u/Loose_Hovercraft_649

I like to pile it all together, but I thought this would be easier for y'all to see:)

CW from the top:

• Turmeric rice, roasted broccoli, cucumber, tomato, onion, feta, and red wine vinaigrette.
• Greek chickpeas from Aldi. TJ's has something similar.
• Air fryer crispy potatoes
• Hummus, toum, feta dip

Air fryer crispy potatoes recipe:

• Cubed potatoes, as uniform as possible. Russets are best for this recipe
• High temp oil (I use avocado)
• Corn starch (optional but adds to crispiness)
• Seasonings of choice (if herbs, add after)

1. Starting in cold water, parboil the potatoes.
2. Drain and shake the pot such that then potatoes get some texture
3. Drizzle with oil and toss. Toss with seasonings. Toss with corn starch.
4. Air fry at 400 F. Check after 10 minutes and cook until desired crispiness.

I bought the "frog" pattern by OlyaSamToys, but Reptar from Rugrats is all I could think about when looking at the example photos. So with a few spikes added, we have a chunky boi Reptar.

Tl;dr: AFAIK he asked me out to mansplain my research to me. I humbled him. He seemed surprised that is how it went.

Food: Avocado egg toast with hot sauce & Penzey's Outrage

This happened awhile ago, but I was reminded of it due to a post made yesterday talking about how women are treated while working in STEM. They'll seek you out in the wild as well.

I met him online. My bio stated that I was in grad school. He asked me what I was studying. To set the scene: the technique is very niche, and the instrumentation is all home built; even people in the same research field don't know much about it. We agreed to a coffee shop date.

He starts off talking about how smart I must be. It is uncomfortable. Then he starts sort of grilling me by asking questions that are somewhat tangential to what I do. I tell him the context is wrong; he disagrees. I just say, "look, I read the Wikipedia entry too." He says he didn't read the wiki and claims this is common knowledge that he learned in science class; it is so not. We part.

Weeks later he messages me on the app again. It is a whole paragraph about how I am still on there, that it has been weeks but he still has not asked for a second date, and am I not curious as to why?! I told him that I just thought he needed more time to study.:)

I left over bread, so he says.

Tl;dr: We were very new to dating. I brought dinner to his house after many delays on his end. He bitched about the bread roll I brought for the meal. I immediately rebagged my shit and left. He once told me that he doesn't chase people who walk away. I should have immediately questioned how many times that this has happened to him. I started piecing together all of the other ways that he had disrespected me that day alone. Believe what people tell and show you about themselves.

The food: Taylor Farms Protein southwest salad with crispy butter beans and avocado, because this experience pushed me over the edge to vegetarianism. (ETA beans recipe: They are air fried! Rinse and pat dry a bit. Toss in a bit of oil and season as you like (I did onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika). Single layer, 400 F for 10-12 min or until they are to your liking. I prefer Bush's or Hanover canned beans for this. You can do it with any bean or firm lentil, but cooking times can vary. Chickpeas don't get as crispy if not peeled first.)

This is an old story, but I used to put up with all sorts of bullshit until I met women who taught me to love me better. This was my last straw for fuckass men. Gather around my campfire of nonsense.

I offered to make a dinner that he had been craving: Italian beef. We had set plans. He kept pushing things back last minute. "My softball game was rain delayed." "It is over, but I have to chat with X about our project while he is here." This was a 3 hour delay. I get to his house, and I almost eat it immediately because his tile floor is covered in mail. I Scooby Doo-it with a crockpot in my hands. He is having a lie down on the couch under a blanket with his street clothes in a pile. His hair is still gelled. There is shit all over the dining table. I push some aside and set down the crockpot. I take out the bread (Chicago-style roll as is the traditional from my homeland) and all hell breaks loose. Words like "garbage" left his mouth. After confirming he was serious. I reversed course, packed up my shit, and left.

I started to put together all of the ways he has disrespected me that day. Couldn't be arsed to even open the door for me or pick up a bit. He obviously hadn't played any softball or even showered to try to sell that lie. He was planning to eat in his underwear? He didn't even set a table. As a matter of fact, he never left the couch.

He once told me that he doesn't chase people who walk away. Bet.

That also wasn't even true because he tried to gaslight me about it later. I am immature and left over bread. Oh, I love a good block button.

The patterns are by Loopy Catherine and are free on her site.

I glued on felt for the features. Chikorita is made from Loops & Threads Impeccable and Piplup is made from RHSS using a 3.5 mm hook.