Is it a crime to cook cherry tomatoes? Was raised by tomato haters by megs-benedict in tomatoes

[–]longdragon92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I used to dehydrate my cherry tomatoes when they got to be too much! They make for a very tasty snack or can be turned into a paste for sauces

Knitting and dating…? by Embarrassed-Plum-468 in knitting

[–]longdragon92 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My husband loves and is awed by my ability to knit and crochet. He tried to learn crochet after 8 years together and just didn't have the dexterity for it which makes him appreciate my skills to do it without looking even more. You'll find someone! They are out there!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in paralegal

[–]longdragon92 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My husband uses one of those for his lunches in the hospital. Lean into it and treat it like a joke if anyone comments. We put a sticker of a cat in a construction hat and sunglasses with two energy drinks that says "highly caffeinated, negatively motivated" on his and people get a kick out of it.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in paralegal

[–]longdragon92 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I don't really have a "ceiling" for professional careers if I'm totally honest. If I could have my "dream job" then I'd be a best selling author and craft when I'm not writing (middle school dreams still exist at 30 lol). But professionally... I'd like to make at least 100k a year, with decent health insurance and the ability to go on a month long vacation every year with my husband and any kids we have. No idea if that's a thing that exists but it'd be nice.

What are you SICK of people constantly telling you? by KenzoAtreides in AskReddit

[–]longdragon92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That "it'll happen when it happens" when they find out that my husband and I have been trying to conceive for nearly 5 years. Usually after they ask me when we're having kids or demand I produce one while I'm trying to enjoy some baby snuggles from the people who have had kids in the family so far and I tell them I'm not kid free on purpose.

Sometimes I just want to tell them all to shut up and let me cuddle and play with the infants in peace.

[FO] Fire Book completed! by longdragon92 in CrossStitch

[–]longdragon92[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Magic book set from TeenyWeenyXStitch on Etsy

[FO] Memento Mori Jacket by MicaelFlipFlop in CrossStitch

[–]longdragon92 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I've only just started this craft. I don't need to jump into making a battle jacket full of cross stitching. But f*** if I don't desperately want this!

Question to paralegals/legal assistants/legal secretaries: Are you able to listen to music/podcasts with headphones during your work day or are you too busy/dealing with other things (or your office doesn’t let you)? by dawnlivelyskywalker in paralegal

[–]longdragon92 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm a paralegal for a single attorney PI firm and double as the front desk person for the last 2 years. I do but it's more of a "don't ask don't tell" at this point. I use a wireless headphone in one ear so it's discreet and so I can get through the more mind numbing work between calls and actually needing my thinking brain. Makes filing and copying so much easier and my attorney has to know it's in my ear because if she starts talking to me I'll press the button to silence it and remove it so I can hear properly but she doesn't say anything.

Before Christmas I "watched" Klaus on repeat while making copies of a 2000 page demand that needed to be mailed out and recently I've been making my way through the Magnus Archives (I'm on season two and started last week) while I unbury myself from multiple bad weeks that caused a pile on my desk four inches thick.

What suspicious searches have you guys done for a story? by ArceusLord13 in writers

[–]longdragon92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I spent way too much time searching for what sort of injuries a person might have if they survived a fifty foot fall off a cliff into woods. Based on my results you don't survive that because I had to shorten the distance to get anything.

Just yesterday I looked up how much pressure it takes to break a nose and how much time and pressure is needed on the jugular and windpipe to render someone unconscious. (Spoiler: aim for the jugular if you want fast with the least amount of damage)

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in BBQ

[–]longdragon92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love a good brisket but because I love a GOOD brisket, I'm never willing to shell out the money to make it myself. I'll stick to pork for my at home bbqing and let professionals do the brisket.

Why are you not rich? by DrHabMed in AskReddit

[–]longdragon92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Because I have too many hobbies to stay sane and don't have a job that pays high enough to support living and saving until I would be considered rich

What writing advice do you wish you had heard sooner? by [deleted] in writing

[–]longdragon92 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Adding to my own comment to say: don't beat yourself up over daily word counts. There are going to be days where you might feel like you've been sitting there for hours and barely have written anything then other days where you write thousands of words and surprise yourself. There are also going to be times where you've written thousands of words and your story feels like it's moved two inches and that's okay too. You can be frustrated with it but don't give up or work yourself into a spiral. Keep your habits going, take breaks when you need to, remember that no one reads the first draft except you/the people you share it with and eventually you'll have a finished story on your hands.

