Herbalife tea recipes

Today was just a circle of ADHD and I’m sharing because it’s honestly quite funny. Sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself!
This morning, as I inserted my contact lenses, I came to the realization that I’d lost my glasses. Unfortunately the last place I remembered them being was on my face. I searched my bed, lifted the mattress, no glasses. Okay then.
As I came home from the gym, I stopped by the grocery store to pick up some bread. I took my AirPods out, and after paying put them back in, and for whatever reason couldn’t muster up the willpower to put the case back into my tote bag, so I just gripped it in one hand as I walked the block home.
Entering my building, I definitely had the case in my hand. After entering my apartment and putting my things away, I realized I no longer had the case.
While searching for it, I decided I was hungry and should put some bread into the air fryer to toast. How long did I fry it for? Well, I was still searching for my case, so I left the air fryer on its default setting of 20 minutes. Delicious charcoal for lunch!
I also decided to make myself a cup of tea.
I retraced my steps in the building, grimly noting that the mailman had arrived and other tenants had clearly trekked through, and that there was an excellent chance that someone had pocketed the case.
After returning to my apartment, I found an old AirPods case leftover from when I dropped an earbud on the subway tracks. I never got around to disposing of it, but that came in handy today!
I texted my friend the story of what had happened, concluding that there was a 90% chance I’d find the case in the tote bag that I’d already checked multiple times.
Around then, I realized I never set a timer for my tea and that it had undoubtedly been steeping for an hour and was probably an undrinkable mess. This ended up not being a problem because I forgot to put a tea bag in and I had a nice cup of room temperature water. I reboiled it and successfully managed to get some tea.
I also discovered that I forgot to get milk at the grocery store so I took the opportunity to try out a recipe for homemade oat milk. (Honestly it’s great, I’m probably going to keep making it.)
Several hours later, I remembered the Find My iPhone app and turned it on, and discovered that this generation of AirPods has a compass feature, which allowed me to track down where my case was.
Where was it, you ask?
Inside my rock climbing shoes, which I forgot to take out of my tote bag to air out.
Sadly, this isn’t the first time my AirPods have fallen inside my climbing shoes and gone missing. I never remember that that’s a thing, so every time I have to go on this big search.
Anyway I just found my glasses…they were stuck in between my duvet and the top sheet.
Good night everyone, it’s been a day.

What are some recipes that include root vegetables radish, ginger, Daikon, parsnips, turnips, rainbow carrots, and radishes?
I already have ginger and carrot 🥕 tea , what food can I make with these?

