10 on the 10th: Would You Rather...

10 on the 10th is a fun monthly thing instigated by Marsha In the Middle.

This month it's ten eleven "Would you rather" questions

1. Would you rather eat deep fried Twinkies or butter?

My question is, is it possible to deep fry butter?

I asked ChatGPT:

Yes — but you can’t just toss a stick of butter into hot oil unless you want a greasy fireworks show.

People do deep fry butter (famously at state fairs), but they do it by:

1. Freezing the butter first – usually cut into small chunks or rolled into balls.

2. Coating it very well – dipped in batter or wrapped in dough/breadcrumbs so the hot oil doesn’t melt it instantly.

3. Frying quickly – just long enough to crisp the outside before the inside turns molten.

The result is basically a warm, melty butter center inside a crunchy shell.

And here's a recipe!
You're welcome.

2. Would you rather eat a hot dog cooked or uncooked?
Hot dogs were one of my specialties when I babysat my siblings.
Even I would not stoop to serving hot dogs raw, no matter how much the sibs annoyed me.

I would rather not eat a hot dog at all.

3. Would you rather dig for gold or dig for gemstones?
I'll go digging for random facts any time!

4. Would you rather plant your feet in the sand or in the snow?

Sand!

Rena's and my red toes in the sand, from 2017

5. Would you rather read a book with no chapters delineated or a book with no chapters at all?

What's the difference? I don't care, as long as it's well written.

6. Would you rather wear flip flops with tights or high heels with tube socks?

The toe thong on flip flops bothers me, I'll go with the heels.

stolen from nectarinedreams.com

7. Would you rather wear the twins Polly and Esther or their evil cousin, Latex, for a posh evening of your choice?

If you squeezed me into Latex, I'd look like Divine (Pink Flamingos), but without boobs.

Modern polyester is almost tolerable.

8. Would you rather watch a really bad movie with your bestie or a really good movie by yourself?
I'm all for streaming solo. I can watch whatever I want with no judgement.

9. Would you rather color in the lines or outside?

10. Would you rather drink warm root beer or cold “hot” chocolate?
Cold hot chocolate is the same as chocolate milk, right?

Bonus: Would you rather have taco chips or celery string stuck in your teeth?

Since I despise celery, I'll go with chips, despite the pain factor. Yes, been there, done that.

Be sure to check out Marsha’s post and her link party for more responses!

Linking up with
Marsha's 10 on the 10th
Shelbee's On the Edge

10 on the 10th: Dogs

10 on the 10th is a fun monthly thing instigated by Marsha In the Middle.

Her prompt for this edition was very simple: dogs

I was surprised to discover that I've sketched more than ten dogs...

I know there are more... but a baker's dozen is plenty!

Be sure to check out Marsha’s post and her link party for more responses!

Linking up with
Marsha's 10 on the 10th
Shelbee's On the Edge

Good Buy/ Goodbye Summer Sandals

It's halfway through the June and time for another episode of Shelbee and Nancy's Good Buy/Good Bye Book. The theme this month is Sandals.

I have many pairs of sandals that I love dearly. My most favorite pair has to be the Fluevog Sandals that I purchased in 1992. They were the second pair of Fluevogs that I bought.

Here they are, freshly back from the cobbler in 2017
These have been rejuvenated by cobblers twice!

I got these signed by John Fluevog himself when he came to the Venice Fluevog shop during his book tour.

December 2019

John has since released an updated version of these, and I wonder if I had a small part in that happening...

When I started sketching Fluevogs as part of an A-Z blogging challenge in 2017, little did I know I was starting a series that is still ongoing! I now offer my sketches on Redbubble products and on Spoonflower home goods, fabric, and wallpaper.

These sandals were the second item that I sketched, and I got myself a dress to go with my sandals!

2017

Obviously by now, you have figured out this was a Good Buy!

And they cost under $100 in 1992. A Good Investment too!

2025

Here are other posts that include these sandals:

March 29, 2013 - Foot Fetish Friday: Fluevog

April 2, 2017 - Vintage Vogs: Clog Sandal #ifjm2017

May 27, 2017 - The 70s Called - They Want Their Fluevog Clog Sandal

June 26, 2017 - The Fluevog Sandal Clog Has Risen

August 1, 2017 - Is It Wrong To Match Your Shoes To Your Dress?

May 4, 2021 - #thevintagefashionchallenge Day 4: Yellow

Linking up with

Shelbee On the Edge

10 on the 10th: June Loves

 10 on the 10th is a fun monthly thing instigated by Marsha In the Middle.

Her prompt for this edition:

Instead of just answering some questions or such, let’s try photos of ten things we really like or even love.

I'm all for the love! And not just things!

1. Must be Severo!

2. Mr Lou

3. Morning ritual: Earl Grey loose tea, Hi-Lo souvenir mug, bakelite handled spoon

4. Celebrating my birthday with Ube Macapuno cake

5. Fluevog shoes, making repeats, embroidering them
Bonus: will be creating and exhibiting a total of 50!
The show will be in Pacifica, CA (near SF) in September

6. Road trips, then making art
This is 1-10, West Texas and will soon be available in a flash sale for $100

7. Textile Arts LA group
I'm curating a TALA group show for a pop-up art fair in Torrance July 11-13!

8. Music! In this case, Nada Surf in 2024

and in 2011

9. Fragrant flowers! Check my IG to see what happened when I took this photo...

10. Russel Wright dishes.
Some pieces are from my childhood, though Mom is still holding on to one forest green serving bowl.

