Bingeing vs Weekly Release

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Remember when Netflix first started out and was basically just Blockbuster* sent to your house? Then Blockbuster created their own video mailing service, with the option to return movies to your local store so they could send you the next one even faster than Netflix. It sounded like a great idea, but where is Blockbuster today? They gone…

When Netflix first began creating original content they decided that the best way to release its newest series was to dump full seasons on us. At first it was a neat idea. There weren’t so many new shows, so you could watch them at your own pace.

Today, Netflix has multiple new shows, movies and documentaries dropping each and every week. It’s too much! Their formula is to let everyone make anything they want (which is good for creators). However, it can become a problem for consumers because there’s so many things to watch. Also, when you are making that much new content it can’t all be good, and most of it is not.

For every great Netflix show (Stranger Things, Ozark, Bojack Horseman) they also give us 100s of not so great shows (The Ranch, Marco Polo, Iron Fist). They also have given cancelled network/cable shows a new life, but they’re also hit or miss.

The Netflix formula of releasing shows all at once is way too overwhelming for me. I prefer to get one episode at a time — one a week. That’s the way it’s always been. I don’t mind waiting a week to let my mind process what I’ve seen. In fact, I prefer it. If I watch a season of a show too quick it just becomes one big ball mush in my brain.

I don’t think I would have enjoyed The Mandalorian Season 1 and 2 (on Disney+) as much as I did if I watched it all in a week or a day. I also enjoyed staying up late on a Thursday to check if it was out yet, and it wasn’t. For season 1, I woke up early for work most of those Fridays and watched the episode in bed before getting up and starting my day.

I’m also excited for WandaVision to be released weekly on Disney+. The first two episodes were released at once, and it was exciting to get one hour of this new strange show. It also gave me time to rewatch it and research what people thought was going on. When a show is released over time it also gives your brain time to come up with theories about what’s happening and where the show is headed.

I don’t really mind bingeing Reality TV shows. Just let me get it in and out of my system. It’s sort of like a mindless detox from good TV shows that is sometimes needed. It’s good for a day when you may be too tired or hungover and your brain can’t handle any story or plot. Instead you find yourself judging trashy people on some dating battle royale show, like Love Island.

Back in college, I recorded my weekly shows on VHS tapes with my VCR. Back then you had to watch it live, record it or miss it forever. Later on, I moved to DVR. Back then if an episode of a show was accidentally deleted it was time to let the entire show go, at least until there was another way to watch it. When OnDemand came along, you got a second chance to catch something you may have missed.

I do love that I can watch my shows any time and anywhere today. Yes, there may be way too many places to watch things and too many things to watch in each place. So much time is now spent figuring out what to watch vs actually watching shows. I’ve searched for something new or something I’ve wanted to watch, but by the time I find it it’s too late, so instead I watch an old favorite. I can binge a show I don’t really care about, but if it’s something I’m really into I enjoy watching it slowly with no distractions.

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*For the young people, Blockbuster was one of many video rental stores (see also Hollywood Video). Instead of renting movies straight from your TV provider, iTunes, YouTube, Amazon or any other digital service, people used to go down to a Blockbuster and hope that they had whatever movie they wanted to rent in stock. If they didn’t you would walk around the store and look for something they did have. It was sort of like scrolling through streaming services looking for something to watch, but in real life.

Searching for Creativity

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I’ve always been interested in the creative process of others. I love getting a behind the scenes look and hearing stories of how people make the things that I love. Movies, music, games, food, writing, art. Everything made by humans is powered by creativity.

It has always bothered me to hear anyone say, “I’m not creative,” about themselves. You are creative! Every human has the capacity to be creative in some way. The keyword is CREATE!

Make a work of art, write an essay, make some dinner, draw a little doodle, come up with a home workout, sing in the shower, do something small in your boring job. These are all creative things we do. Most of us exhibit some form of creativity each and every day. And many of us don’t even notice it.

I’ve read many books on creativity. My favorites are the ones written by the creators themselves. It’s not as interesting to read a book on creativity written by some science doctor who’s just studying other people’s work. I want to hear it from the source.