Pt 1 If you haven't read it.
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Pt 2 If you haven't read it.
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Pt 3 If you haven't read it.
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Hope you enjoy Pt 4 and happy reading!
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*Flick* "Aligning descent profile for re-entry." I had made all the final preparations
*Flick* "Prepare for comms black out in 10" William began the countdown.
"9"
"8"
"7"
"6"
"5- when you get back I absolutely *have* to show you this really old movie, interstellar, its a classic" Will interjected.
"4-Oh my stars we're about to enter the atmosphere of Ix-5 at 7km/s and all you can think about is showing me some old movie when we get back?!"
"3- Fine."
"2"
The plasma had begun to lick around the edges of the heat shield and up onto the windows.
"1"
The comms began to make a static hissing sound.
"Just breathe." Will muttered to himself.
The whole shuttle began to shake violently.
"PASSING MAX-Q" Will had to shout to be heard over all the rattling.
Just like that, it began to quiet down, the fiery inferno of re-entry plasma died down and we began our coast down to find a suitable landing spot. Comms had also returned.
*Click* "I'd just like to let everyone know that we made it through re-entry just fine." Will had radioed back to the ship.
The sound of faint cheers from bridge could be heard.
"Engaging cloaking device" *Flick*
A loud hum could be heard as the cloaking device not only prevented us from being seen by eyes, but also seen by any radar, sonar, or other means of detection spun to life.
"So where should we land?"
"Oh just a few more kilometers to shore, then I'll just find a nice, secluded spot and we'll spend the next couple of days getting to know the locals!" I responded gleefully, as this was my first time with a civilization that didn't just learn how to farm.
After carefully gliding down we landed in a patch of grass-like vegetation. Will pointed out all the leaves were all black, to which I responded by telling him that the vegetation had to adapt to capture more of the light spectrum than the vegetation on Earth, because of the dimmer, red dwarf this planet orbited.
We had set up the basics, communications equipment, synthesizers, and a variety of other scientific tools.
"Hey, remember when you said you wanted to see an example of human food! Because I do!" Will exclaimed giddily.
After plugging in a drive and pressing a few buttons, the machine whirred to action, printing out a most unusual dish.
"So keep in mind this is just one dish out of... out of well I don't really know how many different kinds of dishes we have, all you need to know is that it's a very large number... But here's too hoping you enjoy it!"
What came out were this white, almost sphere like but more so a squat raindrop shaped... things. Will called them "Dumplings", and they smelled delicious, though he had dipped them in this brown liquid he called "Soy Sauce" that I really did not care for as far as smell goes.
I carefully picked one of these dumplings and bit into it.
"Oh my" I said, albeit muffled by the food.
"It's good isn't it! I told you!" Will grinned.
"That's quite the... texture. I don't really know how to process this. It's so soft and yet firm. Nutrient packs are so much easier, they don't make a mess and they're just so efficient, I mean, you could probably play around with the recipe, make them tastier. Right?"
"You just don't get it do you." Will said, shaking his head.
"Oh well, more for me." He grabbed at my half eaten dumpling.
"Hey! That's mine!"
"So you DO like it then!"
"No, just, ugh, leave me and my dumpling alone, I've already had my Nutrient Pack for the day I'm going to hibernate now."
Will rolled his eyes at my response.
"Fine." He said in that same begrudging manner as before.
I walked on over to the hibernation chamber, a circular area just big enough for me with a warm, gentle breeze flowing over. As I was going inside I heard Will behind me closing up the door after bringing everything inside.
"Wait... you were going to tell me about.... sleep..." I muttered out.
"Oh yes so hold one, could you just fully wake up for a little bit so I can explain, so your species, and for that matter every other alien species I've met, sleeps one hemisphere or one part of their brain at a time, but humans sleep the whole brain all at once."
"What's that like?" I replied, still in the grip of hibernation.
"So for starters we are like, FULLY unconscious the whole time, we can be woken up but we have a very, VERY limited understanding of what's going on around us. We also go limp so we don't move around accidentally, we still do. It's not perfect but it works enough to where I can say, "yeah we go limp"."
"But aren't you... what happens... if... someone ambushes you at night?"
"In all likelihood unless we happen to be right next to a weapon or something good enough, we die."
"Oh my. How... how did this not drive your species extinct?"
"I'm left wondering that same question too Tomō."
This might be the first time I've heard about a human ever being truly defenseless. Will had disappeared off into another room to change, returning in only a pair of shorts. Which left me examining his exposed torso. Human skin is wrapped quite tightly around the internal structure, and there seems to be very little, if any, loose skin, it also seemed to only be composed of one layer, most others I've meet without loose skin have special layers that can break off. Perhaps humans might be less sturdy than I had come to expect. No no that can't possibly be true I thought to myself, or as much as I could with half a brain working.
The morning was punctured by this infernal clattering from Will's bed, his arm swung up and smashed down on a small table next to him, causing the sound to stop.
"What was that?! Did someone find us?!"
"No... it was just my [Yawns] Alarm, we need to be startled to wake up and that [Will yawned again] was the startling noise."
Will climbed out of bed, shuffled over to another table (Those humans have a lot of tables) grabbed a fresh change of clothes and made his way over to the bathroom to change.
That's when I heard it, a loud SHHHHH sound from the bathroom, I made my way over to the locked door and shouted:
"EVERYTHING OKAY IN THERE WILL?"
"YEAH, JUST TAKING A SHOWER."
"A WHAT?"
"SHOWER"
"WHAT'S THAT?"
"I DON'T CARE FOR THIS CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW."
"OH OKAY."
I shuffled back over to my hibernation chamber, pulling the divider closed I took in a bath of UV sterilizing light and changed out of yesterday's uniform, and into todays, which on scout missions is always a set of cloths made to imitate the look of whatever cloths are common on whatever world we're scouting. In this case it was a brown turtleneck sweater, some black pants, 6 pairs of gloves as the basic orbital scan of their unencrypted communications revealed they obsess over cleanliness, often sporting multiple pairs of gloves for specific tasks, kept in separate pockets, land lastly, a sort of shawl like piece of fabric, apparently used to protect yourself from the midday dust and wind storms.
The disguise of our more... alien features was provided by some makeup, changing our skin to a sort of pale grey. We also made use of some printed prosthetic noses, wigs, and ears, which made our faces impossible to distinguish from the local inhabitants.
Once I had finished applying all my disguises, I exited my chamber and walked over to where Will was, standing by the synthesizer watching it print up a breakfast.
Will, who hadn't even donned the appropriate clothing at this point (he was wearing a simple outfit of black shorts and a grey t-shirt), was oddly enough, sopping wet. His hair had turned a jet black color due to its saturation of water, releasing its store down his face and his neck, resulting in the back of his shirt, and the front collar turning a visibly darker shade and sticking to his body, at this point I also noticed that his skin was covered in beads of moisture glinting in the sun.
"Why are you so wet?" I asked him.
"It has to do with a shower, I get myself under this sort of, simulated rainfall, only the temperature is nice and hot, and use soap, not the same kind you use to clean your hands, but the function is still the same, I then put some stuff in my hair which gets rid of oily build up, the water rinses everything off, but by the end I'm soaking wet, I will need to dry off properly though before I put on all the disguises."
As he grabbed his tray with his hands, still damp from the shower, and the skin around his fingers was all shriveled up.
"Your fingers look like mine now! See!" I asked, moving right up next to him to better show him my fingers.
"It just increases the surface area so I can grip things better underwater, only happens if they get wet."
"Why wouldn't they be like that all the time?"
"Once again I'm left wondering that question myself."
"So what's on the menu for "break-fast"?" I asked
"Well for starters, it's just one word, breakfast, and secondly, I'm having two slices of buttered toast, an egg, and a black tea. Standard human breakfast, though Coffee is more popular."
"Black tea...?" I had heard of Coffee before and its danger to other species, and was hoping that this tea drink lacked any of this substance known as Caffeine.
"Yeah just a little caffeine to wake me up."
"CAFFEINE?! That's... that's a.... that's a Class IV chemical weapon! They banned that centuries ago! How?! What?! Oh my... Oh my..." I began to hyperventilate.
"Relax! There's only what... 50 milligrams in a cup."
"FIFTY?! FIFTY!?! ONLY FIFTY?!? THAT'S TEN TIMES THE DEADLY DOSE! WHAT ARE YOUR THINKING!" I shrieked, though deep down I did take note of how that was less than that of Coffee.
"Shhh, you'll risk us getting caught, calm down, don't worry I'll have the cup disposed of properly, I've done this every day and so far, no one's gotten hurt." Will said in his standard, nonchalant attitude that has become so typical of him, a tone which did not seem anywhere near appropriate for the situation.
"SO FAR?!" I was not heeding his instructions to calm down, it's typically very hard to do so when faced with something that could lead to a violent death.
"Look, look, it's totally harmless for us humans, besides, the Federation strictly manages our recreational use of substances highly dangerous to other species, such as but not limited too: Caffeine, Capsaicin, and Cocoa. I make one wrong move and my ass is sent to jail."
I was shocked, frozen with shock, at least I wasn't screaming but I felt like I couldn't move a muscle. Capsaicin was last used by the Rx'lac to murder billions, Cocoa I hadn't heard of before so it must have been something unique to Earth, but it terrified me still. In my frozen state I waited for the cup he drank from to be destroyed, and at this moment I began to regain my motor functions.
After rigorously drying himself off with a towel and this awfully loud machine he pointed at his hair, Will began to
"Now, could you help me apply the makeup?"
Human hands, while much sturdier than what most of us use, in the case of Captain Reloxyn, she has 6 tentacles which can vary their diameter, and in the case of Zorxians like myself, we have the two hands attached to their respective arm much like a human, but the geometry of the fingers themselves are different, each finger is made up of 3 fluid filled sacs, attached one after another in segments, each sack is attached to the previous with a variety of muscles, which gives each joint the ability to make movements with a full 120 degree range of motion, in any direction. While this makes them far more fragile, due to the lack of skeletal structure, this makes us quite dextrous.
