flirtatious smiles

About that 6' Pole video, something I didn't mention before is that I find the singer's smile rather captivating and/or fascinating, especially the way he looks straight at the camera when doing it. It's like a half smile, or a "knowing" smile, or like an "I have a secret" smile*. And yet when I watched the video again now looking specifically for the smile, it's even more interesting because most of the time where I get the feeling he's smiling, he isn't, or it is only a very slight smile. Even his eyes don't look like they are smiling, and yet I still get that strong "smile" impression.

*None of which are mentioned here: 12 Types of Smiles and What They Really Mean, but I'm thinking now that it fits under the category of "flirtatious smile".

His biggest smile is at 1:51. That's more of a normal happy/fun smile, not like the rest I'm talking about.

Not only that, but the other bandmember (like at 10 seconds into the video), has the same fascinating half smile!

The girl at 56 seconds also has a captivating smile (very briefly shown), but it's a different kind.

In other words, I think I find both band members cute. Not as in wanting to meet them or talk to them or do anything with them, as I have a feeling I wouldn't like them in person. But in that it stirs something in me. Which together with the catchy beat of the song, makes me not mind watching the video again and again. I'm not sure how similar that is to a sexual person finding people cute?

The singer's voice in the song seems at first jarring compared to the music, slurred and unmelodic. But as the song goes on, I get used to it and start liking it. Together with the smile, it starts sounding like the lyrics of the song are a joke he's sharing with you.

And another thing. The purple striped t-shirt he's wearing is very similar to one I had as a kid. I think it was one of my favorites. Although now in looking at the photos, I had two different t-shirts like that! The stripes are slightly different in each, but nearly the same colors and with the same darker purple band around the neck.

make your own spicy ketchup

In my spice cabinet was a jar of garam masala which my brother left here 15 years ago. Other than perhaps once (after which I wrote "spicy sweet" on the jar), I never used it because it's too spicy hot for me. It smells good like Christmas spices, but on the rare occasions when I want something to be spicy hot, I don't want it to taste like cinnamon and cloves. I realized that while browsing the spices recently, so I put the jar on my counter, intending to finally get rid of it.

A few days ago I was looking for something to pep up my meal. It occurred to me that spicy ketchup would go well on it. I didn't have any. But I had ketchup, and that jar was still on the counter. So I mixed garam masala powder into ketchup, and ta-da, spicy ketchup! It tasted just like the Maya Kaimal ketchup I remembered.

The jar went back into my spice cabinet, as now there's something I can use it for in the future.

refreshingly zesty carrots

This is a good way to use up carrots that are dry or slightly bitter:

Peel, then grate the carrots. (I think I used 4 carrots)
Mix some frozen orange juice concentrate with water (I used about 4 tbsp or maybe more with 2 cups water)
Add about 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar to the OJ.
Add 1 to 2 tbsp maple syrup to the OJ.
Stir the liquid, then pour it over the carrots.
Let it marinate in the fridge.