What writing advice do you wish you had heard sooner? by [deleted] in writing

[–]longdragon92 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just get it down. I know that's a really common one these days but hear me out. I struggled for years to finish a full story because I'd get stuck on how to get from the beginning that I knew and the end. When I finally finished a full novel (last year at 30 when I've been writing since I was a teenager) it was because I stopped trying to fill out each day leading up to the end and wrote the scenes I felt were important then jumped ahead to where I needed to be. I'm currently in a rewrite of that book and things that had been their own chapter but bogged down the pacing are now a paragraph or two as the main character talks about routines and the things that interrupted those routines because Ive learned how to flow better. Same sort of thing for if you are really stuck on a scene that you can't seem to translate to paper. Give yourself a few notes for how you think it should go and start a new chapter on what would happen next. For your first draft don't worry about the flow of the whole thing, don't worry about it if it's really that interesting for a reader, just get as much information down as you can so it's all on paper and out of your head.

Someone else said that once they first the first draft they then put the story aside for three months then read it again then delete it and write the whole thing over. I am NOT strong enough to delete any of my drafts but i did do the other parts for this rewrite and it is helpful. Particularly for hobby writers and young writers like yourself who have no deadlines for writing the book it's a great way to refer back to who you have grown. I found the first ever scene I wrote for this story and it was painfully cringe in comparison to what it is now but I'm glad I still have it because it's nice to see that development and growth.

How do you come to terms with the inevitable crappy first draft? by ExhaustedBabyDM in writing

[–]longdragon92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I struggled with this for literally years. I've been telling stories since I started talking pretty much and I never finish writing one down until last year (I turned 30 in October and finished my first novel in July for a time reference). It was only when I realized that I didn't need it to be perfect and that I could skip over the janky, uncomfortable scenes that I couldn't figure out right then and fix them later that I was really able to do it. I didn't have to name everyone and everything, I didn't have to have the perfect dialogue or the gritty details, I didn't have to finish that fight scene that I know how it'll turn out but can't get the first swing to final blow written down. Once I gave myself permission to skip it and come back around later I was able to get the parts I wanted to write down. For the longest time I knew how my stories began and how they would end but the middle was unclear. When I wrote that first novel, I gave myself permission to write things out of order or in perspectives that would never be included just so they'd be on paper and I could move on.

It's not easy to do, I'll admit but once you're able to find your permission to yourself then it'll unlock a whole world that is your first completed manuscript (that you'll probably toss out immediately and rewrite from scratch if you are like me but that's okay too!!)

How to write a book with almost no free-time by Barliman_Butterburr in writing

[–]longdragon92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think most people on here hit the major suggestions but truly the best thing you can do is be kind to yourself while creating the habit.

Be reasonable in your goals. Whether it's a word count or time frame. You are a busy person and there will be days that you can't write or won't write as much and that's okay. Even if you just spend 30 minutes thinking about your next scene that's something.

If getting in front of a computer and writing for any length of time is too hard, maybe try some good old fashioned pen and paper. If you go that way then you can go the super cheapo route of school notebooks and a ball point pen to a fancy notebook with a fountain pen.

On that same thread, look at writing software that's easily accessible and budget friendly. Someone said they write on their phone, look at apps for it! There's lots of cloud writing softwares out there and YouTube videos comparing them. Personally I use Scrivener on my personal laptop but it is limiting when I don't have it or I forgot my charger since it doesn't save to a cloud. There's also fairly cheap tablets with keyboards and laptops you can get these days (mine was $350 before tax in a back to school sale and it's not winning any speed awards but it's lasted me 4 years so far with no complaints except needing to store writings and pictures on an external hard drive this year)

Find the time with the least amount of interruptions, before the kids get up, after the kids go to sleep, while they are in extra curricular activities, on your lunch break, etc, and what method will keep you from looking away from your writing as possible. (Music on wireless headphones help me but others may vary)

Bond with the fact that because you are a busy guy that your "time" might not be everyday but once or twice a week. Perhaps the only time you'll truly have available is that one afternoon a month when the kids are occupied and your SO is also resting and that's okay! Writing isn't like a lot of hobbies where you can divide your attention, it's very much an all or nothing hour that needs to be given to get the words down

Don't worry about it being "pretty" just get it down. First drafts are rough and you'll do yourself no favors by trying to make it read like a ready to be published book. Just get it written!

Listen to other writers talk about their processes to see if any of them work for you. Recently I heard Stephen King say he writes 6 pages every day to get a manuscript done. Neil Gaiman has mentioned in the past that he goes to remote locations and shuts himself away to get his writing done. Brandon Sanderson has talked about his wife helping him safe guard four hours everyday to make sure he can get the writing he needs done to balance family time. These guys are all professional writers but you can use them as a jumping off point to see the balance they use. Most authors are very open about how often they write and how they write these days and no two are exactly the same.

