pekt's recent activity
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
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Comment on China population set for 51 million drop as pro-birth moves fail in ~society
pekt Link ParentReading about places like that always makes me wonder what kind of upbringing the people who implement those laws had, or what experience happened that prompted them to want to set this in law. I...Reading about places like that always makes me wonder what kind of upbringing the people who implement those laws had, or what experience happened that prompted them to want to set this in law. I can't image growing up and needing to always have my parents with me. I'm fairly introverted and spent a lot of time at home through my own choices, but I still liked biking around the neighborhood with friends or walking over to a friends house ~2+ miles away to hang out. To me, it feels like it stifles the growth of kids and their development. I see people complain about iPad kids and tech use in kids is a whole topic in and of itself, but when its right there and designed to be entertaining of course kids are going to gravitate to that if their parents aren't setting limits on it instead of getting out and exploring in the woods or playing with other kids.
I know that there are real dangers of kids being kidnapped/trafficked and all of that. I hear a bout it a lot from my mother-in-law, who can be incredibly worried about my kids/her grandkids, but I also wonder how much of her fears are being fed by the social media algorithms in her feed. She watches that content and shares it to our group chat which means she's engaging it, so the algorithm feeds her more, making her think that this is an even more widespread issue than it already is. I do remember looking at statistics awhile ago for this but none of them stuck in my brain, so I may need to go look at that again.
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Comment on How well do you cook? in ~life.men
pekt Link ParentThanks for sharing that! Pasta sauces have been my go-to ways to get in the veggies. My boys are under 3, so t's not that they don't like them, it's more it can be hit or miss depending on their...Thanks for sharing that! Pasta sauces have been my go-to ways to get in the veggies. My boys are under 3, so t's not that they don't like them, it's more it can be hit or miss depending on their mood or potentially the texture of the dish. Pasta has been a big hit, so throwing the veg in a sauce usually works really well.
I grew up with a lot of poorly cooked veggies, and lots of vegetable soup courtesy of my grandma's canning. She'd can tons of soup each year, when I was little my brother and I would each get a vegetable peeler and 100+ lbs of potatoes or carrots to peel while she told stories to us. I always loved vegetables though and will eat them raw when we have extra, and I'm in the mood for a snack. My wife growing up in a SE Asian household always jokes that American's having kids eat raw veggies is why kids don't like eating them there.
I'll see if I can make some of your haystacks! That sounds great and I'm sure my boys will have a fun time with them.
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Comment on How well do you cook? in ~life.men
pekt Link ParentThat's awesome to hear this post got you to try some new things! I hope you can keep it up or find inspiration to keep on experimenting when you have time. Chilis are something I like to throw in...That's awesome to hear this post got you to try some new things! I hope you can keep it up or find inspiration to keep on experimenting when you have time.
Chilis are something I like to throw in the instant pot/slow cooker, but you do need to remember to soak your beans, and check which ones you're eating as there are some beans that need to be "pre cooked" before you throw them in.
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Comment on How well do you cook? in ~life.men
pekt Link ParentI'll look into it more, never really considered it or really any fad diet. My health concern is more inactivity now that I've started working again and am generally sitting down at my computer....I'll look into it more, never really considered it or really any fad diet. My health concern is more inactivity now that I've started working again and am generally sitting down at my computer.
Always a good time start investing in that though and being able to keep up with my boys as they get older.
Chinese food is fun in so many ways. Enjoy exploring if and finding new dishes. I was watching Flavorful Origins when I had Netflix which was a fascinating look at Chinese food imo.
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Comment on How well do you cook? in ~life.men
pekt Link ParentI found out when I visited my wife's family for the first time that her grandma is apparently a terrible cook and only has a few dishes she'd ever cook, and it was her grandpa that cooked almost...I found out when I visited my wife's family for the first time that her grandma is apparently a terrible cook and only has a few dishes she'd ever cook, and it was her grandpa that cooked almost everything for their family. I would have liked to learn more recipes from either of my grandmas, but one passed away when I was young and the other lived far away, so I'd rarely see her.
I know how you feel about time-consuming dishes. I've been pushing more for us to do meal prep more often for some dishes we enjoy that take longer to put together.
Completely agree that more men should know how to cook. The first few times I cooked for my girlfriend and put the effort to make something new she was always impressed, and I've had her friends over who are pleasantly surprised when I cook something they enjoy, especially the ones who's boyfriends/husbands don't cook.
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Comment on How well do you cook? in ~life.men
pekt Link ParentTo each their own! I'm fine with eating some slop or mediocre food when I need to, but I love to try to add something new into the mix when I can.To each their own! I'm fine with eating some slop or mediocre food when I need to, but I love to try to add something new into the mix when I can.
