![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
smallhobbit posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
100wordssenmutЭлиза пользуется тем, что Голиаф слишком много думает.
tinny100ships as was intended: multishipping Wu Lei. :)| #37 – White | #45 – Midnight | #46 – Pearl | #65 – Spice | #76 – Jet |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
used_songs
mallorys_camera
![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
smartbitches_feed
Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver is $1.49! This is book one in The Ruinous Love series. I read this one and these are my thoughts from my Goodreads review:
This one started off really promising. Unfortunately, the pacing started to falter about about a third of the way into it. The last quarter was suspenseful and I appreciated the twist, but yeah…the middle of the book felt mostly like filler. I also didn’t feel a ton of romantic progression between the leads.
One thing that really confounded me was that Sloane is described as being in her early twenties. She’s an accomplished serial killer and quotes Zoolander (which came out in 2001). Look, I love Zoolander as much as the next person, but it’s not exactly the Criterion Collection. It really took me out and had me wondering when exactly did this story take place.
Overall, I enjoyed the tone and dark humor. It’s a unique romance, but needed some refinement.
Every serial killer needs a friend.
Every game must have a winner.
When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, the two find something elusive—the friendship of a like-minded, pitch-black soul. From small town West Virginia to upscale California, from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country. But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love. Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves? Or have they finally met their match?
Butcher & Blackbird is the first book in the Ruinous Love Dark Romance trilogy of interconnected stand-alone dark romantic comedies. This dual POV novel ends on a HEA.
***Butcher & Blackbird is a DARK ROMANCE intended for an adult audience – please see Brynne’s website for a comprehensive list of CWs***
Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan is $2.99! Lara was middling on this paranormal romance and gave it a C-. I enjoyed Danan’s contemporaries so I remember looking forward to this one. Did you read it?
Riley Rhodes finally has the chance to turn her family’s knack for the supernatural into a legitimate business when she’s hired to break the curse on an infamous Scottish castle. Used to working alone in her alienating occupation, she’s pleasantly surprised to meet a handsome stranger upon arrival—until he tries to get her fired.
Fresh off a professional scandal, Clark Edgeware can’t allow a self-proclaimed “curse breaker” to threaten his last chance for redemption. After he fails to get Riley kicked off his survey site, he vows to avoid her. Unfortunately for him, she vows to get even.
Riley expects the curse to do her dirty work by driving Clark away, but instead, they keep finding themselves in close proximity. Too close. Turns out, the only thing they do better than fight is fool around. If they’re not careful, by the end of all this, more than the castle will end up in ruins.
The Other Princess by Denny S. Bryce is $1.99! This one was featured in a previous Book Beat post. We’ve also had Bryce’s debut Wild Women and the Blues on sale before.
A stunning portrait of an African princess raised in Queen Victoria’s court and adapting to life in Victorian England—based on the real-life story of a recently rediscovered historical figure, Sarah Forbes Bonetta.
With a brilliant mind and a fierce will to survive, Sarah Forbes Bonetta, a kidnapped African princess, is rescued from enslavement at seven years old and presented to Queen Victoria as a “gift.” To the Queen, the girl is an exotic trophy to be trotted out for the entertainment of the royal court and to showcase Victoria’s magnanimity. Sarah charms most of the people she meets, even those who would cast her aside. Her keen intelligence and her aptitude for languages and musical composition helps Sarah navigate the Victorian era as an outsider given insider privileges.
But embedded in Sarah’s past is her destiny. Haunted by visions of destruction and decapitations, she desperately seeks a place, a home she will never run from, never fear, a refuge from nightmares and memories of death.
From West Africa to Windsor Castle to Sierra Leone, to St. James’s Palace, and the Lagos Colony, Sarah juggles the power and pitfalls of a royal upbringing as she battles racism and systematic oppression on her way to living a life worthy of a Yoruba princess.
Based on the real life of Queen Victoria’s Black goddaughter, Sarah Forbes Bonetta’s story is a sweeping saga of an African princess in Victorian England and West Africa, as she searches for a home, family, love, and identity.
