Monday, November 8, 2021

Trending but not for me!

JENN McKINLAY: I try to stay on trend, I do. It used to be easy when I had teens in my house, keeping me apprised of the latest and greatest from streaming shows to social media platforms to newest flavors of candy. Now, in the empty nest, I have absolutely no idea what is happening! 



In an unsupervised and misguided effort to keep up with the latest “must watch” show, Hub and I stepped up for the first episode of Squid Game. We were left at the end of the first episode gaping at the TV and each other. What did we just watch, the anti-Ted Lasso? As Phoebe from Friends would yell, “Oh! My eyes!” 


Then, of course, there’s Tik Tok or Book Tok, whatever that is. This was my line in the sand for social media platforms. Not gonna do it, I kept saying. And I really haven’t. I’m what I call “present but absent”. I have an account. It’s posted exactly one video. I once fell into the rabbit hole of watching scores of people sing the same song over and over, dance the same moves over and over, and lost HOURS of my life. I can’t, y’all, I just can’t. 


Lastly, for the love of all that is sugar loaded and yummy, Hooligan 2 (fellow candy freak) brought me a bag of candy corn -- already controversial, I know, I still love it, don’t judge me -- that is flavored like a TURKEY DINNER! What heresy is this? Who thought this was a good idea? Is nothing sacred?


So, I find I am no longer on trend, or trending, and I’m okay with it. If losing hours of my life, eating terrible sweets, and emotionally scarring myself are required to keep me on point, well, I think I’d rather be dull.


What about you, Reds? What trends have hit lately that you are fine with letting pass you by?


HALLIE EPHRON: Candy corn that tastes like turkey dinner sounds completely disgusting. Anathema! 


Popsugar Review: HERE
The flavors: roasted turkey, green beans, glazed carrots, stuffing, cranberry sauce and sweet potato pie.

I have easily passed on Squid Game, though it’s amazing how many people have asked, “Are you watching it?” Followed by pulling a face and saying, “It’s SO violent.” Even before this terrible year I’d pass on anything “so violent.”


What seems to be passing me by are food trends. The newspaper recipe world has veered into super spicy and non meat. Good for the planet, for sure, but I am still figuring out tofu.


RHYS BOWEN:  I’ve never been one to follow trends since my heyday in the sixties when I was full on Mary Quant, Vidal Sasoon, Beatles and moving with the in crowd on Carnaby Street. Since then, not so much. And now I’m hardly aware of trends unless one of my grandkids rolls her eyes and says “On Nana!”

But I have been reading about Squid Game, and I have to say never in a hundred years would I want to watch something so horribly dark and violent. I’ve found as I have aged that I don’t tolerate violence well any more. I need movies with predictably happy endings, civilized people talking to each other--like Downton Abbey. I can handle tragedy with a story like that, but never senseless violence.

I’m not into food trends either. I have ventured into a couple--vertical food (ridiculous and not enough to eat) and that time when desserts came with balls of frozen nitrogen that made the plate smoke. But as for candy corn that tastes like a turkey dinner? I’m afraid our food will come to that one day soon when the earth runs out of real food. We’ll take a pill that tastes like something and then a spoonful of artificial protein and fillers. That will be a three course meal.


HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: I think some trends are fun--that’s how we found Ted Lasso, and in the before times it was fun to talk about water cooler TV. Even silly things like American Idol, (which we totally did not know about until season two, that’s how on trend we are) can give people something fun to talk about. 

Clothing, though, I have to admit I monitor. Skinny jeans out, boyfriend jeans in. Very very short skirts, now,  or very very long. (But who cares, really, when I just wear yoga pants. And wow, have you seen the new clothing? I think they are making those prairie dress things in case people gained weight in lockdown.)

Food? I read the food trend things, and then think--I don’t HAVE any of those ingredients, and whatever, it doesn't even sound good. 

And I am laughing about TikTok. Many a day a colleague has sung its praises, and staunchly declared the necessity. I say it's spinach, and I say to hell with it. 




