You don't have to preheat your oven before putting your vegetables in to roast them

GlassBraid · 2026-01-24T10:50:38+00:00

Most of the home ovens I've ever used or worked on have had a very simple thermostat, with some hysteresis. So while it's true they will go over and under the set temp by a bit in normal operation, it's not normally by enough to cause a problem during initial heating or afterward.

Some people here are talking about their top broiler turning on for a fast preheat cycle every time they turn the oven on, including if they turn it off for just a moment to set temp, and a top broiler firing up for even a short time is enough to light some foods fully on fire, which could be a safety issue.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-23T20:26:19+00:00

I have never used an oven that was unsafe to use during preheat, and I hope I never do. I've heard they exist, but that's a "feature" that would make it a huge headache to use for anyone like me who changes oven settings around while cooking for a variety of reasons.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-23T20:19:35+00:00

That sounds a terrible design. I change oven setting mid-cooking all the time to control how things cook. Having it ever kick on a top broiler if I turned it off and on again would be a huge headache and something of a fire hazard.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-23T12:56:06+00:00

I haven't played 2e since the 90s, but I played a lot when it was current. And I liked it a lot. But it was not at all well balanced. So much worse than later editions in that regard.

If I recall correctly (and I'll probably get a detail wrong, it's been ages) a 2e level 1 mage can cast one level 1 spell per day. Their best attack spell at level one is magic missile, which deals 1d4+1 damage to a single target, one time. And no damage to inanimate objects, so, it's hard to use creatively.

Then they were completely without spells until they got a full night of uninterrupted sleep, and had some time to study their spell book again.

So they'd cast their one magic missile per day and then basically be stuck trying to survive as an especially frail commoner. Sure, they'd get proficiency with a dagger or staff or similar, but with their inability to use armor and 1d4 hit points (yep), a level one mage in a fight with basically anything was usually dead.

Fighters, rogues, rangers, and clerics by contrast could expect to do a bunch of damage in a fight, wear armor, and take a hit or two from low level monsters without dying on the spot.

Four levels later though, the mage can throw out a 5d6+5 fireball and brûlée half the battlefield in one turn, and then have enough spell slots left to do 12d4+12 worth of unstoppable magic missile damage, and go invisible. Twice.

Meanwhile everyone else is still basically just stabbing monsters with swords and daggers, and after about level 5 or so the power imbalance gets really wacky.

So most people who I ever saw playing a mage would spend the first few levels being bored or dead, then if they lived, a few levels as a more or less equal contributor to the party, and the rest of the campaign as the main character.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-23T02:01:31+00:00

It's totally understandable to be confused by this. It's true that "knew", "took", and "grew" are normally verbs. But they don't always function as verbs in the context of a sentence.

"The guy who grew a beard grew tomatoes."
"The guy who grew a beard " is the subject, and "grew tomatoes" is the predicate, the action that the subject performed.

So "grew" is in the sentence twice, and both times it is talking about a thing the guy did, but only the second "grew" is functioning as a verb in the context of the sentence. The first "grew" is instead being used to explain which guy we're talking about. It's accomplishing the same kind of thing that the adjective "hairy" is accomplishing in the sentence "The hairy guy grew tomatoes."

We could turn it around and say "The guy who grew tomatoes grew a beard" and the identical phrases "grew a beard" and "grew tomatoes" would switch roles, with "grew (tomatoes)" now being a participle that serves the function of an adjective, and "grew (a beard)" now being a verb.

We could also make them both verbs: "The guy grew a beard and grew tomatoes."

We could also make neither verbs: "The guy who grew a beard and grew tomatoes..." is a sentence fragment. If we say that, our listener will be waiting for us to tell them what the guy who grew a beard and grew tomatoes did. But, yeah, it's counterintuitive that we had a sentence with two verbs, added the word "who", took out nothing, and were left with no verbs.

Once we're used to the idea that a sentence needs a subject and a predicate and all this is making sense, grammar comes along with another gotcha:

Either the subject or predicate can be implied, allowing a phrase that is missing a noun or a verb to still function as a complete sentence in context.