But yet, I noticed that Will's right hand, arm, and ankle were already painted, which puzzled me, if he could paint his right side, then why couldn't he paint his left?
"Do you really need my help? You did just fine painting the right side of your body."
"Tomō, do you really know so little about humans?"
"You know you're the first human I've met!"
"Humans tend to have what's called a dominant hand, what it means is that there's one hand I am really good at using, and another that I'm not so great at using, I *could* train myself to use both hands equally well, but I never really had a need, and even when it would've come in handy, there's always been someone else who can help me. Like you!"
"Aww, thanks!" I responded.
"In my case, my dominant hand is my left one, fairly uncommon. Only about 10% of people are like that, the rest are right handed, and a very small number are born with both hands being of equal capability."
"But you really should get on it with the whole training your right hand. There won't always be someone to help you."
"And yet there always has." Will responded jokingly.
"We ready?" I asked.
"Just have to get some things ready, hold on, if this society is so obsessed with cleanliness, how come they don't wear face masks? I doubt they've gotten to a point where they've already eradicated all diseases. That should take them at least another century."
"Oh, this is the really cool thing about this planet! So basically, airborne diseases never evolved! They just... don't exist here!"
"Absolutely fascinating." Will responded.
"Everything we need is now in the bag." He pointed to the black bag slung over his shoulder made from the local flora.
"And we should be ready to go!" Will enthusiastically marched over to the shuttle door, opening it at saying;
"After you!" With a look of pride on his face, odd, if anyone should be proud, it should be me, after all, this mission is already off to a good start considering he's a rookie.
The red light of Ix bathed the planet in this warm glow, Ix was rare for a red-dwarf system, as most habitable planets are tidally locked, but we marched through the woods, noting observations of the local ecosystem that we stopped periodically to jot down in our notepad.
About halfway through the forest Will stopped suddenly, turning back to face me.
"You forgot to tell me what bridge came up with for our secret identities? Oh stars, saying it like that makes me feel like some kind of super-spy!"
"Oh yes, I must have gotten distracted..." I reached for my communicator.
"Okay, so we're two hikers, you named Po'ol and I named Gra'aul, and we just finished up a nice long hike and so we're off back to Hl'Ix, population 12.8 million, and about a 2 hour train ride. Oh by the way, I have to share the language file hold on... yup that should do it! Congratulations you are now fluent in Ix!"
A requirement of working for any Federation job was the implantation of a language chip which allowed the user to become fluent in all 608 languages and, what they called "Significant Dialects" spoken in the Federation, though for people working on exploration vessels like me and Will, we had access to a file sharing system so we could download new languages for the planets we visited after the central computer processed them.
"Thanks!" Will responded from a meter or so ahead of me.
We continued our march down to the road, where we walked parallel to it as cars zipped by. Eventually the forest we had landed in cleared way for farmland, which after about 5 kilometers or so more walking, started to turn to houses with expansive yards, which gradually became smaller and smaller as we neared the center of town.
"You getting tired yet?" Will asked me, we had decided it was best for him to walk behind me, so we could make sure we stayed together.
"Yeah, but just a bit longer until we make it into... whatever the name of this town is."
"Alright."
We continued to make our way into the town, named Urup and with a population of about 3 thousand. When we got there it was almost devoid of any activity, and the wind had started to pick up, which carried in dust. Thankfully we anticipated this, having donned contact lenses to keep debris out of our eyes, and using the shawl to cover up our mouth and nose. At this point will stopped to pull out a small, and very thin, weather sheet, which he released into the wind. This device would record the weather conditions as it gets carried by the wind. Just after doing this, he turned to me and said,
"Weather at time of release: Temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Wind speed: 56 Kph, rising. Feels like: 5.2 Degrees Celsius, falling. It wasn't able to get a good reading on dust concentration because it's rising too fast so that should tell you everything you need to know."
The wind nearly blew Will's shawl off, but he grabbed it just in time, and me, being too focused on Will, had let my own shawl blow away in the wind, and while Will had tried to reach for it, the wind carried it away far too quickly for him to get it in time, only missing his fingers by a handful of centimeters. I quickly covered my mouth with my sweater, though this did leave part of my midsection exposed to the elements, a suboptimal position to be in during a dust storm of this magnitude.
"Dammit! Almost had the blasted thing!" Will shouted, the rush of the wind was beginning to drown out our voices.
He put his hand in one of the many pockets on his pants, that's something everyone can appreciate about Ix fashion, anything below 10 pockets is simply unacceptable. Anyways, Will pulled out a small pair of scissors, and quickly removed his shawl.
"What are you doing you can't remove your shawl in these conditions!" I shouted back at him.
"I'll be quick, don't worry!" Will responded as he cut his cloth in two.
"Here!" He said handing me the now removed half of his shawl, and quickly covering his face with the remaining half.
We continued on, though this time much slower than before, as we didn't want to loose our balance and be toppled by the wind. Never before had I ever had to deal with wind this intense, no wonder they assigned the human.
"Squat down! Boundary layer winds should be slower!" He shouted to me while bending down to waddle his way across the street to the hotel.
Squatting down only provided minimal relief, as I suppose one would have to crawl to truly take advantage of this effect. Slowly but surely we made our way across the road, over to the hotel. Opening the first set of doors we were met with a powerful blast of air, which prevented any dust from getting in. Only until after the doors had closed, and our clothes were sufficiently purged of any particulates that had somehow lodged their way into the remarkably dense fabrics. Eventually though, the blast died down, and the second doors opened automatically.
The doors opened to reveal an interior with a largely brown, beige, and black color pattern. The whole lobby was lit with a quite warm color tone, with the lightbulbs occasionally flickering and all the windows had been sealed off behind steel plates. Eventually Will turned his head to face a desk spanning quite a large distance, located just in front of a large board with all the room numbers located next to a light.
We could vaguely hear someone talking to another person, emanating from behind a door marked "Employees Only", Will glanced at me, pulling my attention to his gloves, which he began to swap out for a new pair. I quickly followed suit. Eventually, just moments after I finished putting on a new pair of gloves, one of the people from behind the door exited.
"Why on Ix would there ever be customers walking in during the middle of the storm! We issued the alert 2 hours ago!" The woman said to the man who stayed in the room as the door closed behind her.
Turning around to face the two of us, and walking over to the main part of the check in desk, she began to speak to us.
"Hi my name us Za'ul!" She said, showing us her name tag.
"Now what can I do for the two of you! Must've been miserable trapped out there in the storm!"
Will began to approach the desk, seeing this I decided to sit down and catch my breath, the 10 kilometer walk had exhausted me, it was remarkable to see Will barley fazed by it.
"Hi my name is Po'ol and this is my hiking buddy Gra'aul, we just finished up the most beautiful of hikes through that nearby forest, so we're on our way back to Hl'ix! I was wondering if you could get us a room please and thank you ma'am." He said in a sort of folksy manner, not too dissimilar from the way Za'ul spoke.
"Alright you want one bed or two?" She responded.
"-Two please." He said, almost cutting Za'ul off.
"All right! You want first floor or second floor?"
"Oh second floor would be lovely."
"Well here's your key and have a lovely stay!"
Will walked over to me.
"Got us a key for room 203, here's your key" Will had switched from his folksy mannerisms to a soft whisper, but I just let the key hit me, I was far to tired to catch it.
"Well I see our hike took quite a bit out of you, so just come up when your ready, I got the bags don't worry."
I nodded my head in silent agreement, I was exhausted, but I knew I should probably go upstairs to the room with him.
"Hold on.." I said, slowly lifting myself up onto my feet and carefully making my way over to the elevator.
Standing in the cramped elevator I noticed Will suddenly had this terrible and persistent oder.
"You okay?" I asked him
"Yeah... why do you ask?"
"It's just... you smell kind of... bad."
"Oh!" He chuckled with that same old chuckle I had heard a million times before.
"Yeah, uh, I'm sure after I explained to you what a shower was you were probably perplexed as to why we don't do the standard UV bath, but basically humans smell bad after a long day, or after a long enough, or intense enough period of physical exertion. Showering gets rid of the smell. I did notice the Ix had only a single layer of skin, and hopefully this means they too have the scent issues that humans have, and thus also make use of showering."
"I see. Can you take another shower when we get to the hotel?"
"Tomō! That's... don't say that to other humans okay, you can be direct with me like that but... a lot of other humans will not take that kindly. Just letting you know that."
ding
The elevator had made its way up to the second floor.
"Let's see, 203... 203... here it is!"
Will unlocked the door and opened it.
"Oh thank the stars they have actual beds and it wasn't just a translational error!" He cried out in relief.
Will ran over to the bathroom.
"And they have showers too! Just Wonderful! Don't worry a shower should adequately clean you too."
"Oh I brought my own portable UV sterilizer, I'll be fine."
"You just relax down I'll take care of the report back to bridge."
I made my way over to the beds and just collapsed into it. Hibernating while laying down was not ideal, but at this point I'd do anything not to be on my feet anymore. Eventually I decided that I didn't care for lying face down, and instead rolled over to face Will, just to make sure he didn't botch the report.
Eventually once he finished his report, he walked over to the rooms corners and placed the sound barriers, which would cancel out our voices making sure nobody heard us. Which he, well, I was supposed to do first thing upon entering, though I was far to tired, and Will must've only just noticed. You know, when he first got here he really just annoyed me to no end, but now, he's really settled in and has gotten really into the hang of things, and sure, he's weird, but you know what, he's a human, he's not weird, just... different.
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I think I'm going to leave it off here, I know I promised some action but this is just where the story lead me, and it was already getting long. Part 5 will be out tomorrow. Hope you enjoyed reading!