Finally, I think we can say that anything that tastes like anything else makes me wonder why you wouldn't just eat the real thing. But--i’d try a turkey candy corn one, just to see. Turkey-taste couldn't make candy corn taste any worse!


DEBORAH CROMBIE: Thank you, Jenn! Now I know two trends I'm happy to let pass me by--turkey-flavored candy corn and Squid Game. Actually, I did know about Squid Game but was so not tempted. I'm not sure I was ever trendy even at my hippest. Now, for clothes trends, I rely on my friend who follows fashion, and my daughter, who I think would tell me if I wore something totally awful (but maybe she wouldn't/hasn't? That's a scary thought.


LUCY BURDETTE: I will definitely pass on that candy corn and Squid Games too. A friend’s daughter-in-law said no one in television will buy a normal concept because they are looking for the next SG. I asked: what will the older people watch? She said: TV has always aimed at the 18 to 34 age bracket. Sigh.




Tiktok, no. I can’t keep up with what I have now! If I didn’t have a good clothing store in the next town, I’d have no idea what to wear. She helps me choose things that are modern and look good on me, without being so trendy I can’t wear them next month. And yes on the yoga pants anyway! And Hallie, I love tofu but John puts his foot down so I don’t serve it. I order it if I’m out and it sounds delish.


What about you, Readers? Are on trend or happily letting them pass you by?

 

127 comments:

  1. It sounds as if I am not missing anything with the turkey dinner candy corn [sorry, but that just sounds yucky] or the Squid Games show or TikTok. I guess that means I am not on trend and am happily letting them pass me by . . . .

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    1. Exactly. I think I was much happier before that candy corn…lol.

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  2. Jenn, I like candy corn but that sounds absolutely disgusting. I am not and have never been one for trends. Being told what to do/think/wear does not sit well with me and I find that the older I get the less I give a flying flip what anyone thinks of me. A quiet nonconformist may be the best description.

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    1. I hear you! But love of trying new things clouds my judgment. LOL.

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  3. Gotta say, our household of three Generation Jones (too young to be proper Boomers, a little too old to be Gen X-ers) and one Young (25) are all loving SQUID GAME. It's very dark, for sure, but really smart and has some important things to say that it manages to say in a way that are bound up with the story and not overly didactic. It's brutal, but I don't think it's gratuitous, which is a part of what makes it hard to watch—the violence is meaningful. There are also some wonderful characters who you really root for.

    Will skip the candy corn though!

    Lisa (Brackmann)

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    1. Lisa, you are the first person I've heard stick up for SG. I'm glad you're finding something redeeming!

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    2. Lisa, This is so interesting to hear... it's SO popular and apparently hits a vein. I may need to reconsider.

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    3. Yes, see below. We were intrigued, and the violence is so unreal, and there's a chilling theme.

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    4. I keep thinking about the show and that’s off one episode so I suspect I will double back and finish. H2 loved it and he’s pushy about these things.

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    5. FWIW I think the episodes that follow the first are better -- the first episode, I'm thinking, okay, this is really good, but it's kind of similar to things I have seen before. The second episode takes it in a totally different direction. But it is hard to watch, no ifs ands or buts. Not a bingeable show -- too intense!

      Lisa (Brackmann)

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  4. NOPE, I'm definitely NOT on trend on any of the items listed above.

    Since I don't have Netflix or HULU or Disney or AppleTV, I am missing on the shows that the Reds and readers have been watching/talking about. No Squid Game, Ted Lasso, Only Murders in the Building (although I do want to see this one).

    And I am not into fashion, happy being comfy in my retired "at home" outfits all year round in Ottawa.

    As for food trends, some of those you described are disgusting. CANDY CORN is blech already but turkey dinner candy corn is bizarre and just NO (for me). And I can't eat most spicy food due to my nightshade allergy. Most chili peppers, pre-made spice blends are a no-go for me, so I pass. As a carnivore, I don't mind trying the different non-meats but I have not found one that I really like yet.

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    1. I live with a meat lover - non meats are not on his menu.

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  5. No trend following here. I wear clothes that are comfy. And I prefer food that taste like the food it is meant to be...so now to any flavored candy that is supposed to taste like food.

