The Syndicate

Syn wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 6:09 am What is your number one communication tip?

Osie's Version of Hanlon's Razor: "Never assume malice when any involved parties may be an unreliable narrator."

are your legs longer than your arms? if so, by how much?

do you make sourdough? any tips for me as i've never made any and wanna try!

Urist wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 2:12 pm are your legs longer than your arms? if so, by how much?

About 3 inches longer, on a guesstimate.

dunya wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 2:13 pm do you make sourdough? any tips for me as i've never made any and wanna try!

I've only done so in a very controlled environment, but it seems like a fun experiment at home. The main thing I would recommend with any of those sorts of things is to designate location/equipment for it and make sure you'll remember it. I tried making injera batter over lockdown in 2020 and it stunk up the whole house. Smelled like sewage.

Is there a trick to cooking the perfect salmon?
How do you know when white fish is cooked enough (and not overcooked)?
What’s the best way for an amateur home chef to cook a hefty piece of chicken breast?
Would you rather fight a human sized marmot or a marmot sized human?

are you a cat or dog person or both?

Scotty wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 3:18 pmIs there a trick to cooking the perfect salmon?

Quick-grilled or broiled to Jelly Bean texture, IMO. Though you can even just throw salmon in the microwave for 4-5 minutes with a bit of lemon juice and olive oil.

Scotty wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 3:18 pm How do you know when white fish is cooked enough (and not overcooked)?

Internal temperature of 135-145ºF, depending on personal preference. As a general rule, I avoid undercooking white fish since it's generally riskier than salmon (despite the similar name to a certain foodborne illness).

Scotty wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 3:18 pm What’s the best way for an amateur home chef to cook a hefty piece of chicken breast?

Breast? I like baked in olive oil, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. About 30 minutes or to an internal temperature of 165ºF

That said, thighs are usually superior.

Scotty wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 3:18 pm Would you rather fight a human sized marmot or a marmot sized human?

The latter, easily. Heck, I'd generally just rather fight a human than a marmot any day.

dunya wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 3:29 pm are you a cat or dog person or both?

Both. I find cats slightly more enjoyable but have more respect for dogs, I think would be the way to put it?

I'm fat, and I have a hard time losing weight. It's mostly stress driven in my life, but do you have any kinds of food that I should make that can be filling without making me hate my body?

DaughterOfOmega wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 3:04 am I'm fat, and I have a hard time losing weight. It's mostly stress driven in my life, but do you have any kinds of food that I should make that can be filling without making me hate my body?

Hey, me too!

I tend to go for bitter greens, personally, like Kale and Arugula. Having a simple salad at least once a day makes a bit of a difference.

I also like having Celery and Peanut Butter. It feels childish, but especially adding Sriracha to it makes it a great snack for me.

I avoid eating a lot of bread in a day; at most something like a bagel and maybe a small roll, at which point I don't have more than the latter on the following day.

Beyond that, limiting proteins to fish, chicken, and the occasional egg can help. I have duck or lamb every once in a while as a treat.

Cutting sugary drinks and carb-heavy snacks out of one's diet entirely is a big step. Similarly, my personal sugar and alcohol rules for this month plus are 0-3 days with dessert and 0-2 days with alcohol in a week.

Another thing that I personally find helpful is to have a rigorous set of rules for some of the basics. Here's at least some of the ones I try to follow (and at least sometimes succeed at).

• All technology off by midnight, if not sooner.
• First tasks when waking up are a drink of water, then a shower, then a 30-60 minute walk, followed by breakfast, in that order.
• When you feel hungry, first have a drink of water, then wait a bit. Usually it's your body saying it's thirsty, not hungry.
• Make sure the snacks you have around the house are low in sugar/carbs. Having a snack or two at some point in the day can be fine. I personally am partial to a small handful of unsalted cashews.
• If water feels boring, get the zero-sweetener flavoured waters like La Croix/Soleil/Waterloo/(Some San Pellegrinos). They can be an adjustment, but are worth it in the long run.
• Have one, moderately full, plate of food for a meal.
• Take at least an hour break from technology at some point during the day.
• Don't eat between midnight and 7 AM. Those are sleeping hours. Your metabolism is slowed, so your body saves calories as fat.

do you enjoy tv shows outside of anime? what's the last tv show you binged?

do you think actors are overpaid?

whats a really unpopular (nonfood) opinion you hold?