I want a first-hand account of how the thing I love got made. I like to hear about the process. I enjoy watching the special features on my DVD and Blu-Rays. I’ve read books on creativity by musicians, comedians, actors and actresses, writers, even doctors and lawyers. I like to look for differences and similarities between different industries.

I for one have tried many different approaches to unleash my creativity over the years: writing in the mornings, drawing at night, taking short breaks mid day, meditation and yoga. Sometimes it’s good to have a schedule worked out, but it’s also helpful to surprise yourself and be spontaneous.

I want to share my thoughts on some of the creative books I’ve read or started reading over recent years:

Creativity
by John Cleese

I recently finished this short book by John Cleese (Monty Python, A Fish Called Wanda). I enjoyed that it was a short biography followed by some creative tips and exercises. There were also some fun stories sprinkled in between. It’s an easy short read so I definitely recommend this book to everyone. Many of the tips and exercises were quick and simple. I even learned a few quick tips that I never really thought about.

Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull

This was a fun history book about the beginning of Pixar and the troubles they experienced along the way to greatness. Ed Catmull, one of the founders, goes into what makes Pixar such a creative place and the practices in place to keep it this way. Letting people from different departments come in with fresh eyes to look at projects, and always being open about what’s going on in the company are just two reasons that make Pixar a special company. It’s just a great read even to learn a few creative practices that can be used in your own business or life. Also, I am a huge fan of Pixar movies, so there’s that.

Sweat the Technique
by Rakim

I’m currently reading this book. I thought it would just be a good read to learn how one of the greatest lyricists got to where he is, Rakim. I actually have learned a lot from this book. One important thing Rakim has taught me is to learn about everything. Rakim would read and study just to have more ammo for his rhymes. I don’t plan on becoming a rapper, but there are still some aspects of Rakim’s creative process that are helpful in my life. It’s important to not only learn about what you believe in, but also the opposite side of the coin (especially in a world where social media feeds us only exactly what we want to see and hear). It’s important to learn about new subjects, even stuff you don’t think you’ll care about.

Wonderbook
by Jeff Vandermeer

I haven’t read enough of this one to give you enough information about it. I’ve only read a few sections. It was recommended by a writer I know. It’s a large book so I’m slowly reading a little at a time. This one is more focused on writing for fantasy and science fiction, but it’s a good way to learn about world-building, character creation and other aspects of that type of fiction. It also includes excerpts and short sections from many different authors and artists. People with tons of experience in their fields.

Embrace your Weird
by Felicia Day

I read Felicia Day’s first book, “You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)” which was a great read. It was more about her life and creating her web show The Guild. When I met her at Florida Supercon I told her how that book inspired me and she shared some “top secret” info with me. She told me that her new book would be announced in just a few days after meeting her. So, of course I pre-ordered her new book. Embrace your Weird is very different than the other books on this list. It’s more of a workbook. It’s filled with exercises where you get to write all over the pages of the book. Many of the exercises are idea-starters to get you out of your head.

Voice-Over
Voice Actor
by Yuri Lowenthal & Tara Platt

This last book has become very important to me. I first bought it and wanted to read it just because I was interested in Voice Actors and learning more about their lifestyle. I was listening to the “Talkin’ Toons” Podcast with Rob Paulsen and was obsessed with all of the great guests and their stories. While reading this, I was messing around with Voice Over stuff just to practice sustaining characters for longer periods of time (to help with on-stage characters for improv). After reading this book I wanted to do more with Voice-Over work and now I’m currently working on some secret projects. Yuri and Tara are also big names in Voice Acting and have many short anecdotes from their famous Voice Actor friends.


BONUS CONTENT:

I think the main thing I’ve learned from all of these creative books is what Rakim taught me (which I also have read in other books). The best thing you can do is consume content from all over the place. Live your life but do things that make you uncomfortable too. Don’t just stick to things you like or are used to. Don’t write things off because you think you won’t like them.