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  6. Probably time to subscribe to HBO and watch Ted Lasso, but Squid Game? Naw. There is enough unnecessary pain in the world for me already. I'm still reeling from the Afghanistan debacle. And yesterday's Bills game.

    After all our elders died in an 18 month period a few years ago, we started watching Lawrence Welk. Because that's what they always did on Saturday night.

    There I've said it. Sexist racist ageist patronizing oh-so-dated LW. And we watch it virtually with our friends, Tim and Victor. The texts that go back and forth would be censored, even on BBC. And the godawful costuming by herself, Rose Weiss -- Hank you should check this! This is what old farts like us do for entertainment on Saturday night.

    No Tik Tok, no Twitter, no reality shows unless GBBS counts. And I fail to see the point of Instagram, sorry.

    Love from your favorite curmudgeon.

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    1. ANN: Our family watched the Lawrence Welk show each week when I was growing up.
      Also Hee-Haw, so no accounting for my parents' taste in TV shows.

      I had no idea you could watch LW now. Is it online? Or on your cable TV?

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    2. omg, Ann wuundderful wunderful.. you indeed will never waaaaalk aloooooone.

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    3. Ann, Ted Lasso is on Apple TV, and worth subscribing for as long as it takes you to watch all the episodes.

      Which, if you're anything like anyone else, will be a couple days, tops. It's completely binge-worthy, and each episode is around a half hour.

      My paternal grandparents watched LW religiously, ever Saturday night, which is when we were visiting. Ahem. (My grandmother was not my mom's biggest fan.) A-wunnerful, a-wunnerful.

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    4. Oh, I can picture it now! Those pastel frothy dresses on the Lennon Sisters! And wasn’t there an excess of accordion playing?

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    5. Yes, Hank! Their accordion player Myron Floren was a regular, and he played every episode I ever saw.

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    6. Yes! Myron Floren. And everyone was ALWAYS SMILING.

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    7. I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone who watched LW! So you’re an original, Ann! Embrace it.

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    8. I like the idea that you watch LW, but watch it ironically. So hipster. Which is also long past its on-trend date, but so what? I'd love to get a peek at your running commentary. That has to be the best part of the whole experience.

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    9. I hadn't thought of LW in years! I had no idea you could still watch it. But even ironically I'm afraid it might give me nightmares...

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    10. Gigi, next time I’ll try to get a screen shot. Yes it is all tongue in cheek. And irreverent. LW is turning in his grave

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    11. I grew up watching Lawrence Welk. My mom’s parents, especially my grandfather, loved it! I remember him saying it was the best program on television!
      Didn’t the father of the Lennon sisters get killed by a crazed fan?

      DebRo

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  7. I had heard about Squid Game but had no idea what it was. I don't know what Shark Tank is, either. I would much rather trend new Ann Cleeves shows and am trying to convince Hugh we really must get Britbox.

    Clothes? I've been clueless most of my life. I might have been trending in the early seventies with thrift store jeans and homemade embroidered muslin blouses. What ARE boyfriend jeans, anyway?

    Our Sisters in Crime chapter had a great speaker (in person outdoors under a big tent) this summer on Tiktok and Booktok. It sounded like a good thing for an author to do. I tried to make a video. I really tried. And I failed. So much for that trend!

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    1. Here's a selecction of boyfriend jeans (from Nordstrom!)
      https://www.nordstrom.com/browse/women/clothing/jeans/boyfriend-jeans

      A relaxed, baggier fit around the crotch and legs, often with ripped knees.

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    2. Because the preripped and distressed look is so on trend that exhausted-looking and ready-for-the-ragbag costs twice as much.

      People are nuts.

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    3. I think you would enjoy Britbox, Edith -- there are so many good shows there! And we just finished the newest Ann Cleeves one, The Long Call. It was excellent, though I will warn you it veers from the book in ways that surprised me.

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    4. The thing with Book Tok is that it’s reader driven Circe and Song of Achilles were huge on Book Tok and it’s not because Madeline Miller was on there. Sure, authors can push their stuff and get a following but much of it is reader based.