Been lurking and messaging for a while now, and met some very interesting people. But still looking for my one. Hoping he’s been lurking here as well and this post will draw him out.
About Me:
Personality wise, I tend to be silly and sarcastic, inquisitive and adventurous, and my friends tell me I’m caring and empathetic. I’ve been known to fall down research rabbit holes, and am most likely to be left behind in a natural history museum. I’m areligious/atheist but love religious architecture/historical customs. Politically, I’m liberal. Katie Porter gives me life. Physically, I’m a tall fat girl with tattoos. If that’s not your cup of tea, best of luck to you!
I’m a lover of the outdoors. Hiking is my meditation, and I backpack or car camp every summer. Finding a partner who wants to enjoy this with me would be a dream come true. I also love long walks on the beach (cliché, I know), especially after a winter storm. I’m a bit of a crazy plant lady, and am currently obsessed with carnivorous plants.
When I’m inside, I love curling up in bed or on the couch with a good book (scifi/fantasy or nonfiction preferred), or watching a dark comedy or campy monster movie. There is little better than a lazy day cuddled up with my lover and laughing at a terrible movie. I’m an avid PC gamer (only PvE, and no MMOs), and have a modest board game collection.
About You:
I’m looking for my best friend and life partner. Someone who will support and challenge me into being the best version of myself. Who values open communication when dealing with conflict, and thinks of our relationship as a team finding solutions to the challenges of life. Who will be silly with me and tease me as much as I’ll tease him. The guy who wants a life full of adventures both big and small. Let’s go see the Aurora Borealis from a Finnish glass igloo, or rent a camper to drive across New Zealand. We’ll go see that new exhibit at our favorite museum, or try that new recipe or ingredient we stumbled across (I love innovating in the kitchen). Help me build a sleeping platform in the back of my car so we can road trip to all the national parks. We should hurry on that one, before Florida and the Everglades become inaccessible.
Please be within 5 years of my age. I’m willing to go a year or two outside that for an amazing connection, but I find it’s difficult to relate if the age gap is too large.
Dealbreakers: kids (bio, adopted, or step), smoking/vaping, cats (I’m allergic)
Your pic gets mine

