Jenn Dolari @dolari@driveinsaturday.org

ALL ABOARD THE CAFFEINE BOAT!

Best Mailbox Ever

Tis the season....

Dude, get off of there! You're going to get us in trouble!

Where I am now.

Where I am now.

Aw yeah. Best ice cream in Washington.

I do miss my multiple-times-a- year trips to Canada. Just to dangerous to cross right now. And not from the Canadians.

This is about as close as I can get these days. I did stop by Peace Arch Park to use the restroom, where I was immediately followed by Border Patrol, who went in just after I got out (A male presenting officer going into the women's restroom is not suspicious to me at all).

Anyways, on to the meat of my trip today.

I'm going to leave this here (maybe with an asterisk on some of the lyrics): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvOZs3g3qIo

Saw a post in one of the Old Austin groups that showed my old post office in Hyde Park. I only lived in Hyde Park for two years, but had spent most of my Texas life trying to get back there.

Life has chosen otherwise, but it's not bad where I am now. But I do miss Home.

I'm halfway through my impromptu vacation and haven't done anything special for it. I REALLY want to go into Canada, however, while I don't expect problems going into Canada, coming back as a brown transwoman dealing with American immigration officials? Well...that's worrisome.

Best to keep crossing into Canada an emergency option for now. Miss my almost home, though.

I have an idea for a nice roadtrip that will take me close, but not across the border, while having a nice little trip home.

A friend was lamenting the end of MTV when I said "Streaming killed the video star." She suggested we write the song for it.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED:

I heard you on the cable back in '82
Lying awake intently tuning in on you
If I was young it didn't stop you coming through
Oh-a-oh

They took the credit for your new wave melodies
Encoded by machine on new technology
And now I understand the problems you can see

Oh-a-oh
I met your children
Oh-a-oh
What did you tell them?

Streaming vids killed the video star
Streaming vids killed the radio star
Downloads came and broke your heart
Oh-a-a-a oh

And now we meet in an abandoned studio
We hear the VJs and it seems so long ago
And you remember the jingles used to go:

Oh-a-oh
You were the fun one
Oh-a-oh
You were the last one

Streaming vids killed the video star
Streaming vids killed the video star
In my mind and on YouTube
We can't unplug, we've gone too far
Streaming came and broke your heart
Put all the blame on scrolling bars...

You are the video star
You are the video star
Streaming vids killed the video star
Streaming vids killed the video star
Streaming vids killed the video star
Streaming vids killed the video star
You are the video star
Streaming vids killed the video star
Streaming vids killed the video star
You are the video star
Streaming vids killed the video star
Streaming vids killed the video star
You are the video star
Streaming vids killed the video star
Streaming vids killed the video star
You are the video star

Oh-a-oh, oh-a-oh...

As of today, I've lived longer as a woman than a man. Pizza and cake acquired.

Today is October 17th, 2025. 9356 Days since I transitioned. I was born July 26th, 1974. 9355 days before I before transitioned.

As of today, I've lived longer as a woman than as a man.

Might get a slice of cake or something today. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GrmiTlaVgo

I've taken the first six days of my vacation to clean my house. Because I finally have time. Holy cow.

I swear, the sheer amount of money going into my medical stuff feels like throwing Good Money after Bad Money.

This Week's Meals - McDonald's Big-N-Tasty/McDLT

So the Arch Deluxe wanted frozen hamburger patties, and I could only get them in 10, so I decided to make another Mickey D's burger, the McDLT/Big-N-Tasty.

There's not much difference, really. Added pickles, changing the dijon mustard to regular mustard. Shredded lettuce instead of lettuce leaves. Less fancy bun. No bacon (a war crime if you ask me).

It's a really good burger, yeah, but what I'd really do is mash these into a McDolari Burger. Using the Arch Deluxe as a base, adding pickles and shredding the lettuce.

Please forgive my overcooked tater tots. I can never dial in good tater tots in the air fryer.

Title: McD.L.T
Yield: 1 sandwich
Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Rating: 4.0/5 stars
Source: McMenu - Do-It-Yourself McDonald’s Restaurant Recipes

---
Ingredients
---
1/4 pound beef patty
1 whole sesame seed bun
1 slice American cheese
1/4 cup iceberg lettuce (chopped)
1 slice tomato
1 tbsp white onion (chopped)
3 slices dill pickle
McDonald's Hamburger Seasoning
1 tbsp ketchup
1/2 tsp mustard
1 tbsp mayonnaise

---
Instructions
---

1 - Pre-heat an electric griddle to 400 degrees, and toast both halves
of the bun face down on the griddle. It should toast quickly and will
have an even light-brown color when done. After toasting, set the
toasted bun aside.
2 - Lay the beef frozen patty on the grill, and after about 20
seconds, "sear" it. Sear a
little harder and a little longer than with regular hamburgers. You
should apply heavy pressure for 6-8
seconds.
3 - Sprinkle liberally with McD's Hamburger Seasoning.
4 - About 2-3 minutes after searing, turn. Be careful not to tear the
sear you just created. Add another dash Seasoning.
5 - About 2-3 more minutes after turning, smash the beef patty with
the spatula to "squeeze" out excess fat, and then remove. Smash it
again between the spatula and your free hand to additionally drain the
fat.
6 - Put five "kisses" of mustard around the toasted crown about 1/2
inch from the edge, equally spaced.
7 - Then put five squirts of ketchup in the pattern of a five on dice
and the size of a nickel on the toasted bun. (Make the center one the
size of a quarter)
8 - Add about a tablespoon of freshly chopped white onion
9 - Then add 3 pickle slices, the lettuce, followed by 1 tablespoon of
mayonnaise.
10 - Top that with the tomato, then the slice of cheese. Most cheese
slices are slightly too big, so cut or tear off about 1/4 inch, making
a slight rectangle.
11 - When the beef is done, put it on the heel side of the bun. Then
get the dressed crown side slap the two together, and BAM - a no
longer available McD.L.TTM!

---
Notes
---

Makes 1 sandwich
Calories: 602
Total Fat: 29.26g
Total Carbohydrate: 49.37g
Protein: 33.19g

----------------------------------------

Title: McDonald's Hamburger Seasoning
Category: Seasoning
Cuisine: American
Rating: 0.5/5 stars
Source: McMenu - Do-It-Yourself McDonald’s Restaurant Recipes

---
Ingredients
---
4 tbsp salt
2 tbsp Ac'cent MSG
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder

---
Instructions
---

1 - Mix all ingredients well.
2- Use in a spice shaker with big enough holes for the pepper to
flow. This seasoning is used liberally on all McDonald's hamburgers
during the COOKING process.

#cooking #thisweeksmeals

1990 or 2025, still the one image from Ranma 1/2 that makes me smile every time....

AI IS GREAT EVERYONE SHOULD USE IT