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  8. I'm so far behind the trends that this is the first I've ever heard of Squid Game. Or turkey-flavored candy corn. I'll pass on both, thanks. And I'm with you, Jenn, on TikTok. I just can't.

    My biggest trendy experiment right now is signing up for HungryRoot because I'm bored with ordering the same old groceries and cooking the same old meals week in and week out. Whether I stick with it remains to be seen.

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    1. Annette: HungryRoot sounds interesting. More attractive than the meal delivery kits such as HelloFresh (which I have tried for a month and stopped).

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    2. Good for you, Annette! I’ve given up cooking but if the Hub leaves me I need a plan b. Report back!

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  9. Most trends pass me by so I'm used to that feeling. But then again, I don't feel like I'm missing out or anything.

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  10. No trends are followed in this house. At all. We rotate through a reliable half dozen or so homemade dishes/meals (including one with tofu); they're always good. No surprises. I'm still wearing a T-shirt from my first LL Bean order more than 25 years ago. I pray my clothes won't wear out, as buying new ones is a nightmare of trendy fast-fashion fabric collusion against comfort and the sustainability of the planet. There. I think I'm giving Ann Mason a run for best curmudgeon.

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    1. AMANDA: I would gladly pay more for clothes that lasts. These fast-fashion fabrics and construction are awful, aren't they. Good news though about the UNIQLO clothes. When I posted about buying more shirts for the winter, a commenter posted that her UNIQLO ultrawarm clothes have lasted over 10 years with no pilling of the fabric. So I am hoping I can wear these tops to stay warm for many Ottawa winters.

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    2. LL BEAN! Got my catalogue right here marked with Post-Its.
      Curmudgeons unite!!

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    3. Yes!!! I miss real denim jeans not this stretchy stuff they have nowadays. Yuck.

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    4. You might also check out Duluth Trading Company in your quest for well-made clothing that lasts. I've been happy with the stuff I get there.

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    6. Grace - thanks for the reminder about UNIQLO. I must check them out.
      Hallie - Happy to unite as curmudgeons!
      Jenn - yes, down with spandex in jeans!
      Gigi - Duluth Trading Company is new to me. I will explore. Thank you!

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    7. Levi’s, Lucky Seven ForAll Mankind and Hudson all have real denim jeans. I generally buy jeans on sale at Nordstrom.com. I also buy men’s Levi’s and wear those a lot too.

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    8. I wear Lee's jeans for decades and they are real denim, too.
      My problem is they stopped selling them in department stores in Canada (Hudson's Bay) and I was getting new pairs during my trips to the US (Kohl's). Of course, I have not been to the US since March 2020...

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  11. I've tried lots of new recipes in the past 20 months, most a success. And I acquired the new, miracle fabric workout/leisure pants that feel like a second skin. They are lovely.

    I got dressed up to give a talk on my writing journey last week, pulling a selection of "travel clothes" out of my closet: slacks, cashmere sweater, turtleneck, coordinating flowered mask. Leather shoes instead of running shoes or hiking boots.

    The only trend I'm following is children's books for my grandson. I'm woefully out of date.

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    1. I love children’s books. So much good stuff out there.

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  12. I don’t think I’ve ever been on trend in my life. Maybe a few months during Hippie’s time. :)

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    1. Which is coming back! Here’s your second chance!

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  13. What does it tell you Jenn that I was totally unaware of those things until very trendy you brought them to my attention? I'm so far out of it I am probably on another planet. My excuse before was that I did not have all those shows and things available to me. Now I guess they can be available but I'm pretty sure there's nothing for me there but a huge waste of time. Way back when I enjoyed Shameless but after several years that got to be too much for me. Not that I only want those CBS geezer shows but what else is there that is entertaining but not disgusting or insulting. Edith might just have the answer with Britbox, which is what I'm thinking of doing too

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  14. Oh good one Jenn, No, no SG here, and I’ve eased off SM too. We’re old in this household and with COVID concerns are staying rather isolated too. I’ll have to try and talk with the grands as to how out of date I am. I’m in Hanks box with clothes though I am trying to shed some vintage clothes still sentimentally hanging in my closet. Yes I had my hair cut at Sassoons and somewhere have a photo of me in my Mary Quant coat and perfume. Maybe Rhys and I passed on the Kings Road. Now I wear the pants recommended by Debs a few weeks ago. They are very comfortable. I do read the NYT food email plus the food column from the Guardian though mainly for ideas as we try to get more veggie, though last nights little loin chops from local lamb were delicious.