Rebellious Desire by Julie Garwood is $1.99! This is a Regency romance that was first released in the 80s. Garwood fans say this isn’t their favorite book of hers, while others enjoyed the mystery element added to the romance. Have you read this one? What did you think?
Before there was Downton Abbey, there was Rebellious Desire…in this classic Regency romance from bestselling author Julie Garwood, an American heiress must land a titled lord.
Of all the dukes in England, Jered Marcus Benton, the Duke of Bradford, was the wealthiest, most handsome—and most arrogant. And of all London’s ladies, he wanted the tender obedience of only one—Caroline Richmond.
She was a ravishing beauty from Boston, with a mysterious past and a fiery spirit. Drawn to the powerful duke, undeterred by his presumptuous airs, Caroline was determined to win his lasting love. But Bradford would bend to no woman—until a deadly intrigue drew them enticingly close. Now, united against a common enemy, they would discover the power of the magnificent attraction that brought them together…a desire born in danger, but destined to flame into love!
susandennis
oursinDr rdrz may imagine the noises I made when reading this (we get the London Standard free from our newspaper deliver people): Make America Hard Again: is there an erectile dysfunction epidemic?, particularly when I came to '“There have been huge uncertainties about male virility since the rise of feminism,” says Grossman.' and started screaming 'THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE OF HISTORY!!!!'
Okay, there are some very creepy blokes there.
***
Creepy but in a different way: I was being 'recommended' this on Kobo, Y O Y???? The Voyage Out: A Quick Read edition:
Discover a new way to read classics with Quick Read.
This Quick Read edition includes both the full text and a summary for each chapter.
- Reading time of the complete text: about 13 hours
- Reading time of the summarized text: 20 minutes
***
I'm sorry, but I couldn't help flashing on to the famous phrase 'Normal for Norfolk' when reading this: Archive reveals hidden stories of Queer Norfolk:
Norfolk: That's a queer ol' place
In the depths of the Norwich Millennium Library, there’s an archive dedicated to Norfolk’s LGBTQIA+ history
***
This is rather fascinating: Flap Anatomies and Victorian Veils: Penetrating the Female Reproductive Interior:
Lifting flaps that unveiled the female reproductive body for medical purposes could just as easily be interpreted as a pornographic act imbued with sexual titillation and voyeurism. The ‘obstetrical flap’ was thus understood and used as both a teaching prop and an obscene tool. It functioned as a ‘veil’ of Victorian modesty in the name of new and penetrating obstetrical knowledge and a ‘veil’ of man's apparently underlying and untamable penetrative sexual impulses.
One has rather worried about this, and it appears that there are grounds for concern: ‘That belongs in a museum’: The true ‘cost’ of detecting in England and Wales.:
My previous work has discussed various aspects of the hobby of detecting: how the context of archaeological finds is often lost, how private ownership of finds is reducing the archaeological dataset, how our obsession with monetary worth may be fueling an increase in artefact theft and, more recently, the hidden and unacknowledged costs of the hobby of detecting to the wider British public.
askamanager_feedIt’s the Friday open thread!
The comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on any work-related questions that you want to talk about (that includes school). If you want an answer from me, emailing me is still your best bet*, but this is a chance to take your questions to other readers.
* If you submitted a question to me recently, please do not repost it here, as it may be in my queue to answer.
The post open thread – January 23, 2026 appeared first on Ask a Manager.
pauraque posting in threeforthememories
budgetbites_feed
I first became interested in chicken adobo when I saw a recipe for it using a slow cooker. It looked delicious but completely different than the adobo that I was familiar with. I thought adobo was that rich, spicy, reddish-brown Mexican sauce that comes with chipotle peppers. But no. Filipino chicken adobo is savory, tangy, and garlicky, built on a bold combination of soy sauce and vinegar. It’s SO good and so very easy to recreate at home.
“I’m usually a sucker for spice, but this chicken adobo recipe (with accompanying yellow jasmine rice) is a juicy, tangy, taste-bomb!! Made it for my visiting parents tonight and they proclaimed “you’ve finally learned how to cook!” A definite crowd-pleaser :)”
Catherine
Chicken adobo is (unofficially) known as the national dish of the Philippines, and it’s made with simple, budget-friendly pantry staples. Filipino adobo is a tangy, salty mix of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and spices that is used to marinate and stew meat. It creates the most flavorful and complex meat I’ve ever had. Since learning more about it, I’ve seen many different ways to prepare it, and everyone seems to have their own method.
