madame_ovary's recent activity
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Comment on Lighthearted comedy anime? in ~anime
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Comment on The eternal allure of Engagement Chicken: Feminist backlash and the food of marriage in ~life.women
madame_ovary Link ParentPersonally, I find it a bit regressive to have something like this published in this way. I'm sure I'm not the only person seeing "marry me chicken" and thinking, "really? Seriously?" As a Gen X...Personally, I find it a bit regressive to have something like this published in this way. I'm sure I'm not the only person seeing "marry me chicken" and thinking, "really? Seriously?" As a Gen X person raised in the south, the atmosphere for girls was very focused on being marriage material/feminine/domestic. Despite that, I somehow grew up with some feminist ideals kicking around in the back of my brain.
Fast forward to adulthood and I met and married a chef. The topic of cooking isn't something we generally discuss or struggle with. He cooks and does dishes on the weekends, I cook/clean during the week. It has less to do with our "roles" and more to do with the fact that he works a lot of hours, I don't, so we split the responsibility as best we can. When we first started dating, he actually made dinner for me as his way of trying to impress me. The first dinner he made for me included homemade bread from scratch and a rack of lamb. We view cooking as an act of love on both our parts, so for us, it has less to do with who's supposed to/should cook, and more to do with who is able to devote the time and effort. Also, I really didn't know how to cook when I started dating husband. Ramen, spaghetti and cookies/cakes from a box were the extent of my skills. He taught me how to actually cook. Now I'm able to make pretty much anything that doesn't require special ingredients from scratch and sometimes without a recipe.
As for the Times, I haven't been reading it as much lately. I have some gripes here and there about their reporting, so I'm not a regular reader like I used to be. I do feel like there's been a push toward conservative ideals, especially lately.
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Comment on Solution for indirect lighting from top of bookcase in ~life.home_improvement
madame_ovary Link ParentAh sorry, I hadn't viewed your link and missed that you're in Europe. I went to the anazon.es website and typed in "spotlight" and got some similar results. Maybe a variation of that might yield...Ah sorry, I hadn't viewed your link and missed that you're in Europe. I went to the anazon.es website and typed in "spotlight" and got some similar results. Maybe a variation of that might yield some results
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Comment on What are your thoughts on how a vet should interact with a dog? in ~life.pets
madame_ovary Link ParentSorry for the super late reply, it means "in my experience"Sorry for the super late reply, it means "in my experience"
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Comment on Solution for indirect lighting from top of bookcase in ~life.home_improvement
madame_ovary LinkWhat about something like these can style spotlights? https://www.amazon.com/Catalina-Lighting-18775-012-Hollywood-Spotlight/dp/B074PGWGTF Maybe not exactly these but something like this. I happen...What about something like these can style spotlights?
https://www.amazon.com/Catalina-Lighting-18775-012-Hollywood-Spotlight/dp/B074PGWGTFMaybe not exactly these but something like this. I happen to have these exact lights and they're sitting on top of some tall shelves, angled up toward the ceiling with LED bulbs in them. They take A19 bulbs and I've set mine up with 40 watt equivalent 2700K LED bulbs. I get the indirect lighting that I prefer without having to mount anything or mess with the wiring, as these particular lights have a cord. The shelves hide the cord so it was an easy setup for me.
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Comment on You can't control your data in the cloud in ~tech
madame_ovary Link ParentThanks for the advice. I have a tendency to sit on stuff until it's practically obsolete. I mean, I still have an old Technics am fm stereo tuner from the 70s that was handed down to me. Damn I'm...Thanks for the advice. I have a tendency to sit on stuff until it's practically obsolete. I mean, I still have an old Technics am fm stereo tuner from the 70s that was handed down to me. Damn I'm getting old.
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Comment on Listening to music with intent in ~music
madame_ovary LinkSorry if this is off topic but this post is interesting to me because I'm curious about how other people consume music. Not the technical aspects, but the reasons and motivations, the ways it...Sorry if this is off topic but this post is interesting to me because I'm curious about how other people consume music. Not the technical aspects, but the reasons and motivations, the ways it makes people feel. I have certain genres of music that I love as background music. But then I have other genres or works that I listen to for more specific reasons-- I have a vivid imagination and music that appeals to me can get my imagination firing and puts me in a certain headspace. Sometimes I "see" things in my mind that are seemingly generated by the piece of music I'm listening to. Music is also essential to my meditation practices and spiritual beliefs. I believe there's a certain level of "magic" in music that can be utilized.