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    1. I always go with the timeless What Would Audrey (Hepburn) Wear? When it comes to clothes. She defied trends.

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    2. Unfortunately, I never looked like Audrey in those clothes, even when I had Audrey hair.

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    3. Sadly, my "Audrey" seems to be the Audrey from "Little Shop of Horrors"-- that giant, man-eating plant with the voice of Levi Stubbs. Not a fashion icon, as it turns out.

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  15. I think Jones soda was ahead of the Turkey flavored trend when I introduced Turkey dinner six pack in 2004. For those who don't like candy corn, they have reintroduced it this year. Speaking of candy corn, am I the only compulsive that nibbles each color and then pops in the orange part?
    I was avoiding talking about trends, as back in my teen years I could not fathom Beatlemania.. and have been like that ever since. I don't even march to my own drummer. more like I waltz to a kazoo..
    Happy Monday y'all.

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    1. Waltzing to a kazoo. Now that's a word picture, Coralee!

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    2. LOL! I saw a group of kazoo playing women in a parade in NOLA once - - you’re people are out there!

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    3. I've seen the Jones soda in the stores. No thanks!

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  16. Jenn, I'm still laughing at your quote above. And so is my husband. I had to share it with him, it's so perfect.

    No Squid Game for me, for the same reason I didn't watch Hunger Games or Game of Thrones. Or Dexter. Shudder. Give me the British/Scottish/Aussie/Welsh/New Zealand (they say "deeth" instead of "deth") detective shows, with most of the violence offscreen, thank you very much.

    We are generally untrendy here. I love my mix of antique furniture mixed with cloth-upholstered pieces, in actual colors that are not grey, brown, black, or beige. The show houses and model homes are lovely, but the monochromatic palettes of recent years are not appealing enough to me to ditch everything we own and start over.

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    1. So here's a puzzle. I powered through all of the Hunger Games books... really enjoyed them. But I cannot watch the movies... Huh?

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    2. Hallie , the same with Harry Potter. Devoured the books. Watched the first 5 movies but couldn’t watch the last 2. Too much darkness
      Rhys

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    3. Sorry It will only let me post as Jungle Red. Don’t know why. Rhys

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    4. There's something about seeing graphic stuff, isn't there? When you read it your imagination can gloss right over something icky. I did not watch the last Outlander episode, because I saw previews that Clare would be raped. Nope. Cannot do it.

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    5. Things have been so dark during the pandemic I think it’s tough to take anything that adds to the stress.

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    6. I should also add--though I really am liking Squid Game, I didn't like Game of Thrones. Granted, I only saw the first season and then the second half of the last but I completely didn't get what the fuss was about (I am told all the best stuff was in-between what I watched, but...). Dexter I liked at first and then got tired of.

      I do tend to like dark/intense stuff. I loved Breaking Bad and the Sopranos. But it has to have interesting writing and some depth for me to get into it.

      Lisa (Brackmann)

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    7. EDITH: Yes to cozy mysteries for the win (in print).
      But the TV adaptations of some of my fave cozy writers has been HORRIBLE!

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  17. Concerning one's children having a say in what one wears. I totally trusted my youngest daughter's opinion and would take a dressing room photo and ask her opinion. I realized that her: "That looks like something you would wear, Mom" was her darkly nuanced way of saying: "Walk away from the dressing room right now".

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  18. That is an absolutely great quote, Jenn! Jonathan and I say that to each other every day: we have no idea what’s going on!
    We did watch squid game, and… It was kind of shockingly fascinating. The violence is so ridiculous and unreal that you sort of are separate from it, and it’s very chilling. I didn’t hit it, but I didn’t watch anymore.
    And here is how ridiculously my brain works. I thought, because I did not see the photo, that one candy corn tasted like the entire turkey dinner. All the flavors. And I wondered how they did that. Very Willy Wonka I thought.