Ever try listening to people with a different point of view? It may make you angry, but you don’t have to believe them. It’s good to study how other people think, or just to try and figure out why people so crazy sometimes… 

It’s ok to not like things. It’s much better to try something out and make the decision to not like it on your own. Don’t just guess that you won’t like something. Listen to a podcast about gardening or something that sounds totally stupid to you and see what you learn.

I was yesterday years old when…

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There are many items and products that we consume in our every day lives, without ever really thinking much about them. How was this created? Who created this? Where did the name come from?

Some products are named using multiple words which together make up that products identity, but on their own they may mean something completely different. In some cases there may even be a hidden meaning or a pun behind the name. So much goes into naming and branding nowadays. And most consumers don’t pay much attention to it, at all.

It’s not that you’re dumb and missed something. You just probably never thought about it. Just as we’ve all said things like, “Give me a Kleenex,” instead of a tissue, because Kleenex is the brand we associate with tissues. So much so that some of us think tissues are actually called Kleenex. Or, for the older folks you may have said, “Make me a Xerox of this,” another brand used in place of the phrase “photo copy.” Or Band Aid vs bandage.

Because these names are so commonly used in our vernacular we don’t stop to think about what they mean. Now, Chips Ahoy! is not something anyone says daily, unless they are actually specifically talking about enjoying some delicious Chips Ahoy! cookies.

The other night, while eating Chips Ahoy! cookie(s) (I won’t disclose the exact number, because I’m never sure how many cookies I’ve eaten in any given day or moment in time), I had an epiphany. While staring at the logo I thought of the name. I know Ahoy! is something associated with captains and boats and pirates and whatnot. So I started thinking what that had to do with cookies.

Then I began thinking about the word chips, yes for chocolate chips or whatever chips they put in each cookie. But why did they use chips and not cookie or biscuit or anything else. Then I realized that it was a play on Ships, Ships Ahoy! that’s what captains or pirates would say.

I went a bit further and did some research and all I learned from the internet is that the name Chips Ahoy! must have come from one of two places. Either it came from a Charles Dickens story from the 1800s or it came from a Donal Duck cartoon in the 1950s.

After figuring this whole thing out I kind of felt like an idiot, but I know that at least one person will read this and realize that they too are an idiot like me. So, to that one person, “You are no idiot, you are just as smart as I am.” And, you are welcome.

I will also spend the rest of this week analyzing the name of any food I eat.

Here are some fun Chips Ahoy! ads to enjoy while you think about how you’re going to get some Chips Ahoy! cookies next time you go to the grocery store (or Instacart some groceries).

1980s Chips Ahoy! commercial starring Blossom’s older brother, Joey Lawrence… Whoa!
And here’s something a bit more recent…

Enjoy your cookies!

2 Chainz Cribz

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Run the Jewels is definitely my favorite rap group right now. Killer Mike and El-P are killing it and everything they put out is gold, from RTJ I – RTJ IV and even the new Cyberpunk 2077 joint (No Save Point). When this whole pandemic thing is over and they go on tour, I will definitely go see them this time.

When RTJ IV came out earlier this year, I pre-ordered the vinyl version, even though I could just add the album to my Apple Music library as a subscriber (I did that too). I’ve listened to this album (along with the three others) non-stop. I listen while running, while driving, while doing work and pretty much any other time you could listen to music. They even recently performed the latest album in its entirety on HBO/MAX and YouTube (with Ben & Jerry’s as a sponsor).

This learning isn’t meant to be about my love for RTJ. I have something else to talk about related to them and their new album. It’s about a confusing lyric on RTJ IV. In the song “Out of Sight” 2 Chainz claims that he’s “Got a crib in like four states.”

2 Chainz has a home in “like” four states. So many questions come to mind. What exactly does this mean? Is he not sure how many homes he owns? Is he not sure where his homes are located? Is he unsure of how states and state lines work? Is he not sure which houses he owns and which ones he’s renting or borrowing? Is there some other thing I’m missing here?

2 Chainz sounds like his accountant’s worst nightmare come tax season.

INT. – AFTERNOON – ACCOUNTANT’S OFFICE

ACCOUNTANT:
So, how much did you pay in property taxes this year, Mr. Chainz?