I felt inspired and bought some celery, and also exercised after feeling good about my diet. The peanut butter is a nice sweet treat with them.

My question/demand, recommend me a few anime that have come out the last 3 years. I've not been as much of an avid watcher of anime as my young self.

what's a really unpopular (food) opinion you hold?

dunya wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 5:34 am do you enjoy tv shows outside of anime? what's the last tv show you binged?

I don't watch a lot of live action stuff, but I binged most of Blacklist semi-recently.

dunya wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 5:34 amdo you think actors are overpaid?

Some actors definitely seem overpaid. On the flip-side, most production crew members are underpaid.

dunya wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 5:34 amwhats a really unpopular (nonfood) opinion you hold?

Uhhhhhhhhh... Smoking cigarettes in public should result in death by burning at the stake?

It is difficult to think of a good answer here...

Anyone who desires to enact legislation in regards to prisons should be required to stay in a relevant prison as a prisoner for a year?

Kennedy was one of the worst US presidents?

"People who act edgy or memetic on the internet are compensating for an inadequate sense of self-worth." is a good one, albeit probably not that unpopular.

DaughterOfOmega wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 6:21 amMy question/demand, recommend me a few anime that have come out the last 3 years. I've not been as much of an avid watcher of anime as my young self.

Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song
So I'm a Spider, So What?
Jujutsu Kaisen
Akudama Drive
Fire Force
Dororo
To Your Eternity
86: Eighty-Six
SK8 the Infinity
Shadows House
Mushoku Tensei

Syn wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 6:21 am what's a really unpopular (food) opinion you hold?

Most food items sold in some form by McDonalds are usually overrated when cooked or sold by anybody:

Fries, Chicken Nuggets, Burgers, Ketchup, BBQ Sauce, Ranch Sauce, Big Mac Sauce, Buffalo Sauce, Honey Mustard Sauce, Sweet-and-Sour Sauce, Breaded Fried Chicken, Breaded Fried Fish Filet, Milkshake (I like malts though), Iced Coffee, English Muffins, Biscuits, Breakfast Burritos, Sodas, Smoothies, American-style Pancakes, American-Style Sausage Patties, Hash Browns, Soft Serve, Apple Turnovers, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Blueberry Muffins, Cinnamon Rolls...

I think you just committed a crime against me

Favourite nature place within Portland city limits?

Syn wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 5:42 pm Favourite nature place within Portland city limits?

I've been going for walks a bit lately and I liked the Mt Tabor neighbourhood and Laurelhurst Park, but I also am partial to the strip of park in downtown which hosts the wednesday farmer's market. I still want to check out the Chinese garden at some point, but this is probably a bad week for doing that.

The Chinese garden is really nice! Japanese one even nicer, and bigger/more spread out, but a bit more out of the way.

what is your favorite condiment mix to add to a sandwich that i can make and enjoy tomorrow?

what is a food combo you enjoy that others typically find strange?

well now i have to make the sandwich TOMORROW i hope... ;p

dunya wrote: ↑Thu Feb 03, 2022 6:35 pm well now i have to make the sandwich TOMORROW i hope... ;p

Update is needed when said sandwich is eaten

I'll take photos if osie shares!

dunya wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 8:04 pm what is your favorite condiment mix to add to a sandwich that i can make and enjoy tomorrow?

Hmm...

The last sandwich I had was a vegan reuben. Reubens are probably not my favourite type of sandwich, but I do like getting them occasionally.

In terms of something a bit more exciting, I think I'd go for putting romesco sauce and charred scallions on a sandwich, but that feels a bit naughty.

Hummus + Arugula/Sprouts/Cress + Sliced Almonds + Cucumber + Lemon Zest gogogo.