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    1. LOL - very Willy Wonka! I hadn’t even thought of that!

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    2. Didn't hate it, I meant to type.
      And now I am SO curious about those candy corns. It's the same-ish as those jelly bellies that taste like other things. Those are GREAT. I love the popcorn.

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    3. I like the Jelly Bellies, too. I have a fifty flavor assortment in my kitchen. All the flavoring is very realistic, including the popcorn.

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  19. Totally off trend here. No to Squid Games, Hunger Games, Game of Thrones. I did watch all of HP because the books grew darker as Harry grew older, so I knew what to expect. But total LOTR fangirl here, battle scenes included--except I confess to putting my hands over my eyes when Boromir gets that last arrow. Clothes--just comfortable and long-lasting, please. Food trends--nah. I love to eat, but food is getting more expensive by the day--I only add in new recipes if I think there's a good chance they will stay in rotation.

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    1. All very sensible, Flora. To thine own self be true. I think that is the key.

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  20. Back when I was mid-thirties, I worked in an office stocked with bright 20-somethings who endlessly discussed the latest whatever, and I had an epiphany. I realized that I had a life, a husband, a career, and a really large TBR pile. Therefore, I did not have enough time to hear all the music or see all the TV shows. Keeping up with popular culture takes work and, in a time before bandwidth, I didn't have the bandwidth. It was curiously freeing to let go of my obligation to be on trend. I listened to my co-workers' chatter long enough to catch the buzzwords, smiled, and didn't give even a single (fill in your expletive).

    Now, in these "are we post-COVID or not?" days, I find that all the dark, dystopian stories that apparently went into production during the previous Presidential administration are simply not for me. I've had enough fear, loathing, and drama to last for quite a long while. I want to laugh. I want to read Jenn's rom-coms and watch silly old videos of The Graham Norton Show. Deb has convinced me that I really need to sign up for some streaming service long enough to watch Ted Lasso, but other than that? I'll pass.

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    1. I have just deep dived into the Graham Norton show! Yes, a thousand times yes, Gigi.

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    2. GIGI: I watch snippets of the Graham Norton show on Youtube. Brilliant!

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    3. So nice to know people who don't roll their eyes when I say, "I saw this interview on Graham Norton . . ."

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    4. We are not post-Covid. We may never be post-Covid, since so many people refuse to believe it, or get vaccinated.

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    5. We have reached 87% fully vaccinated adults 12+ in Ottawa (and the province of Ontario is close behind at 82%. Once Canada approves Pfizer for 5-11 years ago, we should be able to reach the >90% fully vaccinated which is supposed to be the level needed to reach herd immunity with the Delta variant. The effects of the high vaccination rate are evident: the dreaded fourth wave was just a blip and has subsided. That being said, we don't consider Ontario (or Canada) as being at the post-COVID stage. Our nearest neighbours and the rest of the world have a long way to go before this pandemic can be declared over.

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  21. Don't care about trends. My granddaughter is in the ripped jeans thing right now and my thought is who would pay good money for jeans with holes in them? I've never watched TikTok, don't do Instagram, don't listen to podcasts. That last because I can't sit still for them. Since I retired from an office job I'm not concerned with the latest fashions. I love to read the weekend WSJ when they show designer clothes for men. Those poor models. I hope they're paid well. I haven't watched the Squid Games and probably won't. I didn't watch the Tiger King either. I really don't give a hoot what is "in" and what isn't. It was fun ages ago to talk with co-workers about who shot JR but those days are long over.

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    1. Oh my goodness, Pat: Who shot JR? That was a mega big thing, wasn't it? I remember it so well. But, as you say, those days of collective-in-one-moment-only experience of popular culture are long over.

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    2. Tiger King! Yeah, that was a one episode for me, too. Oy.

