Blogging now and then

Blogging now feels a little like blogging then, as I'm just sitting down and basically make a list or jotting down thoughts for my own enjoyment. When I started blogging in August 2011, I had no idea there was even a blogging world out there, or that people I didn't know would read any of it. 

The internet world changes by the millisecond. We're still out here here and there, but I think most of us share on Instagram. It's easier and not as form-like, yeah?

I'm on the computer on a Saturday doing bathroom reno research (learn more about heatline systems, we're having to do some of this type of work) and purchasing, movers for a client in VA, looking at yet even more paint colors (Sherwin Williams only, always), and https://bciworldwide.com/ for hospitality logistics. 

I'm also cleaning my office up because I'll be stowing most of the bathroom reno shit in here until they need it since it's the room next door. I'll relocate to the shore or dining room table if I'm here while this work is happening.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, and I'll be outside enjoying soon. 

Things I love doing that are free

A quick list for Friday of things I love doing that are free, with the overall acknowledgement that living in home and having pets and things and existence in general is intrinsically not free but we're going with it.

Taking in public art and murals

Sleeping with the windows open

Watching the world from the window as a passenger in a car or train

Sitting on a bench people watching

Reading library books

Listening to the radio

Exploring on foot

Swimming in the ocean

Sky gazing at all times of day

Walking dogs

Waking up every day

Looking at paint colors

Picking up extraneous information when deep diving on the internet...like traveling along the Don't Worry Darling made me love celebrity drama again path lands me on crossbow packages, or a click here on an exploration of a Glacier National Park/WA trip leads me to something about portable bridges which I continue reading about because honestly how cool, or a click here on multigrain breads leads me to senior services and this is aging I guess and around and around we go

Taking photos I'll never share or use

Writing things no one else will ever see

Wearing lipstick

Staying hydrated

Creating relatively detailed itineraries for trips I might never take

You? 

Happy Friday!

Ways to get more fish and seafood into your diet

If you want to make your diet a little healthier, one of the things that you might want to do is embrace seafood. It offers a healthier alternative to red meat and contains a lot of the nutrients that we all need in order to lead a healthy life. So how can you get more of it into your diet?

That’s the question we’re going to answer today. There are lots of ways to get more seafood into your diet, even if you’re not someone who has a great love of fish. So read on now and learn more about some of the techniques and ideas you might want to try out.

Use Lemon if You Don’t Like the Smell of Cooked Fish

One thing that stops lots of people from getting more fish and seafood in their diet is the smell that they associate with it. But this is something that’s pretty easy to overcome if it’s something that bothers you a lot. The reason why lots of restaurants serve fish with a slice of lemon is that the citrus and acid in the lemon cut through the enzymes in the fish that produce that smell, improving both the smell and the taste of fish for many people.

Try a Few Fish Stew Recipes

Trying a few different fish stew recipes is a good way to get more fish into your diet. It’s one of those kitchen stables that you really need to have under your belt, and you won’t know which fish stew recipes are right for you until you try a few of them out. There are lots of different types of fish stew out there, whether you’re looking for something traditional or maybe even with a little spice. There’s something for just about everyone.

Learn What You Like and Don’t Like

If you’re relatively new to seafood and you haven’t had much of it before, it’s definitely a good idea to do a little experimenting. That way, you can really learn about what you like and what you don’t like when it comes to seafood. Not everyone is going to be a fan of everything. For example, oysters might not be for you; but you shouldn’t assume that before you’ve given them a try. When you know what you like and don’t, you can decide what you’re going to cook at home regularly.

Image Source - CC0 License

Experiment with New Salmon Recipes

Experimenting with salmon will help you discover just how versatile it is as an ingredient. You can use all kinds of different glazes and toppings, and you can’t overlook the fact that plain old grilled salmon fillet is the basis of a beautiful meal by itself. But it’s certainly worth trying out some different ways of preparing it if you haven’t really done that before. Follow the link to discover how to cook salmon perfectly!

Choose Frozen Options to Save Money

Choosing frozen options is a good way to save money if the thing that’s holding you back is the cost of seafood. Not all seafood ingredients are costly, but some of them can be expensive. So the easiest way to cut the cost is to look in the frozen aisle of your supermarket. Those options will always be priced more affordably than the fresh options on sale in the supermarket’s refrigerators. And nine times out of ten, the quality of the frozen stuff is as good or better than the fresh produce.

Make Your Own Fish Cakes

If you’re looking for a relatively easy fish-based dish to make at home, a good place to start is with fish cakes. They’re very easy to make and there aren’t many ingredients involved. You simply take the fish, cut it up into small chunks, combine with mashed potato and then fry it in breadcrumbs. And then you have a fish cake.

Marinate White Fish for Extra Flavor

Some people find white fish quite bland, and that’s understandable, especially when compared to the flavors of salmon. But that doesn’t have to be the case. With the right marinade, you can make white fish taste great and packed full of flavor, so give this a try.