2 CHAINZ:
2 Chainz is fine. I don’t know, “like” four houses worth?

ACCOUNTANT:
Um, ok Mr. 2 Chainz, and where are these properties located?

2 CHAINZ:
I don’t know, in like four states?

ACCOUNTANT:
You are my nightmare…

Let’s analyze this lyric a bit further and try to figure out what it could truly mean.

[Theory #1]
2 Chainz isn’t quite sure of the number of houses he owns.

I know that 2 Chainz raps a lot about being high (a whole lot) and I’m sure that can take a toll on the memory, but I think you should still be able to identify how many homes you own. If you own a house you have to have stuff in it. You should be able to identify your houses by some of your favorite items. 2 Chainz loves cars. I’m sure he would know that his red Ferrari is in his Florida house while his yellow Lambo is in his California house (just random examples, I don’t know where any of his homes or cars are actually located).

[Theory #2]
2 Chainz isn’t sure of which states he owns homes in.

2 Chainz may not be sure if he has multiple homes in the same state. It’s possible that he has a North Dakota home and a South Dakota home, but he gets the two confused (maybe even the Carolinas). Maybe he’s not aware that they are two different states. California. Texas. Those are very large states, maybe two houses are in one large state, but very far apart. SoCal and NorCal are two totally different worlds (I’ve never been to any part of California, but I can guess that that’s true).

[Theory #3]
2 Chainz may be renting out some property.

Most rappers are also entrepreneurs or business people. 2 Chainz may be renting out some homes to friends or strangers. Maybe he’s not sure which properties are owned vs which are rented. He could be in the act of either selling or buying one home. He may be renting one out to a family. (How awesome would it be to have 2 Chainz as your landlord). This is where the “like” comes into play. Saying, “I have like four cribs,” could translate to: I’m getting rid of one very soon or I own four, but one is occupied by a family of four at the moment.

[Theory #4]
It’s just one house that sits on the border of four states.

This is my final and favorite theory. 2 Chainz may just own one large square mansion, that has four quadrants, each in a different state. If this is the case, I imagine his house sitting on the border of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico (and yes I had to look up that little four square area on a map because I don’t know my states very well). This theory makes the most sense with the lyric, GOT A CRIB (Just one house) IN LIKE FOUR STATES (‘like’ as in it’s kind of in each state).

These are all reasonable theories to consider. Another one is that he just added the word like because it would sound better than not using it in the song, but it actually has no meaning at all. I like to think it’s one of these theories though. Mainly the last one of the one giant square mansion, or the one where 2 Chainz is someone’s landlord who shows up monthly to collect rent and check on the pool.

Now, I leave you to enjoy this!
Hannibal Burress analyzing 2 Chainz’s music even further than I just did:

Lunchables Pizza Tips

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I’ve been eating Lunchables pizza since they first came out in 1996 (back when I was in middle school). Lunchables Pizza was a game changer when they first arrived on the market. Until then, I believe the only Lunchables variety available were the cracker stackers (Turkey, Ham and Bologna…). Today, we even have grown up Lunchables and tons of strange varieties (including tacos and chicken nuggets).

I’m pretty sure I enjoyed my first few Lunchables Pizzas cold, as they were meant to be enjoyed by the folks at Oscar Mayer. It wasn’t long before I tried microwaving them to melt the cheese and have three hot little pizzas. The internet may think Kylie Jenner made that up, I’ve been doing it since the mid-90s, and she was born in 1997.

The real game changer was when I started baking my Lunchables Pizza in the toaster oven. Nuking them was fine for some little hot pies, but the toaster oven added a bit of a crispiness to the crust. It made the cheese meltier and everything just taste better overall. The toaster oven is better for any frozen “microwave” treats (things like Bagel Bites, Pizza Rolls, Hot Pockets…)

Now, I continue to eat plenty of Lunchables today as a grown up (mainly to try and win a second Nintendo Switch so I can play Splatoon 2 with my wonderful girlfriend, but also way before this contest came around). Back in the normal times, it was a good idea to have some Lunchables in the fridge for when I would come home hungry and need a late night snack. Lunchables Pizza is always quick, easy and delicious.

