OT July Chit Chat

[Howie]

Flower kitties!!! That's like cool man, I can dig it!

[Virginia]

I use to go to Starbucks a long time ago, but as they got more expensive and I stopped drinking coffee I stopped and have not been in a very long time.

Cat, that was a nice post you wrote likening us to Cheers and such places.

I have not cooked bacon in a long time. When I did I fried it in a pan. Now having heard you guys talking about cooking it in the microwave and also the fact that it is summer, I am ready for some bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches. So, tell me do you cook the kind of bacon that we use to get years ago that you cook from scratch or do you get some like one of my neighbors was telling me about. She says it is already cooked and you just put it in the microwave (I guess to heat it). So how do you all cook yours?

Nice kitty pictures Vicky.

[Howie]

Virginia, cooking bacon in a microwave is easy. Put down two paper towels. I use to tear the corners off so it fits the round rotator dish better. Use the real bacon, like you fry in a pan. Cover it with one towel to stop the spatters from going everywhere. It's been a while since I did it, but I THINK 3 minutes cooking time.

It depends on a lot of things, so try 2 minutes, and see how it looks. If limp, do another minute, until it looks ready. Mmmmm, I'm getting hungry....for bacon!!!

[agate]

Um, wouldn't the length of cooking time depend on the wattage of your microwave?

When I cook anything in the microwave, if it comes in a package, I find out what wattage it's meant for and then do some arithmetic if it's not for a 1150W microwave, which is what I have.

[Howie]

Arith....ari....math? We don't do that stuff around here. I haven't done bacon in a long time. As for the wattage, that would require reading....and we don't do that around here. Simple is good, simple is easy. That my motto.

[SuzE-Q]

Virginia, I always used to cook the bacon on a microwave safe dish, covered with a paper towel.

I never cooked anything directly on the glass turntable. Yes, about 2 1/2 - 3 minutes sounds about right, depending on how many pieces you're cooking.

Yes, regular bacon. I've used the partially pre-cooked bacon, and it only needs less than about 1/2 a minute or so.

[SuzE-Q]

I used to have a "Cheers" grouping in a bar I'd go to. I was the tagalong with some friends who were regulars, I didn't go as often as they did, but it was a place you could go on your own and know there'd be friends there. There was a section of the bar counter reserved. Unfortunately, the bar was sold, and it was never the same under new management, they discouraged the regulars and people stopped going.

Now, I have a once weekly picnic at a local park I can join in during the spring/summer, bring your own dinner, different local park each week. Around 15-25 people attend, always lively conversation, sometimes people will bring ukeleles and start a singalong. If it's not too hot or if it's shaded, I'll go to that.

Yes, this place is also like that too. Friends, info, a laugh, support.

[Catdancer]

I never cook anything on the microwave turntable. It's there to turn, catch spillover, not as a cooking surface. Cooking anything in a micro takes watching over. Sure, you can do the math...but even then, it might take longer or less time, because the thing you're cooking is thicker, or thinner, or in the case of frozen meals slide in the package so not uniform, how much you're cooking at a time, any number of variables. I start with the minimum suggested time, then check it. Then stop, or add more if necessary. Bacon can be tricky because even regular sliced bacon can vary in thickness from from brand to brand, amount of fat in a particular portion. So I do like Howie...except mine is on a plate, not the turntable...and start with 2 minutes for four slices, then check.

[SuzE-Q]

To get philosophical for a moment.....Doesn't everyone want a Cheers in their life....a place where they are welcome, where there are warm greetings, friendly faces, people which miss you when you're not there, wonder about your well-being......indeed, where "....everybody knows your name"?

Doesn't have to be a bar. Could be a church or other place of worship, a coffee shop, bookstore, hamburger joint...just some place where you go regularly, know the folks there, they know you, care about you, care enough about you to be able to know when you're ready for a joke, or need a hug, or need a beer, or a good cry...

Much like this place in cyberworld. But my wish for you all..and for me...that somewhere there's a Cheers in your life...

Funny, there's research about this...wonder if they reviewed THIS online community?

Int J Community Based Nurs Midwifery.

2016 Jul;4(3):188-98.

Online Social Support for Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Thematic Analysis of Messages Posted to a Virtual Support Community.

Shavazi MA1, Morowatisharifabad MA1, Shavazi MT2, Mirzaei M3, Ardekani AM4.

Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Currently with the emergence of the Internet, patients have an opportunity to exchange social support online. However, little attention has been devoted to different dimensions of online social support exchanged in virtual support communities for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

METHODS:
To provide a rich insight, the aim of this qualitative study was to explore and categorize different dimensions of online social support in messages exchanged in a virtual support community for patients with MS. A total of 548 posted messages created during one year period were selected using purposive sampling to consider the maximum variation sampling. Prior-research-driven thematic analysis was then conducted. In this regard, we used the Cutruna and Suhr's coding system. The messages that could not be categorized with the used coding system were thematically analyzed to explore new additional social support themes.

RESULTS:
The results showed that various forms of social support including informational, emotional, network, esteem and tangible support were exchanged. Moreover, new additional social support themes including sharing personal experiences, sharing coping strategies and spiritual support emerged in this virtual support community.

CONCLUSION:
The wide range of online social support exchanged in the virtual support community can be regarded as a supplementary source of social support for patients with MS. Future researches can examine online social support more comprehensively considering additional social support themes emerging in the present study.

[SuzE-Q]

Very sorry to hear of Gary's BIL, how tragic.

#thinkingofyou,Gary

[SalpalSally]

Arith....ari....math? We don't do that stuff around here. I haven't done bacon in a long time. As for the wattage, that would require reading....and we don't do that around here. Simple is good, simple is easy. That my motto.

Simple is as simple does!

[SalpalSally]

I never cook anything on the microwave turntable. It's there to turn, catch spillover, not as a cooking surface. Cooking anything in a micro takes watching over. Sure, you can do the math...but even then, it might take longer or less time, because the thing you're cooking is thicker, or thinner, or in the case of frozen meals slide in the package so not uniform, how much you're cooking at a time, any number of variables. I start with the minimum suggested time, then check it. Then stop, or add more if necessary. Bacon can be tricky because even regular sliced bacon can vary in thickness from from brand to brand, amount of fat in a particular portion. So I do like Howie...except mine is on a plate, not the turntable...and start with 2 minutes for four slices, then check.

I used it with a paper towel on top though.

[Howie]

Sally Gump!!!

[Cat Dancer]

Definitely want a paper plate or towel on top of the bacon. It will keep the fat on the bacon's surface so it browns, but more important will keep the fat from coating the inside of your microwave!

[agate]

One of my former helpers advised me always to put a slightly damp paper towel on anything I microwave, and I've followed that advice. I get a paper towel wet and wring it out so it's not dripping and put it over the top of whatever is going into the microwave. I figure I don't need the towel when I'm using a plastic or glass container with a lid.

I believe she said that the damp paper towel helps to keep the food from drying out too much.

Good advice about keeping a careful eye on anything you microwave. A couple of times I was staying on the lookout, saw trouble starting up but realized I didn't know which button to push to stop the process.

That was a special kind of fun when the thing I was microwaving was one of those gelpacks you can warm up for pain relief. The gelpack burst and splattered tiny bits of blue gel all over the inside of the microwave.