The recipe I’m sharing here is my home-cook take on authentic adobo, sticking to the classic base flavors and techniques, but using ingredients that are easy to find at my local grocery store. I follow the boil then broil technique, where the chicken simmers low and slow in the soy-vinegar mixture until it’s incredibly tender, then finishes under the broiler to crisp the skin. Some recipes brown the chicken first, but I like this method because it keeps the meat juicy, is more hands-off, and still gives you a golden finish at the end!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Gather all of your ingredients.
Marinate the chicken: Place 4 lbs. chicken pieces in a large pot. They really should be in one layer to maximize exposure to the marinade. Use a casserole dish if needed!
In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup soy sauce, ½ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 Tbsp oil, 2 Tbsp honey, 2 bay leaves, 1 Tbsp minced garlic (about two large cloves), and 1 Tbsp black peppercorns.
Then pour the marinade over the chicken, place the lid on the pot, and pop it in the fridge. Let it marinate while you’re at work, overnight, or just for a few hours. 30 minutes is okay too, if that’s all you have time for!
Boil the chicken: When you’re ready to cook, add a little bit of water so that the liquid comes a little closer to covering the chicken. You don’t want to add too much or else it will take too long for the sauce to reduce later. Cover the pot with a lid, place the pot over a high flame, and bring it up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium/low and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
The chicken should be cooked through by this point (internal temp of 165°F), but it’s not too pretty, so we’re going to broil it. Turn the broiler on to high.
Place the chicken onto a broiler pan (or on wire cooling racks set over a baking sheet).
Broil the chicken: Place the chicken under the broiler for about 5-10 minutes or until it gets a nice brown color to it. The time it takes will depend on how hot your broiler is and how close you have your rack to the heat (it should be fairly close). So, you’ll just have to keep an eye on it. You should hear crackling and popping as the skin begins to crisp.
Reduce the sauce: Meanwhile, after you pull the chicken out of the simmering liquid, turn it all the way up to high and let it boil furiously while you broil the chicken. You want it to reduce in volume by half and concentrate in flavor as much as possible.
Finish and serve: Once the soy/vinegar liquid has reduced in volume by half, use a brush and baste a few layers onto the chicken. This will add moisture and tons of flavor. You can also just add the broiled chicken to the pan and toss to coat instead.
I like serving my chicken adobo with some yellow jasmine rice, which isn’t at all authentic, but I found the flavors to be really great together! The brine that the chicken simmers in is super delicious, so I do suggest serving it over rice or noodles of some kind to soak up that awesome broth. You can also use the chicken and sauce to make a yummy adobo chicken fried rice!
Store leftover chicken adobo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The leftovers are DELICIOUS and the vinegar flavor mellows even more in storage. To reheat, warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave until heated through. You can also freeze the chicken and sauce together in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add some water to loosen up the sauce if needed.
Our Chicken Adobo recipe was originally published 7/24/11. We have updated it to be the best it can be and republished 1/23/26.
The post Chicken Adobo appeared first on Budget Bytes.
smartbitches_feedI talk a lot about how SBTB feels like a piece of vintage internet sometimes. I mean, we’re a book blog, albeit a large one with a podcast and a bunch of social media accounts, and every now and again I’m reminded that we’re one of the classic pieces of the internet. (Also: STILL HERE!)
YouTube was founded the 14th of February 2005, a few weeks after this here website, in fact. Yup, both YouTube and SBTB are turning 21 this year. Hoo, boy.
I tried to think of the oldest video I remember seeing on the internet – and I first went online at my now-husband’s college in the mid-90s because mine didn’t have the internet at all. I scared the crap out of myself reading the section of Yahoo that housed all the ghost stories. This was back when, to quote someone whose name I cannot recall (sorry) “you could have any colors you wanted on your web page as long as it was black on grey.”
The most memorable vintage YouTube videos for me seem to be songs, or performances of songs.
For example:
“Chocolate Rain” by Tay Zonday, posted in 2008, aka 18 years ago.