As you can see, there are plenty of things you can do to get more fish and seafood into your diet. Try out some of these different ideas and you’re sure to find some dishes that you love and that you can start to put into your regular dinner time rotation. And your health will benefit too.

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This post was written with the Life According to Steph audience in mind

Thursday Thoughts - Desert loving in your eyes all the way if I listen to your lies, would you say

Women don't get raped because of what they're wearing and they don't get killed because of where they are at what time. The only thing I hate about the narrative that is happening around this is "in today's world" - BAAABYY - in THE world, since the dawn of time, at the hands of men with the unspoken permission of women who are foot soldiers to the patriarchy and other men who say and do nothing, perpetuated by systems that cater to and favor men. In TODAY'S world add in a country that glorifies violence, has for profit prisons with no intent to rehabilitate, is smothered in toxic masculinity, and is under minority rule that makes women's bodies public - for public consumption and rule. There are a lot of people to blame for why this shit happens, none of which are the woman it happens to, so fuck off out of here with any of that. All of this shit is tied together. Violence is continually perpetuated against women because arguing for fucking decades over who decides what she can do with her body signals to rapists and murderers that they can do what they please to her body because she already does not get to decide in other ways. It is only now, in 2022, that federal laws have made it harder for convicted domestic abusers to acquire guns despite the fact that when an abusive partner has access to a gun, a domestic violence victim is five times more likely to be killed. All the girl power shit in the world DOES NOT MATTER if you exist quietly among misogynists and patriarchal fucks and vote for people who are against bodily autonomy. Both things make women less safe. If that makes you upset or uncomfortable, sit with that for a while.

Bathroom reno is on Picked a contractor, thought we'd be in in October. He had a job pushed back and can do it starting Monday. Whaaaat. So my phone is full of lists and screenshots as we're buying the light fixture, vanity, cabinet, and any wall shelving. I am a master of maximizing space in small rooms so let us begin.

Googles on fire for things like checking out Covington Hill Country for an event around a conference, who is coming to Parx Casino for entertainment, commercial hood cleaning (click here) and also shiny but different engines (learn more) for articles I'm writing, best multigrain bread (do you have a favorite), bathroom vanity, using wall space in small bathrooms, can handymen put up drywall, bagels near me

Existing happily between summer and fall why do we need to pick, we can exist in both. Beach days are beach days until they're not. I am physically pained when I see people visibly sweating in cooler weather clothes when it is still hot

Train masks. I will probably wear masks on trains for a long time, perhaps forever? Have you ridden SEPTA regional rail? The gross shit I have experienced over the years...

Office day today. Obvi. The emptiness of the Central Business District is sad.

Excellent windows open sleeping weather this week. Mae agrees

 
What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Karma Chameleon by Boy George

Snippets of the long weekend 9.7.2022

MFD turned 45 Thursday! We went out on a boat (his choice obvi) and I did not vomit in the bay. I did ask to get dropped off early though. 

I also got a manicure and pedicure and did some time-sensitive work organization there, picked a wine for a work event (Two Vintners), looked up drone info for a project (click here), and researched funding for start ups for a friend. We hit our beach for a little over an hour, then showered and went to dinner at the Tuckahoe Inn, a favorite of ours. 

Wedding Day for my brother Sean and Nicole on Friday, so we made a work errand for me pit stop in Margate then drove up to Philly. My vertigo was activated from the Thursday boat ride but thankfully I got it under control. We picked up Aub and headed to Malvern. We had a great time! Table 17! Hit the hotel for a bit after then back to Philly.

We were meant to leave for the shore at 8:30 but pharmacy hours were against us, then MFD mowed the lawn, and we hit ridiculous traffic. Finally got to the shore near 1 and did a late beach day - love lingering in that late light - and Aubrey ran the Boardwalk Blind Pizza Taste Test at night. Jared and Stephen were the pizza runners. This year's winner: NY Pizza at the OC Promenade. Roma was second and Manco third.

Sunday a long hot beach day and driveway party with the annual charcoal Great American Smokeout and games a la our activities director Carol - marshmallow gun not included. We had a great time as usual, and it was great to have Amanda, Eva, and Frank come back from the beach for the driveway party too.

More beach Monday including a boat beached by the Music Pier and a drive by beeping and boating by the Commodore (MFD). Stephen, Aub, Jared, and the kids took off Monday, and we did Boyars and porch. There was a shitload of rain Tuesday, when I was also off. We thank it for waiting out the weekend. Dad and Carol and I went to Kessel's for lunch and had a good laugh over being submerged. I had some HVAC quotes and service come through then drove back to Philly.

In addition to snippets here, I've been doing weekending reels on Instagram if you are interested. 

I read a terrible book most of the weekend and my Kindle was back in Philly so no reads. I started one this morning that was infinitely better.