Having said that, when not playing background music, I will go "full cocoon" as I call it and sit somewhere with headphones on, tuning out the whole world and letting the music weave its way through my mind and imagination. And I kind of end up "going away". I will meditate, focusing on healing, relaxing or understanding. I enjoy dancing, which is good exercise but I also use it in tandem with a piece of music that appeals to me as a spiritual tool.
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Comment on What are your thoughts on how a vet should interact with a dog? in ~life.pets
madame_ovary (edited )Link ParentIt wasn't my intention to present a false dichotomy. I don't mean to portray the situation as there only being one dynamic or another and no in-between. Of course, there are lots of vets in my...It wasn't my intention to present a false dichotomy. I don't mean to portray the situation as there only being one dynamic or another and no in-between. Of course, there are lots of vets in my area and they're all different. I merely wanted to get people's thoughts and opinions on how they feel a vet should handle their dog because I am curious about the different approaches and wanted to hear about them. I described only 2 approaches that I'm personally familiar with. That's why I asked about it here, so I could get more feedback about what other people want, expect, and do according to their dog's needs. I presented the scenario I encountered to flesh out why I'm asking this question and the curiosity I felt after my encounter. I didn't think I needed to point out that situations like these aren't limited to one scenario or the other. I guess I'll be more clear if I post again.
TLDR- I presented two scenarios I have personally encountered. I realize there's more variation than just the two scenarios. So I ask an online community to post their experiences and opinions for more insight.
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Comment on What are your thoughts on how a vet should interact with a dog? in ~life.pets
madame_ovary Link ParentThank you for sharing your experience. You've described a situation that I think highlights the different dispositions and personalities dogs have, even when raised in loving and caring homes. I...Thank you for sharing your experience. You've described a situation that I think highlights the different dispositions and personalities dogs have, even when raised in loving and caring homes. I don't want to sound like I'm criticizing the more sensitive approach. I definitely think it's useful with certain dogs and in certain situations. For my specific scenario, I was getting frustrated because my dog had a visible health issue and was running fever. I needed her treated and the staff at the clinic were treating her like she would snap at any moment. I tried to tell them she had never been aggressive with humans in her 11 years of living (she's extremely submissive with humans), but they kept acting like she could snap at any moment. And then I started to wonder if this is just how things are done nowadays. I often feel like I'm aging out of life so I began to think maybe I'm just "old school" now. So I thought I'd get people's thoughts on the topic.
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Comment on What are your thoughts on how a vet should interact with a dog? in ~life.pets
madame_ovary Link ParentYes, I do try to help out. If staying near and putting my arm around her helps, I'll certainly do that. If I need to lift her tail or move her for any reason, I'm happy to do that too. I can also...Yes, I do try to help out. If staying near and putting my arm around her helps, I'll certainly do that. If I need to lift her tail or move her for any reason, I'm happy to do that too. I can also see how a nervous dog can be tricky to navigate. People can say all day long "oh my dog is nice, she never bites!" But that's no guarantee the dog won't still nip at someone.
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Comment on What are your thoughts on how a vet should interact with a dog? in ~life.pets
madame_ovary Link ParentThe dog I have now was from my local animal control but I got her as a puppy, so no behavioral issues. If anything, she's just shy. The dog I had before her was a year old when I got her. She had...The dog I have now was from my local animal control but I got her as a puppy, so no behavioral issues. If anything, she's just shy. The dog I had before her was a year old when I got her. She had been found wandering around an overpass so she did have behavioral issues. I couldn't ever confirm it but I suspected she was a red heeler because of her appearance. She was also extremely smart. Like, so smart she was a little weird. For example, she learned my daily routine and if I didn't do something like I normally would, she would walk over to where I would normally be at a certain time and stare at me, wondering why I wasn't having coffee at the normal time. She was also the type that would engage her anal glands if she were scared enough. Idk if a sensitive vet would've helped her. And by no means am I criticizing sensitive vets. I just was surprised at how this particular vet acted with the dog I have now. She gets shy and scared but in all her 11 years, she has never bitten or even growled at anyone, not even strangers.
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Comment on What are your thoughts on how a vet should interact with a dog? in ~life.pets
madame_ovary Link ParentThank you for the reply. I think you've made a great point about being a good clinician. I think maybe that's a distinction I've made subconsciously but not realized it, that some vets I've...Thank you for the reply. I think you've made a great point about being a good clinician. I think maybe that's a distinction I've made subconsciously but not realized it, that some vets I've encountered may be good clinicians but can't seem to connect with pets. I miss the old vet I had years ago who just gave off a vibe. Dogs that seemed timid or scared would instantly be relaxed in his presence. The closest example I have is Dr. Pol. To my eye, he just has a certain take-charge vibe that isn't scary. He will do what needs to be done, even when it may seem unpleasant. And always for the benefit of the animal.
