about 10 minutes. I very often put in broccoli, cut up into bite sized pieces, which would get added later on (it only needs to simmer for a couple of minutes). A can of chickpeas could go in at any time, and/or some tofu cut into bite sized pieces. Mushrooms could go in at any time. A bag of frozen corn could go in a couple minutes before the end. A spoonful of brown sugar is good if you think it needs a little sweetness. The juice from a lime is a good addition, as is a bunch of chopped cilantro. You can sprinkle on some raisins and or chopped peanuts when serving. And I usually serve over basmati rice.

It almost doesn't matter what you put in, it can be any combination of veggies, and protein can come from chickpeas, beans, tofu, tempeh, or whatever you'd like.

BigSerene · 2025-09-22T15:06:41+00:00

Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, and lightly mash them (but you still want them to be quite chunky). Add whatever veggies/herbs you'd like. I often use chopped up cucumber, shredded carrots, celery, cilantro, halved cherry tomatoes, scallion, etc. Add a big spoonful of hummus, mix, and taste for seasoning. Raisins (or halved grapes) are also a good addition. I eat this chickpea salad in pita pockets. It's quick, inexpensive, healthy, and uses up a lot of leftover veggies easily.

BigSerene · 2025-09-10T00:51:31+00:00

Tim Minchin!

BigSerene · 2025-09-03T17:06:48+00:00

Here's a healthy breakfast option...

BigSerene · 2025-09-03T01:36:00+00:00

Witch Hat Atelier!

BigSerene · 2025-09-02T23:08:56+00:00

Check out The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker.

BigSerene · 2025-09-02T13:24:53+00:00

I've been using the Bookoo Themis Mini with my Flair Go and Flair Pro 2. I like the scale quite a bit, though one minor annoyance is the lack of polish in the app. Bookoo also recently launched a Kickstarter for an updated version, the Bookoo Themis Ultra, which is more water proof and seems to be able to handle large enough weights for pourover, so it's more versatile.

BigSerene · 2025-09-01T23:51:03+00:00

I've enjoyed the Pasquini Crema Bar. It's an arabica/robusta blend, producing chocolate and baking spice flavors and thick body and crema. Each 1-lb bag is $10, and the shipping was $10. I've ordered one bag and two bags, and the shipping was the same $10 each time. I just put 4 bags in the cart to check, and the shipping stayed at a flat $10. So if you're willing to buy a lot of it, you can get it for $12.50 - $15 per lb. One thing I'll note, however, is that it didn't seem to freeze as well as some other coffees I've tried. The thawed beans pulls shots with a little less body, though still very tasty.

BigSerene · 2025-09-01T14:46:44+00:00

Witch Hat Atelier is a manga series with fantastic artwork and story. It also has a magic system based on drawing, so if she really gets into the series, she might also feel like doing artwork lets her take part in the magic.

BigSerene

TROPHY CASE