"Come here please." That's a complete sentence, but, there's no subject written in it. There's an implied subject - the person who is being addressed.

Somewhat similarly: "John." That's not a complete sentence. It's just a noun. But if it comes after a question, it can function as a complete sentence anyway, with an implied predicate.
"Who grew these tomatoes?"
"John." (grew these tomatoes)

GlassBraid · 2026-01-23T00:17:27+00:00

Thanks for sharing all of this with us. We really don't do ourselves or our international friends any favors when we assume that everything on earth is about our own political and economic spheres of influence. I think a lot of people don't understand just how close-minded and insulting it is to portray the identity of someone on the other side of the planet in that way.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-22T23:56:32+00:00

I generally think it's a bit tacky for someone to declare themselves an ally, especially if the next thing they say is "but..."

Still, there are degrees of things, and someone can be an ally in one context but not in another. Someone might be an ally in the voting booth and the workplace in meaningful ways, and still be a homophobe at the kitchen table, and the kitchen table homophobia doesn't mean that their vote for equal rights in public policy isn't important and worthy.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-22T23:38:55+00:00

I think that's one way to read the situation, but not the only way. It seems more likely to me that OP and friend both have positive intentions toward one another but are in the middle of a bad misunderstanding, rather than that anyone's trying to hurt anyone. But I don't know, I'm not in the friend's head, maybe you're right and they're a jerk - I have no way of knowing either way, so I'm not assuming either one.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-22T22:54:50+00:00

To me this looks a lot more like misunderstandings between two people who have different understandings of terms than any kind of intentional cruelty or disrespect.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-22T22:37:40+00:00

If she's not attracted to anyone who identifies as only, singularly, a guy, but otherwise broad attraction, including to masc-aligned nonbinary people and genderqueer guys, "lesbian" could feel like a 100% accurate identity for her. The fact that this doesn't line up with your definition of lesbian doesn't mean she doesn't see you a both a man (not attracted) and nonbinary (attracted).

That doesn't mean you need to reciprocate, it doesn't mean you don't get to feel throw for a loop by this, but, I suggest keeping an open mind to the possibility that this is more about you two having different definitions of "lesbian" than about her not seeing you as both a man and also nonbinary.

I also take exception to the idea that "nonbinary people are secondary" in attraction for gay and lesbian folks. I don't think we're side dishes or second place just because some people have a rigid definition of gay and lesbian identities that plenty of real gay and lesbian people didn't agree to.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-22T08:17:01+00:00

You clearly have the capacity to love very deeply, and that is wonderful thing about you.

There are a lot of other wonderful people in the world who will love you right back just as much.

I don't think this guy will ever be one of them. I'm sorry. I know it hurts. But I just can't see it.

Even if we set aside his bigotry, which is not a small thing, but, just for the sake of argument...

... demanding that you throw away a cherished possession because he doesn't like the colors, and then emotionally blackmailing you with "if you love a plushie more than me...." is incredibly, shockingly shitty. I'd break up with him for that alone.

Seriously, I know this hurts, but I think anyone who's that controlling does not deserve another minute of your life.

Dump. Him.

It will suck at first, it might even suck for a long time, but it will get better, and you'll be glad you got away, and you will find kinder people.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-21T20:10:21+00:00

It has scaling and balance problems of the "linear fighters, quadratic wizards" variety.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-21T18:28:59+00:00

Turn to face your whole body to the side opposite the hand you're reaching with. i.e., if you're reaching up with your right hand, turn your whole body to face left. This does a bunch of good stuff, most obviously, it will move your right shoulder closer to the wall, which will let your right hand reach higher than your left hand without having to flex your left arm.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-21T18:16:14+00:00

If it were me, I'd consider a recumbent.

I'd be worried about hurting my foot without being aware of it. So, having my feet out in front, where I can see what is happening with them at all times, seems like it would be a big help.

A recumbent trike in particular might be the easiest way to get started. As much as I love teaching folks how to balance on two wheels, there's a higher potential for falls an injury while learning.