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    3. Yeah, Who Shot JR? or the ending of MASH had a staggering amount of millions of TV viewers.
      But now that we can watch shows on-demand, on-line and binge-watch entire seasons of TV shows, it does not have the same cachet.

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  22. So not on trend. When I wrote a teen character, I subscribed to Seventeen Magazine and discovered just how out of touch I was! Someday someone will tell me what boyfriend jeans are - I'm still trying to figure out what mom jeans are, but since I'm not a mom, I'm not too worried. Glad to see maxis and midis coming back! I loved those styles in the 1970s. Does this mean big shoulders are the next on-trend? Shades of Dynasty.

    Lucy - tofu - yum, sauté with garlic and some olive oil and serve with soba noodles. I love it. Hubs won't go near it. Sigh, should we do dinner one day when we are both in the same state?

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    1. I love tofu, too, Kait, but husband won't touch it. Maybe we should have a girls' tofu party!

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    2. Shoulder pads - please, no. LOL. I was a freshman in high school and looked like a linebacker.

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    3. I'm coming to the tofu party! Hugh can't stand it, either.

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    4. DEBS: You have to hide the tofu in the dish so that it is unrecognizable.
      I make a chocolate mousse with tofu, for example.

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    5. Silken Tofu Chocolate Mousse (vegan)
      https://healthygirlkitchen.com/recipes/desserts/vegan-tofu-chocolate-mousse/

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  23. I finally started using Instagram a couple years ago. I got my first streaming service at the beginning of the year (although I did buy a Roku in spring of 2020).

    Does that tell you how on trend I am?

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  24. Sorry I am late to the party again! I have been called old fashioned because I loved to dress up in clothes from another century when I was a kid reading children's books set in another time.

    One of the reasons I decided not to attempt writing a contemporary novel is because I feel like I always miss the trends. When I watched the Gilmore Girls regularly, I used to be more aware of trends.

    Diana

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    1. I have never seen Gilmore Girls. Should I?

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    2. Yes, Hank, you should. It's a study in dialogue and comedy - fantastic!

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    3. HANK: Yes, Gilmore Girls is a classic. Great mother-daughter relationship and dealing with the lead's "difficult" wealthy parents.

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    4. HANK, the Gilmore Girls is now on Netflix - both the original seven years and A Year in the Life of the Gilmore Girls. It is one of my favorite tv shows of all times. It's a study in dialogue and comedy as Jenn said. I agree with Grace that it is a classic.

      Diana

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    5. OK! On your recommendation! As soon as my book is done…xxxx

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  25. FYI regarding tofu. My husbands was energetically unimpressed with eating tofu until I discovered the freezing trick. Freeze a block of tofu. Once thawed, you can squeeze out the extra moisture and go from there. It changes the texture to a more solid one and it acts more like a sponge to soak up the flavors of whatever you're cooking with it, especially sauces.

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    1. Yes! Or you can use a tofu press (or an-hoc tofu press) to squeeze out excess liquid.

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    2. Great Tip! Thank you. I love tofu though it never occured to me that it was trendy. LOL

      Diana

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  26. Jenn, burning question, inquiring minds must know: light meat or dark meat turkey flavor? ;-)

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    1. Honestly, it tasted like dirt to me but I'm not a big turkey fan.

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    2. In another lifetime ago, I loved light meat in the turkey. Now I do not like turkey anymore.

      Diana

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  27. My comment completely disappeared when I accidentally hit “preview.” I learned months ago that that’s the best way to end up in cyberspace. I’ll try to reconstruct it:

    In my entire life I have never been on trend. A lot of that was due to circumstances. I went to Catholic grammar school and high school, so I always wore uniforms to school. Outside of school, much of my wardrobe consisted of hand-me-downs from the children of family friends. I never owned jeans until my freshman year in college, when I bought a few pairs at a Woolworth’s near my dormitory. My parents didn’t approve of jeans. (Naturally, my four younger siblings all started wearing them earlier in life than I did! Even my dad started wearing them eventually!) They cost something like four or five dollars a pair!