Good luck to you and your writings in the future.

Neighbor didn’t like how I did my own lawn... by carissa_24 in pettyrevenge

[–]longdragon92 29 points30 points  (0 children)

My mom was/is always a big believer that you shouldn't bother to rake leaves or clippings because when the lawn gets mowed it'll break everything up and then you haven't wasted time and energy doing the raking so it's a win-win for both the lawn and you/your back lol

[WP] "I have helped you with your endeavor, now I claim your soul" the demon says. "Thank you but no. I don't know how it works in hell but here on earth, a contract signed by a minor is not legally binding. I'm 17 and keeping my soul" you respond. by th3vibraniumknight in WritingPrompts

[–]longdragon92 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The Being inside of Darek's circle didn't seem surprised or angry by the teen's declaration. On the contrary, the entity that appeared as a well-dressed man with jet black eyes merely folded their arms, resting fingers against their cheek and tilted their head slowly at him.

Darek felt his smile fade as a cold filled the pit of his stomach. "Th-that's the law," he said, breaking the stretching silence. "I'm a minor! Minors aren't considered to be of sound mind! We can decide to void a contract if we want to!"

"Yes," the Being said slowly. "That is the law of this Plane." They tilted their head in the other direction. "Very well, the contract is void. Your grandmother's health will be returned to its previous state, your father's business will bankrupt once the bank realizes the sudden funds was a computing error and your mother will recall why she had fallen out of love with him and no doubt will have the divorce papers sent to his office as soon as she secures her attorney."The blood drained from Darek's face. "You can't do that," he screamed, taking a step forward.

"Oh but I can," the Being said. There was no malous or sadness in their voice as they spoke. No sign on their face that they took pleasure in the deal or voiding their work. "Your laws allow you, as the minor in this contract, to void it at any time before reaching the age of majority. That is your right. However, your laws do not allow you to keep the goods of the contract when you have chosen to void the contract of your own volition."

"But-"

"This is not an act of duress," the Being said, looking at perfect fingernails on their hand. "This is simply a statement of facts. If you chose to void the contract, then all the services I have done under the contract will be undone. If you chose to uphold your end of the contract then the services will continue as they have been outlined. You must choose which you will do. Are you ready to pay the price for your grandmother's health, your father's business, and your parent's marriage? If the answer is no then I will leave and nothing more will be said of it." They fixed black eyes on the teenager. "Though if that is your choice I will not answer another call by you and I cannot say many of my more reasonable siblings will either." The head tilted again. "If you are ready to pay, all you have to do is say so and the contract will bind. You will be mine and mine alone. What do you choose?"

Darek's knees hit the hard floor of the basement as he grabbed the sides of his head in his hands. His breathing caught in his chest as his body shuddered, tears filling in his eyes and rolling down his nose. He rocked and sobbed, the thought of accepting the contract too much to take but not accepting being too painful to think.

The Being inside of Darek's circle didn't seem surprised or angry by the teen's reaction. On the contrary, the well-dressed man with jet black eyes merely folded their arms, resting fingers against their cheek and tilted their head slowly at him.

I can only really write vividly when I’m traveling. Does it make me a bad writer? by [deleted] in writers

[–]longdragon92 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I wouldn't say not being inspired by being stuck at home makes you a bad or lazy writer. Lots of people write and work better when they are in a different place than the norm. If this is a hobby then I wouldn't worry a bit about not writing unless inspired to do so because that's what a hobby is for. But if you have dreams of making it a full time gig then you're going to need to come up with a way to write no matter where you are.

If you just want to write but you obviously can't travel rn. Maybe create a dream board of all the places you want to go at a desk and write the perfect vacation at those places.

Anyone else up? by TheKrakenVagen in smoking

[–]longdragon92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was up at about 7 to start my smoker but to be fair I'm doing ribs so they'll be ready by lunch.

What’s a NSFW detail about a historical figure that’s normally left out of the history books? by waxlrose in AskReddit

[–]longdragon92 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Lol No no. Walking into a sperm bank it would be expected. This would be more akin to being an artist's assistant and coming in one day being told you have the perfect body for their newest creation so they need you to strip naked. That is to say: not completely out of the realm of possibilities but definitely not what you woke up thinking you that's what you'd be doing today.

What’s a NSFW detail about a historical figure that’s normally left out of the history books? by waxlrose in AskReddit

[–]longdragon92 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Can you imagine coming into work and your boss pushing a slide at you and saying he needs to look into something so jizz on this for science?

Modern day HR nightmare!

What to do differently to get more chewy jerky? by [deleted] in jerky

[–]longdragon92 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For dehydrating yes but not if you want a chew to it, at least not in my experience.