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Comment on What are your thoughts on how a vet should interact with a dog? in ~life.pets
madame_ovary Link ParentI personally feel like when there's an issue, the dogs kinda have to be firmly handled. It isn't always pleasant but I flash back to being a kid and being upset when the family dog had to go to...I personally feel like when there's an issue, the dogs kinda have to be firmly handled. It isn't always pleasant but I flash back to being a kid and being upset when the family dog had to go to the vet. The people that raised me assured me dogs are tougher than we think they are and that the dog may look distressed but the visit is for their own good and they'll be fine afterward. I do spoil my dog and let her do things other people might not allow. But when it comes to health, I think discomfort is unavoidable and I certainly don't see it as "psychologically damaging".
Is the sensitive approach maybe more suited to abused dogs?
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Comment on You can't control your data in the cloud in ~tech
madame_ovary Link ParentI'm getting older and sadly, having a hard time staying current with certain things. As a result, I'm distrustful of stuff like cloud/storage services. When I see anything that claims to "safely...I'm getting older and sadly, having a hard time staying current with certain things. As a result, I'm distrustful of stuff like cloud/storage services. When I see anything that claims to "safely store your passwords", I'm like AHHH NO. I feel lucky in that I have 2 Toshiba hard drives that are both 700GB that I bought in person at a Best Buy around 2012(ish). When I read about fraudulent usb drives, I started using the Toshiba HDDs more. I also have a planner binder where things like accounts, passwords and personal health tracking gets recorded.
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Comment on Temu: What it is, and why it matters in ~tech
madame_ovary Link ParentAgreed. I feel as though another example of this is when any app/platform/website uses the reward system (psychological) to drive consumers. Like, I don't need to hear tinkling bells and see...Agreed. I feel as though another example of this is when any app/platform/website uses the reward system (psychological) to drive consumers. Like, I don't need to hear tinkling bells and see confetti burst on my screen after I've spent money or bought those granny panty underwear I need for my aging butt. This type of tactic feels so manipulative, it makes those old shopping incentive tactics from the days of yore (I'm in my late 40s) feel downright pedestrian.
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Comment on Lets talk kitchen dishes in ~life.home_improvement
madame_ovary LinkWhen my husband and I got married, we decided on classic white coupe dinnerware in porcelain. You may already know this but I learned that porcelain is much more durable due to longer firing...When my husband and I got married, we decided on classic white coupe dinnerware in porcelain. You may already know this but I learned that porcelain is much more durable due to longer firing times, which causes vitrification that results in the formation of the glassy bond that makes porcelain so strong. It isn't that it's made of "a better material" or anything like that. It's about firing it longer. We chose coupe dinnerware from Crate & Barrel in the non-rimmed style in white because they're suitable for everyday use but can be dressed up for formal occasions. So we got the basic pieces of dinnerware in white porcelain but I'll dress it up with crystal glassware, nice linen napkins/rings, serving platters and bowls in silver or pretty colors. Sometimes I'll use a pretty glass b&b/salad plate and set the table with it placed on top of the dinner plate. When you add the tablecloth, centerpieces and candles, you can easily dress up basic white dinnerware.
Having said that, I got married in 2007 and the coupe dinnerware we registered for is no longer available. I posted a link to something close to what we have but it's not the same. However, the quality is good. We still have the majority of the set, having lost a few pieces over the years, but the pieces still in use look great. Very little scratching and not easily chipped. C&B also has the Mercer collection, which is made of porcelain but has a more natural stoneware appearance and comes in different colors. I wasn't sure if the Mercer line would appeal to you but thought I'd link it anyway.
Another place I've bought dinnerware from that performed well was World Market. They have a porcelain coupe dinnerware set that's really affordable. I have bought individual pieces from WM and the quality has been good. It does get the little grey scratches from flatware but doesn't chip too easily.