I will never be too old for Lunchables, and maybe that’s because the way I enjoy them continues to evolve. The point of me writing this was to teach you one thing and one thing only. It’s fine to eat Lunchables (of any kind) as an adult. And here’s how you can take your Lunchables Pizza game from “OK” to “Gourmet!”

STEP ONE: OUTSIDE HELP

There’s only one outside source you need to upgrade your Lunchables Pizza and that’s some “Real Cheese.”

First, we’re going to need to outsource some cheese. And I’m going to help you find the best cheese. Lunchables pizza cheese is ok, but it doesn’t melt quite right (especially in the toaster oven). Don’t toss it though, it’s still going to come in handy.

I like to recruit some Sargento, Kraft or maybe even some fancy Mozzarella di Bufula (I haven’t tried out that last one yet, but I’m excited to now). Sargento makes some real thick shredded cheeses and the mozzarella version is the best for any homemade pizza. So, that’s what I’ve currently been using.

STEP TWO: THE BUILD

This step is very simple, because the ingredients are all ready to go by now. All you have to do to build the ultimate Lunchables mini pizzas is:

(1) Lay down the crusts. If you have a little toaster oven rack it’s nice to raise your crusts off of the pan. If not you can even try putting them straight on the toaster oven rack, although that can lead to a big mess. So, if you don’t have the rack that’s fine, a pan will do.

(2) Slather on that tomato sauce. The sauce packet used to come with a tiny spoon or a little spreader, but I guess times are tough for the Oscar Mayer corporation and they had to stop giving those out. Or, perhaps they are more worried about the environment and didn’t want to supply more plastic for ruining our planet. Thanks for caring, Oscar!

(3) Drop a layer of your “fancy” cheese (the Sargento, Kraft, Bufula or whatever you’ve found). This is the part where you get to gourmet it up with the good stuff. As I said before I have not tried using the super fancy Mozzarella di Bufula, but one day I will and I bet it will be amazing.

(4) Top it with some pepperoni. Lunchables provides a total of nine pepperoni slices. That’s three per pizza, however, I like to eat at least one or two cold. Also, they are very large and round and three pepperoni slices on one of these small pizzas causes a bit of an overlap. They have been known to sometimes give an extra pepperoni slice, but also one or two less. Sometimes I put the pepperoni before step 2 or 3. I’ve had it in all the possible positions: under the sauce, over the sauce and over the cheese.

(5) Sprinkle on that Lunchables cheese. Now that you have all of your ingredients stacked you must be thinking, What about this Oscar Mayer provided cheese? Now’s the time to use it. Sprinkle as much or as little as you want on top of your pizza and you’re ready to stick it in the toaster oven.

STEP THREE: HEAT THE PIZZAS

I like to turn the toaster oven up to somewhere between 350 and 400 degrees for these bad boys. I leave them in until the good cheese and top cheese gets melty. I’d say somewhere between 7-10 minutes.

STEP FOUR: ENJOY YOUR GOURMET LUNCHABLES PIZZA

There you have it, now you’re done and it’s time to enjoy your three tiny delicious hot pies. If you don’t want to go through all of this trouble you can always eat it cold, and still try subbing in some “good” cheese. Also, you can always order some pizza from a real pizza place and enjoy that instead. I think of these as the perfect snack for when you’re craving some pizza but don’t want to order a whole pizza, because you know you will finish the whole thing and feel ashamed of yourself afterward.

I hope you do try to upgrade your Lunchables next time, and if you do please tell me how it went below in the comments. If you have any upgrades or hot tips for any type of Lunchables, I would also like to hear those.

Bowling is Weird(er now)

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Come with me to a magical time. A time before this pandemic. A time where we could freely leave our homes to do things with other people and not be worried about masks, social distancing, being indoors, crowds… (I started writing this learning a few months ago, but never got to finish. And now I have completed it, but have added corrections due to the current situation we all find ourselves in).

