Dan Antion

Poor Little Word – #JusJoJan

JusJoJan

I know, it’s Tuesday, an unusual day for me to be posting, but it’s January and you never know what #JusJoJan might give you. John over at The Sound of One Hand Typing is responsible for today’s Just Jot January prompt, so I thought I’d play along.

“Your prompt for JusJoJan January 7th, 2020, is ‘mix.’ Use the word ‘mix’ any way you’d like. Enjoy!”

One of the first thing a chemist learns, is the way things are combined. Mixtures are, perhaps the simplest such combinations. Mix, the word, also seems to have gotten cheated a bit.  I mean it has an ’X’ and that’s cool but if you look at other types of mixtures, it’s a little sad. Emulsions are similar but the two (or more) substances are “emulsified,” not mixed. Suspensions are like mixtures, but the various stuff is “suspended” or “in suspension.” Mixtures are, well, mixed. If I had been in charge, I would have gone with “mixified,” yeilding a “mixification” of stuff.

When we look a little further, mix really starts to take it on the chin. Fine particles are “held in suspension.” When we need to create an emulsion, an “emulsifying agent” is involved. Suspended has a downside, as in being suspended from school, but also an upside as in having your sentence suspended after a certain period. When we consider being “mixed up,” as in unsure, or confused, it’s not a great connotation. Worse yet is being “mixed up in” something that might get you suspended. Andd, of course, the worst mix of all is the dreaded “wintry mix” that keeps invading our forecast.

Some of my favorite mixtures are when things that need to be mixed are “pre-mixed” i.e. already mixified. I’ve used a lot of cement that was pre-mixed. I used to have a truck that lost radiator fluid and I was happy to be able to buy pre-mixed antifreeze. Similarly, we buy pre-mixed windshield washer fluid – some of us are old enough to remember buying small bottles that you had to mix with water. The salvation of my college menu was pre-mixed pancake mix.

Mix doesn’t get its cool on until alcohol is involved. Bartenders, like Cheryl are said to have studied “mixology” and are often referred to as mixologists. Those words are words worthy of mixing and getting closer to mixifying. Unfortunately, at our bar, we avoid mixing. I drink beer, and David maintains a high degree of separation between his John Howell’s Bourbon, and the ice and seltzer. That’s too bad, because in that setting, the alcohol really is a solution.

Some interesting mixtures, combinations and solutions. Sorry if you haven’t eaten yet.

Simple fair-food – but very good.
In case the foodies want to know, I had Spicy Noodle.
The bar was serving Seafood Chowder on Saturday.
Seafood chowder and Yuengling
I think this was called a Bacon Bap. It was just about the best breakfast sandwich ever. Thanks to my friend David in Ipswich UK
OK, comfort food can look good too
This might be upscale, but it’s still bacon wrapped
Bourbon milkshake
Normally, my chocolate milk is whole milk, not this lowfat stuff
Three favs – steak tips, grilled corn and roasted potatoes
Clam chowder and those stupid “mini corn muffins”
BBQ Wings with Parmesan Peppercorn dressing
Tonight and tomorrow morning – not looking good.
The ice hung onto the branches for more than a full day. It was pretty.
clearing snow and ice as the sun tries to break through.
The ice is starting to melt.
This would take time with a functional scraper. That’s a layer of ice under there.

61 comments

  3. Jeez Louise, you couldn’t have mixed it up more if you had put everything into a mixer and mixed it on high! Good job on the prompt Dan. I bet you were having the time of your life writing this one!

    All the food looks good enough to eat…..well, except for the chowder. I can’t like chowder! 🙄

    Same weather here. Sigh……
    🐾Ginger 🐾

    Liked by 2 people

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    • Thanks Ginger. This was fun. I was sure I had a picture of a tee shirt for sale that said “Alcohol IS a solution!”

      I hope to get everything wrapped up before the snow starts. I don’t think it will be much, but you never know.

      Liked by 1 person

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  7. Hi Dan – I’m muddled … but love your food photos – I’ve been looking at a Fast and Feast Exhibition I’m seriously thinking of going to in Cambridge … so with my post I’ve been mixed up and mashed around today. But it’s a good word … bang it and bash it … is a favourite for a mixed up easy fruit cake – so lots of ideas … and yes alcohol is a solution – great fun … from a very damp south coast, thankfully no snow around – thank you – cheers Hilary

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  10. Visited my two sons and their partners a while ago and they took us out to this special place for cocktails. Now, talking about Mixology, (I really like the word) the mixes I experienced at this little place were done by a mixologist (even better word) who was probably the best one in the world. Wonderful cocktails. I think, Dan, that mixing, whatever is being mixed is an absolute art. You need to try mixing your beer with something.:)

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    • I do watch the bartender as she’s mixing drinks. Some require quite an elaborate process. I stumbled onto “dressed” beers for the summer. The rim of the glass is wiped with a lime wedge and then dredged in spiced salt. It’s really good, and it guarantees that I’ll have an extra beer. Mixology is an important field of study :-)

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  13. Dynamite use of the prompt, Dan. Since I already had lunch I enjoyed looking at the food pictures. I have to ask though, who are they kidding with the celery sticks along with the wings? Coleslaw yes. Thanks for the mention.

    Liked by 1 person

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  17. Way to mix and match, Dan. Thanks for the shout out link. You are right. I don’t get to mix much when my two favorite customers roll in on Saturday. But, that’s ok. The company is good!

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  19. Me thinks you’ve overmixed my brain, Dan, but I did enjoy your mass of mixes. Thankfully I’m quite full on homemade meatloaf and other goodies so I could enjoy your food and drink photos without regret…or a growling stomach!

    janet

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  22. I just ate my fill of goat cheese pizza, but all that still looks good — especially bourbon milkshake :P
    Your weather closely resembles ours, and you remind me I need to get some of the ‘good’ wiper fluid. Thanks.
    Mixology is one of my favorite sciences — and mixtures are real science, not that pseudoscience stuff I love so much!

    Liked by 1 person

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