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Comment on How well do you cook? in ~life.men
pekt Link ParentThat's a rough way to start learning how to cook, but I can see the appeal of eating some additional food and branching out from there. My odd comfort food is top ramen/instant noodles that are...That's a rough way to start learning how to cook, but I can see the appeal of eating some additional food and branching out from there. My odd comfort food is top ramen/instant noodles that are cooked and then just sit in the soup and get all puffy. My Dad would usually just make like 10 packets of top ramen when my Mom was gone for a weekend and that would be my lunch and dinner for ~2 days.
My wife thinks I'm disgusting for eating it since she is very particular on her noodles not being puffy and gets really annoyed if we're eating noodles and something interrupts us so she doesn't get to eat them before that happens.
Thanks for sharing your story on your cooking background, that's really cool that you were able to grow like that and had a friend who was willing to teach you when you both had time. I agree with you on cooking being fun, the only time I don't like it is when I'm cooking something I'm not familiar with while rushing.
I've never thought of trying to cook vegan like that, I think adding a few vegan or vegetarian dishes into the mix would probably be a fun way to spice things up in our house.
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Comment on What's the biggest YouTube channel still run by just one person? in ~creative
pekt Link ParentThat was sad to see, especially with things like retro tech where it's becoming increasingly rare and he can't easily replace it. I saw he put out a cleaning up video, so I'll probably watch that...That was sad to see, especially with things like retro tech where it's becoming increasingly rare and he can't easily replace it. I saw he put out a cleaning up video, so I'll probably watch that first when I get around to watching more of his videos
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Comment on What's the biggest YouTube channel still run by just one person? in ~creative
pekt Link ParentI was going to bring up LGR. Very consistent and the only help I've seen him have is his brother who occasionally shoots some footage during his convention videos when he isn't able to leave his...I was going to bring up LGR. Very consistent and the only help I've seen him have is his brother who occasionally shoots some footage during his convention videos when he isn't able to leave his booth.
Awesome channel and one that is super relaxing. I used to watch his videos every Friday morning and he is one of those creators who I don't want to fast forward his videos as I enjoy his cadence and the music he adds to his videos. After having kids I don't watch him nearly as much but imo his content is evergreen since it focus on more retro things to begin with so I can always pick up any of his past videos when I want and dive right in.
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Comment on How well do you cook? in ~life.men
pekt Link ParentI completely agree with you on Youtube and the Internet giving such great access to learning material, with a lot of it being available for free. I'm hoping my kids learn from me what I'm able to...I completely agree with you on Youtube and the Internet giving such great access to learning material, with a lot of it being available for free.
I'm hoping my kids learn from me what I'm able to teach them. There's time when I feel like there was a lot I could have learned from my own Dad if my relationship with him had been better.
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Comment on How well do you cook? in ~life.men
pekt Link ParentI commend you for putting in the effort to cook foods your partner enjoys! I know that's an extra stretch to add in that bit of effort when cooking for someone else to make sure they enjoy it, and...I commend you for putting in the effort to cook foods your partner enjoys! I know that's an extra stretch to add in that bit of effort when cooking for someone else to make sure they enjoy it, and I can imagine having a picky eater really adds to it. My sister-in-law is the pickiest eater I know. I had started a list of things she didn't like and ended up realizing it was easier just keeping a list of foods she does like for the off chance I need to get something for her, or we cook for her.
I also realized I cook better than my mom after a few years. She still has a few recipes that she makes well, but I also realize that's more of me enjoying a taste from my childhood rather than the food being well cooked.
We also overextended on a house that we purchased after our move (was told I was a lock for long term in a position and my new boss had plans for how I would fit in the team and fill the gap an experienced admin was going to leave when they retired) and cut down on a lot on our food, we never got to eating rice and soy sauce as a meal, but I've enjoyed that as a snack many times
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Comment on How well do you cook? in ~life.men
pekt Link ParentThat sounds really fun having dinner parties with friends! My girlfriend (now wife) at the time would host "Sushi Saturdays" for a while where we would buy sushi grade fish and then prep sushi for...That sounds really fun having dinner parties with friends! My girlfriend (now wife) at the time would host "Sushi Saturdays" for a while where we would buy sushi grade fish and then prep sushi for friends who would come over to pitch in to cover the cost and enjoy it with us. I miss having so many friends in proximity for things like that.
I think it's really cool that you're giving that example for your kids and having a rating system for food. Our biggest thing we tell our young sons right now is to just try anything, if they don't like they can have something else, but they need to try it first.
That is really cool that you're diving into your family's culinary roots. I'd love to explore more cuisines like that. I'm hoping to branch out and grab some more cookbooks for different ethnicities where I can explore the cuisines. I like having things digital for convenience but flipping through a book and picking things out is timeless to me and I never have to worry about the recipe going down or needing to copy things into my own records.
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Comment on How well do you cook? in ~life.men
pekt Link ParentThis is awesome, thanks for sharing! My oldest is 3 right now, but I think in the next few years I'll start him down on a path like this. I love food and exploring new things, and I'm excited to...This is awesome, thanks for sharing! My oldest is 3 right now, but I think in the next few years I'll start him down on a path like this. I love food and exploring new things, and I'm excited to see what things my boys come up with while experimenting! I'm sure you'll set up your kids to experience a great amount of new culinary delights and appreciation for food.
