WTF-Beta

I just started reading this book that I bought while we were in Japan last summer: Yakuza Sometimes Piano

It’s about a writer whose main reporting area is yakuza (i.e., he primarily writes about the yakuza underworld), and he (the writer, a man in his 50s) starts learning piano.

I literally bought it because the cover caught my eye. It would probably be more interesting if the person learning the piano were actually a yakuza, instead of someone who writes about yakuza... But it’s interesting enough so far. I’m not very far along, so we’ll see.

I always love watching figure skating during the Olympics! But unfortunately this year (because of how busy work is) I doubt I’ll be able to watch much of any of the events. unless I want to give up my piano time, which I don’t.

We never watch TV. When we lived in Japan, we always watched a morning show together at breakfast, probably not unlike those shows that play in the US (although I don’t know bc we don’t watch the U.S. ones, mostly bc Mr SK can’t keep up with the English) but the Japanese ones are a mix of news and entertainment. And that was always an easy way to keep up with events like the Olympics.

I really miss that.

Sorry for the thread drift!

@andyd that must have been so much work! Not like for just a square room! So are all your renovations done, or do you have another project going on?

Looks fantastic!

@Mik said in Let's talk miso:

Shiroley you jest.

@Mik said in Let's talk miso:

I have tried using miso a couple time with less than stellar results. I think it's a lot like umami powder, a fancy name for a salty taste.

As the recipient of miso cooking (as opposed to the cook himself), all I can say to this is, it's probably your fault!

Ok, kidding!

But in my experience, miso is a lot more than just salty. And it doesn't have to be, and isn't, primarily salty. If that's all it was, we can just use salt.

@Steve-Miller said in Let's talk miso:

SK, any suggestions for a newbie?

Unfortunately not really! My only expertise in miso is in eating it

Mr SK cooks with it all the time, but the recipes he has are in Japanese. I’ll ask him if he has any links though, maybe you could use an AI translator.

A few days ago he made something he makes often, it uses chicken (white meat, he used breast), yogurt, miso (white), mirin, garlic… it is super good. I’ll ask him for the recipe for that one.

Re white, red, mixed (I assume that’s what they mean by yellow, but we don’t call it that), it was always my understanding that those differences come from regional food differences. Mr SK said he usually buys white or mixed, but sometimes red. He doesn’t really like red for miso soup, but he said that for other kinds of uses, he doesn’t think it makes all that much difference. I think he’s just happy that it’s common enough now that it’s easier to buy!

@wtg said in NIPSCO:

$1,447 for one month

OMG!!!!!!!

Yikes! What @piano-dad said!

@Piano-Dad Wow!

Also, not the most important criticism, but it's just tacky. If you want to release a documentary like this, at least do it after you're no longer the current first lady. It's like everything they do, tacky, self-serving, profit driven.... Gross.

@wtg said in Melania, the movie isn't doing too well:

I'm not a fan of the stuff makes sexual references about her.

Agreed. There's more than enough to poke fun at here without that.

No comment. -_-

@wtg that judge is great! More like him please!!

@wtg yep, I just saw that announcement from Glass.

Good!

@RealPlayer now that you mention it….

I’ll have to check Mr SK’s hat to see if his ear flaps also have ear flaps… an important mission for the day!

I was outside again today for about an hour (working on getting things down to the pavement so that it won't freeze, because it will be too cold for salt to work, and that's all we have).

Anyway, it was pretty cold but the sun was out. I was wearing these orthopedic shoes, they're backless but they have very thick soles. Yesterday, I was wearing boots, but these thick soles were much better. Funny what makes a difference.

@wtg said in A turning point?:

or whatever

Also, notice this "or whatever" -- like, losing lives isn't reason enough??

@wtg said in A turning point?:

let the people of Minneapolis decide do we want to continue to have all of these illegals,"

I mean, "the people of Minneapolis" will answer that with a resounding "yes".

@wtg said in The Chicago kidnappings have begun:

There are confirmed reports from MN that plain-clothed agents are posing as helpers.

Oh god.

I was reading something in the NYT about how "they did everything right. ICE Detained Them Anyway."

When I see stuff like that (even though this was about refugees) it makes me wonder when I'm going to start feeling too afraid to let my husband leave the house.

The things I'm reading and seeing these days makes me feel like that day is coming, probably soon.