Syn wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 8:09 pm what is a food combo you enjoy that others typically find strange?

- Hot dogs with Vanilla icing.
- Celery, Peanut Butter, and Sriracha. (Until they try it)
- Broiled Salmon, Strong Blue Cheese, Pasta, and Lemon Zest (Again, until they try it)

Hot dogs... with icing?

Icing... on hot dogs?

Syn wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 6:47 pm Hot dogs... with icing?

Icing... on hot dogs?

It's pretty much just butter and sugar, which is a little less crazy to imagine.

Do you prefer mountainous or role madness?

Syn wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 7:27 pm Do you prefer mountainous or role madness?

Usually role madness, but I sometimes get the itching for a mountainous game.

osieorb18 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 6:45 pm - Hot dogs with Vanilla icing.
- Celery, Peanut Butter, and Sriracha. (Until they try it)
- Broiled Salmon, Strong Blue Cheese, Pasta, and Lemon Zest (Again, until they try it)

chaotic evil, no two ways about it

What is your favourite animal?

Syn wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 9:39 pm What is your favourite animal?

he already said panda!

OSIE,

do you have any bad habits?

do you have a good relationship with your parents?

are you scared of spiders? any other fears?

if you had the chance to go back in time (in your lifetime), would you do it? where would you go?

got any planz this weekend?

Syn wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 9:39 pm What is your favourite animal?

Still pandas though clearly dunya might make that change to snakes.

dunya wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 9:45 am do you have any bad habits?

Procrastinating on tasks, not contacting people for a long time, not folding my laundry.

dunya wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 9:45 amdo you have a good relationship with your parents?

Probably not by most people's standards, but I don't think it's a bad one. I only talk with them once or twice a month.

dunya wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 9:45 amare you scared of spiders? any other fears?

"Hey Osie, open up about your fears on the internet." Heh.

Spiders are fine. I don't care for overly large ones, but I recognize that at any realistic size, they're more scared of me than I am of them and they fulfill an important role to keep away things that carry diseases.

- Slight fears of heights and germs.
- Fear of losing close friends and loved ones by not being good enough.

dunya wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 9:45 amif you had the chance to go back in time (in your lifetime), would you do it? where would you go?

Only if I knew how it would affect things and probably only if I could take 1-4 people along. The problem for me though is that I wouldn't want to go back to a time of high enough risk, and life expectancy generally goes up over time... So probably something relatively minor, like within the last 50 years. Definitely not far before the birth of my parents (1960s).

dunya wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 9:45 amgot any planz this weekend?

What's a weekend? The days all blur together.

I kinda want to go to a farmer's market. Cooking some hotpot on Sunday.

Once I get out of the shower, I'm headed for a walk.

Last night to get any questions in for @osieorb18
Great job on all the questions and answers. I learned a lot!

Did you enjoy being put under a microscope by your peers?

What is your favourite animal?

Syn wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 4:53 pm Did you enjoy being put under a microscope by your peers?

Didn't feel like a lot.

Syn wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 4:54 pm What is your favourite animal?

Spoiler: show

Snake-Panda Chimaeras.

osieorb18 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 5:06 pm

Syn wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 4:53 pm Did you enjoy being put under a microscope by your peers?

Didn't feel like a lot.

Describe your first heartbreak.

What is your most painful memory?

Syn wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 5:34 pm

osieorb18 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 5:06 pm

Syn wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 4:53 pm Did you enjoy being put under a microscope by your peers?

Didn't feel like a lot.

Describe your first heartbreak.

I think I was always too mature to really feel something I'd call heartbreak. I also haven't had many romantic relationships over the years. I got rejected once by someone I'd had a friendly chat with for a while and things were just sorta awkward after that. No ill will, just not much interaction. But I think that would have happened anyways.

dunya wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 6:04 pm What is your most painful memory?

One of these, probably, though not sure. My mind sometimes sorta mutes the direct pained elements and leaves the "low self-worth" and general sad/upset elements.