I'm also hoping to get some copies of old family recipes from my side so that they get a taste of dishes that I loved growing up, like my Grandma's jelly roll, or my grand aunt's apple dumplings (my wife insists they are not dumplings as part of a running inside joke)
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Comment on How well do you cook? in ~life.men
pekt Link ParentI don't think we'd move back anytime soon, and honestly not sure if we will end up moving back there at all. The international move was a lot, and after having moved ~10 times in 12 years, I'd...I don't think we'd move back anytime soon, and honestly not sure if we will end up moving back there at all. The international move was a lot, and after having moved ~10 times in 12 years, I'd rather stay put for a while.
We still plan on having more kids, and my wife wouldn't want to have kids without being able to get help from her parents while they are babies. Having family we can trust to help with our kids, and we want to be around our kids, has been such a blessing. We'd also end up back here any way to help care for her parents as they get older.
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Comment on How well do you cook? in ~life.men
pekt Link ParentThanks for sharing! Have you thought about branching out with your cooking, or has it been something that works for you for the time being? I saw you mentioned being lazy, and I totally understand...Thanks for sharing! Have you thought about branching out with your cooking, or has it been something that works for you for the time being?
I saw you mentioned being lazy, and I totally understand that. If you have a bit of extra money, an Instant Pot (or pressure/multi cooker) or a slow cooker really helped me to branch out with my wife. Lately I've been throwing in a whole chicken with some herbs, a small piece ginger that is sliced up, and some spring onions into my multi cooker, then cooking it on low for 4-5 hours at low temperature.
Chicken falls off the bone and go with a variety of things, and you get stock left over which can be used in a lot of dishes or as the basis for a soup.
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Comment on How well do you cook? in ~life.men
pekt Link ParentWhen we lived in the states, my wife often said the same thing about eating out, and I would agree with her that she would make things the same or better and often times for cheaper. We didn't end...When we lived in the states, my wife often said the same thing about eating out, and I would agree with her that she would make things the same or better and often times for cheaper. We didn't end up eating out that much because of the cost and even if the environment was nice it felt like such a hit to the pockets to spend so much on an expenerience when the food might not be as good.
Our stance on eating out really only changed when we moved to Malaysia where street food is very common and affordable. There's a number of dishes we could make at home, but it would probably end up being more expensive to make 1-2 portions of a dish like Curry Mee or Penang Asam Laksa, compared to someone who is making it in bulk to sell 200+ bowls a day.
I am going to check out that book and see if I can find a used copy for myself!
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Comment on How well do you cook? in ~life.men
pekt Link ParentMy wife likes to look at houses occasionally, and we've debated moving back to the states at some point. A lot of houses that she has gone "this looks amazing" only have that until I ask her to...My wife likes to look at houses occasionally, and we've debated moving back to the states at some point. A lot of houses that she has gone "this looks amazing" only have that until I ask her to look at the kitchen. Makes me wonder what kind of person thinks putting a stove with no hood/fan over it to bring out fumes from the cooking was a good idea, bonus points if they put it on a center island.
My wife has a sensitive nose, so if we cook a fish curry or something she'd smell it in the rest of the house for the next day (or longer depending on what we cooked). I have been scolded for opening the kitchen glass door while she is cooking something smelly here and letting the smell into the house when I needed something instead of walking around the house to the back door to get what it is I needed.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
pekt Link ParentWhen I read through the Dunes series (years ago now) I felt like it concluded the series but left me wanting to see what Frank's version of the ending would have been. I'd also love to one day see...When I read through the Dunes series (years ago now) I felt like it concluded the series but left me wanting to see what Frank's version of the ending would have been. I'd also love to one day see any notes that he left behind that Brian used in his work. I personally had disassociated the ending in my mind as a sort of "possible ending" to the series, but I want to see if my opinion holds when I do finally revisit this series.
The movies coming out got me to reread Dune, and I feel like I'd appreciate it more reading the series as an adult compared to when I read it in high school.
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Comment on How well do you cook? in ~life.men
pekt Link ParentI miss having access to the Food Channel! Unwrapped was a big favorite of mine, though I don't see it available on any streaming service. I've been debating ponying up to get a DVD set one day. I...I miss having access to the Food Channel! Unwrapped was a big favorite of mine, though I don't see it available on any streaming service. I've been debating ponying up to get a DVD set one day.
I think I need to start paying more attention to the advice they give during the cooking part when I watch cooking shows and focus less on the spectacle of the people cooking and making mouthwatering dishes!
There are parts of Thriller Park that to me are cooler in hindsight after learning more about the setting. I agree it can be a bit slower of an arc, but I also binged through it when I reread One Piece to get caught back up after taking a ~5 year break from reading it.