Gary Brolsma’s “Numa Numa” dance, to O-ZONE’s “Dragoste din Tei” which is on my snowboarding playlist. If you see a slow-moving snowboarder singing, “Vrei sa pleci dar nu ma nu ma iei, nu ma nu ma iei, nu ma nu ma nu ma iei,” it’s probably me.
This was originally published on a site called Newgrounds in 2004, and then on YouTube in 2006.
And probably the song I most remember because Candy sent it to me and I started playing it at work. I still sing this to people – who are familiar with the video itself, not just randomly.
This is from 19 years ago, originally uploaded on Valentine’s Day 2007. HA! I also learned from Wiki that Samwell performed it in April 2008 on the BBC show Lily Allen and Friends.
And there’s a making-of behind the scenes video, too. You’ll never believe which sections have the highest views.
Wait – no, I think this is the oldest. It’s from 2003. TWO THOUSAND AND THREE.
And I still say, “But I am le tired” all the time. (Jesus’ Trucknuts I didn’t expect that video to hit me so hard in the current anxieties – proceed with caution with this silly video.)
Happy Friday, y’all!
What’s the oldest video you remember seeing online?
rolanniSumming up: Many many people have applied for the beta reader slots. I can't possibly accommodate everyone -- it's me, not you -- but I am truly amazed and honored by the outpouring of generous offers of help. Even more are the little catch-up notes some folks have included. I love you all. Thank you.
Because the Universe is aria performed by Chaos, yesterday afternoon the page proofs for Liaden Universe Constellation No. 6 landed, sending all my happy thoughts of glass art and gathering up the tax documentation in a non-crazy kind of way out the door. I did, however, bake a loaf of bread. Damn, that's good.
This? Catches us up to Friday morning
Sunny and chillier than yesterday. The 'beans have been moving the /f/u/r/n/i/t/u/r/e atmospherics around to achieve a more favorable feng shui. We're still looking for colder'n a frog's ear starting tomorrow, but the snow has been shoved over to Sunday/Monday, with a forecasted accumulation of 8-13 inches.
PT may not happen on Monday. I think I'm OK foodwise for the cats and myself. The generator light is showing green, and I've got plenty of blankets to snuggle under while I sit in the window and read page proofs.
Breakfast for those keeping count was fresh-made bread-n-butter. Because I am an adult.
Sarah's due in realsoonnow to defur the joint, which will be much appreciated. I need to make some hot tea for my thermos and another mug, and then I'll be heading back to Steve's office to!
Yep. Read page proofs.
How's everybody doing this morning? Weather, much?
rolanni5 *Carpe Diem ((Liaden Universe® #3), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
4 *Conflict of Honors (Liaden Universe® #2), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
3 *Agent of Change (Liaden Universe® #1), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
2 A Gentleman in Possession of Secrets (Lord Julian #10), Grace Burrowes (e)
1 Spilling the Tea in Gretna Green, Linzi Day (e)
________
*I'm doing a straight-through series read in publication order
spikedluvdark_kana posting in 3_good_things_a_daydreamaastrid posting in threeforthememories
smallhobbit in 100words - Spooks (MI5) - Indulgencesenmut - Translation!tinny - 5 new icons for my 100ships tablepurplecat - Random Neolithic Stones on a Fridayused_songs - Cheese Questspikedluv - TV Talk: Best Medicine & Wild Cardsmallorys_camera - How Lovely It Is To Be Lovely ONEsmartbitches_feed - Paranormal Romance, Historical Fiction, & Moresusandennis - Closet Readyoursin - Assortmentaskamanager_feed - open thread – January 23, 2026jesuswasbatman - Synchronicitypauraque in threeforthememories - 2025budgetbites_feed - Chicken Adobosmartbitches_feed - Friday Videos Want to Know: What’s the Oldest Online Video You Remember?rolanni - Catching up and getting behinderrolanni - Books read in 2026spikedluv - The Day in Spikedluv (Thursday, Jan 22)dark_kana in 3_good_things_a_day - Friday 23/01/2026dreamaastrid in threeforthememories - Three for the Memories 2025carisma_senseidancing_serpent