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Comment on Temu: What it is, and why it matters in ~tech
madame_ovary LinkI can't really speak to shopping algorithms or anything like that, as my grasp of the topic is fairly loose. But this topic does speak to me since I was, for many years, a serious and prolific...I can't really speak to shopping algorithms or anything like that, as my grasp of the topic is fairly loose. But this topic does speak to me since I was, for many years, a serious and prolific online shopper and I'm interested in the subconscious mechanisms that drive people to shop and ultimately make a purchase. The article uses the term "shopatainment", which bothers me a bit since I feel it encourages impulse buying. And of course that leads to more trash, waste and accumulation of junk. I also feel as though this selling tactic feeds on people's emotions. Instead of selling something because people want or need it, they're selling based on how it makes the consumer feel. If the consumer "feels" entertained or satiated somehow, they'll buy. The low prices seem like a siren call that says (in a faint and faraway voice) "you don't have to be rich to buy something that makes you feel gooooooood!" Of course, I've seen Temu ads everywhere and for me, sudden and instantaneous ubiquity breeds suspicion, if not contempt.
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Comment on The Spy x Family season 2 opening is infectiously bubbly and beautiful in ~anime
madame_ovary Link ParentAh yes, I almost forgot. I personally felt like that was easy to ignore. I'd be perfectly happy if that one element just kinda...went away. Wouldn't miss it, that's for sure!Ah yes, I almost forgot. I personally felt like that was easy to ignore. I'd be perfectly happy if that one element just kinda...went away. Wouldn't miss it, that's for sure!
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~talk
madame_ovary Link ParentYes, yes, a thousand times yes. I almost cried watching that film and Joy. It felt amazing and weird to feel so seen by a film/character.Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. I almost cried watching that film and Joy. It felt amazing and weird to feel so seen by a film/character.
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What are your thoughts on how a vet should interact with a dog?
I'm curious about people's thoughts/opinions on how a vet (or someone offering a pet service) should interact with a dog. It seems as though people have wide ranging and shifting opinions about...
I'm curious about people's thoughts/opinions on how a vet (or someone offering a pet service) should interact with a dog. It seems as though people have wide ranging and shifting opinions about how dogs should be interacted with and how they interpret the dog's behavior. Some people are extremely sensitive about their dog's mental well being. They do acupuncture and meditation exercises with their dog, speak about the dog's mental health and choose vets that take a very non-threatening and holistic approach to dealing with dogs.
On the flip side is the vet that, although kind and somewhat sensitive, takes a more treatment focused approach and are more direct (the "gentle but firm" approach). Although the dog may be nervous and scared, IME that's pretty common for many dogs. This more direct vet would acknowledge the nervousness but still do what they need to do, often saying "I know you don't like this buddy, but we've gotta do this".
I'm curious what people's thoughts are on this. I'm asking about this because I had an experience at a vet that took a more sensitive approach. And while I appreciate that, my dog was sick and needed treatment. Because of this sensitive technique, the vet didn't examine my dog. He did the "let the dog come to me" approach, which, heh, doesn't really work when you have a sick dog that needs a diagnosis and treatment. You kinda HAVE to put your hands on the dog, feel their vitals, chest, check for lumps, etc. The vet also did the "don't make eye contact" approach, which, heh, means you also aren't looking at my dog to see what their issue looks like. Basically the vet crouched down in the corner of the room, didn't look at my dog and didn't touch her. Because I'm very cuddly with dogs, my dog took his behavior as being uninterested and ignored him. When the vet pointed to her ears and said they were laying down because she felt threatened, I corrected him and said her ears were down because she was being submissive (she was calm, sitting with her ears relaxed, not flattened down against her head). I was getting frustrated because I just wanted my dog examined and treated. I'm fine with my dog being uncomfortable during a wellness exam because that's just the way it goes, even for humans! I do want a vet to be somewhat sensitive but firmness and directness can be done sensitively. Idk if it's because I'm older and have an older mentality about this. I grew up watching vets kinda manhandle dogs and saying "they're dogs, they're fine, don't worry so much". I don't treat dogs like hunting dogs (that's just too harsh imo) but I acknowledge that dogs are tougher than we think sometimes.
What are your thoughts and/or opinions on this?
(This is my first post, so please do add tags or tell me if I've missed anything. Thanks!)
18 votes
I also usually like darker anime with some action, gore, etc. But lately my mood has driven me to explore more lighthearted anime.
I really liked Tomo-chan Is A Girl!. It's cute and funny with some romance, but it's sweet and doesn't venture into ecchi territory.
Being an older anime fan, I also liked Bartender. It's a nice ode to bars and bar culture, but might be a bit more melancholy than you're looking for. I particularly enjoy the softer scoring and music. Its rather relaxing and reminds me of being in a dark piano bar.
The food shows are always a winner for me. I've really enjoyed Today's Menu for the Emiya Family and Isekai Izakaya.