Random Tips #1

Seemed like a good day to offer some tips and work with some video creation tools. Enjoy the simplicity!

Vinegar: My Friend

I keep a spray bottle with 2/3rds water and 1/3rd white vinegar. It sits on the counter where I do most of my food prep work and use my small appliances. A few quick sprays and my nonstick skillet is ready to roll again. A few more sprays and my cutting board is clean of bread crumbs, smells good, and is ready for chopping the carrots or making lettuce ribbons.

Parchment Paper: My Other Friend

Tired of spritzing your baking pans with oil or brushing them with butter? Even more weary of scrubbing at the baked-on food because the spritz didn't hit all spots? I retired my oil and have switched to dollar store parchment. Put your pan bottom on the paper to measure and make sure you have enough to cover the bottom, and at least leave "wings" on two opposite sides so you can lift out your food easily. If you want to totally reduce your mess, leave enough paper on all four sides before you cut the paper. Fold those corners into the pan and relax! The weight of the food (meatloaf, casserole, cake, chops) will hold the paper in place. Cook as usual. When done, carefully lift the paper insert with contents onto a plate and put your pan back into storage.

Tape and Marker

Living alone, I was throwing out far too much food, even though I am buying in the smallest increments I could. Spotlight on tape and a permanent marker. These sit on my prep table (next to the vinegar sprayer) so I see them every time I open new food items or fill plastic containers with prepped food. Pull a three inch piece of tape, fold over a half-inch to make a non-stick tab, and place the tape on a visible part of the container. I write "Op" and today's date. It is easy to lose track of how long something has been in the fridge or pantry. Simple, but I have thrown away a whole lot less since using this method,

Storing Soup..or Pouring Soup

Want an easy, mess-free way to store or transport that quart of soup you just made? I decided to use a juice jug with a locking top instead of all manner of plasticware. The handle makes it easy to lift and carry. The pour spout makes it easy to pour. And if your soup is loaded with all kinds of goodies, no problem. Just pour the broth, then use a long-handled spoon to serve the meat, vegetables, and pasta. Tall juice containers store so much better in your refrigerator too. And before you store, see tip #3: use that tape and marker!

What do you think? Anything here you can use? Give me feedback and I will drop in this type of posting from time to time. And if you have good ideas on shortcuts and helps, leave a comment. I am always looking for new ideas to try!

Avian Hometown Buffet

We're pretty socked in here in South Toledo and I assumed not much would be happening outside my picture window. Since I couldn't get my front door open, I couldn't restock the window boxes I am using as feeders, but that didn't stop my feathered friends from foraging.

I watched as the larger birds literally beat away the eight inches of snow with their wings and let the chickadees, wrens, and titmouses/titmice come in droves to get what seed they could. Then the mourning doves took their turn, the cardinals, blue jays, and finally, the largest blackbird I have ever seen since living here dropped in twice for a nibble. Across the way, on the one tree left in the front yard, I had pileated woodpeckers, downy and hairy woodpeckers, and a large Northern flicker all sharing the suet cake I remembered to hang before the storm started. They even let a squirrel or two get close for a taste.

The birds have gotten so comfortable with me sitting and watching, many sat along the windowsill out of the wind and pecked at the window just a foot away. I want to think they were saying hello, but perhaps they decided they'd try the drive-through window approach and make a request.

It's getting dark now and the moon is up, and the last mourning dove just left her tree limb perch. I wonder where they go at night? I hope it's some place warm.

Thanks for spending the day with me.

A Typical Rejection version 2

Don't worry. Now that my blog is open, I really don't plan to post every rejection I receive. They would make for repetitive and boring reading, I know. Nothing inspiring, creative, or uplifting about it.

But let's face it. There's a snow storm outside and this is the second employer who has sent out rejections in the middle of a winter blizzard on Super Bowl Sunday - during Kitten Bowl, to be exact. If it weren't so sad, it would be quite funny. So, allow me to post version 2 and insert my editorial comments for all to share.



"Maryalice Leister:

Thank you for your interest in the Specialist, Academic Authenticity Support position with ************(redacted) [Ironic this position had everything to do with verifying teacher credentials, students submissions, and research veracity]. We have received a large number of inquiries from highly qualified candidates for this role. [Really? How many? I want to know.] At this time, we have decided to move forward with candidates who more closely match the skills and qualifications required for this role. [Underscore is mine. I wonder how much more closely someone matches the skills and qualifications for the role than nearly 95%?]

We will keep your resume and profile in our applicant database and encourage you to keep *************(redacted) in mind when considering future opportunities.[When I received the first rejection from this employer, I was naive enough to think the robo-rejection email meant it and I have continued to look at their numerous postings.] We invite you to visit our website periodically to review new positions as they become available, [check!] and update your profile as needed.[Every time anything changed] Please accept our best wishes for your continued success.[Sincerely, thank you very much, but those wishes aren't working.]

Sincerely,
Human Resources [Funny name for a mother to call her child, don't you think?]
************(redacted)"

Just had to do it. How else does someone internalize these dismissals if not with humor. There isn't an HR person out there who truly believes these canned emails lessen the blow. As a candidate, I receive this type of email, I deflate yet again, and wonder, again, why others get hired and I don't. But what this type of rejection does is place a wall between the employer's HR people and the candidates. I said in an earlier blog post that it is nearly impossible to get feedback on why my qualifications aren't what they want and how I can improve so they would be. The employer doesn't care, but as a candidate,  I care a great deal.