(In)decision time

[dolorosa_12]

Today's snowflake_challenge prompt gave me the push I needed to finally test out Dreamwidth's poll functionality:

In your own space, create a quiz or a poll (or tell us your thoughts about answering quizzes/polls).



I decided to use it to help with my Sunday afternoon loose end indecision...

Poll #28193 Help Ronni with indecision

This poll is anonymous.
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 60

What should I read next?

View Answers

The book I have on hold at the library
30 (50.0%)

The Hellebore Guide to Occult Britain
16 (26.7%)

Giant coffee table history of the Caucasus
5 (8.3%)

More online short fiction
9 (15.0%)

Something else which I will explain in the comments
0 (0.0%)

Which cookbook should I cook from next?

View Answers

Indonesian
8 (13.6%)

Burmese
12 (20.3%)

Cuisine from Jerusalem
9 (15.3%)

Polish
10 (16.9%)

Malaysian
20 (33.9%)

Another recipe, which I will link in the comments
0 (0.0%)

What should I do after finishing this post?

View Answers

Read one of the books from Question 1
17 (28.8%)

Nominate things for Once Upon A Fic Exchange
17 (28.8%)

Yoga
13 (22.0%)

Catch up on Dreamwidth posts
19 (32.2%)

Obviously all of these things, preferably at once!
26 (44.1%)

It's been a fun, if tiring weekend, filled with a huge amount of exercise (about which more in a later post), lots of slow, nice-smelling cooking, a film last night at home and another tonight in the community cinema, and enough time to finally catch up with a huge backlog of Dreamwidth and AO3 comments. I've read one book — a history of the Habsburgs (Martyn Rady), which was good, but which I felt rushed over a lot of complex things in a somewhat superficial way. I guess I'm not really someone for whom sweeping survey-style popular history writing really works — I prefer things to focus in detail on a shorter time period, or on a single piece of social or cultural history. The book was good for what it was, but it wasn't really suited to me.

As mentioned in my poll, once_upon_fic has opened for nominations. This is an exchange devoted to fairy tales, folk tales, mythology and similar. I participated last year, and really enjoyed it. There are more details in the nominations post.

Comments

[flamingsword]

As an AuDHD person, the siren call of DO ALL THE THINGS is strong. (If only I had more spoons to do them with, lol!)

[dolorosa_12]

Yep, that impulse is definitely there. I need to figure out what to prioritise right now though — the poll is helpful!

(And your icon is perfect for this context.)

[mekare]

Thanks for this poll idea! I did a similar one last year, but completely forgot about it later (it was about which fanart project I should do next.)

[dolorosa_12]

Glad I could help! I really should make use of the poll function more — it's useful.

[goddess47]

Slow, nice-smelling cooking is the best... Something in the over/slow-cooker for several hours makes me feel like I've worked hard at a meal without working hard!

Fun poll!

[dolorosa_12]

I know, right? I much prefer that kind of cooking, especially since the results are usually delicious.

[peaked]

I don't think I have ever eaten any cuisine from Jerusalem, so that gets my vote because 1) you should and 2) I'm selfishly hoping you end up posting a picture of it.

What you should do: nominate for Once Upon A Fic so it's out of your hair, then unwind doing some yoga because nominating is hard on the body, clearly! Gotta stretch those wrists and fingers!

[dolorosa_12]

I don't think I have ever eaten any cuisine from Jerusalem, so that gets my vote because 1) you should and 2) I'm selfishly hoping you end up posting a picture of it.

Ha! I said 'cuisine from Jerusalem' because the city itself is contested, and it would be incorrect to describe the food in question as either 'Israeli,' 'Palestinian,' or the like. The book itself is called Jerusalem and it's the combined efforts of Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, who are respectively Israeli and Palestinian, both grew up in Jerusalem, but both only met when they were working in the hospitality industry in London together. They ended up business partners, owning a culinary empire of several London restaurants, a catering business, co-authoring various cookbooks, etc. This book is a kind of nostalgic compilation of all the various types of food they both ate while growing up in the same city. If you've ever had any other kind of Middle Eastern food, there are similarities. I didn't cook anything from it last night, but tonight I am going to make a cauliflower recipe from it — it's not super aesthetically pleasing, so no photos, alas!

What you should do: nominate for Once Upon A Fic so it's out of your hair, then unwind doing some yoga because nominating is hard on the body, clearly! Gotta stretch those wrists and fingers!

In the end I went straight for the yoga, and still haven't put in my nominations because I wanted to think about them some more!

[lebateleur]

I had not known about the Hellbore Guide before dropping in to this poll. It has now been added directly to my reading list. ☆

[dolorosa_12]

That's the one I actually ended up reading. So far it's a lot of fun — it reminds me of the old school 19th- and early 20th-century folklore encyclopedias I used to read as a child. I'm glad you've added it to your list!

[lebateleur]

it reminds me of the old school 19th- and early 20th-century folklore encyclopedias I used to read as a child.

Yes! I devoured those things as a kid. If you're looking for another modern volume along those lines, John Michael Greer's The Occult Book is really well done.

[dolorosa_12]

Thanks very much for the suggestion!

[chestnut_pod]

Oh, polls are fun! I only wish I could come up with more excuses to make them.

[dolorosa_12]

I use polling software and surveys a lot at work (librarians love evaluation forms), but as you say, I don't have many opportunities to use them here. They are a lot of fun, and I should use the functionality more!

[svgurl]

I am intrigued by all the cuisines you mentioned and hope you give us details (and a pic or two!) once you decide. Glad to hear that weekend is going well! :D

[dolorosa_12]

I don't know if you use Instagram, but the chefs responsible for the various cookbooks all have Instagram accounts and post amazing food pictures.

Indonesian: laraleefood
Malaysian: sambalshiok
Burmese: rangoonsisters
The Jerusalem cookbook: ottolenghi and sami_tamimi

The only one who doesn't seem to be on social media is Beata Zatorska, the author of the two Polish cookbooks I own.

[shipperslist]

The Hellebore Guide to Occult Britain sounds interesting.

[dolorosa_12]

I've started reading it and it's a lot of fun so far! It's very similar to the kinds of old school folklore encyclopedias I used to read as a child, except it groups things geographically rather than thematically.

[barbaratp]

I liked the poll. As a person who is a bit confused about what to do with his life (even more so now) there are times when a little push can come in handy. Some of my choices were simple, but others not so much. Honey, you have a book on Caucasian breakfasts and it's not at the top of your list? I think I think with my stomach even more than with my eyes lol