    I don’t drink because I don’t like the taste of most alcoholic beverages, and I simply got out of the habit of having any. I do eat “meatless” meat a couple of times a week. Heart disease runs in my family and I try to steer clear of unnecessary fats and cholesterol. I don’t have cable TV; I watch Netflix and Prime TV.

    Our parents impressed on us that we didn’t “need” to be like everyone else. Sometimes my own choices bothered me because I knew they were “different” but I learned not to care about it! I suppose I’m another happy, quiet nonconformist!

    DebRo

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  28. I am SO not on trend. Whatever. I dress in clothes I like and that look good on me. I watch what I enjoy (although we did watch "The Harder They Fall" on Netflix this weekend - kinda violent, a lot profane, but it's Idris Elba and cowboys - how can you go wrong)? Language? Forget it. Social media? I hate how much time I have to spend on it for books - I can't imagine looking for more (so I was very encouraged when I attended a workshop that said TikTok was effective mostly for YA and mystery, while suited for everything, is still good on Facebook and Instagram).

    Oh well, I'm square. My kids remind me of that frequent.

    And since I'm not a big fan of candy corn to start with, candy corn that tastes like Thanksgiving dinner? Pass.

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  29. No one I know of has been pleased with the candy corn "meal." It seems more of an "I dare you" item, like the Bertie Bott's Jelly Bellies. The bits I've seen of Squid Game and the SNL skit convinced me that it's too much for me.
    I have a theater friend in Tennessee who has done some very nice TiK ToK videos, most recently 30 days of Halloween . . . costumes she's made from random items on hand. (Erin Hensley Schultz if you want to find her). Friends' suggestions have more weight for me than whoever decides what's trending, and then I decide if I like it, the best "trend." My chiro prescribed GRACE AND FRANKIE, and a student brought King's "Quitters, Inc." to me. I remember watching L.W. with my parents, but we liked Mitch better . . . and later I heard Pete Seeger. <3

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    1. That sounds like a brilliant TikTok, Mary. Thanks for sharing - I'll look for her.

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  30. I am far behind on being trendy. I had heard of Squid Game, but I knew nothing about it. Now that I know it's violent, I'll continue my distance from it. Tik-Tok. If you'd asked me about Tik-Tok a month or so ago, I would have said I have no interest, and I still don't want to participate. However, on my FB feed I've started getting about five Tik-Toks show up together, and I have to admit, I'm watching them. Some are just stupid, but some are funny. And, to show how behind I am, I didn't know about Book-Tok. I think I'll have to look that one up. I am rarely aware of clothes trends, and it shows. I'll pass on the candy corn, however it's flavored. And, food trends aren't useful to me, as we fall back on our favorites.

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    1. Exactly! There is talent in Tik Tok land, for sure, I am just seriously out of time for all of this. LOL!

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  31. The last time I was “on trend” was probably high school, over 60 years ago, when of course every boy wore Levi’s and short sleeve plaid shirts and Penny loafers. Okay, maybe I was when I bought an Apple IIe computer with duel hard drives. But really, clothes? For work, for nearly 40 years, I had to wear slacks, dress shirt, coat and tie. I haven’t worn that but a few times since I retired. Otherwise jeans, shorts or sweats and T-shirts. My feet? A pair of New Balance, pair of Crocks (old) and slippers.

    I read blogs, have a blog, have email. That’s it. No Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or any other social media of any type. Don’t want or need it. I have basic cable, no extra channels. So, obviously, I wouldn’t know a trend if I stubbed my toe on it. How untrendy? Never saw Seinfeld, Friends, or any popular TV programs, except I did watch Perry Mason when it was on, whenever that was. *SIGH*. Hey, I’m content. Does that count?

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    1. Content for the win!!! I don’t think you’re missing a thing, Rick!

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  32. Three things that define my current position on these topics:

    1. I love cotton candy grapes-- possibly healthier than cotton candy?

    2. The TV lost its picture six weeks ago, so I listen to the news, then shut it off. I don't miss it. I might have missed Packers football, but that was because I loved watching Aaron Rogers in action, and now I can't stand the sight of him.

    3. What is Tik Tok? And who has time for it during NaNoWriMo?

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