Been lurking and messaging for a while now, and met some very interesting people. But still looking for my one. Hoping he’s been lurking here as well and this post will draw him out.
About Me:
Personality wise, I tend to be silly and sarcastic, inquisitive and adventurous, and my friends tell me I’m caring and empathetic. I’ve been known to fall down research rabbit holes, and am most likely to be left behind in a natural history museum. I’m areligious/atheist but love religious architecture/historical customs. Politically, I’m liberal. Katie Porter gives me life. Physically, I’m a tall fat girl with tattoos. If that’s not your cup of tea, best of luck to you!
I’m a lover of the outdoors. Hiking is my meditation, and I backpack or car camp every summer. Finding a partner who wants to enjoy this with me would be a dream come true. I also love long walks on the beach (cliché, I know), especially after a winter storm. I’m a bit of a crazy plant lady, and am currently obsessed with carnivorous plants.
When I’m inside, I love curling up in bed or on the couch with a good book (scifi/fantasy or nonfiction preferred), or watching a dark comedy or campy monster movie. There is little better than a lazy day cuddled up with my lover and laughing at a terrible movie. I’m an avid PC gamer (only PvE, and no MMOs), and have a modest board game collection.
About You:
I’m looking for my best friend and life partner. Someone who will support and challenge me into being the best version of myself. Who values open communication when dealing with conflict, and thinks of our relationship as a team finding solutions to the challenges of life. Who will be silly with me and tease me as much as I’ll tease him. The guy who wants a life full of adventures both big and small. Let’s go see the Aurora Borealis from a Finnish glass igloo, or rent a camper to drive across New Zealand. We’ll go see that new exhibit at our favorite museum, or try that new recipe or ingredient we stumbled across (I love innovating in the kitchen). Help me build a sleeping platform in the back of my car so we can road trip to all the national parks. We should hurry on that one, before Florida and the Everglades become inaccessible.
Please be within 5 years of my age. I’m willing to go a year or two outside that for an amazing connection, but I find it’s difficult to relate if the age gap is too large.
Dealbreakers: kids (bio, adopted, or step), smoking/vaping, cats (I’m allergic)
Your pic gets mine.