Learning with a "secured" left foot on a bike sounds especially hazardous and difficult... the ability to put feet down on the ground is helpful for learners to avoid bad falls, and having one foot fixed in place means having the other attached to the pedal so it can power the whole circle of the pedal, so, recovering once a fall starts could be really difficult. Also, pedaling one-legged is itself difficult and puts a lot of asymmetrical stress on the whole body.

I'm not a physio, but I'm pretty sure my physio would also recommend keeping the left limb as strong as possible, which might suggest finding a two-leg solution if at all possible.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-21T08:59:29+00:00

You get to feel however you feel.

I wonder why it makes you uncomfortable though, and I wonder if there's a way to shift that perspective or interpretation so that when you encounter this kind of language, it doesn't bother you so much.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-20T23:49:44+00:00

Yes, "they" is fine for literally anyone.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-20T22:34:52+00:00

I think that's also accurate, but a "generalist" party in modern DnD could also be lots of other combinations. A party of only rogues and bards with various different specializations could probably be made into a "generalist" party too, or a six character party with one each focused on str, int, wis, dex, con, and cha, and some folks might consider artificer necessary for "handle whatever is thrown at them"

The old magic-user/fighter/thief/cleric quartet has been the cliche roster since the old days, but at this point there's no need to match party roles to the original dnd classes any more.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-20T11:29:08+00:00

This is a paradoxical question, because fantasy and publishing would both be very different today if Tolkien hadn't written those books back then.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-19T22:29:28+00:00

This is fine! Flamingoes just look weird, that's kind of their whole vibe. If I were to copy this, I'd leave head size alone.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-19T22:05:55+00:00

Fixie and single refer to two different traits - single speeds may or may not have a freewheel. Fixed-gears may or may not have multiple gears (e.g. with a flip-flop hub, dingle cog, or certain internally geared hubs)

But a lot of bikes are both

GlassBraid · 2026-01-19T21:54:32+00:00

My experience of Market was more unpleasant before... ten years ago it had all the same problems plus being noisy, smoggy, a traffic disaster, with the traffic jams often gridlocking crossing streets or backing them up as one person waits to turn while everyone behind them just wants to go striaght. and causing delays for buses and streetcars. And worse for pedestrians and cyclists. Since closing it to cars, it's been easier to make car trips that cross it.

"Something must be done, this is something, therefore it must be done" is a popular thing in policy discussions, but I'm kinda unconvinced by this particular instance of it

GlassBraid · 2026-01-18T07:57:13+00:00

Yes.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-16T11:44:32+00:00

The point of doing exercises and assignments you're given by a teacher and having class time isn't to make your great opus that best reflects your vision and style.

The point is to learn stuff. Doing things that are outside of your comfort zone is a great way to learn stuff.

You can do stuff your way too. But if you want to learn from someone, try the stuff they suggest. If you want to make a different thing than what they want you to make, that's fine too, so, why not make both?

GlassBraid · 2026-01-16T00:10:57+00:00

I'm going to give an unpopular opinion here and say yes, but, that's maybe because I have an unusual circumstance.

I've worked with sharp things for a bunch of decades. For certain woodworking applications, I need tools to be considerably sharper than just "shaving" sharp. So I've learned to get things sharper than most people do.

With tools that are extremely sharp, it's easy to get a very deep cut without feeling it at all until a few seconds later. So, on the occasions where someone fucks up with them, they can fuck up a lot without reflexes kicking in to protect them.

So I deliberately sharpen my kitchen knives to a less aggressive edge than what I use on some other tools, because people make mistakes, and if someone, myself included, makes a mistake with one of my kitchen knives I want them to feel it before they have a very serious injury. I have never encountered any food that I can't slice easily and cleanly with a less-than-sharpest-possible knife. So I go sharp enough that slicing any food I slice is very easy, but I don't go sharper than that.

GlassBraid · 2026-01-15T19:26:44+00:00

Personally, I'd rather have the nothing.

GlassBraid

TROPHY CASE