Be sure to check out Marsha’s post and her link party for more responses!

Linking up with
Marsha's 10 on the 10th
Shelbee's On the Edge 

Let's Get Poetic

 I'm writing haiku again and thought I'd turn it into a linkup party.

Here's today's a recent effort:

I've been thinking about an old project that went nowhere fizzled out, the Haiku To My Closet.

My 2019 SpyGirl post included a call for poetry link-up and it's time to revive both!

Composing haiku are kind of addictive - they're a structure of 3 lines with 5/7/5 syllables.
I recently did TWO art collaborations with haiku included in the presentations.

They're traditionally about nature, I just follow the 5/7/5 format.

You will find me walking around muttering to myself and counting down syllables on my fingers.

For now, I'm keeping this link-up open until Labor Day (9/1/25), it may extend longer.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Linking up with

Shelbee On the Edge

Marsha In the Middle

10 on the 10th: May Questions

10 on the 10th is a fun monthly thing instigated by Marsha In the Middle. 

This month, she has questions!

1. Would you rather live in a tiny house in the country or on a boat on a river or lake?

I'd like to try the boat on a lake concept. Waking up to a horizon of water would be glorious!

Piseco Lake, NY available!

2. Would you rather be a character in a Shakespeare play or a Stephen King movie adaptation?

Shakespeare for sure.

3. Would you rather your kitchen was full of all black appliances or all pink appliances?

Pink! There are lots of shades of pink and it doesn't necessarily have to be Barbie pink.

Look what I found!

source

4. Would you rather be allergic to cake or chips?

Would it be a mild reaction or near death?

5. Would you rather have a five minute conversation with your past self or your future self?

Past self! This girl especially... it would take more than five minutes though!

1978

6. Would you rather be rich or famous?

Rich in friends, rich in memories

7. Would you rather drive a brand new big, big truck or a slightly used small car?

I will drive my 2009 Prius until it stops working (230,000+ miles and counting). Then I'll get another.

8. Would you rather live with your parents or your kids?

Since I'm a cat mom, I'll go with the cat kid (who's an old cat man)

9. Would you rather have an ugly tattoo where everyone could see it or a beautiful one that no one could see?

I'll put a temporary one wherever. Nothing permanent. 

10. Would you rather eat a peanut butter and Spam sandwich or a strawberry jelly and lettuce sandwich?

I think with enough tweaking of condiments, you could get an Indonesian vibe going on your PBnSpamwich.

Or this! (Google can be a wonderful thing)

5 star rating! You know you're curious...

Be sure to check out Marsha’s post and her link party for more responses!

Linking up with
Marsha's 10 on the 10th
Shelbee's On the Edge

10 on the 10th on 3.14

Answering 10 questions! This is a fun monthly thing instigated by Marsha In the Middle.

To quote Marsha's prompt post:

Do you know when Pi Day is? It’s March 14 but looks better if you write it 3.14! And, that is pi to two decimals. Pi goes on to infinity which means it’s not rational. Do yourself a favor and don’t look up the definition unless you’re a math major. My daughter, who was a math major, explained that a rational number can be written as a fraction. Irrational numbers cannot. Pi is irrational because it can’t be written as a fraction! So, have at it, my friends and tell us about the ten irrational (as in not logical) things you would do! And, remember, it’s so much more fun when you give reasons for your answers!

I did some research and found 7 irrational questions from past 10 on the 10ths:

4/23

7/23

10/23

12/23

2/24

6/24

2/25

Note the trend towards CHOCOLATE!

And 2023 was a banner year for irrational questions.

Then I went to ChatGPT and asked "this or that absurd questions involving chocolate"
The Chat called it "Absurd Chocolate Dilemma":

1. Eat a chocolate bar that tastes like broccoli OR a broccoli that tastes like chocolate?
2. Swim in a pool of melted chocolate OR have it rain chocolate syrup for a week?
3. Have chocolate-flavored toothpaste OR brush your teeth with melted chocolate?
4. Wear clothes made of solid chocolate OR shoes filled with hot fudge?
5. Only be able to eat chocolate-covered vegetables OR chocolate-covered insects?
6. Have fingers that constantly ooze chocolate OR cry chocolate tears?
7. Be cursed to always have chocolate melted on your hands OR never be able to taste chocolate again?
8. Replace all the water in your house with chocolate milk OR have your furniture be made of solid chocolate?
9. Live in a house made of chocolate that melts in the sun OR a house that constantly smells like chocolate but never has any?
10. Have chocolate hair that you can snack on OR chocolate skin that melts in the sun?

Marsha, you are welcome to use any of these for your next "This or That" 🤣

Seventeen [a prime number] questions in all and if I must answer one...

Chocolate hair! Except I'd quickly become bald from nibbling on it all the time.

Be sure to check out Marsha’s post and her link party for more responses!

Linking up with
Marsha's 10 on the 10th
Shelbee's On the Edge

Rena's Fine-Whatever

Getting Into Sol LeWitt

 Marsha posted this artwork for the bi-monthly Style Imitating Art challenge:

Sol LeWitt, Wall Drawing No. 652

Immediately, I thought: I have a shirt like that!

Why not put the two together?

notice I fixed the wonky perspective on the art

This was so entertaining, I'm considering doing more!
I want to virtually pose before ALL the Sols! Haha.

Linking up with
Shelbee's On the Edge
Rena's Fine-Whatever