This seems to be a topic I find people get really heated about both online and in person. If you make a food or drink but don't do it the way you are "supposed to" they get really mad. And I've had people get angry at me and raise their voice just because I've said I like to do it a certain way.
Some examples: cooking steak well done, snapping your spaghetti to make it smaller, not seasoning chicken enough, using a microwave to heat water for tea. And many many more.
I am Polish and I don't really care if people take my cultural food and make it in a way they find tastes better, or is more convenient for them to make. They aren't obligated to do it the exact same way as the 100 year old babcia from the village in the mountains using the ancient recipe.
If I fry rice, I do it with "Polish" ingredients that I like instead of in a traditional Asian style. Is that so wrong? Lol

Looking for a tea recipe to induce a menstrual period. Mine sometimes has trouble coming out the first day or two. I know herbs such as mugwort, black cohosh, and parsley are good, and I’ve also heard about Vitamin C, radish leaves, ginger.
I’m looking for a recipe though I can make that actually works. Thank you!

I'm a cheapskate and a bored stay at home mom who typically leaves the house around 9:30 and comes back for nap time. Dunkin is located at the end of my subdivision so I got roped in with the offers and convenience. I started out just getting sweet tea because CHEAP but eventually found my preferred orders which at the beginning was iced coffee and once I got sick of that I really started liking the refreshers. I could bear with the inconsistencies between the drinks because I was typically able to get them for pretty cheap. But after the horrible offers this month and just now getting a somehow rancid tasting sweet tea, I think it's time for me to take a break from Dunkin. That being said, last month I was killing it with the refresher orders. Thanks to the $2 boosted offer, has anybody figured out how to recreate them at home? I've read some recipes but want to hear the tried and true. For the most part trying to find an option for the flavored syrups. I feel like I can recreate the green tea or lemonade easily.

Reading 50 tea recipes from the duchess on Tapas right now and I was wondering it looks like the Butler Kiehl was completely not doing his job with the original character that was taken over but is never going to suffer any consequences for that. I want to know if he does or should I just drop the series because that really annoys me to the point I do not think I could continue if he does not suffer some consequences for his action or inactions in this case.

Introduction:
Gurr, also known as Shakkar, is a traditional sweetener that holds a special place in the hearts and kitchens of many cultures around the world. Derived from sugarcane juice or palm sap, GurShakkar offers a rich and distinct flavor profile, along with several health benefits. In this article, we will explore the origins, production process, culinary uses, and health advantages of this cherished natural sweetener.