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Bowling always is was a fun thing to do. I don’t go very often, EVER! Up until this past weekend some time in February or March, the only time I’d go bowling was on Christmas day when my friend and his wife were in town. However, this weekend many, many months ago we went bowling with some friends, and it was a pretty fun time. (I call bowling a game and not a sport, because even the Pros drink beer while bowling — that’s still true).

There is however one thing that they can change about bowling will probably be changed whenever it comes back, if it isn’t back already. Any time that you have to share a bowling lane/area with another group of strangers they are always loud and annoying. I don’t think we’re going to be allowed to share bowling areas with strangers anymore, and that’s a great thing.

You always get grouped with a big, loud family, a birthday party full of unsupervised children who are high on cake and pizza or some other obnoxious group. It’s never a quiet old couple or a group you would actually get along with. No matter who you’re paired with in bowling, they are always going to suck.

Bowling would be much better if they treated it like an Asian private karaoke bar (these could still be open during the pandemic). Every lane is a private room and you don’t have to deal with another party or strangers (also a great idea during the COVID times). If bowling were like this everyone could be as loud or annoying as they want to be, to their own group. If the people you were bowling near hated you, it would be because your friends actually hate you.

Also, why is it that no one can ever remember which ball they were rolling with (this will always be a problem in bowling)? Any time you get up to bowl and there’s a mix of two groups, your ball is always missing. You end up trying out every ball on the belt. Why can’t people keep track of their balls? Anytime it’s my turn and my ball is missing, I almost always see the stranger in the next lane rolling it (This is my second time calling it “rolling a bowling ball,” is that really what it’s called?).

Also, these huge groups bring way too many balls to the bowling area. There are always several balls that no one is using that just stay there the entire night (yes, because only psychos go bowling in the day time).

And one more thing, why do bowling shoes look like that? They always have some ugly doo doo brown color mixed in. They have your shoe size in a large font, what if you don’t want people knowing how large your feet are? Do you ask for a smaller size and just deal with it all night?

I guess what I’m saying is Bowling is weird!
And, it’s about to get a lot weirder if it hasn’t already.

What Would I Do For a Klondike Bar?

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I very much remember the commercials for Klondike bars as a kid, “What would you do-oh-ooh for a Klondike bar.” If you don’t remember them that’s ok, here’s one from the year I was born (1986):

Strange Klondike commercial from the year I was born.

Side Note: I also remember there was a big shaggy sheepdog in my neighborhood named Klondike who gave the best big shaggy hugs. We’d be outside playing basketball or rollerblading (or whatever kids were doing back in the 90s) and we’d always stop whatever we were doing to give Klondike a big smelly, shaggy hug. He was a big sweet boy.

I have always loved ice cream, but I never really got into Klondike bars in my childhood. Maybe the strange ads turned me off of them? Oh, wait, I have to complete a task for the right to enjoy one of these? No thanks, I’ll just get some regular ice cream from the store, instead. It wasn’t until way later on in life (most likely at a friend’s house) that I was finally able to try one.

I first tried the regular chocolate shell with vanilla ice cream inside. It was fine, but the market was full of competition in the milk chocolate shell/vanilla ice cream game. Haagen Daaz had their “hand-dipped” bars, Dove had their mini tunnel shaped ones, Blue Bell and Blue Bunny probably had something similar.

(Cut to the pandemic) I’ve been doing groceries for my parents each week, and I always like to go for what’s on sale when I can (It’s fun to see how much money you saved at the end of grocery shopping. It’s like a built-in mini-game). Klondikes were recently buy one, get one free (for a couple of weeks, actually). So, I got some Oreo, Heath, Reese’s (I’ve tried a few different flavors and I plan on trying a few more). And after trying a few different versions, I can now say that I am a big fan of Klondike bars and what they have to offer.

Now, going back to the commercial, I don’t think I would do anything crazy for a Klondike bar. They are delicious, but I would still just pay a couple dollars for one or a few of them. I would possibly make a trade, using an item I don’t really care for, for one. 

Maybe trade in some other treats? But other than just buying it or trading for it, I don’t think there’s much else I would do for a Klondike bar. I do really enjoy them, I just wouldn’t trade a functional kidney for one or anything unnecessary.

