2016, what the heck even. You were the worst year: everyone died, including a significant number of queer icons and feminists, as well as several individuals who were influential in the oppression of the LGBTQ+ folks during the AIDS crisis; and we elected someone so unqualified and corrupt that, if he and his cabinet picks could be quantified as entries into Hannibal’s Rolodex, the show would be on the air for another 3 seasons. JUST SAYIN’.

Among other upsetting discoveries–and I don’t want to downplay this as something I just discovered, because those of us in marginalized communities are battered by this realization every day of our lives–the election and its aftermath put into focus a tough lesson about bystanders. Bystanders don’t want to “get political” because their privilege protects them from having their rights taken away or further restricted. Or rather, they believe that personal is not political for them because they believe they are not affected by politics. My links of the day are on bystanders and upstanders rather than NPOs. If you have ever thought, “That’s horrible what happened during WWII [or past crisis of choice]; I would have stood up against fascism!” NOW WOULD BE A REAL GOOD TIME TO START STANDING UP AGAINST FASCISM.

Facing History: “The Holocaust: Bystanders and Upstanders”

“I’m Not Political (Because I Assume I Will Retain All of My Privileges Forever)

Wall of Us – weekly acts of resistance with further reading

Educate yourself. Fight back. Resist. This is not normal.

Top Posts of 2016 (Published in 2016)

I took a look at queerbaiting in Afternoon Tea x Pocky’s “Sweet Love Story” (also my favorite post I wrote)

I recapped an amazing tofu meal that I had in Kyoto in 2015.

I made chai bread in my rice cooker. Finally.

I went to Portland for the first time and also ate mooncakes.

I adapted my favorite cake recipe into muffins.

My decorated cakes this year:
Originality: ’80s Business Lady Cake
Presentation: Layer Cake with Ombre Frosting
Technical Merit: Twin Peaks Cake

My favorite recipe I published: Rhubarb Cream Scones with Lemon and Ginger

Did I Meet my 2016 Goals?

Kinda?

-Finish the review of Japanese Food and Cooking (1956) – my copy of the book has a couple chapters missing from a printing error, so I need to consult Google Books. 

This book is so irritating that I get tired just looking at it. I just want to do a quick overview post after doing a five-part piece nit-picking some of the worst parts, but then the election happened and fjdlksafah;ighk

-Help use the ridiculous amount of bread flour we have at home by making rice-cooker breads and publish at least two rice-cooker recipes. Priority: chai bread.

This is the goal I achieved!

-Make fondant from scratch.

I was going to do this for the ’80s Business Lady Cake but decided to make it look more homemade/80s by using buttercream. Welp.

-Learn how to make cocktails with all the unusual bitters and liquors C has (rhubarb bitters? chokecherry liquor?)

We’ve been working on this together and are ready to go from testing to posting phase this year!

-Make agedashi dofu from scratch.

One for this upcoming year.

2017 Goals

-Resist. This is not normal.

-If you continue to make my existence political, my queerness will burst through the ever-present clouds like the most magical fascist-punching double rainbow you have ever witnessed.

-Let’s recreate meals from queer media! If you’re on Instagram, you already saw the first one!

-Cocktails with unusual liquor. We have thimbleberry brandy, chokecherry liqueur, and a sorts of odd PNW drinks to make.

-More ice cream.

:flips the table: LET’S DO THIS, 2017.