1. The Origins of GurShakkar:

• Historical significance and cultural heritage
• Influence on local cuisines and traditions
• Variations in production techniques across different regions

1. The Production Process:

• Extraction of sugarcane juice or palm sap
• Heating and boiling to achieve the desired consistency
• Solidification and shaping into traditional forms
• Drying and packaging methods

1. Culinary Uses of GurShakkar:

• Traditional desserts and sweet preparations
• Flavor enhancement in beverages like tea, coffee, and milk
• Incorporation into savory dishes for a hint of sweetness
• Unique ingredient in confectionery and bakery items

1. Health Benefits of GurShakkar:

• Natural and unrefined sweetener with no additives
• Rich in essential minerals like iron, calcium, and potassium
• Slow release of energy, making it suitable for diabetic individuals
• Antioxidant properties and potential anti-inflammatory effects

1. GurShakkar in Modern Cuisine:

• Fusion recipes and innovative applications in contemporary cooking
• Artisanal and gourmet products incorporating GurShakkar
• Growing popularity as a healthier alternative to refined sugar

1. Sustainability and Environmental Considerations:

• Comparisons with the environmental impact of refined sugar production
• Sustainable practices in GurShakkar extraction and processing
• Potential for supporting local economies and small-scale farmers

1. GurShakkar in the Global Market:

• Export and import trends of GurShakkar
• Market demand and consumer preferences
• Challenges and opportunities for its commercialization

Conclusion:
GurShakkar holds a special place in the world of sweeteners, with its rich cultural heritage, unique flavor, and numerous health benefits. As the world embraces healthier and more sustainable food choices, GurShakkar offers a natural and unrefined alternative to refined sugar. Its versatility in culinary applications, along with its potential positive impact on local economies and the environment, makes it an ingredient worth exploring and preserving for generations to come. So, the next time you reach for something sweet, consider adding the traditional charm of GurShakkar to your plate or cup.
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I went to Turkey for my op.
My stats: 153cm, HW: 182lbs, CW: 168lbs, GW: Not sure...maybe 130-135lbs
Sharing my story so far.
I live in the UK. During my adult life I have gained and lost weight over and over again. I've been clothes sizes from 10 - 16 (UK), and at my largest, the 16 trousers didn't fit properly because of a big fat belly. Keep in mind that I am only about 5 foot tall, so my weight made me obese.
The decision to have surgery was a very fast one. Last month I developed hip pain and it hurt so much I was struggling to walk. All my pleasures seemed to revolve around food and alcohol (and often weed too, which led to eating even more.) I love cooking, trying new recipes, going out for sunday lunch, afternoon tea, etc etc.
I decided on surgery and booked within the space of a few days. I researched three hospitals in Turkey and decided to go for Gozde International since they had good reviews, and also I have family nearby who could help me out.
My room was beautiful with a sea view, the nurses were excellent, although the surgery was much more traumatic than I had really imagined. I've never had surgery before and never stayed in a hospital. At first even getting up out of bed was really difficult. I'm also asthmatic and had some breathing difficulties so was on oxygen a lot of the time. I stayed in hospital for four days and three nights and was pleased to have that support.
The first few days at "home" (summer place in Turkey) were hard too. Our house has a lot of stairs and I felt breathless going up and down them. Apparently the blood thinning injections can cause breathlessness. Those injections were also really painful and left huge bruises on my arms. I had a ten day course but I have to confess I only completed seven of them.
The flight back to the UK wasn't much fun for a few reasons. It was delayed, and of course there was no suitable "food" in the airport or on the plane that I could have. I was hoping for soup. Liquid restrictions meant I was only able to bring 100ml of protein shake through security. Anyway, I wore my surgical stockings and paid extra for an emergency exit corridor seat so I had plenty of space and it was easy to get up and down and do stretching.
Now I'm back home and also back at work. Yesterday was my first day at work and honestly, it was a struggle. I had to force myself to take it much easier than usual. Thankfully I work from home three days a week, and only go in twice a week.
Every day I feel a little stronger. As for weight loss, my face already looks so much better. The chubby cheeks and double chin seem to have almost disappeared and I'm pleasantly surprised when I see myself in the mirror. My clothes are fitting better. I bought a few "new" things from charity shops so I have something to wear during weight loss, rather than my old baggy things.
I have six more days of liquid diet and it's going ok. I live alone so I find it easier to sort out my own food and not have to get tempted by restricted items. Excited about puree stage though.
I have five incisions and they're painful. Especially towards late afternoon when the painkillers start wearing off. I'd like to get a good look at them, but they all still have the strips on them and I was told to wait until they come off by themselves.
In the first few days after surgery, I regretted having it. I could barely walk, felt rotten, and ashamed of myself...but NOW I feel pleased with my decision. I needed a lifestyle change and I needed to break my terrible food habits. As soon as I woke up, it was like "hunger" didn't exist.