(Fake) Burger Time!

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It’s Burger time!

The burger was the first food I learned to cook — on the grill. Before that my specialty was Lunchables pizza, hot dogs, Bagel Bites and other microwavable dishes. As a kid I wasn’t a huge fan of burgers, I thought of them as a meatloaf sandwich and I guess I was sick of all the meatloaf.

It wasn’t until I saw the movie Good Burger that I finally craved a hamburger (those Mondo Burgers looked mega delicious). Leaving the theater, my mom took us straight to the King of all burgers (Burger King). That’s when burgers instantly became one of my favorite meals (Thank you, Kenan and Kel).

Cut to a few years ago, where the vegans are trying to encroach on my burgers with a new challenger — The Meatless Burger!

Sure, we’ve seen this before in many forms: mushroom burgers, black bean burgers, eggplant burgers, quinoa burgers. But the Impossible & Beyond burgers and all these plant-based alternatives are something totally different. They aren’t burgers for vegans, they are vegan burgers for meat eaters disguised to look, taste and feel like real meat burgers.

Of course, at first I thought, “No thank you.” But, after hearing reviews I became intrigued or maybe it was just disbelief. I thought, a fake plant-made burger can’t taste anything like the real thing.

*Disclaimer: I’ve only tried the Beyond Burger, I haven’t had the pleasure of trying the Impossible Burgers, or even the Impossible Whopper (however, I still one day hope to eat an Impossible Whopper and regular Whopper back to back for
a true taste test).

I recently cooked up some Beyond Burgers (I buy them when I see them on sale) using two different methods, BBQ grill and stove top. They were both seasoned the same way (sea salt, black pepper and some Lawry’s seasoned salt). They also had the same exact toppings (ketchup, mustard, pickles and American cheese).

SKILLET COOKED

Cooking a Beyond Burger in the skillet is great, a cast iron is even better for a crispy, crusty exterior. I use ghee (unclarified butter) for the high smoking point. It doesn’t burn or get any burnt nasties in it while heating up.

Sometimes the grill may not be accessible: it may be rainy, maybe you don’t want to smell like BBQ, perhaps you’re just lazy. Many factors come into play. But the skillet is a fine way to get a good flavor, but the “planty/non-burger” flavor comes out more in this method.

I also warmed the bun in the toaster oven to create a nice, soft pillow for my burger to lay on.

BBQ GRILLED

The grill is fantastic for Beyond Burgers. You can get it real hot and cook your patty pretty quickly. The fire gives it more of a charred/burger taste. It also hides the “planty/non-burger” flavor much better.

You can also toss some cheese on the patty towards the end of the grilling phase and let it melt (this also works on the skillet, better when covered, but the grill gets that cheese extra melty). I also love tossing my burger bun right on the grill, insides face down, getting it warm and a little crispy.

THE VERDICT

When it comes to fake burgers, grilled is the way to go (if you can). The skillet comes in close second (of course it does, those are the only two methods I tried). It still tastes kind of like a real burger, just a little less than when grilled. However, if you’re really craving a burger, I say just have a real meat burger, but these are still a fine alternative to try something new.

REAL BURGER TALK

I used to be a grilled meat burger fan, but I’ve recently become more of a skillet burger cooker (and eater). I like my diner-style burgers, cooked in hot ghee and preferably on a cast iron skillet. The cast iron may fog up your whole kitchen with smoke, and be a pain to clean at times, you also may burn yourself a bit, but it’s all totally worth it. If you don’t own a cast iron skillet, it’s definitely time to invest in one (especially with all the cooking we’re all doing now while stuck at home).

I’m not telling anyone to eat these fake meatless burgers. I’m just saying if you want to try them (and you find them on sale) they aren’t so bad. Also, don’t let the Beyond Burgers make a fool of you, there are only two patties per package. That’s one reason why I only buy them on sale. For the price of two you can get four or even six meat burgers, and I’m talking good quality meat.

Thanks for listening, enjoy your burger (however you enjoy it)!

COVID DREAMS???