- Getting lost in my hometown, panicking, and nearly getting hit by a car, 2007ish. (14ish years of age)
- Rock-bottom depression, mostly earlyish 2013 and slightly earlier. (19-20 years of age)
- Learning my aunt had stage 4 cancer, 2016. (23 years of age)

osieorb18 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 10:04 pm

Syn wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 5:34 pm

osieorb18 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 5:06 pm

Syn wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 4:53 pm Did you enjoy being put under a microscope by your peers?

Didn't feel like a lot.

Describe your first heartbreak.

I think I was always too mature to really feel something I'd call heartbreak. I also haven't had many romantic relationships over the years. I got rejected once by someone I'd had a friendly chat with for a while and things were just sorta awkward after that. No ill will, just not much interaction. But I think that would have happened anyways.

This is interesting. What is the connection between maturity and experiencing heartbreak?

Syn wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 10:41 pm

osieorb18 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 10:04 pm

Syn wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 5:34 pm

osieorb18 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 5:06 pm

Syn wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 4:53 pm Did you enjoy being put under a microscope by your peers?

Didn't feel like a lot.

Describe your first heartbreak.

I think I was always too mature to really feel something I'd call heartbreak. I also haven't had many romantic relationships over the years. I got rejected once by someone I'd had a friendly chat with for a while and things were just sorta awkward after that. No ill will, just not much interaction. But I think that would have happened anyways.

This is interesting. What is the connection between maturity and experiencing heartbreak?

In that someone more mature (at least emotionally) is less likely to take a relationship setback as something quite so devastating? Something to that effect.

thanks for sharing, osie. those are all painful memories.

do you have a good relationship with the concept of death and people you love leaving earth before you?

dunya wrote: ↑Sun Feb 06, 2022 6:33 am thanks for sharing, osie. those are all painful memories.

do you have a good relationship with the concept of death and people you love leaving earth before you?

I didn't grow up with any form of spirituality so it's mostly a "Death is part of life; it's what makes life worth living."

Thank you @osieorb18 for participating

This week the questions will be for @DaughterOfOmega

coffee or tea?
what is your favourite book?
Who is someone who you have not been mafia teammates before but would like to?

fingersplints wrote: ↑Sun Feb 06, 2022 9:12 pm coffee or tea?
what is your favourite book?
Who is someone who you have not been mafia teammates before but would like to?

I don't like coffee at all, so the answer defaults to tea, although I don't drink it often.

Grapes of Wrath and the Happy Potter series. Prisoner of Azkaban would be my favorite singular book.

When I look back to what was enjoyable about any mafia game I played, it was the experience of just being in mafia chat with long term friends/friendly people. So this dude named LordQuas would be my pick.

How low do you usually let your phone battery get before charging it?

What's your favourite pickled food?

If you have gotten or were to get a tattoo or piercing, what is it or what would it be?

When was the last time you felt comfortable?

osieorb18 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 07, 2022 2:07 am How low do you usually let your phone battery get before charging it?

What's your favourite pickled food?

If you have gotten or were to get a tattoo or piercing, what is it or what would it be?

1. It will often die on me. Although I would put it on the charger every night before bed when I was in college.

2. Cucumber

3. I had plans to get a grim reaper on my left shoulder after my closest friend passed away. I eventually backed out for monetary reasons/didn't like the artists version.

Syn wrote: ↑Mon Feb 07, 2022 2:09 am When was the last time you felt comfortable?

That's a weird question. For me I go through times of mental comfort, but I haven't felt physically comfortable in a very long time.

Last week I was talking to a close friend of mine, watching "All of us are Dead," and drinking a milkshake. During that I felt this very strong sense of mental safety and comfort.

Physically I've felt so uncomfortable that it's actually fairly hard to pick a time. In high school I struggled with how I looked, and I was also in an environment that fought back against the way I wanted to look. After dropping out I just put on so much weight that my body could no longer feel comfortable physically. The same issue still hurts me now, but I'd say there were points during my highschool years where my body felt comfy.