This is part of my little series about the adventures of Vr'ocria and Human Aldrick. If you'd like to read previous parts, they're linked below, along with brief summaries in case you prefer to just jump right into the new part:
Part One: Alien learns what "sleep" is and how humans prefer to do it in a comfy bed with blankets and pillows. And they find it utterly adorable.
Vr'ocria and Human Aldrick are sent on a survey mission together. Things go south, Aldrick makes sure they're safe, and then Vr'ocria learns what human sleep is and how vulnerable humans are when they sleep. Vr'ocria's people don't sleep, but enter stasis, a form of rest in which they typically stand, and they are still slightly aware of their surroundings. Vr'ocria finds human sleep utterly adorable, and also decides she will protect Aldrick while he sleeps. And she also develops a massive crush on him. (Her scales turning purple is her version of blushing)
Part Two: An alien + human adventure with such shenanigans as poison drinking, befriending dangerous wildlife, and fighting a space pirate. Oh, and they have a huge crush on each other.
Part Three: When a cold-blooded alien has to cuddle a warm-blooded human for warmth
Part Four: A human leaves a hickey on his alien lover. Her nestmate doesn't understand what a hickey is, and thinks the human injured her
Vr'ocria and Human Aldrick end up assigned to be partners. Vr'ocria is a witness to both human shenanigans as well as human durability, but she also begins to learn about the limits of the human body--they are not invincible.
She and Aldrick begin to fall in love, and they finally confess their feelings for one another when Vr'ocria admits to accidentally forming a mate bond with him. Vr'ocria's nestmate, Galek, is not very happy about her being involved with a human, but begrudgingly respects her decision.
Part Five: Space pirates make the grave mistake of attacking a human's loved one. They very quickly learn what happens when a human is angry and full of adrenaline
Part Six: An alien who doesn't sleep learns what dreams are–or more specifically, she learns about nightmares when her human mate wakes up screaming
Pirates come for Vr'ocria in revenge for her killing one of their own, and Aldrick goes beast mode. They escape with their lives, but also with questions about how the pirates were able to find them–and they begin to suspect there's a mole in the ship. While Aldrick is recovering from his injuries, Vr'ocria learns what dreams are when she witnesses him having a terrible nightmare.
And here we go! The last couple chapters were a bit heavy, so I wanted to do something a little silly and lighthearted. My children deserve it <3
—
Vr'ocria wandered around Aldrick's quarters. The two of them had spent the day on the holodeck, relaxing on an Aegryan beach. It would never be the same as the real thing, but the simulated sunlight and warm breeze felt nice, and they treasured the opportunity to actually relax together. When their time was up, Aldrick had invited her to spend time with him back in his quarters.
Inviting her was a formality at this point, since these days she spent more nights in his quarters than her own. While she still liked entering stasis while standing, she found that she also quite enjoyed lying in bed with Aldrick. Likewise, he seemed to thoroughly enjoy her company at night.
Vr'ocria approached one of the many potted plants in the living area, reaching out to gently stroke a flower's soft pink petal between her thumb and forefinger. She remembered the day he showed her this one; it was his most recent addition.
"These are roses," he explained with a fond smile. "On Earth, they're used as a symbol of love. Traditionally, red roses are used to represent romantic love, but I wanted pink."
Vr'ocria didn't have to ask why as her scales flushed pink to match the roses.
She continued wandering the apartment and ended up in the kitchen. A small shelf displayed a few cook books. From the bathroom, she heard the shower switch off as she pulled one of the books off the shelf. Cocktails, read the cover. What were "cocktails"? Curiously, she began flipping through the pages.
"Aldrick!" She shouted suddenly.
He poked his head out of the bathroom door, shoulder length hair still damp. "Yeah?"
"Why do you have a book of poison recipes?" She demanded.
"Huh?"
She held up the book. "What is this? Why do you have this?"
"Oh!" Understanding dawned on his face and he laughed. "Hold on, lemme finish drying and get dressed." He disappeared back into the bathroom, and emerged again a few moments later wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.
"Those are cocktail recipes," he explained as he approached. "It's basically when you mix together different types of alcohols and juices. They're drinks, we drink them."
Vr'ocria stared at him. "Humans drink alcohol? For fun?"
"Well, yeah," he shrugged. "Only adults though; kids shouldn't be drinking. And there are plenty of adults who don't drink either, either by choice or for other reasons."
"But…it's alcohol. It's poison!" She wasn't sure if she should be horrified or impressed. "And–wait a minute, did you say different types? There's more than one?"
"Oh yeah," he grinned. "We figured out how to ferment all kinds of stuff until it was alcohol. You can even infuse them with different flavors and things like that, I mean there's probably a billion different kinds of alcoholic drinks out there."
"And it doesn't hurt you?"
Aldrick chewed the inside of his cheek. "Well…"
Vr'ocria dropped her arms incredulously. "You've got to be kidding."
"I mean, in general, most of the time a small drink won't hurt." He leaned against the counter. "But, yeah, a lot of people drink specifically for the buzz or because they want to get drunk, which is, in the most literal sense, a side effect of poisoning."
Poisoning yourself on purpose. Moons above. "What do you mean by 'get drunk'?"
"It's what we call it when you've drank enough alcohol for it to really affect your brain and your body. Basically you start losing control of your faculties. In moderation it's generally considered fine, but it is possible to drink so much you vomit, pass out, have blackouts in your memory, or even end up with severe alcohol poisoning and die."
"Then why," Vr'ocria demanded, "WHY would you drink?"
He shrugged sheepishly. "'Cause it's fun."
She had to give it to him, she didn't have a response to that. "Oh, planets." She rubbed her eyes. "Do you drink?"
"Only occasionally." He reached over to open one of the kitchen cabinets, revealing four or five bottles of different sizes and shapes. "I have a few different kinds and flavors, plus a bottle of whiskey. That's pretty strong stuff, so I usually save that for when I'm sick or something. But I don't drink as much as I did when I was younger."
"You drink when you're sick?"
"Only a shot!" He laughed. "Growing up, my mom used to give me a shot of tequila whenever I was sick, especially if it was anything related to the throat or sinuses. The alcohol kills bacteria and the burn just feels good when you have a sore throat. I use whiskey now because I'm not a fan of tequila."
Vr'ocria felt like she was getting slapped over and over. "Moons above," was all she could say. "You humans and your recreational poison drinking–first 'coffee' and now this." She shook her head. "I still can't really imagine what it means to be 'drunk' or how anyone could enjoy that."
"Some people don't, which is why they choose not to partake. I enjoy it from time to time, usually only with friends," he chuckled. He looked at her and tilted his head. "Y'know, if you're really curious, I could show you. For science, of course," he grinned.
She frowned. "Show me what?"
"Show you what it's like to be drunk. I mean, it's a little different for everyone, but you'd get the gist."
Vr'ocria finally realized what he was implying and snapped her head around to look at him. "You're suggesting you get drunk? What, right now?"
Aldrick shrugged. "Got nothing else to do. Doc said I'm not supposed to do anything physically strenuous this week, she didn't say anything about not drinking," he laughed. "If it makes you uncomfortable I won't do it, I just thought I'd suggest it."
But now he had her curiosity piqued. She narrowed her eyes at him. "You won't go too far? And it won't hurt you?"
He held his hands up. "On my word."
Vr'ocria tapped her nails on the counter. "Okay," she relented. "Fine. But only for scientific observation."
He grinned. "You got it."
A few minutes later they were settled on the couch, playing an Earth card game called "Uno." Aldrick said it was more fun to drink when you made a game out of it, so every time he had to draw in a round, he took a shot of whiskey. He made a face every time, explaining that it was because it burned in his mouth. She still couldn't wrap her head around wanting to drink anything that burned, but the scientist in her was fascinated.
Vr'ocria watched closely as his eyes slowly became glassy, a red glow blooming across his cheeks and in the hollow of his throat. Eventually he was giggling and slumping on the couch, the cards slipping from his grasp into the floor.
"Uh oh," he said, making no move to pick them up. "I think it's time t' stop. My hands don' work anymore." He burst into a fit of giggles, as if that was the funniest thing in the world.
Vr'ocria couldn't help smiling. Blast, this adorable idiot.
She closed the whiskey bottle and pushed it across the table, exchanging it for a glass of water. "Alright, drink this." She held it up to his lips. "Remember, you said you needed to drink plenty of water."
"Mhmm," he hummed into the glass as he took a sip.
She put the glass back down, and Aldrick promptly flopped sideways into her lap. He looked up at her with that cute stupid grin and reached up to clumsily paw at her face. "You're so pretty," he slurred. "Like. Soo pretty. I dunno if I've told you that b'fore."
Vr'ocria chuckled and began running her fingers through his hair. "You've told me many times."
His eyes fell closed and he dropped his hands, but he kept talking. "You're sooooo pretty and beautiful and wonderful, and you're so amazing, and smart, and you're the best girlfriend ever, and I love you so much."
Her scales rippled between purple and pink and she huffed out a laugh. "I love you too."
"I want you to write it down."
"What?"
His eyes opened again. "You gotta write it down. That you're amazing." He looked genuinely worried, and Vr'ocria covered her mouth in a useless attempt at stifling a laugh.
"I don't have a pad, love."
Aldrick's hands came back up to her face. "This's important, Ria! You gotta write it down so you remember!"
"But that's what I have you for," she pointed out, poking his cheek.
"Oh, right." He went limp again, dropping his hands and letting his eyes close.
Planets, this man. "Alright." She tapped his forehead. "I think it's time for bed."
"Mm. Nah."
"Mm, yes." Vr'ocria eased his head off her lap, pulled his arm over her shoulders, and hauled him up off the couch. "Come on, this way."
"Nuuuuh," Aldrick whined. "I don't wanna." He used his weight against her and pulled his body to the ground.
Vr'ocria stood over him with her hands on her hips. "Sir," she said sternly, "you are going to bed whether you like it or not. You will hurt yourself sleeping on the couch." She bent down, grabbed his ankle, and started dragging him to the bedroom. "Or the floor."
"Aw, come on," he moaned as he slid across the carpet, Vr'ocria going slow to make sure she didn't give him rug burn. As they passed the threshold into the bedroom, he rolled to the side and grabbed the doorframe as he slid past.
This time, Vr'ocria couldn't hold back a bark of laughter and she almost dropped his foot. She gave his leg a firm tug, pulling his hands loose.
"No fair," he mumbled.
She finally got Aldrick's floppy body in bed, taking care to make sure he was lying on his stomach. She remembered what he said about some people passing out on their back, vomiting, and then aspirating. She didn't think Aldrick would drink enough to vomit, but she didn't want to risk it.
She knelt next to the bed so that they were at eye level with each other and touched his cheek. His eyes cracked open to look at her. "Are you feeling alright?" She asked.
"Don' lemme have nightmares," he blurted. "Don' like those."
"Oh, love," She sighed. "I promise I'll wake you up."
His eyes fell shut again and he was out like a light.
—
The next morning, Vr'ocria stood at the kitchen counter brewing an Earth breakfast tea. Ever since they mated, Aldrick had given up coffee, since it was poisonous to her people and he wanted to be able to keep kissing her. The tea still had caffeine in it, but without the poisonous effects of coffee.
She was just pouring a cup when Aldrick came stumbling out of the bedroom, hair wild and eyes squinting. He made his way to the counter and dropped a small piece of blue paper that was folded up into an inch-wide square.
"Well, good morning!" She said cheerfully. She picked up the paper. "What's this?"
"I remember telling you to write it down but you didn't write it down, so I wrote it down for you," he mumbled sleepily, already shuffling back towards the bathroom.
She shook her head with a fond smile as she watched him go, and unfolded the paper. In very tiny writing, penned by a hand that had been a bit shaky, it read: You are the most amazing woman I'll ever meet. You burn brighter than a thousand suns, and all the stars of the universe live in your eyes.
Vr'ocria's scales burned bright pink as she stared down at the note.
When she was finally able to tear her eyes away, she marched straight to the bathroom. Aldrick was standing at the sink brushing his teeth, and Vr'ocria walked up behind him and threw her arms around his middle.
"Mffhm," he stuttered as he tried not to spit toothpaste all over the mirror.
Grinning uncontrollably, she pressed her face between his shoulder blades. "I love you too, idiot."
—
So this was a bit of a sillier chapter I wanted to do, and ended up being very sappy 😅 Also it may or may not be loosely based on my own experience the first time I got drunk, lol. I got blackout drunk with my best friend and she said later that all she really remembered me doing was talk about how much I loved her, and one of the only clear(ish) memories I have of that night is of being laid out on the couch, eyes closed with my phone next to my head, and I was telling our friend on the other end that she's beautiful and amazing, and then I told her to write it down lmao. Like for some reason my drunk brain was like "YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THIS GURL, IT'S IMPORTANT"
And yes, my mom always gave me a shot of tequila when I was sick. The first time she tricked me into it, foul woman (affectionate), she brought me a shot glass with something vaguely honey-colored in it and when I asked what it was, she said it was just honey mixed with water, "drink it really fast!" So I threw it back and immediately was like "WTF WHY IS IT HOT, WHAT IS THIS" and she said "tequila" and left the room
Anyway kids, your homework today is to go write down how amazing you are, chop chop