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Has the Coronavirus infiltrated your dream world? For the most part my dreams haven’t contained much COVID yet (no masks or social distancing necessary). Most of my dreams have taken place in the past or possibly some alternate reality where this whole pandemic debacle hasn’t even happened (or maybe we had a real grown up president in my dreams who knew to listen to the smart people in the room and the whole thing has passed).

In my last dream, I discovered that I had a check for $1,500 from DMX (yes, that DMX the rapper AKA Earl Simmons). Maybe it came from one of his albums that I had owned
(It’s Dark and Hell is Hot? Flesh of my Flesh, Blood of my Blood? The Great Depression?) 

In my dream, I obviously went to the bank to check if this check was for real. I ran into a friend at the bank, helped start her car and from there the whole thing transformed into a murder mystery inside of the bank/haunted mansion (because now the bank had transformed into a haunted mansion). 

I never found out if that check from DMX was real or not. I definitely searched my room for it in the morning (Spoiler Alert! I found nothing but a few DMX CDs).
(…And then there was X, Grand Champ, The Great Depression)

I guess what I really wanted to say is, “Dreams are weird. Wear a mask and vote for Biden!”

-Also, I owned most of DMX’s discography, so maybe the dude does owe me a check.

READING: Analog vs Digital

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For the past few months I’ve been reading an unreleased book (written by a friend) to help out with a super secret project for the upcoming release of this book. Since this is an unreleased work, it has not yet been printed onto paper and I was sent a top secret PDF. 

So, for the first time ever, I’ve had to read an entire book using only my iPad, and I’m not hating the experience. I’m talking about the experience of reading on an iPad. Not the content of the story. I’m really digging that.

For my entire life, I’ve enjoyed books in their physical form (I did read a few chapters of A Game of Thrones on my iPad just to test it out, since I owned both the digital and physical version). Sure, I read tons of articles on a screen most days. I even read stuff on my tiny iPhone screen (my current iPhone isn’t that tiny, but those older models were kind of tiny to be reading full articles on). I even do the bulk of my writing on digital screens (PC, MacBook, iPad, iPhone).

I’m thinking it may be a good idea to start making the switch to more digital books. For one thing, I have my iPad with me most of the time, and my iPhone with me all of the time (which could also keep track of my reading habits through the mysterious iCloud). It will be much easier to read anywhere without having to take a book around, plus I wouldn’t have books all over my room (but I love books! Books for reading. Books of art. Books of music and poetry. All kinds of books).

I love reading physical books. I enjoy turning pages and although the iPad can digitally simulate that feeling, it’s just not the same. I kind of like, but also sometimes don’t like how iBooks tells me, “you have __ pages left in this chapter,” at the bottom of the screen. When reading a physical book late at night I do find myself counting how many pages are left in the current chapter. But sometimes I don’t need to know (ten or more pages left is always a discouraging number and I am on the verge of quitting reading to play video games instead).

I like using bookmarks (I use movie tickets, business cards and sometimes actual bookmarks). The iPad bookmark is strange and I almost always forget to unmark it when I begin reading again, leaving an iBook with tons of marked pages throughout my journey. 

I don’t want to read my iPad out in the sun and get it all sweaty and full of sunscreen. On a bright day, the screen just can’t get bright enough. Physical books are way safer in the great outdoors.

However, on an iPad reading in the dark is much easier. Perhaps books, like DVD’s and Blu-Ray’s should come with digital copies when you purchase the physical version. It would be nice to freely jump from a physical book for certain occasions to the  digital version at other times. I don’t need an audiobook though, unless it’s in the form of a radio play or there’s something fun going on with the voice over (I have been listening to Rakim read his book Sweat the Technique, since the audio version is available on Apple Music. That’s a fun audio book because he’s reading his lyrics throughout the book).

Perhaps my next project will be to read a physical and digital book at the same time, maybe as a race to determine which is faster for me. And which version of reading will truly win. Otherwise, I will continue to read physical books and digital articles and other stuff too.

*I mentioned iPads, iPhones, MacBooks, Apple Music, iCloud, iBooks and more in this article, but in no way is this a paid ad for Apple. I just happen to be a fan of their products and services.